tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29685948537449217692012-02-16T10:29:03.925ZNaominoreply@blogger.comBlogger1821100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-78805309709076287192011-12-01T13:34:00.000Z2011-12-01T13:34:54.345Z

The new blog is up and functional and mostly finished. I'll be blogging at www.livingaslights.info from now on. If you'd like to keep up to date with our family's life in Ireland, please follow us at the new address.

Naominoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-77910929548135126962011-07-30T07:35:00.000+01:002011-07-30T07:35:31.350+01:00

Well, my computer has been down for quite a while, so I've been on a forced blogging break. Which means I've been doing more sewing! My mother made matching aprons for the children and I took this photo of them when she was here for a visit. It's my inspiration.  

Naominoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-30585980349953126732011-05-05T14:09:00.000+01:002011-05-05T14:09:24.765+01:00

It's time to say goodbye to blogger. I've decided to launch a more focused blog this year which will be hosted independent of blogger (and the ever-growing Google 'mega-industrial-information-collecting-complex.') I'll be posting the new web address and launching the new blog in a few weeks when all the bugs have been worked out.

Naominoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-84599846328075507112011-02-20T13:18:00.001Z2011-02-20T13:21:20.276Z

Naominoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-37949200345488226562011-02-20T13:06:00.001Z2011-02-20T13:07:54.692Z

This winter was one of the coldest we've have in recent years and we spent several weeks snowed in. During those days indoors, we did a lot of art, thanks to an acrylic paint set and table easel. Our philosophy around here is to learn by doing. So we let the girls dive in and experiment with colours, textures, brushes and canvasses. They learned a lot from their mistakes and we ready for

Naominoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-10071914324678634212011-02-04T11:20:00.000Z2011-02-04T11:20:00.735Z

by Darlene McDonald.  Peer pressure.  So that you know this is a small kids' issue and something to watch for, I will make a confession. My best friend and I were visiting my aunt and uncle who lived in the city. We were four and five years old and still preschoolers. Aunt L said we could go for a walk but we had to stay on the side adjacent to their apartment building. (Presumably so we

Naominoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-30125056757008136362011-01-07T21:53:00.000Z2011-01-07T21:53:50.128Z

 In my quest for frugal, fun activities to do with the children, I've run across this fantastic blog called "Frugal Family Fun." ... full of ideas.  Valerie has put together a great resource for moms on a budget and illustrates each of her ideas with full-colour photos and simple instructions.  I'll definitely be checking back to her site for more ideas in the coming year.    As far as the

Naominoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-65411307701966818132010-12-30T17:45:00.001Z2010-12-30T17:45:52.734Z

It's good to be able to look back over the last year and take note of what you accomplished. Here are 12 things our family finished in 2010: *Hosted Ephraim & Amanda Stoltzfus (& family) for three months. *Purchased the 22'' Sea Breeze fishing boat & began restoration. *Entertained visiting family from America. *Put our campervan back in action (had to change the engine). *Welcomed our sixth

Naominoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-3228372784019896842010-12-20T01:08:00.001Z2010-12-25T02:05:53.838Z

There are certainly days we feel uninspired, to say the least. In fact, down-trodden is more like the word I'm looking for! Often times I've struggled with ingratitude for what I'm blessed with and fought off the urge to moan and complain about little things in life, like frozen pipes, icy roads, or a cranky baby. But after watching this video -- I was left firmly in my place. I believe I

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-51054579671867283932010-12-18T16:08:00.003Z2010-12-25T22:45:21.329Z

Things have been quiet on the blog for a while because, as many of our friends and family already know, we had a situation develop after Rebekah's birth involving the public health department and social services. I never felt comfortable blogging about it openly, however, now I can say that our prayers have been answered and the case has been closed. We got an apology from social services and

Naominoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-14464825479314752042010-11-27T13:46:00.002Z2010-12-25T01:29:25.144Z

All the kids on Thanksgiving morning.     Our little Rebekah Judith is now nearly 4 months old.     Danielah holding her little sister.

Naominoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-49741436888818785692010-10-01T14:03:00.012+01:002010-11-01T20:09:16.034Z

by Darlene. This is installment two to help you hang in there at mealtime so kids learn the attitude of gratitude. :) My friends, the moms-of-many, had much advice to pass on, and here is some more... We prayed before meals and genuinely thanked the Lord for the food we had. / We did not give the impression that we even expected that they might put up a fuss about eating something... We

Naominoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-21002412087016500802010-09-20T19:52:00.001+01:002010-11-01T19:56:51.095Z

 by Darlene. When it comes to children being picky eaters, I do have some things to say but would rather not be the only one saying them! So I asked three friends for advice to pass on to you. All of them have more children (and experience) than me and that gives them extra credentials. :) Mom-to-11, after expressing her determination that her kids learn to eat a variety of foods without

Naominoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-74982038958073862092010-09-06T15:53:00.001+01:002010-09-06T15:53:39.214+01:00

Naominoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-89889187497335917242010-08-20T12:52:00.001+01:002010-12-25T09:39:58.673Z

Here are some photos of Rebekah, taken when she is two weeks old.  We can't seem to decide which side of the family she looks like...  She's dressed in her first pink outfits, curtesy of Grandma.  :)  

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-75280089227225455022010-08-18T20:10:00.000+01:002010-08-18T20:10:01.046+01:00

by Darlene The hardest part of being a parent is parenting, meaning the actual loving and training of kids. Especially when you don't know how to do it. And especially when you feel like you're making no headway. Recently I've come across a few books that looked helpful, so here are a few quotes... During the first three months of life (the fourth trimester), it's impossible to spoil your

Naominoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-8475084857187171202010-08-13T13:03:00.000+01:002010-08-13T13:03:01.565+01:00

It's a good thing names aren't copy-written or we'd be in trouble then! As everyone knows, good Biblical girl names are a little bit limited, so with apologies to my lovely niece who bears the same first name and to Grandma who'll have to deal with another granddaughter with the same name... We've named our fourth girl Rebekah Judith. She was born on August 4th, at 5:45 p.m., weighing 10

Naominoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-23898979488123448952010-08-05T17:01:00.001+01:002010-12-25T09:41:03.842Z

We had a baby girl on Wednesday, August 4th. She weights every bit of 10 lbs, and much of that appears to be in her cheeks! :) We're thinking of calling her Judith, but are still mulling over suitable middle names. I'll have to update this post when her name is finalized and share her birth story. It's hard to believe it's been over five years since our last baby girl -- so we're enjoying

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-40345905789786039492010-06-24T13:05:00.000+01:002010-06-24T13:05:24.521+01:00

Having had two homebirths with midwives, two hospital deliveries, and finally an unassisted homebirth -- I, for one, am a firm believer in natural childbirth, as little intervention as possible, and a common-sense approach to prenatal care. Over the years, I've come to recognize the dangers, not of well-meaning medical people, but of the medical system in place that women are herded into. More

Naominoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-85173260667187882752010-06-05T17:33:00.000+01:002010-06-05T17:33:08.147+01:00

Jacob told his sisters, matter-of-factly: "You should go outside to pray, because God can hear you better out there." --- "Is your room clean yet?" I asked the girls. "Oh! It's still a little bit dirty," Dani said. Then Hannah quickly clarified, with a mischievous grin, "Actually, we haven't even done a thing!" --- One night, as we were getting PJs on, I asked: "Abigail, come here and put

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-16845326927000554102010-06-03T09:23:00.001+01:002010-06-03T09:24:06.066+01:00

In many countries, a couple with 17 children would be deemed irresponsible; in Russia, they're given a medal. President Dmitry Medvedev handed out certificates and awards to eight of the country's largest families at a special ceremony in the Kremlin yesterday. The Russian government has gone on a drive to push families to have several children in recent years, keen to boost a shrinking

Naominoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-12711066863523438152010-05-19T14:55:00.000+01:002010-05-19T14:55:21.942+01:00

I've always changed the ending of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." It feels like a cultural crime to do that, but I want our children to learn the value of restitution. In our bedtime story, Goldilocks is marched back to the bears' house by her mother, where she had to pay (with her own hard-earned allowance money) damages to the Bear Family. Not only does she pay the price of the chair she

Naominoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-41985273472407753932010-05-01T09:02:00.000+01:002010-05-01T09:02:39.565+01:00

A few years ago we were seriously considering moving somewhere else to be in closer fellowship with others of like-mind. We looked into going to the Philippines, Bulgaria, England and Israel. However, after much prayer, we never felt that we were meant to leave Ireland (at least not yet.) The problem was, however, that land and home prices are very expensive here. It was depressing looking

Naominoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-67546357051582750872010-04-05T15:33:00.000+01:002010-04-05T15:33:25.238+01:00

Here is our "new," to us, landrover.  ;)  It's very different than anything we've owned before and seems to be a good fit for our family.  It's a 12-seater (believe it or not), so there is plenty of room for a growing family.  There is a certain "class-less" feeling with the landrover -- they could be the vehicles of adventurers on safari or rich landowners... or commoners, like us.  :)  Here's

Naominoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-35193112322717343342010-03-19T13:13:00.000Z2010-03-19T13:13:53.658Z

We have about 10 birdhouses around the property for swallows that come to nest each year.  As a project over the winter, the kids and I painted them red.  It was great fun.  We set up a table in a room that we are currently renovating so the mess was contained.  In the pictures, you see the kids putting on the primer.  The end result was a daring red that provides a great contrast on our white

