1-
The car is cleaned out, the bags are packed, the saxophone we are delivering is in the car. We have hotel rooms, maps to (almost) everywhere we will be going, and Charlotte seems to be doing a little better today.
2-
Things I still need or want to do before we leave: reassemble car seats (had to wash the disgustingly sticky cover on Charlotte's!), unload and reload dishwasher, finish up Kindergarten with Eva (just testing on Math and Religion, and all her grades will be completed!), fold three loads of laundry, put away all laundry, make beds, drop off dog at MILs house and mooch lunch (so I don't have to dirty my kitchen), require a nap from the girls (since we'll get to our hotel tonight around midnight!), and possibly mow more of our yard. Then all I'll need to do is wait for hubby to get done with work, and then we can get going!
3-
Moved up on the cleaning list (when we get home, of course!) steam cleaning the carpet in the girl's bedroom, the office end of the kitchen and the living room...all areas affected by Charlotte's current illness. I might as well do the carpet in the bathroom while I'm at it, and I'll definitely need to do a major cleaning of the toilet inside and out.
4-
Because I am a dork (or at least, that is hubby's thought on the matter) I have set up a spreadsheet to track home school curricula that I am interested in looking at this summer at the regional Catholic homeschooling conference. I've decided on what we will be using for Phonics (because Eva loves Seton's phonics program), Science (because I found a great deal on the CathSwap yahoo group on a secular text suggested by Kolbe academy), P.E and homemaking (because I already bought the books!) I'm totally undecided on what to do for history/geography, spelling/English/handwriting, art and religion. I have a pretty good idea what I am going to do for math and Spanish.
5-
In the adjusting to farm life department, I have figured out how to plan dinner (or supper, if I was a proper farm wife...since dinner is lunch here, and I just end up plain confused!) Here's my new rule: I will delay serving the evening meal until 7:30 if hubby is still working. At 7:30, the girls and I eat whether or not hubby is home. If hubby is home earlier, I will serve dinner earlier, but that's not been an issue the last few weeks. In fact, yesterday he told me at about 5:30 that he should be home by 6:30, so I planned dinner for about 7 (he's never home when he says he will be) so naturally, his dad needed some help with something, and the girls and I started eating at 7:30 without him.
6-
We've had LeapFrog Math Circus out from netflix for over a week now...who knew the girls would like it so much!?! So, they are now watching it for the last time before we stick it back in the mail on our way out of town. I got Charlotte the LeapFrog Talking Letter Factory for Easter (because I make use of the DVD player to get Eva's schoolwork completed...Charlotte can choose a VeggieTales or other short and educational video after she is finished with her "class") I may have to look into getting more LeapFrog videos, because even though they make me want to poke my eyes out, they are very popular with the girls.
7-
Speaking of things that make me want to poke my eyes out...I have a bunch of papers sitting on my desk that I really need to get done, and soon...but I'd rather poke my eyes out. I have a 401K and a PERA (Public Employee's Retirement Association) account that I left with my last (and only) career-type job (which I left in 2002...) Late last year, I opened up and IRA, and I need to get both the 401K and the PERA account transferred into it. I doubt the two have much more than $500 combined, and the sheer amount of paperwork to get them transferred makes me stabby. But, since the account addresses have to match, I either need to get it all taken care of before our PO Box in town comes due (because we don't plan on renewing it) OR, I'll have to change addresses with all three companies involved, then wait for the addresses to be the same again and THEN fill out all the papers...Maybe I should be working on that now, rather than complaining about it...but complaining is definitely more fun!
More quick takes over at Conversion Diary!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Small Successes
My small successes this week:
1-
I have not lost my mind or my temper with Charlotte being sick. She's thrown up twice, two nights in a row (first night on her bed, her wall, and the floor in two rooms...second night on her dad...at least it wasn't me!) Her temperature reached a high of 104.6 last night at about midnight. She's back down to 101 this morning...but I am really hoping she gets better really soon, as we are supposed to drive out to Iowa for our Godchildren's first communion and baptism this weekend.
2-
I made 120 meatballs and a meatloaf this week, put 4 meals of meatballs in the freezer, served meatballs once and meatloaf once, and sent the leftover meatloaf home with MIL so that she could feed FIL who has been planting and spending most of his time in his tractor (when something is not broken down, that is!) I now have two lasagnas, two bags of taco meat and four bags of meatballs for those days when I just can't handle making a meal. My kitchen hasn't completely recovered yet...
3-
I broke down and agreed to purchase a riding mower...since we no longer have a mower, and with 2.2 acres, it's too much to mow with a normal mower (and hubby got rid of his hand-me-down 20 year old mower before the move). My original plan was to borrow MIL's mower. Also, I used the new mower...which is the first time in my 30 years of life that I have EVER used a mower of any kind...you see, I was raised that mowing was a men's job (of course, I was also raised that laundry was a man's job, and my dad did mine in college until I got married, so no commentary on traditional gender roles!) Of course, farmers seem to think that women should do the mowing, at least occasionally (such as planting season, when you don't see them for 14 hours a day...and that's if you are lucky and they come home early...) Now, if I can just find the time to go out and mow for several hours, I might be able to get part of the yard that hubby wants mowed before we leave done.
More small successes at Faith and Family LIVE!
Friday, April 23, 2010
Quick Takes Friday - my 400th post
1-
Not really surprisingly, since I do my quick takes far more often than I blog about anything else, today's quick takes happens to be my 400th post. I started this blog while I was pregnant with Charlotte, so I would guess it's been close to 4 years since I first started....so I average 100 posts a year.
2-
As mentioned below, hubby and I have been contemplating what to do for Eva's school next year. Well, we have come to some decisions for next year. We won't be sending her into the public school, but we also are not going to re-enroll with Seton. When Eva and I were doing school the other day, we ran into some frustrations with her math lesson. As much as I love a lot about Seton, my pet peeve about it is that they don't provide much in the way of information for me so that I can teach the subjects to Eva. That's really not a problem for me in any subject but Math. I am really terrible at Math, which people don't expect because I have a college degree in Accounting...let me let you in on a secret...Accountants love calculators! So, when I started looking into other math programs (some of which are pretty pricey) I looked at the price of 1st grade enrollment ($490) and then added up all the books that would come with enrollment that I might use, which totaled $103.25. So, I am going to be picking and choosing from curriculum this year. So, anybody have any great recommendations?
3-
We have been cleared to host an exchange student next year. The exchange company is still waiting on some paperwork from the high school, but our exchange student was accepted by the school board, and we passed our background check and reference check. Our exchange student will be coming from Vienna, Austria, so it should be a big change of scenery for her. MIL also has an exchange student coming...he's from Germany and is the little brother of her last exchange student. Now we just have to get the basement guest room livable!
4-
Countdown to our trip to see our godkids...T minus 7 days! Our goddaughter will receive her First Holy Communion on Saturday, and we'll gain a godson on Sunday. We are so excited to see them (and the whole family!) but are not particularly looking forward to the long drive/short weekend part of it!
5-
I've been trying to get my housework under control, but in our move, I doubled the amount of house to clean, and lost about 50 percent of my household help (hubby just doesn't have the time to help that he used to...) so, first I tried getting back into the whole FlyLady thing, and that didn't work very well, so I decided to try the Sidetracked Home Executives file card system. As of now, I have all my cleaning cards done, and they are filed and ready to go...the question is, will I get them done today? Only time will tell (and yes, I know I'd get more cleaning done if I were on the computer less...but it's my only tie to the outside world!)
6-
MIL was teasing me the other day that I'll have trouble homeschooling Charlotte because she won't be interested in anything unless it was princess related. My immediate response was that we could just do a bunch of unit studies involving princesses, but then, in my researching curricula yesterday I found some nursery school resources from Angelicum Academy: in Art - Cinderella shapes, in literature - the Red (Blue and Yellow) Fairy Book(s), and in Language Arts - Snow White pre writing skills.
7-
For Easter, we got the girls the Dogma Dogs CD (thanks for the recommendation, Whimsy!) and it is a little too catchy, if you know what I mean. I find myself wandering around several days after listening to the CD in the car singing the songs to myself. I have to admit (though hubby thinks I'm a dork because of this) I really like the song "21 Ecumenical Counsels", but the whole CD is pretty fun!
More quick takes at Conversion Diary!
Not really surprisingly, since I do my quick takes far more often than I blog about anything else, today's quick takes happens to be my 400th post. I started this blog while I was pregnant with Charlotte, so I would guess it's been close to 4 years since I first started....so I average 100 posts a year.
2-
As mentioned below, hubby and I have been contemplating what to do for Eva's school next year. Well, we have come to some decisions for next year. We won't be sending her into the public school, but we also are not going to re-enroll with Seton. When Eva and I were doing school the other day, we ran into some frustrations with her math lesson. As much as I love a lot about Seton, my pet peeve about it is that they don't provide much in the way of information for me so that I can teach the subjects to Eva. That's really not a problem for me in any subject but Math. I am really terrible at Math, which people don't expect because I have a college degree in Accounting...let me let you in on a secret...Accountants love calculators! So, when I started looking into other math programs (some of which are pretty pricey) I looked at the price of 1st grade enrollment ($490) and then added up all the books that would come with enrollment that I might use, which totaled $103.25. So, I am going to be picking and choosing from curriculum this year. So, anybody have any great recommendations?
3-
We have been cleared to host an exchange student next year. The exchange company is still waiting on some paperwork from the high school, but our exchange student was accepted by the school board, and we passed our background check and reference check. Our exchange student will be coming from Vienna, Austria, so it should be a big change of scenery for her. MIL also has an exchange student coming...he's from Germany and is the little brother of her last exchange student. Now we just have to get the basement guest room livable!
4-
Countdown to our trip to see our godkids...T minus 7 days! Our goddaughter will receive her First Holy Communion on Saturday, and we'll gain a godson on Sunday. We are so excited to see them (and the whole family!) but are not particularly looking forward to the long drive/short weekend part of it!
5-
I've been trying to get my housework under control, but in our move, I doubled the amount of house to clean, and lost about 50 percent of my household help (hubby just doesn't have the time to help that he used to...) so, first I tried getting back into the whole FlyLady thing, and that didn't work very well, so I decided to try the Sidetracked Home Executives file card system. As of now, I have all my cleaning cards done, and they are filed and ready to go...the question is, will I get them done today? Only time will tell (and yes, I know I'd get more cleaning done if I were on the computer less...but it's my only tie to the outside world!)
6-
MIL was teasing me the other day that I'll have trouble homeschooling Charlotte because she won't be interested in anything unless it was princess related. My immediate response was that we could just do a bunch of unit studies involving princesses, but then, in my researching curricula yesterday I found some nursery school resources from Angelicum Academy: in Art - Cinderella shapes, in literature - the Red (Blue and Yellow) Fairy Book(s), and in Language Arts - Snow White pre writing skills.
7-
For Easter, we got the girls the Dogma Dogs CD (thanks for the recommendation, Whimsy!) and it is a little too catchy, if you know what I mean. I find myself wandering around several days after listening to the CD in the car singing the songs to myself. I have to admit (though hubby thinks I'm a dork because of this) I really like the song "21 Ecumenical Counsels", but the whole CD is pretty fun!
