Many Little Blessings

Starting a Homeschool Preschool Co-op

2009-12-01T10:56:00.000-05:00

Join me over at The Homeschool Classroom to read tips about how to start your very own homeschool preschool co-op. Even if you're not interested in homeschooling in the future, a homeschool preschool co-op may be a valid alternative to a pricey private preschool.

A Little Effort Ahead of Time Can Really Save You Later

2009-12-01T02:15:00.000-05:00

Last night, we were rushing around close to dinner time. We hadn't planned what to have for dinner, so we were left with that far too familiar dilemma about what to make when it was already getting close to 6 pm.

Thanks to some pre-planning, however, we were able to have a tasty dinner in no time! I know -- I just said we hadn't planned, and now I'm saying that we planned. We hadn't planned for dinner that night, but we were able to take advantage of the fact that I had previously purchased and browned several pounds of ground beef. I made a couple of pounds of that ground beef into sloppy joes (which I made into two different meal portions), and then I made the rest of the ground beef into taco meat. I froze all of these into meal sized portions in Ziploc bags.

So, although we hadn't planned for dinner, we were able to quickly throw together a meal of sloppy joes thanks to some time spent after a trip to the grocery store.

Do you have any go to meals or quick tricks that help you on nights like this? Trust me -- I could use them!

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday.

photo by AZAdam

Real Life Confessions: I Really, Really Bribed My Kids

2009-11-30T00:32:00.000-05:00

Oh sure, I've admitted to bribing my kids before, like when I shared that I will pay them a dime every time they try a new food (or a food that they already know they don't care for). And, darn it -- I stand by that bribery. It hardly costs me anything and I can't believe the things they have tried for a mere ten cents.

But, I am a bit ashamed to admit that I really bribed them at Thanksgiving. I'm not talking dimes either. I'm talking serious cash.

My kids don't like animals. Their feelings on animals range from mild distaste to overwhelming fear. Actually, I have misspoken. They actually all like animals. They all like to read about animals, watch shows about animals, and they love to see animals at places like a zoo. They just don't understand why anyone in their right mind would want to own a pet. And, furthermore, they have zero desire to be at the home of anyone who would do something as crazy as owning a pet.

We have been blessed by many understanding family and friends. I can't tell you how many times the dear people in our lives have put away animals or even had them go to friend's houses while we are there.

But, back to the bribery.

We went out of state for Thanksgiving to be with family. We were meeting at my grandparents house, which is always an experience, since they have a very active Yorkshire Terrier named Rambo. This means that the day is spent with quite a lot of consoling fears, as well as Eric keeping the kids downstairs while the dog is upstairs and my Grandpa keeping the dog downstairs while they kids are upstairs. Oh, and then there is the horribly uncomfortable keeping the dog in a separate room during the meal. He barks, everyone feels bad, and my kids get nervous. Oh the holiday fun.

So, as we were at the hotel the night before Thanksgiving, I threw down the challenge. I hadn't preplanned it. It all just popped out of my mouth as I talked. We talked a lot about the dog and what they could expect when they saw the dog. Then, I told them that if they didn't cry, didn't cause a scene, didn't make it necessary for the dog to be somewhere else, I would pay them.

Each child had the possibility of earning up to $30. No, you didn't read that wrong -- that's a three and a zero, which would total $90 if everyone got it. I wanted it to be an amount that would really get their attention. And, trust me -- it was. I told them that if they freaked out when they walked in, but then calmed down after the initial confrontation, I would give them $10 (instead of the $30). I was sure that I would not be paying it all out, but thought I might be paying out the $10 each.

When we got to my grandparents, we reminded the kids what the dog would do (lots of jumping and kissing) and then brought the kids in one at a time. There was definitely nervousness, but not a single tear. As a matter of fact, there were even some giggles.

After some initial shyness, both Jack and Molly wouldn't stop playing with Rambo all day. Actually, first Molly thought his name was Scramble, and then she started calling him Scrambo. All they talked about that day (and for the days afterwards) was "Scrambo." Molly even drew pictures of him and her together to send to Great-Grandma and Great-Papa. Noah never did play with Rambo, but he did sit and pet him for quite a while.

When we got home, I stopped by the ATM and got out money. I then paid each of my kids $30. Whew!

You know what though? It was a beautiful day. They had a wonderful time. All of my family members seemed more at ease when my kids weren't causing a scene. My Grandpa didn't have to hide out in the basement with the dog. Eric and I were both so happy that it went smoothly. We all stayed much longer than we expected we would.

So, yeah, I bribed my kids. But, you know what? That was just about the best $90 I have ever spent.

photo by yomanimus

Cookies, Gift Wrapping, and the Neti Pot -- It's Thanksgiving!

2009-11-24T15:11:00.000-05:00

Ahhh, yes. That's a traditional Thanksgiving for you. Don't those terms always just pop into your head when you think Thanksgiving?

Okay, perhaps they don't.

We're busy getting ready for Thanksgiving here. I'm baking cookies, as part of my contribution to our Thanksgiving feast. I also need to be busy wrapping ~~Thanksgiving~~ Christmas presents. No, I'm not an overachiever. This Thanksgiving, like many for the past few years, will be Turkey-mas for us. We'll be celebrating Christmas with some of our extended family. So, hence the gift wrap.

