Menu Plan Monday

Well, just because I have a plan does not mean we will stick to it. I had a plan for last week, but because of the extraction of my wisdom teeth we didn't do most of it. And I have a plan for this week, but since I am having more dental work done tonight, who knows how things will work out.

Never-the-less, here's the plan.

Monday ~ Horseradish salmon cakes, rice and salad

Tuesday ~ Chicken tetrazinni

Wednesday ~ FFY

Thursday ~ Reversed chicken pot pie

Friday ~ Homemade chicken noodle soup

Saturday ~ Quesadlillas

Sunday ~ Who knows??? Because I'm sure by now I will have blown this menu plan and there will be several things to choose from.

Have a great week!

Weekend Wrap-up

Me: Pjs, painkillers, ice packs, heat pads, dogs surrounding me, mashed potatoes, Haagen Daz ice cream, lots of naps, being accused of looking like Jay Leno, or a chipmunk, or someone with the mumps, or all three at the same time.

Rick: Nursing apron, Mommy and daddy hat, working from home, feeding kids, kitchen cleaning, feeding kids, kitchen cleaning, brief golfing (he needed a break, but came home early), church, and a much-needed Sunday evening night out with Dawson to see Jeff Dunham.

Dawson: Jilted sadness (girls stink), t.v. companion for mom, Mountain Dew, Xbox, Netflix, church, Fat Guy's Burger Bar with Rick (LUCKY!!) and laughs courtesy of Jeff Dunham.

Eli and Brynne: a normal relaxing, fun, sunny weekend. Lots of playing. Lots of Wii. Being freaked out at mommy's face swelling and pain. Great kids.

Doggies: Stuck to mommy like glue. (You know you look bad when your dog sits on the floor, looks at you, cocks his head, and whines.)

Although I still had quite a bit of pain today, I felt a turn in my condition. My swelling was down a little and I was able to get out of bed. I unloaded the dishwasher, cleaned up the kitchen, dust mopped the floors and actually ate a little bit of breakfast. I am hoping things are getting better.

But I have to go back tomorrow afternoon to have some pretty serious cavities taken care of, so I will likely be feeling under the weather again. Sigh ...

The worst is hopefully over, and we can get back to some normalcy. I sure hope so. Next to child birth, this is some of the worst pain I've experienced. And I'm praying that my face swelling goes away someday, and that I regain the feeling to the left side of my bottom lip and chin. I've read, however, that depending on how badly the nerve was bothered during surgery, it could be days, week, or even months.

The Elephant in the Room

For as long as I can remember, my mom has had a ceramic elephant on a shelf near her front door. She has told me that it symbolizes prosperity.

While visiting this weekend, she told me that we should look for an elephant for me at the consignment shop. She had previously found one for my aunt that she now has at her house. And I found a great one! He now resides on the table by my front door.

You are supposed to display the elephant with the trunk up in the air, and facing away from your front door and into your house. This positioning is supposed to bring your home prosperity and protection. I don't know if it works, but my parents have done pretty well all these years. It's worth a try, huh?

Before you look it up and freak, the elephant is a Buddhist symbol. It's a Fung Shei thing. I do not worship Buddha nor idolize him. I am a Jesus believing Christian through-and-through. I do not believe that a god within a ceramic elephant is going to bring me prosperity that God has not already ordained for me.

I just like the elephant. He's cute, and looks great on my table. And I like the symbolism. I also "find a penny, pick it up" and hope that "all the day I'll have good luck". I don't step on cracks in sidewalks for fear of  breaking my mother's back. And, I make a wish on a shooting star. You probably do those things, too.

If I happen to gain prosperity and protection in my life, I will thank the Lord for his grace and generosity.

And, then I will dust my elephant.

Without Wisdom

Well, today has gotten interesting. Because of Rick's upcoming job change, and changes to insurance, it is necessary for me to have my wisdom teeth extracted tomorrow morning! I've only known since this morning. Soooo .... I have much to do today. I need to get laundry caught up, dinner(s) planned/prepared, the house cleaned as much as possible, etc., because I'll be down for a few days. On top of all of that, I have to go back in on Monday afternoon to get some cavities filled. Because of the time crunch, they couldn't do it all at once.

Wish me luck!!!

