The Modest Momma

2010-12-27T21:50:00.003-05:00

Has it been 10 months since I last blogged? WOW! I had family things to take care of and it took up the whole year! I am looking forward to posting lots of fun things in 2011.

Morning Thoughts

2010-02-02T06:43:00.006-05:00

We filed our income taxes last week and are awaiting the return. It will be nice to get caught up on some bills and have a little left over to put in savings.

It has been hard living on 1/2 my husbands normal teaching salary, but we are making it, and proving that you don't need all those extra things to make you happy. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to travel, have 130 TV channels, go out to eat when you want, and shop for whatever you want. But it's not necessary to be happy! My family now comes together and plays computer games, board games, watches Netflix movies as a family, cooks together, and helps in picking out fabric for clothing to sew. We have grown closer as a family...and I wouldn't change that for one minute of having lots of money!!

Enjoy the gifts God has given you .... their much better than store bought ones!

February 1st!

2010-02-01T17:08:00.002-05:00

Wow.....it's the first of February......where did January go?

Sorry I have been MIA the last week. My son was sick and now I'm sick. I spent the last two days in bed. My husband graciously took care of our son while I was at the worst of this illness.

So, now that I'm on the mend and don't feel like a mack truck has run over me...I will be posting again!

Have a great February!

The Sewing Room....

2010-01-20T19:45:00.009-05:00

I have enlisted my sewing machine in helping me make Valentine gifts! He's had 2 weeks off after his overtime at Christmas! I should give him a raise.....some nice new needles should do! ;-)
Anyway, some of you have asked to see pictures of some of the things I'm making for the day of pink and red hearts! Here you go....(I'm still working on other things, so I will post pictures when they are completed)......

These are my pink cat lavender sachets. Aren't they cute! They all have the pink cat fabric on the front and black with dots on the back. They will be tied with a ribbon.

The red hearts are cute too. They all have the heart fabric on the front and the black with white dots on the back. I have some pretty sheer black ribbon to tie these together.

Hope you like them! They are simple yet very nice gifts. My family loves to get home made gifts from me. They look forward to what they will get on Valentines, birthdays, and Christmas. I am always trying to give them something different, but something I know they will enjoy and use. Some of my relatives like to put these sachets in clothes drawers, linen closets, and around the house. So, these make a very easy and inexpensive gift to give.

The Simple Womans Daybook

2010-01-18T08:19:00.001-05:00

FOR TODAY... January 18, 2010

Outside my window... the wind is blowing the leaves all around
I am thinking... about the lavender sachets I'm making for Valentines Day
I am thankful for... the ability to be a stay at home mom
I am wearing... my pajamas! I'm being lazy today!
I am remembering... what I have been reading in Matthew the last two weeks
I am going... to spend the day with my DH since he is not working today
I am reading... Matthew in my Bible
I am hoping... that God continues to provide for my family
On my mind... that my husband brought me breakfast in bed this morning!
I am sewing.....valentine gifts
From the learning rooms... we are focusing on my sons scribbley hand writing this week
Noticing that... with God all things are possible
From the kitchen... I am going to make some bread today
Around the house...there's lots of dog hair to be vacuumed up
One of my favorite things... the squirrel that sits by the kitchen window and eats every day

Being A Better Wife

2010-01-13T13:17:00.006-05:00

I have been praying and asking God for help in the wife department. I consider myself a good wife. I keep the house clean, my son schooled, dinner on the table, pack his lunch for work, and I am there for him when he needs me. I know however that there are some things I could back off of, to be a better wife. Here is my short list!

1. stop nagging him about his socks not making it into the hamper. (is it really worth fighting over socks?!)
2. don't complain when he watches a 3 hour football game when he has something to fix in the house. (he works hard all week, he deserves some time do something he enjoys)
3. don't complain that he is late and didn't call and now dinner is getting cold (he works really hard at work and focuses on work and comes home every night like a good loving husband. A half hour is no big deal!)
4. don't complain that an hour before he has to be somewhere (instead of the night before) he asks you to iron a shirt. (Really, it's my fault that I didn't have the shirt ironed and ready when he needed it in the first place!)

So, I have been working on my nagging and complaining (ie:to not nag and complain) over the last 2 weeks, and my husband gave me a huge compliment last night! He thanked me for being a good wife! He has never done that. He always says I'm a good mom, good cook, good housekeeper, good teacher to our son, but never a good wife. It just boosted my moral last night when I heard it!

Lesson learned: The less I nag and complain....the better wife I will be! (It only took me 10 years to figure that out! LOL!!)

The Simple Womans Daybook

2010-01-11T08:53:00.004-05:00

FOR TODAY... January 11, 2010

Outside my window... there is frost in the trees and on our car

I am thinking... about all the things I have to do today

I am thankful for... the ability to be a stay at home mom

I am wearing... 2 shirts and a sweatshirt...because it's that cold!

I am remembering... when I used to play in the snow as a child

I am going... to cuddle up all day since I have nowhere to be!

I am reading... Matthew in my Bible

I am hoping... that God continues to provide for my family

On my mind... making lots of things for Valentines day

I am sewing.....a scarf, some toys, and a pillowcase this week

From the learning rooms... we are learning about the ancient Babalonians in History this week

Noticing that... with God all things are possible

From the kitchen... I am making some home made wheat bread

Around the house... the dogs are chasing each other and leaving toys for me to pick up

One of my favorite things... laughing with my son

2010-01-07T14:31:00.002-05:00

The more I read my Bible the more of an understanding I have on what God wants for my life. I know...it's not a very profound statement, but I know a lot of people who are 'lost' and don't know what to do.

I thank God for the wisdom he has shown me, and for giving me a patient and loving husband. I ask my DH many questions as I get deeper into my bible studies, and he has been very helpful.

I pray that God will continue to guide me on the path he has chosen.

In The Garden - Planning For Spring

2010-01-04T10:41:00.003-05:00

Now is the time for me to plan our garden for the spring. Every year we grow something new, and I have been trying to figure out what I want to grow this year. Here is a list of what we have grown in past.

Blueberries

Strawberries

Green Peppers

Yellow Squash

Cucumbers

Tomato's

Corn

Carrots

Green Onions

Peas

Hot Peppers

Herbs

Don't think I live on lots of land either! I am on 1/10 of an acre! Very small! We have sectioned off some of our back yard for our food. We also utilize hanging planters, and lattice on our fence to help things grown in our small space.

I'm thinking of growing potato's this year. I have do a lot reading before I make my decision. I don't want to start growing something without being informed!

I'll let you know!

2010-01-03T18:05:00.003-05:00

This year I will be celebrating 10 years of marriage. And as I sit back and think about the last 10 years I realize that our marriage could be so much more. Not that it is bad. We have just planted ourselves in the hum drum roll of today's husband and wife. He goes to work, I stay home and home school our child, he comes home, we eat dinner, and we retire for the evening. Nothing exciting, just the same old boring us. I want to change that. And I plan to!!

We have date night every Friday, and usually we just stay home, watch a movie, and fall asleep. I have been planning some fun things like outings that cost nothing but the gas in the car to get there. If I want my marriage to be more fun, I have to plan it. My husbands works very hard and doesn't have time to plan these kinds of things. But I do!!

So, this will be the year of fun and excitement!

January Reading

2010-01-02T09:09:00.003-05:00

To say I love to read is an understatement! I read 2 t0 3 books every month. This year I decided to post about the books I am reading. This is going to be fun!!

My January reading will include:

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

Created To Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl

and....if I have time left in January.....

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

New Years Goals

2010-01-01T09:36:00.004-05:00

As I sit here on the first day of a new year, I am thinking of new years goals.

I don't make resolutions, I make goals. If I set them as a goal they seem to be easier to accomplish. What are my goals for 2010?

1. Read the Bible more....I start out 'gung ho' every year to read it the whole way through, and then get disappointed when I don't actually do it. This year I'm going to just read it, and learn. I'm not going to try to suck it all in in such a short time. The Bible is huge! I would rather read it slowly and let it work around in my mind so I can better understand it.

2. Declutter my house.....This is a big one! I have been 'collecting" things for years, and now these things are taking over. I need to get control and throw things out, sell them, or give them away. If I haven't used it in a year, I obviously don't need it!

3. Keep the weight off....I lost 17 pounds last year (my 2009 goal) and I would like to keep it off this year! I'm going to start exercising more. That's the plan anyway!

4. Work on marriage....This year my husband and I will be married 10 years. And although we are still together and happy, there is always room for improvement. There is always something I can do to keep him happy and improve things. I just need to start doing more of those things!

5. Be more creative.....I love to create. I love to sew and make things , but I let other things get in the way. My goal is to set some time aside every week to be creative. It makes me happy, and I can always use some more happy!!

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T05:15:00.000-05:00

It's 2010!!!

Since it's a new year, there will be some new changes to this blog!

I hope you come back to check them out!

Have a safe and happy new year!

Last Week of 2009

2009-12-28T11:01:00.002-05:00

Good morning all!

This is the last week of 2009, are you ready for 2010???

I have been working on my budget and my home management binder. Lots of things to do!!

I hope to get all my goals for 2010 written out too. I don't do resolutions, as they tend to be a let down if they are not accomplished. I make goals so that they are easily worked at throughout the year.

Wishing everyone a great week!

Christmas Blessings!

2009-12-25T17:25:00.002-05:00

I am truly blessed this Christmas!

Not only did I spend a great time with my family, but I was given with some wonderful gifts.

I didn't need gifts to feel blessed though. I have a great family, a roof over my head, a car for my husband to get to work in, and food on my table. I am blessed every day!

May all of you have a happy and healthy Christmas!

Update - When the unexpected happens

2009-12-23T08:40:00.004-05:00

Our great plan to stay afloat is slowly crumbling as I write this. My husband had horrible jaw pain last week and went to the emergency room ($50 copay). Then we found out it was his teeth, not anything medical. He went to a dentist this week and found out he needed an emergency root canal. This has set us back $660....and that is with insurance! He had 3 teeth done so it was $200 a tooth plus xrays. I'm not complaining (too much) though....if we didn't have the insurance it would have been so much worse!

So....this $660 had to come out of the car payment budget, which means I will have to Ebay like crazy to make up the money.

We did cut our phone bill this week by $40 by getting rid of all those extra services like caller ID, high speed internet, etc. I am not noticing too much of a difference on the net. Maybe my computer is just slow!! Cutting this from the budget will help us get back on our feet in the long run.