Oh -- and the neti pot? Sadly, I'm still stuffed up. I'm hoping for a Thanksgiving miracle that involves clear sinuses.

In order to focus on all of those things that I really should be working on around the house instead of here, I'm going to sign off for Thanksgiving now. I'll still be around, so if you need me, just drop me an email. I just hope to start being a bit more productive.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

photo by alasam

Many Little Links: November 22, 2009

2009-11-22T23:58:00.000-05:00

The Power of Seeking Our Children's Forgiveness - Simple Kids

I once worked with someone that told me that she and her husband refused to say please or thank you to their kids, because they shouldn't have to, though they definitely expected to hear it from their children. I still remember thinking, "Where in the world are they going to learn it from then?" This would have been a great post for them to read as well.

Party's Over - Awful Library Books

I really love subscribing to Awful Library Books! So many gems. This one, in particular, needs to be checked out. (Ha - get it. It's a library book. Seriously though, the pun was unintended until I read back over my sentence.) Anyway -- need a laugh? Read about this book.

The Bitter Homeschooler's Wishlist - Home School College Counselor

Love this list. If you're a homeschooler, go check it out. Heck, even if you're not a homeschooler, go check it out.

I Love Homeschooling...I Hate Homeschooling - InsideCatholic.com

Danielle Bean did an amazing job of being honest about the struggles and work of homeschooling. This piece was just so refreshingly honest.

Just Add Water Mini-Paintings - Inspired Ideas

This is just the coolest idea! I have seriously got to do some of these for my kids. They would be amazed and delighted.

Memes - Mom's Blog Resource

If you are a blogger, go check out this comprehensive listing of weekly memes around the blogosphere. Memes can be a great way to bring in more readers or just kick start your writing if you are in a lull.

7 Quick Takes: November 20, 2009 (Volume 22)

2009-11-20T01:34:00.002-05:00

~ 1 ~

All of the sudden, this week, I woke up one day with a sore throat. Then, my throat got better, but my sinuses started to clog up. It just went downhill from there.

Still no fever, and my sore throat is basically gone. But, oh my heck -- the sinus pressure! And I have no idea how many tissues I have used at this point. Do you know how I know it's really bad? I had to try twice to use the Neti Pot last night and couldn't (it wouldn't flow through). I finally had to take Sudafed and try it again an hour later. So not good!

~ 2 ~

Loved the Advent Conspiracy video last year, so I was happy to see a new one this year. (I tried to post it right here, but it was tried to take over the sidebar too. So, I'll just link you over to it on You Tube.)

~ 3 ~

Speaking of Advent reminds me of Christmas. Can you believe that I got my first Christmas card for the year last week?

Okay, before you freak out and think about how far behind you are or have to wonder why someone would send them out so early, I actually got this one much earlier than the sender would have meant for us to get it. While we were cleaning out my Grandma's apartment, we found a stack of Christmas cards that she had been working on. She said she figured if she did five a day, then she wouldn't get too tired doing them. My Mom is planning to send them all out before Christmas and include a note with them.

I left that card sitting on the counter, unopened, for about a week. But, this week, I opened it and I cried. Jack, my ever emotional guy, cried too. After all we've been through since the beginning of the month, it was just still surreal to think it was the last Christmas card we would ever get from her.

~ 4 ~

These last few months have been so crazy busy, and I'm just so tired. So very tired.

~ 5 ~

While I do hope to get a little down time this weekend, I have vowed that this weekend will be the one to get some things done. I have a lot of things to work on, and I would love for this to be the weekend that I could look back on and say, "Wow -- look how much I got done!"

Then again, based on how I'm feeling right now, I think I'll just be happy to sleep in one day.

~ 6 ~

Did I show you guys my date book for 2010 yet?

I love this thing! It is so cute. And, I really like that each spread covers two weeks, instead of a more standard one week.

~ 7 ~

Time is almost up for voting in the 2009 Homeschool Blog Awards. Be sure to pop over there and check out some fabulous homeschooling blogs!

If you haven't yet voted in the family/group blog category, we'd love it if you would consider voting for The Homeschool Classroom. Thanks!

This post is linked to 7 Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.

Pictures by: Amazon (date book) / Chiot's Run (neti pot) / CherrySoda! (sleeping doll)

Disclosure: The links to Amazon are affiliate links. Your purchases on Amazon through this blog helps to support this blog (and our homeschool!).

Felt Cookies for Christmas

2009-11-17T23:16:00.000-05:00

This year, I really wanted to try to figure out some handmade gifts to give to our children for Christmas. Oh sure, there are still going to be things like Wii games and iPods, but I also wanted to give them each something handmade.

I have to admit, I'm still not sure if I can come up with something to give the boys. But, I was thrilled to start working on a gift for Molly the other day. For quite a while, I had admired felt food. I kept thinking, "Surely I can do that, right?" But, still, I put it off.

Finally, I used this guide on how to make a blanket stitch, along with help from my Mom to start off. She joined in and made a few cookies. Mom also had a sweet Raggedy Ann and Andy heart shaped box to hold our sweet creations:

I'll still make some more cookies for the gift. I plan to make her a dozen cookies total. I was originally going to make a variety of foods, but decided to just stick with a greater quantity of cookies instead.

