Family Eccentricities

If you or your family has ever read the wonderful book The Little Boy Down the Road, by Doug Philips, then you are certainly aware of the chapter in which he speaks of the "Homeschool Opera".
He talks about how each family has their own eccentricities. For his family, it is singing while doing chores. For our family it is laughing. And when we laugh, we laugh hard. We laugh while watching Andy Griffith, I laugh when my arrogant roosters Burdock and Hickory come running after Josh, we laugh in restaurants, we laugh while doing school, we laugh in Wal-Mart, we laugh at each other, we laugh at ourselves, and we laugh at the supper table. Oh boy can we get loud there. If someone were to look in at us during supper, they might think we were drinking something besides water! Well, maybe not, but anyway. They would see a family simply enjoying each other. Laughing, smiling, and just having a good time together. Now sometimes, it is a little quieter on the nights we are tired, but most often not. I love suppertime!

Now for restaurants, this can be dangerous. One time we were in Chick-Fil-A, and I thought we were going to have to walk out. You know that kind of laugh that hurts-and your eyes start watering--well--yeah. I love it! I wouldn't have it any other way. Sometimes we laugh at simple things that some folks would just roll their eyes at. They must look at us and think "What on earth is so funny? C'mon, it wasn't that funny." Sometimes we laugh when we shouldn't, but, ya know, there are just too many people in the world today that lack joy, and that just plumb riles me.

So, I have told our family's main eccentricity, quirk, strangeness, crazy homeschool family weirdness, or whatever you choose to call it. Tell me yours. What is your family's eccentricity? I'd like to know.

Oh--remember--don't hold it in. Just laugh!

Christmas Baking

The morning came and we were excited! Why? Because we were going to bake--all day. We always set aside one day during December to simply listen to Christmas music and bake. It is one day we actually indulge in food that is not all-natural. So right now we are kinda suffering the consequences of licking chocolate covered spoons and bowls. But we had fun! We tried to cut back some this year, but we still ended up making quite a bit. Josh made the delicious no-bake cookies, I made the peppermint bark, tried my hand at some oreo bark, and Mama made the haystacks and chocolate pretzels. Coley and Makayla helped too, of course. But while we complain about how sick we are now of chocolate, I hope you enjoy these photos. :)

The Ol' Turnrow

Well, she's gone. I sold Jewels yesterday to a wonderful couple in Anniston Ala.
I am really gonna miss her, but I know these folks will give her a splendid home.
Owning Tennessee Walking horses has been wonderful. I loved the breed to begin with, but I've come to like them even more. I am so glad the Lord blessed me with the opportunity; I have learned a great deal.

Our Family's Christmas Photo

I thought I might as well post this :)

Why I Love Georgia

I got some of these in an e-mail the other day, and I thought it was wonderful! The thing is, it's all true!


A possum is a flat animal that sleeps in the middle of the road.

If it grows, it'll stick ya. If it crawls, it'll bite cha.

'Onced' and 'Twiced' are words.

It is not a shopping cart, it's a buggy.(Amen)

People actually grow and eat okra. (At least I do!)

'Fixinto' is one word.

There is no such thing as 'lunch.' There is only dinner and then there is supper.

Iced tea is appropriate for all meals, and you start drinking it when you're two.
We do like a little tea with our sugar! (Amen)

Backwards and forwards means, 'I know everything about you.'

The word 'jeet' is actually a phrase meaning, 'Did you eat ?'

You don't have to wear a watch, because it doesn't matter what time it is. You work
until you're done or it's too dark to see.

You don't PUSH buttons, you MASH EM.

You measure distance in minutes.

You switch from heat to A/C in the same day.

You know what a 'DAWG' is.

You carry jumper cables in your car --- for your OWN car.

You only own five spices: salt, pepper, Texas Pete, Tabasco and Ketchup.

You think that the first day of deer season is a national holiday.

You find 100 degrees Fahrenheit 'a bit warm.'

You know all four seasons: Almost summer, summer, still summer, and Christmas.

Going to Wal-Mart is a favorite past time known as 'goin' to Wally World.'

You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good stew weather.

Fried catfish is the other white meat. (I like squirrel better, but that’s just me)

When mothers teach their young children phonics, they explain how the ‘g’ in some words is sometimes silent. For example: fishin, huntin, tresspassin, eatin,--the list goes on.

While ya’ll is the proper contraction for you all, the contraction for “did ya’ll” is “jaw”. Example: “Jaw see that buck?”

A wallago is not an animal that lives in Australia, it is a phrase meaning a little while ago. Example: "Naw, I didn't see it, but I did wallago."

If you don’t fix collard greens and black-eyed peas at least on New Year’s, you might as well be shot.

Every young girl should know how to make Brunswick stew. If she don’t, she ain’t fit to marry.

You get beef jerky in your stocking at Christmas.

You own at least two pets that bear the name “Dixie”

Our Tree!!

Here it is! Enjoy!!

The Sanctity of Home

Joshua and I just spent the weekend in Snellville with Nana and DeDad. We had a wonderful time!!! Nana and I are working on an 1860's dress. Don't worry, as soon as we are done, I'll post photos. :) We all went to get their tree and then Josh and DeDad got it up. It's a beautiful tree!! It'll look even better when we get it decorated!

While we were there I was able to go through my great-great grandmother's family Bible. I found so many neat things!! I'll probably be posting quite a bit about some of my findings. I was also able to go through her hopechest and old photos, too. I found some very good ones that I will try to post as soon as I can. In the meanwhile, I found an old article from a church bulletin that she had folded away in her Bible. Here it is:

The Sanctity of Home

A Christian home should be Heaven begun on earth. It will be if it is teh abode of warm and loving hearts. Serene but inspiring is the household which thinks, works, rejoices, and sorrows together; whose personalities are melted down by Divine grace, uniting them in love.

"A lamp," said Robert McCheyne, the great Scottish preacher,"is a very small thing, and it burns calmly, and without noise, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house." So there are great but quiet influences which, like the flame of a sacred lamp, fill many a home with light and fragrance. A soft, deep carpet not only diffuses a look of ample comfort, it deadens many a creaking sound; so is the peace of a Christian home. A strong curtain wards off the summer heat and the wintry wind; so a sweet family fellowship is a shield protecting all the members. A soft pillow may make some forget their misery, and a tired mind soon its cares in the delights of a comfortable Christian home. Its influence is like the fresh evening breeze at the close of a burning day. There would be fewer aching hearts if there were more Christian homes.

Make sure that Jesus is in the sacred presence of your home.



Good, Huh?