daybook May 25, 2011

 

FOR TODAY  

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

 

Side note for my mom (and any other quilting mama) ~  You must see Julie G’s most recent baby quilt… click here.  Enjoy!

 

Outside my window...

it is still raining.  Tim’s dirt work last week improved the water run-off near the house, but there are plenty of mud and puddles elsewhere.   I’m really glad we are not hosting the graduation party here!

 

fwiw, here’s this morning’s radar from MSN:

 

and this afternoon when I’m finally done with this post  ;-)

 

I am thinking...

I still have not ordered additional senior pics from SmugMug or the photo books from Shutterfly.  Ack!

Yah, I wrote that last week.  But it’s still true.  So I’m quite sure they won’t be here before Friday evening.  Boo.

 

I am thankful …

for my husband and our mutual commitment to keep our wedding vows by God’s grace

for a surprise visit from out-of-state friends at Friday’s piano recital

for our friend Dave who came to help Tim on Saturday

for my Aunt Karen who will help in a special way Friday night by opening the carousel for our guests  :-)

 

I am praying for...

... the Rettigs and the church in Prague ~ currently on furlough for this summer ~ I’m hoping we can see them! :-)

… the sale of my mother-in-law’s home

… Amber’s dad

… Grant S.

… people who live and work in Japan ~ Hiromi says the nuclear plant looks WORSE than before ~ She was wondering what the news media here is reporting these days… Nothing?

… Cinnamon ~ her Army hubby is in Afghanistan, her Marine son is in Japan for a few more weeks

… Amy W., a young wife/mom with cancer

… Sarita & Jeff need visas for their return to Israel

… our group going to Brazil – visas were to arrive this week – and lots of requirements to fulfill yet!

… my cousin’s little guy, 9mo Callan ~ He had surgery to begin correcting his health issues; they are also preparing to move across the country in a few months

… my friend J. as she finishes out the school year 

… Michelle B., recovering still from her gall bladder surgery  :-\

… folks in Joplin, MO, and elsewhere ~ so hard hit with tornadoes this year

 

… and especially marriages ~ meant to last a lifetime

 

From the learning rooms...

progress.  yAy!!!

 

            

             

 

From the kitchen... 

fresh bread, pumpkin muffins, cream cheese mints, chocolate-covered Ritz w/peanut butter, two more roasts cooked and shredded, ice ring in the freezer…

haystack, vegetable-barley-beef soup, beef, beef, beef, pizza… (Through tragic events, we gained some fresh beef on Saturday ~ I cooked 3 crockpots worth of roasts, and we’re still working our way through it.  More in the freezer of course.  And most of it to grind into hamburger when I get time and tallow and a date with my neighbor who has a massive grinder in her basement.)

 

last week’s cakes for Karly

 

I am creating...

well, I’ll be cutting wallet-sized photos now that I’ve got replacement parts for my rotary trimmer ~ Does that count as creative? 

Friday we’ll be decorating in the shelter house. 

Oh, and my basement fridge is full of chocolates ~ yummy creations if I do say so myself!  ;-)

  

 

I am going...

to faint when I get the final tab from the dentist ~ another dd needs teeth extracted and we both need ‘work’

to catch up on the laundry today ~ Did you know Flylady says, “Nothing says ’I love you’ like clean und …clothes.”

 

I am reading...

 

                                                      

Yes, you saw those last week too ~ I got sidetracked with some fiction again.  Reality has been a bumpy road lately,…

 

I am hoping...

and praying for God’s will to be done in the lives of a married couple we know and love

 

I am hearing...

the washer and dryer, a couple kids goofing off (one with an operatic voice ~ is that a word?) 

 

Around the house...

the Popper thinks we need to clean and organize the school room.  Yah sure, you betcha.  Just not this week, honey.

 

One of my favorite things...

brown paper packages tied up with string… or Priority Mail tape  =)

 

Pondering these words...

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

 

May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling
All I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His power.

May the peace of God my Father
Rule my life in everything,
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing.

May the love of Jesus fill me
As the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing,
This is victory.

May I run the race before me,
Strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only unto Jesus
As I onward go.

May His beauty rest upon me,
As I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel,
Seeing only Him.

~Kate B. Wilkinson

 

(and this article)

 

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Church tonight

Tomorrow ~ pick up keys for shelter house; dentist appts for the Cowgirl, the Popper and me

Friday ~ graduation open house for Kate

Saturday ~ violin recital

 

Here is a are several pictures  for thought... 