This was such a fun project, and I really hope that she likes them as much as I do! It makes me giggle every time I open the box (which I have hidden until Christmas). This was a very easy and frugal gift -- I just hope that it brings her the same joy that it is already bringing me.

Now...if I can just figure out something handmade for the boys, I'll be set.

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday, Frugal Friday, and Finer Things Friday.

Sharing a Book

2009-11-17T22:58:00.000-05:00

This post is linked to Wordless Wednesday.

Don't Do Yoga in the Bathtub (and Other Things You Thought You'd Never Say)

2009-11-17T12:39:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, in parenthood, you say words together in a sentence that you would never have dreamed that you would put together. You know those kinds of sentences, don't you?

Just yesterday, after hearing a splash and running for the bathroom, I had to say to Jack, "Don't do yoga in the bathtub."

Do you have any gems to share like this?

photo by Voxphoto

I Actually Accomplished Some Things This Weekend!

2009-11-16T02:12:00.000-05:00

I have felt like I am falling so far behind in so many things lately. The past month has just been one thing after another, and it has really left me overwhelmed. Finally, however, I feel like I have had a pretty productive weekend, and I'm pretty psyched about that!

Oh sure, I still have to work on Christmas stuff for the first time we'll celebrate Christmas with extended family (which is coming up pretty soon). I need to work on baby shower invitations for a shower I am hosting for Eric's sister. I have to work on a large correspondence training project for the therapy that I do part time.

Sigh.

Okay, happy thoughts. Let me tell you what I actually did accomplish though.

1. Got caught up on quite a few emails that I had been putting off, as well as a variety of other computer related tasks.

2. Watched half of season two of The Big Bang Theory with Eric. (And, in what truly shows my ADHD tendencies, I stopped writing this post to go send him Big Bang Theory flair on Facebook and forgot I was writing this. But, maybe it was on my to do list, right?)

3. Cooked three pounds of ground beef and made it into Sloppy Joes. I froze it into two meals, in order to allow that everyone gets to have as much as they want and Eric will still have leftovers for work.

4. Separated a three pound log of ground beef (yeah, I had another one) into four portions to use for meals. Then I froze each of those portions for later use. It would have been easy to freeze it into three portions, but I like that with four portions (3/4 of a pound), we'll eat a little less meat and then it brings down the per meal cost of the package of ground beef.

5. Cooked a whole chicken (purchased on sale) in the crock pot, and then picked all of the meat off to freeze (after Eric had dinner). I also picked all the meat off of a store prepared rotisserie chicken (it was on sale too).

6. Had a crafting evening with my Mom where I started working on a handmade Christmas gift for Molly. I'll show you some of what I worked on soon.

7. Learned to do a blanket stitch to work on #6.

In addition to the listed things, I worked on laundry, went to Mass, and a variety of other things. Sure, I still have a lot to do, but it's nice to look at a list of things I have completed.

What do you really need to do this week? What are you proud of having completed lately?

Photo by limonada

Many Little Links: November 14, 2009 Edition

2009-11-14T23:58:00.000-05:00

File Folder Word Wall -- Early Bird Homeschool

This is a really great way to get the benefits of a word wall that you often see in classrooms, without having to put them up on your walls at home (especially if you don't have a dedicated school room)

The Lost Rule of Organizing -- Small Notebook

Just loved what Rachel has to say about organizing one of her drawers. So, so true.

The Real Crafter in The Family -- Sycamore Stirrings

Great idea for letting your kiddos make little stuffed friends

Charm Necklace -- Chasing Cheerios

Oh. my. goodness. I had a bunch of these. I sometimes think about them, as they are long since gone. Seeing them pictured again, well, it made me extra sad that I don't have them anymore.

The Chocolate Notebook -- Small Notebook

What a fun way to chronicle some moments of your life. And, I have to admit it -- I love notebooks.

Oh, and one more quick link to check out -- Amy from Cheeky Cocoa Beans currently has a couple of giveaways on her blog for large prints from UPrinting. Since I talked about decorating with large photographs earlier this week, I thought some of you might be interested in popping over to enter the giveaway. (Hurry though, it ends very soon!)

7 Quick Takes: November 13, 2009 (Volume 21)

2009-11-13T23:49:00.002-05:00

~ 1 ~

Thanks so much for all of the kind words on my Grandmother's sudden passing. It was so helpful for me to be able to write about it, and I appreciate all of the kind words that you guys have left.

We had the funeral last Friday, and spent this week continuing to clean out her apartment. It has all been tiring both physically and emotionally, but it has also offered so many small moments of joy, as well as time to be with family.

~ 2 ~

In my quest to say yes to the kids a whole lot more often, I have found myself spending a lot more time doing things like listening to books that the kids have written (especially by Molly, who has to read them to me, since they are mostly scribbles with a "mom," "dad," or "cat" tossed in occasionally), playing rock paper scissors, and drawing with the kids.

Though I have felt so behind in many things I need to do lately, it has also been nice to say yes a lot more often instead of saying "in just a little while," which becomes "how about tomorrow?"

