It’s been three years, almost exactly! In the years between now and that last post my kids have started school, we’ve started raising chickens, and I now have a writing career. More on the writing career at http://www.tracihilton.com

So why am I back here, and why now?

Because I want to post fiction and thoughts on writing and such on that other blog. And I want to write about education here. Specifically, raising smart fundy kids in a public school.

It can be done!

It should be done!

I’m doing it!

We’re in the world’s best public school and my kids are getting the education I always dreamed they would get.

Wait–isn’t that school they are at a title I school of intense poverty? Yes it is! And aren’t you kids dealing with food allergies and processing disorders? Yes they are!

That just means I have a lot to say about education.

So…look here for more on faith, school, twice exceptional kids, tutoring, assessments, bringing your own snacks, negotiating PTO, planning play dates, teaching kids to tell truth from lies, and teaching them how to hold what they are being taught against the Truth of the Bible.

But I had a weird virus on my blog, and I was afraid to use it. Oh, and I have been rather frustrated trying to add pictures to my posts. I wanted to take things up a notch but my old machine and my old brain are at odds on that one. And then, of course, there is all the hard work the puppy has added to my day.  And I had to move my furniture around my house again (and again) And um…facebook. You know. The regular trouble

But Gretchen tagged me! I’ve been waiting and waiting to get tagged. Like when I was little and waited and waited to get, well, tagged, I suppose. To be a part of the game.  And yes, it was just the thing to get my little nose out of the pages of that social networking site.  Which is a fun place, I admit. But anyone who is *friends* with me probably appreciates the break from the constant “Traci” updates on the home page.

So, as I have been tagged by the delightful artists who designed the pillows I stitched, I will play the game, and enjoy the feeling of belonging. : D

What is your current obsession?

Keeping my kitchen almost spotlessly clean. Who thinks this will last more than a week?

What are you wearing today?
Leather sandles, cream jeans that I cut off at the clamdigger length and embroidered after they shrunk in the wash, and a Sunday go to meeting jacket with 3/4 length sleeves.

What’s for dinner?
Why couldn’t I have been tagged last night when it was enchiladas, ceasar salad, salsa, and fresh strawberries?  Why tonight when it was scrambled eggs with Velveeta?

What would you eat for your last meal?
A little salmon sushi with wasabi, some noodles with Indonesian peanut sauce and veggies, those bread sticks–you know the ones, some yankee potroast with horseradish sauce and mashed potatoes…a tall glass of soda with ice, a small glass of pinot gris. A wide selection of restaurant food would would probably do the trick.

What’s the last thing you bought?

The removal of my poor puppies dew claws and boy parts.

What are you listening to right now?
The sound of my new dishwasher washing the dishes.

What is your favorite ice-cream flavour?
watermelon sorbet
What do you think of the person who tagged you?
Gretchen is charming and talented. She is funny and smart.  And to steal from her answer, I would love to stop over for a cuppa.  I like that she can laugh at her life when it gets too crazy. And I admire how she is following her dream and succeeding at it.
If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
Well, here would be lovely.  Just think of all the places I could travel and visit if I didn’t have to pay the mortgage here!  To start with I would probably head over Gretchen’s way. Then somewhere south in the western hemisphere where the weather and the food are hot.  I’d like to hop over to the Philippines and visit some friends who work at a school there.  I’d definitely need to make it over to PEI to visit bon and pay homage to Maud.  And that’s just to start really.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?

If it was day time I’d pop over to Oklahoma City to love on my nephews. It’s been since Christmas and they must be such big boys now!
Which language do you want to learn?
I’d like to learn Welsh.
What’s your favorite quote (for now)?
No temptation has seized you except which is common to man. And God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. And when you are tempted, he will provide a way out so you can stand up under it.
What is your favorite colour?
Spring green

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
My white linen church slacks.
What is your dream job?
I really love the job I have right now, and can’t think of one I’d trade it for. And probably, even if someone pays me to write someday, I will think wistfully about the days taking care of my children and my home was my primary occupation.
If you could invent any useful invention, what would it be?
Rosie the Robotmaid so she could go to the market for me.

If you had £100 now, what would you spend it on?
I might buy dollars right now, they are on a big discount I hear, and you can get more of them for pounds than you used to could…

Do you admire any one’s style?
I admire my mom’s style of cooking, my  husband’s style of relaxing, my little girls’ style of laughing at the slightest provocation.
Describe your personal style?
Somewhere between bored hippy and gradeschool teacher.

