Susie-Q&A
• Nov. 27, 2008 - Happy Thanksgiving!!
I believe the Lord has given me a word this morning.
"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins."
I'm finding a great deal of comfort in it.
This Thanksgiving, I will not be rushing around anxiously, worrying about timing dinner just right or making the food delicious. I'm turning a blind eye to the house. Instead, I will be smiling at my children, allowing them to help me cook, making crafts with them, and telling them how thankful I am for them.
The turkey is easy enough, and already in the oven. I'd planned to brine it, but it turns out to be a self-baster, so there goes one complicated step. I have scaled the meal back to the canned cranberry sauce and boxed stuffing. I even bought a frozen pumpkin pie! We're going to make a cold pie and a peach cobbler together and have store-bought rolls.
Ahhhh! :D I'm already feeling quite happy and relaxed.
God bless you, friends!
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• Nov. 25, 2008 - Kid Doings
Last night, Fuzzy went to bed all by himself like a big boy! He even went right to sleep without crying! He still gets up in the night (I haven't trained him to sleep through because his crib is in the boys' room, and I don't want them bothered with crying), but at least he's learning to go to bed with the others. We are trying for an earlier bedtime these days. It's hard to believe he'll be a year old in just a few more days.
Last night, Fuzzy was playing with our model John Deere tractor, and he actually made "Vroom Vroom" noises! I thought it was so cute. He loves those awful stinkbugs that have invaded the house. (By the by, never vacuum up stinkbugs. Just take my word for it.) We call them "brown beetles" and the minute we say "brown beetle," he goes on beetle alert and into hunting mode. Big sissy will carry him all over the house, beetle spotting. It's hilarious to hear him try to say "Brown beetle." It comes out like "Brm bee." "Brm" is a very useful noise, then, it seems. It goes for tractors, beetles...and balloons.
Ian was playing with a baby doll last night and plastering it with kisses. He's the last one I would figure for paternal instincts, being our pirate-y boy, but I think this one's gonna turn out all right. His stubbornness will stand him in good stead when he gets older. I like to believe that the stubborn ones at least will stand their ground for the Lord and his Kingdom, and will not be so easily influenced by the world.
He's had an explosion in language. Suddenly, he's more like a three-year-old than a two-year-old. Well, he'll be three in just a couple of months! He chattered away last night about all manner of things. He likes to pretend the floor is the "water" so of course he has to climb all over the furniture to avoid falling in it.
He's still just awful to the cat, though, and I don't always catch him before he lies on top of her. Well, the cat doesn't sound the alarm until she's nearly squashed flat. He loves her just a little too much. The cat took to hiding behind my laptop, up here on the desk, to escape the younger set. I'd forgotten she was there last night, when my computer suddenly shut down, as it tends to do when it gets too hot. I put my hand behind it and got a fistful of hot fur. She'd been cozied up to its warmth, blocking the fan.
Mopsy is so funny with her little conversational gestures. Last night, she said in an offhand manner, "By the way," turning her little hand as if she were conversing at a tea party, "when this baby was born I named her Beautiful." She was strolling her baby (not Beautiful, but Sweetie) in the doll stroller. They then went off to the "library."
I have a diaper to change. Later!
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• Nov. 23, 2008 - Church Today
We all went together today. I really liked this church. Worth the drive, I would say.
It's charismatic, but, as one fellow there put it, they try to keep it sane. :) Sound theology is important to us, but so is the reality of God's presence, and a willingness to be obedient, and to press in, in faith.
I spoke to one couple who were second generation homeschoolers. The dad had been homeschooled himself. We did not "stick out" as a large-ish family. One of the little girls there was *very* friendly and helpful to my children, directing them to their class. Several of hubby's students attend there as well.
I think it will be a good place for the children; one has to be so careful about what they get by "osmosis." Naturally, the bulk of that happens in the home, but some of it happens at church too. :) I'm so looking forward to the weekly encouragement, and to forming relationships with people there. |
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• Nov. 21, 2008 - Christmas Survey!
I'm not good at forwarding, so I'll blog this one instead. That way,anybody who wants to can participate!
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both
2. Real tree or Artificial? Real tree, complete with sap and needle showers.
3. When do you put up the tree? Whenever we can afford to, usually one to two weeks before Christmas. I wouldn't mind going as late as Christmas Eve.
4. When do you take the tree down? Varies. I'm not sayin'. Heh.
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes! Without "spirits."
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Microscope, or maybe Chronicles of Narnia? Or the year I got a bike!
