Month: December 2008

  • 2008 - A Reality Check

    I took pictures again this morning that I intend to share today.  After uploading the pictures, I had to wonder why many of you continue to read my blog.  The truth about my life???  I'm nothing more than a human hamster on a wheel, running and running, but getting nowhere.

    Maybe "sporadically clean" is considered *SOME*where; but, I think I can identify with those little hamster darlings, or mice, or whatever rodent creature's name you choose to insert!  You run and run just to stay in the same place.

    My life is one of cooking, laundry, teaching, clean -up, clean-up, teaching, clean-up, cooking, laundry, clean-up . . .  The cycle is then repeated over and over and over again . . . ad nauseam.

    For example:

    My desk
      
    My desk:
    One way to look at my desk mess is that IF I was doing nothing, the desk would always be neat.  Yesterday, I had a long discussion with our CPA friend, who (ROFLOL) thinks I'm very smart about taxes and should be able to do ours with only a little prompting from him. True, I use Turbo Tax, but still . . .  We are setting our lawn business up to pay quarterly taxes.  Moi?  Smart about something that closely resembles accounting?  Oooo-key Doooo-key!

    Yesterday I paid bills online, talked to the home study gal, AND left a message for our therapist - inquiring as to the therapist's form being completed and faxed back to the home study gal.  I shifted stacks of papers and cards around, found a few more bills needing to be paid, and my 2009 calendar . . .  which is better than finding an unopened 2008 calendar.  Ahh, yes!  Always the Pollyanna! 

    The infamous kitchen bar

    (Yes, you are correct! That IS an *open bottle* of purple grape juice sitting precariously close to the edge of my white counter, newly painted white cabinets, and white floor tile.)

    The Kitchen Bar:
    If I never went to the grocery store and never cooked a meal, there would only be dust to clean off of my kitchen bar.  The fact that it holds a HUGE KitchenAid mixer, a roll of paper towels skewered on a marble post, the telephone and my appointment book, a tissue box, and the contents I use to prepare the current meal should be evidence that I'm not stagnant in the kitchen!  Why doesn't this rationalization make me feel better about the appearance of the EVER PRESENT kitchen bar and its  CONSTANT state of disarray???


    The daily laundry
     
    The Kitchen Floor:
    Laundry is present every single day of my life in this exact spot.  The laundry room/pantry doorway off the kitchen.  Only the names have been changed (to protect the innocent???!!!) and the articles of clothing . . . be it summer or winter, size 16 or size 8.  That DOES mean I'm keeping my children clean as they grow larger . . . Right???  IN FACT . . . I bought two more colored hampers yesterday, so two of the white ones could go into the foster children's room.  That is a khaki skirt, just washed and hung up, hanging from the bar.  I'm doing laundry - AGAIN.  On my fifth load, right now, as I type.  It's a little past noon.     

    The foster children's bedroom

    The Foster Children's Bedroom:
    I found this picture particularly interesting since we have no foster children right now(????)!!!  Yesterday, I purchased two under the bed storage bins and then found out the frames of the beds are too low to slip the storage bins underneath.  There IS a solution, and, OF COURSE, it requires more money being spent. They have these little cups you place under the wheels of the bed frame to make the bed higher so you can use the underside for "under the bed storage bins" - Voila!  A solution!  And, like most of my solutions, not a free one!  BUT . . a solution, nonetheless!     

    Rissy's room

    Rissy's Room:
    C'mon!  She's a child!  What should a mother expect?  I DON'T clean her room except for maybe 2 or 3 times a year and that usually ends with a tidy room and a large trash sack!  In this picture you see an ironing board for her doll clothes, the new dirty clothes basket purchased yesterday (for her closet!), a doll case (or is that two?) . . . BUT! . . . she's cleaning.

    Forever decorating

    My Decorating Hobby:
    This is the beginning of the disassembling of the December decorations.  Normally, by today, this would have a newly washed white table cloth, mirrors, crystal beads, lots of white candles in crystal cups, and white china dishes set out - all of it ready for a New Year's Eve celebration, tonight.  BUT . . . please remember . . . I took two days this week to sit in the driveway with a book and watch my children ride their new bikes in the street.  I'm no dummy.  I KNOW my children's bike riding was far more important than a decorated table!  AND, they will remember their first day with big girl bikes and riding in the street more than they'll remember what was on the dining room table the year they received those bikes!!!

    I will pull the doves, berries, and cardinals out of the garlands in the doorways within the next few days, put them each in their segregated Wal-Mart sacks for next year, and fold up the table pads on the dining room table.  Decorations for the long, cold winter will be white and beige - just like it looks outside.  Except, INSIDE we have heat!  I am considering leaving the green garlands with lights up in the doorways a while longer.  Kind of like pulling a bandaide slowly from a hairy leg.  UNdecorating too fast leaves me feeling, "Ouch!"  Little "ouches" aren't so bad.

    Decorating isn't a HAVE TO, but I do like the changes in my house as the seasons progress.  AND . . . my nick knack decorating is sure cheaper than buying new furniture because I feel antsy to decorate!  Another "good thing" - thank you, Martha Stewart!

    And finally, the picture of my cleaning fairy goddesses!

    Bedroom Cleaning:
    They looked thrilled, no?  I do know one thing, that IS (definitely) a step stool lying sideways on top of their bed!  Why is a step stool on the bed?  I don't know - I just live here.

    "Aloha Oe" is playing from a CD Rissy bought to use at her Hawaiian Luau birthday party earlier this year.  Not very Happy New Year-ish, but these are MY children and typical of what I live with on most days!  It must be motivational music to help them clean their rooms this morning!  It's 37° and Hawaiian music is drifting down the hall from Rissy's room.

    Are you capturing the theme here?  These pictures are no different from all the others I've posted of my desk, kitchen bar, bedrooms, laundry piles, etc. starting at the beginning of this year.  Only the *things* IN the pictures (the items) change and their placement (some on the floor, some hanging from a ceiling fan); but the general day-in and day-out work lined out for me doesn't change  . . . not really.

    This morning, as I perused my picture gallery, I felt rather bored by the mundane daily pictures.  All of them show the same thing with the same children.  Different clothes, some summer - some winter, and frequently the same dresses or nightgowns on the child who wears the next size down.

    So, then . . .

    Why in the world am I so happy?   Why do I feel extremely content?  I AM grateful my health was restored this year.  I am grateful our extra bedroom and extra bench seat in my Suburban can be used for children who find themselves in foster care.  Two to three more children means more of the same (laundry, kitchen duty, clean ups, etc.) but I'm looking forward to 2009 and feel excited.  It also means my children are maturing and the Word of God is becoming more of a way of life and ingrained into their souls, than it was in the past.  It means new school books (the next grade up) from a Christian publisher and training little hearts and minds to that which God has commissioned Jesse and I.

    What's wrong with me???

    Maybe I was cut out to be a wife, a mom, a teacher, and a homemaker.  Could it be I've finally found my niche?

    Happy New Year to everyone who has stuck with me and is still reading my "hamster wheel" life style.  It isn't a perfect life, but it IS my life.  Maybe you can identify with me.  Maybe that's why you continue to show up here, reading day after day!

    May you have a safe celebration tonight and I'll see you next year!

