Nicole's Daybook

Outside my window... actually kind of warm and muggy! It's overcast. We had some rain in the night.

I am thinking... about how heavy we make life, constantly analyzing everything, instead of enjoying what there is to enjoy.

I am thankful ... that we had a nice weekend with Kyndal, with everyone getting to spend the time with her that they desired.

I am wearing... jeans, a long-sleeved gold t-shirt, brown and cream puffy vest, brown Sperrys.

I am planning...  for Dawson and I to go to dinner with Eli's speech pathologist and her son, to discuss a possible "partnership".
 

I am creating... Brynne's valentines for her party on Friday.

I am going... to run all my Tuesday errands today: recycling, library, Dog grooming, bank, Walmart.

I am reading...  My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira, Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson (Dawson's daily read-a-loud), Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (keeping up with Dawson so we can discuss it, one chapter a week), Stepping Heavenward by E. Prentiss (my daily devotional), Beautiful in God's Eyes by Elizabeth George (book study I am doing with a friend, doing one chapter every two weeks), For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn.

I am hoping... that I do not get overwhelmed and grumpy today since I have completely over-scheduled my day. Typical.

From the learning rooms... We are pretty much doing the same things we were doing last week.The Civil War and Dogs. I am pleased that Dawson is doing so well with algebraic equations, and actually enjoying them (slightly). I always loved algebra ... solving a problem.

Noticing that ... I miss the great mini-series of the '80s. They were so good, and rich, and moving. What happened to good, quality television?

From the kitchen... Tonight-Meatball subs; Tomorrow-Wine Wednesday and Fend for Yourself (FFY); Thursday-Baked Salisbury Steak and homemade mac and cheese ; Friday-Spaghetti and left over meatballs ; Saturday and Sunday-don't know yet.

Around the house... is a very upset 10 year old kitty cat. He started pottying on our carpet, in lots of different spots, so we moved him and all his supplies into the office where there is only stained concrete floors. Then he ruined a chair in there. So, we had to move him out to the garage. He has everything he needs there, and we have made him very comfortable. But, he is super unhappy. And so is Eli.

One of my favorite things... are Fig Newtons. I bought some this morning, on a whim, and Yum!!

A few plans for the rest of the week... We really have no plans this week except for Saturday when Rick and I are going to a church leadership planning meeting. Brynne will be spending the day with her cousin, Angela, and she is very excited! Angela has been good to Brynne, trying to help her fill the void of Kyndal being gone.

From my picture journal.

A recent Wine Wednesday spread.

Lots of women Daybook. See what they have to say at The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Weekend Wrap-up ~ A Visit from Kyndal

For Kyndal's birthday in November, we gave her concert tickets to see Lady Antebellum here in Tulsa. She came for a visit this weekend to see the concert, and to spend some time with us and her friends.

She got here on Thursday night, swung by and picked up Dawson, and went to a high school basketball game to see her friends.

The next day she took lunch to her friend at the high school, and then surprised Eli by having lunch with him at his school. After a quick trip to the mall, and picking up Eli from school, she and her boyfriend went to Tulsa to the concert.

On Saturday Kyndal, Brynne, and I left the boys behind and went to have brunch at a little local restaurant and coffee shop called The Pecan Porch. We had a chance to talk about the good and bads of her new home, school, and friendships. It was a nice, easy lunch. I felt like my college daughter was home for a break. It was slightly surreal.

In the afternoon she took Brynne with her over to her friend's house to play Just Dance 3, then her and her boyfriend went to a bonfire at another friend's house.

Yesterday morning everybody got up and played some Just Dance 3 here.

Yeah, they even convinced me to dance to one song.

I made Kyndal's favorite lunch of chicken fettucine and breadsticks, and a salad, for lunch, and then it was time for them to go.

There were lots of tears shed by her and Brynne. She promised to come again soon. Last night I certainly felt a kind of emptiness and loneliness. We both still strongly believe that her move was the best one for her and for everyone involved. But it doesn't make it any easier for her to go. I wish things weren't the way they are. But, they are. And we are both making the absolute best of it.

An Early Start

My LEAST favorite time of the day is the bedtime routine. Ughhhh... Baths, getting backpacks and clothes ready for the next day, filling the humidifier, setting the coffee pot, etc., etc., etc. I fizzle out by about 6:30 p.m. every night (at the latest), and there are many nights that I look at the clock and see that it's almost 8:00 and I haven't given the kids a bath or done anything toward getting us to bed.

