Weekly Preview and Review

Saturday - James' Gym & Swim party
Sunday - Nutcracker Ballet with Suzy (shopping with Suzy)
Monday - WORK 5 hrs, Christmas School, SOF Meeting & Soccer Meeting (at the same time!)
Tuesday - WORK, XMAS School
Wednesday - WORK, XMAS School
Thursday - WORK, XMAS School
Friday - WORK, Gingerbread House Day, Babysitting Fundraiser
Saturday - Christmas Ladies "thing" w/Em and Suzy, Book Club
Sunday - Visit a church?

Sleeping in on Sundays - I just love it! Two weeks in a row now, we've done that. Argh - kind of at odds with our desire to find a church, isn't it? Then I spoke to a friend whose church meets Saturday night. Maybe that's what we should look for?

James turned 11 this week. He's just growing up so fast! His actual birthday on Wednesday was celebrated with family gifts, his choice of meals (pizza, and Hamburger Helper - yes, really), and cake and ice cream. On Saturday I took James and 4 of his friends to the local community center to play basketball and swim. That was fun (and low stress for me!).

David was sick this week; he slept most of the day on Thursday. He's feeling better but still congested. He got to spend the night at a friend's house Friday to celebrate that friend's birthday.

Co-op is over for 2010 but will continue with 7 more session in 2011 (Jan-April). We keep the same classes all year, so nothing will change regarding the schedule. We are enjoying it; the kids love most of their classes.

Tried to take Suzy to the Nutcracker ballet today. I'd bought tickets through Seize the Deal, which is like Groupon (a website that secures a local 'deal of the day'). I got 2 tickets for the price of 1 several weeks ago. Printed out the voucher and took it to the theater today and was told (along with a large number of other folks) that the organization that runs the theater had sold the tickets but apparently did not communicate that to the theater itself, who then of course ALSO sold the tickets. Double-booked. And SOLD OUT. So, we were out of luck. We were shocked but then just sort of shrugged our shoulders, thinking we'll get our money back. They offered us Holiday Pops tickets - not quite a replacement to my thinking. One woman was standing there with a huge bouquet of flowers along with her voucher. Her daughter was in the performance. She was out of luck too, unless they found her a seat. She had her mom with her to see her granddaughter dance. Another woman was so angry that she was threatening to call the media. The people who worked there were rather nonplussed by the whole thing and started a list, taking our names. We'll see how this plays out.

But Suzy and I had a nice afternoon shopping for Christmas gifts and then eating out together. She was all dressed up and I curled her hair - she felt very special. I took a pic of her at dinner but had intended to take one at the theater with the Nutcracker background. Since that was all messed up, I never got a full length picture of her.

Last week I worked 3.3 extra hours. I can work up to 5 extra hours every week until the middle of January. That gives me a total of 25 hours each week. If I can squeeze the extra hour in, I do it. That extra 20 hours a month really helps when the paycheck comes. Did you know I get paid only once a month?

I just noticed that everything hanging on my wall above my desk is crooked. Lovely. lol

OK, I am way way past my bedtime. I don't know if I can get up at 6:30 if I go to bed at 1:30. Guess we'll see, eh?

Relaxing Time

Friday was homeschool co-op. I will write about that on Cornerstone.

I went to Maryann's for the night Friday night, taking David and Emily along to hang with her kids. She and I and Erin watched a couple movies Friday night and relaxed with Mexican food and rum and Coke. :-) (Not Erin, she's not yet one-and-twenty.) Movie reviews on Mirkwood. I guess David and Alex and another friend stayed up into the wee hours, playing video games. I turned off Emily and Gabby's TV at about 1am. LATE NIGHT for all the kids.

This morning we watched Someone Like You (Hugh Jackman) which I own and enjoy a lot, but hadn't watched with Maryann yet. Watching movies with my friends is usually a time for conversation and discussion. lol Then we had lunch and chatted. Another friend came by and used Mare's Cricut machine for a couple hours, then she left and another friend came by to pick up her son. A nice relaxing day. I needed that!

Left there about 3pm and stopped by Meijer on the way home to get the week's groceries. I should make up a menu for the week. Heated up pizza rolls for dinner, resulting in everyone's happiness.

There are four loads of laundry waiting to be folded - everyone does their own and puts it away. Chores are done, dishes are being washed, baths and showers are happening. Need everyone to lay out church clothes. I have to finish planning my Sunday School lesson. I have new curriculum which uses lots of hands-on stuff. Not sure how it'll work out, but I'm glad to give it a try! Can't be worse than what I WAS using, I don't think.

No plans tomorrow except to take David to youth group. I was thinking about my story off and on all weekend so I may be writing, since I need to get back to it. It's calling me!

I'm reading a book that's caught my interest - two actually. A Christian romance by Robin Lee Hatcher and Blue Like Jazz, which is another book on post-modern Christianity, to sum it up in 3 words which doesn't do it justice.

Oh yeah, and I wanted to say that it was NICE OUT today and it smelled like spring! I know it's not going to last, but at least it's a tiny break from the unrelenting wind chill and below zero temps we've been experiencing.

Clearance Shopping!