~ 3 ~

Speaking of being busy -- how can I always be busy? And, really -- if a person is always busy, then are they actually busy or is it just their normal?

~ 4 ~

After struggling with whether to get the H1N1 flu shot for the children or not, we finally had the immunizations. They had been very scarce around here. So, when the county had a mass immunization, I knew we just had to decide. Since Jack has a heart defect (and Molly now has a small murmur), I thought that it was probably a good move for our family.

So far, so good -- no side effects. And, while the shots were free, we did spend an hour and thirty minutes in line. We also spent $16 on books for the kids as rewards (seriously -- what kid wants to wait in line that long for a shot?), and then $25 on lunch from out. Those were some expensive shots!

~ 5 ~

The Homeschool Classroom has been nominated for the 2009 Homeschool Blog Awards!

Help us move up a few more places in the Best Homeschool Group or Family Blog category -- we would really appreciate your support!

~ 6 ~

It was with a lot of sadness that I read this week that my favorite online scrapbook store, Lifetime Moments, is closing in less than a month. Not only is this an amazing store with great selection and fabulous customer service, but their message board has introduced me to a whole new family and their yearly crops have left me with memories that will probably stick with me forever.

If you're a scrapbooker and have never shopped at Lifetime Moments, you might want to check out their closing sale. They have 25% off everything in the store with the code of 25-011 at checkout. Go quickly though -- they are already selling out of an awful lot of things. To make it easier to browse though, it does appear that they are trying to keep up on deleting products that have sold out.

Goodbye, Lifetime Moments, I'll miss you.

~ 7 ~

One of my favorite song lyrics lately is from You, Me, and the Bourgeoisie by The Submaries:

Love can free us from all excess, from our deepest debts,

Cause when our hearts are full we need much less.

This post is linked to 7 Quick Takes and Weekly Wrap Up.

Photos by: [ henning ] (cemetery statue) / kelvin255 (stressed out doll) / Brent and MariLynn (candy hearts)

Why You Should Choose Larger Portraits for Your Walls

2009-11-11T00:17:00.001-05:00

I used to have my own photography business, and I hung around on many photography forums. One thing that came up again and again was how so many people would order very small sizes of prints. They might order some wallets, a handful of 5x7s, and then their big portrait -- an 8x10.

I will admit, I once thought of 8x10s as big. Not anymore. Sure, if you're planning on using it on a 12x12 scrapbooking page, then an 8x10 is nice and eye-catching. But, on a wall, if you can swing the expense of a large print from a photographer or even print your own photograph large, it is really worth it.

In my house, we don't have a lot of photographs on the wall, but the ones that we do are larger. The smallest ones we have up are 12x12 framed scrapbook pages. Most of the others are large and printed on canvas (from when I was able to get deals on them).

Just look at the comparison of an 8x10 portrait that I set next to the 24x24 (yes, that's two feet by two feet) canvas and 16x20 canvas that I have on the wall. Even the 16x20 looks small compared to the 24x24, doesn't it? (Sorry for the messy desk, but I needed to add in the desk to give a true size comparison.)

I get so many compliments on the portraits that I have on display, and I think one of those reasons is that they are eye-catching in their size.

For a more frugal twist on this decorating idea, the next time one of the big online photo labs offers up a great deal on large prints (think at least 11x14, but why not a 16x20), order some of your favorite photos that you have taken. Then, watch for deals on frames at places like Michael's or Hobby Lobby.

Trust me -- you will get compliments, and, if you're like me, it will make you smile often while you're looking at the big portraits on your wall.

This post is linked to: Works for Me Wednesday and Frugal Fridays.

Many Little Blessings: October 2009 Recap

2009-11-09T01:25:00.000-05:00

I've been working on trying to get caught up on some of my computer related things that I have ignored over the course of the past week, so it's about time to put up my recap of October 2009. (Don't feel bad -- I ignored our laundry during this past week too. Eric was very kind to do all of our laundry this weekend, including all of the bedding. He's extra nice, because he really doesn't like to do laundry.)

Thanks so much to everyone who referred people to Many Little Blessings during the past month. Here's the top 10 referrers for October:

1. We are THAT Family

2. The Homeschool Classroom

3. Life as Mom

4. Conversion Diary

5. Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

6. Facebook

7. A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

8. Catholic Mothers Online

9. The Finer Things in Life

10. Simple Mom

Thanks so much to everyone!

And This is Why My Grandma is Cringing in Heaven

2009-11-05T00:25:00.001-05:00

As you can probably imagine, this week has been a hodge podge of craziness, weeping, stress, surprise at all of the support we've had, and also moments of sheer delight in the aftermath of my Grandma's sudden and unexpected death on Sunday.

Yes, I said that -- sheer delight. This story is one of those. But, I think if you can't find some moments of sheer delight in the aftermath of someone close to you passing, then you need to find people to be around that were close to them too, and you need to share stories. Share lots of them. Moments of laughter and joy are sure to be mixed in with the sorrow.

So, back to what happened the other day at my Grandma's apartment.

I don't know if I have mentioned this, but although my Grandma was 90 years old and basically home bound, she still lived by herself. Because she lived in government subsidized housing, we have only two weeks (plus one day) from the date she died to clean out her apartment. So, although we have put a hold on doing it anymore until after her funeral, we have already spent hours going through things, sorting, and such.

