Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Entries from June 1, 2008 - July 1, 2008

Entries from June 1, 2008 - July 1, 2008

Monday
Jun232008

CSA Adventure: We’ve Been Squashed

This was one of those wildly busy weeks. If you were to ask me what I did all week, it is all a blur. The house was cleaned, clothes washed, blogs posted and kids are finally out the door for World Changers.

Last week was a quick cooking week so not as many vegetables were cooked and consumed as we have stacking up in the fridge. Consequently, we have tons of zucchini from last week and more this week. I was planning to make zucchini bread but the truth is I am more a theoretical baker than an actual one. Elisabeth at Wild Onion Farms says zucchini can be grated and frozen for future use. That is a good idea but what does one do with piles of grated thawed zucchini?

This week in addition to more squash, our box contained cabbage (it is so cute), red potatoes, and green beans. There was much joy over another heaping quart of cherry tomatoes and green peppers. Peppers are costly at the grocery store so I was pleased to see them in our box.

In addition to grating zucchini, I will be making and freezing zucchini bread (in theory), a huge pot of vegetable soup and roasted vegetables. Roasted vegetables taste good warm, cold or room temperature so they make useful leftovers.

I will be making the worlds easiest garlic bread to go with the soup. Using the broiler, toast both sides of any kind of bread you want, French and Italian work well for this. Peel a clove of garlic and rub the clove lightly over the toast. That’s it, easy and tasty.

Friday
Jun202008

Parenting Teenagers: Getting Them Out the Door

My younger two are packing to leave for World Changers tomorrow. In theory, they are packing. In reality one is off serving at Runners Camp and the other is in bed. I meanwhile am still doing wash, checking lists, and will make at least one more run to the store and another to the bank.

I have told them all week to get their clothes in the wash so I can get the wash done. All week they have seemed to hear….blah, blah, blah…..and reply” Yes mom”. All week I have said," I need a list of thing you need from the store". Again, they seem to hear….blah, blah blah …and reply “Yes mom”. All week I have said, “You can’t make any plans for Friday until you are packed and your room is clean.” This seems to have translated in the older one’s brain to: I can stay up all night, sleep late, do nothing unless she yells, than I can complain about the yelling, and still do nothing, because she is going to get me to the church on time tomorrow come snow or high water.

I know what some of you are thinking, don’t do anything; let them suffer the consequences of not being prepared for their mission trip. That is a great idea in theory (not unlike the theory that the kids should be responsible to pack in the first place). The reality is if they aren't properly packed, the consequences transfer not to the kids but to the adults in charge is at the World Changers project.

I could not let them go. As a wise parent I have endured hardship myself in order to discipline a child from time to time. As parents of teens know, banning your child from either some form of inter-teen communication or electronic entertainment or from stepping foot outside the house (otherwise known as grounding) for the sake of developing your child’s character in the face of their irresponsibility is a self imposed form suffering that must be endured for the sake of the child. In this situation I am not that noble a parent….they are going…I am packing for them.

I am very grateful they each have a heart that is willing to serve others for Jesus' sake. It will be a physically and spiritually demanding week for both of my kids, so I will be glad I made sure they were properly prepared. But for right now, I am hoping that someday way future they each are blessed with a set of triplets .

Thursday
Jun192008

Parenting Teenagers: Facebooking Your Child’s Future

All my kids have Facebook accounts, even the 13 year old. If my net attached kids are typical, social networking sites are replacing cell phones as the chosen method of communication. I’ve had to get off the computer so my son could get up with his friend by Facebook to confirm their plans. “Call him.”, said I, the net unsavvy mother. “He won’t answer his phone,” insisted the net attached child. Sure enough, the friend answered neither his land line nor his cell. He was waiting on Facebook to finalize their plans.

As social networks like My Space and the mega-giant Facebook continue their growing domination of teen communication, parent should be aware that nothing posted on these sites disappears, nothing. It is all being archived. Colleges and future employers will be and are checking what your child has posted on these sites.

Even if you child doesn’t have a social network account, it is wise to check to make sure nothing is posted in his or her name. One of our children was applying for some ministry opportunities. Unbeknown to him a buddy had set up a Facebook account in his name as a joke. The buddy posted some fake, inappropriate information on the account. The ministry checked Facebook and my son’s opportunities disappeared. Even though he shut down the false account and explained what happened, it didn’t matter. What is posted on social network sites, true or false, is what is, to future college admin. officials and to future employers.

The police are also checking. “The Raleigh News & Observer reported this week that the Facebook photos of another suspect posing with two buddies while brandishing a friend's gun collection led the police to expect to encounter heavily armed resistance during the raid. The police were fortified with weapons in anticipation of coming up against AR-15 firearms they had seen in the photograph.” This incident took place because of two stolen PS3s.

Social networking sites are growing. With cell phones ever expanding internet capacity, social network sites like Facebook, may well take over as the next wave of predominate teen communication. Parents need to start training their teens that what happens on the web, stays on the web. Forever.

Wednesday
Jun182008

Parenting Teenagers: My Own Personal Tech Wizard

I have spent hours staring, pondering, sweating over not being able to get the BlogHerAds code to run. I e-mailed the help department (twice).

The kid comes home. I bribe her with dinner out. She counters with dinner out and a ride to youth group. I agree provided she preforms. Two minutes later, the code is running. She says the code looks like what she uses on neopets.

She is thirteen, she breathes in code.

I am in awe.


Tuesday
Jun172008

100 Item Challenge

Could you pare your personal stuff down to 100 items over a period of time and live that way for one year? That is that challenge David Bruno at guynameddave set for himself. By November 12th of this year, Dave's goal is to have trimmed his personal items to 100 things. The challenge doesn’t extend to his wife or child (wise man) and doesn’t include shared household items like the car or the kitchen table. Also not included in the 100 item count are his books and a small trove of memorabilia

This is an intriguing idea. One of the serendipitous things we did was put our house on the market. The house didn’t sell but we cleaned out so much stuff that it became a more pleasant abode in which to reside. Less stuff in our experience really did lead to a greater degree of inner and outer peace.

What would I keep and what would go? That pair of pants I am hoping to get into? How many rings does a woman need? Is underwear and socks included in the count? Not that I ever wear them, but what about pantyhose? I am keeping Wii Fit for sure. Since Wii Fit doesn’t operate with out the Wii System is that one item or two? I need every single sweater I own. Honest I do. Since I do most of the cooking is the kitchenware mine or is it shared house items?

Could you live with just 100 personal items for a year? What would you keep and what would go?

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