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-53388849785695036002010-02-20T17:54:00.001Z2010-02-20T17:56:28.606Z

by Darlene. ...ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you will find rest for your souls..."* Things aren't good simply because they're old or because they're new.  They're good because they're right.  Even so, practices that have served well in past centuries shouldn't be thrown out just because they're so yesterday.  I know you girls are weary "rockers of cradles

Naominoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-10570902974281438342010-02-12T14:40:00.001Z2010-02-12T14:43:47.789Z

We've finally found a supplier of raw milk; that is, organic, unpasteurized and unhomogenized milk from cows that haven't been given growth hormones, steroids or vaccinations.  One thing we immediately noticed was thatraw milk doesn't trigger Seamus' asthma  like store-bought milk does.   For the first time in my life, I've been able to scoop fresh cream into my morning coffee or bowl of porridge

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-85653345605729763932010-01-31T20:15:00.000Z2010-01-31T20:15:57.267Z

The last month has been a busy one, as we've been preparing to host a family with us for three months.  Ephraim and Amanda arrived in mid January and have been settling in the last couple of weeks.  They brought their five children with them -- all under eight years old.  So having ten kids under eight running around our farmhouse has been quite the experience, although not an unpleasant one.

Naominoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-54846445744675296342010-01-05T17:33:00.000Z2010-01-05T17:33:44.571Z

Watch "The Blender" here:  http://www.projectgod.com/film.php?id=10&play=hi What could possibly be evil about owning a blender?Do what God's teaching says; when you only listen and do nothing, you are fooling yourselves.James 1:22   

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-27529425053152479452009-12-30T15:06:00.000Z2009-12-30T15:06:30.566Z

Our family has grown considerably over my blogging break.  We've added 10 Highline Brown chickens to our homestead.  We affectionately referred to them as "the girls" for a while, but it was a shame we couldn't tell them apart to name them.  Hannah came up with the clever solution to give them all the same name... Henrietta.  I thought it was brilliant idea. The Henriettas have been with us a

Naominoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-85373394789699234092009-12-01T10:44:00.000Z2009-12-01T10:44:47.322Z

by Darlene One pumpkin season, three and one half decades ago, I acquired a pumpkin.  I had not grown up with pumpkins in my mother's garden and wasn't sure what to do with it.  She had painstakingly trained me in the art of making pie crusts, but how to make a pie out of a pumpkin, I had no clue. (Don't laugh!)  Isn't it logical that the usable part would be the center?  I scooped out the

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-8239399550222128272009-11-17T19:43:00.000Z2009-11-17T19:43:36.044Z

Our trusty digital camera hasn't been too trusty lately. I think a light sensor is has malfunctioned, because the exposure is off on our photos lately. So I apologize that there's such a twilight look in the shots. It was actually a nice, bright morning. :) This is Gideon Samuel at nearly eight months old ... with his dad.

Naominoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-7196338398069859542009-11-09T15:06:00.001Z2009-11-09T15:08:44.403Z

Yelling. Ranting. Raging. Name-calling. Parents who foolishly choose these behaviors will lose their children's hearts. What's more, there is nothing more pointless or ugly than a yelling mom or dad. The child doesn't obey any faster, they learn to tune their parents out after a while, and ultimately they will despise people who beat them around with harsh words. As soon as they are able,

Naominoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-86796848066360192712009-11-04T16:54:00.000Z2009-11-04T16:54:58.132Z

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-61157383572291464502009-11-02T21:11:00.002Z2009-11-02T21:17:17.463Z

by DarleneThe gift-filled shoe boxes we're collecting in Mops for needy children are distributed by Samaritan's Purse. And now I come to a story by a previous medical director for that organization, David Stevens, who visited the Buwale refugees in Somalia to assess their situation for medical teams. In the first hovel, he found a skin-and-bones mother holding a baby who looked like "a tiny

Darlenenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-55468795869265810982009-10-30T07:00:00.013Z2009-10-30T07:00:06.035Z

Seamus was a cigarette smoker at 11. And he didn't just dabble. He was truly a smoker. He endeavored to quit when he was 14 and made it without a puff for two whole weeks. The longest time he was ever able to go without was 40 days... this effort also ended in dismal failure and he became reconciled to the realization that he would never be free from his addiction. When Seamus came to his

Naominoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-64934797635669592222009-10-28T06:34:00.001Z2009-10-28T06:34:00.527Z

     

Naominoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-57378909245509419362009-10-26T16:19:00.000Z2009-10-26T16:19:00.385Z

by Darlene In the early 1900s the top authority on raising children was Luther Emmett Holt who was a professor of pediatrics and who authored the book, The Care and Feeding of Children. Dr. Holt had a stand-offish approach to children - don't rock them, don't pick them up if they cry, or spoil them with too much cuddling. His advice was widely followed, resulting in a high percentage of babies

Naominoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-72643493982493501592009-10-23T09:52:00.004+01:002009-10-23T15:23:51.480+01:00

