Abundant Blessings Homestead

Sunday evening

We've had a most pleasant weekend!
Much was accomplished and that always makes for a really great weekend.

Toby, Thomas and Rebecca have been building fence. They feel that they will finish next weekend. What joy!!! It will be wonderful to have it completed. Just in time for the cold weather to set in.   Next job on the list is shelves for our school books in the kitchen. What a happy day that will be when we can store our books away...out of the way...yet close for the next day...and NOT on the counters!!

I've been working on the office. It was filled with stuff. Well, it's still filled with stuff, but I've taken two large trash bags out of here. I need to do a bit more arranging on the shelves...then get to listing items for sale. We have quite alot to sell...and the extra money will be nice to have for Christmas time.

Speaking of Christmas, we are all so excited that my Aunt Nina is coming to spend Christmas with us this year!!! She arrives a few days before the big day and will be here for a few days after it. We haven't had a Christmas with her since we went to NY for Christmas in 1999. That Christmas is fondly remembered as one of our family's most favorite!

Tonight at supper, I said how wonderful it would be to have a vehicle up to a long drive, the day after Thanksgiving off for Honey, and plenty of money to pay for a trip...cause we'd be headed to NY for Thanksgiving. But, alas, we don't have any of those things, so we'll be here. We're planning a very relaxed Thanksgiving this year, just us. We don't take too many days to just relax..and with all the outside work that has been done over the weekends for months now, a day of relaxation sounds perfectly lovely. We'd like to get a few movies to watch, make ahead as much of our meal as we can, and just spend our day with each other...relaxing!

The weather has turned colder....the low tonight is 28*. Brrrr!! We're due to get rain this week...even on my birthday, it's supposed to rain. That's not cool..it shouldn't rain on my birthday! But, we do need the rain, so I guess I won't complain too much.

The coming week is a busy one....tomorrow, all four children get their teeth cleaned. We're taking along school work to do in the waiting room. There's nothing else to do...and we're scheduled for 2-1/2 hours there! Yepper...plenty of time to get at least a subject or two completed. Tuesday is my monthly Moms' night out. We postponed it from last week due to the election. I'm planning to go into town early to do a bit of shopping...window shopping and real shopping. Wednesday is piano day, then we head over to pick up milk. Rebecca and Thomas may stay to ride horses again..not sure of that yet. Thursday is the big day when I enter the last year of my 30's.
Friday, we have a field trip with our homeschool group. Saturday, some friends of ours are having an open house showcasing all the homemade products they make. Sunday...we'll be resting on Sunday!!!

It's nearly 7pm now...guess it's time to get everyone showered, brushed and ready for bed. Honey's been lying in bed listening to his iPod for 30 minutes or so. He, Thomas and Rebecca are all pretty tired this evening from working out in the cold and wind all day. I made a filling meal of chicken alfredo, salad and French bread for supper. The smell of the fresh bread sure put a smile on Honey's face when he walked in the house!

Have a blessed week!!!

Untitled Comment

{ 03:25, Wednesday, November 12, 2008 } { Posted by Citygal }

Hi Laurie,
Thanks for commenting on my blog today. We are just so grateful that we have a change of government here in NZ, although I know that your change of govt is a worry for you. On the night Obama was elected, Helen Clark (our old primeminister... oh, I'm so happy to be able to say that! :o)) said she was almost moved to tears at his winning speech. I must say I was too, but for very different reasons! We endured 9 years under a very liberal govt - it is tough but survivable. I know it is much more serious for the USA though as you are so much more influential than our little islands down here. We are praying too. I believe we are in the last days that the Bible speaks off - to some extent some of these things are out of our control.... but God has all things under control, I keep having to remind myself of this.
As to homeschooling here, our govt has been quite supportive. It is cheaper for them, and they give us an annual sum of money (not much, but it helps) per child. We have to apply for an exemption (a one off thing) from the govt to keep them out of school and teach them at home, but it is more a formality than anything. They do occasionally do home inspections (terrifies the life out of me), but I had one last year and it was actually quite pleasant and helpful! The homeschool community is growing and it is becomming a popular option for education. I am just grateful for every day of freedom that I have to homeschool my children. I try not to take it for granted.
God bless,
Rachel from NZ