The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... There are a few cars driving by, otherwise quiet.

I am thinking... That I am extremely agitated! My week is not going as I had planned and it's really getting to me. 

I am thankful for... Summertime.

From the learning rooms...This is the beginning of our new school year. We are finishing up Hunny's chapter from before break about the solar system in Interlock, and starting Weaver vol. 5, ch. 4 which is also about the solar system. :) It's theme is actually "Creation worships the Creator". Neat how they overlap topics. Most other subjects are continued from before break, although we are starting Latin which is brand new to us.

From the kitchen... I smell chicken! I made chicken patties for lunch for Good Ole Boy and myself. There is burger in the sink thawing for dinner.

I am wearing... White tank top, silver hoop earrings & black shorts and socks. Comfy's for right now, but earlier we had to take Einstein to register for school and I looked MUCH better with a nice greenish print shirt (looks great with my hoops) and blue jean capris & tennis shoes. I will put that back on when Good Ole Boy and I go meet a few friends later on. 

I am creating... Lesson plans and school schedule. 

I am going... To learn Latin with the kids! 

I am reading... Haven't had time to pick it up yet - Breaking Dawn

I am hoping... That we can find a house in the country. Every one we've liked has had a bid on it or was closing. Very frustrating!

I am hearing... The fan, Hunny's sucking her thumb and Bug is doing something in the schoolroom.

Around the house... Quiet - for now. Good Ole Boy and Einstein have taken the burning barrels out to dump and Sis is in her room.

One of my favorite things... Going to the beach. Had a lovely day Sunday afternoon and the lake with friends. Just love it there, so beautiful and love the smell of the water.

A few plans for the rest of the week: school, work and Ranch.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

 

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Fair Wrap up part 2

Here's more about Fair Week....
Wednesday started out slower - a good thing as our fridge quit and our morning was insane trying to save as much food as we could and getting it out of the house! 
Once we made it to the fair we had a bit of down time before the goat hand milking contest that Bug wanted so badly to participate in. :) We found out Tuesday that she could borrow a doe (Chip is a wether) to milk so she was VERY excited! lol. :) 

 Bug even drank the goat milk! She collected 3 ounces in 60 seconds. I thought that was pretty good. The winner collected 8 ounces (as a Sr she only had 30 sec.) but she is a last year 4H member and has milk goats of her own.
After we cleaned up the barn we had to help set up for the small animal auction. Sis sold a Silver Fox doe and Bug sold Chip. Our auction is one of the best in the state! Businesses and politicians come out and really support 4H and our kids. Typically the first auction is high dollar; $100 - 1,000 this year! Then most businesses don't want the animal so it goes to resale. This is where the kids (or others) can buy back their animal or purchase another. This sale is very reasonable with animals going for $5 - 40 typically. 

 Bug had a bidding number as there was a rabbit she wanted, and when Chip came back up for resale she grabbed it and bid on him! Sigh. What do you do at that point? So we are now in a scramble to find housing for him (and hopefully us!) Oh, she DID get her Himilayan doe he wanted. :) 

Thursday was our day in the FoodStand. I HATE working in there! Sigh. Hunny only made it two hours though so I did survive. Lol. The other girls worked their full shift. 

As a Cloverbud, Hunny could only wipe tables and trays. Sis was taking orders and helping fill the trays. Doesn't she look thrilled? lol. Bug was kind of in-between. She was in charge of keeping the condiment counter stocked so she got to go back and fill ketchup bottles and such. Made her happy since she really didn't want to be out on the floor with the Cloverbuds. :)


Friday was the day the littles had been looking forward to. It was Ride Day! :) Sis had done rides on Tuesday with friends and Einstein wasn't interested in them this year. We got together with some friends so the littles had fun. 

It was a really great day for the kids, they had a blast. 


Saturday was Small Animal Fun Day. Not sure why since it was only for goats it should have been called Goat Fun Day. :) They set up an obstacle course to run through with their animals and a costume contest. 

After the fun day we cleaned up the barn and had to set up for the awards program. Sis had gotten First Place Intermediate Rabbit Records so was getting an award.

Sunday was tear down the animal barn. Well, not literally! But we had to take down goat pens and empty out rabbit cages so they could be power washed and take down poultry pens. 