7. Hardest person to buy for? Hubby; he knows just what he wants, but it's all expensive.
8. Easiest person to buy for? The children, but it's hard to make it all come out even sometimes.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, we finally got a kid-friendly one last year!
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, if I get around to it. Which is not most years.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I like everything. I'm easy to please
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's so hard to choose. I like them all. White Christmas, The Bells of St. Mary's, It's a Wonderful Life
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I often start early (November), but hardly ever finish early.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Probably, but I can't remember.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Chocolate cheese pie
16. Lights on the tree? White! But I give in to the kids most years and put colorful lights on.
17. Favorite Christmas song? The First Noel
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Let's see: Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donder and Blitzen...and I also recall the most famous reindeer of all...
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star. The Star of Bethlehem, of course, with the nativity underneath.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Christmas morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? "Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Birds.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Turkey and trimmings.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? My wedding rings re-sized.
26. Who is most likely to respond to this? Let me know in the comments! |
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• Nov. 19, 2008 - Fill the Air With Christmas
| Okay, so it's not even Thanksgiving yet. But I got an email about CBN Radio, and guess what? You can listen to pretty, easy listenin' style Christmas music over the 'net if you go here. The player's decorated with falling snowflakes, to evoke that holiday mood. |
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• Nov. 19, 2008 - From Box Mix to Birthday Beauty
• Nov. 18, 2008 - Birthdays and Blessings
Happy Birthday, Scrub! You're one terrific fellow!
I can't believe he's been in my life for seven whole years. Seems like just yesterday he was a chubby-cheeked cherub. (I do like a little alliteration.)
He was my little pal. He used to wrap his tiny hand around my finger as I walked him up the stairs at bedtime. What a sweetheart.
And now he's a bright, imaginative, playful second-grader! Hubby and I call him our "otter."
We've all been spoiled rotten this weekend. More about that later. But right now, here are a few pictures of our little party.
I went theme-less for Scrub this year, and he was thrilled with it. Well, if there was a theme, it was "best birthday, ever," in his words. Just a Betty Crocker sheet cake and a few homemade cards from the children. And presents. Here's where the "spoiled" part comes in. It began modestly enough....
But then, more presents arrived in the mail!
Thank you so much Aunt J.! This has been the main source of amusement for the last two days!
And yet more. Sunday, we found a HUGE box in the garage, and this was in it..
So, now he has the "pet" of his dreams--a robo-raptor. Can you imagine anything more thrilling for a seven-year-old boy? He's been playing with it non-stop. Thank you very much for the amazing gift, Auntie C.!
And as if that weren't enough, a very kind friend has provided funds for the big girls to begin riding lessons! They are breathless with anticipation. Thank you so much, Sal! We were bowled over by your generous gift! Pictures of this new adventure will be forthcoming, just as soon as we get our equipment together and schedule the first lesson. Yippee-ky-yi-yay! |
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• Nov. 18, 2008 - German Homeschoolers Seeking Political Asylum
• Nov. 16, 2008 - I think we've found a church
The good news is that it's just what we've been looking for.
The not-as-good news is that it's a 45-minute drive east. However, in this part of the country (D.C. and environs) that is not considered an unusual commute. We've also done this before, when we were just a couple living in the Chicago area. We tried very hard to look close at hand, but were having trouble finding just the right fit.
I have not attended this church yet, myself, but hubby scoped it out this morning. I was running a bit too late to rally the troops in time. We're all going together next Sunday, and I'm so happy! This is a church-planting sort of group, so who knows what may come of it. :) |
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• Nov. 14, 2008 - Haven Fiasco
Okay, we did not have "fun" yesterday, in the fullest sense of the word. I yelled at my toddler, the boys tried scraping the wallpaper leavings but left gouges in the walls instead, and I wound up having to run out for party supplies with the fussy baby.
On the brighter side, I repented, the party supplies only cost $13 (it seems Dollar Tree is the place to buy them), and I came home with a few groceries we needed.
Unfortunately, I forgot the cat food, and kitty is not letting me forget about it. I've got to run out as soon as hubby gets home and fetch her some food.
Today, we have already decorated the sun room for the party, and the toddler has already had several tantrums (but I haven't yelled), and I've shoveled out my bedroom a bit, and moved the laundry infintesimally closer to "done."
I'm not even sure what today's challenge is. Let me go check:
Oh, it's Inviting and Giving. I guess giving birthday presents to my own kid doesn't count toward that. However, maybe I can plan some inviting and giving, if I can catch a breath this evening.
