I've stayed away from my blog all this month, not by choice but by life. It seems the minute I sit down something needs to get done, someone needs to talk, I remember something I was supposed to do...it's a never-ending cycle.
Let's get a quick recap of what's happened in May. For one thing, my son E is almost finished with school. He has taken 3 of his 6 finals and passed each one. He ended up with an A in algebra (92%), an A in leadership (98%), and an A in music history (96%). All his work has been turned in, and now he has to take his Hope, English, and Science finals so he can be done. We are both looking forward to being done, though I suppose he's looking forward to it more.
The church where my daughter works has finally moved into their new building, which has been under construction for the past year. There were issues these past couple of months, including a break-in to the construction site in which materials and tools were stolen. Inspections were probably the biggest delay; they never happen when they're supposed to. Still, God came through as He always does, and this Sunday is the grand opening celebration. There was a soft opening last Sunday, and I was excited to go because my daughter was singing! She has sung before, but only for children's and youth ministries. This time she was on main stage, and yes, mama was proud! She is also blessed to be singing tomorrow for the grand opening, which mama will not miss!
Molly is doing so much better. It's hard to believe she is suffering from cancer; honestly, she doesn't appear to be suffering at all. She still has a bit of a limp, though not as pronounced as it was before the surgery. She has recovered from the surgery remarkably well. Our Molly is acting like a puppy once again. We hope it will last.
As for my oldest son, I don't see him much. He's been working quite a few hours, covering for people who are out. When he's home he's on his computer or playing a video game. Otherwise, he's out with his friends.
I enjoyed my very simple, very quiet Mother's day, though my oldest son was gone the whole day (he forgot what day it was. Mama was not happy). My daughter cooked for me - shrimp and steak sandwiches, absolutely delicious! My gift from my kids was, what else, makeup! I got some eye makeup and a really nice brush from Bare Minerals. My cousin came over with her 3 kids and they brought me flowers. She isn't technically my cousin; she's J's cousin, but I've known her since she was a toddler, and I babysat her for years. When she was older she babysat my kids, so they're like siblings more than cousins. It was sweet of them to bring me flowers and spend some time with me.
For Mother's day I wore a beautiful dress that I got from New York and Company. The dress is black lace, but unlike most lace dresses that have a white underlay, this one has a two-toned pink underlay. It has stripes in light and bright pink, and the way it comes through the lace makes the dress so unique, I've gotten multiple compliments! I felt really pretty in the dress too, which is what every woman wants.
I got a few items from that trip to NY&Co, since I had City Cash and a coupon. I got several tops and a cardigan - I wear cardigans a lot at work. They look professional without being heavy, which is good because it has been H-O-T here in South Florida! Thankfully it hasn't been very humid, though we have had some rainy days, but the temps are already in the upper 80's and low 90's. I can't imagine what our summer will be like if our spring is so hot.
I also took advantage of a Bare Minerals Beauty Rush sale and got some skincare at a super discounted price. Cleanser, eye cream, and two anti-aging creams for $39. Just the wrinkle repair cream is normally $50, so I got a really nice deal! I also got some mini lip sticks and lip glosses. All in all a nice stash of makeup. I had to get myself another organizer because it was getting a bit out of hand - there was makeup piling up and makeup bags filling up, and I can't stand a mess. It all looks much neater now, and my makeup is more accessible.
That's gonna be it for now. There's plenty more I can add but laundry needs to get folded, my bed needs to get made, and my daughter wants to go to the mall later on. Not to mention that J is coming to pick up E in a little while and I'm hoping to get some studying done before that. Yes, plenty to do, but thankful God gives me the energy to do it! Have a blessed weekend.
Showing posts with label my boys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label my boys. Show all posts
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Simply Sunday
Today's been a lazy day. Which is appropriate, because even God rested on the seventh day :-).
I was sound asleep, when suddenly I was awaken by the sound of the alarm chime. My son had gone out after work, and was coming home. But for some reason, I forgot he wasn't home. In my sleepy stupor I thought someone was breaking into the house. I was sure someone was coming in through the sliding glass door, so I got up to see who it was (what I intended to do to the intruder, I have no idea). As soon as I opened the door, I saw my son R in the kitchen, and reality came back to me, so I went back to bed. Unfortunately, I couldn't go back to sleep. It was 3:00 in the morning, and I probably fell back asleep at around 5:00. That was not a good feeling.
I got up at 7:00 and hit the shower. I hadn't washed my hair yesterday, and it looked like a grease ball. I finished showering, then finally decided what it was I was going to wear. Awake for 2 hours in the middle of the night, and I don't even remember how long I debated in my head whether to wear my green and blue plaid skirt or my light grey skirt. That's what happens when I wake up in a fog and think burglars are in the house. I went with the green and blue plaid skirt, with a beige short sleeved sweater. Once I was dressed I got my Complexion Rescue sample in tan and put it on. I wanted to see how it looked under my Bareskin foundation. It's definitely darker than my skin, that's for sure. I made breakfast, then did my eye makeup before putting foundation on. Since Complexion Rescue is a tinted moisturizer, I wanted it to set and get absorbed into my skin before putting on any other face makeup. The eye shadow I used is from The Hot List collection from Bare Minerals; it's a champagne shimmer color and a matte grey color. My eyes looked amazing! The swelling from the stye was gone (Thank You Jesus!) and I was able to do a beautiful look on my eyes. Then I put my glasses on and covered them right up :P. It's a bummer that I can't wear contact lenses, but I suffer from dry eyes. I got tired of always looking tired, because my eyes would turn red and burn from the dryness. Anyway, I went ahead and put on Bareskin (the Bare Minerals liquid foundation) and my skin looked flawless. With the foundation on top, the color of the moisturizer balanced out and my makeup was on point. And since there's very little humidity in the air, my hair turned out gorgeous. I may have been exhausted, but I felt incredible every time I looked in the mirror!
Our church has a private school, and today the children did a presentation. It was wonderful hearing the children sing praises to the Lord! One boy is in our Awana group - I didn't realize he could sing so well! Then the new head master gave the message. Oh, my word, what a powerful message! He taught on Lazarus, and how we often think that God has abandoned us because we don't get the answer we ask for right away. Lazarus's sisters, Martha and Mary, both told Jesus that their brother would not have died had He been there, but they didn't understand the reason for the delay. There was no mistake made; Jesus meant to arrive after Lazarus's death to bring glory to God and show everyone there who He really was. It's no different with us now. When God doesn't answer our prayers right away, it's not because He's abandoned us. It's because He is waiting for just the right moment, that He may be praised and glorified. It was a reminder of God's sovereignty, and how we need to have faith. It was really encouraging.
The weather was perfect once again. The breeze was cool and comfortable, the sun was shining brightly, and I was glad we got to enjoy yet another stunningly beautiful day. Once we got home I made some pasta with the meat sauce I made a few days ago. I try to make a large pot of sauce for days like today when I don't feel like making a big meal. My family doesn't care for sauce in a jar. They like Mom's homemade sauce. I have to admit, so do I.
I did manage to get a couple of loads of laundry washed, but I haven't put anything away. I'm leaving it for tomorrow. I've felt sluggish due to not getting a full night's sleep, but I didn't feel like napping. I just vegged most of the day, watching YouTube videos. The way I see it, it's gonna be a busy week, so I may as well relax today so I can be recharged for tomorrow. So goodnight ya'll. Have a blessed evening.
I was sound asleep, when suddenly I was awaken by the sound of the alarm chime. My son had gone out after work, and was coming home. But for some reason, I forgot he wasn't home. In my sleepy stupor I thought someone was breaking into the house. I was sure someone was coming in through the sliding glass door, so I got up to see who it was (what I intended to do to the intruder, I have no idea). As soon as I opened the door, I saw my son R in the kitchen, and reality came back to me, so I went back to bed. Unfortunately, I couldn't go back to sleep. It was 3:00 in the morning, and I probably fell back asleep at around 5:00. That was not a good feeling.
I got up at 7:00 and hit the shower. I hadn't washed my hair yesterday, and it looked like a grease ball. I finished showering, then finally decided what it was I was going to wear. Awake for 2 hours in the middle of the night, and I don't even remember how long I debated in my head whether to wear my green and blue plaid skirt or my light grey skirt. That's what happens when I wake up in a fog and think burglars are in the house. I went with the green and blue plaid skirt, with a beige short sleeved sweater. Once I was dressed I got my Complexion Rescue sample in tan and put it on. I wanted to see how it looked under my Bareskin foundation. It's definitely darker than my skin, that's for sure. I made breakfast, then did my eye makeup before putting foundation on. Since Complexion Rescue is a tinted moisturizer, I wanted it to set and get absorbed into my skin before putting on any other face makeup. The eye shadow I used is from The Hot List collection from Bare Minerals; it's a champagne shimmer color and a matte grey color. My eyes looked amazing! The swelling from the stye was gone (Thank You Jesus!) and I was able to do a beautiful look on my eyes. Then I put my glasses on and covered them right up :P. It's a bummer that I can't wear contact lenses, but I suffer from dry eyes. I got tired of always looking tired, because my eyes would turn red and burn from the dryness. Anyway, I went ahead and put on Bareskin (the Bare Minerals liquid foundation) and my skin looked flawless. With the foundation on top, the color of the moisturizer balanced out and my makeup was on point. And since there's very little humidity in the air, my hair turned out gorgeous. I may have been exhausted, but I felt incredible every time I looked in the mirror!
Our church has a private school, and today the children did a presentation. It was wonderful hearing the children sing praises to the Lord! One boy is in our Awana group - I didn't realize he could sing so well! Then the new head master gave the message. Oh, my word, what a powerful message! He taught on Lazarus, and how we often think that God has abandoned us because we don't get the answer we ask for right away. Lazarus's sisters, Martha and Mary, both told Jesus that their brother would not have died had He been there, but they didn't understand the reason for the delay. There was no mistake made; Jesus meant to arrive after Lazarus's death to bring glory to God and show everyone there who He really was. It's no different with us now. When God doesn't answer our prayers right away, it's not because He's abandoned us. It's because He is waiting for just the right moment, that He may be praised and glorified. It was a reminder of God's sovereignty, and how we need to have faith. It was really encouraging.
The weather was perfect once again. The breeze was cool and comfortable, the sun was shining brightly, and I was glad we got to enjoy yet another stunningly beautiful day. Once we got home I made some pasta with the meat sauce I made a few days ago. I try to make a large pot of sauce for days like today when I don't feel like making a big meal. My family doesn't care for sauce in a jar. They like Mom's homemade sauce. I have to admit, so do I.
I did manage to get a couple of loads of laundry washed, but I haven't put anything away. I'm leaving it for tomorrow. I've felt sluggish due to not getting a full night's sleep, but I didn't feel like napping. I just vegged most of the day, watching YouTube videos. The way I see it, it's gonna be a busy week, so I may as well relax today so I can be recharged for tomorrow. So goodnight ya'll. Have a blessed evening.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Thoughtful Thursday
God has given me much to think about, courtesy of our women's bible study. The book of Daniel is fascinating, but hearing it taught by Beth Moore is just plain mind-blowing! I still have goose bumps!
