Daybook

Outside my window...
*A beautiful evening, post-thunderstorm. Thank you, Lord, for the rain!

I am thinking...
*That it's exciting to have company coming soon! Looks like we'll be grilling out for July 4th.

I am thankful for...
*The week after VBS :). Vacation Bible School is incredibly worthwhile...but incredibly exhausting, too!

From the learning rooms...
*Reviewing some math concepts with my older kids, using the Life of Fred series--who knew math could be funny!?!

From the kitchen...
*Made blackened tilapia tonight--blackened with spices, not burned :). Also, finished off my homemade granola today--good stuff!

I am wearing...
*Shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, no shoes

I am creating...
*A menu plan & a house-keeping schedule (now if I could just be diligent in following these plans)

I am going...
*To paint my toenails--not wearing shoes makes me realize my feet need a little "renovation"!

I am reading...
*Managers of Their Chores (about organizing household chores)
*Harvard Yard (historic fiction)

I am watching...
*an episode of Hart to Hart on dvd as I clean the kitchen :). Love that show!

I am hoping...
*That my son N had a good time at his friend's house this evening. It is a big step for him to go over to someone's house for the first time (I know, he's 13, but it's still a big step for HIM).

I am hearing...
*Blue's Clues
*Hart to Hart

Around the house...
*Trying to dig out after VBS! Laundry and housekeeping got short shrift last week

One of my favorite things...
*My red Dell laptop computer, nicknamed "Rosie"

A few plans for the rest of the week:
*church tomorrow night
*groceries
*more laundry
*trying out some new recipes

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

This is our group arriving at the Hotel Amar in Agra, India--greeted with flowers! We look exhausted because we ARE! This was taken back in November, 2009.

This glimpse into the days of "mommy bloggers" is the idea of Simple Woman at
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ . Please visit her site if you're interested in participating!

Artist at work....

M. enjoyed drawing on a whiteboard this morning and I wanted to share his efforts with his adoring public :). I'm sorry the poor photos don't do his creations justice.

This is his rendering of Mimi.



And this is me. As a robot. Playing golf.


Later Days!
Kelly

Seven Quick Takes

1. Saddle Ridge Ranch is a fun place to be but I'm glad VBS is over!

2. Praise the Lord that kids got to hear about Jesus this week and 3 of them professed faith in Him!

3. I'm grateful that so many people are willing to pour themselves into children's lives to make sure that they were safe, were taught the Bible, and had fun this week!

4. I suppose I'll have to resume things like cooking, doing laundry, and cleaning ....

5. Tonight's College World Series baseball game between the Clemson Tigers and the USC Gamecocks promises to be a good one. Go Tigers!

6. Raw chocolate chip cookie dough is delicious. It's my walk on the wild side to defy all those dire warnings about eating cookie dough :).

7. If my next post is from a hospital bed, you'll know to obey all those dire warnings! I'm doing this for your education and edification.

Later Days!
Kelly

Daybook

Outside my window...
*Heat, heat, heat!

I am thinking...
*That air conditioning is one of the greatest inventions ever!

I am thankful for...
*A little girl gave her heart to Jesus at Vacation Bible School this morning!

From the learning rooms...
*We're learning great stuff at VBS every day
*I'm compiling a list of resources for "Math Camp" and a list for concepts I want to review

From the kitchen...
*I'm going to need groceries before much is going on in the kitchen!

I am wearing...
*A comfy t-shirt and shorts, which will soon be traded for something appropriate for church.

I am creating...
*Memories!

I am going...
*To Bible Study tonight--keeping nursery

I am reading...
*A book about the Charlotte Mason philosophy of homeschooling

I am hoping...
*That I will continue to have energy and enthusiasm for the remaining 2 days of VBS :).

I am hearing...
*The dryer
*The dog sighing because she misses E., who isn't home yet.

Around the house...
*We are in "survival mode" until VBS is over.

One of my favorite things...
*Getting to know a classroom full of energetic, sweet 4 year-olds!