Right now, I have two littles to bathe, a cake to bake, kitchen to clean, laundry to finish up, and some general straightening to do in the main areas.
Later! |
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• Nov. 13, 2008 - Day Four: Fun
Making Your Home a Haven involves having fun too, eh? Not my strong suit.
It's raining outside (for which we are very grateful, as our pond is drying up), and supplies are running low, so making do with what we have here will require creativity. And watching movies all day is probably not the healthiest way to have fun, even though it is easy.
Either way, I really need to clean at least one bathroom, the reekiest one, which isn't anybody's idea of fun. And we can't let up on the laundry or it will take over the house.
Looks like I'll need some inspiration.
UPDATE: Okay, I'm thinking playing some games and making cards for the birthday boy might be in order.
And I'm running low on supper ideas, too. I have ground turkey. Maybe turkey patties with whatever veggies are in the freezer. |
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• Nov. 12, 2008 - Day Three Update
I wish I had pictures to offer, but I got nothing exciting accomplished. I was not able to repair the wall shelf myself, but hubby did it for me just now, so it's set aside as the glue dries. I did not move the crib, and I did not clean the bathrooms. So what exactly did I do?
Well, juggled baby and toddler, and did some laundry. Also, tidied up the living room (though it doesn't look like it now). I figured out how to scrape the glue-y backing from the stripped wallpaper off the walls. One part vinegar to one part water sprayed on it loosened it up pretty well, then I used a deluxe ice scraper to get the paper off. I got one section done, and I'll delegate much of the rest to the children. They can earn a little bit doing that.
We didn't even have pancakes, because I forgot we were out of eggs. We had cheese biscuits and tomato soup.
I can't remember what else we did. It's been that sort of day. I'm just really tired though barely having accomplished anything, and it's not even my usual bedtime yet.
Tomorrow: Fun. Hmmmm. Am I up to that? We shall see! :) |
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• Nov. 12, 2008 - Day Three: Cared For
For those just stopping by, I am participating in the Making Your Home a Haven Challenge, hostessed by The Homespun Heart.
This is project day, a day to do something special and out of the ordinary to make my home and its inhabitants feel cared for.
Perhaps it is a good day to move the baby's crib to my room and put up the shelf I bought recently at the yard sales in P'ville for the boys' room. I have to fix the shelf first, unfortunately, because the toddler broke one of its wooden pegs. I'll also have to drill holes to hang the shelf. Handywoman I am not, and this is a long work day for hubby, so he won't be available to help. So we will just see how that goes. I should also note that our crib is held together by zip ties.
Also, we have the never-ending laundry, and the bathroom really does reek.
"All things are possible with God. All things are possible...."
That's the thought I'll have to take with me today.
Supper? Oh yes.... Hmmm, pancakes? That'll have to do. |
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• Nov. 11, 2008 - Day Two Summary
I didn't get the bathrooms clean. However...
Play Area Before
Play Area After
As you can see, it was pretty scary. Not only that, but our cat has been "misbehaving" lately, and we were distressed to find, scattered about, "evidence" of said "misbehavior." Needless to say, I vacuumed, swept and spot cleaned thoroughly after we got the toys put away.
The boys helped me get some of the crayon off my wall. Here's the artiste, posing with his work.
Putting toys away took so long that I had to skip the rest of it. Thanks to The Homespun Heart, I was reminded to plan supper and lentil stew was waiting in the crockpot for the fam. I wanted to get out early so I could do a bit of shopping before my mom's meeting.
I went to CVS first and made out like a bandit. I got $35 worth of stuff for $13.45, and walked away with $18.50 in ECBs. That's essentially free plus overage. Furthermore, I am all stocked up on Christmas stocking goodies!
Next, I went to Toys R Us and did some birthday and Christmas shopping. I didn't get any deals, but I did find much-desired toys. I still had half an hour to kill, so I tooled across the way to the Walgreen's. They were sold out of baking stuff still. :( (I mean, if you're going to mark sugar down to 1.99, stock up for heaven's sake! Every housewife in F. County will be schlepping in her coupons and purchasing the limit.) However, I got two Glade air fresheners and two toothbrushes for just $1.57. Pretty good!
You have no idea how lovely it felt to shop alone.
After my bargain hunting, I met the other homeschool moms at the Mexican restaurant down the road. We had some nice conversation and good food! I cleaned my plate in a most unladylike way. I chatted extensively with two other moms, one who attends a church we just visited. It was nice getting to know them & sharing toddler stories. :)
When I got home, baby was ready to nurse and settle down to bed, and hubby had directed the kids to clean up the kitchen! What a grand evening!
