Catching up...

Let's see how much catching up I can do before one of the younger girls wake up or the older one comes home from her Grandpa's....



We had a nice Thanksgiving... well okay it wasn't the absolute best Thanksgiving of my life. The flu hit our home on Monday with Leila, than on Wed. (yes, that would be the night directly before Thanksgiving!) Maddie contracted the grossness. Then poor Seth had it right smack dab on T-Day. He was sick in bed all day. We had a really delicious spread. But Seth didn't eat a morsel of it until the next day. And another not so great part of Thanksgiving was that my step dad passed away. It's very sad and I wish I had some positive spin to put on it. It is what is. He led a sad life and died in a very sad way. A part of me feels like there is not much point in being upset about it. While he was alive and doing poorly, there was a reason to be concerned and pray for him and cry over him. But now? No reason really. That may sound horrible cold. It's just how I feel about it right now. Maybe that will change. (A woman change the way she feels? Ha. It's been known to happen.) And while a death in the family right on a holiday is far from ideal, at least I had a fridge full of comfort foods at my disposal. Always something to be grateful for.



And by the way, the images I'm including in this post have literally nothing to do with what I'm writing.

We spent the day after Thanksgiving at home, enjoying just each other's company after the previous day with a house full of relatives (and enjoying not getting pepper sprayed at WalMart!). Seth recovered and gave food a try while I decorated our house in a Christmas flurry. I really enjoyed decorating this year. It's our second year in this house so I had a better idea of what I wanted to do. And ya'll should be very proud of me because with Seth still a bit disabled, I lugged my massive Christmas containers up and down the stairs all by myself! Exercise and Christmas decorating at once! =)

I did run out to Rite Aid to snag some fabulous deals on Thanksgiving day... yes, even with a sick hubby and lots of cooking/cleaning to do. BUT sadness of sadness, I accidentally THREW AWAY $25 in UP+s!!!! I couldn't believe it. So disappointed about that. Oh well. I just have to think of all the money I've saved over the past year with couponing and just let that loss go.



We're planning a cookie exchange for the ladies at church. Very excited about it! We'll each bake 6 dozen cookies and give some away to some people we think could use an extra little blessing this holiday season and then divide the rest up amongst ourselves for a scrumptious variety platter of cookies for our families. 6 dozen is a lot of cookies and now I'm slightly regretting stating so many but we'll manage. Maybe (if we do it next year) I'll lower the amount. I'm planning a game and the ladies are providing snacks. I have a devotional all typed and ready to go, even with a little favor to compliment it. But I'm lacking the nerve to actually give it. It just feels presumptuous to be a 28 yr old. giving a devotional, short as it may be. If a friend of mine said the same thing, I'd dismissed her hesitancy and whole heartedly encourage her to do it. But for myself... I'm still on the fence. =P

1st try at family photos

As far as my future as a blogger.... here's what I'm thinking:

Most of my computer time is spent trying to learn photography. So I'm considering joining the 365 thing but am not sure if I can actually commit to posting a picture every day. Maybe I'll do 52... once a week? We'll see.





Let's see what else...?...

I made my own hand soup. Just grated a bar (I used a 4 oz. bar of Yardley's Lavender soap), melted with 2 Tbs. of liquid glycerin and a gallon of water. I like it fine... it smells pleasant to me: like lavender (duh) and well... soap. =) I guess soap should smell like soap! The only negative to me is that when you pump it, it leaves an annoying string... you know, like melted cheese on a bite of pizza and makes a tiny mess on the counter. Something about store bought hand soap makes it not do that long strand of soap. But it was very very easy and made a TON for about $2. My plan is to use it when I can not get hand soap (or sometimes I just used dish soap in my hand pumps) for super cheap (with coupons of course). I've personally been having a dry spell with the fabulous coupon deals so this will do just fine.

Maddie is done with her Kindergarten phonic program. She started 1st grade L.A. and has half a year of K math to do. I know I've set myself up for complication later with being "off" her exact age / grade level, but I just couldn't see holding her back. I feel like in this one area of liking a goal and being challenged she is like me and I know if that appetite isn't satisfied, she'll get frustrated and loose interest in school all together. Just ask my former elementary teachers. They're motto was to keep me busy and challenged or live to regret it! ;) Of course Maddie would never do the horrible things I did to my teachers! =P I shudder at the thought! I think eventually, she'll run into something she struggles with and it'll slow her down enough to put back on the normal tract of curriculum. For me, algebra was that for sure and for certain. I never did figure who was that elusive Mr. X and frankly I just don't care! Or maybe she won't run into a subject to slow her down and we'll enter her in the kids tournament of Jeopardy and makes lots of money and retire. But probably the former. =)
Girls up and home. Have a great weekend!
Love,