Menu Plan Monday

Okay, how did the weekend get by so quickly?!! Can't believe it's time for a new menu plan already. A couple of recipes will be hold-overs from last week. (Rich had an intense craving for hot and sour soup one night so we went to the Chinese buffet. And when I planned last week's menu, I'd forgotten that Rich and Annie were going to be gone Saturday.) Oh, and a note on last week's menu...I tried adapting the salsa beef recipe for the crockpot and it came out wonderfully! And now for this week...

*cheesy beef and bean enchiladas/chili cheese puff/wankerflots

*cheesy ham & potatoes/banana oatmeal muffins/cauliflower

*meatloaf/baby red potatoes/ranch vegetables

*cavatini/Italian bread

*taco soup/corn muffins/tortilla chips

*subs/chips

*leftovers

Laura, as always, thanks for hosting and getting my life off to an easier start!

just rambling

Didn't accomplish near all I'd hoped for yesterday. But I really should have known better than to set such high expectations. After all, I knew Rich and Annie were going to be away the entire day...and I've got two little boys who don't make their Mommy's productivity a priority. Did get a fair bit accomplished for the school week ahead (though I've still got a bit to do). Managed to fold and put away 6 loads of laundry. And worked just a tiny bit in the craft room...still don't have it entirely emptied for today's planned painting. I'm getting close to conceding defeat for the the 30 Day Organizational Challenge, but I'll keep plugging away. Even if I don't finish by the deadline (which is midnight Tuesday), I'll finish sometime soon. So entering the challenge was a worthwhile endeavor.

Annie and Rich had a marvelous time yesterday. Rich's school was hosting a conference for community college biology professors. Rich gave a presentation on teaching evolution. And of course, he was nervous about it. But it apparently went incredibly well. In fact, a professor came up to him afterward and asked how much he would charge to come make the presentation at her school. Rich and Annie were able to go to a presentation by Steve Daniels, a naturalist that Rich really admires, about moths in the area. Rich will be talking about this one for months, I guarantee you. And then, Rich and Annie went to the airport to pick up Mark Norell (the paleontologist). They were both thrilled beyond words to get this "honor". And according to them, he's an incredibly nice guy. They got him checked into his hotel, and then they all went off to a dinner. Then came Norell's presentation, which enthralled both Rich and Annie. And afterward, they all went off to a restaurant to hang out a bit. Rich and Annie arrived home in giddy spirits (and no, they're hadn't been drinking). They just had had such a wonderful day!

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt

I've always enjoyed seeing everyone's entries as I browse blogs over the weekend, so I thought I'd join in on the Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt this week. This week's topic is RARE.



No, snakes aren't particularly rare around here. And snow definitely isn't rare in these parts. But a snake in the snow...that's a rare sight.

enchanting...

I finally finished Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. (Forgive the photo of Annie's beat-up well-loved copy, but I don't know how to post those cute little pictures of books like everyone else.) I don't know why it took me so long to finish this book...probably just that whole proverbial chicken thing, trying to do too many things at once and finishing none of them. Anyway, it certainly wasn't because I didn't enjoy the book. Quite the opposite, in fact...I loved every single page of it. And now, I guess, it's time to write a short book review. Something I hate to do. It's not so much the actual writing that I mind. It's more that I don't feel worthy. I think I need to come up with a little warning thing to post with my book reviews. Maybe something like this...

WARNING: The book review you are about to read was NOT written by a professional. The author has no literary training, and I'm sure in the opinion of many, no taste. She in no way wishes to influence your decision on whether or not to read the following book.

I don't know...I suppose I could perfect the wording a bit, but hopefully you get the idea.

So, anyway...Inkheart.

This book was a pure delight! Every page was magical. And it wasn't simply because the story was so enchanting, but also because Funke has magic in her pen. There were times when I simply had to re-read passages, not because I didn't understand something, but just to enjoy the beauty of the words again.

But don't get me wrong, this book was not all sunshines and roses. The story had its fair share of evil. Capricorn, the head honcho of evilness, was truly a frightful character. And, personally, I found some of the other characters even more terrifying in some down-to-earth manner. Basta and his knife scared me right to the end, and I found the Magpie equally unsettling.

Other characters were marvelously endearing. Meggie, the brave heroine at age 12, and her father, Mo, devoted father and book doctor extraordinaire. Dustfinger, tragic soul. Elinor, mother to an enormous collection of books, grew on me with each passing page. Yes, a simply delightful mix of characters.

And at the heart of the entire story is books. Books, books, beloved books...and all the magic in the words and worlds they hold.

The story was enchanting, and clever, and suspenseful, and engrossing! I enjoyed every minute of this book...but remember, that's just my opinion.

I really want to say a big thank you to Carl for hosting the Once Upon a Time Challenge. Though Inkheart has been on my "to read" list since my daughter read it a couple years ago, I doubt I would have gotten around to it for quite some had it not been for his challenge.

a gift for Mommy

Yes, spring must really be here. I received my first precious dandelion of the year. And I really do love dandelions! I've never quite understood the extreme hatred some people have for them. I think they're beautiful! And I'd much rather see my lawn full of these bright little spots of sunshine than cover my lawn in poison.

But anyway, that is not the point of this post. I just had to share my little gift from Max...



Yep, that's the flower he picked for me. And now, let me show you the ones he picked for himself...



Oh, how this kid cracks me up!

and the winner is...

Annie headed off to work with Rich again yesterday. We debated about whether or not she should go, since she'd gone with him the day before. But Rich's school always puts together some really neat activities for the kids on Bring Your Sons and Daughters to Work Day, so we ended up deciding we'd be fools not to let her go.

And once again, they didn't disappoint. There were several interesting activities, and Annie had a blast. Her favorite activity was "Are You Smarter Than a College Student?". This activity was "hosted" by one of the math professors. The "kids" competed against one of his math classes. Annie was so excited...she got all the problems (they were mostly math puzzle type things), including one none of the college kids did. This fact, along with her instant adoration of the math professor, seemed to break her math dread. (She's always been very good at math. She was even chosen for Math Olympia when she was in school. But she's never really enjoyed it all that much.) Now she's practically euphoric at the idea of taking this professor's math class! Hope the feeling lasts.