So yesterday, when Eli and I walked in the door at 3:30 after school, I immediately put him in the bath, and then Brynne followed. While they were bathing, I got their beds turned down, their waters and vitamins, their humidifier filled, and Eli's clothes out for the next day. I got my coffee pot prepared and set. Then after dinner, all I had to do was start the dishwasher and relax. At 8:30 p.m., I called up to the kids and they climbed right into bed without any last-minute preparations.

When I was ready to go to bed, all I had to do was take my vitamins, wash my face, and climb into bed.

I liked that schedule.

I think I will try to do that from now on. I will take advantage of getting things done when I actually have energy instead of putting it off until I don't. Plus, getting it done before Rick gets home from work keeps him from feeling like he has to help me, after he has had a long day at work. It allows him to relax a little more at night, as well.

Nicole's Daybook

Outside my window... although it is another warm, beautiful, sunny day, my arthritic joints tell me that we are going to have a weather change and rain soon.

I am thinking... about how much I love Tuesdays. I always look forward to pausing to do my Daybook.

I am thankful ... for the Top 100 Homeschool Blogs award I received this week!

I am wearing... jeans, a long-sleeved cream t-shirt layered with a short-sleeved cream and brown plaid shirt, chocolate Uggs.

I am planning...  to take a picture of the four kids together this weekend. I haven't taken one in a long time. If I get a good one, I might even do a Happy New Year card to send out, since we didn't do Christmas cards this year.
 

I am creating... some ideas for Brynne's Valentine box. That wears me out. I have been coming up with box ideas for about 15 years straight.

I am going... to walk Eli into school today and get together with his IEP supervisor about him spending the next two days in her classroom, instead of in his regular classroom because his teacher is gone and there is a sub. Anytime there is a sub, he doesn't get any of his classwork done and he has homework for days. We are still doing work from one day last week when his teacher was gone.

I am reading...  My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira, Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson (Dawson's daily read-a-loud), Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (keeping up with Dawson so we can discuss it, one chapter a week), Stepping Heavenward by E. Prentiss (my daily devotional), Beautiful in God's Eyes by Elizabeth George (book study I am doing with a friend, doing one chapter every two weeks), For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn.

I am hoping... for a great weekend with Kyndal.

From the learning rooms... We are back on track this week with a full planner of studies. We are in a holding pattern on The Civil War, because we are watching the North and South mini-series. I forgot that there was another full week called Love and War the year after the first one was televised. So, we have a total of 12 episodes to watch. (We are skipping the third mini-series that aired in the 90's. It was a dud.) In addition to that, Dawson is still working on Louis Pasteur, and his regular daily assignments in grammar, literature, writing, algebra, and critical thinking. Brynne and I are finally full into her Dogs unit. And, we started back with our states studies by studying Missouri this week. I also stacked her day to include each of her other daily assignments of handwriting, copywork, grammar, math, and reading. I want us to work really hard until Spring Break.

Noticing that ... happiness is a daily choice; joy can only come from God.

From the kitchen... are more green vegetable salads.

Around the house... are moody boys. The world assumes that women are the moody ones. But, boys/men have more ups and downs, in my opinion.

One of my favorite things... are books everywhere. Books I am reading. Books I want to read. Books for Dawson's schooling. Dog books for Brynne. I have so much I want to read. There just aren't enough hours in the day.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Tonight I am meeting with the ladies from church to discuss the upcoming year's events. I need to throw together an appetizer to take. Hmmmm .... Kyndal is coming for a visit this weekend. She told me last night that she is coming Thursday night, instead of Friday. So, we'll get to see her late Thursday night, most of the day Friday, for a while Saturday and before she leaves to go back home on Sunday. I haven't seen her in over a month!

From my picture journal.

Lots of women Daybook. See what they have to say at The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Menu Plan Monday

I am making a couple of small moderations to my food/drink intake starting this week.

First, my husband read that drinking lemon in your water increases your metabolism and helps you burn an extra 100 calories a day. I don't know if that really works, but I love lemon in my water. And since I already try to drink 64 ounces of water a day, adding a wedge of fresh lemon is easy, and tasty.

The other thing I am going to do is make a small salad every night for dinner. I am going to eat my veggie salad first, before I have my meal. That way I will get in some much-needed veggies, AND I will replace some of my beloved carbs with it (I hope). In other words, maybe I will fill up a tad on salad and won't be as hungry for the fattening stuff. Worth a try!

Here is what we are having for dinner this week ...

