God Made Dirt

Remember that saying from when you were a kid? "God made dirt, dirt won't hurt, put it in your mouth, and let it work." In spite of the fact that my precious little angel has never heard that saying, and even if she had, wouldn't really know what it meant, I guess she decided on her own that a little dirt can't hurt...or even a LOT.

CJ had her outside playing. This was after the digging of the garden patch had begun. I heard, "Mom, you need to come look at Ruthi. She's going to need a bath." So I stepped out, and this is what I saw:





She was having a blast digging in that freshly dug earth. And she had dirt EVERYWHERE - all down her shirt, and yes, all in her diaper!
I went back inside and carried on with whatever I was doing.
A few minutes later I heard, "You're not supposed to eat it!"

Oh yes.

She couldn't resist the urge. And she didn't take a little girlie taste. Oh no. She was brave and decided she needed a giant bite. Her mouth was FULL of dirt. Yum!

CJ was taking her to get her cup. She was trying to wipe the dirt out of her mouth. She was slobbering. Slobber + dirt = mud. So she has this wad of mud in her mouth. She grabs her cup and starts drinking...washing the dirt down...not out. Oh well, God made dirt, right?

Maybe I'm a bad mom for not immediately rinsing that mud out of her mouth, but how would I ever be able to convince her - when her own children are eating mud - that she did it too, if I didn't have proof? So she obliged me and allowed me to take a couple pictures. You can't really see the pile of dirt on her tongue, I was really trying to capture it. But, I'm not a horrible mom. I figured two shots were plenty so I could help her clean her mouth. I have enough evidence!

Thankfully, soap was invented for just these kinds of situations! And she LOVES to take baths. So she enjoyed a nice long bath, and she cleaned up quite well. So I thought I'd share this final photo to show she really is a precious little angel...when she's sleeping!

Tasty Thursday #3

Hosted by Trista at The Pumkin Patch.

I got this recipe from Flylady's website. I've made it a couple times and I really like it! Chip likes it, but CJ loves it, and Ruthi seems quite fond of it too. AND, it's easy!
TIP: I made a big batch of the seasoning mixture and keep it in a little baggie so each time I make it, I already have the seasoning mix. Saves a lot of time! (That tip was actually with the recipe, and it was a good one!)

Garlic Lime Chicken

3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. garlic powder
3 Tbsp. lime juice

In a small bowl, mix together all seasonings, except the last measurement of garlic powder and lime juice.

Sprinkle both sides of chicken breasts with seasoning. (If you like a mild flavor, sprinkle lightly, if you want a little more 'kick', sprinkle generously - I like it right in the middle - enough but not too much.)

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute chicken until golden brown, about six minutes on each side. Sprinkle with remaining garlic powder and lime juice and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently to coat with the sauce. Serve. Yummy!

For more recipes, be sure to visit The Pumkin Patch!

The Garden Patch

Spring is here, and we decided to plant a few things and see how they do. We planted some tomatoes a couple years ago, and they did pretty well - we LOVE fresh tomatoes! So Chip bought a few tomato plants, as well as some strawberries, watermelon and cabbage! So the guys (and Ruthi!) set out to make our little garden patch. The strawberries were planted in a pot on the front porch, but everything else will go here.

Ruthi had a blast playing in the dirt, and you can see the child-size hoe she is using. This is the very same one Chip used when he was just a tot. Kinda cool she's getting to use something her Daddy used at her age!

They started the digging on Sunday evening. The got up this morning to finish it up. CJ had a life skills class today instead of having to sit down and do "real" work. After they were done, he worked on some other things in the yard for his Dad. I didn't hear any complaints from him! I imagine he'd like for school to be like this every day!

Since there were several pictures, I decided to try the slide show.

Baby Hannah is Here!