More quick takes at Conversion Diary!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Go check out the carnival of homeschooling...
being hosted this week over at Home Spun Juggling, the theme: The Cartoonist's Desk.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Isolated Homeschooling
I have to admit that I am not dealing well with our transition to isolation. Being suburban born and raised, I felt fairly isolated just living in a small town, and now we are 16 miles away from the nearest small town.
So, I guess it is no surprise that I am having more days where I contemplate putting the girls in public school and getting a job (not that there are any jobs in our area that really appeal to me, anyway). I worry about Eva being so isolated, since she is so social.
Hubby and I have been discussing the public school option for a little while, but when we think about the pros and cons, homeschooling is still winning at the moment. Here's our general thoughts:
Public school pros: Eva would be around more people throughout the week, and would have some playmates other than Charlotte.
Public school cons: Eva would be exposed to more peer pressure, would probably be bored in a lot of classes, she might have to repeat Kindergarten because of the cut off dates (I am hopeful that the school wouldn't give us problems since she is enrolled in Seton, so she would be a transfer, but I just can't guarantee they wouldn't fight me on it), she would be away from home for about 9 hours a day, 5 days a week (so if we take out sleeping hours she would have around 4 hours a day at home, and would probably have homework to do during those hours), she might feel even more isolated come summers and school breaks because she would be missing her school friends.
Homeschooling pros: Eva is doing very well with her school work, she works hard and gets done with her formal school work quickly, she has time to be a kid and play, she is around to play with Charlotte, we can take a day off to travel and can take MIL to her doctor's appointments in the city, she gets to see daddy at lunch time (we aren't seeing much of him this time of year...he won't be home until their bedtime tonight), Our school and sleeping schedules can change with the farming seasons, we can slow down on school work if she is just not getting it, we can speed ahead on things that she gets quickly, she has my (almost) undivided attention.
Homeschooling cons: The girls are home ALL DAY, EVERY DAY and I don't get much of a break, the girs tend to fight with each other as the day wears on, planning school can be very draining, and I can get very frustrated if I can't seem to get a concept across, being a little bit type A, I worry about whether or not we are succeding at school.
So, what do I do to make our lives less isolated? We go to town every Monday for Eva's (private) piano lesson. We also go to town twice a month for storytime at the library, which the girls love (I really wish more moms came to it though...it was so much fun in our old town to see all my friends at the library's weekly story time...but here, most kids are brought by their grandparents/daycare providers...) Eva also goes into town every Wednesday to Relgious Education at church with grandma. I wonder if maybe I am projecting the isolated thing on her, because she seems to get along great wherever we go.
I have contemplated getting her involved in Girl Scouts, but the nearest troop is around 40 miles away. I have contemplated starting a Little Flowers group, but then I'd have to start it...I don't know of any homeschoolers in town with younger kids, and I am pretty sure we are the only Catholic homeschoolers in the area...none at the local church, anyway.
Hubby wonders if we should put her in some sort of organized sport, but those only really exist for little kids in the summer months. I am concerned about how often they would practice and have games...I don't relish the thought of driving to and from town every day of the week, but I might be willing to give it a try.
So, if you have ever homeschooled in an isolated area (or were homeschooled in an isolated area) what are your suggestions for getting through it? I am sure in a couple of years, I'll feel much more at home and have some sort of community feeling...I'm just not sure how to do so in a small town while not sending my girls to the local school.
So, I guess it is no surprise that I am having more days where I contemplate putting the girls in public school and getting a job (not that there are any jobs in our area that really appeal to me, anyway). I worry about Eva being so isolated, since she is so social.
Hubby and I have been discussing the public school option for a little while, but when we think about the pros and cons, homeschooling is still winning at the moment. Here's our general thoughts:
Public school pros: Eva would be around more people throughout the week, and would have some playmates other than Charlotte.
Public school cons: Eva would be exposed to more peer pressure, would probably be bored in a lot of classes, she might have to repeat Kindergarten because of the cut off dates (I am hopeful that the school wouldn't give us problems since she is enrolled in Seton, so she would be a transfer, but I just can't guarantee they wouldn't fight me on it), she would be away from home for about 9 hours a day, 5 days a week (so if we take out sleeping hours she would have around 4 hours a day at home, and would probably have homework to do during those hours), she might feel even more isolated come summers and school breaks because she would be missing her school friends.
Homeschooling pros: Eva is doing very well with her school work, she works hard and gets done with her formal school work quickly, she has time to be a kid and play, she is around to play with Charlotte, we can take a day off to travel and can take MIL to her doctor's appointments in the city, she gets to see daddy at lunch time (we aren't seeing much of him this time of year...he won't be home until their bedtime tonight), Our school and sleeping schedules can change with the farming seasons, we can slow down on school work if she is just not getting it, we can speed ahead on things that she gets quickly, she has my (almost) undivided attention.
Homeschooling cons: The girls are home ALL DAY, EVERY DAY and I don't get much of a break, the girs tend to fight with each other as the day wears on, planning school can be very draining, and I can get very frustrated if I can't seem to get a concept across, being a little bit type A, I worry about whether or not we are succeding at school.
So, what do I do to make our lives less isolated? We go to town every Monday for Eva's (private) piano lesson. We also go to town twice a month for storytime at the library, which the girls love (I really wish more moms came to it though...it was so much fun in our old town to see all my friends at the library's weekly story time...but here, most kids are brought by their grandparents/daycare providers...) Eva also goes into town every Wednesday to Relgious Education at church with grandma. I wonder if maybe I am projecting the isolated thing on her, because she seems to get along great wherever we go.
I have contemplated getting her involved in Girl Scouts, but the nearest troop is around 40 miles away. I have contemplated starting a Little Flowers group, but then I'd have to start it...I don't know of any homeschoolers in town with younger kids, and I am pretty sure we are the only Catholic homeschoolers in the area...none at the local church, anyway.
Hubby wonders if we should put her in some sort of organized sport, but those only really exist for little kids in the summer months. I am concerned about how often they would practice and have games...I don't relish the thought of driving to and from town every day of the week, but I might be willing to give it a try.
So, if you have ever homeschooled in an isolated area (or were homeschooled in an isolated area) what are your suggestions for getting through it? I am sure in a couple of years, I'll feel much more at home and have some sort of community feeling...I'm just not sure how to do so in a small town while not sending my girls to the local school.
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Small Successes
My small successes for the week:
1-
I filled out an application for our family to host an exchange student for next year. Not sure if that makes me nuts, but if all goes well, I will be parenting a teenager and dealing with the public school system for an entire school year.
2-
We did a lapbook for school! (Well, actually I've done a bunch of lapbooks in the last two weeks because I helped MIL with her CCD program's Lenten fair, which was a lapbook thing this year) Before last Easter, I printed out a lapbook for little kids, and I meant to do it with Eva...just somewhere in there, I forgot and lost it...then it turned up during Advent (just like the Advent wreath coloring page usually surfaces during Lent)...when I packed, I must have packed it well, because it turned up during Lent this year, so all last week, we did an activity or two per day, then did the last couple of things and assembled the book on Holy Saturday...we also colored Easter eggs that day, so double success!
3-
I caught up on laundry for a day this week. I had all four of my laundry baskets sitting around with folded clothes all last week, and when the girls ran out of clothes in their drawers, I still didn't put stuff away...it took a whole day to get the laundry still in baskets put away, and all the clothes washed...and of course, right now there is a load of hubby's work clothes hanging out in the dryer, a basket of folded clothes in the living room, and at least a load of clothes (not to mention some grungy sheets on the girl's bed) waiting to be washed that I don't think I'll be able to get to today...I was caught up once this week!
More small successes at Faith and Family LIVE!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Quick Takes Friday
1-
Here's one from the "I might not be cut out for farm life" department. My FIL is so not impressed with my sense of direction. The girls and I were over visiting, and MIL and FIL were in the office working on some government bureaucracy, when BIL came in and said he needed to move some equipment, so someone needed to come get him at the cattle crossing at grandma's house. It has been several years since I've been in that direction, so when it was time to go get him, I interrupted the pow wow in the office for directions. FIL kept saying "Go 1 mile south of G's house, and then 1/2 mile West." I kept asking questions...he kept repeating the same thing...so I gave up, got in the car, and called hubby (who had a good laugh) then went past the turn, called hubby again to clarify where I was supposed to turn, turned around (which made BIL sure that I was the one in the car...) and finally went to the right place. Hubby said that doing things like that is how I can learn. I told him it was how I would learn to stay home so that I don't get roped into things!
2-
We had some cats...affectionately named "Bitey" and "Scratchy". I thought the theory was to leave them locked in the shop for several days to get them used to being there and getting their food there...then, after two days, I noticed that the shop door was open yesterday. Turns out hubby thought that they'd stick around. We haven't seen them since, but rather than saying that maybe he should have left them in the shop a while longer and actually work on taming them, he has declared that they were probably too big to transplant...and besides, one of the mama cats at the feedlot should be having kittens any time. I don't think Bob Barker would approve of the number of mama cats on the farm as a whole, cause BIL has one that's about to have kittens, and MIL said that one of her cats is pregnant again (I'm not sure if this cat and the feedlot cat are the same one...)
3-
I may need another freezer at some point. Several years ago, we traded chest freezers with my parents...ours was the size of a dishwasher (we had bought it when we were apartment dwellers) and was getting too small for our growing family, there's was too big, since they had bought it when I was a kid. Well, after one cow was injured by a loader a few months ago and became hamburger, that pretty well filled up my chest freezer. Just this week we got a cow back (that was processed into steaks and roasts, and of course, some hamburger) and I had to fit our share in our house. So, I have no more ice (it all had to go to make room) and all the meat just barely fit in. Hubby is looking forward to a steak (or any meal that doesn't start with me defrosting a package of hamburger, I think) and naturally, today is Friday...and it's still Lent.
4-
My parents and brother might be coming down to visit tomorrow. Unfortunately, it looks like it may snow, so I'm not sure if they will be down tomorrow, Sunday, or next weekend...which would mean they would be here for Easter. My parents never like to come out here for holidays because they think they are huge gatherings...never mind that they've never been here for a REALLY huge gathering...and it sounds like we'll be having a smallish Easter...only 15 people (18 if my family comes down). Given that a family dinner on an average weekend starts at 8 people, having 10 more isn't that big of a deal!
5-
We inadvertently took a spring break this week. MIL stopped by on her way up to visit SIL in Denver, and asked if we wanted to come along (in front of the girls, who jumped up and down shouting "please mommy, please, please, please!) So, we were gone Saturday and Sunday, home on Monday, gone again on Tuesday (for MILs doctors appointment) and home again from Wednesday on...and I just haven't gotten to school stuff yet. Not too worried, since we only have three of her school books from Seton to finish up, and we are doing a bunch of extra review sort of stuff right now.
6-
My MIL is one of those people who pretty much can talk people into giving her what she wants. I do not have this talent, and find it pretty amazing to watch. Two examples from this week...when we went up to Denver, I got on priceline and booked a hotel room. Then we decided to make it a sort of retreat for SIL, so all 5 of us were going to stay in the room. When we got to the hotel, MIL went to check us in (and while she was waiting in line, FIL called because he couldn't figure out the TV...the clerk thought it was cute that he was calling her 200 miles away to figure out the TV...I thought it was unsurprising, since he called hubby while I was talking to him for help with the TV when MIL hung up...) and somehow she sweet talked the clerk into upgrading us from a 1 bed studio room, to a two bedroom, two bathroom suite with fold out couch. So, I had my own room and bathroom (the girls wanted to stay with SIL, who got the biggest bed as compensation) and we paid $52 with tax...all she did in return for the room was fill out their free rewards program application. Then, we got a coupon good for kids clothes at Kohls on Saturday, and on Tuesday we went to try to use it, and noticed that the coupon didn't start until the next day. She talked the cashier into taking it anyway!
