Another change of plans...

We made it through the first 3 days of school and we had anticipated a quiet, regrouping-type of weekend, and guess what? My kids are travelling again. Can you believe it? And...we're getting company. My highschool buddy from the Cities is coming into town to finally see the girls...and they're gone! (He said it would be ok...that he would see them next time.) Oh, I spose I should let you know where they took off to this time. Their friends were going up north to the Cabin and invited them along. It's hard to say "No" since we all have such a good time when we go up there.

So, out of the blue, D and I have more time to spend together. I'll give you three guesses what we did with our evening! HEY...no fair!!! You can guess it in one?!?! You're right, we cleaned. We got through the first floor of the house, but the upstairs is NASTY!!! I mean, it's not just messy dirty this time, I'm finding dirty dishes, dirty clothes, dirty EVERYTHING! Yuck. Hopefully we can get it done tomorrow morning before we go for a little trip ourselves.

Say your prayers, D is taking me for my first private flight tomorrow. I trust him. Just hope the I can trust the plane. :-) We're so excited to have a beautiful day forecasted and the time to get up once. It's been a couple of weeks since he got his license (on your birthday C!!!) and he's getting ancy.

So, that's the plan for tomorrow. Clean, fly, and then play with friends. Sounds good doesn't it? I can't wait.

One day down, one hundred and...

Well, the first day went well. S seems very excited about her new "position" at school. Being upstairs seems to have given her a new confidence and maturity that I hadn't quite expected, but am glad to see.

D, is D. She will excel...just in a different way than I am used to. She's definitely her own person and I thank God for that. It will be interesting to see her change too in the next couple of years...

After school and volleyball practice, we headed home for supper, playtime, cleaning, snack and of course...Nancy Drew. :-) We have now solved the Secret of the Old Clock. I've been informed that we're starting the next one tomorrow night. I think we'll lay down some rules this time though...two chapters per night MAX unless we start before 7 p.m.

Blame Nancy Drew!

So, the girls attempted sleep until 9:45 and then we ended up reading two more chapters of Nancy Drew. It was hot and sticky in our house and I was reluctant to turn on the air...but I should have because none of us slept well. I finally fell into a restless sleep around 2 a.m. and wow...am I dragging today! I can't focus for the life of me! And, yes, I'm blaming Nancy Drew...I had to use every ounce of willpower last night not to pick up the book and find out how it ends. I can't believe I never read those books as a kid!!

Anyway, the girls did have a good start this morning though. We got through showers, music practice, pancakes, and drop off without a hitch. Weehoo!!! And the school year has begun...

Last day of summer

Tomorrow school starts and I still feel scattered. I'm just not ready. I spent some time today filling out paperwork and cleaning my office. Then we sat down with the calendars (a new nightly ritual) and planned out what we needed for the next couple of days. We gathered school supplies, volleyball gear, clothing, etc. And the girls are in their beds...not sleeping...but in their beds by 9:00. If it weren't for Nancy Drew, they would have been upstairs 15 minutes ago, but we just HAD to read another chapter. (I'm a sucker for kids who want to hear more of a story!!)

I think my biggest concern starting out this year is that I've lost my motivation to deal with Rangerettes. I just don't want to do it any more. I want to be pigheaded and selfish with my time and talents...and the second my fingers typed that sentence, I felt an amazing guilt. God gave me the talents to effectly lead this group and I shouldn't be feeling this way... Again, I just need to return to prayer. I feel this way about once a year and the second I pray about it, the right words come to me and the notes get written, the meetings get scheduled, and I'm on my way...I just have to do it.

As for my concerns with D...they're subsiding. I think the extra work we did this summer is starting to pay off because she's actively reading on her own and can tell me what's happening (for the most part) in the story. I have yet to ascertain if she'll be able to complete an AR test...but we're getting there.

You know...my mind has gone blank for blogging. All I can think about is "If I get a note out about Rangerettes tomorrow, I'll catch the parents while they're still checking their children's backpacks!!!" :-) See, there I go already. God hears even the softest whispered prayers, doesn't He?!?

Laughing...

OK, that didn't take long. I can't nuke anything. I used each blog space during a different point in my life and they all tell a different story. I came here because I wanted to comment on a friend's blog and needed an account to do so... And, I find it easier and more reliable than myspace... So I guess I'm maintaining 4 blogs and that's ok with me. <*snicker*> I can already hear a friend of mine telling me that it fits well with my split personality! OH well...I guess it also means, if there is anybody reading that wants the "full depth" experience, they will have to convince me to tell them which sites I'm at. That sounds worth it's weight in chocolate if you ask me! hehehe

An Explanation

I'm working on "Cleaning House" in my community of blogs and in doing so, I've reread a lot of interesting tidbits. The post below is a letter I typed back in October of 2005. It never reached its intended audience, but after reading it, I realized that I wrote it more for myself than for anybody else. It does my heart good to re-read it...so I've transferred it here before nukin' the other place.

Dear Friend...

Hello,
I know you're surprised to be hearing from me. But you asked me a question yesterday that I never fully answered. I've had a lot of time to think about it. And you need to hear my answer. If you don't remember, our conversation went like this:

****

"Are you taking any kind of medication?"

I reply, "No, I've never needed to."

"Hmmm...you know, you're the only woman I know who isn't? And yet, you're happy. Why is that? What's the difference?"

****

Well, we lapsed into a conversation about the 1920s and '30s and I never got to give my opinion. So hear goes...

Why am I happy, dear friend? Oh, it's not because of intelligence, genetics, upbringing, or community. It's less scientific than that. Simply stated, I'm happy because I believe in and trust the Bible.

(Take a deep breath...I know you hate when people go there...but hear me out and trust me. You know I'm not a Bible-pusher. I'm the same person I've ever been...I've just never told you.)

