The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, March 27, 2012...

Outside my window...it's still sunny even though it's 7:00pm.  That's what I like about this time of the year.  It stays light for longer.

I am thinking...about how blessed I am.

I am thankful...to God because He knew how much it meant to me to be with my son on his birthday, so He made it possible for R to be home this week.

I am going...to sing happy birthday to my son real soon.

I am wearing...a BarlowGirl t-shirt, green skirt and no shoes.  Just relaxing at home today.

In the kitchen...baked ziti and fresh baked bread for my sweet son's birthday.  He's turning 25 today.

I am creating...a home filled with love.

I am wondering...where the time has gone, that my son has already lived a quarter of a century.

I am reading...my bible and devotions.  I'm too busy this week to pick up a book.

I am hoping...my daughter can drive down tomorrow as well.  What a joy to have all my children at home!

I am looking forward to...spending time with my 3 kids.

I am learning...to trust God in all things.

Around the house...I'm focusing on my kids this week, so no big projects.  Well, maybe the ceiling fan project, but nothing else.

I am pondering these words..."Groanings which cannot be uttered are often prayers which cannot be refused." - Charles H. Spurgeon.

A few plans for the rest of this week...our church has a conference on Friday and Saturday.  I'd like to be able to attend, at least one day.  Of course with my kids at home we'll have to see.  I want to spend as much time with them as I can.

Wanna join in the fun?  Visit Peggy at the Simple Woman's Daybook.  God bless.

Observing My Senses

For Today, March 24, 2012...

I am seeing...a new day dawning, brightness from the sunlight shining on my newly polished floors.

I am feeling...thankful to be alive, content because I got all the backyard grass cut, and the soreness of an elbow I smacked against a corner wall.  Oh well, no one said life would be perfect.

I am hearing...the clock ticking, a bird chirping outside, and otherwise, quiet.  My son is still asleep :)

I am tasting...nothing yet, breakfast momentarily.

I am smelling...sausages sizzling on the stove, coffee brewing in the pot, biscuits in the oven.

It just takes a moment to observe your surroundings.  Won't you join me?

Follow Friday Four Fill-In

Welcome back for some more Friday fill-ins!  Thanks to Hilary at Feeling Beachie for hosting this fun brain exercise.  Hop on over and join in!


1.       I love ___ when I need a pick me up
I love getting my hair done when I need a pick me up.  I especially like the girl that does my hair now, because she not only washes my hair but gives the most amazing massages on my scalp.  I could just fall asleep in the chair.

2.       No matter how hard I try, I just can’t ___
No matter how hard I try, I just can't ride a bike.  Isn't that sad?!  I'm 48 years old and I never learned to ride a bike.

3.       _______ makes me feel all warm and fuzzy
Hugs and kisses from my sweet little boy make me feel all warm and fuzzy. :)

4.       I can’t resist a sale on ________.
I can't resist a sale on anything.  Food, housewares, home decor, clothes, shoes, you name it.  My two favorite words in the English language are Sale and Free.

Five Question Friday

Happy Friday!  I hope it's as lovely a day where you are as it is here.  It's in the low 80s, though I must say it's pretty hot out, but the humidity is lower today than it was yesterday.  I was able to cut the grass in the backyard, but for some reason the lawn mower quit on me when I got to the front yard :P.  Oh well, instead of letting it get me down, how about some Fun Friday Five Questions!  Visit Mama M at My Little Life if you want to join in the fun.

1. If you were free to just hop in the car and drive, where would you go? Or, if you could hop a plane and go anywhere, where?
I think I would go to Arkansas and meet up with a friend of mine there, then on to Kansas to visit another friend, down to New Mexico for yet another visit with another friend, back to the Southeast to visit a friend in the Carolinas...hmm, not on today's gas prices, though :P

2. What's your most recently read favorite book?
My favorite-favorite book is the Bible, hands down.  I also love Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, basically anything by Jane Austen.

3. What's your favorite Spring Break memory?
I can't think of one.  I wasn't one of those rowdy kids that goes away for spring break or anything, and after the kids came along I worked so there wasn't much of an opportunity to do anything for spring break.  This year my daughter had spring break so she came home, but my son didn't have spring break till the week after hers and he was sick with fever and body aches, so pretty much this was another not-too-memorable one.

4. What do you put in your child's Easter basket? Or, for those w/o kids, what was put in your childhood basket?
I never made an Easter basket.  Honestly, I've never liked them much.  It seems to me they take the focus off the real celebration, which is the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  My kids typically got pre-made baskets from family members, which they enjoyed but which made a mess of stuffing paper everywhere.

5. Do you get a summer haircut?
I try to get a haircut every 3 months.  My hair grows like a weed, and since I color it and blow dry it and straighten it with a straightening iron, it takes a lot of abuse.  I will typically cut my hair to just below my shoulders (clavicle length) and within 3 months it will have grown 2-3 inches.  I don't get a different haircut for the summer, just try to get it back to the original length.

