So Much to do

I have had a chest cold for quite a while now. This cough will not go away. I have had to miss church. I did the bear minimum around the house, plus we had a flood in the kitchen so stuff is piled all over. Today I took care of the piled up dishes. I also am going to work on the counters(my hot spot)

This is a pic of my house before it was mine. we have painted and do not have carpet. We still have that counter though, the first thing you see when you walk in the door. Also the dumping spot for everyone in my family(myself included). I struggle to keep this counter clear.

this is the same too. only it seems to be imploding. first the leak in the faucet hose, causing our cabinet floor to disintegrate. Then the hose to the ice maker burst, ruining the sheet rock behind the fridge. And a separate cabinet door falling off. And the counter that the dish washer is screwed into became so degraded from years of steam that it will not hold the screws anymore. so when I open the dishwasher the weight of the door tips it. We were already planing a remodel in the spring anyway. I only have to deal with it for a few more months.

Anyway here is my list for this week.(FIL. coming for a visit next week)

wash guest sheets

get cobwebs from ceiling

wash the walls

sweep and mop the whole house.

clean both bathrooms

clear my desk off

dust.

definitely doable!

God Bless and have a great week

So Many Changes To Enjoy

I want to thank Brenda at The Family Revised( http://familyrevised.blogspot.com/ ) for recommending flylady.net. I have already made changes in my daily schedule. My home is defiantly benefiting. Right now I am so inspired.


Something incredible happened this weekend. I found my first grey hair!!! I could not wait to call all my sisters to let them know I was on my way to being OLD like them :). I told my son I was going to name it after him because it is probably from all the worrying I do about him. He got a kick out of that.

the menu for this week
fiesta skillet spaghetti
cream of chicken vegetable soup
leftovers
weight watchers sweet and sour pork
mac and cheese

We are heading down to Lakeland this weekend for my Husbands best friends wedding. He is the best man. It will be a casual wedding but I still need to get shoes. I can not wear flip flops to a wedding even if it is casual. I hate shoe shopping. Maybe I will get a dress too, that will make me feel better about the shoes(I hope).

That is all for today. time to get flying!!
God Bless

Getting Things Done

Things that Need to get done today:
Dishes
floors
fold laundry
clean office
organize greeting cards
make a schedule that works for me

Long term goals:
Start a fitness plan
make a monthly meal plan
lose 80 lbs.
start to journal regularly


I enjoy having a clean house. I love pleasing my husband with a clean house. I love all the things that my JOB entails. So why do I have to force myself to do it. I use every distraction that comes my way to avoid doing the dishes or folding laundry. I would blog more if my desk was not so cluttered. All this eats away at my self worth. I also feel guilty that I have been given this great gift and I am wasting it. So just a few more things before I go.

We just started a new bible study in our woman's group "How to Hear from God" by Joyce Meyer. I was a little disappointed that we were doing another Joyce Meyer book, having just finished "Battle Field of the Mind". But we all took a vote and this book won. I can definitely benefit from this book.

I am still reading "The Shack" and loving it . I sent a copy to my mother in N.Y. and bought a copy for my friend at church. I also am reading "How to Keep a Spiritual Journal"By Ron Klug. I have made many starts in the past but have not kept it going. I am hoping this book will inspire me to make it a part of my daily routine and prayer time.

Great news: a 13 year old girl started hanging out with all the boys who skate in front of my house (my son included). My daughter (7) has really taken to this girl. She walks about 2 miles to get here every day after school. She is much older than my baby so I keep an eye out. My baby invited her to church with us on Wednesday and she came. She had never been to any kind of church before. She accepted Jesus. She came to church on Sunday and brought a friend on this past Wednesday. I am so happy and excited for her. My hope and prayer is that her family will see her life transformed and be encouraged by her to come to church also. I also pray she does not become discouraged by any naysayers around her.


That is enough for now. Time to get motivated. Any Ideas or suggestions on how to organize my time are welcome.