But all the fun she had with the different activities and all the new friends she made don't even begin to compare with her elation at winning the "big prize"...



Yep, she won an MP3 player. Lucky kid! Rich said it seems like a really nice one, too. (I, personally, don't know anything about them, except that I really want one.) Anyway, I don't think the ear-to-ear grin has left her face since winning it!

So, all in all, I'd say we made the right decision to send her yesterday.

why I love my husband's job

A high salary and a light workload are definitely not among the perks of teaching at a large community college. But I love Rich's job for so many other reasons...

First of all, because Rich loves it. Teaching makes him happy! He's really good at it, too. And his students adore him! (Most of them, anyway.) Some send him cards thanking him for getting them interested in biology or environmental science or whatever. A couple days ago, the department head showed him a student review from a student who wrote that Rich was the best science teacher he'd ever had. And that kind of thing is common. (Can you tell I'm sort of proud of him?)

But that's not the only benefit...it's been so great to be up on all the goings on at the school for Annie's sake. Because of Rich's job, Annie has had the chance to do some neat things during this year of homeschooling that we probably wouldn't have known about otherwise. A few weeks back, she was able to attend 2 lectures about preserving biodiversity by E.O. Wilson (2-time Pulitzer Prize winning biologist). Yesterday afternoon she was able to attend a poetry reading by Pulitzer Prize winning poet Mary Oliver. (Wish I could have gone, too...I love her poetry!) And Saturday, she will be attending a lecture by paleontologist Mark Norell. A total treat for her...she loved his book Unearthing the Dragon as it was about two of her loves, paleontology and Chinese culture. Granted, it's not like she couldn't have done these things if Rich didn't work there, but it certainly makes it all much easier.

Anyway, this is a reminder to myself to be grateful. In my head, I often complain about how much Rich has to work (though a lot of it he does at home). And someday, I hope that he will have more free time. But for now, I am thankful. We don't have a lot of money, but at least I can stay home. And not only does he have a job (which is something to be thankful for all on its own), but he has a job that makes him happy. So, yeah, we are blessed.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday

1. Does what you read vary by the season? For instance, Do you read different kinds of books in the summer than the winter?

--I probably should skip playing this week, because again my answer is simply boring. My reading doesn't vary at all by season. In the past, I've just always read whatever I happened to be in the mood for, and I don't think that has ever following any kind of pattern. Maybe the one exception would be that I occasionally read some kind of Christmas themed book around the holidays.

Anyway, these days I think my choices are dictated a lot by homeschooling--and all the reading challenges I can't seem to stop myself from signing up for.

Thursday Challenge

This week's Thursday Challenge: Fun



O.K., I know on the surface, this photo is not screaming out "fun". But I chose it for a reason. This photo was taken as we were stopped at a railroad crossing. Now while many people were taking this 10-minute delay either as an unavoidable fact of life and probably many more were viewing it as a major nuisance, our sweet little Maxidoodle was having the time of his life. 10 full minutes of train-induced bliss! So, like beauty, I think that "fun" is in the eye of the beholder.

made with love

I come by my love of crafting and creating honestly. My family is loaded with talented crafters. It's in my genes, I guess. (Well, the love, that is, not the talent.) Anyway, I have long meant to make a scrapbook documenting some of our precious treasures made by loved ones. But a comment Jean made yesterday, gave me an idea. Why not blog about them? After all, I'm much more likely to get that done than I am a scrapbook! So, from time to time, I'm going to do a little post about a handmade treasure that adorns our home.



The quilt that sparked Jean's comment was made by my incredible mom. The photo really doesn't do the quilt justice, I must say. It is so vibrant and cheerful in real life. I saw this printed panel somewhere and fell in love with it. So of course, Mom, being the sweet, thoughtful, generous soul she is, set to work making it for me. She cross-stitched the design (it was printed on the fabric), and then she hand-quilted it. I tried, but couldn't manage to get a good close-up of her quilting. She is amazing! Truly, truly a talented quilter. She doesn't love piecing quilts, though she has done several. Her passion is the hand-quilting. And believe me, her love shines right through!

proof of our addiction...

Annie and I certainly have jumped on the reading challenge bandwagon. And I now have photographic proof:



I drug this less-than-lovely shelf unit up from my craft room this morning. With all the weeding out I've been doing down there for the 30 Day Organization Challenge, I don't think I'm going to need it in the craft room anymore. (Yes, I really am still slowly plugging away with the challenge.) I figured it would be a good place to house all the books Annie and I have on our reading challenge lists. (Some of the books for our challenges will come from the library, but these are the ones we already had.) They had totally taken over my nightstand and the top of Annie's chifferobe, so I thought it might be nice to have a place to keep them all. Unfortunately, the living room is really the only place that I could find to put it in our "cozy" little house. Not terribly attractive. But a living room should be for living, right?

screaming spring

Really, does anything say "spring" more vibrantly, more cheerfully than daffodils? To me, they are simply the epitome. I read over at Stacy's that it's starting to feel like summer in her neck of the woods already. I'm just happy spring is finally making an appearance here. Hope it hangs around a while...and I hope the daffodils do, too.

here we go again...

Well, as I said earlier, Annie and I are signing up for another reading challenge. Someone just shoot me, please. I know that I really should not be doing this, but I couldn't resist...I mean it's The Newbery Challenge! Nattie Writes is hosting. It was easy to throw together a list of books I really, really, really wanted to read anyway...

1. The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
2. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
3. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
4. The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
5. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (thanks for the recommendation, Kelli!)
6. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
7. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
8. The High Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

confession

Yep, suppose I should 'fess up and admit that I didn't get nearly all I'd planned done over the weekend. I did manage to get tons of school prep work done. But all the rest of my plans, well...

I could have spent yesterday painting my craft room. But it was sooooo gorgeous outside and the gang wanted to head up to the lake to do some beach-combing. Rich offered to take them by himself, but I really wanted to spend the afternoon hanging with my little gang. Those walls aren't going anywhere, after all, right? And it really was a glorious day at the beach. We found oodles of treasures...pretty rocks, and crab claws, and pretty shells, and fish vertebrae, and feathers... An absolutely perfect family day!

