Many things I’m thankful for this week:
(1) Sunshine’s love of apples: “I LIKE sour apples” - a phrase we’ll be repeating for years to come. (You had to be there! )
(2) Sweet Stuff’s sweet nature - listening to her talk to her mommy (my little girl!) on the phone
(3) RT’s frequent affirmation of his love for me
(4) Our church and the friends we have there, and the beautiful music each week
(5) That RT and I got most of the blinds put up last night - and mostly that the blinds fit (yea! I measured well!)
(6) The entire Christmas season - there’s nothing about Christmas that doesn’t make me happy
(7) Our driveway - It sounds strange, but everytime I drive on our driveway, I think of how beautiful the scenery is

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I’m an elementary school reading specialist, and so I’m always reading.  I also love quotes.  Thus I’ve done Thursday Thirteens on various topics related to reading and quotes.  There are Thursday Thirteens on quotes about Mothers, quotes from American History,  poems to read with children,  quotes to write in the sand,  my favorite read-aloud books for children,  my favorite quotes about reading, and thirteen books for Read Across American week.  Here is a second set of quotes about reading that I love:

(1)  “To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all of the miseries of life.”   ~W. Somerset Maugham~

(2) “The real purpose of books is to trap the mind into doing its own thinking.”  ~Christopher Morley~

(3) “Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” ~Emilie Buchwald~

(4) “A house without books is like a room without windows.”  ~Horace Mann~

(5) “To add a library to a house is to give that house a soul.”  ~Cicero~

(6) “Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.”  ~Richard McKenna~

(7)  “To read is to empower;

To empower is to write;

To write is to influence;

To influence is to change;

To change is to live.”

~Jane Evershed~

(8) “The more that you read,

The more things you will know.

The more that you learn,

The more places you’ll go! ”

~Dr. Seuss~

(9)  “There is no substitute for books in the life of a child.”  ~Mary Ellen Chase~

(10)  “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.”  ~Chinese proverb~

(11) ”Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” ~Sir Richard Steele~

(12)  “Books, I found, had the power to make time stand still, retreat or fly into the future.”  ~Jim Bishop~

(13)  “A book is a like a garden carried in the pocket.”  ~Chinese proverb”

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This past week has beeen a good one.  Here are seven things I’m thankful for from the past week:

(1) That RT put up my make-up mirror, and when it ended up being a little too high for me to use comfortably, he took it down and re-installed it lower for me.

(2) RT and I did some target-shooting together.  I had a lesson and then we went through several rounds of clay targets together.  It was fun.  We’re going back this afternoon with our son.

(3) We started putting up the window blinds that were delivered several weeks ago.  I’m relieved that I measured correctly and the blinds looks really good.

(4) The quilt that I ordered for the master bedroom arrived two days ago, and it looks beautiful!  That’s another thing I was relieved about.  When you order things online, you just don’t know how it will look when it arrives.  But this quilt matches everything perfectly and really brightens up the room.

(5) When RT was out of town for several days, I was able to get some things done around the house - and Jake, along with the security system, kept me feeling as safe as possible.

(6) Now that the leaves are off the trees, the view from our house is beautiful in a different way.  We can see all the way to the river in the back, and in the front, we can see the driveway through the trees all the way to where it curves around the hill.

(7) Right now our son’s truck it parked out by the barn.  That means that he got here early this morning and is off somewhere on the property deer hunting.  That means that when he is finished later, he will stop by the house, and I will likely make him some oatmeal or pancakes for breakfast.  I look forward to such moments.

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It has been a really good few days around our little part of Tennessee.  Here are seven things that I’m thankful that happened the past week.

(1) I’m thankful that RT is feeling better.  He felt really bad on Wednesday and Thursday and was certain he had strep throat.  However, we went to a Minute Clinic, and they checked.  No strep throat, no flu - just a cold with a sore throat.

(2)  Yesterday (Friday) around 4:30, RT said he was feeling better and why don’t we make a quick trip to Georgia to visit my mother and his mother.  Fifteen minutes later we were packed and on our way to the airport.  By 6:00 we were rolling down the runway - arriving at the small airport in my mother’s hometown in Georgia.  Two of my sisters were there to meet us.  We got to visit with my mother and two sisters - sitting up way too late talking.

(3) Then this morning we woke up, visited with my mother a little longer, then hopped back on the plane and flew another hour to RT’s mother’s hometown where we rented a car and drove the 30 minutes to her house where we have an absolutely scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner.

(4) Then, because the weather forecast predicted a storm all day Sunday - starting Saturday afternoon, we headed back to the airport and flew back home — arriving back at our hometown airport a little under 24 hours from when we’d left yesterday.  A totally wonderful 24 hours - except for RT not feeling well - but he is already feeling much better and is happy we went since he wasn’t contagious and he got to visit everyone.

(5) For plates of wonderful food to bring home from my mother-in-law - homemmade cornbread dressing, sweet potato souffle, real mashed potatoes, creamed corn, from-scratch cake with caramel frosting, homemade lemon cream pie and homemade pecan pie.

