Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Ten on Tuesday
1) Second week/day of co-op was today. I am really loving it and the kids are too. So fun to see them learning outside the box.
2) Autumn is upon us. All I can say is, "YESSSSSSS!" It is my favorite time of year outside of Christmas season.
3) Jay has the first 3 days of this week off. It's weird to just stay home when he has time off. We usually go on a trip somewhere. But he had to use up 3 days before the end of the month and there is a lot of work to be done before the really cold weather sets in.
4) We got unexpected company yesterday. A couple that Jay has known for some time & their 5 younger children. This was my first time meeting them and they seem to be a very nice family. They have been traveling the country visiting friends & family for the last month.
5) Adam is doing better each week in his taekwondo class. Sometimes he gets a little case of stage-fright and is embarrassed to try really hard but I think he is overcoming it slowly.
6) Our church Christmas program is going to be a re-enactment of It's a Wonderful Life. My sweetie is playing the lead role. He, of course, is not the least bit nervous but I think I'm nervous enough for the whole cast. And I don't even have a part!
7) This weekend is the women's retreat. We are going to the Western Pleasure Guest Ranch. I am very excited. Last year's was a blast & I have been looking forward to the next one since coming home for the last one. Not sure I care for spending the night away from the family it doesn't make since to drive back & forth. And the rest of it's too good to miss.
8) I have photos for my Photo-a-Day project. I don't have exact dates for all of them but I know what order they came in. I just have to have Jay show me how to get them off of my camera and on to his computer because it's way different than mine.
9) Ordered the kids some much needed fall and winter clothes this week. Is shopping for kids' clothes anyone else's favorite hobby? Unfortunately, I was not able to get everything they needed but I did get the most important items. Getting spendy as they get older. I can no longer find as good of deals on ebay and yard sales and such don't have very nice older kids stuff because they wear it out before they outgrow it. In a couple years Rowan will not be getting very many hand-me-downs as Adam is wearing out more clothes. And he is wearing out the expensive items too. Such as jeans and shoes & coats. Couldn't be just a t-shirt or something inexpensive. Oh well. That old cookie crumbles as it will.
10) Looking ahead to the Christmas season again. We have decided to re-org our Christmas celebration this year. The kids will be getting ONE gift each this year & a few stocking stuffers. Last year was a good eye-opener when we saw all of the gifts wrapped under the tree. I tend to get things on sale and stash them away. Then when the holiday comes around I see it all together. Ridiculous. Jay & I have also set a very small limit for one another. The goal is to be able to give more to people in need and have our children be a part of this. I would like to pick a charity or family to give to each week of December(Jay gets paid weekly) and have the kids help me choose and deliver/mail the gift. Just a work in progress at this point.
2) Autumn is upon us. All I can say is, "YESSSSSSS!" It is my favorite time of year outside of Christmas season.
3) Jay has the first 3 days of this week off. It's weird to just stay home when he has time off. We usually go on a trip somewhere. But he had to use up 3 days before the end of the month and there is a lot of work to be done before the really cold weather sets in.
4) We got unexpected company yesterday. A couple that Jay has known for some time & their 5 younger children. This was my first time meeting them and they seem to be a very nice family. They have been traveling the country visiting friends & family for the last month.
5) Adam is doing better each week in his taekwondo class. Sometimes he gets a little case of stage-fright and is embarrassed to try really hard but I think he is overcoming it slowly.
6) Our church Christmas program is going to be a re-enactment of It's a Wonderful Life. My sweetie is playing the lead role. He, of course, is not the least bit nervous but I think I'm nervous enough for the whole cast. And I don't even have a part!
7) This weekend is the women's retreat. We are going to the Western Pleasure Guest Ranch. I am very excited. Last year's was a blast & I have been looking forward to the next one since coming home for the last one. Not sure I care for spending the night away from the family it doesn't make since to drive back & forth. And the rest of it's too good to miss.