I was brought up Christian just like you were. And then I fell away. College hit, I became "too educated" and no longer felt I needed the guidance or the guilt. Yes, that is... until I fell apart. My charmed life with everything handed to me began falling apart. The walls were tumbling down and when just one rock was left before the tower crashed, I dropped to my knees and said, "Lord, I have no where else to go. Please lead me to where I should be!"

The Bible gives me easy, complete guidance. I know what is expected of me, I know what is prohibited from me, and I know of the glory that stands ahead.

Oh, that doesn't sound easy? Well, let's break it down.

I know that I am to cherish my husband and care for my home. And I can expect that in return. No, that doesn't mean that I am a lowly housewife. It means that I need to use my talents to take the best care of my husband as I can. And he is instructed to do the same for me. In all aspects of living.

I know that I am to teach my children God's word. A person doesn't need a book on parenting when you teach the simple truths of God's love. Suddenly I am not the mean parent always saying, "No." I get to be the educator explaining why God says "No." And what God wants for His children (to be like Jesus).

God's word also teaches me how to handle my life in the community.

****

I don't want to become too long winded so I won't explain any more. I'm sure if you care to know more, you will ask. I'm just glad that you're taking the time to read this now. It means a lot to me.

****

I have never told you, because I've known too many people who have run away when I've voiced my opinion. So I decided to live my life as an example to others. I know I'm not perfect. Not even close! You know that too. But each time I fall...I don't run to medication. I pray. And it's like God puts His arms around me and lifts me up. My heart gets warm and the sadness goes away.

I never tell until somebody asks me my secret. So...there you have it. Can I still be your friend? :-)

Productive Day

With the mindset that we were going to finish some projects today, we woke up raring to go. By 10:30 we were at church. One o'clock back home, having eaten lunch, bought paint, and formed a plan.

We started by priming the shelves that will make up D's new window coverings. While D and I did that, S cleaned, rearranged, and prepared her bedroom for applying a new border and painting more insects on the walls. After the shelves were primed, we primed the princesses. Can you believe it? D informed me this morning that her princesses "freaked her out". So, they're gone.

Next was S's border. Wow...have I forgotten how to do that!!! I only read half the directions and of course...HALF the border stayed up. It was a fiasco to say the least. With three very smart young ladies giving me play by play commentary on how maybe I didn't really know what I was doing... AHHH!! :-) Anyway, we got it up, just to find out we don't have enough to do the whole room. I thought we had it, but you see, we bought the stuff two years ago, so who knows where the rest of it might turn up. We completed two walls for today though and it looks pretty cool. One other lesson I learned, aside from reading the directions completely before starting, is to measure both sides of the space above a closet. Who knew a closet could be seven inches from the ceiling on one side and 7 1/2 inches on the other?!?!

After we cleaned up from that project, we sponge painted a wall in D's room. That turned out AWESOME! She loves it too. We're going to add a bit more color tomorrow, but it was a good start for today and if we don't get to it tomorrow, it will look great for the next 3-4 months until we drag everything out and try again!

Let's see...after the sponging, we primed the other side of the shelf boards and then it was time for the neighbor kids to go home. That's when I found out that one of the neighbor kids isn't quite the painter my girls are...I had to get out the pressure washer and clean up the primer from the cement next. Then, since it was out, I pressure washed a couch cushion that was extremely dirty. It's just a trial because the cushion is an extra, but I'm curious if it will work. The tell all tale will be if the cushion actually every DRIES!

Next came supper, school work, music, reading, bedroom cleaning, more reading, computer time, more reading and sleep for the girls. I say it was quite the productive day. Now, if only I could convince myself to get to bed so tomorrow at work can be as good! I really should get to rolling forward projects and binders for next year's tax season. Doesn't it feel like we barely got through tax season...and here I am prepping for the next one. I wish summer could last just a couple more months because I hate the thought of the girls going back to school evan more than the start of a new tax season.

It sure has been a good summer. I hope I'm ready for the fall!!

Giggling Girls

I'm sitting here this evening with a houseful of friends. We're having one of our sleepover parties. To my surprise, these parties are happening more and more often and I LOVE THEM!!! You see, D works 24 hour shifts. I really don't mind them, but sometimes I get tired of always seeing the girls have friends overnight and I just sit here watching them giggle and play. SO...I started invited their friends' moms to come with. It's SO much fun! The girls play and us moms chat.

The only problem we run into is the fact that our house isn't movie friendly. We have a small 13 inch t.v. in my bedroom. A 24" in the cabin (3 season room) and a portable dvd player that can hook to a 13 inch t.v. in the guest room. But that rarely works. SO...by this time of the night I have little groups of people spread out throughout my house straining their eyes to watch little movies. It hasn't prevented the giggles though. The house is ringing with them this evening.

I don't think there is anything that could make my heart fuller than to hear the girls making memories like these.

Anyway, I spose I should run along and see what K is doing. As soon as the movie in the cabin is finished, we're going to watch OUR movie. I can't decide if we're going to watch "Catch and Release" or...um...I can't remember the other title. I'll let you know in the morning which one we chose. TTFN!

Running from MySpace

So I've followed a friend here because I'm up to my eyebrows with disgust and frustration over myspace. Do you *know* how many times I've blogged for a half hour and POOF I get the message "an error has occurred and has been forwarded..." Aye aye aye... It just makes a person want to run away...

So, HERE I AM! I spose I could try out some other sites that I've been to also...heck, I have blogs everywhere I look, but maybe it's time to do what I'm doing with the rest of my life and "Clean House". I will look at closing all those sites and starting fresh... It may feel as good as cutting up 5 credit cards yesterday... Or throwing out three bags of clothes from my unused back closet last week...

You just never know. :-)