Next: Making Your Home a Haven: Cared For. |
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• Nov. 11, 2008 - Michael Steele is Right!
• Nov. 11, 2008 - Day Two: Clean
Here's the scoop.
So I'm up late today, thereby shrinking my time considerably. It's a habit I need to break.
Today I want to clean the crayon markings off my bedroom wall, and both of the bathrooms. I would like to continue the ongoing laundry grind, and pick up the toy area. I would like to put away the clothes bin I was pilfering the other day, trying to mine winter clothes for the baby. We also have a basket from the girls' clean up that needs to be put away in the toy area.
The toy area is such a horror that I will help the children with it, then reward us all with cookies. I do believe we will read about the Greeks again over lunch and count that as homeschooling, to save some time.
I also have a mom's night out tonight! Woohoo! It's the first one in a year! I have a few errands I want to run beforehand, so I'm going to leave an hour early. CVS is doing a candy deal that might work for Christmas stockings. I have almost enough ECBs to cover it, plus a $5 off $30 coupon. We shall see!
Everybody is fed now, and we need to start in on tidying the kitchen. Then I think I'll assign the girls one bathroom, and myself another. The boys can tidy the living room, and Mopsy can straighten the shoe closet. Then I will hit the crayon marks. Maybe I will stack that pile in my bedroom a little more neatly as well. So much of the junk in there isn't mine, so I don't know what else to do with them.
Here is the thought I am carrying around my my confused little noggin today. It's a verse from an old hymn Phil Keaggy set to music.
I look to Thee in every need, and never look in vain;
I feel Thy strong and tender love, and all is well again.
The thought of Thee is mightier far than sin and pain and sorrow are.
Discouraged in the work of life, disheartened by its load,
Shamed by its failures or its fears, I sink beside the road.
But let me only think of Thee and then new heart springs up in me.
But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. Psalm 3:3 |
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• Nov. 10, 2008 - Day One: Tidy
Go here for guidance.
My plan today is to tidy my paper clutter. I have lots of other clutter besides, but have been putting off the paper clutter the longest.
I have three general areas:
- The corner of the living room, where my trusty expandable file fell apart (or rather, was ripped apart by the toddler) and dumped its contents.
- The desk in my bedroom, which is piled with stuff I don't know what to do with, some of it hubby's.
- The sun room, which has school papers and artwork littered about. Also, the Dreaded Blue Crate. (Something--I don't remember what--happened to my Dreaded Green Crate and somehow the pile got transferred to a blue crate.) I don't know what to do with those, either.
Now I remember why I put this off. I have no idea what to do with this stuff. {{{{Sigh.}}}}
I have another pile beside my bedroom wall, but need to do some shopping today and don't think I'll get to that. We have a birthday to celebrate on Friday, and that requires a bit of preparation too.
Remember to pray for your sisters who are participating in today's tasks! It looks like it's either homeschool, or do this. I think I'll do this. Maybe we'll do our math quizzes first, though.
UPDATE:
I didn't get it all done, but we got some things accomplished. We read about everyday life in ancient Greece over a late lunch and counted that as our homeschooling. After that, the girls tidied their room while the boys helped me by cutting out my coupons. I got some papers cleaned out and filed.
Here's the bit we got done. Realize, dear readers, that I am entrusting to you photos of my extremely messy house because I *know* you won't harumph to yourselves over our sloppiness. Right?
Boys room before:
Boys' room after:
Girls' room before:
[Shudder!]
Girls' room after:
Expandable file upchuck:
And it is no more:
The Dreaded Blue Crate in its dreadful environs:
Emptied and set aside:
Clipped coupons filed in my not-so-handy-dandy notebook (looking for a better coupon storage solution that costs $0):
Three helpers:
More helpers join the picture:
Tomorrow: Clean! |
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• Nov. 10, 2008 - Time to Freshen Up a Bit
• Nov. 6, 2008 - Lighthearted Humor
I've been decompressing from the events of the week (and preceding months) with a little Jeeves and Wooster.
The books are better, but these episodes are still great fun, and as far as I can remember, they are pretty true to the books.
"The rank is but the penny stamp."
"The rank is but the guinea stamp, sir. The poet Burns...
"Never mind the poet Burns, Jeeves! Expunge the poet Burns from your mind!"
"I have already done so, sir."
Heh! |
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• Nov. 6, 2008 - Gallows Humor
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