When we worked for a few hours on Tuesday, I took the kids with me. They dutifully sat on the couch and watched some television. Finally, not being able to stop themselves, they climbed onto my Grandma's motorized scooter. This was, of course, forbidden before. Well, that's not entirely true. They used to sit on it, but then Grandma worried too much, and they weren't allowed near it. Finally able to again sit in this forbidden fruit, they moved the joystick around, pretending to drive it around.

But, then a wonderful and unexpected thing happened. It was the kind of thing that reminds me why God gave kids grandparents. My Mom told my Dad that he should take the kids out into the long hallway and let them each drive the scooter themselves.

And, that is why, on Tuesday afternoon, a ten year old, an eight year old, and a five year old got to each take turns driving a motorized scooter throughout the retirement home. Sure, they got some looks, but there weren't too many people around.

They loved it. And I loved it.

I stood at my Grandma's doorway and looked down the long hallway that we had walked down so many times before. I watched as the kids had so much fun, and I laughed. I laughed so much that I couldn't help but put my hand in front of my mouth. And then, I had to choke back tears. But, in the next moment, I was laughing again. And then back to tears. It was a crazy melding of emotions, but I loved it anyway.

After it was all done, I told my parents that I figured Grandma was probably cringing in Heaven, watching those kids riding her scooter down the halls. She probably was turning to my Grandpa, her husband of 57 years prior to his passing 15 years ago, "Howard -- do you see what he's letting those kids do?"

Sure -- she may have been in Heaven cringing, but I really hope that she was just like me. I hope she was staring down that hallway -- laughing and crying and then laughing some more.

Home Baked Christmas Gifts

2009-11-04T00:26:00.000-05:00

I haven't really been posting this week due to how crazy things have been since the very quick and unexpected death of my Grandma on Sunday. (By the way, thanks so much for all of the kind comments. It really means so much to have had such support through a variety of venues.)

But, I guess I couldn't let the chance pass by when Works for Me Wednesday's theme this month is holiday tips.

One thing that I really love to do for Christmas is to make baskets and platters of home baked goodies to give to family and friends. (You can check out our platters from last year, as well as a list of what was on each platter.) For people like closer family, I put together baskets that contain a larger quantity of goodies, and then the platters tend to go to people like Eric's employees, the boys' therapists, religious education instructors, and so on.

The easiest way that I make something like this happen (since we give out somewhere around 20 - 25 baskets/platters total) is to do some baking ahead of time and freeze any cookies possible. Then, closer to the time to actually deliver goodies, I make things that can't be frozen ahead of time. If you are making just a few types of cookies/treats, it may not be as difficult to make them all close to delivery time. However, I like to give a good variety of items, so it just becomes a necessity to do some of it ahead of time.

I know this is probably not an earth shattering revelation as a Christmas giving idea, but it is definitely one that works for me! I think this gift is especially appreciated as more and more people lead such busy lives and have stopped making goodies (or anything) from scratch.

Do you give any homemade goodies for Christmas? What kinds of things do you like to give?

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday, Finer Things Friday, and Frugal Friday.

My Day Took The Kind of Turn That You Just Never See Coming

2009-11-01T23:30:00.000-05:00

Isn't it funny how sometimes we have our days planned and we think we know just exactly what to expect. And then, in a moment, that same day takes a 180 degree turn and you end up somewhere you never guessed you would be that day?

I had a day like that today.

My family and I were driving to an All Saints Day party about 25 minutes away. When we were about 10 minutes from our house, I got a call on my cell phone from my Mom. In the next moment, I was breathing quickly, crying, and telling Eric, "Don't turn! Drive straight!"

Instead of us all heading to the party, I needed him to take me to my Grandma's apartment, in order to meet my Mom there. She had told me that she was driving there because my Dad had gone to visit Grandma (his mother) and he thought that she had passed away -- right while he was there. One minute he was talking to her, then he was changing her clocks and she started to cough a bit. Then, just a minute or so later, he asked her a question and she didn't answer. He couldn't get her to respond, and called 911.

I got there to paramedics, police, and my Dad. In what I didn't know would happen, the paramedics wouldn't tell us anything. But, when they finally wheeled past us to take her to the ambulance, both my Dad and I caught a glimpse of a small monitor that was held on the gurney -- it showed a straight line and a zero. We were told that we needed to meet them at the hospital. We couldn't help but watch as they rushed her out, working on CPR the whole time.

The drive to the hospital was surreal. We talked in terms of "if." "If she has passed away, we need to (call whomever, do whatever)..." I kept thinking that we would show up at the hospital and she would be fine. Not fine, of course, but with us. I don't know why. I just thought that if I talked like she had passed, then we would look back and think how silly we had all been to over react.

We (my Mom, Dad, and I) made it to the emergency room and they seemed to indicate that she wasn't there yet. And, then it seemed like just moments later, the employee at the front desk told us that they were there with her, but that we needed to wait in the waiting room. But, just a couple of minutes after that, he told us that they wanted us to wait in a small, quiet room inside the ER to wait for the doctor.

At each step of this, I thought, "She's gone." But, in each step, I also thought, "They're going to tell us that she's still alive."