Monday ~ Italian roast in the crockpot over pasta, french bread, green salad

Tuesday ~ Tacos

Wednesday ~ FFY and Wine Wednesday (cheese and fruit)

Thursday ~ Beef stroganoff with leftover roast, green salad

Friday ~ Homemade pizza

Saturday ~ Hmmm ... depends on the weather. I've got ingredients for Potato Soup. If it's cold, we'll have that. Or, we'll have it another night this week if it's cold and use that night's meal on Saturday.

Sunday ~ Making a big, early lunch of Chicken fettucine, salad, and breadsticks, because Kyndal will be here for a visit and she will be leaving right after we eat. So, for dinner we'll have leftovers or cereal.

Friday Funny

I had another post ready to go, but then got a text from my husband telling me that the clip I have for you below has been ranked as one of the Top 3 clips from The Big Bang Theory. In my opinion, this may be my favorite clip in television EVER!

Do you watch The Big Bang Theory? Rick and I just started watching it in the past year or so and have been catching up on syndicated reruns. It is hilarious! And, in light of the recent mucho-raunchy sitcoms that now clog the airwaves,The Big Bang Theory is a welcome breath of fresh air.

In the scene that follows, Sheldon (the ultra naive nerd) is "dating" Amy Farrah-Fowler. They are more like two kindergarten kids "going together". Sheldon has recently been insensitive to Amy when she was published in an industry journal. They are scientists. Sheldon's hottie neighbor, Penny, convinces him to apologize to Amy by purchasing her some jewelry. And that is where the scene takes place. Enjoy!!!

Extraordinary Turns

I walk in the door after my impromptu trip to town to get kitty litter (post coming soon as to why) and run by the library.

Dawson is upstairs taking a shower. Brynne is coloring.

I walk through the living room, grab Eli's jammies and blankie to put away, straighten the pillows, fold up some blankets, and put away Brynne's cereal bowl. I go into Eli's room and throw the covers up on Brynne's bed, scoop some discarded goldfish crackers into my hand, and pick up a pair of dirty socks.

I sweep up a small pile of grass clippings in the laundry room, then make myself some oatmeal.

I yell upstairs to Dawson for him to hurry up because I have just picked up the dvd set of North and South from the library and I am anxious to start watching it. It was one of my favorite mini-series as a kid. And, yes, this is doing school because we are studying The Civil War. I think everything I previously knew about the war came from that mini-series or Gone with the Wind.

I sit down for a minute and think, "Dang, my life is good."

I am an ordinary mom, wife, and woman, with an extraordinary life.

My house is kind of a mess. I need to sweep up the wispy pieces of Crusoe's shedded dog hair, unload and reload the dishwasher, and I just saw a horrific amount of dust inside the entertainment center.

And there will be plenty of time for those things later.

For now, I'm cozying up on the couch with the kids and the dogs and starting the dvd.

Ten years ago, I would have never seen my life being where it is today. I couldn't be happier with the turns it has taken. Extraordinary, happy turns.

I Love ...

... a new book I am reading that not only gives INCREDIBLE insight into the most important thoughts and desires of my husband, as a man, but also clues me into how to be a better mom and supporter to my sons.

...  that Crazy 8 is having their amazingly-awesome 70% off clearance sale and I just scored 15 shirts, six pair of pants, four pair of shoes, and a dress for Eli and Brynne (well, the dress is Brynne's) for $160 shipped. That comes to about $6 per item for some extremely high quality (and adorable) clothing, including shoes!

... that until midnight tonight, you can create your personalized photo calendars for 2012 at a Buy 1, Get 2 FREE price at Snapfish. Procrastination, in this case, paid off. Mom and dad, your calendars will be here soon!

... that the Tulsa area offers a VoTech program that interests Dawson, AND even as a homeschool student he can attend, tuition free, starting his junior year AND he is able to ride the bus from the high school to and from the campus so he doesn't have to drive himself AND he can earn college credits with his particular field of interest at $8 per credit hour! Win, win, win, win, win!!

... that I started a Bible study with my friend this week and, as always, she encouraged me to be a better woman, wife and mom.

... the relationships between my kids.

I am linking up at Jamie's blog today.

Nicole's Daybook

Outside my window... is a bitter cold, but sunny, day. A cold front moved in overnight. From 75 degrees yesterday to 45 degrees today.

I am thinking... about the journey I am on right now with this Intimacy issue. Whew! It's exhausting, but good.

I am thankful ... for my homeschooling mom friends. It's so nice to be able to have some fun, drink a glass of wine, enjoy a nice meal, and share with each other about the thing of which we are most passionate.

