The days are sailing by, and I think it is partly due to the strong winds that we've been inundated with for the past week or so. However, the past two have been amazingly calm and, dare I say it, PERFECT! If I could have these types of days 364 of the year (with one day of snow thrown in for good measure) I'd be happy. :)

We've been working on putting some items into our small garden beds - the earliest I have EVER done that. So far, I have lettuce, radishes, carrots, onions, and shallots planted. I'm heading into town this afternoon to get one more lettuce packet, peas, and beets. Broccoli will be added in about a month. That will complete our lower garden beds, and we'll have to switch to the upper bed (the large one) in a couple of weeks. That one will hold beans, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, and multiple tomato varieties. I am all for eating fresh, local, unprocessed, and healthy, so whatever we can do to help us in that area is worth the work. That sentence is such a loaded one - with so many blogging opportunities...just wish I had unlimited time to share my thoughts.

As it is, I'm off to town for a library visit, nursery trip, park stop, and a church meeting. It's too nice to be inside and typing so here is a bit of spring (courtesy of California) to close this out.

Take care!

Well, sort of. I make no promises. ;) I can't believe I haven't posted since January. Life has flown by. I literally have no time in my day to blog, but would love to carve some back in, if possible. I miss writing, miss the conversations, miss the creative outlet.

I could bore you to tears with what has been going on, but it basically can be summarized in one word - life. Life is going on...and I'm trying to stay on the ride! Late December and early January hit me hard with the realization that I needed to really change some things with how we were schooling. I felt like my oldest child wasn't really doing the work up to his potential, so the freedom I had given him was reigned in a bit, which essentially means that I need to have my hand in his subjects more than I had. My second child, who is also doing 6th grade work, is keeping up pretty well, but I want it to still be fun for him. Vocab and advanced Earth Science make him work, which is good because everything comes easy for him. So, we're working on study skills and slowing down a bit with vocab (I don't even know some of these words, and I fancy myself a bit of a wordsmith!). Finally, Miss TJ is plugging away at a first and second grade combination, so there is plenty of hands on time for her. So, what I am trying to say is that my hands-on teacher time has increased dramatically since Christmas due to some schooling changes, so my daytime hours are completely filled with school. While I still love teaching my kiddos, I feel more time invested than ever before, and it is oozing into other areas, leaving little room for extras. :)

Anyway, I have so much to write, but I make no promises as to when I will do so. I admire my fellow blogging friends who are able to get something down each day. I'd love to do the same, but we'll just take it one day at a time.

To close for today, in honor of my niece, I am posting a few pictures of her...She reminds me here and there how long it has been since I've posted something - so, surprise, Martha! You are a beautiful girl, inside and out. You are so special to me! Thanks for your patience!




Have a great day!

I just can't believe how time is flying by. In less than three weeks, TJ will be Gladys Herdman in six performances of The Best Little Christmas Pageant Ever. In four weeks, it will be Christmas. In six weeks, it will be JD's birthday. In ten weeks, we will be going on vacation. From my experience, those ten weeks are going to FLY by. My goodness, it takes my breath away just thinking about it! It's going to be hairy! (Sorry, I couldn't resist)


Kind of like this past week! Here's a summary:
-Enjoyed time and work with my mom, who came out for Thanksgiving
-Hosted 14 people from Brad's family for Thanksgiving dinner - yummy!
-Played, ate, and relished the company of my sister and her family from Friday until Sunday
-Eased my sore muscles after flag football with my mean old nieces and nephew
-Took two walks as the weather was gorgeous
-Put up the tree, decorated outside and in
-Watched the Vikings win
-Thought about Christmas shopping
-Contemplated Christmas lists

Seems like more, but that is the nutshell. Now, we are in the push to Christmas. I don't want it to be a push. I want it to be a gentle stroll with lots to look at, enjoy, and ponder along the way. It's going to be a challenge with all that we have going on, but I'm bound and determined to not let Christmas pass us by. We're still going to have school, but I'm going to significantly limit my computer time. As much as I like to blog and write to have an outlet, I will PLAN on having it be intermittent over the next few weeks. That way, if I plan to be intermittent, I won't have an expectation to get 'er done, kwim?

So, I'll be hopping back on here now and again, so don't completely forget about me. :) In the meantime, I pray you can focus on the true meaning of Christmas and take time to enjoy the season.