Finally, a doctor and a nurse came into our small room. Their faces and voices were soft but somber. The doctor asked what had happened that morning. My parents recounted having talked to her on the phone, and how she had been chatty with my Mom about a movie they had both watched. They then talked about when my Dad was with her.

Then, the doctor had her turn to talk. She told us briefly about what the paramedics had done for her. And, while this story sure sounds like the ending is pretty easy to figure out, I thought she was going to say, "We got her back, but she's not doing well." I don't know why -- I just thought that was exactly, word per word, what she was going to say.

But, of course, it wasn't. It was that the paramedics had never been able to get her back. They had done everything right, but she was gone. And, we would probably not know exactly why it had happened, but based on what Dad had said (and some previous heart attacks), it was probably a massive heart attack that had taken her in just a moment. She probably didn't even have a chance to be in pain.

They were both the words I expected to hear, and not at all what I expected to hear. And, even though we were able to see her and say goodbye, I have to admit that this still seems like a weird mix of reality and a hazy dream that you wake up from and say, "Was that real? It seemed real, but that was too weird to be real, so it must be a dream."

I keep telling myself that it shouldn't be so hard to believe, as she was 90 years old, but it still isn't quite within my grasp. So this week, I will not only be helping to clean out her apartment and assisting with anything that my parents need, but I'll also be working on really believing that what happened today really did happen.

7 Quick Takes: October 30, 2009 (Vol. 20)

2009-10-30T01:59:00.000-04:00

~ 1 ~

I have been working on trying to find time to exercise every day lately. It's funny though, I feel like I am wasting time when I am doing it. It's like time exercising is akin to time spent reading Facebook to me. I seriously need to adjust that thinking. If I could manage to exercise as often as I was on Facebook, I would be a size 2 now.

~ 2 ~

Speaking of that exercising, I have noticed an interesting thing about Wii Fit Plus
(which I really, really like by the way, and think it's a great addition to your existing Wii Fit). You see, when I used to do it once every couple of weeks, they would say things like, "It's nice to see you again, Angie."

Not anymore.

Now, I skipped one day, and they said to me today, "Too busy to exercise yesterday, Angie?" Well, yes, yes, I was. Thank you animated Balance Board for your concern.

~ 3 ~

I'm super excited to share that I have purchased my ticket for Blissdom 2010, and even have my hotel room reserved! I kept thinking that it was a long way away, but then realized that it's actually only three months away. Wow! I think I need to start saving my pennies, using the Wii Fit a little more (or a lot more), and get some business cards printed up!

Anyone else going?

~ 4 ~

This week, I was delighted to do something for the first time. I actually spoke on the phone (at length) to one of my blogging friends. Of course, I have spoken to friends who blog on the phone before, but never anyone that I only knew because of blogging.

I had a delightful conversation with you, Brenda. Can't wait to talk (and email) more!

~ 5 ~

Do you know what else I enjoy?

Cottage cheese.

In fact, I just had some as a late night snack. (Don't tell the Wii Fit Plus Balance Board though, okay? They keep talking to me about my late night snacking.) Here's the funny thing though -- I have got to use a fork when I eat it. The idea of using a spoon to eat cottage cheese literally gives me a chill up my spine that I can't explain.

Very odd.

~ 6 ~

I would love to post a little bit about my beloved local homeschooling group. We had a meeting about restructuring our group this week. I was excited about the idea, but it appeared that there were two distinct view points on what our group should look like, and a lot of people left still charged with emotions.

I expected the meeting to go like that, but I guess it really surprised some people. And then, after having to talk to many people on the phone about it the next day (the other former co-coordinator and I got an awful lot of phone calls), I wondered if things could be healed.

And, then the funny thing is -- just 48 hours after such a meeting that left a lot of people feeling miserable the next day, it already seems like there is a lot of healing, and I'm so encouraged by it. I just pray that everyone will continue with this new spirit of trying out some new ideas.

Do you know what my favorite thing about it all might be though?

I got to meet someone that goes to my very own parish that I had never met before, and I think she is just delightful. I am so excited to have gotten to know her just a tiny bit, and I can't wait to get to know her better. Life is funny like that, isn't it?

~ 7 ~

Speaking of life being funny (and apparently the staying power of Post It notes), those Post It Notes I mentioned last week that I let the kids stick all over the walls -- a couple have fallen, but otherwise, they are all still there. I have considered taking them down, but then I look at them and smile. So, I leave them there.

This post is linked to 7 Quick Takes Friday and Weekly Wrap Up.

photos by: carbonated (cottage cheese) / google images (post it notes) / JaviC (Wii Fit)

Play It Again: Cleaning Out the Pantry for Halloween

2009-10-29T23:30:00.001-04:00

Here's something I have done for several years now, and I thought I would pass it along. I do some pantry cleaning every year on Halloween -- right into the Halloween treat bowl!

Okay, don't get the wrong idea, I am not putting in cans of pinto beans or packets of dry spaghetti mix. I look through the pantry and see anything that is:

(1) Still Good

(2) Something we just aren't going to eat

(3) Is appropriate for the treat bowl.

If it meets all that criteria, it goes into the bowl.