My day started off slow. My son had no live lessons today, so he was taking it nice and slow. I had a list of things I wanted to take care of, but my focus was elsewhere. I've got a stye on the lower lash line of my left eye, and it is driving me nuts! It itches, but when I touch it, it hurts. It's not extremely swollen, and since I wear glasses it isn't very noticeable. But I notice it, because I feel it constantly, and it's annoying! I tore the house apart looking for the ointment I'd bought awhile back, but it was nowhere to be found. I decided, since today is Thursday, and this week is grocery shopping week, I'd just take myself over to Winn-Dixie, check out the sales, and pick up some medicine for my eye. So that's what I did. Thankfully, I was able to find the ointment. Sadly, the sales weren't as easily found. I was hoping they'd have some good meat sales, but there was nothing. I got a large package of ground beef, then went back for a smaller one so that we could have tacos for lunch. I did buy a few things we needed, but I'll have to figure out the menu for the next two weeks based mostly on what's in the freezer now. That was a bummer.
E worked on music, leadership, and algebra. We went over the algebra lesson after he watched the last two videos. He's studying statistics now, which can be tricky. When the teacher had taught the lesson, he was totally confused, but after hearing the videos it seemed like he was understanding the material. I guess I was wrong. He got a 70% on his test. It was especially upsetting because there were only 10 questions, and he got 3 of them wrong. All three were on the difference between the mean and the median, so that's what we're gonna have to go over again. I'm really glad that there's online tutoring available, so he can go to the tutoring session and ask about these examples. The resources available to homeschoolers is greater than what was available to him in public school.
My son R put the computer tower together, but for some reason it's not working. It's off the dining room table for now, but he's gonna take it apart again and try to put it back together, which means my space will be taken over again. He's so frustrated, because he doesn't know what he's doing wrong. His buddy is coming over tomorrow to help him out. I'm betting it's something really minor that he missed. It usually works out that way.
So after school I showered and got ready for bible study. I put on a pair of khaki green jeans, thinking it would be cold out again like it's been the past few nights, but it wasn't that cold at all. From the forecasts it looks like our temperatures will be going up and down the next few days. I had to be really careful with my makeup so I didn't irritate my eye more than it already is. The ointment is helping but it's still sensitive. All the ladies who came were on time - a pretty unusual feat! The study today was on Daniel chapter 3, where Daniel's three friends are thrown into the fiery furnace. When Beth Moore started comparing being thrown into the fire with our trials, and how God sometimes will deliver us from it, sometimes He'll deliver us through it, and sometimes He'll deliver us to Himself, I had to put my jacket on. I was shivering! At first I thought I was cold, but then I realized it was the teaching that had me trembling! I took plenty of notes for my study this week. At the end all we could say was, "Wow!" Every woman there was feeling the same way. It was a powerful study, with plenty to meditate on during the week.
What else happened today? Oh yes - I ordered the Complexion Rescue, and the shade I settled on was...natural. As pretty as the tan looks, it's too dark. Not by a whole lot, but even a little bit isn't going to look right if it doesn't match the rest of me. I ordered from Ulta with my discount coupon and reward points, so that the $29 tube ended up costing me $21.62, tax included (shipping is free for this product). I'm really looking forward to adding this to my collection. I love the way it looks and feels, and for a "no makeup" makeup look, it's perfect.
Well, it's just about time for bed. I'll be praying for my poor eye to feel better tomorrow. Have a blessed evening, and pleasant dreams. Good night.
My day started off slow. My son had no live lessons today, so he was taking it nice and slow. I had a list of things I wanted to take care of, but my focus was elsewhere. I've got a stye on the lower lash line of my left eye, and it is driving me nuts! It itches, but when I touch it, it hurts. It's not extremely swollen, and since I wear glasses it isn't very noticeable. But I notice it, because I feel it constantly, and it's annoying! I tore the house apart looking for the ointment I'd bought awhile back, but it was nowhere to be found. I decided, since today is Thursday, and this week is grocery shopping week, I'd just take myself over to Winn-Dixie, check out the sales, and pick up some medicine for my eye. So that's what I did. Thankfully, I was able to find the ointment. Sadly, the sales weren't as easily found. I was hoping they'd have some good meat sales, but there was nothing. I got a large package of ground beef, then went back for a smaller one so that we could have tacos for lunch. I did buy a few things we needed, but I'll have to figure out the menu for the next two weeks based mostly on what's in the freezer now. That was a bummer.
E worked on music, leadership, and algebra. We went over the algebra lesson after he watched the last two videos. He's studying statistics now, which can be tricky. When the teacher had taught the lesson, he was totally confused, but after hearing the videos it seemed like he was understanding the material. I guess I was wrong. He got a 70% on his test. It was especially upsetting because there were only 10 questions, and he got 3 of them wrong. All three were on the difference between the mean and the median, so that's what we're gonna have to go over again. I'm really glad that there's online tutoring available, so he can go to the tutoring session and ask about these examples. The resources available to homeschoolers is greater than what was available to him in public school.
My son R put the computer tower together, but for some reason it's not working. It's off the dining room table for now, but he's gonna take it apart again and try to put it back together, which means my space will be taken over again. He's so frustrated, because he doesn't know what he's doing wrong. His buddy is coming over tomorrow to help him out. I'm betting it's something really minor that he missed. It usually works out that way.
So after school I showered and got ready for bible study. I put on a pair of khaki green jeans, thinking it would be cold out again like it's been the past few nights, but it wasn't that cold at all. From the forecasts it looks like our temperatures will be going up and down the next few days. I had to be really careful with my makeup so I didn't irritate my eye more than it already is. The ointment is helping but it's still sensitive. All the ladies who came were on time - a pretty unusual feat! The study today was on Daniel chapter 3, where Daniel's three friends are thrown into the fiery furnace. When Beth Moore started comparing being thrown into the fire with our trials, and how God sometimes will deliver us from it, sometimes He'll deliver us through it, and sometimes He'll deliver us to Himself, I had to put my jacket on. I was shivering! At first I thought I was cold, but then I realized it was the teaching that had me trembling! I took plenty of notes for my study this week. At the end all we could say was, "Wow!" Every woman there was feeling the same way. It was a powerful study, with plenty to meditate on during the week.
What else happened today? Oh yes - I ordered the Complexion Rescue, and the shade I settled on was...natural. As pretty as the tan looks, it's too dark. Not by a whole lot, but even a little bit isn't going to look right if it doesn't match the rest of me. I ordered from Ulta with my discount coupon and reward points, so that the $29 tube ended up costing me $21.62, tax included (shipping is free for this product). I'm really looking forward to adding this to my collection. I love the way it looks and feels, and for a "no makeup" makeup look, it's perfect.
Well, it's just about time for bed. I'll be praying for my poor eye to feel better tomorrow. Have a blessed evening, and pleasant dreams. Good night.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Middle of the Week
It's my goal to try and appreciate every day. I don't like the whole "I hate Mondays" attitude that is so popular today. I feel like every day is a gift, and we should enjoy each moment of every day. Wednesdays are my challenge day in this respect. I have to make it a point to look for the good in my busy Wednesday schedule.
I knew I had to be up early today. My son had his first class at 9:30, and he doesn't move very quickly in the morning, so I had to make sure I got him up and running as quickly as possible. He had a good morning of classes: music history, science, an hour to work on his science portfolio, and algebra. Because today is Wednesday and we have church at night, I focused on him getting his time in, and getting as much work done as possible before it was time to get ready to go. He managed to do his music reading, finished and sent in his science portfolio, and watched two of the four videos his algebra teacher assigned. He was pretty confused during the class, but once he started watching the videos he seemed to get it. The videos were more broken down and detailed. Tomorrow he can finish the videos and take his first algebra quiz of the semester. I'm sure he's excited.
Today I decided to try the Complexion Rescue sample in tan. I figured it was probably too dark for my skin, but I wanted to see how it looked anyway. Well, it looks amazing! I had a nice, healthy glow to my skin without having to put on any other product. I'm confused now - do I go with natural, which is a perfect color match for my skin, or do I pick tan instead, for that JLo glow? I'm gonna have to try the natural again tomorrow, this time with nothing else on, and decide which I like best. I didn't think it was gonna be this hard!
I made fried chicken for lunch and dinner. I love fried chicken, but I hate the mess. Thankfully I was able to keep it all under control. After lunch I showered and washed my hair, then worked with E on his science portfolio for a bit before I put on makeup and fixed my hair. It seemed like my day was rolling along well.
Awana went smoothly as well. The girls in my group are wonderful, always prepared and always excited to learn. The only part I didn't like was having to go outside. Oh my word, it was cold out there! Temperature-wise it wasn't cold; it was 64 degrees. But the wind was blowing, and it was a chilly wind, too. It made it feel lots colder than it actually was. I was shivering! My kids say they love it, but even my son E was shivering (he claims he likes to shiver; gimme a break). We left on time today - usually we leave later because my son is hanging out with his friends, but today he wanted to get home early, which I was thankful for since I was freezing. When we got home, we realized no one else was home. That was strange; I thought for sure my oldest son R would be home from work. We walked in, and the evidence of his coming home was all over my dining room table. R has decided to build his own computer, and he's been purchasing the parts as he finds them. Well, today was the day he chose to put his masterpiece together. On the dining room table. There's boxes and computer pieces all over the place. I thought I might have a heart attack. But then I remembered: be thankful. For the good, the bad, and the ugly. He'll finish putting this together, and it'll go in his bedroom where I won't have to see it. It'll be okay. Deep, calming breaths.
My daughter got home from work, then R got home a few minutes later. He'd had to go back to work because he'd forgotten his phone. Funny, when I was growing up no one had cell phones so no one missed them. Now, you can't walk two feet inside your own house without the cell phone within arms reach. My, but we've become dependent on those things!
I'm gonna wrap up this post. I'm in a little corner of the dining room table, and my son has control of all the rest of the space. Maybe it's best that I go to bed. You know, before someone takes over that part of the house too. It's been a good day. A really good day. Thank You Jesus. Good night.
I knew I had to be up early today. My son had his first class at 9:30, and he doesn't move very quickly in the morning, so I had to make sure I got him up and running as quickly as possible. He had a good morning of classes: music history, science, an hour to work on his science portfolio, and algebra. Because today is Wednesday and we have church at night, I focused on him getting his time in, and getting as much work done as possible before it was time to get ready to go. He managed to do his music reading, finished and sent in his science portfolio, and watched two of the four videos his algebra teacher assigned. He was pretty confused during the class, but once he started watching the videos he seemed to get it. The videos were more broken down and detailed. Tomorrow he can finish the videos and take his first algebra quiz of the semester. I'm sure he's excited.
Today I decided to try the Complexion Rescue sample in tan. I figured it was probably too dark for my skin, but I wanted to see how it looked anyway. Well, it looks amazing! I had a nice, healthy glow to my skin without having to put on any other product. I'm confused now - do I go with natural, which is a perfect color match for my skin, or do I pick tan instead, for that JLo glow? I'm gonna have to try the natural again tomorrow, this time with nothing else on, and decide which I like best. I didn't think it was gonna be this hard!
I made fried chicken for lunch and dinner. I love fried chicken, but I hate the mess. Thankfully I was able to keep it all under control. After lunch I showered and washed my hair, then worked with E on his science portfolio for a bit before I put on makeup and fixed my hair. It seemed like my day was rolling along well.
Awana went smoothly as well. The girls in my group are wonderful, always prepared and always excited to learn. The only part I didn't like was having to go outside. Oh my word, it was cold out there! Temperature-wise it wasn't cold; it was 64 degrees. But the wind was blowing, and it was a chilly wind, too. It made it feel lots colder than it actually was. I was shivering! My kids say they love it, but even my son E was shivering (he claims he likes to shiver; gimme a break). We left on time today - usually we leave later because my son is hanging out with his friends, but today he wanted to get home early, which I was thankful for since I was freezing. When we got home, we realized no one else was home. That was strange; I thought for sure my oldest son R would be home from work. We walked in, and the evidence of his coming home was all over my dining room table. R has decided to build his own computer, and he's been purchasing the parts as he finds them. Well, today was the day he chose to put his masterpiece together. On the dining room table. There's boxes and computer pieces all over the place. I thought I might have a heart attack. But then I remembered: be thankful. For the good, the bad, and the ugly. He'll finish putting this together, and it'll go in his bedroom where I won't have to see it. It'll be okay. Deep, calming breaths.
