Freedom of Speech

Blogs are public forums. Those of us who blog know that what we say is fair game to positive and negative feedback and comments. It is often a place for debate. People disagree. That's okay. I have gone toe-to-toe with commenters in the past, those who did not know enough about what I was blogging about to judge me so harshly. However, I still felt that they had to right to state their opinion. In fact, one of those commenters and I have even become good bloggy friends! I follow her blog now and she still follows mine.

I recently posted something on my homeschool blog and received a couple of comments. Neither one offended me in the least, although one certainly had an opinion of her own about something I had said. I noticed later that she had deleted her comment. I wasn't sure why ... I was actually worried that maybe I had offended her by not replying to her comment. (I don't always get replies back in a timely manner, so please don't be offended if you don't get one quickly, or at all sometimes. Life happens.)

Anyway, this commenter, who is also a very respected bloggy friend, e-mailed me and told me that she had deleted it because she had received a nasty e-mail from someone about it.

PLEASE DON'T DO THAT.

I want my followers to feel free to express their opinion(s) to things I say on my blog. If I didn't want comments, I would not allow them. At the very least, if you disagree with something someone has left in a comment, please reply ON the blog so that all can see. It opens up a lively conversation and does not make someone feel as though they do not have the right to have an opinion and comment.

I just felt like I really had to say this.

I believe in the Freedom of Speech on my blog. (That being said, if you do have a snarky comment, DO NOT post it as "Anonymous". That's annoying and cowardly!)

Now, Keep Calm and Comment On ....

Being a Mama is Hard Work

I'm sitting here this morning watching the mama feed these babies on our back porch. She's working HARD! And when she's not feeding them, she's sitting on the back of a nearby chair keeping guard. She can't fit in the nest with them anymore. They are too big. All she can do is provide them their basic necessities, keep watch over them from afar, and wait for them to leave the nest. It's coming soon. She prays that they will wait until they are ready. She prays that they wait until that day when she pushes them out of the nest, because she knows they can fly on their own .. that they don't need her anymore.

I'm feeling this way right now as a mama.

I can't sit there with her anymore, in the nest. There's not room for both of us. And she's far away and in another nest now. I can only try to provide her with the basics and then leave her to figure out the rest. She left my nest too soon, when she wasn't quite ready. She jumped and has fallen. She wasn't ready to fly on her own. The world looks a lot scarier outside the nest. And it is. And I can't do much for her except just pray for her. I can't lift her back into the nest. She's too big.

But she has a strong will. I rely on that knowledge. I cling to it.

Being a mama is hard.

Nicole's Daybook

Outside my window... it is PERFECT! Sunny and only a high in the mid-70's all week. Ahhhhhhh .....

I am thinking... about how I wish I had a walking partner like my mom does. Accountability would be nice!

I am thankful ... for a 6'2" son who gives me multiple hugs and "I love yous" all day long. I do not take that for granted!

I am wearing... boyfriend jeans, a gray cropped baseball shirt with a rose on the front and knockoff gray Tom's.

I am planning...  our little girls summer small group "Keeper's Club".
 

I am creating... filled flower pots this weekend! Yea!!!!!

I am going... to go have coffee with a friend this morning. Much needed!

I am reading...  Home Front by Kristin Hannah, The Templar by P.C. Doherty (Dawson's read-a-loud), Charlotte's Web by E.B. White (Brynne's read-a-loud).

I am hoping... that my parents enjoy their once-in-a-lifetime trip to Ireland next week!

From the learning rooms... Good times! Only 11 more days of school! Dawson and I are digging deep into his study of Knights (and having lots of fun). Brynne and I are digging deep into Charlotte's Web. I have been amazed at the growth in her in the area of narration this year. Yesterday I saw just how far we have come!

Noticing that ... the mama bird on our back porch is working furiously to keep those babies fed. It is truly such a joy for me to observe that nest every year. It's such a miracle of life.

From the kitchen... Pork ribs and potatoes in the crock pot, homemade snap green beans.

