Category Archives: Daily Life

Daily Life, Parenting Tips, Recipes/Food

Out of Time

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I wanted to post a clever Tips for Tuesday parenting blog today. Our new chore/house organizing is going GREAT and I know it would make an excellent blog.

After all, someone who’s been successful for a whole week at keeping her house clean should share the news with the world.

But, I was too busy doing school, breaking up fights, making delicious homemade meals (yes, that’s plural because I fixed grilled cheese sandwiches at lunch today), and participating in family fitness that I didn’t take any pictures that would accompany the post. And without pictures, our blog gets a little dull.

For example, it’s a little boring right now, isn’t it. You’re wishing I would break up the rambling with a picture.

Sorry.

Without pictures and the time needed to write a helpful blog on chores, I’m forced to ramble. Oh, I do have this one picture that I can share. It has nothing to do with parenting or chores or blogging in general but it was taken today.

soup in a bowl

I fixed a yummy stew this evening for dinner and made bread bowls in which to serve it. How cool is that! We’re practically our own Panera Bread. I made our family’s famous Mesa Manna bread recipe (created by my Nana) and then shaped the dough around over-turned (greased) glass bowls. They came out fantastic! I can’t wait to try it again.

I'll have some cheese with my bowl.

Sarah is hogging the blog photo attention these days but she’s so darn cute, it’s hard to resist taking a few extra pictures of her. Joshua is more than willing to give her his share of the photo time.

Sarah and Rachel don’t like stew so they had their bread bowls plain. Garnished with a little cheese of course. :) It’s hard to please everybody. Wouldn’t that be a great Parenting Tip post – How to Please All of Your Children without Going Crazy. Maybe next week.

Kathy
Project 366 – Day 14

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Starbucks Anyone?

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In the past two days I’ve been to Starbucks three times.

Three different Starbucks.

In two days.

Yes, that means today I went to Starbucks twice. Can you feel the coffee rush from here?

notice those starbucks cups

Nancy, Beckie, Michelle and I hit Starbucks for a power meeting.

Let’s see, I had a women’s retreat planning meeting one night. We finished our session over coffee and scones. Today I double booked Starbucks. Nothing like living in the suburbs and having multiple coffee shops around town. At 4 pm I met with an awesome young woman who works with the middle school group at church and then at 5 pm I scooted over to another Starbucks to visit with a homeschooling mom.

Not a typical week, even if I do love a tasty Americano with steamed milk. I am trying to be open to who God is placing in my life at this time and take the effort to carve out some quality time with them. Too often I find the weeks pass by in a blur and I haven’t connected meaningfully with anyone outside my family.

Daniel and I are reading Colossians in our daily quiet time. These verses are my prayer this week:

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:10-12)

Kathy
Project 366 – Day 9

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Almost Monday

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It’s been a long day and I’m scrambling to finish everything in order to get in bed by 11 pm. Rachel and I ran errands after church. We didn’t get home until the middle of the afternoon. We did some returns, bought 1/2 price calendars at Barnes and Noble, shopped at Target and then got some groceries on our way home. It was fun! I like having a shopping buddy. :)

The afternoon was spent tidying up for our Bible study company, working on school schedules and keeping the kids quiet so Tim could nap. I didn’t do so well on that last one. I think Joshua vacuumed right outside the door while Tim was sleeping.

daniel, david and eli

During fellowship hour at church, the boys wrestle on one side of the room…

I am working on a Excel spreadsheet for our daily schedule. As I go through all the subjects required for each child, I see over and over they need time WITH ME! There’s only one of me and five of them! They have me outnumbered. I don’t see a place in the schedule for hours of blogging and frivolous internet surfing. Sigh.

Monday is a time of true fresh starts (or re-starts) for us.

  • School begins
  • Back to regular exercising at the YMCA
  • Healthy eating for the whole family – more veggies, less sweets, better planned meals
  • Return to my eating plan – recording food, cutting back on calories, aiming for losing NOT gaining
  • New school schedule and chore charts for the kids
  • Renewed commitment to daily Quiet Times – Bible reading and prayer
  • Consistent bedtimes for the kids and early to bed for me

Can I get some coffee to go with this new well-ordered life? I have a feeling I’m going to need it.

Jaalah, Elizabeth, Emma, Sarah, Tarah and Caedie

…and the girls giggle and visit on the other.

