I love to knit!  I would love to knit more often and I would love to know how to make more than scarves, but I do love to knit.  I remember when I learned.  I was in 3rd grade.  After school, a bus would pick me up from elementary school and take me to an after school day care where my oldest sister worked.  I would stay there till my sister got off work and she would take me home.  At the day care, they had various activities for the kids.  One activity was knitting.  I don't remember details, but I remember being taught and.... more >>

I just had a friend of mine tell me he was shocked that he had actually been called a mother f'er twice this week by total strangers.  Once for being neighborly by smiling at a guy as he walked by.  The other time for trying to fairly negotiate the price of a Craig's list sale item.  If you knew my friend (and many of you reading this do), you would know that he is a non-confrontational, kind, generous and helpful person and certainly not in the category of the above mentioned slander.  In fact, he somewhat jokingly expressed his apo.... more >>

It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it isn't.  It's something that happens every month at our home on the Second Saturday of each month and the punchline goes something like this...

...and everyone enjoys having a wonderful, engaging and open discussion about spiritual topics and they eat and laugh and have fun.  That's what Second Saturday is all about.  At Second Saturday, you never know who is going to attend.  The gatherings tend to be more on the intimate side with about 6-10 people, yet the group is dive.... more >>

I have two kids.  One the studious, cautious older one and the other the multi-sensory, impulsive younger one.  Both boys.  I was told by many that it was inevitable.  When it happened to the youngest one, it wasn't as much of a surprise as it was the fact that it happened sooner than I thought it would.  At age 3 my little active risk-taker decided to get down from the top bunk of a bunk bed, which he was not supposed to be on in the first place and KNEW he was not ever supposed to climb up, the fast route.  That meant jum.... more >>

We went to see the Earth movie for Earth Day.  That's the beauty of homeschooling.  You get to go to the movies and count it as science.  It was a wonderful film with outstanding footage.  I had seen most of it on the TV series Planet Earth, but it was something to see on the big screen!  I cried from the first moment the first picture appeared.  I cannot look at nature without immediately thinking of the Creator and all that has been so preciously given to us to sustai.... more >>

Ok, it's been a while since I've blogged and I need to catch up.  Here's an overview of all the things that have been going on.

Since my last entry, my friend Kim came into town and visited with our Homeschoolers East (HSE) Roots and Shoots (R&S) team.  It was so great to see her and have her spend the day with all my friends in HSE.  Past really met the present that day.  I've known Kim since colleg.... more >>

Well, we hosted our first Second Saturday event two Saturdays ago which focused on the book Some Answered Questions and it was a HUGE hit for all who attended!  We started with the standard pot-luck dinner at 6:00, although there is usually nothing "standard" about it.  The food tends to be as diverse as the people who attend.  Some of the dishes included my "famous" Adobe Pie, jumbo Thai spring rol.... more >>

What a moment in history!  If I was moved to tears sitting here in my home watching a TV screen, I can only imagine how those who were able to attend the inaugural address in person must have felt as President Obama gave his inaugural speech.  As I was listening, I heard so many Bahá'í themes strewn throughout his speech.  Several Bahá'í quotes came to mind, so I found the transcript of his speech online and went to Ocean (an online library of the world's reli.... more >>

After 10 years of hosting monthly Movie Nights, last year we decided to end the Movie Night tradition, take a break and possibly host something new in the future.  Not long after ending Movie Night, we held an "Introduction to the Baha'i Faith" discussion in our home one evening and several of our friends attended.  The evening progressed into a wonderful sharing of various religious and spiritual beliefs and by the end of the evening there was a great sense of unity.  That is not to say t.... more >>

We just got back from our 3-day OK get-away.  OK as in Oklahoma, that is, where we stayed in one of the cozy little cabins at Whip-Poor-Will Resort in southern Oklahoma near Beavers Bend State Park and Broken Bow Lake.  We did this last year over Christmas and it was so wonderful we decided we would go each year that we are not spending with relatives elsewhere.  Marc and I have been there four times over the years.  Once in the early nineties with another couple (pre-kid.... more >>

I got a phone call from my sister on Thanksgiving Day and the first words she said was, "It's just not right.  We're supposed to be there."  She was saying what I was thinking as I began the process of making Thanksgiving dinner.  You see, this is the first year in many that our family was not going to be getting together for Thanksgiving at our home.  We used to congregate at my mom's in Fayetteville, TX, but since then things have changed and we now meet here in Garland at our home.  We have done so for the last 3-4 yrs. (I lose t.... more >>

I can't believe I did it!  I kept our Thanksgiving dinner almost completely gluten, egg and dairy free.  For those of you who don't know, two of our family members came up allergic to these three items.  It was not 100% gluten, egg and dairy free, but I'll explain.

There were only two ingredients that were not within the guidelines, but could easily have been substituted and it would have been fine, but I decided to try ghee (clarified butter that does not have lactose or casein) since we are at the point of finding out what the re.... more >>

My husband is originally from Columbus, Ohio, and it is a tradition to make buckeyes this time of year there.  The Ohio buckeye is the state tree of Ohio and it has a nut that is brown with a light tan center.  The buckeye confection (candy), made to resemble the tree's nut, is made by dipping a spoonful of peanut butter fudge in milk chocolate, leaving a circle of the peanut butter exposed. These are a popular treat in Ohio, especially during the Christmas and NCAA college footb.... more >>

Prayer for America:
O Thou kind Lord!  This gathering is turning to Thee.  These hearts are radiant with Thy love.  These minds and spirits are exhilarated by the message of Thy glad-tidings.  O God!  Let this American democracy become glorious in spiritual degrees even as it has aspired to material degrees, and render this just government victorious.  Confirm this revered nation to upraise the standard of the oneness of humanity, to promulgate the Most Great Peace, to become thereby most glorious and praisewo.... more >>