Around the house... is a planted vegetable garden. Thanks to my awesome hubby for doing the grunt work and cleaning up my beds for me. Come on veggies!

One of my favorite things... my summer guilty pleasure shows: So You Think You Can Dance, Storage Wars, Next Food Network Star and Sister Wives. New seasons are upon us!

A few plans for the rest of the week... This is a pretty quiet and regular week around here. On Saturday, I am going to get all of my flowers planted. On Sunday, we have invited Rick's mom, step-dad, sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew over for Mother's Day dinner.

From my picture journal.

My little guy feeling all better. Prefer kisses to sickness any day!!

Lots of women Daybook. See what they have to say at The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Sick

I haven't been able to post because I have been taking care of a sick little boy. Eli caught a nasty stomach flu virus and vomited most of the night last night with a high fever. His fever is down and the vomiting has stopped, but he still has a tummy ache, glassy eyes and is still pretty lethargic. This bug was bad because it wasn't just nausea, it was that really bad cramping stomach pain. And he couldn't even keep down ice chips, so I couldn't give him any fever reducers. I gave him several baths in the night to bring down his fever. He finally fell asleep at 9:00 this morning and slept until 1:30. He's felt so bad he hasn't even played video games! We are all getting ready to go to bed and he's sleeping with me tonight so I can keep an eye on him. Poor guy. It's been rough.

I'll be back in a couple of days.

Have a great weekend!

Nicole's Daybook

Outside my window... it is warm and muggy (in Missouri, where I am right now.)

I am thinking... about how he failed.

I am thankful ... for the babies that will be born in my family this year. What a blessing!

I am wearing... jeans, a short-sleeved plaid flannel shirt, and Sperry knock-offs.

I am planning...  lesson plans about Knights.
 

I am creating... a bow holder for my sister's friend. She loved the one I made for my sister.

I am going... to sit on this screened porch and read my book for as long as I can, because my vacay ends tomorrow.

I am reading...  Home Front by Kristin Hannah.

I am hoping... that the recent decisions Kyndal has made work out for her best.

From the learning rooms... We are in the home stretch! Only three more weeks. Dawson will finish up his basic studies, and review a new Algebra II curriculum for next year. He will finish dissections and will do a unit on knights, at his request. And he will complete the book and video portion of Driver's Ed. Brynne will finish up her basic studies. We finished our plant unit, so I think I will have her pick a few states she wants to study and we'll work hard on them. We also have some educational software to review, so I'll let her play with that some. Since it's the 60th anniversary of Charlotte's Web, I might start reading that to her and do a simple unit study on it. Or I could start reading Little House in the Big Woods to her. I bought the entire set at a consignment shop today for $6.95.

Noticing that ... my kids were always the baby nieces and nephews. Now my kiddos are pretty much grown and it will be my sister and brother having the baby nieces and/or nephews. I am old.

From the kitchen... Chinese leftovers for me and lots of Dairy Queen (two doors down from grandma and grandpas) for Eli and Brynne. Tonight ... pizza and salad.

Around the house... well, MY house, is a husband and four dogs who are wanting us home!

One of my favorite things... my mom's no-bake cookies. They are to die for!

A few plans for the rest of the week... We will go see my grandma at the nursing home and get Brynne's hair cut by my sister tomorrow before we leave to go home. We need to be home in time for Eli and Brynne's childrens' musical practice at church in the evening. On Thursday, we will have school, but then head to the Renaissance Festival on Friday. As far as I know, we don't have any plans for this weekend.

From my picture journal.

My sister, brother and I ... all grown up and with children of our own.

Lots of women Daybook. See what they have to say at The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Babies!

On Saturday, my sister had her first baby shower. She got lots of great things for the baby, and we had a fun afternoon with family and friends.

This is the bow holder I made for my sister. It turned out so cute, and I was really proud of it! (Blurry picture, though.) The funny part is that my sister has always made fun of Brynne's bows. Never say never.