Thursday Thoughts

It's been a busy week.  A non-stop sort of week.  A productive and tiring sort of week.

* We put in laminate wood floors back in 2010.  Since then I've been determined to give them a polish twice a year to keep them looking fresh and new, and to help protect them.  I use Pledge Wood Finish because it not only gives the floors a lovely sheen, it smells incredible.  My house will smell like new floors for weeks.  I like that a lot.

* To do a proper floor polishing I have to move furniture, clean the floors well, polish them, let the polish set for at least 30 minutes, then put the furniture back.  For that reason I do one room per day (except for the kitchen which I did quickly since there was no furniture to move).  I started with the dining room, moved on to the kitchen and formal living room, then ran out of floor polish.  Bummer.

* After searching high and low, guess which was the only store that carried the brand of floor polish I like?  That's right, Walmart.  I checked Winn-Dixie, Home Depot, and Lowe's.  They had all sorts of products, but not the floor polish.  Score one for Wally World.

* I've got all the living areas done so far.  The bedroom floors need to be done next, probably my daughter's room once the furniture is gone.  When I say gone, I mean out of the house.

* My daughter has decided to come back home after graduation.  While work is more abundant in Central Florida than in South Florida, she has absolutely no work experience.  Zero.  Zilch.  Nada.  She went from high school to college, and her father didn't want her working for fear her grades would suffer and she'd lose her scholarships.  It worked - she made the dean's list several times, never got less than a B-, and will graduate on time with a degree in Creative Writing with a minor in Religious Studies.  Unfortunately jobs are asking for 2 -3 years work experience.  She acknowledges she'll have to get a starter job, and that won't pay enough to maintain all or even half of her expenses.  So, she's coming home, along with her new bedroom furniture that's less than a year old.

* The bedroom furniture in her room at home is the same furniture her dad made when she was born.  It's very pretty, if you're a 5 year old girl.  It's even nice if you're a 10 year old girl.  However, when you're a 22 year old young lady, it's totally inappropriate.  It's a little girl's bedroom set, with a twin size bed, a wall unit/dresser with small drawers, a small desk and a couple of nightstands, all in shiny white laminate.  She has wanted a new bedroom set for years, but her dad couldn't understand what was wrong with what she already had.  I guess in his mind she was still his "little girl".  When we bought her the bedroom set she has now at her apartment, she chose an espresso colored wood queen size bed with a large dresser, mirror and nightstand (she didn't even have a decent sized mirror before).  This is the furniture she'll be bringing home, so out with the old and in with the new.  Her dad has sold her old furniture, and it just has to be picked up.

* This will give me the opportunity to not only polish the floors in her room, but paint the walls as well.  Currently the walls are painted a blue that was originally more of a teal, but which has faded and now looks almost baby blue.  Again, nice for a little girl, but it will look totally wrong with her bedroom set and bedding.  I've told her to look at paint samples and see what she likes.  The other thing that needs to be done is the removal of her ceiling fan, which is, of course, white.  And small.  My idea is simple:  the ceiling fan in the family room has dark colored blades and a brushed nickel finish, perfect for her bedroom set.  I want a ceiling fan in the family room that is more rustic, like the new chandelier in our dining room, since the family room is right off the dining room.  That means I'll have to remove the ceiling fan in her bedroom, remove the ceiling fan in the family room, put the family room ceiling fan in her bedroom, and put a new ceiling fan in the family room.  I got tired just thinking about it.

* That's just the indoor stuff.  Did I mention I've been planting flowers and cleaning up the front yard?  Tomorrow I get to cut the grass.

Spring is a time of renewal, of freshening and re-freshening.  I need an energy drink.

This Week's Adventure

I love how God likes to shake things up for us when our lives start getting monotonous.  Well, most of the time I like it...

My weekday mornings are pretty much a repetition everyday.  I wake up at 6:20am, and after my personal hygiene, I proceed into the kitchen to get breakfast for myself, my son, and our dog Molly.  The minute she hears me go into the kitchen she's right there, quietly wagging her tail as she waits for her kibble.  Tuesday morning was no exception.

Even in this I have a routine.  Molly's cans of dog food are in the pantry; I get a can out, get her bowl, then before opening the can I get the trash can ready so I can toss the lid and not get dog food gravy on the kitchen counter.  Yes, I'm annoying that way.  Our trash can is inside one of the kitchen cabinets, tucked away.  It's easily pulled out and put back away.  I keep the cabinet door closed so that I don't have to see the trash.