I am wearing... jeans, a pink and green tie-dyed burnout shirt, green zip-up hoodie and tennis shoes.

I am planning...  an upcoming "girl" party that Brynne wants to have, just because.
 

I am creating... my week's lesson plans for Brynne, a little late because I didn't get all my books ordered in time and I need to get some picked up today and organized.

I am going... to keep Eli home from school today and allow him to homeschool with Brynne. He had an all-out anxiety attack last night at about 11:00 p.m. about going back to school today, so much so that we had to break out a paper bag for him to breathe into.

I am reading...  My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira, The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick (Dawson's read-a-loud), Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (keeping up with Dawson so we can discuss it), Stepping Heavenward by E. Prentiss (my daily devotional), Beautiful in God's Eyes by Elizabeth George (book study I am doing with a friend).

I am hoping... a desire for continued personal growth for both Rick and I.

From the learning rooms... We are doing some more focused studies this week, and not as much daily busy work. Dawson is studying Louis Pasteur and finishing up the Civil War. Brynne is learning all she can about dogs.

Noticing that ... a few pounds have found their way back to my body, and today I get back on the MyFitnessPal wagon.

From the kitchen... Dawson will be making an Amish Friendship Bread start today, as part of his fermentation lesson on Louis Pasteur. I can't wait to eat the bread in a couple of weeks when the process is complete! (Won't bode well with my plans to lose those few pounds.)

Around the house... black birds are scouring the ground looking for something to eat on this frigid morning. I need to get out and refill my bird feeders.

One of my favorite things... Campbell's Bean with Bacon soup. Man, I can't hardly get enough of it right now! (Which might be one reason why those extra pounds have found me again. Comfort food!)

A few plans for the rest of the week... Today I am starting a book study with my good friend, Debbie. We are reading Beautiful in God's Eyes by Elizabeth George and doing the study guide. Tonight I am supposed to go to a planning meeting for our women's ministry at church, but I don't think I am wanting to get out of the house again after being gone last night with my homeschool moms. Tomorrow morning, Dawson and I are going to a Vo-Tech meeting for homeschool parents to see what options will be available to him. He is very interested in 3D Animation and First Responder training. Dawson's friend Maddy will be staying with us on Friday night, while her parents are out of town. We just love her. And then the rest of the weekend should be fairly quiet. A nice balance!

From my picture journal.

Pile 'o Puppies. 
This is what they look like every night by about 6:30 p.m., if I'll sit down on the couch with them.

Lots of women Daybook. See what they have to say at The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Lemi Shine Winners

Well, I have ANOTHER great use for Lemi Shine! I have hard-water stains on my shower door. This morning, while cleaning, I wondered if Lemi Shine Concentrated Cleaner dissolved in water would rid my shower door of it's hard water stains. And, IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM!! No more water stains!

Now, here are the winners of the three full-size prize packs ...

Drum

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Roll

...

Please

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Winner #1 ~ My In Real Life Friend, Berry!!

Winner #2 ~ My MyFitnessPal Pal, Michelle Flowers!!

Winner #3 ~ My Homeschooling and Blogging Compadre, Cheryl at "Say What?" !!!

Ladies, e-mail me your addresses again to taulmans@netzero.net so that I can forward it to my contact at Lemi Shine.

Congratulations!!

Menu Plan Monday

We had another nice weekend. We celebrated the 50th Birthday of my brother-in-law on Saturday night. And yesterday Rick and I had a Date Day going to eat lunch, watching the movie Contraband (Mark Wahlberg ... yummy), and doing some shopping. We got some new, much-needed, pots and pans, and a new comforter set for our bed. We have a specific color scheme in our bedroom (chocolate brown, paprika, and butternut squash) that we don't want to change and we FINALLY found a comforter set that matches perfectly.

All of the cake, eating out, and eye candy (I say "Mark Wahlberg", Rick says "Kate Beckinsale"), has caused me to put back on a couple of the pounds I worked so hard to lose. I'm going out with my homeschool mamas tonight, and I am eating pasta. But tomorrow I am back on MyFitnessPal all-out. Wanna lose those three pounds again by Spring Break.

Here's what we are having this week:

Monday ~ Family is Fending for Themselves (FFY) tonight instead of the usual Wednesday, while I go out for some girl-time, which will include pasta and then coffee at Barnes and Noble.

