Caffeine

I have a love/hate relationship with caffeine.  I love it but my body hates it.  I love coffee of any kind.  I love it caffeinated, decaf, iced, hot, frozen, coffee ice cream.  I would even venture to say that I love coffee more than chocolate.  I know, that's a pretty extreme statement.  What I really love is a packet of hot chocolate mix in my coffee, now that's good.  Back in college there was this place in the Student Union Building that had the most amazing chocolate coffee.  My friend, Leslie (who reads this blog from Kansas--everybody say "Hi, Leslie!") and I drank gallons and gallons of chocolate coffee.  I've never been able to replicate it but adding hot chocolate mix to coffee comes close.  So, I've established my love for all things coffee.  Now, let's talk about caffeine.  I also love caffeine, I have to admit.  I love the rush of energy I get when I have a big cup of coffee.  That feeling of, "I can conquer the world!"  This is the problem (besides the fact that I should find my strength and joy in God and not in a drink)--caffeine really does not like me.  I get addicted to it so fast.  If I have caffeine three days in a row and then on the fourth day have none I will have a killer headache that nothing can touch.  If I just have a cup of coffee every morning within a week I will get that same headache in the afternoon if I don't have another cup and the cycle just continues.  My body always begging for more.  It's not fun.  I like to enjoy my coffee but not feel like I have to have it or else.  Why am I bringing this up now?  Because last night I had one of those killer headaches and just decided that this is ridiculous.  This has to stop.  I have to discipline myself to just stay away from caffeine.  I was in bed at 8:45 with a horrible headache to the point of nausea.  I need to become a decaf girl all the way.  There is really only one problem with that.  McD's iced coffee doesn't come in decaf and I'm in love with that stuff.  So, that will just be my once a month treat or something.  I've already quit getting it as regularly in an attempt to save money.  And, to make all of this a little easier I've discovered a hot tea (that I make iced) that I really like.  It's Bigelow Spiced Chai and they make it in decaf.  It's quite tasty and will do for my "one drink that's not water" (yeah, right)  a day.  You guys will have to hold me accountable to this.  I need help.

What I Learned From My Kids Today

From Joe...it's okay to skip around in the book. Sometimes, you just have to move ahead to the next thing to color even if you are skipping all those pages in between. It's okay to just write the letter "b" once or twice and not finish every little blank on the page. It's better to stick to the routine when you are really only 2 days into it.
After discovering that I used to love cross stitching and had cross stitched a pretty big piece that is framed above our piano..."Mom, do you still love to cross stitch?" After I told him that I did still love to cross stitch but just didn't do it anymore he said, "You need to get dad to take care of us so you can have some time to yourself to cross stitch." Good idea.
From Grace...peeling carrots really is pretty thrilling if you haven't done it a million times.
From Hannah...I learned a lot with Hannah today by helping her with her Precept study. She's studying the first seven chapters of the book of Revelation. I learned that the revelation was given to Jesus who then passed it to John. Her study is going to be so good. I think I will always be doing it with her because I have so much to learn as well. I'm already hooked on Precepts for Kids. This is something we will be doing for a long time. They have so many more great books. I'd love for my kids to do the one on how to study your Bible. I could really learn from that. And, I'll leave you with a funny from Hannah. She has a terrible habit of popping her knuckles. I've noticed it more recently and mentioned to her that her knuckles were going to get fat from doing that. We looked at her hands and they are already fat! Of course, she's distressed and trying really hard to quit this habit but she does it totally sub-consciously so is finding it really hard to quit. After realizing she was doing it again today, she said, "I need to go to Celebrate Recovery!" Do they have a group for kids with a habit?

A Picture Post--pictures always get the train (of thought) moving

This is what Joe did this morning while I did school with the girls. He got out all his Star Wars guys and set them all up. He did school between Hannah and Grace and initially was a big grump, making me regret ever getting out of our routine this morning (turning on the tv). After we got going though he had fun and lasted his standard 30 minutes or so.

Only an ex-teacher/homeschool mom could get as excited as I am about this. I went to Office Depot yesterday and made my own plan book. I love keeping a plan book and just didn't have anything I liked this year so I had a brainstorm to make my own. On the right is the chart and plan for Exploring Countries and Cultures (which I love if you are only schooling one child) and on the left is my own little creation. I made a column for each child and put in all of their subjects for four days as well as left space for anything extra. I've got a space for read alouds and what the girls are reading independently. Now I only have to write in what lesson number or cross out if we didn't get to it. I LOVE IT! It only took maybe 30 minutes to make the copies and have it bound. Grace decorated the cover for me today.

