The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, November 8, 2011...

Outside my window...it's starting to drizzle.  I hope we get some rain but not too much.  There were areas in South Florida that got flooding a couple weeks ago.  Wouldn't want to see that again.

I am thinking...about Michelle Duggar, and her announcement that they are expecting baby #20!  What great faith they have.  After having a preemie with so many complications, I wonder if I'd be ready to have another little one so soon, but they are trusting God and praising Him for this blessing.  I want a faith like that.

I am thankful...for the wonderful time I had with my siblings and my children this weekend.  So many old memories recalled, so many new memories made.

I am going...to clean another bathroom after this quick break.

I am wearing...a black blouse, grey skirt and flip-flops.  It's currently 75 degrees and cloudy out today.

I am noticing...how our dog Molly gets stomach issues anytime her schedule is changed, even slightly.  I have to take that into account whenever we plan anything.

I am hoping...the weather in Central Florida is nicer than here.  My brother, sister, and brother-in-law will be at the Disney parks all this week.  I really want them to have a great time.

I am pondering these words..."When you keep your eyes on Christ, everything will come into focus."

I am praying for...God's will to be done in my life.

From the learning rooms...we'll be preparing the project board for the science project this weekend.  I need to get pictures printed, and find some nice construction paper for decorating.

From the kitchen...it'll be tilapia today.  Something quick and simple, since there's still so much to do around the house.

I am reading...nothing yet.  I finished One Imperfect Christmas and loved it!  Now I'm charging my Nook to decide what I'll be reading next.

On my mind...Thanksgiving.  It's just a little over 2 weeks away.  Where has the time gone?!

Around the house...I did quite a bit yesterday.  Four loads of laundry, floors, kitchen, cleaned the rug Molly had her "accident" on (thankfully it cleaned really well and there's no sign of her mess), and now today I've cleaned one bathroom done and one more to go.  I also did a little work in the front yard, pulling weeds mostly, but it looks like the rain won't let me do much else outside.

One of my favorite things...Christmas carols.  I've got them playing right now.  As far as I'm concerned, it's never too early.

Here's a picture thought I'm sharing...my kids the day we arrived, playing video games.

Wanna join in the fun?  Visit Peggy at the Simple Woman's Daybook.  Have a blessed week.

Meet Me On Monday

Okay, I just posted that I was going to get moving on cleaning that rug, but I thought I'd answer some questions before I got started on that task.  No I'm not procrastinating!


1. Are you excited for the holidays or are you dreading them?
I'm excited because I get to be with family and because I get to decorate my house and watch Christmas movies and listen to Christmas music, but I also dread how commercialized Christmas has become and how the focus is on the presents and not on Jesus.  I hate how store clerks aren't allowed to say Merry Christmas and have to say Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings instead.  It takes some of the joy out of the season if you can't acknowledge the reason for it.

2. Do you hit the snooze button or get right up?
I get right up.  I'm a morning person.

3. Do you still have your tonsils?
Why yes, yes I do.

4. What was the last piece of candy that you ate?
A Twix candy bar from my son's Halloween stash.

5. Do you shop at thrift stores?
No.  There aren't many in my area.

Now it's your turn.  Hop on over to Java's blog, Never Growing Old, and let's meet this Monday.  Have a blessed weekn.

Move It Mondays

And what a Monday it's been!  I've been non-stop all day, getting caught up.  This weekend was spent with my sister, brother, and brother-in-law in Central Florida where we had a WONDERFUL time together!  I'm so thankful to God for bringing them here where we could make new memories as we remembered old ones.

Friday I took my son E to the doctor in the morning because he kept complaining of a sore throat and his nose was so stuffy he couldn't sleep.  I didn't want to get caught far from home with a sick little boy, so I decided to play it safe.  His pediatrician said it was nothing more than a bad cold, praise the Lord, and it gave us the opportunity to leave on our trip early.  I'm glad we did!  My siblings are staying at a hotel in DisneyWorld, a good 45 minutes from my kid's apartment.  We wouldn't have been able to spend as much time with them on Friday night if we'd left later in the afternoon.  Instead we got to eat dinner together in Downtown Disney, where we talked and laughed for hours!  I'd forgotten how much fun my brother and sister can be.  My kids got a big kick out of some of the stories we told too.