December Update

2009-12-01T11:48:00.003-05:00

Happy December!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I spent the weekend cleaning out storage to save us $100 a month. I needed to work off all of the ham and turkey I ate on Thursday! We had a good reason for storage. Our house is only 2 bedrooms and less than 1000 sq feet with no garage. We just couldn't see where we were going to put all of our stuff. I finally made the decision last week to use our screened porch for some of it. The rest I threw away in the storage dumpster. It was hard to do, but we really need that extra $100 every month to pay bills.

I have also made the decision to make all of my Christmas gifts this year. I just can't afford to buy all my relatives and friends gifts. I do however have plenty of fabric, scrapbook supplies, and jewelry making supplies to make plenty of gifts!

I will update when I can!

New Budget Update

2009-11-09T09:51:00.003-05:00

The last time I posted was in September. I have been so busy keeping up with every little dime we spend, and selling things on Ebay, that I have not had time to post. We made it through September and October OK. I am trying to stay current on all the bills. Some have been a little late, but they have all been paid. This month will be a little harder. I'm going to have to step up Ebaying to make it through this month. We are also looking towards Christmas. It will be small, but then again, it's not about the gifts we get!

Although the thought was there, we have not accepted any government help. People keep pushing us to do it, but I just don't think that's the way my family should go.

I will post more when I can. I'm going to make a real effort to post on a weekly basis while I try to keep this family financially afloat.

The Simple Womans Daybook

2009-11-09T09:25:00.005-05:00

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window... the cool breeze is scattering leaves all around

I am thinking... about my relatives that will visit on Wednesday

I am thankful for... the ability to be a stay at home mom

I am wearing... a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt

I am remembering... my time in the Midwest where I would be bundled up in layers this time of year

I am going... to Target later to look at fall candles and possibly purchase a few

I am reading... The Shack by William P. Young

I am hoping... that God continues to provide for my family

On my mind... All the Christmas gifts I am sewing this year

From the learning rooms... we are learning some great things with the classical approach

Noticing that... with God all things are possible

From the kitchen... I am thinking of making some homemade chicken soup this week

Around the house... there are lots of chores to be done

One of my favorite things... laughing with my son

Medications

2009-09-03T07:49:00.003-04:00

Last night I went to the pharmacy and spent $115 on one medication for my husband. I have to go back today and pick up another one that costs $119. His insurance doesn't kick in until October, so we are going to have to rearrange some things in the budget this month to accommodate this.

A New Month ~ A New Budget

2009-09-02T08:40:00.001-04:00

Some of you know that my husband lost his job in April. He found a temporary job, but that only lasted through the first week of June. The last 3 months have been hard. We have been living on our 401K retirement fund. NOT something I recommend doing, but we had no choice.

My husband recently found a part time job, and took it since jobs are scarce out here. It pays 1/2 of what he would normally bring home which makes me kind of nervous. My husband is a school teacher, and they don't get paid much to begin with. Now, to only have half, made me really buckle down and delete things from the budget.

Or budget was set pretty low to begin with (compared to others I have seen), so I was confused as to how I was going to get it any lower. Then I decided to cut the extras....cell phone, long distance, past medical bills, fast food, etc. We just can't afford this stuff. I cut $500 off the budget in the matter of 15 minutes.

Now we just need to stick to it!

Stick with me as I ducument how we live on $15,000 a year! It should be very interesting, and a very big challenge!

First Day Of Summer

2009-06-08T05:51:00.000-04:00

Today is my first day of summer! We finished school on Friday and we are now free to be somewhat lazy. Well....my son is. I still have to put his review book together for review this Friday. After Friday I am free to sleep in until at least 7:30! Of course I still have to cook, clean, wash clothes, and take care of the pets. I might just need a break after my summer break!

Last Day of School

2009-06-05T06:48:00.002-04:00

Today (hopefully) is our last day of homeschool. We will finish the 2nd grade and summer will begin. I still have the review book to put together, but it will only take a few days to type everything up.

I haven't decided what we are going to do this summer. We don't have the money to put our son in a summer camp. I will just have to plan some fun activities to keep us busy.

Sorry I haven't been around much this week, I have been busy busy with school and the baby.

A Day In The Life of Me

2009-06-01T06:01:00.028-04:00

Happy June everyone! I thought a great way to kick off the month would be to post a typical day around my house. So.....enjoy the first day of June!

5:45 AWAKE! Feed dogs, cat, and clean litter box. Wake husband for work. Make him breakfast and pack his lunch.

6:00 Unload dishwasher.....load dishwasher (I take Sundays off of any kitchen chores, so Monday there are lots of dishes to do.) Make sure husband takes his morning meds, and has his afternoon meds with him.

6:10 Chase dog outside to keep him from eating the frogs in our garden. (The last time he got one he threw up in the house. I try to avoid that from happening!)

6:20 Start a load of dark clothes in the washer.

6:30 Update Netflix Queue to make sure there will be movies in the mail this week. Wipe off white board and write June dates on it. Clean husbands desk.

7:00 My son is up and asking for breakfast! Time to cut up some fruit for a nice fruit salad with some yogurt.

7:15 Vacuum master bedroom, and ceiling fan. Dust TV and shelf. Change sheets and blanket.

7:35 Start a load of towels in the wash. Eat breakfast and catch up on my favorite blogs.

8:00 Fold and hang dark clothes that just finished drying. Feed sour dough starter and place in fridge.

8:15 Take out recycle and trash.

8:20 Make beds, and get crib ready for God daughter. ( to save space, I put all of her things in the crib when she is not here. )

8:30 Straighten kitchen

8:40 Go next door and get God daughter.

8:50 Put towels in washer

8:55 Get sons school books ready for teaching

9:00 Start school with son. Start with Reading book. Fed baby, rocked her to sleep.

9:30 changed a VERY smelly diaper and took it straight outside to the trash can.

9:35 Rocked baby back to sleep while helping son with reading questions.

9:45 Folded towels from the dryer. Put them away in the closet.

9:50 Had a snack ( a whole wheat apple muffin I baked Sunday before church). All this work is making me hungry!

10:00 Mix a bottle up so it will be ready when the baby wakes up.

10:05 Continue to help son with reading. We are reading 4 short stories in his book today.

10:10 Started a load of sheets and blankets in the wash.

10:15 Spoke to father in law on the phone

10:30 Baby crying...have to change her diaper and warm a bottle

10:40 Feed baby and rock her.

11:00 Put sheets in the dryer.

11:10 Put baby in Snuggli and walked around the house with her. We walked in the backyard, and went to check the mail.

11:30 Catch my son goofing off, so I added an extra page to his school work.

11:45 Rock baby back to sleep

11:55 Make lunch for my son and I ( a fresh hand cut salad for me, and a PB&J sandwich for my son)
12:15 Baby crying, rock her to sleep again - Eat lunch while she is asleep in my lap.

12:45 Update this page!

1:00 Get son started on Language Arts book.

1:10 Baby hungry....feed her again and rock her to sleep. Continue to help son with Language Arts lessons.

1:50 Baby finally sound asleep. Give my son a break from his lessons and try to fix the sound on computer.

2:00 No luck on the sound to the computer! Make another bottle for later.

2:05 Unload second set of dishes from dishwasher.

2:15 Rocked baby and sat her in bouncer so she can watch a movie with son (while I take a 5 minute break!!)

2:25 Rinse off dishes in the sink

2:30 Baby crying again.....warm up bottle and feed her.

2:50 Baby is finally asleep again! Fold sheets in dryer.

3:10 Baby up.....I am having a long day!

3:20 to 4:00 It all went by kinda of fast, but this is what I think happened! Husband comes home, phone rings, baby is crying, husband tries to talk to me while baby is crying, try to rock baby, babies mommy comes home and needs to use computer, baby finally falls asleep in my arms!

4:20 Baby wakes up and I take her home.

4:30 Can I go to bed now? NO! I need to call and see if my husbands prescription has been filled at Target. Keep in mind that I have not had any caffeine today. I am running on empty and could fall asleep at any moment! Oh...I also sat down to update this post.

4:50 Start dinner - whole wheat spaghetti with garlic and herb sauce

5:15 Dinner served

5:35 Check emails

5:50 Clean up dinner dishes, load dishwasher, wipe down counters, put dirty kitchen towels in basket.

6:20 Talk to neighbor about scrubbies I sell on Etsy

6:40 Take a long hot well deserved shower

6:55 Make some decaf tea

7:00 Send son to take a shower, get husbands evening medicine ready for him in case I fall asleep.

7:05 Log into Library and renew books that are due this week

7:10 Pop some popcorn for desert

7:15 Update this post, then I am going to go lay down and watch a movie I got from Netflix today.

Goodnight everyone. I finally finished 'work' today! I put in a good 13 1/2 hours. And it all starts again tomorrow!

Why Can't I Sleep In?

2009-05-30T07:47:00.004-04:00

Saturday is my 1 day to sleep in, and I just can't get my body to do it! I am up at 5:45 every morning with my husband to help him get ready for work. And Sundays I have church, so I'm up by about 6:30 to prepare to teach Sunday School. So....Saturdays....the day I love getting to....a day with no school, and no lunch to make before the sun comes up. And for some reason my body says ' nope, your not sleeping in!'.

So, I have been online reading my favorite blogs, and washing laundry.

I will then go to the grocery store to buy next weeks food.

I'm not sure what I will do after that, but I have a whole loooong day to do it!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Job...Money...Budget

2009-05-28T07:53:00.004-04:00

Ok...so I didn't get a lot of homeschooling done yesterday. I was busy planning our summer budget. Why? Well, because my husband doesn't have a job for the summer yet!

Here is the story.......

When my husband lost his job (that he was at for 4 years) he found a temporary job teaching that only lasts until school ends (the first week of June). After much discussion, we decided to cash out our 401K (that didn't have a whole lot anyway) from previous job and use it as a backup for summer. I do not recommend doing this! We only did it because we had no other choice. My husband has been actively looking for a job, but hasn't had much luck.

Our base budget is low enough that the 401K money will get us through the 3 months of summer. He can then go back to teaching on a temporary basis for the next school year if he hasn't found a job. We have also been entertaining the thought of me going back to work and my husband staying home and home schooling our son. I can work during the day, and he can teach at night. It's not the ideal situation, but the bills have to be paid.

So, yesterday I planned our base (live on the least amount of money) budget, and put it in writing. I also created a plan to sell stuff on Ebay again, and start making things to sell on Etsy.

So, that being said, I had to get it done so we had a real plan.

Today I feel like a weight has been lifted, and I can now focus on school!