Until next time...

(Oh, and I didn't forget about my promised Proverbs 31 follow up...thanks to all of you who responded! I will definitely be posting my thoughts someday soon)

I know, I know...deep in the heart of harvest season, I complain about how there is so little time, how I can't get it all done, how there's buckets of beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and beets all waiting for attention in my hot garage. I've run out of jars, I've switched over to freezing, the freezer bags are gone, I've got to run to the dreaded Stuffmart, I need to buy more jars, where's the lids, it's about time I bought myself a doggone funnel...yada, yada, yada.???
But, thanks for listening to me moan and groan - I do it every year, and then a couple of months later, when it has silently been declared (in my own mind) the official "we're late enough in the fall to feel justified to pop the much anticipated seal of our blessed canning jar" day, the chorus belts out their resounding rendition of the "Hallelujah Chorus" as I pull the can opener out of the drawer and hover for a moment over the Bell (or is it Mason this time?) label. Is it too soon? Am I tapping into the reserves earlier than I should? Will we run short if I start opening the jars aimlessly now rather than tomorrow, or next week? Is this truly the time and the place? Have I run out of fresh options from the garage? Are the sweet potatoes and squash not fitting for tonight's meal

As I obsess over this heart wrenching decision, my husband comes up behind me, grabs the can opener and pops it open himself. Well, not really, because he can't figure the Pampered Chef thing out, so he ruminates for a bit on a real can opener, never stopping once to think that this is only the type of lid that has to be popped off, not actually cut open. But, I digress.

Whhoooootttt. Ahhh, the lovely sound of a sealed jar being released from the inner sanctum. Who can resists the alter ego of the "ping" you hear as your reflect back to a hotter time of restlessly standing at attention, waiting for your precious little babies to seal themselves off from the outside world? Like a new mother, the release of the seal brings you full circle to the realization that you, yes you, preserved these fruits of your labor, in love (yes, that was love in August and September - however warped it looked at the time!), for your precious family. Like the labor process, you have forgotten the pain of planting, weeding, feeding, nurturing, harvesting, washing, peeling, prepping, heating, and sterilizing these precious commodities...the energy, crabbiness, and pruney fingers were all worth every ounce of effort as you stare into the jar of joy. And, now, you are going to create a masterpiece, based around this special little veggie...you don't need corn! (Good, because you don't have any right now...) Beans, yes, beans are rising to the top of the ingredient list tonight as you create (wait for it...) Shepherd's pie! Nothing will feature your canned beans better than a down home, comforting casserole such as this! And, wait, what did you say? You're opening another??? Yes, pickles. The perfect side dish, and, once again, you swell with pride as you remember how coddled those little seedlings were in the beginning, only to grow to a size that were too big to handle in any other setting but a sliced pickle. A tear forms as you reminisce on how quickly they grow. How quickly.
You open. You taste. You pucker. You spit. HOLY COW! Did we over do the vinegar just a tad? Wowza! These are some sour pickles. Are they all going to be like this? Relief washes over you as you realize you did them in two batches with a different recipe for each. Jars are going to quickly become available for the pantry cupboard at this rate. (A whole different post awaits about that!) There won't be lingering over the opening process going forward - if future jars are this sour, your compost pile will quickly be transformed. The disappoint rages, and you question your technique, your skill, but realize your success and canning don't always go hand in hand...the taste can only be as good as the recipe you used, and you were worried about this one from the get go. Oh, joy is fleeting, and you thank the Lord that you were blessed with the foresight to make refrigerator pickles, even if most of them are housed in the fridge at your husband's work, because fridge pickles use fridge space, of which yours is a precious commodity. Your confidence, however, is compromised, and you will now question on a yearly basis the desire and efforts to pickle cucumbers in a fashion which will be pleasing to self and others.

But, I digress. I must get supper on the table, and time is slipping by as I sit and ponder the wonders of the food preservation process. Canning may be slipping by the way as an art form, but I, for one, will continue to do my part in preserving the past...and preserving - for the future.
Until next time, when I may choose to exercise my vision of freezing foods for fun, not foolishly, but with fresh fervor...

Happy eating!