7-
Hubby found a programmable thermostat for baseboard heat on Amazon...I just need to get around to purchasing it! I didn't realize how hard it would be to find a thermostat for baseboard heating, but I haven't been able to find one at any of the home improvement stores. The thermostat in our living room (which has baseboard heat on two walls) does not function right. If you turn it on, it stays on until you shut it off. This week, I took a short nap on the couch (while the girls were napping) and turned on the heat beforehand...after I woke up, I went to do something in the kitchen (and didn't remember to turn off the heat) and by the time I got back the room was 80 degrees! I think it will be nice when it works better!
More quick takes at Conversion Diary!
Here's one from the "I might not be cut out for farm life" department. My FIL is so not impressed with my sense of direction. The girls and I were over visiting, and MIL and FIL were in the office working on some government bureaucracy, when BIL came in and said he needed to move some equipment, so someone needed to come get him at the cattle crossing at grandma's house. It has been several years since I've been in that direction, so when it was time to go get him, I interrupted the pow wow in the office for directions. FIL kept saying "Go 1 mile south of G's house, and then 1/2 mile West." I kept asking questions...he kept repeating the same thing...so I gave up, got in the car, and called hubby (who had a good laugh) then went past the turn, called hubby again to clarify where I was supposed to turn, turned around (which made BIL sure that I was the one in the car...) and finally went to the right place. Hubby said that doing things like that is how I can learn. I told him it was how I would learn to stay home so that I don't get roped into things!
2-
We had some cats...affectionately named "Bitey" and "Scratchy". I thought the theory was to leave them locked in the shop for several days to get them used to being there and getting their food there...then, after two days, I noticed that the shop door was open yesterday. Turns out hubby thought that they'd stick around. We haven't seen them since, but rather than saying that maybe he should have left them in the shop a while longer and actually work on taming them, he has declared that they were probably too big to transplant...and besides, one of the mama cats at the feedlot should be having kittens any time. I don't think Bob Barker would approve of the number of mama cats on the farm as a whole, cause BIL has one that's about to have kittens, and MIL said that one of her cats is pregnant again (I'm not sure if this cat and the feedlot cat are the same one...)
3-
I may need another freezer at some point. Several years ago, we traded chest freezers with my parents...ours was the size of a dishwasher (we had bought it when we were apartment dwellers) and was getting too small for our growing family, there's was too big, since they had bought it when I was a kid. Well, after one cow was injured by a loader a few months ago and became hamburger, that pretty well filled up my chest freezer. Just this week we got a cow back (that was processed into steaks and roasts, and of course, some hamburger) and I had to fit our share in our house. So, I have no more ice (it all had to go to make room) and all the meat just barely fit in. Hubby is looking forward to a steak (or any meal that doesn't start with me defrosting a package of hamburger, I think) and naturally, today is Friday...and it's still Lent.
4-
My parents and brother might be coming down to visit tomorrow. Unfortunately, it looks like it may snow, so I'm not sure if they will be down tomorrow, Sunday, or next weekend...which would mean they would be here for Easter. My parents never like to come out here for holidays because they think they are huge gatherings...never mind that they've never been here for a REALLY huge gathering...and it sounds like we'll be having a smallish Easter...only 15 people (18 if my family comes down). Given that a family dinner on an average weekend starts at 8 people, having 10 more isn't that big of a deal!
5-
We inadvertently took a spring break this week. MIL stopped by on her way up to visit SIL in Denver, and asked if we wanted to come along (in front of the girls, who jumped up and down shouting "please mommy, please, please, please!) So, we were gone Saturday and Sunday, home on Monday, gone again on Tuesday (for MILs doctors appointment) and home again from Wednesday on...and I just haven't gotten to school stuff yet. Not too worried, since we only have three of her school books from Seton to finish up, and we are doing a bunch of extra review sort of stuff right now.
6-
My MIL is one of those people who pretty much can talk people into giving her what she wants. I do not have this talent, and find it pretty amazing to watch. Two examples from this week...when we went up to Denver, I got on priceline and booked a hotel room. Then we decided to make it a sort of retreat for SIL, so all 5 of us were going to stay in the room. When we got to the hotel, MIL went to check us in (and while she was waiting in line, FIL called because he couldn't figure out the TV...the clerk thought it was cute that he was calling her 200 miles away to figure out the TV...I thought it was unsurprising, since he called hubby while I was talking to him for help with the TV when MIL hung up...) and somehow she sweet talked the clerk into upgrading us from a 1 bed studio room, to a two bedroom, two bathroom suite with fold out couch. So, I had my own room and bathroom (the girls wanted to stay with SIL, who got the biggest bed as compensation) and we paid $52 with tax...all she did in return for the room was fill out their free rewards program application. Then, we got a coupon good for kids clothes at Kohls on Saturday, and on Tuesday we went to try to use it, and noticed that the coupon didn't start until the next day. She talked the cashier into taking it anyway!
7-
Hubby found a programmable thermostat for baseboard heat on Amazon...I just need to get around to purchasing it! I didn't realize how hard it would be to find a thermostat for baseboard heating, but I haven't been able to find one at any of the home improvement stores. The thermostat in our living room (which has baseboard heat on two walls) does not function right. If you turn it on, it stays on until you shut it off. This week, I took a short nap on the couch (while the girls were napping) and turned on the heat beforehand...after I woke up, I went to do something in the kitchen (and didn't remember to turn off the heat) and by the time I got back the room was 80 degrees! I think it will be nice when it works better!
More quick takes at Conversion Diary!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Small Successes
Okay, week 2 of small successes...
1-
I got out a basket to keep my Bible and spiritual books for prayer time in...rather than having them all stacked up on a small table and having landslides anytime I want to read something. I even remembered to find a pencil and put it in the basket. At some point I'd like to add a journal and a rosary...just have to find those items first.
2-
I baked something! First time I have baked anything from scratch since we moved here, I made the Pioneer Woman's prune cake twice (Once for the family, and then again this afternoon for my Bible Study group.)
3-
I ordered a baby shower gift for shower that I won't make it to...and more importantly, I realized that driving 2 hours to a baby shower on Holy Saturday while hubby's sister will be visiting is unrealistic, and as much as I would love to make it to the shower, I am not going to go. And I am not going to feel guilty about it (well, maybe a *little* guilty!)
More small successes here!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
"...until the child turns 26 years of age."
A while back, I quoted Dr. Robert Epstein, author of The Case Against Adolescence, saying that "most Americans now believe a person isn't an adult until age 26." This still seems pretty ludicrous to me, but the federal government has now essentially enshrined this belief into law.
Under the healthcare reform bill President Obama signed into law today, insurance companies that provide coverage for dependant children are required to allow that coverage to continue up to the age of 26. I'm not necessarily saying this doesn't make sense when faced with the reality of the ever-extending childhood many young adults experience today... but I guess I'm not really comfortable with this becoming the "new normal."
I mean, by the age of 26, maybe it's time for the little baby bird to take the risk of stepping out of the nest. For crying out loud, a 26-year-old who joined the military at age 18 has already served 40% of the years necessary to retire with benefits!
I may not have really had my act completely together by 26, but I'm just sayin'...
Under the healthcare reform bill President Obama signed into law today, insurance companies that provide coverage for dependant children are required to allow that coverage to continue up to the age of 26. I'm not necessarily saying this doesn't make sense when faced with the reality of the ever-extending childhood many young adults experience today... but I guess I'm not really comfortable with this becoming the "new normal."
I mean, by the age of 26, maybe it's time for the little baby bird to take the risk of stepping out of the nest. For crying out loud, a 26-year-old who joined the military at age 18 has already served 40% of the years necessary to retire with benefits!
I may not have really had my act completely together by 26, but I'm just sayin'...
Monday, March 22, 2010
Cat Quandry...
I almost blogged about this situation this morning, but I figured I should at least try to get some stuff done around the house after a whirlwind trip to visit my SIL in Denver this weekend, and before I go back to the metro area for a doctor's appointment with MIL tomorrow.
Then hubby came home and told me that I ought to buy a small, cheap bag of cat food while I am in town for Eva's piano lesson today.
I guess I should start with I am NOT a cat person. I had a cat growing up, and that was fine...I'm fairly allergic to cat hair these days, and I hate the feeling of cat litter under my feet. I am also a city slicker, transported to a farm. Farms have cats. Not because in some romantic sense Old McDonald had a cat on his farm...they serve a function...to kill mice.
No cats came with our house, and I thought "great! no problems with mice!" Thankfully I have not seen a live mouse yet (when I do, I am moving out...I've warned hubby that I can't take mice...) but hubby found a whole lot of dead ones in our shop yesterday. Turns out the reason there wasn't a mouse problem is that the relatives that lived here before us used poison. Not really recommended with a 5 year old, a 3 year old and a pug. Then, when they came to clear stuff out of the fruit room, hubby's uncle mentioned that his wife had been storing some decorative Indian corn in there, and there was no corn left on it...and there was ummm...evidence... that mice had been in the fruit room.
So, we need farm cats. Being from the city, I believe in spaying and neutering cats, which are seen as pets. The family (doesn't that sound like I am part of the mafia, rather than part of a big farm family?) tend to leave the cat population alone, and then take them out with a shot gun if there is overpopulation (or, in the case of my MIL, she tends to run them over fairly frequently...not on purpose...I would personally stay out of her way if she's coming at you with her vehicle!)
Well, my little BIL's house DID come with cats...lots of cats...and he has kittens the right size to catch...and he's about to have more kittens...so it appears that some time in the next 24 hours, I am going to be a cat owner (against my better judgement) and in a couple of weeks I will be taking my farm cats to the vet to be spayed or neutered...because I just can't turn into a real farm wife that quickly!
Then hubby came home and told me that I ought to buy a small, cheap bag of cat food while I am in town for Eva's piano lesson today.
I guess I should start with I am NOT a cat person. I had a cat growing up, and that was fine...I'm fairly allergic to cat hair these days, and I hate the feeling of cat litter under my feet. I am also a city slicker, transported to a farm. Farms have cats. Not because in some romantic sense Old McDonald had a cat on his farm...they serve a function...to kill mice.
No cats came with our house, and I thought "great! no problems with mice!" Thankfully I have not seen a live mouse yet (when I do, I am moving out...I've warned hubby that I can't take mice...) but hubby found a whole lot of dead ones in our shop yesterday. Turns out the reason there wasn't a mouse problem is that the relatives that lived here before us used poison. Not really recommended with a 5 year old, a 3 year old and a pug. Then, when they came to clear stuff out of the fruit room, hubby's uncle mentioned that his wife had been storing some decorative Indian corn in there, and there was no corn left on it...and there was ummm...evidence... that mice had been in the fruit room.
So, we need farm cats. Being from the city, I believe in spaying and neutering cats, which are seen as pets. The family (doesn't that sound like I am part of the mafia, rather than part of a big farm family?) tend to leave the cat population alone, and then take them out with a shot gun if there is overpopulation (or, in the case of my MIL, she tends to run them over fairly frequently...not on purpose...I would personally stay out of her way if she's coming at you with her vehicle!)
