Daybook for the week of September 18, 2011

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FOR TODAY September 19, 2011

Outside my window...Dark and chilly. It's been nice and chilly here lately. Not too cold, not too hot. We had the windows open for a couple days, but today it was too warm. I am looking forward to consistent chilly days--not cold days, but chilly enough for long sleeves and/or a jacket.

I am thinking... that since my gym membership is over, i really want to start jogging in the morning or evening to get back into shape. I hope i have the motivation to do this.

I am thankful...That Rachel really, really likes high school...still, after almost a month, she still like it. This makes me so happy for her. AND, Matt loves it too! It is so nice to see them both enjoying their days. They both got involved with the fall play...Matt got a lead part and will be playing the part of Hook and Mr. Darling (Peter Pan) and Rachel made it in as an indian (which is not easy as a freshman). I love their excitement :-)

From the learning rooms...Well, this no longer applies to homeschooling (which i am actually glad about), but for my college classes it does. I have a Spanish class, which i can not stand (the reason why i will leave for another post) and a Technical Writing class, which i knew i would not like because it is a very hard class that requires a LOT of writing...the kind of writing where i have to make sure that every single word and every single sentence and every single paragraph are all perfect. Starting in October, i will also add a Human Communications class for eight weeks. This is a sixteen week course that is smooshed into eight weeks, so i'm pretty sure that i will be very busy for the rest of the semester once this class starts. But, all in all, i am ok with the classes i have and am happy to say that they are the last classes i have to take! Next semester is my internship and then i will be graduating...which i can say i'm a little nervous about (but i'll save that for another post).

In the kitchen...Last night i made a banging chicken soup with matzo balls that were nowhere near as good as my mother-in-law's, but were good enough. Today i didn't cook (unless you can count cheese fries and raw broccoli as cooking) because only rai and i were home for dinner and that is what she wanted. Tomorrow is a school day and i may throw something in the crock-pot...i am still on a mission to put something in that crock-pot that rai does not hate, lol.

I am wearing...p.j's. Today was a lazy day that pretty much included me changing from one pair of pj's into another pair. That was the extent of my excersise for the day. Tomorrow, i will get back to exercising, lol.

I am creating...um...let's see...i guess the only thing i am creating is a couple of hopefully perfect tech writing papers. And a tidy house. A couple good dinners. That's about all i can think of...i am not very creative.

I am going...to the doctor with Erin tomorrow to help her get some answers about some back and joint pain she has been struggling with. Then i am going to run some errands and go to school. I don't really know if i'm going anywhere for the rest of the week...shopping maybe :-)

I am wondering...what i should do with the rest of my boring week, lol.

I am reading...English Tech book for school and a book titled "Uglies" for leisure. It's a young adult fiction that i took off Erin's book-shelf one day, and it's actually a pretty good book. Once i pay my fines at the library, lol, i will pick up some Ted Dekker books to read.

I am hoping...that i really will be motivated enough to get up early and start a jogging program.

I am looking forward to...going to school tomorrow....i really do look forward to getting out and having some Michele-time once a week (twice, once my other class starts). Oh, i just remembered, i have an honor society meeting on Thursday, so that's something else i can do this week :-)

I am hearing...actually, the house is quiet. The fan is on, but i hear the crickets outside. And Rai is humming while she gets ready for bed.

Around the house...Didn't really do any house projects this week, BUT, i did fix Erin's bike. It took a couple of days and two trips to the bike shop--once for advice and then to get them to take the back tire off the bike because i had stripped the nut and had the tube replaced. But the rest of it was all me. I fixed the front tire, put air in it, broke the brakes while trying to put the front tire back on (that i didn't realize i had broken until the front tire WAS back on, lol) took the tire back off, fixed the brakes i had broken, put the tire back on...and WHALA--just like that-- the bike was fixed. yeah, it may have taken me two days to do a job that would have taken Steve like twenty minutes, but i learned something and fixed something..and that felt good :-) I don't like having to wait for someone else to do something, so i am trying to learn to do things on my own...it may take a while, but at least it's getting done, lol.

I am pondering...nothing, lol

One of my favorite things...being self-sufficient

A few plans for the rest of the week: see above

Here is picture thought I am sharing... I missed my Neice's wedding because it was just too expensive to travel for the third time this summer. I cried when i saw the pictures because i really, really wanted to be there and support my cousin Beth and her beautiful daughter. She made a lovely bride, which did not surprise me. She has turned into one wonderful young lady who i'm sure will make a lovely wife. So, here is my picture thought this week...wish i could have been there:

Jen and Wes

My cousins Beth and Mike--Bride's parents

My daddy dancing with the bride

My sister and brother-in-law

My mom and dad

Daybook for the Week of July 31, 2011

FOR TODAY July 31, 2011
Outside my window...dark, starry, warm, summer night :-) It was a very warm day with a slight breeze here and there. I spent the day washing my car inside and out. It looks great and i actually enjoyed the warm day. It took me two hours (it was very dirty, especially the inside) and by the time i was done, i was drenched in sweat!