A beautiful morning today, but it is only 42 degrees as I stand on my front porch and take this picture... The leaves are really starting to turn, but colder weather is coming so I am sure the color will be short lived. We're well below our normal temps, yet we still hold out hope that the temperatures will rebound and give us a few warm days yet in October. This guy, however, thinks his fur is not offering ample protection from the elements, so proceeds to block the entrance until someone (mainly me) lets him in the house.Little does he know, because we have yet to turn the heat on in this 60 degree ice chest, as flipping the thermostat to heat tends to admit defeat and a passive acceptance that the season of cold is here to stay. So, instead, we make accomodations. For instance, we broke down and put our heating blanket on our bed this week, by far the earliest introduction of this element compared to past seasons. It beckoned my middle child this morning, complete with Literature book, math book, and writing instruments.
My oldest also made the most of a warm, sunny spot on the floor, and, well, I'd show you a picture of it, but in the process of trying to upload it to my computer, my camera drivers crashed, and after working with Dell and locking up my entire computer, I now have a new part on its way along with a handy dandy service technician sometime in the next 48 hours. :) Archie, from Dell, was most helpful and I am soooooo thankful for warranties. I didn't tell him that maybe the parts in my computer froze up (literally) but did have to give him my cell phone number as an alternative way to reach me as I think our cordless phone batteries are being drained faster due to the temperature. :)

So, anyway, I'm way off schedule after my little computer escapade...Time to back up the photos because even a new computer can crash! Gotta go find my gloves, though, as my coffee has gotten cold and is no longer keeping my fingers warm - HA!

And, for the record, lest you think we are abusing our children by not turning on the heat, they are currently running around in shorts and claiming they are too hot in the basement. Oh, to have the metabolism of a child.

It all starts with the longing...

This dog has one goal in mind...



And, he's not going to let you forget what his goal is, because when there is a puppy look...

He won't settle for anything less...


Than the joy and knowledge of knowing...




That today's mission has been accomplished...

At least for the time being...

Raise your hand if you are sick and tired of me telling you all how busy I am...Yeah, I see you all raising them and waving them frantically. I feel like I've been ranting and raving about the shortage of time in a day, and I'm doggone tired of complaining. I'm picking myself up by my boot straps and knockin' it off. Eeyore, step aside...I'm turning into Winnie the Pooh.

Well, not really. And, most likely, I'll keep complaining. But, not today. I'm just stopping in to say hello, and hopefully, if all goes well, barring unforeseen circumstances, I will soon be back to my regular blogging schedule. :) Not that there is one, but more often than once or twice a week is my goal.

You see, I love to write - I really do. I love to share my random thoughts and struggles. Because, I am real - a real wife, mother, woman, friend, sister, daughter, aunt, Christian, teacher, and bonafide nut case sometimes. :) But, I know there are many of you out there who can relate, and I am blessed to have found such wonderful "friends" through the internet...I'm looking forward to sharing more with you and growing together.

We started school this past Monday, which is a whole post in itself. But, I am going to reserve judgement for a week, and by then I will be sure to have a whole gamut of things to say. So far, all is well, and the attitude in the household has been positive - even from ME! :) We're still finding our wings in our current grade levels and know we are getting some of the kinks out. But, I am confident this will be a great year for all of us.

I put up 14 quarts of quartered tomatoes this afternoon and hope to get to the Roma ones tomorrow. Thinking about freezing them as I ran out of quart jars - that hasn't happened to me in years! I'm too cheap to go buy new, so I may scrounge around with my mom and sis and see if they have any to send my way...see if I can limp through for a bit until then. ;) Seriously, freezing is an option so I need to research it a bit more. Now that I have my handy dandy food saver, I am more apt to put something in the freezer knowing that the freezer burn won't be an issue.

Well, I've had a full day and still have a couple of things left to check off. I hope to see you all soon and make the rounds again to visit you as well. Bonnie, again, THANK YOU for your info on Google reader...life has not been the same since.

A couple of pictures to leave you with tonight...

Camo - the color of fun

Little TJ on the Prairie




There are no words...

Have a great day!

No time to post tonight as we get ready to head up to Minneapolis for a quick trip to see my mom and family. Life has been spinning out of control, but hopefully some perspective can be gained while we are away. I miss blogging, but know that something has to give these days while life carries on...I hope to get a chance to update you this weekend on the many things going on -

Until then, please know I am reading your blogs as I am able - (THANK GOODNESS for Google Reader) and know that I will get into a regular posting pattern very soon.

