I am the wife to one, James, and the mother of six here on earth and one in the presence of the Lord, with another due Sept./08'. We are in our tenth year of homeschooling. We are conservative Christians striving to walk closer to Him daily. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Sat, 5 Jul 2008 10:56:00 -0500 Sat, 5 Jul 2008 10:56:00 -0500 I know what you're thinking. You're thinking of moving over to the new side of the house. Well, no not quite yet. But we are getting closer day by day! In between James working his normal job and helping others he's fitting in time to finish things up. I have decided, though, to move over to Blogger. I have been thinking about it for a long time now. But I felt bad using this homeschoolblogger when a lot of my posts are indeed not on homeschooling at all. <sigh> With that said, please come and visit me at my new location. http://www.sandlappersue.blogspot.com There will be a lot of the same that you have seen here on homeschoolblogger these past years. Please put my new address on your links if you'd like and comment whenever you like. I hope to add another visitors counter for those of you that are lurkers and not wanting to comment. At least I'll know you're there! Things are a bit out of order there right now but I hope to get the furniture rearranged before long. So please be patient. Meanwhile, enjoy some of the old posts. I want to leave with blessing all of you in this blogger community. May the Lord be with you and more importantly, May YOU be with Him! Love in Christ, Susan http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/556808/ Sat, 5 Jul 2008 10:56:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/556808/   Here is what I have planned for the month of July. I will do our big shopping trip within the next few days, cast free, Lord willing! Our beverages will be the usual tea, coffee, juice and milk with the exception of water at lunch. I plan on soda just on the weekends, sparingly. The dollar amounts you see is what the cost would be out of pocket with the exception of beef, of which we have in the freezer. We already have some things on hand so this isn't what will actually be spent... after non-foods and allowing money for catching good deals, we should come around $350-$400 for the month. Breakfast grits and eggs .75 muffins .50 oatmeal .75 pancakes $2 granola $2.50 cinnamon rolls (whole wheat w/ cream cheese icing) $2.50 Poptarts and milk $4 Total: $52.00 Lunch ramen $.70 leftovers Free! bean burritos(leftover pintos, cheese, tortillas)$1.75 mac n cheese $2.50(homemade, make ahead and freeze) tuna casserole $2.50 sloppy joes and popcorn(make joe meat ahead and freeze)$2.00 PB&J $2.00 Total: $45.80 Supper baked potatoes $4.50 (make chili meat)(3X) pintos, taters and cornbread $4.50 (3X) cabbage casserole$3 (3X) chicken bog, green beans $4.50 spaghetti(seasoned reconstituted tom. paste, canned tomatoes,pasta)$3 (3X)(vary by adding cheese and baking. etc...make batch and freeze ahead) salmon patties, rice and gravy,veg. $4.50 pizza(tomato paste for sauce, 1lb.cheese for two pizzas) $5.00 (3X) Bacon-bean soup (Not Just Beans)$2.50 Steak, potato, salad (steak already bought) $7 Chicken fried steak (NJB, p.111),rice and veggies $5 Shepherd's Pie $5(3X, make and freeze ahead) cubed steak/roast and gravy, veggie (3x)$5.00 taco/ grilled chicken salad $5.50 (3X) LCF (take baked beans and 2 desserts) $15.00 Total:$145.00 Snacks Cheddar puffs (p. 50, NJB) cookies (oatmeal, peanut butter, chocolate chip, sugar) Peanut butter crackers salsa & chips popcorn fruit cereal Total: $40 Grand Total: $282.80 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/554790/ Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:06:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/554790/ It seems that the past month or two has been the wildest of busy-ness that I ever remember. I am very ready to slow down. Three people have told me that breaking my finger would hopefully slow me down. Still yet with life as it is, who can skip a beat? Having a cast up to your elbow doesn't always slow one down but makes one extremely frustrated and discouraged. Some things take twice as long. The cast should be history as of Tuesday afternoon. In other new: ~ James has the flooring laid in the playroom upstairs and it looks great! He is working on the boy's floor now. Things are really coming together. James also finished the outdoor siding across the front. The rest is to be completed after we get moved over. ~ My granddad passed away this week. So we were busy saying goodbye with the visitation and funeral. I am most sad for my "Me-maw". I can imagine the pain of losing what is to be your other half. What loneliness and grief! ~ The wee one seems to be doing very well! I am excited to welcome he/she into this world on a few months. I am almost 29 weeks along and in great anticipation that this third trimester will be better than the second. My doctor keeps pushing the issue of watching what sugar and carbs I eat. Maybe I can control this a little better after the cast comes off. Anyway....I think this one is a boy for several reasons. ~ For all you praying ones, please pray as often as comes to mind several situations with James' work. I don't feel liberty to share the whole situation. And also with baby not arriving until September, nothing could be done till then anyway. Even if James decided to make such decisions. I will say that a lot of situations are scary, frustrating, unbelievable, deceitful and w-r-o-n-g. We don't like being a part of any of it! We are in prayer for all to change to what would be pleasing in the Lord's eyes. ~As far as school goes. We are done until the new school room is ready. There's too many irons in the fire and so I am calling it quits till August. We will still have very informal schooling of their reading to me and I to them. Right now we are reading King Arthur and His Knights. What a wonderful tale to wrap up this school year, with having studying on the Renaissance and having VBS on the armour of God.   