daybook 11/2/2015 {long-lost blogging habit}

 

For today… Monday, November 2, 2015

Outside my window... sunny and warm – a flash-back to summer!  except that most of the trees and fields are bare.

Hearing... washing machine, speech class

Pondering... time. 

Sounds pretty profound, eh?  Wondering how/why we have ‘so little’ of it in our modern age?

Praying... for Pastor Cornel and his wife Mari ministering in Brasov, Romania.  Mr. & Mrs. F. received full support, so they are off to Germany for the next five years – leaving tomorrow!  Denise has stopped chemo, but continues radiation treatments.  Her son Jon is newly deployed to the Middle East.  The P Family are just returned from Haifa, hoping to find a way to return soon to where ‘home’ is for them.  Kate & Abby are in midst of 9-week block – their schedules of study and ministry are FULL to the brim!

Thankful... glimpses of maturity/responsibility in each of our ‘kids’  …and sweet notes like the one featured in my kitchen window.

Creating... this blog post!  Hoping… to rekindle the habit.

Going... to spend less time staring at face book.  [famous last words/resolution?]

Reading... Nehemiah, Green Leaf in Drought by Isobel Kuhn, too many library novels to list.  Oh, I did manage to pick up War Room and enjoyed that challenge.  Also, In Search of the Source by Neil Anderson/Hyatt Moore was very good!

  

 

Looking forward to... Thanksgiving – Kate,  Abby, and Daniel will all be home with us for the first time in several years!

In the kitchen... baking day in spite of summerlike heat.  Kavring for Mr. & Mrs. M., bread for my family.

In the learning rooms... the Cowgirl and I are thankful for this book, which has made learning some basic accounting ‘easy’

Around the house... clutter. always. 

Seriously, I was looking at pictures of a house for sale recently… INcredible, immaculate staging.  Does anyone still live there?

But the visual lesson is that we have much room for improvement here.  errrr, better stated: we need to find a proper place for what’s needful.. and throw the rest out.

The Mother Load... Laundry is under control.  Ironing is caught up – woot!  Grading school papers caught up – double woot!  Menus planned for most of the month – check.  Bathroom cleaned this morning – check.  Sooo, dusting and de-cluttering would be good things to do.  But instead I am blogging about it…  while the kavring bakes on low.  :-)

Noticing that... it’s really idiotic for the Republican party/candidates to allow the liberal media to ‘moderate’ their debates.   #whatcouldgowrong? 

[Conny and I are both #hashtaghappy]

Something fun to share... I am choosing to NOT craft any gifts this Christmas!  :D 

Baking does not count as crafting.

A favorite quote for today... or two or three…

"If you saw the runaway blimp, you saw our government." - Gov. Mike Huckabee

“This is not a cage match…” – Sen. Ted Cruz

Confirming years of speculation, a new study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Animal Health Monitoring System has found that red meat significantly increases the risk of premature death in cows.  - The Onion

"Whenever politicians promote any cause in the name "of the people," you can be sure that the people have little or nothing to do with the cause and will not benefit from it in in any single way." - Thomas DiLorenzo

One of my favorite things... swatting flies.  Not. 

Caller ID.  Yes.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Tues & Fri – meals for Mr. & Mrs. M.; Fri – attend senior music recital?  Sat – attend a baby shower

A peek into my world... difficult to capture the impact of gold leaves on dark brown trees against bright sunshine and blue sky

~.~.~.~.~

Giving credit where credit is due:

While I am not linking up with anyone, you could read more weekly news posts at other blogs by following any of these links:

• Peggy at the Simple Woman’s Daybook

• Julie for adapting this daybook version as her own ‘Grasshopper Days’ ~ Perhaps I could call it the GHV Daybook. :)

• You can also find a similar weekly meme in Happy Homemaker Monday at Sandra’s

~.~.~.~.~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it. Colossians 4:17

daybook 8/18/2015

 

 

 

{hay crew ~ four years ago!}

 