I was able to get to the hospital this evening to see this newly delivered angel from Heaven. Baby Hannah has made her arrival. She was actually born on Monday, but I had to wait until Chip could be home with the kids before I could go for a visit. I mentioned her and her mommy, and a little of their story on my craft blog, as I made a special gift for them. Tonight I got to meet this precious and beautiful miracle! And I got to hold her for a looooong time!

Talk about miracles, this is a child whom God must definitely have a purpose! (I DO realize all children have a God-given purpose, but keep reading and you will know what I mean.) Fonda already has four children, this is #5. You see, when #4 was born, she had a tubule ligation done. So she really wasn't planning on any more children! Surprise! The doctor was in total shock, to the point he didn't think she could really possibly be pregnant, or that if she was, it wasn't a viable pregnancy. Fonda knew better, and was at total peace. It was decided that she had regrowth on the tube, and that's how she became pregnant. Cool. God can make that happen. We were on board with that, I mean, God can do anything.

BUT...Guess what? When Hannah was born, they discovered there was NO regrowth after all. What? Oh, even COOLER!!! There is NO MEDICAL EXPLANATION as to how she became pregnant. Medically speaking, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE!!! But as we know, with God, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!!!

So the doctor closed her up and said, "I don't know what to tell you!" Since there is no medical explanation, then he couldn't think of anything to do to her to prevent further pregnancies.

Obviously, since she had gotten the procedure done, they didn't have plans for another child, but God did. That is why we are saying, God must have BIG PLANS for this little girl. And just goes to show, we are not in control, and we don't always know what is best for us. God works in mysterious ways. I'm just hoping he doesn't think we can handle any more children!!

Play Date

I met my friend Jamie and her daughter, Kylie (who is almost 5 months older than Ruthi) at Chic-Fil-A the other day for lunch and a play date. Both girls acted excited about going to see the other, but you would not have known that when they saw each other. They were both quite somber - not the energetic, loud and squealy little girls we know they are. But they played on the playset nicely together. This was Ruthi's first time playing on one of these things by herself, without CJ or me climbing with her. But she did great, and it didn't take her long at all to figure out how to navigate through the little tunnels to find the slide. Oh how this child LOVES to slide! And I was just a teeny bit embarrassed when she threw a little screaming fit when it was time to leave! We definitely need more play dates!!


I had a hard time getting pictures of them together, and I could NOT get Kylie to smile!!

Menu Plan Monday

Here's another weekly bloggy thing I've been wanting to do, but just haven't yet. So I'm adding mine this week. I have found that since I've actually started planning a weekly menu, we are eating out a LOT less, therefore saving money! And I'm no longer standing in my kitchen at 5:00 wondering what in the world I'm going to feed my family for dinner!

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Easy Cheesy Stuffed Chicken, Make-Ahead Broccoli Cheese & Rice, Rolls

Wednesday: Salisbury Steak (made in crockpot), mashed potatoes, turnip greens, rolls

Thursday: Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwiches

Friday: Chili Mac

Saturday: I will be giving a shower for a friend, so the family will probably have Pizza.

Sunday: Hot Dogs, Mac & Cheese

To see more menu's or to add your own, head over to Laura's (I'm and Organzing Junkie).

Resurrection Cookies

Someone asked me about what Resurrection cookies were (aka - Easter Story Cookies), and I figure there may be others who would be interested, so I thought I'd share the recipe here. This is great to do with kids and let them do the steps they are able to. This is a great way to teach the story of Easter.

Before you begin, preheat oven to 300 degrees.

1) Place 1 cup whole pecans in a zipper baggie and beat with a wooden spoon. This represents Jesus being beaten by the Roman soldiers after His arrest. Read John 19:1-3

2) Place 1 teaspoon vinegar into a bowl. When Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30

3) Add 3 egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent life. Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11

4) Add a pinch of salt to the bowl. Taste the salt. This represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27

5) Add 1 cup of sugar. The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16

6) Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. The color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

7) Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Each mound represents the rock tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60

8) Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven off. With a piece of tape, seal the oven door. Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66

9) Go to bed! You may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 & 22

10) On Easter morning, open the oven and remove the cookies. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9

**************

Here is a picture of a layout I did a few years ago of CJ making the cookies. It's not a very good picture, but you get the idea.

