lizardblog ( the blog of liz creech

January 31, 2005
I got the bug!!

We (me) kind of got a hankering for some more space. I kind of mentioned it to Alan in a conversation. And then we got excited, and then we started looking at stuff. Now I am waiting on a few answers from some people to see if we are going to pursue getting a bigger house. The prospect of getting things in order in this house to even allow people to wonder all over it is daunting but we haven't even made any decisions. Is that convoluted enough? Not to pat myself on the back, because it took Alan getting a better paying job too, but paying stuff off is what is allowing us to even consider this. It has been a hard year to get to this point but it just might pay off.

What I am waiting on at the moment is to see if we move outside of the high school district we are in now, if they will allow the kids to continue to go where they are. That is a big one. Now, I am not one to allow my kids to run my life, but this is important to Katey and Meaghan. We will see what happens down the road.

This is just for a bigger house, not the actual land I want. That seems a bit out of our reach now, but this might be a stepping stone to that final goal. We will see. I am excited and scared at the same time. If any one wants to come and help paint or lay sod or fix a couple of electrical outlets and such, just let me know and we will make space for you to stay and Alan can cook for you. If you have never had Alan's cooking, you really are missing something. I can cook, but not like him. Well I need to scrub the kitchen floor.

May your dreams come true!!

posted by Liz at 9:13 AM - permalink - -

January 29, 2005
Interesting

Well, in light of previous comments, (see below) I had to change the post that I had typed earlier today and saved to post later. I really try to share my heart here and thanks to all those who came to my defense down there!! I am still a little giggley about it. In the previous post I had here I was a lot vulnerable and feared some retaliation saying I told you so, I don't like that too much. See, I am a spiritual person - I love God and I want that relationship to be the best that it can. I believe that God has called me to a pretty high calling that takes a lot of earthly time and energy. I hurt like others, I get tired like others, I make mistakes like others and I say nasty words even worse than dang, crap and fart. You know what is the best thing in this world? God loves me in spite of all that little piddly stuff. In spite of myself he loves me!! I am worthy because he made me worthy and I will continue to be worthy until I die and then I get to reap all the good stuff. Well I am really tired, just got home from work, and I need to go to bed. I get to sleep late in the morning and that is a wonderful thing that God has created. I think sometime soon I may have to post a whole dissertation on naps and the glory of them.

Night!!

posted by Liz at 8:36 AM - permalink - -

January 28, 2005
Huh?

You ever read something that kind of sets you off? Not always in a bad way, but it gets you to thinking or whatever. I was doing my blog hopping this morning and at Allisons blog I came across this discussion which is typical Baptist (no offense 'cause I once was one) discussion. I remember discussing and re-hashing such things over and over. I remember being all confrontational in my high school English class with a Catholic boy. Dang, I was all about me and my thoughts and opinions. Anyway I just wanted to throw that out there.

I would like to have a bigger house. I would like to have my community. I would like to have a place to be more hospitable. I would like all manner of things. I would also like very much for God to give me an audible bell ringing about what is right when I am considering such things. I am afraid to put myself in a bad place monitarily, and I am also afraid I will miss the right, good, best thing. I know sometimes we just have to make a decision, I just don't want it to come back and bite me in the butt. I do not want to go back to that "how are we going to come up with that money?" place, EVER. Still, I have always had this strong "call" to be hospitable. I just don't think something like that hangs around for so long with out it being God. Maybe we should wait and it will all work out - BUT, what if we miss the right time? And the money issue. Why does everything have to be so dang expensive? If, in my good place, I am having such a "hard time of it", just imagine how hard of a time others are having. Oh, my! My brain hurts and I don't want to think about it any more. Any body with a lot of money want to pass it my way? No strings attached? I need some to further the kingdom of God. HA!

posted by Liz at 9:15 AM - permalink - -

January 27, 2005
Spring is in the air?