At the end of homeschool skate yesterday, Steph came in with next month's issue of Lake Family Magazine. I love this magazine and so does Hannah. She usually reads the whole thing. I enjoyed an hour or so on the couch last night reading it cover to cover. Great issue, Steph!For those of you who know Joe's choking story--this is the fruit that he choked on the pit of. This is a pluot and the first time we've had them in our house since he very nearly died from choking 5 years ago. I honestly almost freaked when I saw Ollie had bought them but that is totally irrational. Someday I'll have to blog the whole story, I figure most of my readers have heard it umpteen times so I hesitate to bore you with it. Someday, when I have nothing else to write about. Somebody might want to read it. It's more than a choking story, it's also a God story and I haven't shared enough of those.

Grace has been so eager to start her Home Ec for Homeschoolers--annoyingly eager to be honest. Anyway, here she is peeling her carrots--Lesson 2. We had cooked carrots for dinner and carrot sticks with lunch yesterday. I wasn't brave enough to let her chop carrots. They were all really fat and hard to cut. She was a good little peeler though.
A picture of Bray, in case I haven't mentioned my sweet nephew lately. :0)

Already Blowing the Schedule

It's 8 am and my children are still in bed.  I am not dressed nor have I done anything that I need to do in the morning (primarily, my feet exercies).  BUT--I have been up for over an hour and already had some prayer and Bible time.  I just can't bear to wake up sleeping children and of course I'm enjoying my time on the computer uninterrupted.  We have all day--no plans--so there's really no rush.  Hannah's the only one who ever notices what time it is anyway so they won't know we aren't starting at 8:30 am.  Actually, the "schedule" hasn't really dictated what we do as much as the white board.  I am writing everything that needs to be done on that and they start soon after they get up.  Joe has been very motivated to finish everything on his list because he can't get on the computer until he's done.  Yesterday he had done all his school by 8:15.  He wanted to start the minute he woke up.  He did better yesterday but still I am having to keep it really short.  Okay, now everyone is up and they are sitting in front of PBS kids eating their breakfast and I've been interrupted so many times I can't even remember what I was going to say.  I knew it wouldn't last...
I'm happy to have a whole day at home today.  We've had a busy but fun week with somewhere to go every day.  Yesterday we were back at the skating rink for homeschool skate.  My kids absolutely love going skating and we haven't been all summer.  So, they were pretty happy and pretty tired by last night.
I've lost my train of thought, it seems to have left the station.  I'll try again later... 

Fried Pickles!

This past weekend I was talking to some friends about fried pickles and I've had a hankering for them ever since.  Well, tonight I did it.  I fried up a mess of pickles and they were sooooo good!  I even made hamburgers to go with them.  Believe it or not, as much as I enjoy cooking, I have never made hamburgers at home before.  They turned out great and the kids loved them.  I piled my burger high with fried pickles and it was just perfect.  Not the healthiest dinner but delicious.  Here's the recipe I used if you want to try this at home:

FRIED DILL PICKLES

1 egg, beaten
1 c. milk
1 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
3 1/2 c. flour
1 qt. sliced dill pickles
Wesson oil for deep frying

Combine first 5 ingredients, stirring well. Set aside. Combine 3 1/2 cups flour, salt and pepper, stirring well. Dip pickles in milk mixture and dredge in flour mixture, repeat process. Deep fry in hot oil, 350 degrees until pickles float to surface and are golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

