A Quiet Little Woman

National Homeschool Honor Society

If anyone has started a chapter of the Eta Sigma Alpha could you PM me? I would like to "talk" to someone who is an advisor or their children belong to the group. We are thinking about starting a chapter and need some advice/information.Thanks.

The children and I attended a homeschool meeting yesterday. It was a planning meeting for the first have of the school year. We have some fun/educational activities for our children to be involved with. It is always great to talk to my hsm friends. They are going through or have gone through all of the same things. What a blessing it is to have such wonderful friends. Thanks A and L.

The last two days have been busy. Today was payday so that meant shopping and errands. I just remembered on important thing I forgot to do.  I made a to-do list but I left it at home. Oh well. I ran a lot of errands yesterday before the hs meeting and had to come back to get the info for the meeting. Not sure where my brain is the last few days. I will do better next week.

Today is the last day of the first six weeks. I have to average out grades today and see how dd did. I am praying for my dear  "bloggie" friends. I feel the need to pray. God Bless. I

Friday at Home

Well my cleaning marathon has been a flop. I headed in full speed ahead, but my children, both in the womb and outside of it have kept me from getting as much done as I had hoped to. The weekend is not over yet, however and I intend to do as much as I can today, and the children will be visiting their nana and papa's house tomorrow so that hubby and I can get a bunch of things done together. I'm very thankful for a younger sister that loves playing with my kids and regularly asks if they can come over, as do my parents.

So anyways, we are at home today, and I am fixing to get in the shower and then set to work on whatever I can do around here and get dinner in the crockpot. I'm considering doing a flylady crisis cleaning session today and then work on some major jobs done tomorrow. Well, I'm out of here for now! Have a blessed day!

Sara

We've got about another 8 hours before we get home.  This is our 6th trip across the states and it seems to be taking us the longest for some reason.   The scenery in South Dakota and Iowa is really beautiful.  If you're one who is obsessed with farms anyway. 

Can you see the rainbow?

~HAPPY FRIST BIRTHDAY BROOKLYN MY DEAR NEICE!~

HAPPY FRIST BIRTHDAY BROOKLYN MY DEAR NEICE!

Today is Brooklyns frist birthday......Well acuttly it's Sunday....but today is her party....She is a hole year old...The picture I added is from the day she was born...So tiny eh!! But a real ball of fire allready!! We will get too see her tonight and her sister chloe who is 3 and my sister-in-law and my brother, Im over excited, Even though we live preatty close to eatch other we dont visit alot, Only becuse they are such a busy family and are not home much....But that's ok I still love them!! I cant wate.....Plus hopefuly I will see my grandma tonight too I havent seen her in a while sence all the family issues started with my parents and yet are still going on with them, Hopefully one day they will open there eye's and see what is going on....Hopefully!

Today is grocery day, dh went to do them today, He still see's well enough out of his good eye too do it, but is not scared too ask for help if the need be, I made a large list of thing's for him too get, Were out of EVERYTHING.....So deffently need a few items that's for sure!!

I didnt sleep very we last night but my own fault really becuse I didnt take my medacation too help me sleep, I really need to rember to take them, If not it is a very long night and I move too much in bed, Im surprized dh hasnt made me sleep on the couch yet....he he.

Me and the boy's are just sitting here watching Dragon Tales, They usally watch there shows in the moring while I clean and check mail, Than after 11 theres no more tv till later in the evening...Unless theres a movie they might want too watch. I think I will do there beding after dh get's home...So he can give me a hand with the boy's, I am so greatful to have him....He never complanes when I need his help.

Well this is just my jot down for the day.

Blessings

~Ruth

****The last couple of days****

Life around here has been a little bit busy over the last couple of days. Yesterday I was so blessed to receive an early Christmas present from my Mother in Law which was a Kenwood Food Mixer - in fact this machine does everything and includes a food processor, liquidiser plus accessories - so I was so so blessed.  This will make bread baking especially so much easier (not that I mind the hard work of kneading but with the food mixer this will be so much quicker and easier).

Also yesterday I picked around 10lbs of green tomatoes, we have noticed over the last few days that these are starting to rot so we thought we would leave them for another couple of days, as the weather was supposed to be really warm & sunny yesterday ha ha, this never really happened. I guess the sun came out about 6pm for around an hour but now from about 7.30pm onwards the nights start to draw in. 

Ok, back to tomatoes, there are still loads to be picked and several more are starting to rot and the tomato plants themselves have just about had it as the leaves are quite yellow now.  I also a few toms that were starting to turn red on the kitchen windowsill but some of these are starting to rot too.

I have possibly found a couple of English recipies for green tomato chutney but if you have any other recipies then please let me know asap as I need to really make the chutney either this afternoon or tomorrow morning

Wednesday was quite busy as I managed to clear two large bin liners full of rubbish (mostly mine). I emptied out my bureau, filing trays & bags with papers that I had not gone through in awhile and as yesterday was blue bin day (recycling bin) I decided that I may as well have a clear out.  I also had to wait in for a computer chair to be delivered so I made use of the time.  I also went through tons of papers downstairs so I was quite pleased with the amount I managed to clear and I have tons more space now woo hoo.

We are having a filing cabinet delivered a week on Monday which will go in my office.  I need to move things around a little but we are desperately in need of a decent filing cabinet.  We were blessed with monies for our wedding so hence have used some monies towards the filing cabinet.  We managed to purchase one on e-bay, scandinavian pine which is near enough the same wood as our computer cabinet.  We also purchased the office chair from e-bay too.  I had been using a dining room chair for years but sitting on this for long periods of time especially for work wasn't exactly comfortable. Andrew became so fed up with this chair that he decided to order the office one for me and it is so comfortable!