    GOD BLESS YOU  ~

  • One More Day of Nice Weather

    I accomplished everything on my list yesterday.  Well, I didn't straighten up "here and there" as much as I had hoped, but I did a little bit.

    I sat outside on the driveway with a book while the girls tried out their new bikes.  I can't believe I forgot to take my camera outdoors.  Didn't think about it until this morning!

    Temperatures were near 70° yesterday and will be again today.  The girls biked for almost 2 hours yesterday, around lunch time, to try out their new bikes on "the road" instead of in our house!  I can't see the street from inside the house (only one small window on the porch), so I sat on a lawn chair in the driveway and made sure they were safe.  Luci's training wheels can't be tightened properly, so she was on an old tricycle and borrowed the other girls' new bikes.  They were nice enough to share with her.  We tried to go back out around 4pm and only stayed 40 minutes.  Shade had moved to my driveway making things more chilly AND there were more cars driving in both directions than there were earlier. 

     
    The plastic guard that fits over Luci's chain (on one side) doesn't allow Luci's training wheel to be secured tightly.  Jesse said he'll either have to cut a notch into the plastic (the other girls' bikes have notches) so the training wheel can be tightened, or we'll have to take it back for an exchanged bike.  I SO dislike returning and exchanging items!

    Yes, that's a second washer and dryer in the garage.  Jesse got them at the pawn shop for cheap.  JUST IN CASE ours goes out before we can afford a new one.  My washer (and my dishwasher) makes weird sounds.  I have my eye on a set at Lowe's.  They are both a larger capacity than the large capacity washer and dryer I currently own.  The washer has s stainless steel tub (like the one I have now) and is a top loading washer by Whirlpool.  The dryer is a bit bigger than what I have now and has more settings.  AND, the set is a little over $2000.  Choke!  Highly unlikely I will have that set, unless we find a dent and ding clearance on them at a reduced price!  But, I'm dreaming.  Right now, plumbing the garage and hooking up that second set at the same time I have the ones working in the laundry room sounds doable.  Imagine 2 washers and 2 dryers.  Laundry would be a breeze!

    I'm almost finished with my book - maybe one chapter left.  Then I'll move onto the next Janette Oke book in line on my book shelf!  I'm enjoying light fiction again.  It's been a while.  I read so many classic books, then books about President Lincoln, and then some Christian study books . . . light fiction hasn't been read since early summer of 2007!

    Don't know what we will do for our anniversary on Friday.  We discussed it this morning and neither of us has any ideas.  Jesse said the Topamax he is taking to control his migraines has left him with no tasting abilities.  Nothing that used to taste great is as enjoyable to eat now that he is taking the medication.  Babysitting is an issue.  Stephanie wouldn't be able to get here until 6:30p - maybe 7pm.  OKC isn't a city where restaurants accept reservations.  They never have except the most exclusive restaurants (ones we don't eat at) - so who knows about Friday????

    I think I'll try to slip out this afternoon to pick up a few things at Wal-Mart.  Not food items; but, waxed paper, liquid fabric softener, cat food for Stormy, etc. . . .  Stuff you can't eat, but need anyway, and things that run up the bill!!!

    Annamarie just said she has no tennis shoes (athletic shoes, or whatever everyone else calls them) and I may have to run to Payless to pick up a cheap play pair.  All I have is a new white pair (a half size larger than she is wearing) and I don't want her to wear them for playing and have no nice tennis shoes.  Depends on if they have anything in stock.  All retail stores are getting ready for a January inventory and not restocking their shelves until afterwards.

    Here are the honeys, all dressed up with no place to go!!!  They are eagerly waiting for the temperature to rise so they can ride their bikes again!

    Luci

    Rissy



    Annamarie (who isn't dressed yet)

    I'm not dressed either, and have to take a quick bath before we go outside.  I have some phone calls to make before we go out there, too.  It will take another hour+ for the morning chill to wear off.  The girls keep coming to my desk and looking over my shoulder at the temperature displayed on my computer monitor.  I told them noon, so they wouldn't keep looking - but that hasn't stopped them from being anxious.

    Today's To Do List:
    *  Call our CPA friend about doing our taxes (instead of me using Turbo Tax)
    *  Call home study gal to see if she has received the completed  questionnaire back from the girls' therapist
    *  Pay some bills online (before I forget!)
    *  Laundry (whoever's!)
    *  Wal-Mart
    *  Read my book and watch girls ride bikes (a heavy chore, I know, but someone has to do it!!!!)

    Be Blessed  ~

  • I'm Barely Awake

    I'm not sorry I stayed up late, but I AM having a hard time moving around quickly this morning!

    I got hooked watching "House" on TV last night.  Literally, last *night* because it was 10pm when I had to watch the next one and then the next one and then the next one.  Add up those hours and you have 1am as a finish time!  Then the dishwasher needed to be started, the dog let out and in, my hair taken down, the computer turned off, the house alarm set . . . . I slept well.  I didn't wake up until 8am-ish - the bare minimum of sleep required by my body!

    Why hooked?  I've only seen the end of one episode where House is in a bus wreck and a girl is seriously injured.  The girl turns out to be a doctor friend's (of Dr. House) girlfriend.  The End!  That's all I've ever seen.  Last night they played the shows in reverse order.  Why?  I have NO idea! 

    FIRST SHOW:  You saw the doctor friend packing up and getting ready to quit the hospital and move away, and House keeps telling him that just because his girlfriend died, he should take a vacation - but, NOT quit his job.

    NEXT SHOW:  You see that the girl is on life support and how they try to save her, but she DOES die.

    NEXT SHOW:  You see the bus accident and what led up to it (I had only seen the last 10 minutes in the past and didn't know WHY they were on a bus together), so I sat through that.  Okay, that's how she was injured and I saw WHY they couldn't save her.  Just watching this one show (the only one I had seen) made me think she had died.  You can imagine why the episode that shows the doctor quitting and getting ready to move away peaked my curiosity (I didn't realize they were dating) and why the next show that showed them trying to save her made it necessary for me to re-watch the first show that started the whole chain reaction.

    Well, maybe that sounds dumb to you and you "can't see why I watched TV that late" but, I did.  I was hooked. 

    The fact I used to work in hospitals (emergency rooms, to be exact) is the reason I find this show, with its strange maladies and plagues, so interesting.  For the longest time, I had wanted to be a doctor!

    I felt it was safe to go to sleep after that last show!  If there was more to the story, I didn't want to know! LOL!

    CHANGE OF SUBJECT:

    I showed Jesse the patio the other day with the rain on it and big cracks in the one section of cement slab.  I told him I didn't remember cracks being on the patio in this past summer. 


    He couldn't remember if the cracks had been there or not.  He tended to think it had always been that way.  I felt sure I would have remembered seeing cracks as big as these.  Chunks of pebble size cement are coming out of the cracks in different places.

    So, I dug through my blog archives and found this picture from October.

    Same piece of slab, no cracks.  Uh, oh!

    Further more, we noticed (last week) a crack in the ceiling in the bay window dining room.  That's the part of the house that connects to this piece of cement slab patio.  Horror of horrors!  I do hope the back of the house isn't falling into our back yard!  I don't think insurance covers foundation problems, unless the leaking roof, for the past few years (after we asked them to replace our roof the first time), leaked water down the walls and into the ground under the patio?????  Maybe if that's the cause and they denied us a new roof 2-3 years ago, we could place a claim.  Scary thought! 