8) I have photos for my Photo-a-Day project. I don't have exact dates for all of them but I know what order they came in. I just have to have Jay show me how to get them off of my camera and on to his computer because it's way different than mine.
9) Ordered the kids some much needed fall and winter clothes this week. Is shopping for kids' clothes anyone else's favorite hobby? Unfortunately, I was not able to get everything they needed but I did get the most important items. Getting spendy as they get older. I can no longer find as good of deals on ebay and yard sales and such don't have very nice older kids stuff because they wear it out before they outgrow it. In a couple years Rowan will not be getting very many hand-me-downs as Adam is wearing out more clothes. And he is wearing out the expensive items too. Such as jeans and shoes & coats. Couldn't be just a t-shirt or something inexpensive. Oh well. That old cookie crumbles as it will.
10) Looking ahead to the Christmas season again. We have decided to re-org our Christmas celebration this year. The kids will be getting ONE gift each this year & a few stocking stuffers. Last year was a good eye-opener when we saw all of the gifts wrapped under the tree. I tend to get things on sale and stash them away. Then when the holiday comes around I see it all together. Ridiculous. Jay & I have also set a very small limit for one another. The goal is to be able to give more to people in need and have our children be a part of this. I would like to pick a charity or family to give to each week of December(Jay gets paid weekly) and have the kids help me choose and deliver/mail the gift. Just a work in progress at this point.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Taiter
While working on spelling words today Adam said,
"My remembery is hard."
So cute that I didn't ever want to forget.
Love that boy.
"My remembery is hard."
So cute that I didn't ever want to forget.
Love that boy.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Thoughts
1) The "organize thoroughly" plan has turned into the "organize enough to breathe" plan. Since we are beginning the orchard work soon and we are starting school on the 12th I have decided to just clean and do basic organizing over the next week. My goal: to be done by Tuesday. Then I would have the rest of the week to get ready for school: lesson planning, ordering co-op supplies, menu planning, & so forth.
2) Even though I have not blogged as often as I would like, I am glad that I am blogging more often than I was. It feels refreshing somehow.
3) Mama Mondays has kinda turned out to be a flop. But I'm not giving up! It will just be more of an anything relating to mamas thing versus the "advice" thing. I discovered that when I would go to write out how we do a certain something, that the way I do it isn't really working for me. So I didn't feel qualified. I have gotten some really cool tips from other Mamas lately though. I've even put some of them into practice and it is helping a lot so far.
4) I have some cute pictures to post but my laptop is on the fritz and so I sent it to my IT guy. I'm bumming this computer off of Jay. But I will post those pics as soon as I get my computer back.
5) Our power(electrical) is freaking out on us again. It does this every August/September. We get big surges of power and appliances and lightbulbs start bursting and blowing out and the only way to stop it is to shut off the main breaker. Well, we may or may not have found the problem area. An electrician is coming tomorrow to try and fix it. Assuming that he's not digging my charcoaled corpse out of the rubble instead. But I don't think that's part of his job description. As to why it would only do this during this time of year, I have no idea. It's really weird.
6) Adam & Avril really need clothes for fall & winter. I have been eyeing some stuff for quite a while but just can't bring myself to spend the money. In the past I just always got everything on clearance the year before but since I failed to do that last year I feel like I'm playing catch-up. I have to buy things all at once and at a higher price. Plus Adam is getting harder to tell if something is going to fit him or not the next season let alone the next year. And in a couple of years Rowan will no longer be receiving Adam's hand-me-downs because Adam is destroying his clothes before he outgrows them. Lucky for me that clothes shopping for my kids is a favorite hobby of mine.
7) Hey! Do any of you have favorite healthy dinners that you cook? I bought a new cookbook and that is helping tremendously but I still need inspiration. I'm a baker, not a cook. I just have a hard time cooking with prepackaged stuff because it's so unhealthy and usually loaded with dairy products. But I get so boring when I am cooking from scratch. I tend to just do the easy and quick thing which adds up to about 7 different meals with my lack of creativity in the cooking department.