What are you going to do after this?
Watch a little Peter Boyles, If I can talk my dh into staying up that late.

What are your favourite movies?
The Red Curtain trilogy, Miss. Potter, The Castle. I think I’ll stop there for now.

What’s your favourite fruit?
Melon

What inspires you?
Quiet time

Your favorite book ?
This is harder and easier than the movies. It’s easier because I can’t do without the Bible.  But that’s more than a book, really, so it feels  like something of a cheat.  I love The Egg and I by Betty MacDonald though, so I’ll let it represent the many books I don’t have time to list.
Do you collect something ?
tea  pots, books (but only ones I love), plots, and volunteer jobs

What would you name your next child?

Edward Daniel or Meridel Blythe
Polka Dots or checks?

checks

What would you name your next blog?

Tinkerty Tonk (and I’d mean it to sting.)  I tend to complain a lot when I blog, so I might as well be up front with it!

I tag:bon, Krista, and Michael Jay. : )

cribchronicles.com, http://michaeldavidjay.wordpress.com/

theimportanceofbeingescobar.blogspot.com
The rules :
1. Respond and rework; answer the question on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention, add more one question of your own.
2. Tag eight other people. (I don’t know 8 other bloggers! I’m sorry.)

**yawn**((stretch)) {gulp coffee}

Good morning! It’s good to see you here. I’ve got my new puppy tethered to my belt loop for some umbilical training. The girls are reenacting out recent successful tea parties (I’ve been using them for manners training.) They’ve expanded it a bit to become a tea party journey-adventure with frequent stops at their “computer” to check their points. But nonetheless, their elbows are not on the table.

I’m waking up a bit from my e-hybernation. I’ve got a reason to. mustard seed association has come up with a guide for putting meaning back into lent and Christine at http://godspace.wordpress.com has invited Christian bloggers to join her in following the guide and writing about the experience. In bible school we read through the whole bible. It was one of the best experiences of the year and I was really into it. We had to write a review of each book, which didn’t increase my pleasure or gain but did keep me trucking with the project. Every year about a week after ash Wednesday I remember I wanted to do something meaningful for myself and the family to honor God and know him better during Lent. I have finally remembered in a timely manner and am really into the project. The synchroblog I see sort of like the mini-book reports. It will keep me trucking on the project. Keep me remembering to participate and help me reflect on how it is gone.

So rise and shine, and give God the glory, Children of the Lord!

We went to a shelter yesterday to meet some nice dogs. We saw their pictures and profiles at adoptadog.com. It was a very modern romance. We showed up, said in nervous, halting voices that we were freshman in the animal world, no experience and with scared kids. But we thought we’d like to meet a doggy called Chicklet who we saw on the internet.

A nice lady with a bit of Sarah Palin about her (cute glasses, pretty smile, persuausive way) said: “Before you go in the big dog room, you really need to see our puppies.” And then she led us gently to the back room where a sweet little mutt of a girl was caring for the sweetest fuzziest two week old puppies you have ever seen.

Needless to say, we were sold. They fit in your hands. They made little cheeping noises like baby birds. They need a month more with their mommy so it gives us some time to get doggy prepped.

The momma doggy is half pug and half rat terrier. So she had some pug features but long legs and a pointier nose. She was about two feet long and a foot and a half tall. The daddy is a chihuahua.

We picked a sweet little boy from the litter. He was the mellowest and the biggest with soft long fur (well, you know, long for a chihuaua/pug/rat terrier.) His fur is dark brown and his nose is nice and flat and puggy and black. He is and exceptionally pretty little mutt. (Just like my own kids.)

Well, after falling in love they offered to let us meet Chicklet. Which we did because we promised the kids we could see lots of dogs.

Chicklet was one of the two dogs in the kennels who wasn’t barking her head off at our entrance. She was nosing the gate and dancing with hope she could get out. They must not have heard that we have barely even touched dogs in our life, so they put a rope lead on her and let us take her outside. Well, first off she piddled with excitement in the kennel. Then she piddled with excitement in the front room (spraying us all.) That put into perspective the “hard work” of training the puppy. Clearly this 6 month old puppy would have plenty of training ahead of her as well.