Random Meme

I saw this meme while I was browsing at Heart of the Prarie a little while ago. (Oh, and by the way, I have no idea what meme actually means! Could someone please enlighten me?) Anyway, Michelle is tagging anyone who is reading, so I accepted the tag and decided to play along.

1. What time did you get up this morning? I plead the 5th - hey, it's Saturday!!

2. Diamonds or pearls? Probably pearls, but it depends.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? I think it was Cars - can't remember if I've been to one since that.

4. What is your favorite TV show? I can't choose just one, but I regularly watch Grey's Anatomy, Lost, What About Brian, American Idol....ok, can you see I watch too much tv?

5. What did you have for breakfast? um, coffee

6. What is your middle name? Michelle

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Favorite? Oh, I love too many...Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese...

8. What foods do you dislike? Mushrooms

9. What are your favorite chips? Probably Doritos

10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Don't really have a favorite - mostly I listen to Laurie Berkner - since that's what Ruthi likes.

11. What kind of car do you drive? A Ford Expedition (my dream car!)

12. Favorite sandwich? Hmmmm. I like a lot of them, but I LOVE the chicken pesto panini from Atlanta Bread Company.

13. What are characteristics you can't stand? Lying, not being authentic (just be who you are and don't pretend to be something you're not!), rudeness, being inconsiderate

14. What are your favorite clothes? Well, right now I find myself in jeans and a t-shirt most of the time, so I guess I'm partial to them.

15. If you could go anywhere on vacation where would you go? Any beach works for me. I would love to go to Hawaii, or on a cruise!

Where is sixteen? Long past and forgotten!

17. Where would you want to retire? No real thought on this one yet. Chip has mentioned Texas...I'm really not sure why! Of course, I don't suppose I'll actually ever retire - I assume I'll be doing my job as a homemaker until I die! So when Chip retires, I'll continue my job wherever we are.

18. Favorite time of day? late at night - it's nice and quiet (unless the neighbors are fighting or partying) and I can get lots done uninterrupted.

19. Where were you born? Cumming, GA

20. What is your favorite sport to watch? Ice Skating

21. Coke or Pepsi? Don't really have a preference (I can hear Chip *gasping* - he LOVES his Diet Coke w/ lime) as I am drinking mostly water now days.

22. Beavers or ducks? Ummm...are these sports teams? Then I don't have a clue. If it's animals, then ducks!

23. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night owl, and try as I might to change it, it's not working!

24. Pedicure or manicure? I love a good pedicure, but don't really get them because I have friends who've ended up with fungus issues - I don't want to deal with that!

25. What did you want to be when you were little? I remember wanting to be a teacher. When I got a little older I wanted to be a flight attendant and a freelance photographer. But most of all I wanted to be a mommy. And now I am, plus I'm a teacher too (homeschool) and I take lots of pictures! ;o)

26. What is your best childhood memory? That's a tough one - there are several - but I LOVED going to the beach with my Grandparent's in the summer - and our family Disney trip.

27. Ever been to Africa? no

28. Ever been toilet papering? no

29. Been in a car accident? a few but just little fender benders - nothing major

30. Favorite day of the week? Right now, probably Wednesday. I have made it my "off" day. Of course, I still have regular daily stuff to do, but that's the day I can stay in my jammies if I want, and I don't schedule anything major on that day (like housework!!) It really helps me get through the week without feeling burned out.

31. Favorite restaurant? Where do I start? There are just too many favorites!

32. Favorite flower? Tough one - not sure. But I love the smell of gardenias.

33. Favorite ice-cream? Extreme Moose tracks

34. Favorite fast food restaurant? Taco Bell

35. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Um, 0!!! It's just NOT that difficult!!

36. From whom did you get your last e-mail? My Dad

37. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Well, if we didn't have to actually pay it off, then it would probably be Target or Wal-Mart - I could get clothes, toys, household stuff and even food!

