dreaming of the simple life

 

or not so simple maybe.  But where everything has a time.  So it gets done. 

{sorta like a place for everything, and everything in its place}

 

 

If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride. 

But here’s a wish list anyway.

Time for blogging.  Baby books by hand.  Photo books via digital online.

Planning for landscaping.  Ordering trees, shrubs, flowers.  Starting seeds for a vegetable garden.  Our own berry patch with fruit and nut trees.

Painting the bookshelves I started scraping in 2010.  Somewhere there’s a can of beautiful blue paint for them.  Sometime down the road, the walls will need painting again ~ then or sooner, I will think about a few accent walls.  Maybe.  I need a few other ducks in a row before my thoughts can go there.

Reading multiple chapters in my Bible daily.  Time spent in prayer.  Remembering those I need to pray for {including those who live in this house}.  Reading more profitable books beyond the fast food diet of vacation reads {such as Bonhoeffer or The Maker’s Diet or Sweet Journey Bible study and more}  Thinking.  Reading historical fiction aloud to my kiddos.

Sewing.  Fun stuff like flannel baby blankets.  Needed things like culottes or skirts for my girls.  Practical jobs like mending jeans for my boys and Tim.  {The bzillion pieces of my “grandma” quilt wait quietly.  Someday our school room or the boys’ bedroom might be a sewing room.  Then it might be time for that quilt.}  It’s good to have something in this list that is appointed to wait for a different season of life.

But in the meantime, I have a stack of school papers to check.  Checkbooks to balance.  Supper to cook.  E-mails to wait for that should contain important links.  A new-to-us treadmill to ignore get back on tomorrow.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Just to brighten this post ~ and show you I haven’t been in la-la land all month ~ and confirm that we mostly live to eat ~ here’s a few more snapshots of life here…

 

Kate made a cranberry tart with her birthday tart pan {actually she made it into part cranberry /raspberry /cherry}  Recipe from Smitten Kitchen I think.  The cherry was the best of course.  {Must have a cherry tree in the future orchard}

 

Tim treated us to his waffle dessert on a Sunday night…

      

      

 

Kate also made a raspberry chocolate cake that was delish {surprise}  but it would be best to chill it for a while before serving…

            

 

She also found a different recipe for potato soup…

 

{Are you wondering what I have been doing instead of cooking?}

I did bake some breakfast tea cake the other day.  Just no pictures.

Did I mention we bought a tread mill? 

{Can you guess why I need a tread mill?  and Kate needs to reserve her daily desserts for the restaurant?}

Yeah, that.

Tim finished the floor in the school room!  ta da!

Everything was (is) terribly dusty from the sander {on top of months of neglect}  I started with the ceiling fans/lights  in the kitchen, dining, living, and school rooms.  I cleaned shelves {thought about painting them while they were empty} and dusted every thing that had to go back on them.  etc, etc.  I had four microfiber dust rags going plus the vacuum.  I did have the Computer Geek clean his own desk, thank you.  And his beloved office chair was banished to the basement due to evidence of unwelcome marks on the plywood floor.  He was not overly happy with me that day. 

I’m thinking about buying some shelves at Target for the ‘closet’ area.  We aren’t using the vertical space very well in there right now.  And I could use that low green shelf elsewhere…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So Tim just has to finish the laminate in the front entry hall and put in the other threshold pieces.   And then it will be back to staining trim.  yee haw. 

{prepare to roll your eyes} In other headline-worthy news: I had an ironing marathon one day.   While I was doing laundry and little else.  I should have saved the entire season of Downtown Abbey to watch that day instead of just the last episode.  I suppose that might have been worthy of before/after photos.

And I dealt with the mending pile again.  No pictures.  It’s just too exciting for public record, ya know.  When I get Hanna & James’ new baby boy’s blanket stitched, that will call for the camera.

I am somewhat Monday-challenged. Do you know what I mean by that? I’ve long made it a habit to stay at home on Mondays. Then we met Miss Artist’s harp teacher who is only available on Mondays or Wednesdays. So the choice seemed obvious. But I’m still in training trying to remember I have someplace to go on Mondays.  And it’s more than just a few miles away.  I’m thinking that about the time I develop the habit, she’ll be able to drive herself solo.  {Yes, add a trip to the DOT for her DL to the List}  And then maybe I can manage a daybook/happy homemaker sort of weekly post again?  Maybe.

And there’s more on my List.  But it’s still a secret. 

Stay tuned, but please don’t hold your breath!

wordless wednesday {sorta}

 

The Popper’s rose was the last to go…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Popper says she loves science the best.  Writing a report means she has to read even more…

  Here it’s Animals Do the Strangest Things.

 

She also came home from piano last Friday with a new book of simple hymn arrangements ~ that she earned with her practice time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

valentine’s day

 

Tim bought me the last red rose at the local flower shop…

        

        

  

…and pink roses for the girls.  {Snickers ice cream bars for the boys.}

 

I wasn’t very motivated to make dessert on Tuesday until I checked facebook.  And read status after status about red velvet cake, etc.

I was guilted into decided on “Better than Perkins” Pie since I had a sweet crust in the freezer and Picket Fence cream in the fridge.  Then the Cowgirl insisted I add something red or pink {such as adding color to the whipped cream, but somehow that just didn’t appeal to me}  So I cooked up some frozen raspberries and added a layer of RED to the pie…

  

It was different ~ I think I would make a different vanilla layer next time I use fruit instead of candy bars.  I guess I’ll just have to keep at it until it’s “Better than Perkins” too!  : )

Kate was working Tuesday evening ~ the rest of them look a bit tired, doncha think?

Pepper steak on rice was the main dish ~ with a nice salad. 

