Can't Wait 'Til You Get Your "Life" Back?

"I can't wait until the kids go back to school! It will be so good to get my "life" back and have some time to myself."

"This kid is driving me nuts! I am looking forward to when he is....sleeping through the night, weaned, potty trained, in school,....driving himself to things, graduated, married!"

Have you heard comments like this? I hear them all the time. Sometimes, they whisper in the recesses of my own brain, whether I speak them out loud or not.

On a recent occasion, I was folding laundry and my 10-month-old seemed intent on undoing everything I was trying to accomplish. He'd pull piles off the bed, hang on my skirt or just fuss. I confess, my first thoughts were like those above, then I thought, "I'm here because of my family...because I've decided to devote my life to be a full-time mother to these children. They don't get in the way of my life....they are my life!

These words came spilling out of my lips, and I've been singing them ever since when Satan tries to get me to view my children as a burden rather than a blessing:

Tryin' to get the meal on,

There he is again,

Underfoot, in the way

How am I gonna get through this day?

Breakin' up a fight or two,

Stop to tie a shoe,

Get 'em dressed, out the door

What on earth am I here for?

This is LIFE

Precious life you're given

In the form of little ones

Crawling on the floor.

This is LIFE

Ev'ry moment counting

Toward the life we're headin' for 

With Him forevermore.

Lovin' them to Heaven,

Big job, it's true

Sometimes I slip, even fall,

How can I do it all?

Then He holds His hand out

Says, "Give them back to Me,

I have fashioned every part,

I alone win back their hearts."

This is LIFE

Precious life you're given

In the form of little ones

Crawling on the floor.

This is LIFE

Ev'ry moment counting

Toward the life we're headin' for 

With Him forevermore.

"Child, these children are not yours. They are just on loan to you until this life is o'er."

But for now....

This is LIFE

Precious life you're given

In the form of little ones

Crawling on the floor.

This is LIFE

Ev'ry moment counting

Toward the life we're headin' for 

With Him forevermore.

This post linked to:

The Real Scoop on Greens

My journey to real foods has been so gradual that I really can't remember all the steps I've taken. I recently asked my husband, "What was the first thing I did to move toward healthier eating?" He thought it was probably the lettuce.  I was a little surprised. I cannot remember the last time I bought a head of iceberg lettuce, but I know that was our salad staple when we first got married.

Which greens are best?  Here is a list of the different spinach and lettuce varieties although I'm sure there are many more. Iceberg lettuce isn't bad...after all it's created by God, too. There are just so many more lettuces that are better. Nutritionally, it comes out behind romaine lettuce according to this article. We also know that the more color a real food has, the more "good stuff" is in it. God made His foods to be attractive to us! The main reason our family prefers romaine or another dark, leafy green is the taste. It just has a great flavor and iceberg is mostly just water and crunch.

Where do you get them?  The best place is in season direct from a farmer, however most grocery stores carry them. Lettuce is something that I can get organically in my area for not much of a price difference.

What about the cost?  If we eat lettuces when they are in season and get them from a fresh source like a farmer's market, I think the price is very comparable to iceberg lettuce from a store, if not cheaper. Another trick I've found when purchasing lettuce in a regular store is to buy the big tubs of organic lettuce rather than bags of lettuce. They last such a long time while it seems the bags of lettuce go bad within a day of opening. If you have a salad spinner, you can always buy a smaller quantity of lettuces in the produce department, therefore cutting down the cost and buying only what you will use. Food in the trash can is money thrown away.

 

How do you use them?  Raw, in salad, of course. Mix up different greens for variety and taste. Another way to eat them raw is green smoothies. Mix them with frozen fruit, ice and water in a blender for a delicious breakfast drink. If you choose to cook them, spinach works best. We like it wilted in pasta and in some meat dishes. Any memories I have of it cooked by itself involve bacon grease, so we don't usually do that around our house. Greens like kale and swiss chard can also be braised, but I confess I haven't done this yet myself.

Your Turn:  What are your thoughts on greens?

Links: Back to School

Don't forget to check out the polls on my sidebar! I really appreciate it!