This morning Andrew had to be up around 5.15am so after he went to work I managed to put out two lots of washing (2 loads were washed yesterday evening and one around 5.45am this morning). I did my morning quick tidy up of the bathroom and cleaned the kitchen sink area and kitchen worktops before starting work.

Today is my ironing day so this afternoon when I have finished cleaning the kitchen I will be spending a couple of hours at least ironing which is fine.  I also need to start doing my menu plan for the next month this afternoon.

If I do make some chutney I will let you know how it goes - as I have never done this before.

I have also been having major problems with my desktop computer a lot lately & especially when I was working Tuesday evening, it must have crashed & at times re-started itself around 14 times.  The son of the lady whom I am working for took the desktop yesterday afternoon and is very  kindly re-building this for me.

Due to the above,  I am using my laptop (of which there are a couple of issues on here *sigh*). There are some email addresses etc that I don't have (Bren please can you email me your email addy ) and anyone else that I don't have.  Jacque & Jocelyn I don't have yours on here either - so please can you re-send when you can.

Another Child in God's Big House

Where did my entry go?????

Going Away...

Graphic courtesy of www.doverpublications.com

Tomorrow morning my ten year old son and I are heading up North. We are going to visit my parents in Kentucky. Friday night, when we arrive, we'll just relax with my parents with a nice home cooked dinner (finally not cooked by yours truly ;0)).

Saturday morning my Mother and I are having brunch with my old Girl Scout troop. Believe it or not after 13 years we are all still good friends. Actually as we have gotten older I think it is very important to grow closer to your childhood friends. With my living over 400 miles away and family obligations I know that I have not made enough of an effort to keep in touch. Now, I am determined that whenever possible, to get together when I am in town (they all live in the same city).

Saturday evening my youngest cousin, not second cousin mind you, is getting married in an outdoor ceremony. It is not supposed to rain, but dear me, it is supposed to be 90 degrees! She is getting married young, but she has such a good head on her shoulders that I know she and her intended will do just grand.

Sunday morning we will probably attend church (if we are not too tired from the wedding and subsequent one and one-half hour return drive) then we usually go to lunch after church. Late that afternoon we are to go to my paternal Grandmother's 87th birthday party! I have a great relationship with both of my Grandmother's and for that I am thankful and blessed.

Monday morning Bryson and I will headed back home to the Peach state! I hope we have time either on the way up or on the way back to stop in my favorite little town, Bell Buckle, Tennessee. If you are ever travelling down I-24 you need to stop!

I hope to be able to announce the winner of the No Greater Joy prize on Monday, but if I cannot then it will be announced first thing Tuesday morning! Good luck to all who have and will continue to enter. Also next week I think it is time to talk about Fall fashions. I want to talk about what is "in" for this fall and also talk about how we can wear what is "in" modestly.

Have a wonderful weekend and Labor Day!

Blessings!

Monthly Measuring/Weigh-In

Time for my monthly measurements... Overall, I'm happy.  Sure, I wish it was a bit bigger difference, but I know some muscle building is going on and my arms are not as flabby, even if they haven't gone down a whole lot.  You can kind of see a trend... second month measurements went up, most likely due to muscle increase.  This month my hips went down just slightly which I was surprised, because I did alot more biking with a bike with no speeds and I could feel it with my upper thighs and buttocks.  Figured they'd be bulging!  LOL.  I see that I am trimming from the top down.... reminds me of those weight loss commercials where you see both man and wife gain weight (cartoons), and then they lose weight and the woman loses her arms and *****, yet keeps her tummy and hips.  Hope that trend doesn't continue... at least the difference isn't large and overall I am not loosing ***** yet, LOL, considering I gained a bit of muscle underneath when I started exercising more regularly.    I was smiling big a couple weeks ago when the doctor's office visit confirmed some weight loss.  I know my pants are getting looser in places, but my tummy is staying put, so my skirts I don't really see a difference.  I try on old pants every so often just to see if I can fit into them or how different they fit.  Last year's capri's were too tight to fit into, but now I can fit into them as I did last year (even though I weighed less last year). 

August 28:

Upper Chest: 34.25, Breast: 36, Waist: 36.5, Hips: 41.75, Upper Thighs: 23.75, Lower Thighs: 18.75, Calves:  15, Upper Arms:  12 1/8,  Weight:  144.5 (Two weeks ago at Doctor's office). 

Warmly, ~Melissa

Previous Measurings:

June 26: 

Upper Chest:  34, Breast: 36,  Waist:  36.5,  Hips:  42,  Upper thigh: 24.25, Lower thigh:  17.5, and Calves:  15 inches, Upper Arm 12-7/8ths.    Weight:  150 pounds. 

July 28th:

Upper Chest 34.5,  Breast 36.5,  Waist 37,  Hips:  41.5,  Upper Thigh: 23.75,  Lower Thigh:  18.75,  Calves:  14.75,   Upper Arm:  12.5

Recipes and Catch Up

Well, we are back from housesitting for the Bremer's.  It didn't seem like house sitting since that's where I grew up.  It was more a long vacation back home.  This is the view from the back porch.  Ahhh!!!

Here is a picture of our last camping trip where it rained the whole time.   This is me with IttyBitty and our dog Max. 

I dried some banana slices is my dehydrator.  The girls love banana chips!

And finally....  Grilled veggie Pajitas (pita-fajitas)

Sautee any veggies until soft.

Stuff them inside a pita bread and sprinkle with some grated cheese.

Grill.  (I use my indoor grill)

Mmmm.  Delicious!

Happy Trails!