    Speaking of cracks.  Do you see the small hairline crack on the inside of this coffee mug?  I've had this for almost 20 years and just love the cup.  It's from a friend who moved to Texas and sent it to me. 

    A field of Texas Blue Bonnets.

    As of Saturday night, this is all I have left of that cup - a picture.

    Chirper Elzabad, who, for a night, was called, "Chirper Just Plain Bad", knocked it off of the counter onto the tile kitchen floor.  The cup shattered and flew everywhere.  That was the night Jesse had taken the girls to his mother's house.  I had planned to eat a simple hotdog, take a shower, and then R-E-A-D - something I'm determined to do more of in the new year.

    My hotdog was heating when there was a horrible crash of glass.  Chirper flew off of the counter top and ran.  I felt sick when I saw the source of the noise.  This cup was not only eye appealing to me, but represented a long friendship with the giver of the cup.

    I turned off the heat under the hotdog, began to pick up the pieces and saw the small shards EVERYWHERE in the dining room rug and the tile & throw rug immediately under the sink (from where the cup had fallen).  Chirper came back and I shooed him away until I raised my voice at him in anger.  I got a broom, but quickly realized I would need to vacuum.  Fortunately, my Kirby vacuum has a hard floor setting and that's what I used in the kitchen on the tile after the broom swept pieces from under the cupboards.  Then, I saw it had gone into the laundry room and Sampson's little hallway.  Pieces of itsy bitsy ceramic were EVERYWHERE.  The mug's handle was under the lip of the refrigerator!  I shook the area rugs onto the tile and then vacuumed and vacuumed and vacuumed some more.  I figured I might as well sweep the room that has the kitchen table, while I was at it.

    Finally, I set the vacuum back to its carpet setting and vacuumed the dining room carpet slowly, to be sure to suck up every bit of ceramic.  You could hear the little pieces clicking in the vacuum as they were removed from the carpet pile.  That's when I saw something in the formal *living room* and tried to vacuum it up.  (I wasn't wearing my glasses)  I finally bent over to pick up the stubborn white piece of *something* and it was another piece of my mug!!!!

    Chirper knew he was in big trouble and made himself scarce.  I finally (after an hour of cleaning) began to heat the hotdog again, ate it with 4 dozen cookies.  Maybe not THAT much, but the binge DID include a lot of fudge!!!  I didn't see Chirper until Sunday morning.  He didn't even sleep with me that night!  I slept in late and when I woke up, I went to the den.  Bless his heart, he gingerly approached me and I patted my lap to invite him up.  He purred like crazy and tried to get me to kiss him by nose-butting my chin.  He looked so repentant!!!!

    I thought a lot about forgiveness.  I thought about how children break things and how angry that makes us.  I thought about children's little hearts and spirits and broken coffee mugs.  Children made by God and coffee mugs NOT made by God.  How we treat our possessions (sometimes) better than our children's hearts!  Yes, a heart can mend (unlike my coffee mug) but does it fully mend, or does it mend with scars????

    Looking at my repentant cat made realize how our children are just as repentant but don't always know how to approach us with their little, "I'm sorrys." 

    From TV, to cracked cement, to cracked cup, to children's hearts . . . where have I gone????  I'm thinking I may need to look at my children's hearts more next year while I'm trying to work in more time to read books . . .   What's the most important thing in the long run?  Not my cups, nor my books.

    Today's To Do List:
    *  Jesse's laundry  (already started)
    *  Create dinner (need to go the freezer first)
    *  Pay property taxes (oh joy!)
    *  Pick up "stuff" here and there around the house

    Looks like a warm day (today and tomorrow over 60°) and the girls want to ride their bikes, which requires me sitting out front monitoring the streets while they ride.  Maybe I can sit in the driveway with a book????

    Be blessed  ~

  • GASP!

    (sucking in a big breath, quickly!)

    We all slept too late to attend church today.  So, we are playing hooky, I guess!

    Jesse suggested we call his Mexican friend, Camilo, and see if he and his family want to meet us later for a late lunch at a Mexican restaurant.

    Other than that . . . the day is up in the air.

    I know . . . shortest post I've ever written.  Even *I* am amazed!!!!

    Be blessed  ~

  • Slow Start

    Yesterday was an out of season warm day.  In fact, I believe we set a record high - near 80°!!!  On the way back home, I noticed my car said it was 77° outside, but it didn't mention the heavy, muggy air and 40mph winds!  We didn't need electric blankets last night and the late night weather report said we'd have some rain within the next few hours.  It didn't arrive until around 4am.  Hail, wind, thunder, lightening, and rain, rain, rain!

    My wet patio
     
    I don't remember those cracks in our patio.  I'll have to ask Jesse.  I'm not the most observant person in the world!

    This is the "sunrise" Jesse and I woke up to this morning.

    If I didn't know better, I'd say I was in California looking at the snow capped mountains!  The sun wasn't having much success in rising OR shining!

    When we went to bed it was still in the lower 70's and this morning it is 38°, as I type.  Welcome to Oklahoma!  We will have the same high winds as yesterday, but coming from the north instead of the south.  You know what that means????  Right!  Brrrrrrr!  It's supposed to get up to the low 40's and then start dropping again. (sigh)

    The early morning storms woke people up (not me, except for a second when the thunder made Chirper jump!) and we have some slow moving family members today!

    Luci & Annamarie were awake the longest at 4am before going back to sleep, and the first ones awake this morning.
     
    Luci was sent to bed early last night for bad behavior and promptly fell asleep a little after 7:30pm.  She may or may not need a nap today, since she DID get an early start last night!

    Jesse said he got up this morning to use the restroom and, when he came back to bed, someone had taken over his place in bed!  He got up and turned on the coffee maker and watched the news in the den!

    Poor Jesse.  He said someone came and tapped him on the arm to say they couldn't fall back asleep, JUST as he had fallen back asleep after the storm!  Now he has to work all day! 

    The last to wake up were Rissy and JanaLyn.  They had a hard time going to sleep last night, but I'm not sure the storm woke them up this morning.  It's just "that kind of day" for sleeping in late.  I'm not sure if they were talking or if Rissy was reading one of her new books to JanaLyn!
     

    It didn't take long before they had company!  

    They look like they got caught doing something wrong, don't they?!

    I still have the Christmas pots and pans to wash by hand and some straightening to do, here and there.  If it stays cool, I may burn the wrapping and tissue paper in the fireplace.  That's a quick fix to a corner of junk - just burn it!  I wish sweeping my kitchen floor was as easy!  It doesn't matter how often I sweep the kitchen, it is ALWAYS dirty.  The white tile doesn't help, but dirty is dirty, whether you can see it or not.  I think we must be filthy people and that's the answer!  There's always "stuff" on my kitchen floor.

    I was checking out other parts of the house this morning to see what was out of order (I won't mention the guest/foster children's room!!!) and found the girls' new electric toothbrushes (is that correct if they are BATTERY powered toothbrushes?) lined up on their sink counter top.  I didn't think about the fact they wouldn't fit into the bathroom toothbrush holder.  I'll have to get some little caps to go over the bristles so they can store the toothbrushes in a drawer.