And speaking of perfect days, this is how Annie spent her Saturday morning...

Spending the whole morning outside reading...she was in heaven!

And Maxidoodle had a great time this afternoon...his first play date. Alec, his sweet little friend from preschool, came over. My heart just melted...they were so adorable to watch! Max and Gray are both shy little fellows, polar opposites of Annie with her outgoing, gregarious ways. So it's always nice to see either of the boys having so much fun with a friend of their own.

Well, I suppose I should go get my rolls prepared and onto the baking sheets to rise. Then maybe I'll be back to post about yet another reading challenge that Annie and I want to participate in. Yep, you read that right. What is my problem?!!

Menu Plan Monday

As always, a big thank you to Laura for hosting! My family eats much better thanks to her!

On slate for the this week:

*spaghetti/Italian bread (this will be an easy one as I made a super huge batch of spaghetti sauce last week...just need to pull some sauce from the freezer)

*kielbasa & sauerkraut/pierogies/applesauce

*chicken & rice/broccoli/zucchini oatmeal muffins

*turkey reubens (new recipe)/pizza salad/nutty banana shakes for dessert (another new recipe)

*slow cooked salsa beef (hope this turns out...I'm going to try a to adapt a "regular" recipe for use in the crockpot)/cauliflower/homemade rolls

*cheesy potatoes and ham/banana oatmeal muffins (new recipe)/broccoli

*bean burritos/chili cheese puff/wankerflots (which are essentially just refried beans mixed with salsa and topped with chopped red onion and shredded cheddar thrown in the microwave for a few minutes)

creating update (week 9)

Just popping in super quick here to post my creative update (didn't want to be late 3 weeks in a row). Then I must be off to get back to work...I'm nowhere near done with all I had planned for the weekend. Will have to wait until tomorrow to catch up with everyone's blogs.

Anyway, not much to report. Cut mats for the photos on my current layout, but that's it. Worked a bit on Annie's scarf, but the progress isn't worth photographing. About all I have to show is my little set of drawers. Isn't really all that creative, I suppose, but it's my update, so I can post whatever I want, right?

I salvaged this little chest out of the trash over 10 years ago when we lived in Memphis. Always meant to paint the thing. Finally got around to it.

Before:



After:



Not all that spectacular, but I think it will look cute in my finished craft room. If my craft room ever gets finished, that is. I hated the original handles. Had some little knobs that would have looked really cute, but after scrounging around in Rich's screw bins for nearly half an hour, I couldn't find any screws that were the right size. So I tried something a little different...


I kind of like how it came out. It's a heck of lot better than it started out anyway.



And that concludes another lackluster creating update.

busy weekend ahead...

Busy, but not particularly fun. It is my goal to get my little craft room painted (for the 30 Day Organizational Challenge). We're nearing the end of the challenge, but I fear I am no where close to nearing the end of my work! I still have an awful lot of emptying out before I can begin the painting process. But that is one of my goals for the weekend.

I also have quite a bit of prep work for the school week ahead. And I hope that Annie and I can find time this weekend to make Boston Brown Bread and to "churn" some butter. (Not really churning, just shaking the living crap out of some whipping cream in a jar.) It's really funny...Annie never used to like to cook. The boys love it, but never Annie. Until we started homeschooling, that is. For some reason, when it's somehow related to "school", she absolutely loves it!

I'd also really like to finish Inkheart. I have yet to finish a book for the Once Upon a Time Reading Challenge. I'd also like to finish Annie's scarf, though that's not likely. And I'd like to finish a page for our 2006 vacation album (which shouldn't be all that hard...I'm just following my plan throughout the album...it's just a matter of finding time to execute the plan).

On a totally unrelated note, does anyone out there belong to Paperback Swap? Probably should have asked this question before I went and joined yesterday, but I just couldn't resist signing up. I think it's just a fabulous concept! Being able to "trade" your books with thousands and thousands of other people. Just signed up yesterday, and already had 2 of the books I posted requested. Nice to know the books will be going to someone who really wants them! And we now have credits to get 5 books (3 for signing up and 2 for mailing out the requested books). Such fun...another little addiction for me!

Well, I suppose to have any hope whatsoever of accomplishing my to-dos, I'd better get off this computer. Now.

utterly hopeless

That's me. What has gotten into me?!! I'm joining yet ANOTHER book challenge! Hosted by Maggie Reads, this one is the Southern Reading Challenge. Who am I kidding here? I guess I'm going to have to send Annie back to school, hire a maid (yeah, don't I wish?!!), and order take-out for the next several months so I can actually complete these challenges, huh? Oh well, what is it they say...nothing ventured, nothing gained.

So anyway, here is my list:
1. A Time to Kill by John Grisham
(because it's been sitting in the bookcase for ages)
2. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
(because I think I'm the only person who hasn't read it)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
(because I love this book, and it's been far too long since I last read it, and Annie and I are going to discuss this one for home-school next fall anyway)

blogging fun

Up for a challenge, and some fun? Be sure to head over to Amy's. She's posted the details about her upcoming blogging scavenger hunt. It starts May 1...and it sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun. And yes, she's even giving away a pile of prizes!

more meme-ing

Found another little meme over at Amanda's this morning. A quick, easy one. But one I hope everyone will join in on...I'd love to get a peek at everyone's current reads.

1. What are you currently reading?
--Well, for enjoyment and The Once Upon a Time Reading Challenge, I'm currently reading Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. About halfway through it, and thoroughly enjoying it. Also reading Just Jane by William Lavender. It's an historical novel set during the American Revolution. Reading this one for homeschooling.

2. What did you just finish reading?
--Not sure if I should count this as it's only a 60ish page children's book, but it is the last book I finished...George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides by Rosalyn Schanzer. We used this as a quick intro to the American Revolution.

3. What will you be reading next?
--Though this choice isn't written in stone or anything, I think I'll read Call After Midnight by Tess Gerritsen next. And after Just Jane, Annie and I will be reading The Call of the Wild for our literature choice.