5 Tips for Back-to-School Clothes Shopping on a Budget @ Money Saving Mom

Fun and Healthy Back-to-School Snacks You Can Make With Your Kids @ Healthy Moms Magazine

Stop Filling the Pail @ Raising Arrows

Prepare Your Home for a Happy School Season @ The Mom Writes

Organizing for Back-to-School @ Organizing Your Way

Back to School Books @ I Can Teach My Child

Homeschool T-Shirt Giveaway! @ Home Educating Family Publishing

Isn't Real Food Expensive?

The first thing people ask when the subject of healthy eating comes up is, "But isn't it expensive?" Although, I'd love to say without reserve, "Oh, no! It's much cheaper," there are a lot of variables. What's expensive for one person might be pocket change for another. Even real food diets vary quite a bit, so it is difficult to put a dollar amount on it.

Here are a few of my thoughts on budgets and real food:

 

You can choose whether to pay for health now or later.
When we aren't eating well, we tend to get sick. With the money that doctors and co-pays cost and time missed from work in my husband's case, we could buy a lot of fresh, whole food.  Even if bad eating doesn't make us sick in the present, it most definitely will at some point down the road. The big killers in America are almost all symptoms of lifestyle, according to many research studies. We are also spending more on health care than most, if not all, other countries. It will cost us sooner or later.

Prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Throughout life, wealth can get us a lot of things, but it can never buy back our health. It can only pay for health care (or as I would prefer to call it, "disease care".)  Even if you can spend enough to cure your condition, you will never be as healthy as you would have been had you prevented the condition altogether.

Make good food a priority.
In a time of rising costs, food is one of the ways we can cut back, so we often take from the grocery budget to pay for other, more pressing things. In light of the health of our families, however, we would do well to consider, "Is this $3 box of cereal or that $3 bag of apples going to nourish my family better?"

Know the cheaper healthy foods.
I know what you're thinking: "That's all well and good, but I still only have so much money to spend on food." I know most of us, our family included, don't have an unlimited budget for food. Many fruits and vegetables are relatively inexpensive. So are oats, brown rice and the basic ingredients to make any meal. Find out what basic real foods in your store are cheapest.

Realize that real food may require different shopping approaches.
If you're an avid couponer switching to real foods, the truth is you won't be able to check out of a traditional grocery store paying $3 for $200 worth of groceries. In recent years, manufacturers are offering more coupons for healthy foods, but whole grains, produce and healthy meats are still not candidates for most coupon deals. We'll talk more about this in the future, but if you're a "coupon queen", real food might take some extra adjustments.

Switching to real foods is about better choices.
Just like I alluded to before, if you choose a real food over a processed one, that is one food you are cutting from your budget. You might find that the difference is negligible in many cases. Cutting out carbonated sodas, for example, will give you a lot of money towards adding in more nutritious foods. What gets expensive is buying both real and processed foods.

Custom-Made Cravings

I was driving down the highway recently and saw a fast food restaurant's advertisement on a bill board. It read, "Crafted to Your Craving", with a larger than life photo of their newest cheeseburger next to it.  I smiled and thought about the pains the food industry goes to to ensure that you will continually crave their food so that they will keep getting your business.

Then, I thought of Satan, with plans more sinister than even the food industry can dream up. He has traps for each of us that are custom-made to our own personal weaknesses. Food may be an avenue in which He can trap us, but his tricks go far beyond food. He doesn't haphazardly toss a temptation to whoever might be standing near, but he "seeks whom he may devour". He knows what you crave, and he will not rest until he has caused you to succumb to that craving.

Satan is not out to just get your dollar and your loyalty. He wants your very soul, and hates the real so much that he will imitate it to perfection so that you never know what you're missing. He's convinced millions that their imitation product is even better than the real.

Earlier this year, I pledged to eat no fast food for a month. Drive-through runs had been frequent in earlier months and the convenience and taste of fast food called to me many times, but I stuck with my determination. At the end of the month, the smells and thoughts of the tastes associated with fast food restaurants almost made me sick. I had rejected the fake and eaten the real for so long that the cravings were gone.

Let's purpose to do that spiritually. Reject all the "fake" Satan offers you. Go for real love, real peace and real joy instead of his "imitation fare".

