I can't believe it's Thanksgiving week. We bought a 25lb bird this year, so I had to put it in our fridge Saturday , which is way early for me. But it just made me realize how close Thanksgiving really is. I'm going to make a list today of all the things I want to get done this week. I usually bake my pies on Wednesday, still have to practice cookies with Sarah, that will probably be Tuesday. It's things like that I need to make a list for, otherwise I'll forget the things I need to get done, and only do the things I want to do.
I will be finishing up our Christmas cards today. Well, the cards are done, pictures developed and yearly letter printed out. I just need to sign the letter, put the kids ages on the back of the pictures, then put it all in the envelopes. Maybe I'm a little optimistic on getting that all done today, but it's my goal. We also have a bible study tonight, so we'll see how much I get done. I just made a mental list of all the things I need to bake this week, I'm tired all ready.
We finished school already. We have this whole week off, makes things easier for me. But the kids doubled up on their school work on Thursday, and had Friday off too. Which was nice. I helped out decorating our church last Thursday, it was lots of fun. The kids were so good, and finished all their school work while I was gone. (Proud mama here).
Friday was a great day. I went to a new woman's bible study I'm going to on Friday mornings, and it was such a blessing. Then in the evening the kids both had homeschool outings to go to, so Paul and I had a date night. We went to the Olive Garden, and had such a nice time. We haven't had a date in a couple of weeks, it was very nice.
Saturday we decided to brave the stores and do our grocery shopping on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. It was a bit of a mad house, but it was fun. The hardest part was the cold, blowing wind. We all just wanted to get home. I thought I had gotten everything I needed and wouldn't have to go back out to the store before Thanksgiving, I was wrong. I forgot to get a big thing of cool whip for a fruit salad I'm making. Can't make it without it, so I guess I'll be running back to the store real quick on Monday. Then I won't enter a store again until after the weekend sometime. I stay clear of them all during this time of the year. We don't do the black Friday shopping, and I just read today how they limit those 'specials' anyway. Like those tvs or something big on sale. Only 4 can be sold from the whole store! Only four people will get that big deal. Ugh, so not worth it to me.
What we do the day after Thanksgiving is put up all our Christmas decorations. As most of my regular readers know, we put up our decorations the day after Thanksgiving, and take them down the day after Christmas. But we really enjoy setting them up. We eat Thanksgiving leftovers, drink eggnog, and watch It's A Wonderful Life. My kids really enjoy that movie. And it really is a fun, relaxing day. We are pretty mellow with our decorations, so it only takes a few hours. Hanging the Christmas lights in the kids bedroom takes the longest, but it's what they love the most. Falling to sleep with their Christmas lights on.
Well I should get going and work on the Christmas cards. It's snowing pretty heavy out right now. We need to go out tonight, I hope it lets up soon. But it is so pretty.
OK Jeannie here is my entry. I have been meaning to put an entry out here, but I am doing a complete overhaul on my website, Watered Garden Web Creations (no changes are out there yet ), and it's been taking a lot of my time. I have prayed, talked with my husband, and prayed some more about what direction to go with my website. I just haven't felt the desire to make it a 'business' anymore. I really enjoy web site design, I truly do. But I don't like having to put together the templates, colors, layout etc... I guess I'll always be a computer tech at heart. That's what I did when I worked outside the home, and I like the technical aspect of putting websites together, just not the artistic. So with that, and much prayer, I have decided to turn my website more into a hobby website than a business website. One of my issues is that I'm always looking for ways to bring money in the home, but that's not what the Lord wants or my husband. My husband constantly tells me, even if I get any money it won't go toward the bills or anything like that, it would be mine. The Lord provides through his job, and that's the way Paul wants it. I submit to that, and I truly am ok with it, but there is always a part of of me that thinks that I should help bring in more finances. But see, that's all selfish on my part. Because all our needs are met, when I want more money, it's because I just want more things. So the Lord and my husband are totally right, I'm completely wrong. Anyway, sorry, I digress.
Paul really encouraged me in my discouragement, and so now my site is going to be a big blog type site, similar to this site. I'll have a craft page, homeschool page, photography page and some other pages. I've been working on it, but my biggest stumbling point is I just can't find a template I like. I'll work on it more today, and hopefully I'll be announcing it soon. But don't worry, even when I do have my website set up, I'll still be blogging here. This is my first blog home, and you are my dear friends. My website will be things I'm working on, crafts I'm doing, and normal life things. This blog will continue to be my more intimate thoughts. This is where I open up more than anywhere else. So don't worry, I won't be leaving.