The next day we picked them up and brought them to the kid's apartment so they could see where their niece and nephew are living.  While we were there we played a couple of games of Apples to Apples (our favorite family board game), then went to dinner and a show at Medieval Times.  We had a blast!  While they are serving a dinner, which consisted of tomato bisque, garlic bread, half a roasted chicken, spare rib, herb baked potato and apple turnover, you get to watch a medieval story unfold.  The performance was amazing, and my brother really got into it!  He was cheering our knight on like it was for real!  I was so happy to see him enjoying himself so much.

Sunday we went bowling after church, something my daughter wanted to do because she's taking a bowling class in school and her uncle E.D. is a bowling aficionado, so she wanted to get a chance to show off her skills.  Their scores were tied!  It was great fun, but then E and I had to leave.  I hated saying goodbye, as did my little boy (he got all teary-eyed), but we were also very grateful for the time we spent together.

Unfortunately we got home to some unpleasant news.  Our dog Molly had an "accident" in the house.  This is something extremely out of the ordinary.  She'd only had one accident before, and it happens to be that both times she's had accidents it's been when we're in Central Florida and she's alone with someone.  I don't know if it's because she misses us, or if it's because her schedule gets disrupted.  Both times she went on the family room rug, and it was runny.  Dad had to clean up the mess, which he wasn't too happy about.  The rug is outside waiting to be super cleaned - that's my next task for today.  This is what I've accomplished so far:

* Unpacked and put away all our trip gear
* Vacuumed and mopped hallway, living room, dining room, kitchen and family room
* Washed and put away 4 loads of laundry
* Dusted in dining room and family room
* Cleaned up kitchen
* Moved a bench from the backyard to the front yard
* Made lunch/dinner
* Picked E up from school  

Now it's off to clean that rug, then help my son with his homework.  Very busy day, yes, but I have my happy memories to keep me smiling, and with Christmas music in the background (I know, I know; I start early) my chores aren't a burden at all.  Hope everyone has a pleasant Monday and rest of your week too!

Five Question Friday

Good Friday morning to everyone!  I'm getting an early start on our trip this morning.  My son kept complaining of a sore throat and stuffy nose, and since he'd had strep throat last month I was afraid we might be looking at a relapse.  So I took him to his pediatrician this morning, who examined him and found it was just a bad cold.  Since he's technically sick, I decided to keep him out of school today and get on the road earlier, missing the traffic later on.  But before I do, here's my attempt at Five Question Friday!

1. What movie do you love to quote?
I usually quote cartoons, actually.  Mostly Spongebob Squarepants.  I guess I watch more cartoons than movies, LOL!

2. Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?
Are you kidding?  I haven't even learned to ride a bike!

3. What's your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
Play a board game with my kids, or read a book snuggled in a comfy chair.

4. Do you prefer a bunch of small gifts, or one really big, (expensive) gift?
I think I like the bunch of small gifts better.  It's fun to open up something and be surprised.  The more opening, the more surprised, the more fun!

5. Do you ever lose track of days and show up somewhere wrong?
No, menopause hasn't caused that much brain damage yet, LOL!!

Now, hop on over to Mama M's at My Little Life for your own Five Question Friday.  Have a blessed weekend!

Thursday Thoughts

Here's a peek into the thoughts roaming my head this Thursday afternoon.

 - I've begun packing for our trip tomorrow.  At least the clothes and shoes are packed, and the portable DVD player is being charged.  So many things have to be left for the last minute: toothbrushes, deodorant, hair care, etc.  That'll have to wait till tomorrow.

 - Another thing I have to do tomorrow: prepare Molly's food and label it.  Dad is staying with her, but since E and I are the ones that always feed her, Dad doesn't know when she eats or how much.  I'm just gonna make it as easy as possible.

