#100HappyDays2018: Day 13

#100HappyDays: Day 13
New towels!! PattyCakes bought them for me as a belated Mother’s Day gift.
If you’ve been to my house in the recent past, you KNOW the battle I’ve been waging regarding #TeenagersRuinEverything so rejoice with me over new towels!

#100DaysOfSummer
#100HappyDays2018 — with Patrick Meyer at The Man Crew House.

#100HappyDays: Day 43

 

Day 43 of #100HappyDays
I've tried not to share more than one photo for each of these posts, and I've also tried to avoid making collages, but these were too cute not to share! As I looked through my SnapChat pics today, I discovered these of DT and Judah from Sunday.

I love-Love-LOVE that my boys love little ones so much! They all take such good care of any little one who passes through our door and our arms.

Please to note that in one of the photos, Judah has fallen asleep. He crawled up on DT's lap and they played until he just conked out. Precious!
— feeling happy with Victoria Sanchez, Derek Meyer and Ricky Bean at The Man Crew House.

Thankful Thursday: Choosing Joy Today

Thursday has always been a tough day for me. I have no idea why, but I just can't seem to get the hang of Thursdays. After 41 years of practice, one would assume that I've got Thursdays down to a science, nay an art even. *One* would be wrong. ;)
For whatever reason, Thursday just doesn't want to be my friend. So, to combat this Thursday's irritations, annoyances and unwelcome surprises, I'm going to fight back, with a healthy (if mildly sarcastic) dose of humor.
~To the small child who sneezed in my face despite my repeated requests to cover hers, I say THANK YOU for the improved immune system you are helping me create.
~To the person who made me arrive late home from work, I say THANK YOU for allowing me to enjoy the first time EVER that Dan fretted about being late somewhere. 
~To the aforementioned child that has a serious case of what I call "Chronic Repeater-Itis" I say THANK YOU for helping me practice my patience level as I remind her (yet again) to stop repeating herself and give me a chance to respond to her request.
~To the teenager who thinks I'm old, prudish and irrelevant, I say THANK YOU for the reminder to thank my parents one more time for teaching me values, morals, endurance for the journey and respect for my elders.  And here's to hoping that he has *exciting* children one day that think HE is boring, prudish and irrelevant.
~To the young man who showed up at my door last night expecting a warm welcome and a place to sleep, two things come to mind. 1. THANK YOU for the reminder to be prepared for anything when being married to Hercules (I really should have been a Boy Scout) and 2, if you want a warm welcome and place to sleep, you really should let the lady of the house know you are coming. ;)
~To the expensive sport that one of my son's enjoys so much, THANK YOU for the huge bills that keep coming to remind me of why we are so careful with our money this time of year. Pantry challenge, anyone?
~To all the young 20-somethings that bring drama to my life, sometimes in a good way, and sometimes in a not-so-good way, THANK YOU for the chance to redeem MY young 20s by sharing a little wisdom with you. PLEASE listen to me. As my father used to say, "Learn from my mistakes, you don't have time to make them all yourself." (I am fairly convinced my dad was the smartest man that ever lived but that's another story altogether.)
~To the man whom I love more than anything and also drives me batty with his *surprises* and spontaneity, I say THANK YOU for keeping things fun after all this time and keeping me from becoming a boring old stooge who doesn't know how to have any fun anymore.
~To ALL the bad drivers everywhere, I say THANK YOU for keeping me on my toes and WIDE WIDE awake everywhere I go. 
     With heartfelt blessings and a healthy sense of humor to you, Thursday...thanks for keeping it real.
          ~K~
PS. If you, too, have a day that just gets away from you every week, share a comment about it with us!

Joy Journal 2015

Hi Friends!
Over at Ben and Me, I found this great printable to journal my joy this year. I printed it out, 3 hole punched it and put in multi-colored book rings to make my journal complete, and placed it next to my laptop on my desk so that I can record something from each day that brought me joy. I guess that makes it Grati-Tuesday every day this year. :)
Come along on the journey with me and add a comment about something you are grateful for this year.

