Feb. 9, 2010 - Tuesday

We are getting hammered with snow this morning.  Thankfully, I have the day off, so I don't need to have dh shovel me out "yet."  Since we are supposed to get snow through tonight, he will have to get up really early tomorrow and shovel us out.  I have a feeling he will be taking me to work tomorrow.

Speaking of work,  were we ever busy yesterday in ER!  It was non-stop from the time I got there until after I left.  Every room was full, with more people waiting in the lobby to be seen. 

All of the schools in this area are closed.  I haven't checked the news, but I'm guessing that most schools in the state would be closed too since the storm is so wide-spread.

My parents left Monday for a train trip to Arizona where they are going to house sit/pet sit for my brother and sil's dogs and birds.  I hope the train doesn't get delayed due to the winter storm.  They are supposed to be in Arizona tonight.

I got an email from Ebay that states auction fees are 1/2 price today and tomorrow.  I doubt that I will be motivated to get all of my ads typed and ready that quickly.  It would mean my entire day off would be devoted to that.  I thought about trying it.    But then I thought .  Enjoy the day, and do Ebay at my leisure.  If I push myself and stress out  trying to get it all done, I'll regret it.  It's just not worth the  I'd save to do that. 

It looks like I may need to temporarily get back on my inhalers.  I started coughing some yesterday.  Overnight, I was having trouble getting the air out of my lungs, so I had some wheezing going on.  It's time to use the inhalers and get that cleared up before it turns into something worse. 

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Feb. 9, 2010 - Seasoned Salt

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Feb. 8, 2010 - SuperBowl

Though the Colts didn't win the Super Bowl, we sure enjoyed the hype leading up to the game.  It was a welcomed break from the still-depressing state of the economy.  It was really refreshing to turn our minds from the constant concern of what is taking place/going to take place if things don't get better.

Unfortunately, we are now preparing for a major winter storm.  We missed most of the one that went through on Friday.  Thankfully, I am home tomorrow, but I think dh will still have get up early and shovel me out so I can get to work on Wednesday.

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Feb. 8, 2010 - Free online math video lessons

Here are some free online math video lessons:

http://www.khanacademy.org/ 

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Feb. 6, 2010 - Saturday

Thankfully, we didn't get as much snow as what was first forecasted for our area.  It looks funny though, as you look out the front door.  Looking around the porch, it looks as if we got 12" of snow last night.  Looking out toward the sidewalk, it looks as if we got a dusting.  LOTS of howling wind last night.  I hate to think how drifted the country roads must be!  Thankfully, I'm going nowhere today.  I put on my thermals, my sweat pants, and a sweatshirt.  I plan to stay nice, cozy, and warm in the comfort of my home!

I actually slept in until 7:00.  Yep -- for me, that is actually sleeping in for 2 to 2-1/2 hours.   Since I still got up fairly early, I have managed to get quite a bit done. 

• I have washed two loads of laundry, one of which is my bedding. 
• I have pizza dough in the bread machine for our lunch. 
• I sent an email out to our girls' group, announcing a get-together for one of the weeks when my hours are drastically cut.
• I read my bible.
• I colored my hair, then took a shower.
• I washed dishes twice.
• I have the cookie dough ready to make some cookies this afternoon after we eat our pizza.  (I have a feeling this is going to make it very difficult for dh, who is fasting this weekend.) 

And......it's not even 10:30 yet! 

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Feb. 5, 2010 - Weekly Wrap Up

Visit www.homeschoolblogger.com/threelittleladies for more wrap ups.