Thursday Challenge

This week's Thursday Challenge: Wildlife

Well, here I am cheating again. Just couldn't decide which to pick this morning (I have major problems making minor decisions). I'm guessing the first one is more in line with the intent of the topic, but I couldn't resist that second one.

Booking Through Thursday

This week's question for Booking Through Thursday:

*Okay, there must be something you read that's a guilty pleasure . . . a Harlequin romance stashed under the mattress. A cheesy sci-fi book tucked in the back of the freezer. A celebrity biography, a phoned-in Western . . . something that you'd really rather not be spotted reading. Even just a novel if you're a die-hard non-fiction fan. Come on, confess. We won't hold it against you!

--Almost didn't play this week, because my answer's simply boring. I don't think I do have any guilty pleasures. Maybe I should be embarrassed about everything I read, as none of it is particularly enlightening. (Except, of course, the stuff I read for homeschooling.) My favorite books are psychological thrillers. But I read for fun, and I'm just going to refuse to feel guilty about it! See, told you it was boring.

learning with Annie

When Annie and I began our homeschooling adventure this school year, it was for a very specific reason (i.e., she just wasn't getting what she needed at school). But it's amazing how our journey has developed and changed. We are having so much fun with this! I'm not saying it's not difficult, because it is. But that's mostly because of my anal retentive nature. Actually neither Annie nor I are cut out for the unschooling method of homeschooling, though I often wish we were. At the beginning of the year, we were definitely of the school-at-home style. But we've loosened up a bit.

We started a new quarter here this week, and we seem to off to a good start. A few of the things we're particularly enjoying right now...

*We finished up watching The War That Made America. We both thoroughly enjoyed it, and I have to admit I learned a great deal! Rich wants to watch it one of these days, so I'll probably even watch it again.

*We're started reading Just Jane by William Lavender. (We read it separately, and then discuss it.) I've never read much historical fiction, but I'm enjoying it so far. And it's meshes nicely with our other studies of the American Revolution, which we also just began.

*We watched the first episode of The Revolution this morning. I saw all but 2 of the episodes when the History Channel aired it last summer, so I already knew I was going to enjoy it. Annie is definitely enjoying it as well. Of course, this kiddo loves learning so much that she enjoys just about everything!

*We've started a unit (that's a bit formal, but I'm not sure what else to call it) about New York authors. This week we're reading Rip Van Winkle aloud. I was surprised that Annie didn't already know the story, but she is quite captivated by it thus far.

*Though she's still writing down the titles and authors of the books she reads in her book log, she's for the most part now writing book reviews on her blog instead of writing short reports in the log. Much more fun!

*Annie is working on a set of greeting cards in an abstract expressionist style to send out as thank yous for her birthday. I'll have to remember to take a picture of them before she sends them.

Well, that's a few of the highlights from our past few days. (Sometimes it just feels good to write it down to know that we're actually accomplishing something.)

is it that bad?!!

While driving home from preschool today, we passed a dead skunk. Max exclaimed, "I smell Baker!"

Baker is apparently overdue for a bath.

it's madness, I tell you, madness

Yes, I seem to be caught in it! What is wrong with me?!! Why can't I stop joining these challenges?!!

But I'm telling you, this one sounded too good to resist. Debi is hosting the Medical Mystery Madness reading challenge. I love medical thrillers! But despite the fact that I have several sitting on my shelves, I haven't read any lately. So this is my chance, right? Besides, it doesn't start until June 1 first and I should a lot of my other challenge books read by then (yeah...right!). O.K., maybe it's just time to face the fact that I'm a compulsive joiner.

Anyway, here is the list I've come up with for the challenge...

Fatal by Michael Palmer
The Cobra Event by Richard Preston
Angel of Mercy by Andrew Neiderman
Terminal Condition by David Shobin
Lethal Practice by Peter Clement

(Might add more later, as I have at least another ten medical thrillers over on my "unread" bookcase. But for now, I don't want to overdo it.)

10 on Tuesday...

This week's Ten on Tuesday sounds tough! But, despite the fact that it is going to show off how old I am, I'm going to give it a shot...

**10 Idols/Heroes When You Were A Kid**
(in no particular order)

1. Mark Shera. (Played Dominic Luca on S.W.A.T., the TV show.) I had the biggest crush on him around the ages of 10-12. And back then I was determined to grow up and become a S.W.A.T. cop.
2. Rick Springfield. When he was on General Hospital, which Mom and I used to watch together after school. Another huge crush.
3. Larry Bowa. Didn't have a crush on him. He was just my baseball hero back in the days when I actually watched baseball.
4. David Woodley. For whatever reason, I just loved him when he quarterbacked for the Dolphins. I was so upset when he was replaced by Marino. (Yah, I got over that one fairly quickly.)
5. Stephen King. Back in high school, I devoured all his books. The Stand was my all-time favorite, and I read it several times.
6. Grandpa. This began when I was a kid, but it extends to the present day (though he died a few years ago).
7. Kate Jackson. I know she wasn't generally considered the sexiest of the Angels, but she was always my favorite. I thought she was smart and gorgeous!
8. Johnny Quest.
9. The whole Scooby Doo gang.
10. Shazam. O.K., not really, but I couldn't think of anything else. Can't even remember the name of the actor who played him, but I got his autograph at a county fair when I was a kid.

creating update (week 8)

Here I am, a day late...again. With little to report...again.

Scrapbooked for about 5 whole minutes. And I bought fabric and trim to make curtains for my craft room. Got the fabric washed, but haven't begun actual construction. About the only thing I really made any progress on is the new scarf I'm making for Annie.



And that about sums it up.

do you know your states?

Found this fun little challenge over at Rebecca's.

Can you name the 50 states in 10 minutes?

I made it with 5 minutes and 28 seconds to spare. Of course, homeschooling a geography loving 4th grader does give me an advantage. (No, she didn't help me, but I think I learn as much from her "schooling" as she does.)