Grandmas

The Littles and I went to Missouri this past weekend to visit my family. It's always a nice weekend. My parents have a big bedroom upstairs, and Eli and Brynne spend all their time up there playing. It's kind of "cottage-y" and they love it! I always look forward to relaxing. I get to do lots of that when I am there! I revert to a spoiled kid when I go home for a visit. I guess your mama is always your mama, no matter how old you get.

When we got there on Friday, we went to my high school and ate at a chili supper to raise money for new bleachers for the football field. I saw a couple of my high school friends and showed Eli and Brynne my senior pictures posted on the collages in the cafeteria. Brynne said, "That's when you were Nikki." In my hometown, I always will be.

On Saturday, my mom, aunt and I went to a super cool and huge consignment shop in the town where I went to college. We spent hours there. I picked up a couple of tilt jars for my pantry and an elephant. I will post about him tomorrow. We bought a couple of pizzas and headed home for a night of playing pitch. I don't mean to brag, but my team won both games! Never mind ... of course I mean to brag!

Kyndal and her boyfriend came down to see us. While she was there, she painted her canvas to complete our Valentine's Day family canvas project.

On Sunday, my sister colored and cut my hair and Brynne's! Yes, my six year old got highlights. Every girl needs a little "umph" this time of year. She also got six inches cut off and it looks adorable!

That afternoon we went out to see my grandma. My sister does her hair once a week, so I hung out with them while they did that. I think my grandma looks so great, expecially for an 88 year old woman!

She wanted pictures with my sister (her "personal" hairdresser) and with me (her "favorite" grandchild). Actually, my sister is her favorite hairdresser. I made up the part about being her favorite grandchild.

I fixed dinner for us on Sunday night and we watched t.v., and I read.

We were ready to come home and see our boys and puppies on Monday, after a weekend filled with all our favorite things to do: sleep in, see family, read, eat yummy no-bake cookies, ride scooters with grandma, and play Wii in our jammies.

We have another trip planned for the end of April, when my brother will be visiting from Portland, Oregon, and my sister will be having her baby shower.

Nicole's Daybook

Outside my window... is a beautiful, sunny, pre-spring day! It's a major mood-lifter!

I am thinking... about how inspired I always feel after a visit to my parents in Missouri. I want to clean, organize, exercise, eat better, and sell this house and move into something much smaller.

I am thankful ... that my grandma is doing so well in her assisted living facility. She looks better than she has in years, and seems to be enjoying her life there.

I am wearing... jeans, white burnout t-shirt, black and white plaid flannel shirt, black potato shoes.

I am planning...  a unit on the book The Secret Garden.
 

I am creating... ideas for how to organize my pantry.

I am going... to continue with my morning routine that I know works for me: getting up at 6 a.m., doing my Bible reading and devotion time, going for a walk/run with Crusoe, coming home and showering and getting ready for the day before Eli gets up for school. I feel so energized and productive all day when I just drag myself up when that alarm goes off!

I am reading...  The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings, and I am finishing it today!, My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira (Put aside while I read The Descendants), My Antonia by Willa Cather (Dawson's daily read-a-loud), Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (not-so 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 prosperity and protection.

From the learning rooms... This week we are going to stay home and get some book work done! Dawson is working on his Heartland American History studies and digging into DNA and the Double Helix, in addition to all his regular studies. Brynne will be doing another week of Dog studies, and some more United States Geography. It's going to be a great week!

Noticing that ... houses are starting to go up for sale in our neighborhood. I am hoping that they start an upward trend so that comps go up. Maybe someday we will actually be able to sell our house and not lose a ton of money. For now, though, we have to wait out this market.

From the kitchen... Tonight we are having burritos. Tomorrow is Fend for Yourself night. Thursday we'll have Crock pot chicken, Mashed potatoes, Linguine, and Steamed broccoli. On Friday we will use some leftover chicken for Homemade chicken noodle soup. And the last of the chicken will be used for Quesadillas on Saturday. For now, I am planning to fix Made-to-order breakfast for dinner on Sunday. And on Monday we are going to have Horseradish salmon cakes, Rice, and Salad.

Around the house... are flower beds that are excited about being de-weeded and planted!!! The de-weeder and planter is getting excited, too.

One of my favorite things... is homeschooling. It provides me with such excitement and joy!