I WISH! The other day it was so bright and pretty that I can just imagine it getting warmer. I figure if we aren't going to get any REAL snow then it should just go on and become spring now. I am getting the bug to start planting stuff. Don't think I am going to be trying to plant many things other than flowers. I just don't have the right kind of space or the time to nurture them correctly. I also have GOT to get our back yard in shape. I eventually would like a house with more room and I wouldn't buy this house with the yard looking like it does. Maybe we can afford to have some stuff done right instead of taking 3 years for me to complete a project. Usually I try to start seeds about now, but I don't have enough space in the house for that.

Well I just wanted to let you all in on my hankering for spring.

posted by Liz at 9:58 AM - permalink - -

January 26, 2005
Thinking about the past

I have a tendency to be jealous of parents who have younger children and enjoy it. I hear all these little quotes from their children and wonder how did I miss that coming from my kids. I do remember one though. Katey and I were on the way to meet Alan at work and we have always played this little name game. I ask her "What is your name?" and she says something like "Gla-ti-da". The she asks me and I say "Taloola". Those are our names since forever. This one day we were playing and I asked her her name and she said "I. B.". I asked her "I. B., what does that mean?". She replied "Ibuoprophen". Now where does a 2 year old get that kind of stuff? T.V. obviously. Any way there weren't a lot of those funny little interactions when they were young. I was so overwhelmed with stuff that I didn't enjoy the time I had with them when they were young. I do not like watching videos of when they were little. It hurts and makes me feel like a bad mom. I do enjoy them a lot now. Times are different. We don't really have to worry about money, watch it but not worry. I have a great relationship with their father. And I get time away, even if it is work. I have a horrible tendency to dwell on "bad" things from the past and it is hard to get them out of my head once they start. Well, I have decided that quote "It takes a village to raise a child" is a good one. I want to be able to help my kids raise their kids, and find a way for them to have some support. Raising children is hard. I truly understand why a woman would choose a career over being at home, it is more rewarding to have a career. Being a mom is such a thankless job. I guess I might have opened a can of worms so I will stop before I dig myself in deeper.

posted by Liz at 8:44 AM - permalink - -

January 25, 2005
People staring

If you want people to stare at you I have the perfect thing for you to do. First live in Suburbia, second split wood in your front yard. People won't stare if you live out in a rural area, seems like that kind of activity goes with that geographical location. I was splitting wood yesterday morning and I got me some looks. See, that is why I need me a place out in the country. So, I can do that kind of thing and not have a bunch of people around to stare at me, because of my unusual behavior. Another thing you can do is have kids and live near mean old people. Let your kids be kids and not keep your yard immaculate or put away their toys every night. That is a good one.

While I was splitting wood this morning - too early for people to be out and staring yet - I was thinking about things I do not want to be or become. First I don't want to be old, and I am not talking about getting older and wrinkles and all that. I am talking about an attitude. I do not want to be mean, unnecessarily. I do not want to be closed minded or stop liking rap music. I hope I embarrass the crap out of my grandkids listening to such music and bopping around to it. Shoot, if I end up in a wheel chair some day, I want to dance around on my wheels. I do not want to stop being hospitable. I want people to feel welcome in my house and want to come all the time. I guess I could go on and on, but those were the ones I was thinking about this morning.

I have cooled down from my physical activities this morning and I need to get a fire lit. Oh, big side note - I got a new dishwasher. We put it in yesterday. It is a Bosch and you can barely hear it running. I had my friends over for dinner last night and we ran it while we ate and could hear each other talking! That is pretty exciting. Ok enough about the menial things. Peace!

posted by Liz at 9:02 AM - permalink - -

January 23, 2005
Good People

Yesterday was Meaghans 14th birthday. She is growing into a lovely young lady. I took her and some of her friends out for lunch and then a little shopping and then to another friends birthday sleep over. They should be back soon. Any way I took the day off so I wouldn't be pressed for time to get to work after.

