Images That Stick

Sometimes movies are so upsetting that I cannot sleep for days after watching them. It happened to me when I saw "The Green Mile." There were scenes that horrified me and I could not get the images from my head.
The same thing happened when I watched "Amistad." Goodness I think I even had to leave the room for a couple parts and STILL have a hard time clearing my head of some images from the movie. It's been YEARS since I saw the movie too!

This week I browsed for an instant play movie to watch and ended up seeing 3 documentaries.
The first was "Kimjongilia." It is about North Korea and it was excellent. I encourage everyone to see it, seriously.
 Next I watched "The Human Experience," which follows 2 young men who seek the essence of humanity. They experience several things, such as living homeless, in order to really answer the questions they were seeking. It was wonderfully done and I plan to watch it again, with my children.
Last night I saw another North Korea documentary titled " Seoul Train." Here is where I can't get images from my head. I cried a few times, and today my heart is broken for what is the most inhumane of countries, China is not much better. I have spent the day in disbelief that these horrors occur. Yes, you should watch it and then count your blessings.

I am still getting donations to the raffle. Please check it out and donate/buy a raffle entry if you have not done so! I have less than a week to reach my goal! You cna help people like those in "Seoul Train!"

The living room has been a fortress of toys and children this week and that makes me smile. Without a doubt, the toys that are always played with the most are the simple ones like wooden blocks and train sets. Cheap plastic just isn't as much fun, and the classic toys are far more durable.

 My boy spent the day with a purple barrette in his hair, and he would throw a fit if I even mentioned removing it! He loves to mimic his 5 big sisters, and it was not difficult to figure out which one helped him fix his hair.

 Willow was obviously the hair stylist yesterday.

She even fixed Rose's hair. Rose went outside and searched for a chicken feather (which is not difficult) and Willow added it to her hair style. I was happy to see some hair get brushed around here!!!!

 I am back to a well thought out menu plan for 2 week stretches. It's a simple way to keep us on track with a food budget and it also frees me up some during the week. I spend less time "figuring" out what to cook. Homemade pizza is always a favorite and the girls love to top them for me.

 I broke down and bought a tag reader. I was shopping online for this year's school books and decided Rose would enjoy this and it would give her an activity while I am cooking or helping the older kids with lessons. There are some good books for it, such as "Click, click Moo." Rose and Zeb both love it!

I only have one mold, but I have been using it like crazy to make candles with my bees wax. I must say that I really love these candles and they burn beautifully. New skills are so much fun.

 My word, the baby is so cute this week and learning so many things! He claps all of the time! Today Rose was standing outside making faces at him and he would giggle and laugh and clap his hands together.

 He has also discovered that he can bite Duke and Duke does not care. What a great dog! These bulldogs are so great with children, it's unbelievable.

 Fletcher is also pulling up on everything, even though he is not sure what to do once he is standing.

 He thought it was funny that I would take his picture through the glass door.

 Tomorrow is the curriculum fair and although I have ordered most of my books, I have still spent a good deal of time making lists and researching curricula. Peach tea makes it all better. There is not a single beverage that tastes better than a Snapple Peach Tea. They are also educational....

This is helpful information if you ever plan to travel to Albania.

Have   a happy Friday! We are having movie night tomorrow and showing the movie JAWS!!!! I wonder what images will stick??????

Watch Your Step

There are many creatures living in these parts. Most of them are good.
An example is this large creature the bulldog discovered but decided to let be ( I don't blame him!). Isn't she a beauty?

Hay Day

Enter the Art Quilt and Keurig Coffee Maker raffle here and help some people in North Korea!!!!

This week the hay was cut and bailed and that means one thing.

Time to play before it is all picked up and hauled away. Even the chickens love when the hay is bailed.

Birds that normally stay close to the coop door wander out far into the pasture to eat the many, many crickets who lost their "cover" under the tall hay. It's a total feast for the birds.

 It was after bath time for the little ones but who cares if they sleep with a little hay in their beds?

 The tall mountains of hay are so much fun to climb atop for play.

