Whimsy is…

We homeschool. You know what I get the most grief about? The lack of school pictures. My own experience with school pictures was deeply scarring. Take a mother with stick straight Asian hair, give her a daughter with VERY curly Greek hair and it’s a recipe for disaster. I digress.

But not really. I am not kidding when I say I’m traumatized by the whole experience.

When the twins were in PS, I would get sick trying to make sure everything was “perfect” for picture day. So I rejoiced in the fact that I would not have to deal with that again.

Of course, I always intended to have my children’s pictures taken. You know, when all the planets aligned correctly and they all had good haircuts and no open wounds or bruises on their faces.

Somehow several years have passed and there has been no alignment. The baby is almost 3 and I think there’s like 1 portrait picture of her. (Countless snapshots - but they don’t seem to get me off the hook with the grandparents)

So, last night, when I should have been sleeping, I decided picture time has come. Planets or not.

First, I was just going to run into Walmart and have them done. But that sick feeling came back. Getting 4 kids dressed and have them remain so until picture time? Not likely. Also - the twins are teenagers now. I’m not spending money on pictures to have them leave any stray “spots” on their faces.

I have a good digital camera. Not a super fancy SLR like my friend and sister have (no, that wasn’t envy in my voice - really) But I think I can do the job.

Here’s my research sites:

LIFEHACKER

HEY!!! Where’s my little HTML buttons to format my links? I don’t want to code anything today… (or ever)

That’s what my to-do list says. (Time-To rocks BTW) My day is 136% full. That’s just with shop stuff. I don’t even have the “mom” stuff in there. There is a little bit of “teacher” stuff. Hmm.. wonder if possibly I have too many personalities?

What is the best way to handle such an overwhelming list when your head is full ‘o snot? I personally like to delude myself with grandeur and rush over to my much neglected blog to tell you fine folks all about it.

You were all just sitting there waiting for an update weren’t you?

123…..

I’m a gadget-aholic. I love them. They feed my laziness. But they suck the life out of my budget (or what would be my budget if I had one)

A few weeks ago, I decided I really needed a new PDA. Mine died right before I got my first notebookcomputer a few years ago (about the time I was coming home full time) and I decided I didn’t really need one. But now I’m on the move too much for my notebook to be handy. What I really wanted was a nice little handheld PC.

But I couldn’t afford it.

About the same time, I was becoming more and more fascinated with “low tech” ideas which were actually more productive.

And I stumbled on the HIPSTER PDA.

I am still in the process of implementing (because that is the fun part right?) But I am genuinely loving it.

DIYPlanner.com has some great Hipster ideas.

Stay tuned for updates as I get mine together. But in the meantime. Head over to Rocks in my Dryer for more great WFMW tips.

every so often I get the urge to try some different headaches on for a while. This is one of those times. Instead of working on oh… say… my messy, dirty house… I’m trying to redesign my blog while simultaneously trying to find a good video editor, learn about video editing and burn my kids’ Homesat files to DVD from the computer.

All while writing incredible run-on sentences.

Well, PS Elements. I can’t afford the real thing and I got one of the older versions free with a mouse.

This is my youngest. She had been at the arena and was really dirty. (not to mention stinky) I snapped this pic while she was riding her daddy’s mule.

Had I been more skilled, I might have tried to clean up her face a little, but I am not. And the dirt is cute dontcha think?

She’s a little too “tan” so I need to work on that.

Before:

After:

Ree of Confessions of a Pioneer Woman and to a lesser extent her husband Marlboro Man. I have my own cowboy husband but I do totally enjoy the way she is OVERWHELMINGLY in love with her man. I started looking at my man and my family through the PW lens. And guess what? I started crushing all over my man again. Sometimes you get so used to seeing our families that we don’t SEE them yk?

So I’ve unburied my camera to try to capture my family in their ordinary wonderfulness.

Oh, and she COOKS and shares the recipes. Food that my DH is happy about. That makes me happy. Not as happy as say, her actually cooking the food FOR me, but happy none the less.

Is it wrong of me not to share her cooking site with my IRL friends? I want those recipes all to myself.

Really. There are times when I think “I really am an odd duck”

Yesterday we stopped back by the shop after going to the arena to watch DH not rope on his mule (who’s hock was sore) and not really rope off the boy’s mule either. I did watch both of the littles cover themselves in dirt. I also mused and whined about the fact that we changed our plans for the day to accommodate a client who didn’t buy anything. And I had already sorta planned spending the money on my curric for this year. But that’s really not the point of this post. (But I will get back to it)

The baby (who is 2 and half - but MY baby nonetheless) climbed on to my lap and I smelled the unmistakable smell of poo. I smiled and thought to myself, “oh, that’s just cow poo” With relief because it didn’t require any action from me. Do you think most mothers would be alarmed by their youngest child smelling of bovine feces? Probably. Not me.

And then today when I was cleaning up the bathroom, I washed. the. soap. The SOAP people!! Not the container of liquid soap (which incidentally is dirty) The actual BAR of soap. Why do I have both anyway? hmmm…

As I was polishing it, I remembered the poo incident from last night and thought about how that didn’t phase me, but this bar of soap? Must be dealt with immediately.

WOO WEE!! The fun the word “budget” brings to mind. I can hear you all now “oh please whimsy, please let us in on the fun”

Well since you asked and all, I will share parts of it.

I don’t know if you all know this, but, if you ask God to give you more and more money, He expects you to be responsible with it. Yeah! Who knew?

Here’s one crazy thing He’s telling me about this budget. While it will involve buying less, He wants me to buy BETTER. There are going to be things that I will buy that will not seem frugal.
i.e. Homeschooling. We’re going with Homesat this year (story for another post) and it’s going to cost more than I’m used to spending, plus we have 1 more joining the official ranks this year.

In essence, there are going to be times when He tells me to spend more than I normally would. OR to save back in preparation for such a purchase. Anyway a budget is going to be a tool in my … my? not arsenal, that would be a weapon. Well, you know, maybe weapon is a better word.’
Yep, my budget is going to be my weapon.

Let’s hope there are no friendly fire incidents.

The Whimsy family is going through a trial. A trial that appears to be inconsistent with the dream and vision that God has given our family.

I thought we had already come through the worst of the trials. We had been enjoying a bit of comfort. I could see God’s plan coming to fruition. And then

SLAM!!!

I was left looking around like “what happened? where are we?”

Well, we aren’t exactly in prison. And can I just take this moment to thank God that He didn’t have my husband (or me) falsly accused and imprisoned. Because, really God. I do appreciate that.

But there are weird circumstances that make it appear we have done wrong and we are having to deal with the consequences.

The enemy was certainly using this as a way to attack. He filled my head with thoughts of being abandoned by God. Fortunately I have the blessing of a friend who could see the situation more clearly and help bring me new perspective.

You may have known her as JavaDawn, but if you haven’t seen her new blog, She said check it out.

The problem is really that little hole in my garment that I kept trying to fix instead of letting God completely overhaul my heart. (I can only speak for myself - not DH) And thank you God that you don’t ask me to figure what/if anything he’s done wrong, because that man you gave me is confusing and boy howdy, do I have my plate full with my own stuff.

So, I am letting go of all the parts of me that I thought were OK and didn’t really need to be worked on.

I found this article this morning that really spoke to me.

I’m still digesting it, but God did make it pretty clear that I am to share this journey via my blog. That is ALL about my pride. I don’t didn’t want to admit that I have so much work to do.

It may not be pretty, but you’re welcome along. I’d enjoy the company.