Last week of 2nd grade

2009-05-26T09:57:00.003-04:00

We are finishing our last week of 2nd grade and I have mixed feelings! I am happy that we will finally get a break, but sad that my son is getting older and growing up. I know that time goes by fast. I get a little sad some times to think that in no time he will graduate and move on to college or trade school.

But, I am making the most of what I have now! I am trying to make this last week as fun as possible, while still motivating him to get his work done.

So...I will be busy busy this week. I will try to post at least 3 days this week!

3 Day Weekend

2009-05-23T07:18:00.003-04:00

My husband (who recently found a job teaching) has a 3 day weekend. We are all excited since we have not seen him much the last few weeks. The teacher before him was fired and he has had a lot of trouble with the students that were loyal to that teacher. He has had to do a lot of parent teacher conferences lately. This weekend will be a nice break for all of us. It has been raining here all week, so I am not sure what we will do over the next couple of days. It would be nice to go to the beach....but we are at the mercy of the weather.

Have a great weekend!

Rain Rain Go Away

2009-05-20T06:45:00.003-04:00

We are on day 3 of rain. It's normal for Florida, but I don't like it much. The dogs never want to go outside, and then they have 'accidents' in the house. I can't really blame them when it's an all out downpour with heavy winds.

So, what do we do when we can't go outside? My son and I have come up with several options.

1. play games on the computer
2. play card games....Go Fish and UNO are our favorites.
3. draw and color
4. read dinosaur books...his favorite!
5. watch online movies on Netflix

So, today I am homeschooling, doing chores, and hanging out inside with my son. I love my job!!

Baby....Homeschool....Housework....Long Day!

2009-05-18T07:23:00.004-04:00

I have my God daughter today from 9 to 3. When I add chores, homeschool, and dinner, I will be ready for bed by about.....6pm! I love having her though! It is well worth being tired at the end of the day. I will have to try to get my chores done during her naps so I don't have lots to do when she leaves. Luckily my son is learning to do his school work independently. I only have to sit with him to explain the lessons and check them at the end.

I updated my blog side bar this weekend. I will add more when I get a chance.

Have a great day!

Back to Blogging

2009-05-14T19:45:00.003-04:00

I know it has been a good 5 months since I have posted. I have had lots of good reasons. My husband is in Congestive Heart Failure again, I have been homeschooling the 2nd grade to my son, my neighbor has needed help throughout her pregnancy and after delivery, and my husband lost his job. So....life has not been boring!

I am back to blogging, and will post pictures of my God daughter soon. I will also update my saving money blog in the nest day or two.

I want to thank those that noticed I was gone. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.

2008-11-27T00:22:00.000-05:00

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Flu Shots

2008-11-06T07:01:00.003-05:00

My son and I went and got our flu shots yesterday. We didn't get them last year, and I wasn't sure we would this year either, but I have been hearing news of the flu going around.

My son did very well. This summer when he had his yearly checkup, they gave him a shot and the nurse and I both had to hold him down for it. I was quite nervous this time so I brought my mom for extra strength! She, like the wise grandmother she is, brought her Game Boy to distract him. It worked!! He cringed a little, but didn't squirm or try to fight the nurse.

As a treat for being so good, I took him to McDonald's for a hot fudge Sunday! He deserved it!!

Wonderful Daylight Savings

2008-11-02T19:35:00.002-05:00

I had a glorious day today!

We went to Church, then to my parents house for lunch, then did a couple errands before returning home.

I also sat down and watched Anne of Green Gables on PBS. What a wonderful movie! This is one I would love to have in my DVD collection.

I am now going to get my son ready for bed and then do a little reading.

Have a great evening!

Happy November!

2008-11-01T16:48:00.003-04:00

I love fall with all it's orange and burgundy colors. I also love that it is a cool 70 degrees!

I spent this morning at my son's football game, and then we went to the library and grocery store.

I purchased the entire months worth of groceries (minus the milk and eggs). The total came to $147.06!! I will then go to the store on Sundays after church for milk and sandwich bread. That will be about $6 a week. It was so nice getting it all done in one trip, and it only took me 1 hour to do it (I made a list before I went!).

The rest of the day has been filled with lots of work:

cleaned puppies crate (he still can't be trusted when we leave the house)
organized newspapers for recycle
vacuumed house
vacuumed all baseboards
cleaned out fridge
made orange jello with pineapple wedges for desert ( it's hard getting them to stay in place!)
cooked spaghetti for dinner
sorted and soaked pinto beans for tomorrows dinner ( I had to get out all the little rocks and broken beans that end up in the bag!)
loaded dishwasher....unloaded dishwasher....loaded dishwasher!

I am now going to go take a shower and curl up with a good book. Then I might watch a movie and go to bed early.

Have a great day!

DH Switching Jobs

2008-10-31T12:06:00.003-04:00

It looks like my husband is going to a new job. His current one is not paying the bills, and without knowing when we will get out of this economic slump, he has decided to move on. He has a really good chance of getting a Management position at one of his favorite restaurants. It's a major pay cut, but it's salary and enough to cover our budget. His current job is 100% commission, so we never know from week to week what he will get paid. I am happy for the salary, and will have to really stick to our budget since it's about $15K less a year than his current job (before the economic slump!).

We will find out on Monday or Tuesday if he gets it. Please pray that he does!

Thanks!

Stocking Up for Winter

2008-10-29T09:18:00.001-04:00

I have been stocking up on things this last week to help us get through the winter. I have 3 to 4 months worth of toothpaste, shampoo, bath soap, toothbrushes, lotion, and floss. I will start stocking the pantry this weekend. I will load up on rice, canned veggies, spaghetti, soup, meat, flower, and oatmeal. It is always a good idea to have some reserves in case something happens to your spouses job or can't work for some reason. I learned this the hard way!

I am putting together my list for this weekend, and will have to find room for the canned food. I may store it in the hall closet for now.

Anyway, I am busy busy today!

Have a great one!

Preparing For Winter

2008-10-28T19:31:00.006-04:00

In preparation for winter, I washed 8 loads of laundry yesterday. I wanted to make sure we had all our winter clothing washed and hung for the week. I also washed all the sheets and blankets.

Today I pulled out all the heavy comforters and sleeping bags. They got a bath as well. Since we don't have central heat, and it doesn't get below 35 degrees all winter, we rely on lots of layers and space heaters.

When it gets down to about 50 degrees or lower, we all bundle up in the master bedroom to sleep. We end up with me, my husband, my son, and the 2 little dogs. My son gets to camp out on a blow up mattress and a sleeping bag. He loves it because he gets to pretend like he is camping! We even let him stay up (until about 10:30) and watch movies with us. The joy of homeschooling!

The 2 big dogs on the other hand prefer to sleep in the living room on their couch. Yes, they have their own couch! It is our second couch that we hardly use. I put sheets on it so they don't ruin the fabric. In the winter I add lots of blankets and turn the space heater on for them. They are good dogs, so I trust then with the heater. The little dogs on the other hand would probably catch us all on fire! That is why they sleep with us!

We all stay warm and cozy in the winter, and our electric bill doesn't sky rocket with a big heat bill!

I am off to make some hot chocolate and get ready for bed!

Good Monday Mornin' To Ya!

2008-10-27T08:18:00.001-04:00

What a glorious Fall day it is in North Florida! We had rain for most of last week, so I am glad to see the sun is shining brightly!

Lately the Lord has been leading more and more towards him. After a car accident that totals your car, you tend to think of life a little differently. As I have been moving toward him, I have also been weeding out the negative and non Christian things in my life.

One of those being TV. No...I am not saying that watching TV isn't Christian. I am saying that the majority of shows on TV are not! I have chosen to stop watching shows that have less than Christian values. I have also limited my TV to the evening only. So from 8 - 10 I will only watch shows that I have Tivo'd. This helps me from sifting through the channels and being tempted to watch something I shouldn't. All I do is set the Tivo to record the shows during the week that I want, and no temptation! I am also getting so much more housework accomplished!

Well, that is all the time I have for Today. I will write more Tuesday.

Have a blessed day!
Melinda

Early Voting

2008-10-25T06:36:00.003-04:00

My husband has been hounding me to vote early so I won't have to stand in line on the 4th. So, last night he drove me to our local library to vote and it was packed!! I didn't realize so many people vote early. It wasn't too bad, I only stood in line for about 10 minutes and then had my chance to change history. It is such a good feeling to be able to voice my opinion and have it count!!

If you haven't already..... VOTE!

It has been a month....

2008-10-24T07:24:00.001-04:00

It has been a month since I have blogged, and with good reason.

The week of my last blog entry was a hard one. We thought my husband had a stroke. He had all the signs, and I rushed him to the ER. After spending almost a week in the hospital, we found out that it was the combination of medicines he was on that was causing these symptoms.

Then 3 days after he returned home, we were all in a car accident. My husband was rushed to the hospital while my son and I waited for the HP to arrive. The car was totalled and I was pretty shook up emotionally. We just paid that car off a year ago, and now it's destined for a salvage yard. The insurance just paid us for the car, but now we are down to 1 and we have had to rearrange my husbands work schedule for my sons church activities.

I have also been consistently behind on chores since all of this happened. I am trying my hardest to get caught up.

So, here I am, finally getting back to my normal schedule.

Now go kiss you husband and children, and tell them you love them. Take it from me....you never know what will happen.

Job..Chores.. School..Can I Do It All?

2008-09-23T06:55:00.000-04:00

I am having some trouble getting all my responsibilites done.

I worked from 6:40am to 8:00am and washed a load of blankets while I was working.

Then I had homeschool with my son and washed a 2 loads of sheets.

Then we had lunch and got the dishwasher loaded.

I wiped down the kitchen appliances and counters.

My husband came home and we chatted for a while (even though all I was thinking about was chores!)

Then I vacuumed the house and watched a tv show online that I missed last week.

I Washed some towels and folded sheets.

I cooked dinner, washed dishes and went back to work.

I worked from 5pm to 6pm, and then took a shower, and got my son ready for bed.

By 9:30 my son was in bed and I was exhausted!

Anyone who says working a job at home while working on the home is easy.....they are wrong!!

Trying to juggle housework, homeschool, and a 20 hour a week job, can be stressful, and exhausting.

Started Work Today!

2008-09-20T21:48:00.001-04:00

I started my new Ebay job today.

I gathered things I wanted to sell, and put them in different piles. I remembered that some of the items already had their pictures taken, so I looked for them on my computer.

Then I created some listings and uploaded to Ebay.

I worked from 9am - 11am, and 5pm - 7:25pm.

My husband gladly occupied my son by playing games on the computer. I love that he is so supportive!