For today… Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Outside my window... rain and more rain, puddles and lakes.
Hearing... dryer rumbling, kids laughing while watching speech class, occasional thunder.
Pondering... so much To Do, so little Time.
Praying... for friends of friends… two families with recent heartache of loss this month:  Melinda & her husband lost their one-year-old son at the end of a 22-hour illness; Sarah’s young husband and father of five was killed in a car accident.
Thankful... We do not sorrow as those who have no hope when those loved ones are safe in the arms of Jesus.
Creating... a packing list perhaps.  {good idea}
Going... for a hair cut soon.
Reading... the Psalms.
Looking forward to... ‘normal’ fall routines
In the kitchen... tonight baked chicken fingers/something like that

On Sunday we baked up an apple pie from the freezer in honor of Lora’s recent birthday.

In the learning rooms... ‘profitable conversation’  Thank you, Miss Autrey!
Around the house... I *did* haul the Purge Pile, but I’m sure another mountain could be gathered for disposal.
The Mother Load... bake bread for customers and home, extra errands and groceries, register the Cowgirls for that online accounting class, register new to us vehicle at court house, pay bills and catch up accounting {clear desk by doing instead of just stashing}…
Noticing that... our lefties are good buddies {the Popper enjoyed hanging out with her oldest brother while he manned the grill Saturday eve}  I think she is pretty happy to keep him in Iowa this fall.
Something fun to share... laughter and love {between the spits and spats of family life}

A favorite quote for today... from Psalm 130

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.

Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

One of my favorite things... a gyro at the Iowa State Fair

A few plans for the rest of the week... hair cut, chiropractor, dinner with my folks {and much, much more}

A peek into my world... the guys filled the hay racks on Saturday, and the gals unloaded on Sunday.  The dogs had a ride too.  And the swallows were on the job chasing bugs…

~.~.~.~.~

Giving credit where credit is due:

While I am not linking up with anyone, you could read more weekly news posts at other blogs by following any of these links:

Peggy at the Simple Woman’s Daybook

Julie for adapting this daybook version as her own ‘Grasshopper Days’ ~ Perhaps I could call it the GHV Daybook. :)

You can also find a similar weekly meme in Happy Homemaker Monday at Sandra’s

~.~.~.~.~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it. Colossians 4:17

daybook 7/29/2015 {two in one month–woot!}

 

 

Photo doesn’t do these berries justice ~ fresh from the Berry Patch at Sunday’s church picnic.  Yum.

 

For today… Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Outside my OPEN window... sunshine and blue skies, green grass and weeds, mud and standing water from recent heavy rains, happy but dirty cows!

Hearing... crickets [literally and figuratively], the birds and the exhaust fan

{‘the sound of silence’ seems the theme when the only three kids at home this week all leave here at 7:30am!}

Pondering... from Nancy Leigh DeMoss this morn:  “We’ll never fully learn to love unless there are some people in our lives that we consider irritating. Paul tells us that love is patient. We can’t truly learn that kind of patience unless someone is trying our patience.”

Praying... for Denise and her family – last scans were not encouraging; for our ‘kids’ and others in Kansas City, KS, working with VBS this week

Thankful... for the promises of our faithful God.  And for my friend Jill whose son is also in driver’s ed with the Cattleman – as she is helping with transporting them to and from Ames!

Creating... more messes?

Going... to call my mom …as soon as it’s a reasonable hour in AZ ;-)

Reading... 1 Kings

Looking forward to... the Cattleman learning much and passing his driver’s ed course

In the kitchen... so far this week chicken packets, taco soup, zucchini muffins – and leftovers of all!

Some of last week’s baking…

  

 

Yesterday’s 9x13 cakes meant to become one half-sheet cake.  Note the difference in heights.  Those who choose the chocolate will have an extra portion of frosting. o.o

In the learning rooms... We are talking about starting up speech class next week [and finishing the leftovers from last year]

Around the house... purge piles yet to be removed.  The Cowgirl and the Popper have been painting some things for their room.  And they are determined to paint my school room book shelf today {now that the humidity is better suited} – if we can find the can of paint I am certain that I bought  four or five years ago.  ahem.