From the Heart: I am really looking forward to having the weekend off since we may be getting several inches of snow.  The weather predictions have changed a lot over the last 24 hours.  They were saying 8" of snow.  Now we are just under a winter weather advisory, as opposed to a winter storm warning.  Even so, I'm very thankful to be home this weekend. On the Homefront: Since I plan to stay home this weekend, I may work on making some more cookies with dd.    I will likely try to get some of my Ebay ads typed up.  I did manage to get the pictures taken of some of the items, but I still have a couple of big stacks to do yet.    I mentioned the DVDs I bought for our family as a Christmas gift.  We have really enjoyed watching them.  DD really enjoys the Highway to Heaven ones, as well as Life Goes On.  She started laughing about Becca one night, saying, "That girl is SUCH a drama queen!"   I told her that one of the names I had picked out for her was Rebecca.  I planned on calling her Becca, and I actually got the idea from that show.  DH decided he didn't like the name, so we went with another R name.   A good friend has offered to come by and get dd on Wednesday evenings so she can attend the girls' class at church.  I feel so badly for dd because she doesn't get the chance to do much these days since I'm working so much.  I feel like she is really missing out on some activities.  I am very grateful that M has offered to do this for us.  It is a huge blessing.    (Linda, M is the lady who did the KAH class at her house.)   In the School Room: I took some time this week to map out which courses I am going to have dd take next year.  She will do one or two over the summer months to ensure that she doesn't have a full course load at the official start of school in August.   I also sat down and made out an hour by hour schedule.  Dd is getting side-tracked and not getting her work done.  She told me the other day that she wanted me to start "cracking the whip" with her and give her more responsibilities (as in chores.)    What kind of kid asks their mom to "crack the whip"??  (Maybe I need to take her to ER for a psyche evaluation!)  I'm going to "crack the whip" by giving her a very rigid schedule to follow so that hopefully, she will stay on-target.   I mentioned last week that she would be attending the try-outs on Friday for drama camp week.  We decided to drop that activity.  Just a few days before try-outs, I discovered that they expect the parents to help.  I just cannot add one more thing to my "plate" right now.  They suggested I could help with meals for the team since I can't be there to help during the day.  That won't work either.  $ is extremely tight, and the camp was going to cost $125 as it was.  The coordinator told me that it would be ok for me to skip helping, but I didn't feel right about that since all of the other parents are expected to help.  DD and I both decided that this is a good activity to skip.  After all, she could do a production at church and it would be FREE, yet we could still give her credit for fine arts.    On the work front: I actually caught someone trying to use a fake info to get treatment.  Ummm...that is a federal offense!  I wish I could share the details because it is a very interesting story.    It reminded me of the days when I worked at the phone company. I earned the nickname "Fraud Queen"   while there because of my innate ability to catch someone trying to pull telephone fraud.   In the Kitchen: Still following my menu plan.  If you haven't tried using a menu plan, I highly recommend it.  That is my #1 tip for reducing stress for a mom in those evening hours when you need to make something, but don't have a clue as to what you should make.    Refreshing my spirit: I am still reading The Heart of God before going to sleep.  I don't feel like I'm getting a whole lot out of it, but at least I'm getting a portion of scripture to think upon as I doze off.    In the Literary Scene: Not really reading any other books right now.  Trying to focus on other things.    for stopping by!  I hope you return soon. May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you. ~~ Stacy ~~

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Feb. 3, 2010 - The Mom Song

Have you seen the Mom Song yet?

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/the-mom-song/2425571337

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Feb. 2, 2010 - Fabric Softener (again)

I recently read a tip for stretching fabric softener for those of you who prefer to buy fabric softener, as opposed to making your own.  Pour 1/2 of it in a cleaned out milk gallon jug. Add equal amounts of white vinegar and water to it. (About 2 cups of each)  Stir well.

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Feb. 1, 2010 - Interactive Body Site

Click on this link to a really cool site:

GetBodySmart: Interactive Tutorials and Quizzes On Human Anatomy and Physiology

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Jan. 30, 2010 - Weekly Wrap Up

Visit www.homeschoolblogger.com/threelittleladies for more wrap ups.

 From the Heart:

 

This has been a very rough week.  Lots of unexpected expenses got put on my credit card bill.  When I got paid, my credit card bill was more than my paycheck, thanks to a high car repair, doctor visit, and $85 for 5 pills.  And it looks like I need to see a specialist because I'm not getting any better.

 On the Homefront:

This is my weekend to work, so I won't be spending much time at home.  I have managed to get some more decluttering done.  However, I haven't started typing up any of the Ebay ads that I need to get done.   

