For Today!

FOR TODAY
August 24th, 2009

Outside my window...the sun is shining and it's a lovely morning.

I am thinking...that I should get off here and continue working in the kitchen.

I am thankful for... yummy local peaches and a husband who is willing to be 'bossed' in order to pick up the slack while I do peaches :)

From the kitchen...peaches, peaches, and more peaches! I bought 22 litres to peel, cut, cook and can! YUMMY!

I am wearing... navy grubby shorts, Stampin' Up! blue t-shirt, and my light denim blue apron (ya know, cuz I'm canning today)

I am creating... a big mess!

I am going... swimming this afternoon, and then eating at a family from church's home.

I am reading... The Secret Life of Bees; The Prince; just finished Anne of Avonlea

I am hoping...that I will have lost a tinch of weight this week at TOPS

I am hearing... z88.3 on the computer (a Christian music radio station from Florida)

Around the house... it's about 10 mins from tidy in every room (except ours!)

One of my favorite things... Michael.

A few plans for the rest of the week... pack up to head to the trailer for a week! YAY!!

For Today...

FOR TODAY
August 18th, 2009

Outside my window...it is storming something wicked! Lots of rain, lightning, and thunder. I LOVE IT!

I am thinking...about the VBS stuff that needs doing tomorrow morning, and about heading to bed for The Unit and the end of the great date night :)

I am thankful for...the fact that Michael made the time to take me on a REAL date tonite.

From the kitchen...nothing, nobody ate at home for supper :)

I am wearing...a girly blue blousy thing, brown skirt... but soon to be some kind of jammie type thing.

I am creating...rice krispie squares with blue M&M's in them!

I am going...to bed soon.

I am reading...a few books - the Complete Cancer Cleanse; Chicken Soup for the Soul: Tough Times Tough People; The Secret Life of Bees that I just picked up today from the library.

I am hoping...that I sleep all night tonight, without waking up (like last night!)

I am hearing...silence in the house as all kids are sleeping, and the storm outside.

Around the house...every room is about 10 mins from tidy.

One of my favorite things...the smell of the rain!

A few plans for the rest of the week...finishing up VBS tomorrow, the Carb banquet for Piranhas tomorrow night, the Regional swim meet on Saturday for JA, soccer banquet day for Sophia and Zachary and Michael, the church picnic on Sunday... and I'm looking forward to MONDAY because there is nothing planned!

Have a fabulous weekend :)

VBS starts tomorrow!

I am getting up at the crack of stupid tomorrow morning. I'm in charge of snacks for VBS, and I forgot to go buy the juice yesterday. Since we don't shop on Sunday ever (unless there is an emergency of the medical kind!)... I have to get up and go to A&P before 7:30, in order to leave by 8 to get to church early too.

Our theme is Wildwood Forest. Michael is in charge of games, and I am doing registraton and snacks. The snacks are fun!! :) I will have photos later this week.

If you want to join us the details follow.

Location: Bethel Baptist Church, 10 Arlington Ave, St. Catharines
Time: 8:45-11:30am
Cost: FREE!

Last Swim Meet of the Summer

Er, rather, last REGULAR swim meet, as we still have the big deal one at Brock next Saturday. :)

So JA was so good today!! I finally have photos to share :)


JA and her friend K. They swam together all summer. Both girls have improved a great deal!

Getting ready to launch off the wall for the backstroke, 25 m.

Freestyle, her best stroke.











The Fly (butterfly), man, I don't know how these kids do it! That one kills me!

Things to do

This post is all for me... when I make a list of things to do, I often accomplish more! :)

So here's today's to do list (in no particular order)

• wash sheets on our bed and Zachary's bed
• put sheets on the two beds
  
• put away clean clothes
• empty dishwasher
• make lunch
• tidy kitchen
• clean upstairs bathroom
• sweep floors
• get kids to dust the house with Fairy Duster
• figure out a new project for my Hostess Club
• drink water
• go swimming
  

For today

I'm borrwing this idea from a few blogs I read... thought it was a good thing to do.

Outside my window...it's calm, and overcast, and probably hot and humid, I haven't checked.

I am thinking...about Michael and his appointments today

I am thankful for...food on the table, a reliable vehicle, and a roof over our heads, and mostly for praying friends.

From the kitchen...banana bread, and raisin bread

I am wearing...chocolate brown comfy shorts, and a red t-shirt

I am creating... something with paper for my hostess club

I am going... to go to the wading pool with the children this afternoon

I am reading... Chicken Soup for the Soul, Tough Times Tough People

I am hoping... that Michael is successful today!

I am hearing...Zachary and Sophia playing house together, and NOT fighting in the living room!

Around the house... there is a hurrican to clean up... and I will do it.

One of my favorite things... is spontaneous kisses from my family

A few plans for the rest of the week...creating some cards and some scrapbook pages, cleaning the house, doing laundry... soccer and swimming!

Finding the Joy!!

I've been thinking. Dangerous, I know! LOL But seriously, I've been thinking, and reading my Bible (the book of James and can't get past the first chapter, so much good stuff in there!)... and wondering, and sometimes griping quietly about the season of life we are in right now. Michael is still jobless. It's frustrating to think that we might have to take a job that is not in his field nor is it productive in promoting him to a new career.

I always talk and think "God is providing, he knows what he's doing, etc" all the cliche things Christians tend to say and do in times of big or little crisis. I'm not denying that God is in fact providing for us in this time of financial unsteadiness, for sure and beyond all I can imagine He has taken care of us. However, the unemployement train is pulling into the final station soon, and I find myself worrying about what we will do next. It's like we've gotten used to this new lifestyle, and it too can be ripped right out from under us. I don't like that feeling. Not. One. Bit. I dont. I don't know anyone who does. It's times like these that I find myself saying the above statements out loud, but in my heart of hearts I fret and worry and wonder and consider things I should not consider (like selling our home, or moving across the country or other such things). I become inflexible... after a life of relative leisure, where we had no worries about anything, I am unwilling to change that... I don't want to have to give up stuff (not that we have lots to give up, but ya know, we all have vices and desires and wants), or convenience, or time together as a family. I don't want to give up my sanity, or at least the little bit I have left LOL.

In the past few days I have been reading a few blogs of folks who are in similar situations that we are in. They have had some profound things to say.

MckMama is the mom to 4 children, the youngest of whom has heart problems. He's not even one yet. The trials. I can't even imagine. She said "Perhaps having a good life, one that we are satisfied or joyful in, is not measured by how much subjective good there actually is in our lives, but simply in if we look for satisfaction and joy." Who can argue with that? So today I will go to bed and look for the joy in things... I will not see the joblessness, I will see all the extra family time we have had this year that we would not have had otherwise. I will not see the mess that is my home right now, I will instead see the wonderful family that I have been blessed with who made the mess. I will not see the bills coming in, I will rejoice that we have not yet had any ulitilies cut off! I will not see the rising cost of gas, but be grateful that we still have a van to drive, and places to go and people to see. I will not see the glass is half empty, but is waiting to be filled!!

God is good, and there is nothing more I can say but that.

So if you are still reading... kudos! :)