 

  

the Popper’s first piano recital 5/20/2011

 

           

5/21/2011 was an unexpected Judgment Day for Judge (the steer)

 

 

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

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

that thou fulfil it.

Colossians 4:17

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

~ Find more Daybooks at Peggy's ~

in time of need

 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

Psalm 46:1-3

 

 

 

And tho this world, with devils filled,

Should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willed

His truth to triumph thru us.

The prince of darkness grim,

We tremble not for him –

His rage we can endure,

For lo, his doom is sure:

One little word shall fell him.

                               ~ Martin Luther

 

 

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

~ I Peter 5:8-11

 

…Can we find a friend so faithful

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness,

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

~ Joseph M. Scriven

 

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

the Cowgirl still has hair

 

 

I posted this picture in my Daybook…

  

…which makes her hair look really short!

 

So to clarify, here are pics of BEFORE                          ….DURING…

               

 

…and AFTER!

 

Then I took her to the salon to *fix* the rough cut ~ and it’s still long enough for a cute, stubby pony tail  :-)

daybook May 18, 2011

 

yah, I should be sleeping… but I’d really like to post a daybook before another crazy week is over!

 

FOR TODAY  

Late Wednesday, May 18, 2011

 

Outside my window...

it is very dark, but if I turned on the outside light I might see a row of milk/water jugs in the garden covering most of the tomatoes and peppers we planted today  :-)

 

I am thinking...

I still have not ordered additional senior pics from SmugMug or the photo books from Shutterfly.  Ack!

Do I stay up another hour to finish that with Kate??

 

I am thankful …

the Popper got an A+ at the eye doctor today  :-)

for my new GREAT-nephew born early Monday

 

I am praying for...

... the Rettigs and the church in Prague ~ currently on furlough for this summer ~ I’m hoping we can see them! :-)

… the sale of my mother-in-law’s home

… Amber’s dad

… Grant S.

… people who live and work in Japan ~ Hiromi says the nuclear plant looks WORSE than before ~ She was wondering what the news media here is reporting these days… Nothing?

… Cinnamon ~ her Army hubby is in Afghanistan, her Marine son is in Japan

… Amy W., a young wife/mom with cancer

… Sarita & Jeff need visas for their return to Israel

… our group going to Brazil – visas – and lots of requirements to fulfill yet!

… my cousin’s little guy, 9mo Callan ~ He had surgery to begin correcting his health issues; they are also preparing to move across the country in a few months

… my friend J. as she finishes out the school year 

… Michelle B., recovering still from her gall bladder surgery  :-\

… Maggie & Rhys, adjusting to parenthood ~ and recovering from looong labor and C-section

 

From the learning rooms...

The Cattleman is finished (!) with all but history ~ so he’s happy to focus on (his) garden.  The Cowgirl just has Spanish left to finish sometime before August.  The Popper should be finished soon ~ she’s not feeling so great this week  :-\  My high schoolers would plead the 5th… if it’s still in the Constitution.  What is UP with Indiana’s State Supreme Court??

 

From the kitchen... 

Hershey’s Deep Dark Chocolate Cake, C&H’s Strawberry Layer Cake, and Miss Grace’s Carrot Cake… (crafted by Kate)

whole wheat banana bread and oatmeal tea cake for tomorrow’s breakfast

 

I am creating...

a landscaping plan… maybe…  Hopefully Tim can do some dirt work tomorrow, so I can plant the lily I bought on Monday  :-)

 

I am going...

to lay me down to sleep while it is yet today, I promise me

 

I am reading...

 

                                                      

 

I am hoping...

for good news from the IRS ~ Is that an oxymoron?

I am thankful that God’s grace and provision are sufficient either way!

 

I am hearing...

Schubert’s Serenade from our piano as Miss Music Box gets in some practice before Friday’s recital.   (Quite quiet as I finish this post ~ just the hard drive humming…)

 

Around the house...

dirty floors, yummy cakes intended for niece Karly’s graduation open house tomorrow night

 

One of my favorite things...

date night with my hubby ~ I think we are overdue again ~ or was I just getting spoiled earlier this year?

 

Pondering these words...

  “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (Hebrews 6:10)

 

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Oh, you should see my calendar!  :o  Let’s just say it’s catch-up on lots of things here… Monday was piano lessons and too much shopping in Ames …racing home to the local salon for haircuts for three girls.  Tuesday the Cattleman got his haircut while the Popper and the Cowgirl endured multiple extractions at the dentist  :-(  (And Kate baked all three cakes with three layers each.)  Today was the eye doctor for Miss MB (Kate), the Cowgirl and the Popper.  (And I baked another strawberry cake to replace the first that we thought was “done in” by it’s adventures… and cupcakes for a special 18yo friend.)

