Sick of being Sick!

I am so sick of being sick! Now I don't mean to whine, and I KNOW there are people that are dealing with real illnesses and problems but I just have to tell you...I want to be over this. I have had an upper respiratory "something" going on now for 10 days. I am sick of hacking away, bring up so much yellow "stuff" to the point I start dry heaving, and my sinuses kill. I can't stand laying in bed anymore. It has put a damper on homeschooling this week. I have been trying to do stuff but I can't even say we are going at 1/2 speed. I guess some is better than none. Baby Emily is still a little yucky. I didn't get to post about Thanksgiving. I was sick and my little sweetie had a temp of 104.3. Needless to say, we brought her to the ER and she had an ear infection. She wanted to make sure her first Thanksgiving would be a memorable one.

Yesterday was co-op. The little ones are done until after the holidays but the jr. high and above still have a few weeks left. I teach Apologia Biology to a group of 8 students---one being my son. I have to say....they are a great group of kids. And smart--very smart! They keep me on my toes (especially JoHannah and Luke). They are responsible at home to do the reading and Own Your Own questions and the parents give them the tests. I am there as a resource for them. I go over key concepts of the chapter to make sure they truly understand it and the lab/experiments. We have done microscope work and in February we will start dissections. I know for a FACT that if I was just doing this at home with just my own son we would not be doing it to this extent. It would be very easy to slack off and tell him not to worry about the microscope because of time or not wanting the little ones to get into it. But THIS....THIS is great! It keeps us on track and accountable at home. My son is also taking a Honors English and Logic through the co-op. I feel so blessed by the ladies that are teaching this. God has really put us together in a way to fill in for each others "weakness". All this and it is only our first year doing this.

I am suppose to go to a Birthday Ball tonight with Jessica. Tomorrow I am going to a cookie exchange. I found a recipe on Food Network to *TRY* to make. If it goes well I am going to post it under an online cookie exchange that I found.

Well I hope everyone that reads this has a great weekend.
Toodles,
Judy

Vision Forum---FREE Shipping!!!

Doug Phillips and Vision Forum are sponsoring a giveaway at inashoe.com to help get word out about the FREE SHIPPING Vision Forum is offering until Midnight tonight

1st Wordless Wednesday--Jessica's Tea

Just to set the scene, a friend of mine, along with her daughters, put on a lovely tea-- high tea for Jessie the day after her birthday.

It's Monday!!! First Monday Meanderings

This is my first Monday Meanderings. You may be asking (as I did the first time I saw this) what is this. Let me explain. Basically it is a list of 5 things or goals I have for the up coming week. An overview. It is to help keep me accountable of what NEEDS to be accomplished this week. There are 5 catagories. I will list them, then the goal or goals for the week. I found this originally on Less of Me-More of Him blog. You can click on it on my sidebar to see her website (which I love). So here goes:

1. Bible Study/ Devotions

Restart Beth Moore's bible study "A Heart Like His". Review week 1.

Pray every morning BEFORE dealing with family.

2. MUST-do list

Plan Emily's 1st Birthday party.

--Guest list

--Send out invitations

--Plan menu

Start planning Christmas shopping list

--Who

--Present ideas

--Budget

3. Zone (Usually this means to break you house down in the areas--Zones--to make cleaning easier and not as overwhelming)

This weeks zone will be a little different. I need to go through the different zones and find all picuters and put them together in one spot and start organizing them. I have pictures in different rooms in bags, on shelves, shoe boxes...you name it.

4. Train them up

This week, I need to work on something "homeschooly". I have a hard time doing much more than the 3 R's so this weeks goal is to do MFW---a full week!!

5. Menu Planning---Dinners

Monday-- Chicken Bowl. .

Tuesday-- Taco Tuesday. Chicken taco, Rice and veggie tray with dip

Wednesday-- Not-sagna Pasta Toss with Romain salad with Roasted red pepper vinaigrette. Saw this recipe Saturday on 30 Minute Meals by Rachel Ray. Wish me luck.