A few plans for the rest of the week:
*2 more days of VBS
*Get groceries
*Cook food
*Catch up on laundry

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

This is what was happening in our lives one year ago this week. Happy Birthday, puppies! Though they were incredibly adorable, I do NOT miss them :).
This glimpse into the days of "mommy bloggers" is the idea of Simple Woman at
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ . Please visit her site if you're interested in participating!

Saddle Ridge Ranch

Vacation Bible School, Day 1

Kids...lots of them. Noise...lots of it. Fun...lots of it. Told kids about Jesus, sang songs, made crafts, played outside in 100 degree heat. Now, tired. Must rest and recover before going back tomorrow and doing it all again. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to use personal pronouns as subjects in my sentences....

Later Days!
Kelly

1. Here's a shout-out to my sweet niece, Casey, who's getting braces today! Can't wait to see your beautiful smile :).

2. Another shout-out goes to my wonderful Father-in-Law, who's having back surgery today. We're praying for a quick recovery and great results!

3. Yet another shout-out to my favorite twins, Yvonne & Yvette, who are celebrating birthdays today! The jury is still out on which is the evil twin and which is the good twin :).

4. I seem to get 97% more comments on blog posts that involve pictures of my children! Thanks, Grandparents :).

5. I never was any good at math so the previous statistic is entirely unreliable (i.e. I made it up).

6. Check out my daughter's new blog--she posts LOTS of pics! Lifesong-onering.blogspot.com

7. Our church's Vacation Bible School begins this Monday morning! Please pray for all the workers, the children that will attend, and their parents--that all will be blessed and God would be glorified!

Later Days!
Kelly

Caught Napping....

It's been a while since I've posted a photo of M. sleeping in odd places. Last night, after a long, hard day, I think he chose the most uncomfortable place in the house to fall asleep. At least, it's one of my least favorite places...the bathroom scale! :P



Later Days!
Kelly

Daybook

I am thankful for...
*my family Back Home that I love to visit!
*the wonderful, godly men in my life--Happy Father's Day to my Dad, my Father-in-Law, and my Hubby, who is a great dad!

From the learning rooms...
*the 2009/10 school year is OVER! However, learning never stops :).

From the kitchen...
*Not much...I've been depending on my Mom's and my Mother-in-Law's cooking for the last couple of days :)

I am wearing...
*jeans & a kurta I brought back from India

I am creating...
*plans for Vacation Bible School, which begins next week

I am going...
*to be driving home in a couple of hours :P

I am reading...
*VBS material
*the Bible
*a mystery, the name of which I can't even remember now (obviously, a gripping read)

I am hoping...
*to have an uneventful drive home, with well-behaved children and light traffic
*to get a phone call from hubby soon (he's still at the convention)

I am hearing...
*the chatter and singing of little girls (my niece slept over last night)

Around the house...
*a cat that (possibly) misses us

My favorite things...
*high-speed internet
*dark chocolate
*happy children

A few plans for the rest of the week:
*Midweek Bible Study at church
*Hubby coming home :)

Later Days!
Kelly

Breaking News...

K. lost a tooth! In our family, that not only means $$ from the tooth fairy, but milkshakes for the whole family :). Mama's always happy when somebody loses a tooth!

Later Days!
Kelly

1. So glad my sweet K. is back from GA Camp!! While she had a great time at camp, we missed her & she missed us.

2. To celebrate K.'s return AND the official end of the school year, we're all sitting around eating special treats...which for the girls in the family ALWAYS involves Ben & Jerry's ice cream :).

3. I'm very thankful for the dedicated and godly women and young ladies that make it possible for girls like K. to enjoy a few days at camp, learning about Jesus.

4. Eldest and I went to Wal-Mart this morning: she wanted to look in the baby section to pick out something for Baby Parker (a baby from our church that just had surgery). I, however, found myself looking at preemie clothes so I could get something for Kermit--M's stuffed frog. Is that as disturbing as I think it is?