38. Last person you went to dinner with? My hubby and kids.

39. What are you listening to right now? Jack's Big Music Show on tv. (Ruthi is watching it)

40. What is your favorite color? Once upon a time, it was purple. Now I don't really have a favorite - I like all sorts of colors. However, ever since I found out I was pregnant with Ruthi, I have been partial to pink!

41. How many tattoos do you have? 0 - but I did get a henna tattoo last year.

42. How many are you sending this Email to? Not sending as an email

43. What time did you finish this e-mail blog entry? I'll have to come back to this one, as I'm not finished yet! (Why wasn't this the last question?) OK - finished at 12:26 pm.

44. Favorite magazine: Any scrapbooking/cardmaking magazine

45. Coffee or tea? I usually have coffee everyday, and I love cold coffee drinks too, so I'd have to say coffee. But I do like tea.

46. Do you tan easily or burn easily? I tan easily, but I usually get a minor burn at least once at the beginning of the summer.

47. Do you color your hair? If so, how often? Yes - about every 8-10 weeks

48. What was the first car you ever purchased without the help of your parents? I didn't! I had one before I was married, and never purchased one on my own. I've never even picked one out by myself - Chip has done that since we've been married - and has always done a terrific job, the latest being the vehicle I REALLY wanted!

49. What is your most dreaded household chore? Probably cleaning the toilets. But laundry and grocery shopping are right up there too.

50. Who do you tag to complete this meme?I've never actually tagged anyone, so I'll tag a couple I think might actually read this and might play along: Karen and Jan. And anyone else who wants to play! If you do, let me know so I can come read yours!

Submissiveness

I like to think of myself as a submissive wife, and I think my husband would agree that I am....at least most of the time. However, it's not something that has always come natural to me. Early in our marriage I would 'stand my ground' (aka - pitch a fit if I didn't get my way) and I have to say, it was not pretty! Well, my man must have really loved me from the beginning, because he put up with me and loved me in spite of it. He would not fight back with me (which at the time would make my blood boil!!!) but at the same time, he didn't just 'let it go' either. He was smart. He'd wait until I cooled down, and then talk to me. He knew there was no sense in trying to talk to me or reason with me when I was in that state of mind. He was teaching me by example, how one should handle situations they aren't happy about. He was showing me unconditional love, the same love in which Christ loved the church.

Thankfully I've come a long way in our almost 15 years of marriage - thanks to God, of course, but thanks so much to my husband. Now, he's not perfect - but he's perfect for me, and God knew when he put us together that we were a perfect fit. He loves me more than I love myself (though I'm working on that - another topic altogether!) He loves me unconditionally. This is why now I can be submissive to him. I am not a doormat, I am his help meet.

Ephesians 5:22-24 says, "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything."

Unfortunately, many men are guilty of stopping right there.
But verse 25 goes on to say, "Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her..."
Thankfully my husband continued reading, and he ehibits that love to me.

Also, in Colossians 3:19 it tells husbands to love their wives and, "do not be harsh with them." I guess he read that one too, because harsh is NOT a word that describes how he treats me - ever. I can't tell you how blessed and thankful I am for that. He respects and honors my opinion, and takes what I think into consideration when making decisions. That said, he is the head of our household and he does make the final decisions. There are occasions when he doesn't have a strong opinion either way about something, and he will let me make my own decisions. Sometimes that is a good thing, sometimes I learn a hard lesson. My point is, I can willingly and proudly submit to my husband, because I know I am of value to him and he's going to reciprocate with love.