Take care - until next time!

The week is flying and I feel like I am doing the same. The check off list is getting longer instead of shorter, but that's par for the course prior to vacation. We decided this AM to take TJ into the doctor after yet another night of being woke up with severe stomach cramps. She wouldn't let us touch her tummy, and were a little concerned about a hot appendix due to the vomiting (although that had not happened since Monday night.) All is well, and there is no obstruction or infection. So, we will ride it out, and pray it continues to subside.

We've had rain every day and hot temps so the garden is multiplying and growing quickly after a slow star. God is truly blessing us with a great growing season. I took these pictures ten days ago:


And, here they are today:



It's hard to tell, but we have purple, yellow, and green beans, beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, banana, yellow, red, purple, and green peppers, snap peas, yellow squash, pickling cucumbers, regular cucumbers, roma, early girl, better boy tomatoes, and 4 types of heirloom tomatoes. My herb garden has lettuce, spinach, basil x 2 kinds, oregano, cilantro, peppermint, and chives. Stevia is in a container pot and I am anxious to experiment with that soon. Hopefully, we'll be in full swing of preserving once we get back from the lake!

Well, enough of my avoidance - I need to get back to the tasks at hand. Hope you all have a great day, and I'll leave you with these two little lovebirds. :)

Yesterday morning, two of my children and my niece hopped into the car to meet up with my sister in order to safely hand back her precious daughter. I have found that I love to go on a short road trip for a number of reasons. Here in the upper Midwest, if you are going to drive for two hours, you are going to conquer a fair amount of miles. At 70 to 75mph on the interstate, you can get a pretty good distance away from home. Sometimes the landscape changes, but inevitably, you are going to have a trip which will showcase God's beauty and time to reflect on the marvels of his creation.

Traveling with my kids often times provides me a lot of thinking and "zoning out" time. On the way to meet my sis, all of the kiddos were involved with reading joke books and picking out their favorites. Every once in awhile, they would share with me one of their favorites, but all in all, they giggled and laughed to themselves. On the way home, both of them zonked and I had a blissfully quiet trip, complete with talk radio so I could get educated on what is going on in the outside world. Needless to say, I relished the time, and treasured every second.

This particular road trip started me thinking about how different and how much we have changed in a generation. These are some generalizations I noticed that show the differences compared to when I traveled as a youngster...

1. I could stop at any given drive through along the way to purchase a coffee - it would have been brought in a thermos from home in the past
2. Rest stops are for bathroom breaks now - but we used to bring a cooler and have lunch at a picnic table
3. We have air conditioning - need I make the comparison?
4. My kids were safely buckled in seat belts and car seats - my sister and I would lie across the back window or on the floor to get comfortable
5. Each child has their own seat - no rubbing across potentially scratchy legs and complaints of "you're touching me" are greatly reduced
6. Although I don't have one, if my kids asked if we were there yet, I could probably check my GPS or direction finder...
7. Cruise control
8. Bathrooms are plentiful as are gas stations - from point A to point B, I had a tremendous selection right along the interstate
9. My cell phone was ready and available - not only for emergencies, but just to pass the time away. Heck, my sis and I were able to determine a meeting site in the town rather than plan ahead just by calling each other on the road
10. Books and songs and license plate games have been replaced by movies, ipods, and handheld games (however, disclaimer - we still do the books, songs, and games..)

There was one thing that does remain the same - road construction. :) But, if I plan ahead and can determine a different route in a touch of a button.

The other thing that is the same is the joy of having a family to travel with and how we still enjoy being together. Whether a short trip, or a long marathon, time spent together makes you stronger, more patient, and understanding. While I may not always learn these lessons at the time, I do look back on travel time with my kids as precious memory building opportunities, and character testing as well. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Another week has gone by, and as usual, I am lamenting the fact. I can't believe summer is off and running, and I feel like it is slipping away fast. Eeyore has come out to play, so I need to send him back to the wood, and put on my happy face and look for the joy in what WAS accomplished despite a busy week. I'm anxious to get our summer schedule down on paper and see some fun in the midst of all the commitments! We leave for a week at the lake in three weeks, and by then, summer will be half over. Crazy!