January

1. A Fresh Start
2. SNOW!! In Cruces
3. A perfect BLT
4. A tidy junk drawer
5. Completed House Paperwork
6. ---
7. Time spent with Dan at the end of a busy day
8. A quiet evening at home
9. 7 Wonders (new game for Game Night)
10. A 'Welcome Home' card from the previous owner
11. Family Photos :)
12. Our credit score went UP, thanks Bob!
13. The check from Dan's retirement came in today!
14. A love note from Love Monkey
15. The B-Bunch's Buick
16. A delightful chat with 'Shua and Tony
17. Packing helpers
18. Patrick (Happy 16th birthday)
19. A day off
20. A great day of school with Derek
21. Dan's boss bragging about him to me
22. WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!! (in a blizzard...in Cruces. Weird)
23. 1st Game Night at the new house (no, we haven't moved in yet)
24. David's 1st meet of gymnastics season
25. MOVING DAY! Best move ever
26. We found Thunder, who had become lost in the move
27. Kitchen is set up *enough*
28. Bedrooms are set up completely except for the master
29. Bathrooms are fully set up
30. Snake Atrium completed
31. Fish tank here safely

February

1. I met with Jesus at home while the Man Crew attended church. Jesus is easier to find when the house is empty of boys. ;)
2. ---Lost To---
3. ---The Move---
4. ---Aftermath and---
5. ---Ensuing Exhaustion.---
6. ---Good things happened, I just didn't record them in time to remember them. Oops---
7. Dan built me a spinning DVD rack. SCORE!
8. SEEK series started at church. Fasting, anyone?
9. Mike Eorio came to visit the new house.
10. Sister-Girl Night
11. Derek is nearly caught up in school after the move and subsequent mayhem
12. Autumn Rose (great niece) was born safely this morning.
13. Manicure with Grace for the Father/Daughter dance at MPCC
14. David's 2nd meet
15. Lunch with Doug and Amy.
16. A day spent at home.
17. A coffee date with Myra and Amy
18.  Being productive!
19. Road trip to Phoenix which included a sing-along <3 li="">
20. David's 3rd meet
21. Safe drive home
22. Setting up Game Room with Dan
23. Back to 'normal'
24. Happy birthday MOM
25. Happy 40th birthday Dan
26. Great chat with 'Shua
27. Met Autumn Rose. I have died and gone to great-auntie heaven!
28. David bought a car :) 92 Nissan Pathfinder...with his own money

March

1. HELLO SCREEN FREE MONTH!
2. David got his driver's license
3. Science experiments with Derek, thanks to Magic set from B&N
4. MORE science experiments
5. Free pecan firewood, just come and get it
6. GAME NIGHT
7. Pig Roast at Bobby and Julie's house. Good times!
8. Started 'GOD IS..." series at MPCC
9. ON schedule to finish school before July
10. Finally back to the library, and paid my enormous fine. Oops. LOL!
11. Dan got a new chainsaw and chopped all the wood for the fireplace this year.
12. Happy Birthday Lizzie!
13. Hanging pictures in the Living Room and new friends at Game Night
14. I remembered the time change, hurray!
15. A relaxing Sunday anticipating the WHOLE WEEK OFF of work
16. Hanging my star lights with Dan on the patio
17. Jodi's Learn for a Lifetime 5 year anniversary celebration
18. Rachel is arriving today for a visit!
19. Reviving my long neglected blog :) Hi friends!
20. Relaxing day off before Super Fun Game Night
21. State Meet with David in Abq
22. Church at R2R
23. Spent the day baking and hanging out with Rachel
24. Jay and Rachel cooked dinner for us. 
25. ---
26. ---
27. Dinner with Bobby and Julie (new friends through Dan's work)
28. Rachel arrived safely back home
29. Hercules and Ricky had such fun together working on RC cars
30. I had breakfast and a nice chat with Ricky before he left
31. Back to Sister-Girl Night (alone)