This morning, as usual, I got the can of dog food, opened the cabinet door, then jumped back.  On the ledge of the cabinet was something that wasn't supposed to be there.  At first I thought it might be what is commonly known in South Florida as a palmetto bug, which is basically your big nasty cockroach, and I was going to quickly get the roach spray.  Then I looked again.  No, it was not a cockroach.  It appeared to be a piece of roast beef, only we'd had chicken wings the night before.  Then I thought that maybe it was a piece of wood, or mulch, but I hadn't thrown any mulch in the kitchen trash either.  Oh well, whatever.  I got the trash scoop and the little broom, positioned the trash scoop under the cabinet ledge, and swept the whatever-it-was into the scooper.

And that's when I realized what I was dealing with.

It was a frog.  A 1 1/2 inch tree frog.  And it was in my kitchen.

Now, don't get me wrong.  I don't hate frogs.  They are God's creatures too.  As a matter of fact, I like having them in the backyard because they eat flies and mosquitoes, which I do hate.

I just don't like having them inside my house, much less in my kitchen.

Meanwhile, as I was coming to this realization and pleading with Jesus as to why He would let this little critter into my house, Molly was getting impatient.  Unlike our previous dog Tobey, who was a terrier and a hunter and would have crushed the life out of that frog in an instant, Molly is a peace loving dog who only barks at cats and other dogs, and wanted nothing more than to have her breakfast.  Patient as she is, she started walking back to her room, leaving me alone with the frog.  Yeah, not what I was wanting right then and there.  I called her back and opened her dog food can, emptied it into her bowl, then heard a strange tap on the kitchen floor.

The froggy was a-movin'.

Froggy had hopped out of the trash scooper and was now on my kitchen floor.  I know I must have called upon the Lord no less than 20 times, because I didn't want it getting away, I didn't want to kill it, and above all I didn't want it to jump on ME!  Eww, I don't like them to touch me!  As I stood there wondering what to do next, it hopped again, this time towards the pantry.  Oh no!  I most certainly did NOT want a frog in my pantry!  The Lord, who by this time was probably rolling all over heaven laughing, finally had some compassion on me and redirected Froggy to the garage door.  It was almost as if the little critter knew that was the way out, because it was trying to climb the door to the garage.  I leaned forward, unlocked the door and threw it open.  Immediately Froggy went to the side where the hinges were, and I saw it go through.  I wasn't sure if it had actually jumped down or not, but it didn't appear to be on the ledge there, so I closed the door and sighed a huge sigh of relief, because now there was no longer a frog in my kitchen.

No sir, there was no frog in my kitchen.  There was, however, a frog in my garage. :P

I pondered how in the world Froggy got into that cabinet.  The door was closed, all the cabinet doors were closed.  Then it hit me.  I'd been cleaning in the front and back yards the day before, raking up dead leaves and throwing away all kinds of debris, till the garbage tank was full.  The next day was garbage day, so that wasn't a problem.  But one of my potted plants in the backyard had some dead fronds that I wanted to get rid of.  Since they didn't fit in the garbage tank, I decided to just throw them in the kitchen trash bin which I would empty out once the garbage was taken away.  I knew I'd seen tree frogs there before, so it was a pretty good guess that I brought the little critter into the house myself.  Which probably made God laugh at me all the more.

And what was Froggy's fate?  Well, after dropping E off at school I knew I'd have to go into the garage, since Molly's leash is in there and I always take her for a morning walk.  When I drove up to the house I opened the garage door in search of the frog.  This was hard, because we have a painted, textured garage floor which makes it easy for a small critter like, say, a frog, to hide on.  I looked around and couldn't see anything, so I tread lightly and carefully, watching every step I took.  Good thing too, because I came within THAT MUCH of stepping on it.  I thought, great, now the garage door is open, it can hop out of my house and into its own habitat.  Only it wasn't moving.  It had gotten about halfway down the garage and stopped.  It looked really strange, too.  I threw a couple of pennies at it to see if it would hop away, but nothing happened.  So I grabbed a broom to help it scoot out.  It wasn't scooting.  It wasn't moving.  It wasn't breathing.  Upon closer inspection, I saw Froggy's face covered in spider webbing.  I guess it hopped somewhere and got tangled in it, and either suffocated or had a heart attack or something, but my morning visitor was dead.  I actually felt bad for it.  I didn't want it to die; I just wanted it to leave.  And so it did.

And that, my friends, is my adventure for this week.  I hope everyone got a good laugh.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, March 22, 2012...

Outside my window...it's a little warmer today than it's been, still breezy but a tad humid which it hasn't been the past few days.

I am thinking...of my daughter's room, and how we'll be transforming it in the next couple of months.

I am thankful...for my life, the good, the bad, and the ugly of it.

I am going...to finish polishing the floors in the main living area today.

I am wearing...a black and white top, black capris, and no shoes because I've been cleaning the floors.  It's in the low 80s today, sunny and warm.

In the kitchen...there's homemade baked macaroni and cheese.  A family favorite.