And during the time of typing this, lunch and a break, James and Brittany have finished the floor in the boys' room!   I   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/553803/ Sat, 28 Jun 2008 08:31:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/553803/   Here's a list of a lot of what we need to buy this coming month. We will be buying milk and misc. needs throughout the month but our goal is to stay below $400 overall. I am still tweaking the list for this coming month.  I copied this from my Excel program, tis the reason for the odd format. 20 chopped tomatoes 12 Tomato paste 6 mixed vegetables 8 green beans 0 Frozen corn 0 kidney beans 0 refried beans 0 canned tomatoes 8 vegetable soup 0 canned yams 2 crushed pineapple 1 egg noodles 0 seasoned noodles 2 ramen noodles 1 pepperoni 4 macaroni/ rotini pasta 0 stuffing mix 0 elbow macaroni 0 sloppy joe sauce 0 taco shells 1 mayonnaise 0 oysters 3 Spaghetti       0 butter   4 milk     4 sausage   16 pop biscuits   2 salad mix   0 chicken pot pie   0 chicken nuggets   0 tater tots   1 sour cream   10 torillas   0 eggs   6 frozen juice   0 cinnamon rolls   1 french fries   3 yogurt   0 mozzarella cheese   0 cheddar cheese   3 bacon   4 hot dogs   0 slice american cheese   0 soda   2 lunch meat   0 fabric softener   1 freezer bags   0 toilet paper   0 paper towels   1 trash bags   0 dishwashing liquid   2 hamburger buns   4 hot dog buns   8 bread   4 cream cheese   1 ketchup   2 rice   0 olive oil   0 powdered milk Total 174.25   Extras Not Listed Above Bagels $10.00 Hash browns $4.00     Aluminum foil $3.00 Carrots $4.00 Celery $2.00 Potatoes $4.00 Snacks ($25 worth) $25.00   Pads $3.00 Cornmeal $3 Tea $6 Coffee $10   Sam's 15 0 hamburger 9 1 whole chickens 15 1 pork chops 0 0 pork and beans 0 0 brown gravy 0 0 chicken gravy 20 0 roast 5 0 bread f;our 4 0 taco seasoning 4.00 3 pork and beans   11 2 mozzerella cheese 11 2 cheddar cheese 11 1 sliced cheese Snacks will also include some ingredients to make some goodies. Brittany and I are going to make a list of snacks to make within the next few days. I get my cast off on Tuesday so food prep can get moreso back to normal. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/553672/ Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:49:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/553672/ ~ roast and veggies over rice ~ roast soup ~ stuffed manicotti and salad ~ pizza ~ chicken enchiladas and spanish rice ~ chicken and rice, green beans ~ pintos, fried smoked sausage and corn bread ~ turkey, stuffing, rice and gravy, green beans ~cubed steak, rice and gravy, broccoli casserole ~ church social meal   Breakfasts are simple cereals, oatmeal, cheese biscuits, eggs , breakfast burrito and grits. Lunches will be leftovers, hot dogs, quesadillas, frozen pizza, ramen and soup.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/549827/ Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:31:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/549827/ Yesterday morning I called the OB's office and Harriet answers. I tell her I have an UTI. Seconds later Abi, the nurse, is on the phone. It would have been impossible to pull my file so quickly. But, they are good at getting to know their patients. I am all for that. So Abi says she'll have something called in ASAP and she did. I know some people like bashing OBs and the way they work. So find another one or find an alternative. They are not all bad. I had a few experiences that weren't ideal and so I changed practices. I just don't find it wise to put down professionals trained to help others and then get others hyped up to do the same. I have experienced being with these people in a very dark time in our lives and no one could have done a better job. They handled the baby we lost with great care and dignity. For that I am forever grateful. The same goes with all of the happy times, too. Oh, and I am feeling so much better today, thank you! I hope to improve even more in the next few days. Oh yeah---excuse any typos as they are due to my one handed typing. I have precisely 1 week a five days before the cast is removed...by some very nice orthopaedic workers... or at least they are nice until we get the bill. LOL http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/549352/ Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:21:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/549352/ This week we are having Vacation Bible School each night. Our children always enjoy going. Jesse was waiting at the door first thing this morning to go. Well we had to inform him that it doesn't start until the evening. So you know what I heard all day! "Is it time yet?" The best thing for the teaching moms is that we don't have to cook supper each night as meals are provided. Hey, I am all for that! On another note, I think I have a urinary tract infection. I guess I'll call in the morning and see if my OB wants me to come in or just call in antibiotics. Which ever way, I cannot live like this much longer! I want the goods to get better, quick! Tomorrow will be being spent studying more for VBS. I am blessed to be teaching a class. I did not finish reading Mark last week, either, so will do that this week. Also, I will have the usual laundry, kitchen patrol and need to mop the kitchen as well....and hopefully that Dr. visit and/or medicine run, <sigh>.