We inherited two untidy apple trees when we moved here. They appear a tangled, overcrowded mass of branches -- some diseased and others dead -- with not much fruit to speak of. In fact because they are such poor producers, they have been, by and large, overlooked in our economy. It wasn't until Seamus brought home three apple, a pear and a plum tree for us to plant that I started learning

Naominoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-72828549376134018052009-10-21T07:00:00.000+01:002009-10-21T07:00:00.384+01:00

Naominoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-62762465040712458182009-10-18T00:48:00.002+01:002009-10-18T01:05:06.944+01:00

Gideon's almost seven months old and has hit some early milestones. He's not only sitting up, but he's crawling up the stairs and even pulling himself up to standing. As giggly and good-natured that he is, our tiny tot seems to be into EVERYTHING. He wiggles into any space he can get into... and hates to be in the playpen. I still wear him a lot of the time because he enjoys being part of

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-39706491531071552262009-10-10T20:09:00.005+01:002009-10-10T20:19:31.889+01:00

by DarleneOne of my Facebook friends posted this: "---- is cleaning house because, let's face it, I don't have 132 friends and am not interested in networking." She's a busy young mom with no moments to lose, and reminds me of another lady (whose children included twins) who spoke at a seminar I once attended. She said that company had to follow her around the house as she moved from room to

Naominoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-23626849789705892312009-10-05T21:47:00.008+01:002009-10-06T12:09:13.608+01:00

I was honoured with a blog award from Isabel! Thank you again! Now I have the pleasure to pass this on to...Naomi ...because you've been such an encouraging friend.Jennifer... because I've known you for AGES (we are getting so old!)Ginger ...because of your spirited straight-forwardness. Tanya ....because I love peeking in on your world. :)Lyn ...because you're one of my first blogging friends

Naominoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-85860694021641741162009-09-28T11:15:00.009+01:002009-10-02T13:23:08.993+01:00

You can already see smoke from the chimneys some evenings... the cooler weather is already here which means less salads and more soups in our house. A good friend of ours gave us a fantastic mixer last year and I've made good use of the smoothie maker attachment -- not for smoothies, but for blended soups. I can cook up a crockpot full of vegetables and stock, then blend smooth. Just add a

Naominoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-9956512815912547952009-09-24T15:26:00.003+01:002009-09-24T15:45:56.203+01:00

I often heard my parents marveling out how fast their children grew up. Similarly I had a poignant moment the other morning, when I came into the kitchen to see Abigail stirring the porridge, so independent and efficient, up on a stool. What a big girl she's suddenly become -- a real little woman! Because Abigail has proven herself very capable, I decided to do a cooking course with her this

Naominoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-82759882516839961412009-09-17T07:44:00.001+01:002009-09-17T07:44:00.512+01:00

The past week has been a busy one with home school officially kicking off. I feel like I'm working as a real teacher again, planning out the year and making sure all our lesson objectives correspond to the Irish curriculum. Jacob is just a playful observer, but his first real day of school is fast approaching! :) Our first week's science experiment was seed sprouting -- so here's some wheat

Naominoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-73150244918157802782009-09-15T19:36:00.003+01:002009-10-10T20:24:51.511+01:00

by DarleneI've been reminded of what happens when you don't follow the rules. If you miss out on sleep, proper eating, and some semblance of calm, it may cost you. So here I sit tight with my blue and white teapot, drinking cinnamon apple tea. :-)My Bible study girls (all grown) have requested a study on the "disciplines of the Christian life," which we will begin this coming week. The

Naominoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-29706820289804508872009-09-04T21:49:00.001+01:002009-09-09T20:18:30.893+01:00

Love -- It prevails in popular culture in the songs we listen to, books we read and movies we watch... When I was single, it was an illusive prize... I had been praying for the safe-keeping of my future husband since I was 15.A good friend of mine, now happily married herself, commented recently, "Remember when we were both single and so angst-ridden at our lack of husbands? And now, just look!

Naominoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-53189281936330370142009-08-30T23:55:00.005+01:002009-08-31T00:12:29.091+01:00

For some odd reason I thought I needed to learn how to sew once I married -- so I took the plunge and picked up a second-hand machine. It took two, solid weeks for me to figure out how to thread it! And it smoked like a furnace when I pressed the foot petal, but somehow I managed to keep practicing, coughing and sputtering through the fumes. When we moved to Ireland, I picked up a different

Naominoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-37737906193385274802009-08-25T15:23:00.005+01:002009-08-25T20:47:44.543+01:00

Kids grow up so fast and too many unimportant things in life can take away from valuable family time. Although we don't have a television, we've decided the internet is distracting us from getting other more important work done. We want to invest more time into our children and so we downloaded a free internet filter called Blue Coat K9 Web Protection. Seamus has half of the password (I have

Naominoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-27133957303319407682009-08-20T07:00:00.001+01:002009-08-20T07:04:16.151+01:00

Modesty has many virtues, but one of them is a measure of protection for our sons and daughters. I wouldn't have always said so, but a few years ago I watched a documentary which simply changed my mind about the importance of modest dress for children.While it's not necessary to give details, the film featured an interview with a man who had been in a place of religious authority in a particular

Naominoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-13077000136966931502009-08-18T16:55:00.001+01:002009-08-18T16:57:56.954+01:00

Per request, here's a photo of our twin girls, Danielah and Hannah. They will turn five at the end of December. Aren't they cute?