My daughter got home from work, then R got home a few minutes later. He'd had to go back to work because he'd forgotten his phone. Funny, when I was growing up no one had cell phones so no one missed them. Now, you can't walk two feet inside your own house without the cell phone within arms reach. My, but we've become dependent on those things!
I'm gonna wrap up this post. I'm in a little corner of the dining room table, and my son has control of all the rest of the space. Maybe it's best that I go to bed. You know, before someone takes over that part of the house too. It's been a good day. A really good day. Thank You Jesus. Good night.
Friday, January 16, 2015
TGIF Ya'll!
This day started off a little earlier than the past few days. It wasn't because of me purposing to start my day early, though. My daughter slept over at a friend's house because she's dog sitting for them, but she forgot to turn off her iHome alarm. All of a sudden, at 6am, I was awaken by a loud buzzing sound. Interestingly, it never wakes up the boys :P. I went back to bed after turning it off only because it was so dark out I thought I could get another hour of shut-eye. No such luck.
I grabbed my phone and looked at my emails, the weather (63 degrees this morning, woot!), then I went on the Bare Minerals website to see if there was anything interesting going on. There was: Beauty Rush!!! If I wasn't awake before, I sure was fully awake after that. I had my prayer time, then got up and started getting ready for my day. I knew I had to go grocery shopping, but I also knew I wanted to be home by noon. Beauty Rush starts at 9am Pacific time, and I know that, once it starts, it gets bombarded. I also wanted to try some of the new makeup I'd gotten yesterday, so I was gonna have to get a move on. I had a bowl of cereal and coffee for breakfast, then started getting ready. I used the new Stroke of Light brightener first. Note to self: a little goes a long way. It really did brighten up my eyes, but I think I went a little overboard. Three dots should be sufficient. I was able to blend it out, though, and it took a few years off, I'm not even joking. That stuff is great! Then I tried the Matte foundation by Bare Minerals. I got a nice size sample of it, in the same shade as my Original foundation, and I was curious to see if it was gonna be any different. Honestly, I didn't notice. I needed more of the Matte to cover the redness on my cheeks than I use of the Original, but as for the actual look, I couldn't see where it looked more matte. It still looked great, and I've noticed as the day progressed that I had less shininess come through on my forehead, so that part was nice. Overall I think it's a good alternative, especially on days when my face seems oilier. I did my eye makeup, then I tried the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer. What I like most about this bronzer is the scent - it smells like chocolate! Oh, it is scrumptious smelling!! As far as the look of the bronzer, I do like it. It's similar to Bare Mineral's The Skinny Dip except that it's matte. It's a good color for me, not too dark, and again, anything that smells that good on my face is a keeper. Next was the mascara. I put it on more carefully today, and it didn't transfer. More importantly, it didn't cause my eyes to itch. That has been my problem with mascara for years: they cause my lashes to itch, and then the lashes start to fall out. I would rarely put mascara on for that reason. The only mascara that didn't bother me was Bare Minerals Flawless Definition, and I love it for that reason. I can now say that Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara also makes my lashes look long and full without causing any itchy reactions. Still don't like the name, though. Lastly, I put on the liquid lipstick again, a bit heavier this time. The color, Peony, is a very bright pink when first applied, but it dries matte. My first issue with it, was that it settled into all the lines in my lips. It made my lips look wrinkly. Once it dried it didn't look as bad, but it was really dry. I didn't put on any lip gloss because I wanted to see how it felt and how long it lasted, but I've determined this lipstick cannot be worn without lip gloss. It is too drying on the lips. The lasting power is great, though. Once it was on it wasn't budging. I just didn't care for the feel of it.
I finished putting on my makeup and getting dressed, then I checked the time. It was already 10:00 and I hadn't left the house yet! I put on a yellow tank top under a yellow jacket that a co-worker of mine gave me years ago but I rarely wear because it's too hot out. Today was gonna be in the 60's so I figured I would take advantage and wear this bright pretty jacket. I was in the bathroom finishing getting ready, with my daughter chatting away. I got some hand cream and was rubbing it on my hands when suddenly...POP! I popped the burn blister. The big one. Since it didn't hurt I'd forgotten all about it, and I rubbed a bit too hard. The nasty part was, it was full of fluid, which went all on my jacket. The fluid was clear, which is good because that means the burn isn't infected, but I wasn't about to wear a jacket with burn ooze on it. I had to quickly change and get a bandage on the burn, because of course now it was starting to hurt. I finally got out of the house at 10:15.
I had already figured out my budget in my head. To stay at the $300 mark, after having spent $122 at Winn-Dixie and calculating that I needed to spend about $91 at Costco, I made it my goal to stay at or around $87 at Walmart. Mostly what I needed to get were staples: potatoes, carrots, onions, breakfast foods, milk, that sort of thing. I did my best to stick to my list, and after giving the cashier my $3 off coupon for my hair colorant (yep, time to color my hair again), the total came to $88.06. I was so happy with myself! I then headed to Costco, again keeping in mind that I wanted to stay at or around $91. I was super happy to see that bacon had gone down in price; the last time I'd bought bacon the 4 lb. box cost me $20. This time the price was $14. I'd got almost everything, and was on my way to pick up the last item on my list, when I spotted my kid's great uncle. He's a very nice gentleman, but he's a bit of a gossip. After having attended grandma Maria's funeral and the family pretty much ignoring me, and their dad not calling E for over a week and a half, I didn't want to have to answer any questions. I turned around and went straight to check out. Because of that, I was able to keep my bill to $71, so I was able to save $20. I figured, God wanted me to keep that extra money for Beauty Rush ;-).
I got home at 12:15, and my daughter was already loading up her cart with goodies. All I was interested in was skincare. There were some skincare sets I was hoping would be on Beauty Rush so I could get a good deal on them. Sure enough, I scored a full size facial cleanser, full size moisturizer and full size eye cream, all for only $28. Just the eye cream alone sells for $32, so that price was wonderful! I couldn't resist a beautiful set my daughter pointed out to me called Day and Play - 6 products for $18. I tried to add them to my cart, but I kept running into transmission problems. Ugh! I thought it was my computer, because my daughter was on her Mac and she had no issues. I tried logging in on her iPad but it wasn't cooperating either, so I went on my phone. That worked fine, and boy was I glad! There were two other sets I'd seen that I really wanted - Touch of Sun and Bare Guide To Color Warm, both neutral kits and both under $20. My daughter decided she only wanted the Day and Play set, so I added it onto my order, that way she wouldn't have to pay shipping. I'm glad I was finally able to get my order in, because shortly afterwards they ran out of the skincare set. I would have cried if I'd missed that deal! Later on I read on Bare Escentual's Facebook page that lots of people were having problems with the website crashing, so it wasn't my computer after all. I guess I'm not the only one who thinks Beauty Rush is amazing!
By the time I'd finished placing my order and putting away the groceries, it was past lunchtime and I hadn't made anything. What's more, E had two finals to work on and he hadn't started either one. I put some Tyson chicken and fries in the oven (staples in my house) and got to work organizing his science notes for studying. He asked me how many questions were on the science final, so I went to check. I realized then that there were two exams he had to do: his unit test AND his final exam. I thought the poor kid was gonna pass out! We ate lunch, then sat down to study and review everything. That took an hour. I decided that, rather than have him get overwhelmed, he could take the unit test today and the final tomorrow. He still had to finish part 3 of his algebra exam which was shorter, so that way he'd do two exams today and finish the semester tomorrow, hopefully more relaxed. He went ahead and did the science exam, and to his surprise he got an 88%. There are still 3 essay questions the teacher has to grade, so that isn't his final grade, but it's good so far. His algebra teacher emailed him today - the question he'd gotten marked wrong was actually right. She corrected the score, but he still ended up with a 75% on part 2 of the test. I'm really hoping he gets 100% on part 3. I had my son R double check his work, and R found a mistake. He made his brother go back and review. It was something so simple: a greater than sign where there should have been a less than sign. If he gets a perfect score he'll end up with an 82% on his final; not the A he wanted but a B is still a very good grade.
I'm hearing the kids in the park - it's 9:00 at night, which means there's a soccer game going on. I think it's time for me to shower and get ready for bed. Good night folks. God bless.
I got home at 12:15, and my daughter was already loading up her cart with goodies. All I was interested in was skincare. There were some skincare sets I was hoping would be on Beauty Rush so I could get a good deal on them. Sure enough, I scored a full size facial cleanser, full size moisturizer and full size eye cream, all for only $28. Just the eye cream alone sells for $32, so that price was wonderful! I couldn't resist a beautiful set my daughter pointed out to me called Day and Play - 6 products for $18. I tried to add them to my cart, but I kept running into transmission problems. Ugh! I thought it was my computer, because my daughter was on her Mac and she had no issues. I tried logging in on her iPad but it wasn't cooperating either, so I went on my phone. That worked fine, and boy was I glad! There were two other sets I'd seen that I really wanted - Touch of Sun and Bare Guide To Color Warm, both neutral kits and both under $20. My daughter decided she only wanted the Day and Play set, so I added it onto my order, that way she wouldn't have to pay shipping. I'm glad I was finally able to get my order in, because shortly afterwards they ran out of the skincare set. I would have cried if I'd missed that deal! Later on I read on Bare Escentual's Facebook page that lots of people were having problems with the website crashing, so it wasn't my computer after all. I guess I'm not the only one who thinks Beauty Rush is amazing!
By the time I'd finished placing my order and putting away the groceries, it was past lunchtime and I hadn't made anything. What's more, E had two finals to work on and he hadn't started either one. I put some Tyson chicken and fries in the oven (staples in my house) and got to work organizing his science notes for studying. He asked me how many questions were on the science final, so I went to check. I realized then that there were two exams he had to do: his unit test AND his final exam. I thought the poor kid was gonna pass out! We ate lunch, then sat down to study and review everything. That took an hour. I decided that, rather than have him get overwhelmed, he could take the unit test today and the final tomorrow. He still had to finish part 3 of his algebra exam which was shorter, so that way he'd do two exams today and finish the semester tomorrow, hopefully more relaxed. He went ahead and did the science exam, and to his surprise he got an 88%. There are still 3 essay questions the teacher has to grade, so that isn't his final grade, but it's good so far. His algebra teacher emailed him today - the question he'd gotten marked wrong was actually right. She corrected the score, but he still ended up with a 75% on part 2 of the test. I'm really hoping he gets 100% on part 3. I had my son R double check his work, and R found a mistake. He made his brother go back and review. It was something so simple: a greater than sign where there should have been a less than sign. If he gets a perfect score he'll end up with an 82% on his final; not the A he wanted but a B is still a very good grade.
I'm hearing the kids in the park - it's 9:00 at night, which means there's a soccer game going on. I think it's time for me to shower and get ready for bed. Good night folks. God bless.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Middle of the Week
It's Wednesday. Only Wednesday. Why does it feel like Thursday? Why is this week taking so long?!
