The Sparrow's Home: Life is hard. God is good. We need each other.

Food for Thought: #3

August 18, 2016 by Susan Leave a Comment

It seems like I see about a thousand articles in the course of a week or two…just from social media feeds and other blogs I read. I try to save ones that stand out to me to refer back to later, or to share. I’d love it if you did the same!

I would love to hear what you think, and see what you’ve had open on your desktop this week.

I’ve had back-to-school on the brain. We start Monday. My eldest will be doing full time dual enrollment, and my younger will have just one class with a study group – the rest will be on his own.

So, thinking on education, you’ll understand why these first two articles caught my eye:

What is the Media Not Telling You About the Louisiana Flooding?

August 17, 2016 by Susan 8 Comments

Imagine this scenario:

You’re walking down the street, minding your own business, and you see a woman up ahead of you get mugged. By the time you get to where she is, the mugger is gone, leaving the victim bleeding from a punch to the face and empty handed…her purse stolen. There is no one else in sight. You get out your phone and call your friend, saying, “Did you see what Hillary Clinton did today?!” Barely glancing at the woman, you walk by. After all, you’re going to have to vote in 3 months.

Despicable, right?

The news media is choosing to collectively ignore the tens of thousands of people left with nothing and effectively ‘punched in the face’ by the massive Louisiana flooding.

The Ultimate List of Brilliant Gift Ideas (You’ll Want to Keep for Yourself)

August 16, 2016 by Susan 7 Comments

Winston Churchill said

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.

Birthdays, weddings, Christmas, Valentine’s Day… With so many holidays telling us to give presents, gift giving can become merely a rote activity. Thoughtfully considering what to give someone is an art. Are you looking for a clever gift for someone? I’ve collected a list of unique gift ideas for you. They’re things that I’ve had tucked away in my ‘idea file’ forever. Click the pictures or links to learn more.

I want to say up front that I haven’t purchased all of these things myself. But I will be sure to comment on those I have.

Cheesy, Grilled, Stuffed Jalapenos and Other Spicy Solutions

August 15, 2016 by Susan 10 Comments

We are a drop site for the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program that we belong to. It’s wonderful, because all summer and autumn long we get a box of produce, just picked that day, delivered to our doorstep. Have you had corn that was just picked? What about melon? I’m pretty sure the cantaloupe that we got last week was the best melon I’ve ever eaten.

Another perk, which doesn’t happen very often, is that if someone else doesn’t pick up their box, we get to keep it!

That happened last week. Double the tomatoes, double the carrots…and double the jalapenos.

Ooey Gooey Triple Chip Skillet Cookie

August 10, 2016 by Susan 8 Comments

An ooey, gooey dessert that you mix in the same skillet you bake it in! I make mine with semisweet, white, and milk chocolate chips.

Just last night my husband sidled up to me after dinner and sweetly asked, “Any chance you’ve got plans to bake something sweet tonight?”

“Well,” I said, “I could make a skillet cookie. But we don’t have any ice cream, and you kind of need ice cream with—.”

Before I could finish the reply came from the other room. Our 16 year old son said, “I’ll go get ice cream.” Oh the joys of having a kid who drives!

This dessert may give my dulce de leche bars a run for their money in the melty, ooey, gooey yumminess department. But the best thing about this is how easy it is. You make it all in the skillet!

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Disney

August 9, 2016 by Susan 15 Comments

This is the ultimate guide to adding learning to your Disney vacation. Literature, history, geography, science, and more. You might be surprised how many educational opportunities there are!

Incorporating our real life into our schooling has always been important to us, like when we took an impromptu trip to Texas to spend a few weeks, and the ways we’ve learned about our state with fun first day of school field trips. So deciding to homeschool Disney World was a no-brainer!

Studying about an amusement park, you ask? Spending valuable school time learning about a cartoon Mouse?

If that’s what you’re thinking, you are in for a treat!