I am creating...shiny floors!  Even though our floors are laminate, adding floor polish helps keep them looking like new.

I am wondering...what to do to make my home look more spring-like.  My favorite season is fall, and most of my decor is in that warm color palette.  I need to bring some springtime into my home.

I am reading...well, I just finished reading Pride and Prejudice again yesterday, and now I'm re-reading A Love That Multiplies.

I am hoping...my daughter's old bedroom furniture gets picked up this week.

I am looking forward to...the weekend, and resting from lots of work this week.

I am learning...about ceiling fans.  What's the right size for each room.

Around the house...I just finished polishing the floors in the family room.  I've got to put the furniture back in place, then do some of the hallway that didn't get done because I didn't want to back myself into a corner.

I am pondering these words..."Swallowing your pride seldom leads to indigestion." (Author Unknown)

A few plans for the rest of the week...finish the floors, cut the grass tomorrow, watch the Muppet Movie on DVD (I got it the same day it came out because it is the FUNNIEST movie we've seen in a long time), and get some much needed rest.

Wanna join in the fun?  Visit Peggy at the Simple Woman's Daybook.  God bless.

Move It Mondays

Ah, a new week has begun, and so have the routines.  Spring break is over, E and I are pretty much over our colds, and he's back in school.  I felt terrible for him last week, because he spent most of it in bed either with fever or with the runs.  He finally felt better on Friday, so I took him to see The Lorax.  What a cute movie!  We laughed and had nice time.  I know it didn't make up for 4 days of being sick, but it did cheer him up quite a bit.

After dropping E off at school today, it was time to focus on Molly.  I hadn't given her a bath since a week before her surgery, and boy was she getting stinky!  She was also shedding a lot, probably because she was so dusty.  She's so well recovered I decided it was a good day to get her cleaned up.  I took her for her morning walk first; that way she burned off some energy.  Once she was clean I washed her bedding, and now she smells as sweet as her disposition.

I worked on the yard today.  There were some palm fronds that needed to be cut up and thrown away, and lots of little leaves in the front yard from a big tree the town planted when we moved here.  I raked, I trimmed bushed, I cut off dead leaves from the smaller palm trees, and finally stopped when the trash bin was completely filled.  It's a good thing tomorrow is trash day!

I did one load of laundry, then after lunch I moved all the furniture out of the dining room so I could polish the floors.  Even though the floors are laminate and not real wood, they stay in much better condition if they're polished twice a year.  Besides, they look and smell so incredible!  I think I'll work on the living room tomorrow.  It's a big job, and I have to do it bit by bit.

I'm happy to say it wasn't TOO hard getting up this morning.  I've almost adjusted myself to the new time after "springing forward" one hour, but I don't like that it's dark when I get up.  Hopefully that'll change soon.  It's still pretty light out at 7:30pm which is nice.

That's my Monday so far.  Have a blessed week everyone!

Observing My Senses

For Today, March 17, 2012...

I am seeing...sunlight galore, after 2 days of much intense rain.

I am feeling...like soup today.  This cold virus is finally being defeated, and I think some lentil soup will finish the job.

I am hearing...Molly sleeping, some cricket noises outside, and the breeze blowing through the trees.  An occasional dog barking, and the neighbor's swimming pool water.  My son is still sleeping so it's really quiet.

I am tasting...water.  I drink lots of it during the day.

I am smelling...the sweet smell of spring.  It's here already.  Been here for awhile.

It just takes a moment to observe your surroundings.  Won't you join me?

Follow Friday Four Fill-In

It's fill-in time!  Ready for a challenge?  Then head on over to Hilary's place, Feeling Beachie, and try your hand at it.


1. I get my best ideas_____
I get my best ideas in the morning.  I'm a morning person.  Don't hate me.

2. When I am ___ I ___
When I am very upset I can't eat.  I'm the opposite of an emotional eater.

3. When I have a cold, I like to_____
When I have a cold, I like to sleep.  A lot.  Just rest the thing off.

4. Watching a ____ move, can be ______.
Watching a neighbor move, can be sad.  Unless they're one of "those" neighbors.  Then it can be a relief.

Five Question Friday

It's been a busy, hectic Friday, but I didn't want to leave my post till Saturday again, so here I am to answer my Friday 5.  If you want to give it a try, visit Mama M at My Little Life.


1. Will you run to the store or to pick up a kid looking a mess?
Define "mess"...

If by mess you mean in my jammies and without combing my hair, no.  I will put on proper street clothes, comb my hair and (if it's first thing in the morning) brush my teeth.  However, if by mess you mean wearing no make-up and in flip-flops, then yes, I will most definitely leave my house that way and not think anything of it.

2. Do you finish a book if it's boring or you don't like it?
No.  There are too many good books out there to waste my time on a boring one.