April

1. GoodBYE Screen Free Month
2. Hello NO Pants April
3. Good Frieday
4. Many compliment about NPA attire
5. Resurrection Day
6. Took my first ever decent selfie
7. Funny comment from Pat (him: Mom, when are you doing haircut? Me: Why? Him: Because my unicorn is dead, of course. Me: Bwuahahahah!)
8. More compliments on NPA
9. Road trip for Regionals with David and Karen: Hope to see Andy-Boy as well
10. Arrived safely in Co Springs, CO
11. REGIONALS!!
12. Home safely
13. Coffee with Karen
14. Thrift store SCORE: 6 new-to-me pieces for under $4
15. TAXES were paid months ago. Woot!
16. Keeping up with my blogging
17. 2 more new-to-me skirts for $6
18.  Created a fire pit in the courtyard: Thanks Hercules!
19. Started the 50 Shades of Black and White series at MPCC. GOOD STUFF!
20. David got new glasses
21. A great day of school!
22. Dinner out with the Benson ladies
23. Catch up on blogging
24. Birthday Game Night: Alex, Art, Charlie, Cody and David G.
25. Gymnastics Banquet
26. Homemade pizza and movies with the whole family
27. ---
28. ---
29. ---
30. ---

May  

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June 

1. Happy birthday G!
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6.  Happy birthday, Boss Man
7.  Happy birthday, A
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July

1.  
2. Ricky arrived :) I knew he was coming this time. 
3. Ricky + Game Night = too much silliness for this old lady. Good times
4. Happy Independence Day America! We relaxed at home. Alone. Perfection, even without a bbq, fireworks or multitudes of people at our house.
5. Lunch at Cracker Barrel with all the men, plus Ricky
6.  
7.  Started a Squats Challenge with the CEO Moms group on FB
8. Lazy day at work. 
9. Wrote some letters (way ahead on this yearly goal)
10. RAIN! In the desert
11.  
12.  Big Batch Cooking day, and free peaches!
13. 
    
14. Wet-N-Wild with D, P, DT, A and Merrick. Short but FUN!
15. Happy birthday Z
16. Chatted with 'Shua
17.  7 Wonders played at the new house. FINALLY! Woot
18.  David hosted a MtG Tourney. Fun was had by all
19.  Dan and Bobby arrived safely in Iowa City for their new jobs
20.  Mean Machines Camp for DT
21.  Long chat with Karen by phone
22.  Pat and Gracie attending Project Jerusalem
23.  Made a new friend (Melody) while preparing lunch for the Project Jerusalem kiddos
24.  Breakfast with the BossLady
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August

September

October

November

December

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!

Joy-FULL February 2011 ~Day 16/Simple Woman's Daybook

Here's is another Simple Woman's Daybook entry. LOVE, love, LOVE these posts, and how they insist that I slow down, think coherently, and organize my feelings into word pictures. Here we go.

For Today...February 23, 2011
Outside my window... the sun shines bleakly through the thick clouds that are so rare here. It is breezy and cool. Although cool is relative, of course : ) Dan still rode his motorcycle to work.
I am thinking...That I'm glad I gave myself today 'off' I've been busy all day, I can't imagine how I would be feeling if I hadn't been a slacker today, HA!
I am thankful...for boys that have played so nicely together today. Playing imaginative games, helping one another out with chores and school, and coloring all together. It is sweet! I'm also thankful for filed taxes and the anticipation of getting our money back soon. Does that make me shallow?? I sure hope not!

From the learning rooms...today, very little. Just a math and spelling lesson. Usually, we get much more accomplished, but that's why we needed a break today, so we could get to those other things that pile up when we aren't looking.
From the kitchen...nothing yet. Dinner is Steak Fajitas. YUM~O! Other meals this week include ham and bean soup, lasagna, pizza, a popcorn and veggie tray night and to my everlasting shame, beanies and weanies. BLECK, but the boys love them, so I am allowing them their disgusting treat. I'll have salad! LOL!
I am wearing...jeans and a layered t-shirt, along with bare feet and ridiculously SHORT french braid. I still feel a bit bald after this month's donation of hair.
I am creating...sassy new hairdos, mended jeans, creative boys and a happy hubby. And less mess due to still unpacking boxes here and there that keep appearing.
I am going...to work later this evening, running the Mama taxi later this week, and taking a trip to the library, too.
I am reading...a fabulous book that breaks down the constitution into little phrases and makes it understandable. If you've ever wanted to really get INTO the constitution, read this book.
I am hoping... that Dan has a wonderful birthday on Friday, and that school continues to roll along in the smooth fashion that is has been for the past few weeks!
I am hearing... Dan's router buzzing in the garage as he creates cutting boards for friends, D and DT playing video games together, and Patrick sighing loudly over having to use the dictionary to finish his spelling lesson. Outside I can hear Shadow barking at the Fed Ex truck as it rumbles past, and the cars driving in and out of the neighborhood. All nice, homey sounds, well except for the router, it's noisy, LOL!
Around the house... a load of laundry waits to be folded (as always) dinner is about to get started and the WHOLE house could use a good dusting. But, pictures are up on the walls, the floors and counters are clean, as well as the bathrooms, and I know where all the library book are for once : )
A few plans for the rest of the week...Dan's, my Mom's and Lily's birthdays this week, GAME NIGHT returns after cancelling last week for a road trip, work, work and more work for Dan and I both, and homeschool just keeps rolling on. Oh and James and T will be over tonight and Friday so Jodi can tutor. A nice full week.
A picture thought I am sharing with you... A few of my wild hooligans that I can family. Dan and Derek during the gymnastics meet on Saturday in Phoenix. And David working on his handstand press.