(6) For having such LARGE plates of wonderful food that when we stopped by our son’s house to pick up our dog, Jake, and our son’s eye lit up at the mention of his grandmother’s cornbread dressing and sweet potato souffle, we had enough to leave a plate with them.

(7) For having families that welcome us with open arms - even when we visit on the spur of the moment.  Family is wonderful, and I am enormously thankful for mine.

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RT and I have been moving the past month.  Yes, the past MONTH.  It takes time, and the fact that our old house is just two miles away from the new house, along with the fact the the old house has not sold yet means that we still have lots of stuff at the old house that we haven’t moved yet.  Nothing big - but still lots of little things that we didn’t want to crowd the moving van when we had it last month.

However, we DID completely empty the two storage rooms where I had stored most of my belongings.  One of the highlights of the past few weeks is that I keep getting gifts - gifts of particularly treasured items that had been packed away for the past eighteen months.  Each time I’d open a box, it seemed that I found something else that I was thrilled about seeing again.

(1) My dining room suit - it’s cherry with white upholstered seats - so pretty and elegant.  It wasn’t in a box, but it was stacked in the back of one of the storage rooms.

(2) My paraffin spa - LOVE it for my hands!

(3) The baby doll that the grandgirls insisted on buying for my birthday a few years ago.  My daughter tried to steer them towards a more practical gift, but they insisted that Grandma Carol WANTED that baby doll. . . and they were right - I did!

(4) My Hummel collection - each of them were given to me for special occasions, and it’s so nice to see them again.

(5) My pictures - I have a lot of framed prints that we just stored since RT’s cabin didn’t have a lot of wall space for them.  I enjoy so much the Frace’ prints and the beautiful “Resurrection Morn” print that I received as a gift a few years ago.

(6) My books.  LOVE my favorite books.

(7) My dishes - especially the pretty ones

(8) My antique hall tree - I’ve had it for about 30 years, and I think it’s beautiful

(9) The little figurine that my then 3-year old daughter gave me when my son was born.  It’s a little girl with arms spread wide and the words “I love you THIS much!”

(10) My crocheted afgans - so nice to wrap around me when I’m watching TV or reading a book

(11) My video and CD collections - I’m ready to watch some of my favorites again

(12) My photo albums - from RT’s and my first marriage in 1969 to our grandchildren.  I love looking at all the photographs again.

(13) My little antique sewing kit.  It’s interesting how often I need a needle and thread to do a quick repair on something.  I’ve missed my well-stocked sewing kit.  Now that it’s available, it’ll probably be months before I need it.

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I’ve read other Thursday Thirteens in which the writer describes differences and similarities between herself and her spouse.  So this week’s T13 is a list for RT and Me.

(1) RT is an early-to-bed-early-to-rise person, but  I’m a night owl.  I very rarely can go to sleep before 10:30 or 11:00.  RT usually goes to bed each night around 8:30 or 9:00 - sometimes even earlier.  If I go to bed then, I just lie there tossing and turning.  If I wait till around 11:00, I go right to sleep and sleep great.  I think I simply don’t need as much sleep as RT.  It is what it is.

(2) We both love an all-vegetable meal (with cornbread, of course).

(3) Our choice of vegetables is different though.  RT likes some of the same vegetables I like (tomatoes, creamed corn, okra, new potatoes, broccoli, field peas) but he also likes turnip greens, green beans, rutabagas - and I definitely don’t care for those particular veggies.

(4) RT is incredibly strong physically.  I don’t think there is any physical task he can’t do.  I’m fairly strong for a woman but not exceptionally so.

(5) RT works harder than any person I know.   It’s part of his do-or-die personality.  I work hard, but I take breaks.  I don’t have the endurance to work nonstop for hours like RT does.

(6) While we’ve been building our new house, we’ve been amazed at how similar our tastes are in just about every area - from the floor plan to paint colors to granite to flooring.    We’ve agreed on virtually everything.

(7)  RT enjoys having a pet.  I’m just not a pet person.  I don’t dislike animals, I just don’t particularly enjoy having a pet.

(8) RT can do anything — well, almost.  If there is something to be made or something that has to be done, he’ll figure out how to do it and do it.  Installing shelves, doing electrical or plumbing work - he jumps right in and does it.  He has an amazing repertoire of skills and knowledge.

(9)  I love to blog.  RT just doesn’t “get” why someone would want to blog.

(10)  RT has incredible willpower.  He can decide to do something, and he sticks to it - however long it takes.  I sometimes give up too quickly or easily.

(11) RT travels with his job.  I almost never travel with my job.  Occasionally I might have a teacher conference or workshop that involves an overnight stay elsewhere, but 99.9% of my job time is spent right here in town.  RT has to spend several nights out of town a couple times a month.  I’m looking forward to retiring and being able to go with him on those trips.

(12)  RT likes to play the CD player in his car on HIGH.  When I say “high” I don’t mean loud.  I mean he plays it at a car-shaking blast.  I listen to either talk radio or I turn off the radio altogether. 

(13) RT would do anything in the world for me, and I would do anything in the world for him.