Total time worked today.....4:25.

New Job

2008-09-19T09:08:00.001-04:00

I am going back to work......at home!!

My husbands job is in the construction business on 100% commission. Sales have been very low lately and our budget is not being met. I have struggled for a few days now with what to do, and have decided to work at home. I feel my God given job is at home. With my husband consistently sick, it just makes sense to work from home so that I am available at any moment. And the great thing is, if my husband does go to the ER, I have his laptop to use for work.

So, what is this new job I am going to do??????

Ebay!

I have sold on Ebay for about 5 years now as a very part time business. I usually make about $100 a month to support my fabric+yarn+book addiction. This was a great way for me to have spending money without digging into the family budget.

Now that our budget needs the money, I am going to use Ebay as a real job. I have worked out a schedule to work around homeschool, housework, Wednesday Church, and my sons football schedule.

The goal is to work 4 to 5 hours per day Monday - Saturday.

6:30am - 8:30am (before my son gets up in the morning)
2:00pm - 4:00pm (after homeschool & lunch...my son can read and play quietly)
7:00pm - 8:00pm (after dinner & dishes - my husband and son can have some quality time together)

I will work more if I have the energy and time in my schedule. I am scheduled for 25 to 30 hours a week. Sunday is my day off.

So, wish me luck!!

Husband Home

2008-09-18T18:18:00.000-04:00

I brought my husband home this afternoon. They couldn't figure out what was causing him to pass out, so he asked to come home. I am going to take him to his doctor next week, and possibly his neurologist.

I will write more soon.

Hospital Visit

2008-09-16T18:40:00.001-04:00

The ER did all sorts of tests and decided to keep him to find out what is causing him to pass out.

I will post updates when I can.

To the ER

2008-09-16T09:23:00.001-04:00

My husband passed out last night. I am going to take him to the ER this morning.

I will post when I can.

Blogger Friend School

2008-09-16T08:25:00.005-04:00

Assignment: This week I want you to do something for someone else. Do you have a neighbor that needs you? Do you know an elderly person or single mom that could use you? What about the homeless? Pack even one single sack lunch and give it to someone in need. Do you know someone in blog land that is struggling right now and could use a note from you about how much you care? Pray about this. Let God put on your heart the perfect thing for you to do for another. Now, here is the kicker…I DO NOT want you to post about what you do. Whatever you choose to do is between you and God. Our rewards are in heaven, not here on earth, Mathew 6:1. I want you to post about how doing this “act” made you feel. Was stepping out of your comfort zone in this area as hard as you thought it might be? Could you see the gratefulness in their eyes? Hear it in their voice? Tell it from their typing? Do you think you might make doing things like this a more regular part of your time? If this is an area that you are already active in, tell us how you feel this has impacted your life.

I have a neighbor that I help out quite a bit. At first, I wasn't sure what neighbors were supposed to do for each other. My family lived on military bases for most of my childhood, and most of the time, we didn't see our neighbors. If we did, it was usually just a 'hi, how are you' kind of thing.

So when my neighbor moved in and we got to know each other, I did the normal thing and said 'let me know if you need anything'. No one had ever called me on it, so I didn't think much of it. Then one day she did, and I was nervous. What are the rules to this? Do I help her once, or continue to? I didn't know. She was so thankful that she hugged me and said thank you about 10 times.

To be honest, I can't remember how I got over the nervousness, but after 2 years, we are very good friends now. And now, we help each other. It's like we are sisters who help each other out, not because we have to, but because it's what we do. It just comes naturally now. In short, taking that first step to help my neighbor has created a life long friendship.

A favorite verse of mine:

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:9-13

I do not have a picture of my hands, but I have a picture of my sons. We have taught him to help others, and give what he can. He sees what my husband and I do for our neighbors, friends, and family, and has learned to help others as well. This summer he helped pick tomato's to give to our neighbor.

The Simple Womans Daybook

2008-09-15T05:04:00.000-04:00

FOR TODAY September 15 , 2008...

Outside My Window...the sky is starting to turn blue

I am thinking... about all the places I need to declutter this week for my challenge on my other blog, as well as start my Power 90 weight loss challenge again.

I am thankful for... all the things God has given me

From the kitchen... I see the pressure cooker I used last night to cook dinner

I am wearing... a long dress

I am creating... some fun things to do in school this week. We are learning about the Aztecs and Incas this week!

I am going... to Church Wednesday Night

I am (still) reading... The Bible & America's Cheapest Family

I am hoping... I can get all my coupons clipped this week

I am hearing... everyone getting ready to go see John McCain downtown this morning

Around the house...I have little piles of clutter to clean up

One of my favorite things... is learning. I love homeschooling because we can learn more of the details of things, not just the surface stuff!!

A Few Plans For The Rest of the Week: home school, house work, declutter challenge, Blogger Homeschool, church, and see John McCain live at our arena downtown.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing from the American Heart Association Heart Walk from Saturday...

Blogger Friend School Assignmnet

2008-09-09T08:52:00.005-04:00

Assignment: This would be a good week to tell about your worst struggles with a lifestyle of homeschooling. Tell about something you’ve struggled with and how God’s mercies gave us the strength to get past it. Also, share any curriculum/homeschool methods that have been a relief to you, i.e., a particular Teacher’s Manual or Homeschooling method that’s been easier for your family. Talk about how you felt when the burden was lifted and Oh, What a Relief it is!

One of my worst struggles with homeschooling is socialization. My son went to public preK and Kindergarten, so he was used to being around a whole bunch of kids. When we started homeschooling, it was difficult for him to make the change. And since he is an only child, all he had was me during the day.

I was his constant source for attention, and it was really hard for me in the beginning. Every day when we finished school I wanted to start my housework, and he wanted to play and chat. I know I handled it the wrong way in the beginning by asking him to watch a movie or play a game on his own. And to be honest, sometimes he just annoyed me with all his talking. I love him dearly, but there were times I just couldn't do it.

Then, I found out our church had lots of evening activities during the school year. So we signed him up for flag football which practices one night a week and has games on Saturdays. We also signed him up for Royal Ambassadors on Wednesday nights. And of course, he had Sunday School and Church on Sundays. These were great things for him to look forward to during the week.

We started our second year of home schooling last month, and quickly signed him up for football and RA's. He looks forward to going to Church during the week to see his friends and chat. We also have a niece that homeschools, and they call each other 2 to 3 times a week to chat.

Now we chat as mom and son, not school mates! It is nice that he has the outlet at Church, and I have my time to get chores done.

God had all the tools in place for me, I just had to find them!!

Here is a picture of our school cubby

Tackle it Tuesday

2008-09-09T08:01:00.003-04:00

This month is my 3o Day Declutter Challenge. I am decluttering my house, so I can declutter my life! I am a week into it and still going strong!

Here are pictures from Day 2 of my 30 day declutter challenge!

Before:

After:

A Simple Journey to Debt Free Living

2008-09-08T14:16:00.003-04:00

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The Simple Womans Daybook

2008-09-08T08:18:00.004-04:00

FOR TODAY September 8 , 2008...

Outside My Window...the sky is bright blue with the yellow sun shining

I am thinking... about all the places I need to declutter this week for my challenge on my other blog

I am thankful for... all the things God has given me

From the kitchen... I see lots of dishes in the sink that need to be washed

I am wearing... my pj's

I am creating... some space in my house this week (my declutter challenge is still going strong! Check it out here)

I am going... to Church Wednesday Night

I am reading... The Bible & America's Cheapest Family

I am hoping... It doesn't get too hot, and I can get some work done in the yard this week

I am hearing... my son play with the dogs

Around the house...I have little sticky notes to indicate places I need to clean for my challenge

One of my favorite things... school supplies! I am checking out the clearance items at Target this week.

A Few Plans For The Rest of the Week: home school, house work, declutter challenge, Blogger Homeschool, and The AHA Heart Walk on Saturday

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

Thursday Thirteen

2008-09-04T06:07:00.000-04:00

13 0f the 30 places I'm cleaning on my 30 Day Declutter Challenge.

1. Pantry

2. My Desk

3. Kitchen Counter

4. Laundry Room

5. Top of Freezer

6. Living Room Closet

7. Hall Closet

8. Clothes Closet

9. White Desk

10. Sewing Table

11. Fabric Shelves

12. 'Stuff' Blocking Hutch

13. Hutch

Day 3 - Power 90 weight Loss Challenge

2008-09-03T18:57:00.000-04:00

Day 3 Journal

Today my son woke me up at 5:50 am with the sniffles. I did not get to work out this morning since I was caring for him. I wasn't sure I was even going to do it today. Then the little voice in my head said " Your son is playing a game on the computer...now is a good time!". So, I just worked out at....6:15pm. I did 4 of the 5 sets today (25 minutes). I am so proud of myself! I know I will feel the burn in the morning though!!

No weight change yet. I didn't expect any..it's only been 2.5 days!

What I have been eating today:

Breakfast - 1 cup oatmeal with brown sugar (I forgot how good oatmeal was!!)
Snack - 8 Ritz crackers
Lunch - 1/2 a can of Campbells Healthy Request Chicken Soup (no noodles, but lots of veggies!)
Snack - 3 Keebler chocolate chip cookies ( I know....I shouldn't have!!!)
Dinner - 1 egg sandwich ( 2 eggs over easy, pepper, miracle whip, and 2 slices of toast)
Snack - I'm not sure I will be awake long enough for a snack! If I do it will be sunflower seeds

What I have been drinking today:

2 cups of decaf tea with breakfast
1 can of Mug Rootbear with lunch
2 glasses of water after working out
2 glasses of water before bed

If off to take a shower and rest my poor legs!! They worked really hard today!

Executive Decision - Hanna

2008-09-02T20:03:00.005-04:00

I have made the decision to prepare for a hurricane! Hanna is making it difficult for the weather people to predict, and I don't want to wait until it is too late, if it does come my way. If you look at the picture you see the FRI at the top of Florida. That is where I live. YAY!!

So, I will start preparing my yard and house for a possible hurricane. Luckily we are prepared with water and flashlights from TS Fay 2 weeks ago! I would like to get some extra food though.

I will blog when I have time over the next few days. If I lose electricity on Friday, I will blog when it comes back up! Please keep us in your prayers!!

Melinda

Blogger Friend School Assignment

2008-09-02T07:36:00.007-04:00

Assignment: Take time this week to write about YOU and your feelings of trials and triumphs with homeschooling. Touch on when you first heard about the concept of home schooling and whether you tip-toed into the idea or just jumped in and never looked back. Share your schooling as a child and how you compare it to what your goals are for your children.

