A Girl and Her Chocolate

There are many pictures yet to be added to my blog. Since I took a hiatus from my blog, they have really piled up! This one if from last September when we celebrated Saranita's first birthday. We gathered at my sister-in-law's house to celebrate my 3 nieces' birthdays. Saranita was also treated to her very own CHOCOLATE CAKE. Her mother, Naomi, really knows how to train her daughter in the proper enjoyment of chocolate!
As you can see, she caught on quickly and was up to her elbows in chocolate.



This was taken last week as we made our way back from Ft Wayne after attending a bridal shower for Naomi's maid of honor DoRena. This is how Saranita was happily engaged for part of the trip home. I did not take a picture of her when the chocolate ran out -- it was not a pretty sight. That a girl!

Our Grandson is growing

As you can see, our Grandson, Thomas, has grown in the last 3 months! He is still trying to determine the color of his eyes. It would be very unusual to see other than dark Greeky eyes in this family. Thomas's eyes might be different though because he has a maternal grandfather and a paternal great grandfather who both had blue eyes. He is a cute little fuss budget who likes to be held but LOVES to be walked while being held!!

Here is a picture of Thomas's cousin, Saranita. She is pretending to be the Spring Bunny in this picture from last month. Actually, we had to snap the picture quickly before she snatched the offending ears off her head! As you can tell, she does have those dark Greek eyes.

If Rice is Too Expensive

If you are finding that your rice paddy (or grocery store) is not producing like it used to, here is a recipe you might enjoy. I know my husband certainly loved it last night!

Mock Risotto
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (although I think more is better)
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
2 (14 oz) cans of chicken broth (or 28oz water + 4 bouillion cubes)
2 cups uncooked orzo pasta

Saute the garlic and onion in hot olive oil until tender. Add the liquid and loosen all the yummy bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil and add the orzo. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until all the liquid is absorbed - around 15 min. Salt and pepper and then DEVOUR it!! I served this with cube steak so I also added the delicious droppings left in the fry pan.

Founding Father Quote

At St. Barbara's Academy this Spring, we are studying the founding of our country. The giggle girls are thrilled to be learning about the beginning of our nation. It has depressed me to see how far we have come from the original idea of limiting the central government.


Just take a look at this quote from John Adams -- our second President
"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the governemnt of any other."

My, oh my! We have long ago abandoned this sentiment. I wonder if we can ever regain the attitude that WE THE PEOPLE are responsible individuals who live by the morals taught through countless generations. The first step in regaining the high ground would be to once again teach morality to the next generation. The adults in our society have abandoned this all important vocation from God.

I was astounded to hear a young woman on the radio the other day remark that she didn't want to abandon her "morals" and eat meat. Abstaining from eating meat is morality?????? I wanted to reach through the radio, grab her and ask what about abortion? what about loving your neighbor? what about remembering the Sabbath Day? what about loving God with your whole heart? Morality has become a question of what you eat, caring for sea lions, greening the environment (blech - I just verbed a noun), etc.

Without the moral law, in other words, the 10 commandments, what will check course outbursts of sin? Without a Christian upbringing, what will guide us in doing good to all men? I could continue my rant, but my students are calling me to my present vocation as head mistress of St. Barbara's Academy.

God's Green Earth

The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Psalm 24:1 It does NOT belong to Gaia as some would have us believe today. The respect and care that we have for this green globe must always begin and remain in the Creator who set the Earth in it's orbit.


It is a beautiful time of year as evidenced by these flowers that I spied on the way home from exercise this morning. Daffodils are not my favorite flower but they are the most cheerful of the spring flowers! After the long, cold, dark days of winter, the daffodils seem to be singing this hymn of the resurrection written in the 6th century by Venantius Fortunatus'

Loose the souls long prisoned, Bound with Satan's chain; All that now is fallen Raise to life again. Show Thy face in brightness, Bid the nations see; Bring again our daylight; Day returns with Thee. "Welcome happy morning!" Age to age shall say; "Hell today is vanquished, Heav'n is won today!"

Earth Day would guilt us into believing that if we are not careful, we will destroy the earth by our reckless disregard for the environment. We must stop using paper bags because we are cutting down too many trees. We must use plastic biodegradable bags. Wait! We must stop using plastic bags because they are indeed destroying the earth so it is back to paper bags. It reminds me of a contemporary worship service where they can't quite get the liturgy of the Gaia religion straight. God's Word assures us that the earth is being destroyed. In Isaiah we hear "Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies." Boy, can I identify with the phrase "wear out like a garment."

Isaiah does continue with the ulimate good news, "But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail." That is wonderful news that you will never hear amid the gloom and doom of Earth Day! That is the kind of news that focuses on the Savior Christ and the salvation He has purchased for us, not with carbon credits, but with His holy precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death.

Dancin' with Dvorak

We were very excited to be going on a field trip on this lovely spring day! Here we are just before we are ready to leave to go hear the Cleveland Orchestra. My friend and her children accompanied me in my van. My other friend and her children followed in their van. After all, my grandma-mobile is not a 15 passenger van!!

The Cleveland Orchestra holds educational concerts throughout the school year. Our homeschool group has attended many of these concerts. This year we were treated to the orchestra playing several pieces from Dvorak while dancers performed in the front of the stage. What a delightful hour we had watching and listening. I don't have the name of the ethnic dance troupe which twirled and stomped their way through several songs but they were dressed in Czech costumes befitting the birthplace of Antonin Dvorak. The Bohemian folk tunes which influenced Dvorak were in evidence and I certainly wanted to get up and dance too! I did maintain my matronly stature and quitely tapped my feet!! The orchestra also played a "tone" by Dvorak which is a longer work. This was more sedate and was accompanied by the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet. You can see the small stage in the front of the orchestra. It was quite a feat to fit 8 ballerinas leaping across that small stage.

As I said, the day was a lovely spring day -- the temperature reached into the 80's and the sun was brilliant. Gee, you don't think I've been missing the warm weather, do you?? It was very good that the weather cooperated since we had to park quite a distance away so I dropped my passengers off and then picked them up after the concert. I certainly got my workout that morning!