Menu Plan Monday

I debated whether or not I should even post my menu this week. It is a truly uninspiring menu. It's one of those "we don't have much money right now" weeks, so it's heavily loaded with pasta and other boring meals. Anyway, here is our upcoming lackluster week in food:

*turkey sandwiches & leftovers (we had a big turkey dinner this weekend)

*spaghetti/salad/Italian bread

*chicken sandwiches/fries

*bagels/fried eggs

*salsa pasta/Italian bread

*grilled cheese/choice of bean 'n bacon or tomato soup

*ladle-it-on (another pasta dish, which is essentially just shells with a sauce of crushed tomatoes, garlic, and basil, all topped with shredded mozzarella)

Many thanks to Laura for hosting!

oh no, not another one...

I honestly don't know what I'm thinking here, joining another book challenge. Seriously...I have no hope of finishing the other two. But none-the-less here I go. I've seen the little banner at other blogs, but assumed it had already started. What's that they say about assuming?!! I found out this morning that The Non-Fiction Five Challenge doesn't begin until May. So, I'm signing up. And I'm sure Annie will be signing up and posting her list later today as well. So, without further ado, my list...

1. The Trials of Life: A Natural History of Animal Behavior by David Attenborough
2. We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families: Stories From Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch
3. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan
4. Kiss Me, Kill Me by Ann Rule
5. And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts

It runs from May-September, so that's only one book a month...but still, at the rate I've been going...wish me luck!

more odds 'n ends

*Had a great day yesterday! Mom and Dad came up for the day...we don't see them nearly enough! We had a combined celebration for Annie and Mom's birthdays. (Which, of course, included more cake that I didn't need to be eating.) Mostly we just hung out. Grammy and Papa spoiled the munchkins. (Of course, that goes without saying!) Papa and the boys spent a lot of time playing, which allowed Mom and I to sit and chat. As part of the The 30 Day Organizational Challenge, I have started going through and weeding out my craft patterns/books. So Mom went through the ones I'd weeded and took what she wanted. And during her spring cleaning, she decided to get rid of a bunch of books that she'd already read. She brought the box up for me. I'd already read about half of them, but still ended up with all of these...



Now, of course, I need more books like another hole in the head. But I believe it's physically impossible to say "no" to good books...especially free ones!

*Okay, Carrie...here's my desk...



Carrie tagged me. She had to take a photo of her desk and post it. She's got a beautiful roll-top desk. Rich and I have long wanted a desk like hers! Anyway, she tagged me to post a photo of my desk. However, a couple days ago I didn't have a desk. Well not here anyway. The last time we were down visiting Mom and Dad, we found this piano-top desk at an antique store and fell in love. We bought it, but couldn't bring it home then. So yesterday, Mom and Dad brought it up with them. I told Carrie I would pile some crap on it, so it would look more like it will inevitably look in the near future. But I just couldn't bring myself to do it! I have to enjoy it in its pristine beauty for a while first! O.K.--I now tag Stacy and Gail. Let's see which is the neater sister...heehee. I'm actually betting they both have very neat, organized desks.

*We took Mom and Dad out to dinner for Mom's birthday. And while we were out, Mom and I hit Joanns. I wanted to get some fabric to make some little valances for the windows in my craft room. I sort of had a picture in my mind of what kind of fabric I wanted...bright, happy, probably with flowers. And I found the perfect one! But they didn't have enough. So I ended up settling for something else...



I still really like it, but it's not what I was hoping for. I cannot wait to get my room painted and get the curtains up (that is, once I make them).

*Our suspicions were correct...Baker does have thyroid disease. Which as the vet said, is actually good news. It's easy to treat, and not too terribly expensive. He just has to take 2 pills a day, and have is blood checked occasionally. The vet said his lethargy should disappear, as well as all those extra pounds he's gained. Rich and I are so angry at his previous owners. We're convinced they knew about this and simply didn't tell the animal shelter. Maybe for fear no one would adopt him. But we would definitely have adopted him anyway...it was love at first sight! And had we known, it would have saved Baker these past five months of not feeling good. The poor guy put on 15+ pounds in the past 5 months...and that's a lot for a little guy like him! Anyway, we're just so happy that we found out what the problem is and that it's so easily treated.



Well, the to-do list is 10-miles long for the day, so I suppose it's time to sign off.

Thursday Challenge

This week's Thursday Challenge: Circle



Even when there's snow on the ground, I get flowers from my little guy. When he can't pick them, he makes his own! Such a little sweetie-pie!

blogging frustration

I just started reading Rebecca's blog. And I am thoroughly enjoying it! But this evening, for whatever reason, blogger will not let me comment...and it's frustrating me to no end! After fighting with it for 20 minutes, I've decided to give up (it is almost time for Jericho, after all).

So Rebecca, if you happen to read this, here is the comment I tried at least 10 times to post at your blog..."Wow! What a totally cool thing to do! I think I would have freaked if I'd have found it though. My little guy just came in to ask for a drink, saw your photo, and said, "Hey! Who cut off that cat's tail?" And let me tell you, he was indignant!"

To anyone else who just read that, be assured that no cat was in any way harmed! In fact, go check out the post yourself...it's really neat!

And blogger, please be kinder to me tomorrow!

munch, munch, munch

Yes, that sound you hear is me eating my words! I promised Baker I would set the record straight. Our paunchy little pooch passed his doggie training final. He even has the certificate to prove it. (Frankly, I think the teacher, who also happens to be our next door neighbor, just loves him and fudged his scores a bit...but don't tell Baker I said that, o.k.?)

Another update--there still have been no actual broken bones since the discovery of swing jumping. But there is a bruise about as big around as a saucer on Gray's leg. And Max is sporting a nice fat split lip. Miss Annie is still unscathed...because she's too scared to jump from more than about a foot off the ground (and believe me, this is just as well!).




And, totally unrelated to anything, we made a successful haul from the thrift store today...5 shirts and a book for Annie, 4 shirts and a light sweatshirt and a book and a pair of boots (to grow into) for Gray, 3 shirts for Max, a book and a pair of shoes for Rich, and a pair of shorts and a shirt and a pair of shoes for me...all for 38 dollars!

oh no...she's rambling again

*5 minutes of peace. Is that too much to ask? In this house, yes. I take short showers, usually about 5 minutes. Well, this morning, during that 5 minutes, each and every child felt the need to come in and disturb me with an "emergency". Annie felt compelled to let me know that she wanted to shower this morning, Max wanted to know if he could have a yellow rubber band, and Gray, with the closest thing to an actual emergency, came in stark naked to let me know he couldn't get his closet door open and thus couldn't get his clothes. I know, I know, I suppose I should lock the bathroom door...but in typical worrywart fashion, I imagine all manner of disastrous situations that might develop, and thus feel compelled to leave the door unlocked so they can have access to me should a real emergency arise. The problem being we have very different ideas of what a real emergency is.