Does that mean that I am always immediately on board with everything he says? I must be honest and say no - I'm not perfect either! And that non-submissive creature tries to rear her ugly head. Like I said, I've come a long way, but I still have a long way to go. I am, however, much quicker to submit now days than I once was. I have learned that 99% of the time, he is right. And I can save myself a lot of anguish and regret if I remind myself of that up front. I have found myself saying to him - something to the effect of, "I need time to process this information." Because I've learned, though once upon a time I might immediately throw my guard up and say, "What, are you nuts?" that if I just chill...and pray...that I will most likely see things his way, and possibly even have additional insight to contribute to the matter. I am learning. I may only be suppressing that ugly creature at this point, but I pray that one day soon, it will be gone forever.

I have learned how wise my husband is, and that he listens to God. And God's pretty smart too! Apparently they have this system they use in dealing with me - God will tell him something that needs to happen, but will have him wait to tell me. Then God goes to work, priming me to receive the information. When He knows I'm ready, He gives Chip the green-light to fill me in. There are many things he has said to me that if he had said even one day earlier, I would not have been ready to receive it. They are pretty smart, don't you think? (OK, so maybe that didn't really have much to do with submissiveness, but it does say more about the character of my husband and him being in-tune with God!)

I am so thankful that God was so gracious to give me an incredible husband. If it weren't for him, I'm sure I'd be a completely different person - probably one a lot of people wouldn't like. I can be very stubborn and opinionated, but he can and does gently put me in my place and helps me to see the light. I am eternally grateful for that. God is good - He knows what we need and He takes care of us. He knew the kind of husband I would need and gave me exactly that.

Wow, where did all this come from? I certainly didn't intend to sit down and write this. But I was blog-browsing and was reading Kim's blog at Life in a Shoe and she had a link to this. It is an article by Candice Cameron Bure (remember her - from Full House?) titled Submissive is NOT a Four Letter Word. It is wonderful - she is very insightful. When I read it, I just felt impressed to share my thoughts on the subject. So there you have it.

Grease Fan?

I love the movie Grease. Though the first time I watched it as an adult, I was a bit shocked at the stuff I had never picked up when I was younger (and thankful I hadn't!) and realized I probably won't let my kids watch it. But I love it - I love John and Olivia in it and I LOVE all the music!
Lately I've been hooked on the reality show - Grease - You're the One I Want. If you haven't seen it, it's a contest, much like American Idol with guys and gals auditioning, basically, to win the role's of Danny and Sandy on Broadway. This Sunday is the finale and we will see who America voted to win these roles. I'm routing for Max and Laura!!
Anyway, a friend sent this link to me today in an email. It is one of the cutest things I've seen. It's babies singing a Grease parody - and it is funny!!!! Ruthi was sitting in my lap when I played it, and when it would end, she'd say, "More, Mommy." And she wasn't all too happy with me when I finally said that's enough!! Check it out - it will make you smile!

Tasty Thursday #2

It's Thursday...which means time to share another recipe! This is my second week participating. (From here on, I will simply include that number in the title).

I noticed on some blogs that there is a picture of the dish posted along with the recipe. I thought of that last night as I was cooking and intended to grab the camera when it came out of the oven, but I totally forgot. Maybe one day I'll actually remember to do that.

I discovered this recipe way back when we were doing low-carb eating. It is low carb, but there's LOTS of cheese, so my dessert has to be a dose of metamucil! ;0) It is verrrrry yummy!

EDIT - I just learned the importance of re-reading what I type before I post it! Thanks to my Dad for bringing this to my attention! The metamucil mentioned above is NOT what I find yummy - but the recipe that follows!!! I'm such a goof sometimes! Ok, I'll be honest - MOST of the time!!

Deep Dish Pizza Quiche

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
1/3 c. half & half
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. chives
1/2 - 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 - 1 tsp. minced garlic
2 c. Pizza (Italian) blend shredded cheese
1/2 c. Pizza sauce
pizza toppings of your choice
1/4 - 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese

Beat cream cheese and eggs together. (I just use a wire whisk). Add half & half, Parmesan cheese, chives, Italian seasoning and garlic.
Place pizza cheese into a greased 9" baking dish (pie plate). Pour egg mixture over cheese. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Remove. Spread pizza sauce on top. Top with mozzarella cheese and toppings of your choice. (I use chopped pepperoni and black olives.) Bake an additional 10 minutes.