 Sometimes the ninja keeps a pet chicken for special ninja warrior tricks.

 Running has also been proven to wear out toddler boys who possess an extra special amount of energy.

I want to introduce this special maple tree I spotted that seems to sprout barbie clothes. Very interesting. You never know what you might find on 30 acres with 7 children.

 I keep a water dish off the front porch for the dogs, but lately it has been getting mucked up each evening. That mystery has been solved. It seems the ducks head up to the porch after I fill the dish up. They take turns swishing into a dog water dish that barely fits one duck. Do they not realize there is a pond on the property? Ah but they are so cute to watch!

 The crepe myrtles are in full bloom which means one thing: It's hot, hot, hot and HUMID outside.

 The curriculum fair is sneaking up and will be happening next weekend. Here are my 2 high schoolers, although technically Quinn is still 8th grade. She is taking high school math however. I have spent the last 2 days reading and researching what subjects to compile and purchase.

It's gonna be a great school year. It always is a great school year because I am home educating these FABULOUS kids. This weekend we are going to the lake for a birthday party and some jet skiing. I think I will tote the camera along and see what adventures I can capture. I bet the hay is gone when we get back so I am glad we had a least a couple days for a hay day. Have a great weekend ya'll!

Why the Disparity?

****Update: I have now reached $650 of my $1000 goal! Thanks to everyone and PLEASE let's make it $1000!**** 




When I set out to raise money for a charity I am always certain that I will either meet my goal or come pretty close to the goal. I always try to gear the raffle prize to attract the people who I think will feel close to the cause I am supporting.

This latest raffle has been quite different from my African Orphan raffles, and I knew it would be different and challenging. North Korea is hidden from view. North Korea has a leader who is hated and despised by any person who has even a shred of morality or compassion. North Korea is only in the news when it concerns a nuclear weapons matter. I did see Greta Van Susteran a few months ago in North Korea on Fox News to cover the extreme famine, but only lush, green fields with healthy Koreans were shown. It didn't look so bad from that perspective, honestly.

So I wonder, how do I show the extreme famine, brutal tortures, and unbelievable oppression in a country that hides it so well from the outside world, from us? I can't.
How can I help the millions of people who are trapped behind that wall and suffering in North Korea? I can't. I can't help everyone, but I CAN help ONE. WE can TRY and help.
Here's the deal. We KNOW that people are tortured and starving and forced into labor camps in North Korea. We KNOW that there are orphans and people who want to escape, they want to be free, they want to have a voice. We do not have to see it all in order to believe it. There are people who DO escape, often times leaving their family behind to suffer the consequences. These refugees spend their lives in FEAR of being sent back home so they do not go on TV and tell everyone who they are or how they got here. These brothers and sisters do TELL others about their lives in North Korea though, and it's worse than what any of us can imagine.

There is disparity that allows me and others like myself to have been born here in the USA. I have food and clothes and freedom and everything I could ever need. Halfway across the world in North Korea there are those who are born and live their life starved, beaten, and silenced. Why is that? What is the purpose for that huge difference in life?
Have you ever wondered why you were born here and not there? Was it just luck?
If you are from South Korea, have you ever pondered how your life would be different had you just been born across the border instead? What do you think your purpose is as a free Korean?
Friends, I will be blunt and put it all out there because this is a cause that weighs heavy on me. This has been a cause that I have been wildly surprised to have NOT affected more of my friends and associates than I expected.
We are in an economic recession big time, I know. I also know that many of you have taken more than one big vacation this summer. That is great, I am not saying we shouldn't take vacations. I AM saying that I need $10 from you.  This cause needs the amount you spend at Starbucks a week. This cause needs the amount you were going to spend on pizza tonight. 318 Partners has North Koreans ready for a rescue, an escape. They need your $10 to pay for the brave mission. 318 Partners has orphans waiting in China, fearing for their lives, waiting to be brought to a forever family. They need your $10 to help pay the way.
It does not matter if you are white, black, purple or Korean. You need to ask yourself this question: Was I born with all of these privileges and blessings so that I may help those who were not? Can I sacrifice a little more?
The horror that happens in North Korea is beyond our full comprehension, but you can save someone and it will only cost you $10.