A few plans for the rest of the week... Although our church ladies are having a Bunco night tonight, I am choosing to stay home with my family instead. We were gone all weekend and I am ready to hibernate for a few days. Tomorrow I have my *ahem* yearly appointment and the boys have haircuts in the afternoon. We have a field trip to the movie theatre we could go to on Thursday. But, again, I am thinking we'll just skip that one and maybe just get outside for some exercise instead. We don't have any plans for the weekend, or at least I don't (Yayyyyy!!!!) Rick is really hoping to play some golf on Saturday and he and Dawson are going to see Jeff Dunham on Sunday night, which was one of Dawson's birthday presents from back in October. I know the two of them will have a great time! Me and the littles? We'll be relaxing at home. Notice a trend for this week?

From my picture journal.

He'll make a great husband some day!

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

BIG Announcement

Well, I have a huge announcement to make! I wasn't sure when I should reveal this. You never know whether you should tell people right from the start, or to wait until you are past the typical danger time. I thought about posting about it a few months ago, but there was lots of sickness going on and the memories of difficulties in the past. So, I finally decided to wait until the extensive diagnostics were complete.

So without further ado ...

It's

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a

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NIECE!!!

Hee .. Hee .. Hee .. Did you REALLY think that I was pregnant??? A small part of me hopes I gave you quite a start!

No, my sister, Kristen, is having a baby girl in July. We just found out on Friday that it's a girl, and I couldn't resist trying a little trick. We can't wait to see that beautiful baby in a few months!! This will be our first baby since Brynne, so we are excited! Please be praying for a continued healthy pregnancy. Everything is looking perfect.

Climbing

I am a very proud wife.

I don't say this just to say it or just to make Rick feel good.

I say it because it is so true.

My husband is an engineer, and a good one (from what I know about engineering). This year he has had four different jobs, counting the new one he'll be starting in a couple of weeks. When we got married and moved to Tulsa, Rick started as an engineer in an industry about which he knew nothing. But, he is a self-motivator, so he dug in and learned and excelled and created new ways of doing things.

When the owner retired, and the structure of the company changed, he felt led to quit that job and seek something else. That led him to his current company. He had the opportunity to help create a new department. And he was excited for the challenge. Unfortunately, within a year, this wonderful company was "bought out" and then things went south in a hurry. He stuck with it for at least three years.

Business was bad and he literally sat for about six months with absolutely no work to do. It drove him crazy! He was a little difficult to be around. He likes to be busy. He likes to be productive. He likes to feel as though he is a part of something.

Out of desperation, he found another job, even taking a pretty significant pay cut just to find some fulfillment in his work.

After just a few months, another department of his previous employer recruited him. They begged him to come work for them, offering many promises. After careful consideration, he decided to go back. That hasn't worked out so well. There still isn't much work, the company is in pretty bad shape, and he's back to feeling very unproductive and negative.

I am, personally, sick of employers not taking care of my husband. I don't know if you have seen the quality of employees coming out of college these days, but they aren't good. They are spoiled. They don't want to work for living.They are happy sitting at a company for months on end doing absolutely no work and still receiving a paycheck. In fact, many find that the ideal employment opportunity.

Not. Rick.

If he can't be productive, he doesn't want to be there at all. What employers don't get is that Rick would do absolutely anything for a company that was taking care of him, showing him a little respect and gratitude. That's worth a lot.

Soooooo, a couple of weeks ago, a very small engineering firm called Rick to see if he would be interested in a job. They know him. They know his talent level and his work ethic. They know his personality. And they wanted him. They wanted him bad enough that they made changes in their business in order to make sure they could make him an offer he couldn't refuse. There is something so gratifying about someone wanting YOU! He didn't seek this job. They sought him.

He is feeling bad about all of his job changes this year. I am perfectly satisfied with what has happened. Well, I could have done without the months, err .. years, of turmoil. But, we all know we have to go through difficult times to get what's best sometimes.

I am very proud of Rick and the man he is in his industry. I feel a little pumped up to be his wife. And, I am so grateful that he has stuck through all of these difficult times, making changes when necessary, so that I can stay home and do what I feel I am called to do in educating our children.

I am looking forward to the joy I believe he is going to experience because of his patience.

Thank you, babe, for being a man of integrity. And for sticking with it during the difficult times. You are appreciated and loved!