I woke up at 6:00 but it was so dark out I just rolled over and went back to sleep till 7:30. I didn't know why it was still kind of dark, then I checked the weather on my phone. Dense fog for our area, it said. I looked out the window; it wasn't what I would call dense, but it was foggy. I had wait for my son to get out of the bathroom, so I spent some time in prayer. Once he got out I went in, then I heard him leave shortly afterwards. Turns out he did go to see the eye doctor that saw him at the store yesterday. Pink eye, both eyes. Who would have known? Oh yeah, an eye doctor :P. He still had to work, though, because there was no one to cover for him. I don't think he even told the store manager that he had pink eye. R is very responsible at his job and he always gets good reviews because of it. I'm really hoping he'll get hired full-time. It would make a world of difference for him.
I let my youngest son E sleep till 10:00. I thought he had to report to his science class, but it was a collaboration class and he's already done the two he needs for the semester. He started school at 11:00 with his algebra lesson. While he did that I cleaned the master bathroom and put away laundry. Lunchtime came and I hadn't taken anything out. Honestly, I had nothing on the menu for today. I guess I messed up when I did the menu planning for the two weeks, because I have nothing planned for tomorrow either. There's stuff I can make but I'm running out of staples quick. Friday will be a grocery day for sure. I just have to plan out what I'm gonna need. Anyway, I made E a frozen pizza (no problem for him, he loves them) and I had some Tyson popcorn chicken with fries. My daughter took the leftovers from yesterday so it wasn't an issue that mom took a day off from the kitchen.
After lunch I had E watch an algebra review from last week, then he did part one of his final. He scored a 72 so far, with a couple of questions still needing to be graded. Two of the questions he got wrong were silly errors; not reading the question through or copying the equation wrong. I feel bad for him because I know how hard he's trying, and because he has an 89% in that class. He wants to get an A so badly. I'm praying he scores higher on the next two parts of the exam. Part 2 looks like it's gonna be the hardest part, but we'll have to see.
Oh yeah, that burn on my hand? It blistered. Like, ugly. There's this big old blister on my hand that I'm afraid of popping because I know the minute it pops it's gonna hurt like crazy.
Tonight was Awana. I love my third grade girls. They are a bit competitive but in a good way; they want to excel, but they're willing to help each other too. They are so sweet! I showered but didn't blow dry my hair because according to the weather forecast it was supposed to rain and be muggy tonight. I figured, why straighten my hair just to get the frizzies the minute I walk out the door? So I left my hair in its natural form, curly like a rat's nest. I stepped out the door and wouldn't you know it - it was cool and dry out :P. As a matter of fact, it seems the temps are going down tonight. I was so upset, because I absolutely hate wearing my hair curly. Of course I got 100 compliments on how great my hair looked. Go figure.
I got home and went to the bathroom to change into my jammies and wash the makeup off my face. The minute I turned on the bathroom light I saw it. In the sink. A palmetto bug. Any Floridian would immediately know what I'm talking about: they are giant cockroaches that fly. Now, I usually take care of these myself, so long as I have a can of Raid handy. This time, however, the odds were stacked against me. The can of Raid was in the cabinet under the very sink where the palmetto bug was, and I was not about to take a chance at that thing flying on me. I'm not "afraid" of them, but I am ridiculously disgusted by them, like sick to my stomach disgusted, and I was not about to have it get on me. Ugh!! So I called out for the boys to get the other cans of Raid from the garage and come take care of this ginormous bug. My son R came and I told him to look in the sink while I stood outside the bathroom (where I was safe). He didn't see anything; then I saw it on the wall inside the bathtub area. When he saw it, even he said it was huge. He had to stand on the bathtub rim to reach it because I have a garden tub, so the bathtub area is deep. The moment he sprayed it, it flew towards him. He almost fell off the tub, poor kid! Once it landed on the floor he was able to spray it directly and it died almost instantly. This thing was about 2 inches long, I am not even joking. It was totally gross, and I couldn't even be in the bathroom until I knew for sure it was dead and I could sweep it out of there. I guess I could say that was today's adventure. I can also say I'd be happy to live the rest of my life without another similar adventure, though I'm sure that's not likely in Florida.
I finally did get ready for bed, so I bid everyone a good night, pleasant dreams, and blessings to all.
I woke up at 6:00 but it was so dark out I just rolled over and went back to sleep till 7:30. I didn't know why it was still kind of dark, then I checked the weather on my phone. Dense fog for our area, it said. I looked out the window; it wasn't what I would call dense, but it was foggy. I had wait for my son to get out of the bathroom, so I spent some time in prayer. Once he got out I went in, then I heard him leave shortly afterwards. Turns out he did go to see the eye doctor that saw him at the store yesterday. Pink eye, both eyes. Who would have known? Oh yeah, an eye doctor :P. He still had to work, though, because there was no one to cover for him. I don't think he even told the store manager that he had pink eye. R is very responsible at his job and he always gets good reviews because of it. I'm really hoping he'll get hired full-time. It would make a world of difference for him.
I let my youngest son E sleep till 10:00. I thought he had to report to his science class, but it was a collaboration class and he's already done the two he needs for the semester. He started school at 11:00 with his algebra lesson. While he did that I cleaned the master bathroom and put away laundry. Lunchtime came and I hadn't taken anything out. Honestly, I had nothing on the menu for today. I guess I messed up when I did the menu planning for the two weeks, because I have nothing planned for tomorrow either. There's stuff I can make but I'm running out of staples quick. Friday will be a grocery day for sure. I just have to plan out what I'm gonna need. Anyway, I made E a frozen pizza (no problem for him, he loves them) and I had some Tyson popcorn chicken with fries. My daughter took the leftovers from yesterday so it wasn't an issue that mom took a day off from the kitchen.
After lunch I had E watch an algebra review from last week, then he did part one of his final. He scored a 72 so far, with a couple of questions still needing to be graded. Two of the questions he got wrong were silly errors; not reading the question through or copying the equation wrong. I feel bad for him because I know how hard he's trying, and because he has an 89% in that class. He wants to get an A so badly. I'm praying he scores higher on the next two parts of the exam. Part 2 looks like it's gonna be the hardest part, but we'll have to see.
Oh yeah, that burn on my hand? It blistered. Like, ugly. There's this big old blister on my hand that I'm afraid of popping because I know the minute it pops it's gonna hurt like crazy.
Tonight was Awana. I love my third grade girls. They are a bit competitive but in a good way; they want to excel, but they're willing to help each other too. They are so sweet! I showered but didn't blow dry my hair because according to the weather forecast it was supposed to rain and be muggy tonight. I figured, why straighten my hair just to get the frizzies the minute I walk out the door? So I left my hair in its natural form, curly like a rat's nest. I stepped out the door and wouldn't you know it - it was cool and dry out :P. As a matter of fact, it seems the temps are going down tonight. I was so upset, because I absolutely hate wearing my hair curly. Of course I got 100 compliments on how great my hair looked. Go figure.
I got home and went to the bathroom to change into my jammies and wash the makeup off my face. The minute I turned on the bathroom light I saw it. In the sink. A palmetto bug. Any Floridian would immediately know what I'm talking about: they are giant cockroaches that fly. Now, I usually take care of these myself, so long as I have a can of Raid handy. This time, however, the odds were stacked against me. The can of Raid was in the cabinet under the very sink where the palmetto bug was, and I was not about to take a chance at that thing flying on me. I'm not "afraid" of them, but I am ridiculously disgusted by them, like sick to my stomach disgusted, and I was not about to have it get on me. Ugh!! So I called out for the boys to get the other cans of Raid from the garage and come take care of this ginormous bug. My son R came and I told him to look in the sink while I stood outside the bathroom (where I was safe). He didn't see anything; then I saw it on the wall inside the bathtub area. When he saw it, even he said it was huge. He had to stand on the bathtub rim to reach it because I have a garden tub, so the bathtub area is deep. The moment he sprayed it, it flew towards him. He almost fell off the tub, poor kid! Once it landed on the floor he was able to spray it directly and it died almost instantly. This thing was about 2 inches long, I am not even joking. It was totally gross, and I couldn't even be in the bathroom until I knew for sure it was dead and I could sweep it out of there. I guess I could say that was today's adventure. I can also say I'd be happy to live the rest of my life without another similar adventure, though I'm sure that's not likely in Florida.
I finally did get ready for bed, so I bid everyone a good night, pleasant dreams, and blessings to all.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Tackling Tuesdays
I don't understand why people complain about Mondays so much. Seems to me, Tuesdays are way more dramatic than Mondays. Everyone's too tired on Mondays to start any trouble. Tuesdays the energy level is back and the weekend is far off. That's when I usually expect the unexpected.
Today was a less hectic day than we should have had, considering it's semester finals week. We couldn't do any of the exams until after class, and his first class was at 10:00, so E didn't even get out of bed till 9:45 (I woke him up at 9:30 but he went back to sleep). His first class was English: a review for their final. The teacher explained everything that they could expect to see on the test, and was very thorough. Afterwards was his leadership class, and that was pretty exciting. The class read the book Of Beetles and Angels by Mawi Asgedom, and he was skype'd in to the class to talk to them. That was so neat! Like I told my son, he wouldn't have had that experience in public school. The kids were able to ask questions, and be both inspired and encouraged by the wonderful stories he told. My son also used this book when he did his book report for English. I highly recommend this book, especially for teens. Mawi Asgedom's story is incredible, and it teaches that with faith and perseverance anything is possible.
While my son listened to his classes I kept busy. I cleaned the kitchen, swept the floors (I was amazed at how much dog hair was on the floor again), did a load of laundry, cleaned the hall bathroom and started lunch. Today's menu was meatloaf patties with mashed potatoes. Meatloaf patties are basically meatloaf that, rather than being baked in the oven, is made into patties and fried. They look like Salisbury steaks but they taste like meatloaf. My kids love meatloaf patties. I prefer to make regular meatloaf because it's less of a mess, but to please them I made the patties. As I was stirring the gravy, it bubbled and landed on my hand, on that flesh under the thumb. It hurt so bad!! I now have a blister there after hours of putting an ice pack on it because it was burning so bad. I put aloe lotion on it too, to help it heal faster and to soothe it. Cooking can be hazardous.
After lunch I had my son take his English final. There were 24 questions: 21 multiple choice and 3 short essays. There was a lot of reading comprehension questions but I think he did pretty well. I say I think, because usually when he takes a test, the program will tell him how many of the multiple choice questions he got right, and he has to wait till the teacher checks the essay questions to get a final grade. This time when he finished the test, he simply got a message that said, "Responses Saved." Apparently the teacher set the exam so that she has to review it completely. He's still waiting on his grade for his thesis. His English teacher told the class she would work as quickly as possible but it would take some time to go through all the papers and get them graded. So I don't know when E will get his grade, but for now, he's finished with 4 finals and has two left: science and algebra. The two hardest exams. Lord help us.
When he was finally done I sat down to relax a bit, then decided I should go ahead and do my nails. I took my old polish off, then remembered today is Tuesday. Tuesdays are running days. I knew the pastor that leads the group wouldn't be there; he's out of town at a conference. I also hadn't heard from my running buddy, so I thought I'd just continue doing my nails. I'd just finished painting them when my running buddy called. It was 7:00, and she wanted to go out at 7:30. I knew my nails would be dry by then, and I also knew E needed an extra half hour of school to finish off his day, so I told her we'd go. I huffed and puffed on those nails till they were pretty much set, then changed into my running gear and we left. We actually didn't run; we walked for 2 1/2 miles. It was breezy out, which was good because it's also muggy. I was glad I went. I haven't been exercising as regularly as I should, and I really need to get back into a regular routine. Right after finals.