This post is brought to you by The Simple Woman over at her site, appropriately named http://www.thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ Check her out!

Joy-FULL February 2011 ~Day 15

I find JOY in the small things, the simple things, and the quiet things. A chat with a friend, a letter in the mail, a good book, a thoughtful comment, an appreciative hubby, cheerful boys, or a kind cashier at the store. These are all 'little' things, but they do bring cheer to the heart. The stillness of the morning before the regular mayhem and chaos take over, a cup of hot tea with an encouraging/funny/helpful blog to read, laughing with friends at game night, the mountains in the distance, or driving back into our town in the late evening and watching the lights as they twinkle from the distance getting closer and closer. A secret whispered in the ear, whether it be from a sticky faced 5 year old, or a question from a teenager, or even something silly from the hubbs about where he hid the chocolate stash from the kiddies. : ) I love going to from room to room after the boys have been shooed off to bed, and finding them all reading a new book, or realizing that they've all piled into one room because they prefer not being apart. Hearing Dan say that he wants to live here forever. These are all little things on their own, but together they make one wonderfully JOY-filled life. I am blessed.

Now then, where IS the chocolate???

Joy-FULL February 2011 ~Day 14

I {heart} homeschooling! I do, it's great! I get to spend time with my boys, who will be grown and gone before I know it, I can teach from a Biblical perspective and I can decide how and what they learn. There's so much more to it, but those are the overriding principles of it. Teaching a child to read, do his letters correctly and finally "GET" math, that brings me great JOY. I've learned so much from teaching and learning alongside of the boys. All my boys know how to bake, care for babies, clean the house and how to have friends that aren't in their exact age bracket. I also give 'how to be a good hubby' lessons, LOL! They are curious, and we can chase down those curiosities. Just yesterday we discussed Siamese/conjoined twins (what they are, how they form and how cooperative they must be for each other) texting and cell phone usage etiquette, and the history of Valentine's Day. And that was all before lunch. : ) Other times, we watch animal videos, How It's Made video clips, do crafts, go to the farmer's market, or read a 'classic' and then watch the movie to see if they followed the storyline. If there's an 'old' version and a 'new' version of the movie, even better. One we really enjoyed last year was "Around the World in 80 Days' which David and Patrick managed to read in just 2.5 days. I could go on for days about how much JOY homeschooling brings me, but I'll hush.

I will add this disclaimer...

I don't think homeschooling is the best choice for everyone. I don't think that sending your child to public or private school is anyone else's decision but yours. I'm not a public school basher, or a private school hater. We just do what works for us, as should you. Please don't anyone think that I'm judging you if you don't homeschool.