I've also been very busy making our Christmas cards. I'm just about done with them. Actually after I post this entry, I'll finish them up. I'm still working on our yearly family letter, and our pictures won't be developed until Tuesday, so they won't be ready to mail until Thanksgiving week. But printing and stamping the cards has taken the most about of time, and I'm glad I got them finished this weekend.
I've been kind of putting off finishing our yearly letter because I'm praying that I can add an update there soon. My twitter friends know, but I'll put it here too for all my other friends, my hubby is looking for a new job. We always knew working at our church was not going to be a permanant thing. Long story, so I won't go into it all, but during the summer we started praying about things. See Paul's employment background is mainly in production/manufacturing. In Illinois, that is huge, out here, not at all. So we had to come to some decisions. Do we move back to Illinois, do we move to another part of Idaho, does Paul go back to school, or does he change his area of employment? After much prayer, we knew we wanted to stay here, and truly, though he's been in production for years, his strong point is customer service. He is such a people person, and he loves helping others. Any job he had that was customer service oriented, he has just loved. So he is going to change his area of employment and go for a more customer service oriented job, trying to find work at Wal-mart type stores, or the big grocery stores out here. There is one he really wants to work at, and it's a great company to work for. The general manager of the store goes to our church, and though we never knew him, his wife is a teacher at our churches school, where Paul works. Yep, the Lord works everything together. So Paul has talked with him, filled out the application, took an on the phone interview type thing. He'll be going in Monday or Tuesday and see what next step he needs to take. We are still not sure if he will get hired or not, and if he does what position he'll get, but we leaving it all in the Lord's hands. If it's not this store, then another store. But I do ask for your prayers that if this is the place for him, he'll get hired, and soon. I also pray, more of a selfish prayer, that he will not get the night shift. The store is open 24 hours, and I know we homeschool, and can change around our schedule if he works different days. But I am truly praying that he doesn't get a night shift. This post is already long enough, so I won't go into all the details why I don't want a night shift, but I really don't. So prayer he doesn't get a night shift, and if he does, if that's the Lord's will, then the strength to deal with it.
Ok, well now that I have written a book, I really need to finish our Christmas cards. Hope you all have a blessed day.
but then as I finished typing it, I realized I didn't really want to publish it. Typing it out helped me think through some things, and I guess that's all I needed to do it for. But not for sharing with you all, sorry.
There is a lot going on right now with us, and me in particular. I would ask for your prayers on guidance, direction and compassion for others. Besides some personal things I need to work through, there is some discord among a group of my friends. Never good or fun, and yes, I am in the middle. I can't explain any of it, but do ask for your prayers.
We have been busy, but it's a good busy. Lessons have been going well this week. Some attitudes, but mainly it's smooth sailing. In three weeks we have our first school break. We are taking a week off for Thanksgiving, I seriously can't wait. We've been schooling for three months straight, except for maybe one day off, and maybe one half day. I just want some days I don't have to wake up and think lessons, grading, schooling. It all gets a bit much sometimes. And I think this year, since I'm starting to keep track of Sarah's grades for her highschool transcripts, it's more time consuming. I'm in a bit of a flow with it all, but still, I'm looking forward to the break. So are the kids. Truly they are doing great, and attitudes are doing well. But I know they could use a break too.
We got to go outside for one more park day with our homeschool group. This week we are in the 50's and today we hit 60! That is almost unheard of around here this time of year. It's been so nice though. I've sat outside a couple of times today, just to enjoy the weather. It will only last a couple of more days, and once the sun goes down, the temps drop pretty fast. But I will take all I can get.
I'm almost done with the Christmas gifts I'm making. I can't actually believe I'll be done this early. I should finish the last of it tonight while watching the World Series with hubby. Then I can start working on our yearly letter, family pictures (already taken) and Christmas cards. Goodness, it's shocking for me even to write how much I have done. I'm really hoping to just enjoy this holiday. Bake cookies and snacks for the kids and for Paul to take to work, play with the kids outside in the snow, and just relax. Not run around trying to finish everything up at the last minute. I'm not done with it all yet, so we'll see how it goes and if I can really accomplish it or not.
