Jan. 10, 2008
This is a new twist
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Groceries are so expensive around here! I am not used to these prices and wow...I won't pay them. But here is the interesting thing...I have to look at my menu planning in a new way. There are so many stores around here, that if I watch the ad's and buy according to just what is on sale, I can afford the groceries. So we have to plan our menu based on what they have and not what we want. So every week when I look at the ad's, it is kind of interesting to see what we get to eat. Cereal is a big thing that is always on sale. So we are getting a bigger variety of it, then we have ever had before. And the meat...believe it or not is cheap! The stores are trying to outdo each other! This week it looks like we are having taco's, stir fry, bbq porkchops, baked chicken, and hot dogs. Not too bad! :) |
Jan. 7, 2008
Each Day Has Enough Trouble of it's own
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This is actually more of a question than a post. How do people make schedules days weeks or months in advance and stick to them? I get frustrated just trying to do a weeks schedule. I have adopted the take each day as it comes method. Of coarse there are those things that are planned, but I get so overwhelmed. Even in my meal planning I switch up or change what we are having for dinner. I do buy for the weekly menu, but I don't really stick to it. Ok, so is this just a discipline that I am lacking in? Does anyone have any suggestions? |
Jan. 3, 2008
Swiss Family Robinson
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This is how our homeschool day went yesterday. My youngest had missed an important instruction 4 pages earlier in her English and was totally confused. We had to go back and do a few things over. That took about an hour. It might have gone quicker, had it not been for the crying and whining that took place. My daughter informed me that it drove her nuts having me home and making her do work. Good! That means I am being effective. 18 year old twaddled the day away. I wanted to watch and see what he was going to do. I wasn't really that impressed. So-Today he is going to sit down with me and write out a goal chart and he is going to have to stick to it. Gasp! 15 year old did pretty good after I pulled him off of the video game. He said he was done with his school work, just about 15 minutes after he had begun. Well.....not so! Pulled him back into reality and he actually spent another 1.5 hours doing homework. We went to the Library to get Swiss Family Robinson for his English project and they won't have a copy back for a week. Lucky for him. But today he will pick another book and begin reading it. SHOCK AND AWE! I also picked out a rather cool PBS nature video for them to wrap their brains around. I love being home with my kids!!!! Quote from the 1960 movie-Swiss Family Robinson [Reflecting on their island paradise]  Mother: It's wonderful for today, but what about tomorrow? |
Jan. 2, 2008
Spanish
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Today we begin our Spanish lessons. I am so excited. It will be a family affair. We all want to learn Spanish because we hope to be involved in a Spanish Speaking ministry. So my first goal of today is to get out their vocabulary lists and then we will watch an instructional video. mas loco! I think! :) Check out my website to help support this little homeschool family. If you need a mascara or a eyeshadow, please consider supporting one of your own! Thank from the bottom of my heart! |
Dec. 30, 2007
We Are Back
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Greetings Everyone! I am back. We are back. This means that we are close to being settled. Wow, what an adventure this has been. We moved the Saturday before Christmas. Our friends from our church helped load up the van on that end and another group from our new church helped unload the van on this end. We were busy all day. We started at 6:30 in the morning and we stopped at 8:30 pm. Our bodies had given up. We did move in the snow. Which is fun, fun, fun. Yesterday we went back and cleaned the home of the wonderful couple who let us live in their home. They had a good 5-6 inches of snow at their home. We had stored all of my home canned goods and my milk glass in their basement so the cold weather wouldn't affect either of them. So we had to get all of those boxes out of the basement and loaded yesterday. My youngest son took it upon himself to shovel snow from the sidewalks and around the cars. We packed and cleaned and then unloaded both of our cars. I forgot...David also had to take two trips to the dump yesterday. You can't get much in when you load it into a car. God has blessed us with a very cute house. And we have a view of the mountains--which have spots of evergreen trees on them. Something we have missed seriously since we moved from Western Wa. David now has the shortest commute he has ever had to get to work. (looks like he won't be needing that satellite radio in his car after all!) HA! Don't think he will give it to me without a fight. I am trying to do my little cosmetics business and another little business adventure..so I can stay home. I hope and pray that I can. I need some prayers for boldness! Also if you need a simple mascara or a new eyeshadow I pray that you will see my website. Homeschool starts again on the 2nd. I know the kids are excited! More later. Renee |
Nov. 3, 2007
Saturday Eats
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our Menu... Satuday- Deer enchaladas.......wish me luck. I just don't feel quite right not using the deer God has provided us with. I figure this sauce and all the fixing can cover up a lot......right?? Then the apricot cobbler. Sunday- Ceasar salad and garlic bread Monday- Breakfast for dinner- undecided which breakfast items to make Tuesday- Deli dogs Wednesday- BBQ Chicken Sandwhiches Thursday- Lasagna by request Friday- Cheeseburgers also by request. I think that is as far as I will plan. |