The Mother Load... laundry [dirty] baskets are mostly empty, but the ironing is of course ready and waiting for me {today!}  Garden produce to do something with today {it’s anti-procrastination day, don’t you know?} – I am dreading the green beans that must be growing overly large in the neglected garden.   I promised to print one of my cook books for Amber, and she has had to ask me twice already sooo another anti-procrastination item.  And then there’s the never-ending de-clutter and re-organize campaign that must see some victories won in the next couple weeks.  And find that can of paint.

One large zucchini shredded yesterday.  Two to go…

Noticing that... parenting is not easy, no matter the age.

Something fun to share... 43 half-pint jam jars.  Seriously?! 

Not to mention the bag of socks or box of sheets.  ha ha 

{My daughter is helping someone else dispose of their clutter… by bringing it home.  Oh dear.}

I might advertise these cookie cutters on the swap, or just heave ho?

 

A favorite quote for today... 

In a time of universal deceit —

telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

Attributed to George Orwell, 1984 – Quoted by Senator Ted Cruz

 

One of my favorite things... clean floors.

BAhahahahahaha

 

A few plans for the rest of the week... Today I shall deliver a cake that we trust will be well-received as well as delicious (nervous – I bake, but frosting and decorating, not so much.)  Thankful for the Cowgirl’s ability to pipe the décor – and Tim’s suggestion of chocolate chips in the sunflowers.

A peek into my world...  baled oats

 

~.~.~.~.~

Giving credit where credit is due:

While I am not linking up with anyone, you could read more weekly news posts at other blogs by following any of these links:

• Peggy at the Simple Woman’s Daybook

• Julie for adapting this daybook version as her own ‘Grasshopper Days’ ~ Perhaps I could call it the GHV Daybook. :)

• You can also find a similar weekly meme in Happy Homemaker Monday at Sandra’s

~.~.~.~.~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it. Colossians 4:17

Down on the farm

 

Quick update as recorded on my camera.

July 7:  Kate & the City Slicker’s dinner of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn bread muffins, zucchini Mexicali, and melon…

I made zucchini almond cake for dessert…

And a big batch of granola.

Eggs.  So many empty shells every day!

 

July 9-10:  Tim made good use of a rented skid steer for a couple days {16 hours of running use}

Fine tuning lawn and ditch area

 

Let’s see if I can find a Before picture…

Cleaning up on April 11:

 

Filling in ‘floor’ of shed with sand

 

Adding more dirt so we can landscape this side of the house

 

A view of the new strawberry patch {and melons, etc}

 

The Cowgirl and City Slicker got into wild parsnip while weeding at the Berry Patch.  {sad face}

 

July 11:  I made ciabatta for panini.  Yum.

The Popper made cole slaw…

 

On Sunday we baked the cherry pie!!!

 

July 13-17 was Vacation Bible School.  Kate, Abby, & City Slicker taught the 2-3yo class.  Daniel & the Cowgirl helped with 4-6th grade.  The Cattleman and the Popper helped with the PreK-Kdg class.  And I worked with registration and snacks {of course}.

Tues, July 14:

I determined to accomplish something at home as well – haha.  So I finished these book bags {three on right} to send to our missionaries in Brazil. {Done is a wonderful place to be.} 

While my frosting crew decorated the cookies for Wednesday’s VBS snack…

{and listened to Elisabeth Elliot via YouTube give advice for a Peaceful Home}

The Cattleman found a few beans in his garden…

And Kate baked a cheese cake for Thursday’s celebration.  Then cleaned the oven after it spilled…

 

Wednesday morning…

 

Thursday, July 16 was the City Slicker’s HALF-Birthday ~

Dinner included chicken alfredo, Caesar salad, watermelon, and cookie dough cheese cake.

Eventually she opened 18 1/2 gifts.  wowsa.  <o.o>

 

Friday, it was time to bake bread I think (?) and THIS is what I found.  With no more Real Salt in the pantry.  Terrible.

 

Saturday:  Work day at home!  Abby worked on planting cone flowers.  The Cowgirl gave each of the dogs a bath.  {the feverish Popper napped in the living room}

Supper:  grilled pizza!

 

Wow.  That was only twelve days?  More July to come…