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I enjoy checking my site meter and finding out the search words that people have used that brought them to The Median Sib.   Here are thirteen recent searches:

(1) Jordin Sparks - If We Hold On Together or I Who Have Nothing - I wrote about Jordin Sparks during “American Idol” and LOVED the way she sang the song “I Who Have Nothing” and “If We Hold On Together.”  So I wrote out the lyrics.    Apparently lots of people still remember Jordan singing those songs want to know the lyrics!

(2) Kristine Lefebvre - Playboy - I wrote about how Kristine Lefebvre, a contestant on “The Apprentice” would be in Playboy.  A very popular topic, I found.

(3) Re-marrying your ex -  I remarried my ex-husband last year, and I wrote about it.   I regularly get hits from people interested in the topic.

(4) Mary Winkler - It’s been over a year since I originally wrote about the Mary Winkler murder case, but I still get at least a few hits every day about it.

(5) Tomato-Mozarella Salad - Great recipe and obviously a popular one, too.

(6) Kelly Pickler Haircut- I wrote about Kelly Pickler’s appearance on “American Idol” with a new hairdo and new boobs.  Months later, a couple dozen people each day are still interested.

(7)  Quotes about siblings - I neveer realized how often people look for quotes about brothers, sisters and family. 

(8)  Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwich - I wrote about my  mother’s delicious Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwiches that she makes for bridal showers and other events.  I posted the recipe and people regularly visit TMS to get the recipe.

(9)  Dreaming of loved ones who have died - I wrote about a vivid dream I had about my father after he died.  Apparently lots of people dream about loved ones who have passed on.

(10)  Children’s sermons - I wrote about a children’s sermon I was asked to do one week.  Every Saturday since then, without fail, I get a bunch of hits from people looking for a children’s sermon.

(11) What principals look for in teachers - I read an article that had a list of qualities that principals look for in teachers.  I felt the list was a bunch of hooey, and so I wrote what I felt were the REAL qualities of good teachers. 

(12)  Fever blister treatment - I get fever blisters occasionally, and I found that Valtrex, which is a medication for genital herpes, works great to get rid of a fever blister quickly.  I regularly get hits about that topic.

(13)  DRA testing - The DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) is a reading assessment I give very often.  I’ve written about it on TMS, and people look for information on the DRA quite frequently.

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For the week of July 8 - 14

This past week has been a big one is many ways in terms of the building of our new house - and in other areas, too.  Here are seven important events from last week:

(1) July 12th was RT’s 60th birthday. We celebrated with a dinner at our house for our two children, their spouses, and the two grandgirls.  We had a wonderful time together.   Sweet Stuff wrote a card for RT, and during dinner Sunshine got up and walked over to RT and just hugged him.  No prompting - just a spontaneous show of affection.

(2) The cabinets are almost finished in the house - may very well be finished before today (Saturday) is over.

(3)  I THINK we have finally found a satisfactory painter for our house - which means that our move-in date is getting closer.

(4) The flooring folks completely finished the hardwood floors two days ago.  RT and I have tentatively picked out the carpeting and tile for the rooms that won’t have hardwood floors.

(5) The paving company framed out the patio, sidewalks, parking area and driveway this past week.  They will pour the concrete on the patio and sidewalks on Monday.

(6) The landscaping will be done next week.  Once the landscaping is done, the driveway will be poured.  Our son’s landscaping company will do the landscaping - and he has some great plans for our yard.

(7) On Tuesday I went to my new school with Sweet Stuff to give her a reading assessment so a new teacher could learn how to do the assessment.  Afterwards Sweet Stuff and I had lunch together.  It was so much fun.  Then on Wednesday I had lunch with Sunshine.

All in all - it was a very good week.

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To celebrate the 100th edition of the Thursday Thirteen meme - and my personal 67th edition - I am linking to my favorite Thursday Thirteens from THE MEDIAN SIB

1.  My 13 favorite hymns

2.  Thirteen things about summer that should be against the law

3.  Thirteen reason why I hate moving

4.  My thirteen favorite Bible verses

5.  Thirteen of my favorite photos

6.  Thirteen of my favorite quotes about reading

7.  Thirteen reasons I’m glad I remarried RT

8.  Thirteen reasons I love the USA

9.  Thirteen reasons I hate poison ivy

10.  Thirteen quotes from American history

11.  Thirteen things I’d like to write in the sand and a quotation for each

12.  My thirteen favorite education-related posts

13.  Thirteen words to make you sound smarter

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This Father’s Day I’m thankful for the fathers in my life:

(1) For my own father whose life was an example of how to live

(2) For my husband, the father of our two children, for being such a strong and loving father

(3) For my son-in-law - for being such a loving father for my two grandgirls and a good husband to my daughter

(4) For my father-in-law, who has been gone even longer than my father, but whose last words (that I heard) were sweet ones to my children as we left his bedside: “Bye, bye, sugar-pie.”

(5) For my two brothers who are wonderful fathers.  My youngest brother visited me on Friday, and it was so pleasant to be able to take a walk with him and then sit and talk with him for awhile before he continued his business trip.

(6) My grandfather - Daddy Shaw - my father’s father who owned a barbershop where we always hurried whenever we  visited.

(7) My mother’s father - who I never knew since he died when my mother was 9 years old - but who influenced me through my mother.

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