 The end of a great week full of memories. :)

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... Is a calm morning. I hear a bird cawing and that is all. The sun is out but hidden behind a few clouds. The trees are swaying gently.

I am thinking... That I need to get Einstein up and head to the ranch to feed Chip and leave Einstein there for work. 

I am thankful for... 4H and all the opportunities it provides my family. 

From the learning rooms... No school this week - fair recovery! :) Sis is working on her Hebrew while her professor is in the state though! I will be spending time getting ready for our new school year starting next week. (which really doesn't seem possible!) 

From the kitchen... Coffee is ready! Need to go get a cup right now....

Aahhh.... Ok. My kitchen is a DISASTER! Ugh! The whole house is messy from the late nights, early mornings of last week, but my kitchen is the worst. 

See, our refrigerator died last week. We lost alot of food. The fridge is out of the house but we don't have another one yet. We are using a mini fridge in the living room to keep a few items and I have a shelf of things at a friends house that we were able to save. I have things setting around that belong on top of the fridge - I have no where to put them! Bread machine, crockpot (which will actually be used today), cook books and rolls of foil and plastic wrap. (I don't have cupboards to house these items)

I need to get a ham into the crockpot for tonights dinner. 

I am wearing... Black shorts and a orange-ish colored tank top.

I am creating... Lots of mental lists. 

Bug bought Chip back from the auction (unplanned!) and we need to figure out where/how to house him within a few weeks. We would like to move to the country (YAY!) but trying to figure that all out is a headache. What do we do with this place, how do we get financing, etc. Its difficult with low income and not great credit. Trying to list WHAT we are looking for, our most important needs, etc. Trying to purge unneeded items from here and make it more presentable. My mind is going 100 miles a second. 

Lots of mental lists...

I am going... To work outside today. Get into the garden, try to pick up what we can throughout the yard, etc. Also hope to at least start cleaning the dining room - where the tote of still exhibits and notebooks got placed and still sits.

I am reading... I will be starting Breaking Dawn of the Twilight Saga.

I am hoping... That the housing issue works out well and we get something that will fit our family, our budget and dreams. 

I am hearing... The dogs are starting to whimper their let me out sounds. The girls are now up and VERY loud! Sigh. It was quiet when I sat down here....

Around the house... There is LOTS to do. 

One of my favorite things... Sitting in the Small Animal Barn at the fairgrounds. It is very relaxing to sit there and...well, just sit. Watch people or read, listening to the animal sounds. It's not quiet really, with the people, critters and fan noises, but relaxing nonetheless.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Working around here, preparing for next week, work, and *hopefully* a beach trip! 

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Isn't he just the cutest thing?! LOL. Tried attacking the camera but still very cute. :)

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Fair Wrap up part 1

It always amazes me that fair goes SO QUICKLY but seems to last SO LONG at the same time! We had a busy week and alot of fun! 

Saturday we entered still exhibits....

Hunny telling the Cloverbud judge about her Greek Mythological creatures

Bug sharing about Jamestown

                                       

Sis entering her duck tape creation - a vase and flowers

Einstein telling the judge about his peanut brittle

Sunday was animal entry day. They had to have health checks and be weighed before entering the barn.

Waiting with the buns

Weighing Chip

Monday was rabbit day starting with showmanship and then into breed classes. A LONG day! 

Sis got second place in showmanship for her class

And Bug got first place showmanship in her class. 

Tuesday was Cloverbud rabbit and goat day. Kind of crazy as Hunny and Bug were showing at the same times in different parts of the barn! Sis had to take over Hunny so I missed her :(

Hunny and her Cloverbud ribbon

 Bug got 3rd place in goat showmanship! She did a GREAT job. :)

Completing Him Challenge --Catch up

This weeks challenge

 Make your husband a priority. Ask him what his favorite dinner, dessert and drink are. Be sure to serve him all three one night this week. Bonus: cook his favorite dishes all week long!

Wow. As I've said before cooking is NOT my favorite thing. As His Helpmeet however it is my responsibility to provide meals for my family. I do get very tired of slaving in the kitchen for an "it was okay" response. Sigh. He would be perfectly happy with steaks every night but our food budget just doesn't allow for that! :) But I CAN and SHOULD strive for at least a 'make him happy' meal more often than I do. 

Last night was a his request meal. I made steak strips, corn on the cob (from a LOCAL farmer!) and cheesy mashed potatoes. He also requested Pepsi Throwback as his drink. 

