Doll dresses for sale

Hello! It is finally December again. We have been busy trying to keep up with school and all of the acorns (many more than usual this year!) and the leaves continually falling in the yard. Learning about bees, wasps, and hornets close up was another surprise recently. We even had a scorpion fly in our house one day last month. Yes, such an insect really exists. Other than keeping busy on grading schoolwork, I have been driving my son to work most days and we are finally starting on driver's ed. He hopes to get his permit soon. Meanwhile, I have been learning to bake bread from scratch again lately as well as potato and ham soup...yum.

I suppose your year was as busy as mine! For me, this year has held a new set of challenges of very frugal living due to my husband’s job loss due to a fall last year. He recovered from that, and it is amazing how God has provided for each need since workman's comp. ended. That was a gentle first step, though, in learning to be content with less as it cut our "income" to subsistence level. After my only daughter's graduation, my husband's summer hospital stay and long recovery at home in summer and fall trained me in caring for additional needs while he rested. He is now back to better health, thankfully, and able to work again.

This fall, when my daughter went to college, I have been busy starting a doll dress website to help make ends meet. My husband does some web design for others, while looking for a job, so he promised to set up my site if I could sew something to sell. I went and got a DBA and began getting some dresses ready to sell while he set it all up for me. I love to sew, so I am glad I can do it in my “spare” time.

If you have an 18” Vision Forum or American Girl doll, or if you know someone who does, please go and visit my site at: harmonydollfashions.com. All dresses are $4.00 off the regular price through December!

I have more designs in mind and I hope to add them soon, so please spread the word and check back every week or two. Even if you don't buy anything, I would love to have your opinion on it and any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!

May hope and joy in Christ’s birth encourage you to persevere in caring for your family’s many needs through the Christmas season!

Blessings and Joy to you,

Melanie

Jury Duty / Election Day

I received a card in the mail a while back that summoned me to jury duty this week. When my children were younger, that was not an option, but this time, since my husband and my 23 yr. old son would be home for most of the day to keep school running and a friend could watch the younger ones after that, I knew it was high time I reported for jury duty. I ended up being there the entire day, and I discovered there were at least several others who were first-timers as well. The process of weeding out the ones who couldn't serve took well over an hour, then the rest of us were divided up and assigned a time and court to appear in for the next stage.

In the courtroom where I was assigned to appear, there were over 40 that had to be narrowed down to 12, so each attorney got to grill us with questions designed to do just that. After over three hours of it, with a couple short breaks, those that weren't chosen were allowed to leave.

I think, in the end, though I was willing to serve, that I was rather relieved to be dismissed with the others to go home. Due to the nature of the case, I was so glad to come home and hug my children close. Whether boys or girls, children are precious and their safety should not be taken for granted. When you are used to living in a less than perfect subdivision, you learn to trust God and the instinct he has given you.

I remember the first year or two that we lived here, some guys with knives threatened my oldest three boys (teens) at the park. I was so proud of them for not backing down. They were a little nervous and smaller than those big mean boys, but they had been playing ball, so they were "armed" with a bat. They simply told them that they weren't "scared" of them because they knew they were going to heaven so their threats didn't matter. They never touched them and finally went away. Still, I was so glad that they never went alone to the park.

On a happier note, The results of Election 2010 were excellent!! How good to know that so many Americans are standing up for good, conservative family values and a common sense approach to the economy! I was especially excited to learn that Michigan now has a Republican governor. Real jobs and better roads will make a comeback soon! And the stock market has automatically risen with the hope for an American return to constitutional principles in government. God bless the U.S.A. !!

Melanie Lippert

Busy School Days

There is never a dull moment in home education. This year, since my daughter went off to college, I am challenged to teach the last four boys alone at different levels, so I certainly don't lack for things to do! I find time to grade my 16 year old's algebra every day and review hard grammar concepts while also quizzing him in Spanish vocab. review. There is also time for answering 7th grade science questions while helping my 9 yr. old learn long division, and helping my six year old with 2nd grade math, spelling, and language (among others). My days are very full of questions and answers, and, just like you, I feel tired at the end of school time, but after a short break, I still have lots of laundry and meals and cleaning to juggle in my schedule. Added to that is making sure my son gets to work on time, and I will begin drivers ed. with him soon (so he can take himself to work!).

