8-29-11

To do:
Dishes
Laundry
Studying
Exercise
Shower
Shred and freeze Zucchini I got 15 - 2 cup bags!!! AND - still more to do!
Make dessert for school open house
Menu plan for Hubs and Girls tomorrow
Make zucchini pizza casserole
Vacuum and wash windows in van and car
Kids unload wood
Life Ins appt


And....tomorrow: Son's first day at his new school. I'm excited and nervous for him - but he seems pretty laid-back and ready to start!


This last weekend was the annual Corn Fest....we had an ok time....but NO riding in the parade next year (our float was last - argh!) and NO rides (new midway and it sucked, the kids were bummed!). Instead, next year we will go to Bay Beach or the Dells...or both?!

Two weeks ago, we buried a cousin. Yesterday at the parade, another cousin collapsed (same family!). She has to have a triple bypass - 50%, 70% and 90% blockages - and a (possible) tooth infection on top of it, so no surgery until the infection is under control....teeth infection = blood infection = big problems! I hope and pray that she gets better....

8-26-11

Done:
dogs out
dog's mess cleaned
new post on blog
kids breakfast

To do:
Unit 2 Pharmacology worksheet  Got a 43/43!
Study Unit 2 in Fundamentals
dishes
laundry
Ins. sheets mailed out
playdate for 6 yo
floors sweep/mop/vaccum
Annual dr's appts for the kids this a.m.
make laundry soap for mom

Well, it's3:30 and I have almost everything on my list done! I feel accomplished, even though we spent the morning at Dr. appts - thanks to a great hubby who did all the floors for me!!

On a good note: all the kids are growing normally, Son seems to have completely outgrown his asthma and is projected to be about 6'4" - IF he ever stops growing - which is tall, compared to my 5'6" and hubby's 5'11"!! All other children are growing proportionately, so our doc (NP, actually) is very happy! Some are off the charts, while others are in the 90% percentile. My little (almost) 7 year old is staying at a 50% - but seeing as how it's that way for both weight and height, there are no concerns.

8-24-11

My first day of school was yesterday. It went great - but I have Nursing Pharmacology and Nursing Fundamentals, so these are classes that seem overwhelming - LOTS of reading and I think I'll actually have to study . But the good news: this is the first time they've done these two classes telecommunication/wise from campus-to-campus and because it is grant-funded, we get a private tutor!! There are only 8 in my class on my campus and the tutor is a current RN that is going back for her Masters - so she can teach! This is pretty much unheard of, so I WILL take advantage!

There were some nasty tornadoes (four) that tore through our area last night, so I'll be gathering supplies/clothes for people that have lost homes.

Done:
Dogs out
garbage picked up off of road (darn stray cats!)
coffee made
Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip posted

To do:
Study!
Online test for Pharmacology Score: 39/39!!!
dishes
laundry
check kid's room to make sure we are ready for school next week!
bathe dogs
change sheets on bed
make zucchini - anything!! Anyone have some GREAT (go-to) recipes???

8-22-11

The tattoo party this weekend went GREAT - we had lots of friends and family over and had a great time - and of course, lots of great food. This week though, we'll be eating leftovers, because I ALWAYS overdue it! Remind me next time only ONE big meal a day and then a lighter one - otherwise we're too full! I'll have lots of new recipes to post on the blog this week and next - a couple of them will definitely be favorites - as a matter of fact, Greg asked to take some of Buffalo Chicken dip home - it was THAT GOOD! (yep, I'm proud!)

I got an adorable little butterfly (check my FB) and DH got a great Soldier Memorial one (FB too!)

Done:
coffee
dogs out
hubby to Chiropractor

To do:
Shower for me
Study for classes (first day for me tomorrow - yay!)
maintain clean floors
dishes
laundry
older two kiddo and myself to eye doctor (littles go on Thur)
girls to piano
visit friend in hospital
meal plan for hubby for tomorrow, heck, I should do all week!

There's probably more, but you know, we'll add as we go!

8-19-11

My list was a mile long today - and then some! I am blessed to have children and a hubby that helps out or I never would have gotten it all done!

Done:
~Laundry (about 4 loads to wash and dry, about twice that many to put away!)
~ Printed invitations for the 6 year old's back to school party, she filled them in - we'll mail them out tomorrow or Monday
~dishes - about 6 loads - washed AND put away!
~floors swept and washed
~re-arranged family room for party
~post written for Moneyless Mommas
~hummingbird food filled and outside

Made:
Breakfast casserole
Fruit Crumble  
Blender Banana Bread
No cook noodle lasagna


I made an Italian noodle/fresh veggie salad, Reese's mini pies and one of two batches of the garlic breadsticks that will go with the lasagna for lunch tomorrow. We have made a (cold) shrimp dip, a warm buffalo chicken dip, pizza burger filling.....we will also be having Parmesan green beans, french fries and a warm calico bean dish (with the pizza burgers). On Sunday we'll have fresh sweet corn, bacon-n-swiss BBQ chicken (in the crock) and potatoes (not sure yet what kind). I so enjoy trying new recipes and having guests over - it's so much fun! And my niece is getting her first tattoo tomorrow - so it should be LOTS of fun!

8-16-11 (with a short update)

Today will be all sorts of fun!