3. Beach or mountain vacations?
When I was young I would have immediately said beach.  Now, after living 26 years in Florida, I would have to say mountains.  Beach would be nothing spectacular, but mountains would definitely be out of the ordinary.

4. What thing/event says "winter will end and spring is right around the corner" to you?
Umm, the snowbirds fly back home?  ;)  I guess it's when you see more people in the gardening section at Lowe's and Home Depot because the rainy season is about to start and it's the perfect time to get plants in the ground.

5. Would you prefer couples or family vacation?
I have always preferred family vacations.  To go away without my kids means seeing things and constantly saying, "Oh, if only the kids were here, they'd love this!"  And that takes all the fun out of vacationing.

Thursday Thoughts

* When I got up this morning, I found that our dear, lovable, sweet dog Molly had removed her cone from around her neck.  This doesn't surprise me; she's managed to wiggle out of her dog collar before, and it's not the first time she takes the cone off either.  What was funny this time, was her reaction when I walked into the room and saw the cone lying next to her.  I said to her, "Molly, you took your cone off!  How did you do that?" and she lifted her head towards me and closed her eyes.  It was almost as if by not seeing me she wouldn't get in trouble.  I just had to laugh at her.  I checked her, and it doesn't look like she's been messing with her scar, so I left the cone off and will be watching her.  I mean really, how would I like it if I had to walk around with a silly cone on my neck?

* Molly's doing great now, even running around in the yard chasing the neighbor's cat (which she's not supposed to do but what can I do?  She needs to go out, and that stupid cat should stay in her own yard).  She's eating normally again, and is her old cheerful self.  We love her so much.

* My son and I are also on the mend from this nasty cold.  We both have coughs and runny noses, but at least his fevers seem to have ceased and he had a bit of an appetite last night.  He didn't want to eat anything because he said everything tasted bad.  Yet the chocolate pie tasted just fine :/.  How convenient.

* We had pie yesterday because it was Pi Day (3/14, or 3.14).  My oldest son went all out, making chicken pot pie, pizza pie and shepherd's pie, along with chocolate pie for dessert.  I'm glad he enjoys cooking for himself, and I'm sure his future wife will appreciate it too.  My daughter was thankful she didn't have to cook.  It gave her more time to clean up the mess. :P

* Our weather has been really nice this week, which is sort of a bummer since we've been sick and haven't been able to enjoy it.  It's especially bad for my son who is on spring break but hasn't been outdoors all week.  We've gotten rain but it's always been at night or very early in the morning, then the rest of the day it's sunny and breezy.  I love this time of the year!

* Except for one thing: Daylight Savings Time.  I hate the whole changing the clock thing!  It's like having jet lag without ever getting on a plane.  The clock has changed, but my body hasn't.  I still wake up at what would have been 6:30am, only now it's 7:30am so I feel like I'm running an hour late all day.  Then my regular bed time rolls around, which is 10:00pm, only that's the old 9:00pm and I'm not sleepy.  I can try to go to bed, but then I'll be tossing and turning in the middle of the night because I went to bed too early.  Of course since it's spring break it hasn't been a big deal, but next week school starts again and we'll be waking up a whole hour earlier.  Trust me, I'm not looking forward to that.

That's my week so far.  Have a blessed Thursday!

A Devotion

Yesterday the Lord was speaking to me as I watched Good Morning America.  Our church gave us verses to read during Lent, 40 Days of Bible, and among the Scriptures are those that remind us of our sinful condition, in particular Romans 3:10, 23.  "As it is written, 'There is none righteous, no not one'...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  Well, I was watching GMA and they had George Clooney talking about his humanitarian efforts in Sudan, a country where the very government officials are bombing and killing innocent citizens.  He went there personally to take video and bring attention to the needs of the people of Sudan.  So I wondered, "Lord, how do we convince people that there is no good person in our world, when they look at someone like George Clooney and think of him as good?"  Because when we look at a person who puts his own life on the line to help folks he doesn't even know, it does appear that he is good.  But the Lord pointed out to me, that just because we can perform good acts, it doesn't make us good.

I have a tree in my backyard, a mango tree that J planted years ago.  After planting it he never took care to fertilize it or regularly water it, and the tree has suffered.  Basically, the tree is dead.  I can break branches off of it with one hand.  Yet, the tree still has leaves!  Some branches are bare, but some have very green leaves growing on it. 

I hesitate to chop it down because (get this) I feel sorry for it!  It's been in our yard such a long time, and it does have some leaves, so I want to give it a chance to survive, but the truth is the few times it has given any fruit, the mangoes have been awful.  Tiny and sour instead of big and sweet, they are inedible.  Yes, it has some leaves on it, and at times can even look pretty, but it cannot produce good fruits.