I've been lax about posting pictures lately, so wanted to add a few today. It was a big week as my oldest got to try his hand at mowing for the first time. JD and daddy went down to cut the tree belt of the development that we live in, and played dueling lawn motors. JD thought it was pretty cool, and is thinking he's ready for a summertime job. We are going to possibly let him push mow the clinic now that we finally replaced our push mower that got STOLEN last summer out from the front of the office. We got a self propelled, so he may be able to assist in this process. He's excited about the money, but we'll see how long that lasts when it finally reaches 90+ degrees and there is mowing to be done.



Here's a couple of my girl and her "bestest daddy ever" -

Finally, I've been all over the beautiful sunsets we've had this week - seems like there has just been one after another, each unique and amazing. What a wonderful God we serve who has created heaven and the earth. Stop and view his handiwork and never doubt the existence of an awesome God!



Have a blessed day in the Lord!

It's been a whirlwind few days and I feel only now like I am beginning to catch my breath. I've missed posting, and have only been able to visit my blogging friends here and there, so I am a bit out of touch. But, life is good, and looking better each and every day. God is teaching me and helping me to grow, to look at life as a gift, and to praise him in every circumstance. I am a tough student, so I am thankful he is a patient teacher.

We had to switch up some things in our schedule this week due to Brad's secretary being out sick. She suffers from chronic headaches, and a few times a year has some that bring her to her knees. She ended up needing IV's with additional medicine to break the painful cycle she was in. What a reliable employee she is, though, as she works despite her pain because she lives with it on a daily basis. She has only missed work a few times, and it is typically because the pain has become so intense that she can't move without searing pain. Please pray for her as this is something she has suffered with for years, and relief comes only temporarily for her. She lives for her good days, because they are few and far between.

So, with her being out Monday and Tuesday, we did some switching around so I could end up working in her place. I am the ony back up plan, so we make it work, one way or another. The only big issue we had was that the kids started swimming lessons this week, so we had to get them from point A to point B in the middle of the morning, and then figure out what to have them do the rest of the day. Surprisingly, meals were also an issue as I have typically been cooking from scratch, we have little to no processed foods around, and I had been planning on baking break on Monday as well as grocery shopping, so the selection was quite limited around here for food! But, praise the Lord, between Brad's schedule having some wiggle room, and some flexibility on his part, we were able to make Monday and Tuesday work! We both had meetings on Monday and Tuesday night as well, so now we are regrouping as a family for the remainder of the week, and praising the Lord that Londa is back at work and holding her own.

Today is the last day of swimming lessons for the week, and two of my three are overjoyed. My youngest, TJ, has proven to be quite the little fish, and has moved up in her levels to be ahead of one of her brothers, and in the same level as the other. The resentment was about to rear its ugly head when this happened, but both boys showed surprising restraint, and TJ prayed for both of them last night, asking Jesus to help them like swimming lessons as much as her, and to help JT to move up a level today. I pray it will be a good day and a good lesson for all of them. One week almost down, one more to go.

So, I'm off to get them up and ready for the day - getting a good breakfast in their tummies but not too much so they don't sink like a rock. :) I have so much more to say, but we'll save it for later. I have plants begging to be watered, so to the outside I go!

Have a blessed day, everyone!

My friend Jen did this and I thought it would be fun to take a quick walk down memory lane. If you decide to do the same, let me know so I can check out your firsts!

Famous Firsts

First job: Babysitting my twin cousins - I think I was only 11 at the time and babysat while my aunt would go out and milk cows

First real job: Cashier at Mackenthun's grocery store. I worked a ton as I had to buy my own clothes as well as lots of other items - money was tight! I think I started working there when I was 16?

First favorite politician: Ronald Reagan is the first politician I really remember

First car: A red Oldsmobile Cutlass that my sister and I shared when we were in college...I just can't remember what we drove before that!

First record/CD: Shawn Cassidy - Oh wait, he was my first poster. I think my first record that I owned was Air Supply. My sister joined a record club and I remember her getting a free record: KISS-Double Platinum! :)

First Sport played: Volleyball, in 7th grade. Played through high school, along with softball. Only played basketball a few years, although I loved the game.