How to Get Your Husband on Board WIth Healthy Eating

A lot of times we wives and mothers give up on feeding our families healthy meals because we think, "Oh, my husband would never eat that!" Men have traditionally been stereotyped as not caring about their health, but the real food community is full of guys that have decided to give priority to healthy eating. You may find, that if you use this approach, your husband will be a willing convert to real food meals:

1. Come to an agreement on your health goals. If you are a real food purist but your husband only wants to cut back on junk food, you might have a few disagreements. The best thing to do is to sit down and discuss honestly what kind of goals you have for your health and that of your children. Share why you think real food is important and ask him what changes he is willing to make and what he is outright opposed to changing.

2. Be honest with him. Do not try to sneak things into your husband's food. While this may be a good way to get your kids to eat some veggies, your husband will not appreciate being treated like one of the kids. Instead you may say something like, "I'd like to cook a new vegetable tonight. Would you mind giving it a try and letting me know what you think?"

3. Make small changes. I know I've said this already, but it is especially important when husbands are involved. For example, if your husband grew up on Wonder bread, he's not going to switch to 100% homemade whole wheat overnight. You might try switching to 100% whole wheat bread in the brand he already eats, then gradually add more whole grain flour to your homemade bread dough.

4. Realize that he might not have the same passion as you do. While my husband listens good-naturedly to my raves about the health food store and my recent findings on the additives in cereal, he does not go out of his way to research it himself. He also has some lines he's not willing to cross and some foods he will never give up. Food is a way to nourish a family and a family is all about individuals coming together...not one person making everyone else conform to his or her way.

5. Be patient. If a recipe doesn't work out or if your husband turns up his nose at a new food you fix, don't get discouraged. Just tweak it later on and move on to something else in the meantime.
You may be surprised what will happen. My husband now prefers dark greens to iceberg lettuce and roasted vegetables to slimy, canned ones. On a recent busy week when I didn't have time to cook our regular, healthy foods; he told me, "I can't wait to get back to the meals you've been fixing." That's what I call progress!

Making "Times" In Our Homeschool Day

Although a crisp, fresh schedule hanging on the fridge or bedroom wall makes my little heart go pitter pat; my kids don't always have the same reaction. Too much structure quickly makes their dedication fly out the window (or to their toys or some other distraction). So, instead of a long list, I divided our day up into "times". Here's a peek at the proposed order of our days this school year:

Morning Chore Time

 Breakfast Time

 Bible Time

Morning School Time

Lunch Time

Play Time

Afternoon School Time

Quiet Time

Afternoon Chore Time

Supper Time

Evening Time

As you can see, for every potentially not-so-fun "time", there is a fun "time" coming. My hope is that this keeps them motivated. For example, "If I finish my morning chores, I can eat breakfast." Or "If I finish all my afternoon school work, I will have quiet free time to do what I want."

With two "schoolers" and two little ones, I'm not going to try to put actual clock times with any of these except perhaps the rising and meal times. We'll just try to "go with the flow" until we reach my favorite time of all: Bed Time!

Getting Started With Real Food

If you're new to the idea of eating real food, it might be overwhelming. There is so much information out there and some if it is contradictory. Here's an easy way to begin your own real food journey:

1. Define your purpose. Why is it, exactly, that you want to eat real food? Maybe your family has health issues or maybe you just want to prevent them. Maybe you don't feel well or have enough energy to get through a day. Maybe your reasons are more political and you don't want big corporations to dictate the food supply. It may simply be that you want food that tastes good. Figure out what your reasons are. This will help you to stick to it even if things get difficult or confusing.

2. Get the facts. None of us really thinks the food we are eating is fake until we have information showing us otherwise. Industry and technology have removed us from the original design of our world in many ways. Do your own research, but be careful. Science is important, but scientific research done by food companies is bound to be skewed. Not everything you read is necessarily true!

3. Make gradual changes. As with any life change, small "baby" steps are best. If you clear out your entire pantry at once, your family will rebel and you will eventually get discouraged and quit. Our taste buds are so used to fake food that introducing real food takes some adjustment.

4. Keep it simple. There are many rules and philosophies out there regarding food. When deciding on what works best for your family, keep your philosophy to a few principles. For example, instead of getting bogged down in a lot of specifics, I try to remember to eat what God made the way He made it as my "rule" when it comes to real food.

5. Don't expect perfection. Even people who have been eating real food for a long time have times of exception. Andrew Wilder of Eating Rules allows himself one cheat a week and Laura of Heavenly Homemakers relaxes her standards at relatives' homes. Food isn't something to make a religion out of.  Decide how far you will go and relax.