I did ask him WHAT he would list as his favorites and was surprised by his answers. 

Hunny, what is your favorite meal?

Pizza.

What?! Really? Homemade, store bought or ordered? (I KNOW he likes pizza - EVERYBODY loves pizza - but I didn't think it was a favorite!)

Any pizza, I like pizza.

Wow. Ok, I will be buying pizza makings tomorrow and planning on pizza Friday night.

So hunny, what is your favorite dessert?

     A candybar.

Huh? Really? What kind of candybar?

Just a candybar, doesn't matter.

Wow. Ok, I know he likes candybars - he is ALWAYS bringing them home and often gets me one because he is thoughtful that way. (Yes, I know. I don't NEED candybars! LOL. I often put them up for the chocolate cravings I get monthly.) I never would have thought they were his favorite dessert! Guess I'll be picking up a few of them too.

So what is your favorite drink?

Mt. Dew

I might have guessed this one as he drinks alot of Mt.Dew and Pepsi.

So now I have a portion of my shopping list down and a meal planned for Friday night. 

Why is it important to plan pleasing meals for him? 

Well he IS the head of the house. He works HARD for our family. It's so easy to OVERLOOK his tummy in order to make the kids happy. But those are ALL wrong reasons! (Now granted for our family, the end of our budget month is tight and I make what we have available.)

But since I LOVE him, and he is SPECIAL, I need to SHOW him how much he means to us. Didn't mama always say 'the way to a man's heart is through his stomach'? :)

    Next week is fair and meals will be fixed according to what I can throw in the crockpot or otherwise fast and easy. Not to timely for fixing special things for him. So while I can't focus on a week of meals, my goal for the rest of the MONTH is to think of his tummy more and try to plan HUSBAND PLEASING meals on a more frequent basis. 

After all, HE DESERVES IT! 

  Keep him satisfied. What foods does your man enjoy?

 http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/2010/06/completing-him-challenge-begins-today.html

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... It is cool, but can feel that it will be another hot day. There is a gentle breeze rustling the leaves.

I am thinking... About the Primary elections today. I hope many will go out and vote and that the library millage passes to keep our local branches available to us! 

I am thankful for... My husband who works so hard for our family. I appreciate him so much.

From the learning rooms... We are off school for a few weeks, wrapping up fair projects so there is LOTS of writing going on in our house doing all their record sheets. 

From the kitchen... All is quiet. 

I am wearing... A light blue t-shirt that says "The world needs more hugs", jean shorts & tennis shoes

I am creating... Our fall calendar and working on lesson plans.

I am going... To try and be more organized this year. I will be devoting even more time to school since Sis will be a freshman and I need to keep on track of her credits and all. It does mean that I will be stepping down from my position as Girl Scout leader after eight years.

I am reading... A Fragile Design by Tracie Peterson & Judith Miller.

I am hoping... That Hunny & Bug are able to complete their fair lists today and then relax for a few days.

I am hearing... Bug is playing the wii, so there are star wars noises and shaking of the controllers.

Around the house... It is quiet. The older ones are still asleep, Hunny is just stirring on the couch (not sure when she ended up there!) 

One of my favorite things... The smell of the water and the sound of it lapping against the shore with a gentle breeze against my face. I do miss the lakes.

A few plans for the rest of the week: FAIR, FAIR, FAIR! Karate, last minute trips to the store, work, setting up the small animal barn, entering the still exhibits. 

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Chip & Bug after his hair cut.

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Fair Prep

This is our first week off since we finished our school year. It is a crazy week trying to wrap up four kids fair projects. You know - make sure everything is framed, mounted, or otherwise ready to be displayed in an attractive manner. Plus record sheets for EVERYTHING completed, their folders neat, and feed records done. Whew! It CAN be stressful - and today has been. (in fact as I write this I'm helping Sis with auction letters that NEED to go in the mail TOMORROW since it's already so late) :S 

So today's post is going to be an easy one, here's a peek at what they have done this year. 

Bug & her basket

 Bug & Jamestown

Hunny & her leathercraft

Sis & her stained glass

Hunny & a t-shirt tote bag

Einstein with soap carving of the Parthenon

This is just a small sampling of their projects. They ARE pretty busy with them throughout the year!