First concert: I think MC Hammer was the first one I went to on my own and that wasn't until college! Before that, I remember mom taking us to The Vienna Boys Choir.

First foreign country visited: Canada (I'm counting that), when I was around 5, perhaps? I remember mountains, a bear in our camp, a tram ride, car breaking down, and me constantly saying something about "Jasper, Jerome" in reference to some state or national park we visited...

First favorite TV show: Little House on the Prairie, hands down. I remember passing up fishing with my dad to watch it one day. (Ouch)

First favorite actor: Leif Garett is the first one I remember along with David Cassidy.

First favorite actress: Well, where there is Leif there is Brooke Shields. I think I was also partial to Tommy from "Eight is Enough".

First boyfriend/girlfriend: I loved Darin D. in first grade. I actually somehow kissed him and remember someone saying they were going to tell on me - figured I would get into big trouble over that one. Felt guilty for weeks!

First encounter with a famous person: Waitressed at Ciatti's in Minneapolis and served Dan Gladden, and some other Minnesota Twins players.

First brush with death: Flipped a three wheeler in early high school and landed on my back, resulting in a compressed vertebrae. Scared the daylights out of me and caused some ongoing problems for awhile.

First house or condo owned: Lovely redwood sided trailer house - two bedroom, two bath. My first house with Brad. We drove by to look at it this past weekend only to find it GONE from the sight. A piece of our history is no more.

First film seen: Mary Poppins or Benji - can't remember which.

First favorite recording artist: Prince

First favorite radio station: ?

First book I remember reading: Loved reading as a child - would guess it would be any of the Little House books or Judy Blume books like Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret...

First meme you answered on your blog: The Simple Woman's Daybook

Take a walk down memory lane and let me know you did. I want to come and see your firsts!

I love aprons, yet I don't own one - I've asked for one for Mother's Day (as well as some other wonderful things...)so we'll see what happens. I constantly have a towel hanging over my shoulder to wipe my hands on, but I love aprons and feel the need to own at least one! :)

I came across this giveaway via Evening Shade Morning Latte. If you'd like to check it out, head over to the Apron Goddesses blog site and look around!

And thanks to Evening Shade Morning Latte for bringing this to our attention!

We're going to head out for a few days and enjoy some time as a family. Brad has continuing education Friday and Saturday, so we decided to make it an extra long weekend in order to spend some time with him after he completes his coursework. I'll have pictures of our destination when we return!

I MUST get going on my packing - I've been sidetracked this morning trying to transfer data/pictures from old to new using my external modem. Unfortunately, it's giving me lots of fits. I keep giving myself 10 more minutes to make it work, and now I've wasted a good amount of time. So, this is the last 10 minutes and then I'm going to have to wait until I return to get it figured out. You know how I hate to leave something undone. :(

Anyway, hope you all have a good weekend. I'm sure I'll have pictures and stories to share upon my return.

UPDATE: Of course, I couldn't step away and leave it hanging over my head all weekend. I got it - pictures transferred! But, now I'm REALLY behind the eight ball! :)

Until next time...

Okay, for those of you who read my blog on a consistent basis, you know I could never sit and stare at a computer and not do something about it. I am pleased to say that I now have my computer up, running, and internet accessible. Life is SO good. I'm almost too excited to go to bed, and it's 1:00am. I want to play and get everything to work to my OCD specifications.

But, alas. Other commitments will be calling me early, early tomorrow morning. So, until then, I'm signing off. Sweet dreams...

To sit and look at a new computer and not be able to even get it plugged in? Well, sitting and looking at it is an exaggeration. I haven't sat until now, and that's to type on my old computer, while I drool at the new one, halfway unboxed, with the monitor sitting silently and lonely on my desk, longlingly desiring to be connected to its counterpart, and ultimately, to be turned on. :)

Remember how I had set the rule that unless I had my desk cleaned off and everything neatly filed in its place, I would not be able to set up my computer? Well, I did what I had to do. Met my goal and deadline. Computer was set to be delivered yesterday, confirmed through the Fed Ex tracking system, and I waited with bated breath until finally, at midnight last night, I realized that there would be no package for me.

