What's Up

Last year around this time was about the last time that i actually diligently wrote on my blog about what goes on in my and my family's life. Since this is supposed to be a place where my Florida family can keep up with what goes on over here in Delaware, and since this is also a kind of journal for me to keep track of what goes on in my life (because of my memory problems, i won't remember it unless it's documented), i really am going to try to write on here at the very least once a week. I spent some time going over some of my old blogs and it was nice to remember some things that i had already forgotten.

So, what's up lately with the Furman family?
Well, Steve is doing very well in his job. His store is closing down next month to get a total rebuild, so he will be busy giving other stores the benefit of his expertise. His boss has already told him that he will be up for promotion sooner rather than later. He is involved in a few committees, which enables him to get his name out there to be seen by the big-wigs. And we are hoping that he will very soon get a company car ( we pray that this will happen sooner rather than later-no car payment, no gas to buy, no insurance, what a relief that would be for our finances...pray, pray, pray). I am extremely proud of my hubby and the hard work he does both at his work and as a dad and husband. Now, if i could just get him to pick his clothes up off the floor! jk, that's the least of it. He is a hard worker and i love him very much and appreciate his drive to be the best he can be.

I started my sixth semester of college about 5 weeks ago and am looking forward to actually getting a job in which i can use all the skills i have been learning. Actually, i am very nervous about entering the work world again after the 15 year hiatus i have taken in order to raise the kids. But i know that once the newness wears off, i will love it. This semester i am taking three classes, and i have decided (i think) to add the four classes and one extra internship i need in order to graduate with two separate degrees--one in Human Services and one in Drug and Alcohol Counseling--because it will help me to get a better job. Two of the classes for the second degree are VERY difficult, so i'm not 100 percent positive that i will actually do it, but i probably will. The past four years have been all about me doing things that are outside of my comfort zone, and this is just one more time i will have to stretch myself.
I have a class with Erin this semester (Spanish 1) which is great because i get to spend an evening with my daughter, but yucky because it is a very hard class. I am in the last year of home-schooling Rachel and, as of right now, we are in a bit of a mid-year rut. But, we are adding some new curriculum for Bible and Grammar and Writing in a week, and we are starting a new schedule next week, so hopefully that will give us a fresh start.
Rachel and i joined a gym last month, but have only been averaging 2-3x a week attendance, so we need to do better in that area too....summer is coming soon!

Erin began her college career last summer and is doing well in her classes. I will say that she does NOT like college, which is surprising to me because i thought she would. But, she continues to try hard to do well while she decides what she wants to do with her life. Big decisions! It must be very hard on her, but i am very proud of the way she handles both herself and the decisions she has to make. She may not finish college, and i'm ok with that, but she is fearful that her family will be disappointed in her decision. Hopefully she will realize that her decisions will not disappoint us at all. I am proud of the woman she has become, no matter what she decides. I just want her to be happy. And if happy for her is a full time job in an entry-level position, i'm good with that.

Matt is doing well in his Junior year of school. He is still majorly involved with the drama department and is presently working very hard to put on a production of Hairspray next week. He is so busy, i hardly get to see him for more that an hour or two every couple of days. He goes to school at 7, goes to practice till 7pm and then does his homework until he can't keep his eyes open any longer. On top of that, he works all day on the weekends to save up for a car, which i think he will be buying next month. Last semester he had a part in a couple of school productions and two parts in the local theater's production of Annie. I think he was great in all of his parts. He continues to improve his acting/singing/dancing every time i see him perform and i am overwhelmingly proud of him.

Rachel continues to grow both academically and personally, and i'm not being a parrot when i say that i am very proud of her also! She is an independent worker, has a very good attitude, and is a joy to teach (most of the time ;-)). She is looking forward to going to public high school and it is my fervent prayer that she will make lots of friends and do well in her studies. She also plans on joining the drama tract in the school, where her brother will be a senior, and i am looking forward to watching her perform as well.

So that's us in a looooong nut shell.
Hopefully, now that i'm all caught up with who is doing what, it will be easier for me to document the goings' on in our lives.