Tim’s lunch is all prepared, including his breakfast pancakes for the week (extras stored in Ziploc bags), the dishwasher is running, the kids are in bed, and I am almost finished with our schedule for tomorrow. I have a plan for staying on track (mainly it involves shutting down my email and blog during school hours) and am ready to attack the new semester with enthusiasm.

Thanks for all your kind words about the blog, our little family and my personal quest for healthy habits (including sleep). It means so much to us to have your encouragement and support.

Kathy
Project 366 – Day 6

I think I accidentally labeled yesterday as Day 6 when it should have been Day 5. That’s what happens when you post after midnight, you get your days confused. No longer! (Yeah, right, we’ll see about that)

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Daily Life

How to Go to Bed Early

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I asked one of my children how I was going to be able to get to bed at a decent hour next week when School Starts and life as we know it (aka Holiday Hours) ends.

First, you stop blogging, my helpful child responded, then you, pay attention here, Mom, you turn off the computer, walk away and go to bed.

Just walk away.

Ah, so young to have such wisdom.

But my bloggy fans, I sputtered, surely you don’t expect me to leave them without exciting, witty posts to read each morning?

The world, weary sigh and slight shake of the head said it all.

Just walk away, Mom.

Thankfully Tim spoke up and said I could always post a picture and short caption and still make it to bed before midnight. Obviously he has proper respect for our devoted readers.

Sadly, I don’t even have a decent picture for today. We had a co-op meeting in the morning and saw an incredible rainbow on the way home. Have you ever taken a picture while driving? Let’s just say it’s definitely not a skill I have quite perfected.

It’s just shy of midnight and I’m going to follow my beloved child’s advice. Of course, I need to start the dishwasher on my way, oh and throw in a load of clothes, turn off the lights, and put away the juice someone left out.

But then, I’m going straight to bed.

Kathy

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Daily Life, Holidays, Homeschooling

When Does School Start?

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Don’t tell the children – we aren’t going to fully begin school until Monday.

Shhhh!

We’ve been doing a little math here and some reading there, but nothing serious. It’s not completely my fault. Oh, I wanted to get back on track, waking up early and hitting those books with a jam-packed schedule, but the house has been full of children ever since New Year’s Day.

And I’m not talking about the five who live here.

Let’s see, New Year’s Day we had a party. The evening came to an end much too soon so we begged to have the five P. children over for the night. They stayed until mid morning Wednesday when I returned them to their (very cheerful and refreshed looking) mother. I couldn’t just ‘drop and run,’ I had to stay for a little visit. Just being polite, you understand. There went the morning and lunch time.

stuffing their faces?

In the afternoon another friend called to see if she could come over for coffee and computer work (two of my favorite things). I somehow managed to end my exciting school planning session and welcome her crew of kiddos.

No school.

Today we had MORE visitors. Some dear friends are home from serving in Africa for a year. The parents had a meeting today and the two boys needed a place to go.

let's play a game

Joshua and the boys played an incredibly LONG game of Axis and Allies.

You see how we suffer, forced to sleep in every morning and then visit with friends all day.

Kids galore and no school, it’s a difficult life.

Of course, Monday is going to hit everyone pretty hard. This late night blogger is going to feel it the most, I’m afraid. I have a LOT to do before then.

  1. Christmas cards to finish (don’t worry, I’ve started calling them Happy New Year cards).
  2. Pictures to upload for our 2007 Family Newsletter (the one I’m pointing everyone to on our New Year’s cards)
  3. A school schedule to plan.
  4. Chore charts to type up
  5. Some curriculum to order
  6. A new blogging plan (one that actually allows me to get some sleep) to discover.

And that’s not including the general laundry, house cleaning, and meal prep that requires constant attention.

Fire up the French Press and pass the coffee beans!

How about your family? When does your school (home or otherwise) resume? Did your children go back to school Wednesday? Anyone else easing into school a little slowly? Do you think a true night owl can get to bed early enough to wake up before 8 am on a regular basis? What time does your homeschool begin?

can we go to the beach?

It’s much too rainy and gray here in WA, let’s move this game to Lake Michigan. Um, you boys are a little over-dressed for the beach!

Gotta love that Photoshop! :)

Kathy
Project 366 – Day 3

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