Joy-FULL February 2011 ~Day 13

Still behind. Gotta catch up, hold on, here we go~
Today I want to just quickly mention something that bring me JOY. Taking these trips with the family for David's gymnastics has just been wonderful. We rarely go anywhere outside of our town, as we're all basically homebodies, but we do like an occasional adventure and these have provided just the right amount of excitement. We plan it all out, we pack up and head out. We get to watch David enJOY his new found sport and that brings us JOY. It also prevents us from wasting the whole weekend in front of the TV, running errands or just wasting time in some other fashion. It also makes us appreciate how much we enJOY being home. (see previous post) We've been to Rio Rancho, to Albuquerque twice, we're heading to Phoenix this weekend and before the season is done, we will have been to Albuquerque again, had a meet here in town and possibly even Colorado Springs for Regionals. Along the way, we've visited with old friends, made some new friends, squeezed in some family fun like putt putt golf and our first visit to a tapan grill restaurant, and had several delightful conversations that only seem to happen in the car on a long ride. Such a blessing this has turned out to be! Thanks you Jodi for helping us get started. : )

Joy-FULL February 2011 ~Day 12

I LOVE being home. Love it, love it, LOVE IT! I love watching the boys wake up each morning all sleepy-eyed and bedhead-y, I love sending Dan off to work with a full tummy, a tasty lunch, a smile and a wave. I love keeping the house neat (err, most of the time I love that) I love being able to run my errands during the day when less people are crowding the stores. I love homeschooling, I LOVE being the one that gets to spend time with them and I love having dinner ready at 5:30 every night. Call me old fashioned, call me June Cleaver, Suzy Homemaker or Betty Crocker, call me irrelevant and outdated, I don't care. I just LOVE being home. It brings me great JOY to be able to provide for/contribute to my family in this way.

Joy-FULL February 2011 ~Day 11

My goodness I am behind! Let's get this back on track with a few shorty posts. For today, the generosity and kindness of my friends that read this blog bring me JOY. They never complain when I am late, offer kind comments when something touches them and they almost all write things that inspire me. So today, it's all about YOU~

What brings you JOY?

Joy-FULL February 2011 ~Day 10

(Kayla, this one is just for YOU! EnJOY the guilt blanket)

Again I'm late, but several of the past few days have just flown past stuffed full of life, errands, school, chores, baking and then my 'real' job. I use quotes around it because I consider my REAL job to be this one at home, but the world considered my real job to be the one at Kohls. For today, let's focus on Kohl's. I enJOY my job with Kohl's. I do! It's late at night, doesn't interfere with our family time much, doesn't require us to purchase another car, hire a sitter or go to public school. It's a pretty good compromise as far as jobs go. I also enJOY the people that I work with, the ad set team is the hardest working team on the property. Just ask us, we'll tell you *winks* Actually, because only 8 of us are trained to do ad set, we always work with the same people each night, so we've become friends and teammates instead of a revolving door of new faces each night. I will admit to enJOYing my employee discount, too! As a whole, it's not a bad gig. Dan is happy because I'm working, I'm happy because I'm honoring him and God, and not having to 'sell out' to accomplish my goals. All in all, it's great!

Joy-FULL February 2011 ~Day 9

Another short post in an effort to catch up : ) Something that brings me JOY is spending a little while each day on Facebook/Cafemom keeping up with friends and family across the miles. Also meeting like minded crunchy/homeschooling mamas to share ideas and helpful hints with, exchange recipes with and just enjoy like minded chatter. *sigh* It's good!

~K~

Joy-FULL February 2011 ~Day 8

Just a little quick post about something that brings me JOY. A slice of ice cream cake while the rest of the house is sleeping and I don't have to share : ) That is all. Shhh, don't tell!

~K~

Joy-FULL February 2011 ~Day 7

Today I'm writing about something that always brings me JOY, and that is planning. I love to watch a blank page in my daily TO DO notebook fill up with things to do, people to see and places to go. It keeps me on track when I would sometimes rather spend the day playing online, chatting on the phone or laying around reading a new book. I love to plan our meals so that I always know the answer to that dreaded question, "Mom, what's for dinner?" That also saves me money, and while that brings me joy, it is a WHOLE other post : ) I LOVE to fill up our homeschooling planner with interesting books to read, field trips to take, projects to try, and links to follow on the computer. I used to say that planning made me feel more in control and as a good portion of you know, I'm a bit of a control freak (that's a whole other post, too) so that made me feel good. As I aged and *hopefully* matured, I've learned that no matter what, we are never really in control anyway, so I've had to deal with that concept and then see if/where planning fit into my life. For a while, I just gave up planning and went with the whole 'fly by the seat of my pants' idea because I was so frustrated with all my careful planning was going out the window on a daily basis. And I can honestly say that it brought more stress into my life than having plans and then having upset plans, so here I am back to planning. Not because it makes me feel in control of the situation, but because it makes me feel more prepared to handle whatever the day brings my way. Let's be honest, some people live perfectly manicured little lives where nothing out of the ordinary ever happens. I'm NOT one of them, so I need to be ready, whether that means dealing with a sick/naughty child while I'm trying to teach the rest, fixing dinner for a crowd on 20 minutes notice, cleaning the house while the littles are messing it up faster than I can clean, being able to rearrange the school day so that we can leave the house on a moment's notice to help a friend or even take an impromptu field trip, or having/making the time to spend a few quiet minutes each day with Dan somewhere in the midst of all this chaos that we call home. Or finding cats in the wall, LOL! Anywho, all of that to say that I love to plan so that I'm ready no matter what the day throws at me, what the kiddos are up to, or where the Lord leads that day. It's GOOD to be prepared. As my sister Kelly's husband always says, "Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance." And he's right : )