Well, I guess that is enough of an update for now. Sarah is at the mall with her friend, and I have to go pick them up soon (ahhh the teenage years ), plus hubby will be home soon and of course the World Series tonight. Really hoping the Philies will beat the Yankees tonight and continue the series. As the little kid in the movie Angels in the Outfield use to always say, "It could happen."
It's Saturday night and usually we are at church (we like to go to our church's Saturday night services). But only Paul went to help with the ushing, then he'll come home. We are all a bit under the weather. Sarah is dealing with a cold, Paulie pulled a muscle in his neck, and Paul and I are just tired and blah. I sometimes feel like a cold is coming on, then it goes away, hope it keeps going away. We were really looking forward to the baseball game tonight, but that was canceled. Yes, we're having a bit of a bummer of a night.
I'm also getting frustrated with my website. I want to update it. I want to change the look and feel of it, but I just can't figure out how I want it to look. I really like the technical aspect of putting together a website, but I'm just not artistic enough for the graphical part of it. And truly at this point, I wonder if that means I shouldn't be trying to develop websites. Because if I can't figure out what looks good together, how can I design websites? Obviously something I need to take to the Lord in prayer and see what He wants me to do.
Still having a hard time watching my daughter go through some girlfriend issues. I find I'm getting more upset than she does sometimes. I can understand that friendships change, but when the friends (and their moms) say that the friendships are the same (when plainly they are not), it irritates me so bad. If the girls don't want to be friends with my daughter anymore, fine. But don't say you do, then never invite her anywhere and flaunt the new friendships (which my daughter is excluded from) in her face. Sarah is dealing with it better than I do sometimes. And I'm sure the Lord will use this in her life. But I hate having to watch it. And I want to just pull her from everything, and give the moms a piece of my mind.
But I keep giving it to the Lord and talking with my husband about it. Obviously I'm trying very hard not to react on my emtions, but to act on the Word of God. But it's not always easy. Mama bear wants to come out and pounce.
Hmm, i just re-read this entry and so far it is a bit of a downer, sorry. It's hard to type happy, fun blogs when you are not feeling the best, but lets see if I can lighten things up a bit.
Paul's back is healed, I'm so blessed by that. It's not easy watching your husband hurting so much. And of course husbands don't like to not be able to work. But it was great that he had two days of doing school with the kids. They are doing well, and it was such an encouragement for the kids and for Paul to be working together. And it was so sweet to see. Here's a picture of their time working together.
Other than that, not much else has been going on. We've been busy with park time, getting as much outdoor park time in as we can before the cold weather hits. We've cleaned out the kids winter clothes, and took a big load of old clothes, boots & toys and donated them to the local thrift store. We were going to go shopping this weekend for the new winter items they need, but obviously with how we feel, that will be postponed until next week sometime. We had a great time at the library this week. Sarah, who wants to be a librarian, is having fun learning more and more about libraries and how they work and the Dewey Decimal System, things like that. Of course talking to her about the old card catalogs is funny, since she's only used the online catalogs. Showing my age again.
Well, we decided to watch National Treasure, so I should probably get off the computer. I also want to work on my Christmas gifts. I'm almost done with them. So since tonight (or today) hasn't gone like we thought it would, it would be a nice way to end the day. Watching a movie with the family and working on crafts. Always fun.
I never thought having my 14 year old daughter go to a weekly teen girls bible study would keep me so busy. Driving her every week is starting to tire me out. Well, the fact that its on one of the busiest days of the week for me, Mondays, and the very next day is park day, just makes for a busy beginning of the week. But I am so blessed that she is going, and enjoying herself so much. There's only three girls that go, but we pray that in the future more will start joining. She's having a great time.
Paul pulled is back last week and had to take two days off of work. He's doing much better now, but it took a lot longer for his back to get better this time. He really didn't like having to take two days off, but being his job is so physical, there really wasn't any choice. With no insurance, we couldn't afford to allow it to get worse. Thankfully, we didn't have to go to the doctor, the Lord, rest and not moving around too much did it.
I've been busy with Christmas crafts I'm trying to finish up. I'm over half way done, and I think I'll finish them all by the end of October, beginning of November. I've never been this far ahead with Christmas crafts, and I'm pretty excited about it.
