Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today... January 18, 2010 Patrick's 11th Birthday

Outside my window... it is dark and early, a gentle breeze blows the clouds away and it's going to be a glorious day!

I am thankful for... my healthy children, a weekend spent at HOME, and the right to home school any way I see fit.

I am wearing... Navy yoga pants, a nay undershirt and a pink peasant tee. Very comfy, and almost trendy to boot : )

I am remembering... 11 years ago as I headed to the hospital to bring baby number 2 into the world...it was WAT colder in IL than it is here, I assure you. Chicago in January is NOT a nice thing.

I am going... to Jodi's house today, to pick up Dan later from his carpool, to work 3 times this week, gotta take David to gymnastics 4 times, the library and probably out of my mind at least once this week....it's gonna be busy, and great!

I am currently reading... I can't remember, it must be wonderful, eh?

I am hoping... that Pat has an enjoyable birthday.

On my mind... the new budget that I wanted to have ready before the new year that is still in the back of my mind instead of on paper...oops!

Noticing that... a few chores over the weekend go a long way to making Monday look better

Pondering these words... "It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber barons cruelty may sometimes sleep and his cupidity may at some point be satiated: but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." ~C.S. Lewis (for those of you like me, who don't know what cupidity is, I looked it up no wikipedia and it redirected me to the word 'greed'...which makes sense. )

From the kitchen... Tasty treats this week with Pat's birthday today and Lauren's coming up on Sunday...hurray for reasons to make baked goods!

• Monday~ BIRTHDAY Dinner!! Meatloaf, green beans, corn and rice
• Tuesday~ Pulled Pork Sammies (crock pot) with chips and veggie sticks
• Wednesday~ Fish, rice and Cauliflower
• Thursday~ Crock pot chicken with salsa, tortillas and salad
• Friday~ Pizza with the gang
• Saturday~ Taco soup, Frito scoops and cheese (Karen and Ty over for dinner)
• Sunday~ Lasagna, salad and garlic bread

From the learning rooms... a short week due to today off for Pat's birthday and no formal school lessons on Fridays, so we will have to work HARD those 3 days. I think Pat and I are going to skip long division for a while and come back to it later. David needs to get some work done on his literary study of 'Holes' now that he has the book read.

Around the house... Dishes are piled up EVERYWHERE...we were so lazy this weekend. Other than that, just some basic tidying and some serious dusting after Dan and Josh were sanding Pat's new bed.

One of my favorite things... Hearing the coffeepot gurgle to tell me that the tea is done so I can enjoy a cup in the early morning quiet.

From my picture journal... Oh my goodness, that man makes me laugh! Here is Dan mugging for the camera with the boys at the lunch table...LOL! WORD!

~*~Would you like to linger on the simple things...then join me and many others in taking a little look into the day plans and thoughts of those who are focusing on simplicity...beauty of the 'everyday moment'. ~Miss Peggy at Simple Woman's Daybook ~*~

Catchin' Up with Us MeYeR's

*Sigh* It's been a while since I did one of these again...and I miss it so here we go. It's a quiet ( yes, I said quiet) afternoon here at the MeYeR house. Dan and 'Shua are building Pat a new bed, using Dan's new tool that he got for Christmas, Lauren is working on school online, the boys are playing nicely together and with Rusty ('Shua's new puppy) and it's almost time for dinner. What's been going on around here...well, a lot and a little, I guess. Lots of at home, family oriented time since Dan is home every night again (thank you JESUS) a little bit of school, a little play time and lots of friends over for dinner, game night or working out with Hercules. : ) For those of you who might be impressed, Dan picked up something at work the other day that weighed 450 pounds...and now you know how he got the nickname Hercules from Karen...LOL!
As for the rest of us....life is good, God is shining on us as my Mom said yesterday and it's hard not to have a ridiculous smile on my face all the time. Not that we never have an off day, but who doesn't, right?
~~David has REJOINED the gymnastics team...thanks to some finagling on my part. I now run the concession stand on Saturday mornings in exchange for his lessons...seems like a good trade off to me. He is thrilled and couldn't wait to get back to working out 4 times a week with 'the guys'
~~Pat is very excited about the bed that Dan is building him...although he IS trying to figure out if it will fit in his tent, since he isn't sure he wants to give that up just yet! : ) His new bed will have room for drawers under it (that Dan will build soon), bookshelves for his favorite books and his rock collection in the headboard, and has a door to go under the bed for a little hideaway. He's pretty stoked!
~~Derek is really enjoying his new room, except if he has to sit on his bed for timeout...before, I had to put him elsewhere or he would get into David's things...OOPS! Now, he loves to play with his new tool bench and is forever bringing me some new creation that he's thought up by himself. *sigh* toddler hood is fleeting
~~Dan is enjoying not only the job in Tularosa, but the new set of guys he's working with and comes home with a funny story almost everyday. He is LOVING being home every night to see the boys and to sleep in his own bed. He's set up a work out routine with Karen and Tyler and is having fun working them really hard : )
~~I'm looking forward to my new job, LOVING that I have friends to play paper with each week and starting the new semester of school with a few tweaks here and there.
~~Monday is Pat's 11th birthday and he is looking forward to it...no school, going over to play with James and Titus whom he misses very much, picking dinner plans and getting to be the boss of the day...it's almost TOO much excitement for one day ; )
I think that's all the news that IS news around here for this week...thanks for being interested in our lives and sharing it with us.
Loves, ~K~