I showered once we got home, then I checked to see if Shelbey had posted anything on her blog about a new Bare Minerals product I've been interested in called Complexion Rescue. She had! Since Shelbey works at a Bare Minerals retailer, she sometimes gets access to products before the public does. She did a great review on this product. It's a combination BB cream, CC cream, and tinted moisturizer. So it gives some coverage while also being good for the skin. I love this idea for days when I don't want to wear a lot of makeup but I also don't want to go out looking like a troll. Complexion Rescue is supposed to be released in stores on January 22, but it looks like Ulta already has it. I plan to wait till it's available on the Bare Minerals website. The lotion costs $29, but I have a $10 off coupon from Bare Minerals, so I can get it for $19 if I order it from the website or purchase it from one of their boutiques/authorized dealers. I'm willing to wait if it means getting a bargain!
My son R was feeling pretty bad again today. Not sneezing, like before, nor even coughing so much. His eyes, however, were red and swollen. It looked to me like he'd popped some blood vessels from coughing so hard. He texted me from work, saying that an eye doctor had stopped at the store, took one look at him and told him it's pink eye. She wants to see him at her office tomorrow, but he has to be at work tomorrow at 9:45 am. I don't know how he's gonna work that out, but if it is pink eye he needs to take care of it right away. I really don't think he should be working, especially since he deals with the public, but the guy that is in charge of the liquor store is on sick leave, and the only other people that can work in the liquor store are my son and another lady. I hope the store will be understanding and let him go see the doctor.
I guess that's it for today. Hmm, now that I think about it, it wasn't such a dramatic day after all. Well, except when I got burned. I'll admit, I was pretty dramatic. But it hurt, it really did! I think I'll go get some rest now. Good night and God bless.
Today was a less hectic day than we should have had, considering it's semester finals week. We couldn't do any of the exams until after class, and his first class was at 10:00, so E didn't even get out of bed till 9:45 (I woke him up at 9:30 but he went back to sleep). His first class was English: a review for their final. The teacher explained everything that they could expect to see on the test, and was very thorough. Afterwards was his leadership class, and that was pretty exciting. The class read the book Of Beetles and Angels by Mawi Asgedom, and he was skype'd in to the class to talk to them. That was so neat! Like I told my son, he wouldn't have had that experience in public school. The kids were able to ask questions, and be both inspired and encouraged by the wonderful stories he told. My son also used this book when he did his book report for English. I highly recommend this book, especially for teens. Mawi Asgedom's story is incredible, and it teaches that with faith and perseverance anything is possible.
While my son listened to his classes I kept busy. I cleaned the kitchen, swept the floors (I was amazed at how much dog hair was on the floor again), did a load of laundry, cleaned the hall bathroom and started lunch. Today's menu was meatloaf patties with mashed potatoes. Meatloaf patties are basically meatloaf that, rather than being baked in the oven, is made into patties and fried. They look like Salisbury steaks but they taste like meatloaf. My kids love meatloaf patties. I prefer to make regular meatloaf because it's less of a mess, but to please them I made the patties. As I was stirring the gravy, it bubbled and landed on my hand, on that flesh under the thumb. It hurt so bad!! I now have a blister there after hours of putting an ice pack on it because it was burning so bad. I put aloe lotion on it too, to help it heal faster and to soothe it. Cooking can be hazardous.
After lunch I had my son take his English final. There were 24 questions: 21 multiple choice and 3 short essays. There was a lot of reading comprehension questions but I think he did pretty well. I say I think, because usually when he takes a test, the program will tell him how many of the multiple choice questions he got right, and he has to wait till the teacher checks the essay questions to get a final grade. This time when he finished the test, he simply got a message that said, "Responses Saved." Apparently the teacher set the exam so that she has to review it completely. He's still waiting on his grade for his thesis. His English teacher told the class she would work as quickly as possible but it would take some time to go through all the papers and get them graded. So I don't know when E will get his grade, but for now, he's finished with 4 finals and has two left: science and algebra. The two hardest exams. Lord help us.
When he was finally done I sat down to relax a bit, then decided I should go ahead and do my nails. I took my old polish off, then remembered today is Tuesday. Tuesdays are running days. I knew the pastor that leads the group wouldn't be there; he's out of town at a conference. I also hadn't heard from my running buddy, so I thought I'd just continue doing my nails. I'd just finished painting them when my running buddy called. It was 7:00, and she wanted to go out at 7:30. I knew my nails would be dry by then, and I also knew E needed an extra half hour of school to finish off his day, so I told her we'd go. I huffed and puffed on those nails till they were pretty much set, then changed into my running gear and we left. We actually didn't run; we walked for 2 1/2 miles. It was breezy out, which was good because it's also muggy. I was glad I went. I haven't been exercising as regularly as I should, and I really need to get back into a regular routine. Right after finals.
I showered once we got home, then I checked to see if Shelbey had posted anything on her blog about a new Bare Minerals product I've been interested in called Complexion Rescue. She had! Since Shelbey works at a Bare Minerals retailer, she sometimes gets access to products before the public does. She did a great review on this product. It's a combination BB cream, CC cream, and tinted moisturizer. So it gives some coverage while also being good for the skin. I love this idea for days when I don't want to wear a lot of makeup but I also don't want to go out looking like a troll. Complexion Rescue is supposed to be released in stores on January 22, but it looks like Ulta already has it. I plan to wait till it's available on the Bare Minerals website. The lotion costs $29, but I have a $10 off coupon from Bare Minerals, so I can get it for $19 if I order it from the website or purchase it from one of their boutiques/authorized dealers. I'm willing to wait if it means getting a bargain!
My son R was feeling pretty bad again today. Not sneezing, like before, nor even coughing so much. His eyes, however, were red and swollen. It looked to me like he'd popped some blood vessels from coughing so hard. He texted me from work, saying that an eye doctor had stopped at the store, took one look at him and told him it's pink eye. She wants to see him at her office tomorrow, but he has to be at work tomorrow at 9:45 am. I don't know how he's gonna work that out, but if it is pink eye he needs to take care of it right away. I really don't think he should be working, especially since he deals with the public, but the guy that is in charge of the liquor store is on sick leave, and the only other people that can work in the liquor store are my son and another lady. I hope the store will be understanding and let him go see the doctor.
I guess that's it for today. Hmm, now that I think about it, it wasn't such a dramatic day after all. Well, except when I got burned. I'll admit, I was pretty dramatic. But it hurt, it really did! I think I'll go get some rest now. Good night and God bless.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Just Another Manic Monday
I'm usually glad when Mondays roll around, unlike most people. I appreciate everyday that I wake up and I'm alive. Unless there are semester finals. I don't appreciate Mondays quite so much when finals are involved.
I got up later than I normally would (seems like I've been saying that a lot lately) because we went to bed after midnight. A full day of activities, including concerts, can drain a body. I made my son a bigger than usual breakfast because he didn't get to eat dinner last night. We went out for lunch and he did eat, but in the excitement of the night he never mentioned being hungry (though if he was, he sat too far away from me to tell me so). When we got home it was so late there was no way he was going to eat, so I knew he'd be hungry. I got myself a bowl of cereal, then reached for my English muffins. What did I find in the package, but a couple of bugs! Eww!! I was so mad - it was an unopened package and I had to throw it all away. Ugh! I'm gonna have to figure out if those bugs came from my pantry. If so, I'm going on the warpath!
My son's schedule showed a full day of work: an English quiz, Algebra final (in 3 parts), music history final, Hope final and an Algebra live lesson. I was sure it was going to be as hectic as last week, and he was just as tired as I was, maybe even more so. We didn't even get started with school till 10:30. He went to do his Hope final, knowing full well he'd have to pause it at 11:00 for his algebra class, but I knew that wouldn't be a problem. He got halfway through the test, then went on to his algebra review. In the meantime, I folded 4 baskets of laundry, then made fried chicken tenders with stuffing and gravy, and corn. After lunch he finished the exam. He scored an 84% on his multiple choice; there are 2 short essays that still have to be graded. I feel like he was distracted, because he has a 93% in that class. I decided he should take a short break, then we'd review for his music history test. We went through all his notes and read absolutely everything. He got a 94% on that test, which I was pleased to see. Three finals down, three to go! His algebra teacher had sent an email saying the class was not to start on the algebra final till Wednesday after last review class, so the only thing left was English. It was a vocabulary lesson with a quiz at the end. He wasn't very excited about taking the quiz, especially when it was 18 questions long, but I told him it was best to just do it and finish for the day. When he clicked on it, it said the teacher had dropped the assignment. His school day was done, and he'd finished everything in 4 hours. Seriously! I told him to sit down and either read or watch a documentary; he chose option 2. Honestly, we could have finished in the early afternoon, had he not started so late and dragged his feet throughout the day. He's not getting off so easy tomorrow; there's a lot of studying to do for his science exam, and he's got 2 live lessons as well.
My son R was feeling a whole lot better today. He took Robitussin last night and was able to get a good night's sleep, which he needed in order to recover his energy. I was so glad, because if he didn't sound better today I was gonna have to send him to the doctor. Can't be taking any chances with the flu season in full swing.
Speaking of seasons, our rainy season seems to have returned. We got rain on and off today, though nowhere near what was forecast. At least there were no thunderstorms. Yesterday I did my hair, then got caught outside in all that rain and humidity. I was able to seek cover, but the humidity still did a number on me. My hair looks awful today. It's like I haven't washed or styled it in a week. So not fair.
There really isn't much else to report. I'm gonna clean up the kitchen, take out some meat, then shower and watch some television. Hopefully I'll get to bed early tonight and get caught up on my shuteye. Have a blessed evening everyone.
I got up later than I normally would (seems like I've been saying that a lot lately) because we went to bed after midnight. A full day of activities, including concerts, can drain a body. I made my son a bigger than usual breakfast because he didn't get to eat dinner last night. We went out for lunch and he did eat, but in the excitement of the night he never mentioned being hungry (though if he was, he sat too far away from me to tell me so). When we got home it was so late there was no way he was going to eat, so I knew he'd be hungry. I got myself a bowl of cereal, then reached for my English muffins. What did I find in the package, but a couple of bugs! Eww!! I was so mad - it was an unopened package and I had to throw it all away. Ugh! I'm gonna have to figure out if those bugs came from my pantry. If so, I'm going on the warpath!
My son's schedule showed a full day of work: an English quiz, Algebra final (in 3 parts), music history final, Hope final and an Algebra live lesson. I was sure it was going to be as hectic as last week, and he was just as tired as I was, maybe even more so. We didn't even get started with school till 10:30. He went to do his Hope final, knowing full well he'd have to pause it at 11:00 for his algebra class, but I knew that wouldn't be a problem. He got halfway through the test, then went on to his algebra review. In the meantime, I folded 4 baskets of laundry, then made fried chicken tenders with stuffing and gravy, and corn. After lunch he finished the exam. He scored an 84% on his multiple choice; there are 2 short essays that still have to be graded. I feel like he was distracted, because he has a 93% in that class. I decided he should take a short break, then we'd review for his music history test. We went through all his notes and read absolutely everything. He got a 94% on that test, which I was pleased to see. Three finals down, three to go! His algebra teacher had sent an email saying the class was not to start on the algebra final till Wednesday after last review class, so the only thing left was English. It was a vocabulary lesson with a quiz at the end. He wasn't very excited about taking the quiz, especially when it was 18 questions long, but I told him it was best to just do it and finish for the day. When he clicked on it, it said the teacher had dropped the assignment. His school day was done, and he'd finished everything in 4 hours. Seriously! I told him to sit down and either read or watch a documentary; he chose option 2. Honestly, we could have finished in the early afternoon, had he not started so late and dragged his feet throughout the day. He's not getting off so easy tomorrow; there's a lot of studying to do for his science exam, and he's got 2 live lessons as well.