I am thinking... I can't believe that summer is more than half-way over. I'm not ready for it to end yet.

I am thankful...that i still have three more weeks of summer left before the school year starts again.

From the learning rooms...well, rai and i need to brush up this week on some things that she may have forgotten over the summer because she has an entrance test to take on august ninth that we need to prepare for...i pray that she does well so there are no problems with her high school entrance. Once that is done, all the home-school books can be sold or given away :( maybe we can sell them for enough money to buy the Kitchen Aide machine that Steve and I would like to have ;) or for the Wii fit that i would like to have :0) Either way, it is an end of an era, one that i do not regret but am ready to say good-bye to.

In the kitchen...i haven't done much cooking since i came home on Wednesday from our three week vacation in florida. The pantry and fridge were empty, so i had to do some shopping...i made meat sauce today for dinner and crab-cakes and shrimp for dinner the other night. I do want to do some baking so we have some muchies in the house :-)

I am wearing...black jeans, brown tank top, black belt...time to get the jammies on soon.

I am creating...nothing...but i do want to start creating scrap-books from the old pictures i have of the kids growing-up years...maybe i should start that little project while i still have three weeks of summer left...time flies, however, and i never get the things done that i plan on doing...

I am going...tomorrowi am taking matt to the eye doctor and then i am taking the kids to see the new Harry Potter movie. Tuesday i have a doctors appointment, after that, i'm not sure if i actually have anywhere else to go....i do want to go to BB's ( a grocery store in PA that has great prices) sometime this week.

I am wondering...if my financial aid for this semester of college has come in yet, and if it will cover all my classes. I'm also wondering if i should switch some of my classes around because i accidentally reserved a vacation rental for Steve and I in Atlantic City for our 25th anniversary on the same days as my first week of classes...duh..

I am reading...Insomnia, by Stephen King...which i have been reading off and on for over a month..i'm thinking about getting some new Ted Dekker books out of the library for some more interesting summer reading...oh, speaking of summer reading, i have to go to the book store to purchase the summer reading book that my kids are supposed to be reading this summer...i really should get it to them before school starts, lol...maybe we will bring back read-aloud-together nights for the next couple weeks so they both can read (or listen to) the book together. Who ever heard of the book "Marcello in the Real World"? I did go to three different book stores in Florida and none of them had the book in stock!

I am hoping...That i will be able to get a nice, part-time job soon...one that will allow me to be home when the kids are home and still give me enough time to do well in school...i am really looking forward to entering the work-world again :) AND bringing home some "bacon" lol

I am looking forward to...contributing to the finances of the family!

I am hearing...the t.v. ...as usual at this time of night, the fan, erin talking to her boyfriend.

Around the house...spent the past couple of days doing some semi-deep cleaning. I still need to finish the spring-cleaning, lol. Windows need to get done, walls need to be wiped down, doors should be scrubbed, floors should be mopped, laundry room needs a big scrubbing and organizing, bathroom needs to get painted, my bedroom needs a deep clean--I better get a move on it! After spending weeks at my mom's VERY clean house, i have an urge to get mine to look the same...thanks mommy! lol

I am pondering...um...let's see....let me think...*stares of into space for a bit*....nothing, ha-ha-ha :-) *thinks a bit more*.....Oh, yeah, i have been pondering about finding a new church to go to in my area...my old one is just not my "fit" anymore, and, after spending weeks at my mom and dad's house, i have an urge to find a church that i will want to attend every week...not one i only go to out of guilt, but one i look forward to going to again....thanks daddy! lol

One of my favorite things...Sundays used to be one of my favorite things...and i really do want to get back to that...having a church family that feels like family, getting involved, worshipping the Lord, hearing the word of God...really is one of my favorite things. Unfortunately, one of my least favorite things is change, and new things, and being the "new kid on the block". I need to get over it and just take a step. wow, i guess i really have been pondering :-)

A few plans for the rest of the week: Enjoying summer, getting spring cleaning done, doing projects i have put off (?), sitting in the sun and reading a book...ect.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing... Scenes from Florida, Family, and Fun:

All the cousins (except for Jayden, who didn't want to pose, lol)

My great-nephew, Breyon (10 months) loves riding on the vacuum :)

Neice-Brittney, Great-nephew-Jayden 4, Neice-Kimberly

Great-neice-Kyleigh Grace, 7 months, and Matt 17, who is a big softie for the babies :-)

Great-neice, Kyleigh Grace, 7 months

Matt and my dad, who is teaching Matt about gun safety :-)

My three crazy kids, having fun in the pool at Grammi and Pop-pop's house!

more pool fun

Erin-19 and Neice Kim, 22...beautiful ladies!