Learning or Living?

This post titled, Stop Studying Life and Start Living It, really got my attention. You all know how much I love to read and study, but I thought how futile that is if I never apply what I have learned.

This applies to us spiritually as well as in the practicalities of life. The Bible talks about those who are ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth. There is a time to seek Him, but there is also a time to find.

For those of us who have found Him, it's not enough to keep learning as we read His Word. We must faithfully apply those lessons to our lives. Even when we don't want to. Even when it's hard.

Here's an example of what I mean. In the quiet of that devotional hour, praying for peace is easy. Easy because no kids are up yet, you haven't seen the boss yet and no one else is there but you and the Lord to produce conflict. However, when the kids are screaming or that boss is giving you impossible demands, that is the time to take a deep breath, send a prayer to the Lord and remember. Just what was it I learned about peace in my quiet time this morning?

May God help us all to stop learning for the learning's sake and to start living for Him.

Quick, Easy, Healthy: Lunchboxes

I don't often have to pack lunches for my kids since we home school.  Our lunches usually consist of leftovers or mac and cheese or cheesy rice with the occasional sandwich. However, sometimes we have to be out for the day and we do different things. If I were to pack a school lunch, here are some easy things I would try:

Read the rest of this post over at Healthy Moms Magazine.

Implementing the Back to School Morning Routine

No matter what type of education our children pursue or how we conduct our summers, back to school season forces all of us parents to reevaluate our schedules. The morning routine applies to homeschoolers and "brick and mortar" schoolers alike:

Photo Credit

Whatever you decide should be part of your morning routine, I suggest you start implementing it a week or two before the official "first day of school".  The essentials are that your child get up at a time that won't require rushing, get dressed easily, gather necessary supplies, eat a nourishing breakfast and get to school (whether on the bus or at the kitchen table) in a timely manner.


1. Getting Up. 
You will need to decide how your child generally wakes up. If your child wakes easily, simply going to them and waking them up should do it. If it is especially hard to get them out of bed, you might want to set a traditional alarm but set it for 10 minutes before they actually need to get up. Set a second alarm for that time, and let them know that they must be out of bed at the second alarm since you gave them adequate warning. You'll also have to evaluate how quickly your child moves in the morning. Is he energetic or does she drag for awhile after waking? The "slow movers" will probably need an earlier alarm.

2. Getting Dressed Easily.
Consider hanging your child's clothes as complete outfits or folding them neatly in an easily accessible drawer. The less you have to do to help them dress, the better. Inlist the help of older children to assist the younger ones with simple dressing or just putting on socks and shoes. You will need to be sure this doesn't impede their own progress, though!


3. Gather Necessary Supplies.
The best way to do this is the night before. Make sure you check any homework or papers that need to be taken to school before the child goes to bed. If you homeschool, make sure the lessons are prepared so they can start right away. You may even want to end the previous day's schoolwork with preparing for the next day by sharpening pencils, filing schoolwork, etc. If your children go to school, you might keep their bookbags near the front door so they can just grab them as they leave.

4. Eat a Nourishing Breakfast.
Regardless of your stance on healthy eating, you will have to agree that toaster pastries or cereal alone will probably not hold your child until lunch time. A few quick and easy breakfasts are oatmeal which can be prepared in the crockpot the night before, homemade pancakes, waffles or breakfast burritos prepared ahead and frozen so they can just be popped into the microwave to reheat, or make granola parfaits the night before and keep them in the fridge. If there is time, you could whip up smoothies or an egg dish. Make sure the meal has a protein and fruit with it so your child can concentrate on schoolwork rather than a hungry tummy.

Photo Credit

 5. Get to School in a Timely Manner.
Whenever I have to go somewhere with just the kids (I don't try to schedule my husband...I'm not his mother!), I build a margin in to make sure I get there on time. The times I neglect the margin are inevitably the times I am running late. For example, if you know the bus will arrive at 7:30, make sure your child is completely ready by 7:15. If you know your child's school starts at 8:00 and it's a 10 minute drive, have everyone in the car by 7:30. There will always be those mornings when you don't make it, but you should still be on time because of your margin. Homeschoolers can adapt this principle in a more general manner since specific times are likely not necessary.