This is a tough one for me. And it is my very first assignment!

I was sent to public school as a child ( in the 80's). Both my parents worked, and it was the normal thing to do. I had friends, but I wasn't popular. There were groups that students wanted to be a part of..the jocks, the preps, etc. Who was going where, and who was dating who seemed to be more important in school. Drinking and smoking were very popular as well. If I had to sum it all up in a few words....I didn't like public school!

I had read about homeschooling in books and newspapers. It wasn't even a thought in my mind until I was pregnant with my son. My husband and I discussed it, and said it was a possibility, but not set in stone.

Then when my son was 2, my husband had his first open heart surgery. We quickly ran up a $30,000 medical debt. And that was with insurance! We quickly learned that I would have to work to help pay it off. I stayed home with my son until he was 5 and started preschool. I would work half days, and my mom would pick my son up after his 3 hours at school. Then, on the day of my sons Kindergarten orientation, my husband had his second open heart surgery. The surgeon said the reason he kept getting heart infections is because he had a low immune system. And when a virus attacks, it goes to weakest part of the body, which is his heart. The doctors told us to try to keep him from getting sick. We quickly found out, that public school is definitely the place to pick up germs. My son was getting sick every other month. He even brought the Flu home. We all got sick because of it.

When he finished the school year, we decided to homeschool. We were both scared, and my son was a little confused. Last year was our first year homeschooling. It was rough in the beginning, since I was now his teacher, and not just mom. But, by the end of the year we had the hang of it. I was super nervous for our evaluation. I just about had a panic attack. But I went, and the evaluator said we did very well, and were very organized. WHEW!!!! I was sooooooooo happy!

So I can happily say, we are homeschoolers for life! Not just because of my husbands health issues, but because of how my son is. He learned a lot of bad habits and attitudes in Public School. We now have our sweet happy child back! We get to spend more time together, go at a faster or slower pace in certain subjects, and explore more than in Public School. We even read the Bible as part of our home school. That would never happen in Public School!!

I believe God had it in our plan all along, he just wanted us to see both sides! I'm glad he did!

My goals for my son, are that he becomes a good Christian man, graduates high school, and picks a profession that he will be excited to go to every day. A job that fulfills his heart.

My favorite verse, that I absolutely believe in.....

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 KJV

Tackle it Tuesday

2008-09-01T21:29:00.000-04:00

This month is my 3o Day Declutter Challenge. I am decluttering my house, so I can declutter my life! It's so hard to sanely make it through the day without being able to find the things I need.

Here are pictures from Day 1 of my 30 day declutter challenge!

Before:

After:

Day 1 - Power 90 Weight Loss Challenge

2008-09-01T20:11:00.001-04:00

Day 1 Journal

I almost didn't start today! I woke up tired and for a moment said "maybe tomorrow". Then, I looked at the clothes in my closet I can no longer wear, and changed my mind!

I did 20 minutes of the 30 minute workout video. My legs were burning so bad, I just couldn't go anymore. There was no rest time in between sets. Now I know why they say you will lose weight. It's a constant flow of cardio movement!!

What I have been eating today:

Breakfast - 1 cup oatmeal with brown sugar

Snack - 8 baby carrots with ranch dip

Lunch - 1 can tuna fish with olive oil and a few croutons

Snack - 1 small apple

Dinner - 1 chicken thigh, 1 cup mashed potato's, and 1 cup cream corn

Snack - 1 cup of sunflower seeds

What I have been drinking today:

2 cups of water before breakfast

1.5 cups of hot decaf tea with breakfast

1 can Mug Rootbear with lunch

2 cups of water with afternoon snack

1.5 cups of hot decaf tea with dinner

2 cups of water with evening snack

Due to all the liquids I have been drinking, I am surprisingly not hungry! The down side...I have been taking potty breaks all day!!

What am I challenged with: I crave sugary and salty snacks. That is my weakness. If I can control what food I eat during snack time, I will definitely lose weight.

See you in the morning!!

The Simple Womens Daybook

2008-09-01T05:06:00.001-04:00

FOR TODAY September 1 , 2008...

Outside My Window...the sky is gray

I am thinking... about the soon to be hurricane Hanna that is currently planning her Friday arrival

I am thankful for... all the things God has given me

From the kitchen... I smell my new Glade Apple Cinnamon air freshener

I am wearing... a long olive green jumper dress with a black shirt underneath

I am creating... some room in my house today (my declutter challenge starts today! Check it out here)

I am going... to Church Wednesday Night

I am reading... America's Cheapest Family

I am hoping... that the Hanna changes course and doesn't come to my house!

I am hearing... the dishwasher running

Around the house...I have little sticky notes to indicate places I need to clean for my challenge

One of my favorite things... is cuddling up with a 'just out of the dryer' blanket

A Few Plans For The Rest of the Week: home school, house work, declutter challenge, Blogger Homeschool, and tracking Hanna

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

Menu Plan Monday

2008-09-01T04:55:00.001-04:00

Here is this weeks menu!

Monday - Chicken, Mashed Potato's, & Corn

Tuesday - Spaghetti & Cornbread

Wednesday - Chicken, Rice, & Green Beans

Thursday - Breakfast! Pancakes & Eggs

Friday - Publix Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, and Baked Beans

Saturday - Chicken, Mashed Potato's, & Corn

Sunday - Leftovers

New Look

2008-08-30T18:19:00.001-04:00

I spent the last hour giving my blog a new look.

What do you think?

I love pink, so I decided to add a little color!

Have a great weekend!!

Happy Friday!

2008-08-29T07:08:00.003-04:00

I am tired this morning, but it was worth staying up late. I was adding to my Home Management Binder. I started it 2 years ago, but didn't have very much in it. The more I learn about others HMB's the more I am adding to mine.

If you don't have one, I highly recommend it. It is a way to keep everything in one place. Schedules, weekly menu's, pantry inventory, cleaning info, homeschool info, medication list, mailing list, Church info, etc. I have it all in one binder. That way, if there is a storm or other problem, I can just pick up my binder and go!

I found the HMB idea on Candy's blog. The great thing is, you may already have all the supplies you need at home! Check out Candy's Binder here.

Today is a 1/2 day at homeschool, then a little cleaning, some coupon organizing, and date night with my husband. I will drop my son off at G&G's a little early so I can cook a nice meal for my dh!

I hope you all have a great day!!

Thursday Thirteen

2008-08-28T08:11:00.003-04:00

Thirteen books I have always wanted to read

1 Adventures of Hucklerry Fin
2 Anne of Green Gables
3 Aesops Fables
4 Little Women
5 Little Men
6 It's a Wonderful Life
7 Northanger Abbey
8 Odyssey
9 Old Yeller
10 Persuasion
11 The Red Badge of Courage
12 The Call of the Wild
13 The Jungle Book

Blogger Friend School

2008-08-28T06:24:00.000-04:00

Hey....guess what........I am enrolled in the 2008-2009 Blogger Friend School!

What is Blogger Friend School???

From their web site:

Welcome to Blogger Friend School’s Class of 2008-2009!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008 - Tuesday, June 9, 2009

We are excited to start another exciting year Building Friendships, Strengthening Faith, and Journaling Memories together!

Our class consists of homeschooling moms across the globe who come from a variety of cultures and different number of years in the homeschooling field.

I am also participating in their Back to School Giveaway!

To find out more go to the Blogger Friend School website here.

A Long Day......

2008-08-27T17:42:00.004-04:00

The title says it!

My son and I walked the puppy this morning, then had school. We ate lunch and went to G&G's house to have my dad record a movie for my son. He has one of those DVD recorders that records from the TV straight to a DVD! Pretty cool!! Then we took my brother to the library with us (he doesn't have a car). I found a great book to read to my son. It's called...

Classics to Read Aloud to Your Children

It has stories like "The Ugly Duckling", "The Red Badge of Courage", "The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin", and so on. I am excited to start reading these stories!

We then stopped by the grocery store, back to G&G's house, and then came home.

I am cooking dinner as I type....the stove is cooking dinner as I type!! I still need to vacuum the house and clean the fans.

Wishing Everyone a great evening!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-08-27T07:52:00.005-04:00

Tropical Storm Fay & Corn

Happy Tuesday!

2008-08-26T13:38:00.002-04:00

My son and I have been playing catch up with school this week. We are trying to make up for the days we missed during TS Fay.

I took him to McDonald's to rent a movie at the Redbox. We just love Redbox. You pay $1 to rent a newly released movie!

I hope you all have a great day!

The Simple Womans Daybook

2008-08-25T07:01:00.001-04:00

FOR TODAY August 25, 2008...

Outside My Window...the sky is a lovely blue

I am thinking... about all the schoolwork my son and I will do today

I am thankful for... all the things God has given me

From the kitchen... I smell coffee brewing

I am wearing... my pajamas

I am creating... some great blog posts today

I am going... to Target today to pick up my dh prescritpions

I am reading... America's Cheapest Family

I am hoping... that I can mowe the lawn today

I am hearing... the dogs play in the living room

Around the house... there are library books that need to be read

One of my favorite things... is the morning hug I get from my son

A Few Plans For The Rest of the Week: home school, house work, and yard work

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

To join in The Simple Woman's Daybook visit The Simple Woman's blog.

First Book Of The Year

2008-08-23T15:45:00.006-04:00

I have decided that I need to read more. Rather, I would like to read more. I love to read, and have decided to make more time in my day for it. Since I just had a birthday, I am considering it a new year! I hope to read 2 books a month. I have listed some books in the sidebar that I want to read in the next year, and will post all the links when I can. For now, I will give you the name of the first book I am reading.

Americas Cheapest Family

Good Saturday Morning To Ya

2008-08-23T08:39:00.002-04:00

I had a great Birthday dinner last night. We went to the grocery store for our weekly trip and my husband bought me some Publix chicken, potato salad, carrot salad, and an Edwards Chocolate Silk pie! Don't get me wrong, we had plans to eat out at a nice place, but with $ low, and the storm, we decided to eat in. It was just nice to spend a nice quiet birthday with my hubby! We then watched a movie and some TV.

And what did I get for my birthday??? My son made me some some pretty beeswax candles. He makes me something for Christmas and my birthday every year. Those beat a store bought gift any day!

I woke up this morning and prodded the dogs to go out. I skipped my morning coffee and decided on black tea. It has been a while since I had made any, so I did. Good choice! Then I woke my husband for work, and made him some eggs for breakfast. He loves it when I make him breakfast!