So Far, So Good

We've really only completed one real day of school so it's easy to say that things are going well.  We did school on Monday but today was our first day of our Tuesday schedule.  We'll go to a Precepts Bible Study in the mornings.  I will be studying 1 Peter with a great group of ladies.  The kids are all in classes as well.  Hannah's class is doing the book, "Prophecy for Kids" covering Revelation 1-7.  She is loving it and even has homework which she is really excited about.  Grace and Joe's class will be learning about the names of God.  They don't have a book or homework (thank goodness).  I asked Joe how he liked it and he told me that he wanted to go there every day.  So, I guess that means he likes it.  I love that I can have my time and they are not only being taken care of but also being taught God's word.  After Precepts we went to the park for the rest of the afternoon.  It was hot but the heat doesn't seem to faze the kids.  I feel like I've drank a gallon of water today and I'm still thirsty.  
Back to Monday--our loose schedule went well.  Joe wanted to start school immediately after breakfast.  I wasn't really ready yet, I still wasn't dressed but I figured I should start while he's willing.  He made it about a half hour and then he was done.  We only did some workbook stuff so it was pretty boring.  We'll get into some more fun stuff next week.  He was mostly cooperative but saw no reason to write the number 8 because he already knows how to write that number.  He ended up doing it but did it pretty messily.  I'm looking forward to doing a little more with him tomorrow and hopefully making it a little more interesting.  At least spend some time reading to him or something.  We've got tons of educational books I could choose from.  After he finished his school he was happy to play on the computer and do his own thing while I schooled the girls.  He asked a few times "how much longer?" but he never caused a problem.  It took me until almost lunchtime to do everything with the girls and that's without starting the My Father's World stuff.  I was pleased at how well Grace was doing with reading.  I had intended to work with her a lot over the summer but it just didn't happen.  The break seems to have done her some good.  She was retaining a lot more and I am hopeful that she will be fluently reading by the end of this school year if not before.  Hannah really liked all her new books and was working hard to write really neatly.  The woman who evaluated her commented on how bad her handwriting was and that has really bugged her.  She can write very neatly but usually chooses not to in her workbooks.  I think that might have changed though now.  I am doing a few new things with her and one of them is Wordly Wise.  It's a vocabulary workbook but I thought it would work for spelling as well.  It's pretty challenging but Hannah seemed to like it.  So, all in all, things went well.  I'm looking forward to the next three days to really get into it.  I love the routine of school and the purpose it gives to our days.  

The Simple Woman's Daybook

A Simple Woman's Daybook for today, August 25, 2008

Outside my window...it's still dark. I succeeded in getting up early and I've already read my Bible and prayed for my day. Off to a good start.

I am thinking...that it takes two weeks to make a habit. Can I discipline myself to get up early for the next two weeks? I am no good at consistency but I'm going to really push myself on this one. It makes such a difference in my day that it's worth it.

I am thankful...for the quiet of the morning and a fresh start. I am also thankful for the blessing of being able to stay home and homeschool. It requires a lot of sacrifice and I'm thankful for Ollie's willingness to let me stay home and homeschool and go without many material possessions.

From the kitchen...chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, chicken enchiladas for dinner.

I am creating...hopefully a happy homeschool.

I am going...to visit with a new homeschool mom today and set her mind at ease that she really can do this. I can't wait to get there and encourage her.

I am wearing...pjs as always when I do this. My pjs are not pretty or cute. They consist of a pair of cut off pj pants and a raggedy t-shirt.

I am reading...Stolen Innocence, a book about a woman's experience in Warren Jeffs' polygamist colony. It's really crazy and amazing that women are living this way today.

I am hoping...that Joe will cooperate while I am working with him and while I am working with the girls too.

I am hearing...nothing but a few little birdies singing.

Around the house...it's not as clean as I would like today but it's not too bad. I wanted to start our day with a perfectly clean from top to bottom house. I love to start new things with everything just perfect but this is real life.

One of my favorite things...reading to my kids. I am hoping I am passing along my love for reading to them.

A few plans for the rest of the week...I am going today to join the gym at the high school next door and hope to make it there for a half hour 4 times a week. I am starting a Precepts Bible study tomorrow, cooking some good food this week--I am in a cooking mood, and having a good, productive week.

A picture thought I am sharing...

This is Joe when he was around one and a half. I had been doing dishes and he laid down between my legs on the floor and fell asleep.

If you want to participate in the daybook see Peggy, here.

A Joe Funny

Last night the kids went to a couple's house from our church for the evening while Ollie and I went out with some adults. The lady of the house had promised Joe brownies but she had forgotten about them so she sent us home with one for each child. Joe wanted to eat his as soon as we got home but Ollie said no because it was already 11pm. He even went so far as to say that Joe could have it in the morning for breakfast. Well, this wasn't good enough for Joe so he pitched a big ol' fit about it and ended up having his brownie privilege revoked completely. When he had calmed down I heard him telling Ollie in a pitiful voice, "don't you even feel bad for me? Don't you feel bad for a boy who had his brownie stolen AND has a cut on his foot?"