    This doesn't look very sterile, does it?

    I have to wash my dirty table cloth and put the silver (fancy stainless) that's in the dishwasher in the silver chest.  Then, I can put the chest away.  I don't think I'll be serving anything "fancy" for a while, so maybe I'll put away the tablecloth, too, and change the centerpiece.

    I haven't given New Year's Eve/Day a thought.  In the past, I've served party food, but we are really trying to cut things to the bare essentials around here this winter, and party food isn't cheap, nor is it a priority.  I'll have to ask Jesse if he cares about anything in particular.  He is working such long hours, I doubt he feels festive!  Our anniversay is January 2nd, and we haven't discussed doing anything special.  I told Stephanie I might want her to babysit next Friday when she gets off work. 

    Jesse went by to see his two aunts from Louisiana, at his mother's house last night, after work.  They are leaving early Sunday morning - I mean REALLY early (6am) to go back home.  He enjoyed their company, but said his mother was a little surly.  Typical.  Makes a relationship with her difficult.

    Stephanie will pick up JanaLyn tonight to take to Stephanie's Dad's for Christmas gift exchange.  He and his wife only live a few miles from our house.  That means JanaLyn will be gone a little early this time. 

    Today's To Do List:
    *  Empty dishwasher and wash big pans by hand
    *  Put silver chest away
    *  Maybe teach school, just so the girls have something to do
    *  Laundry (it seems like it's been a few days since I've done any . . . uh! oh!)
    *  Dinner - I'll have to stand in front of the freezer for inspirational thoughts, while trying to invent something using chicken or ground beef!!!!
    *  Maybe . . . read (???!!!!!)  The book I'm reading isn't difficult and is going quickly. 

    Jesse mentioned he might take the girls (or I could go, too) to his mother's, tonight, after he gets off work, so his aunts could see us.  I don't know how that will work if JanaLyn is still here.  I really don't care to go.   No one usually speaks to me and being with his mother for very long is awkward & uncomfortable for me.  We'll see.  If it's important to Jesse, I'll go.

    It won't be long before we open our new school books and I'll be back to lesson planning and teaching.  I think the excitement of new books will help motivate all of us to get back in the swing of things.  At least, I HOPE something motivates us!!! LOL!

    Be blessed  ~

  • "RELAX" - a New Word

    I tried that "Relax" thing . . . and it worked well . . . and, still IS working!

    Wednesday, I took it easy.  Made NO MORE cookies, cleaned the kitchen after making the next day's potato salad and boiled eggs.  It wasn't half bad!  I could get used to this "relax thing" and relaxed way of life.  Of course, I'd probably gain 100 more excess pounds . . . but, "relax" really isn't all that bad!!!

    We dressed up (church-type clothes) and went for Chinese food with Stephanie and JanaLyn; and, invited Rob, last minute.  It was nice.  The food was a wonderful change from traditional foods eaten this time of year.  Rob and Stephanie (in two vehicles) took all of the children to look at lights and Jesse and I went home.  I wasn't feeling great (female stuff) and needed to get off of my feet.  When Stephanie came home with the girls, I was in bed . . . asleep . . . and, it was early!  Stephanie woke me up by saying, "Awwww!  Chirper, you're sleeping in Mom's arms exactly like Jesse-boy used to sleep.  How cuuuuuute"  I drifted back to sleep. 

    Stephanie tried to wake me up twice so I'd pull gifts from my closets and put bows on them.  I finally got up the third time when she said, "Mom!  Do you want me to do it?!!!"  This is the same person at the restaurant who had said, "I need you to wrap my gifts, Mom.  I don't wrap packages as pretty as you do."  Rolling my eyes and shooting the ugliest look her way, I mumbled, "NO WAY!"  (female stuff, remember???!!!)  I explained I had wrapped early so I didn't HAVE last minute wrapping to do, and I didn't intend to do HERS.  She needled and cajoled me and I finally agreed to "TEACH" her to wrap by letting her see me wrap ONE GIFT of hers, and the job would then be up to her!  Of course, I was asleep when she came home and I didn't even have to wrap one thing (ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!).  I mechanically put peel and stick bows on my family's gifts and carried things to the den and went back to sleep.

    We had bought the 3 girls big-girl bikes.  Jesse put them in their rooms after they were asleep.  Two in Annamarie & Luci's room and Rissy's bike in her room.  Luci woke us up early yesterday morning.  She came to our room and told us,  "Someone got into the house and left their bikes in our room!"  Jesse replied, "You wet the bed?!"  "Nooooo, Dad!!!  There are bikes in our room!  Come see.  Someone got into our house and left their bikes!!!!"  He said, "Well go to the bathroom before you have an accident."  By now, the volume of the conversation had awakened the other two who were jumping up and down thanking Jesse for the bikes.  I rolled over and mumbled, "They're from me, too!"

    Before

    This looks like a lot, but, considering it was for seven people, it really wasn't.  

    After
     

    More "after"                                                                         And, MORE "after"
     

    We did well this year with mainly tissue paper to throw away.  Lots of boxes were used and refolded for re-gifting (the boxes, not our gifts!).  And people were pleased with everything, meaning no exchanges or returns!  A miracle with so many people!

    Stephanie and Rissy read names and handed out gifts in a frenzied blur!
                           

    JanaLyn looks covered up by gifts bigger than her!  I bought giant coloring books for the girls.

    The girls got "B"ikes, "B"athrobes (like new from the thrift store), "B"ibles, Annamarie a "B"oom "B"ox, Luci a "B"ig "B"lanket and watch, and Rissy a digital camera.  We realized, later, we seemed to be on a "B" theme this year!

    Rissy (in shock) after opening her REAL digital camera!
     

    Although we don't believe in Santa Claus, we DO give stockings because it's an easy way to slip small things into a pretty "gift bag" sort of thing.  Clementines were in the toes of the stockings this year - exactly what my mom used to do every year when I was a little girl.  Luci thought I had tried to trick them by putting fruit in the toe.  Remember when fruit and nuts were what people put in stockings and they were actually excited to receive those things?????  Well . . . they put fruit and nuts AND coal or sticks in stockings (which had crossed my mind regarding one child!!!).

    Chirper in the middle of things.  Stormy was lurking around.  She's always there when there is the potential of discarded paper!

    No presents for kitty kitty.

    So, Chirper found his own makeshift present!
      

    As you will notice, I am missing from all pictures (and this was about all the pictures I took).  I had decided to really kick back and relax this year.  I wasn't going to bustle around making a fancy breakfast (we had muffins and scrambled eggs), or try to get a 5 star restaurant fancy dinner on the table at a specific time, or worry about cleaning up messes, or become "Photographer of the Year" by documenting the event with tons of pictures.  In fact, I never got dressed yesterday.  I am still in the same nightgown I woke up wearing yesterday!  Now THAT is relaxed!

    The girls are outside playing.  It's almost 70° at 11am.  I hope they don't catch some dumb allergy before tomorrow's cold air moves in.  We aren't used to being outdoors because of all the cold we've had for the past few weeks.  They even rode their bikes in the house yesterday.  I "thought" about taking pictures of that to prove we are really just a laid back family - despite the fancy look of our house and surroundings!!! LOL!!  Like I said, I "thought" about it and thought that it would have made some great pictures, but I remained seated.  It was hard, but I did it (stayed down) and enjoyed the company of Stephanie and all of the children.