Well, my little BIL's house DID come with cats...lots of cats...and he has kittens the right size to catch...and he's about to have more kittens...so it appears that some time in the next 24 hours, I am going to be a cat owner (against my better judgement) and in a couple of weeks I will be taking my farm cats to the vet to be spayed or neutered...because I just can't turn into a real farm wife that quickly!
Friday, March 19, 2010
Quick Takes Friday
1-
As I mentioned in small successes yesterday, I went to confession this week. We had our local penance service on Wednesday, so we dragged the kids with us to the 7pm start. Since we had the kids (whom I would have left at MILs house if I had known she wasn't going to come) my plan was to sit near the front on the cry room side, and be among the first in line. Well, I ended up #2 in line, but hubby (who claims he couldn't get past the girls...note to self, put both parents on the edge next time) ended up #5, and then graciously gave up his turn for an older lady in the parish. I had taken an examination of conscience paper, pulled out a pen, and circled the questions that reminded me of something I needed to confess. I also picked up a really cool little booklet that had an examination of conscience based on the ten commandments broken up into a list of mortal sins and a list of venial sins. Well, after I did my penance, I took the girls outside to run around while waiting for hubby and I left my circled examination of conscience in a pew...OOPS! So, someone is going to come across it and know what somebody was confessing...
2-
My parents and my brother are going to come out and see us (and our new house) next Saturday. We haven't seen them since Christmas, but they don't want to spend the night out here (even though we finally live in a house big enough to accommodate them!) So, their plan is to leave Denver early Saturday morning, be out here before noon, and then leave when we go to church (we'll need to leave by 4:30 or 5 to make it to Mass in one of three neighboring towns with anticipatory Masses). My in-laws really do not understand this sort of behavior. FIL offered to feed the cows for hubby in the morning if my parents were staying so that we could have more time with them as a family. Very nice gesture, but they seem all set to leave and be home before dark...
3-
I don't think I've mentioned on the blog (although hubby keeps having to hear it from me!) how much I hate that the post office in town closes at 4pm (in our old town it was open until 4:30) and that it takes a good 20 minutes to get from our house to the post office? I finally am back to paperback swap (which I put on vacation hold in October or early November, and took off vacation hold on Valentine's Day) and I keep thinking I can just mail the books next time I make it into town...which works fine every other week when I take the girls to the library for story time in the morning. It just does not seem possible to combine the post office with Eva's 5pm piano lesson. I should just learn my lesson and print postage at home more often.
4-
I didn't manage a quick takes post last week...I had hosted my Bible Study group the night before, so I was EXHAUSTED from getting the house in order. In the "I admit I must have lost my mind" category...the night before bible study, after the mini blinds we had to special order for two windows in the living room and the curtain panels arrived, I convinced hubby to drive an hour up to WalMart to get curtain rods. Then, I had him install the mini blinds and the curtain rods before my guests arrived. Not to mention cleaning the house, and stacking all the unpacked items and items that currently don't have a home into one room and cooking a main course. I didn't make it down to our shower until after the ladies in my bible study group left our old town (thankfully it takes about 40-50 minutes to drive up here!) I had a great time, though, and it is nice to have a house in a reasonable amount of order (although I admit I haven't really made any progress on the room with all the boxes since then!)
5-
My homeschooling confession of the week. I always have grand plans...the goal each week is to do school 4 days, so I plan 4 days of classwork for Eva, which includes the subjects reading, religion, math, handwriting and Spanish every day (only 5 to 10 minutes on each one, usually). Then each day I plan an additional subject, such as homemaking, science, social studies/history/geography, music, art, or PE. This week we have done three days of school (so far...still hoping to get to it this morning) and ZERO of the additional subjects. I've had straws soaking in what was once hot tap water for our science project since Monday, I never had them color, cut out and make the St. Patrick paper dolls for Art, Eva was supposed to learn how to make french toast for homemaking, and I just don't see it happening today...maybe I'll get ambitious today and we'll do our lesson on the continents for geography...we'll have to see. Plus, for Charlotte's preschool, I have mostly been doing two or three things with her (never what I suggest...she makes requests these days) and then sitting her down in front of a Veggie Tales so that I can finish school with Eva.
6-
I started a new cereal rule that I will be breaking this morning. My new rule is that we can't open a new box of cereal in the same category as one that is already open. So, we had some generic fruity pebbles style cereal, and I got a box of Trix swirls cereal on sale...Eva wanted the Trix instead of the fruity pebbles, and I told her only one fruity cereal open at a time. Then today, they both originally wanted Chocolate Cheerios, but we still have an unfinished box of Cocoa Puffs, so I told them only one chocolate cereal open at a time. However, I want some Chocolate Cheerios (and I do not like Cocoa Puffs) so I am about to crack open a box, if I can distract the girls long enough.
7-
Anyone ever put down carpet squares/carpet tiles/peel and stick carpet? The bedroom downstairs (that will eventually be a guest room) had two layers of water damaged carpet, and we are now working on scraping up the carpet backing...next step, carpeting. The carpet squares that I could find (online) ranged in price from $4.99 to $20+ per square (which were larger than a square foot) but it still looks like it might cost us around $600 for the floor of that bedroom if we go that route...still not sure if it would be significantly cheaper than having carpet laid professionally. Any thoughts? Other flooring ideas for a basement bedroom that could have water issues if we aren't careful?
More quick takes at Conversion Diary!
As I mentioned in small successes yesterday, I went to confession this week. We had our local penance service on Wednesday, so we dragged the kids with us to the 7pm start. Since we had the kids (whom I would have left at MILs house if I had known she wasn't going to come) my plan was to sit near the front on the cry room side, and be among the first in line. Well, I ended up #2 in line, but hubby (who claims he couldn't get past the girls...note to self, put both parents on the edge next time) ended up #5, and then graciously gave up his turn for an older lady in the parish. I had taken an examination of conscience paper, pulled out a pen, and circled the questions that reminded me of something I needed to confess. I also picked up a really cool little booklet that had an examination of conscience based on the ten commandments broken up into a list of mortal sins and a list of venial sins. Well, after I did my penance, I took the girls outside to run around while waiting for hubby and I left my circled examination of conscience in a pew...OOPS! So, someone is going to come across it and know what somebody was confessing...
2-
My parents and my brother are going to come out and see us (and our new house) next Saturday. We haven't seen them since Christmas, but they don't want to spend the night out here (even though we finally live in a house big enough to accommodate them!) So, their plan is to leave Denver early Saturday morning, be out here before noon, and then leave when we go to church (we'll need to leave by 4:30 or 5 to make it to Mass in one of three neighboring towns with anticipatory Masses). My in-laws really do not understand this sort of behavior. FIL offered to feed the cows for hubby in the morning if my parents were staying so that we could have more time with them as a family. Very nice gesture, but they seem all set to leave and be home before dark...
3-
I don't think I've mentioned on the blog (although hubby keeps having to hear it from me!) how much I hate that the post office in town closes at 4pm (in our old town it was open until 4:30) and that it takes a good 20 minutes to get from our house to the post office? I finally am back to paperback swap (which I put on vacation hold in October or early November, and took off vacation hold on Valentine's Day) and I keep thinking I can just mail the books next time I make it into town...which works fine every other week when I take the girls to the library for story time in the morning. It just does not seem possible to combine the post office with Eva's 5pm piano lesson. I should just learn my lesson and print postage at home more often.
4-
I didn't manage a quick takes post last week...I had hosted my Bible Study group the night before, so I was EXHAUSTED from getting the house in order. In the "I admit I must have lost my mind" category...the night before bible study, after the mini blinds we had to special order for two windows in the living room and the curtain panels arrived, I convinced hubby to drive an hour up to WalMart to get curtain rods. Then, I had him install the mini blinds and the curtain rods before my guests arrived. Not to mention cleaning the house, and stacking all the unpacked items and items that currently don't have a home into one room and cooking a main course. I didn't make it down to our shower until after the ladies in my bible study group left our old town (thankfully it takes about 40-50 minutes to drive up here!) I had a great time, though, and it is nice to have a house in a reasonable amount of order (although I admit I haven't really made any progress on the room with all the boxes since then!)
5-
My homeschooling confession of the week. I always have grand plans...the goal each week is to do school 4 days, so I plan 4 days of classwork for Eva, which includes the subjects reading, religion, math, handwriting and Spanish every day (only 5 to 10 minutes on each one, usually). Then each day I plan an additional subject, such as homemaking, science, social studies/history/geography, music, art, or PE. This week we have done three days of school (so far...still hoping to get to it this morning) and ZERO of the additional subjects. I've had straws soaking in what was once hot tap water for our science project since Monday, I never had them color, cut out and make the St. Patrick paper dolls for Art, Eva was supposed to learn how to make french toast for homemaking, and I just don't see it happening today...maybe I'll get ambitious today and we'll do our lesson on the continents for geography...we'll have to see. Plus, for Charlotte's preschool, I have mostly been doing two or three things with her (never what I suggest...she makes requests these days) and then sitting her down in front of a Veggie Tales so that I can finish school with Eva.
6-
I started a new cereal rule that I will be breaking this morning. My new rule is that we can't open a new box of cereal in the same category as one that is already open. So, we had some generic fruity pebbles style cereal, and I got a box of Trix swirls cereal on sale...Eva wanted the Trix instead of the fruity pebbles, and I told her only one fruity cereal open at a time. Then today, they both originally wanted Chocolate Cheerios, but we still have an unfinished box of Cocoa Puffs, so I told them only one chocolate cereal open at a time. However, I want some Chocolate Cheerios (and I do not like Cocoa Puffs) so I am about to crack open a box, if I can distract the girls long enough.
7-
Anyone ever put down carpet squares/carpet tiles/peel and stick carpet? The bedroom downstairs (that will eventually be a guest room) had two layers of water damaged carpet, and we are now working on scraping up the carpet backing...next step, carpeting. The carpet squares that I could find (online) ranged in price from $4.99 to $20+ per square (which were larger than a square foot) but it still looks like it might cost us around $600 for the floor of that bedroom if we go that route...still not sure if it would be significantly cheaper than having carpet laid professionally. Any thoughts? Other flooring ideas for a basement bedroom that could have water issues if we aren't careful?
More quick takes at Conversion Diary!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Small Successes
Well, this is the first edition of small successes that I have participated in, though I love reading them...does participating count as a small success?
1-
I went to confession last night. Sadly, it has been since Advent, even though I keep telling myself that I should get to confession more regularly. I even talked with hubby about planning ahead and taking one Saturday a month where we leave extra early for Mass and go to confession, then take the girls to the park until Mass starts.
2-
I organized some of our homeschooling stuff. I cleaned out Charlotte's tot school container so that all the file folder and tot book pieces were in the right place, and even added in a folder of preschool worksheets that were leftover from Eva's preschool days. I also FINALLY got around to making folders for the months of the year and liturgical seasons. So, the Advent coloring page that I have had lying around for more than two Advents without actually finding (during Advent...it seems to pop up most often during Lent) is in the Advent folder, and the instructions for making star-shaped faux sparklers is filed under July, and the Turkey craft that I had printed for both girls to do at Thanksgiving that we didn't get to because of the move is filed under November. I even got hubby to find an old file folder box to put it in (that still had craft supplies from a bridal shower I hosted about 7 or 8 years ago...oops!)