Sunday ramblings

Look what I've done (below)--this is what I am hoping to accomplish tomorrow. Each child can wipe off from their list as they finish. I think what I will end up doing with Joe is taking pictures of him doing his tasks and then make cards that he can take down as he finishes. All the stuff above the little line have to be done by 8:30 and then we start on school. I have a very loose schedule for school time. Hopefully, all will go smoothly tomorrow. Grace is so excited she can hardly stand it. She will probably be up early. I've revamped our morning plans. I've decided to make chocolate chip pancakes instead of going to the bakery for a doughnut. It will be a tiny bit healthier and we can just stay home. Hopefully, it will feel celebratory. I think with homeschooling one of the things I haven't done is really celebrated and marked the beginning of the year and the end of they year. I'm trying to do that this year. I'm looking forward to our day tomorrow. I'll be rising at o'dark thirty (6ish) so that I can get all prayed up before I head into the day. Of course, I also have to have time to do my Daybook in the morning as well, and my feet exercises. Maybe I should get up earlier...



The girls are going to get lots of Home Ec this year. We are doing Home Economics for Homeschoolers. I would kind of like to skip it but Grace is so excited that it's finally her turn to do this that I don't have the heart. We have also joined a Keepers at Home group. This is similar to a Girl Scout troop in that you earn badges and stuff. We will meet once a month and the girls will work on projects like handicrafts, cooking, community service, memorizing Bible verses, reading books, etc. Our first project is cross stitching. Grace is hard at work on a ladybug and Hannah a cute little dog. I am having them spend at least 10 minutes a day working on their projects. Both are really enjoying it.

See this book case in a box? It's been in this same spot for over a month now. I got it for $10 on clearance at Target. It was regularly priced at $35. Doesn't it look great right there? It's right on your way out the door so we can see it all the time. I love it. If I don't get it put together this week it's available to the first person who asks for it. For $10 of course. :0)

We had our second Sunday in our new building at church. I can't even explain how wonderful it is to have our own building. It's the first time in 12 years that I have been in a church that had it's own building. It has really brought our church body closer as we've joined together to do the work. It's awesome!
I'll leave you with a picture of my sweet nephew, Brayden. We get to go see him and his family in just a few weeks!

It's Raining Again

I just finished that post about the rain maybe 15 minutes ago. I ended it with saying that the rain had stopped. Well, it's back and just as heavy as ever. Wanna know a secret? I LOVE IT!

Olympic Lapbooks

We completed our Olympic lapbooks the other day. I got this off of Homeschool share and it was a great lapbook. I got it all printed and then we did all the cutting, folding, and most of the filling in on our trip. My niece, Ellie, made one as well. I put all the mini books into the folders and the kids finished up the details. One of the things that was really fun is that each kid chose a country to root for and watch during the Olympics. There are two mini books to go with that--one where you put in a map of the country and the country's flag and another where you record the medals that country won. Hannah chose China (because they had the most athletes and she wanted her country to have the most--little overacheiver!), Grace chose France, and Joe chose Italy. We didn't really get to see their countries compete much but I found the medal stats on line. The lapbook also focused on the history of the Olympics, the route of the Olympic torch, some of the sports, an athlete's diet vs. the average person's diet, a Bible verse about running the race set before you, and so on. I'm glad we did it. Joe really didn't do much beyond color his but he has one anway.

Homeschooling, My Feet, and Some Rain in No Particular Order

Two more days before the big day--the beginning of our homeschool year. This is a big year because Joe is now enrolled in "Patterson Prep." He will be starting Kindergarten with high hopes of learning to read. Grace is starting 2nd grade and Hannah 4th grade. It's hard to believe this is my fifth year of this. I've definitely come a long way. I started out pretty stressed about doing it all (and still am to a degree) and quickly found out that that was pretty difficult. I've relaxed a lot, I could stand to relax more but I've made progress. I still cringe when someone asks my kids to tell them about something they are learning. Too often the answer is a dull stare and "I don't know." or "I can't think of anything." Once and only once a wonderful thing happened when Hannah was asked that question. My uncle asked her to tell him about something she was learning. She was in first grade and we were doing a history curriculum called Story of the World. So, I brace myself for the dull stare and inability to think of anything and instead she comes out with, "we are learning about Mesopatamia and the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Mesopatamia means middle and it is between the two rivers...." It was awesome! My shining moment! Never to be repeated! I am teaching my children to respond with something other than "I don't know." Not just to school questions but also to any question addressed to them by an adult. I want them to feel comfortable really talking to adults so I am always reminding them to think of something to say when asked a question or spoken to. They are making progress. Slowly. But progress. Anyway, I am looking forward to Monday and some structure. Let's hope it goes well!
So, we have had some serious rain here in the last two days. Our rain gauge goes up to 10 inches and is overflowing. We need to go out there and empty it but it won't stop raining. Actually, it's not raining right now (finally) but it's dark and I don't trust our backyard in the dark. So, we'll empty it tomorrow. I'm not sure if Tropical Storm Fay has officially passed or if we are just getting a break, I've heard we can expect more rain tomorrow. Thankfully we've had no flooding. Almost everyone I know has had some sort of flooding. That new roof is paying off!
Update on my feet--I went back to MaryAnn my Physical therapist friend today. She was very happy with how well my feet are responding to the therapy she did last week and the exercises I've been doing this past week. The swelling in my ankle is down and I have kept most of the mobility I obtained last week. This week she worked on a different section of my ankle. It was crazy painful but I was happy to endure it if it is going to help. She also taught me some new stretches to keep my back and hips aligned right. Apparently, my pelvis was all out of whack (contributing to my problems) and she got me straight and hopefully I can stay straight. I am SO thankful for her help! I really think I am on the mend permanently. This is no less than thrilling for me. I have lived with pain for so long. Actually, today was the first day in months that I've gone all day and taken nothing (except for my week of foot rest) for the pain and it's almost 10 pm and my feet feel fine. I can't say they don't hurt a little but I can walk and the pain is significantly less than what it usually would be. Praise God for MaryAnn and her willingness to help me!!!

