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Goodness, I haven't done much blogging lately, but I've been busy doing a lot of living!  ...and just hanging...reading...whatnot....

oh the places I've gone and the things I've been doing when not here on the ole' blawg...

Who's the biggest loser now, Jenn??

The Home crew went to the Orange County Fair.  It's tradition!!

Sky entered a wood-working project for the very 1st time.  It was a console cabinet for the
flat screen t.v.  We were so excited to see if he won a ribbon.  And, he did!!




Josie entered her wood burning project.  It's not the sun in the photo, but it is laying down next to her, looks like a log.  She won a blue ribbon! 

Winner!

Here's a closer photo of her entry, back when she was working on it....

Dragons. She is an artist, even with wood!

The fair is a family tradition for us.  Sadly, we go mostly for the food.  And to look around at neat stuff...and to people-watch.

I'm embarrassed for you all, Orange County...

This shocked me.  People were sitting in chairs having their teeth whitened.  Sitting there in the middle of this big exhibit room, with something propping their mouths open, for all the world to see. Has our society lost all sense of dignity??  I think the answer is yes.
Lucky for us, I had my iphone handy to catch all the scandal. 

We ate:  Greek Gyros.  Chicken strips. Fries.  Corn dogs. Beef steak sandwiches.  Funnel cake. Chocolate drizzled popcorn (which I'm pigging out on in the top photo...) I have to admit, no vegetables were consumed.  Usually we have the roasted corn, but we peetered out. I did have a chocolate frozen banana- I'm all about healthy eating...

So lovelies, what have you been up to this Summer?? 

Labels: family, Jen's world

I've mentioned before how much I identified with the character Bridget Jones (the book was even better than the movie...)  [and ok, beside the drinking/smoking/cussing/sleeping around- I am just like her!]
I alternate between wondering what the heck is wrong with me- to trying to fix it- to just going with it.

So.... here's what is going on with me:

• I have 3 people arriving from Holland sometime tomorrow, to stay for 2 weeks...and my house is really messy.  I homeschool 5 kids and I am worthless in house-hold matters- kind of messy.

• A family of 4 will be arriving on Saturday.  

• I had all weekend to do some deep cleaning, because Sky took the 2 littles with him to Northern Ca to put in a tank-less water heater for his brother.

• I cleaned out my homeschool closet [3 weeks ago] so I could sell some curriculum/ materials we are not using.  I took some photos of said materials to post. Then I left two huge piles on the floor of the family room. They are still there.

•  I had a new friend over yesterday afternoon for some painting time.  I used to paint before I was married, and keep meaning to pick it up again, but never really do.  So, my new friend paints and we decided to get together & schedule paint time- because I will never, ever get my paints out and sit down and do it otherwise.  The morning of, I was so tempted to cancel because I have all this housecleaning I should do!!  I kept our appointment, and I am really glad I did.  I had so much fun and have my hen painting 3/4 done!  I'm really glad, except I feel guilty that my house is still a mess...

So today should be my big push day for housecleaning,  I do seem to work best under extreme pressure. Um... I overslept, woke up at 8 and had to scramble to get Amie to VBS on time.  Went to grocery store on way back, went running walking, did a half-hour math with the kids and then hit shower.  Made lunch for kids, picked up Amie. It is now 2 o'oclock and instead of cleaning I am at Barnes & Nobles with kids.  Sky grounded Demi from movies & video games [thank you soooo very much, by the way] and so I had bored kids on my hands. Barnes & Nobles it is!

The rest of my day? I have to be at Irish dance with Amie & Meg by 4, so I will have to make dinner before I leave.  When I get back, Sky is taking me to an Angles game.  This? I can't resist, I haven't been to a game in a few years, usually he takes the kids.

I am praying my good luck will hold out, and my Dutch friends will not arrive till very, very late on Wednesday night.  We will be moving from company cleaning to Guerrilla housecleaning.  To wit, clean first the bedroom they will sleep in, then the guest bathroom, then the other parts of the house as I have time.

• The book I ordered;  Help yourself get everything done: and still have time to play 

I live a deliberately ironic life or perhaps a karmic one.      

other than all that, I only have to comment on Dr. Who...