God Bless

Meal Plan

Currently ReadingThe ShackBy Youngsee related
meal plan
We made a few changes around here. we moved some furniture around to make some of our space more functional. The need to change came in response to almost having a fire in the house due to a bad outlet. God is so good if not for Him we would have lost everything.
Starting in August we stated having two meatless days a week. I decided it was the best thing to do, not only for our health but to even out the extra money we are spending on the larger amount of fresh produce we have been buying as part of our effort to eat healthy. Anna at http://ccostello.blogspot.com/ had a wonderful post on the benefits of soup , so I will be making soup a once a week meal. Last week was split pea soup. For $1.98 i bought 2 lbs. of smoked pork neck and for 2.49 2.5 lbs. of raw pork neck. Both of which I split up into 2 portions one to freeze and one to use. I made a large pot witch we all enjoyed and the children and I had left overs the next night. Counting the potential soup from the frozen meat and what we had already I spent $8.00 on four nights of dinner for my whole family(not counting the loaf of bread). The next soup I make will be a combo of chicken/turkey. I bought a pack of turkey wings for $2.00 and for $3.00 a large pack of chicken gizzards adding to the frame from the chicken we will be having tonight. I am hoping to make a huge pot.(hope there is room in my freezer).
I have been reading this blog allot lately http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/ It gave me a few ideas on reducing my wastefulness.
God has put it on my heart to be a better steward of the blessings he has given me. I need head out so......God bless.

This and That

THE KIDS:
Andrew and Hannah are doing really well in school. So far Andrew is getting mostly A's and 1 B. His teachers say he is well behaved and a pleasure to have in class.
Hannah is passing all her spelling test and getting the bonus words for extra points. Her reading level is above average too. Although she is chatty in class. (like mother like daughter).
FUN STUFF:
I am having fun using my new sewing machine. Hannah is practicing her sewing too. we are working on place mats for our tea parties. I bought 3 clothing patterns for myself and hopefully will figure out how to use them:).
AMAZING:
I have read "The Shack" all the way through once. I am reading it again pen in hand to get the full scope of how this book can help me not only relate to God in a more personal way but also to help me accept His love and grace so freely given. This is the most amazing story of Gods love and willingness to meet you where you are . If you have not read this book please do.
LOOKING FOWARD TO:
I can not wait to start my holiday baking!!!

End of Summer

We had a great summer around here. We gave Andrew a Skate board for his birthday in June. The scrapes on his legs are healing up just in time for him to start middle school. My F.I.L. came down for a visit to celebrate the fourth of July with us. We always have fun with grandpa.


We had a fun and relaxing five days in Tampa for our family vacation in August. My birthday was spent at a water park, Thia food for dinner

kids gave me a hard time about it at first, but my birthday my choice. They ended up loving it. We also went to Bush Gardens where Andrew road many roller coasters, and Hannah Fed some birds. The yingleng brewery was next to the hotel we stayed at so we took a tour of that and had some free beer. Wen we got home I spent my birthday gift $ on a new sewing machine. Replacing the 1951 singer that was given to me by my Mother In law. It is a beautiful piece but such a chore to work with that I did not enjoy sewing with it. I am enjoying the new one so much I put together a quilting square on a project I have not worked on in 2 years.


The children are back in school. I now have most of the day to myself. Time to start the de-clutter plan I have been wanting to work on.My husband and I are both on diets. He is a little grumpy, and we are both hungry. Been keeping busy catching up on the laundry picking up all the stuff that keeps getting left around the house.

Andrew is enjoying middle school so far. He is in advanced classes which makes me very proud. Hannah loves being in school and I know she will do very well this year.

Enough procrastinating! Time to get to work on this house. I love being able to be a house wife. and I love my husband for working so hard to make it possible.

How do you stop procastinating?

WE had a very busy weekend, which started on Thursday. We went out to dinner to celebrate my husbands promotion and raise. I am so proud of my husband he works hard and is very good at what he does. Friday my son graduated from the A.C.E. program. Saturday we went to a few stores dropping things off then rushing out for our evening plans. My husband went to play cards while the children and I went to the chili cook off at our church. My daughter also tried to roller blade for the first time! Church Sunday morning, I was asked to give a testimony at church for women's ministry day, then off to more stores. We decided spend a little extra on good pillows. I hope they are worth the expense. We also bought a power washer and stain for our back deck. Then it was back to church for the business meeting. then out to dinner (yay). We got home a little past the kids bed time but with the time change the kids did not notice. Getting them up for school was another thing entirely. The bus was missed. So now I am looking around my home...and there is an awful lot of stuff every where. I am avoiding the clean up by starting a new blog. maybe I will a make a few of the calls that I need to make. then lunch.


Matthew 25:2-13 (King James Version)
2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.



When I look around my home now as it is I feel shame. I would not let anyone into my home in its currant condition. Is that how I feel about my heart? Have I avoided letting Christ in because I feel shame at the sin that is cluttering it up. And am I going to be left banging on the door because I put off accepting Gods grace until I was clean? My head knows that only Jesus can clean my cluttered heart. Why am I avoiding it like I am avoiding the mess in my home?