3-
I bathed the girls...I know, not a major accomplishment to normal people...but I don't really like giving them baths (probably because of Charlotte's ear-drum piercing scream when I wash her hair) and although we were pretty consistently good about baths twice a week when we lived in our old town (before farming...when hubby was home every evening and usually gave them their baths...and we had a decent shower we could throw them in if necessary) but in our new house, it has been a major struggle to get them bathed twice a week, and I am sure we have had a week or two where they only got 1 bath. I don't like bath time so much that I often suggest that grandma give them their baths when they are at her house.
Those are my small successes for this week...there are plenty more over at Faith and Family Live!
Friday, March 05, 2010
Quick Takes Friday - naptime edition
1-
It's been a little bit of a long week...Saturday afternoon, hubby and I left for Denver to see the Symphony. We had a great time, had a nice dinner beforehand, had pretty good seats where we could see the pianist during the Horn trio, and then I got a nice hotel room off of priceline. In the morning, we went to Holy Ghost parish for their 7:00am Mass, then had breakfast and headed home. MIL and SIL headed up to the nearest medium sized town for some shopping, so we met them for lunch, MIL and hubby took the girls home, and SIL and I went shopping...there went another almost $500 to Home Depot...the joys of moving!
2-
Sunday night we had the Altar and Rosary ladies annual fundraiser "Family Fun Night" with a supper prepared by the Knights of Columbus, bingo, kids games and several raffles. The girls had a great time with the kids games...Charlotte loved to go to the "grocery store" (that poor kid thinks that any store is a grocery store!) which was a table full of little Oriental Trading Company toys and candy that they could trade in their tickets for merchandise. My girls earned so many tickets, and got a ton of little stuff. Charlotte's favorite is a pink and silver princess tiara, which we have hardly gotten off her head at all. Eva liked all the games, except for Plinko, where you had to climb a ladder on the back (she smudged her face painting coming down, and refused to play the game again.) Charlotte, on the other had, was the Plinko queen...I'm expecting to see her on the Price is Right someday. Of course, the girls kept being given tickets to play games by all their aunts and uncles, etc.
3-
The adults played some Bingo, and the girls got family members to win them the toys they liked on the Bingo prize table. I ended up getting them a Disney princess Easter egg decorating kit when I got a Bingo prize. Then, FIL won a beautiful quilt that was handmade for the raffle...it fit our King sized bed really well, so we ended up with it...we all had a great time.
4-
Monday we started school again, which Eva and Charlotte were very excited about. We are mostly doing review at this point...until we are a little more settled.
5-
Tuesday we did more school, then headed over to SIL's new house and helped her paint in her basement (okay, the girl's played "Aunt T's" Wii instead...) then had pizza as the whole clan and worked on removing a wall paper border (I was also working on removing one at home on Tuesday and Wednesday.)
6-
The aunt and uncle that used to live in our house came out to start cleaning their stuff out of our fruit room...they got it about half done...of course, after the fruit room, they have a storage area in our garage, a room full of stuff they want to sell at a garage sale, and a bunch of stuff in our shop...we'll see how many months it takes before they get it all cleaned out!
7-
Yesterday was another major painting day at our house. I spent all morning cleaning stuff out of the kitchen area, then taping off doorways and baseboards. In the afternoon, MIL came over and helped me with my main wall paper, a warm tan color (called Soft Chamois...paint colors have really stupid names...) It took all afternoon, then hubby got home from work, helped me put on a second coat, and then the two of us went up to Home Depot (again...it takes a little over an hour to drive up there) to get more lights for the kitchen. Hubby has taken down and replaced one florescent light box so far, and there are three more in our kitchen area that he'll be replacing this weekend. So, today I have been removing paint and doing school with the girls. I need to get more stuff put back, but then again, we have the ceiling to paint (hopefully Sunday) and then after that is done, I have an accent wall in the eat in kitchen area, and it will also be carried over above the cabinetry in the kitchen. I am hoping to have all that done before next Thursday, when I am hosting my Bible study at our house.
More quick takes over at Conversion Diary!
It's been a little bit of a long week...Saturday afternoon, hubby and I left for Denver to see the Symphony. We had a great time, had a nice dinner beforehand, had pretty good seats where we could see the pianist during the Horn trio, and then I got a nice hotel room off of priceline. In the morning, we went to Holy Ghost parish for their 7:00am Mass, then had breakfast and headed home. MIL and SIL headed up to the nearest medium sized town for some shopping, so we met them for lunch, MIL and hubby took the girls home, and SIL and I went shopping...there went another almost $500 to Home Depot...the joys of moving!
2-
Sunday night we had the Altar and Rosary ladies annual fundraiser "Family Fun Night" with a supper prepared by the Knights of Columbus, bingo, kids games and several raffles. The girls had a great time with the kids games...Charlotte loved to go to the "grocery store" (that poor kid thinks that any store is a grocery store!) which was a table full of little Oriental Trading Company toys and candy that they could trade in their tickets for merchandise. My girls earned so many tickets, and got a ton of little stuff. Charlotte's favorite is a pink and silver princess tiara, which we have hardly gotten off her head at all. Eva liked all the games, except for Plinko, where you had to climb a ladder on the back (she smudged her face painting coming down, and refused to play the game again.) Charlotte, on the other had, was the Plinko queen...I'm expecting to see her on the Price is Right someday. Of course, the girls kept being given tickets to play games by all their aunts and uncles, etc.
3-
The adults played some Bingo, and the girls got family members to win them the toys they liked on the Bingo prize table. I ended up getting them a Disney princess Easter egg decorating kit when I got a Bingo prize. Then, FIL won a beautiful quilt that was handmade for the raffle...it fit our King sized bed really well, so we ended up with it...we all had a great time.
4-
Monday we started school again, which Eva and Charlotte were very excited about. We are mostly doing review at this point...until we are a little more settled.
5-
Tuesday we did more school, then headed over to SIL's new house and helped her paint in her basement (okay, the girl's played "Aunt T's" Wii instead...) then had pizza as the whole clan and worked on removing a wall paper border (I was also working on removing one at home on Tuesday and Wednesday.)
6-
The aunt and uncle that used to live in our house came out to start cleaning their stuff out of our fruit room...they got it about half done...of course, after the fruit room, they have a storage area in our garage, a room full of stuff they want to sell at a garage sale, and a bunch of stuff in our shop...we'll see how many months it takes before they get it all cleaned out!
7-
Yesterday was another major painting day at our house. I spent all morning cleaning stuff out of the kitchen area, then taping off doorways and baseboards. In the afternoon, MIL came over and helped me with my main wall paper, a warm tan color (called Soft Chamois...paint colors have really stupid names...) It took all afternoon, then hubby got home from work, helped me put on a second coat, and then the two of us went up to Home Depot (again...it takes a little over an hour to drive up there) to get more lights for the kitchen. Hubby has taken down and replaced one florescent light box so far, and there are three more in our kitchen area that he'll be replacing this weekend. So, today I have been removing paint and doing school with the girls. I need to get more stuff put back, but then again, we have the ceiling to paint (hopefully Sunday) and then after that is done, I have an accent wall in the eat in kitchen area, and it will also be carried over above the cabinetry in the kitchen. I am hoping to have all that done before next Thursday, when I am hosting my Bible study at our house.
More quick takes over at Conversion Diary!
Monday, March 01, 2010
Pray unceasingly!
I realize it's been a long, long time since my last post, and there are lots of things I could say to help catch you up on what's been going on in my life... but let's just say that things have been pretty busy around here!
One thing I have consciously been trying to make time for, though, is to get through a rosary every day - usually before noon. The way this usually works is for me to twirl my little finger rosary in my pocket while I am stopped and mixing a load of feed for our cattle. This builds in a certain amount of time to make sure the feed is mixed well, and gives me something to do while I wait.
The idea to do this developed soon after I started working on the farm and was reading a short description of the life of St. Isidore to the kids. As with so many holy people, St. Isidore was described as "praying unceasingly, " even while laboring in the fields. I decided that I should adopt him as a model and try to get as much prayer in as I can safely during my work day.
A couple of things have seemed noteworthy about this practice so far. First, I have heard often that "God's time is not like our time," as evidenced by St. Peter's description in 2 Peter 3:8. This seems especially true in regards to the mysteries of the rosary, and which day goes with each set. Americans often say, "T.G.I.F.," as though Fridays are particularly joyful... but Fridays are when we are to reflect on the sorrowful mysteries. And Mondays, so often dreaded by workers and students who have weekends off, are the day for the joyful mysteries!
Secondly, it seems as though God has a bit of a quirky sense of humor when it comes to my prayer routine. Often, I have the radio going in the loader or feedtruck, then step out to mix the feed and start praying. The other day, I was "rockin' out" to Free Bird as I pulled up to the protein tanks, but when I got out my little "cheat sheet" of the mysteries of the rosary, the focus of the one I was on was "for the virtue of obedience." I don't really know if that means anything, particularly, but I thought it was a funny juxtaposition.
Anyway, I hope to be able to write more often as we get more settled in to our new lifestyle. Until then, take care and God bless.
One thing I have consciously been trying to make time for, though, is to get through a rosary every day - usually before noon. The way this usually works is for me to twirl my little finger rosary in my pocket while I am stopped and mixing a load of feed for our cattle. This builds in a certain amount of time to make sure the feed is mixed well, and gives me something to do while I wait.
The idea to do this developed soon after I started working on the farm and was reading a short description of the life of St. Isidore to the kids. As with so many holy people, St. Isidore was described as "praying unceasingly, " even while laboring in the fields. I decided that I should adopt him as a model and try to get as much prayer in as I can safely during my work day.
A couple of things have seemed noteworthy about this practice so far. First, I have heard often that "God's time is not like our time," as evidenced by St. Peter's description in 2 Peter 3:8. This seems especially true in regards to the mysteries of the rosary, and which day goes with each set. Americans often say, "T.G.I.F.," as though Fridays are particularly joyful... but Fridays are when we are to reflect on the sorrowful mysteries. And Mondays, so often dreaded by workers and students who have weekends off, are the day for the joyful mysteries!
Secondly, it seems as though God has a bit of a quirky sense of humor when it comes to my prayer routine. Often, I have the radio going in the loader or feedtruck, then step out to mix the feed and start praying. The other day, I was "rockin' out" to Free Bird as I pulled up to the protein tanks, but when I got out my little "cheat sheet" of the mysteries of the rosary, the focus of the one I was on was "for the virtue of obedience." I don't really know if that means anything, particularly, but I thought it was a funny juxtaposition.
Anyway, I hope to be able to write more often as we get more settled in to our new lifestyle. Until then, take care and God bless.
It's not hard...but it takes effort
Today I finally started back up with school after an extended time off for our move. I felt like I was finally getting to the point in our old town where most people knew that we were homeschooling. With the move, we have a whole new small community asking us when our older daughter, Eva, will be starting school. She is five and extremely bright and ready to learn, but she would not be able to start Kindergarten in the school district until next year. We are currently in her 4th quarter of Kindergarten with Seton Home Study.
My sister-in-law works at the bank in town and was recently asked by her co-workers when Eva will be starting school. She told them that I was homeschooling the girls, and their reaction was (after they picked up their jaws from the floor, I guess) "how can she manage to homeschool?" SIL stated that I stayed home...which does make homeschooling much easier than trying to combine it with a career.
