Monday

I had two jobs to take care of FIRST today - figure out the invoices etc for Shop Natural co-op tonight and pay bills. Mike had one job to do first - file our AK PFD's. I was ready to run the mortgage to the bank, checked the clock and it was 4:55 - had to meet the truck at 5:15. Mike is still working on PFD's, as the website isn't working so we can't file online. He had to go buy paper so he can print out forms....THAT'S the way the day has gone.

Co-op is pretty much over, except for 10lbs of dates that have no home, I need to put food away and then um....who KNOWS.

I planned on spending the afternoon packing. I think I'll have to do that first thing tomorrow a.m. I need to figure out some budget things before a PAC meeting tomorrow a.m. Jamin planned menus and made lists etc for food for the trip. What a help - I'm supposed to find time to double check everything...we'll see if it happens.

We'll be out of touch for a few days - don't worry about us.

SUNDAY

We have had a lazy day. We went to lunch at Cheddars....where they tried to sit 9 of us at a table that would comfortably sit 6. Then we went to a graduation meeting for Josiah. Next was bringing the trailer home to get ready for our next outing. I helped Mike finish unpacking. Mostly, I've been reading Jamin's book. I'm really enjoying it. In fact, we are probably going to make it our next family read aloud. We'll see. We've had fun discussions about some of the characters and such in the book. We tried to guess who of our friends and family show up in the book. ::snort::

Burka Babe

What would you do with a man who brought home something like this to YOU? No offense to anyone - but I think I preferred the Korean robe. ::snort:: The boys were VERY close to daring me to wear this to chapel....but they refrained.....probably afraid that I would.

Accessories - Mike informed me that you don't accessorize a burka

Highlights of Saturday

Mandy called this a.m. to remind us about an event going on at the local university today. Our local congressman and representatives from all of the military academies were holding a seminar. This is Jared's dream - and I tell them to dream big - so I'm committed. ::snort:: I'm a bit unsure of how a relaxed homeschooler will pull this one off...but hey...he's doing amazingly well this year. In fact since HE wants to do this I guess I can still be a fun schooler! ::snort:: What's fun to him is not fun to me. Mike took Jared to the meeting. I was still not feeling like seeing people - and it was a great chance for father/son bonding. Off they went. Guess WHAT? It's a two pronged attack. You have to apply and be accepted by the Academy of choice and you must be nominated by a congressman or senator. Here's the GREAT news. Dependents of active duty military receive presidential nominations to their academy of choice and don't have to worry with the whole congressman/senator thing.....they still have to meet all the requirements and be accepted by the academy. Mike asked about homeschoolers. As we thought, since the boys have opted for NARHS they will have a diploma from an accredited private school. Mike was told that 10 years ago they would have said, "We're sorry but there is nothing we can do for you." Now, however, they look for homeschoolers. They try to have some in each year's group for the "mix". They find that homeschoolers excel in academics and struggle with sports. THERE is going to be our challenge. YOU MUST LETTER IN A SPORT to be accepted. Not sure how we'll do that. Mike told me to start researching states that allow homeschoolers to play sports and letter. Then we'll start putting those states on his dream sheet. Thanks, Mandy, for being sure we knew about the meeting today. We appreciate it.

I felt well enough this evening to cook!!! I made potato/cauliflower soup (recipe below), a big salad, Jamin made biscuits in the slow cooker, and a fruit salad with DRESSING (recipe below). Everyone but Arielle, Nolan and Zander liked it all.

I got to talk to my dear Sister Friend - Beth. I can't believe we've known each other for 25 years this fall. Mike had been wanting to talk to Don, Beth's husband, and they finally made the connection tonight. I'm dreaming of another vacation with my two sister friends. We spent a glorious weekend in Seattle a few years back. Our families have done two summer camping trips together...before we all got so busy that we can't make the connections any longer...well...yeah...we entered the military and now live zillions of miles away from them in ID. LOL

The last highlight of the day? We went for a FAMILY WALK (minus the 3 older young adults) and it was nice.
Nolan keeps me supplied with flowers - tonight he also gave Stacia & Arielle flowers... What a nice, young gentleman.