    Rob took JanaLyn to his house around noon and we invited him to come back for dinner.  We ate around 4pm - hickory smoked brisket with barbecue sauce on the side, potato salad, deviled eggs (the only thing I "made" yesterday), baked beans, sliced sour dough bread with butter, and lots of different pickles, olives, pickled okra, etc.  Our recently baked goodies were dessert.  Easy to put together.

    Even though we don't "style" our hair and are simple in appearance, I had to take some pictures of JanaLyn.  Remember, her mother works at a hair styling school and is into the "latest fads" and the newest thing (apparently) is called "peek-a-boo color" - what JanaLyn got from Stephanie as a children's kit gift.

    JanaLyn was SO PROUD of her "peek-a-boo color" and here she is in all her pink & blue glory!
     

    Today we have the girls'  therapy appointment, but Luci will be sitting in the reception area with me.  She has thrown some doozy fits daily - one horrible (with a capital "H") fit in the Chinese food restaurant.  I had to take her to the restroom and wet her face down with handfuls of cold water to get her to calm down.  And of course, the acoustics in a restroom only magnify the sound.  I'm SO glad we were the only ones in there! 

    I need to run to the store (female items) - but NOT Wal-Mart!!!!  I can't imagine what it would be like to go there today!!!

    Today's To Do List:
    *  Bath (yeah! that would be wise!)
    *  Girls' appointment
    *  Quick drug store trip
    *  Think about cleaning the large hand washable dishes/pans
    *  Decide what to do about dinner.

    Jesse was going to invite his mother and her sisters one evening for dinner.   He doesn't get off work until 7pm, and I told him that seems a little late for "older" people to be getting out to go visit and eat.  He said he may just run by to say hello and take the girls.  Sounds good to me!

    I started a book last night.  I haven't read much in a long time and I think I would like my new plan to be - quickly do chores and school in the first half of the day, and then spend the end of the day reading before starting dinner.  We'll see if that happens . . . but . . . I'm hoping!

    Oh!  One more thing.  The home study gal faxed something to the girls' therapist last week for her to fill out and return, but she hasn't done that yet.  I'll have to ask her about it today.  Maybe that's how she should spend our therapy time!!!  AND, the home study gal hasn't called one of our references (a pastor friend) to get a home school reference.  We continue to wait!!!!   (REALLY rolling my eyes, now!)

    I'm listening to "Quiet Beauty" by James Todd.  My friend, Shanda, stumbled on it first and I loved the music at her site.  It's a delightfully relaxing CD with only piano and cello.

    Yes . . . I'm, relaxed!

    Be blessed  ~

  • A Day of Rest and Enjoyment

    Whoa! 

    I AM SO GLAD WE SAVED THE COOKIE BAKING FOR LAST!!!! 

    It turned into quite a fiasco . . . aka. . . all day project . . . aka . . . mess . . . aka . . . just as much of a  back breaking "chore" as wrapping those gifts the other day - if not more so!!!

    As my blog's pulse stated yesterday, I don't think I'm a very good Mom when it comes to teaching children and helping them bake cookies.  I sorely lack patience!  Of course, the fact I started my monthly cycle in the middle of the night (guess I'm not done with those, as I had hoped!) explained a lot of my . . . ummmmm . . . "lack of patience" during yesterday's cookie baking! 

    I thought of my Grandma M. yesterday while the girls busied themselves in the kitchen with me and wondered where she found the patience to make cut-out cookies with me and my sister and all the decorating mess that followed at her kitchen table (a red formica one with chrome legs!).  Then I remembered that she HAD answered that question before she died.  "Honey.  I didn't mind . . . really.  At the end of the day, I sent you and your sister back to your parent's house, while I cleaned up the mess and rested for a few days!" 

    Rest?  I've heard of that.  Maybe I'll strive for "rest" today!!!! LOL

    I think, at my age, I am experiencing grandmotherly instincts with my youngest daughters, who are only a few years older than my granddaughters.  You know?  Stuff I didn't have the desire or patience for when I was younger?  It all seems so important now that I don't have much else going on in my life except my family life with my children.  No job.  No parties to attend.  No dates (my husband and I don't have "date nights" like many other couples).  And, no TV shows I just *have to* watch or friends I *have to* yack with for hours on the phone.  That was "me" when I was younger.  Now I'm more devoted and grandmotherly.  And, I *am* a grandmother too, to two little girls.

    So, cookie baking was on the list of important things - for my daughter's sakes.

    I started with the ingredients you've seen for days on my kitchen bar.
     


    First on the list were bourbon balls.  Lest you think I'm a heathen, let me explain.  Every five years or so, Jesse buys a small bottle (a pint???) of bourbon for my cookies.  The cookies only call for 4 tablespoons of bourbon for 2 -3 dozen cookies.  If there was flavoring that duplicated the bourbon, I'd use it.

    They are easy to make and I divided the mixture into three portions on paper plates and gave them each a small bowl of powder sugar.  They made the dough into balls and then rolled them in the sugar and put them on a rack.
     
    They diligently made balls close to the size I had demonstrated.  But, it was a tedious and LONG process!!!  I could have whipped them out in minutes . . . but these were children having fun (for a V-E-R-Y long time)!!!!

    Sampson and Stormy slept in their beds and Chirper was mysteriously absent during the whole process.  Annamarie found him with his paw over his eyes in my planter.  He was pretty cute, but woke up when he heard the camera.
                                                   


    When the bourbon balls were FINALLY finished, I dismissed Annamarie and Luci to go play while I let Rissy watch me make fudge.  I told her she needed to watch carefully because I usually made candy only once a year.  I explained it would be best for her to watch me make it a couple of times before attempting to make it herself.  We discussed the burner temperature so the milk wouldn't scorch and how to use and read a candy thermometor and the IMPORTANCE of the candy being the correct temperature.  I showed her how quickly the chocolate chips and marshmallow cream had to be stirred into the milk and sugar mixture before the candy began to solidify.  She was suitably impressed with my endeavors and lesson!  And, *I* wondered where all of my arm strength had gone.  My arm felt like it would fall all before the chips and marsmallow was thoroughly mixed into the candy!

    A square pan of fudge.  I couldn't find my second jar of marshmallow cream I was SURE I had purchased.  That meant no double batch this year!
              


    It was almost lunch time, and I told the girls we would take a break after the bourbon balls and fudge, and we would turn the oven on AFTER we had some lunch.  Meanwhile, they each got a spoon of fudge from the pan I had scraped  - my spoon was bigger, because I had done more work!  (I also taught Rissy how quickly, after making the fudge, you have to clean off all of the utensils containing fudge before it hardened into fossil-like material)

    Their little spoons of fudge.                                                 My BIG spoon of fudge!!!
     
    We all agreed my fudge was better than any store bought chocolate!

