Friday, May 27, 2011

Weekly Wrap Up: The One Where I Started the Spring Cleaning





Weekly wrap up for week of May 22

This week went so fast, i can barely even remember what we all did. Since my school is done until the fall, i have more time to do all the things i've been putting off for a while. But, since Rai still has home school until the end of this week, my time was still not my own.

Last Saturday, Me, Steve, Erin and Rai went to the outlets in Perryville Md (Matt decided it would be more fun to hang out with his girlfriend than to shop) mainly to find Steve a good, comfy pair of sneakers that would not break the bank. We managed to get him a great pair that is designed to keep pressure off the heel, which is perfect for him, since he stilll struggles with heel pain since his surgery last summer. The sneakers were originally 120 dollars, but with outlet prices and coupons i spent over an hour searching for the night before, they came to 35 dollars plus tax....:-) We looked for a pair of sandals for him, but didn't have much luck with that.

Monday was school for Rai and Matt. While Rai did schoolwork, i worked on starting the spring cleaning. I don't remember what i worked on that day though. I do know that i went to the gym both Sunday and Monday, which i felt really good about. The more i go the better i feel. Rachel and Matt also go with me most of the times, so we keep each other company.

Tuesday Rachel had dance in the morning and we did school and i cleaned...again. I'm not sure what else. We didn't go to the gym today, but Matt stayed after school until 8 p.m. to practice for a drama production that the school is putting on to say goodbye to their retiring Superintedent.

Wednesday was school for Rai and Matt again, and i spend a couple hours scrubbing the kitchen cabinets, inside and out. The cabinets i have don't reach all the way to the ceiling, so they collect a lot of dust and grime...and i must say it's been quite a while since i cleaned the tops of them. I just read on another woman's blog to put wax paper on the tops of the cabinets, so when it collects dust next time i won't have to scrub it, i can just change the paper...great idea :-) Oh, yeah, i did go to the gym around 8p.m., which worked out pretty well, cause it wasn't so crowed, and i actually  slept better than i usually do.

Thursday...you guessed it, school again, but it was the last school day of the week, so it went quickly. 4 more days and we will be done... phew. It's been a long year! Right now Rai and I are just really wrapping up each class, making sure i have taught enough for Rachel to be on target for high school. We are now doing maybe thirty minutes for each class, sometimes less. We usually are done by 2. Matt is busy taking final tests and finishing his Junior year as well as he can. Rai had an eye doctor appt on Thursday and learned how to put contacts in and take them out. She is soooo excited to have contacts! Me and Rai went to the gym at 8 again.

Today is Friday and i mostly ran errands while Steve, Matt and Erin worked and Rai finally got to sleep in. Took Matt to work at 6:45 a.m., came home and put make-up on and did my hair, went to get some blood tests done that i have been putting off for 2 months. Then i went down to Dover to turn in some paper work for Financial Aid for my college classes next fall, picked up Erin's new license plates for her new car, went to Best Buy for a couple things, Came home, picked up Rai, went to walmart to get something for dinner (pizza--walmart pizza is the best), came home, made dinner, took a shower, and got on the computer. So, at least i remember what i did for one day! No gym today.

Tomorrow i am going to relax in the morning, do some cleaning probably and then go to my girlfriends house to help her celebrate her graduation from college. I will miss taking classes with her! Steve is making dinner, so all i have to do when i come home is go to the gym.

Sunday i will most likely do nothing...except maybe go to the gym. I may go to church, but given my recent history, i doubt it.

That's my week.
This weekly wrap-up is hosted by: http://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/

Five Question Friday

 
 
 
1. Do you apologize to your kids?
absolutely...and often. Maybe more often than is necessary, but i'm not sure. If i mess up, as in be cranky or judgemental, or if i turn on my "i'm your mother so i know better than you" voice and refuse to let my oldest daughter get a word in edgewise, i apologize. Motherhood is messy and i mess up a lot...so yeah, i do apologize.
 
 

2. What color are your nails right now?
My finger nails are clear, because they need to be shaped and longish before i bother to color them.
My toe nails are blue :-) to celebrate flip-flop season.
 
 
3. When you were growing up, how difficult was it for you to stay home from school sick? (As in, did you have to vomit or just say "I don't feel good".)
 
I honestly don't remember, but i would lean more towards having to have a fever before i was allowed to stay home. Unfortunately, by the time i was in high school, if i wanted a day off, i would just cut my classes and hope my parents didn't find out....which most of the time they didn't.
4. When is the last time you bought a new comforter for your bed?
 
Wow, it's been quite a while. Say, 5 or 6 years. And since it was of pretty cheap quality, is has not stood the test of time and has a very looooong verticle rip in it. I went to throw it out the other day, but hubby complained that it was comfortable, so now, when i bother to make the bed, i cover the ripped comforter with a bed spead.

5. Favorite website(s)?
Well, i'm on facebook a lot.
And blogger..
and yahoo for email..
but i don't think i have a favorite other than that.
 
 
If you want to join 5 question friday, go here... http://fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

The Simple Woman's Daybook for the Week of 5/23/2011



FOR TODAY May 24, 2011
Outside my window...A clear, dark night. It was very warm today, in the mid-eighties, and a bit muggy. It's been a cool, rainy spring and we have not had more than a day or two of that "spring" weather that i love (low seventies, warm and sunny), and now it looks like summer weather is here.

