daybook 4/29/2013

 

 

 

Outside my window...

the Cowgirl, Cattleman, and Popper are still working {hanging out} with the Jersey calves – They’ve been fencing them a small spot in the yard to graze each day.

the field looks beautifully smooth and black after being cultivated and planted on Saturday {happy farmgirl sigh}

 

Hearing...

not much  {ahem – better get the washer going… and the vacuum…}

 

Pondering...

the lure of a Shutterfly photo book sale… with additional coupon codes to sweeten the deal.  If I were still active on facebook, perhaps I would just give those codes away to someone else to use.

 

Praying...

Taylor ~ in the hospital this week for antibodies treatment

SarahE ~ 3-hour glucose test on Wednesday  :p

Ruth ~ expecting their seventh child {and living on the other side of the world from us}

Kate ~ last week of classes!

Praise:  Makayla is doing well after surgery on her ear; SarahW is doing well with PT {then their basement flooded last week…}

 

Thankful...

for the unfailing goodness of our God.

 

Reading...

Bible – Proverbs, Matthew

This mystery series by Lorena McCourtney has been so fun to read {in spite of the murders Ivy investigates}  Looking forward to picking up book #3 today at the library!

                    

                

 

I’ll also be looking for The Dwelling Place by Elizabeth Musser since it’s the sequel to The Swan House.  Mrs. Musser is an Atlanta native living in France as a missionary wife – the books I’ve read so far are set in Atlanta.

               

Like I have time for reading novels?!

 

In the kitchen...

last Friday:  made lemon bars, oatmeal tea cake, blonde cave man cookies {Jodi}, first batch of buns for grad party/freezer, bread, and pizza.

and Saturday:  cooked/shredded two more beef roasts for grad party/freezer, mixed up turkey taquito filling for Sunday {JulieG}, cole slaw and grilled burgers.  {chose to leave the oven OFF for the day!}

Not sure what’s on this week’s menu other than Abby’s Cajun Chicken Pasta… ???

 

In the learning rooms...

moving closer to the end of our school year!  While hoping/planning to spend some time this month with fun but profitable read-alouds and movies for history (Renaissance, Reformation, Exploration) ~ The Black Arrow (Stevenson), By Right of Conquest (Henty), A Man for All Seasons, Drake: the Man They Called a Pirate (Latham).  Plus How Should We Then Live?  on dvd,  Story of Liberty (Coffin), and movies about Wycliffe & Tyndale.  Wishing the library had Disney’s The Sword & the Rose…

Why yes, I am a dreamer/idealist – how did you guess?

 

Around the house...

The pile of supplies for the graduation party is growing…

 

The Mother Load...

vacuum, laundry, ironing, menu plan… and repeat

finish books for Abby & Daniel {next Sunday is the graduation fellowship at church!}

food prep for the graduation party next month

 

Something to remember for later...

I enlisted the Computer Geek/Daniel, the Cattleman, Cowgirl, and Popper to help me plant a new flower bed in the yard on Saturday.  Daylilies and bearded iris – that have been in the fridge for the past year  :o  Hoping they survive to reward our labors!

Later I took Daniel over to my uncle’s house to help him clean up/haul away a row of small trees from their yard.  He came home with quite the stories of driving a skidsteer for the first time – and entertaining my uncle’s grandson who needed some impromptu babysitting.

 

Something fun to share...

Need some good coconut oil?  FREE shipping TODAY only at Tropical Traditions!  Click HERE.

 

A Bible verse...

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Romans 13:10

 

A few plans for the rest of the day/week...

--> post office with state tax returns and graduation invitations

--> piano lessons, groceries and other shopping

--> orthodontist for Abby and the Cowgirl

turn the calendar to MAY!  :o

end of the month financial reports

 

A peek into my world...

Abby’s harp recital was Friday night  :)

 

~.~.~.~.~

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 4/17/2013

 

 

Outside my window...

it’s increasingly green!  :D

I’m not quite sure how it can be 41F with a real feel of 49F, but so says AccuWeather.  {edit: they’ve now corrected it to say a real feel of 36F.  Much more like it.}

Rain and thunderstorms today.   It even hailed for a while early this morning.  Tomorrow they predict a little snow with the rain.

 

Hearing...

the Cowgirl was at the piano while Abby finished with lunch dishes; now Mr. McBride is leading memory verse recitation {via DVD}… moving on to review questions and today’s lecture on church history from the early 1900s.

 

Pondering...

a long, but meaningful funeral service we attended this morning.