My son R was feeling a whole lot better today. He took Robitussin last night and was able to get a good night's sleep, which he needed in order to recover his energy. I was so glad, because if he didn't sound better today I was gonna have to send him to the doctor. Can't be taking any chances with the flu season in full swing.
Speaking of seasons, our rainy season seems to have returned. We got rain on and off today, though nowhere near what was forecast. At least there were no thunderstorms. Yesterday I did my hair, then got caught outside in all that rain and humidity. I was able to seek cover, but the humidity still did a number on me. My hair looks awful today. It's like I haven't washed or styled it in a week. So not fair.
There really isn't much else to report. I'm gonna clean up the kitchen, take out some meat, then shower and watch some television. Hopefully I'll get to bed early tonight and get caught up on my shuteye. Have a blessed evening everyone.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Finally, Friday!
This week seemed so long! I guess after having two weeks off with the holidays, getting back to school and our routine was harder than I'd expected. Preparing for semester finals didn't make it any easier.
I got up later than usual this morning. Getting up early everyday must have worn me out, because I didn't even open my eyes till 6:45, then stayed in bed till almost 8 am. That's very unlike me; I'm a morning person, and I like to get going bright and early. It wasn't until I heard my oldest son coughing up a lung that I even stirred. Poor kid, he's feeling bad but he has a good attitude about it. He was off from work today, and he stayed home trying to rest and recover, which is good. I finally got up and got moving, making breakfast and looking at E's schedule for today. It's been hard getting everything done because all his pretests, assignments and reviews have been overwhelming. Today is the first day that he's caught up, and it's Friday. That should give an idea of what our week has been like.
E had his Algebra review test along with his Hope collaboration, and he had his English thesis to turn in. We started on Algebra at 10:00 am, an hour later than usual. As I said, I was running late. He began working on it but stopped at 11:00 and headed over to his live lesson. The collab was super easy. Basically he just had to participate with the entire group, answering questions from the semester review. Once he was done I started on lunch: macaroni and cheese, and Tyson chicken strips. Actually, the boys had the chicken strips; my daughter and I had breaded shrimp. Now, when I say macaroni and cheese, I don't mean Kraft or Velveeta. This isn't boxed mac and cheese. This is me making a rue, adding milk and cheese to make an actual cheese sauce, then adding the elbow macaroni and baking it in the oven with bread crumbs over the top. My kids won't eat boxed mac and cheese after eating this stuff. Trust me, it's delicious.
After lunch E sat down again to work on his Algebra pretest, but he was so distracted. Many of the questions are long, detailed word problems. A lot were from lessons that he'd done well on but he didn't remember how they were done. That's the problem with Algebra: you do the work, then put it in the back of your mind because there's a new system to learn. When the tests come, it takes a moment (or two, or three) before it all comes back. With my son, the idea that he has to do 58 problems and he can't remember all the steps to solving them gets him flustered. Suddenly, the room is too hot, his head is hurting, he can't think straight, he's tired of sitting, yada yada yada. I have to sit there with him and remind him that if he were in school there would be no excuses. He finally finished the pretest, and he got a 74. We are gonna have to go over a lot of these concepts if he's gonna bring his grade up. I see many hours of studying over the weekend. What fun.
Thankfully, he did get his English thesis submitted. His sister reviewed it, made a few corrections, and it's done. Now he has 5 final exams to prepare for. I'm thinking that he should just do his Hope exam over the weekend so he can focus on the other classes, like algebra and science, which are harder. It'll take some convincing; working over the weekend is not his cup of tea. But as I've told him before, if he were back in school he'd be doing homework every weekend. As it stands now, he rarely has to work over the weekend, so he should be thankful for that. Besides, he'll have a short week once these exams are over. Best to get it all done so he can enjoy his time off.
That has been my entire day. School. I cooked, I cleaned up the kitchen, and I fixed my bed. I did no other housework, I went nowhere, I did nothing else. My day was absorbed with homeschooling. Some days I think, ugh, I'm exhausted! I'm so stressed! But then I remember when he was in school. I was equally tired, equally stressed, and I spent more time on school than we do now. There were weeks when it was never ending homework assignments, projects, shopping for projects, computer work, reading, and weekends that were always work filled. There were time restraints and deadlines; not that there aren't any now, but homeschooling is so much more flexible. He no longer comes home saying he didn't understand the lesson because the class was distracting the teacher. He doesn't complain about his teachers; instead, he loves them and is so appreciative of them. When I think about all that, I know it's worth the effort. This is what is best for my son, and for my family. Rather than see this as a burden, I see it as a blessing.
I need some rest. I'm gonna shower, and take it easy. God bless and good night to all.
I got up later than usual this morning. Getting up early everyday must have worn me out, because I didn't even open my eyes till 6:45, then stayed in bed till almost 8 am. That's very unlike me; I'm a morning person, and I like to get going bright and early. It wasn't until I heard my oldest son coughing up a lung that I even stirred. Poor kid, he's feeling bad but he has a good attitude about it. He was off from work today, and he stayed home trying to rest and recover, which is good. I finally got up and got moving, making breakfast and looking at E's schedule for today. It's been hard getting everything done because all his pretests, assignments and reviews have been overwhelming. Today is the first day that he's caught up, and it's Friday. That should give an idea of what our week has been like.
E had his Algebra review test along with his Hope collaboration, and he had his English thesis to turn in. We started on Algebra at 10:00 am, an hour later than usual. As I said, I was running late. He began working on it but stopped at 11:00 and headed over to his live lesson. The collab was super easy. Basically he just had to participate with the entire group, answering questions from the semester review. Once he was done I started on lunch: macaroni and cheese, and Tyson chicken strips. Actually, the boys had the chicken strips; my daughter and I had breaded shrimp. Now, when I say macaroni and cheese, I don't mean Kraft or Velveeta. This isn't boxed mac and cheese. This is me making a rue, adding milk and cheese to make an actual cheese sauce, then adding the elbow macaroni and baking it in the oven with bread crumbs over the top. My kids won't eat boxed mac and cheese after eating this stuff. Trust me, it's delicious.
After lunch E sat down again to work on his Algebra pretest, but he was so distracted. Many of the questions are long, detailed word problems. A lot were from lessons that he'd done well on but he didn't remember how they were done. That's the problem with Algebra: you do the work, then put it in the back of your mind because there's a new system to learn. When the tests come, it takes a moment (or two, or three) before it all comes back. With my son, the idea that he has to do 58 problems and he can't remember all the steps to solving them gets him flustered. Suddenly, the room is too hot, his head is hurting, he can't think straight, he's tired of sitting, yada yada yada. I have to sit there with him and remind him that if he were in school there would be no excuses. He finally finished the pretest, and he got a 74. We are gonna have to go over a lot of these concepts if he's gonna bring his grade up. I see many hours of studying over the weekend. What fun.
Thankfully, he did get his English thesis submitted. His sister reviewed it, made a few corrections, and it's done. Now he has 5 final exams to prepare for. I'm thinking that he should just do his Hope exam over the weekend so he can focus on the other classes, like algebra and science, which are harder. It'll take some convincing; working over the weekend is not his cup of tea. But as I've told him before, if he were back in school he'd be doing homework every weekend. As it stands now, he rarely has to work over the weekend, so he should be thankful for that. Besides, he'll have a short week once these exams are over. Best to get it all done so he can enjoy his time off.
That has been my entire day. School. I cooked, I cleaned up the kitchen, and I fixed my bed. I did no other housework, I went nowhere, I did nothing else. My day was absorbed with homeschooling. Some days I think, ugh, I'm exhausted! I'm so stressed! But then I remember when he was in school. I was equally tired, equally stressed, and I spent more time on school than we do now. There were weeks when it was never ending homework assignments, projects, shopping for projects, computer work, reading, and weekends that were always work filled. There were time restraints and deadlines; not that there aren't any now, but homeschooling is so much more flexible. He no longer comes home saying he didn't understand the lesson because the class was distracting the teacher. He doesn't complain about his teachers; instead, he loves them and is so appreciative of them. When I think about all that, I know it's worth the effort. This is what is best for my son, and for my family. Rather than see this as a burden, I see it as a blessing.
I need some rest. I'm gonna shower, and take it easy. God bless and good night to all.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
It's Tuesday, And I'm Back!
Surprise! Two days in a row! I haven't done that in a while. Shame on me.
My day started pretty early. At 6 am I heard my oldest son get up to go to work and I wasn't going back to sleep, so I spent about 45 minutes with the Lord. My morning routine is prayer time, devotion time, get ready for my day time. Some days prayer time lasts 30 minutes, sometimes an hour or more. It's my special time with God that makes the rest of my day go smoothly even when my circumstances don't.
My oldest son R left for work before I got to the kitchen. He showed back up about 15 minutes later. He was complaining about a stomachache and nausea, headed to the bathroom, then went to bed and slept for about 4 hours. I thought it was a fluke, except that my youngest son E was also complaining of a stomachache. He didn't feel as bad as his brother, thankfully, since he had plenty of schoolwork. Maybe it was yesterday's pizza...
I checked my emails and found that my son had yet another live class to attend on top of the two already scheduled. I wasn't too thrilled about that, since he had work from yesterday to complete. When he went for his second class, he realized no teacher was there. Come to find out the class had been rescheduled for next week, which was great because we got started on algebra. He finished his morning classes before taking a much needed break. Doing school at home means he can make up his own schedule, so long as he does the required 25 hours per week. He usually takes a 2 hour break for lunch; his buddies are so jealous! He was able to do another hour and finish English, but when he tried to do his algebra work, the internet started acting up. It tends to do that on rainy days, and today has been on and off rain all day. I figured he could leave it till tomorrow; really, he didn't have much choice.
At breakfast I typically do an online codeword puzzle, but today I watched my favorite youtuber, Shelbey from www.loveshelbey.com. I'd been pondering makeup products for myself and my daughter, and seeing as how my hair stylist always looks so pretty and her makeup looks fresh no matter what time of the day it is, I asked her what brand she used. She told me she liked Bare Minerals. I told her I was looking for something new that would be gentle since I have sensitive skin, and that my daughter with even more sensitive skin can use. She asked the esthetician on staff and she also said she liked Bare Minerals - or Mac, of course. I had heard of both, Mac being the expensive brand, but I was unsure about Bare Minerals, or any powder foundation. Living in South Florida's humid weather, it would seem like powder foundations wouldn't be the best choice, but I trusted my hair stylist. I went on Youtube looking for tutorials and product reviews and found Shelbey, a 21 year old makeup artist who works at a Bare Minerals store and who explained the step-by-step application. She made it seem so easy, that I had to give it a try. Once I did, I was hooked! I still enjoy watching her videos and learning more techniques. Just goes to show, a 50 year old mom can learn from a 21 year old girl!
Today was haircut day. I've been cutting my boy's hair for, oh, probably the past year at least. I'm not a hair stylist or even a barber; I'm just a lady with a machine ;-). I bought a Wahl's haircutting system from Costco a while back, and after watching some tutorials I started cutting the boy's hair every other month. I was mostly concerned about my youngest, but he enjoys getting his hair cut at home where he can immediately jump into the shower when I'm done. My oldest likes the fact that he saves money; even a $20 haircut isn't as economical as mom's free one. I don't even mind the mess much. It's easy to clean up, and we save money.
