This Week At Home, 2012, Week 11

In which I write little notes to remember each precious day!

Grandpa#1 and Ryan last Friday

Monday...
The weather is rainy.  I get up at 6:30 and it is pitch black.  I feel as if the hour we lost has taken us back to February darkness.  Thankful for my coffee and date time with Jeff.   Thankful for grandfathers who took the time to drive hours to see us Friday and Saturday.  (Love you!) 

Today we have gym class, feed the neighbor's dogs twice, dance class, roasting 2 chickens for dinner tonight(and tomorrow,) and I hope to get our reading aloud done.  I'm still congested, mostly just in the mornings.  Otherwise, I am functioning, so I am not going to the doctor.

Tuesday...
Lessons, babysitting, art class, and more sunshine!  Laundry is king today.  Oh so much of it to do.  I made chicken and biscuts for dinner.  It's super easy and they love it!

Jenn's Easy Chicken and Biscuts 

De-bone a chicken that was roasted the day before.  Lay that meat in a big pan and almost cover with chicken broth.  Chop up some carrots, celery, and potatoes and put them in another pan to boil a little until almost soft.  To the chicken that's in the big pan, add some green beans, the chopped vegetables.   Then, sprinkle with onion, garlic, pepper, salt and parsley.  Top with whole grain drop biscuts.  Bake for 30 min. on 350. 

Whole grain drop biscuts
4c. whole grain flour
4t  baking powder
2t baking soda
1 t salt
4T melted butter
2c. milk

Mix all together and drop rounded very large spoonfuls on top of chicken and vegetables. 

Twins! 

Wednesday...

Another beautiful day with sunshine and open windows!  We are making steady progress towards our weekly reading goals.  This week, I added a book, so we are reading quite a lot.  Sometimes you have to add a great book!  

AWANA was tonight and Grace finished her book.  She worked so hard to get through it.  It's not something that I think I could do very easily.   Trevor was injured in game time, so he won't be doing much on his ankle the next few days.

Lunch outside in March?

Thursday...
Wow, this weather is absolutely wonderful.  I have windows open all night as the low only reached the high 50's.  We are breaking old high records right and left, too.  Makes me think we will pay in April.  (A snowy Easter, perhaps?) 

Trevor finished Math U See Epsilon today!  Woo hoo!  That boy is amazing!  He's limping around today or else I think he'd have jumped up and down a few times in celebration.

We had big salads with real bacon *gasp*, I know.  But it was antibiotic and nitrite free!  Eating bacon on a salad makes me think of ordering a diet coke with a double cheeseburger, though.  For our "vegetable" we had pumpkin custard! 

Friday...
Busy, busy day!  I'll just list my list! 

• make bread
• write menu ideas, grocery list
• finish reading for the week and any other stray subjects
• get groceries (3 stores)
• do laundry, dishes as usual
• make home made shake 'n bake chicken for dinner with steamed broccoli and brown rice.  Blueberries for dessert. 
• take Ryan to Winterblast at church (He spends the night!) 
• clean bathrooms (may do tomorrow)

This is where Abbey likes to be! 

Saturday... Jeff works a long day

• Whole house blitz!  (Floors, purging, dusting, tidy, surfaces...)
• Pick up Ryan after lunch
•  Put laundry away (because by now there will be baskets of it sitting around again.  
• ???  I'm sure I'll think of something else to do around here. 

Hope you have a great weekend and thanks, as always, for stopping by to read about our busy week at home!
~Jenn 

A Winsome Wednesday

This is March, right?  I can't recall it ever being this nice in March.  I'm not complaining.  I am in shock.  I really expected a different type of winter, one with snow and freezing temperatures for days on end.  Oh well.  Not going worry about it now.  Bring on the sunshine and warm days of spring.  And a little rain too, once in awhile would be nice, just not on camping trip days.  (ha!) 