*Our porky little piglet went to the vet yesterday. We've been concerned that Baker might have a thyroid problem. Vet said she wouldn't be surprised. But she also said beagles can be prone to being overweight. We should know later this week. And tonight is the night that Baker will fail his dog training "final exam". No, I'm not being pessimistic; I'm simply being realistic.






*Was hoping to finish Inkheart this week, which, by the way, I am enjoying thoroughly. But then reality reared its ugly head, and I realized that I need to read Just Jane for our upcoming literature unit. Started it last night, and I must admit I'm enjoying it as well, though it's quite different from my usually reads.


*Annie had a wonderful birthday weekend! Thank you everyone, for all the sweet birthday wishes!















*I've continued plugging away on my "craft room" for the 30 Day Organizational Challenge, but I'm beginning to doubt that I'll finish in time. I've decided to really do things right, so in the end, I hope it will be well worth it. On Saturday, Rich tore down the horribly ugly, crumbling drop ceiling that was in there. And then I spent nearly an hour vacuuming out all the cobwebs, etc. that had been hidden up above. But beyond that, I didn't make much progress over the weekend. But hey, it was Easter and Annie's birthday, right?

*The kids have discovered what great fun it is jumping off the swing. (How we managed to keep this great joy of childhood from them for so long is beyond me!) But back to the worrywart mommy, but I'm just waiting for a broken arm here this morning while Rich has the van off for its "check-up"...thus no way to transport mangled child to the ER.

Okay, guess it's time to cease this incessant babbling, and go accomplish something.

creating update (week 7)

A day late. And little to report. Managed to finish the matching hat for Annie. She absolutely loves it (which, frankly, kind of surprises me).

But that's it. No scrapbooking. No writing. No other crafting.

where does the time go?!!

I simply cannot believe that my little girl will be 10-years-old tomorrow! It doesn't seem possible.

I can so clearly remember life 10 years ago this evening. I was feeling utterly miserable. Physically, that is. I'd been on bed rest for 4 weeks. I'd been back in the hospital for 2 days. I had tubes and wires everywhere. I hadn't eaten or slept in those 2 days. I don't remember how many different medications I'd been given. I was on oxygen because my lungs had filled with fluid due to the magnesium sulfate I was on.

And yet, there was such a large part of me that was so excited! I knew that I was going to have my baby in my arms the next day! And then all of it would be worth it.

I've never been more right about anything in my life! Upon seeing that 5lb. 2oz. bundle of beautiful baby girl, nothing I'd been through mattered. Not one little bit!



And maybe the most miraculous part of all...the doctor who delivered Annie told us afterward that it was a blessing that my preeclampsia got so bad. She told us that the umbilical cord was wrapped around Annie's neck three times and in such a way that if she had been allowed to grow any bigger, she almost certainly would have died. Instead, she was born 5 weeks early and just as healthy and as beautiful as could be!


Fast forward 10 years, and I feel more blessed than ever that I get the privilege of being this wonderful child's mommy! And on that note, I shall sign off. I don't want to miss these last few hours of Annie as a 9-year-old!

lest I forget (update)

Well, Mr. Maxwell has out-smarted his dumb ol' mommy. Last night when I tucked him into bed, I reminded him that he said he was going to start listening to me tomorrow. He assured me that he remembered.

Today arrived. We made it until nearly 11:00am before I asked him to do something that he didn't want to do. "Maxie," I said, "you promised me you were going to listen to me today, remember?"

"No," he said, with an ear-to-ear grin on his face, "I said tomorrow. It's only today." If I didn't know better, I'd swear he had that planned all along.

lest I forget...

Just a couple things from the mouths of babes...

*At supper two nights ago, Gray asked, "How did they first make plastic?"

To which Rich answered, "I'm not really sure. We'll have to ask Grandpa." Because Grandpa is a chemist.

Gray, however, obviously thought there was a different reason that Grandpa would know...in this very incredulous voice, he asked, "Grandpa was a caveman?"

Needless to say, Rich and I nearly rolled out of our seats laughing before explaining that plastics have not been around nearly that long!

*Max has been especially challenging lately. He just won't seem to do anything I ask these days. It's been very exasperating. After supper yesterday, he asked me if I would help him brush his teeth. And in a very mature (ha!) manner, I answered, "I don't know; will you start doing what I ask?"

He quickly answers, "Yes." He obviously put no thought into what I'd actually said. So I said, "And WHEN will you start listening?"...fully expecting him to say, "Now."

But he paused thoughtfully, then looked up at me and said in the sweetest little voice, "How about tomorrow?"

flabbergasted

Yep. That's exactly what I am. Gail threw my name into her list. (She even cheated to do it. LOL) I honestly can't imagine WHY she named me, but I am so honored that she did! I look forward to reading her blog, as well as her sister Stacy's blog every day! In fact when they were both out of commission for a couple days there, I nearly went crazy! Anyway, back to the "why?"...as I told Gail, I'm pretty sure about the only thing I ever make anyone think is "This woman really needs to get a grip!" So let me just follow along with the "rules" here, and tell you about some of the blogs that I not only enjoy, but that will make you think far more than mine ever will...





1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote.

A few of the people I could have chosen (such as Gail and Stacy have already been tagged, so I suppose I shouldn't pick them. But there are so many interesting people out there who make me think, who make me stop and ponder things that may never have entered my mind otherwise, that I don't think I'll have any trouble completing this list...

1. Melissa at Little Wool Gatherings. I just recently started reading her blog. And I find her totally delightful! She makes me laugh, as well as think. I recently told her she was my new domestic idol. She's just so totally real and down-to-earth. And she does all these cool things that I just can't seem to find the time for, like sewing and gardening. And yes, she does it all while still being a mommy extraordinaire to her brood.