8) Any plans for the long weekend? We might go see Jay's brother in Washington but they may have other plans. Still waiting to hear from them. If not, we will probably work ourselves half to death with all of things that need to be done here. I do really want to do something fun as a family to say good-bye to the summer but I'm not sure what as of yet. We could always pic-nic and go fishing I suppose. The kids get a kick out of that.
9) Tomorrow we find out whether Beaux and Serina are having a boy or a girl. I think I am going to guess girboyl(gur-boi-ul). It sounds so fitting for them.
Honestly, I don't know what to guess. My instinct says girl but I am almost always wrong. And they seemed really happy. So that makes me think it's a boy. Gideon or Genevieve? Genevieve or Gideon? Who knows.
10) Anybody want a really awesome recipe? It's super yummy. I am making it for the dessert potluck tomorrow at Beaux's. It's Chocolate-Covered Cookie Dough Balls. They are very addicting.
2) Even though I have not blogged as often as I would like, I am glad that I am blogging more often than I was. It feels refreshing somehow.
3) Mama Mondays has kinda turned out to be a flop. But I'm not giving up! It will just be more of an anything relating to mamas thing versus the "advice" thing. I discovered that when I would go to write out how we do a certain something, that the way I do it isn't really working for me. So I didn't feel qualified. I have gotten some really cool tips from other Mamas lately though. I've even put some of them into practice and it is helping a lot so far.
4) I have some cute pictures to post but my laptop is on the fritz and so I sent it to my IT guy. I'm bumming this computer off of Jay. But I will post those pics as soon as I get my computer back.
5) Our power(electrical) is freaking out on us again. It does this every August/September. We get big surges of power and appliances and lightbulbs start bursting and blowing out and the only way to stop it is to shut off the main breaker. Well, we may or may not have found the problem area. An electrician is coming tomorrow to try and fix it. Assuming that he's not digging my charcoaled corpse out of the rubble instead. But I don't think that's part of his job description. As to why it would only do this during this time of year, I have no idea. It's really weird.
6) Adam & Avril really need clothes for fall & winter. I have been eyeing some stuff for quite a while but just can't bring myself to spend the money. In the past I just always got everything on clearance the year before but since I failed to do that last year I feel like I'm playing catch-up. I have to buy things all at once and at a higher price. Plus Adam is getting harder to tell if something is going to fit him or not the next season let alone the next year. And in a couple of years Rowan will no longer be receiving Adam's hand-me-downs because Adam is destroying his clothes before he outgrows them. Lucky for me that clothes shopping for my kids is a favorite hobby of mine.
7) Hey! Do any of you have favorite healthy dinners that you cook? I bought a new cookbook and that is helping tremendously but I still need inspiration. I'm a baker, not a cook. I just have a hard time cooking with prepackaged stuff because it's so unhealthy and usually loaded with dairy products. But I get so boring when I am cooking from scratch. I tend to just do the easy and quick thing which adds up to about 7 different meals with my lack of creativity in the cooking department.
8) Any plans for the long weekend? We might go see Jay's brother in Washington but they may have other plans. Still waiting to hear from them. If not, we will probably work ourselves half to death with all of things that need to be done here. I do really want to do something fun as a family to say good-bye to the summer but I'm not sure what as of yet. We could always pic-nic and go fishing I suppose. The kids get a kick out of that.
9) Tomorrow we find out whether Beaux and Serina are having a boy or a girl. I think I am going to guess girboyl(gur-boi-ul). It sounds so fitting for them.
Honestly, I don't know what to guess. My instinct says girl but I am almost always wrong. And they seemed really happy. So that makes me think it's a boy. Gideon or Genevieve? Genevieve or Gideon? Who knows.