River Song!!!  Just wow, the last episode was amazing.  Who knew? 

So, internets, I hope you are having a far more productive Summer so far than I am... :)

Labels: Jen's world

*I've been neglecting my blog, because I've been spending my time reading other lovely blogs I've stumbled onto lately.

Here's a shout-out: 

• *Wabi-Sabi Wanderings
• The Nurtured Life (she had an apple muffin recipe I want to try, somewhere on her blog...)

and okay, not new finds, but I've been stalking them, uh reading them for a while:

• Project Alicia ,

• Golden Grasses, 
• Small Things,  
• Prairie Lily Arts,  
• SouleMama

*I'm half-way through the latest Miss Julia book.  Miss Julia Renews her vows.  I love Miss Julia and I wish I had a Miss Julia in my life... if you want a book series that will first tug you heart, then expand it, and make you laugh and smile,check out the Miss Julia series by Ann B. Ross

• It's standardized testing week.  It might just kill me this year. I'll have to devote a whole post to my sad, sorry tale. 

*Cadbury caramel eggs: better than the original, which is just too sugary for me.  I've got one more hidden in the cup cabinet.  :)

*It's homeschool catalog season.  I am in the midst of serious curriculum lust/ennui.  I think it might help if I make a list of the subjects I wish to cover and the materials I would like to use for each.  -it might help the overwhelmed feeling I have...

*Gas prices in So. Ca are going to kill us.  It's $4.18 a gallon here, at the cheapest places.  It has affected our driving habits, and it has eaten up all the savings we gained last month by dropping some of the kid's activities. 

*I cut our first head of lettuce this evening for dinner.  There is something very satisfying in that.

Hope you are having a great week, bloggy friends :)

Labels: Jen's world

Welcome to my little spot on the internet :)

This is the week for the Ultimate Blog Party 2011 hosted by 5 minutes for Mom.



My name is Jenn.  We are a So. California homeschooling family.  You will notice that we have 4 children, but I am homeschooling 5.  Our friend Teddy, age 11- homeschools with us.


Our children are Meg- age 15, Josie- age 14, Demi-Sky -age 11 and Amie - age 9. (no, these are not their real names) Sky is my husband and best friend.  He is a building inspector, a woodworker, and an artist with construction-type things.  He happens to rock the whole jeans and steel-toed boots look ;)







Emma is our 2 year old Labradoodle, and practically perfect in every way... I am so glad she is part of our family!


I am a wife, mother, homeschooler, blogger...I love to read, I would rather walk than run- and procrastination is the thorn in my side.  I love Jane Austen, diet coke, ** all things carb, dark chocolate and Jars of Clay.  Right now, homeschooling is my biggest hobby/interest/vocation...it's not just a job, it's a way of life..er, something like that...



I blog about our family life, our homeschooling, books I read, my struggle to finally get organized... Our homeschooling is pretty eclectic in nature, I use a variety of materials and curriculum and I write about them/review them here.

Sit down and visit a while, there are tabs at the top you can click, and a subject cloud in the sidebar.  You can read about ** why we homeschool, ** our faith,  **my hair-brained miss-adventures,  
** our trips.


We love living in Orange County, California- and yet, we long for a bit of land.  This longing expresses itself in our mini-forays into urban home~steading.  We currently have 4 hens.  You can read about their love of treats here* and about a hen's view of a rock- on- day- here*

Labels: family, Jen's world

I struggle with myself sometimes about how much to share on the ole' blawg.  Some stories involve other people.  

I am unsure of how much to reveal, how would they feel if I expose their weaknesses? Would they laugh along with us- as I poke fun at them..or would they feel laughed at? is it fair?


My nemesis: the cat:  Totally open season, I've decided.

• and here: A day (and night) in the life of a homeschool mom

 In a nutshell, if you resisted clicking-we have this routine, the cat & I- of his relentless begging for food all evening>me intending to throw him out when I finally go to bed, and then> I go to turn out the lights and get detoured from putting the cat out, because he will certainly be found curled up in angelic, cozy pose.  I relent, and do not toss him out.

exactly 40 minutes after my head hits my pillow, the cat will begin meowing for me to either let him out or to -yes...feed him [again].