To do:
fry 6 pounds of ground beef for various meals this weekend
dishes
laundry
clean main level
clean basement
exercise
make a few desserts (granola and puppy chow for sure)
read a chapter in my Nursing Fundamentals book
settle on a new hairstyle (wed)
settle on a new tattoo
make a list of needs vs wants for back-to school shopping (wed)
make sure I'm ready for my CPR class on Thur

____________________________________________

I've been staying up too late and still waking up at a normal time - hmmmm......

We are starting to shift to "school schedule" - this means that I am putting the kids to bed before 9 p.m. and getting them up by 7. For most of them, this is not a problem - but I can tell the teen years are close - the oldest two LOVE staying up later and later.

My niece has stayed with us the last few nights. Can you say - ARGH!! While I love her dearly (I do!!) she also drives me crazy. She IS a teen and all that goes with it. Not so sure she is the greatest influence on our oldest daughter - so I really watch how much time she is here and how much time they are "alone." She is a dear child, but comes from a broken home and has seen too much for her young life!


Wednesday is Hubby's first day off in....9 days? They've been working 10-12 hour shifts and it may not stop for awhile. It is nice to have the extra money - but seeing as how he is tired, it means more chores fall into my lap. It also kinda sucks because this weekend we are having another tattoo party and he will likely work all weekend. The Lord has his plans, we just need to bear with it and ride it out to the end! I'll tell you though, overtime is most definitely better than all the lay-offs we've experienced in the past two-three years prior to this job! God is good...all the time! 

Oh, and MORE good news - long story short: my mom had some problems which lead the dr's to believe that she could have cancer....we've been waiting since last week for the test results: they came back NORMAL!! Praise God!!

I start classes on Tuesday next week, the boy starts at his new school on Tuesday the following week and the girls start Sept 1st....can you feel the shift of change going on? We certainly do!

8-11-11

To do:
Dishes
Laundry
Lunch on the grill
School work/obsessively check Amazon to see when my books will arrive
Last load of bedding on the line
Sewing (of course...I'll post pictures later on today of some of my projects)
Paperwork for sons school

De-Stress

Matthew 11: 28 – 30, Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

A young lady confidently walked around the room while explaining stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone was sure she was going to ask the ultimate question: ‘Half empty or half full?’ However, she fooled them all.

“How heavy is this glass of water?” she inquired with a smile.

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an ambulance. In each case it’s the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”

She continued, “That’s the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won’t be able to carry on.”




* Accept the fact that some days you’re the pigeon and some days you’re the statue!
* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
* Drive carefully. It’s not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker.
* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was worth it.
* Never buy a car you can’t push.
* Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance.
* The second mouse gets the cheese.
* When everything’s coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.
* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
* We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty, and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
* A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
*Save the earth: it’s the only planet with chocolate!*

Nervous breakdown, anyone?

Yeah - I guess that it's about that time. Things have been going super well - too well? you say. Well, maybe. But here is a bump in the road. My cousin, Big John, died this weekend. He was more of an uncle than some of my biological uncles and we saw him and his wife in church every Sunday - it was actually him that got the kids going on carrying up the gifts right before the consecration - and they LOVE to do it! Always a smile for everyone....you will be missed dearly.

And then, today. Harrumph. More unexpected news. More testing tomorrow. About 99% certain of the outcome. To quote Rhett Butler: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." Yep....that's me today - I don't give a damn and I'm just going to hug my kiddos close and pray for the best outcome possible. Our life IS in God's hands after-all, and he will see us through.

8-9-11

To Do:
~hanging out ALL bedding today/tomorrow, so just cycling that through the washer (as much done as I can, the last will be washed and hung out tomorrow.)
~Dishes
~PB & J game finished (started yesterday)
~More sewing!
~fold clothes from yesterday
~Kids put their own clothes away
~Make kids clean ALL of their bedrooms
~Menu plan for rest of week (lost without it!)
~Start studying for Nursing Fundamentals
~OCD me will be watching Amazon all day to make sure my school books get shipped!
~Find appropriate funeral attire for hubs and me - a cousin (more like an uncle though) of mine passed and the funeral is later this week.


Menu plan:
~Chicken on the grill with sweet corn and potatoes
~Tacos
~Chili
~Spaghetti with breadsticks
~Roast
~Summer sausage sandwiches

VBS

Last week was VBS. I "made" all the girls go on Monday. They liked it ok, but the older two decided not to return. But the two younger ones - LOVED it!! We went every day 9-11:30. It was a hard week, for sure, as it left me with little time at home. But with a little planning (crock-pot meals and lists) hubby had lunch ready for us when we got home at noon.

We had LOTS of loose ends to tie up this week: nailed down the next tattoo party to Aug 20 and 21. Got hubby's pedometer for work registered and going ($600 year LESS in insurance for wearing/tracking it), health appts for said insurance taken care of, birthday party for the (almost) three-year old planned (have to make the cake today!) and tons of other little, miscellaneous items done.

Today though, will be spent getting things back to normal around here. It amazes me how the house goes when we aren't home - it's like sliding down a slippery slope - it's time to stop and get things back in order!

Tonight we'll go to a family get-together hosted by one of my son's new classmate's family. Apparently they get an inflatable movie screen and have a popcorn stand, etc...and host a movie/family fun night for the class every year. Whoa, do I feel a little out of my league! BUT, everyone is SO friendly and nice and supportive - a HUGE family-centered environment!

Anyway....lots to do today, I best get off the computer!