I have finally started giving them piano lessons again, too; but it sure seems more difficult to fit it into their schedule this year. It is so good for brain development, though, that I think we will stay committed to it even if we miss a week or two, now and then. Combined with Teen Court and a speech and debate day with friends, the boys get an opportunity to exercise their minds.

For physical exercise, we sometimes do basic jumping jacks, etc. on some mornings. That is a great way to wake up your brain and cheer up a slow starter. Now that our Texas days are milder (only in the 80's) we can finally spend time in the afternoons at the park with friends, go to the track, or take a hike. Sometimes the boys just ride bikes near home, skate. or play in their tree fort. I am always pleasantly surprised at how much the sunshine helps my health and energy level when I go to the park with them.

I had so hoped that now that all the babies are grown that I would be able to sleep all night every night. Alas, the dog is getting old, so trusty mom is the one who usually wakes in time to take her out. So I start some days a little tired just like those of you with babies to care for at night.

Well, it's time to start a new week. Everyone is up and wants eggs for breakfast so guess I'd better get 'cracking'. Then we can enjoy a busy day of school.

Have a sunny-side-up day!
Melanie

Texas Cool Front

What a relief! The time and temp. sign near our house said it is ONLY 99*degrees for a change! A "cold" front, that brought us a little rain even, swept through and left us below 100* degrees for a change. And in August, too!

So, it looks promising that the heat will end sooner this year! The children would rather be outside, so they are hopeful, too. We are keeping busy getting Harmony ready for college. What is amazing in that my 16 year-old son was just hired on the spot by Harmony's employer to take her place when she leaves. They said Harmony's work for them was a good enough reference so they didn't need to check his. What a blessing.

Is everyone ready to start another homeschool year? I finally have all their planners all done except math. After testing them in the first chapters, I will know how to fill it in. If they get 100% they can test until they miss and start there. No use redoing material that they already know perfectly.
May God bless each of you as you pursue excellence in training your children this year!

Blessings in Jesus,
Melanie

Summertime in Texas

Well how are you enjoying your summer 2010?

The weather has been milder here as it is only in the 90's so far! Very unusual, but so welcome. We can get outside a bit more and that means more park time and sunshine.I've been doing more organizing at home as well as a little sewing and mending and preparing things for getting Harmony off to college. We are so glad she got a job and her volunteer work at the hospital is especially enjoyable to her. I am learning to gradually manage without her help and to get the boys to assist more. So my "staycation" (as they call it in Texas) this year has had some benefit of rest and renewal.

For the rest of July, I will be staying busy getting my teens ready for camp next week and starting to prepare for next school year. There are always books and paper to file away and lists to make to prepare. Even the chore list gets major revisions when my best helper leaves.

I rejoice for her opportunities though and she is maturing through them.
Hope all of you are enjoying God's blessings this summer.

Melanie

Harmony graduated

My only daughter has now graduated and will be going to PCC in the fall. She plans to be a nurse. It is so exciting and yet so sad for me. Exciting to see what God has planned for her life, but so sad because I will miss her since we are quite close. I am very pleased that she is a daughter of purity and has a willing heart to honor and obey.

God has just blessed her with a part-time job to earn money. She has a volunteer position at the hospital for the summer, too. She is also entered in an essay contest from an insurance company here in Texas about the Constitution to get some scholarship money for college. The top ten with the most votes go to the final selection for judging.

If anyone is interested in reading and voting for her essay, please go to:
www.rvos.com/essay to log in and read her essay entitled "The Cornerstone of the Constitution."

To vote for her essay you will need to click on the "Voting" tab at the top right and log in with an email address twice. You will be sent an email that you will have to confirm with a temporary password.
When you get the email, click on the link provided and you will be taken back to the RVOS website and instructed to change the password immediately. You can then follow the instructions below to vote for Harmony's essay.