Clearance shopping is fun! I like to get wrapping paper and bows and gift tags. I bought wrapping paper that COULD be Christmas-y, but it isn't specifically. So, I can use it year-round. EXCELLENT! :::plays air guitar:::

I also found some of those new LED Christmas lights, and a hanging light globe thing. Got a few things for gifts next year - Christmas socks and such, as well as 4 gifts to put away for birthday party invitations. What else? Hmmm... Some plastic Christmas cups and bowls. I'm sure there are some other things. Candy, of course. lol

I also bought David a birthday gift and a cake and some pizza. He's FOURTEEN tomorrow!

Pictures from a Long Day

Here are the pictures I promised from yesterday's three activities - TV station field trip, Walmart with 6 kids, and raking service project. I posted more pix of the field trip over at Cornerstone too.

Tuesday Toodles (ok it's corny)

I feel better today.

Finally finished A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which I liked very much, but it wasn't a light read at all.

I am going to read something fluffy before going on to Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. At least I think it will be fluffy. It has a picture of a cupcake on the cover. lol Can't remember the author or the title.

I went to Walmart with David last night. Lots of school supply clearance! I bought a lovely notebook in which I will be writing fiction, as well as some brightly colored felt pens that I'll have to hide from my kids. lol David bought duct tape and then proceeded to annoy me happily all through the groceries section. I thought there was a RedBox movie kiosk in our Walmart but if there is, I don't know where. Anyone? Anyone?

We also went to Home Depot and got 5 more gallons of Melted Butter. Or paint. :-) It was on sale! That was a lovely surprise! (I'd even say serendipitous, if I didn't think I'd get teased for using big words. lol)

I have boxes of stuff to sort from my girls' room and I am going to go help Bob paint in a little while.

Thrift Store Haul

Thrift Store Haul

Spent two or three hours at the thrift store today with David, Emily, and Suzy and came home with the following:

David
-2 pair lounge pants (pajama)
-1 fall jacket, reversible
-2 church shirts
-1 pair church pants

Emily
-1 pr winter pajamas
-3 dresses
-1 pr jeans
-2 pr pants
-2 t-shirts
-3 long sleeve shirts

James
-1 pr church shoes

Suzy
-1 pr church shoes
- 1 dress for next summer (she has plenty of fall/winter dresses already)
-2 sundresses (or jumpers) with tees to wear underneath
-3 t-shirts
-1 skirt with tee to match
-1 pr pants

For myself I got a dress that I hope to makeover into a Renaissance Festival dress. We'll see if I can actually accomplish it or if it even works, but I saw it and it screamed "COSTUME!!!" at me. If I don't use it, I'm sure someone here will eventually.

On the way home, we stopped at a couple garage sales. Our finds: a fake plant with lots of greenery and hyacinths in a basket (just right for the top of my bookshelf; it's been nagging me to put something on it), some 7x7 Creative Memories page protectors (I think I have one of these albums), some girl toys, and, best of all, a VERY nice bike for Suzy for $20. She's happy. It is slightly big for her, so by next year it should fit her great and will fit her for 2-3 years, I imagine.

Great bargain day!

Flaring Nostrils of Total Rejection

Yesterday we went to Meijer - all of us. It's part of my "make the most of family time" plan. I give David and Emily each a list and send them off to shop. Good practice, right? David had frozen foods and meat yesterday and Emily had produce. Stopped at Taco Bell for takeout burritos and tacos.

Bob also went to the Secretary of State and renewed his drivers license and our car registrations.
Got home in time to have our quick Mexican lunch and then took Emily to art class. David had to forego it this month since his soccer practices are only on Wednesdays.

After I dropped her off, I went to the thrift store and got myself some summer clothes (2 shorts, 2 tanks, 2 capris, some tees). I needed some nicer things, as well as some more shirts to wear to work. Also got David two pair of pants (1 jeans, 1 black pair), a pair of shorts for soccer, and a tshirt. A dress for Emily, a pair of jeans and a swim coverup for Suzy, and 6 books completed my purchases. I love shopping secondhand!

I bought a few t-shirts with pithy sayings.

I could give up
CHOCOLATE
but I'm not a quitter.

(Yes, I had that on my other blog for a while, so I thought it apropos to have the shirt.)

Power Corrupts.
(but absolute power is kinda neat)

Got one for David that says:

SOMETIMES I AMAZE MYSELF

I already have a shirt that says:

Chocolate is
cheaper than therapy.
(I get a lot of comments on that shirt whenever I wear it!)

David's team practiced in the rain. He didn't particularly like that, although he likes playing a soccer game in the rain.

Last night at work I didn't run a press. Instead I went through 29 boxes of parts looking for any bad ones. I didn't find any bad ones, which made for a really boring evening.

Right now I am taking a break from taking my winter clothes out of the closets and drawers and replacing them with my summer clothes. Also, I need to figure out lunch. Soon.

We are almost done reading Nim's Island. Still haven't made it to the theatre for that. This weekend there is supposed to be rain and it will be chillier, so maybe it will be a good movie weekend. However, I'll likely opt for Speed Racer instead. Heh David wants to see Ironman.

Tomorrow is Homeschool Park Day and James has a softball clinic. I need to take Emily to get her glasses fixed or order new ones. That might end up being Saturday. I need to call about that.

Four soccer games on Saturday - 8:30, 9:00, 11:00, 1:30. So, yeah, it'll be a soccer day. If it's nice enough, maybe we'll do some garage sales in between.

Oh yeah, what's up with the post title? Well, David has been going around saying it. Evidently it's a line in Kronk's New Groove, which the kids watched the other night. LOL I found it rather catchy.