 In the School Room:

DD has done very well in her homeschooling, even with the hours I'm working.  She is close to finishing the Anne of Green Gables curriculum through TLP.

She has try-outs next Friday for drama camp.  She doesn't want to do this activity, but I think it will be good for her.  Besides that, the one week of drama camp counts as one full semester credit for high school, as well as 1/2 credit for college.

 

 On the work front:

It's been a rough week here.  However, I did meet a patient who is like many of us -- struggling to make ends meet.  I did invite her to stop by and see some of my Tightwad Tuesday tips, homemade body care items, etc.

Thankfully, Saturday was a fairly slow day in the ER.  It was a nice change of pace

 

In the Kitchen:

DD made a recipe for double peanut butter cookies that earned a lady one million dollars in a baking contest.  They were absolutely scrumptious, but they took quite a while to make.  (The recipe is posted either somewhere under the recipe category or on my menu planning blog.)

  Refreshing my spirit:

 

Since I'm still struggling to make time to read my Bible, I started reading another book that incorporates scripture, which you turn into a prayer.  It doesn't take long to read a section, it helps me to get a bit of scripture read, and it helps me to end my day reflecting on the Lord.  By the time I finish reading it, I'm usually ready to fall asleep.

 

 In the Literary Scene:

I finished reading the Best Friends for Life book.  I highly recommend it for those who are looking for alternatives to letting their children follow the current dating trends.

 

 for stopping by!  I hope you return soon.

May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you.

~~ Stacy ~~

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Jan. 27, 2010 - More interesting tidbits

I met a man who actually ate a tree to get into the Guinness Book of Records.  He is a local dj.

I visited a doctor a couple of weeks ago who actually has something to do with the indianapolis Colts organization.  He even has a Super Bowl ring.  Very nice doctor.  I'm actually thinking of switching from my current doctor to this doctor.  For those of you who are local, he is in the office where Dr. Steele used to be.

My dh's paternal grandma died on his birthday.  His paternal grandpa died the day before mine.  My paternal grandma died the day after my mom's birthday.  We always thought that was a bit weird.

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Jan. 26, 2010 - Interesting Tidbits

I received this in an email.  I don't know how accurate this info is, but I thought it was very interesting, and worth keeping for future reference.

 Eliminate ear mites. All  it takes is a few drops of Wesson Corn Oil in  your cat's or dog's ear... massage it in, then clean with a cotton  ball. Repeat  daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites,  and accelerates healing. 

Kills  fleas instantly... Dawn  Dish washing Liquid does the  trick.Add  a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the  animal thoroughly. Rinse  well to avoid skin  irritations. Good-bye  fleas. 

Rainy  day cure for dog odor: Next time your dog comes  in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal  with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making  your dog smell springtime  fresh. 

Did  you know that drinking two glasses of Gatorade  can relieve headache pain almost  immediately-without the unpleasant side effects  caused by traditional pain  relievers? 

Did  you know that Colgate Toothpaste makes an  excellent salve for burns? 

Before  you head to the drugstore for a high-priced  inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try  chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids  peppermints. They'll  clear up your stuffed nose. 

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 tablespoon horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil for instant relief for aching muscles. 

Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The  vinegar kills the bacteria. 

Cure  urinary tract infections with  Alka-Seltzer. Just  dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and  drink it at the onset of the  symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections  almost instantly-even though the product was  never been advertised for this use. (Another cure for a UTI - chop fresh parsley, add to boiling water (remove from heat) and allow to steep for 10 minutes.  Use one heaping tablespoon of parsley per cup of water.  You should begin to feel relief within 20 minutes)

Honey remedy for skin blemishes... cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight. 

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus: Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine Mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again. 

Easy eyeglass protection... to prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybeline Crystal Clear Nail Polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them. 

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer... if menacing  bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly. 

Smart splinter remover: Just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue. 

Hunt's Tomato Paste boil cure.  Cover the boil with Hunt's Tomato Paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head. 

Balm for broken blisters... to disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine, a powerful antiseptic. 

Vinegar to heal bruises... soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Quaker  Oats for fast pain relief... it's not for  breakfast any more!  Mix  2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a  bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute,  cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your  hands for soothing relief from arthritis  pain.