In the same way, we are capable of doing good acts.  As a matter of fact, as Christians we are called to do just that, live a life of love and compassion and do good to others.  But that doesn't make us good.  Anyone is capable of doing good, even the worst criminal.  The person that appears to be an all-around good person, isn't always good.  Our root, our base, is as rotten as the root of my mango tree, so that although we can "look" good we really aren't.  And that's why we need Jesus.  Because He IS good, and He can save us from our sinfulness. 

Words to Meditate On

"Take heed that thou gloriest not in thy graces, but let all thy glorying and confidence be in Christ and His strength, for only so canst thou be kept from falling." - Charles Spurgeon

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, March 13, 2012...

Outside my window...it's a pleasant day, warm, overcast, breezy and dry.  A perfect spring day.

I am thinking...am I the only one that wishes this whole Daylight Savings Time would stop already?!

I am thankful...my son E only has a bad cold and nothing more serious.  I was concerned when I saw he had a fever of 102.7 degrees this morning, but he was checked out and no infections were found.  I'm glad for that.

I am going...to try and rest some myself, since I've got this cold as well.

I am wearing...a black and white top, black capris and red flats.  It's in the 70s, or at least it was last time I checked.

In the kitchen...I made a frozen pizza.  I don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen today.

I am creating...nothing this week.  It's spring break, we're sick, and all I want is to get some rest.

I am wondering...why is it the more "advanced" we become, the more backward we really are?

I am reading...Pride and Prejudice.  Or at least I plan to start reading it.  Again.

I am hoping...my son doesn't have anymore fever.

I am looking forward to...the Bates Family special on TLC tonight.  It's on right after the Duggars.  There's not often good programs on TV; two great shows on the same night is a real treat!

I am learning...to be content with all God chooses not to give me.

Around the house...I got lots done yesterday; 4 loads of laundry, cleaned floors, did a little dusting.  It's no wonder I feel tired today.  That, and moving the clock one hour forward. :P

I am pondering these words..."Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor." - Benjamin Franklin.

A few plans for the rest of the week...since we're on spring break this week, there's no Awana.  That's actually a good thing; it gives E and I a chance to get the rest we need, and we won't be around the other kids giving them our nasty germs.

Wanna join in the fun?  Visit Peggy at the Simple Woman's Daybook.  God bless.

Move It Mondays

And what a Monday it's been!  My daughter A is packing to leave for school, while my youngest son E is starting his spring break.  Unfortunately he started it with a bad cold :P.  He woke up this morning feeling weak, coughing and with a low grade fever.  I've tried to keep him comfortable all day, while cleaning floors, doing 4 loads of laundry, making homemade meatballs (the kid's favorites), and not feeling all that well myself.  My voice is finally coming back after Saturday's Awana games, in which I screamed and cheered like a mad woman, but my throat is sore, I'm sneezing and congested, and not happy that my son is home this week, the weather is gorgeous, and we're stuck at home trying to get better.  Oh well, I guess it's a good thing that we have this time to rest and get better.

Update on Molly:  Our sweet dog is doing great, and we are so happy to see her being more like herself again! Her appetite is almost totally back, she's drinking plenty of water, and today she was running around in the yard (which she's not supposed to do but dogs don't always listen to their doctors).  She still has to wear the cone for another week, and that's the only part she hates, but at least she comes out of her room and walks around with it.  Before she wouldn't leave her room unless we took the cone off.

It's late now, and I have to finish cleaning up and taking care of my sick son.  Have a blessed week!

Observing My Senses

For Today, March 10, 2012...

I am seeing...a messy family room, semi-neat kitchen, on a hazy sunshiny day.

I am feeling...excited!  E and I will be leaving in a little while for the Awana games!

I am hearing...cartoons far away.  That kid better be eating his breakfast!

I am tasting...oatmeal and coffee.  I need a hearty breakfast today.

I am smelling...vanilla, with a touch of cinnamon.

It just takes a moment to observe your surroundings.  Won't you join me?

Follow Friday Four Fill-In

Fridays are so great!  It's the day before the weekend, and the day we get to fill-in for fun.  Oh, you haven't tried it yet?  Well, hurry on over to Hilary's place, Feeling Beachie, and have some fun!


1.       Given the choice to do ___ for ____ I would pick ___
Given the choice to do something for money, I would pick interior decorating.  How cool would that be, since I love decorating so much!

2.      When I watch ________ it always makes me want to _____________.
When I watch television it always makes me want to read a book.  'Cause everyone knows there's nothing good on TV. :P

3.      When I have people over I always make _________, it always knocks ‘em dead!
When I have people over I always make one of my bundt cakes, it always knocks 'em dead!

4.       I always feel like I accomplished something when I __________.
I always feel like I accomplished something when I can get through half my to-do list.  If I can get through the whole thing it's called a miracle. ;)

Five Question Friday

It's Friday - but not just any Friday.  It's the Friday before my son's Spring Break!  He's in school today, and when he gets out - Yay!  No school for a whole week!