 

Praying...

for family and friends involved with today’s funeral.

for Makayla, who was to have surgery yesterday to repair a hole in her ear drum.

for a friend beginning physical therapy for her knee – with hopes that will be sufficient treatment.

for a friend planning to spend next week with her brother as he recovers from surgery

for people in Boston

 

Thankful...

for my faithful husband  <3

 

Creating...

photo display boards

                  

    

Abby’s still needs writing on the ‘chalkboard’ pages, but we are getting ready to celebrate graduation!

 

Going... going… going… gone.

Tomorrow will be a good day to stay at home finally.  :)

 

Reading...

Bible – Proverbs; listening again to Acts; topical study on friends

 

Learning...

to resist the siren call of chocolate and cookies  :o  {trying to learn}

 

Looking forward to...

fruits from the garden and new trees planted this month

  

{Interesting light difference?  They were planting in the garden late last Monday; the second photo was mid-day on Saturday}

 

In the kitchen...

tonight’s menu ~ farmhouse bbq biscuits

 

In the learning rooms...

The Cattleman has started into next year’s science ~ Exploring Creation with General Science from Apologia

 

Around the house...

clutter and dust, but the boys’ Legos have been put away again

{Daniel’s cherry-picker}

 

The Mother Load...

usually laundry and always ironing

bills to pay; a desk or three to return to order

more school work to check

haul away the piles remaining in the basement – there’s actually more than this now in our give-away/throw-away piles:

sorting photos and stuff for the memory books

print invitations for the open house – May is almost here!

 

Noticing that...

life just gets busier and time goes faster than ever before.  All. the. time.

{ahem…  it’s taken me two hours to post this daybook?!}

 

Something to remember for later...

Abby & I had a wonderful time in February with some of the older folks in town when we delivered their ‘meals on wheels’ – One lady in particular (Mrs. Loots) was such a delightfully happy soul.  Oh to be like her!

 

Something fun to share...

A daughter read Love You Forever at today’s funeral.

Fun?  Tips on fighting allergies.

 

A favorite quote for today...

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Proverbs 17:17

 

One of my favorite things...

Having a plan – and working it.

 

A Bible verse...

Her children arise up, and call her blessed…

Proverbs 31:28a

{very true at today’s funeral}

 

A few plans for the rest of the day/week...

--> church tonight

--> dentist check-ups for the last three of the kids on Friday

 

A peek into my world...

a year ago

{moooooo}

 

~.~.~.~.~

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

saturday sunshine

 

 

At least at this moment (11:30am), the sun is shining!  While the rain has been most welcome, some warmer temperatures would be great too.  I’m so thankful Tim was able to seed the hay ground – and plant peas, etc. in the garden – before the rains came this week.

While I was out this week, I noticed the columbine plants in front of the house are actually GREEN and growing!  Yay, spring!

Today’s window of nicer weather will not go unused.  Tim and the Cattleman are headed out to plant the trees and raspberries that arrived this week.  Plus some asparagus that they picked up this morning …b/c Tim thought I liked it – ha ha – good joke.  I’d suggested we plant some years ago b/c I thought he liked it, but he’d said No, thank you.  [Isn’t that a hoot, Mom?!]  If it survives, we’ll be eating it …and/or selling it.

They also purchased some additional fencing supplies just for the orchard which resides in the midst of the cow’s pasture.  [color me HaPpY!]  Sooo, hopefully we can keep the cattle out of it this year – and not have to replant trees again next year.  ;-)

The Cowgirl and the Popper continue their efforts at purging their collection of STUFF in their room.  They all but emptied the room yesterday while they vac-ed and mopped the floor.  Now they are sorting through their boxes to keep what they love –and give way or throw away the rest.  Time-consuming {and not helpful in accomplishing school work}, but worthy – and hopefully it will help them think twice about saving  every little scrap of ‘treasure.’  :D

The Computer Geek {aka Daniel} is busy with the ACT today.  Abby & I will pick him up in a couple hours.  After we run a few errands… so we should have been on our way to Ames before now!

spring {break} cleaning -- April

Caroline is hosting a spring cleaning this month at her blog, The Modest Mom...



She offers daily physical tasks as well as ideas for cleaning out our hearts and minds.  She began in her children's bedrooms last week; this week her focus is the master bedroom.

While my focus so far has been on our storage areas in the basement, it's been good to read these posts. 

daybook 4/8/2013

 

{the message above was painted by two different people on the outside of a church in Ireland – the first was not a believer}

 

Outside my window...

a hazy sunrise

Tim says one of the weather forecasts includes THIRTEEN inches of snow for Wednesday – Wasn’t April Fool’s Day last week??