Nov. 3, 2007
Part Time
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Yes! Part time work at last. I have more time to spend with my babies. Although the future is very uncertain for us at this moment....I will love and enjoy this precious gift that God has given me. I work part time until January. I just started this part time work on Thursday and since we moved this week and I am exhausted I won't really use this week as a barometer as to how well things will go. My first day home I sat down and looked at all of my options. I gave myself a headache. I went to bed. Was feeling much better later that night and then I spent an hour working with Carolyn on a book that we are writing together. I can tell an enourmous difference in Carolyn when I spend quality time with her. (DUH!) Yesterday I took a nap when I got home from work too. I think in a few days I will get my energy back. Carolyn went hunting with her Dad this morning. I do so hope she enjoys herself. I am praying for their safety. It scares me to think of my daughter using a gun. But my husband has always been teased about being safety awareness man. I am making apricot cobbler. My family isn't that interested in eating the appricots that I canned. However add sugar and a nummy fattening topping and they cannot resist. Knowing that I am feeding them somehting they dont' really enjoy, but is good for them, makes me feel wonderful. Speaking of things that are good for you...I have my family eating cranberries again. Doesn't just the thought of cranberies sound healthy? This year I am going to buy several more bags of the fresh berries and freeze them. I got to craving them in the middle of the summer and I wouldn't settle for canned. We make these sandwhiches that are smoked turkey breast, monterey jack cheese, cranberry suace, toasted. NUM! You are supposed to make them dipped in egg batter,sort of like a montey cristo, but my family likes them toasted just as well. Saves a little time and a lot of mess. :) Can you tell that it is almost 11am and I haven't eaten breakfast yet? I'll let you know what is going on in our schedule later. Renee |
Oct. 24, 2007
Just 15 minutes
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I have not had the opportunity to blog lately. Something I must admit, that I enjoy. But I have given myself 15 minutes this morning to indulge. We are packing maniacs. No- not really. It is such a slow process when you work full time. Here is a list of blessings that we have received in the past week. Someone lent us 1000 dollars to fix our van I get to go to work part time next week----------did you really read that! (just part time!!!!) Until we move! My mother in law sent me money for my birthday!!!! Last night the kids talked me into going to McDonalds. Didn't take much! We went and they gave us our food for free. They were busy and my son helped out for 3 min. and there you have it...........free food. We are blessed to live in the most beautiful home ever for the next few months rent free. David found 25 dollars in his shorts pocket. I am posting this list so we are all aware of how blessed we are! |
Oct. 17, 2007
Two years ago
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Two years ago yesterday we moved to Eastern Washington. Where does the time go? I think back over all that has happened in two years. My kids all went to public school for a short time. Tim played in a great jazz band. Jonathan has had 10 girlfriends at least. ( which I am glad to report has changed ) Carolyn has just turned 13. Which means that I have 4 teenagers now. (it is fun to say...if nothing else) LOL We lost Davids dad.........we have gone through 4 cars. We have moved 2 times, soon to be 3. (in just two short weeks) Beth moved out of the home and went to college. David found his dream job. By the grace of God. What will have transpired in another two years? The only thing that I know for sure is that God was holding our hands and lifting us up through the last two years. While I don't really enjoy challenges or struggles, I know that whatever the next two years hold for us that he is right there STILL! :) |
Oct. 11, 2007
Todays schedule
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Today as usual there is much to do. I have a little bit of a banking mess that I need to clean up. I didn't mean to, but I over drew one of our accounts. And I gave our boys permission to buy something on Amazon.com that over drew my husbands account. Of coarse the letters came in the mail 10 days later. So today that is the first order of business...get money in those accounts. So it's Budget first X Cleaning up accounts X Call Shari's in Yakima since it is there that I overdrew the account X Call my Daughter Bethany X Let my husband know how much to write the check for and deposit it into his account X Grade my daughters book report Do five loads of Laundry XXXX Clean the storage part of our basement / (that stands for half of an X) Get the air conditioner dusted and put back in the box for winter X Call newspaper for moving sale advert. clean the rugs spots by the front door. X Clean the kitchen Xand the frig- get the milk glass off of the top shelves, wash top of cabinets and pack glassware walk to MCDonalds with my daughter so she can redeem her free breakfast sandwich coupon X While there go to safeway to get eggs so I can bake a bit today. X Banana bread and ...... Ironing / got a few pieces done Clean out our closet and clothes dresser Work on homework with Carolyn X We actually had a no school day. Boys worked on landscaping a friends yard and putting up a retaining wall. And Carolyn and I priced things for a garage sale. Apply for a part time job in Wenatchee Bible and Prayers I am terribly ashamed to say that I didn't read my bible- I prayed tons though. Watch a Mary Kay Video Have my boys go through their clothes Pack up our books / got some of this done. (I am praying that I make it through this!) It also looks like I might need a nap. xxxxx took a great little nap. |