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Weekly Wrap Up: The One Where it Started Feeling Like Summer

Yet another week come and gone.
And yet again, i can't really remember what we did. Which, in this case, is good. That means that summer vacation has started and there wasn't much to do.

Rachel's dance recital was on Friday and Saturday last week. The whole family sat in the audience on opening night :-), which was great cause it's hard to get us all together lately. Rachel did great and we were very proud of her. In fact, a lady we didn't know came up to her after the show and told Rai that she was very impressed with the way Rai danced and that she should keep it up! Rachel looked wonderful and, in my opinion, has a natural talent on stage.
Saturday night was my night to help out backstage. We had to be there at 3:30 and didn't get done until after ten. It was a long night, but i enjoyed talking to another mom and being there with my daughter for her last night. She will not be joining that Dance Studio again, for reasons i won't get into here, but i hope she will be able to sign up for the various plays that her new High School will be putting on. She is a natural :-)

Sunday i had a nice day out with Erin, we went shopping at the mall, i bought her birthday gift that she picked out, and we had fun trying on some clothes. Then she had to go to work Sunday night. She is a night person, so she works the night shift and sleeps in--well, in my opinion, she doesn't sleep enough, but she is young and has more energy than i do.

I believe that Matt had the car on Monday so he could go to work and i could relax. He has been working a lot this summer so far, which will help him save for a car and a trip to Europe that he is taking next year. We told him that we would pay for half as a gift for his 18th bday and for graduation, but we could only afford (i hope, lol) to pay for half, so he needs to use his car money to pay the other half, and now needs to save more for a car....until then, he is using mine :-)

Wednesday Rai and I went to visit my friend Debbie. We had a nice lunch together and then me and Deb went up to have some kid-free "girl time" while the kids stayed downstairs and enjoyed each others company.

Thursday and Friday were such beautiful weather days, so i sat in a chair outside and listened to music and read a book. I loved it! Sooo relaxing, and i got some nice color too. Now, when i go to Florida next week (yay!!), i will have a base tan.

Like i said, the rest of the week is kind of fuzzy. I did the normal things like housework, laundry, and cooking. I read some more of one of the books i am trying to finish. I watched some tv. Boring, but relaxing.

All in all, in was a good week.
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Five Question Friday

 

 

 

1. If you had the opportunity to bungee jump, would you?

      No way, lol. I'm all for excitement...but not the kind that could end with me dead. In fact, i'm not really into this kind of excitement anymore at all...last year when we went to Six Flags, i had no desire at all to go on the "death-defying" roller coasters--which didn't look like they defied death at all...not my type of thing anymore.

2. Would you rather go to the movie theater or to the drive-in?

     I like them both. Though i haven't been to a drive-in since i was a teen, it reminds me of summer nights. I like the idea of drive-ins, but i probably would choose a theater if i had the choice. Better sound, no bugs. For the ambiance, however, i would choose drive-in if it were just me and the hubby.

3. Do you have your groceries delivered?

     um, they deliver? Cool. Nope, never had them delivered, but if it didn't cost any extra, i would consider it...it would help me to cut back on those not-so-necessary items that i buy because they look/smell good. Or on those days where i don't have use of my car and the pantry is getting low.

    

4. Eyebrows: Do you wax, thread, pluck, or stay au naturel?

     I'm all about saving money, but after a few years of trying to shape my own eyebrows, i took the plunge and got them waxed. Now, i get them waxed every couple of months and just "clean up" the edges in between. Thank God for eyebrow pencil, because sometimes i "clean up" waaayy to much and wind up with too-thin brows :-)

5. Would the people you went to high school with be surprised by your life today?

     That's a good question. I would say that, yes, the people i went to high school with would be surprised by my life today. Considering i was a derelict in high school and didn't even finish because of a few very bad choices on my end, my school peers would be surprised that i am in a stable marriage with three pretty outstanding, well-behaved teens (who, thank God, did not follow in my terrible-teen footsteps)

This is a five question friday link up. If you want to join the host, go here: http://fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/2011/07/five-question-friday-7111.html