Blessings, ~K~

Joy-FULL February 2011 ~Day 6

Today I remembered something that brings me JOY and that is not procrastinating. While some things inevitably get pushed aside in the chaos that IS my daily life, some things should not be allowed to be put on the back burner. So, today I bit the bullet and did something that I've been putting off for a while now. I had Dan cut my hair. Like 15 inches cut off. I'm donating to Locks of Love so that some little one will have a chance to feel 'normal' and pretty again. And that brings me JOY, too!

As for the procrastination part, I've been thinking about and talking about cutting my hair for almost 6 months. Just like I always put off cleaning out my closet until it threatens to collapse and crush me with it's contents. Just like I HATE doing the dishes, but it always feels so nice when they are all done, and I feel like I can relax for a while without them calling me from the kitchen : ) So, no more procrastination for me this month. I'm just going to do the tough things first in the morning and then the rest of the day will be cake. I know, I'm old enough to know these things, but every once in a while, we all need a good reminder of what we already know. Have a JOY filled day, everyone!

Blessings,

~K~

Joy-FULL February 2011 ~Day 5

Today's post is quite simple to understand, but difficult to implement sometimes. Something that brings me JOY is silence. In a house FULL of rowdy boys, fish pump filters, electronic labor saving devices, and surround sound speakers, silence can be difficult to come by, and even more difficult than finding some is taking the time to enJOY it, allowing it to seep into my soul. Letting it fill in the quiet parts in my heart, quiet my restless thoughts and random ideas, allowing my thoughts to drift toward the Savior ...*sigh* It's good! That's all for today. Take some time and enJOY some silence if you can find any.

Shhhhhh, ~K~

Joy-FULL February 2011 ~Day 4/Simple Woman's Daybook

Today I am going to share a post that I've missed doing quite a bit. It's called the Simple Women's Daybook. It brings me JOY to simplify my thoughts, organize my days and center my heart each week with this post, and since I've quit doing them, I often find my weeks spinning out of control, my heart is grumpy and disorganized. So, as part of my back to the JOY February, I'm beginning to do them again, starting with this one. And they go a little something like this : )

For Today... February 5, 2011

Outside my window... the sun is shining weakly and melting the last of the snow from Wednesday. The temperature is a mild 33* and a gentle breeze stirs the leaves.

I am thinking... that a house full of boys is a wonderful thing, except when they are all sick : )

I am thankful for... regular electricity after this week's rolling blackouts in the aftermath of "Snow-maggedon" Heat, working appliances, and a snug home.

From the learning rooms... We have enjoyed a light week of work since Daddy was home for 2 days in the middle of the week. Spelling lists are going well, the DVD math program is just the BEST THING EVER, and this week we started the Story of the World series. The boys are begging for more each day.

From the kitchen... not much today so far. I need to go to the store for a few fresh supplies, but mostly we are enjoying the stocking up I've done in recent months.

I am wearing... My uniform for the Gym, but I need to change back into my housework clothes before I start cleaning this house.

I am creating... a clean, organized house. Still going through boxes as Dan finds them in the garage. It's a work in progress, but I'm enjoying going through some old pictures and such.

I am going... Nowhere today except to pick Dan up from work later.

I am reading... not much right now. Hoping to catch up on some blogs, vblogs and recipe sites soon.