Oct. 8, 2007
Menu plan Monday
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Monday- Baked chicken with rice, salad and green beans. Tuesday- Homemade chicken noodle soup and buttered toast (perhaps some peaches or plums) Wednesday- Deer Roast. (the steak was excellent-the deer burger fair-so I think I will cover it up with cream of mushroom soup and cook it til it is almost falling apart) Potatoes and spinach Thursday-deer meatloaf and mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. Friday- Nachos-not deer nachos............I think two days of deer in a week are plenty! Saturday..........is guys night to cook. So far the guys cooking thing has gone pretty well. (this saturday David made deer steak fried potatoes and mixed veggies. It was tasty.) |
Oct. 8, 2007
Just a thought or two
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Carolyn completed her first book report for the school year. She read Little House in the Big woods. She is also working on To Kill a Mockingbird. Her book report was excellent, two full pages. So she will be getting 5 points for reading the book, 3 for the report, 5 if she corrects the spelling. And 2 bonus points if she reads out loud from her favorite passage. :) Timothy went on a 50 mile bike ride yesterday. I haven't seen him yet this morning. I hope he can move. Jonathan went to a Youth Rally yesterday and talked to about 5 other youth ministers about going to school to become a youth minister. He said that the responses were so varied. Jonathan told them that he wanted to be a youth minister because in the entire year that he has worked at McDonald's, not one kid has mentioned Christ. He wants to help troubled kids. His mother is so so so proud of him. I don't know what all God has in store for him, but I am happy that He is willing to let God work in his life. Prayers for my Bethany and the lady she lives with, her name is Kathy. Kathy has been hospitalized with kidney failure and congestive heart failure. Prayers prayers. We were offered a home to live in for the next two months. A friend of ours is going to Alaska and has offered to let us live in their home while they are gone. That will allow us to save up the 2000 it takes to get into a new place. We will move on the 28th of this month. |
Oct. 5, 2007
Random
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Yesterday was a very productive day. Although I worked from sun up, until sundown, except for the Bob Hope movie, my house looks like someone shook it! I spent a great deal of time with Carolyn on her homework. She is very bright. I want to be with her everyday. Pray! I woke up this morning thinking about my daughter Beth. She is atarifish here on homeschool blogger. I know where atarifish came from, but I don't know why she named the fish atari. So I need to find that out. Perhaps she will leave a comment on the bottom of this post and let me know why! I am borrowing money from my 17 year old today to pay a bill. Since we are moving suddenly I will have to borrow a bit more. (He is a good boy with a great heart) He wants to be a youth minister. I hope and pray that he will fulfill his dreams. Timothy and I sat down yesterday and went over his schedule, he now has it posted on the bulletin board. I hope it will help him be more productive. We talked about what God wants us to do with our time. And we prayed about Tim's schedule. It was great! Hope you all have a blessed day. Renee |
Oct. 4, 2007
Alas another day off............
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I get to be at home with my kids today. I assured them that we would be working a lot today. Why...I am already cleaning the oven as we speak. Aren't self cleaning oven the best? I have so many things to do today that I haven't even begun to think seriously about writing a list. Carolyn and I have to sit down and work on her homework. I have mass.............mass...........mass cleaning to do. I have to start packing for our move. I plan on cooking a smaller version of a turkey dinner tonight. IRONING> since my mother who blesses me greatly every few days is gone on vacation for a few weeks.......I guess it is up to me. I love it when she irons! I have to start looking for a new job. I have to work out a plan for my home based business. And I think my sister will be calling today from New Jersey. WE HAVE A BUSY DAY> I will talk to my sweet daughter who is growing more precious every day. :) PRAYERS ARE THE FIRST ORDER OF THE DAY. Here is one of my favorite scriptures. Psalm 5:3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
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Oct. 2, 2007
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After yesterday I find it rather co-incidental that this was the scripture that caught my attentions and made me think about the trials in my life. 12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13"Make level paths for your feet,"[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. My daughter is struggling. It is hard to fly when you first leave the nest. It is a time to reflect on who you are, what you are and decided what kind of person you are to be. My encouragement to her is Hebrews 11 :12-13. How many times in my own life have I cried and grumbled and fought over changes that God has made in my life. Too many times to count. I know that God gave us tears and that he knows sadness. I also know that we are to rely on him. I have learned this the hard way. It seems that when God allows us to go through struggles that there is always a purpose behind them, that if we trust in him he will make those paths straight for us. 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:2 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs3:6. We found out that in spite of our plans not to move until next Spring our landlords are selling their (our) house. Lord we trust you to make our paths straight. |
Sep. 25, 2007
Only 4 more days