    After lunch, I mixed up Ms. Shanda's Jell-O cookie recipe in red/cherry and green/lime dough  I was concerned that there was no baking powder in the recipe and wondered if I had copied it incorrectly.  I checked on line and there were lots of recipes, but none identical to Ms. Shanda's. 
                                     

    So, I added a tsp of vanilla and a tsp of baking powder, mixed the whole thing up, and was delighted with the colors and how vibrant they became, the longer I mixed the dough.
                                    


    Admittedly, my cookies didn't turn out as cute and puffed as Ms. Shanda's, but they DID turn out!  I'm thinking I copied something wrong when writing the recipe.  I thought the baking powder would give them more lift, but maybe it made them spread out, instead!

    The green cookies                                                             The red cookies
     
    For some reason, the green ones burned quickly.  You aren't supposed to let them turn brown.  I don't know what was up with the green/lime cookies.  Without the frosting, the green ones were so tart - almost like lemon cookies (which I detest).  But, the girls thought they were good and WITH frosting, the tasted better to me.   We ended up with more red/cherry ones than green anyway.  I let the girls eat the slightly dark/burned green ones before I frosted them!

    After they cooled, I dipped them into the frosting and let the frosting harden before stacking them.  They made a pretty display of red and green!
              
    After the red and green cookies (which took the girls FOREVER to roll into balls!!!!!), I made peanut butter cookies for Jesse (the only thing he had requested).  Those are in the ice cream tub to the right of the red & green cookies.


    Here are the bourbon balls made by little hands and not exactly round balls as they should be (but they taste the same!) and the pan of fudge.  I could definitely eat that fudge until sores in my mouth appeared - sweet stuff does that to my mouth.
                


    Everything is neatly tucked away in my cookie cupboard.  I've thought about making some mini M&M cookies today.  But, I don't want any big or messy projects being started.  So, M&M cookies are up in the air!!!
                

    Here are the girls enjoying the fruits of their labors.  Yes, Rissy and Luci are on skates!  And, Luci's skates are blurry because she slipped at the same time I clicked the camera!  Rissy is the only one who has mastered walking on the toe stop of the skates when on the tile floor!
                                


    After all of that, I let the girls chase each other around the house and scream at the top of their lungs, as well as laugh loud.  They really needed the exercise and I'm sure the cookies and candy didn't help calm them down!

    This morning, I went out into our colder than cold garage and saw the groceries from last Friday we had quickly unloaded on the garage floor.  No fairy maid has come to the garage to put those things up for me!  It's all cans, pastas, or cake mixes, so nothing will perish.  I'm in no hurry to put things away - not in that cold, cold garage!  Although, I did riffle through the bags when looking for that second jar of marshmallow cream!  It's probably somewhere staring me smack in the face, but I just can't see it.

                                       

     
    While out in the garage, I spied my childhood books and brought them in to see if Rissy was ready to read some of them.  Quite a stash, huh???!!!
                


    The Nancy Drew books were mine, except for the top 3 paperbacks.  Those were Stephanie's..
                            


    I found a stash of Stephanie's books, including a set of her Little House on the Prairie books.
            

    I'm not sure Rissy's reading level is high enough to read all of these, but she isn't far away from reading them.


    Jesse had a couple of nice surprises yesterday.  And, I'M GLAD!!  First of all, someone came up and wired the desk area with a 220 outlet so a heater and fan could be used behind the desk.  His friend's son runs that store and the son had never returned Jesse's calls this weekend.  He offered to PAY for an electrician to wire it, but said he'd wait to hear back from the son.  He called him 3 times!  The son came in yesterday morning in a very bad, foul mood and Jesse didn't know if his Dad had chewed him out for making Jesse and the other employees work in such cold conditions, or if something else was wrong with the son.  But, they do have "some" heat now.

    THEN . . . a little lady that he mowed for, told him to go by her house.  She said she had a card for him under her mat.  It was near the shop he's been working at, so he left for lunch, picked up the card and came back with it.  We opened it together last night and it contained a $50 bill.  Talk about a shock and surprise!!!

    THEN . . . after coming back from picking up lunch, his friend, Camilo, came by the shop and gave him a turkey, which is has been safely put into our big freezer for later use!

    THEN . . . Pastor C. J. showed up unexpectedly with a big gift sack filled with little wrapped things from the Sunday school teacher at his church.  We don't send our children to Sunday school, they sit with us during the service, but I guess she wanted to include ALL children in the church and he made a special trip to come see Jesse and deliver it. 

    I think I'll let them open it today to avoid all the confusion tomorrow with lots of people piled into our den.
                                        


    THEN . . . *I* had a surprise this morning.  Jesse was asking what I planned to fix for the next few days.  I told him brisket with potato salad, etc. tomorrow and cranberry chicken over rice tonight.  He said, "You know what sounds really good?  Chinese food."  So, that's MY job - calling the restaurant to see if they are planning to be open this evening.  I just made that call and THEY'RE OPEN TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!  No cooking today  Yay!!!!!!!!!!

    Stephanie and JanaLyn are coming here sometime this afternoon.  I guess they'll be joining us for Chinese food.  They will be spending the night.  It's more fun for JanaLyn (and probably Stephanie, too) to be around the girls when she opens her gifts.  Stephanie has told her there is a Santa Claus and all the other Christmas stuff people do, and we just keep our mouths shut and smile.  I was so proud of my 3 little ones on Saturday when JanaLyn chatted away about Santa coming, blah, blah, blah.  They answered her with phrases like, "Really?" or "Wow!"  I've taught them to NOT reveal the truth to children whose parents have chosen to tell their children something different.  In other words, it's none of our business.  JanaLyn calls our house "Granny's World" where things are a little different from everywhere else.  We pray before our meals and pray about other things, we don't cut our hair and we wear dresses only, we don't have a Christmas tree or those types of decorations, and our children are EXPECTED to obey (immediately) and use manners.  They even have to answer us with "sir" and "ma'am" - which JanaLyn has picked up!  All things that are different for JanaLyn.  Funny thing . . . JanaLyn tries so hard to fit in while staying here and even has a rod in my closet full of dresses she likes to wear!  Her table manners are improving and her obeying has improved greatly!  We call it "positive peer pressure" . . . unlike bad traits peers often display and others learn.

    Last night, when I was dead tired and had the makings of a horrible headache (I'm sure hormonal, now that I "know"), Rissy offered to fix dinner for us - soft tacos.  What a blessing.  I let her.  I looked at the kitchen afterwards and thought there was no way I could stand long enough to deal with the cookie and taco mess.  Rissy encouraged me, "C'mon, Mom!  Many hands make light work.  The dishwasher is empty.  Let's get as much dirty stuff in it as we can, let it wash the dishes over night, and have only a few things to wash in the morning."   I persevered (only because of her gentle, yet insistent, prodding) and was glad I did.  Things don't look so horrible today!

    No sense in posting a "To Do List" today.  I have to bathe and get dressed and take the brisket out of the freezer.  We need to make tomorrow's potato salad and that's about it!  I just need to remember to take deep breaths, breathe, and enjoy relaxing.  Maybe that should be "try to learn *how* to relax!!!"  That will be on my "To Do List" - *learn* to relax and enjoy things!

    I think Jesse's mother is going to have a PIC line (spelling???) put in her arm so she can come home for Christmas and receive her antibiotics via that line at home.  I'm glad.  She was really upset that her sisters were coming from Louisiana and she would be spending her time in a hospital.