10) Anybody want a really awesome recipe? It's super yummy. I am making it for the dessert potluck tomorrow at Beaux's. It's Chocolate-Covered Cookie Dough Balls. They are very addicting.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Old School
Daddy found these toys in some of his stuff downstairs.
He played with these things many a day when he was a little boy.
Uncle Matt has some down there too.
(and if he doesn't ever come get them they may be confiscated. *wink*wink*)He played with these things many a day when he was a little boy.
Uncle Matt has some down there too.
Well, it was decided that it was time to pass them along.
I don't know if Chad had any of these, I assume he was too, huh-hmm, old?
I think these were toys of the 80's as Terah and I also had some when we were little.
The old-fashioned Little People toys.
We didn't have excavators. Although there was a tractor.
We had a farm, if I'm remembering right.
(Mom & Terah, you'll have to correct me. Being two or three is a little sketchy in my memory.)
Anyway, who better to pass them along to than the three name-bearers of the bunch?
There are 13 grandsons on the P side of the family.
Only three to carry on the name.
Two of them are mine.
And even though Jay is the youngest boy in his family and we were the last to start having kids, we somehow ended up with the first boy to carry on the name.
So, son, I really hope you enjoy your inheritance.
'Cuz it's all your gonna get!
Well, that and hopefully a son exactly like you someday.
The Bible calls them a heritage. I wonder if in the original language the word for "heritage" means "revenge"?
You know, "children are a heritage from the Lord"
could be
Children are revenge from the Lord.
You think?
Yeah, probably not.
The heritage is a little too sweet to be sweet revenge.
"Alright, you bad guy, I'm gonna git you."
I kinda hope my boys don't end up in law enforcement....
I'm just sayin is all.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Before Autumn
Okay, so I have been panicking because school is starting in just 4.5 weeks. I am fine with that and look forward to the routine that it brings but as a homeschooling mom, I would really like my house to be clean and organized beforehand. Four-and-a-half weeks. Is that enough time to deep clean my entire house? I mean really clean it. You know, move furniture around and get rid of everything we don't use or need and scrub baseboards and so on.
Sure, you might think that 4.5 weeks sounds like plenty of time. But here's the thing: I also have harvest time coming. Which means hours and days of picking, cleaning, pealing, slicing, juicing, and canning. Literally, days worth of this stuff. With three kids underfoot. True, they can help some. But still...
And I don't want to just clean either. I want to decorate and organize but simplify all at once.
I do not lack motivation, just inspiration.
Oh, how I admire our foremothers.
So here's what needs to be done before school:
Here's September:
I would love organizing tips for bedrooms and kitchen. Cost-effective of course.
Sure, you might think that 4.5 weeks sounds like plenty of time. But here's the thing: I also have harvest time coming. Which means hours and days of picking, cleaning, pealing, slicing, juicing, and canning. Literally, days worth of this stuff. With three kids underfoot. True, they can help some. But still...
And I don't want to just clean either. I want to decorate and organize but simplify all at once.
I do not lack motivation, just inspiration.
Oh, how I admire our foremothers.
So here's what needs to be done before school:
- cleaning & organizing the house
- buy Avril's bed and bedding
- complete Avril's room
- finish the school room
- yard work (rock removal, weeding, mowing, etc.)
- canning supplies purchased
- first apples picked & something (maybe applesauce)
- lesson plans worked out
- calendar time for co-op planned out
Here's September:
- start school
- start co-op
- pick plums
- juice plums
- make jelly
- pick pears
- peel, core, & slice pears
- can pears
- pick apples
- make applesauce
- take apples to be pressed
- fall yard work (last mowing, raking, putting up summer stuff, etc.)
- possibly paint the exterior of the house
- clean out 5th-wheel
I would love organizing tips for bedrooms and kitchen. Cost-effective of course.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Little Mama
Avril really likes her new dolls. She got them for her birthday. She is a pretty good mommy too.She cuddles them, and feeds them fishies, and smooches on them when they cry.
Have I ever mentioned that I love having a daughter?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)