I am thinking...I need to go to bed.

I am thankful for...My children...Erin-who is so mature and solid and generous and loving and original...Rachel--who is so sweet and personable and kind and also mature...Matt--who is so funny and refreshing and strong and independent...i have been so blessed with these precious children!

From the learning rooms...We have 2 more days this week and 4 days next week until we are done with school for the year...and forever, since Rai is going to public high school next year. We are finishing up with all of the subjects and just making sure that we have covered as much as possible. History is covering the 1940's to the 2000's, science is learning the senses, math is just polishing up loose ends, English is finishing the reading comprehension and editing books, and one final research paper. That's the bulk of it. I really, really am looking forward to this summer break!!

From the kitchen...Um,....tonight we had "whatever night" which is each of us having whatever we want, lol. Yesturday was choice night, which is almost like "whatever" night, except i give the family a choice of three things i am willing to cook that include whatever ingredients we happen to have in the pantry. Tomorrow is steak night. Our food budget has gotten way out of control, and we need to scale back for the rest of the week to meet the rest of our budget. But, the food is there, just not the kid's favorites. And the kitchen is clean...YaY!

I am wearing...Black jean capri's, lime green tank top, belt, socks....need to get into pj's soon.

I am creating...nothing, i don't think. I did create a lesson plan for the rest of the year today, for the second time, since i lost the first one i did yesturday :-)

I am going...Well, since we have met our budget for spending this month, i am going nowhere, lol. I gave the car to Matt tomorrow so he can drive to school, since he needs to be there till 7pm. This keeps me from those spontaneous trips to the store, lol.

I am reading...Various magazines that have been piling up while i was in school, which i now have time to read :-)...I also got another book on my e-reader to start reading.

I am hoping...That i will able to correctly tread the line between parenting and mentoring my adult daughter. Now that she is an adult, certain expectations by her and me need to be reassessed, reexamined, and dealt with. I pray i deal with them in a way that benefits my darling first born's future and our relationship.

I am hearing...The t.v. is on, but everybody else is sleeping....which is what i'm gonna be doing very shortly.

Around the house...Been starting some small Spring Cleaning projects, so the house is tidy...but still needs some deep cleaning.

One of my favorite things...quiet time by myself...sometimes i just don't get enough of this and start to get cranky.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Rachel has an eye doctor appt on Thursday, she should be getting her contacts soon...she is soooo excited!! and i am excited for her. I'm not really sure what else i''ll be doing this week...just wrapping up homeschool and doing spring cleaning projects and enjoying time at home with the family. :-)

Here is picture for thought I am sharing... My beautiful babies

Matt during Hairspray production



Erin and Rai on my birthday
Have a great week!!



Go here http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ if you want to blog about your week.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

An Update for May

Since i bugged my dad to update his blog, i guess i should update mine. I keep thinking of all these great things i want to blog about, but than forget to do it when i get some time to just sit on my  computer. Which, i must admit, i have alot more of (time) recently since my school's semester just ended. Thank God. Now, i just have to focus on getting Rachel done with 8th grade. We have three more weeks of homeschooling and then the summer off. Next year, Rachel will be going to public high school, so i will have more time to focus on finishing my college career and starting my working career. Both she and i are excited about next year, and maybe a little nervous too. I will miss having her at home with me and teaching her all her subjects. But i also am looking forward to a new start for both of us. She will need to have an entrance test in August, which i am not thrilled about, but she should do fine. I tested her using the FCAT state assessment tests, and she tested on level for her grade. I just pray that she will test well and be able to pick the classes she wants for high school and be able to get into the drama program.

Erin and Matt are doing well in their perspective work/schooling. Erin is now working full time and McDonalds and was offered a promotion as a shift manager. She is not sure she wants to take it, but it is nice that the offer was made. Matt is in the last couple of weeks of his junior year and is working to get his grades up. He hit a bit of a slump this semester and will need to work alot on school work to pass well, but hopefully he will do well. He also works hard at his job and his extra-curricular activities (drama, production plays, and Boys State, which is a group that teaches him how to get involved in the world of politics--which he recently found out he likes :-)) He is a busy boy....i mean young man :)

Steve's store is in the middle of a re-build, so he is bouncing around at the moment helping out where he is needed. He is doing very well getting noticed by the higher-ups in his company and i am very proud of him.

The kids and i are looking forward to a three week visit to my family in Florida in July. We all miss them very much and really enjoy our time with them.

The weather here has been pretty beautiful lately. Mid seventies, blue skies....i love it. Tomorrow, we are supposed to go to a big "field-day" like event for McDonalds, but it is supposed to rain, so i'm not sure if we will or not. Hopefully it won't rain. If it doesn't, me, steve, and rai will have a fun day together.

Well, i guess that's about it for now. Hopefully i will remember to hop on here more often. Until then, 3 things i am thankful for today are:
1. My father. It's his birthday today and i've been thinking about him alot today. He is such a wonderful role-model who lives out his love for God and obedience to Christ in his daily life and i am sooo proud to be his daughter. I hope one day that people will look to me the way they do to my dad. I love him very much.
2. Warm weather. It was so cold for so long, it is so great to feel warmth on my skin
3. The gym...i lost three pounds and have been working out and it feels great