Thursday--BBQ chicken, Rice and green beans

Friday--Jessie and I are going to a birthday ball. The guys are staying home and having sloppy Joes with fries

Saturday--Steak, baked potato and salad

Sunday--Portugesse Roast with chicken and chorico (which is a portugesse sausage), potatoes, carrots, olives and a surprise dessert.

Have a great week!!

Toodles,

Judy

Alot of Catching up Part 1--Jessica's Birthday

Birthday Morning, crown and all!!!

WOW! I can't believe how long it has been since I have blogged. Life has been a combination of busy and being sick---but I will get to that later. Well since the last time I wrote we had Jessica's birthday. What a great day. I had co-op that day, so while I went to co-op with the boys, Chris brought Jessica out for breakfast with Emily. She got to pick anything she wanted, they sang to her at the restaurant and then gave her a balloon. After that she got to go to Toys R' Us and pick out ANYTHING she wanted. She picked out baby doll accessories. When I got home my niece Laura was there and after she spent time with Jessica it was now my time out with her.

We have a great imagination!

We went to the mall. She had no idea what we were going to do, all she knew was we were going to do three things. 1st we went and got her a new pair of sneakers (very cute pink Sketchers). 2nd we went to Starbucks and she got to get a Double Chocolate Chip Frapuccino---just like Mommy. 3rd we went and got our nails done. She got her toes and fingers painted and I got a pedicure as we both sipped on our drinks. Very girly---very Jessie. After a quick stop at Target we headed home.

We kept it a family party this year. Jessie got to pick out her favorite dinner---brown tacos (we always have chicken tacos, but she wanted hamburg tacos---brown tacos). Then my sister Glenda and my sister-in-law Liza (pronounced Lisa) came over along with my nephew Andrew.

Well I had taken a cake decorating class last month and I was really looking forward to making her birthday cake. Well I ran out of time so thank goodness I had a can of frosting in the cupboard. Just one problem....I forgot to buy candles (or any other decoration). Well my hubby being the "adapt and overcome type" took hershey miniture candy bars and put them on the cake in the shape of the number 7. I kid you not!!! So we sang to her over her candy bar cake and told her to make-believe she was blowing out candles. Everyone laughed...and I guess it was kind of funny (and pathetic too) but you know what....I bet if you ask her about her birthday I bet she would not say it was ruined from the cake. She probably wouldn't even remember the cake unless someone brought it up. I bet she would tell you about the fun she had and how she felt so special. Even though it was embarrassing to me that I did not have candles or a fancy cake it is not significant in the BIG sceme of things. Sometimes we get so bothered by the little details that we forgot about what is really important. I know I am guilty of it. Hope you enjoy the photos!

Jessie with her Auntie's (pronounced ahn-tees) Liza and Glenda

The whole bunch of us

Toodles,
Judy

Happy Birthday Jessica!!!

Today is my beautiful daughter Jessica's 7th bithday!!!! Yippy!!!! I know she is very excited for her special day. I am too!

A New Day

I thank God for a new day, a brand new beginning. Yesterday was awful. Not because of the kids or any event but because...well because that is how I felt. I felt poopy! A few years ago I started getting S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Basically what it is---winter depression (even though it doesn't usually wait until winter to start. It usually starts around October). I notice it around the time that days are noticeable shorter and I start feeling better when it is getting warmer outside, the sun is shining and days are getting longer. A few years ago it was really bad. Every time it snowed my husband would find me crying somewhere. The snow made me feel closed in. I ended up doing light therapy and it did wonders. Last year I didn't need it. I had my down days but nothing like the years before. This year I have had a day here or there but I am going to fight this with all I got. No wait! Let me re-word that. I am going to continue getting on my knees and fight it with all GOD has got. His strength not mine.

I am blessed to have people around me that will pray with me and help me through. Last night hubby went to the grocery store for me after he prayed with me. He even took 2 of the kids with him. I talked to Wendy on the phone and she always has such a great listening ear. I emailed my friend Laura and asked her to keep me in her prayers that I am feeling spiritual attacked and this morning I opened up an email back from her, and right there in the email she prayed for me. What a team I have!!

