BelleArtMom

Snow day!!

Hey, it's snowing today!  The kids all got new mittens at the Children's Place.  Here are some pics.

At the bottom is one girl throwing snowballs at the other one.  And then being chased.

I originally wrote this post before Christmas and have just now found the time to upload the pictures!

The 7 weird things about me post

About a month or so ago someone from my homeschool list "tagged" me and I never had time to post my "7 things".  Guess I will attempt this now:
1.  Met my husband at a bar where his band was playing in 1984; friends for the next 10 years; dated for a few years, then got married in 1998.
2.  I *have* to wear socks to bed in the fall and winter months or I can't relax enough to sleep.
3.  I dream of being a fabric designer.
4.  I had such severe post partum depression after having my twins that I was close to suicidal.  Didn't help that my son was only 17 months old when the twins were born.  And I have a teenager with autism.
I'll never get off Lexapro.
5.   I am very right brained and visualize things a lot, especially in the morning when I first wake up
6.  Reading the book "Three Cups of Tea" has really changed my life and made me appreciate the abundance of my life.
7.  As a child I never pretended or thought about getting married like other girls because I knew I was so different; thank you public school.

right-brained business

One of our homeschooling goals has always been to start a home business that could be used to educate the younger ones, and possibly provide employment and/or teach skills to our adult son with developmental disabilities.  Last month I attended a book discussion of "Ladies who Launch" at the local state Women's Business Center.  I revealed my two ideas for businesses and the director suggested I join an entrepreneur's group they facilitate for women who are still in the idea stage.  The group facilitator contacted me and at next month's meeting we are to start writing a business plan, specifically the product/service portion of the plan.
So, what are my  business ideas?  Well, one is baking scones and selling them to local coffee shops.  Because of health dept. requirements I would probably find out if my church would let me use their kitchen.  Otherwise, I'm not sure where I would bake.  Buy a used oven and set it up in the garage?  I read in Martha Stewart's business book that she started in her basement with a spare oven.
Business idea #2 is hand-printed textiles, either organic cotton t-shirts or fabric or something made from organic fiber.  I am not sure if I would just sell them online and locally, or what.  This is really where my heart is and would be much easier to do from home.  Did I mention that a wonderful friend just *gave* me two old Singer machines from the 40's that are in cabinets?  And that she found another one at a neighbor's garage sale that she picked up for me?  My little sweatshop is almost set up now...

Good question

Last week I was relating a story to my husband while the kids were at the table eating lunch.  I had just got back from our Pastor's Bible study where I talked briefly to Pastor's wife about their upcoming trip to Korea for their son's wedding.  He is in the Army there and is marrying a Korean woman, who was married before and had a 3 year old child from that marriage.  At which  point my 7yo son said,"Why would ya want to get married twice?"  I just said, "Ask your dad"...joking, because he was married once before for about 18 months, years before we were married.  Then I explained that some people don't know that marriage is God's plan, and daddy and I will always be together.  How can people live any other way?  There is so much peace in knowing that you will stay together no matter what happens, and so much peace for your children.

Kids

It seems impossible, but the three youngest kids have all been at friends' houses for the past 2 hours.  I am enjoying the stress-free environment.