Good Bye Pinterest

After reading this, and just not really getting all into pinning things, I've decided to delete my Pinterest account.  I'm sure it's safe and fun, but I really just don't have time to spend there.  Just letting my friends know, in case you wonder why my boards are gone.
~Jenn

**Update, since writing this, Pinterest has changed their agreement language to be more favorable.  I do not plan to rejoin, as it could be a source of discontent for me.  

This Week At Home, 2012, Week 10

Little notes I write each day so that I can remember each precious one!

Finally, his big day is here!

Monday...

Happy birthday to my big guy!  Time goes so quickly that I am amazed we are here. You being 14 blows my mind! And yet, I am so happy to have such an amazing young man in my world.  You are not a typical teen.  You are creating for yourself your own life, little by little.  I thank God for you!

Since it is a birthday, I gave the option for a day off of lessons.  Imagine my surprise when no one wanted to do school today.  (ha)

We woke up to a dusting of snow and flurries falling.  What a difference from the tornadic weather last week!  I'll take this and be happy, even though I can't walk outside today, not that I would.  I did not sleep again last night for the coughing fits lasted all night.  :-(

Homeschool gym class, a trip to the bakery and cake tonight filled our busy, happy day.  The kids all seem to be getting over their illnesses.  Perhaps I will get some sleep tonight!  One can hope. 

They eagerly watch him open their gifts.

Tuesday...

Sunshine is the word of the day!  We are back to the books today, too.  Everyone seemed fine with that.  I wondered if it would be hard to get back on track, but it was just another pleasant morning of lessons.  In the afternoon, our little friend came.  I was able to rest a lot, leaving laundry to pile up another day.

I did get some sleep last night, but still woke a few times coughing.  Thank you all for your prayers!  As I write this, I am feeling better.  I think if I just pace myself, I can manage to get done what has to be done and then rest.  I am not allowing myself to worry about having energy to work at AWANA tomorrow night and getting the house ready for small group on Friday.

His birthday lunch

Wednesday...
The day passed quietly.  The sun was shinning and its warmth drew the kids outside for a couple hours after lessons and before AWANA.  Speaking of AWANA, it went well, but I strained my voice and ended up feeling pretty drained at the end of it.  But, it was so good to see the kids again and hear a good message on how prayer is not about us.  At this point, I am thinking I may not have to see a doctor, but do wish I was feeling back to normal.

He's just so funny! 

"Mom, look.  I'm organic." 

Thursday: 
Woke up to rain and clouds with falling temperatures.  I am so congested, but not coughing.  We got right to our lessons.  We have our little friend arriving soon.  Tonight, kids go to karate.  Jeff is off at 5!  That means we can have dinner before the kids have to leave and he is going to Costco for us, so I can rest.  (What a guy!)

At bedtime I found a big white spot on my tonsil.  I think it is time to fly that white flag, but no time until maybe Saturday.  

Friday: 
Grandpa (Jeff's father) is coming down for a visit. He lives up near Lake Michigan.  He had the day off and wanted to see his grandkids.  So, we'll work a little on finishing lessons, do a quick tidy, and make some pizza dough before he gets here.  This evening, we have small group at our house.  It's been awhile since we all last got together. 

Saturday:
Jeff works.  My father is coming for a visit!  It's grandpa week!  :-)

Sunday:  
Trevor has children's choir in the afternoon.  Other than that we are home and keeping quiet. At least that is my plan.  

Not So Wordless Wednesday: So Long Ago

Feeling kind of nostalgic today, so I dipped deep into my early Photobucket account and found these... some of you will remember those days long ago! 

Always dressed up to play!

Loved hats! 

Our bird phase.

The most precious baby!

Boo hoo!  I miss those days.  Yes, they are still here, but the carefree happy days of early childhood are long gone.  We're going to have to change that.  I am declaring a need for us to get out and enjoy life before they really are gone.  More on this later.  I am making a plan.  :-)  

Today, I Am ...

Happy... because it's Ryan's birthday and I get to be with him all day.

Excited .... that my new hard drive is working in the laptop. 

Pleased... that I lost another pound over the weekend, although, it might just be water, but who cares! 

