CIRCUS!

Jamin brought home coupons and asked if we could go to the circus. I've not been since we lived in Hardin, MT....14 years ago. It was HOT, smelly and miserable.

Mike and the kids went to the Circus the day Arielle joined our family....and that was 11 1/2 years ago.

Life always seems too BUSY to go to the circus, we don't like crowds, we don't like spending money ::snort::.....but with Jamin suggesting it, the kids wanting to go, and us not knowing if there are Circus' or Rodeos in Japan..... I took these folk to the circus.



Before the circus, the boys thought it would be fun to interact with the performers, as our little ones wouldn't..... Jamin bought us Popcorn.... Priceless!


We walked out through a back door and studied all the RVs and Semis that it takes to move a circus from spot to spot.

Jamin took us to dinner after the circus. Mike was able to join us for dinner. It was a wonderful afternoon. Listing to Zander and Stacia laugh and giggle uncontrollably at various antics is exactly what I needed yesterday.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

BUSY, BUSY DAY!

~ Worked on "things" in the a.m. Fought feelings of panic by reading various list mail. ::snort::

~Had the Realtors tour our home.

~Had a painter come visit and he'll send an estimate.

~Six kids and I went to the circus - more on that and photos tomorrow.

~Made Jamin's Senior Page for SACHSA yearbook- VERY simple...but done.

~Made Family Page for SACHSA yearbook. I used Shutterfly Studio , a free download recommended by SACHSA, to create the pages.

Yes, I realize our last names are on these...but since Jamin started publishing articles and I linked to them, that train left the station. ::snort:: As I said these are SIMPLE.... I would normally have taken the time to digi SCRAP them...but in this season of life it is good to have them done. The simplicity will remind us of the busy April of 2009.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Hold/Unacccompanied

We have 2000 lbs that will be shipped ahead of us (though we realize at this point it isn't going nearly as far ahead of us as recommended ::snort::).

The unaccompanied/hold will be delivered to us when we have a house/apartment and could be all we have for a couple of months. The base will loan us furniture, dishes etc until our things arrive. We are told to take the things that will make that wait for our goods easier.

Ideas?

Mike's Uniforms

Clothes (this x7 may use up most the weight)

Pillows...sheets...

What else?

Fans?

9 weeks of school material? or not?

The laptop will go with me, our Bibles and a few books will be tucked into our bags. I plan to be working on photos until the day we board a plane so will have to mail those things to Japan.

I KNOW some of you military spouses are reading....what did you take or do you wish you had taken in your hold baggage? If you're not military and you were living in a foreign country without your things...what things would you want to be sure you have?

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Going to the Birds

I enjoy the birds outside the dining room window. We now have the pond, in addition to the bird feeder, and we are THE house on the block for our bird friends. I can't identify them...but they are fun to watch.

I've been playing with camera settings, lenses, light to get a sharper picture. Mike figured out my problem right away - shooting through the screen on the window. ::snort:: I guess this is as good as it will get unless I can get outside without scaring them.

I DO know that's a red cardinal on the right.

And this is a dove.

We are still debating if we should get a hot foot for our D70, fix the flash or buy the body of a D 90 (lenses from our D 70 and Nikon SLR would work on it so we wouldn't need to buy the lens). Any camera fiends out there care to give advice?????

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Do the Next Thing

We continued to work on things around our home.

Here Jamin oils the picture frame paneling...in living room and kitchen. He also organized the garage.

I found MORE homeschool stuff I can part with....and found even more after I sent out my list. ::snort:: I've been answering emails about sales items.

PWOC in the evening. The slate for the 2009-2010 Executive Board was approved.

Psst....those last two photos are my Working Lunch Blog Challenge entry. No, there's no lunch in the photo because as often happens when I'm a bit busy...I forgot the lunch part of the lunch and worked to post books right up until I left for drama. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

More Homeschool Stuff for Sale

If you are local and did not receive the email I sent out this a.m. and you want to.....email me. I have IEW, DIVE CDs, tons of Critical Thinking Press on the list. I decided to keep Spelling Power.

For those who are not local, if there is anything left on Friday I will post it to the blog and SHS and sell it for the price plus postage. I really don't have time to package a lot of stuff off and run to the post office....so I'm trying local first.

Pssst....my knee is 90% better today. Thanks for the prayers.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Prayers Please & News

Prayer Request: I got out of my recliner this a.m. to head to the gym and something "tweaked and twinged" in my knee. This is fairly normal for my 45 year old body. Instead of doing the ARC at level 19 - I went for level 8 - 11. I tried to bump to 13 - 14 and my knee screamed. I knew when I got off the machine I would need heat today..... Working out regularly when you are over 45, at a level that will raise cardio, does seem to result in fairly regular twinges in one's knees.....Jamin suggested it's time for me to settle for Water Aerobics. ::snort:: I've had to sit with heat/ice and ibuprofen all day. This is NOT a good time for me to be unable to get around. Though, it may give me time to sit and work on photos. (Today we finished our Japanese Lapbook). I'm disappointed to miss tonight's SACHSA Tea - but if I want to be able to teach tomorrow night and attend the chapel tea etc...I'd better pay attention to the ole' knee.


Mike finalized tickets to Tokyo today. We'll leave at 1:00 p.m. on the 5th of July and arrive at 3:30 p.m. on the 6th. We laughed as they gave us ONE travel day - they'll amend that. Mike needs to talk to a different office to get us from Tokyo to Misawa. ::snort::


We'll have packers in here the week of 11 May. I met a lady named Angel online. She's a PWOC lady who saw my name on an email somewhere and then heard I was moving to Misawa. She's a chaplain's wife who was in Misawa. She called last night and helped me wrap my mind around HOW to organize for these packers. I think I'll get some colored labels.....storage, accompanied, unaccompanied and label everything.


Mike's supervisor will be on leave from 4 - 21 May; I'm starting to wonder when the "slow down to focus on the move" time happens. ::snort::


The Air Force is going to store our van for us in Seattle.


Please do pray about our house. We can't get it on the market until the house is empty and we paint and put in new carpet. They will not be able to get into the house until 18 May at the earliest.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.