Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

1. What do the words 'freedom' and 'liberty' mean to you? Does your mind go more in the direction of not being persecuted or discriminated against or does it head in the direction of doing what you please? Freedom and liberty bring to mind the sacrifices that so many make that allow us to live the life we do here in America. I think about the Christians who live in other countries who are persecuted. I think about those who want to live simple lives with their families but can't. I actually named our homeschool "Freedom Academy" because we have the freedom to openly school our children as we like without fear of having them taken away from us. I'm so thankful to live in America...the home of the free and the brave.

2. Nathan's sponsors a hot dog eating contest every 4th of July. Last year over 40,000 people attended the event and almost 2 million watched it on TV. The winner ate over 60 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. How do you like your hot dogs? Simply put...I don't. It may stem from all the raw ones I ate as a child or the fact that I finally learned what they were made from, but I will not eat hot dogs anymore...no thanks! So please make me a hamburger instead. 

3. If you were going to enter an eating contest what would be on the menu? Not hot dogs! Popcorn maybe? Just the thought of an eating contest makes me want to hurl though.

4. Do you run your house more as a dictatorship or a democracy? A little of both. We do ask for opinions but it's not open to a vote. The decision my hubby and/or I make is final, but the kids do have the opportunity to voice their opinion. 

5. Where was your favorite summer place when you were a kid? My extended family in Massachusetts. Every summer when I was young I spent, what I thought, was the whole summer with my aunt and grandparents. I loved it. It wasn't until I was older that I found out it was only two weeks. The time perception of my young brain had me there from the time school ended until just before it started back. We spent time at my aunt and uncle's house and with my grandparents. We went swimming, to the movies, shopping, mini-golf, and more. I always had a fantastic time and loved every minute of it.

6. Do you have a guest room? Would you want to stay there? HAHAHAHAH! Um, no. We live in a 14x70 trailer. Five of us. And a dog. I have three fast growing boys.  If anyone comes to visit, they end up staying across the driveway with my inlaws who have been "empty-nesters" for some time and have three spare rooms. 

7. Next Wednesday America celebrates her independence. Do you have any special plans for the 4th of July? If you live outside the USA when and how does your country celebrate its own patriotic holiday? I'm really hoping to take my boys to see fireworks this year. They've been wanting to do this for sometime, but something always stops us. The last time they went my oldest was about nine which made his brothers three and an infant. Obviously neither of the younger boys remember. I always buy "morning glory" sparklers and we have a bunch we'll light off. I'm wondering how things will look this year now that fireworks are legal in Maine. It's the first year since the new law went into effect. I'm thinking the "lake show" will be a bit more spectacular this year. (We live just north of a lake with many summer visitors from "away." We always hear and, can sometimes see, fireworks on July 4th.)

8. Insert your own random thought here. Summer is flying by and I, for one, am not happy about it at all! We have some life decisions we are working on and we're hoping to have answers to those soon. I'll share more soon, I hope.  This past weekend we spent at Maine 4H Days - lots of fun! My youngest (and other two boys) loved the "Physics Roadshow" area and it was all hands-on discovery.