Monday morning- at about 4 a.m. all of Orange County was awakened by crazy/heavy rain and thunder.  Now, we don't get much weather here, so a thunder storm- beside being a novelty, is also a treat.

Sky and I, the dog, and 1 or 2 children rushed to our huge front living room window (I love this window, my favorite thing about my house)  We opened the blinds to watch the huge storm,




There stood our cat, Oliver- pressed against the glass, trying not to get wet..with a terrified look on his face that seemed to say:  "Let me in!!!!!"


He had done his meowing thing again, after I had gone to bed- and I escorted him out and then locked the dog door.  Sky came up with that- it's very logical.  And linear.

I let him in.  After we all laughed at him.




 Here is Oliver, on his cat tree, in front of the same big picture window.

Wet cats shouldn't meow loudly. er, he who meows last will weep wetly...

something like that.

Labels: being mom, family, Jen's world

I walk for exercise almost everyday.  My route is about a mile and a half.  I go at a good pace, but I don't run.  I don't run, even though I ordered some cool running shoes a year ago. (they were on sale, I can't resist a good sale..)  Most days I set out, telling myself that today I will pick up the pace and run.  Running would probably burn more calories, which is really what I am after.  I walk a bit to warm up, and then I think about running..but I just don't want to.  I nix it and walk.


Part of me would like to start running and get all fit and maybe even run a 1/2 marathon or something worthy of a bucket list-thing.  And yet...I don't want to.  I don't like to run.  I don't like stuff bouncing and the feeling of not being able to breathe.  I used to run quite a bit in high school, but even then, I didn't really enjoy it.

I can't decide if I should push myself or not.  Remember my Irish dance class adventure? -go ahead and click over, I'll wait... Well, I did go back to the class for several more months.  Sky was just so impressed I was in it, and so encouraging of me doing a new thing, that I tried to stick it out.  I even competed at a feis.  Shudder.  Yeah, Irish dance mom on stage.  I try not to remember.

My point, well- at one point I just realized that I felt like Mr. Collins at the ball..."the other way, Mr. Collins!..." and I decided that I am to many years to have to put up with things that stress me out, or things that are more pain than enjoyment.  So I gave myself permission to quit.  I realized I am more yoga-mom than clogging mom.

So, is running in the same category?  Have I earned the right to decide I just would rather not?

How about you, what do you do for exercise?

Labels: Jen's world

I've mentioned before that I love research.  I love the hunt.  The hunt for the best art materials, the best History/ Phonics / Math curriculum, the best way to make a smoothie.  I love the hunt, but I get lost in the execution.  I like to call it "being a creative person", or "my inner Bridget Jones" Sky calls it "scattered".  One day, my BFF called it "Perfectionist avoidance".

I had my doubts.
I don't live in the same zip code with the word "Perfectionist"...
I'm more familiar with the term "make do".  But, I deferred to Gracefulmom's analysis, since she is more educated than I.  And, she doesn't ramble.  You lose some credibility when you tend to ramble on...

Hello?

Back to my story- So, Gracefulmom put forth the idea that we (we are both very alike in many ways, hence the BFF part) tend to plan/dream up really spectacular ideas and then sensing that we will not follow through in a spectacular way, we give up and avoid/procrastinate.  She could be onto something, but again, the perfectionist label was a hard sell.

I'm kind of in that place again, wanting to make some changes to our homeschool life- getting more of a rhythm/order to our day, adding back in more crafts, and dare I say it out loud?  ..adding in some baking with the kids, and healthier snacks.  I've done some research, read a few books, looked at a few websites..and then stalled.  The holidays, having company, my messy house.  Yes, it has all stalled.

I stumbled onto this blog post today,

Two Mamas

...Imagine for a moment Two Mamas on their way to Waldorf Homeschooling Land. One Mama rolls up her sleeves, plans the trip, and gets going. The other Mama wants everything to be PERFECT first...

go over to A Little Garden Flower bog to read the rest of a really enlightening parable, even if you are not into Waldorf homeschooling, or any homeschooling, I think this could apply to many of us.

