Butter and Honey

Journal, February 4, 2009

Journal, September 10, 2008

Yesterday was .  .  .   Tuesday, a great day all around.

Yesterday I .  .  .  was up early, early and got started on my day.   When I was finished with reading and computer time, I was going to just put my apron on over my jammies before  I got to work but  the Holy Spirit wouldn't let me ;-)  so I dressed for real and I'm so happy I did, it makes it so much easier to set a good example for the children to get up and get ready for the day.  I woke the children and then made a batch of blueberry muffins for breakfast.   They started right in on their schoolwork while the muffins were baking.  After breakfast I vacuumed the house (after sitting down and cleaning all of the hair off of the roller brush - YUCK!), then the children took a 10 minute break from school to do a tidy-up of the house.  What a difference!  Finishing up their schoolwork, we all got ready for the park, P.E. Day.  I heated up some Minestrone from the freezer to take for my lunch, and got Taco Bell for the children on the way to the park.  We had a wonderful time as always, and were happy that our next book had arrived so that we can start our new Bible study next week.  Prayer for Mrs. D and her heavy heart.   The rest of the afternoon at home was spent quietly.  I updated their LLNotebooks while older son worked on his Levitron experiment, and younger son and daughter played a game together. 

Goals I accomplished .  .  .   I vacuumed and picked up the house, made another batch of laundry detergent,  spoke gently and gave encouraging help, and was is bed at a good time so that I could get enough sleep to rise early - this morning!

The best part of the day was .  .  .  Oh, choices, choices!  One was watching the children complete their schoolwork in such good time, and how happy they were to tell me that they were ALL done before lunch and the park.  Another is just the satisfaction of being busy at home and getting  so many of my own chores done while the children are studying.  A third is the encouragement from daughter to make dinner.  I kept stalling and stalling and finally she came up to me and said "Let me make dinner!" So I showed her the recipe and got her started browning and measuring part of it while I chopped the other part.   It simmered and was finished and delicious!  The fourth and best thing was to be able to honestly praise and compliment older son on working so hard to get his schoolowork done in such a timely manner.  (He has worked so hard these past two days to get all of his school done before we leave the house for whatever we have that day - and in truth he has accomplished more than he would have normally done in an entire week previously.)  "You are starting a good habit that will not only allow you to get so much more done in a day, but it will also help you to be better prepared for whatever life the LORD has planned for you and your family."  He glowed.  It was very sweet - but don't tell him that.  ;-)

I prepared for tomorrow by .  .  .  sitting down with daughter and planning what we would make for lunch tomorrow, getting the laundry started (after the detergent was done), and getting in bed!

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.   My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.   He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.   Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.   The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.   The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.   The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.   The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Psalm  121

Journal, September 7, 2008

Today was .  .  .   a very good, productive day.  

Today I .  .  .   got up early, or at least before everyone else.  Husband was awake most of the night with the television on so I ended up on the couch about 1:00 this morning.  I slept well after going over most of son's Medieval History study guide and getting straight in my own mind what he will need to do.  Breakfast was Pull Apart Bacon Bread with scrambled eggs, which everyone complimented and enjoyed.  Dinner was a combination of Chinese take-out, fresh focaccia bread, and leftover pork roast & vegetables.   While I was ironing, I highly encouraged the children to clean their bedroom - which they did!!  All cleaned up, including straightening the closet, and the floor vacuumed!

Goals I accomplished .  .  .   started with getting up and getting breakfast ready.  After that, I started on laundry for the day.  We are starting our busy week (Biology Mon & Wed., P.E. Tues., Piano Thurs., and a Needlework group with daughter on Fri.) in which we will be leaving the house by Noon three days of the week, so I needed to get all of our laundry done and ready.  I also ironed all the shirts that husband and sons will need for the week.  I got caught up on the children's Learning Lifestyle Notebooks and am ready for the morning, and did a training session with each child on proper kitchen clean-up.  

The best part of the weekend was .  .  .   accomplishing the above goals (a load off my mind as I face the week ahead), and that the children and I had our together time today in the Word and singing hymns.  Today we read in Psalms and sang Praise Ye The LORD, and He Leadeth Me.

I prepared for tomorrow by .  .  .   planning my menu: Fresh Raisin Bread with yogurt and fruit for breakfast, baked potatoes for lunch, Saucy Sausage Sandwiches in the crock-pot for dinner & filling drawers and closets with clean clothes & by spending time reading the Bible.

Journal, August 30/31, 2008

Journal, August 28, 2008

Today was .  .  .  a busy but good day, and H's 13th Birthday!

Today we .  .  .  had blueberry scones for breakfast, at H's request, although we had to hurry and eat!  Out the door and take the Angel home so he could go swimming today, then down the freeway to pick up Grandma at the train station. (We arrived just a few seconds after the train - Whew!)  Went to a local store so Grandma could buy a hat - for later - then to the toy store to look for one of H's  gifts.  Stalled for time at the fabric store and then went miniature golfing, which didn't open until 11:00 a.m.   Surprise!  They were actually closed until 2:00 p.m. (the manager hadn't changed the informational phone recording) but he ended up letting us in anyway and even gave us an extra free game! (A wonderful benefit of living in a smaller town.)  We had the whole place to ourselves -- Very Fun!  The heat finally got us - it reached 108F today - and we left to get lunch and a COLD DRINK at  a nearby hamburger place.  Ate and sat and chatted until it was time to take Grandma back to the train station.  Then home for a few minutes before leaving again for piano lessons.  (I was so tired I laid on the floor - in the front room, away from piano of course! - and fell asleep for a bit - waking up four minutes before lessons were over.  How's that for timing?)  All the way across town to pick up an Rx for Husband and then to the north end of town to get an Rx for the Angel.  Finally home, H and I looked up those foamy, roomy shoes on the internet and found that we could get some at a nearby sports store.  (One of his birthday requests.)  Then daughter and I left to get pizza for dinner.  We ended the day watching two episodes of Meerkat Manor, Season Two.  Then I spent WAY too much time tinkering with blogs before finally getting in bed. 

Goals I accomplished .  .  .  Hhmmmm .  .  .  .   Made the scones and got the Rx's for Husband and Angel.

Best part of the day was .  .  .  the  big hug and sweet words from Husband when we finally got home and when H told me, as he was giving me a goodnight hug, that he found the gift he wanted while we were at the toy store, but when he saw how much it was, he didn't want to ask me for it because it was too much.  So he was very happy and surprised when he received it!  But he asked "Why did you get it if it was so much money?"  "Because it was for you and you're worth it!"  Oh, his sweet smile and sweeter hug.  Thank you, LORD.

I prepared for tomorrow by .  .  .  getting some beans soaking for tomorrow lunch, and making lunch for Husband to take to work.