New Room Pics~

I took these 2 weeks ago, but because I never get around to doing all the things I INTEND to do, I've never posted them...LOL~ So here are the pics of the boys in their new rooms...hurray!

Yes, Patrick lives in a tent...is that a problem?? He loves it...and Dan is building his new bed as I write this...LOL!

David LOVES having his very own room for the first time since Pat was born : )


Derek loves having HIS own room for the first time EVER...hurray!

And for me, the HOLY GRAIL...a school room, complete with Shelves for books, a huge map, desks and TWO chalkboards! YEAH!!

And that's all she wrote, FOR ONCE!

~K~

Simple Woman's Daybook~Early Morning Edition

For Today... January 11, 2010

Outside my window... It is COLD (by NM standards anyway) dark and quiet...but it's also only 5 am. Give the sun a few hours and we will be up into the 50s : )

I am thinking... that I need to get my homemakers binder running smoothly again. I've made a few changes, printed some new pages, but with the holidays and such, I just haven't been keeping up with it and now I'm feeling the urge to get organized again.

I am thankful for... running water after yesterday's frozen pipes...yes HERE in NM, my pipes froze...go figure!

I am wearing... nightgown in the hopes of returning to bed as soon as I finish this post.

I am remembering... that Pat's birthday is next Monday and I have preparations to make.
I am going... nowhere since Dan took the van today. And that's a good thing, I'm ready to be home a while.
I am reading... The 5 Love Languages for Children, Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible, and the Bible

I am hoping... to make a better workout routine for myself...one that I will actually do LOL!

On my mind... wishing my parents were coming for a visit. I miss them so much.

I am noticing... that decluttering, while painful at the time, is a wonderful thing in the long run. Must keep going on the decluttering of the house...my room especially.

Pondering these words... "Homeschooling is a marathon, NOT a sprint." Good words to keep in mind when your 7th grader has NO idea how to write a formal paper, or your 5th grader is struggling with the times tables for the 3rd year in a row.
From the kitchen... Coffee is almost done brewing, bread is already baked for the week (hurray) gonna try my hand at granola today and here are the meal plans...subject to change without notice...not sure why, but my meal plans keep getting tosses aside for a new plan...LOL

• Monday~ Baked Chicken, Rice and Cauliflower
• Tuesday~ Grilled cheese and soup
• Wednesday~Breakfast for dinner
• Thursday~ Tacos with chips and salsa (substitute half the ground beef for black beans)
• Friday~ Pizza with veggie sticks, chips and dip
• Saturday~ Tuna casserole and salad
• Sunday~ Lasagna with salad and garlic bread

From the learning rooms... still getting into a new routine with Jodi coming for MFW, but it looks like she will be coming on T and TH afternoons for that and we will be doing ABeka M-Th in the AM in the new school room. I need to work with David on sentence structure, making an outline and summarizing this week, and I need to help Pat find ways to get those pesky math facts to stick in his head. He's really struggling with it, but is resistant to 'traditional' helps.

Around the house... it's not too bad really. With Dan working all weekend long (poor guy) we had plenty of time to tidy up the place, so it's a good start for the week. Laundry needs to be folded in a serious way, but I'll take that downstairs while we work on school this morning. Everything else is looking good. HURRAY!
One of my favorite things... A quiet morning with no sounds but the fish tank bubbling and the coffee pot gurgling, and a chance to sneak back to bed for an hour or so. Shhhh....don't tell!
From my picture journal... a sweet picture of my pretty little great niece Ryan. She's about as cute as they come...not that I'm a bit biased, mind you!