For instance, last year from the pantry, I put in: a few packets of mini bags of microwave popcorn that were going to expire in November that we weren't going to use in time (we had an over abundance of microwave popcorn at the time), a small box worth of Cherry Kool-Aid single packets -- I picked them up once, but nobody was interested, an individual size of Coco Krispies from a time not too long ago when I splurged on a package of the single boxes of fun cereals (nobody will eat that one), some individually wrapped fortune cookies, and some gummy snacks that were not of a preferred brand.

Of course, I also have regular candy in the bowl that I pick up for trick or treaters as well. But, as I said, I have been doing this for a few years now, and I have found out something interesting -- the trick or treaters always choose those crazy things from my pantry first. Sure, I get the kid here or there that will pick regular candy instead, but mostly it is those things from my pantry that are the first to go, and then the regular candy is left for later trick or treaters.

So, before Saturday night, why not take a look through your pantry and see if you have any non-traditional goodies awaiting your trick or treaters!

photo by .imelda

For lots of great tips and ideas, be sure to check out Frugal Friday!

***this post was originally posted on October 31, 2007, but since it's the right time of year, I thought it would be great to repost!***

Exploring Electronics with Dad

2009-10-28T00:10:00.001-04:00

This winter, our DVD/VCR combo died. First the VCR portion died, and then finally, the DVD player bit the dust as well. As you can see, our DVD player died with a DVD inside. This meant that before we got rid of it, Eric was going to need to take it partially apart to get the DVD out.

That wouldn't be fun though, would it?

So, I told Eric that he should let the kids help with taking apart the DVD/VCR to get the DVD. In the end, he not only let them help to open it up, but then they just took it the rest of the way apart. Not only did the kids get to safely see inside some electronics (which they thought was pretty darn cool), but Eric had a great time exploring it with them. Since he is experienced in electronics like this, one highlight for the kids was when he took apart the drawer that the DVD goes into, but was able to still trigger it to open and shut.

I love it when we are able to take advantage of these exploration opportunities. It always seems that they are not only enjoyed by the kids, but we enjoy them too. What better way is there to learn than that?

What are some of your favorite exploration opportunities?

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday and Finer Things Friday.

Cleaning My Itty Bitty Craft Room...Once Again

2009-10-27T00:45:00.000-04:00

Do you have a room or area of your house that always seems to get messy? I would like to say that my craft room is that area in our house, but I would be overlooking my desk and the counter. (I will admit, however, that I did notice that two of the most problem areas are my areas in the house.)

Since I am having a group of women over this weekend for a mixed media painting class, I figured that I better get my craft room in order. Since it's a mere 35 square feet, we won't use it for the class, of course. But, I suspect everyone will see it at some point, so I have to be prepared.

Brace yourself -- this is what the room looked like right before I started to clean:

Unsettling, isn't it?

It's true -- I couldn't even walk into the room. Every surface had something on it, and it kind of freaked me out every time I walked past it. This was definitely not something that I wanted to show off to my friends.

After a couple hours of clean up, one bag of stuff to give away, and one bag of stuff to throw away, here is what I ended up with:

It's not as beautiful as the craft studios that I see in books and around the Internet, but I have to admit that I am pretty pleased with how it looks right now. If it can just stay looking like this until the end of this week, then I'll be set!

What are the most problem areas in your house?

This post is linked to Tackle it Tuesday.

Many Little Links: October 25, 2009

2009-10-26T00:08:00.000-04:00

How to Make Your Home a Natural Learning Environment -- Zen Family Habits

This is a great post with all kinds of mostly simple ways to enrich your home environment for your kids.

These Shoes -- Finding My Way

The very moving story of one woman's journey on a 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk.

Whole Chicken in a Crockpot -- The Happy Housewife

I have been very intimidated by the idea of cooking a whole chicken, though they are often very reasonably priced at the store. This post made me excited to pick one up the next time they're on sale.

Simple Living Myth: DIY is Always Best -- Small Notebook

It seems that so many of the blogs that I read are all about doing things yourself. So, it was nice to read this post where some of the reasons for not doing something yourself are talked about.

10 Ways to Reconnect with Your Family -- Zen Family Habits

Love these ideas! And, obviously, I love this blog too. If you don't read it, you should go check it out.

Clean As You Go: Managing the Meal-Prep Mess -- Simple Mom

I really love cooking and baking, I just hate the mess that follows. This is a great game plan for enjoying your cooking time, and not having to have mountains of clean up to do later.

7 Quick Takes: October 23, 2009 (Vol. 19)

2009-10-23T11:35:00.000-04:00

~ 1 ~

Right now, I have orange star-shaped Post It notes all over my house. They are stuck to the walls and to many surfaces. Many, many surfaces. Some have pictures on them, and some have labels of whatever they are stuck to.

Molly and Jack did this yesterday. They did one, and then asked if they could do more. It would have been easy to say, "Don't make a mess, guys. Let's not do that."

Instead, I said, "Sure," just about every time they asked about a new area of the house. Not only did they have fun, but I am actually enjoying being able to see happy stars each time I look around.

~ 2 ~

I have been at a bit of a loss lately about what to write about on my blog. The funny thing is, I feel busier than ever. Isn't it amazing how you can be so busy sometimes, but have so little to say?