Last night I watched Hart's War - I liked it better than I thought I would. It was pretty good. During the commercials I was flipping, a habit I learned from Alan. On Vh1, I think it was, I found True Hollywood story about Jenna Jameson. Not that I condone pornography but it was interesting to find out how she made the decisions she made to do what she does. At the end of the program you have your evangelical fundamental Christian types saying she is going to hell be cause of the evil decisions she has made in her life. All her friends and even Jenna herself said she would go to heaven because she was a good person. Now those last 2 sentences themselves could be a huge can of worms but what made me sad was all those people saying that you could get into heaven just because you are a "good person". I could get into all kinds of reasoning about all that. I believe anyone can get into heaven if they have accepted Jesus as their Savior. Even porn stars. I kept waiting for her to say something about Jesus but it never came. I think that has been one of Satans biggest conspiracy - getting people to believe you can spend eternity with God because you are good. My understanding is that Jesus is the only way, people who are truly seeking a relationship with God.

It is another long day at the Mac Shack today. I don't mind it, mostly. Been thinking about making that money to get us to a better spot finacially. Not that I need tons of money or even want it, just want to be more responsible and get some debt taken care of. Then maybe I can quit work and work on my house. Some day. Or work at a new place with land so I can grow things. I am looking forward to that one day, if I am not too old and decrepit before it happens. God has been really faithful to pull us through some tough spots and it seems that I "owe" it to Him and me to be "a good steward". It has taken some years to learn that lesson but it has been a good one to learn. I have to go start getting ready for work.

posted by Liz at 9:29 AM - permalink - -

January 17, 2005
What the heck?

I like listening to the news online before the kids get up. I was just listening and heard that a foreign soccer player was attacked in his hotel room and subsequently died today. The news caster said they didn't know if it was because of a loss the team experienced this weekend. I just don't get it. That people would kill a memeber of a team due to a loss. Really!

I just had to express my disgust at such a thing.

posted by Liz at 10:04 AM - permalink - -

January 15, 2005
I have laryngitis

I get this every year at this time. With all the change of weather, warm one day and freezing the next, and then with wearing myself out, I have gotten (gasp) sick. The funny thing about this is that I am only sick from my collar bone to my chin. I actually went to the doctor and she gave me a drug called Prolex to help break up the congestion in my throat so I can hack it up - yuck. What is difficult is that I need to work and it is very hard to serve tables with no voice. Especially in a loud restaurant like the Mac Shack. Last night was a fluke and I had a trainee who did all the work, translated talking. Came home last night and Alan made me this tea we found online to help get rid of it. Ginger and Honey. It kind of stings your larynx when it goes down but my throat feels better today. I hope my voice gets better by tonight or I really can't serve. I did it Thursday night but I hate doing that. I actually called in sick on Wednesday night after going to the doctor. I just don't do that. Any way enough about that.

Got the man over in the kitchen frying up the bacon. I think some waffles would be good to. I think I need a new waffle iron though. It is getting old and abused. What I think is pitiful is that we still have all our Christmas decorations up. I have a plan to get it all down and put away tomorrow and then go out on a date with my husband. I like that, the date part. We don't get to do that very often. Well I have some lazing around to do before I have to get ready for work.

posted by Liz at 10:18 AM - permalink - -

January 11, 2005
How did they do it?

Woke up feeling pretty lousy, both mentally and physically. I am way to young to hurt this much. How did people do it before there was tylenol? Alan suggests the Indian Medicine man and Mountain folks. Herbs too, I guess. How did our society get to this point - where every one is taking "drugs" just to make it through the day. Seems like a quick fix that doesn't really fix anything. I wonder if I am just going crazy sometimes. How do you slow down and still get stuff done? How can you be productive and still be mentally healthy? How can you get away from it all and still be able to pay the bills? Our society is so focused on making the money and having the "things" that it is stupid. I just can't wait til we can have a commune and have a bunch of people working together and deal with personal stuff together - all the crap too, instead of having to worry, worry, worry. I know God takes care of me and I know that things will be ok but today is an overwhelming day. And what is funny, I am talking myself deeper into it. I have to go - before I get too deep.