And a shameless plug for my other blog...check it out!

www.homeschooledhooligans.blogspot.com

Enjoy the antics of my family's homeschooling adventures and those of several other homeschooling families.

If you enjoyed this post, or are looking to start living the simple (not to be confused with the EASY life) wander on over to Miss Peggy's site and find more daybooks or just enjoy Miss Peggy's wonderful tips and ideas about the simple life. She can be found at http://www.thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

It's the Little Things

I've discovered as I make this journey through life that it's not the HUGE things that make or break your day, week, month or LIFE. It's the little things. So in honor of those little things, list a few with me that made your day, week, month or life brighter or sweeter.

• A sweet daughter in love that wants to scrap with me, instead of by herself at home.


• A son that takes an assignment from Daddy very seriously and goes above and beyond the directions to make Daddy smile.


• Beef stew bubbling in the crock pot that makes getting dinner on the table a snap.


• A CD that makes me feel peppy enough to clean ONE MORE thing.

I like the idea of this kind of post. If you like it too, add YOUR little things. I'm making it a goal to be more positive this year....join me!

~K~

Just Enjoying Some Quiet

Ahhh, it's early morning, no one is up but me and I'm watching the sky change colors slowly as I enjoy the quiet, the stillness and a cup of hot tea. Being a mom to all these boys is an privilege and one I don't take lightly, but I will admit to longing for a quiet some days. ; ) Soon enough, rumpled boys with sleep creased faces will awake and bring life to our home again...but for now, my hot tea and I are going to sit and be quiet. Maybe God will speak. Shhhhh.........

~K~

Simple Woman's Daybook~ Evening Edition

For Today...I'm actually ahead of the game...it's the night before!! Whee! It's still Jan 3, 2010

Outside my window...the moon is peeking out from behind a few clouds and the starts are twinkling here and there. It's COLD by NM standards and the wind has died down for the day.

I am thinking...that HOME is the best place in the whole wide world

I am thankful for...a washer and dryer that works so hard on my behalf : )

I am wearing...still in my Sunday finery...LOL! Swirly black skirt, black cami and pink peasant tee. Double braids...feeling very "Earth Mama" today

I am remembering...how much I enjoy blogging and letter writing...gotta get that habit back

I am currently reading..."so You're Thinking About Homeschooling' (yes again) the Bible, a Compact Time Line of the Bible and looking over my lesson plan book

I am hoping...to have a successful week of homemaking, mothering and wife-ing...why is that not a word??

On my mind...plans for a positive week

Noticing that...few things feel as good as a hard day's work followed by a foot rub from hubby

Pondering these words... Turning a new leaf into a new LIFE (it's the title of this month's sermon series...love that title!

From the kitchen...A mess right now, but starting tomorrow... it's better news. These may or may not get switched around depending on moods and play dates, but it's close enough for now.

• Spaghetti, salad and garlic bread
  
• Fish, Rice and Broccoli
  
• Soup and sandwiches...probably chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese
  
• Tuna casserole
  
• Pizza, of course
  
• Beef Stew in the crock pot
  
• Lasagna

Around the house...we are spreading out. The boys have new rooms! Dave and Derek both have their own rooms for the first times, and Pat got a bigger room and I have a real school room. I need to finish that up Monday morning. The rest of the house got a good once over in the moving and cleaning frenzy on Friday and Saturday, so it's looking pretty good...yeah!

From the learning rooms...it's the first week of our ABeka in the AM, MFW in the afternoons on T and TH with Jodi and company. So tomorrow, we will start with ABeka and then a trip to the library to restock the book basket.

One of my favorite things...FREEDOM and the Love of the Savior

From my picture journal......Oooo, what to share this week?? So many birds, not enough wires...LOL!!

If you enjoy the simple things and want a place to join some like minded ladies...head on over to Miss Peggy's site at http://www.thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ You'll like it there ; )

~K~

It's the Little Things

I've discovered as I make this journey through life that it's not the huge things that make or break your day, week, month or life. It's the little things. So in honor of the little things, list a few with me that made your day, week, month or life brighter or sweeter.

• It's asking the hubbs to escort the little guy to bed and 20 minutes later finding them curled up together asleep


• It's knowing the LAST load of laundry is just about dry


• It's having hubby's lunch packed and the coffee pot prepped for the early morning rush


• It's knowing that your kids like you enough to WANT to hang out with you on a Sunday afternoon.

