• Mon 29 December 2008 - Neat Site
I thought I might share a few links for some really great homemaking tips. They have some great ideas for anything from cooking and baking to sewing and cleaning. I've enjoyed looking through them the last few evenings.
http://tipnut.com/50-tips-for-sewing/
http://tipnut.com/laundry-mending-tips/
http://tipnut.com/category/household-tips/frugal/
http://tipnut.com/category/cleaning/cleaning-tips/
At the bottom of each page, there are links to other lists similar to the one just viewed. At the top of each page, there are drop down menus with tons more information. |
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• Sat 27 December 2008 - Fabric Gift Bags
In our family, instead of using paper for wrapping gifts, we've been making cloth bags to "wrap" our gifts. We use Christmas fabric for Christmas, and floral for Mother's Day, bright colored for birthdays, etc. We tie the tops closed with reusable fabric ribbons and will be making some with hook and loop tape and maybe even buttons. They are really cute, look more festive than paper, I think, and cut down on waste. Whenever there is a sale on fabric, I stock up. 
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• Sunday, December 14, 2008 - Just a reminder...
Posted By mamaof2andtwins
• Fri 5 December 2008 - Date Night With My Hubby - A Fun Date Game
Oh, what to do when money's tight and we're wanting a fun date night out!?
I had read something somewhere awhile back about a game that can be played with a spouse on date night and decided to give it a try with Trevor tonight. Beforehand, we both decided on a fixed amount of money that could be spent. Tonight, we decided on $10 total. Then, we split it in half between the two of us and we headed off to Big Lots. We each had to choose a gift for each other using only the $5.
The fun isn't so much in the gift itself, but in the hunt! We spent about 2 hours roaming up and down the isles looking at everything and playing together. We would joke about buying each other $5 worth of toothpaste or giant foam swords and a blow-up jail house. We found ideas for future serious purchases and talked about ideas for decorating and how we wanted our home to be. We talked about how one gift would be great for so-and-so and how this other thing would be great for a little boy if we had one.
I finally settled on a new book for Trevor written by his favorite author and Trevor chose a headlamp for me. The lamp straps onto the head and has 9 LED bulbs. There are 4 different settings depending on how bright I wish it to be. He thought I would like to use it for reading in bed (and it can also aid me in late night trips to the bathroom). I look forward to trying it out.
This was probably one of my most favorite dates we've ever had. |
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• Thu 4 December 2008 - Atlantic Beach
When Vanessa came out to visit, we went to Atlantic Beach. It's a beautiful white sand beach on one of the Barrier Islands here in NC. The water was quite warm despite it being mid October and we had so much fun swimming and riding the waves back to shore.
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• Sat 29 November 2008 - Update
I haven't felt much like blogging lately, but wanted to give a small update. My mom is still in the hospital. Her pneumonia is nearly gone, but the doctors discovered some things in her lab work that concerned them. They ordered an angiogram and found that her 4 stents are not working properly and they have now decided that they need to do a quadruple bypass immediately. They are waiting until she is strong enough to survive the surgery. She is severely anemic and malnourished (due to the bastric bypass). Her BGLs have been really high and they want to get those under control as well.
The nurses have been hinting that they are planning to do the surgery next week sometime. Mom has been doing much better these last few days and I think they may be right. I have mixed emotions about this surgery. I know she won't be able to survive without it and I'm grateful that we caught it in time (I guess pneumonia CAN be a blessing), but I have some serious concerns. One fear I have is taking care of her properly after she is home. I've received some kind guidence and words from people who have been in similar situations, but I still doubt myself.
My other fear is also the one of the biggest and that is the fact that she is so high risk. The hospital she is at is in the top 17 in the nation for cardiac centers and her surgeon is a high risk specialist, so that makes me feel a little more at ease, but I am still so worried. After almost losing her this past summer, her car accident, the recent cancer scare, and now this, we've been on a rollercoaster of emotions. It feels like we are pulled back and forth between panic and relief faster than we can catch our breath. I wonder if the worst happens, how will we be able to take care of it all and... also pay for it? How will I cope if that's what is to happen?
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• Fri 21 November 2008 - It's Hard to Know Where to Begin
It has been quite a long while since I last posted here. Since the beginning of October, our life here has been a whirlwind of activity. I'll give a rundown now and then address the more exciting events individually in future posts.
In the beginning of October through the middle of October, Trevor's sister came to visit us for about a week and a half. Then, 3 days after she left, we flew out to Denver for her wedding. I helped her do her wedding cake and decorated the sheet cakes for the reception. We had her bridal shower, wedding, and reception in two day's time. It was quite the weekend and I could sense the relief in the house when it was all over.
Then, the day we arrived home, my father came to visit us here in NC. He was here on business, but stayed with us for about a week and a half. We always enjoy his visits. Halfway through his stay, he and my husband left for a road trip back to Chicago to pick up my mother's furniture and belongings. They made the trip from Raleigh to Chicago, packed up her stuff into an open top trailer and pickup, and then headed back here to NC in 3 days total. They arrived late on a Sunday night and we unpacked the pickup that night. Needless to say, it was very tiring. We unpacked the trailer the next morning and spent the next 3 days trying to get as much settled in my mom's room as possible. That Friday, my mom and sister arrived. My sister only stayed for one day and then headed back to Florida.