Tonight i am thankful for:
1. A mother who is there for me, even when Bones is on (insider) ;-)
2. Weekends to catch up on things i should have done during the week
3. New beginnings and the opportunity to learn from mistakes.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Did you know there is a national day of pretty much everything in the universe? Feb 23rd happens to be National Inconvenience Yourself Day...when was the last time you were inconvenienced?
--This is a hard one. The last time i've inconvenienced myself? or the last time i've been inconvenienced in general? I don't generally inconvenience myself (usually if i don't want to do something, i just don't do it; or i find a way to make myself want to do it) nor do i think of others' requests as an inconvenience to me. Sometimes when i have to do something for my kids when i'm busy with something else, i feel inconvenienced. But mostly i just do it without thought of inconvenience.


2. When a room in your house needs painting, who does the job?
--The last time the two large common rooms in the house needed to be painted, i paid Matt and his friend to to it (cheap labor, lol). Before that, Steve was the painter of the house. I don't remember the last time i actually painted a wall. The bathroom is getting redone soon, i wonder who will be painting that? Stay tuned to find out :-)
 
3.Are you friends with your cousins?
--Absolutely! Well, at least with the cousins who are my age. I have been very close to two of my cousins throughout my life. My cousin Beth, who is only 5 months younger than me, and i have always been close. I lived with her when i was a young adult, we raised a couple of our kids at the same time, spent hours on the phone together when we were young mothers, and still have a good relationship. I am sad that i don't get to see her or talk to her as much as we used to, but we live a thousand miles apart now. Whenever i visit, though, we have a great time together.
My cousin Shannon, who is 4 years younger than me, and i have also been very close when i was younger. I lived with her and her mom when i was an older teen and really enjoyed (most of the time, lol) having a younger sister. In fact, we refer to each other as "cisters"--a cross between cousin and sister--and i still consider her to be like a younger sister to me. She also lives far away from me, so i don't get to see her near enough, but she calls me now and than and we catch up over the phone.
I have 5 younger cousins, who i hardly get to see. But i'm sure we would get along really great if we saw each other more often. I am face-book-friends with two of them and i need to try harder to connect with them.
I love family!
 
 
3.Do you use an alarm clock-if yes, is it an actual alarm, music or something else?
Funny question...yes, i use an alarm clock on most days, except Saturday. It's actually a very loud, annoying voice that screams through my phone saying "COME ON GET UP! IT'S TIME TO GET UP! GET OUT OF BED, COME ON GET UP! All while a horn blares like a fire alarm. It definitely helps me get up quickly! I am a terrible morning person. It's takes me a while to get motivated to start my day, since i sleep so badly, i never feel like it's enough when it's time to wake up.


4.What do you put ketchup on?
--I could put it on almost anything. Meat, side dishes, eggs...

5. What smells make you nostalgic?
--Suntan lotion, pipe tobacco, motor oil, cigarette smoke, baby bath, the smell of a home-cooked meal.
6.Did you hear about the high school English teacher recently suspended for some things she wrote on her personal blog? You can read the story here but in a nutshell she vented a lot of frustration onto her blog. She didn't mention individual students by name but she did make some harsh comments about kids in general and their parents.
What are your thoughts-if you're a parent is your child's teacher online and are you a 'friend' or 'follower' there? If you're a teacher are you on facebook and do you accept or friend students there? How about their parents?
--I am a parent of children who are in public school and a teacher of one my children for home school. I think the teacher was maybe harsh in the words she chose in her frustration, but perfectly within her rights to say what she said. She didn't use any names or break any privacy rules. She voiced her opinion and frustration on her personal blog. I think it's ridiculous that she got suspended for that. I have a cousin who works as a teacher, and i sense his frustration with the school system and some of the kids in his classroom. But i also know that he enjoys teaching. The kids in public schools can rant and rave against their teachers, not just on social media, but directly to their teacher's faces...and nothing happens to them. Should a teacher get suspended for venting her frustration without naming names? I don't think so. And according to the comments on the news story, 92 percent of the readers agree that she should not have gotten in trouble.
8. Insert your own random thought here
This has been a long post, but my random thought is this: i spent a lot of time reading some of my old posts from when this blog was new, and i really want to start blogging about what is going on in my life again...if for nothing else than for my own personal journaling and to keep in touch with my family. Whom i miss terribly.


If you want to join this meme for hodgepodge Wednesdays, you can join our host here: http://joyce-fromthissideofthepond.blogspot.com/2011/02/conveniently-its-wednesday-hodgepodge.html

The Simple Woman's Daybook for the Week of 2/21/2011

FOR TODAY February 22, 2011


Outside my window...Dark and cold...snow on the ground yet again!!