101 Things to See and Do Before You are 12!

Aunt Harriet found the coolest books for us. One is 101 Things to See Before You are 12 and the other is 101 Things to Do Before You are 12. They've each got stickers for you to use to mark the things you've done and stickers to mark the things you wish you could do (and see). The stickers can also be used to rate them--there are some stickers that say "yawnfest, "mission accomplished," "way weird," "loved it," "top 20," and so on. We've already done and seen a lot but nowhere near all 101. I am excited about planning stops on our trips to mark off things in the book. Here are some examples from each book.
Things to do:

• Learn some dance moves.


• Enter a crazy competition--they give suggestions for a lot of these and locations in the US. For example for this one--International Snow Sculpture Championship, Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest, Gold Panning Competition, National Yo Yo Contest.


• Watch the sunrise on the beach or somewhere else dramatic.


• Run or play in the mud.


• Plan a dream trip.


• Stroll by the Light of the Full Moon.


• Look through a microscope or telescope.


• Eat space food.


• Interview and elder.


• Be a tourist in your own town for a day.

I could keep going but you get the idea.

Things to See:

• A Kooky Capital (Killer Bee Capital of the World, Troll Capital of the World, etc.)


• A radical rock formation.


• A Patisserie


• A forest canopy. (did you know there's one in Sarasota? Myakka River State Park)


• A floating museum. We've already seen one of these when a replica of the Nina was in a town near us.


• A pigpen.


• A waterfall.


• An olympic training center.


• A superlative place (tallest, largest, etc.)


• An eccentric eatery.


• A school that's different from yours.

Again, I could go on and on but I'm running out of time. These books are great and I think every family needs to have them and then set out to do them all. Just my opinion. :0)

Some Pictures

I felt like doing a picture post today. Below is my sweet nephew, Brayden. We go to Georgia in about a month and I get to spend the week keeping him. He is the easiest, sweetest baby so it should be fun!

Here's Joe being silly. It's so hard to get a picture of him these days. He's all of a sudden become camera shy. Sometimes I get a quick smile before he forgets to be camera shy. He's wearing another one of his tie dye shirts.

Hannah started something new yesterday--a clubhouse meeting. She invited Grace and Joe to come and they did some crafts she had planned ahead of time. They made stars to hang above their beds and made pictures for Ollie and I. I love when Hannah is such a good big sister! I wish I could say she is always a good big sister but this is real life here. Her siblings do get on her nerves and she can be a bully with tireless teasing. What can I say, she's normal!

We decided to get up close and personal with Tropical Storm Fay. We went for a windy, sometimes rainy walk tonight. It felt so nice and cool and the breeze was wonderful.