Let's celebrate with some Five Question Friday.  If you want to give it a try, mosey on over to Mama M's My Little Life and participate.


1. Are you looking forward to the time change this weekend?
No.  I'm looking forward to the sun staying put until 8pm so I can get more stuff done, but I'm not looking forward to that jet lag feeling when I haven't even been on a plane.  Why can't we just leave well enough alone?  Honestly, I don't see how moving the clock up one hour will make the world a better place.

2. Are you getting the new iPad/would you want a iPad?
You know, I've never found myself thinking, "Boy would I ever like to get my hands on an iPad!"  It just doesn't interest me.  However, I was sure I would never want an ereader until my sister gave me a Nook for Christmas.  Now I'm absolutely in love with it.  So who knows?  If someone, somehow, decided to present me with an iPad for, say, Mother's Day, I might change my mind about it. ;)

3. If money was not a problem, what is the one thing you would splurge on?
New furniture.  My living room furniture is 13 years old.  My dining room furniture is 12 years old.  My family room furniture is 10 years old, and so is my youngest son's bedroom furniture.  It would be nice to get some updated stuff.

4. How did you and the Mr. (or Mrs.) meet?
At a dance.

5. Summer is right around the corner. Bikini or one-piece?
Trust me, you would NOT want to see me in a bikini.  I don't even want to see me in a bikini.  To be honest, a one-piece is showing stuff I'd rather keep to myself :P.  Maybe I should get into some gym gear before I start planning on swim gear.

Good Christian WHAT?!?!

A dear friend of mine sent me an email yesterday that upset and disturbed me.  Actually, it outraged me.  It was about a new program on ABC called GCB.  Turns out the title was supposed to be "Good Christian B*tches, only the network caught some flack about it and changed the name to "Good Christian Belles" or GCB, but the premise of the show is the same.  It's supposed to be a kind of Desperate Housewives scenario, but with church going Christian women who are biblical hypocrites.  (Funny how they don't come up with a show called Good Jewish Belles or Good Muslim Belles.  Guess it wouldn't be as popular?).

Maybe to some this is funny, or innocent, or just television.  Excuse me, but I disagree.  I am a Christian woman who does not want to be showcased in this negative way.  Are there women who call themselves Christian but don't live up to that name?  Unfortunately, yes.  But it is unfair to put the majority in with the minority.  There are women who are murderers, but I would be very upset if a program came on depicting all women as vicious serial killers because most women aren't.  The same is true of Christians.  The media will taint the view of true Bible believing Christian women who are trying to live a Christ-centered life.  They will also turn young people away by making all Christian women look as vile as these characters portray us.  It is wrong, and we shouldn't stand for it.

There is a website, the American Decency Association, that has a form letter ready to send to all the advertisers of this show.  I could say we need to boycott the program, as NYC Councilman Peter Vallone has called for, but seriously, we need to hit them where it hurts, and that's in the pocketbook.  You can go here, and fill out the form letter with your name and email, and the American Decency Association will send the complaint email to all the advertisers for this program.  Kraft has already pulled their advertising due to all the emails received, so it does make a difference.  Please, help get this trash off a network owned by Disney, who claims to promote family values.  We need to be heard.

A Thought For Today

Wordless Wednesday

Our Molly, resting from her surgery (she was spayed yesterday).  She really hates that cone.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, March 6, 2012...

Outside my window...the wind is blowing something fierce!  After a week of summertime heatwaves, it's a nice change to have the windows open again.

I am thinking...of our Molly, whether she's in pain.  She got spayed today.

I am thankful...we were able to give my daughter a very special graduation gift - a Gibson Les Paul custom electric guitar.

I am going...to keep an eye on Molly to make sure she's recuperating well.

I am wearing...a white paisley top, blue skirt, and no shoes.

In the kitchen...my daughter and I made homemade pizza.  So good!

I am creating...a clean, dry, and comfortable place for Molly to rest.

I am wondering...what Molly is thinking right now.  She has no idea why we had this done to her.  I wonder if she thinks she's being punished for something?  (My daughter says I'm seeing more in this than what's actually there)

I am reading...my devotions and my Bible.  That's it.

I am hoping...Molly will eat something and not get sick.  The anesthetic can cause her stomach to be upset, and throwing up would be painful for her.

I am looking forward to...the Awana games this Saturday.

I am learning...that not everything that's painful is bad for you.

Around the house...I didn't do much today other than take Molly to the vet, then bring her home and take care of her.  She needs extra attention right now.  She's a sweet and special dog.  We love her.

I am pondering these words..."For adult education nothing beats children."

A few plans for the rest of the week...I'm teaching the Awana class tomorrow.  Saturday is Awana games.  Mostly we'll be taking care of Molly.  She's gonna have to take it easy the next couple of weeks.