Going to... rest between running around if I can.  I coughed all night again.  That's three nights. 

Annoyed... that I can't sleep because of this cough.  It's a post nasal drip that sets me off in a coughing spell. My abdominal muscles are getting a work out.   They are more sore than when I do sit ups! 


Starting to think... I will be seeing a doctor towards the end of the week. 

Enjoying... the surprise flowers my husband got for me when he went with Grace to the library to pick up a book I had on hold and get groceries for us for the week.   Thank you, Jeff!  I really appreciate all you did this weekend, your one day weekend, at that! 

This Week At Home, 2012, Week 9

Little notes I write each day so that I do not forget these precious, fleeting moments! 

Trying to decide if I want lace in the kitchen, this is clipped in place until I decide. 

Monday...
I decided, last night, that I must get up early (5:30AM) today and exercise with my darling, so I did!  It made a huge difference, too.  I had a buddy to keep me committed!  

No school today, instead we had a wonderful visit with Grandma and Mom.  Grandma is doing pretty well.  She is less and less mentally "present."  I think she remembers us.  She sure loves the chocolate milkshake Mom brings her.  Anyway, it is good to go see her.  It's good for us all.

Grace has dance class tonight.  She'll be tired.  Ryan made a little money fixing another computer issue for a friend.  I need to find him a part time job in a computer shop.  He's ready.

From the kitchen today, I am making salmon tuna patties, broccoli slaw, and fruit salad.  (I discovered that canned salmon is gross!  Skin and bones are not for me! ) 

Grandma, Mom, and Kitty

Tuesday is here.  I'm grateful for the sunshine again today.  Rain is coming tonight and tomorrow, but there will be a warm up tomorrow afternoon.  It may reach 60 degrees!  Unbelievable!

Our morning went well. I am on top of the laundry or will be by the time you read this.  We started a new book, I, Juan  de Pareja  by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino.  Right from the start I can tell that we are going to love it.  We touched on all our subjects today, which is a great way to make progress, if you know what I mean!  ;-)

Ryan and I took a brisk walk after lunch.  Our little friend is here now.  I will fold clothes and make garlic lime chicken for dinner.  Grace will be off to art class.  I may get to see her latest creation.  It was not brought home last week.  I am also registering her for the art show coming in April.

A cake I made Saturday. 

Wednesday...
Trevor's fever came back last evening.  *sigh*  It's been since Feb. 12th that he's been sick, so I think a doctor's call is in order.  Grace is still fighting her cough and runny nose, too.

So,I take Trevor to the doctor and get his antibiotic for bronchitis.  Grace tells me that she woke up with ear pain, after I get back home. (Ugh, why not before?)  It's been a week for her sickness, so back to the doctor we go. Turns out that she has an ear infection!  So she is on an antibiotic. 

Ryan started getting sick on Tuesday, too. I am feeling a bit stuffy today.  Looks like I will not go back to AWANA tonight afterall.

Thursday...
I wake in the middle of the night with a sore throat, headache, and stuffy nose.  I can't sleep go back to sleep, so I am very tired this day.  I manage to get our reading aloud done.  Grace and Trevor do reading, writing, and math.  The school day is not a loss, at least.  I spend most of the day on the couch, however.  We've already canceled small group tomorrow.  I do need to find energy to get groceries,maybe in a couple days I can go.  Right now I just want to rest. 

Friday...
Woke up feeling a bit better after having slept for 5 hours straight last night.  The kids seem a bit better, too, though still congested and dragging.  I made a batch of bread first thing this morning so that we'd have some to eat today.  We were out.  I think I can get a little laundry done too.  We will do a lot of resting today after we finish our lessons.  The weather is a concern today.  The experts are saying that the conditions are ripe for tornadoes, hail, and damaging wind this afternoon and evening.  After all the poor people hit this week, I sure pray that the weather remains calm today.  Tornado weather in March is normal, so it's time to get the storm shelter back in order.  (Just a closet under the stairs, but better than nothing!)