Links: The Joy of Reading

Not sure where to start in reading with your children? Here are a lot of recommended books from other mom bloggers.

Disclaimer: Please use your own discretion on these. I have not had time to personally review each book on each list. This is just a starting place for you as you encourage your children to read and read with them.

The Boy's List @ Preschoolers and Peace
Find Good Books @ Good Books for Kids
Favorite Books for Beginning Readers @ Raising Olives
The Family That Reads Together: Recommended Read Alouds @ Passionate Homemaking
Book Lists for Daughters @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Book Lists for Daughters @ Raising Homemakers

Simple Woman's Daybook

For more Simple Woman's Daybook go here.

FOR TODAY: 

Outside my window...the sun is trying to shine after a big rainstorm.

I am thinking...about the future of my blogs.

I am thankful for...peace in the midst of the storm.

From the learning rooms...we need to brush up on multiplication before school begins again.

From the kitchen...planning a simple, family favorite meal tonight since Jeff will be home late.

I am wearing...my "play clothes"...an old denim skirt and white shirt with a few stains here and there.

I am creating...our Bible curriculum for this year.

I am going...nowhere this week! Just getting things done around the house.

I am reading...Finding Your Purpose as a Mom by Donna Otto.

I am hoping...for a calm, peaceful evening.

I am hearing...some classical piece on Jessica's computer program.

Around the house...I have the basic maintenance chores done except for waiting on a load of laundry to dry.

One of my favorite things...dates with my husband...they don't come often enough!

A few plans for the rest of the week: staying home except for piano lessons and the library. Well, I guess I should do some grocery shopping, too!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

 

What happens when you let your husband plan date night!

Guest Post: Tips for Encouraging Readers

Reading expands imagination, builds thinking skills, prevents boredom, improves writing ability and vocabulary, and gives the child plenty of conversation material. The best part? Children reap all of these benefits without even realizing it! Here are some helpful tips to foster a love of reading in your child: 

^{Visit the library often. Many libraries have summer reading programs, and may even offer prizes.}

^{Choose books about subjects they love, whether fiction or non. Horses, mysteries, history, etc.}  

^{Limit their time at the computer and encourage them to read instead.}

^{Read aloud to your children, even after they have learned to read.} 

^{Make reading together a cozy, comfortable time.} 

^{When reading to younger children, change the voices of the characters. Be goofy. Make it an adventure. Bring it to life! And don't worry about sounding silly; your kids will love it!}  

^{Finally, I think the most important thing a parent can do for their child is to fill their home with good books. God chose to put His Word into writing; that should tell us something of the power of the written word.  Silly, goofy books are fine and I enjoy them, but children shouldn't have a constant diet of literary nonsense any more than they should eat only sweets. What your children read will have a profound impact on the way they view life in general, so it's crucial for them to read books that are Biblically sound. Although I haven't read these books, I've read some good things about them: the Elsie Dinsmore series for girls, and G.A. Henty books for boys. (I would check amazon.com or ebay for these as they can be pricey.) Max Lucado has written some excellent childrens' books. I especially like his book Because I Love You which is also available as a small board book for little ones. For interesting Christian biographies, check out YWAM Publishing. Two more books which I think every child should read are The King's Daughter and Other Stories For Girls, and Tiger and Tom and Other Stories For Boys. Home schoolers, as well as teachers, librarians, etc. can find discounted books at Library and Educational Services and Christian Book Distributors.}

 

^{Blessings to you, and enjoy your reading adventures...together!}

^~Jessica~

Jessica Geise is a follower of Jesus Christ, the wife of an amazing husband, and the mother of four children who are the loves of her life. She is passionate about homeschooling, enjoys spending time with her family more than anything else,  would rather buy a new book than new clothes, is always starting on a diet, and thinks that chocolate is the next-best medicine to laughter. Other than reading, her favorite hobbies are music, decorating, blogging, and making attempts at photography. She blogs about this, that, and the other at www.itsthelittlethings4.blogspot.com.

Reading THE Book

A preacher of  a bygone era has been quoted as saying he was a man of one Book: that Book being, of course, the Bible. I don't know if he meant he actually read nothing but the Bible, but he at least made it his primary source of reading.


I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but I have come to love the Bible over the years. There was a time when I read it as a duty. Then, I read it because I knew I needed its message. However, as I've grown in the Lord, there are times when I pick it up because I miss it.