Will you ponder this for just a while? Then after you donate and enter the raffle, will you please consider spreading the word? The only thing better than helping 318 Partners fund their missions is spreading the word about the crisis in North Korea. I do not only want to give money, I want MORE people to fight, more people to speak up and educate others.
I want world peace, but this is a nice start.


Blessings,

Celebrations and Freedom...for others

Summer has officially started, at least that is what the weekend felt like with all of the family, friends and cookouts.
We had friends over Saturday for another family movie, only this time we had food and BBQ and delicious pies and slaw first.

 The kids endured the heat by running through the slip and slide.

 The sand box and tire swing were also played with, as well as the trampoline. It truly is a kid paradise around here with so much land to run and play upon.

The blue go-kart was used to drive on a track that we mowed through the pasture. This was all pre-movie entertainment. Lets' not forget the wonderful friends we were all able to visit and laugh with..good times.

 Fletcher has gone from crawling one week to pulling up the next.

 He even stands with only one hand for support. He's quite proud too!

 He's a sweet, sweet, boy......

His ONLY fault would be that he likes to teeth on people! In fact the girls call him "Zombie Baby" because he is constantly biting. OUCH!

 The 4th would not have been complete without more friends and family. We had ice cold soda and kabobs on the grill.

 More fun was had hanging outside, trying to climb trees and running through the pasture.

It was the first 4th without my dad, and his birthday was also over the weekend. To say that we were not all a bit melancholy would be a lie. This was a first, another step towards moving on with our lives and it was very bitter sweet. But then, anytime we move forward it is bittersweet because in order to move forward, we must also leave something behind.
We rounded the night with fireworks galore and went to bed that night exhausted but happy that we could have such a fun festivity here on Barefoot Farm.

 Yesterday we again played outside at a church where the big girls attend their Civil Air Patrol meetings.

 The kids love to swing and also climb the poles on the swing set. It was approaching bedtime, but decided to go grab a treat at Sonic and play outside anyway.

 This little man enjoyed sharing my Oreo Blast. Oh, it was so, so yummy! It was also great to again just hang out on a quilt with him. No agenda. No chores. Nothing but hanging out.

 A last minute gift from a dear Aunt was a huge success. The kids ran around for an hour playing with bubbles.

Tomorrow we hit the lake for some more family time. More food. More Fun.
It's amazing that in these times of poor economic times, we are chock full of blessings. Anyone in this great Nation can become anything.
This is where I turn your attention to North Korea. Yep, I thought about the poor people of that country all weekend. Amid my many blessings, there are people across the globe who have nothing. NOTHING. They have no voice, no food, no hope. Imagine for just a minute that you had been born there instead of here. I have one video for you to please watch. My dear friend Lisa made it over the weekend. The pictures are from her trip last April to South Korea. You might shield young eyes, as it is graphic at times. The drawings are from stories told by defectors who escaped.




After a huge weekend of celebration, what is a child's life worth to you? What can you spare so that ONE person can escape from the horrors in North Korea? Can you spare $10? $20? It's really that simple. I am raising funds for 318 Partners so that they can help a REAL person leave that horrible country. They cannot save everyone, you cannot save everyone but we can save at least ONE person. We can change their world for good. Imagine if you were on their side of the world and we were all over here celebrating with all of our food and glory and drink. Would you want us to dig deeper and find a few dollars to help? It's not much money, even in these times. You can read about the raffle and how you can participate HERE. I am only $400 shy of my goal and not only are the prizes fantastic, you would be helping someone who is truly in need.

I know the times are lean but honestly, you can find the means to help. You do, after all, live in the country of Hope and Prosperity, and Free Speech. You are not under a ruler who joyfully ties pregnant women up and cuts their babies from their bellies. You are not under an oppressor who tortures and starves his people. You can find the money to help. You can be THEIR VOICE!

So let's make this happen! Let's give 318 Partners all of our support....

and enjoy your week:-)

"...once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act."

Proverbs 24:12