    Be blessed  ~ 

  • What Happened to "Monday's Plan of Attack"???

    How does that phrase go?  The one about, "the best laid plans"???????

    My mind tormented me yesterday and once I figured out WHY, I changed my priority list (lists?!).  I'm sure I made the right decision. 

    First of all, we woke up to THIS

    this morning. 

    In a nutshell, it's cold!  AND, the winds are HORRIBLE!  They drive the cold air right through you.  You can ask Sampson!  I let him out this morning and there was no messing around with sniffing fence posts.  He did what he had to do and was back at the door in a flash!  I opened the door and a cold blast of air rushed in, making Chirper squint his eyes; like, "Eeeew!  That's AWWWful."

    THIS was on my kitchen bar waiting for me this morning.

    What??? . . .  Cherylyn didn't bake yesterday????!!!!! 

    Nope!  She didn't. 

    I DID light a fire yesterday AND again this morning; plus, turned on the lights to make the house feel warmer today.  It's cloudy and darkish outside.

    This morning's fire                                                           and my formal living room/dining room area.
     

    After I warm up, I'll start the baking.

    Yesterday plagued me with feelings of "something is wrong" - ever have those moments? 

    I got quiet and tried to figure out what was bothering me.  I decided I needed to finish wrapping the few gifts I had left.  Mainly, things each child is giving the other children.  I had to ask myself if I would feel better with baked goods in the kitchen and the wrapping chore undone (yes, the older I get the more of a chore it becomes - it used to be a favorite thing to do - but, not anymore!!!); OR, would I feel better with the gifts securely wrapped and cookies baked on another day?  Which was more important???  Wrapped gifts were definitely more important than cookies.  That alleviated the tension I felt inside.

    I'm SO glad I chose to wrap gifts.  It took much longer than I expected, AND, bending over the bed put a crick in my back like you wouldn't believe.  I figured 6 gifts for the girls - two gifts from a sister to two sisters.  BUT, Rissy's crayons had to be wrapped separately from the coloring books she was giving - so that made 8 gifts to wrap.  THEN, I had 2 gifts for Jesse - one from me and one from the girls.  Oops!  Forgot about Stephanie's gifts - add 4 more gifts - one in a gift bag.  Then, a straggler gift for JanaLyn.  The kind of shape that can't be wrapped, SHOULD have a gift bag, but was wrapped anyway - ugly as it is!!!  Mind you, NOTHING has bows or ribbons yet - just paper.

    My closet shelf - hiding Jesse's gifts                                  Behind my dresses on the floor - sister's gifts

    Stephanie's gifts "out in the open" -  because she doesn't live here!! LOL!!!

    I discovered when you close our bedroom door and stand by the bed, the heat comes full blast from the four ceiling vents we had installed with our new heat & air system.  Talk about burning up!  It was back breaking sweat work.  I used to take lots of time decorating with wired ribbon, candy canes, sprigs of holly or pine cones, etc.  I expect this year will be the lick and stick bows!  Not exactly "lick" - but peel and stick is more like it!

    I'M DOUBLY GLAD I DIDN'T PUT OFF THAT *CHORE* UNTIL TODAY.  I had thought I had much less to wrap and would have been stressed at the amount that really was left to wrap, if I had waited until today.  I will also *doubly* enjoy baking today, because it's all we have left to do  (happy, happy face!!!),

    except for Rissy's laundry.

    Yesterday I did all three of the girl's laundry - well, almost.  I have two loads of Rissy's to wash and wet whites in the washer that need to dry.  My washer is groaning more and more each day.  Please Lord, let the washer live!

    All I have to do is get dressed and we'll be ready to start baking. 

    I took a bath last night, after Jesse went to bed.  I didn't make the water warm enough to offset the cold tub (we have a HUGE window over the tub - brrrrr!), but didn't want to run the water longer than necessary, because Jesse was asleep.  He was beat.  He's working at a slow pawn shop, they have no heat (yeah, I won't go into that . . . but it DOES make for one unhappy camper!) and his mother was put back in the hospital yesterday.  More e-coli in her urine.  She was so disappointed.  Two of her sisters are coming here tomorrow or late today.  He told me this morning that his mom asked if we could have her sisters over for dinner one night.  Of course, I don't mind.  He said not necessarily ON the 24th or 25th.  My only concern was having enough food on those 2 days.  I can always change things around and make extra food, but I need to know what to take out of the freezer.  I imagine grocery stores will be closing early on the 24th.

    The girls are up early (I hear arguing in the kitchen) and ready to get at the cookie baking!  Me too!  The sooner I start, the sooner I can sit down!

    It will be WONDERFUL if, tomorrow, I have time to sit and read to the girls!  Relax for a change.  I've simplified EVERYTHING this year to make it easier on myself.  Rissy is a good helper, but it's MY brain that makes the lists and lists and MORE lists of things to do!!!  I'm making cranberry chicken over rice on the 24th and have a brisket (seasoned, baked, and sliced) that needs only heating up on the 25th.  I'll make a potato salad, deviled eggs, and baked beans to go with the brisket.  THEN sit!  I might even made the potato salad today, since I'll be in the kitchen anyway.

    Speaking of lists . . . Chirper got his paws on a pen yesterday and we laughed until we had tears.  He looked like he was trying to write in the air or make "lists" like Rissy and Momma had been doing!!!!
        
    Oops!  He dropped it!  I guess God didn't intend for cats to write and make lists! 


     
    Today's To Do List:
    *  Put on dress (over sweat pants!) & do hair, and grab some breakfast for myself and the pets
    *  Bake, bake, and bake - until I drop!
    *  Choose something simple for dinner and take meat from freezer
    *  Finish laundry
    *  Draw lots for who has to go to the mailbox at the end of the driveway for today's mail!!!!!

    Be blessed  ~

  • My Monday Plan of Attack

    I woke up again this morning with my unrelenting swollen throat.  But, experience over the past 7 days has taught me it *will* go away before noon!  I have a list of things to do, one of which is to start baking today.

    I sat at my desk this morning and went through my recipe box, pulling cards for the "for sure" recipes I wanted to bake.  Then, I had to make certain I had enough ingredients.  I didn't do much shopping with baking in mind, except to buy marshmallow cream for fudge.  IF I have time, I will brave letting the children make cut-out cookies with the cookie cutters my grandma gave me, from when I used to bake with her as a young child.  Maybe tomorrow will be a good day for that!  I shudder thinking about all of the red and green sugar and little silver beads rolling everywhere.  But, hey!  You only have one childhood and I should make my children's childhood enjoyable.  I *should*, right? 

    BTW . . . homeschool has come to a screeching halt.  My throat was too swollen to talk/teach and, admittedly, none of us had much of an interest in it.  Since we don't take a summer break, I'm not stressing or apologizing for our lack of concern!  LOL!!!

    Today, Rissy wants to copy recipes for her own box.  That's her box to the right of my messy one.  Cute!
     
    The boxes to the left of my recipe box are 4 boxes of frozen butter I've laid out, so they'll be room temperature when I'm ready to bake.  Surely, four pounds of butter will be more than enough!!!  The small piece of paper, to the right of the orange list, holds my friend Shanda's Jello-O cookie recipe.  I've decided to make them in red (cherry) and green (lime), although I'm not sure how good the lime flavored cookies will be - but I'll let you know!