Tuesday ~ Homemade chicken noodle soup

Wednesday ~ BBQ pork and cheddar wraps

Thursday ~ Smothered chicken and mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli

Friday ~ Chicken, tomato and avocado quesadillas, black beans

Saturday ~ Hot dogs and french fries

Sunday ~ Hmmmm ... who knows. It seems at least one night of the weekend we just eat whatever. I am factoring that in.

I will be drawing my three Lemi Shine winners soon! I'm waiting for my prize drawer to get her tired hiney out of bed. I'll still let you enter, if you haven't yet! You can go HERE to do so. Tick ... tick ... tick ... tick .... Time's running out!

Help! My Cat Peed on the Carpet!

Photo credit

If your cat potties on your carpet, what do you do? If you clean it up with a regular 'ol carpet cleaner, you will soon find that the odor has returned. You know that smell ... the one that smells like putrid ammonia? No matter how many times you scrub it, it won't come out. And chances are, he'll potty there again and again and again.

So, how do you get cat urine odor out of your carpet?

The following procedure works. I know that it works because I did it 10 years ago when one of our cats decided to mark our small spare bathroom. I know it works because our 10 year old cat, his brother, has pottied in Rick's closet and Brynne's bedroom in the past couple of weeks. He is getting older and needs better, constant access to his litter box than he has been used to having.

Here is what I do, and what I know works. (If you click on the photo credit above, there is an article with a similar formula. The one I will give you uses the same products, I just do it a tad differently.

1.  If you catch it wet, use a shop vac or carpet machine with a good suction and suck up as much as you can. If it gets to the padding and/or subflooring, it will be more difficult to get out.

2. Completely saturate the area with a solution of one cup Hydrogen Peroxide (kills the bacteria that causes the odor), 1 tsp. baking soda (absorbs the odor), and a squirt of dish detergent. At first it will completely kill the odor and you'll think, "There! All gone!" No so. It will draw the odor up and will stink to high heaven within several hours.

3. Use your shop vac or carpet cleaner again to suck up as much as you can.

4. Then COMPLETELY SATURATE the carpet with straight vinegar. Honestly, I use a full gallon of it for a small area and just pour it on the carpet and soak it, rubbing it so that it goes all the way down to the subflooring. The vinegar kills the odor itself. It will smell like strong, ammonia and vinegar for a few days. Let it dry completely. This will take several days. Keep the area closed off from all traffic.

5. Once it is completely dry, I use an Arm and Hammer oxydizing powder carpet deodorizer. I completely cover the area and then rub it down into the carpet. Then leave it for a full day.

6. Vacuum up. Then as a last measure, I use plain baking soda and completely cover the area again and then rub it down into the carpet. Then leave it for another day or two until you notice no more odor.

7. Vacuum it all up.

8. My final advice: In a couple of weeks, if you have a carpet cleaning machine, clean the area again using vinegar instead of carpet cleaning solution. (I clean all of my carpets with vinegar about once a month or once every couple of months to catch any unknown dog potty, which doesn't smell as strong as cat urine, or other yuckiness.)

Using this long, drawn-out technique really should keep you from having to replace your carpet.

I hope this helps!

Lemme Give You LemiShine!

You REALLY do not want to miss out on my current Giveaway. It's a full-size set of the LemiShine products. Do you want a clean dishwasher, even cleaner dishes, and CRYSTAL clear glasses? Then ENTER by Sunday at midnight!!

This was one of my favorite (actually ABSOLUTE FAVORITE) product from 2011. I know it's not a car, like Oprah would give, but you don't have to pay taxes on it when you win!!

And, I am a dork. The products in the picture were intended for ME! LemiShine has THREE full sets for me to give away. So, there will be THREE winners!!!

ENTER now by leaving a comment on my post My Favorite Things ~ 2011.

One Word ~ 2012

All around in Blogland, you see the "One Word" posts. I did this a couple of years ago, I think. But looking back, I couldn't find it.

For me, this year, one word keeps popping up ... Intimacy. 


I am an intimacy-phobe. I am not a snuggler. I need my space. I don't form deep relationships. And touching sometimes even gives me the heeby-jeebies. It's miserable, actually, and hurtful to those who love me.

All I know is that I feel a resounding call this year to deepen my relationships. This starts with God, I know, and that is where I have started. Maybe that's why this time it feels so "right". I also know that by deepening this relationship, my other relationships will deepen, as well.

I look forward to having more intimate relationships with my husband and my children, my family and friends.