I have a few errands to run today since I was stuck at home half the week with storm Fay. I have to pick up some books at the Library for school next week, I have to get dog food, and pick my son up from my parents house.

Then I plan to get some chores done, and do some reading with my son.

I hope everyone has a great day!

Happy Birthday to......Me!!

2008-08-22T13:38:00.004-04:00

Today is my birthday and we are in the middle of Tropical Storm Fay with no electricity! YAAAY!!!

I spent the morning in gray sunlight with my son. We colored, read some books, and played with the dogs. I found out that my parents street is flooded from Fay, and there is no way into their neighborhood. So....my son will not be spending the night, and I will not be seeing a movie.

I can't complain though. Here's why.

I am thankful...

For Jesus giving his life for my sin, so I can have everlasting life

For my wonderful husband who has stayed with me for 8 long years

For my son, who besides Jesus, is the most precious gift I have ever been given

For my dogs who protect me and give me much needed love

For the roof over my head keeping me out of this horrible rain

For food on my table to keep this body alive

For my health, I thank the good Lord I am healthy

For my family who loves me without condition

For my friends who will drop everything to help me when I call

For my Church who has always lifted me up

And last but not least

For God, who has given me all of this!

Have a blessed day!
Melinda

Storm Update

2008-08-21T20:48:00.005-04:00

Fay has almost stalled and the winds are getting worse. The news is saying that she is getting slower and slower...not a good sign! This just means more rain and wind for us. I still have electricity, but about 70,000 people in my city are out! I thank the good Lord for sparing my home.

I inspected my yard earlier and noticed my corn is gone. Well, not gone, but they are all laying flat, and I am not sure they will recover. I have several puddles in the back yard, along with lots of little tree limbs and leaves.

I will post again in the morning.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

Melinda

Prepared For Fay

2008-08-21T07:06:00.003-04:00

I am happy to say that we are prepared for the long run of TS Fay. I have lunch and dinner prepared for today, and I have all the laundry and dishes washed. I have stored up enough jars of water for 3 days as well.

I am worried about flooding in my garden. I went out this morning and the corn is sideways. I am not sure if it will make it after this storm. We will have to see. Likewise, the tomato's are getting way more water than they need.

I am hoping I have electricity all day, but I am not going to get my hopes up!

I will post when I can.

Melinda

Electricity Out....Again!

2008-08-20T13:15:00.000-04:00

Electricity went out again! It was only 45 minutes this time.

I wasn't sure how long it would be out, so I went to my parents house and watched some of the news. I am glad to say that Fay is heading south of us tomorrow.

Thanks for all your prayers!

I will write more when I can.

Electricity Went Out

2008-08-20T09:14:00.004-04:00

At 5:45 am I heard the beeping of the backup battery on our computer. That sound could only mean one thing.....no electricity! My husband and I got up, found the flashlights, and lit some candles. The dogs were not so thrilled to go out in the rain, but we managed to get 2 of the 4 to go. The other 2 would rather let their bladders explode in order to stay out of the rain!

My son and I played a game of UNO and then Perfection (I am not good at this one!).

I set everything up in the kitchen so that I can cook the chicken and some blueberry bread right when the electricity went back on.

I took the opportunity to explain to my son that way back when, people didn't have electricity. And they didn't have lights and other electric devices. He would not be in favor of living back then! I LOVE it!! I love lighting the candles and reading by the light! Cooking on the other hand would have been impossible in this house. I do not have a fireplace, so I couldn't even heat up water.

I am going to attempt to get as much done as possible before I lose power again.

I will blog when I can.

Hope everyone else in Florida stays safe!

Melinda

Good Ol Tropical Storm Fay

2008-08-19T18:17:00.004-04:00

It seems that Fay is heading to my house! She wants to see Jacksonville! She is not an extremely strong storm, but with all tropical storms out here, electricity will be lost.

Please keep us in your prayers.

Thanks!

Tackle it Tuesday

2008-08-19T07:15:00.006-04:00

Coupons...Coupons...Coupons!!

I can't keep up!

I am having a contest on my other blog, so I needed to get them cut!

You can check out my coupon contest here.

My goal yesterday was to cut all the coupons I have. It took about 2 hours!

Here is the before picture...

And here are all the coupons cut out!

New Week of Chores!

2008-08-18T07:56:00.002-04:00

Another new week of chores!

TO DO's:

✔Walk dog
✔Put loos/small items from yard in shed
✔School son
✔Make Lunch: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
✔Chores
✔Cut out pictures for Sunday School
✔Dinner: Spaghetti
Read Book

The Simple Womans Daybook

2008-08-18T06:51:00.005-04:00

FOR TODAY August 18, 2008...

Outside My Window...the sky is slowly turning blue

I am thinking... about the storm that is coming my way over the next few days

I am thankful for... all the things God has given me

From the kitchen... I smell coffee brewing

I am wearing...jeans and sweatshirt

I am creating... some new Sunday school bags for my 2 year old class

I am going... to start putting things away in my yard ie: lawn chairs, flag, gardening tools

I am reading... Books That Build Character by William Kilpatrick

I am hoping... The storm does not turn into a hurricane, and that is doesn't come near my house!

I am hearing... the storm report on the Weather Channel

Around the house... I see dog toys scattered around

One of my favorite things... is my puppy sleeping with me

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: home school, house work, possibly leaving my house if the storm turns into a hurricane

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

Hurricane Prayer Request

2008-08-17T06:42:00.000-04:00

There is talk of a storm turning into a hurricane over the next 3 days. I will be busy preparing my yard and house in case it does come near us. You gotta love living in Florida!!

Please pray that the storm doesn't become a hurricane. Also, if it does become a hurricane, that it doesn't cause too much damage.

If it does seem to want to pass over my house, I will take my family to my parents house where it is safer. So, I may not be able to blog for a few days.

Thanks for your prayers!!

Cloth vs Disposable

2008-08-15T12:39:00.001-04:00

I am having a dilemma of sorts. As you know my little Godchild will be born at the end of March. The mom (my friend) is on a tight budget and is contemplating the two options. Having had a child, I know how much it costs to use disposables. But, after some research, I am finding that good cloth diapers are expensive too.

So my question to you is.....would it be cost effective to cloth diaper? And does anyone make their own? I have considered making some if it is not too costly.

So.....give me your comments please!!!! I could use them.

Thanks

Children and Freezers

2008-08-13T06:22:00.003-04:00

Some time on Monday my son turned the temp on the freezer to 'Off '. Monday night I noticed the freezer dripping a little and asked my husband what it was, and he said maybe condensation since it has been so hot here lately. We never bothered to check the temp. So yesterday morning I opened the freezer and noticed everything had melted! I about lost it! It didn't make sense to me. So then I looked in the fridge and noticed someone turned the temp off. There is only one person that would mess with it......yep.....my son! I corrected him as calmly as possible and told him to never touch it again, and then sent him to his room. I now have to throw out the ice cream, frozen (not so frozen) veggies, pizza rolls, pie crust, etc. Thank the Lord the meat was in the big freezer!!

Anyway, that is why I didn't post yesterday!

I am much better today, and will resume my regularly scheduled blogging!

Have a great day!

Menu Plan Monday

2008-08-11T10:05:00.006-04:00

Here is this weeks menu:

Monday: roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and veggies

Tuesday: spaghetti with garlic bread

Wednesday: rice & beans

Thursday: breakfast!! pancakes and eggs

Friday: date night...we eat out!

Saturday: chicken with roasted potatoes and veggies

Sunday: leftovers

The Simple Womans Daybook

2008-08-11T06:34:00.000-04:00

FOR TODAY August 11, 2008...

Outside My Window...the sky is slowly turning blue

I am thinking... of all my frog friends going home to rest after a long night of hunting for food!

I am thankful for... all the things God has given me

From the kitchen... I smell coffee brewing

I am wearing... my pajamas

I am creating... some beautiful envelopes today

I am going... to attempt to declutter my office today

I am reading... a lot of blogs this morning!

I am hoping... that it rains today

I am hearing... the 2 baby cardinals in the nest outside my window

Around the house... I have little piles of clutter :(

One of my favorite things... is my pumpkin spice candle

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: home school, house work, yard work, and a movie

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... One of my frog friends!

To join in The Simple Woman's Daybook visit The Simple Woman's blog

50 Ideas For Taking Care of Mom

2008-08-09T20:08:00.000-04:00

50+ Ideas for Taking Care of Mom!

By Cindy Rushton
Ultimate Homeschool Expo

Tired? Weary? Need some fresh ideas for taking care of mom? Feeling that push and pull on you as you balance all of the many demands in your life? Are you great about taking care of others, yet not quite so good about taking care of YOU? Has it been a long, long time since you have done the little things to just fill your cup back up? How about a few fresh ideas for filling your cup and ministering to your heart! I promise that these will be easy for you to do!

--> Grab Your iPod and go for a long, long walk! I LOVE my iPod. I have it filled with great Praise and Worship music, teachings and workshops, podcasts, tutorials, etc. My iPod has become my “pocket pal” when I work on my chores, take care of business duties, or even get out for my walk. Talk about my best investment of 2006!

--> Laugh! Just sit there right now...laugh! Start small...just a little giggle! Then...laugh about laughing! Roll on the floor laughing! Feel better?

--> Begin a new Bible Study. Either find a Bible Study guide...or dig out Words to study on your own! For Word Studies, I LOVE my Strong’s Concordance. It helps to find all of the references of a certain word of interest. I also love my Vine’s Dictionary. I use it to look up the meanings of the words AND it also has other references for uses in Scripture. Another great help for Word Studies is my good old faithful Webster’s 1828 Dictionary. I LOVE it as a reference to deepen the studies. Usually it helps me to also find OTHER great studies to dig into also! Dig into the Word! It will feed your heart and soul during this tough time!

--> Meet a friend at the park and let the kids play while you visit.

--> Go for a drive around the city—look at the lights! Look at flowers. Look at the seasonal changes.

--> Look at photo albums. Remember the silly stories!

--> Watch the sunrise! Or, not an early bird? Watch the sunset!

--> Collect jokes and funnies! Barb Johnson...Chonda Pierce...Becky Freeman are just a few of my PERSONAL favorites! Get one of their books or videos. Then, snag some mom-time to just kick back and enjoy!

--> Chocolate! Chocolate Candy...Chocolate Bars...Chocolate Shakes...Chocolate Latte’s...CHOCOLATE! REALLY! Chocolate helps to release endorphins in the brain—plus! It tastes great to boot! So, why not grab a bit for mom-time!

--> Watch an old movie! Curl up under a great big quilt—even if you have to turn the air down COLD! Don’t forget to turn down the lights and turn off the phone!