Meanwhile, while I sat and questioned why, oh why my computer had not arrived, I received a phone call that my aunt would be coming by ambulance to my city today to have an angiogram and a shunt placed to appease some unstable angina. My cousin called to see if I would be able to watch her three children (5 months, 2, and 5) while she was at the hospital, and I figured I could do so - what's six children when you already have three? (Well, double, and I soon found that out!) Anyway, long story short, we booked through some school lessons this morning, cleaned quick to ensure an immaculate (HA!) place for everyone to lay their head tonight, and then opened the doors for the little ones. Needless to say, all hands were busy, and my children were wonderful in their endeavors to entertain the extra bodies who wanted some TLC and attention. Somehow, I managed to make supper with one hand as I was always holding a very happy infant, but when the doorbell rang at 5:30, I knew the uniformed man on the other side of the glass was bringing presents. I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve who has 12 hours until presents can be opened, except my hours will probably transpire to an entire day.

So, rather than rushing through the process at this time of the night as all the bodies (with the exception of my three) are snugly tucked in their sleeping bags and pack-n-plays, I instead choose to experience delayed gratification and sit and stare and ponder what joy will befall me tomorrow evening when I sit alone, with my keyboard, and all will be right with the world again.

Yes, I do need to get a life.

By this time of night tomorrow, I hope to have it.

(And, please understand, there IS much more to my life than pining away for my computer...and chances are, I'll continue to tell you about it, whether you like it or not. ;))



Until then...

March - in like a lion, out like a lamb. In like a lamb, out like a lion? This year I believe it is in like a lion, out like a lion. The fierce roar of winter is still being felt here across the Dakotas. Thank the Lord we were spared again down in our little southeastern corner. Sure, we had a bit of snow, it's cold, the sun hasn't been shining for a bit, but we're dry. No flooding in our neck of the woods, no blizzards to report, and green grass and flowers are on the horizon. Okay, maybe the distant horizon, but they'll be here, I know they will.

Today was the day to install the work computer - YEAH! Brad was able to get his displaced computer moved back to his office and the new one is ready to be up and running at the front desk tomorrow. Thank goodness for tech support to load our business software, hook up our printers, and get us ready for the day, all through remote access to our computer. That is so bizarre to click on a name on a screen and have them assume control of the mouse and just sit and load information onto your hard drive. I guess it is a good thing we trust these guys as they are accessing important and confidential information! But, I so appreciate them and know that my work with them is not done. Tomorrow, they will continue to add a few more components so I can hopefully do billing and insurance payment entry by the end of the week!

My goal this afternoon was to also get to a stack of folders, and I have to say that I successfully filed a nice little stack. It was enough to give me a sense of accomplishment to a small degree, and keep me motivated to continue to plow through the piles. I also was able to pass along the bathroom cleaning duties at the office to a new person today, so the stress of figuring out how to get them cleaned sufficiently a few times a week has now been lifted as well. It inevitably happened that the day after I would clean the bathrooms, we would have rain, or snow, or something to cause the floors to get all muddied up and ruin the overall appearance. It shouldn't be that difficult to get in to town and find the time to clean them, but between teaching and other work responsibilities, that seemed to always weigh heavy on my mind. I trust now that the job will be done more thoroughly and timely, so I am pleased with the outcome of this change.

School has seemed to suffer the past few days as we sort through the details of all our responsibilities, and fight off the spring/cabin fever. As we wind down and finish a few of our subjects, I have a hard time adding in double lessons or something else to keep us on track. My goal by the end of this week is to map out the rest of our year, see when we need some time off, and work our schedule around it so I can feel good about completing our subjects in a timely, but thorough manner. Jacob finished Teaching Textbooks, Math 7 today, so I am reviewing the TT Pre-Algebra program - but it is spendy! Yikes. I don't want him out or away from math too long, so we will be incorporating some daily practice after giving him the rest of the week off for a job well done.

That's the wrap up for the day - my computer is on backorder so it was delayed yet another week, so we'll just sit tight for awhile where we're at.

Hope you all have a good night!

Well, again, the overwhelming urge to finish a job that had been started, not completed, deleted, thought upon, and analyzed completely encompassed me this evening as I move to a new blog design. And, while I decided I couldn't give up until I was able to figure this out, I am giving up now and will add more buttons, gadgets, and fun tomorrow.

All good things must come to an end, and thus, my evening is now over.

So much for the book - but, at least I have something else to look at now...