So, how do you get unstuck?  Any inspirational advice from moving to planning to doing?  Or is your house as messy as mine is right now, and you just want to commiserate?  
Spill, I'm listening :) 

Labels: homeschool planning, Jen's world, waldorf

Labels: family, Jen's world

Life has been really crazy-busy for me this school year.  It reflects mightily here on the blog, my posting has been pretty scattered.

My scattered days are leaving me a bit frazzled, and also leaves all the duties and cares in my life undone, half-done, forgotten, late and/or messy.

And yet, or maybe because of all this, I find myself yearning for a change in our homeschooling, back to our more Charlotte Mason/ art-centered learning.  I yearn for more order, more rhythm, more purpose.

A few years ago, searching for the how of rhythm -to- my day- (yes it's a re-occurring theme for me) I looked a bit into Waldorf homeschooling, but could only find books that seemed to center on young children- and also there are some parts of Waldorf that I don't feel are compatible with my faith-another post, perhaps.

So, here I am a few years later, on the same restless search for order/rhythm...and I found some really wonderful/beautiful/inspiring Waldorf blogs.  The wheels in my brain are already turning with lesson ideas, art ideas... Here's the thing though:  So many of my days are crazy/busy that I don't have time to plan, don't have time to gather craft supplies.  
The paradox: I want to make some changes in our learning days..but I don't have time to plan changes in our learning day.

The next few weeks on this blog will hopefully follow changes we make- changes I will try to make...I am reminded of a quote from The Karate Kid: "there is no try, there is only do".

Do any of you struggle with being inspired to try something new, explore a new learning philosophy but find yourself too busy to research and plan?  Frustrating?  Yes.


What new things are you exploring lately?

Labels: homeschool, homeschool planning, Jen's world

FOR TODAY... from My Daybook

Outside my window... I see the 3 youngest kids playing outside. Today was a beautiful, beautiful day here in So. Ca-in the high 70's.

I am thinking... about planning I need to do for the rest of the week, and about craft materials I need to pick up, if we are actually going to make crafts.  I am determined that busyness will not stop us this year from making winter crafts.

I am thankful for... my husband

I am wearing... jeans, a long sleeve shirt and a long gray cardigan.

I am remembering... things I need to do still.

I am going... to dance class after dinner

I am hearing...Josie practicing the piano, Sky using his saw in the garage.

I am reading... "The Life Study of Isaiah" and I just finished "The art of racing in the rain"- one of the best books I have read, and yet it captured me a little too much, I'm taking a break before I start new fiction.

I am hoping... that the washing machine repairman will arrive tomorrow with the right part this time. (the washer broke an hour before we left on our trip to Spokane...!)

From the learning rooms...the dining room is cluttered with our notebooks and math books from our learning time this morning.  Meg is at the table finishing her work.

A few plans for the rest of this week... to start a winter craft, Science and History in a big way for school, an Irish feis this weekend.



Pondering these words...

"I don't look back, but I know he's there.  I bark twice because I want him to hear, I want him to know.  I feel his eyes on me but I don't turn back.  Off into the field, into the vastness of the universe ahead, I run.

"You can go," he calls to me.

Faster, the wind presses against my face as I run, faster, I feel my heart beating wildly and I bark twice to tell him, to tell everyone in the world, to say, faster!"

                                                  -The art of racing in the rain by Garth Stein

the ending and beginning of this book are some of the best writing I have read.

From the kitchen... baking chicken for dinner.  I coated chicken in a mix of flour, pepper, onion powder and diced fresh rosemary, then put in a dish with chicken and rice soup.  It's super easy and Sky likes it.

Around the house... Sky just finished painting our bathroom, it is now brown, with one wall having stripes.  It was a little scary going for it, but it looks great. :)

One of my favorite things~ sliced apples with cinnamon. 

From my picture journal

new spelling notebooks for my 3 youngest students

Labels: daybook, Jen's world

Labels: devotional, homeschool, Jen's world

You know when you have a day when everything seems to come together, everything seems to run smoothly, you get where you need to be with no rush?  Today was like that.

I've not had many days like that in several months.  It felt really good.  The key, I have to admit, was getting up really early and getting ready to hit the day at a good clip.  Sky is a firm believer in this, but me- non morning person that I am- find it hard to believe.