Well, I Finally Did It

I made a semi-schedule today.  I got my school area really cleaned out, laid out all my curriculum, and set to work.  My schedule is very loose.  I want to be up between 5:45 and 6:30--sleeping late will cut into computer time.  Maybe that will motivate me to get my butt out of bed.  I want to have myself dressed and ready to go by 8 and then the kids fed, dressed, and cleaned by 8:30.  Then we'll do school until lunchtime with a snack break mid-morning.  I'll get the girls going on their independent work and then do Joe's school.  This will take 30-45 minutes max (I think).  Then we'll do Exploring Countries and Cultures (starting next month--more on that later) and then reading time for Hannah, individual time with Grace and then individual time with Hannah.  Hopefully, Joe will be happy to have uninterrupted computer time (all educational games of course :0)) while I work with the girls.  If all goes well we will finish up about lunchtime.  Then we will eat and then have chore time.  I'm not assigning specific chores but I will assign them as needed.  I'd love for us all to work together cleaning for 30 minutes to an hour.  After that they are free to do whatever.  I feel like this is doable but will require me to exercise some serious morning self discipline.  I've decided not to start Exploring Countries and Cultures for another month.  ECC is our curriculum for all the subjects besides Language Arts and Math.  This curriculum requires some additional books that you can get from the library and when I went to go request my books guess what???  Somebody already had them checked out AND I was third in line to get the books.  That means the person who has them can keep them for up to 3 weeks and the next 2 people can too.  I shouldn't have raved so much about how great our curriculum was.  It looks like I've convinced several other homeschoolers to use it and we are all getting started now.  So, to avoid my selfish temper I've decided to delay our starting of ECC to the beginning of October.  Hopefully, at that point I won't have to fight for the books.  It will put me behind for the year but the good thing about My Father's World is that it is not overscheduled.  We can double up on some slow days.  I'm disappointed because I was really excited about getting started but this will be better in the long run.  So, we'll have some time to really plow through some language arts and math and get into a routine.  I may also throw in a science unit study.  I have some great science studies that I haven't had a chance to use the last year or so because of using a canned curriculum.  So, we may delve into invertebrates or habitats.  What's your vote?  I'd ask my kids but I can guarantee they would disagree.  So, Patterson Prep is all set to open on Monday.  I actually feel a little bit excited about it.  I'm thinking about making a big deal about our first day back, especially since it's Joe's first day of homeschooling.  I may make some cupcakes and decorate them all cute (yeah right) or just stick with a special breakfast.  Maybe doughnuts from the bakery.  We could get up extra early and ride our bikes downtown for a doughnut and some coffee for mom and then get home and hit the books.  I think I just came up with my plan.  I always do my best planning by talking it out.  Speaking of talking...Ollie is home today (for no good reason--but the schools didn't know that when they made the decision to cancel school for today and tomorrow--these hurricanes are so shifty).  Anyway, I've been on the phone more than usual, trying to catch up before I start school next week.  When I wasn't on the phone I was deep in my own world cleaning, planning, and scheduling.  So, at dinner I apologized for being so anti-social with the fam today.  Ollie said, "at one point I was starting to get annoyed by all your talking on the phone and then I realized that there are people who love to listen to you yammer on and on and I should be thankful that it's not me."  It is a well known fact that I have a need to talk a lot and Ollie has a need for quiet so I wasn't at all insulted by this.  I was glad he didn't give me a hard time for all my yammering today.  

No Bananas or Bread

I went to the grocery store tonight to get groceries to get us through the week--storm or not.  I have been really missing my smoothies and needed some bananas.  Would you believe there wasn't a banana to be found?  I guess bananas are hunker down hurricane food.  Good thing I didn't need bread.  There was not a loaf on the shelf!  People get crazy when a storm is coming and the media just feeds the hype.  I don't even think this storm is going to be hurricane strength.  We'll see tomorrow night though.  I hate when they come through at night.  For one thing I love to watch the storm and you can't see much in the dark and for another thing, it's hard to sleep when you know there is a threat of tornadoes or a tree possibly falling on your house.  I think we lost all our threatening trees four years ago so we won't be worrying about that but I've already mentioned in a previous post how I feel about tornadoes.  We have a weather radio and will probably turn it on but you know that thing is going to be going off all night with every watch and warning.  On a positive note, they've cancelled school for the next two days so Ollie gets two days off.  Maybe he'll entertain the children while I get organized.  
I should have some fun pictures to post.  I haven't had any good ones since I finished posting my vacation pics.  
I have to share a Grace funny--the other day Joe had just had a big screaming episode and we were all recovering.  Grace came in my room and said, "I am going to go in my room and cry, I just feel like I need to cry."  I asked her what was wrong (she was probably stressed out from the fit her brother just threw) and she said she didn't really know.  She just felt like crying.  Then she said in all seriousness, "maybe I just drank too much water today and need to get some water out of my body through my tears."  That would be Grace--always looking for a logical answer.  