 

Hearing...

the washer drain

{the kids are all still abed}

 

Pondering...

what else to send to Kate today

whether or not I’ve written out the assignment sheets for this week (?)

 

Praying...

for the extended family of a good friend ~ Please pray with me especially for Amanda, a young mom who chose life for her baby in spite of the doctor’s advice to abort.  Instead of living for a couple hours, the baby held on for eight days after delivery – long enough for Amanda to bond with her precious child. 

 

Thankful...

for our own healthy, alive children – as well as three new baby calves

for a good week with the family {spring break}

 

Creating...

a 2013 photo album with actual printed photographs – strange, old-fashioned?

 

Going...

to the treadmill soon

to the post office to ship a few left-behind things to Kate {plus a little bag of homemade granola}

to the courthouse to register our new-to-us 1994 Buick {ha ha}

to buy more feed for the growing Jersey calves

to buy groceries for the growing children  ;-)

 

Reading...

Bible – Proverbs, James, and listening again to Acts

 

Learning...

how old and decrepit I really am {and how tired I get when doing physical work daily}  ugh

 

Looking forward to...

heaven 

 

In the kitchen...

hmm, good question

 

In the learning rooms...

I made it through the huge stack of papers to check – yay! 

 

Around the house...

still pretty quiet, although the Cattleman is now up and searching for his breakfast

 

The Mother Load...

Tax prep – must finish, and soon!

 

Noticing that...

Only ONE week until Tax Day!!!  :o

 

Something to remember for later...

All six kids in the kitchen cooking breakfast together on Saturday {interesting background while I tried to focus on Kate’s tax return – ha}

Oh, and here’s a shot from our late Friday night – the older girls got a free tube of lipstick in a not-so-flattering shade of orange  :)  Goofy kids.

 

Something fun to share...

Did you know that April is National Poetry Month?   Neither did I.

The Erskines offer daily links to free sources for those interested…

This week, in keeping with our April poetry focus, 
our featured resources are all materials designed to help you 
incorporate poetry into your children's studies. 
These are great for all ages!

The lineup:

Monday, April 8th:
DON'T FORGET THE POETRY! Unit Study Guide (PDF ebook)

Tuesday, April 9th:
LEARNING TO LOVE SHAKESPEARE - Practical Tips & Audio Stories! 

Wednesday, April 10th:
CLASSIC POEMS TO MEMORIZE (PDF ebook)

Thursday, April 11th:
THE CAMBRIDGE BOOK OF POETRY FOR CHILDREN (PDF ebook)

Friday, April 12th:
VIDEO TREASURES FOR THE FAMILY!

--------------

All of the above resource can be found on their respective 
days this week at

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=Ooao_&m=K3GjW7qtsAYxun&b=sQAmcPVtZhjnGplhZWTaOg

 

A favorite quote for today...

I am still determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may be, for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances.

~Martha Washington (as shared by Nancy Leigh DeMoss)

 

One of my favorite things...

enjoying a meal at Hickory Park with both family and good friends  :)

 

A Bible verse...

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

James 5:13-16

 

A few plans for the rest of the day/week...

school-required physicals for Abby & Daniel; ACT for Daniel on Saturday!

 

A peek into my world...

Tim was able to till and seed the hay field – yay! 

 

~.~.~.~.~

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

masterpiece {the king's singers}

This is some of what's rattling around in my head this week... so thought I'd share with y'all of course  ;-)
{especially for you, Christine, if you're reading}



Enjoy!  :D

youth service ~ march 17, 2013

 

The boys were all duded up in their suits  :)

    

 

Abby was the pianist for the evening.

  

 

E.W. played part of the prelude.

   

 

J.R. led the congregational singing.

 

Our Cowgirl played the offertory.

 

An ensemble of teen girls and leaders sang…

 

… as well as the entire youth group with leaders.

 

An instrumental ensemble also played some special music.

The scripture passage was read by three of the teens.

 

And finally the preaching – J.M. had the introduction and explained how gold is heated to remove its impurities.

Our Computer Geek had the first verses ~ followed by J.F. and  S.W. 

     

  

The Cattleman provided the conclusion.

{sorry for the blurry pics of the young men!}

They each did a fine job ~ It was interesting to see how each personality was demonstrated during their time behind the podium.  ;D

 

^{James 1: 2-8}

² My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

³ Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

⁴ But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

⁵ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

⁶ But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

⁸ A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.