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/548687/ Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:18:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/548687/ I am anticipating having a great weekend with our family. James is supposed to have a three day weekend beginning tomorrow! We have plans to work on the addition some more and just general chores. Brittany has a birthday tomorrow as well. So in the morning I need to go to town and pick up some goodies for her. Also I need to get my dad a birthday present which is on the 18th. Father's Day is taken care of. /james asked off for today and tomorrow but was only allowed tomorrow for now. We HAVE TO get this addition completed for various reasons. Right now I am pretty well limited in what I can do for various reasons. This is very frustrating. Today we have been working on a bit more school. Dalton has to write his final book report and present it and this will conclude his language arts for the year. Well, we may very well pick up on the spelling some more. Brittany is now in high school Algebra and I want her to complete the first unit before she calls it quits till next school year. That should be the beginning of August. Samuel is being vigorously drilled in grammar so that he will be up to grade jevel next school year. We are coupling this with a lot of reading and interest studies. As far as my hand, I feel it's on the mend. I still get aggravated with having to wear the cast. It's hard when the littles come to me and want me to write or color with them and I can't. That and not being able to write out bills is frustrating. I must go and get some chores completed. Hopefully James will be home soon for time together, finally! He's went in 1 to 1 1/2 hours early every day and home late each night.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/546764/ Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:51:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/546764/ Wow, it's amazing to me how all of a sudden a bunch of people are getting married! These all just popped up just within the past week or so. Albeit one was a give away but still we go from no weddings in a few years to four in one. I feel strongly compelled to pray for these couples---that the Lord will have His hand in all situations. Whether you've known someone a week or years, you are saved or not, you are from the same backgrounds or not--marriage is hard work and one that takes 100%-100% not 50%-50%. Granted, I think anyone should know and love the Lord before getting married but as with anything life isn't easy. On any account if this year is wedding year, will next year be baby year? http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/546097/ Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:41:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/546097/ Yesterday was a very good birthday for Samuel! Since James has been super-busy with work, I ventured out for Samuel's gifts, cake and ice cream. He had mentioned camo to James and so I headed to Good Will to see what they had. Good thing he had other items on that list! There was no camo in his size so I ventured over to the household section. I mean, I was right there, right? Boy, am I glad I did! First I spot two HUGE boxes full of the cutest little lampshades. They were all marked .80 each. Regular retail is marked as much as $15.50 per shade! I am excited to do some fun projects with these! I also found a cute basket for $1.50.   Once I got these I thought I was done but  I run across the cutest oriental style rug (2'X3') for $3.00. As I was loading it up a lady runs out of the back room saying they have the large one(5'X8') to match for $12 AND they will throw in the long runner for free because it was dirty. So for $15 I got three nice matching rugs! When I got home I rolled out the runner and ran the vac over it several times. Obviously it was placed close to someone's door but now it's clean! I  will shampoo all of them on the deck before using them. I am saving them for when we finally move things over to the addition. Oh, but we can't forget---I was shopping for Samuel's birthday! So long story- short I get his goods at Walmart. He was very happy with a new light up light saber, cowboy hat and wallet(complete with some spending money). He's one content fellow, indeed. Besides, we didn't have school yesterday either. We also ate chocolate cake and ice cream. His world was one of sheer bliss. The end. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/546064/ Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:14:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Sandlappersue/546064/