Meg had her outside science and composition/Lit class...Teddy's tutor came for an hour and a half...Did some descent homeschooling before/during and after the tutor's session... picked up Meg, did the lunch thing, broke out HP 7 to re-read before the movie opens...took the kids to the library, violin shop and then to the yogurt shop for a treat...checked out a martial arts place nearby.  It was a really, good-productive and yet mellow day.

Oh, how I need more of these!

I hope you had a good day, too, internet-friends!

Labels: being mom, homeschool, Jen's world

*7 quick takes fridays is hosted over at Conversion Diary, you can hop over & link up!

Labels: family, Jen's world

photo by MakaniMike, used with permission

Yesterday, I walked into the house and was greeted with a ladder in my dining room and bits of drywall on the floor and table. (having a construction artist for a husband, this is not an unheard of experience)

Sky heard my plea for more lighting in the dining room for homeschool- and decided to surprise me with canned lighting.

"I was hoping to have it all done before you got home, Surprise!" said Sky.

Years ago, it might have been roses- but now, I get home improvements.

And you know, I'm good with that.  Is it our age? That we've been married so long? Have we just grown too practical?  I don't know the answer to that...

But I do know, I would have been disappointed if he spent $60 on roses, but neglected my canned lighting needs.

Next up?

This hot mom wants new counter tops. Be still, my beating heart.

Labels: Jen's world

I need to lose 10 pounds.  Okay, I need to lose 15 pounds- the more honest number.  I am somewhat stalled out, however.  I walk/run (okay, mostly walk) everyday and do yoga- uh, sporadically.  So, I decided I needed to mix things up a bit, jump-start my way to weight-loss/fitness/ and general awesomeness.

Enter, the Irish dance class.

The first class

Enter, the second class.

*It was brought home to me that if an athletic teen Celtic dancer cannot pull this look off while doing a jig. No one can.

*Because, I quit.

Resolved: Yoga is the sport for me.

shared originally over at Smartly.com October 12, 2010

Labels: guest posts, Jen's world

Criticism, not encouragement- comes forth so easily from our mouths. Negativism and discouragement flow freely from us- and is, more often than not, directed at ourselves.

Criticism tears down, the opposite of building up. Keeping up a constant flow of negative speak in our thoughts- is damaging to ourselves. Negative speak to others- is a blight.

I'm going to be blunt and say that the tearing down/ criticism/ negative thoughts and speech towards the person who is not only your "other half" but who really is the other you...is evil. The Bible says that "the two shall be made one"- he's not just your other half, or your spouse- he's part of you. He is the other you.

"Every wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands"
-Proverbs 14:1

I think that the very common practice of treating husbands and fathers like grown up children and idiots is appalling. Dear reader, our thoughts and speech are father to our actions and beliefs- think of your husband as an idiot, make fun of and speak of him as an idiot to your friends- you will soon believe it and show it in your actions.

We all do dumb or careless things- you would like mercy shown to you in your mistakes- give it without measure to the other you.

I am not wise- but occasionally I've lucked into wisdom..or I've been showered with more mercy than I deserve. Here's a story of a newlywed's act of affirmation and the blessings she's reaped in response:
Years ago, in my newlywed- starving student years; my husband, who was more skilled at the time with a shovel and pick...became interested in woodworking. He decided to build us an entertainment center for our house. I cheered him on.

Friends, it was awful. I don't even have a photo to share with you, because I hated it so much that I never took a picture of it. He made it out of cheap plywood. It was huge, somehow his "vision" was really on a bigger scale than he realized. It was too big for our tiny house, it took up a whole wall. It was so rough that I could not really dust it, I had to pat it with a cloth- rubbing would get you splinters.

I stood in front of that finished monstrosity, dumb-struck. And then, God must have graced me with mercy I did not deserve- because the thought came to me: I used to paint before I was married- what if I had set out to paint something for our living room, finished it, proudly showed it to my husband...and then, what if he had told me it was awful and not good enough to go into the house? I would have been crushed and most likely never picked up a paint brush again.

I realized in that moment of God's grace (to me) that I could not wound my other self like that. So, instead I praised it- praised the clever magnetic glass doors he had put on it. I truthfully exclaimed that I could not imagine how to put doors on like that, and that I was so impressed that he was clever enough to do it. I praised the color of the wood stain. I told him how proud I was that he could make something like that, how he saved us money by not having to go buy one.