I have realized that I am extremely intimate with our dogs. I cuddle with them and nurture them. I even like them sleeping right up against my back. The psychological side of me says that I don't have any problems with intimacy with them, because I know they love me unconditionally. They don't have any expectations of me, except for me to love them. I know I could kick them and they would come right back (not that I ever have). I know they will never leave me or stop loving me.

That leads me to believe that my intimacy issues are tied to trust (or lack thereof) and fear of rejection or disappointment.

Only God can heal me in this area and help me to place where I can be freely intimate with others. So, that is where I am starting. I am looking so forward to freedom from this bondage.

What WORD keeps coming up in your life?

Nicole's Daybook

DON'T FORGET ABOUT MY GIVEAWAY! GO here TO REGISTER.

Outside my window... another abnormally warm January day in Oklahoma. We even went to the zoo yesterday with beautiful weather!

I am thinking... about intimacy in relationships.

I am thankful ... that Kyndal had a MUCH better day at her new school yesterday. At least three girls reached out to her. You could hear a sparkle in her voice when I talked to her.

I am wearing... black yoga pants, a white t-shirt, Hawaii zip up hoodie, Nikes.

I am planning...  Brynne's homeschool units: one on Dogs and an upcoming one on The Secret Garden.
 

I am creating... (hopefully) a cat-pee-free carpet in Brynne's room. Ugghhhh ...

I am going... to order Dawson some Crocs today. Can you believe he wants a pair of Crocs? Eli got a pair of lined Crocs and Dawson loved them. I'm also going to drop off my new Bible study book to my friend this afternoon. I am so looking forward to the time we will be spending together.

I am reading...  Rin Tin Tin: The Life and Legend by Susan Orlean (enjoying the history of the dog and his owner, not really enjoying the author's writing style), The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick (Dawson's read-a-loud), Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (keeping up with Dawson so we can discuss it), Stepping Heavenward by E. Prentiss (my daily devotional), Beautiful in God's Eyes by Elizabeth George (book study I am doing with a friend).

I am hoping... for snow. Yes, I should be thoroughly enjoying the amazing weather we are having. But my kids want SNOW! And, so do I. I love being snowed in.

From the learning rooms... Hoping for another outstanding week like we had last week. So far it's looking good. Eli is already 1/4 of the way to his AR goal, and it's only the 2nd week of school. And, Kyndal's school experience is going much better.

Noticing that ... when I don't feel turmoil in my life, I instinctively start to rely less on God and study less. However, I keep remembering something a former pastor always said: Dig your wells deep during the good times. That way, when the hard times come (and they will), you will be spiritually ready. That is my plan. It's time to start being proactive!

From the kitchen... We got a new Fry Daddy. Sure makes french fries taste yummier! Yeah, I know, all the grease. But ..... yum!!!  Moderation, folks. We can even have fatty grease in moderation.

Around the house... happiness.

One of my favorite things... super lazy weekends.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday are school days at home, except for a doctor's appointment I have tomorrow. We'll be working hard at school because we get off Friday and Monday again because our public schools are not in session. Yeah! So on Friday, Brynne has a bowling birthday party to attend. On Saturday, we will celebrate our brother-in-law's 50th birthday. Sunday and Monday we will take advantage of some quiet days.

From my picture journal.

We have been taking advantage of the beautiful and RARE January weather! We went to the zoo yesterday.

Lots of women Daybook. See what they have to say at The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Menu Plan Monday

What a niiiiiiiccceee, laaaaaaaazzzzyyy, weekend. After a grocery store date on Friday night with my man, we hardly left the couch all weekend. We read, watched t.v., watched movies on Netflix, did lesson plans, played Words. The little kids just played in their jammies, giggling upstairs. Dawson went to a friend's to spend the night Saturday night. We had a nice church service on Sunday morning and then came home for more couch time, and even a nap. Perfect.

What did we buy for meals this week?

Monday ~ Spaghetti and french bread

Tuesday ~ Grilled pork chops, macaroni and cheese, and rice

Wednesday ~ FFY and Wine Wednesday

Thursday ~ Jalapeno chicken enchiladas

Friday  ~ Breakfast for dinner

Saturday ~ Potato soup and grilled cheese

Sunday ~ Chicken and avocado quesadillas

Have a great week!!

My Favorite Things ~ 2011

Every year, at the end of the year, I come up with my list of new favorite products.

PAY ATTENTION! There will be a Giveaway at the end of this post!