My mom and I continued to get her stuff settled, but then last Saturday, she came down with a gastroenteritis which she caught while in Florida. We thought she was getting better by Tuesday, but she took a turn for the worse on Wednesday and took her to Urgent Care. It was quickly discovered that she had developed pneumonia and had to be hospitalized immediately. She's doing a little better now, but we don't know at this point when she will be coming out.
Did I mention that during all of this, two of my cavities on my upper 2nd molars decided to give me huge amounts of pain starting in the beginning on October? I've been trying to deal with the pain, but finally had to have surgery this past Tuesday morning and have both of them extracted (similar surgery to having wisdom teeth taken out). Poor Trevor had to deal with me being completely out of it from the anesthesia and vicodin, deal with changing my bandages, and also deal with my mom and try to work from home. The pain from the surgery peaked wednesday night (the night we put mom in the hospital) through yesterday. I'm feeling a little better today and hopefully it will continue to improve.
The sale on our house also fell through at the last moment. The seller has 3 days AFTER closing to change her mind and that's exactly what she did. Very frustrating. So, we're hoping to find another buyer soon. Because of this (and also having to pay for my surgery 100% out of pocket), I've decided to get a job. I'm going to be working nights so that someone will always be home with my mom. I have a second interview with the same company this afternoon, so that's a good sign.
The last month and a half have been so busy for us and I sure hope that things will settle down so we can enjoy the holidays. |
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• Wednesday, October 15, 2008 - Columbus Weekend in Chicago, IL
Posted By mamaof2andtwins
Friends,
I just wanted to share with all of you the wonderful time I had in Chicago over the weekend. Some of you may be familiar with Nancy Leigh DeMoss and her radio ministry Revive Our Hearts. The vision of this ministry became a 6,300 woman strong worship and teaching conference called True Woman '08.
I attended with five other ladies from my church. We arrived in Chicago around lunch time on Thursday. Our first stop was Moody Bible Institute where one of our friend's daughter attends. We went to Giordano's for lunch. I just had to have a Chicago deep dish pizza. The conference opened at 4:30. Walking into the convention center was rather overwhelming. On each seat was a convention bag. It was one great tote bag. It was roomy, lots of pockets, and a zip closure on top. They even gave us a pocket packet of tissues. Yes, we needed these. Worship was lead all three days by Keith and Kristyn Getty and their band. Fantastic couple. I was blessed by their hymns. The Lord has truly blessed them with a wonderful talent. John Piper and Nancy Leigh DeMoss opened up the teaching on Thursday night. I took lots of notes.
Friday morning started bright and early. I am a bit of a morning person. Apparently my friend, Linda, is as well because we were both up and showered before anyone else. We stayed at Holiday Inn Express, so we had the benefit of a continental breakfast. The morning session began with worship and teachings on the beginning of the feminist movement by Mary Kassian. It is amazing how influenced I am by this movement even when I didn't realize it. Fern Nichols, founder of Moms In Touch International, and Karen Loritts also spoke.
We were served a box lunch of a turkey sandwich, apple, chips, cookie and water. Amazingly, they served 6,300 women in about 30 minutes. We grabbed our lunches and headed out the door to eat on the convention center grounds. The afternoon teaching was done in two breakout sessions. I was blessed that they had thought of us ladies with unsaved spouses. I went to that session for sure. I was going to attend a second one on prayer, but I got closed out of that. So, I went to "Girls Gone Wild" given by Mary Kassian. She did a side by side comparision of wild women and wise women. It was very well done.
Our group wandered off site for dinner at a Mexican restaurant. The evening was spent with Janet Parshall and Joni Eareckson Tada. Actually, Joni sent in a video message as she is suffering such debilitating pain that she is unable to travel.
I am so moved to see that Lord working in the hearts and lives of the women who attended the conference. There were many tears shed and hearts were humbled especially mine. I have been profoundly affected by attending this counter cultural revival meeting.
I pray that all Christian women would embrace God's design for womenhood.
Blessings,
Jennie |
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• Sun 12 October 2008 - Menu for Oct 11 - Oct 18
Saturday - Pig Pickin
Sunday - picnic
Monday - Gen Tso's
Tuesday - Roasted chicken
Wednesday - Salad, tuna sandwiches
Thursday - State Fair
Friday - chicken casserole?
Saturday - Leek Soup |
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• Sat 11 October 2008 - Plans for the week
My husband's sister is visiting us this week from Denver and so we've planned all kinds of fun stuff to do.
Saturday - Pig Pickin
Sunday - church and a picnic
Monday - Museum of art?
Tuesday - Capital building, history museum, museum of science
Wednesday - Visit New Bern and the beach
Thursday - State Fair
Friday - Zoo
Saturday - haven't decided yet.
It will be a fun and full week. :) |
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