I got some more presents in the mail today. This year I've done about 75%, if not more, of my Christmas shopping online. What with homeschooling and everything else I've had going on, I haven't had time to go to the stores or malls. The internet makes shopping easy, and since we have Amazon Prime I don't pay for shipping. By Thanksgiving I had all my Christmas shopping done, and everything I'd received I'd already wrapped. The only thing missing was my son E's birthday present. E and his sister share the same birthday, two days after Christmas. I got A's present but I didn't know what to get for E. His dad made it easy: he took the two youngest kids Christmas shopping this past Saturday (R was at work and couldn't join them), and Dad went ahead and got E the Wii U console system from Game Stop that brings a couple of games. I knew my son wanted some other games for the Wii U so I went ahead and ordered them on Cyber Monday, before the electricity went out (see yesterday's post for details). Those should arrive tomorrow, and with just a few items still awaiting delivery I'm pretty much done. Yay for no procrastination!! We have a tradition in our home - the day after Thanksgiving we start decorating the house for Christmas. Once everything is done inside the house, I will put one present under the tree for each of them every night. Even the older kids go over and check to see what mama has stashed underneath the tree every morning (though R tries to play it cool, like he's not really interested. He doesn't fool me). I love those kinds of traditions that we look forward to each year.
I did a load of laundry this morning; it's still in the dryer. E and I were watching A Muppet's Christmas Carol and I was dozing off. It's been a busy day, and I think it's time I started winding down. Today I'm thankful that my Christmas shopping is done, that I have no Christmas shopping debt, and I'm especially thankful for the relaxed schedule of homeschooling. What are you thankful for?
My day started pretty early. At 6 am I heard my oldest son get up to go to work and I wasn't going back to sleep, so I spent about 45 minutes with the Lord. My morning routine is prayer time, devotion time, get ready for my day time. Some days prayer time lasts 30 minutes, sometimes an hour or more. It's my special time with God that makes the rest of my day go smoothly even when my circumstances don't.
My oldest son R left for work before I got to the kitchen. He showed back up about 15 minutes later. He was complaining about a stomachache and nausea, headed to the bathroom, then went to bed and slept for about 4 hours. I thought it was a fluke, except that my youngest son E was also complaining of a stomachache. He didn't feel as bad as his brother, thankfully, since he had plenty of schoolwork. Maybe it was yesterday's pizza...
I checked my emails and found that my son had yet another live class to attend on top of the two already scheduled. I wasn't too thrilled about that, since he had work from yesterday to complete. When he went for his second class, he realized no teacher was there. Come to find out the class had been rescheduled for next week, which was great because we got started on algebra. He finished his morning classes before taking a much needed break. Doing school at home means he can make up his own schedule, so long as he does the required 25 hours per week. He usually takes a 2 hour break for lunch; his buddies are so jealous! He was able to do another hour and finish English, but when he tried to do his algebra work, the internet started acting up. It tends to do that on rainy days, and today has been on and off rain all day. I figured he could leave it till tomorrow; really, he didn't have much choice.
At breakfast I typically do an online codeword puzzle, but today I watched my favorite youtuber, Shelbey from www.loveshelbey.com. I'd been pondering makeup products for myself and my daughter, and seeing as how my hair stylist always looks so pretty and her makeup looks fresh no matter what time of the day it is, I asked her what brand she used. She told me she liked Bare Minerals. I told her I was looking for something new that would be gentle since I have sensitive skin, and that my daughter with even more sensitive skin can use. She asked the esthetician on staff and she also said she liked Bare Minerals - or Mac, of course. I had heard of both, Mac being the expensive brand, but I was unsure about Bare Minerals, or any powder foundation. Living in South Florida's humid weather, it would seem like powder foundations wouldn't be the best choice, but I trusted my hair stylist. I went on Youtube looking for tutorials and product reviews and found Shelbey, a 21 year old makeup artist who works at a Bare Minerals store and who explained the step-by-step application. She made it seem so easy, that I had to give it a try. Once I did, I was hooked! I still enjoy watching her videos and learning more techniques. Just goes to show, a 50 year old mom can learn from a 21 year old girl!
Today was haircut day. I've been cutting my boy's hair for, oh, probably the past year at least. I'm not a hair stylist or even a barber; I'm just a lady with a machine ;-). I bought a Wahl's haircutting system from Costco a while back, and after watching some tutorials I started cutting the boy's hair every other month. I was mostly concerned about my youngest, but he enjoys getting his hair cut at home where he can immediately jump into the shower when I'm done. My oldest likes the fact that he saves money; even a $20 haircut isn't as economical as mom's free one. I don't even mind the mess much. It's easy to clean up, and we save money.
I got some more presents in the mail today. This year I've done about 75%, if not more, of my Christmas shopping online. What with homeschooling and everything else I've had going on, I haven't had time to go to the stores or malls. The internet makes shopping easy, and since we have Amazon Prime I don't pay for shipping. By Thanksgiving I had all my Christmas shopping done, and everything I'd received I'd already wrapped. The only thing missing was my son E's birthday present. E and his sister share the same birthday, two days after Christmas. I got A's present but I didn't know what to get for E. His dad made it easy: he took the two youngest kids Christmas shopping this past Saturday (R was at work and couldn't join them), and Dad went ahead and got E the Wii U console system from Game Stop that brings a couple of games. I knew my son wanted some other games for the Wii U so I went ahead and ordered them on Cyber Monday, before the electricity went out (see yesterday's post for details). Those should arrive tomorrow, and with just a few items still awaiting delivery I'm pretty much done. Yay for no procrastination!! We have a tradition in our home - the day after Thanksgiving we start decorating the house for Christmas. Once everything is done inside the house, I will put one present under the tree for each of them every night. Even the older kids go over and check to see what mama has stashed underneath the tree every morning (though R tries to play it cool, like he's not really interested. He doesn't fool me). I love those kinds of traditions that we look forward to each year.
I did a load of laundry this morning; it's still in the dryer. E and I were watching A Muppet's Christmas Carol and I was dozing off. It's been a busy day, and I think it's time I started winding down. Today I'm thankful that my Christmas shopping is done, that I have no Christmas shopping debt, and I'm especially thankful for the relaxed schedule of homeschooling. What are you thankful for?
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Thoughtful Thursdays
I have a couple of thoughts to share today, because it's a special day in 2 different ways.
First off, today is the National Day of Prayer. While I believe it's important to pray everyday and often, I think we get into a rut sometimes. I know I do. It's good to set a day to remind everyone to pray and what important issues we need to pray about. Pastor Greg Laurie has asked that we pray for our nation. Boy, do we need it! The farther away we turn from the Lord, the greater the messes we make.
I read this simple guideline for praying that I wanted to share, because I thought it was a good way to remember to pray regularly.
The 5 Finger Prayer
1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a 'sweet duty.'
2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.
3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.
4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.
5. And lastly comes our little finger - the smallest finger of all - which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, 'The least shall be the greatest among you.' Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.
The second reason this is such a special day is because it's Take Your Child to Work day. My son will be staying at home with me. Contrary to what some believe, being a homemaker is hard work! Keeping everyone well fed, well dressed, attended to; keeping the house in tip top shape; keeping the outside of the house equally clean; and many times we do it without so much as a thank you. No one notices what homemakers do until it doesn't get done. I think it's important for my son to see what it's like to keep a home running smoothly. He's 13 years old now, not a baby. He's old enough to understand and appreciate what gets done around the house, and hopefully by joining in and helping he will appreciate his future wife and be a helper to her as well. We have to train our boys early on, or they will be boys forever instead of growing up to be men.
Speaking of which, my oldest son blessed the family this week by making fried pork and crab wontons. I'm not fond of crab, but I did enjoy the pork wontons a lot! They were absolutely delicious. He bought all the supplies himself, and even cleaned up the mess afterwards. It was a wonderful treat, and set a good example for his little brother. We were able to enjoy the meal along with a scrumptious bread pudding my daughter made. How nice it was to be treated like a guest in own home!
I hope you spend your day praying and appreciating your family. That's where my heart is today.
First off, today is the National Day of Prayer. While I believe it's important to pray everyday and often, I think we get into a rut sometimes. I know I do. It's good to set a day to remind everyone to pray and what important issues we need to pray about. Pastor Greg Laurie has asked that we pray for our nation. Boy, do we need it! The farther away we turn from the Lord, the greater the messes we make.
I read this simple guideline for praying that I wanted to share, because I thought it was a good way to remember to pray regularly.
The 5 Finger Prayer
1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a 'sweet duty.'
2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.
3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.
4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.
5. And lastly comes our little finger - the smallest finger of all - which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, 'The least shall be the greatest among you.' Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.
******
The second reason this is such a special day is because it's Take Your Child to Work day. My son will be staying at home with me. Contrary to what some believe, being a homemaker is hard work! Keeping everyone well fed, well dressed, attended to; keeping the house in tip top shape; keeping the outside of the house equally clean; and many times we do it without so much as a thank you. No one notices what homemakers do until it doesn't get done. I think it's important for my son to see what it's like to keep a home running smoothly. He's 13 years old now, not a baby. He's old enough to understand and appreciate what gets done around the house, and hopefully by joining in and helping he will appreciate his future wife and be a helper to her as well. We have to train our boys early on, or they will be boys forever instead of growing up to be men.
Speaking of which, my oldest son blessed the family this week by making fried pork and crab wontons. I'm not fond of crab, but I did enjoy the pork wontons a lot! They were absolutely delicious. He bought all the supplies himself, and even cleaned up the mess afterwards. It was a wonderful treat, and set a good example for his little brother. We were able to enjoy the meal along with a scrumptious bread pudding my daughter made. How nice it was to be treated like a guest in own home!
I hope you spend your day praying and appreciating your family. That's where my heart is today.
Friday, September 21, 2012
The Week in Review
I didn't do a Thursday post because...I just didn't want to? Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. I wasn't in the mood to blog yesterday. Today is a new day, and here's some of the stuff that has gone on and some of my thoughts for this week.
- The pumpkin spice craze continues. This week my son R brought home a couple of loaves of Pepperidge Farms Pumpkin Spice swirl bread. Oh, sooo good! Then last night he brought me a bag of Hershey's pumpkin spice Kisses. It's like having a pumpkin pie or pumpkin spice cake melt in your mouth! I love pumpkin spice anything, so all these new products are obviously targeted at me!
- Speaking of Target, I had to stop there after picking up my son E from school this afternoon. My coffee maker, which is pretty old, had started shutting off for no reason. It would turn off for a few minutes, then turn on again. I knew it was probably on its last leg, and I'd included a new coffee maker on my shopping list, but for the past 3 or 4 days it hadn't acted up, so I thought maybe it was a power surge or something. I went grocery shopping and crossed the coffee maker off the list. Wouldn't you know it, as soon as I got home I noticed the coffee maker had shut down again. Only this time, there was no resuscitation. It had completely died. I was not too happy that it waited until AFTER I'd come home from Walmart to take its last breath. On our way to Target we got caught in a drenching rainstorm, so bad I could hardly see where I was going. Thankfully, though it would have been a shorter drive had I taken the expressway, I felt the Lord nudge me to take the frontage road instead. With so much traffic and so little visibility, it was a much better option. I'm happy to say I found a really nice Mr. Coffee 5 cup programmable coffee maker with stainless steel carafe, on sale for $19.99. And what's more, by the time we'd finished shopping, the rain had stopped.