My family loves this! We like ours a little more seasoned, so I use a little more of the Italian seasoning and garlic. Go with the smaller amount if you like the seasonings to be on the lighter side. And I just add the cheese to the top until I think it's enough, so that measurement is really just a guess.

If you'd like to see more recipes or add your own, head over to The Pumkin Patch.

CJ the Builder

(Ok, so the song doesn't work as well with a two-syllable name! Guess that's why they named him Bob!)
But....CJ has been hard at work on his clubhouse. I have watched it transform a few times. He had a good base going and I looked out one day and it was all gone. He wasn't happy with it and he decided to start all over.
It's still a work in progress, (and a very interesting one!) but here are some pictures of what he's done so far. I took these yesterday. (You can click any of the pictures to see them larger.)

View from the yard:

Hard at work:

Inside ('bottom floor')

View of the 'top floor'

And here he's climbing to his 'lookout tower'.
(Did I mention he was part monkey? LOL)

And this is his 'bullpen'. I asked him what that meant, and apparently he and the other boys take turns being a bull who is locked up in the pen...whatever!

So I'm not sure where he still plans to go with this, it is definitely a work in progress. And being that I was never a 12 year old boy, I have no idea what is inside his head. But he's having fun, and that's all that matters. He has done this all by himself - Dad only takes him to the store to get more wood and furnishes him with all the leftover pieces he doesn't need as well. I hear hammering all the time when he's out there. It's far better than sitting in front of the Playstation all day! He is most definitely an outdoors boy - that's where he's happiest, and he doesn't mind some hard work. Oh, on the view of the 'top floor', I don't know if you can tell, but there is a table up there that he built as well.
It may not be done exactly "right", as far as he didn't follow any plans or anything, but it is sturdy and it is his. I have to say I'm pretty proud of him!

Prayer Request

Attention all prayer warriors! I received this email this morning from a dear friend from church, and it just broke my heart. Please lift this young lady up in your prayers and believe for a total healing in her body.
This is the email in its entirety.

Hey guys. Please stand with me in prayer for Autumn Richards. Her family is from Cartersville, she lives in Atlanta now. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer last week. She is 31 years old and was just married in August of 06. She is a tennis coach at GA. Tech. She returned just two weeks ago from playing in a tennis tournament in Australia. She went for her yearly check up last week where they found two grapefruit size tumors on her ovaries. The dr's say that they are fluid filled as well as having a solid mass. They are doing surgery on Thursday, March
22 at Piedmont to remove the tumors. They would like to try and leave her ovaries, but have told them they may have to do a total
hysterectomy when they get in. Autumn and her husband Matt are very involved in a church in Atlanta and work with youth in the church. The have a support system of family and church.... but they need it all, they need "kingdom" right now! Please stand with Autumn and her family and believe with them for a total healing in her body! Most of us have been affected by cancer in one form or another, so we know how to "drive, fight and pray"! NO WEAPON FORMED SHALL PROSPER, IN JESUS NAME!!! Thank you. And I will keep you updated on her healing!
Love,
Heather

Tackle it Tuesday #3

It's my 3rd Tackle it Tuesday! And I'm having a slightly difficult time getting motivated to tackle anything.
My son has been building a fort/clubhouse structure for quite sometime now. He keeps changing the plans and has even completely taken everything apart and started over. I tried to get some pictures yesterday, but it was already getting too dark, and they didn't turn out very well - I'll try to get out there today and get some. Anyway, he wanted Dad to take him to Home Depot last night and get some more materials. However, Dad was VERY tired, as he had not gotten much sleep the night before at the station. So, he said to him, "Why don't you get all tomorrow's school work done tonight so we can go in the morning, and then you'll have all day to work on it." CJ liked that idea. So that's exactly what he did. He completed all his assignments by 10 pm (only an hour after 'regular' bedtime) that he could do on his own. That left some reading comprehension questions that we do together, and writing a rough draft of a poem in which he would need some instruction. He got up this morning and we completed those before breakfast. So basically, he has the day off now. Does that mean I have the day off too? Not likely, and I sure could use it as I could NOT fall asleep last night and I am dragging today! Hmmmm... Wednesday's are my day "off", maybe I could switch it to Tuesday this week? No, there's just too much to do, but I am getting a late start. It's a little after 10 am and I'm just now having my second cup of coffee. I'll kick in gear pretty soon.