I am hoping... that I don't end up sick : )

I am hearing... the end of the movie "UP" that the boys are watching, my crazy broken alarm clock going off AGAIN, since it won't shut off today, and Shadow bounding around outside since he's been cooped up in the house for the most part of 3 days.

Around the house... boxes to unpack, kitchen to clean, meal plans to make, a Living room to tidy and 3 sick boys to tend to. Gonna be a busy day!

One of my favorite things... SNOW DAYS! Even though we don't take off of school for snow, we still enjoy the snow when it comes.

A few plans for this week... School, house keeping, some baking, church if the boys are well enough, the library for some CLASSIC movies and hoping to squeeze in a date with Dan.

A picture thought that I am sharing with you... I haven't made my whole wheat yeast crust pizza for a while. I've been making baking soda crust, I want to get back to my yeast pizza dough. Here I am making some LAST February.

The Simple Woman's Daybook is brought to you by Peggy over at http://www.thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ Check it out if you, too are seeking the simple life.

Blessings,

~K~

Joy-FULL February 2011~ Day 3

It's LATE on Day 3, but since I had to work tonight, this is the earliest I could get it in. For today, it's something simple that I LOVE to do, but just end up 'too busy' to do it. I love to write letters. Short, long, sweet, scolding, thank you, congratulation, encouraging, how's the family, here's what we've been up to lately, it doesn't matter, I just love to write letters. Let's be honest, we all get enough bills, statements and sales fliers in the mail. It's SO great to open the mail box and find a letter from a friend asking how you are, thanking you for some small favor you did, or a note of encouragement while you are going through a tough time. In this technologically advanced day we live in, letter writing seems practically irrelevant anymore, but nothing says I LOVE YOU like taking the time to write a note and send it through the 'snail mail' system. Having a paper to hold in your hand is more comforting that saying, "let me dig through my zip drive files, I know you sent me something a while back" : ) So, take up the letter writing challenge with me and let's bring letter writing back!

~Kristy~

Joy-FULL February 2011~ Day 2

As I sit here in the middle of 'Snow-maggedon 2011' I had time to look through some old pictures that Dan and I found while clearing the garage. Oh my, the good time I've had today remembering how incredibly cute the boys were when they were little, how silly Dan and I were when we first met, and how many crazy things I've done over the years with my sisters. Someone remind me later in the month to tell Jodi's Bat story, now THAT brings me some joy!
Anywho, since I enJOYed the pictures so much, I thought I'd share some with you. Now if I could just get my scanner to work, all would be well. I'm updating my software in between power outages. (We've had 5 today thanks to El Paso Electric's 2 down power plants. Have I mentioned how glad I am that Dan and I recently bought a generator??) So to bring some joy back into my life this month, I'm going to dig through pictures each week. And as I find some truly great ones, I'll share them : )

PS> Can't seem to get the scanner to work right now, and I want to get this posted before we lose power again, so here goes. When I have a steady power source and can fight with the scanner more, I'll post the pics I am talking about. Love to all! ~K~

PPS: Given enough time, power and a little help from the tech guys, I can have VICTORY! Here are a few I found today~

Oh my word, what a cute baby Derek was, even if 'Shua called him "Chubby-Blubby"

What a handsome man Dan is, Am I lucky or WHAT? Actually, I'm blessed, but that's a whole other blog post

'Shua may have called him names, but he loves that baby!

Pat with his "I'm trying to be good' face. LOVE it!

Dan with baby David all bundled up for some winter blizzard in IL
Awwww, aren't we cute? Right after we started dating, I came down with the flu and Dan came to visit me.

How many brides show up looking like this? A veil masking a french twist, a shirt bought at my favorite store (Ex-Boyfriend Apparel) bike shorts and hiking boots. I'm surprised no one tried to talk Dan out of marrying me : )

Oh my, Sisters are just the best invention ever, aren't they?? Here we are in MOST of our radiant glory.

Dan is doing his creepy stare into the camera thing, but other than that, I just LOVE this pic. D and P were so cute and sweet in this one. Ahh, good times!

L Bar C Youth for Christ Camp, 1991 I think. This is the vast majority of the group of boys we called "the Stud Squad" at t he time. They were not photogenic or cooperative : ) LOL~