Country Living In My Backyard

WOW.  We had a stormy night which means we had little sleep.  The poor dog at one point would not lay down.  He just ran around the house in circles.  Poor guy, but it  drove me crazy.  I was so very tired but just couldn't sleep with him running around.  Then I woke up bright and early and couldn't get back to sleep.  Poor me!!  I doubt if I got more than just a couple hours of sleep, sooo I'm a very tired. 

It will be a pretty slow day today.  We have gym and swim later and I have a coffee tonight but if we are having storms again, I won't be going to that.  I'm actually feeling like I don't really want to go anyway but we will see.

Well, I guess I best get my house going. Have a wonderful day.

Sorry about that.  I've been posting some updates at my other blogs at Musings by Mommy and Our Homeschooling Adventure. 

We have been really busy since Christmas.  DH deployed late last month and so we were busy having tons of family time before he left.  We had a lot of fun until he had to start packing and then it got pretty sad but we are all adjusting pretty well.  We miss him of course.

Our homeschooling  is going well.  Our only problem is that DS is feeling a little lonely and missing the classroom setting.  I've been busy trying to find a group of homeschool kids his age (he starts high school in the fall) but it's easier said than done.  Not really sure what to do about this and I'm feeling really frustrated.  I want him to be happy and to have fun homeschooling.

DD still enjoys homeschooling so I'm glad there.  She and I started some seeds and we are really excited watching them grow and can't wait to put them in the ground.  We still have a lot of work to do to our garden area but we'll get it done soon and before we know it will have some yummy homegrown vegetables.  DS didn't help with it this year as we are having our basement finished and he has been helping with that as soon as he finishes his school work.  I'm counting it as school.  Do you think that's terrible?  Oh well, he's learning a lot with it and isn't that what school is all about?  Learning?  Yep, that's what I think.

Well, I don't really have much more to say.  Have a wonderful day!

Well, we had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. 

We spent some really great quality time together as a family. 

DH will be deploying soon and he took about a month off and we had a great time.  We took that month off of schooling and just spent that time with him. 

He is now back at work and we are busy with school.  You can read about that at our Homeschooling Blog. 

Well, I just thought I'd do a quick update.  Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Christmas is just around the corner.  I still have a few things to do besides cooking but we are well on our way.

We are having a very nice holiday season.  I love Christmas.  I love watching the movies and the decorations.  I love spending time with our little family, snuggling, playing, singing, cooking, crafting, going to church and spending time with friends.

Sorry I've not been updating very much, we've just been busy living life around here.  It's been really nice.

Well, I'm off again to live life!  Have a wonderful Christmas and in case I don't get back here before then...

May your Christmas be filled with much happiness and love!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  It was a nice quiet day with our little family.  We had friends over for dessert and that was extremely nice as well.  Yesterday we spent the day watching Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel and on ABC family.  I love Christmas movies.

Sorry we weren't better at posting our Thankful things but well, we just weren't on the computer much lately and that suits me just fine.  We all need to spend less time on here in my opinion.  We've been working on our homemade Christmas gifts.  It will be here before we know it!

Well, now I'm off to mix up some buttermilk pancakes.  Have a wonderful weekend!

I'm thankful for my lovely home.  There are things about it of course that I wish were different but I do have a nice home that keeps from the elements, that gives me a place to rest, a place to share with my family.

I'm thankful for my home.

Obviously, this is not going very well for us right now.  DS has been sick for the last several days and I've just been concentrating on him and getting him well.

I can easily say that I'm thankful for homeschooling.  I love spending this time with my children and having them with me.  I love that when they are sick they don't fall behind and are able to get the rest they need to get well quicker.

I'm thankful for HOMESCHOOLING!!

Well, I've given the kids and myself an assignment for Thanksgiving.  Last year we had a Thanksgiving tree where we added leaves that had something were thankful for on it.  This year, since we all have blogs I decided that we would post it instead on our blogs.  We'll see how it goes.  So here is my first entry. 

I'm thankful for my family.  I was given to the best parents ever and was blessed with great siblings.  I married a great man who loves me and takes good care of me.  I've been lucky enough to have two beautiful, healthy, funny, loving children and also the sweetest little dog in the world.

Yes, I'm forever thankful for my family.

I've been a little bit quite lately.  I'm trying to get some of my priorities back in order.  It's slow going but it's happening.

Today I've been canning.  I'm really enjoying it.  It is so very satisfying.  I'm hoping to give them (some) as Christmas gifts.

