flybabies oct 23rd

Managed to make sure the kitchen was straightened up this morning. Worked sunup to sundown cleaning yesterday (it was a mess). Hopefully it'll stay that way for a while!

PODA
12 hour work day ahead of me today (ugh)
Rescue phone call on potential dog coming in
Pay Xcel bill!!
Laundry

It was a great weekend! My dog Georgie won 4th place in a radio station costume contest and won two tickets to see James Blunt on Saturday! Not too bad considering I stayed up until 3am on Friday making three tiny costumes for my dogs!! LOL!!

Actually got out the Haloween decorations yesterday!! Feeling pretty good about that! Even had chicken and dumplings in the crockpot with leftovers for tonight.

Jenny - I don't live in Clovis. I'm acutally in Colorado, but my Uncle and my cows (registered Scottish Highlands) are in Friona, Tx....35 miles from Clovis.

I need to get my control journal updated. Haven't used it in two years, and it's WAY out of date! That was before the dog rescue, the new house, the extra dogs, and working so many hours!

Cooper, it's coming back to me now! LOL! Sorry, so many around here come and go, hard to remember everything about everyone.

I spent all day yesterday douching the girls' room. Threw away a big trash bag full of papers and junk. I still need to do some decluttering, but it looks fairly clean now. I can at least vaccuum.

Need to take care of bathrooms. clean the fridge and kitchen. And planning meals, etc. for the next 7 days or so. Tonight we have soccer practice for both girls right after school, then I'm going to hit the grocery store (I hate doing the store with all 4 kids in tow, but will save me a trip to town).

Good Morning!

TADA
morning routine
kids off to school
read paper

PODA
vacuum
oil change
Home Depot for bulbs and filter
lunch
sort mail
several calls
make muffins
general pick up
dinner
homework
read with DD

Heidi

Finally, a day without going to town! But I won't be home for all of it! Well, most of the day I will. I need to make a couple batches of cookies for tonight. We are having a tailgate party at the school with FREE hot dogs and hamburgers! I told the sponsor I would make some cookies (cheerleaders are in charge of desserts) and bring some cokes (football players are in charge of drinks, but we know how reliable boys/men are!). Followed by a district volleyball tournament game! We play are arch rivals. o'boy.

I'm back to TADA that I updated my web site! Only been since May! LOL!

I even updated DH's pages about the farm, which I hadn't done in years! So if any of ya'll want to see how we farm, the equipment we use, or branding cattle, you can just go check it out.

www.jandjessary.com

DD7 is sick and I am, well, under the weather a bit too, so the organized chores will have to wait. The good news is that I think my laundry is finally getting under control: the basement laundry sorter is overflowing, but the basket in my closet is not perpetually overflowing anymore. Progress.

Had to go to a teacher conference this afternoon, so I gotsta work while I can.

We need to get some Halloween decorating happening too -- the girls are complaining!

Shaun
www.homeschoolblogger.com/shaunms

Hi All!

You are making progress Shaun! Carve a couple pumpkins and that's enough I say. We are doing ours Friday.

Jenny, your updates are great - some I had seen, but not all. The photos are good - you look so much like your Mom!

Today was DH's birthday so we went out - had Chinese. I did manage to sort out a kitchen drawer before so that was good -

See ya!
Andrea

I ended up ditching DD9's soccer practice last night. The boys are mean to her, kicking and shoving (mean, not just part of the game) and name calling, trying to break her glasses. It was the last practice, tomorrow is her final game, and that will be DONE! We opted instead to ride the Spirit Bus with other parents and students to the district Volleyball game, where we lost. But it was close, all three games were.

Today we have already helped DH move machinery from field to field. I made a birthday present for one of DD9s friends who is having a last minute birthday party today at Pizza Hut (nice thing about 4 day weeks. We can plan things on Fridays instead of busy Saturdays! town kids will still be in school!) I'll feed the other kids there while dd9 parties with her friends. Then DD7 has soccer practice for 2 hours later this afternoon.

I have snack duty for one soccer game tomorrow. I'm tired of baking (I've done brownies for bake sale and cookies for tailgate party this week already). So I will pick up some snack packs of some sort at Walmart.

No flying, just flappin'.

That is just awful for your DD, Jenny. The coach should have taken the opportunity to teach about sportsmanship -- or about consequences for unacceptable behavior on behalf of the boys.

Goofy day here -- no preschool, DD7 had to take a standardized test as per MN homeschool law. At the risk of sounding too proud, the test claims that on average DD is ready to start 7th grade next month. OK, I'll admit it -- I'm proud! Even though I know it has nothing to do with me.