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Jan. 25, 2010 - Why Homeschooling Works

Here is a great article:  Why Homeschooling Works  

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Jan. 24, 2010 - Doodling in church

During Sunday school, I noticed that dd was doodling on her paper.  When I glanced down to see what she was doodling, I discovered it was algebra!     She was actually making up her own algebra problems, then coming up with the answers.  

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Jan. 23, 2010 - A very lazy day

I had a very lazy day today.  I was feeling a bit nauseated today, so I wasn't motivated to do much.  DH needed to climb under the house to do some work on the bathroom drain, so I held off taking a shower.  Had I known he wouldn't work on it until late this afternoon, I would have taken my shower this morning!    So here it is, after 7PM and I still have my bed-head   and am still wearing my pajamas.   

Dd and I watched a couple of chick flicks today, so it was a rather restful day.    Since I've been battling a UTI for the last few weeks, it was probably a good thing that my day worked out like this.  I think my body needed a break. 

I did take a short  this afternoon.  That refreshed me so I had some energy to work on supper.  I failed in completing my menu plan for this month, so had to try to come up with something for supper.  I decided on comfy chicken soup.   (The recipe is on my menu blog.)

After supper was done, I sat down and completed my menu plan for the rest of this month, all of February, and part of March.    I shouldn't need to buy much at the grocery store since we have most of the meat we will need to make these meals.   

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Jan. 22, 2010 - Weekly Wrap Up

 From the Heart:

 I have been able to go without my inhalers for over a week!  I feel terrific too!  The enzymes I'm taking seem to really be helping my body. 

OTOH, I have been dealing with a UTI for over 3 weeks.    I tried one antibiotic.  It didn't work.  I can't take sulfa unless I want to break out in hives.    So yesterday I picked up a script for Levaquin.  5 pills cost me $85.00!!!    And that doesn't count the $345 we spent on car repairs or other expenses we don't normally have. 

On the Homefront:

 I was hoping to have a very special day with dd on Wednesday when I was home.  Unfortunately, she was sick, so we didn't get to do those special things.  Instead, we watched a 2-part episode of Highway to Heaven.

 

I hope to watch the Colts play this weekend.  I haven't discovered yet what time they play.  Since I have to work at 6AM on Monday, if the game is in the evening hours, I will likely miss most, if not all, of it.

 

I also want to prepare some items to list on Ebay.  I have a couple of large stacks of things I would like to weed out.  It's not a job I look forward to doing, but once I get started on it, I know it will motivate me to try to get as much done as possible so that it is out of the way.

 In the School Room:

 I ordered a few new things for school.  One of which is the physical science paces from ACE.  We discussed it last week, and dd really doesn't want to go back to doing Apologia.  That curriculum was not a good "fit" for her.

 On the work front:

I have been spending a lot of time working in ER lately.  Those of you who know me know that is where I prefer to be.  Since Thursday was a day of excessively icy conditions, you can imagine how busy we were in ER.  Thankfully, my dh was kind enough to drive me to work and let me off right at the door so I wouldn't have to walk on the ice.

 

My hours got cut for the month of February.  I did find some "holes" in the schedule, so I quickly emailed my boss and volunteered to pick up those days.  She let me take 2 of the 3 days.  They will be a weekend afternoon shift in admissions.  Since I usually go to bed around 7:30, it is really going to be a stretch to stay awake until after 11:00.

Please join me in praying that my coworker (N) will get custody of her granddaughter.  Her granddaughter has no living parents now that her dad passed away last week. 

In the Kitchen:

I made gluten-free banana bread this week.  It turned out well, but I prefer the regular banana bread.  Since I'm taking the enzymes, I will be slowly re-introducing previously-troublesome foods and see how well my body handles it.

I cleaned out my deep freeze and my refrigerator freezer Friday.  I took inventory on everything I had.  I rearranged things to make them more accessible.  I was amazed at how many bags of veggies we had in there!  I made a special place for them so they are easier to find.  Hopefully, this will help us to cut our grocery expenses for the next month. 