Heather/Urban homemaker/De'Etta's Potato Cauliflower Soup ::snort::

Yep - I printed off 4 pages of really yummy looking soup recipes at Urban Homemaker today. I meshed Marilyn's recipe, with Heather's (that I posted a couple of weeks ago), with my additions....yumm. Mike said "you can leave out the cloves next time".... I did blend it all tonight hoping to entice the younger ones to eat it. ::sigh:: BTW - now that spring is here I will put my winter plates and snowmen away...maybe tomorrow.

4 medium potatoes

2 onions, diced

leeks - whatever I have

1 head cauliflower (4 cups)

1 carrot, chopped

2 c Chicken broth

2 C milk or broth (I used 4 Cups of broth)

1 T spike (didn't use at all)

1 8 oz cream cheese, diced

1/4 - 1/2 C butter (I left out)

1/4 tsp pepper, salt

1/2 tsp thyme, cloves

pinch of nutmeg

2 T parsley

1 T olive oil

Saute onions and leeks. Add veggies and broth. Boil and simmer. When veggies are tender add cream cheese (and milk if you are going to use them). Heat through but don't boil again.

Fruit Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dressing

I LOVE this dressing. I think I'll make some up and keep it in the fridge so those who like dressed up fruit can have it that way and those that like naked fruit can have it that way. Jared thinks it would be good to throw in his smoothies (really he already uses yogurt so it would be adding the cinnamon). I don't make this dressing every night, usually I just toss the fruit and we like it raw and natural. It is nice to do once in awhile and I served this tonight. I found this recipe at urban homemaker, I don't think I've EVER used the exact fruit they list....use what you have and like. What I used tonight are in (). I do use lots of fruit or the fruit drowns in the dressing - it never looks like much but it covers well.

3 bananas (2)
2 fresh apples (1 granny, 1 empire)
2 fresh pears, cored and chunked (strawberries & pineapple)
1/2 C seedless golen raisins (red seedless grapes, cantaloupe)
1/2 C broken pecan pieces

Dressing: mix together
1/2 C yogurt (used Brown Cow)
2 T honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt (I never use)

naked fruit

dressed up fruit

MY RAMBLING THOUGHTS

From reading Nursery Crimes by Ayelet Waldman:


I've been thinking quite a bit about this as I snort salt water. Yes, I'll admit I have had days and seasons where I felt like this author. Seasons where I felt like I would go crazy in a house with children and that *I* needed more.

The solution has never been to run outside of my home to find something "worthwhile" to do. Running outside of my home - I've done that - I've led Women's Groups, led Bible Studies, led county-wide homeschool support groups, joined homeschooling co-ops, spoke at retreats, organized retreats etc....Note these are GOOD things...but they kept us running so much that we had no TIME for homeschooling in the way we like to homeschool. We also had no time for the relationships that are so very important to us in our family. I want our family to look like the Waltons not The Bundys. I became stressed and irritable with my children. I do a few of these things now....but each opportunity is agreed to after prayer, fasting, and family discussion. I don't commit to most things that come our way these days. I've learned that more outside activity is not the answer to my sometimes feelings of cabin fever and/or dissatisfaction with being a stay at home mom.

The solution has been prayer. Surrendering again to the path God has called me to. Changing MY outlook....instead of saying, "ugh, another day of homeschool", I say "thank you, God, for blessing me with these children and the opportunity to educate them". Instead of, "I'm not this family's servant", I say "Thank you God for allowing me to minister to you today through the ministry I provide to my family". Instead of saying, "Where is MY time", I say "Thank you God for this family. If you think I could use some time out - please send it this way QUICKLY"..... really it's about changing our attitude our outlook towards our children....

It's deliberately taking our thoughts captive to the Lordship of Christ, and cultivating a heart of gratitude instead of a selfish "me" attitude.