Country Lane Homemaking

Happenings around here Pt. 2

Remember me telling you about the clue to my Christmas present in the previous post? 

Well, here is a picture of the clue:

My guess was that it was a Canon camera. 

I WAS RIGHT!!  YAHOO!!! 

For once I actually guessed a Christmas present correctly!

Here is a picture that I copied from the Canon website since I can't take a picture of my new camera with the camera. 

It's pretty awesome!  Takes some very clear pictures. 

Now if everyone would quit holding things up in front of them when I want to play with it! 

They buy me a camera but won't pose for pictures! 

Go figure!

Furry Yarn

I made Gabriel's blanket in spite of the fact that my brand new sewing machine did not like the black furry material that I used.  I ended up sitting next to that brand new sewing machine while stitching his blanket by hand!

Oh well, Gabriel has a new blanket any way.

~Candy~

OK Ladies, this is must have!

  One of my Christmas gifts this year was a Ped Egg. It was given to me by my wonderful daughter. She put together a beautiful gift basket of different lotions, brushes, powder, soaps, and this great gadget. I waited a day or two before I had time to use it. But I finally used it and I just have to tell you all that it is fantastic.

   I have always had bad feet because I love running around bare foot and we all know that isn't very good for our little tootsies. My heels were almost always dry and cracked, and most times I was embarrased to wear sandles or backless shoes. Well not anymore. This wonderful little invention has cured all of that. I'm telling  you ladies, its fantastic.  A friend of mine has one and I watched her use it on herself and to be honest it kinda grossed my out at first, you know, dead skin and all, lol. But it really works.

  So next time your at the store and you pass by this item, and you have problem feet, pick this up. It is one of the best buys for your $10.  This not a commercial and I'm not being paid for this, LOL it's just me wanting to share a good thing with friends.

****New**** Home Management Binder

I have a brand New Home Management Binder all the way from America woo hoo. The original binder I had did not work very well at all and was driving me crazy :lol - I love my new binder which was very kindly sent to me along with some page protectors and other bits and pieces. 

My Binder - here it is - This is the front cover

 The side of my binder:

Tabbed Sections of my binder:

Next is the zipper pouch: In here I keep a pen (a gift from a friend in America), a book of stamps, post-it notes, airmail stickers, tabs, a highlighter and other bits and pieces:

Next is the inside cover , after that I keep "The Portrait of Excellence" (taken from Proverbs 31)

Next, I have "A Woman's Rules to live by - Rules for the wife at home" - which I need......

1. Overlook husband's faults, and instead focus on his better side.
2. Never nag, or try to manipulate your husband into doing things your way.
3. Trust God, and trust your husband. Pray for him daily.
4. God first, husband second, children third, house fourth, other ministries fifth.
5. Submit to yoru husband's authority, and allow errors in his judgement.
6. Allow your husband to provide for the family, and appreciate the money he brings in, and the provisions he provides for his family, no matter how little or how much.
7. Spend your husband's hard earned money wisely, and be frugal. Never sneak expenses behind his back.
8. Do not wound his masculine pride. Instead, compliment him on his manly accomplishments, and show your appreciation of him every day.
9. A modest, feminine appearance is important.  As is feminine manner, nature, softness, gentleness, and a spirit of sweet submission and dependency on the husband.
10. You have a God-given career that can bless you abundantly. That career is in the home.
11. Cook delicious healthy meals and keep the home clean.
12. Your duty is to be a "homemaker", hence, your job is to make your house a home.
13. Above all, the wife at home is to exude an attitude of happiness and joy. Rejoice in the Lord for the wonderful family He has provided for you, and never take your family for granted.

Bible Order For The Home:

1. God is the head of Christ - 1 Corinthians: 11:3
2. Christ is over man - 1 Corinthians: 11:3
3. Man is over woman - 1 Corinthians: 11:3
4. Chidren are under parents - Ephesians: 6: 1 - 3

Bible Rules For The Husband:

1. They are to love their wives - Ephesians: 5-25. As Christ loved the church - Ephesians: 5-25. As they love their body - Ephesians: 5:28 More than any other relative - Ephesians: 5:31. As themselves - Ephesians: 5:33
2. They are to be the leaders in the way - Ephesians: 6:4
3. They are to labor for wages - 1 Timothy: 5:8
4. Thyey are to be learned about their wives - 1 Peter: 3:7

Bible Order For The Wife:

1. They are to submit unto their husbands as unto the Lord - Ephesians: 5:22
2. As the church is under Christ, so are they to beunder their husbands - Ephesians: 5:23
3. They need to rverence thier husbands - Ephesians: 5:33
4. They are to be a "servant" to their household
5. They are the star in the home
6. Are to be symbols of holiness - 1 Timothy: 5:1

Next, is the Prairie Muffins Manifesto:

Next, is the "People Contact Info" -  I have a lis of important contacts including friends,  professional contacts and overseas friends.  I then have another phone list to include all numbers for banks, health/pet care, travel/car insurance and so on - so we dont have to keep hunting around for telephone numbers anymore.  This will make life so much easier :)

Schedules: is next.