Wanna join in the fun?  Visit Peggy at the Simple Woman's Daybook.  God bless.

Observing My Senses

For Today, March 3, 2012...

I am seeing...my daughter eating breakfast in my messy kitchen, but with the sun coming in through the windows it doesn't matter.  It's still a beautiful day.

I am feeling...shocked after finding out my son has grown another inch.  My goodness, this child is growing in leaps and bounds!

I am hearing...my daughter's non-stop chatter.

I am tasting...a yummy breakfast of pancakes, sausages and coffee.

I am smelling...syrup mixed with sausages.  Mmmm...

It just takes a moment to observe your surroundings.  Won't you join me?

Follow Friday Four Fill-In

I'm kind of surprised at how good I've gotten at doing this - and how much I enjoy it!  I like to talk too much to have anyone get my sentences started for me, but this is more of a challenge!  If you'd like to give it a try, visit Hilary at Feeling Beachie.


 1.       If I could meet one person living or dead, I would want to meet ___
Well, I was gonna say Jesus, but I know I'll see Him face to face one day :).  So instead I'll say I'd like to meet the Duggar clan, because I just love that family!

2.       I find it hard to ___
I find it hard to let others give me hand, including my kids.  I'm a bit of a control freak, and I don't mean that in a good way.  I have to be willing to let things go and not feel like I'm the only one who can do stuff.

3.       The last time _______ and _______ then _______
The last time my 3 kids and I were together was Christmas, then again last month.

4.       Where are the ________________ when the ______________ are here?
Where are the words when the sad moments are here?  I want to be a comfort to people, but oftentimes I don't know what to say.

Five Question Friday

Yay, it's Friday!  And it's Carnival weekend!  We're looking forward to enjoying our church carnival which looks like a blast - drove by it this morning!  So, to get ready for the weekend, how about 5 questions?  If you want to join in, visit Mama M at My Little Life.

1. Where is your favorite vacation spot and why?
That would have to be Disney World, because I'm a kid at heart.  What can I say.  I love Mickey Mouse.

2. What is your biggest guilty pleasure?
Well, I guess I'll have to say frozen yogurt from Menchies.  Not the frozen yogurt itself, because of course that's good for you ;).  It's the toppings that are the naughty part.  I like to add Reese's peanut butter cups, and chocolate crunch bar, and sweetened condensed milk...oh, and to keep it healthy, crushed pineapple.  Soooooo good!!

3. What is your favorite fashion trend right now? Or, in the past?
I like wearing A-line skirts.  I think they're the most flattering, and are very comfortable to wear.  I also like wearing bright colors, like coral, or teal, or purple.  It bugs me that women get into a rut of wearing black, white, and grey.  How somber!  I'm not big into trends anymore; they come and go so fast it's a waste of money to try and keep up.  I do enjoy summer clothes, though.  Pretty summer dresses with sandals.  I could live in those.

4. What are your spring break plans?
Spring break "plans" didn't work out for us, because my daughter is on spring break this week and my son is on spring break next week.  This week we're taking our dog Molly to get "fixed".   That should be exciting :P.  My son and I haven't decided what we're gonna do while he's on break, but we won't be going away anywhere.

5. What baby names do you hate?
I dislike anything that makes a child sound ridiculous and opens them up to teasing.  Like, why would anyone name their child Internet?  Or like one little girl my daughter told me about.  Her mother was upset that no one knew how to pronounce her daughter La-a's name.  (It's pronounced LaDasha.  You're supposed to know the hyphen in the name is a dash).  Being a kid is hard enough.  Why complicate their lives with a name like that?

Thursday Thoughts

 - My daughter is home for spring break.  This mama is happy to have her little girl at home :).

 - My son, on the other hand, is still in Central Florida, and I miss him.  He's working and can't take the time off. :(

 - My daughter is graduating in May.  It's already March.  That means she graduates from college in a couple of months.  I still can't believe it.  It's like it was just yesterday I was cradling her in my arms.

  - My youngest son stood up for his faith today.   His science teacher was doing a lesson on dinosaurs.  It just so happens that Saturday we went to a creation museum here in South Florida that did a whole presentation on dinosaurs.  She asked the class whether or not dinosaurs and people lived on earth together. E was the only one that said yes. He told the class about what he'd learned at the Museum and what the Bible says about the behemoth (see Job 40 and 41). Unfortunately the teacher's answer was, "I know what your religion says, but this is public school and we don't teach religion." He says the teacher was upset, but I told him what matters is what God thinks, and God is very happy that E stood up for the truth! Praise the Lord!

 - Our church's carnival kicks off today, but we're waiting till Friday to head over there, since it's a school night.  We did see it though, and it looks awesome!  I'll need to take plenty of pictures!

One last thought, and it's off to clean up the kitchen.  Have a great night!