I've got lots of cleaning to do.  I got way behind while we had company and now DH is working an odd schedule and so it's messing with my schedule.  But it's not for long.

Well, that's about it.  I guess I better get back to work.  Have a wonderful evening.

The kids and I have been busy this week on their school work.  We are trying to be a bit more disciplined about it and I'm trying to really be there with them.  They like to take it and run with it without my help but we are noticing that sometimes this really isn't working so I'm trying to be right there to go over it with them as they do it.

We also started piano lessons.  I'm just trying to get them the basics right now.  They are both doing really well.  I need make time for myself to practice more though.   I did yesterday and it was so nice.  I enjoy playing.  I'm not all that good but practicing would help a lot!

Well, it's time to get busy.  Have a wonderful day dear friends! 

Wow, it's been a while. 

My mil was here for a visit last week and so I stayed off the computer pretty well.  I did get on to check my mail but that was about it.

We've been busy and I have lots more to do still! 

I really shouldn't be on here now but just wanted to drop a quick note.  I've got bread to bake and shower to take and school work with the kids, and my Bible study to read and my FPU homework to get started.  WHEW!  I better get going!!

Have a great day!

The weather is so beautiful here!  It's nice and cool in the mornings and we can throw open the doors and windows and let in the cool fresh air!  I'm loving it!

I've been doing well with my Monster.  I really have.  I've been checking my email and doing only homeschool stuff on this computer of mine and I can tell you, it feels wonderful!  Every once in a while I find myself staring at this computer doing nothing worth any thing and I just shut it and move on.  It is very ... hmmmm not sure of the right word here but it feels great to let it go and get on with the real things in life.  There are so many other things way more important than this computer and cyber world and I had been letting them slide.  I'm glad I'm back on track.

As you can see, I'll be here less often but I'm still taking a few moments here and there to check in on dear friends.  I just needed to get things back on track and set a better example for my kids.  I'm much happier for it too!

Have a wonderful day dear friends!!

This morning at church we had the band Alabaster Box at our alternative service.  We don't usually go to this service, just not our thing, but our son wanted to hear them so we went and I'm really glad we did.  It was really nice and I enjoyed the little devotional/sermon that Matt, from the band, gave.  It was really good. 

I'm a Methodist Minister's kid and our services were pretty traditional and it's what I like and enjoy.  I love all the old hymns.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the new music too but the old hymns mean so much to me.  We also aren't really the hand clapping or waving kind.  There is nothing wrong with that.  It's just not me or my family.  But we did enjoy this band and their music.  We even bought 2 CDs. 

Anyway, just wanted to share. 

Well, I've done a little better with my computer but I need to keep working on it. 

DH and DS went to a bow shoot today and DD and I hung out together.  We had a nice day.  We watched a Hallmark movie  and played a game.  We had lunch together and had a nice LONG talk.  She wanted to hear all about my childhood. 

She is so cute.  She is becoming such a mommy's little girl.  She is wanting to spend every second with me.  She decided we needed some flowers so we went a bought a couple of pots of flowers, mums and dianthus.  I wish I could explain it better because it was so cute.

Well, I guess I better get off here again.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  Drop me a note!  I love hearing from you.

Also, a new magazine you should check out is  Seasonal Delights at www.sdquarterly.com .  It's a lovely magazine for mothers and their daughters.   Another favorite magazine I love is at www.stliving.net .  Enjoy!

Yes, I have a monster in my home.  It steals my time and my mind.  It leaves a terrible mess everywhere.  I sometimes makes dinner late and takes me from the things I love.  It tricks me. 

Yes, this monster is MY COMPUTER!!  I've been trying to let it go more and more.  I find myself on here even though nothing on here interests me!  It is a definite time waster for me and I've got to quit.  I'm hoping to still blog but it will hopefully be just every once in a while. 

I really need to get my priorities back in check.  I know what they are what they should be and yet I still find myself wandering the "net" aimlessly and I need to stop.  My kids need me and my husband needs me and my home needs me. I'm really going to try to cut back on my time on here.

I want to spend more time working with the kids on their school work and playing games.  I want to get my house back in order and keep it that way.  I want to spend time reading and exercising, cooking and being outside. 

Don't get me wrong.  The computer has a lot of advantages but I need to learn to keep it all in balance.  So that is my goal for now.

Is it just me or do any of you have any of these same issues??  Let me know.