I like the idea of this style of post. If you like it too, add your little things! I'm making it a goal to focus on the positive this year...Join me!

~K~

Good Bye 2009!

Well, here it is the very first day of 2010..and all I have to say is WOW...just, Wow! This year just seemed to fly past at a ridiculous pace. We ended the year by spending the evening with 'Shua and Lauren. Nothing fancy...just pizza, chips and laughter...Tri-ominoes, giggles and NO Monopoly : ) All of us grown ups were waiting for midnight so we could go to bed, but David and Pat were still going strong. Youth is SO wasted on the young...LOL! Here are some silly pics of last night...enjoy!

Dan and I being goofy right before midnight


Lauren got snapped while her guard was down...yes!! Victory for me~

Rusty was chewing on Dan's hair...way tooooo funny!

David and Pat rang in the new year with Super Smash Brothers...go Luigi!

Derek got up from the table at about 10:05 and said..."I'm not tired." And was asleep on the couch 5 minutes later...LOL

Hurley Adventure

Oh my, What a wonderful adventure. That could easily encompass my whole marriage (LOL) but for now, it's just about a short vacation in December. : ) A few weeks back, Dan ordered a new hammer..and it took it's sweet time in getting here. When Dan called home Monday to see if it had arrived yet and I announced that it had, he told me that he would be coming home to pick it up as his old hammer just wasn't doing it's job any more. I decided that I would see if I could find some sitters and go back to spend the rest of the work week with him. We were ready for a break, he was really frustrated at work, I was 'bored' at home (keep in mind that boredom is relative) and we were ready for a little get away. So due to some wonderful friends...Tracy took Derek and David for the 3 days, and Josh and Lauren took Pat. I packed a bag of clothes, snacks and scrapbook supplies and was waiting when Dan got home. He was as thrilled as I was and after an evening at work for me, we headed out to Hurley. Dan still had to work, but for the next 3 days we talked and laughed and spent uninterrupted time together...oh my, it was glorious! And while he was working, I slept in, read 2 books and handmade about 50 cards...I had so much fun. We arrived home well rested, more relaxed than we have been in months and ready to face the world again. Who knew that 3 days could make such a difference??

AS an added bonus, Dan had been told that Monday that he would be getting laid off at the end of the week...and he was. But he had spent the week setting up side jobs to keep himself busy and food on the table. So we were not concerned too much by the lay off, but God had even better plans : ) As we were driving home from Hurley, the boss called and said that they wanted Dan up in a town called Tularosa starting on Monday. And this is at the time when everyone else has been laid off except the supervisors. It's a testament to Dan's hard working ethics and God's provision for our family. *sigh of contentment* God is soooo good!!

Kristy

The BIG Trip ~ Days 14, 15, and 16

OK...we're in for the home stretch here...LOL! If you missed last post, check it out here Moving onward and upward. After a late night due to the wedding, we we all a bit late for church the next morning, but no one seemed to mind. As we settled in for another of Bro John's wonderful sermons, there was an air of curiosity in the air. What would possess the newly married couple to show up at the service??? Why were several other families that don't normally attend in the building?? Hmmm, well, after a rousing and somewhat convicting message from the pulpit, it was time for the benediction and LOW and BEHOLD, who should saunter to the front but The one and only Ricky Bean! WHAT?!?!?!?! well, I knew that it was coming, but several people nearly fell out of their pew...LOL! Bro John had already met with him and he was ready to be baptized...Oh my, the GLORY rolled! I very nearly got the vapors myself and as we watched Ricky get baptized by Bro John, Dan cried completely unashamedly. We had (and continue to) pray so much for him. I was ashamed that although I prayed for it, and I knew God could do it...I just fretted that Ricky never would come to the Lord. Oh well, lesson learned, don't put God in a box.

After that wonderful service, we headed to John and Debbie's house to enjoy an afternoon of MeYeR family fun. Almost everyone was there, except for Justin and Christina who were both working. Jerry and Maria, Mambo and Aunt Esther, all the cousins for the boys to play with...it was great. I enjoyed perusing John and Debbie's Hawaii vacation pictures, chatting with Paul and Jill about being crunchy, homeschooling and the like, and Dan caught up with his Dad for a bit. John and Deb had recently put in a pool and so the boys played happily in there for quite some time, then they trailed the teenage cousins wherever they went. We had some great food, even better fellowship and quite frankly, it was probably the best time I've ever had over there. After a impromptu photo extravaganza, it was time to say goodbye amid a flurry of hugs.