2. Dawn at Thoughts From Along the Broken Road. Dawn's is one of the first blogs I started reading. She's an absolute sweetheart. And you just never know what you might find over at her blog. She's a sports nut, and even though I'm not personally a baseball fan, I still occasionally read some of her baseball posts simply because of her enthusiasm. And speaking of her enthusiasm...Disney needs to hire her as their spokesperson! She takes wonderful photos of her numerous trips to the parks, too. She is also the only person I know (aside from Rich and I) that absolutely loves Boston Legal...and she always passes on her favorite quotes from the show (as well as from Grey's Anatomy, which she also loves). Some of my favorite posts are her "little bits of happy". I try to live in a state of perpetual thankfulness and I really try to take note of all the simple blessings in my life. I absolutely love reading Dawn's "little bits of happy"...and they never fail to spur me on to come up with a new thing to be thankful for.

3. Carrie at My Lil' Corner of the World. I just recently stumbled on Carrie's blog...and I will be forever grateful that I did. Carrie is an absolute doll! She's a loving mommy and a loving wife. You can see that come through in everything she writes. You can't help but come away from Carrie's place feeling happier than when you arrived...even if you were already happy to start with! And if you ask me, that's the best kind of "thinking" anyone could ever inspire!

4. Amanda at A Patchwork of Books. Another recent find. Amanda is sweet young book-loving blogger. She reminds me of what it was like to be young. And she's not just a book-lover, but she's a librarian as well. She writes wonderful book reviews! Because of her, my "to read" list has grown by leaps and bounds. So not only does she make me think as I read her blog, but she turns me on to books that lead to yet more "thinking"!

5. Marianne at Lil Bits of Me. I think Marianne's is the very first blog I ever started reading. And I still check in on her daily. Her blog is a wonderful eclectic mix. She sometimes tells really touching stories. She speaks adoringly of her grandkiddos. And she gets you thinking about things going on out there in the real world, often in a very humorous way.

Now these ladies are so much more deserving than I, and I strongly suggest you visit each and every one of them! And I'm going to cheat a bit, too. There's one more blog I really want to mention...Kelli at Well Behaved Women.... She may not be for everyone. She's hilarious and irreverent and as real as you get! She's mom to a whole of flock of kiddos...and I'm guessing they all think she's the greatest! I adore her.

I humbly thank you once again, Gail!

don't I wish...

As I was reading comments a few moments ago, I simply had to burst out laughing! Stacy jokingly called me Wonder Woman. It made me wonder about how I portray myself as I blog though. Am I somehow being dishonest? I don't mean to be. But if so, here's the real scoop...

I feel like a consummate underachiever. I never seem to be "caught up" with anything...

1. Homeschooling, by far, takes up most of my time. Not so much the time actually spent "teaching". The time I spend directly engaged with Annie on a daily basis with school stuff probably only averages 2-3 hours a day (the discussions, the explaining, the watching of videos, etc.). But the amount of time spent in preparing far surpasses that. We don't use any kind of pre-packaged curriculum. Annie's abilities are all over the place, so a grade-level package simply wouldn't work. Besides that, they are generally ridiculously expensive. So I put things together from a variety of sources...library resources, the Internet, workbooks, shows taped from TV, etc. And so far anyway, it seems to be working very well. We believe Annie's getting an appropriate education "for her". But it is so time-consuming for me "putting it all together". Half the time, I have to learn everything first. But here comes the drowning underachiever part...today is the last day of our 3rd quarter. And I have next to nothing ready for the 4th quarter. I will need to spend an unbelievable amount of time over spring break just trying to make sure we have enough to do for the first couple weeks. And then I will be struggling for the rest of the quarter just to stay a day or two ahead of where we need to be.

2. There was a time I would never worry about someone just dropping in. I would be confident that the house looked good at any given time. Those days are gone. Yes, I keep the bathroom clean. And do a halfway decent job at keeping the place vacuumed. But there is an embarrassing layer of dust on everything! I simply can't keep up with the clutter that seems to invade every last nook and cranny. I've nearly given up completely on the boys' room...we're planning on redecorating it this summer (actually you could drop the "re", we've never really decorated it at all since we moved in here). I got so tired of fighting with all their "crap", that I just gave up. Hoping that we'll come up with some great storage ideas when we decorate this summer. And aside from their room, there are other major disaster areas...my little craft room and the laundry area in the basement as well as the garage (it looks like a bomb went off in there!).

3. I used to make all my cards. I never, ever was late in sending off cards or gifts. Usually had things ready weeks, if not months, ahead of time. No more. Already this year I've been late with birthdays twice! There's just no excuse for that! Geez--Annie's birthday is Sunday and I haven't yet made her a card or wrapped her gifts. I didn't get around to making Easter cards (though I did mail Easter packages) and I haven't yet filled Easter baskets or eggs for the egg hunt.

4. I want to read more for pleasure. And I'm trying. Hence the reading challenges I've joined. (The Spring Reading Thing and The Once Upon a Time Challenge)But I'm really not doing all that well, and can already predict that I won't actually meet either challenge (despite the fact that I tried to keep each list small).

5. I wish I could make more time to create. I know I talk about it enough, but I seem to get very little done. There was a time when I made a good percentage of our Christmas gifts each year. Can't even imagine that anymore. I've got thousands upon thousands of photos I'd like to scrap. Yeah, right, like that's ever gonna happen.

6. Our yard is a disaster as well. We had a week's worth of nice weather there. I should have been cleaning out the flower beds! But I didn't get to it (aside from pulling out about 500 maple seedlings, that is). And now I can't do it, because they're covered in snow again.

Wonder Woman I will never be. I can accept that, but I do wish I could accomplish something once in a while aside from laundry and cooking and child care. Anyway, in case I was somehow making it sound like I was some kind of Wonder Woman, I hope I have now set the record straight. Yep, Undeniable Underachiever...that's a much more fitting title.

on today's plate...

*It's the start of the 30 Day Organizational Challenge! I am both excited about it and dreading it. I'm keeping track of my progress here.