Mostly I feel reassured about our decision to homeschool, as her grade level across different subjects ranged from the middle of 5th grade to the end of 12th grade. Even the best school and teacher would struggle to accomodate that.

I am excited to have discovered a new way to cook winter squash -- put it whole in crock pot! I feel like this is my most exciting cooking discovery since -- well, I can't think of a good comparison. But my girls like butternut squash risotto with cannellini beans, and I can't stand doing the peeling and the scraping. This minimizes it all.

Oops, someone is sticking their tongue out at someone -- Emergency! Emergency! Call the Police!

Shaun
www.homeschoolblogger.com/shaunms

What do you do with the seeds when it's cooked? And do you add water to the pot?

I had to spend M-Th at school this past week, but today I'm catching up on laundry. It actually looks promising that I might finish it by the end of the weekend! Though of course I spilled bleach on the black dress I'm wearing today. Guess I should buy a black fabric marker.

I did add about 3 tbs. water to the pot.
For the seeds, it was just that much easier to scoop them out with the pulp all soft. For the non-seed part of the squash, I just scooped the flesh out of the skin with a spoon after it was done.
For squash puree (including pumpkin) I think this is the way to go! Just pop the squash in first thing in the am and you're set to go. And I have nearly 4 cups of squash in the fridge. Soup, maybe?

Shaun
www.homeschoolblogger.com/shaunms

Very interesting Shaun. I was going to ask the same ? as Becky. So you just pop the whole thing in there and peel and deseed it when it is soft. Yum, I love squah but with my limited time, I have not done it much lately. Our WEgmans sells butternut peeled and cubed, but it is kinda expensive. Thanks for the tip! Congrats on Sophie's wonderful performance. I suspected it, as you probably did too.

Hey Becky, I hate when that happens! And I do it all the time!

Tired end of the week here. Got a bit of the weekend cleaning done - vacuumed FR and furniture in there, cleaned 2 bathrooms, cleaned stairs. Laundry is done. Still need to mop kitchen, but that will have to wait. Our family photo is tomorrow am in the city. It is casual, so not too much pressure, but we still need clean, pressed clothes! WE are having a fire now, it is nice. Ordered pizza for dinner.

Have a nice weekend everyone!
Andrea

Good Morning!

Shaun- very impressive Dd you have there,perhaps the 1st female president???

Becky-people pay alot of money for that bleached splattered look at Abercrombie and Fitch!!!

Had a dinner and mall date with DS last night while DH took DD to dinner and BJ's. Today we are all going to the circus together. May be the last year DS is interested in it but DD is raring to go at 5 and a half...

PODA
morning routine
read paper
put away 1 load laundry
take DH to drop off truck at shop
circus
lunch
sort mail
hang out at home
dinner
DS out to an evening bday party

Have a good day everyone

Heidi

Shaun, have you had her tested for certified genius!? Wow! Ms. Doogie Houser! LOL! (I always loved Doogie Houser. It was after that show had come and gone, barely, that I found myself in his high school in Abq!).

Oops on the bleach, Becky! How are you feeling these days?

Heidi, how fun!

Soccer games today. Last day, and it is DONE! Volleyball season is done. Except for Halloween, there is no where we have to be next week! whoohoo!! I can finally catch up around here!

I do need to get some laundry done. And the girls are fighting over soccer shorts and shin guards, so I guess I need to settle that. DD7 is running around in only underwear claiming she can't find any of her stuff. Chance is too, but he thinks he is Tarzan. I did get the kitchen clean this morning. At least that is something.

Getting the kitchen clean sounds like a worthy goal. Maybe I'll accomplish it today! Mostly I have a lot of studying to do.

In the last year+ she's been tested within an inch of her life. Actually, she seems to enjoy it greatly. And this last test was a bit more low-key than the first round, which took nearly 5 hours! (Yes, she had a great time throughout.) But the law sez we must do it yearly as homeschoolers, so we do. I don't think this test will be that useful until we take it next year and see where progress has been made and where not so much.

Bought a new fridge today! The old one was making us rot food. Still, would have liked to keep the $$ in the Disney fund. It's a Kenmore, but this particular model is made by LG, so it's "Elite"!

Shaun
www.homeschoolblogger.com/shaunms

Good Evening!

TADA
morning routine
read paper
picked up branches in the yard
trimmed dead stems from perennial beds
took a loooonnnng nap
vacuumed upstairs
cleaned bathroom floor and toilet
dinner in oven

PODA
finish dinner
DD bath
read with DD
Desp Housewives

Took a long nap which I rarely do,hope it doesn't mean I am getting sick. For those of you with boys,how do you get them to aim for INSIDE the toilet!!!??? My DS is almost 12 and I swear he must pretend he is lassoing cattle. LOL Sorry for the graphic but I am tired of sitting down on a wet seat...ugh

Off to dinner.....