 

Wednesday with the leftovers I cooked up the mushrooms for lunch ~

  

Tim, Kate & I enjoyed them ~ next time I’ll add more cheese/cream/butter/salt or something to come closer to the Applebee’s taste.

 

Kate was busy this week baking cookies for friends at work, church, and home…

  

  

I think Miss Artist helped with the decorating too… when she wasn’t doing school helping the Popper and the Cattleman…

Wednesday was also Crazy Hair Night at K4T

  

  

Note the green coated wire in the first pic  : )

I should have insisted we she spike the Cattleman’s hair instead…

               

…of one pathetic hair bob.  Oh well.  He’s goofy enough without crazy hair.

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Guess who borrowed my camera today?

{to the tune of 76 photos of her rose}

And no, it wasn’t Miss Artist.

Happy Valentine’s Day {Week}

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you:

continue ye in my love.

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love;

even as I have kept my Father's commandments,

and abide in his love.

John 15:9-10

happy homemaker monday

 

 

The weather:::

The toolbar says 27F (-3C) ~ feels like 16F.  It’s snowing this morning!

 

On my reading pile:::
 
Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas, Deeper Water by Robert Whitlow

Bible ~ Proverbs and John

 

On my TV:::

nothing lately, except the usual heavy coat of dust  : )

We’ve moved the TV with the new arrangement in the living room.  Now we get less than not much for channels (via the black box).  So Tim spent some time looking at TVs when we were at Sam’s the other day.  I’m thinking we might be making the first television purchase of our married life in the near future!

 

On the menu for this week:::

Monday -  baked chicken taquitos {Kate is the cook}

Tuesday – pepper steak {the Cowgirl}

Wednesday – maid rites?

Thursday – spiral ham that I bought in December

Friday – Madison Co. Chicken {Miss Artist}

Saturday – pizza {the Popper}

Sunday – beef roast

Current leftovers ~ Mulligatawny Soup

Oh, and I bought a couple big portabellas to stuff with spinach {like Tim enjoyed at Applebee’s last week} … Now to find a recipe to guide me!  Oh, here’s one.

 

On my to do list:::

Check a small pile of school papers

Laundry!

Cleaning is a constant, but it’s even worse with current construction ~ Tim started in the school room with the laminate flooring this weekend, which is great but that means he’s also been sanding the high spots… So much extra dust and so many piles and piles and piles of books and stuff.

 

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::

A new couch!  ha ha 

But seriously, this looks so much better!

Um, no, I didn’t sew it  : )

 

In Homeschooling:::

The Cattleman still interrupts everyone else to hear a repeat of Mr. Howe’s humor.  If we get down to Pensacola, we have several people to find and meet in real life!

Miss Artist was delighted to find the supplemental CD for Apologia human anatomy ~ and proceeded to tell us about it at lunch today.  Something about a video of a cadaver? 

 

Looking around the house::: 

I should be vacuuming or dry-mopping.  And dusting. 

Or sitting on the couch reading Adam of the Road aloud to my younger kiddos.

 

From the camera:::

                Kids with their own cameras… 

taking pictures of this scene outside…

 

 

Something fun challenging to share:::

Conny posted this on facebook the other day ~

Sometimes it is better to be kind than to be right. We do not need an intelligent mind that speaks too much, but a patient heart that listens a lot.

 

On my prayer list:::

Bob W, nephew Austin, Mom F, Stef ~ all with health issues

 

Bible verse, Devotional:::

  In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence:

and his children shall have a place of refuge.

Proverbs 14:26

 

 

Click here to link up with Sandra

Miss Artist’s Christmas secret

 

Miss A has been asking for a certain something for a few years.  Another musical instrument.  Every so often Tim would spend time scouring Craigslist for a used one. 

In December Tim found one in the Milwaukee area.  {His mom lives between Madison and Milwaukee ~ and we were planning a trip there for Christmas}

When he talked to the owner, Tim learned that they even drove to Watertown every Tuesday for other music lessons {W’town is just seven miles from Tim’s mom’s house} ~ at the Bible college there.  Unfortunately, we weren’t in Wisconsin until Thursday night.  So Friday we drove over to East Troy to meet the owners of this lovely instrument ~ and to buy it from them!

The only glitch was getting the harp back to Iowa.  It was a crazy 24 hours of puzzling.  Being a man of action, Tim opted to remove the back bench, loaded up Abby and her harp, and drove to Iowa on Christmas Eve.  They were up again early Sunday morning to get back to Grandma’s house for a bite of breakfast before church.  {It’s 300 miles ~ about a 5 hour drive one-way} 

This last Monday I took Miss A and Miss Music Box for Miss A’s first “get-to-know-each-other-sort” of lesson with Marie, who lives near Bondurant. 

Exciting, yes?!

 

         

 

on the go!

No pictures.  No Live Writer {this time}.  And not much umph.  Just a quick Hello!  And here's why...

Monday ~ After errands in town, it was off to Bondurant for ____{surprise-post to come} and Ankeny {Kohl's} with my two young ladies.

Tuesday ~ Almost posted, but ran out of time.  B/c it was another outing for the evening with Tim in DesMoines.  Bought a used treadmill, had dinner at Applebee's, and shopped the furniture store.

Wednesday ~ More errands, including a haircut for me : )  And out for the evening at church.

Thursday {today!} ~ Off again with the whole family to the chiropractor, shopping at Sam's & Theisen's, then dinner at El Azteca {where a dear lady at the next table was treated to a sombrero on her head while the waiters sang Happy Birthday in Spanish ~ Not me, says I.}

Tomorrow ~ It's piano/grocery day with several errands I've been putting off.

Now that I've finally checked the mountain of school papers, I am OFF to sleep!  g'night!