When we got home, sadly, it was time to pack for home. Mom had helped me stay on top of the laundry so that we weren't heading back with bags full of dirty laundry...hurray! Liz came over to keep me company and we chatted and laughed while stuffing the bags full again, looking for this and that and finding all the odds and ends that Pat had all around from spending 4 months in IL. All too soon the night was over and it was time for a final goodbye for us...BOO! Dan arrived home after spending an evening with friends and we all headed to bed so that we could get Dan to the airport in the early AM
The next morning...we all gathered for a breakfast together and to say final goodbyes. Jodi and the boys, Mike and Kelly with their 5, Mom and Dad, plus all of us...it was a house full, that's for sure. We took bunches of pictures, promised to write/call/e-mail more often and then it was Go time. We all piled in and waved one last goodbye...*sigh*...leaving is hard! Dan announced that he was going to ditch his ticket and drive home with us...and so he did. We found our way over to Osco Il to meet my Internet bestie Jen, who graciously opened her home to us based solely on the promise that we were NOT axe murderers...LOL! We met her dear, sweet children, got chewed on by her goat, had lunch with her and the family and traded presents...hee hee! I love presents ; ) Again, all too soon it was time to go, rats! Anywho, we piled in the van again and began the long trek home. And that's what we did for the next 2 days...drive, drive and drive some more. By the time we got home LATE Tuesday night, David, Patrick and I were all sick, Dan had to leave in 6 hours to go back to work and exhausted doesn't even begin to describe the sleepiness we felt. I think bone weary is a bit better. At any rate, we were HOME!!! Ahh, home....I love home! The dogs were thrilled to see us after 16 days and nearly knocked Dan down upon entering the house. : ) We put the boys to bed, unpacked the van as quickly as we could and headed to bed ourselves. And THAT is all she wrote!!

Thanks for taking the journey with us,

Kristy

The BIG Trip ~The Wedding!!

Hello again! If you have been following the BIG TRIP saga...catch up here if you desire. Today's post is about the BIG day...the wedding, the reason for our trip and the much anticipated culmination of over 6 years of dating for Joshua and Lauren. The day dawned bright and clear...although a bit chilly. Everyone was up and getting ready early in the morning. Mom and I had stayed up into the wee hours of the morning, pressing clothes, practicing music, finding every one's shoes and giving them a quick polish so that today would run smoothly. After a quick breakfast, we began doing the modified stationary panic in which everyone jumps up and down, flapping their arms and yelling, "Have you seen my _____ ((Fill in the Blank))??" To which the rest of us reply, "Of course not, why would I have your such and such?" or "Yes, I've told you 38, 612 times that it's right there on the end of the sofa."*sigh of exasperation** So after MUCH ado, many snappy responses, and much blustering and a few wrestling matches over the bathroom, Dan and I were out the door, since Dan was ushering and I was playing music and singing special. The boys were mostly ready so Dad and Mom offered to bring them so they wouldn't be bored before the ceremony. As the time approached, everyone got a bit tense, but the general air was festive as we all waited to see the moment arrive. At the appointed time, Hannah started playing the prelude, the ushers seated the guests...and then it was TIME. The mothers were seated by Mike and Dan, I sang special, then I started to play Lauren's favorite song while the groomsmen came out and the bridesmaids glided down the aisle. After the appropriate dramatic pause, the bridal march was started, the back doors opened, and a radiant Lauren appeared on Russ' arm as they came down the aisle together. The rest of the ceremony is a blur of happy thoughts, well spoken vows, roses for mothers and playing with Zoe who thought the wedding was boring...but she's two, how much can we expect, right? When Bro John announced them husband and wife, the guests applauded and cheered for this couple that we all love so much. They took their first stroll as husband and wife, and then returned to the altar for many pictures. After that, we were all off to the reception. As we eagerly waited for their arrival, the guests chatted and munched on some finger foods. When they DID arrive, the DJ announced the bridal party as they came down the steps into the church fellowship hall, then Josh and Lauren surprised us by popping out of the elevator...LOL! After that, cake was cut, toasts were made and the dancing started. It was good times...everyone was lovely, the music was a good mix and everything was truly JUST right. As the afternoon came to a close, we said goodbye to the exhausted couple and sent them on their way. We stayed to help clean up and everyone kept saying how well everything went, and it was true. It was one of the nicest weddings I've ever been to, and that's the truth. I'm so glad for them...they deserve all the happiness that life can afford them. Love you both soooo much!!

Kristy

PS. Stay tuned for the NEXT exciting chapter