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Only four more days until I get to see my beautiful daughter. :) I can't wait!!!!!! I am working the next three days so I can have Friday, Sat and Sunday off. My preachers wife is in a scrabble tourney on Sat...yes I spelled tourney instead of tour-ney-ment I couldn't remember how to spell it. Autumn asked me not to make fun of her hobby. SO I won't. How could I? She has asked me to ride with her, and it happens to be in the town 5 miles from where Beth lives. I have heard that Autumn wakes people up if they snore. I was going to share a bed with her, since we are staying at my mother in laws. But I have changed my mind. Yep...........I think I will stay at my daughters. I have heard that I snore for the first half hour or so. What if I never make it past that first half hour because she keeps waking me up? My friend told me that she went with Autumn and that Autumn woke her up every so often. YIKES! I stress just thinking about sleeping with the preachers wife. But add the snore factor and I get sweaty palms. Could she snore? I hope she saws logs. Infact I somewhat hope she catches a slight cold and takes a powerful sleeping pill to make it through the night..............did I really say that? LOL |
Sep. 24, 2007
Homeschool Blogger
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You know there are many places to blog out there! I am a blogger. I love blogging. But my favorite place to blog is here. It is so wonderful to know that there is an online community where people share the same values and have the same goals. Raising our children for the Lord. Prayer request for my oldest daughter Bethany. She had her wisdom teeth removed Friday. She possibly has a dry socket. She starts her first official day at college today. She has taken correspondence courses, but this is her first day on campus. She feels miserable. She is four hours away, or I would go and hold her hand. (LOL) Seriously, I hope and pray that my baby makes it through the day. I know she wanted to feel so much better. What is going on at our house. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of our Student of the Word Curriculum. David and I sat down together yesterday and worked out a goal sheet. We love doing this..as it helps us stay focused. This one was a two year plan. One goal is to learn Spanish so we can help with a Spanish speaking ministry. Which reminds me I need to work on our flash cards this morning. Timothy and Carolyn are fighting and arguing and generally being rude to each other. I didn't have this problem with my first two. So we are working hard at getting along. WORKING WORKING WORKING WORKING HARD> PRAYING TOO> if anyone else has had this issue with their children I wouldn't mind some input. The problem with arguing it is hard to tell who is at fault. It dose take two to tango! I am making zuch relish today. I started yesterday. Today I will finish it up and can it. Probably tonight after work. Jon went on a 25 mile bike ride yesterday. He is so close to earing Eagle Scout. He only has 4 more months to do it. And as I mentioned my oldest starts college today. Hope you all have a blessed homeschool week! Renee |
Sep. 21, 2007
Cookies
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Carolyn made the most beautiful cookies last night. It was her first time doing it alone. I went to bed. She started after nine. But she was so excited to do it I just let her go for it. Besides who can argue with having our Friday night movie snack already made? Tasty too. GO CAROLYN!!! Heading back to work. I am excited today. I made the first step in becoming a stay at home mom again. I have started a work from home business. :) |
Sep. 15, 2007
Quick Entry
I am heading off to work her in a minute or so. The boys got off on their camping trip. I sure hope they have a good time. I hope my husband can relax a little. Ok-let's pray that he can relax a little.  My 13 year old and I had our first girls night last night. I was exhausted and fell asleep half way through our movie. And she was bored to tears. I felt bad, but I knew I needed to sleep. I couldn't even eat dinner I was so tired. Perhaps tonight will be better. If not tonight, then I know I will be awake tomorrow-for her! |
Sep. 13, 2007
Reading and other stuff
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Brief updates....we are working on homework in the evenings with our kids. Different, but it is working. I am struggling with believing that attempting this is the right thing. Please keep us in your thoughts. Tim and Carolyn walked down to my work the day before yesterday. They had lunch with me as a sort of celebration of going back to school. They then walked a bit further and went to the library. Tim picked out Robinson Crusoe and Carolyn picked out To Kill a Mockingbird. I guess from reports Tim hasn't read any of his book and Carolyn has read three chapters. (Guess who did the reporting) Today I will have Tim work on his schedule so his time is filled with good things. I think there are a few more things he can fit into his day. Carolyn and I are looking forward to our girls weekend. The guys are all leaving for their hunting trip tomorrow night. Three whole days. Carolyn will stay with her grandpa on Saturday and on Monday both of her grandparents. But in the evenings and on Sunday we will have lots of girl time. Do I hear brownies and chic flics calling out to me? Yes! :) I am not really into venison, but I do pray for all of the guys sake that this trip is successful for them. Wouldn't that be a fun memory for them. Even if they just get to spend time together it will make for good memories. Oh yes, I guess I should insert here that had it not been for the fact that we were homeschooling David probably couldn't just take off with the boys like this. :) David has 32 days off this year- that he can spend with the kids, in April he will get another 21 days. So perhaps when I get to fretting I should remember it isn't all that bad. Renee |