--> Look at your old school albums! Your HAIR! Ha! Enough said.

--> Got a grassy hill nearby? Go to the top and just roll down it! Like a child! (Snowy? Get a sled! And SLIDE!)

--> Take the kids to the park—just WATCH them! They are adorable!

--> Begin a “Quote Book.” Collect quotes that encourage you to keep on, keeping on! Keep them in a special journal dedicated only to keeping your special quotes.

--> Memorize your favorite Psalm. Try out Psalm 91...or Psalm 61...or Psalm 35...or Psalm 37...Oh! Enjoy!

--> Begin a Tea Ministry. Doing for others ALWAYS lifts even the heaviest spirit. Get a tea basket to keep your goodies in...visit a shut-in...bless them. Then! Watch the blessing boomerang! You won’t be able to leave without a blessing.

--> Take the kids to a candy store—sample the Jelly Bellies...or Sweet Tarts...or Sour Gummy Worms.

--> Fly a kite!

--> Take a ride in the country. Turn up your praise music...roll the windows down...sing to the top of your lungs!

--> Watch a funny video! Elisabeth and I LOVE to watch old movies like If a Man Answers. It is one of our “chick flicks” that we always watch together. We love it! SO FUNNY! Chonda Pierce is another one of my picks. She is just totally hilarious. My children LOVE old comedy shows like I Love Lucy or The Three Stooges. Oh, you may want to watch anything! Just find something that will make you laugh hard!

--> Scrapbook! Pick photos that you MUST tell the story behind! Kick up your favorite music...spread out your goodies...and Scrap till you drop!

--> Read a biography of a GIANT in the faith! My favorites are Corrie ten Boom...Hudson Taylor...George Mueller...Amy Carmichael...Jim and Elisabeth Elliott...etc!

--> Get today’s newspaper and read the comics!

--> Get a yo-yo! PLAY!

--> Make Chocolate Chip Cookies with the kids! On a diet? Take them to someone who blesses you! Include a note of thanks and encouragement for all they do to bless you!

--> Go out and sit on your boat—watch the stars! (Oh, watch the sunset or sunrise, if you can too!)

--> Dig into the Bible and study what God says about trials...suffering...faith...death...depression...oppression...warfare...battle…

--> Read a new book! Normally ready non-fiction/how-to’s? Get a fiction book for a change! Normally read fiction? Get a humorous book! Renew your weary heart and mind!

--> Take a break and go for a long ride on a motorcycle! Don’t forget your headset and praise music!

--> Take a hike! Really! Find a nice nature trail OR go for the tough stuff!!

--> Go to the mall with your teenager! ENJOY!

--> Buy a Mp3 Player and some great praise music—turn it up! I LOVE my iPod! I have my iPod loaded with all of my favorite CDs. My favorites are Michael W. Smith’s Worship CD’s AND Hillsong’s Praise and Worship! The moment you enter into worship, you will enter into the very presence of God—so, turn it up and devour the presence of our precious Lord!

--> Pull out that old sewing machine and make some of those goodies that you have been wanting—new purse/tote...outfit...home decorations...doll clothes...etc!

--> Buy a “whoopee” Cushion...or “Bubba” teeth... At least your family will laugh!

--> Write out the funny family stories! Reminisce! Enjoy!

--> Go skating!

--> Try an afternoon of “Laser-Tag” with your teens! Get um!

--> Make Homemade Bread—KNEAD yourself!

--> Plan a regular Mommy Getaway. This is not an extra! It is essential! I plan getaways for different purposes: to just get alone with God to hear Him, to plan, to work on my homeschool and business projects, to just fill my cup back up. Decide what will fill you up. What do you need right now? Decide what will help meet that need. Gather your goodies: Bible, journal, iPod, camera (I love taking pictures of little treasures along the way), your planner, your computer/Idea Notebook, etc. Pull aside and take that time to just get-away and fill your cup back up!

--> Get a pet! My bird, Harley, has ministered to my heart MORE than I could remember! He is just SO funny! HE had the idea to “boogie” for Jesus! I had not danced for years! AND it is decent! Elisabeth’s new puppy, Pooh, is a TOTAL delight! I say all the time that she is JOY in fur! She has become my little buddy. She loves to sit with me while I work and follow me around while I am doing my chores. She keeps me in stitches. Struggling? Get a pet just for YOU...see that puppy in the window??

--> Take the day to go for a flight! Look at the whole world from a different perspective!

--> Dance! Turn up your favorite music and dance! Dance your heaviness away! Dance till you laugh! Dance in worship to the Lord! Jump! Lift your hands in praise and worship!

--> Clean out your house (only if this is NOT your struggle! Ha!). Attack those closets...cabinets...dusty bookshelves...paper piles!

--> Go out for a cup of coffee...tea...or a good old Coca-Cola! Meet your sweetheart or a mommy pal! Or...take your Bible and make it a special time with the Lord!

--> Find some silly-putty or slime—PLAY!

--> Get up earlier (or take regular breaks throughout the day!) for your quiet time! You may feel SO weak that you can barely concentrate—if so, just turn on praise music and lift up your arms in praise and adoration. Watch what happens! Make a list of your heartaches—lift them to the Father (then, hide them in your Prayer Journal—later they will be a praise record!). Dig into the Word for comfort...perspective...and hope for tomorrow! Really tough days? Well, when the Israelites had very HOT days, they had to gather MORE manna—in the heat of your battles and toughest trials gather a surplus! It will help you survive your struggle.

--> Make a quilt. You can EVEN cheat by making it on the sewing machine! ENJOY!

--> Take an afternoon to go to the movies. Get a big bucket of popcorn...a super-HUGE Coke...sour Gummy Worms (unless you are due a BIG DOSE OF CHOCOLATE!). Take your sweetheart...or a friend if you want to share! Pick a movie that will make you laugh like crazy...OR CRY your eyes out! ENJOY!

--> Ride three-wheelers! Get MUDDY!

--> Treat yourself to a leisurely afternoon (or a bunch of afternoons!) at the pool...park...or creek.

--> Try your hand at BOWLING. Take some friends!

--> Take time for tea—each day.

--> Exercise. Swim...walk...jog...hike...go skating...aerobics. Relieves stress AND boosts your health to boot.Learn a new hobby! What have you been putting off that you have ALWAYS wanted to know? Pottery? Quilting? Flight Training? Smocking? Scrapbooking? Jewelry Making? Sewing? Crochet? Horse-back riding? Go for it! Now is the PERFECT time.

--> Treat yourself to a nice looooonnnnnngggg Bubble Bath! Don’t forget to set up your favorite music to play during your Bubble Bath. Also...be sure to fix a nice cup of tea (or a Latte!) or a nice big Coke that will last till the water gets cold! ENJOY!

--> Go to the park and just swing—HIGH!Go get an ice-cream cone—with a double dip!

--> Do a “Promise” hunt in Scripture. Keep in a “Promise Notebook” of your very own! KNOW that they are yours.

--> Snuggle up for the afternoon to read a great book!

Got some fresh ideas? Don’t let this limit you! Let your brain GO! Find some things that will fill you back up and take care of you all along the way. This is not an extra. This is an essential. Carve out time on your calendar today to just take care of mom!
****************************************

Need MORE Help? How about the ULTIMATE mom-time? Yep! Check out our Ultimate Homeschool Expo! If you missed the live recording of the workshops, no problem! You can now hear ALL of the workshops at your convenience. They are CERTAIN to fill your cup to overflowing! Get your ticket here!

Baby News!!

2008-08-08T14:10:00.007-04:00

No not me!!!

My good friend, who happens to live next door to me, just told me she is having a baby!! I am so excited!! She was nervous about telling me since my husband and I can't have any more children, but she couldn't keep it in. She also wants my husband and I to be Godparents! How awesome is that!! This is the second family that has asked us. I am so thrilled!

I gladly offered my babysitting service to her before she could even ask! So, no traveling to the babysitter or daycare. She just walks out her front door, takes about 30 steps, and she is at my house! Very short commute!! She was so happy!

My day just got so much better!!

Hope yours is just as good!

Happy Friday!!

2008-08-08T06:53:00.003-04:00

I am so glad Friday is here! When I walked outside with the dogs at 6:30 this morning it was already hot. It is making me want to rethink walking the dogs! Today is a short school day, so we will only be in session for about 2 hours. Then we will go to the grocery store and to the Redbox for some movies.

I hope you all have a great Friday!!

Here is today's to do list:

Walk Dogs
School 9am -11am
Make Lunch: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Ride Bikes
Chores
Grocery Store
Redbox
Read: Cesar's Way by The Dog Whisperer
Dinner: Chicken
Wash Dishes & Pots
Shower and Pass Out in Bed at 10:00pm

Thursday Thirteen

2008-08-07T06:46:00.000-04:00

Thirteen things I would like to learn how to cook!

1 Egg Rolls

2 Fried Rice ...like you get at a Chinese Restaurant

3 Breakfast Frittata

4 Cheesecake

5 Pork Roast

6 French Fries...like the ones at McDonald's

7 Broccoli & Cheese Soup

8 Creamed Spinach

9 Applesauce

10 Salsa...like the kind you get at a Mexican Restaurant

11 Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies..like grandma used to make!

12 Italian Meatballs

13 Jam...I have always wanted to make my own!

Thursday

2008-08-07T06:26:00.005-04:00

I am in major slow motion today. This tells me my 'Special Friend' will be here today or tomorrow. I can't complain. God gave me a beautiful boy 7 years ago, so I thank him for creating the whole menstrual process. A few months ago I read somewhere that caffeine can give some women bad menstrual cramps. I had these for about 20 years but no one ever said to stop the caffeine. They just said take a Midol. I have since stopped drinking caffeine (I now drink decaf coffee!) and my cramps have disappeared! I still get tired, so I am going to start taking more Iron, and some other energy boosting vitamins.

Anyway, I am going to try to get my chores done this morning ,and then take a short nap. If I don't I will just get cranky, and that won't be good for anyone! And my husband is so good about giving me time to rest during this time of the month. He gladly takes my son out, or they watch movies/play video games so I can have some peace and rest.

Here is today's little to do list....

✔Walk Dogs
✔School 9am -1pm
✔Make Lunch: PB&J
✔Chores
✔Dinner: Pancakes....my husband has a meeting, so I thought of having a fun dinner for my son! ✔Wash Dishes & Pots
Shower and Pass Out in Bed at 10:00pm..this may be 9:00 tonight!