I think that I've finally come up with a way that might explain homeschooling to people when they express surprise and incredulity:
It's not hard...but it takes effort!
Actually, that is a pretty good philosophy for most of the things I do in my life. But in terms of homeschooling, it's really not hard...I managed to graduate from high school and college, and I even taught undergrads during my short stint in graduate school. I don't have a teaching certificate, but I am sure that I would be able to get one if I so desired. Both my parents are public school teachers...I'm very familiar with the educational system. Teaching is not hard either. Yes, it is work. Yes, it requires effort...but it's not hard.
I can teach my girls the alphabet, phonics, basic math, science, history, about our faith, how to read, how to write, how to speak, how to type...none of it is hard, because I already know how to do all those things. Homeschooling may become more challenging as the girls get older, but I am sure that I will be able to learn something in order to teach, or find someone who already knows the subject to help. All of that will take effort. Just like planning what to go over with Eva and what projects to work on with Charlotte (mainly to keep her happy and busy during school time) takes effort...I have to take the time, sit down and figure it all out.
I just wish everyone who gives me that surprised look and asks me how I can manage to homeschool understood that it's not hard....it just takes effort.
My sister-in-law works at the bank in town and was recently asked by her co-workers when Eva will be starting school. She told them that I was homeschooling the girls, and their reaction was (after they picked up their jaws from the floor, I guess) "how can she manage to homeschool?" SIL stated that I stayed home...which does make homeschooling much easier than trying to combine it with a career.
I think that I've finally come up with a way that might explain homeschooling to people when they express surprise and incredulity:
It's not hard...but it takes effort!
Actually, that is a pretty good philosophy for most of the things I do in my life. But in terms of homeschooling, it's really not hard...I managed to graduate from high school and college, and I even taught undergrads during my short stint in graduate school. I don't have a teaching certificate, but I am sure that I would be able to get one if I so desired. Both my parents are public school teachers...I'm very familiar with the educational system. Teaching is not hard either. Yes, it is work. Yes, it requires effort...but it's not hard.
I can teach my girls the alphabet, phonics, basic math, science, history, about our faith, how to read, how to write, how to speak, how to type...none of it is hard, because I already know how to do all those things. Homeschooling may become more challenging as the girls get older, but I am sure that I will be able to learn something in order to teach, or find someone who already knows the subject to help. All of that will take effort. Just like planning what to go over with Eva and what projects to work on with Charlotte (mainly to keep her happy and busy during school time) takes effort...I have to take the time, sit down and figure it all out.
I just wish everyone who gives me that surprised look and asks me how I can manage to homeschool understood that it's not hard....it just takes effort.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Quick Takes Friday
1-
We are settling into the new house and farm life a little bit more now. I have to admit that the transition to being an actual farm wife has been pretty difficult for me. It wasn't quite the same amount of pressure while living with the in-laws, so it was a bit of a shock when I had to do everything on my own. Particularly with the unpacking.
2-
My Bible Study group is currently going through the second in a series on Proverbs 31 by Kimberly Hahn called "Graced and Gifted". We were supposed to meet last night, but the woman who was hosting is 8 months pregnant and overdid it dealing with her 2 year old who has been throwing up for two days straight. In the end, we cancelled...but I did finally get around to reading what we were supposed to discuss last night (we'll discuss it in two weeks at my house) and I found a section that made me feel a little better about our current situation. Kimberly Hahn talks about a move right after her husband started his first job as a college professor. He was not able to really help with the unpacking process because he was so overwhelmed with work, and she had a 4 year old, 3 year old and 5 week old. She unpacked one room (in which she liked the previous owner's decorating) and would shield her eyes and just look at the room as a mental boost. I still haven't found that room (the girl's room is getting closer!) Anyway, she said it took about 6 weeks, unpacking at least one box a night to get unpacked and get the house livable. And I realized that although I don't have as young or as many children, I do have to make our house a home on my own (and I want to do a whole bunch of redecorating!) So, I can't expect our house to be perfect any time soon.
3-
Eva really wants to start school again, so my priority today will be to get the school stuff under control so that we can start again on Monday. Still trying to figure out how I'm going to work in painting the kitchen while doing school...maybe school in the morning, and then paint as much as I can during naptime?
4-
This weekend I get a little break from reality. Hubby was listening to the radio in his feed truck last week when the radio show was doing a movie review thing, where if you call in and review a movie, they will give you free tickets. I guess it is usually tickets to one of two movie theatres in the Denver area, but on this particular day they were giving away tickets to the Symphony. So, because we have free tickets (assuming there are still some available when we get to the box office...I don't think the symphony sells out that often...I really hope it doesn't tomorrow!) I got a hotel room on Priceline. Grandma gets the girls, and we'll get to leave at lunch time tomorrow, and then not come back to the farm until lunch time on Sunday. (Hey, it's away from the farm and to something cultural!)
5-
I got my hair cut this week...and I am resolving to put more effort into my appearance (given that my general amount of time is zero, it shouldn't be too hard to increase my amount of effort!) Both girls also got haircuts, and they look adorable...but older. What is it about haircuts that make your kids grow up overnight??? Serendipitiously, our haircuts (which I scheduled two weeks ago) fell on the same day as our family portrait for MIL's church photo directory. We really don't attend the church that often, other than special days (we did Ash Wednesday there, and will do Holy week there, too, probably.) I tried to avoid being in the directory (our parish just did one two years ago) but got suckered in...then we got suckered out of $125 for two 8x10s with one frame (and one 8x10 was allegedly free...) Oh well, the girls look cute in the picture!
6-
We are in desperate need of some tables for our living room. Our old house was so tiny, that when we wanted something to put a cup of coffee on (okay, today it is my morning tea) we would just drag over the kids little table. Well, their table isn't within dragging distance in our new living room...and we have no end or coffee tables. Currently, I have a two tiered step stool postioned between the couch and the recliner to function as a table. I looked at four thrift stores this week, and will probably drag hubby to more this weekend...I also think that we may go shopping at hubby's great-uncle's house to see if he has some spare furniture (okay we know he has plenty of spare stuff, as an antique junkie) that we could buy from him. He's been a little strapped for cash recently, so it would help us and help him if we can find some stuff there...now I just have to get that all set up!
7-
Hubby's little brother and his wife got moved into their farm house this week. The move did not go particularly well...it's kinda fun to watch newlyweds fight while moving! While they were loading up the rental house in town, a pig wandered through their yard, causing a minor distraction. Hubby posted pictures on facebook of the pig, SIL petting the pig, and then the police getting the pig back home. BIL did not find any of this amusing, and complained to his mom (and anyone else that would listen) that the pig made it so that loading up took an extra hour. Hubby reports it was more like a 20 minute distraction/delay. I don't know how the unpacking is going, but they have a lot of stuff for newlyweds!
More quick takes at Conversion Diary! (and I hope Jen's family feels better soon!)
We are settling into the new house and farm life a little bit more now. I have to admit that the transition to being an actual farm wife has been pretty difficult for me. It wasn't quite the same amount of pressure while living with the in-laws, so it was a bit of a shock when I had to do everything on my own. Particularly with the unpacking.
2-
My Bible Study group is currently going through the second in a series on Proverbs 31 by Kimberly Hahn called "Graced and Gifted". We were supposed to meet last night, but the woman who was hosting is 8 months pregnant and overdid it dealing with her 2 year old who has been throwing up for two days straight. In the end, we cancelled...but I did finally get around to reading what we were supposed to discuss last night (we'll discuss it in two weeks at my house) and I found a section that made me feel a little better about our current situation. Kimberly Hahn talks about a move right after her husband started his first job as a college professor. He was not able to really help with the unpacking process because he was so overwhelmed with work, and she had a 4 year old, 3 year old and 5 week old. She unpacked one room (in which she liked the previous owner's decorating) and would shield her eyes and just look at the room as a mental boost. I still haven't found that room (the girl's room is getting closer!) Anyway, she said it took about 6 weeks, unpacking at least one box a night to get unpacked and get the house livable. And I realized that although I don't have as young or as many children, I do have to make our house a home on my own (and I want to do a whole bunch of redecorating!) So, I can't expect our house to be perfect any time soon.
3-
Eva really wants to start school again, so my priority today will be to get the school stuff under control so that we can start again on Monday. Still trying to figure out how I'm going to work in painting the kitchen while doing school...maybe school in the morning, and then paint as much as I can during naptime?
4-
This weekend I get a little break from reality. Hubby was listening to the radio in his feed truck last week when the radio show was doing a movie review thing, where if you call in and review a movie, they will give you free tickets. I guess it is usually tickets to one of two movie theatres in the Denver area, but on this particular day they were giving away tickets to the Symphony. So, because we have free tickets (assuming there are still some available when we get to the box office...I don't think the symphony sells out that often...I really hope it doesn't tomorrow!) I got a hotel room on Priceline. Grandma gets the girls, and we'll get to leave at lunch time tomorrow, and then not come back to the farm until lunch time on Sunday. (Hey, it's away from the farm and to something cultural!)
5-
I got my hair cut this week...and I am resolving to put more effort into my appearance (given that my general amount of time is zero, it shouldn't be too hard to increase my amount of effort!) Both girls also got haircuts, and they look adorable...but older. What is it about haircuts that make your kids grow up overnight??? Serendipitiously, our haircuts (which I scheduled two weeks ago) fell on the same day as our family portrait for MIL's church photo directory. We really don't attend the church that often, other than special days (we did Ash Wednesday there, and will do Holy week there, too, probably.) I tried to avoid being in the directory (our parish just did one two years ago) but got suckered in...then we got suckered out of $125 for two 8x10s with one frame (and one 8x10 was allegedly free...) Oh well, the girls look cute in the picture!
6-
We are in desperate need of some tables for our living room. Our old house was so tiny, that when we wanted something to put a cup of coffee on (okay, today it is my morning tea) we would just drag over the kids little table. Well, their table isn't within dragging distance in our new living room...and we have no end or coffee tables. Currently, I have a two tiered step stool postioned between the couch and the recliner to function as a table. I looked at four thrift stores this week, and will probably drag hubby to more this weekend...I also think that we may go shopping at hubby's great-uncle's house to see if he has some spare furniture (okay we know he has plenty of spare stuff, as an antique junkie) that we could buy from him. He's been a little strapped for cash recently, so it would help us and help him if we can find some stuff there...now I just have to get that all set up!
7-
Hubby's little brother and his wife got moved into their farm house this week. The move did not go particularly well...it's kinda fun to watch newlyweds fight while moving! While they were loading up the rental house in town, a pig wandered through their yard, causing a minor distraction. Hubby posted pictures on facebook of the pig, SIL petting the pig, and then the police getting the pig back home. BIL did not find any of this amusing, and complained to his mom (and anyone else that would listen) that the pig made it so that loading up took an extra hour. Hubby reports it was more like a 20 minute distraction/delay. I don't know how the unpacking is going, but they have a lot of stuff for newlyweds!
More quick takes at Conversion Diary! (and I hope Jen's family feels better soon!)
Friday, February 12, 2010
Quick Takes Friday
1-
We have a house! We moved in partially on Sunday night, and then actually were able to sleep there on Monday night. We still have no Internet access (it'll be set up on Monday) so I'll have to keep this short...(well, short for me, anyway!)