-Peace

posted by Liz at 9:06 AM - permalink - -

January 09, 2005
Man I am tired...Been thinking

Coming off a 5 day run of working and I am really tired. Took a nap today and I am almost ready to go back to bed. I heard a rumor that some insurances will cover massages on a regular basis if you have it done through a Chiropractor. I am going to check into that.

What I have been thinking about is that the world is a little backward. Think about it yourself - C.E.O.'s get paid 100's of thousands of dollars a year to make millions of dollars for a company. The men and women who patrol our streets to keep us safe and the firefighters who go into burning buildings to save children make under 40,000. a year. How and why is that? You start out, in any job, making the lowest you will make when you need the most you can make. When you have young kids and are trying to buy a house. Then when you are ready to downsize you are making a lot of money. I think it is just a little wrong in some way.

Just wanted to get that off my mind.

posted by Liz at 10:19 PM - permalink - -

January 03, 2005
Back to the grind

Well, I guess things are about to go back to normal. Just woke the girls up so they can go to physical therapy. One for her shoulder and one for her knee. Meaghan had an MRI on her left knee from when she fell in the road running back from a friends house. It wasn't torn or ripped but her knee cap sits weird. The doctor said it was just how she was built and that p.t. would help build up the muscle on the inside of her thigh to keep the knee cap in place better. McKenzie has been having his ion pulse therapy that sends medicine right into her muscle. And she has supposed to have been doing some exercises but hasn't because she went to stay at my mom's house and forgot her rubber band thing.

Hold on - coffee's done!

I am sure you all know this, but different coffee pots make coffee differently. I am experiencing this in the here and now. I really liked how our old coffee pot made coffee. I always liked it unless I changed beans and then it could be bad. With this new fangled coffee pot, it is different and I am not sure that I like it better than the old one. Yes, in the old pot I had to grind the beans, put them in the filter, add water and then wait for the coffee, but it was some really good coffee. I like the new machine, but it is a lot of hassle. I have to clean about 27 different things each time I make coffee. I have to clean out the grinder, clean the filter holder, clean the carafe, then put it all back together, add the beans and water and then wait, not longer than the old one, but just about the same. It is hard to pinpoint the difference, but it seems like the new pot coffee is weaker. It is smoother, I guess that is what you would call it. I think I might to an experiment and brew both at the same time and taste them together and see if I can figure out the difference.

Katey got off to school just fine this morning. I expected to have to take her, because she over slept, but she didn't. I think she was excited to get back to see her friends, not the school part. I remember being the same way at that age. It is wild to think that in 2 years time we will be getting ready to send her to college. How very scary.

The time has run out and I need to go get ready to take these kids to the Dr.

posted by Liz at 8:45 AM - permalink - -

spiritual

> vine & branches
> vineyard central

blogs

> Garden Escapades
> Trish Hiduk
> Maryann
> Alan Creech
> The Vine
> Little Houses
> Amber Bishop
> Jody Nixon
> Laura Ogle
> Debi Warford
> Jason & Brooke Evans
> Eric Keck
> Beth Keck
> Pete Matthews
> Trudi Matthews
> Brian Phillips
> Bryan Sherwood
> Malie
> Kim Johnson

Homeschool

> vegsource homeschool
> discovery school channel
> saxon math and phonics

general interest

> john rosemond's affermative parenting
> lisa welchel
> thunderstruck
> Homestar Runner

gardening

> Kids Gardening

books i like

Here are some books I suggests if you are looking to homeschool or just for information. I gleaned a lot from them. Our church gets credit if you buy through these links.

In their Own Way
by Thomas Armstrong

Seven Times Smarter
by Laurel Schmidt

How to Talk So Kids Can Learn
by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

Teen Proofing
by John Rosemond