My Feet

I have good news on the feet front.  My right foot is getting better all the time.  I am diligently doing my exercises two or three times a day and it's really working.  This past Friday I visited a friend of mine from our old church who is also a Physical Therapist.  She took some time to evaluate my left foot.  Basically I have tendonitis as well as a lot of swelling and immobility.  My toes are very weak because my gait has been so bad that they haven't been called into action.  They sort of float above the ground and don't ever grip the ground on their own unless I force it and that is painful.  So, she did some very painful soft tissue and joint work and by the time she was done I could actually bend my ankle more than I've been able to in months.  She sent me home with more exercises for stretching and retraining my toes and stretching my ankle.  I go back for more PT on Friday.  I am so blessed by her help, I feel hope for the first time in a long time.  I am attacking my feet problem in multiple ways--these exercises and physical therapy are the main way.  I am also taking lots of supplements including fish oil, eating healthier, and I am going to start working out.  I found out that we can join the high school fitness center (conveniently located very close to us) for dirt cheap.  I'm going to start working on strengthening my back and doing some sort of exercise that is easy on my feet.  They offer yoga and pilates but I don't know the schedule yet.  I am going to join today, so we'll see then.  And--of course, lots of prayer for healing!  

Simple Woman's Daybook

A Simple Woman's Daybook for today...August 18

Outside my window...the sun is just coming up and I'm hearing an owl hooting.

I am thinking...about all the things I need to do in order to be ready to start school next week.

I am thankful for...our new church building! We had our first Sunday in our new place yesterday and it was great! We could all talk and hang out after church instead of taking down and putting away.

From the kitchen...a veggie meal tonight--roasted sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, and cornbread.

I am wearing...pjs!

I am reading...A Dollar Short by Karin Gillespie. It's a really funny, clean read. The cover caught my eye at the library the other day and it has not disappointed. It is set in south Georgia and is about a redneck family. I highly recommend it.

I am hoping...for healing for my feet. I am also hoping for a successful school year.

I am hearing...nothing! Everybody is still asleep.

Around the house...we are easing our way back into school this week. We are going to be doing some reading, cleaning, and I'm getting myself up early for morning Bible study and then computer time. That's the plan anyway.

One of my favorite things...a good book and a storm. We may get a good storm tomorrow and I've already got a good book. Hopefully the storm will not be the scary kind--no tornadoes please! I'm terrified of tornadoes.

A Few Plans for the rest of the week...a friend's house today, new Bible study starting up tomorrow, a Tropical Storm/Hurricane on it's way, shopping and making copies for school, lots of organizing for school, and anything else that comes our way.

A picture thought I'm sharing with you...

If you want to participate in the Simple Woman's daybook, see Peggy here.

Tie Dye

Joe got a tie dye kit for Hannah's birthday from Aunt Lisa and he could not wait to do it. Actually all three kids had something specific they really wanted to do and they were all things that required assistance as well as a chunk of my time. So, Tuesday was our "meet the children's needs" afternoon. Joe and I tie-dyed. Grace and I did some beading, we made earrings. And I straightened Hannah's hair with her new flat iron. I don't have pictures of Hannah and Grace's activity but since I had never tie-dyed I took some pictures. We did 5 t-shirts and all but one turned out really good. That is amazing because we were doing speed dyeing. I tied them all up willy nilly and Joe squirted dye all over them. Our two favorites are the ones I have pictures of him wearing--the ones where we stuck to one color. The others turned out good too but I like these two the best. I'd love to do this again sometime now that I see how easy it really is. I love tie dye clothes so I may have to make myself something one of these days!

Happy Birthday to Hannah--a week late

Hannah turned 9 last Saturday while we were still on vacation. I think we have been on vacation for her birthday almost every year of her life. Anyway, we had a birthday party with the family on Friday night and then we took her out to dinner on Saturday night and let her order dessert. That was a pretty big deal. I don't think our kids have ever been out to dinner and gotten to order dessert.

We tried to have a small birthday party at the park with some friends but the weather cut it short. It happened to be a very rainy day--unusual for the mornings here in Florida. The kids got to play, she opened gifts, we sang Happy Birthday and then the hurricane came through. I'm exaggerating but it was crazy windy. Most of the kids took their cake in the car and headed home. As a consolation to her short party I took her to Target to use the gift cards she had accrued over the week. She was a good little shopper and bought herself a variety of things. I sipped a Chai tea while she shopped, it was glorious.

This is one of Hannah's oldest friends. Not oldest according to age but the friend she's known the longest. Tatum was our neighbor when she and Hannah were babies and we spent a lot of time together their first 3 years or so of life. I have lots of fun and funny memories

A couple of pictures from her family party vacation up north. Aunt Steph made a really good pineapple upside down cake.