I am thinking...I can't believe the kids had ANOTHER snow day!

I am thankful for...a wonderful night with my husband tonight...he called me for no reason today and asked me out on a date...awwww, so sweet. I love getting along great with my hubby :-)

From the learning rooms...Rachel follows Matt's school calender, when he has a snow day, so does she. So, we are a bit behind, and tomorrow i need to go to school, so we have ALOT of work to do in history, science and grammer this week.

From the kitchen...I was going to roast a pork loin tonight, but went out to dinner instead...so i'll be roasting the pork tomorrow instead. Not sure about dinner for the rest of the week though.

I am wearing...two shirts, jeans, two pairs of socks and a big fluffy bathrobe...it's cold in here tonight! Heater is set to 63 degrees in order to save on heating costs!

I am creating...the only thing i'm creating at the moment is an assessment and diagnosis paper for my Techniques of Behavioral Change class.

I am going...Class tomorrow, was supposed to stay for an evening meeting, but we are so behind in home-school i just can't do it :-( That will be 3 TUA meetings i have missed, i'm thinking they may kick me out of the society soon, jk. Next year i can participate more. For the rest of the week, i don't think i'm going anywhere in particular.

I am reading...Drug and Alcohol book for school, Case Management book for school, The Wastelands by Steven King for fun, and the book of Numbers from the Bible for our church read-through-the-bible challenge (when i remember :-( )

I am hoping...To be more consistent with my Bible reading this week, to get all my homework done on time, to comprehend my Spanish assignment this week, as i left class early this week, to actually DO all the things on my to-do list this week.

I am hearing..the tv is on for background noise, Rai getting ready for bed, Erin walking around, Matt puttering around in his room--wow, it's after midnight on a school-night and we are all still awake...i think we will all be a bunch of sleepy-heads tomorrow.

Around the house...bought a new area rug for the living room...it's a bit darker and much bigger than the other one we had, i like it. Did a bit of cleaning and laundry today, but the floors need to be mopped and the bathroom cleaned. The Master bathroom needs to get done, we still need to put in the new toilet, paint the walls, and install the new sink/cabinet/mirror combo....maybe during spring break? Can't wait till it's done. Also hoping to get a new king size bed in our bedroom, so we will have to move the furniture around to fit it all in.

One of my favorite things...Shopping!!

A few plans for the rest of the week: study, homework, teach, learn, clean, cook, shop, taxi kids around, and other mommy, wifey, and homeschoolly things :-) Also, talk to MY mommy tomorrow maybe...it's been quite a while since we had a nice chat, and i miss her big-time!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...love my hubby....and looking forward to beach weather!

Have a great week!

If you want to blog about your week, join our host at:  http://www.thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

5 Question Friday

In the spirit of trying to get back into blogging on my blog, i decided to try and participate on a few memes during the week (which are like ideas or questions that are shared from blog to blog). This one is from a blog i follow called "My Little Life"

5 Question Friday:

 1. Have you worn the same outfit more than one day in a row?
Um, yes, actually i  have. But only if i put the outfit on for only an hour or two the day before and than took it off to get into p.j.s. Sometimes i will wear an outfit to church on Sunday, take it off to change into sweats, and than put it on again for school the next day...i don't really have a lot of nice clothes, so i have to recycle, lol. The exception to this is undergarments. those i only wear once.




2. If you had to choose any LARGE city to live in, which would it be?
Probably New York City. But in the nicer area. It would be interesting to live in a city, i think, but i would probably get claustrophobic because of all the people and buildings being squished into a smallish island. Nice to visit....but not sure about living there for a long time.


3. Fly or drive with the kids on vacation?
I've done both. On most long vacations, we fly because it takes too long and is too hard on the car to drive two thousand miles. But, we did drive down to Florida once, and it was a very good memory. I don't like flying, it makes me nervous. But i do like getting there quickly. However, if i had a nice, big car that was dependable and comfortable enough for the four of us, i would definitely drive again.

4. What is your idea of "spring cleaning"?
To me, spring cleaning is that once or twice a year deep cleaning that takes almost a whole day for each room of the house. EVERYTHING gets washed, from the ceilings to the floors. I don't like doing it (well, actually sometimes i do kind of enjoy it for a few hours) but i LOVE the way the house looks and smells when i'm done. I am so much happier when the house is clean :-) I'll be spring cleaning during spring break this year, i think.


