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.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
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 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!
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.
Monday, January 23, 2012
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.
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, January 20, 2012
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!!!
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!!!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
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.
... 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.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
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!
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.
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.
Monday, January 16, 2012
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
...
Roll
...
Please
...
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!
Friday, January 13, 2012
Help! My Cat Peed on the Carpet!
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| 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!
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