Friday, July 31, 2009

cat

There is still nothing really exciting going here - Praise the Lord! The rest of our school curriculum arrived yesterday, for the older two kids. That's always a little like Christmas, opening all those boxes. Since they are only full of books, well I guess it depends on your view of books and excitement. Except for a few standard school supplies, we are all set to start what is promising to be a very full, busy and fun year! Although our twin daughter is vexed that the ant farm did not come with the ants! LOL

My middle dd has determined that I don't blog enough about her cat, Tina - the narcoleptic (someone who falls asleep suddenly and spontaneously). So here is a small look into her evening yesterday and how quick she tires out.

Here is Tina chasing a bug around our lamp.


The twins have a toy barn next to that same lamp and dd thought it would be fun if Tina played in it.

Tina is starting to look a little bothered here.


Right in the middle of playing she just passed out in the barn (like that hasn't happened to all of us) - like she always does.

I really should do a whole blog of how she just falls a sleep everywhere, walking, eating, stretching, ect. She truly is a narcoleptic, I didn't know that could affect cats?

Blessings, Beth Ann








Monday, July 27, 2009

Another sunny summer day

Today was a pretty good day, considering I spent yesterday in bed with the 24 hour (give and take) flu. Unfortunately though the day started with yet another trip to the vet's, for yet another animal. I had noticed Saturday evening that bubbles wasn't herself. By this morning I was really worried, she wasn't eating or drinking. They still aren't sure what's wrong with her, high fever and an infection. They sent her home after a shot with some antibiotics and a thermometer. The thermometer is for older son! LOL He is the one who gets to monitor that situation. If her fever doesn't break by morning, son is to bring cat into work with him tomorrow. Cross your fingers while your praying.


Bubbles is our cat with the broken back, she has totally taken over Howard's play pen; he is our mini dachshund that blew three disks in his back. Yea, we're a pet rehab center.


Even when she is sleeping, you can see how her back legs just hang there useless.


These are sponge balls the kids made today. They were all hanging around complaining of being board Luckily I had all the stuff to make this craft. The picture doesn't do them justice on how cute they turned out.

Here the younger three, plus a friend, are running around with a garden hose and a bucket to wet their sponge balls and throw them at each other. Oh, the summer memories . . .

Here twin son shows off his fun new craft!
Those were the highlights of my Monday. How was yours?
Blessings, Beth Ann












Saturday, July 25, 2009

Week-end wrap up

Well here it is, the end of another week. Man! They just seem to fly by and are just crazy insane. Did my weekly Krogering yesterday and besides the mark down meat, the only screaming deals were the school supplies. I watched in awe as my total rang up to $87 and then she swiped my card and watched it drop down, down, down to $57! Yea! Even the cashier was impressed (hard to do since they have seen it all). Kroger's school supplies were cheaper than our local Wal-marts. The portfolio folders went for 11 cents each and the 1 subject notebooks 3/$1. Not a whole lot more than that we need for home school. Today I am working on filling out the new student enrollment forms for the twins and ordering their curriculum. I keep putting it off, but it needs to be done by Aug.1 to qualify for a multiple student discount. I can only guess I just don't want to think of my babies being school age, sigh.

Last night also saw me and hubby home alone. Well alone with only the twins, closest we'll ever get in this century! LOL So after putting them down for the night we decided to do a date night. Hubby went for take out Mexican and our very first ever Red Box rental. How out dated are we? It was nice and fun. The movie was, "He's just not that into you". And speaking of being out dated, after that movie we felt ancient. I am not going to rehash the movie, but it was about dating and all the games that go with. When it ended hubby turned to me and said, "I am sooo glad we don't have to go through that any more". I know it was supposed to be a comedy but it scared the crap out of me and made me feel more sorry for the characters than anything else. I knew I was a fuddy duddy when I said, "Well if they were Christians those things wouldn't happen". I expected to dry up and blow away any second, zoinks! Wasn't I just in high school yesterday?

Well here are some new pet pic's to share with y'all.

Here is hubby's cat, Joe, on our front bench with some of this years garden over flow gourds.



Here is Bubbles, are diva (with the broken back). Twin dd adores her and here has used her own quilt to tuck her in for a nap.


I don't think Miz Thing minds one bit, do you?



