I'm A Bad Blogger

I'm a bad blogger.  Does it just mess up your Thursday's when I don't do my regular post?  I really have no good excuse for not blogging regularly or commenting on your posts regularly.  My days are filled with home schooling,  family activities, and preparing for a move.
 
Outside my window...  It's a beautiful Sunday in our neighborhood.  The wind we had yesterday is all but disappeared.  The temperature is cool but pleasant.  I'm enjoying the sound of mowing and car washing in the neighborhood right now.


I am thinking...  Only 31 more days to go!  We couldn't be more excited.  We must talk about our move a thousand times a day!  We're in the final planning stages of mapping our route.  I'm doing well at pacing myself for getting the house things ready.  Thinking, dreaming and praying. . .yes I am!

I am thankful...  Always thankful for the provisions the Lord provides.  Thankful for my friends.  I am thankful for my family both near and far.

Philippians 4:7   And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

From the kitchen...  I don't really have a menu now.  I have a few meals written on a dry erase board on my fridge.  We're having Bachelor David, Sharona and baby Anastasia over this afternoon to share a meal with us.  Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole, large green salad, fruit salad, homemade rosemary herb bread, sour cream coffeecake with butter pecan ice cream for dessert.



(sour cream coffeecake)

I am wearing...Nothing exciting.  Feeling 'wicked' today.


 I did dress up on Friday for a whole day spent with my men. 


We went to Target and DSW shoes for my manly man.  He got two pairs of shoes and two pairs of summer shorts.  This is what #2 son did while waiting for Daddy to try on clothes.

(he was watching himself in the security camera)

I am creating...  I am creating piles of stuff that move from here to there and back again.







I am praying...  I am praying for the desires of my heart, praying for the Lord to be preparing us just the right place to live in San Diego.  Praying for my married children and their safety.  Praying for far away family, all of them.  Praying for my Mom's recovery from her fall and surgery.  She is excited to return home this week. 

I am reading... I am reading The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer.  This series is very good!



We are watching Due South from netflix.  (Some of the material may not be suited for family viewing.)


From the learning rooms...  Multiplication and abbreviations.  Working on complete sentences and spelling practice.  His piano lessons are progressing so well.  I can't wait to see how well he does when he resumes lessons in the fall with a new teacher.

Around the house...  Around the house are the ever present piles.  I did clean off the table for my guests today.  After today, the table probably wont be clean again.  I plan on placing all the wall pictures on the table top.  Tomorrow is laundry day.  I did vacuum yesterday.  Excluding the piles, everything looks pretty good.

One of my favorite things...  I actually have two favorites this week.
 I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Aldi's stores!!  

I will miss Aldi's when we move.  We had a store called Canned Food Grocery Outlet in San Diego.

I love these pretzels found at Aldi's. 


A few plans for the week:  The moving company is sending out a man this week to do a pre-move survey.  Our days are set in stone now for the move.  May 29-31st.  I've got to make an easy menu.  Wash out my upright freezer.  Patch holes and do some touch up painting.  I also need to get a plastic tote with handles and a X-Large suitcase.

Leaving you with...  San Diego House pictures, of course!


See the shop peeking out in the background of this next picture? I'm always looking out for my MAN!





~~Have great week dear friends!~~

just getting started

New on here.  Started this so I could comment on friends blogs!

Weekend Doings at Our Place

#2 son grabbed the camera over the weekend.  This is what he took pictures of.  He is building a bird nest for the birds in our yard to use.  He thinks they will move into it any day. 





We've been doing a bit of studying on hummingbirds in Science.  We've recently also studied crows and ravens.  It's fascinating to my student how the birds 'marry' and have babies.  It's led to some interesting questions lately!  FUN!!



I guess picture is because Banjo is so photogenic.



The next pictures are what my manly man wanted to do with is new trailer.



He had to hook everything up to see how it looked.











After he was all done playing with the toys in the driveway, we worked in the garage packing up hand tools, taking inventory, writing down serial numbers and snapping pictures of high dollar tools.  Now we've got all his paint and cleaning supplies ready to donate.  Most everything in the garage is ready.  I've just got to patch holes  and clean the freezer.



Tonight for dinner~  Tuna Twist Casserole and salad.  Then we're heading to the gym to swim and sit in the hot tub for our evening entertainment. 

That's all from house for now.  Have a great week!

~~It's Thursday, Isn't it?~~

Outside my window...  Beautiful day today.  It's a comfortable temperature.  We're expecting a good soaking rain this weekend.  All the allergy sufferers are rejoicing.  Tree pollen is especially bothersome right now.


Tree pollen on the vehicles.



I am thinking...  I am thinking, yep. 
Actually, I am thinking that the man who recently took my passport photo, should work for the DMV and the Military ID office taking their pictures.