1) Click on "Vote Leaderboard" on the left-hand side. Harmony's essay is in the top 10 to 15 at the moment.
2) Click on "Essays by Name" on the left-hand side. Scroll down to about the middle of the list and find Harmony Lippert's name in the right-hand column. Click on her essay title.

You will be taken to her essay "The Cornerstone of the Constitution." There should be a "Vote for this essay" button just to the right of the title.

When you click on that, it will register your vote for her essay.

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If you like it, please send this info to others. Thanks!!

Melanie

Finding Joy In Finishing Well

Have you ever wished to be recognized and presented with your degree as a teacher?

Since May is graduation month, I believe it is high time that the achievement of all of you faithful Home Educators out there be honored. Therefore…. Drum roll, please… I am hereby pleased to present the letters you can inscribe after your signature….Hs.M. - for Homeschool Mom. Your very own title can... read more

Finding Joy in School Improvement

When I began homeschooling in 1990, it was very isolating to be thought weird by strangers and have even family against your choice. There was no one to give advice or encouragement. There were no conferences, no support groups, and no computers. The conviction that God wanted you to homeschool gave you strength to go on, with only His help in your day-to-day class work. Read more

Summer Fun Ideas

Capitalize on the summer months of freedom to explore new areas of interest and skills. It will add to the physical, mental, social and spiritual development of your children. Choose a few and have fun... read more

Prayer Breakfast Oxymoron

The alarming changes in American governance are going to trouble the average citizen and their children for generations to come; that is, unless we as Christians do what II Chron. 7:14 commands: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

The current climate of national and personal prayer mocks this verse and is the tool of Satan to deceive and make people believe that their OWN way to pray is sufficient to hear from God instead of HIS way.
This deception started small in a carnal congregation somewhere; then it has worked its way into a national problem. Satan, as always, only makes it appear enlightened. When people are really serious about God's intervention in protecting America's righteous freedoms and our Christian faith, we will not only repent first of our own wicked ways, but we will have to pray in the only manner God will hear and answer.

God did not say to "FEAST and Pray".... He said to "FAST and Pray" and to humble ourselves, and no need to even let others know that you are fasting, unless it was a national public FAST, not a feast, such as Ninevah chose when the people needed God to preserve them.

The National Prayer Breakfast in each community is the opposite of what God requires. The same can be said for those in churches every week or month. "Feasting and praying" is insincere and only appeals to our flesh, but it does not warrant God's intervention in the affairs of men. Why? If we truly want to hear from God to heal this nation and clean our hearts, then no one will want to needlessly waste many thousands of dollars on food and even selling tables for it as well! How much this must grieve the Lord. Humbling ourselves in the sight of God and man costs nothing but a little dust and ashes and a humbled heart, with an empty stomach that only hungers and thirsts after righteousness and a righteous nation.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to see God's Mighty Hand work in amazing ways to preserve and restore our nation and our hearts next year at a "National Prayer Fast" where humbled, repentant, fasting Christians joined to pray in free community events at capitols and city halls and to hold "fast and pray" vigils at churches?

With God all things are possible to them who believe!

c. 2010 Melanie Lippert

Texas Leopard Moth

Here is a cool moth that we found on the kitchen window screen.

At about 2" long this is a "really" big moth!

The moth's unique spots remind me that home school moms stand out in a crowd.

Sarah Palin in Austin

If any of you live near Austin, Texas, a pro-life group is featuring Sarah Palin as the speaker at the Austin Convention Center on April 29th. Tickets are 50.00 each. I know many of you strongly believe in life for all unborn whether they are "perfect" or not. Sarah Palin certainly knows whereof she speaks. I support her efforts to educate the public on this crucial issue.
Enjoying LIFE,
Melanie

Patience Please

Please be patient as we are getting started and working all the kinks out for the blog and the website. This is a new endeavor for me and I am learning a lot. Pray for my husband and I as we work together on this for the Glory of God. Check back with us soon. We will be posting new information as we have it ready.

Melanie & Andrew Lippert
www.joyfulmoms.net