My neck and shoulder has been hurting me the past few weeks. It's the same issue I've had for years, that I went to physical therapy for a couple of years ago. The doctor warned me then that I had to be careful of my computer use, and I've gone way overboard on the computer the past few weeks. Truthfully, what started it was being on Facebook playing some of the games like Farmville & Cafe World. The mini, continuous movements it took to play the games are the exact movements that aggravate my shoulder. Plus, truthfully, I think the Lord was wanting me to get off them anyway. They were taking up way too much of my time. So today I stopped playing them, shut down the games. I've been on the computer today, but since I haven't been playing those games, even though I've been using the computer, my shoulder isn't feeling nearly as bad. Just confirmation that I'm not suppose to be playing those games.
School is going well. We seem to be flowing nicely with it, and I'm truly blessed by that. Paulie's math has been making him really have to work, and I am happy to see how he's growing in his knowledge of his math and reading. Sarah is doing so well with her work, and learning good time management. Plus she's got a weekly group babysitting job until December that she's really enjoying. Her and her friend are babysitting a group of kids while their parents go to a weekly DVD study. She's doing well with the kids, plus making some extra money, she likes that. She's had a few friends 'issues' (typical girl stuff, clicks and junk), but has worked through them with the Lord, and all seems to be fine. It's so hard for them at this age. She's so not into the boys & clothes thing, and some girls just don't want to hang around her because of that. She's standing firm, not changing, but it's still hard. But like I said, it seems to be better.
Well, I guess that's about it. It's about time that I have to head out and pick Sarah up from her bible study. Wanted to get an entry out though, I know it's been a while. Thanks for not giving up on reading my blog, even with such long times between entries. Maybe now that I've broken away from those games I'll have more time to blog.
Yep we got our first snow of the season. Now, that doesn't mean it is winter here or anything like that, just that our falls are always very interesting. We still have green leaves on the trees and green grass. For us, the snow was only about 1/4 of an inch, and it was gone by afternoon. For my parents, whose elevation is about 1000ft higher than ours, they got 4-5 inches, and it's still on the ground. But today is sunny, we'll be in the high 40's, the next couple of days, in the mid to high 50's then next week around 60. After living out here in the Northwest mountains for 6 years, none of this surprises us. It's just how it is out here. I'm always thankful that it goes away so fast, and warms up so nicely. I'm not quite ready for winter yet. So here are the pictures of our first snow fall this year.
This blog is so I can share my journey with the Lord, my journey as a wife and mother, and my journey as a homeschool mom. I pray that you will see the Lord in my life through happy and sad times, and that this blog glorifies the Lord.
This is an award and tag free zone, thank you.
, which is way early for me. But it just made me realize how close Thanksgiving really is. I'm going to make a list today of all the things I want to get done this week. I usually bake my pies on Wednesday, still have to practice cookies with Sarah, that will probably be Tuesday. It's things like that I need to make a list for, otherwise I'll forget the things I need to get done, and only do the things I want to do. 
We went to the Olive Garden, and had such a nice time. We haven't had a date in a couple of weeks, it was very nice.
It was a bit of a mad house, but it was fun. The hardest part was the cold, blowing wind. We all just wanted to get home. I thought I had gotten everything I needed and wouldn't have to go back out to the store before Thanksgiving, I was wrong. 
I forgot to get a big thing of cool whip for a fruit salad I'm making. Can't make it without it, so I guess I'll be running back to the store real quick on Monday. Then I won't enter a store again until after the weekend sometime. I stay clear of them all during this time of the year. 
Yep, the Lord works everything together. So Paul has talked with him, filled out the application, took an on the phone interview type thing. He'll be going in Monday or Tuesday and see what next step he needs to take. We are still not sure if he will get hired or not, and if he does what position he'll get, but we leaving it all in the Lord's hands. If it's not this store, then another store. But I do ask for your prayers that if this is the place for him, he'll get hired, and soon. I also pray, more of a selfish prayer, that he will not get the night shift. The store is open 24 hours, and I know we homeschool, and can change around our schedule if he works different days. But I am truly praying that he doesn't get a night shift. This post is already long enough, so I won't go into all the details why I don't want a night shift, but I really don't. So prayer he doesn't get a night shift, and if he does, if that's the Lord's will, then the strength to deal with it.
That is almost unheard of around here this time of year. It's been so nice though. I've sat outside a couple of times today, just to enjoy the weather. It will only last a couple of more days, and once the sun goes down, the temps drop pretty fast. But I will take all I can get.