5. N. is writing a book, using dinosaurs as characters. Be sure to buy it when it becomes available on Amazon.

6. Hubby will be heading to the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando in a few days. Please pray for him as he travels AND pray for the issues that will be voted upon.

7. Any ideas for making math fun? I've been telling the kiddos that, though we're not officially in school now, we'll be having Math Camp :).

Later Days!
Kelly

Daybook

Outside my window...
A world of possibilities! Also, high temperatures and high humidity :)

I am thinking...
About Camp La Vida--I'm driving a van full of girls to GA Camp this afternoon!

I am thankful for...
chocolate chips :)

From the learning rooms...
finishing up schoolbooks! Yay!

From the kitchen...
I'd love some homemade wheat bread, slathered with real butter--this is NOT what is in my kitchen right now.

I am wearing...
t-shirt, cargo pants, apron

I am creating...
A tentative schedule/routine that will bring order and peace to my house...or not (same as last week; it's just not happening very quickly)

I am going...
to the final frontier (aka Camp La Vida) to drop of a bunch of giggly girls, including K.!

I am reading...
Curriculum catalogs, VBS material, an Inspector Barnaby mystery

I am hoping...
That the girls from church stay safe at camp, make memories, have fun, and learn about Jesus!

Have a great time, Sweetie!

Later Days!
Kelly

7 Quick Takes

1. Though our school year has five more days to go, summer fun has begun! Tonight, we have a pool party w/ kids from church :).

2. Refer to yesterday's post for my feelings about swimsuit shopping.

3. We're heading to our church in a little while to unload a shipment of food for our church's food pantry. We do this once a month and every time I remark, "Didn't we JUST do this?" It's not that I begrudge helping at the food pantry, I'm just amazed at how fast a month passes!!!

4. Our dog's overpowering "corn-chippy" smell leads me to believe that she needs a bath RIGHT AWAY.

5. I'm beginning to make my wish list of books for our next school year...I love pushing "send" on the orders but I hate the "Did I do the right thing?" feeling that follows.

6. Last night, I dreamed I was ice-skating; I was doing quite well, too!

7. 7 Quick Takes is hosted by ConversionDiary.com. Hop on over and check out everybody's contributions :). Most probably aren't as random as mine.

Later Days!
Kelly

Swimsuit Shopping....

Ugh.

Is there any worse type of shopping? My 2 daughters and I all need new swimsuits this year and have been to numerous stores looking for them. And trying them on. And hating the way we look in them. And delivering speeches on the state of our society and its lack of modesty.

On the other hand, the menfolk just look at a rack of swimtrunks, pick a size and pattern they like, pay for it and exit the store, without ever trying it on OR feeling like they need plastic surgery or spray-on tan. Can you tell I'm a little bitter about the whole trying-on-swimsuit thing?



You didn't really think I'd post a photo of us trying on swimsuits, did you?

Later Days!
Kelly

P.S. We managed to find K 2 swimsuits today...which is good, since she has a pool party tomorrow night and goes to GA Camp next week.

Daybook

Outside my window...
A yard and porch that need some serious attention!

I am thinking...
That it's much easier to dream about the next school year than it is to finish up the current one

I am thankful for...
Children who love to learn...though not necessarily what I'm trying to teach them!

From the learning rooms...
It's the dash to the finish line with our current school year

From the kitchen...
Must. Get. Groceries.

I am wearing...
t-shirt and shorts

I am creating...
A tentative schedule/routine that will bring order and peace to my house...or not

I am going...
To get motivated...really.

I am reading...
Curriculum catalogs...trying to make my "wish list" for next school year

I am hoping...
That school gets done quickly and without a fuss. Also, that the "f" on my keyboard will quit sticking. Also, and most importantly, I'm hoping that my big brother has a terrific birthday today!!!

I am hearing...
"Mama" constantly from my youngest child :)

Around the house...
Work to do!

One of my favorite things...
Hubby's payday! That always means groceries and usually means we get to eat lunch out with Hubby :).

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Church tonight, Kids' Pool Party on Friday night