Heidi

Toilet -- sit, urinal -- stand. This is what I'm trying to teach my son. I hope it'll work. That's what his father does, so I'm hopeful. Good luck.

Good Morning!

TADA
morning routine
kids off to school
read paper

PODA
put away laundry
wash another load laundry
make a side dish for tonight's potluck
drop off cider for DD's party at school
lunch
sort mail
general tidying
potluck at neighbor's
trick or treat

Hope your kids(and you) have fun tonight.

Heidi

TADA:
Cleaned out the fridge, good! It was bad in there, science fair projects way in the back. LOL!

I did town yesterday, grocery store, had pictures developed, stopped by Hobby Lobby for some soccer paper for scrapbooking, Lowes for a couple of things. Met dh for breakfast, too (huevos rancheros. Yummy!).

Got the kids off to school in Halloween costumes. They have a parade thru the high school every year. I'll go back at 2 for DS4s party (DD7's party was last week, DD9's class opted for parties at the end of every 9 week grading period, which will happily coincide with Christmas).

Not sure what the day will hold. Pick the kids up at 4, come back home for some dinner, then off to town to crash some nice neighborhood to Trick or Treat! Hopefully this year folks won't be stingy and will give out chocolate! Last year, the day after Halloween, I sent the kids off to school, raided the candy, and only found ONE small bag of M&Ms. Come on, folks! Chocolate!!!! LOL! Will end up at MILs (I saw her in Walmart yesterday. She had chocolate in her cart. No way she can keep that hidden from me!)

Lenora, that is funny about the fridge! My DH's family is a Sears/Kenmore family all the way. Simplifies life a bit, at least!

Our fridge is being delivered btwn. 5:15 and 7:15 tonight. Not exactly the most convenient time, but I'll take it!

DH was up late last night drilling a hole in the floor so we can have the ice maker. Wahoo!

So PODA for the afternoon
Empty freezer contents into deep freeze
Empty fridge contents onto porch (we had a dramatic temp drop, so it'll be just fine out there)
Empty DW so any "science experiments" from the fridge can go in there
Make "Halloween cakes" for decorating this afternoon
Try to get work done before going to friends' house with pizza and cakes
Come home and pass out candy while DH takes the kids out for TOT. (I guess I'll call him on the cell when the guys come with the fridge.)

Oh, and I am bad this year, Jenny, and giving out lots of Life Savers sours and lollipops, and only a bit of chocolate (less and less as the day goes on! )

Shaun
www.homeschoolblogger.com/shaunms

Things are typically wild around here, and I've been in a bad place, but I think of you all often. Especially when I shine my sink!

The flying has really helped me through the last several of weeks, and things are looking pretty good. I really need to get up to doing zones at some point, then it would be even better.

TADA for today
laundry
treadmill 2miles

PODA
bank run
dishes
dinner
take DD trick-or-treating
read (I'm working on Wherever I hang My Hat by Susan Issacs)
early to bed

DH has surgery tomorrow to put a bone marrow graft and a screw into his foot. I'm planning to take my laptop and get ahead with my homework.

DS16's soccer team is in the state semifinals tomorrow, but I will most likely miss it. Poop.

Have a great Halloween/Samhain all!

Peace,
-Jo

Yay, a few people gave out chocolate yesterday. I didn't raid all the candy, there is still some left for my kids. LOL!

We hit two streets last night, plus one of the dorm buildings at the University (ENMU), Aunt Bootsie's house, and MILs. We started at 6, made it home by 10. LOL! yeah, long night. And chilly, too.

Today, I got a wild hair up my butt to shampoo carpets. What started as a vacuuming traffic areas ended up moving all the living room furniture and good shampoo job in LR and in the DR. Looks much better, though.

Then ended up doing an unexpected trip to town for ALL the food tonight for Lion's club. That's enough steak and all the fixins and dessert for 22 people, came home and baked the pies and sent them on their way with DH. Now fixing chipped beef on toast for us (no fair! DH gets NY Strip and apple pie!!).

Hope you got that wild hair taken care of, Jenny!

Shaun
www.homeschoolblogger.com/shaunms

Shaun, you're one to talk about wild hairs. LOL!!!

inlaws over for dinner tonight. LR is still pretty clean, gotta work on the Kitchen some. No school, of course. Will work on laundry, maybe do some scrapbooking if I have time. MIL will want to see.