My sister Kristen, niece Rylee, mom Aleta, daughter Kyndal, and me.

SO excited for my sister!

Her hostess, Jessica, did an amazing job with the food!

Then when my brother walked into my parents' house yesterday for his visit from his home in Portland, Oregon, he had some very exciting news for our family ....

We are going to be having another baby!

My sister is due with my niece, Ashtyn Rae, in July. And now my baby brother and his wife ... his high school sweetheart, Shawna ... are expecting their first baby in October!!

We were so emotional as a family because Tim and Shawna suffered a miscarriage last year.

We are thrilled and cannot wait to see these two little munchkins grow up together! God is so good!

Prom Portraits, Continued

And here are more ....

That's all I'll post. If you are curious for more, let me know! I have many, many more!

They are so beautiful! And they were such good sports.

Prom Portraits

Yesterday, I took Kyndal and my niece, Rylee, around the little town of Windsor, Missouri, where I grew up, to take portraits of them in their prom dresses. We had so much fun! We just drove around and jumped out when we saw a spot that looked cool. We took about 250 pictures. I will spare you and only show you about 100. Just kidding. But seriously, brace yourself.

Close Enough to Perfect ~ Part 3

Sunday was another perfect day for us, as well. We got up and went to church after donuts and chocolate milk.

After church, Rick went to play golf and the kids and I came home. I put in some laundry, fed the kids some lunch, and immediately hit the couch for a Law and Order: Special Victims Unit marathon. I set up my "nest" with my homeschool planner, my book, my iPad, my computer, and my doggies. I spent the afternoon relaxing and getting some work done.

The kids played upstairs and Dawson played Xbox.

After some work, I took a nap for about an hour and a half. Ahhhhh .....

I got up and fixed us dinner of meatball subs and we watched Ice Age.  Rick went to bed super early because he had to get up super early on Monday morning, so I got everything prepped and ready to start our Monday, and got us all to bed early, as well.

THIS was as perfect a weekend as I could ever have. Good work, good play, and good rest.

We are having another great weekend this weekend, even though it's completely different. The kids and I are visiting my family in Missouri to attend my sister's baby shower and to spend some rare time with my brother who is visiting from Portland, Oregon.

HSV Garden Challenge #2 ~ Not Much Progress

I don't know what it is with me this year, but I haven't attacked my garden with gusto like I usually do! I have done it in bits and pieces, but it's not all complete like I would like. I am planning on having everything in the ground by Mother's Day. Hope that's not too late.

Here's what's going on so far.

This is my lettuce that came up from last year. It's in an unattended part of my garden. And look what the worms have done to it. Yuck.

I have some potatoes in the ground, and my garlic is coming up!

I planted two tomato plants that I picked up at the organic nursery we visited a few weeks ago.

My strawberries are looking nice (I've already eaten a couple off the vine.)

I also have peas coming up!

Here are some flowers for you to enjoy.

Hollycocks (they take over my whole back garden if I don't keep them pruned!

Chives are yummy AND pretty!

My new rose bush I planted. Can't wait to see blooms!

My once-thought-dead Hydrangeas are coming to life!

My Easter Lily didn't get the memo that Easter was a couple of weeks ago. But I'll take it's bloom anytime!

My butterfly bush is starting to bloom.

Here is Brynne's rock garden. She made it to look like a flower, since that's what we have been learning about.

And the bees have been busy around our flowering bushes! I need to plant one of these in my backyard so that my gardens can get properly pollinated. I have been teaching the kids how important the bees are, and to leave them alone so they can do their job. I told them that I imagine that the bees are so focused on their work that they don't even know that the kids are there for them to sting!

I am linking up with The Homeschool Village's Garden Challenge 2012. Stop by there to see other gardens (that I guarantee are further along than mine). Also, if you are visiting from HSV, hop over to my homeschooling blog Journey to Excellence. Brynne and I have been doing a plant study, and a study on The Secret Garden, for the past couple of months. We've been doing some great things and I have lots of resources for you!