for my handsome hubby...

Jeremy and I were in Cincinnati for a homeschool convention this past weekend, and it happened to fall over his birthday. He is so good about making time to go to this event even though sitting through talks/lectures is not his highlight.....though talking with Todd Wilson always brings smiles. He was a good sport about everything and very supportive. He treated me to dinner at my favorite restaurant downtown: Rockbottom Brewery. We stayed downtown near the convention center at the Hyatt, and walked everywhere all weekend. I love visiting the city, but my heart is definitely a country girl.

What to get a guy for his birthday? On the opening week of his favorite baseball team? Whose stadium is a couple blocks from the hotel? Hmmm??? Tough one! :-) You guessed it: I bought him tickets to the Reds game, 3rd row from the field next to the Reds dugout. He was stoked! He looked like a little kid who got locked in a candy store overnight. The game was amazing with 8 home runs, two of which were back-to-back pitches, and the Reds won 15-0. Jeremy lost his voice from cheering so much. I don't think I will ever see a game quite like that one again. It just never was boring. I was able to get some really neat pictures of the team because we were so close. These are just a few:

birthday boy

great american ball park

Joey Votto (19) and Jay Bruce (32)

Chris Heisey (28) and Zack Cozart (2)

Todd Frazier (21)

Brandon Phillips (4)

game summary: we whooped 'em!

Votto and Bruce

Reds dugout

first base coach Billy Hatcher (22) with Phillips

some good pitching

Votto at work

Hatcher with pitcher Manny Parra on first

Shin-Soo Choo (17) with young fans

yes we did!

capiz ring

At our local co-op, I get the opportunity to teach a class my daughter is in. Our topic this week was oceans, and I couldn't pass on a chance to share my shells I had collected at the beach this past summer. When at the beach, I love walking along the shore and picking up all types of shells, some whole, some pieces, but all with a bit of lovely to them. I took many types of shells with me and let the children play with them, talk about them, and pick their favorites. The boys strung shells on jute to make necklaces and the girls made rings. I made my ring out of capiz shells.

Here are the rings for the girls. Each was able to pick her own shells and I hot-glued them onto the ring blank.

in the library

We love books at our house. We blame it on our parents because they wanted us to read for some reason. Truly though, when you find the joy in reading you can teach yourself to do anything, and your imagination can take you so many places. The mind is so fascinating. So if you haven't read a good book lately, pick one up and snuggle by the fireplace (and if you don't have a fireplace at home, head to your local Panera). As much as I love technology, there is still something about holding a book in your hands and flipping the pages that feels so down to earth.

Books everywhere....I love the hues of old books

the library

Claire with her book

Yes, he is reading Cinderella

I love history, especially local history, and I have a gem of a book in my library. My mother bought me this book, History of Miami County Ohio 1880 by W. H. Beers. I love reading it because is recalls the everyday life of men and women of another era, and they were the pioneers of the very county where I live. The stories are true accounts. Some of the stories are hilarious (Rival Lovers, Corn Husking, Temperance Talk...because corn husking was always done with whisky). Other stories make me appreciate the time in which I live (Capture of the Moffit Boys, Killing of Dilbone and his Wife, Scalping of Mrs. Martin). Why is history important? A better question: why is it important that history is not rewritten to suit our culture today? Because people who gave their lives for faith, family and country deserve to have the truth remembered. I'm a little passionate about this. I live in America, but American history is being rewritten to exclude the Christian foundation upon which our country was built. Twelve stones in the Jordan.....remember the truth!

Ma'am, please don't smile.