Daily Routine - as above:

Morning Routine: This starts after my time with The Lord (Old Testament)

• Make bed
• Take meds and vitamins
• check calendar
• Thaw something for dinner if I need too
• Exercise
• Shower
• Fix hair and fix bathroom whilst there
• Make coffee with breakfast
• Check any emails

Early Afternoon Routine:

• Eat Lunch (which I don't always do)
• Meal Prep
• Make any phone calls I need too
• Check emails
• Get bread/rolls out of freezer to thaw
• Check calendar/planner for next day appointments - if any
• Write in journal

Late Afternoon Routine:

• Tidy up rooms, pick up & put away things, mags, papers etc
• Clear dining table
• Set dinner table
• Start dinner (except Saturdays when done in the morning)
• Light candles (if dark enough of course)
• Put on some relaxing music

Before Bed Routine:

• Kitchen clean it up, shine sink, lay out clean dischcloths as needed
• review checklist to make sure nothing is forgotten
• Think about tomorrow
• Write a "to do list" for next day in journal
• Gather any items I don't want to forget for next day & put by back door
• Prepare & pack DH's lunch box for next morning (if necessary)
• Set table for breakfast for the morning
• Decide on clothes for next day
• Cool down time & get ready for bed
• Read for fun or listne to music, watch dvd/tv with DH
• Relax in a hot bubble bath
• Brush teeth, clean & moisturise face, brush hair
• Take meds
• Reflection on the day
• Spend time in God's Word (New Testament) & pray
• Go to bed at a reasonable time! Preferably at the same time each day (unless going out)
• Fall asleep with a smile on my face & in my heart :)

Next, I have daily & monthly planner sheets from www.donnayoung.org

In the cleaning section, I have:

• Daily, monthly, quarterly & Annual Cleaning duties
• Emergency Quick Clean
• Various Home-made cleaners

Budget section is next:

I keep monthly budget sheets in this section so I can keep records of all incomings/outgoings and so on for each month............

Grocery Shopping Section is next:

In this section, I have a general Grocery list which I have adapted. I also have a weekly shopping list divided into four categories - again, both lists printed from Donna Young.

Menu Section is next:

As you can see I have monthly menu plans here - this is a little tight to fight daily meals in but there is just enough room - especially if I write small enough :lol

Recipe Section:

I have various recipies here but also I have decided to add all the recipies I will need for "that" particular month - then I don't have to go hunting through recipe books for the recipies needed.   At the end of the month, these will go back into my recipe files (project in progress) and then the recipies for the next month will go in here.

Prayer Section:

The Power of Prayer

Monday:    DH & Damaris

Tuesday:    Family

Wednesday:        Church

Thursday:  Friends/Internet Ministries

Friday:      Government etc

Saturday:  Personal Concerns

Sunday:     Going over and reading through sermon notes / extra bible study

Guidelines:

• v Read a brief inspiration message or prayer
• v Open my Bible and read a chapter or more (if time is short then read a Bible verse)
• v Turn to Prayer Planner:
• o Write down my praise, confession, my thanks, and my requests
• o Give the Lord my hurts, pain from the past, disappointments and all the questions I can think of writing. Write down convictions of what I hear from the Lord saying to me.
• v I am able to verbalize things I've held in my heart but never spoken about. The art of writing somehow seems to bring up my thoughts, feelings, and desires and to expose them to the light of God's love.
• v Writing out my confessions helps me get honest with the Lord. Somehow a confession feels more real when it's down there in black and white. But this means that God's forgiveness feels more real, too.
• v I can see concrete evidence of my spiritual life - and my spiritual growth - when I read back over past prayers.
• v My faith grows as I see God's answers more clearly - God's yeses and no's and "waits".
• v Writing down the answers I think I hear helps me discern which ones really are of God.
• v My obedience is strengthened. Once again, written promises are harder to ignore than mental ones. Once I have written down my sense of what God wants me to do, I am more likely to follow through.
• v Often when praying, the Lord will bring someone to mind who needs my love or care (that's what the note cards are for). When He brings someone to mind, try to stop right there and drop that person a line, assuring him or her of God's love and my prayers