So I am thankful that today is a new day. A day that is fresh, a day that I can give over to the Lord for him to work in me what He choses.

Oh, one last thing. Please keep Heather from Especially Heather (see my favorite blogs) in your prayers. This is a chemo week for her. Stop by her post and drop her a message. I know she will love to hear from you.

Toodles,
Judy

Date Night

It is now the wee hours of the morning on Saturday...approximately 5 a.m.. Can't sleep. The baby has a cold and I heard her coughing so I got up to check on her at about 3:30 and I wasn't able to go back to sleep. So I decided to check my emails and my favorite blogs that I follow.

Last night was Date Night. I love Date Night!! Not because of where we go or what we do, but because I get to spend time with my favorite person in this whole world...my husband Chris. I love him! I know, you are thinking...."yeah, I expect you to love your husband", well of course. But I love to spend time with him, talk with him and do absolutely nothing with him. More and more, I realize how blessed I am to have him. Just tonight, I was talking to him at dinner about how I like the way we work together. Our marriage is a testimony of love for not only each other but the power of faithfulness to God. I truly believe that God has blessed our marriage because we have kept our focus on Him.

A little background for those who don't know me personally. Chris and I met for the first time when we were 14. He can tell you not only where (a park), but EXACTLY what I was wearing that day. We did the 14 year old "dating" thing...you remember, call each other on the phone but never go anywhere. After 2 weeks we broke up : (

But this was not the end. About a year later he ended up moving in with his aunt and uncle who unknowing to me, went to the same church as I did. We went to youth group together, never giving him a second thought. Our junior year of high school we sat next to each other the whole year in school (STILL not a second thought in my mind). But that summer, between our junior and senior year, MY EYES WERE OPENED!!! Chris started hanging around with 2 guys from church, Dana and Brandon. I hung around with Dana's sister, Pam and another friend Maureen. Well that summer we all, as a group, would hang around together. Just as friends. All of a sudden I WANTED to be where he was. It was very strange to me. We were now 17 and I couldn't understand why I liked him after 3 years of not even really noticing him. Well long story short, a year and half later we were married and in January we will celebrate our 16th anniversary. I am not for teens getting married, in fact our oldest is 14 and I couldn't imagine him getting married in a few years. But I do believe that was God's plan for us for reasons I won't get into today.

So back to date night (I have a tendency to go off on bunny trails). I had a great time. We went out for dinner to Applebee's and then did some shopping at the mall. I honestly forgot it was a Friday night until we pulled up to the mall. Going to the mall on Friday night is entertainment in and of itself. I can not believe that some of these parents would actually let their child out dressed or acting like that. It was one of those moments that made me thankful for my children (especially my oldest) and for the power of God in our life. We ended our night at the mall with a drink from Starbucks and headed home. 3 out of the 5 were still up, one being the baby. My Mom, who is the only one crazy enough to watch all 5 so we can go out, couldn't get Miss Emily to sleep. Mom says that is the only time Emily gives her a hard time. So I got some goodnight cuddles from her and we BOTH feel asleep on the couch. My Love put us both to bed.

So there you have it. Date night. It might NOT sound exciting to some, but to me it was fantastic. And one more thing....as a little side note. Brandon and Maureen that I talked about above, they got married a year after we did!! Little did any of us know that summer back in 1990 that we would find the love of our lives!

Today was Co-op

Today was Co-op day. I love co-op. It takes some presure off of me for some subjects I have such a hard time getting to. With co-op I know that my elementary age children are getting science, geography, art and spanish (which I feel is the cherry on the co-op sundae). I will be the first to admit it....I have a hard time doing much more than the 3 R's with my children on a daily basis. It's not that I don't have the stuff do it. I have a good amount of books to read (for history). I have a very good curriculum that I COULD follow (MFW) that DOES include geography, Bible, history, and science. But, besides the first 2 weeks of school, it goes on the back burner. So co-op has been a blessing for me.