Passport photo

DMV photo

Military ID photo

I am thankful...  I am thankful for husband, for who he is and what he does for me and his family.  I am thankful that we're still enjoy each others company after 23 years together.



In the kitchen...  I don't remember what is on my menu.  I've misplaced the menu among piles of stuff here and there around the house.  I made salmon patties, mashed potatoes and garlic broccoli for dinner.  I also cleaned out a few baking items today and made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread and a small pan of Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars.  My husband is due for his semi-annual Coast Guard weigh in at the end of this month.  I feel like we've been on a salad diet since February. . .I'm sure we haven't.

I am wearing...  Long, comfortable khaki green, skirt, turquoise colored tee and navy colored sweater.  I pulled my hair out of my eyes this morning and secured it with bobby-pins.  I haven't looked at myself since!

I am creating...  Piles, Piles Everywhere.  If I had a picture, I'd show you that I've added some piles since last week.  I think maybe I'm a bit lazy and don't want to walk downstairs to get the camera. . . O.K.  I got the camera.

I'm taking down the chicken collection in the kitchen, washing and drying them all and moving them to an area in the dining room.  The shelves will come down, and the holes will get patched.  On the counter you can see the pumpkin bread and pan of peanut butter chocolate chip bars I made today.  And yes, that is the dog food bowl right next to the people food.  Banjo gets to have Salmon juice all over his dog food tonight.  A special treat for him.


 this is the area that the chickens have moved.



This is the pile of stuff on the dining room table.  Next to the table, is the area rug from  the family room downstairs.  I want to rent a rug cleaner and clean both my area rugs before rolling them up and getting them out of my way.


I updated my photo wall.  I've bagged all the loose photo's and have yet to purchase another photo album.  If I get some time and get major bored, I may put the loose photos in an album before everything gets packed up.



That photo is of the ever-growing pile of thrift store donations.  I'm sure I'll have lots more soon.

I am going...  Tomorrow I am going to go get Bachelor David.  We're going to Chinese buffet for lunch with Baby Anastasia and #2 son, then David has a follow-up appointment with a Dr.  My dessert baking marathon today will pay off tomorrow as David and Sharon can help us eat those desserts.

I am praying. . . praying always for the desires of my heart.  Praying for my health.  Praying for wisdom.  Praying that the Lord will continue to  make the way smooth for the move to San Diego.  Praying for @mggkln as her husband is due to come home from a long deployment on his ship.  Praying for my Mom, @sharolsplace as she continues to heal from the surgery to repair a fractured knee.

I am reading/watching...I am continuing to read all the Nancy Springer books I could find in the juvenile section of the library.  I started The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets last night.  Ms. Springer has also penned a series about the daughter of Robin Hood, called Rowan Hood.  I look forward to those as well.

If I have any time left at all, I've been watching a few episodes of Quincy, M.E. on netflix.


I am looking forward to...  Moving
 
From the learning rooms...My student got done early today and will have a free day tomorrow.  He did well with multiplication this week.  He learned all about the two and three multiplication tables.  He is practicing on writing answers in complete sentences, it's not his favorite.

Around the house... Ha!

One of my favorite things...
Strawberry limeaid or cherry limeaid form Sonic.  YUM!


A few plans for the rest of the week: 
My manly man volunteered for a protective service detail next week.  That means we wont be going to Rhode Island, I wont be sitting around the pool or soaking in the hot tub with my frosty iced tea while he is in training.  I am a bit bummed.  But, we do save on food and gas money by not going.  I've been promised a 'date' night instead.

We need to catalog serial numbers and inventory tools and electronic equipment.  I'd like to do that Saturday.  My manly man needs to pile up some of his paint and chemicals and take them down the street to a business that said they'd use them.

Something to Share...
We skipped church on Sunday and enjoyed the beauty of God's creation  and the almost 80 degree weather.  The following are pictures with captions of a great family day at our house.



A vsit to a fish hatchery.  It was closed, so we walked around and had the place all to ourselves.  We didn't go past the fences and look at the fish pond however.



One of my favorite flowers are the little spring violets that are blooming right  now.



I spotted this little, orange and black, wooly caterpillar.  I think it's way too early for them to be out, isn't it?


#2 son wanted the camera to take the next picture.  I think it was a deer.



What I wore.



A 2 mile hike to a Geo-caching location through the wild woods.  I'm not kidding when I say it was buggy.  We probably pulled off 30 ticks from our clothing and Banjo by the time we got back to the truck.  THAT WAS NOT FUN!!  I predict it will be a bad insect summer.






My men.



Can you tell what branch of service we proudly serve?

Have a great weekend friends!