Doing the Next Thing and the futility of five-year plans. Yes, again.

...Because I still need some practice at this, I guess. The long, slow slide into summer stability was slower than anticipated this year. I'm just now feeling like I've got my "sea legs" so to speak with having the kids home, and June is nearly over. The grey fog that I now recognize as the …

WE’RE (gonna be) DEBT FREEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

There. A slightly premature debt-free scream :). Just did the taxes, and not only will we be DEBT FREEEEE!!!!! but we'll have enough for 1) an emergency fund (since our old one got drained this summer in the transition to two cars), and 2) a new computer! Did I say I hate today? Never mind. …

Thoughts on Christmas Trees –a dilemma

After about 15 minutes of philosophical discussion on whether to get a real tree again this year or finally break down and get an artificial one, the latter choice became the one. We now have a genuine Made In China plastic and metal "tree" in our living room. The irony? We'd also talked a couple …

Moth Update…

Well, it's your average run-of-the mill moth (shrug). Last Sunday night I glanced into the jar, thinking that we really should poke some holes in the lid, when I discovered an empty brown translucent cocoon (much smaller than I'd figured --about 1 inch long and 1/3" around), and a little newly-hatched average-type light brown moth …

Ramblings and Thoughts on Christian Education

We are truly blessed to be living where we are with an excellent Christian school just 1.5 miles down the road. As a matter of fact, the kids' schooling was a major factor in our moving back to Wisconsin. Had we remained in Arizona, we would not have been able to afford to keep Elanor …

as you are going…

Hopefully the week to come will be a busy one around here. I've been faced with an avalanche of conviction that that verse somewhere in Deuteronomy about teaching your kids as you are going about daily things is really not getting enough attention by me. We waste so much time. A typical day is usually …

Yes, I’m still here!

Guess I'd better write something. Spring has seemingly finally wrested the icy grip of a much too long winter in Wisconsin. Seriously. Nothing like a year in Arizona to really make you appreciate how mind-numbingly LONG winter gets around here. One thing, though. When the snow finally melted about a month (?) ago, the grass …

Phoenix, Dirty Silver, and Other Metaphors

I wrote this a year ago tomorrow, but thought it might be worth putting up here. Some of you may have read it before, as I originally intended it to be used as a prayer letter. Hope it makes as much sense now as it did then.  Phoenix, Dirty Silver and Other Fiery MetaphorsApril 10, 2006                 It is no …

Corwin’s new reading spot

Corwin's new reading spot Originally uploaded by samshelbigesch. Thought it was about time I added some pictures of the kids --I caught Corwin the other morning enjoying a book in a new favorite spot. No, I really don't know what is all over his mouth...

In other news…

Amaryah's name! Originally uploaded by samshelbigesch. since I'm in a picture mood, here's one of Amaryah's new skill --she can write her own name!! We were doing valentines for Elanor's class and Amaryah wanted to do one for one of her friends. Her drawing skill has progressed greatly in the last couple weeks, too.