Photo Credit

I used to do something similar before my husband and I were married. We had a long distance relationship and he would write me letters and e-mails and notes. When I pulled one out of the mailbox, I would read it right away. But then, later on, I would feel overwhelmed with missing him or feel anticipation about our upcoming wedding day, and I'd pull it out an re-read it. Again and again. By the time he came to see me again, I would have it almost memorized.

I love the Book because I love the Author. I long to see Him and to be united with Him forever as His Bride. In the meantime, I will read. And re-read. And then do it again. Maybe by the time He comes to take me Home, I'll have it almost memorized.

Quick, Easy, Healthy: Try Something New

I finally did it...I tried "one of those weird health foods" and no it was not tofu! (Cue the shudders!) During my allergen-free experiment, I was allowed brown rice,  which we love, but I was soon ready for another carb.

Photo Credit

So, I got in the bulk bin at my favorite health food store and measured out a few cups of Peruvian quinoa. In case you're wondering, that is pronounced keen-wa. Or, if you are under 6 years old in my house: king-wah! with a karate imitation.

There are lots of delicious-looking recipes online, but I decided to just cook it as basic quinoa so we could really see what it tasted like. Couldn't be any easier:

1. Put 1 cup quinoa into a pan with 2 cups of water.
2. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 - 15 minutes.
3. Fluff with a fork, sprinkle on some sea salt and black pepper, and do your best karate imitation as you enjoy!

This post linked to:

Guest Post: How to Instill A Love of Reading

^{My little girl is curled up on the couch with a Mandie book, her blue eyes intent and her mental wheels almost visibly turning. She's in her own little world...and I love it. I remember another little girl of not-so-long ago flopped across the bed with a Mandie book, not only reading but living the story....}

^{I'm not quite sure how I came to love reading as much as I do. It seems that I've always enjoyed it. I do know that burying myself in a good book was a great way to escape tough circumstances and lonely days. I could lose myself in the lives of the characters in the story and I didn't have to deal with  my own troubles for awhile. But, more than that, I found that books became, as others have said, my true friends, and I wanted to pass that love down to my children.} 

^{I'm thrilled that my two oldest daughters have indeed developed a true love of reading. They're happy to curl up with a book for hours, and that's usually fine with me! I hope that my two youngest will follow in their footsteps. My son, who is three, already seems to love books and, even as a baby, he would sit contentedly and flip through a book for quite a long time (considering that he almost never wanted to sit still otherwise.)}

^{My children have always been home schooled. When I started the monumental task of teaching my oldest daughter to read I felt overwhelmed; and it only got worse as we struggled through her lessons. I was nearly convinced that she would never learn to read, that I was a failure as a teacher and a mother, and that we would both be bald when it was all over. I couldn't understand why it took so long for her to grasp something as simple as the sound of a letter or blend or...whatever! We shed many tears. But with prayer we made it through. I consider it one of the highest privileges of my life as a mommy so far, to know that, with God's help, I taught my daughters to read.} 

 

^{Of course, teaching them to read doesn't necessarily guarantee that they'll love to read. And, I really can't think of many things in particular that I did to encourage a love for reading, other than by demonstrating my own love for it. Of course, my husband and I read them bedtime stories, and books were nearly always something that the younger children could take to church to help them sit quietly during the service. (When they were past toddler-hood this stopped.) I'm convinced that this is not something that can be forced, but, just like nearly everything, must be taught by example. Encourage your children as they learn to read. Be patient with them (at least try!) and don't worry if they aren't reading precisely when everyone says they should. Relax! After they have learned, encourage them to read often. Read with them. Snuggle on the couch while you each read your favorite book.  I love this quote: "Children are made readers on the laps of their parents." ~Emilie Buchwald}

Jessica Geise is a follower of Jesus Christ, the wife of an amazing husband, and the mother of four children who are the loves of her life. She is passionate about homeschooling, enjoys spending time with her family more than anything else,  would rather buy a new book than new clothes, is always starting on a diet, and thinks that chocolate is the next-best medicine to laughter. Other than reading, her favorite hobbies are music, decorating, blogging, and making attempts at photography. She blogs about this, that, and the other at www.itsthelittlethings4.blogspot.com.