Valentines

Our Valentine's Day consisted of little love gifts,

A new Skylanders character for his Xbox game and a puppy

A Rooster Teeth t-shirt of his choice

A heart necklace and a puppy

A yummy dinner,

And a family canvas painting session.

We each got a blank canvas and the same four colors to work with. Don't you love the Pokemon drop cloth? That was from Dawson's 7th birthday. All these years later I wish I would have written on it each time we used it. We use it all the time. The only rules for the paintings were that you had to color the whole canvas and use all four colors.

Rick's

Mine

Dawson's

Eli's

Brynne's

These will be displayed down our hall to our kitchen. I have a canvas for Kyndal to paint his weekend, too.

It was a nice Valentine's Day. Just time together as a family .... all I could ask for.

Nicole's Daybook ~ A Day Late

I put aside my usual day of Daybooking to honor my husband on Valentine's Day. So, here I am today.

Outside my window... the snow is completely melted and the temps are rising again, but it rained overnight and this morning so it is yucky.

I am thinking... about how I have figured out why I don't have the February homeschooling slumps that so many moms experience: It's because I love winter! I love being home bound. I don't go stir crazy and long for the sun and summer activities. I do love to garden, but I love winter so much that I am willing to patiently wait. I don't have a Vitamin D deficiency, apparently. But it sounds like lots of people do.

I am thankful ... for Rick's giving and loving relationship with Dawson, for sweet words of encouragement from Dawson, and for an opportunity for Rick.

I am wearing... black sweatpants and a Hawaii zip up hoodie. I have a bad case of the "yucks" today.

I am planning...  to clean the upstairs today, despite how I feel.
 

I am creating... nothing, nothing, NOTHING! Really, NOW I have nothing to plan. With Valentine's Day over, life is pretty smooth in the creativity department for a while.

I am going... to try to finish The Descendants and My Name is Mary Sutter this weekend at my parents'. It will be a relaxing, reading kind of weekend.

I am reading...  The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings, My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira (Put aside while I read The Descendants), My Antonia by Willa Cather (Dawson's daily read-a-loud), Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (not-so 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 *this* is the one he's been hoping for.

From the learning rooms... We took a snow day on Monday, Tomorrow we have a field trip, and Friday we are off school because the public schools are out. So, that just left yesterday and today for school at home. We have taken advantage of this time to watch some videos: "Pioneer House" (a PBS reality mini-series about three families that live in 1883 for four months) and the "Westminster Kennel Dog Show". Brynne watches it and takes notes about the winners in each of the classes. Dawson also did some fun Valentine writing activities (rejected candy hearts).

Noticing that ... several homeschool moms in our co-op group are moving into the Classical Conversations arena (required curriculums, rote memorization, structured atmosphere) and how I just can't imagine us in that type of environment. I am so much more laid back and interest-led than I EVER thought I would be.

From the kitchen... Monday night, for our homeschooling mom's night out, we had a crock pot party. I made chocolate molten cake. Here's the recipe:

Crock Pot Chocolate Molten Cake

Ingredients:

Chocolate cake mix of our choice

Large box instant chocolate pudding

3 cups milk

All ingredients needed according to chocolate cake mix

Instructions:

Mix chocolate pudding with 3 cups milk. Pour in bottom of crock pot. In separate bowl, prepare cake mix according to instructions. Pour over pudding in crock pot. Cook on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Weep with joy at every bite.

Around the house... is birdseed everywhere. I filled all our feeders and houses on Sunday in anticipation of the snow. The birds have scattered it everywhere and the dogs have tracked it in.

One of my favorite things... is the stark contrast of the red Cardinals and fat Robins when it snows. They are so beautiful! I could sit with a cup of coffee and watch them all day.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Tomorrow we are going on a field trip to the Blue Bell Ice Cream factory. We went to an open house this summer, but they rushed us through. My kids wanted to see more of the factory, so they are very excited. On Friday, Eli, Brynne and I are heading to Missouri to visit my parents for the weekend. We will be doing lots of vegging, and Brynne and I will get our hair cut and colored by my sister. We will also get to see Kyndal! Rick and Dawson are staying home for some man time.

From my picture journal.

Something I found this week that Dawson had done. It was a good reminder to me of all that is important in my life, so I made it into a bookmark.

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