Have a blessed week-end, Beth Ann



Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Still here


We are still here and kicking, other than that not much new. VBS is over and the twins are still singing the songs, that's a good thing right?
Mostly been working in the garden and trying to process what is harvested. I have been freezing, blanching and pickling many things. I feel so blessed to still have enough to share with many friends and even some who probably didn't even want any! LOL Our tomato plants are just insane this year! They are so huge and full of fruit that we are tying them to the front pillars of our porch!
DH has been putting in many hours at his job and at our church to try and raise enough money for the kids school books and tuition. Every little bit helps since it has been four months since we received child support on these same children. He is also doing many odd car jobs around the county. God is truly good to be blessing us like this. The medical bills for our oldest son is another problem, where will that money come from? Everyone keep praying for us, please.
In about two weeks I will be taking off on a ladies church trip, camping. I am so excited. I missed the last trip because of lack of funds. There is just something so reaffirming about being with women who share the same faith and values, as well as the daily struggles of being a wife,mother and just a women. I know I will come back totally refreshed and ready for another year of home school. Also starting to get itchy for our annual trip to the low country, South Carolina. In 11 short weeks I will be sitting on an island in the Atlantic Ocean, crabbing, shell hunting and camping for 10 wonderful days. Can you tell I'm excited? This year how ever I believe we will have our British friend D house sit for us. It is unlikely we will have a repeat of last years events, seeing as how the perp is under surveillance for auto theft currently, but better safe than sorry. Enough of my summer mussing.
Blessings, Beth Ann

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

More pictures

I found a few more pictures of my oldest daughter and grandson to share with y'all. You know me, I will keep posting them as the dribble in : )


Here is K with our cat Bubbles, she has a broken back. They really bonded and were inseparable while K was here.

Here is my grand son relaxing, chilling and maxxing out on our couch.



Another shot of K at the Discovery center.


Here is grandson J with my son E (his uncle - LOL)
Not much else to report on. VBS has taken up almost all our time, as myself and the older kids are teaching classes. So lots of prep and stuff. Still down to one vehicle so lots of carpooling as well. DH has been working his job full time, church part-time and still trying to squeeze in 2-3 car jobs a week. Whew! Oh, and he is trying to find time to fix his own ride. Sigh, we are like the plumber who has leaky pipes at his own house. smile.
Blessings, Beth Ann




Monday, July 13, 2009

Menu Plan Monday


Not much to say, tomatoes are red, VBS starts tonight and still have stuff to get ready . . . Oh, and crock pots rock! Now should we eat before or after . . . No time either way! Grrrrrrrrrrr . . .
Monday B~ Eggs and Toast
L ~ Peanut butter and Jelly
D ~ Crock pot lasagna (didn't make it last night) w/salad
Tuesday B ~ Biscuits withe country gravy
L ~ Mac and cheese
D ~ Crock pot beef vegetable casserole w/corn on the cob
Wednesday B ~ Oatmeal
L ~ cucumber sandwiches w/pumpkin bars
D ~ Nachos and cheese
Thursday B ~ Buckwheat pancakes
L ~ Tortellini w/ broccoli
D ~ Tuna casserole w/potato wedges
Friday B ~ Rice cereal
L ~ Chicken nuggets w/ chips
D ~ Crock pot chicken dinner w/green beans
Saturday B ~ Fried cornmeal mush
L ~ Hamburger and fries
D ~ Red beans and rice
Sunday B ~ Amaranth porridge
L~ Sandwiches and melon
D ~ Home made pizza w/ salad
For more menu plan Monday visit www.orgjunkie.com
Whats for dinner at your house this week?
Blessings, Beth Ann

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Picture Palooza Saturday!

Another busy week here in middle Tennessee has come to an end. Spent the tail end of it working on VBS materials. Tomorrow we decorate the church and Monday we all board the "BOOMERANG EXPRESS"! I don't know who is more excited, Pastor or I! I kinda got roped into this but am now amped. I just know the kids are going to love this and it will be a nice break from the end of summer blues. Well not the end, end, but public school starts down here Aug. 11th! At my house it will be closer to the end of Aug. I might even be a rebel and wait to after Labor day! LOL That too however will be total mayhem with one high school, an 8th grader and the twins starting K. Well, I wouldn't know I was home if it were any other way : )

Well here are a few more pictures to share from my oldest daughter's visit. And thank you for all the prayers and well wishes for her husband, he is home and doing well.


Here is K with her little man, my grandson - sigh - love this pic.

Here is K and grandson at our pool, he loved it! Twin daughter is swimming over to meet them.


Here is middle daughter pushing her nephew in the pool.