Now I know, co-op isn't a good fit for every child. My oldest daughter, for instance, can't handle it. It's not that she can't handle the academic part of it. She can. She is very quite and listens to the teachers. BUT--she is like a sponge. She soaks in ALL that is going on around her and then gives big-time attitude to everyone when she gets home and this can lasts for a couple of days. Then, get her back on track, and we start all over again after she goes to co-op. This isn't something new. She has always had a problem with treating the family awful after she has spent time with others. So now she hasn't gone for the last 3 weeks. And guess what....I see an improvement in her behavior. Please don't feel bad for her. She DOES get socialization. In fact, this is actually special time for her because while I am at co-op with the boys, she gets to stay home with Daddy and her little baby sister. Daddy usually does something special with her (like watch a Strawberry Shortcake video). She is eating up the quality time with him.

After next weeks class I will have to tell you about the class I teach at co-op....High School Biology.

Toodles,
Judy

Happy Birthday to my BFF!!!

Today is my BESTEST Friend in the whole world birthday.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY WENDY!!!!! Wendy and I have been friends since we were 11. That is over 20 years. We have been through alot together: first boyfriends, first cars (Putt-Putt was Wendy's first car and it use to get us to school in 12 minutes), weddings, births (and adoption) of our children, the heartbreak of losing a pregnancy, open heart surgery for a 2 day old (Wendy's son Mason....8 1/2 years old now!), park days, field trips...there is just so much we have been through together that I would be writing for days if I wrote it all. I feel so blessed to have a friend, no let me rephrase that, she is more like a sister, in my life. Not everyone is that lucky. I know I can call her up and just BE REAL and she will listen. She will tell me to build a bridge (to get over it) when I need to hear it.

If you are not as lucky as me to have a Wendy, I seriously hope that you will pray that God will bring such a friend in your life. They are precious and few. So here's to you Wendy!!!

Nor' Easter

Well hear in the Northeastern part of the United States we are having a good old-fashion Nor'Easter. The wind has been whipping around. It was strong enough to knock down our basketball hoop. Tomorrow we are going to have fun cleaning up the yard.

I don't normally mind a rainy day once in while, however today was a different story. If it wasn't for the fact that I was afraid the kids would blow away if I sent them outside---I WOULD HAVE!!! They had lots of energy and it showed! I had a great day planned too but after the behavior I got today, I had to cancel. They just didn't want to get their Saturday chores done. And the deal was once they got it done we would have Camp Rainy Day. The kids LOVE this day (and so do I). What it is: Well Camp Rainy Day was the brain child of my mother. When I use to work my mother would watch the kids. Well one day I came home to a tent set up in my living room. My mother had done fun activites with them all day---like setting up sleeping bags and taking their nap in the tent, watching moves, popcorn, play-doh (I am sure you get the idea....it is a FUN DAY!!!) So that started it. So once in awhile, when the weather is just awful outside we take the day off and do this. Yes, this does include some school days too. You know what---I am sure that the kids aren't going to remember every math lesson I teach them, but I KNOW that this makes memories. Math can wait until tomorrow, but memories...if you don't take the time to make them you won't have any to look back on.

Until we meet again,
Toodles,
Judy

My First Blog Entry!!

I am so excited....This is my first blog entry!!! I have been wanting to start a blog and Kim at Life in a Shoe gave me just the motivation I needed to start one. She is having a great contest through Vision Forum. First prize is $250 worth of VF product. So I did it. Here I am. I am an offical blogger. I hope people with come by, take a look and want to come back again. My life is full of....well lets just say my life is full of stories that can only happen to me! So with out further ado here is my first blog with my wish list for Vision Forum:

#33590 Jonathan Park CD Set $85.00
#72564 The Liberty Doll $89.00
#48982 Beautiful Girlhood Tea Set $55.00
#84332 Passionate Housewives $16.00
Grand Total: $245.00
I am so thankful (even if I am not the one to win) for a contest like this. Go by Kim's blog. I know I have enjoyed it...and I think you will too. http://inashoe.com/?p=1853 . Also check out Vision Forum at http://www.visionforum.com/ . Boy, I hope I did this right for the contest.

Well, not bad for my first post.
Until tomorrow---Toodles,
Judy