Modesty:

In this section I have various articles relating to modesty:

My Bible Section:

In the above section, I have A bible reading plan and how to mark your bible, both of which you can find over at Keeping The Home

I have started reading and studying the Old Testament in the mornings and then the New Testament in the evenings before I go to sleep. I also plan on putting some of my bible/study notes in this section too.

Next is the Birthday Section:

This section is self-explanatory but much needed. I am not the best person at remembering birthdays especially when it comes to family & friends - so I decided to do something about this.  I have a Birthday chart in this section with headings, Month, Name, Date (of Birthday), Card/Gift (Y/N), so I can make sure that I can put a tick in these boxes.  I don' always send gifts but will certainly be making sure I send cards. 

Going away from my binder for a second. I now have a "Gift Shelf" in my office which I have started - so any gifts I see that I think a family member or friend would like then I will have something there (theoretically speaking), this needs building up :)

Crafts / Gardening Section:

Again, this section is self-explanatory and will hold notes on crafts, card making and gardening tips etc that I will need.

Hope Chest:

I am planning on putting together a Hope Chest for Damaris my daughter which will be great for her later on. I can add journals, photos plus all kinds of gifts for her later on - this will be a legacy of my love put together especially for her.  If you would like information regarding Hope Chests - then there is a good link here.

The final section for now: "Other"

In this section, I have articles on Home-Making plus I will be adding articles from favourite sites, such as Laine's Letters, Keeping The Home plus other favourite sites to do with Home-Making.

I also have an address/Telephone section at the back too. Again, this will keep everything together so that I don't have to go hunting around for my address/telephone book each time - as it will be right here in my binder :)

At the back of my binder is a journal, which I will use as my Daily Journal:

and ...... this is the back of my binder:

Well I hope you have enjoyed the peek into my binder. I still have another couple of sections that I would like to add, but I am so pleased that I have this near enough how I want it. 

I have been so blessed to receive my new binder plus the inserts, journal and other bits and pieces - my new Home Management Binder will be made good use of. 

It's home will be in a prominent place in our kitchen :)

Goodbye 2008 - Hello 2009

Wow, where has 2008 gone? Well 2008 was a memorable year as a lot happened including my wedding to my DH Andrew in June :)

2008 was a good year but it also had it's share of sadness, trials & heartaches but on the whole this was a very special year.

2009 I am praying will be a year of abundance, blessings and joy - plus a year of getting some much needed home projects done :).

I have to say that we didn't see in the New Year even though we did have a party to go to at church which apparently was good.  Though around half the people left about 11pm when a disco started up and a lot of the younger ones stayed for that and so the New Year in.  DH and I were both tired and had an early night instead and a very relaxing day yesterday which was much needed.

I do have some goals for 2009 - which are as follows:

• Spend more time with the Lord both in prayer & in His Word
• To read His Word through totally in a Year (or less, then I can start again) by following a bible reading plan
• To really study His Word in-depth, a good learning tool too!
• To do some studying & in-depth research on certain topics such as head-coverings, modesty, Jewish Festivals and so on.....
• I would love for my DH to come to know The Lord in this New Year - this would be just awesome
• For our marriage to grow from strength to strength
• For some health issues to be sorted out in this year
• Other Goals
• To start decorating our home, I have already made a start on the dining room
• The garden needs work on it big time - and this is a huge project which I am hoping to tackle as we just dont have the finances really to get someone in to do it for us
• To learn to sew - anyone reading this part who can give me advice and tips, would be so much appreciated
• To learn Hebrew & Russian - but one needs to be done at a time
• To get my weight down to where I want it to be - not through diet but through a healthy eating regime for life.....

Prayerwise: Our jobs 

•  DH's job is I would say quite secure
• Mine - I am not so sure - The amount of business within the Company I am working for has dropped but this has dropped quite a lot with many firms and there are lot of firms struggling.  There was a news headline yesterday saying that only 1 in 10 people will have jobs this year - which is scary but on the other hand, I know The Lord is in control. I also need to get my own business up and running this year too.