And then, I smothered my real thoughts- and for several years praised it in front of stunned friends.

I realized I was onto a truth-

"who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts he; So he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil All the days of her life." -Proverbs 31:10-12

Husbands are people, too - and they have feelings just like us. They are not idiots, or overgrown little boys. Making fun of them to your girlfriends is wrong. Imagine the hurt you would feel if more often than not, as you approached your husband and friends- dumb wife jokes flowed freely...

Do him good, not evil all the days of his life- and his heart will safely trust you.

Labels: devotional, Jen's world

Not-back-to-school 2010 was a success :)

I entered into the new home-school year with some trepidation, I did not get all the organizing done as I had wished to. But, it worked out, the little I did do was enough and we had a really great 1st day.


I did get my homeschool bookcase cleaned and organized. This is where I keep our Sonlight books and also where I keep big magazine type boxes to hold books/notebooks for each child- this is the spot to find books we use on a daily basis. I also bought new 3-ring binders for each student and filled them with a week's worth of work.

I set up my chalk-board wall of power with a list of the short day I had planned, and then I added a drawing of a big hand, with each finger labeled with a task from The Daily 5, which I will be implementing into our day this year. I heart this concept and I heart this book!


We started 1st with a Bible/Character story for the 3 littles from School Days with the Millers.
I still haven't figured out curriculum for Bible..so for now, I will be doing character lessons.

After Bible time, I have scheduled our Daily 5 time-block. Today, I explained to the kids what the Daily 5 is, what it will look like- and then we only tackled 2 of the 5. First, we worked on "write" by having creative journal time. The kids wrote about what they did during the Summer. Next, we did "read out loud to someone" - that someone was me.


I used this time to introduce them to this
Fiction Reading Comprehension program-cards in a box by Teacher Created Resources. I explained how to use them and then worked through one card with each child- doing the comprehension questions on the back together. I love this program, it's going to be great for the kids to use independently during "read to self time".

We then all worked on Math. We are using Math-U-See. After that came handwriting. I had the 3 kids sometimes working on a different subject while I had a reading session with one.


Meg and Josie were working totally independently, but sitting at the table with us. Today, they tackled Math, History and Literature, Grammar and Writing.


After cursive handwriting, we moved onto the all important snack time and play break. Once break was over (about 15 minutes- during which I corrected Math) I had the 3 kids each work in their Explode the Code (phonics) workbooks. Then, we were done!


A bit of a short day, but I wanted to ease into things. I felt really successful in starting the day early- I was aiming for an 8:30 start time, actually starting at 8:45. This was much, much better than the 9-ish or later time (usually later) we were managing at the end of our last school year. Sky helped me get up and out to exercise early this morning. By the start of homeschool, I had walked/exercised, showered & dressed and had breakfast. For the Bridget Jones Homeschool mom- this was a huge feat. It felt really, really good to be ready to take on the day.

Once we were done with our school work, we headed over to Rubio's for a celebratory lunch, and then over to the bookstore for some R & R.



Really a great start, I am actually looking forward to tomorrow! :)

So, to my homeschool friends- have you started back up yet? How was it?

Moms of schooled kids, are yours back yet? How was it? Great, I hope!

Labels: homeschool, homeschool planning, Jen's world

ooh- kaaay where to start?

1.Sky did an intervention on me. He's the linear, logical, civil-engineer guy..remember? So, it was the classic intervention. I had the split second decision to go ballistic on him, but decided I liked how nice he was being- he was approaching it from the trying to be helpful point of view...so I listened. I also listened because he was saying the same things I've been saying in my head the last few weeks. Lastly, I listened because we have this comfortable marriage where we approach life as a team, we are each-other's cheering squad, so I know he is trying to be helpful and I can't just shut him down, he is not the enemy, my soul-life is.

Upshot- I have to wake up at 6:30 a.m. and be productive during the day. No blogging till after dinner. My Summer of Sloth has come to an end.
I guess that means I'm grounded??? Don't answer that.