5. What is the best book you have ever read?
That's a hard one, because i have read sooo many books in my lifetime! In my opinion, a good book is one that i don't want to stop reading and think about even when i'm not reading it during the day. I love getting so immersed in the story that it feels like i'm actually watching a movie. A lot of Steven King books have been like that for me, mostly the Gunslinger series, which i am actually reading again right now :-) Ted Dekker books are like that for me also, as are some of Beverly Lewis books. However, at the moment, i can not think of just one book that was better than the rest
If you want to join this 5 question friday meme, hop on over to the My Little Life blog at http://fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/

The Simple Woman’s Daybook for February 15 ‘11

 

FOR TODAY February 14, 2011

Outside my window...Clear, night sky. It was so windy today, it blew all the clouds away. But, the temperature was in the upper 40’s, so that was a relief.

I am thinking… I need to go to bed soon, i have a lot to do tomorrow.

I am thankful for... The time i get to spend with my oldest daughter every Monday  night, as we share a college class together. We meet for dinner before class every week, do some shopping and than learn new Spanish words and grammar rules together. Though it’s my most unpleasant class academically, it is a great day with my first-born

From the learning rooms...Rachel is halfway through her pre-algebra math course and is doing well. For American History we finishing the first semester book this week, which brings us to the end of the Jacksonian period. Soon we will be covering the Civil War. For English, she has been doing reading comp. and editing for grammar, but i would like to add more writing practice. For Science, she is doing a unit on fossils and uniformitariunism vs. catastrophism (sounds fun, huh?) Still need to get a new Bible program. As for my learning…well, more on that later.

From the kitchen...Steve has been doing a lot of cooking lately, so i haven’t cooked much, but tomorrow i will be making……something, i just don’t know what yet :-)

I am wearing...blue jeans, black and gray tank-top with gray jacket over it, blue hat (too windy to have a good hair day today). Looking forward to getting jammies on.

I am creating...um, not much…i guess I've been creating a cleaner home, respectful, loving, intelligent children, a happy husband, and a smarter mind….that will have to do for now ;-)

I am going...let’s see, dance, doctor, gym tomorrow; school and meeting on Wednesday; dentist, maybe my friends house, and gym on Thursday; nowhere? on Friday and Saturday, and church on Sunday.

I am reading...for pleasure: the Gunslinger by Steven King. For my school: Drug and Alcohol Addictions textbook, Case Management textbook, and Spanish textbook. For Rai’s school: American History and Science textbooks, i forget their titles right now.

I am hoping...That i will get all my home and school work done this week on time and with a smile on my face and joy in my heart

I am hearing...the tv is on, some murder mystery that i am not watching is on, the bathroom sink is running, one of the girls is getting ready for bed.

Around the house...Both the guys are sleeping, all the girls are awake…but we get up later than they do. Oh, and also the Christmas decorations, which are boxed up, need to be taken out of my living room and put back into the shed

One of my favorite things...my new computer

A few plans for the rest of the week: i think i covered this above, lol

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...Can’t do this yet, because my new computer does not have any of my pictures uploaded onto it yet. In fact, i can add this to the above question….this week i have plans to move pictures and documents and music from my old computer to my new one.

If you want to blog about your day, join our host at  http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ and blog away!

Some Thoughts About Love

…And now these three remain: faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love…
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,  it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.—I Corinthians 13

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.—John 3

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this: that he lay down his life for his friends”--Jesus

Today I am thankful for:
1. The  fact that the Creator of the Universe not only knows me, but loves me personally!!
2. The Bible: our instruction manual for a better life—and it’s no secret, it is truth—there is something wonderful in knowing that no matter what is going on in my life, God has written instructions about how to deal with it and how to come out of it BETTER for it on the other end!
3. The love i get from my family!!

Welcome Back

I just got a new laptop and am trying out the new settings. Since i can now actually use my laptop on the go and “on my lap,” i am hoping to start back up with writing on my blog, since i still have lots to say and not a lot of people to say it to. So, this is just a test post. Be back soon.
Today i am thankful for:
1. My new laptop
2. My generous husband
3. Free time