*Annie's cold has taken a turn for the worse. Of course, it is just a cold. From listening to her, however, you'd think she was in the throws of some horrible, painful, and probably terminal disease. She and Max are so alike in many respects, but this definitely isn't one of them. That kid can be sicker than a dog, and still never complain about it.

*Have to take Annie to the doctor today (a totally unrelated manner). She'll be getting a shot. Which luckily, she takes much more in stride than she does illness.

*Tonight is "dog school". They'll be practicing for next week's final. Baker doesn't stand a chance at passing! Lucky for him, he's cute as well as stubborn. (Hmmm...that applies to Max as well!)

*Annie and I are trying to finish up with this quarter of school. As soon as she finishes, she'll be done until April 16 (after spring break). I, of course, will not be...I have massive amounts of stuff to get ready for next quarter, as well as this quarter's progress report to write. (So much for spring break for Mommy, huh?)

--Well, with all those useless ramblings out of my system, I suppose I ought to go get started on that disaster zone...I don't think 30 days will possibly be enough!

10 on Tuesday

**10 Things You Love About Spring**

--Can I let you know when spring decides to actually stick around? According to the local 7-day forecast, we're in for snow tomorrow night and then every day right through Monday. Yep, including Easter. Oh, okay, let's give this a shot...

1. Not having to spend 30 minutes getting the monkeys snow-suited up every time they want to go out to play.
2. Not having to worry that Gray forgot his shoes or his snowpants when he heads off to school. (Worries can then focus solely on whether he remembered his homework and his lunch.)
3. Rich being able to sleep in a little bit because he doesn't have to shovel the driveway (yes, I believe we're one of about three households in town without a snow blower) and clean off the cars.
4. Saying good-bye to the frequent searches for the matching glove.
5. The return of color...all those spring flowers.
6. Hearing froggies a-courtin'.
7. Open windows. I so can't wait for this one!
8. Fewer loads of laundry (since we're all wearing less layers).
9. Reading outside while the munchkins play.
10. An easier-to-stomach heating bill.

one of those days...

Here it is, barely mid-afternoon, and I'm already worn out for the day. Couldn't sleep last night...more so because my brain wouldn't chill out than from the usual interruptions. Finally gave up and go up about 4:00. (Had to get up at 5:00 anyway, to tape an Assignment Discovery show...gotta love those free homeschool "supplies".) Anyway, I actually really enjoyed those early morning hours...curled up on the couch with a cup of coffee and read for an hour, then knit for the next hour while I watched the show I was taping. Rich got up about the time that was over, so I came in and posted my menu and read a few blogs. After that, things started going downhill...

--Annie woke up with a doozie of a cold.
--Max woke up with a doozie of a rash. He forgot to put on a pull-up before bed.
--All 5 blankets plus sheet on Max's bed paid the price.
--The neighbor called and wanted me to babysit her kid today after school (this is in addition to Wednesday and Thursday, all for no pay).
--Had to attend a parents' meeting at Max's preschool. (Though Annie and I were the only ones who showed up. Felt bad for the extremely nice lady who gave her whole presentation just for us.)
--Hit the grocery store to pick up a couple odd items.
--Hit the library to drop off a few and pick up a few things.
--Because I procrastinated for so long, I had to rush home to get my boxes ready to mail for Easter. Wanted to make sure I could get them to the P.O. today after I picked up Max from school. (Hope they all arrive in time.)
--Got home, made lunch, finally got the beds made (well, except for Max's since his bedding is in the dryer) and vacuumed the living room. (It looked like a popcorn factory exploded in there after the kids' movie last night.)

So here now it is almost time for Gray (and neighbor kid) to arrive home. I haven't even begun on Annie's school day, though she's spent the bulk of the day reading so we just may call that good with the exception of a few projects she's working on for "homework".

Okay. Enough complaining. On a good note, Rich and I got to go out last night and do our Easter/birthday shopping. Had a great time! We just don't get to spend nearly enough time together these days. (Of course, it is the fact that we were out for the evening that led to the pee-filled bed and the popcorn fiasco. It's somewhat comforting to know though, that a babysitter can't quite fill Mommy's shoes.) Anyway, also in the good column...I finished Jean's book. Had a hard time putting it down to get anything done on Saturday. It was fabulous. But I guess there's no need for a book review since no one else can read it anyway. (I really think she ought to look into changing that.)

Well, Max's bed is not going to put itself back together itself, is it? So on that note, I shall get back to work.

Menu Plan Monday

A couple quick updates. Carrie, I posted the Pizza Salad recipe here. Don't ask me why it's called pizza salad...it doesn't taste anything like pizza. Maybe because it has pepperoni in it? Anyway, it's a big family favorite in our little abode. And secondly, Dawn, I posted the recipe for the Almost Stuffed Peppers here. This is one of those recipes that makes the menu quite often around here. It's easy and yummy. We usually eat it as a main dish, but I've used it as a side dish, too. And it works well for us because you add the cooked ground beef to the rest at the very end, so it makes it easy for me to serve Annie (our resident vegetarian) the meatless version.

Okay, on to this week's menu:

*spaghetti/garlic bread/salad

*subs/chips

*red beans & rice (that we didn't get to last week...or the week before)

*Arizona Slop/tortilla chips/red grape salad (again, that we didn't get to last week)

*out to eat on Friday (for Annie's birthday, which falls on Easter this year, we're taking her and a friend to dinner and a movie)

Pretty easy week, because it's going to be a hectic one.

Thank you, Laura, for hosting! And thank you, Stacy for steering me in the right direction for posting the little banner thingies!

creating update (week 6)

On the knitting front this week, I continued working on the matching hat. Not looking much like a hat yet though, is it?

I also began I new knitting project. Another scarf for Annie. Would like to finish it in time for her birthday, but don't really see that happening.

And on the scrapbooking front, I made myself start this layout. And as I'd hoped, once I got started I didn't want to stop until I'd finished. Rich really loves this layout, as does Annie...and that's always the best reward. I already used this photo in our 2006 vacation album, and I rarely scrap the same photo twice, but I loved this one so much that I wanted Annie to have a copy of it in her personal albums.



And that concludes this creating update.