- My son E and I have finished the book of Genesis and have started reading Exodus. It's our goal to read through the Bible together, one chapter at a time, discussing as we go. I know it'll take a long time, but the benefits are worth the effort.
- My oldest son R started school this week. He's working towards his bachelor's in...something to do with computers. I think it's like IT stuff, or web design. Or both. He's told me before, but so much of what he says goes over my head. Still, I listen. That's what Mom's are for.
- For some time now I've watched very little network television. The commercials are not only too frequent, they are offensive many times, and with the presidential election coming up they are outright nauseating. We've taken to watching Netflix quite a bit, and I've begun watching Leave It To Beaver episodes. The nice thing is, my son E has enjoyed sitting with me and watching it too. I laugh at the jokes, but also at things that weren't meant to be funny then but are hilarious now. Like the fact that Wally and the Beaver get to watch a double feature film at their local movie theater for $.25 each. That just blows my mind! Mostly I like to watch it because the comedy, while sometimes corny, is so innocent and clean, not like many of the shows on television today that have off colored jokes or some sort of agenda behind them. How I miss shows about everyday people and everyday lives, like Leave It To Beaver, The Andy Griffith Show, The Cosby Show...realistic without trying to be over-the-top, and stories anyone could identify with.
- I measured my 12 year old son yesterday, and found that he's now 5'4" tall. That's my height. He's an inch taller than his sister, which doesn't please her in the least (she says she got stuck with the short gene). I can't believe how much he's growing. His dad bought him a pair of sneakers at the beginning of summer vacation, size 8 1/2. I decided to get him a pair of sneakers for school, since the sneakers his dad bought are white and they'd get ruined. His new sneakers are size 9. I know shoe sizes can vary, but I also know this kid is stretching out, and with boys the feet grow first, then the height catches up. My son's wish is to be as tall as my brother who is 6'. Who knows, he just may get his wish.
- I read some very sad news this morning. One of my favorite Christian writers, actress Lisa Whelchel (Blair from The Facts of Life) has divorced her husband of 24 years. When I read this, I felt my heart land in my stomach. Divorce is difficult, it's painful, and for a devout Christian it's even more heart wrenching because we know how God feels about divorce. I'm sure it's not a decision she and her husband made without careful consideration, but that still doesn't make it any easier. My prayers are that they can heal from this devastating time, and that their children are able to cope with it also. Although their 3 children are grown, it doesn't make it any less painful for a child when their parents separate.
And that's my life so far this week. Tomorrow is Family Fun Night at our church, and I only hope and pray the weather isn't like it's been these last few nights, with rain and thunderstorms. Have a wonderful and blessed weekend.
- The pumpkin spice craze continues. This week my son R brought home a couple of loaves of Pepperidge Farms Pumpkin Spice swirl bread. Oh, sooo good! Then last night he brought me a bag of Hershey's pumpkin spice Kisses. It's like having a pumpkin pie or pumpkin spice cake melt in your mouth! I love pumpkin spice anything, so all these new products are obviously targeted at me!
- Speaking of Target, I had to stop there after picking up my son E from school this afternoon. My coffee maker, which is pretty old, had started shutting off for no reason. It would turn off for a few minutes, then turn on again. I knew it was probably on its last leg, and I'd included a new coffee maker on my shopping list, but for the past 3 or 4 days it hadn't acted up, so I thought maybe it was a power surge or something. I went grocery shopping and crossed the coffee maker off the list. Wouldn't you know it, as soon as I got home I noticed the coffee maker had shut down again. Only this time, there was no resuscitation. It had completely died. I was not too happy that it waited until AFTER I'd come home from Walmart to take its last breath. On our way to Target we got caught in a drenching rainstorm, so bad I could hardly see where I was going. Thankfully, though it would have been a shorter drive had I taken the expressway, I felt the Lord nudge me to take the frontage road instead. With so much traffic and so little visibility, it was a much better option. I'm happy to say I found a really nice Mr. Coffee 5 cup programmable coffee maker with stainless steel carafe, on sale for $19.99. And what's more, by the time we'd finished shopping, the rain had stopped.
- My son E and I have finished the book of Genesis and have started reading Exodus. It's our goal to read through the Bible together, one chapter at a time, discussing as we go. I know it'll take a long time, but the benefits are worth the effort.
- My oldest son R started school this week. He's working towards his bachelor's in...something to do with computers. I think it's like IT stuff, or web design. Or both. He's told me before, but so much of what he says goes over my head. Still, I listen. That's what Mom's are for.
- For some time now I've watched very little network television. The commercials are not only too frequent, they are offensive many times, and with the presidential election coming up they are outright nauseating. We've taken to watching Netflix quite a bit, and I've begun watching Leave It To Beaver episodes. The nice thing is, my son E has enjoyed sitting with me and watching it too. I laugh at the jokes, but also at things that weren't meant to be funny then but are hilarious now. Like the fact that Wally and the Beaver get to watch a double feature film at their local movie theater for $.25 each. That just blows my mind! Mostly I like to watch it because the comedy, while sometimes corny, is so innocent and clean, not like many of the shows on television today that have off colored jokes or some sort of agenda behind them. How I miss shows about everyday people and everyday lives, like Leave It To Beaver, The Andy Griffith Show, The Cosby Show...realistic without trying to be over-the-top, and stories anyone could identify with.
- I measured my 12 year old son yesterday, and found that he's now 5'4" tall. That's my height. He's an inch taller than his sister, which doesn't please her in the least (she says she got stuck with the short gene). I can't believe how much he's growing. His dad bought him a pair of sneakers at the beginning of summer vacation, size 8 1/2. I decided to get him a pair of sneakers for school, since the sneakers his dad bought are white and they'd get ruined. His new sneakers are size 9. I know shoe sizes can vary, but I also know this kid is stretching out, and with boys the feet grow first, then the height catches up. My son's wish is to be as tall as my brother who is 6'. Who knows, he just may get his wish.
- I read some very sad news this morning. One of my favorite Christian writers, actress Lisa Whelchel (Blair from The Facts of Life) has divorced her husband of 24 years. When I read this, I felt my heart land in my stomach. Divorce is difficult, it's painful, and for a devout Christian it's even more heart wrenching because we know how God feels about divorce. I'm sure it's not a decision she and her husband made without careful consideration, but that still doesn't make it any easier. My prayers are that they can heal from this devastating time, and that their children are able to cope with it also. Although their 3 children are grown, it doesn't make it any less painful for a child when their parents separate.
And that's my life so far this week. Tomorrow is Family Fun Night at our church, and I only hope and pray the weather isn't like it's been these last few nights, with rain and thunderstorms. Have a wonderful and blessed weekend.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Thursday Thoughts
I'm sitting in my dining room, sticky and uncomfortable after having given Molly her much needed bath. If it was hot and humid before, now that we had that tropical storm roll through it feels like a sauna outside. Just taking the dog for a 15 minute walk leaves me feeling weak from the heat.
- Here's something to be thankful for: while we were focused on Tropical Storm/Hurricane Isaac, tropical storm Joyce, Hurricane Kirk and TD #12 all formed, and all stayed in the Atlantic Ocean. If they all go on the same path, this could be a much better hurricane season than anticipated.
- I joined my daughter this morning for what was supposed to be a 40 minute oil change on her car. It turned into a 1 1/2 hour wait. It bothers me when my schedule gets knocked out of whack like that. Oh well, at least we got to have Chick-fil-A for lunch :).
- We stopped off at the library to return some books after school. Only the library is now closed on Thursdays. Or maybe it's always closed on Thursdays and it's the other library that's closed on Mondays.
- I also made a trip to Barnes and Noble this week, to purchase The Adventures of Tom Sawyer for my son E who will be reading it in school. As I looked at the books in the Required Student Reading section, what should I find but volume one of the Complete Adventures of Sherlock Holmes! I am a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes, Tommy and Tuppence, Hercule Poirot and all those classic English whodunits. I've been wanting to buy Sherlock Holmes to add to my own library instead of always borrowing it from the public one. Now I can pick up volume one whenever I want. I'm a happy camper :D.
- We started our first official night of Awana last night. I get to work with the third grade girls. These are the girls that were Sparks last year and have graduated to T & T so it's a new experience for them. My girls from last year have moved up to fourth grade, and they were begging to stay with me. It made me feel so loved! I still see them every week, since T & T, which runs from third to sixth grade, all meet together. We just split the girls up for book time, but even then we're all in the same room. Still, it was sweet to have the girls ask for me, and to know that I made a positive impact in their lives.
- I'm gonna have to get my son yet another pair of uniform pants. Before school ended last year I bought him 2 new pair of pants to replace 2 pair than no longer fit. A couple of weeks before school started again I told him to try on all his pants to see if they fit. He brought me 2 pair that no longer fit, and said the other 3 were fine, so I bought him 2 new pair. Last week, he put on one of the old pair, and to my surprise it looked like he was gonna walk through flood waters. This kid is growing faster than I can keep him in clothes, and he's only 12 years old. Not to mention, his dad bought him a pair of sneakers at the beginning of the summer size 8 1/2. I bought him new sneakers for school, size 9. I think he's gonna be a big boy.
I'm sure I can think of lots more things to share, but I can't concentrate right now. I want a shower. Molly is now inside after her bath. It's my turn. Good night.
- Here's something to be thankful for: while we were focused on Tropical Storm/Hurricane Isaac, tropical storm Joyce, Hurricane Kirk and TD #12 all formed, and all stayed in the Atlantic Ocean. If they all go on the same path, this could be a much better hurricane season than anticipated.
- I joined my daughter this morning for what was supposed to be a 40 minute oil change on her car. It turned into a 1 1/2 hour wait. It bothers me when my schedule gets knocked out of whack like that. Oh well, at least we got to have Chick-fil-A for lunch :).
- We stopped off at the library to return some books after school. Only the library is now closed on Thursdays. Or maybe it's always closed on Thursdays and it's the other library that's closed on Mondays.
- I also made a trip to Barnes and Noble this week, to purchase The Adventures of Tom Sawyer for my son E who will be reading it in school. As I looked at the books in the Required Student Reading section, what should I find but volume one of the Complete Adventures of Sherlock Holmes! I am a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes, Tommy and Tuppence, Hercule Poirot and all those classic English whodunits. I've been wanting to buy Sherlock Holmes to add to my own library instead of always borrowing it from the public one. Now I can pick up volume one whenever I want. I'm a happy camper :D.
- We started our first official night of Awana last night. I get to work with the third grade girls. These are the girls that were Sparks last year and have graduated to T & T so it's a new experience for them. My girls from last year have moved up to fourth grade, and they were begging to stay with me. It made me feel so loved! I still see them every week, since T & T, which runs from third to sixth grade, all meet together. We just split the girls up for book time, but even then we're all in the same room. Still, it was sweet to have the girls ask for me, and to know that I made a positive impact in their lives.
- I'm gonna have to get my son yet another pair of uniform pants. Before school ended last year I bought him 2 new pair of pants to replace 2 pair than no longer fit. A couple of weeks before school started again I told him to try on all his pants to see if they fit. He brought me 2 pair that no longer fit, and said the other 3 were fine, so I bought him 2 new pair. Last week, he put on one of the old pair, and to my surprise it looked like he was gonna walk through flood waters. This kid is growing faster than I can keep him in clothes, and he's only 12 years old. Not to mention, his dad bought him a pair of sneakers at the beginning of the summer size 8 1/2. I bought him new sneakers for school, size 9. I think he's gonna be a big boy.
I'm sure I can think of lots more things to share, but I can't concentrate right now. I want a shower. Molly is now inside after her bath. It's my turn. Good night.
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