Well I pray that 2009 will be a year of blessings for each and every one of you.  This is going to be a year of change in many areas, some good ones and some not so good.  This is also I believe going to be a year consisting of various uncertainties and hardships especially economically - we must remain faithful and keep our eyes on The Lord full stop and more so now than ever before.

Be blessed, be encouraged - God is faithful and Good - ALL THE TIME, we must remember this

So on that note:

Our New Year's Celebration

    It's hard to believe another year has begun! It feels like just yesterday we were welcoming in 2008 and here we are beginning 2009!  Where has time flown?  I remember when I was a young child it seemed like time passed so slowly....... I remember thinking it would be "forever" before my birthday or Christmas....... and now I find myself saying " wow, here it is again!"  Know what I mean?

   Well we enjoyed a wonderful New Year's Eve celebration.  Nothing fancy, just family, but none the less very fun! My sister sent us a huge package full of new games and it arrived on New Year's Eve!! Perfect timing!  She is such a wonderful sister - she is very thoughtful and always sends the kids little cards and games, etc. I am blessed.   We stayed up way too late...... ( I think I crawled into bed at 3 am!) and had fun playing all the new games, listening to music, dancing the conga and eating! 

   Here are some snapshots of our fun evening........ this was taken right after our big huge box arrived! The kids were so excited!  Look at all the fun fun games Auntie Teri sent!!

   We decorated with streamers, party hats, and some noise makers. :) 

Some yummy snacks.........we had some sparkling cider to drink and toast with when 12 AM arrived!

Playing cards........Jacob, Rebekah, Samuel & Paul.....

Playing chines checkers.......rebekah, paul, rachel & jacob.......... haven't played chinese checkers in years!

 The twins playing checkers........

 Peter & Hannah playing  "Connect Four"........

We have a tradition that on New Year's Eve the kids can eat the gingerbread houses we made earlier in the Christmas season........ it's something they really look forward to. :)

Happy dancing kids..........

                                              Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!

Something new we did this year, was we made a big list of all the things we were thankful for this past  year........ here are some things that were shared :

Paul :  "I am thankful we don't have to pay the entrance fee to get to heaven -- Jesus did that for us because the price was too high for us to pay. "   * Amen to that, Paul!  Jesus did pay the complete price for eternal life with God! *

Rebekah:  "Our new wood stove that provides such warm heat!"  *  Rebekah loves to stand behind the crook of the stove......there a spot just behind the stove on the tile hearth that she really really enjoys.... we are really enjoying the radiant warmth of wood heat!*

Rachel:  " Freedom to worship"...... * Rachel is so right! There are 54 nations that Christianity is "illegal" and bibles are not allowed to be distrubuted or read.  To read more about our brothers & sisters  in Christ,  who are being persecuted for Jesus go to www.persecutedchurch.org

Jacob:  " Homeschooling"........* Wow! I was suprised when Jacob shared that! Sometimes he complains about the reports I make him type up and all the math he has been doing lately......but I am happy to know he is thankful! Homeschooling is a way of life is so many ways, and our family will be beginning it's 11th year of home education!

Peter:  " Water, food & a roof over our head"...... * Amen, Peter!  Children always remember the simple blessings that many times we adults take for granted.  So many have no access to clean water or food. He knows that first hand from the expierences we tell him of his fellow Guatemalans who live in such dire circumstances. We are thankful for our food our clothing and a warm house to live in. Especially after expierencing a furnace break down in the cold winter!*

Mom:  " For the blessing of being able to pray & worship and also for trials"........ * This year has brought us close to the Lord in prayer and we have learned how to worship the Lord.  I am also thankful for the many trials we were blessed to pass thru this year.  They draw us ever so close to Jesus. *

                                    ___________________________________

I know for many of us this time of year is a time to reflect on the past year and to think ahead and make goals and resolutions for the coming New Year. Our family is no different.  We have our "hopes" and "dreams" and "prayers to be asked and answered" for 2009. 

My heart's desire is to see my family wear out our bibles this coming year........ from continuous use........ for truly the Word of God is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path........... I also hope that our voices will be hoarse from all the praising and singing we are going to raise up to our great & everlasting God this year!  I want to wear out our hands in serving the poor, the naked, the afflicted, those in prison and the fatherless and lonley.........for truly "when we do it to the least of these, we have done it unto Him"......