Tomorrow I think we just have to get more strawberries for garnishing the cake… and delivering the cakes… and enjoying Karly’s party  :-)  (Kate hopes to do some schoolwork!)  Thankfully I don’t think it’s supposed to rain until evening.. so if we can finish the cakes and deliver them mid-day… we’ll be good.

Friday it’s the boys’ turn at the dentist.  I think.  (Note to self: Call and make sure their appointment is not on Thursday.)  And the piano recital.  (!)

Saturday the teens have clean-up at church, Miss MB has a violin lesson (recital next week!), and then we hope to attend another graduation open house.

 

Here is a picture  for thought... 

 

              

 

Anna of the crazy cow blanket and her mama visited us for a quick while on Saturday  :-)  The Cowgirl made a donation to Locks of Love.  And the big girls have learned to enjoy playing a duet together ~ yay!

 

 

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

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

that thou fulfil it.

Colossians 4:17

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

~ Find more Daybooks at Peggy's ~

 

…whew… 5 minutes to spare!   Good night!

week in review…

…but it’s not even over yet!  ;-)

In lieu of a Daybook, I will take ten minutes to try to recap.  (ha ha – ten minutes?)

 

Mother’s Day – seems like half a lifetime ago already.  Tim grilled steaks and Kate baked a chocolate cake which Miss Artist decorated.  Tim gave me real steps (by hiring Dan the carpenter to replace the construction treads) – woot woot!

   

 

Monday – Chocolates for Kate’s open house.  PB fudge, PB bonbons, almond-coconut bonbons (I need want a good name other than Almond Joy for these, but maybe I should get over it.), and mocha truffles.

Tuesday – Dan came to install the new treads.  I did something really constructive myself, like watching Bleak House …and dipping the chocolate goodies.  8-)

                

 

Wednesday – Tim was in the field spraying, so the rest of us headed for church in the evening, listening to the radio…  heard the severe storm warning…  turned around and came home again.

The cows have been enjoying grazing in the hayfield ~ can you see where they’ve been?  The alfalfa is always greener on the other side of the fence.

       

 

Thursday – A high mileage day.  Polk City, Ankeny, Clive, and Dallas Center (and a gas stop in Huxley on the way home for some $4.029/gal gas!)  Um, yeah, then I filled the rest of the tank in Story City, where they wanted $4.059!  so I bought E-85 instead.  Yikes, I thought oil prices were down after they found/killed bin Laden?   I visited a couple banks on church business, ordered books from A Beka at a motel meeting, and picked up 200# of wheat berries.  I was surprised by the number of (young) moms at the A Beka meeting – but I suppose others were as motivated as I was with the 10% discount available this month  :-)  That was my morning.  I came home to a wet floor in the kitchen – we had a minor flood under the kitchen sink – thankfully the kids AND Tim were home to take care of it before we had major damage. 

In the afternoon, I made several phone calls to make appointments for the kids to see the dentist, eye doctor, and get haircuts.  Then [cue scary music]… I called the IRS.  :o  Horrors.  And they didn’t even give me the answer I wanted.  :-\  Boo hoo hoo.  Sooo, can I blame the IRS?  I went to the library and found a couple Woodsmall novels to distract me from my reality  ;-)

     

 

Today – Piano lessons were postponed due to illness at Mrs. D’s house.  I have books on hold at the library and the stores are having some “Friday the 13th” sales so I should still go buy groceries tonight – we’ll see.  I’ve been baking today.  A batch of bread, 70-some buns, Cookie Mama Cookies, and pizza.  So supper is almost ready!  {A notable thing at this hour at my house}  and my freezers and fridge are overflowing with food for Kate’s open house.  (The DONE List:  150 frozen fruit cups and ~190 buns.  The Almost Done List:  roast beef and chocolates.  HAPPY DAY!)  It was incredibly summery (as in late-July temps) earlier this week, so I’ve been avoiding my oven.  For comparison, right now at 6pm, it is 54F or 12C!  And Tuesday at 5pm it was 93F/34C here.  I am thankful we haven’t had destructive weather – and we did get rain finally!  A tornado destroyed most of a town in southern Iowa on Wednesday.  And many towns on the larger US rivers are flooded.  Much to be thankful for!  And, since the fields are so wet today, Tim stayed home to work on staining more doors.