  Refreshing my spirit:

Failing miserably here.  I did take some time to read my Bible on my day off, but I really need to be more diligent in this area.  Perhaps while I have the weekend off I will make time to do some in-depth study.  I miss that, but when I do have the time to do it, I think, "I'm too tired to focus on this right now."

I did manage to sit down for a lengthy spell last night while dd was playing on the computer.  I did a couple of chapters from a Beth Moore study on Paul.

 In the Literary Scene:

Still reading the same books.

 

 for stopping by!  I hope you return soon.

May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you.

~~ Stacy ~~

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Jan. 19, 2010 - Grocery Shopping

I recently went to Kroger and bought $48.36 worth of items for only $13.06, and I didn't use coupons!  I use their credit card, which earns $10 in free groceries for every $1000 I spend on my credit card.  This time, I had $20 to put toward my grocery bill.  I tend to pay for almost everything with a credit card because I hate to carry cash.  Now I know there are those who say you spend more when you use a credit card, but the way I eliminate doing this is by having a grocery list with me when I shop.  I get focused on my list, and I walk right by the endcaps the store managers hope will tempt customers.

I have been diligent to be as frugal as possible, so in those rare moments when I might be tempted to spend $ on something we don't really need, I ask myself 2 questions:

• Will this purchase be doing my husband good, and not harm?
• How long did I have to work to pay for this?  (This hint comes in really handy when shopping for clothing.  If I see a shirt that is $30, I think, "This is 3 hours worth of my paycheck.  Is it really worth it?"  Most of the time my answer is going to be no.)

And one more thing on the credit card -- I pay my bill twice a month so there is never a balance carried over to the next month. 

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Jan. 17, 2010 - Funny on hs'ers

DD rides a bus on Saturday mornings to a church on the other side of town.  Anyway, one of the girls in her class knows that R is hs'ed and she knows R is an only child.  Yesterday, she asked R, "How do you make friends?"    The teacher heard, and said, "I think what she means is 'how do you MEET friends?'" 

I said, "So did you tell her you stand on a street corner with a sign that says, "WILL WORK FOR FRIENDS"?      DD thought that was pretty funny.  She wished she would have thought of that for a reply.

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Jan. 16, 2010 - Weekly Wrap Up

Visit www.homeschoolblogger.com/threelittleladies for more wrap ups. 

 From the Heart:

I have some terrific news!  I started taking enzymes before each meal.  Not only am I not having allergic reactions to the food, I have been able to cut way back on using my inhalers!!!!!!  I didn't even use them yesterday!  I feel terrific too!           

On the Homefront:

I had one day off this week, so I worked hard to get a lot accomplished that day.  I got all but 2 things finished on my list. 

Dd and I even had some time to do fun stuff that day. 

 In the School Room:

I'm looking ahead at some courses for down the road.  DD and I have decided that instead of using Apologia Physical Science, we will stick with Paces.  She seems to do better with those.

 

 On the work front:

I got my February schedule and my hours have been cut.   It is going to require great restraint on our part to not spend any extra.  We will be pushing ourselves to search the pantry for things there in order to save on the grocery bill.

 

Of all things, the car needs some major work (like around $800 worth).  This is not a good time to have my hours cut. 

 

One of my coworkers lost her 36 year old son yesterday.  I am heart-broken for her.  He leaves behind a six-year-old dd, whose mom died a few years back. 

   In the Kitchen:

Just trying to stay on-target with using my menu plan, and adjusting it when have leftovers.

 

  Refreshing my spirit:

I haven't been to church in several weeks now.  I am feeling it too.  I really miss it when I'm not there.  Since this is my weekend to work, I will have to wait another week to be there.

 

We didn't go last week.  When I came into work early Saturday morning, the police officer on duty asked me where I was last weekend.  I missed his baptism.    I felt bad for missing it, but I didn't know about it until this morning. 

 

 In the Literary Scene:

I'm still reading Best Friends for Life.  I'm taking it slow because there is a lot of wisdom there to "chew" on.  Very good book!

 

 for stopping by!  I hope you return soon.

May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you.

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Jan. 14, 2010 - Josh McDowell

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