Here are my favorite products from 2011:

1.  I have always wanted to be a wine drinker. I don't know why. I just think wine drinkers look sophisticated. Last Christmas Eve my sister-in-law brought us a sweet red wine that was really good. That sent Rick and I on a quest to find a wine we really liked. After trying several, I found that my favorite wine is Snoqualmie Riesling. It's fruity, but not too sweet and not too dry. It's perfect.

2.  In clothing, my absolute favorite thing this year is the burn out t-shirt! I have one in about every color and wear one almost every day under short-sleeved t-shirts, vests, hoodies, sweaters, whatever. They are comfortable and flattering and warm on a chilly day.

3.  Eli bought me a Better Homes and Gardens electric candle wax warmer for Christmas. I absolutely love the way it makes my house smell!

4.  This year I started drinking my coffee in the Starbucks-type reusable coffee mugs I got from Kohls. They keep my coffee the perfect temperature, and I can just run out the door with it without having to transfer my coffee to a travel cup.

5.  My favorite soap is the new Olay Silk Whimsy Body Bar. I love the massaging bumps, but mostly I love the smell and that it is so moisturizing.

6.  I hate streaks on my granite counter tops! But with the 409 Natural Stone Cleaner I started using this year, my counters are disinfected to my satisfaction and there are no streaks!!

7.  And my absolute favorite product from this year is the Lemi Shine Hard Water Expert products. I loved the products so much that I contacted the company to see if I could sponsor a Giveaway for them. They agreed and sent a full-size Cleaner, Rinse Agent, and Machine Cleaner with a reusable shopping bag.

Let me show you an example of how good these dishwasher products work. Here is one of our glasses with the usual hard water stains. Irritating!

I added the regular Cleaner to the Pre-wash cycle and this is what my glass looked like after that one washing.

Typically on Monday mornings, I unload the dishwasher and run it empty with the regular Cleaner. It keeps the dishwasher clean, and my glasses clear! I also use the Rinse Agent on a regular basis. But, even without the Rinse Agent, my glasses still stay clear!

I "stole" one of the Machine Cleaner packets from the prize pack (because I had never used it and wanted to give an ACCURATE opinion as to all of the products. Therefore, you will only get two packets of the Machine Cleaner.) Honestly, I didn't see much difference in my dishwasher after using the Machine Cleaner. I think that using the regular Cleaner, like I typically do, is adequate.

My opinion is: The Cleaner and Rinse Agent are must-have products for use in your dishwasher. I think my glass speaks for itself.

All you have to do is leave me a comment on this post and you could be the lucky winner of the Lemi Shine prize pack. The Giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday, January 15th. I will announce the winner on Monday morning.

** I was not given any compensation for my review of these products. The opinions are my own.

The Making of a Nerd Cave

When Kyndal moved to Missouri with her dad, Dawson immediately took possession of her bedroom. He wanted to make it into a Nerd Cave, which meant a room for his Xbox, gaming posters, and friends. He moved in, but wasn't too keen on the Tiffany Blue walls. You see, just one year ago Rick and I spent our entire Thanksgiving vacation transforming Kyndal's bedroom into a chic room. Here is what it looked like:

I really did not want to paint the room again. I thought it was ironic that he didn't like the Tiffany Blue when he was mad I bought him a black futon instead of a hot pink one ????

The boys talked me into painting, so they picked out a nice Granite Gray. Did you know you can now mix in fragrance additives directly into the paint? The fragrance is supposed to last anywhere from 4-6 months. Dawson chose Lavender for it's relaxing qualities. (Like he needs to relax anymore when he is in there.) I thought it was a great idea since that room will be filled with stinky teenage boys.

Wesley, Dawson and I painted the room.

And the Nerd Cave was born.

I suspect this will be one of the most-used rooms of our house. And now that it is done, it looks really cool and I really like it.

3 in 30 ~ Trying This Again

I started this last year and made it about, oh, ONE MONTH! But, at the end of the year, when I've seen other bloggers who have completed the challenge, I decided that it was inspiring to do it and see the mini-goals that have been met. Long-term resolutions are so hard to keep. But, monthly goals are more attainable.

So, here are my three goals in January ...

1.  Commit to my daily personal devotion time, Bible study, and prayer.

2.  Start printing photos and putting them in albums. I am going to buy five albums, one for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Then I will go through all of my yearly iPhoto archives and print any of January's photos that I want in albums and add them to them.

3.  Do weekly grading, gradebooking, feedback, and filing of Dawson's school work. In other words, just stay caught up.

I am really going to work hard to complete these three goals this month. Then each month I will make three more goals for the month.

Let's do this!

Nicole's Daybook

Outside my window... It's a crisp, sunny morning.