I guess I can add "be the subject of an intervention" to my bucket list. Since I don't drink, smoke, do any kind of drugs and don't even swear...this was unexpected,
a bit.

2. I did get up at 6:30 Friday, and followed the logical order of events Sky suggested. It went really well. Until I decided to play hookey and hit the beach.
eh...

3. School is starting Monday for us, and as the Bridget Jones Homeschool mom- can anyone be surprised that I am not ready?? Don't answer that.

I planned to begin cleaning and organizing a week before. Then the weekend before.
-Now it is Sunday night and all I managed to do was clean off my big homeschool bookcase and load up all the kids new binders for the week. eh.

4. I asked Sky to do a mini remodel of our bathroom, since a big remodel is not in the budget. I was thinking new vanity top, sink and mirror. Maybe new floor tile if I can talk him into it. Sky remained un-interested. Until this week, he asked with some interest what I wanted, again. I came home 2 days later and found him ripping up the tile.
okay.
It would have been nice to get my stuff out of there and make sure all the cupboards are closed so they don't get drywall dust all over everything.
But, okay.
I do love that Sky can do anything he puts his mind to.
We couldn't just get a marble vanity top, of course the cabinet we saved and made new doors for is not a stock size...so Sky is making a new tile top instead.

5. Did I mention school is starting? I must go to bed now, because Sky will be waking me up at 6:30 a.m. (whimper)

6. I'm still on twitter off and on during the day..the ban did not extend to my iphone...or at least he didn't think of it.

tah-tah for now, see you internets after dinner!

Labels: Jen's world

This weekend, we said goodbye to our across- the- street neighbors. People I did not have much in common with, except that they had kids, and so did we…but they were great neighbors, and became great friends. They were the Lucy to our Ethel. The opposite of our very quiet, conservative family- and you know what? -we had so much fun with them! They pulled us out of our shells, sometimes out of our comfort-zone and added a spice to our lives.

The Goodbye Kind-read the rest over at SmartlyOC....

I am posting today about gaining and losing heart friends over at SmartlyOC, click over!

Labels: Jen's world

**False- I did not buy a raspberry coat in an expensive store, I bought a very practical black raincoat. It was $89, which in light of me almost buying a pair of $150 sunglasses at the coach store, the raincoat was a good buy. -I'm still dreaming of those sunglasses...

**False- Our kids did not go to Canada for a circus summer camp. They went to Canada to attend The Summer School of Truth, which is a Bible Camp. We arrived the last day to see the very last session, and hear the kids speak and sing. I was so glad I went, and had the opportunity to hear what is being poured into these kids. We were thinking we would drive the kids back, but they wanted to return on the bus.

**True- I did have the best fries ever, in Vancouver at an Oyster bar. Imagine parmesan-crusted french fries, seasoned and fried to a golden brown in truffle oil. Oh My Word.
Club Jen occupied a table at a front window, where we commenced to people watch with a vengeance, -right in front of the valet parking, primo spot.


**False- My friend Jen does live in Washington State, but this was my first ever visit to Pike's Place. I have lived my whole life in California.

**False-Jen's oldest dd did drive us around downtown Seattle, but not in a new car- she has wisely been handed down the dented old family mini-van. Wisdom this is, because she promptly scratched it.

**True-!! Painfully true! We did have chocolate Nutella strawberry crepes, and I am forever ruined. I knew Nutella was evil. I have concrete proof now.

**False-!! Sky's crepes are better!! But, I did get ideas from these. I think the Nutella was over-done...next time Sky makes crepes, we will just slather on a thin layer of Nutella. Sky uses fruit plus mashed up fruit syrup and brown sugar. These were minus that.

**True- Meg did wish she had brought her violin with her, when she saw many different muscicians out busking. Dollar signs were dancing before her eyes...untill she saw this guy.

"Mom", she said, "I don't think I could compete with the guitar/hermonica/hoola-hoop combination, cuteness will only take me so far." !

**False- I did forget my motion-sickness patches, and I did warn my seat-mate, since take-offs and landings are going to be when *it will happen. My seat-mate informed me that he would have rather have been surprised, instead of sitting in anticipation of the event.
good to know.

Thanks for playing!

Labels: Jen's world