Does this happen to anyone else, or is it just me?

~ 3 ~

Are you planning on going to Blissdom 2010?

Registration will be opening next week for those that have not attended before. This looks like such a good time!

~ 4 ~

I was so thrilled earlier this week to have officially finished a set of eight (mostly) identical handmade Christmas gifts that I had been working on!

I bought all of the materials last December, and then left them sitting around until late summer. I even kept thinking, "I don't really want to work on this anymore." But, of course, I had already invested the money into the project, and decided that I needed to stop being wasteful, and just suck it up and make them.

So, on Sunday of this week, after having spent four all day crops working only on this project, they are all done! I'm so thrilled. I would show pictures (I will after Christmas), but some people that will be getting them also read this blog.

I just hope that those receiving the gifts will like them!

~ 5 ~

This week, there were several days where I canceled things that we had planned. Not only did Eric and I skip out on a class that we were supposed to go to (we still did our reading and homework though) in order to have dinner together instead, but I also canceled things throughout the week. Things that it wasn't a big deal if we canceled or didn't attend, of course.

It was just what we needed! I realized that sometimes a person just really needs to be a lot less committed, and it's not a sign of weakness. Sometimes, it's just a sanity saver.

~ 6 ~

One thing that Eric and I did find time to do this past week was to watch the Netflix movies that we had received. We watched The Proposal last weekend. We both really enjoyed it, and I would recommend it.

We also watched the first disc of season one of The Big Bang Theory, since we only began watching that show several months ago. We agreed that we would only watch one episode before Eric went to bed. Instead, seven episodes later, he had been up way too late (on a weeknight!), but we definitely enjoyed it!

~ 7 ~

Why do I have to consistently have such a hard time finding a science homeschooling program that I like for the kids? Last year, we did Catholic Heritage Curricula's Behold and See 3, and I did like that. But, now I'm at a loss. We have tried a couple of things, and it's not working.

I will be continuing my science quest soon, I suspect. Wish me luck.

Be sure to check out both 7 Quick Takes and Weekly Wrap-up!

photos by: google images (post it notes) / Image Editor (science)/ hannahspanna (writer's block) / creativeFlutter AKA MazerDesign (handmade gift box)

Support Your Favorite Bloggers This Holiday Shopping Season

2009-10-20T23:02:00.002-04:00

My Works for Me Wednesday tip this week is something that is quick, easy, and helps out fellow bloggers. And really, who doesn't like all of those things?

With the Christmas shopping season coming up, Amazon.com is one of my favorite places to shop. (I especially love shopping there since I sprung for buying a Prime Membership at the beginning of 2009! Love that -- it's a Works for Me too!) When I shop from Amazon.com, I try to use affiliate links from some of my favorite bloggers. That way, my shopping experience is just exactly like it would have been normally, but then that blogger will receive a percentage of what I spend.

While not all bloggers are Amazon affiliates, many are. (These links to Amazon are actually affiliate links for me.) If you are not familiar with the program, if you follow their affiliate link (to a specific product or even just to the site's homepage or to their own A-store, or Amazon store that they select the products for), then the things you order will benefit them.

It makes me happy when I shop through affiliate links of fellow bloggers, knowing that they will get to check their stats and see some new orders, and it didn't cost me a thing! What a great way to support some of your favorite blogs and blog friends!

photo by Rignes

Flash Freezing Fruit to Save Money and the Environment

2009-10-20T00:19:00.001-04:00

Forgive me, but I should have posted about flash freezing before our weather went to flash freezing in the blink of an eye. However, I got to think about it while cleaning out my freezer and coming across cherries and blueberries. So, I decided to go ahead and post about it right now anyway.

Why flash freeze?

By flash freezing locally grown fruit (or vegetables, like chopped peppers, for instance), you can not only save money, but you are also helping the environment. For instance, because my family enjoyed blueberry muffins this summer when I made them, then I bought several pints when the prices were very low this summer at the grocery store. I saved quite a bit of money, and the blueberries all came from the next state over from ours, rather than buying them during the winter and heaven only knows where they would have to ship them from (that's where the helping the environment comes in).

I didn't purposefully set out to flash freeze cherries though. But, I bought some and we ate through them like crazy. So, I bought more, and we didn't really touch them. So, instead of letting them go to waste, I flash froze them instead. I did this with bell peppers from our garden too. Rather than let them go bad, I chopped them and flash froze the pieces.

To flash freeze produce (such as the cherries that I have pictures of), I washed them all first. (For cherries, leave the stems intact.)

Then, I made sure that everything was very dry. I both dried them myself, and also allowed them some time to air dry. If you leave water on them before putting them in the freezer, of course, they will get very icy.

Spread whatever you are freezing out on a cookie sheet or whatever type of pan you can fit in your freezer. Make sure to leave space in between items, or they might stick together as they freeze.

I let these freeze for around 30 - 45 minutes, or until they were cold and solidly frozen. Then, I just bagged them into freezer bags in small portions, and put those smaller bags into a larger freezer bag that I put the name of the contents and date on the outside of.

This is a fun and frugal way to enjoy locally grown goodies in the middle of winter, as well as to avoid possible waste around your home.

This post is linked to: Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, and Frugal Fridays.