I am thinking... about what a nice Christmas Break this was, and how I am not sure I am ready to get back into real life again.

I am thankful ... for a renewed desire to work on some meaningful relationships, starting at home.

I am wearing... an OSU hoodie t-shirt, jeans, and black moccasins. Way to go, Pokes!

I am planning...  this week's lessons for school. We start back tomorrow!
 

I am creating... a long-distance relationship with my daughter. And this weekend Dawson and I created his Nerd Cave. Post coming soon ....

I am going... to have a typical day today of cleaning, laundry, going to the library, dropping off recycling, and doing lesson plans.

I am reading...  Christmas on Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball.

I am hoping... for good, Christian friendships for Kyndal at her new school. She starts this week and I have been praying for her new friend (whoever she is), and that Kyndal is wise in her choices.

From the learning rooms... Last. day. of. Christmas. break. We start back at it tomorrow. Brynne will be starting a month-long unit on Dogs and studying Missouri this week, as well as doing her regular studies in math, reading, writing, grammar, and art. Dawson starts The Civil War, is getting back into Energy in Biology, and re-focusing on his other regular studies. Eli will have to find a way to get back into his school schedule, and out of his pj's (which he isn't going to be too happy about). And, Kyndal starts her new school this week. I am nervous for her, but hopeful for positive changes in her life.

Noticing that ... I feel free and alive and happy.

From the kitchen... It's time to put away the freezer food and microwave! Here's what we are having in the next couple of days:
Tuesday ~ Calzones
Wednesday ~ FFY and Wine Wednesday (want to make this an emphasis for Rick and I again!)
Thursday ~ Grilled pork chops, rice, pasta, asparagus
Friday ~ Homemade Chick-fil-a nuggets, waffle fries
Saturday ~ pancakes, eggs, and sausage

Around the house... are sleeping children, trying to get in their last day of sleeping in before school starts again.

One of my favorite things... is my new iPad. I love it!

A few plans for the rest of the week... All that's on the schedule is starting school and resuming Co-op activities. Otherwise, the calendar is empty.

From my picture journal.

This is proudly displayed in our front garden by the door. Great season, Oklahoma State! Thanks for giving Rick a fun ride! Let's do it again next year!

Lots of women Daybook. See what they have to say at The Simple Woman's Daybook.

If it weren't for the kids ...

... I would have been in bed at about 8:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve.

But, they wanted to celebrate the ringing in of the new year. That's usually Rick's job, but he is on a trip to the Fiesta Bowl so I was left with the duty!

I went all out .... not!

I bought a couple of party hats and some blowers. We decided to ring in the new year with New York, but found that the ball drop wasn't showing LIVE! We would have had to wait until 11:30 p.m. to start watching Dick Clark's show. And since I didn't want to stay up that late, or even 11:00 p.m. for that matter, I tried to stream it in live, but wasn't successful.

So, we did the next best thing. We set the timer on the stove when there was 5 minutes left until 11:00 p.m. (midnight, New York time) so we would have an official countdown.

Daddy called to be on the phone with us at the new year. Of course, he was in San Diego (heading to Arizona in a couple of days for the game) so his new year wasn't for a couple of hours yet. Confusing, I know.

At 5 .... 4 .... 3 .... 2 ..... 1 ......... we screamed ..... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!  We blew our horns, took some pics, and then headed off to bed.

By the time I actually got Eli and Brynne settled down for the night, it was 11:45 p.m. OKLAHOMA time, not New York. I went to bed, but at 11:50 texted Dawson (who was upstairs, not in New York or San Diego) to have him come down to put some medicine on his sore thumb before he want to bed.

He came down and told me he was going to spend the next 9 minutes with me so we could ring in the Oklahoma new year together. At exactly midnight, OKLAHOMA time, I sent him, Rick and Kyndal a 'Happy New Year' text. Dawson said, "Did you seriously just send me a text when I am sitting right next to you?"

So, let's recap. We rang in 2012 with New York. My husband was in San Diego, two hours behind us and three hours behind New York. My daughter was in Florida, but on Oklahoma time. We were on Oklahoma time, but early, but then rang in the new year again at midnight Oklahoma time, which was 1 a.m. New York time and still not the new year San Diego time. When Rick got my text at midnight, Oklahoma time, he was asleep in San Diego and didn't ring in the new year there at all. Good thing he rang in the new year with us in Oklahoma but on New York time.

Hee .... hee ...

And I was in my pj's the WHOLE time.

The end .... to another year.