Oh I have so many hopes and dreams for this coming year!  There are many loved ones in my life who do not know our precious Lord and  my great hope is that their hearts will be open and their eyes opened to receive the gift of salvation thru Jesus.  He is the way the truth and light and NO man cometh to the father but by Him!  ( John 14:6)

I hope that each one of you enjoy a blessed year, a year full of JOY in the Lord and a year full of blessings -- remember, trials and challenges are blessings "in disguise" ...... embrace each one of them! They are an opporotunity to draw close unto our Lord and really seek His face!

I also look forward to another year of blogging here at HSB! This will be my 3rd year blogging here and I can honestly say this is a wonderful community! Each one of you are a blessing to me! Thanks also to my wonderful readers, who post publically and privately to me.  Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts here with me.  You bless me in so many ways!

May God bless you &  yours in 2009!

~ gloria ~

Sewing Machine

My wonderful husband bought me a new Singer sewing machine today!

Yea!!!!!!

I can't wait to get sewing.

I normally do most of my sewing by hand.

My first project is to whip up a blanket for my grandson, Gabriel!

Thanks, Honey!!

Happy New Year

A Simple Reminder: PEACE (AKA decluttering and organizing)

I received my Country Woman magazine in the mail this morning.  I love this magazine because they have a variety of things to entertain me from recipes to patterns for a fabric purse (made from placemats), to stories and pictures.  This month, there is a section entitled: GET ORGANIZED!   They must have written this just for me!!!!   Do they have a secret spy camera in my kitchen cabinet??? Or perhaps in our bedroom/ office/craft room???  Where ever that darn thing is, I have to find it!  LOL

The author talks about her tip to creating PEACE in the household with organization. 

P: Put like items together

E: Eliminate items you don't need, use, or love

A: Assign a home for everything

C: Contain within designated spaces

E: Execute these steps periodically

I really do believe this article was written especially with me in mind.  And especially Eliminating items you don't need, use or love is directed to me!  I am guilty of keeping things for the memories they have.  My father was HORRIBLE at this as well.  When his mother, my grandmother died, he kept her winter coat and purse.  A guy keeping a coat and a purse!!!  They had memories to him.  Well that is fine, keping SOME things for memories, as long as they bring GOOD MEMORIES!  I on the other hand chose a cookie jar (Smiley the Pig....I love it) and her rolling pin!  Those bring so many good memories for me of Grandma, cooking and baking in the kitchen. 

But through the years, I know I have saved things.......that don't have such good memories.  Are you like that too??? For instance, what about those size whatever jeans you think you might get back into some day???  LOL Get rid of them!!!  By the time you do get down to that size again, that pair of Jordache jeans with the zipper and bow on the back of the pants leg will be so out of style!!!  Or how about those guilt Christmas gifts we keep??  You know the ones.  We didn't like them when we opened them, but we keep them around just in case Great Aunt Mary should come by one day and asks you....."What ever happened to that gorgeous (read here gaudy) peacock figurine I gave you last year for Christmas???"  Send it on to Charity and next time sweet old aunt so and so asks you about it, tell her a little white lie that it broke and you hated to see it go.  LOL  Or better yet, use it as a White Elephant gift next year for Christmas on the OTHER side of the family!!  (We do this.  LMSO  My side of the family has a card game in which everyone puts in a gift of $10 or less.  After everyone has a gift in hand, you draw another car and on and on until all cards are gone.  Each time your card is called, you can steal a gift from someone else.  It is hilarious.   So when we get gifts from hubby's side of the family, we put them in that gift exchange the following year! LOL)

I know several of you have said Fly Lady is "TOO MUCH".  All her reminder emails, etc. are a little too much for me as well.  But I love her, her ideas and support and encouragement.  So when I was at the library, and saw her book: Sink Reflections.  I am reading a section now about decluttering (what is that like) and she goes to explain what the 27 fling boogie is( you pick up a trash bag, set your timer to 15 minutes and grab 27 things in the house that can be thrown away.  You aren't supposed to think about it, just put it in the bag, and then directly take the bag to the trash)  She also talks about going through a room and doing something with the items that you don't want, use or love out.  You put things in a box of where they go, to the trash, to charity, etc.  I have these wonderful thoughts of putting everything on the backporch and having a large garage sale and making a little extra money with it.  But Fly Lady knows me well, and suggests that we give it to someone else and give it a whole new life instead of hanging on to the clutter till summer when we can have a garage sale (that most of us never get around ot having! LOL).