Now, onto my tackle. I had ambitions of a bigger tackles today, but in my sluggishness, I think I'll stick to something smaller. Aside from a little laundry that needs to be completed, I need to investigate my refrigerator. For some reason, it has an overwhelming odor of.....mayonnaise!!! I'm guessing there may be some attached to something it shouldn't be, and I need to find it, because every time the door opens and closes, I get very nauseated. I love mayonnaise, but I can't stand this smell - it does NOT smell fresh from the jar!!! (I can't BELIEVE I just shared that!)

And my true tackle today will be my daughter's room. Although this is a regular tackle - at least twice a week. She loves to bring all her toys into the living room, and most of the time they all get tossed into a basket or something and shoved back in there. So I need to put everything away. It's a bet of a mess, mind you, not NEARLY as bad as it could be, so it won't take me very long.

Here are the before's of her room. I'll post the after's this evening.



OK - update! I cleaned out the fridge. I did find an unidentified spill in the back, but I'm not completely convinced that's the culprit of the odor. I pulled EVERYTHING out and cleaned everything off, and the odor remains for now. I've added a container of baking soda, so hopefully that will absorb it. I just can't figure out what it is - and it's not like it's been there for a long time or anything. What a mystery!

As for Ruthi's room, it's all back in order - for now! I do need to tackle her closet still (the shelf at the top mostly), but I'll save that for another day. Here are the after pics.


And now looking at these pictures, I'm seeing what a very near in the future tackle needs to be - finish painting in here (the door, the table and the side hubby attached to the bed). And, I need to gently persuade him to trim out the window (we replaced the windows a little while back) so I can paint and get a blind and the pretty valance I bought put up, and get that stupid blanket off the window!! Oh well....another day.

CJ spent most of the day building on his clubhouse (or whatever he's calling it!) and I did get some pictures, but I'll put those in another post later. Right now, I'm going to watch American Idol!

Photo Tag...Shoes

It's Monday, and that means Stephanie at Adventures in Babywearing is hosting a photo tag! Today it's all about shoes. I must be behind in the times, because I haven't yet jumped on the Croc wagon. It seems to be the craze these days when it comes to shoes. They honestly just don't look comfy to me. However, MANY say they are, so maybe I should try slipping my feet into some in the near future and see what I think. Though I fear that my feet are just too sweaty to wear them. Maybe I'll find out....eventually. Maybe I'll try them before they are "out of style". Nothing like wearing what everyone *used* to be wearing! Like my parachute pants...remember those? In the 80's they were all the rage, but they were short lived. By the time I finally got a pair, no one was wearing them anymore. But did I care? Not a bit, and wore them proudly...for a little while. But, I digress.


Shoes - if we don't have crocs, we are supposed to post our favorite shoes, or shoes we can't live without. Well, the shoes I can't live without are my everyday comfy sneakers, and as you can see, they are quite worn. But I love them. Once they wear out, they will be replaced with a similar pair. But I wear these most days, with my jeans.

And my favorite current pair is my Eastlands - I love these things, they are so comfy. I wear them when I need something a little nicer than my sneakers. I was very upset though, when one of these went missing for quite some time. I *thought* I had looked everywhere, and finally decided I must have accidentally thrown it out. But for some reason, I could not bring myself to throw the other one out. And I'm glad I didn't, because I found it!! Oh happy day!

If you'd like to see more or add your own, visit Adventures in Babywearing.