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-38731668201925380992009-08-17T11:40:00.002+01:002009-08-17T11:43:15.166+01:00

Hannah had no children. She wanted a baby desperately. Her husband said, "Hannah, why do you weep? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"* What did he understand? He already had kids, both sons and daughters, from his other wife, who incidentally, made Hannah's life miserable because "the Lord had shut up her womb."In reading the Old Testament, you'll discover there's a great deal of God "

Naominoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-91766888932900287912009-08-14T17:02:00.006+01:002009-08-14T17:10:07.758+01:00

Naominoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-8199215902819545582009-08-12T13:53:00.011+01:002009-08-13T08:18:41.626+01:00

Although my mother is busy, she still manages to paint and sketch. Recently she sent me a pen & ink (with some watercolor) of the Irish countryside and I wanted to share.

Naominoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-80861778333908524262009-08-09T05:33:00.006+01:002009-08-14T17:17:23.418+01:00

Our trip up to Co. Mayo took us two days and when we arrived in Westport, we could see Croagh Patrick, the "holy mountain," dominating the skyline at 762 meters above sea-level. It was strangely conical, reminding me of a pyramid. This was my first time up in Mayo and it was wild, rugged and beautiful. The kids and I spent three days in our campervan at Clew Bay, enjoying the sea, while Seamus

Naominoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-77992137096102825902009-07-21T20:32:00.005+01:002009-07-21T21:00:07.854+01:00

We've returned from a day trip to Castle Townshend, the seat of the Townshend family in Ireland for many generations. The Townshends originally came from Britain and settled the town when the English ruled Ireland. Today it still retains much more of an English feel to it, being the home of modern, wealthy British expats. The centre of the settlement was built around 1650. Above are pictures of

Naominoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-89621352417684207722009-07-09T08:30:00.000+01:002009-07-09T08:57:51.231+01:00

Recently, I got a question from a reader about applying some principles from a previous post about the Five Love Languages of Children. Here's the question and my response:"Right now our Sunday School class is going through the Gary Chapman book, "The Family You've Always Wanted." In that book, there is a small discussion about love languages related to children... Last Sunday, one

Naominoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-22255853500996476352009-07-05T05:24:00.005+01:002009-07-05T05:40:13.989+01:00

This morning we woke up to the sound of waves crashing against Banna Beach, near Ballyheigue, Co. Kerry -- truly a gorgeous, rugged county. Seamus finished his project of converting a 17-seater minibus into a camper van (motor home) and we're on our first over-nighter -- made complete with mobile internet connection for the laptop!Last night, we watched the moon rise over this secluded beach and

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-27078432551183880132009-06-29T07:00:00.000+01:002009-06-29T19:36:01.664+01:00

Naominoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-29955105273096896892009-06-25T15:44:00.003+01:002009-06-25T15:52:46.673+01:00

I looked out the window one morning and saw Jacob running toward the house with a terrified expression on his face. I ran out and asked what was wrong. Jacob told me, "It's a huge slug. He's coming after me! A black one!" On closer inspection, it was a caterpillar and taught him that new word. So in the evening, when Dad came home, Jacob runs up to tell him, "Dad! I saw a slug! It was

Naominoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-4277919014407240182009-06-19T18:26:00.004+01:002009-06-19T18:32:12.632+01:00

My older friends have the best of stories! The following is used by permission, with names changed: Molly's friend, Annie, asked if her daughter could come over to Molly's house and learn from her young daughters how to play, "because Lily just doesn't know how to play." On the appointed date, Annie brought Lily over to learn from Molly's daughters. As Molly watched them "cook" in their

Naominoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-43661507201838476492009-06-13T15:03:00.000+01:002009-08-13T15:05:44.887+01:00

Naominoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-17657312298788664842009-06-11T19:16:00.004+01:002009-06-11T19:40:49.587+01:00

I'll confess I've been waiting for the day when I would get one of those post-it-on-the-fridge notes from my kids. Abigail surprised me with this sign yesterday. It's so cute how they try to write things phonetically -- and it's a pity English has so many exceptions to the rule! I didn't correct her spelling, just praised her for the effort and the thought behind it. There will always be

Naominoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-17205831202987281162009-06-06T18:34:00.000+01:002009-06-06T18:35:33.248+01:00

Naominoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-32529071035308630642009-06-03T20:47:00.001+01:002009-06-03T21:25:39.684+01:00