Here oldest daughter is hamming it up in the pool ; )



L-O-V-E this pic! This is what happens when your 2 years old, played all day in the pool, are over tired and no one will listen to you, you fall asleep in your pack n' play! LOL
In other breaking news, garden has grown out of it's confines and middle daughter got her braces off last Tuesday. Hope to have pic's of both to post soon.
Blessings, Beth Ann

Monday, July 06, 2009

Menu Plan Monday


I haven't posted any menu's recently. Does this mean I haven't had to cook? LOL !!!!! I wish : ) Just been busy I guess. I am trying to renew my quest for obedience, financially as well as spiritually. I feel that we haven't been good stewards of our money when it comes to grocery shopping. So we are back to the $75 a week budget (got lost when oldest son was sick) and trying to cook more and add some more budget friendly items back into our menu. We have had great success with food rotation and elimination, so I am feeling more confident as to what son can and can't eat. He still makes some poor choices when with others and that serves as affirmation to both of us. With that said, here is a look at our menu this week:
Monday: B~ Pineapple corn muffins
L~ Mac & cheese w/watermelon
D~ Beef chop suey w/rice and corn
Tuesday: B~ Oatmeal
L~ Have no idea, don't know when we will get home from orthodontist, middle dd is getting her braces off!
D~ Crock pot chicken soft taco's on homemade rice tortilla's and spinach salad
Wednesday: B~ Sweet potato muffins
L~ Turkey meatball sandwich w/veggie sticks
D~ church bible study/lasagna at church
Thursday: B~ Zucchini bread
L~ skillet tuna potato casserole
D~ Crock pot camping chili made with ground chicken and baked potato wedges
Friday: B~ Quick drop biscuits and country gravy
L~ Hamburgers and chips
D~ Pizza and rice casserole w/Brussels sprouts
Saturday: B~ Pumpkin bars
L~ noodles and veggie sticks
D~ Crock pot beef fajitas on home make rice tortillas with garden greens
Sunday: B~ Buckwheat pancakes
L~ Turkey dogs and sweet potato fries
D~ Crock pot lasagna w/garden green beans
For more menu plan Monday idea's visit www.orgjunkie.com
What's for dinner at your house this week?
Blessings, Beth Ann

Saturday, July 04, 2009

Holiday ramblings


Wow, what a busy week, aren't they all? Spent about the past three days gardening, mine and a friends. Picked enough beans and cucumbers to feed half this county, and I think we have. Gave away a ton and am busy preserving the rest. Made a HUGE batch of cucumber relish today, first time making it, and not to bad if I do say so myself ~ smile. I even made a few batches of berry preserves and shelled my first soybeans ever! We have more gourds and pumpkins getting close as well as our first red tomatoes and the peppers are ready too. Gardening is so gratifying and the kids get a ton of learning out of it.
Spent the afternoon working on end of semester grades. I have been putting it off with dread as I felt we fell apart at the end, with son being in the hospital and all. But when all was said and done the kids had like 22 extra days than required put in, (a whole extra month of school - don't tell them) and both had better grades then expected. Oldest son just finished his sophomore year with more than half the credits he needs to graduate . He got so many in last year it gave him a cushion for this year and he is only a little behind in math and chem. He will finish up his chem in the first marking period of the fall and math by the end of the first semester if not sooner, so feel like we are back on track with a plan. Being a home school family I don't have much of a gage except what I see here at home, kind of like not realizing your kids got taller since you see them every day. So when I add the grades up, I am always surprised - I thought they were dilly-dallying - LOL The kids follow the state standardized testing schedule as, to help me keep track of their week areas and to make sure they are on grade level. I am always pleasantly surprised : ) So now it is about a months more break then onto 11th grade, 8th grade and the twins will start Kindergarten! Wow. I won't panic about buying curriculum, I won't panic about buying curriculum, I won't panic about buying curriculum . . .
Hope everyone is having an awesome 4th of July. We are heading to the drive-in movies tonight. Hope to see you there.
Blessings, Beth Ann

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

HO - HUM Hump day

Here it is, the middle of another week and a brand new month. Not much going on here, thank goodness! I really am the type of person who wants to sit home, do nothing and see no one. Yes, I am a curmudgeon : ) But it seems like there is ALWAYS something! Sigh. Life just keeps forcing me to participate, or is it God? Don't you ever just want to stop the world and get off? Even for a day? Maybe just long enough to let out a good scream?
Here are some more pictures of the kids to share.


My oldest daughter and her son on a airplane at the Discovery Center last week.
Twin daughter playing in the grocery store display area at the Discovery Center.

Oldest son on his new set of wheels (broke his go-kart) at the Discovery Center.

Last but not least, it wouldn't be a grandma brag blog with out a cute picture of my grandson J : )

Blessings, Beth Ann (Granny B to some)