2-
I have saved about $2000 since we moved in. The girl's bedroom was not big enough for both beds, and the third bedroom upstairs isn't really a bedroom because it has no window. So, hubby told me I could spend up to $1000 on bunk beds. I mentioned the idea of bunk beds to Eva, and she almost burst into tears...so instead, the girls agreed to share a bed (which they have been doing for almost 2 months, anyway...) Then, we figured out that our dishwasher is really tiny, and we have a bunch of things that won't fit in it. So hubby gave me permission to buy a dishwasher if it could be installed at the the same time our other appliances were coming. Turns out Sears can't have their delivery and installation people install dishwashers. So, saved another $500 there...then, when Sears finally delivered my appliances yesterday, the installer came in the door and said they could not install my stove because they can't convert natural gas to propane because their insurance won't let them...of course, the sales person told me it was no problem and that the delivery guys would do everything. So, rather than take the stove (it turns out the one left there was in better shape than I was led to believe) and have to find someone to install it, I just returned it. I'm figuring that it was the Holy Spirit giving me a lesson in contentment.
3-
We now have possibly the world's ugliest bathroom. I am really hoping that in a year we'll be able to save up enough to remodel it. We have a peachy pink tub (no shower), toilet (peachy pink with white seat), and a fabulous peachy pink sink with built in hair sprayer (so you can warsh your hair in the sink)...then it has the same peachy pink color and white sponge painting treatment all over the walls and ceiling, brown carpeting, and to top it off this really funky light fixture that is similar to one that a friend and her husband took out of their house a few years ago...her hubby called them testicle lights...I think that's a pretty good description, to be honest.
4-
I have all the paint for my living room, and I think some of the family will be coming over tomorrow to help me paint it. Of course, before we paint, I need to spackle all of the nail holes.
5-
Speaking of nail holes...I have taken a minimum of a dozen nails out of every room upstairs (over 30 in the living room...just over a dozen in the dining nook) I bought a huge can of spackle at the general store, and the woman there laughed at me.
6-
I also have hubby building me a pantry. Because of some weird remodeling, the coat closet is located in the kitchen. We are putting some adjustable shelving in there and making it a pantry. Eventually, I would like to put a coat closet in a little alcove next to the garage (it used to fit an upright freezer...our chest freezer is in the garage.) that way coats would be near the car or the mudroom.
7-
Hubby has the whole day off on Sunday (yeah!) to go to a Knights of Columbus meeting (note the romantic valentine's day we'll be having...) so while we are gone, I am hoping to get stuff to redo the girl's room. I have officially given in, and the room will be painted pink. We found a bedspread the girls will like, so I think I'll go get that, then go get paint for the room, maybe a few accessories, and turn their room into a super girly pink extravaganza.
That's all I have time for today, more quick takes at Conversion Diary!
We have a house! We moved in partially on Sunday night, and then actually were able to sleep there on Monday night. We still have no Internet access (it'll be set up on Monday) so I'll have to keep this short...(well, short for me, anyway!)
2-
I have saved about $2000 since we moved in. The girl's bedroom was not big enough for both beds, and the third bedroom upstairs isn't really a bedroom because it has no window. So, hubby told me I could spend up to $1000 on bunk beds. I mentioned the idea of bunk beds to Eva, and she almost burst into tears...so instead, the girls agreed to share a bed (which they have been doing for almost 2 months, anyway...) Then, we figured out that our dishwasher is really tiny, and we have a bunch of things that won't fit in it. So hubby gave me permission to buy a dishwasher if it could be installed at the the same time our other appliances were coming. Turns out Sears can't have their delivery and installation people install dishwashers. So, saved another $500 there...then, when Sears finally delivered my appliances yesterday, the installer came in the door and said they could not install my stove because they can't convert natural gas to propane because their insurance won't let them...of course, the sales person told me it was no problem and that the delivery guys would do everything. So, rather than take the stove (it turns out the one left there was in better shape than I was led to believe) and have to find someone to install it, I just returned it. I'm figuring that it was the Holy Spirit giving me a lesson in contentment.
3-
We now have possibly the world's ugliest bathroom. I am really hoping that in a year we'll be able to save up enough to remodel it. We have a peachy pink tub (no shower), toilet (peachy pink with white seat), and a fabulous peachy pink sink with built in hair sprayer (so you can warsh your hair in the sink)...then it has the same peachy pink color and white sponge painting treatment all over the walls and ceiling, brown carpeting, and to top it off this really funky light fixture that is similar to one that a friend and her husband took out of their house a few years ago...her hubby called them testicle lights...I think that's a pretty good description, to be honest.
4-
I have all the paint for my living room, and I think some of the family will be coming over tomorrow to help me paint it. Of course, before we paint, I need to spackle all of the nail holes.
5-
Speaking of nail holes...I have taken a minimum of a dozen nails out of every room upstairs (over 30 in the living room...just over a dozen in the dining nook) I bought a huge can of spackle at the general store, and the woman there laughed at me.
6-
I also have hubby building me a pantry. Because of some weird remodeling, the coat closet is located in the kitchen. We are putting some adjustable shelving in there and making it a pantry. Eventually, I would like to put a coat closet in a little alcove next to the garage (it used to fit an upright freezer...our chest freezer is in the garage.) that way coats would be near the car or the mudroom.
7-
Hubby has the whole day off on Sunday (yeah!) to go to a Knights of Columbus meeting (note the romantic valentine's day we'll be having...) so while we are gone, I am hoping to get stuff to redo the girl's room. I have officially given in, and the room will be painted pink. We found a bedspread the girls will like, so I think I'll go get that, then go get paint for the room, maybe a few accessories, and turn their room into a super girly pink extravaganza.
That's all I have time for today, more quick takes at Conversion Diary!
Friday, February 05, 2010
Quick Takes Friday
1-
The countdown has officially begun. Hubby's aunt and uncle are moving out of the house on Saturday, and although I promised hubby not to make him do major moving on Superbowl Sunday, I do plan on going in and measuring, then mapping out where the furniture will be going in between the Superbowl commercials (I mean, who actually wants to watch the game?)
2-
I finished our Federal taxes last night...we had to go over to the house to get last year's taxes in order to e-file. Turns out that I finished up my taxes on February 3rd last year. I started our state taxes, but since we actually owe taxes to the state, I figured I'd wait a while to file. Have I mentioned recently how much I love turbo tax? I used the free edition again this year, but I fear that it is probably the last year I'll be able to use turbo tax, with the slightly more complicated tax situation we might be in next year.
3-
Today the bookkeeper will be by MILs house to do data entry stuff, so I need to go put up the girl's air mattress. MIL has to work at the bookstore in town this afternoon, so instead of just hanging out and making noise, the girls and I are going to go shopping. I don't have a huge list (yet...I'm sure I will once we actually move in!) but it should be fun to go look around. I'm not getting too ambitious...just heading up to the small city with WalMart and Home Depot in it...I had thought about REALLY going shopping, but as it will be the three of us, I think we'll stay a little closer to home.
4-
I'm pretty sure that lunch today will be at McDonald's...gotta buy off the girls somehow so they behave while I browse!
5-
I wonder how many of those little paint chips I can pick up at the store before I start getting harassed by the employees...I want to find just the right colors, but it's a little hard to judge what will work with my couches, the drapes and the carpet in the living room, then of course, I need to find a coordinating color for the kitchen that will go with the curtains I am planning on buying.
6-
Speaking of the kitchen curtains...in my normal fashion, I fell in love with a particular set of valances that are only available at Lowes...of course there isn't a Lowes for well over 100 miles...I couldn't fall in love with something available at Home Depot, of course. And, to top things off, the valances are not available online. So, I'll have to wait until MILs next infusion (2 1/2 more weeks) to buy them, of course, that assumes they are still available then...
7-
My new appliances will be delivered on the 11th, so even after we have the house, we'll have to spend much of the day at MIL's house anyway...or we can wear disposable clothes and eat only items that can be prepared in the microwave. We'll have to see what sounds better next week!
More quick takes at Conversion Diary!
The countdown has officially begun. Hubby's aunt and uncle are moving out of the house on Saturday, and although I promised hubby not to make him do major moving on Superbowl Sunday, I do plan on going in and measuring, then mapping out where the furniture will be going in between the Superbowl commercials (I mean, who actually wants to watch the game?)
2-
I finished our Federal taxes last night...we had to go over to the house to get last year's taxes in order to e-file. Turns out that I finished up my taxes on February 3rd last year. I started our state taxes, but since we actually owe taxes to the state, I figured I'd wait a while to file. Have I mentioned recently how much I love turbo tax? I used the free edition again this year, but I fear that it is probably the last year I'll be able to use turbo tax, with the slightly more complicated tax situation we might be in next year.
3-
Today the bookkeeper will be by MILs house to do data entry stuff, so I need to go put up the girl's air mattress. MIL has to work at the bookstore in town this afternoon, so instead of just hanging out and making noise, the girls and I are going to go shopping. I don't have a huge list (yet...I'm sure I will once we actually move in!) but it should be fun to go look around. I'm not getting too ambitious...just heading up to the small city with WalMart and Home Depot in it...I had thought about REALLY going shopping, but as it will be the three of us, I think we'll stay a little closer to home.
4-
I'm pretty sure that lunch today will be at McDonald's...gotta buy off the girls somehow so they behave while I browse!
5-
I wonder how many of those little paint chips I can pick up at the store before I start getting harassed by the employees...I want to find just the right colors, but it's a little hard to judge what will work with my couches, the drapes and the carpet in the living room, then of course, I need to find a coordinating color for the kitchen that will go with the curtains I am planning on buying.
6-
Speaking of the kitchen curtains...in my normal fashion, I fell in love with a particular set of valances that are only available at Lowes...of course there isn't a Lowes for well over 100 miles...I couldn't fall in love with something available at Home Depot, of course. And, to top things off, the valances are not available online. So, I'll have to wait until MILs next infusion (2 1/2 more weeks) to buy them, of course, that assumes they are still available then...
7-
My new appliances will be delivered on the 11th, so even after we have the house, we'll have to spend much of the day at MIL's house anyway...or we can wear disposable clothes and eat only items that can be prepared in the microwave. We'll have to see what sounds better next week!
More quick takes at Conversion Diary!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Quick Takes Friday
1-
Well, the pantry challenge pretty much died this week. On Sunday MIL called when she was done taking communion to the sick to see if we needed anything, and I listed off several items (almost all dairy, but fresh fruits and veggies, too) and she came back with at least a dozen canned goods...so we've still been trying to use up some pantry stuff, but I gave up on the hard core pantry challenge.
2-
It has been a busy week! Monday Eva had her piano lesson, Tuesday we went to the city with MIL so that she could get her infusion for her MS, Wednesday hubby and I went into town for the blood drive and then Eva and MIL had religious ed classes, Thursday MIL went to the city with her dad to get her car fixed and he had an eye appointment and then I had bible study in the evening. Today FIL is going to be watching a video auction in just a couple of hours, so the girls and I (and maybe MIL) are going to head into town to run errands, then stop by and visit hubby's cousin Brittney, who turned 21 this week. We are so lucky to still have Brittney with us.