Now comes the trouble. Chicklet is just a puppy, and a very pretty dalmation/lab mix. She is a smiler with an amazing cheerful personality, so good and sweet. She got off her lead (who can blame her?) but came when I called her and let me put it back on. But she was chock full of energy and would require a ton of regular exercise and well as training. When we came back a shelter worker worked with her on some training while we visted about dogs in general with the staff. Chicklet was so sweet and seemed so much like she wanted to please.

When we brought her back we found Sarah Palin talking to the carpenter from This Old House. He was very nice. And for every single word of praise Plain had had for her puppies the Carpenter had ten for Chicklet. He thought that there was not a better doggy for our girls in the world than Chicklet and any family without a lab was a sorry excuse for a family. He was ridiculously persuasive. We had a very hard time making up our mind.

And for once the promise of instant gratification made us make a wise decision. The wee puppies need a month more with their mommy. But Chicklet would be graciously put in our car and sent home with us today for half the cost of the puppy. Wow. But. In all of our combined lives we have never had a dog. We were not ready to come home with an energetic puppy who needs training RIGHT NOW. So we put our names down for the fat soft puppy who will live inside with us lazy girls and be our little love or our Dear Little Friend, so to speak. We think we will call him Trumpkin.

When I asked which baby would be harder to find a home for they assured me that both the puppies and Chicklet would get homes quickly and that we should choose the dog we wanted and not worry about that. They said none of their dogs were in danger (except the schnauzer who bites everyone who comes close enough and was in isolation.)

So as a final note I highly recommend the Long View Animal shelter for it’s kind, informative staff and its wonderful sweet doggies who are waiting for adoption. Please, if you go there, don’t mention the references to Sarah Palin or the carpenter. I have no idea where their politics or entertainment lie, and as I only meant the comparisons in the nicest of ways I would hate to be insulting.

I went Mall Walking yesterday. It was in part a tribute to Kath Day but much more because when your “baby” is closing in on the big “0-3″ it is time to put some effort into the whole loosing the last 15 pounds thing.

Norah was in school so I had a good three hours and a stroller. I walked fast–real fast. And about half way through my planned hour of exercise I was overwhelmed by how remarkably dull it is to walk in the mall. And even though it felt good to get movin’, endorphins and all that rot, I was very bummed. If I want to actually see some results I will have to do it again and again. And again. And really, if exercise is going to be a part of your healthy lifestyle you just have to keep doing it forever. Lame.

In the nearish future there will be nicer weather and the kiddo and I can go walk the water front. That is a lot prettier. Though remarkably, walking nowhere with no end in mind is boring even when it is pretty. I have two days of pres-school for speedy mall walking a week. I know, I know, you have to work out way more than two days to stay alive. So the other days I have resolved to do a little wiggles and baby groovin’. They are the closest things to exercise videos I have here. It isn’t a hard core work out but a hard core work out would probably kill me right now.

Magazines are all saying that you need to keep a food journal to loose weight too. Blech. I did that yesterday. Do you know many calories are in half a pan of rice crispy treats? Seriously. I hit my calorie needs by 11 yesterday morning. Such is life. Today is another day. Blah blah blah. If I don’t die of boredom at the mall this afternoon I’ll pop back in and tell you what food atrocity I commit today.

I have been searching relentlessly for dogs with just the right personality and qualities to fit in our home. I’ve narrowed it down to two (for the moment). Right now I love the Boston Terrier which is so very doggy looking. He lives inside mostly and is very companionable. He likes to play and will enjoy our big yard but is small enough to live in the house, safe from the neighbors big bully. His grooming needs are minimal and he doesn’t have a reputation for destroying everything in sight.

The other idea is a Whippet. He’s not so classic doggy but has a beautiful smile, he is a cuddly lover who has to live inside but loves to run and play outside. He’s also small enough in size that he will be comfy in our little house and won’t eat us our of house and home.

Of course Lucy has a terrible fear of dogs and insists we can only get a white dog. Hmmm…that would eliminate the Boston Terrier and the Whippet.

So the search continues. We may end up with a doggy that is not white and Lucy will learn to love him anyway or we may find the perfect as yet undiscovered dog.

And as anyone as cheap as I am is bound to do, we will be hunting rescue homes and shelters for dogs that are good with small children and have at least some of our hoped for breed in them.