Haircuts are one expense we don't have. I do all the haircuts in the family, but we keep it really simple. In our never-ending efforts to live more frugally, we've picked up valuable tips online. I used the videos on Expert Village to learn some simple techniques and practiced those skills.Seamus and I both agree that purchasing the 45-Euro hairclipping thing-a-magig was the best investment we

Naominoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-83263901923032061022009-05-31T07:00:00.001+01:002009-05-31T07:00:00.321+01:00

Spring is the season of expectancy. Enclosed in a vine close to our back door, a cardinal sits on her nest. She faces away from the walk next to it, maybe thinking that what she doesn't see won't hurt her. I've been tempted to tickle her conspicuous long tail, but you ought never to upset a soon-to-be mom unnecessarily. :-) Atop the porch support at the front door is a robin's nest.

Naominoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-80789916574380152372009-05-25T07:00:00.007+01:002009-05-25T07:00:01.397+01:00

"James and I brought Adam into our bed about 3 weeks ago. He was still getting me up about every 1.5-2 hours during the night, and I was getting wrecked getting up, going to his room, nursing him, and then stumbling back to bed so frequently. I've been hesitant about having opted for the family bed, but I'm getting the rest I need, and truth be told, James and I really love having Adam with us.

Naominoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-67941786063120594942009-05-22T07:00:00.001+01:002009-05-22T07:00:01.387+01:00

My laundry was scheduled for Wednesday, but due to events of the preceding days, shopping was overdue. Then I hit the jack pot at a grocery store and came home with a good fraction of a cow - a greatly reduced manager's special - which meant the meat had to be tended to that day in one way or another. No laundry was done. Thursday, according to the Farmer's Almanac, was "the most fruitful day"

Naominoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-48349456037307435702009-05-19T07:00:00.002+01:002009-05-19T15:44:06.313+01:00

Naominoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-9192947549704984152009-05-16T15:43:00.005+01:002009-05-16T16:01:58.543+01:00

Can you guess who this is? Recently Darlene wrote about living more peaceably with husbands and offered a practical suggestion which stuck with me:One suggestion in a Mops discussion was to put up a little-boy picture of your husband where it'd be easily seen. This would encourage us to be kinder and compassionate - just as we'd be with the little boys born to us. We'd more patiently hear them

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-77284165474183282009-05-13T15:39:00.011+01:002009-05-13T18:50:10.592+01:00

Americans recently celebrated Mother's Day and I was forced to consider how the role of women and mothers in today's society has radically shifted in recent decades because of feminist lobbying. Women now face huge social pressure to juggle all the responsibilities of motherhood while feeling they need to be doing the work of a man as well. If some women belittle homemaking and motherhood as a

Naominoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-67343821252089764822009-05-12T20:17:00.011+01:002009-05-13T15:17:51.624+01:00

"I really admire your commitment to staying away from white sugar. Was it difficult, at first, to drop it from your diet? I'm fairly certain that I'm addicted to sugar, and have thought about trying to dump it from my diet, but I love baking and as you know, sugar is a major component in baking. I've tried substituting honey, molasses, and maple syrup (which is very expensive to buy here) in

Naominoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-38587637137544924912009-05-07T19:46:00.008+01:002009-05-07T21:36:34.114+01:00

For the last three weeks, I've been using a simple, old-fashioned lye soap. My skin has never been clearer or softer -- it's even replaced my daily moisturizer. When I researched it online, I discovered plain lye soap is excellent not only for acne, but also eczema, poison ivy, poison oak, head & body lice, psoriasis, athlete's foot, bug bites, burns, ashy skin, dry itchy skin and more. Plus

Naominoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-45718569683525855882009-04-30T18:30:00.002+01:002009-04-30T18:45:07.468+01:00

Women aren't the only ones who act crazy sometimes. Men don't always have their act together either, and just because God made husbands to be in charge doesn't mean they're always wise and strong.Do you recall, in school days, writing up experiments in their tidy divisions? A long time ago at least, they ended with "observation", and then "conclusion". We do a lot of observation of husbands,

Naominoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-18375716348042811702009-04-21T07:23:00.011+01:002009-04-21T08:13:06.648+01:00

The warmer weather has finally come, just in time for Grandma's visit from America. She arrived safely, but her bags did not! Fortunately, they arrived by taxi, to our door, the very next day. We were so glad to be spared another trip up to the airport.This past week, we've been enjoying family walks through the countryside, chats in the evening with mugs of tea and day-trips to little coastal

Naominoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-55908711004634822552009-04-12T22:22:00.009+01:002009-05-13T15:28:40.116+01:00

Years ago, I read The Five Love Languages, by Gary Chapman, with the view of investing in my marriage. I found it an interesting read and discovered Seamus' love language -- one which is very different than mine. It wasn't until this year that I picked up The Five Love Languages of Children to see if I could glean anything to further nurture the relationship with my children. For those of you

Naominoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-91907445438411681832009-04-06T17:11:00.010+01:002009-04-06T22:18:55.780+01:00

There's nothing more precious than a new baby! Those tiny fingers, little yawns and coos, plus the sweet snuggles of a nursling are all a recuperating mom needs to get through those first weeks after the birth. Note: The photo above of Gideon is when he was 10 days old.Abigail was special because she was our first. Of course, having twins was double special, too. When our first son was born,

Naominoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-45898315120088002832009-03-29T16:30:00.001+01:002009-03-29T16:57:44.855+01:00

When my grandparents and their young children came out of Russia, some of the relatives remained there. Life changed greatly under the new Communist rule. One letter states: "It's not like it used to be. No going to church. No Bible study. We lost all the privileges. If there is a wedding or a funeral we have no minister. The servants of the Word are quiet... The children are exposed to

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-61739717343052667562009-03-28T16:33:00.004Z2009-03-28T16:59:27.270Z

Naominoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-40847451161534252832009-03-26T19:03:00.003Z2009-03-26T19:13:50.146Z

A few months before the birth, Seamus dreamed we would have a boy and his name would be Gideon Samuel. It wasn't a name we had really considered before, but I was immediately attracted to the strength it brought to mind. Over the last few weeks, we continued to have definite feelings that this would be our second son; however, we really wanted confirmation in some way. We prayed about it and

Naominoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-18470578379945020702009-03-24T14:19:00.005Z2009-05-13T15:14:00.378+01:00

Well, Jacob has a brother. Gideon Samuel was born at home (Seamus got to catch) a little before 2 am on the 24th -- a very fast and furious labor of 3 hours or so.He weighed 10 lbs 7 oz. He was 24 inches long; head circumference of 15''.Thanks for all those praying about the high blood pressure issues. The lowest readings we EVER got were during the hardest part of the labor @ 121/66. God is so

Naominoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-8445670634196562542009-03-19T12:47:00.007Z2009-03-26T16:48:39.506Z

Now that spring seems to have arrived to southern Ireland, I wanted to share this short video and Irish Blessing. Many of the scenes are familiar to me here in West Cork. Thanks to everyone for their prayers and emails. We have been focusing all our attention to lowering the blood pressure and avoiding a hospital induction. While bed rest was keeping the lying down readings stable, they

Naominoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-58290018404519481472009-03-14T12:07:00.004Z2009-03-16T14:17:45.295Z

Well, tomorrow is my medical 'due date.' I added two more weeks to the blog counter because I usually go over. While baby is doing well and I've been having lots of warm-up contractions and "dry run" labor, my blood pressure hasn't stabilized. We've been trying herbal remedies, but to no avail; so we've resorted to an old-fashioned method: staying in bed. At the moment I'm on complete bed rest

Naominoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-27218977493954528392009-03-02T15:15:00.004Z2009-03-02T15:24:43.059Z

Recently I came across an older book in our library, called White Gloves and Party Manners - which makes me recall wearing white gloves to church when growing up. Many social refinements seem to have been discarded since then, but courtesy is timeless. We know that, but the "how-to" isn't common sense to everyone: "Be kind: not bossy, boastful, or selfish. Learn to keep a secret or a promise.

Naominoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-35865834141895968862009-02-24T22:51:00.004Z2009-02-24T23:12:04.310Z

According to my medical chart, I've got exactly three weeks to go, but I've added an extra two weeks on my blog counter for good measure. This is the final stretch and we're getting ready to welcome our first spring baby. We've told the kids when the warm weather comes, then the baby will come and now that we haven't had to have the heating on in the last week and flowers are blooming, the kids

Naominoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-52174021179136239362009-02-18T17:01:00.008Z2009-02-18T17:21:44.287Z

Seamus actually gave his first haircut the other day --- to none other than Jacob. It turned out well and Dad seems very proud. In the meantime, I've been finishing up sewing projects. I've finished curtains for our bedroom as well as the dining room and made a dress for Danielah. I'll have to post pictures soon.I guess all the looking at scissors gave Hannah some ideas, because the next

Naominoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-64520036119456047072009-02-08T19:22:00.006Z2009-02-08T19:33:58.655Z

Nor do I involve myself in great matters, --Or in things too difficult for me.*We could make a list of overwhelming and too-big-for-us matters - and spoil out day! Much of our apprehension is connected with family - our husbands who watch out for us, and our children whom we'd like to watch out for a great deal more. (I know this is a "rerun", but fear is usually a chronic problem we keep

Naominoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-64790690941191742962009-02-02T20:40:00.002Z2009-02-03T15:28:40.075Z

Seamus came into the living room and spotted a pair of underwear on the floor. He asked crossly, "Who threw these here? C'mon, who owns these knickers?" The girls just stared at him, then Danielah said:"We don't own any knickers; we just wear them."---Jacob brought me a toddler Bible story book and pointing to an illustration said:"Look, Mom! It's Anna & Eve."---Seamus asked: "What's

Naominoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-78466587628183936082009-01-31T12:47:00.003Z2009-01-31T12:56:21.180Z

I realize there isn't much privacy on-line at the end of the day; however, I think you can definitely minimize what information you are posting about your private life. I've taken a few precautions when I blog, but I'm going to thinking about other things as well... This is a video that offers some food for thought about Facebook.If you'd like to delete your Facebook account from their servers,

Naominoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-30780573958277650302009-01-27T16:32:00.009Z2009-05-13T15:24:03.519+01:00

I'm taking a break from a very busy week to write about the foundation of a successful morning routine -- namely, a consistent evening routine. Anyone who's ever tried to become an early bird knows that it just doesn't work out well unless you can go to bed early enough to be well-rested in the morning. This is going to be different for everyone -- for me, I've always needed a minimum of eight

Naominoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-74485331490945266832009-01-18T20:45:00.006Z2009-02-03T15:53:50.435Z

A few have asked what my daily schedule looks like; and I've debated about how exactly to post it because every family is different. What works for us isn't obviously going to work for everyone. I recently spoke to another mom who mentioned 7:30 a.m. was "in the middle of the night" for her. In contrast, I know several other moms of large families who rise before five in the morning. There's

Naominoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-13869476120034342712009-01-13T11:52:00.009Z2009-01-13T12:07:01.091Z

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;courage to change the things I can;and wisdom to know the difference.*Yesterday I was hurriedly doing bookwork and didn't welcome being waylaid by human error. A while back a check had been lost in the mail. (And you're wondering, "Why doesn't this lady pay bills online?" Well, I hardly know how to run a tape recorder now that

Naominoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-12400572577991347962009-01-10T04:51:00.011Z2009-05-13T15:27:32.903+01:00

I've heard that quote twice in the past week; once from a relative and once from a stranger. The more we dig in our heels and continue to homeschool our children, the more we seem to attract criticism around us. Here are some common concerns and my defenses (unfortunately the people who've equated what we are doing to child abuse won't be reading this post, though):Are you really qualified to

Naominoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-24579561635145003012009-01-04T18:31:00.005Z2009-01-04T18:55:55.441Z

Recently we had a short visit with a family who had a five-year-old girl named Grace. When we got home, we asked the girls how they liked meeting Grace and Danielah said, "I love her a LOT, Dad."---Jacob was chasing his sisters through the house when he ran by me and paused to say, "I'm a man, Mom -- just playing with his sisters." Then he laughed and ran off again.---Seamus made veggie

Naominoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-23559759895844775002009-01-02T16:44:00.005Z2009-01-02T16:51:44.859Z

My little sister sent me the book, The Duggars: 20 and Counting! Since many of you have little reading time, I at least must tell you about the "playpen in your purse". (What efficiency!) The book is also about what the family believes, how they live, how their very large home is arranged - which incidentally was built by themselves, and they are debt-free! Their house layout somewhat reminds

Naominoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-82608982848941123902008-12-28T07:00:00.001Z2008-12-30T19:55:32.703Z

Often my twin daughters gather around and ask me to "tell us the story of when we were born!" They never tire of the story, because it's slightly interesting. Today they turned four years old and in honor of their births, I get to share another birth story:When Abigail was just a tiny 6-month-old baby, I made the shocking discovery that the Le Leche League people and my very own mother were

Naominoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-45372345765371562702008-12-26T20:19:00.014Z2009-05-13T15:26:02.473+01:00

Seamus just returned this week from a 12-day journey which took him to Dublin, Belfast, Scotland, Lancashire, the Isle of Man, back to Dublin and finally home again. While he was gone, our laptop died, the DVD/VCR packed up, our phone line was cut off, the shower backed up and couldn't be used and I wasn't able to jump-start the car to get much-needed groceries. I was expecting to lose power at

Naominoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-38081613378979706642008-12-19T07:00:00.001Z2008-12-19T07:00:01.430Z

The freedom to homeschool is something we sometimes take for granted. After discussing this situation with two online acquaintances, Isabel and Dina in Malta, I did some checking into which countries allow homeschooling and which do not. The map and key above gives a breakdown of the restrictions of homeschooling for many countries. I have to say I was surprised to see so many European nations

Naominoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968594853744921769.post-83818376374016652672008-12-16T07:00:00.006Z2010-10-09T23:55:36.593+01:00

Two years ago today, on the first day of Hanukkah, we welcomed our first son into the world. This is his story... What His Names Mean Jacob is the anglicalised form of the Hebrew name 'Yaakov'. It means 'supplanter' or 'conqueror.' The name 'James,' as well as the Gaelic form of 'Seamus,' are derived from 'Jacob.' In naming our son after the remarkable father of the 12 Israelite tribes, we

Naominoreply@blogger.com5