3-
Among the reasons this week was crazy, my little BIL (okay, well little is relative, I guess I should stop referring to him that way now that he's in his 20s and married...I still sometimes think of him as the dorky twelve year old in our wedding!) was the first to go to the ER since the new business began (this all happened on Tuesday). Hubby and BIL were riding in the bucket of the loader to take tires off the silage pile, and FIL was running the loader. When they came down, BIL got his finger caught between two of the moving parts. He was very lucky. When hubby was driving him into the hospital, he was pretty worried that BIL would lose his finger. It was cut very deeply on both sides through insulated gloves, and everyone thought it was broken. Good news is that no broken bones or tendon damage...just muscle and skin damage. So, he has stitches in his finger, and has been taping sandwich bags over his fingers to keep them clean(er) since they have been spreading manure on fields recently.
4-
I finally got around to updating the blogs on my sidebar. I came across a new one this morning that I wanted to add, so I changed names where necessary, and deleted a couple of blogs that don't post very often anymore.
5-
We are still really looking forward to moving into our own space. To the best of my knowledge, the plan is still for the aunt and uncle in the house to do their major move on February 6th. I've been looking through design books, and picking out curtains. I had a great time at a home improvement store looking at all the fun home improvement and decorating items. I just really need more info before I can buy anything.
6-
Hubby got his first farm paycheck yesterday, so I get to take it into the bank today. It was .40 more than anticipated, so he's only been farming for a month and already got a raise. I think that works out to one one-hundredth of a cent per hour, or something like that.
7-
I am so ready to get our taxes done, but I am STILL waiting on hubby's W-2 form from his old job...I am hoping it will be in our PO Box today, but the whole forwarding mail thing isn't working out too well yet...and to think, we'll get to forward it all again in the next couple of months. Maybe I'll just try to change our address on everything while we have the PO Box paid up (5 more months) to avoid some of the forwarding headache.
More quick takes over at Conversion Diary!
Well, the pantry challenge pretty much died this week. On Sunday MIL called when she was done taking communion to the sick to see if we needed anything, and I listed off several items (almost all dairy, but fresh fruits and veggies, too) and she came back with at least a dozen canned goods...so we've still been trying to use up some pantry stuff, but I gave up on the hard core pantry challenge.
2-
It has been a busy week! Monday Eva had her piano lesson, Tuesday we went to the city with MIL so that she could get her infusion for her MS, Wednesday hubby and I went into town for the blood drive and then Eva and MIL had religious ed classes, Thursday MIL went to the city with her dad to get her car fixed and he had an eye appointment and then I had bible study in the evening. Today FIL is going to be watching a video auction in just a couple of hours, so the girls and I (and maybe MIL) are going to head into town to run errands, then stop by and visit hubby's cousin Brittney, who turned 21 this week. We are so lucky to still have Brittney with us.
3-
Among the reasons this week was crazy, my little BIL (okay, well little is relative, I guess I should stop referring to him that way now that he's in his 20s and married...I still sometimes think of him as the dorky twelve year old in our wedding!) was the first to go to the ER since the new business began (this all happened on Tuesday). Hubby and BIL were riding in the bucket of the loader to take tires off the silage pile, and FIL was running the loader. When they came down, BIL got his finger caught between two of the moving parts. He was very lucky. When hubby was driving him into the hospital, he was pretty worried that BIL would lose his finger. It was cut very deeply on both sides through insulated gloves, and everyone thought it was broken. Good news is that no broken bones or tendon damage...just muscle and skin damage. So, he has stitches in his finger, and has been taping sandwich bags over his fingers to keep them clean(er) since they have been spreading manure on fields recently.
4-
I finally got around to updating the blogs on my sidebar. I came across a new one this morning that I wanted to add, so I changed names where necessary, and deleted a couple of blogs that don't post very often anymore.
5-
We are still really looking forward to moving into our own space. To the best of my knowledge, the plan is still for the aunt and uncle in the house to do their major move on February 6th. I've been looking through design books, and picking out curtains. I had a great time at a home improvement store looking at all the fun home improvement and decorating items. I just really need more info before I can buy anything.
6-
Hubby got his first farm paycheck yesterday, so I get to take it into the bank today. It was .40 more than anticipated, so he's only been farming for a month and already got a raise. I think that works out to one one-hundredth of a cent per hour, or something like that.
7-
I am so ready to get our taxes done, but I am STILL waiting on hubby's W-2 form from his old job...I am hoping it will be in our PO Box today, but the whole forwarding mail thing isn't working out too well yet...and to think, we'll get to forward it all again in the next couple of months. Maybe I'll just try to change our address on everything while we have the PO Box paid up (5 more months) to avoid some of the forwarding headache.
More quick takes over at Conversion Diary!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Quick Takes Friday
1-
I've been so wanting to tell this story, but it embarrasses hubby, so he told me not to post it to facebook (which I wanted to do from the car...) but consented to let me blog about it (although I guess I shouldn't put on facebook that I have a blog update...) Last night hubby and I went out on a date. We didn't really have anything in particular to do, so I was okay with no plan (and hubby wanted a plan...a total role reversal for us!) So, we decided while barreling down the gravel road to head towards a Nebraska town with a movie theatre, rather than to the Colorado town with a movie theatre (that shows movies on the Thursday night...the more local theatres do Friday/Saturday/Sunday movies for the most part). The Nebraska theatre had two options, one of which would be mildly entertaining. The Colorado theatre had several, none of which appealed to me. So, hubby decided to take a dirt road shortcut, but ended up on the wrong road. When we finally found a highway and turned onto it, it turns out that we ended up coming in south to the next town over to the east, when we were TRYING to get to the town to the North instead. We didn't make it to the movie, but we got plenty of time to talk while driving.
2-
Update on our eventual house...it looks like the aunt and uncle living there should be able to move out Feburary 6th, but only half of their house in town will be ready, so we have to decide if we want to move in with their son-in-law/contractor living in the basement, or if we can find somewhere else for him to stay until he finishes the house...I also have to call and put off our appliance delivery, which I had scheduled for the 4th, (since the last estimate was that their house should be DONE by the end of January and ready to move in)...so I guess I'll hope that the following Thursday will be late enough.
3-
Charlotte has been going through a naughty phase. I think part of it is all the upheaval in her life...but I think a big part of it is being 3...I sincerely had forgotten how much I struggled with Eva at 3, but I have memories coming back of very similar behavior from her...
4-
Eva read a book to Grandma last night while we were gone. MIL said that she could sound out every word in the book (just an easy reader I found at a thrift store about Nemo and Dory, so nothing major, but she doesn't like to read to me yet.) I knew she probably could, but with the no school thing for such a long period of time (we did the first week or two of December, then took off because of Hawaii and then moving, and now living with the in-laws...I am REALLY looking forward to getting back to our normal life schedule!) has made us not really practice much with reading or other subjects.
5-
Hubby is really enjoying his new job, which I am very happy about. It is a little hard for me to be as excited about it as I should, though...because it is so stressful living in someone else's home with very different household philosophies (for instance, I never would have considered myself a little bit of a neat freak until now...) I have had friends ask me how I am enjoying being a farm wife, and I have to say that I don't know yet. I just feel like we are having an extended not particularly fun visit to hubby's family. I'm sure I'll feel more farm wife-like when we have our own space.
6-
As for the own space thing, I'm contemplating going over there while no one is home and measuring all the rooms to start planning where things will go. Trying to decide if that would be appropriate or inappropriate...or honestly, whether I care whether it's appropriate or inappropriate!
7-
One thing that I am starting to get concerned about is where the girls are going to go. Our original plan was to put them in the larger of the two bedrooms on the main floor (not counting the master, of course...we get that room!) but I am not sure that the bigger room will have room for two twin beds. So the question is, do we put them together, but in the basement if they don't fit in the room together? (Hubby and I both think they are a little young to be on a different floor than us) or do we give them each one of the small upstairs bedrooms? I think that's the way we are leaning right now, but what do we do if someday they need to share a room again? I don't want them to get the idea that they are each owed their own room...and I think they might miss each other...they've shared a room since Charlotte was 9 months old.
As usual, more quick takes at Conversion Diary!
I've been so wanting to tell this story, but it embarrasses hubby, so he told me not to post it to facebook (which I wanted to do from the car...) but consented to let me blog about it (although I guess I shouldn't put on facebook that I have a blog update...) Last night hubby and I went out on a date. We didn't really have anything in particular to do, so I was okay with no plan (and hubby wanted a plan...a total role reversal for us!) So, we decided while barreling down the gravel road to head towards a Nebraska town with a movie theatre, rather than to the Colorado town with a movie theatre (that shows movies on the Thursday night...the more local theatres do Friday/Saturday/Sunday movies for the most part). The Nebraska theatre had two options, one of which would be mildly entertaining. The Colorado theatre had several, none of which appealed to me. So, hubby decided to take a dirt road shortcut, but ended up on the wrong road. When we finally found a highway and turned onto it, it turns out that we ended up coming in south to the next town over to the east, when we were TRYING to get to the town to the North instead. We didn't make it to the movie, but we got plenty of time to talk while driving.
2-
Update on our eventual house...it looks like the aunt and uncle living there should be able to move out Feburary 6th, but only half of their house in town will be ready, so we have to decide if we want to move in with their son-in-law/contractor living in the basement, or if we can find somewhere else for him to stay until he finishes the house...I also have to call and put off our appliance delivery, which I had scheduled for the 4th, (since the last estimate was that their house should be DONE by the end of January and ready to move in)...so I guess I'll hope that the following Thursday will be late enough.
3-
Charlotte has been going through a naughty phase. I think part of it is all the upheaval in her life...but I think a big part of it is being 3...I sincerely had forgotten how much I struggled with Eva at 3, but I have memories coming back of very similar behavior from her...
4-
Eva read a book to Grandma last night while we were gone. MIL said that she could sound out every word in the book (just an easy reader I found at a thrift store about Nemo and Dory, so nothing major, but she doesn't like to read to me yet.) I knew she probably could, but with the no school thing for such a long period of time (we did the first week or two of December, then took off because of Hawaii and then moving, and now living with the in-laws...I am REALLY looking forward to getting back to our normal life schedule!) has made us not really practice much with reading or other subjects.
5-
Hubby is really enjoying his new job, which I am very happy about. It is a little hard for me to be as excited about it as I should, though...because it is so stressful living in someone else's home with very different household philosophies (for instance, I never would have considered myself a little bit of a neat freak until now...) I have had friends ask me how I am enjoying being a farm wife, and I have to say that I don't know yet. I just feel like we are having an extended not particularly fun visit to hubby's family. I'm sure I'll feel more farm wife-like when we have our own space.
6-
As for the own space thing, I'm contemplating going over there while no one is home and measuring all the rooms to start planning where things will go. Trying to decide if that would be appropriate or inappropriate...or honestly, whether I care whether it's appropriate or inappropriate!
7-
One thing that I am starting to get concerned about is where the girls are going to go. Our original plan was to put them in the larger of the two bedrooms on the main floor (not counting the master, of course...we get that room!) but I am not sure that the bigger room will have room for two twin beds. So the question is, do we put them together, but in the basement if they don't fit in the room together? (Hubby and I both think they are a little young to be on a different floor than us) or do we give them each one of the small upstairs bedrooms? I think that's the way we are leaning right now, but what do we do if someday they need to share a room again? I don't want them to get the idea that they are each owed their own room...and I think they might miss each other...they've shared a room since Charlotte was 9 months old.
As usual, more quick takes at Conversion Diary!
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