So--I now have a 9 year old--next year she'll be into the double digits. Hard to believe! Hannah is a sweet girl and I am proud to be her mom. She is very creative, full of energy, fiercely competitive, and fun to be with. I enjoy the baby stages so much I wondered and worried if I would really enjoy my kids as they got older. I am happy to say that I absolutely do enjoy having older kids. I love talking to them and playing games with them and just seeing their personality and character blossom and grow. Happy Birthday to Hannah!

Random Thoughts

We just got home from a picnic and bike ride.  It was great.  We used to do this sort of thing all the time but haven't as much the past couple of years.  Ollie has been setting up every other Saturday for our church and often something else would be going on on the Saturday he had off.  BUT-no more set up!  We have our first Sunday in the new building tomorrow.  It's nothing less than thrilling!  Anyway, our time in the fresh air felt great.  It's overcast today so not too hot but still really humid.  The last time we went Joe had a total meltdown about crossing a bridge--today, no problem.  Not a whimper out of him.  He had already had a meltdown at home so maybe he was too worn out or maybe, just maybe he's maturing.  
He said something really funny last night.  He and Ollie were watching a guy on YouTube in an eating contest.  It's some famous guy and I can't remember his name but he was in an eating match with a bear. Joe says, "I could eat that much if I didn't have to use manners."
I saw a car in a parking lot yesterday with a bumper sticker that said, "Ride Naked, it will add color to your cheeks."  Of course, I found it to be pretty comical--that third grade potty humor--and it reminded me of something my friend and I did back in high school or maybe it was middle school.  It was sometime in the 80s when the slogan "___  Naked" was really big.  You can fill in the blank with just about anything.  So, we were sweet church girls in handbell choir and we went to the button stall at the mall and had them make us buttons (pins) that said, "Play Bells Naked," and then we wore them to bell choir practice.  Oh weren't we funny???  Susan, are you reading this?  If so, do you remember?  How could you forget?  My high school best friend, Susan, reads this blog sometimes or maybe all the time I'm not sure because she has NEVER commented.  :0)  She does have three kids and I'm sure she's very busy and just can't find the time to take 5 minutes and start a google account and then use it to comment but that's okay.   No big deal.  Really.  

Feeling Rebellious

As the new school year approaches it seems that everyone is thinking towards getting their home organized, scheduling, etc.  I'm right there as well.  But--this morning I am feeling rebellious.  I'm feeling like not getting organized, not coming up with a schedule, just continuing to fly by the seat of my pants on a daily basis.  After all, it's worked for me all these years.  Why do I feel the need to organize myself?  Probably because I really do need to--I could list lots of problems that have resulted from my lack of organization.  BUT--Sometimes I just want to stop trying so hard to improve myself and to change things.  I just want to coast in freedom.  I want to stop reading "self-help" books about parenting, marriage, homeschooling, being a christian woman.  I feel like I am never getting to a resting point but instead I'm always trying to work on something.  I'm always discouraged with myself about something.  I know that God wants us to grow and mature but I honestly don't think He intends it to be so much work.  He is the one who said, "He who began a good work in you will continue."  I just need to "Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added..."  If I am spending time with God and working on that relationship all other relationships should fall into place and I should be experiencing the "fruit of the Spirit" (love, JOY, PEACE, patience, etc.--the very things I'm striving for).  I will gain wisdom for ordering my days, my priorities will fall into their correct place.  
I don't know if these thoughts make sense here all typed out...

Pictures of the Kids

A Helicopter!

The guy that rented the house to us also flies a helicopter. That's how he gets to the island from his home. We had a surprise visit from him on Friday. All the kids got to sit in the helicopter and a few of the men took a ride up and over the island. It was really neat. Joe was initially appalled that this helicopter would just land right in our yard. He said to Ollie (with great disdain), "How rude, it's so rude to just bust in to our garden."

Family Pictures

Here are some family pictures for those of you who like stuff like this. I know my mom and sister would love to see these and some of you may like it too.
Out of all our family members on both sides this guy here is who Grace most resembles. This is Uncle Johnny aka John Mark. They both have those smiley eyes.

This is the best picture we could get of all the cousins. This was the last picture taken in our little photo session and the littles were done.

You may recognize this family--the Florida fam.

Here's the whole clan!

Then we have Steph, Gabi, Ellie, Kea, and Corrie.

And Tim, Lisa, Samantha, and Melody.