So one of my goals for this year, is to room by room, get my house organized and decluttered.  Fly Lady says you can not organize clutter.  LMSO  WHAT A LIGHTBULB MOMENT WAS THAT!!!  You can only move it , toss it, or donate it.  So, I am going to work on a 27 fling boogie now and then, and gradually my house will become one in which everything has a place, and that item is there.  No more will eb the days of trying to find my favorite black shoes, or hunting for the scotch tape.  No more will be the days when you buy another pack of razors because you can't find the ones you just bought a week ago.  No more are the days when I buy another spool of thread because I can't find the color I need, and then after finishing up the project I find the first spool!  LMSO 

My house isn't bad.  I don't want anyone to think my house is a disaster area.  Friends also say how nice the living room and dining room looks (because I am diligent at keeping them clean), and no area of my house is ever really dirty.  It is just the stacks of fabric and computer games that need sorted through and organized (and some will be donated), the boxes of whatever that needs stacked neatly and labeled.  The upstairs closets that need cleaned out and stuff tossed away!  (Because if we haven't needed it in 3 years, why are we keeping it up there??)  When my mom and dad died, and we went through their house, I was horrified, not by dirt, but by THINGS they had.  THings they probably hadn't seen since moving in the house 20 some years ago.  Things they didn't remember buying, or receiving.  Things that they didn't want to give up because it was easier to just put it in the closet, in the basement on a shelf, or in the attic area above the garage!  I promised mysefl then, that my children wouldn't find such a mess when I died!!!

Besides....the clutter we have in our homes is not helping us.  No, it is hurting us.  Clutter in the home makes us depressed, makes our family think you don't care as much about taking care of it or them, it can make you sick if you aren't careful about dust and mold, etc.  And if these things and items we are keeping mean SO MUCH to us, then why are they not put up, protected, or put on display so we can enjoy them.  My SIL has a quilt from each grandmother that was made for them when they got married.  (I have the same.)   Hers are in a box in a storage area, well kept, but hidden.  Mine are here and there.  We use them, we hang them on the wall on quilt racks, and lay them over the bannister for all to see.  I love the quilts and I want them taken care of until I can hand them down, but I don't want them hidden!!  But on the other hand, I have certain things that are put away because, I HAVE A 2 1/2 YEAR OLD!   LOL  I know better than to put china or crystal out somewhere where little hands can grab it and break it.  It is on display in my china cabinet and someday when Noah is older, we can use it.  Until then, it is look and don't touch.  LMSO 

Well all.  I am finally off to declutter my sewing area.  LMSO  Another words, this email was my pep talk to myself.  I hope perhaps I pepped you up to clean, declutter and organize as well though!  This email was my sneaky way of putting off the task of organizing the craft and sewing area.  Hopefully it won't even take as long as I think.  In my head I think it might take me 3 weeks to accomplish this.  So, if I am not online for a while, could someone please page my hubby and tell him to look under the pile of fabric and notions or under the sewing table for me???  LOL  :)

Another one has come and gone

   Another year has come and gone, and I have to say, I'm kinda glad. I don't usually say that 'cuz with each passing year and/or day, I get a little older, but 2008 wasn't a banner year for me. The whole thing with mom's Alzheimers taking over her life poor heart and me having to put her in a home wasn't a good thing to say the least. Not too mention the hurricanes that hit us, the lost of several people in my life and last but not least, my husband wanting a divorce, well as I said, I'm glad it's over.  I do hope and pray 2009 brings a much better outcome. I do see good things ahead for me if God willing.

   The last couple of days were busy ones for me.  Not long ago my husband came home with two little pigs and on Tuesday we slaughtered one for a New Years gathering here at our home.  So I have been getting ready for that, cooking and baking, and  yesterday we had 27 people here for lots of good food and a good time. It didn't take as long to cook the little fellow as I thought it would. We put him on the rotisserie  around 6:30 yesterday morning and it was done by noon. Pretty good. We still had lots of fire so I ran to the store and bought four chickens to cook. I figured I wouldn't have to cook for a couple of days. Well to my surprise, most of it all went. There is no  chicken left, what didn't get eaten here was taken home by some family members. Not fair! LOL

   The guys are out fishing this morning so I will be working on school plans for the rest of the year. I do half in August and the other half now. This is just incase we get off schedule or Zach falls behind in something that we need to keep working with, which is the case in Math this time.  So with that said, let me get off of here. I have a batch of clothes to put out on the line and one to fold, then off to the lesson plans.

   I do hope everyone had a wonderful New Years and that everyone HAS a great new year filled with blessings and prosperity.