 - My siblings will be staying at one of the Disney World resorts, so we get to spend some time with them there.  Disney is my favorite place in this world!  I can't wait to see my brother, sister, brother-in-law, and Mickey!

 - Of course, it means I have to drive.  I don't like driving.  I think that's why I haven't been able to sleep well the last few nights.  I wake up after a driving dream and can't get back to sleep.  I've made the trip before, I just don't enjoy driving, especially long distances.  This is about a 4 hour drive.

 - The weather has been spectacular here in South Florida ever since the rain stopped.  The temps are in the mid 70's to lower 80's, humidity is very low, and there's a cool breeze blowing.  I've been able to keep the windows open most days, enjoying the sweet smell of fall.  It's my favorite time of the year, except for the allergies.

 - Speaking of which, I had to buy my son Zyrtec for his allergies.  The poor boy was so stuffed up yesterday, and Sudafed just wasn't cutting it.  Praying this stronger medicine does the trick for him.

 - I measured my youngest child the other day, and was surprised to find he's passed the 5 foot mark.  He's 5 feet 1/2 inches tall.  He's turning 12 the end of next month, and is one of the taller boys in his class.  It's surprising because his daddy is only 5'4".  Of course the men in my family are much taller.  I wouldn't be surprised if E passed his older brother, who is 5'8".

 - Next Wednesday I have the privilege of teaching during counsel time at Awana.  I'll be teaching on obedience vs. willfulness from 1 Samuel chapter 15.  I'm so looking forward to it!

 - I was trying to do a graph for E's science project on Microsoft Works.  (I have an old computer, okay?)  I prepared the information for Samples A-G, but I couldn't get the graph to include Sample G.  Come to find out, the graph only allows for 6 entries and I have 7.  Either I have to find another graph program or this will have to be done by hand.  Ugh!

Hmm, it's passed 4:30 now.  Time to warm up dinner, then help my son with his homework.  Have a blessed rest of your week!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, November 2, 2011...

Outside my window...the sun has appeared after many days of rain and clouds.  The breeze is cool, and the day is gorgeous.

I am thinking...about my upcoming trip to see my brother, sister, and brother-in-law in Central Florida.  We're so excited!

I am thankful...for my son feeling better this morning.  He had a slight fever and headache yesterday when I picked him up from school.  We've been praying, and thankfully his body seems to be fighting off whatever it is.

I am going...to get organized around here.  I'm gonna have to start packing soon.

I am wearing...a teal top, teal/brown/white skirt, and tan flip-flops.  That's the beauty of living in South Florida.  Flip-flops all year long.

I am noticing...that cooler temps are arriving sooner than usual this year, not just here but in the rest of the country.  A cold winter in South Florida is a good thing.  The cooler the water gets, the less hurricanes next year.

I am hoping...my siblings have a good time at DisneyWorld.

I am pondering these words..."A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him." - David Brinkley.

I am praying for...a safe drive up to Central Florida with no rain, a fun time with my family, and my youngest child to continue to feel better.

From the learning rooms...I'm looking forward to the science project to be over and done with!  We finished the actual experiment.  Only the raw lentils grew; the rest became moldy and stinky.  Now it's just finishing up paperwork and preparing the board.

From the kitchen...ground beef and rice.  My family's favorite meal.

I am reading...another free Nook Book, One Imperfect Christmas.  If you have a Nook, download this heartwarming story.

On my mind...the drive up to Central Florida.  We're a good 3 1/2 to 4 hours away.  I hate driving, but I'll do what it takes to be with my siblings and my kids.

Around the house...I gave Molly her bath yesterday.  Twice.  After giving her a good scrubbing, I left her outside while I cleaned up her bed and vacuumed the room.  She decided to dig a hole in the dirt to lay in.  :P  I got most of the floors cleaned.  Today I've gotta get a load or two of laundry and finish the floors.

One of my favorite things...a cool breeze coming through open windows.

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

 

Words That Inspire Me

“But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (Isaiah 43:1–2)