Joy-FULL February 2011 Catchin UP! Days 16-24

Please forgive the mass catch up post, but this month has just been so busy. Thanks for understanding : )

Day 16~ Something that I rarely 'allow' myself to do is sleep in, or go back to bed after Dan leaves for work. However, there is something so refreshing about a little nap here or there, or even better, just sleeping in. It's so, well, decadent feeling, like I've somehow become a lady of leisure overnight and I no longer have to heed the alarm clock's demanding bell. It's glorious! I've allowed myself to get back to bed after Dan left several times this month and it's been wonderful!

Day 17~on the flip side of sleeping in, is getting up REALLY early, before the mayhem of the day arrives. When the house is quiet, and I can check on sleeping boys, start a hot breakfast for a treat, get the dishwasher unloaded and feed the critters, and get my computer time done, all before the day officially starts. It's great to start the day ahead of the game instead of waking up behind the 8 ball and running all day to catch up. The best part is having time to do my devotions without interruption. Now THAT'S a great way to start the day.

Day 18~ New books! I love books! New books, "new to me" books, borrowed books or old books found after a long disappearance. Just love books! A while back, I went to the used book store and also hit a big book sale at B and N in the same week and I bought TONS of books for us to dive into. Everything from a DVD math program to a field guide to our plants, animals and such around here, and a couple of novels for me, and some for the boys. Ooooo! I just love new books. I've given myself 'permission' to purchase a new book now and then. I had quit buying them for a while in an effort to save money and while that is good, having quality literature and homeschooling resources available is also a good thing. So, I have a little book budget now : )

Day 19~ Dinner recipes that EVERYONE likes! In most families, I think there is at least one picky eater. I am a tad on the adventuresome side when it comes to food. Those of you who have known me a long time, this is a NEW thing for me : ) However, some of my family members are not so open to new food sources, or familiar ingredients used in new ways. So it's always wonderful when you try a new recipe and EVERYONE likes it! Or at the very least, no one declares it gross or disgusting, LOL! Last month, I tried 6 new recipes in one week, using only my crock pot. Some were met with rave reviews, some mediocre and some were awful. But the ones that were great, they will make it into the prized recipe box which holds the recipes that EVERYONE likes, so next time I need to hit one out of the park for a dinner party, I know which ones to use. Mmmm, delish!

Day 20~ Bargains!! Who doesn't love a good bargain, right?? I know I sure do! It's brings me great joy to fill my pantry with good, wholesome food on the cheap, or to use my Kohls employee discount on clearance items, with an extra 15% off coupon to put quality clothes in my kids' dressers for way less money. Again, something that I'd quit doing was shopping sales because we were trying to cut every cost to the bare minimum, but now that things are easing up a bit, it's time to hit the clearance racks again : ) Anyone wanna go shopping??

Day 21~ Days of rest. They are quite rare around here as we've become quite the mobile family. As the kids are growing up, we spend more and more time on the road, taking them hither and yon. So a day that does NOT require us to leave the house after 3 pm is a treat! Saturday, we just laid around like beached whales, sleeping, resting, reading and lounging while the day waxed and waned around us. It was GLORIOUS! What a time of refreshing it was after the last 12 hectic weeks. I felt like a whole new person come Sunday morning! We've got to get back to taking good care of ourselves even when life gets hectic.

Day 22~ Getting out doors each day. I've been sadly neglecting getting outside with the boys recently and I've missed it. Even if we just walk around the block or ride bikes up and down the street, we (I) need to get out every day. It provides Vit D, fun, a connection to the wonderful creations of God, and helps our bodies take care of themselves as we breathe in the fresh clean air, and breathe out the indoors stale, over processed air.

Day 23~ The technological age. I have so been enjoying getting back on Skype and chatting with friends and family across the land. It's so fun to see them while they are talking to you, makes everyone seem that much closer. We talked to my mom this week, and Derek ran to get all the crafts he's made in Kinder this year so PaPa and Grma could see them, then came the long line of cars he's fascinated with this week. David showed off his new gymnastics sweatshirt and his longer hair. Karen and I laughed and giggled as we watched Dad and Mom interact with each other and the grandbabies. Good times!

Day 24~ Friends! I've often been guilty of neglecting my friendships for the sake of spending time with my family. I'm working now on a balance that includes caring for my family's needs while still enjoying healthy, well balanced friendships. So, to all my friends that have been with me for the long haul and know that I can take weeks to return a phone call at times, thanks for hanging in there while I learned some balance : ) You all are wonderful and bring me GREAT JOY!

Thanks for catching up with me in this great adventure I'm taking!