    I've laid out all of my refill ingredient's supplies on top of the refrigerator.  I have enough flour, sugar, oil, and butter to last months - except when it's baking season!!!


    Yum!  I'm thinking some good food will be served from this table, soon! 
     
    The fascination Chirper (and sometimes, Stormy) had with the birds on my formal table has passed.  Closer to Wednesday, I'll wash the napkins and table cloth again since they have been tread upon by CATS!!!  I always lay placemats out, too.

    The girls are going through their laundry baskets, as I type, turning their clothes right-side-out before bringing their baskets to the laundry room. 

    Baking and doing laundry (running the dryer) should help the house stay warm.  It's another cold, cold day.


    We burned the wood in the fireplace these past two days.  Jesse cleaned out the ashes Saturday and got things started both days.  I have been chilled, but haven't wanted to mess with cleaning out the ashes before starting a new fire.  Nor did I want to keep up with turning the logs or putting new wood on it - just didn't have the energy.

    He was off work Saturday and Sunday (rare) but I saw little of him.  Our plumber/heat/air friend, Steve, came to see if my bathroom faucet could be repaired.  And then the two of them took off to Lowe's and Home Depot to "look around."  We may have to buy a new faucet, which (unfortunately) means two expenditures, since we have his and her sinks in our bathroom and the faucets need to match. 

    Sunday, Jesse went with his friend, Camilo, to Sam's to look at computers.  Camilo ended up buying one.  Jesse got back in the late afternoon and took a nap.  Then, Camilo called around 6:30pm asking for help setting up the computer.  Off Jesse went and didn't returned until 8pm.  I've gotten used to this "never being home" and don't have hurt feelings anymore.  He is not as content sitting at home.  He gets very restless.  As much as he likes to be on the go outside of the house, I hate it!  So, I stay . . . he goes.  It works!

    At least things have stayed relatively tidy around here since my cleaning frenzy!  Even the kitchen table is clean after Saturday's "children's art workshop," except for the pear juice dripped by my honeys onto the placemats this morning!!!!  We use napkins at every meal: I don't understand why grabbing a napkin isn't second nature to them!
      
    Yum!  Juicy pears!

    And, what could my *innocent* cats be looking at???

    Yum!  Juicy bird!

    Poor Tango!  She's pretty smart!  When the cats come near, she sits on the floor of her cage in the very center.  Not even a beast with skinny arms could reach in and get to her down there!  Sitting on the floor of her cage she taunts her predators with, "Come here!  Come here!"  And makes the same whistle sound or the six kisses I make when calling Sampson!  I'd say she is overly confident!

    Today's To Do List:
    *  Wash as much of the 3 girls' laundry, as possible (I'll throw the kitchen placemats in with their clothes)
    *  Bathe and get dressed (sounds like a chore right now, because I haven't eaten anything yet!)
    *  Start mixing dough for cookies (even if everything doesn't get baked, at least the dough will be mixed and stored)
    *  Try not to make an idol out of my Kitchenaid mixer!!!!!
    *  Start thinking about creating *something* for dinner, made from ground beef
    *  Clean kitchen AFTER making the mess with flour, sugar, children . . .

    I still have a few gifts to wrap and the girls have to wrap their gifts to each other.  I'd like that to be done today, too, but I don't know if it's humanly possible!  If not, I'll work it in tomorrow. 

    We don't have many gifts.  We have gotten away from the big traditional rigamarole that many people make out of Christmas.  We read the birth of Jesus story from the Bible before they open gifts, but we also tell them Jesus wasn't born in December.  No sense telling them WHY December 25th was picked.  They wouldn't understand paganism at this young age!  Although, Stephanie used to tell people (when she was VERY young), "My dad takes me trick or treating because my mom says it's a pagan holiday!"  (rolling my eyes)   Amazing what children hear and retain (AND repeat!!!!).

    So, Cherylyn's bakery is about to be opened and the hours and work will be grueling . . . but, oh my (!!!!), talk about reaping the benefits of what is sown!!!!

    Be blessed  ~

  • Sunday and a Different Outlook

    Yesterday, I worked like a dog (or a horse . . . )  (or a servant . . . ) (or a slave . . .)  - you pick! 

    I worked steadily with a lot of breaks, but finally got most everything cleaned and put away.  That doesn't include, sweeping, dusting, vacuuming, OR the girls' bathroom.  But, our master bath is clean.  I've discovered "Scrubbing Bubbles" and have fallen in love with it.  All these years of scrubbing and ending up with an aching arm muscle!!! . . .

    I also washed my sheets and asked Jesse to help me remake the bed.  When I was ready, he was on the phone, so I tackled the beast of a bed by myself, took two head ache pills for my "brain pain" (seriously, I had shooting pains through the center of my brain), was in bed, and asleep, almost immediately.  Do you think I did too much thinking, on Friday, and gave my brain a short circuit? LOL!!!

    Things look differently around here today!

    My desk                                                                           File cabinet minus boxes that were mailed.
     

    Clean bar                                                                          and clean sink.
     

    Clean table, Jesse's hanging clothes are gone, AND             clean chairs on the table side of the bar.
     

    I even cleaned off the washing machine of all the clutter of boxes!
                                           
    The dryer always has a plastic Sterlite bin of dish cloths & kitchen towels - easy to grab quickly - & my recipe boxes.


    Yesterday, I took a huge plastic jar of this, that, & the other craft materials that I had ordered years ago from Toys 'R' Us and let the girls do crafts at the kitchen table (covered with that Thanksgiving plastic table cloth I had removed).  They had a blast making holiday cards, new binder fronts (they have clear pockets on the front of their school binders), and the children got along so well with each other!  The floor UNDER the table isn't so great, this morning - but, I've seen worse!  Happy voices was what I was after!

    I heard music from "Into the Woods"  (music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim) coming from my bedroom and, with camera in hand, went to check on the girls.  They were acting out the play: one of the last scenes.  Pretty cute!

    I think Rissy was singing, "You're so nice!  You're not good, you're not bad, you're just nice!  I'm not good, I'm not nice, I'm just right.  I'm the witch.  You're the world!" 

    A cute play that weaves several fairy tales within each other and takes many life issues and tells a tale about people, their morales, and their idiosyncracies.  There is some clever dialogue with great songs.  (When Jack trades his cow for some magic beans, his mother sings about the morality of doing something wrong, and ask if it all depends on if the end justifies the *beans* - LOL!)  Bernadette Peters played the witch and did a fantastic job.  The witch represents common sense and consequences.  Worth renting if you ever see it in a video store.

    The children continue to get along well, I have pork ribs thawing for barbecued ribs tonight, and my kitchen is almost squeaky clean . . . so, why am I thinking about getting out there and making some fudge and a batch of cookies? 

    I don't know - you tell me!

    We didn't go to church today because the wind chill was well below zero and Jesse was worried about Luci and me relapsing with our swollen throat ailments.  We have a fire in the fire place and I'm seriously thinking that I can whip out some fudge and bourbon balls quickly, hand wash the dishes used, and the kitchen should be spic and span again . . . until I make the ribs!

    Be blessed  ~