More Cindy Rushton Homeschool Helps

2008-08-06T21:34:00.004-04:00

Buzzing About Our Back to School Blast!

My friend, Cindy Rushton is at it again! I am so excited!

I have been attending her Back to School Blast Preview Chats. Talk about great!

There is truly "no stone unturned" with this seminar. Every topic you could fathom is being addresssed. Wonder what it is all about?

Let me share what Cindy is doing... Each year Cindy hosts the back to school event of the year. This is no different! In fact, this year, Cindy has been counting down all summer. While she counts down, she is offering Preview Chats featuring her 2008 speakers. Those are free each week.

If you have never joined an online class, don't toss this offer! Join us--I will be there this week! You will love it! Each session features a free seminar by one of the speakers. You can listen to the speaker on your computer or you can also "text chat" with other moms. It is hard to capture all of the fun in words.

Get the details here!

Free Cindy Rushton Homeschool Helps

2008-08-06T18:06:00.000-04:00

Hey!

Are you getting ready for the new school year?

Need some help getting organized?

Just wish you could have a personal friend to walk you through all of the planning bit-by-bit?

My friend, Cindy Rushton, has given me permission to share a resource that she developed just for this purpose. I am so excited to give it to you! It is a audio and ebook set that she actually sells on her website, but she is giving away to help us get familiar with her resources. Here is the link:

Let’s Get Ready for a New School Year Super Set!

Let’s Get Ready for the New School Year Mommy Planner…Ebook by Cindy Rushton
Need some help gearing up for the new school year? Wish you had a friend to take you by the hand and help you plan your year? You will LOVE this! It includes a quick Mommy Planner with a potpourri of planning sheets from all of Cindy's products to help you get started on the right track with your homeschool planning. It is full of goodies! AND YOURS...

Download Part One http://www.cindyrushton.com/pdfs/GearingUp1.pdf

Download Part Two http://www.cindyrushton.com/pdfs/GearingUp2.pdf

PLUS! Companion Audio! Let’s Get Ready for a New School Year–Audio
Download by Mp3 http://www.cindysdesktop.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/GetReadyNewSchoolYear.mp3

Isn't that FUN?

After you finish this resource, if you need more help, you will want to check out Cindy's Organized Mom Super Set. It includes audios and ebooks that will help you in even MORE detail. I love it. It is one of my favorite resources for getting organized and on the right track for my homeschool year.

Best news! This week she is offering a special when you order that set. You also get free access to Cindy's huge audio set, Organization 911! Help for the Messy Mom and her NEW Let's Get Organized for the New School Year Seminar Set.

Check out the details here!

Ready for the New School Year?

2008-08-06T13:40:00.001-04:00

Ready for the New School Year?

Check out Cindy Rushton's New Organized Mom Super Set!

Great ebooks, Audio Mp3's, and Planning Pages.

Plus! When you purchase your set you get MORE help with record-keeping, organization, and setting up your home to learn--you also get access to Cindy's Organization 911 Seminar Set and her newest seminar set, Let's Get Organized for the New School Year. Yep! Both! Complimentary!

Get your set here!

Happy Wednesday!

2008-08-06T06:57:00.004-04:00

I realized when I woke up this morning that I forgot to thaw out some chicken for tonight's dinner. So the question is...if I take it out at 6:45 am, will it be thawed by 4:30 ?? If I put it in the oven by 4:30, it will be ready at 6 for dinner. I guess we will see!!

I purchased some Martha Stewart paper at my craft store yesterday. I am going to make some envelopes to sell. It is such pretty paper! I almost want to keep it for myself!!

I have another busy day today. We are going to the Library this afternoon, so I need to get my chores done by about 3pm.

Here is today's to do list:

✔Walk Dogs
✔School 9am -1pm
✔Make Lunch: PB&J
Ride Bikes
Declutter Project: Hall Closet ...Nope!!
✔Chores
Read: Cesar's Way by The Dog Whisperer
Dinner: Chicken...if it is thawed in time! Purchased dinner at the grocery store!
✔Wash Dishes & Pots
✔Cut Lawn
✔Library
Shower and Pass Out in Bed at 10:00pm

Tuesday...can I go back to bed?

2008-08-05T07:38:00.007-04:00

Good morning!! I did not want to get up this morning. My 'special friend'(as I used to call it as a teenager) is on her way, and she always makes me tired. Every month about 3 days before she arrives, I seem to need more sleep than usual. She really is not a very good friend! Anyway, I am going to take a Midol, and hope she gets the message!

I have set some goals for my business, and hope to meet those goals this month. I would like to sell $xxx worth of merchandise, but we will see. I am still struggling with family time and work time. I will not sacrifice my family time for it. So, I am trying to get things done when they are away or doing other things. Now that I am schooling for 3 to 4 hours a day with my son, it puts work to the bottom of the list. So....we will see what happens.

Here is today's to do list:

✔Walk Dogs
✔School 9am -1pm
Make Lunch: nope....hubby came home and made lunch!!!
Ride Bikes
✔Declutter Project: Clean the Top of Freezer
✔Chores
✔Read: Cesar's Way by The Dog Whisperer
✔Dinner: Spaghetti
✔Wash Dishes & Pots
Walk Dogs...Again
✔Shower and Pass Out in Bed at 10:00pm

Happy Monday Morning!

2008-08-04T07:29:00.006-04:00

It's week 2 of homeschooling, and I am getting used to the new schedule. I woke up a little late this morning. I was hoping to get up at 5:30, but didn't hear the alarm until 6:15. Thats ok, since I have scheduled myself to get up at 6:30!! I have lots to do today, so I will list it out.

oh......the chores are in the side bar now, so I will mark them off as I go.

Today's Schedule:

✔Walk Dogs
✔School 9am -1pm
Make Lunch: Leftovers...nope, had lunch at my parents house
Ride Bikes
✔Pick up Kid's Sale Money
✔Declutter Project: Clean the Top of Fridge
✔Chores
Read: Cesar's Way by The Dog Whisperer
✔Dinner: Leftovers
Cut Lawn..I'm running low on gas so I will do this Wednesday
✔Wash Dishes & Pots
Walk Dogs...Again...nope!
✔Shower and Pass Out in Bed at 10:00pm

The Simple Womans Daybook

2008-08-04T06:42:00.000-04:00

FOR TODAY August 4, 2008...

Outside My Window...the sky is turning blue

I am thinking... of what I can pick in the veggie garden today

I am thankful for... all the things God has given me

From the kitchen... I smell coffee brewing

I am wearing... my pajamas

I am creating... my daily to do list

I am going... to pick up my profits from the kid's sale today ($71!!)

I am reading... Cesar's Way by Cesar Millan

I am hoping... that I can get some work done in the veggie garden today

I am hearing... the dogs eat their breakfast

Around the house... everyone is still asleep

One of my favorite things... standing in my backyard watching night turn to day

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: home school, house work, yard work, and a movie

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

To join in The Simple Woman's Daybook visit The Simple Woman's blog.

A Well Balanced Pack

2008-08-03T18:11:00.008-04:00

Here are pictures of my 'Well Balanced Pack'! They eat together, sleep together, and play together. The little one is 7 pounds, and the big ones are 65 pounds each. I never thought they would all be so close! I give lots of thanks to God and 'The Dog Whisperer'!!

Great Church Service

2008-08-03T15:17:00.003-04:00

We had a great service at Church this morning. Let me start over...they are all great, but this one was in the top 10! The sermon was about defeating temptation. We discussed James 1:12-18 from the Bible.

We all have temptation. For some it is major. It may be drugs, alcohol, or infidelity. For others it may be food, lies, or to do things you are not supposed to do.

I am tempted almost every morning to sleep in. My mind runs through a whole list of why I should. And then I remind myself that God gave me a husband, son, house, and pets to take care of. Wow...he trusted me to care for all of this! He must really believe in me! I also remind myself, that the devil will try to tempt me into giving up.

James 1:17 says......

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

I am reminded of all the good gifts God has given me, and that is what helps me get up in the morning!!

Have a great day of rest!

Saturday

2008-08-02T07:11:00.006-04:00

Today is my day to work on my business. I need to list the rest of the envelopes on Etsy✔, and list some items on Ebay. I also need to make some more bookmarks, and start cutting fabric for catnip toys✔.

I will also need to finish the chores I didn't do on Friday.

To Do:
✔Wash Dog Toys & Blankets
Clean Desk
✔Vacuum House
Declutter: Top of Freezer
✔Go to Library and Get Books for School Next Week
✔Make Dinner: Roasted Chicken with Mashed Potatos and Veggies
✔Wash Dishes & Pots
✔Mowe Lawn

Have a great Saturday!!

***The Modest Momma***

Morning Thoughts

February 1st!

The Sewing Room....

The Simple Womans Daybook

Being A Better Wife

The Simple Womans Daybook

In The Garden - Planning For Spring

January Reading

New Years Goals

Happy New Year

Last Week of 2009

Christmas Blessings!

Update - When the unexpected happens

December Update

New Budget Update

The Simple Womans Daybook

Medications

A New Month ~ A New Budget

First Day Of Summer

Last Day of School

A Day In The Life of Me

Why Can't I Sleep In?

Job...Money...Budget

Last week of 2nd grade

3 Day Weekend

Rain Rain Go Away

Baby....Homeschool....Housework....Long Day!

Back to Blogging

Flu Shots

Wonderful Daylight Savings

Happy November!

DH Switching Jobs

Stocking Up for Winter

Preparing For Winter

Good Monday Mornin' To Ya!

Early Voting

It has been a month....

Job..Chores.. School..Can I Do It All?

Started Work Today!

New Job

Husband Home

Hospital Visit

To the ER

Blogger Friend School

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Blogger Friend School Assignmnet

Tackle it Tuesday

A Simple Journey to Debt Free Living

The Simple Womans Daybook

Thursday Thirteen

Day 3 - Power 90 weight Loss Challenge

Executive Decision - Hanna

Blogger Friend School Assignment

Tackle it Tuesday

Day 1 - Power 90 Weight Loss Challenge

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Menu Plan Monday

New Look

Happy Friday!

Thursday Thirteen

Blogger Friend School

A Long Day......

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Tuesday!

The Simple Womans Daybook

First Book Of The Year

Good Saturday Morning To Ya

Happy Birthday to......Me!!

Storm Update

Prepared For Fay

Electricity Out....Again!

Electricity Went Out

Good Ol Tropical Storm Fay

Tackle it Tuesday

New Week of Chores!

The Simple Womans Daybook

Hurricane Prayer Request

Cloth vs Disposable

Children and Freezers

The Modest Momma