 

Supper’s over – I’m off to buy groceries!

daybook 5/2/2011

 

FOR TODAY  

Monday, May 2, 2011

 

Outside my window...

another tractor a tank truck (hauling water or fertilizer?) just went by again ~ I went to sleep last night hearing a tractor and planter in a nearby field.  According to my toolbar, it’s not even 50F today (currently 47F or 8C), but it’s MAY and time to have the corn planted!

Surprise ~ I’m guessing this is my cousin Nick running the Soil Warrior to prepare the field just south of us…

The cattle are were grazing peacefully in the sunshine ~ I don’t see any of the young calves romping this morning, but the one-year-olds came quickly when they saw me outside…

  

I filled their water tank, but I think their bellering is a request for more corn.  Sorta like children begging for candy.

And look who else I found outside enjoying the sunshine…

  

The Popper gained a new pet this weekend!

 

I am thinking...

about our schedule for Basic Skills testing this week among other things

 

I am thankful …

the kids who have to take achievement tests this week are not sick!

for the good time the Popper and the Cattleman had with Tim yesterday at the Science Center for the Kids 4 Truth end-of-the-year celebration.

(photo from last Wednesday’s program at church ~ her class explained the patches earned)

 

I am praying for...

... the Rettigs and the church in Prague ~ Ivana, Eva, Masha & Dimitri ~ they are having a baptism soon and furlough time this summer  :-)

… the sale of my mother-in-law’s home

… Amber’s dad

… Grant S.

… people who live and work in Japan

… Cinnamon ~ her Army hubby is in Afghanistan, her Marine son is in Japan

… Amy W., a young wife/mom with cancer

… Angela & Jared and their newborn twins~ both boys have had RSV, but are home again!

… Sarita & Jeff need visas for their return to Israel

… my dad, recovering from shoulder surgery

… our group going to Brazil – visas should be processed this week (ha ha – maybe this week they will actually make it all the way through – I am weary of jumping through their hoops!) – and lots of requirements to fulfill yet!

… my cousin’s little guy, 9mo Callan ~ trying to figure out his health issues and preparing to move across the country in a few months

… my friend J. who had a successful ‘simple’ surgery last Wednesday ~ recovery has been a bit more than she imagined, but all will be well eventually ~ just wishing she had more than a half-day left of sick leave.

… Michelle B.

… my family ~ When will we be done with the flu?  I think it’s Miss Artist’s turn today.

 

From the learning rooms...

Iowa Test of Basic Skills for the younger three.

More catch-up for the olders (and regaining health) ~ Devotionals for speech are scheduled for Friday (?)

 

From the kitchen...

Tim started in the field today, so I get a bit lazy…  Thankfully we have leftovers for those who have appetites today.  And I will need to get moving on my list for the open house!

 

I am creating...

We put this photo display together yesterday for last night’s graduation fellowship at church.  Unfortunately, Kate was sick with the flu and missed the party!  I was thankful for our ‘adopted’ daughter Lora’s help  :-)

 

I am going...

to finish printing the invitations today,

and I suppose I will even deal with some laundry

 

I am reading...

I am not done with this one yet…

The Johnstown Flood by David G. McCullough

but I got sidetracked with a couple other books…

                                                     

While I’m obviously not giving up my beef, here’s a good quote from a review at Amazon:

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." By which Pollan means: Eat natural food, the kind your grandmother served (and not because she was so wise, but because the food industry had not yet learned that the big money was in processing, not harvesting). Use meat sparingly. Eat your greens, the leafier and more varied the better.

 

I am hoping...

the pictures we ordered from Walgreens will be in today’s mail

 

I am hearing...

“My Father Planned It All” as sung by the Wilds men

Mr. Birx in Bible Doctrines talking very fast (ie, on “fast forward”)

(Uh oh… not hearing the laundry working… Doesn’t it know how to start itself?)

 

Around the house...

books, boxes and piles of photos, dirty laundry, newest flu victim is sleeping

 

One of my favorite things...

I know I’ve said it before, but the word and status of “DONE”

 

Pondering these words...

“It is finished”

(see my ‘favorite thing’ above ~ It fits!  Click it for a link to the entire verse.)

 

A few plans for the rest of the week:

not as much daily running as last week – ha ha ha ha ha (maybe?)

ITBS, mail invitations, order more pics and the photo books from Shutterfly, order Azure and UNFI!

Next weekend is another crazy one – local city-wide garage sales (What do I/we possibly need?); Kate will be baking a cake for her Aunt Cathy; the Brazil travelers have a training session Saturday night.  Sunday is Mother’s Day…

 

Here is a picture  for thought... 

 

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

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

that thou fulfil it.

Colossians 4:17

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

~ Find more Daybooks at Peggy's ~