Christmas Plans

This year we are trying to be purposeful in our use of time and family activities this Christmas season. I know from experience that if I don’t make a plan then it won’t happen. So we have a 25 day plan of activities that are a balance of fun family activities, service to others,  and hospitality.

We will start of the season on Dec. 1^st with the local Christmas Parade, we have two children who are in the marching band, and it is always a fun activity.

Dec. 2^nd we will be decorating the main living areas of the house, except for the tree which we will do later.

Dec. 3^rd is the school Christmas Concert and we have 3 children involved in that.

Dec. 4^th we are doing our first act of service for another in that the children will be preparing with help a meal for another family and delivering it.

Dec. 5^th we are making a Christmas craft of some type here at home and helping at church if needed on Christmas food baskets.

Dec 6^th is a Thursday and that is a busy day around here, so we will be singing Christmas Songs as we travel along.

Dec 7^th we have plans for our first family outing, time to go bowling.

Dec 8^th some of the family is busy, but those of us  home are helping out at church in the am to give out food baskets. Then in the afternoon we are baking cookies and decorating bedrooms

Dec 9^th We have plans to watch White Christmas and drink Hot Coco

Dec. 10^th My daughter will be having her cookie party, in that she gets to invite a bunch of friends over and we are going to decorate cookies.

Dec. 11^th  we will be making a meal once again and taking it to another family

Dec 12^th  My youngest son will have his cookie party

Dec 13^th is once again a Thursday so more music in the van and maybe looking at lights.

Dec 14^th is a Family game night

Dec 15^th is a trip to watch the Hobbit movie and Christmas Shopping for the younger four to buy a gift for the sibling name they draw.

Dec 16^th It’s time to head to the tree farm to buy a tree and decorate it.

Dec 17^th It’s time to make Gingerbread houses,

Dec 18^th We are going to surprise someone with a Christmas treat

Dec 19^th we have plans to Skype with dad as he is traveling

Dec 20^th once again we are singing in the van

Dec 21 the kids are wrapping their presents to each other and we are fitting in a another Christmas movie.

Dec 22 we are Caroling with the youth group at Church

Dec 23 we are going to relax and watch a Christmas movie and drink hot coco

Dec 24 is Church and our ultimate ice cream sundaes

Dec 25 is Christmas and time to relax together

And of course along with these activities we have the normal life of work, school, CAP, girl scouts, bowling for the older two at home, field hockey for the girl, and basketball for the youngest.  And we will fit in other things as they arise.

Day 4 of Summer

Yesterday was a great day to chill, there was some transporting of kids from point A to B,and a stop at a graduation party. But in all a day to relax, watch a family movie or two, and take some well needed naps. Nolan was a sweet heart and vacuumed the pool for me, while in the pool a very icky job. The boys also set up their new tents and waterproofed them and Kat played with all her animals.

And of course there was some pool time in a pool that was a little green from the vacuuming in the corners that I can not reach from the ladder. I have hope that the pool will be clear this summer, right now it's a cloudy blue, better then last nights green.

Day 3 of 80 days of summer

 This is more of a effort of applying myself to write a bit every morning then I thought it would be. I have been out of the habit of blogging and realized that really this is my way of remembering all the small stuff that happens in our busy life. So the eighty days of summer is not only a exercise in finding fun in our summer days but  for me also finding time to return to the habit of blogging.

Yesterday was a Friday which in our home means daddy is home but mom still has to go to work. The kids did get most of their chores on the white board done before I returned home, then it was time to get cleaned up as it was time for Sarah's graduation night.

We headed out to a favorite local restaurant for a early dinner, then it was off to the school for graduation. The youngest two headed off to the playground with  our friend that we had brought along as a sitter, and we headed off to the school building so that Sarah could have some pictures taken.

                                                     Waiting for Graduation to start

Before long graduation started and my little girl who I thought was never going to learn her ABC's graduated from high school. She received 3 scholarships, the Senator Libous Community Service Scholarship, Afton Presbyterian Humanitarian Award, and the National School Choral Award and the President's Award for Educational Achievement.

           Aidan didn't want to be in the picture

And of course while Conner and Nolan were in the choirs and Sarah was graduating the younger two were once again at the playground having lots of summer fun.

Day 2 of the " Summer of Fun"

I will have to admit that if you were a younger kid in our home that today really wasn't a very fun day for you, but if you happen to be a adult or a older child then it was a pretty good day, and if your name is Sarah you had a great day.

We started our day off with French toast for breakfast and then the older 3 kids at home headed off to chorus practice and the mom to work. The younger two stayed home with dad doing what I have no idea probably enjoying TV and computer time. After I got home from work, I was a very happy women to see that my lawn mower had been dropped off, it has been awhile since my rider mower has been working and while I like to push mow the rider is a lot more fun.

Since it was still very hot out, and mowing wasn't going to happen till later in the day , the husband and I headed off to test drive a car, and walked away the new owners of a  2000 Saturn wagon. Then it was time to head back to the children at home, the older ones spent some time getting ready for the evenings events and the younger two headed out to the pool, while I mowed grass.

Then it was on to the big part of the day Baccalaureate  service for my daughter Sarah, the boys sang in the chorus and Sarah was both a reader  and in the chorus. It was a very nice service, hot, but nice and the sermon was about the fruits of the spirit, and how God can change our lives when we let him in.

Class of 2012 and 2024

In all a bit of fun today but not a lot, hoping to make up for it this weekend.

And since she is Sarah the shoes are off

A Phineas and Ferb summer 80 days of summer

While Phineas and Ferb might have 104 days of summer vacation, we have 80 days ( OK High school/ middle school has about 87) . My goal this summer is to make as many of these days fun, I want to be a yes mom this summer. Now I know that every day isn't going to be filled with fun but I will try to have as many that I can. Also I will not be providing the fun each day there are going to be some travel to grandma's, camps, and so on.

We started our summer yesterday it was the last day of school for the younger ones and a 1/2 day, plus I had a day off from work so we started our fun. After attending moving up day, the littlest one headed home with me and Kat headed to a friends house for a bit. While Kat had fun with her friend, Aidan hung out with his brothers I did what every mom needs on the first day of summer vacation I took a nap.

By 3pm it was time to head out on our adventure for the day. The first stop pick up the girls, and head to the local pool. Wow that place was packed  it was 90 plus degrees yesterday, but we stayed for about a hour and the kids burned off some of their never ending energy. Then we headed to the big libarey  the next town over and started our summer reading, every one left with hopefully enough books to keep us going till next week. Since it was the last day of school we then headed out for a special treat a trip to Micky D's  for dinner. Then it was time to drop off Kat's friend at home and head home ourselves.

I think that our first day if summer vacation was fun and on to day two, which is looking to be busy.

Menu planning for March Part 2

I could not only plan dinners I also had to plan breakfasts and lunches. For breakfasts I looked at my mornings and based a plan off of them.


Breakfast:


Sunday- Muffins for many reasons a few being they can be eaten in the van on the way to church for the sleepy heads in the house, if I make enough I can stash some away for lunches, and Sunday mornings I am usually the only one up for about 2 hours before the rest of the house rises so plenty of time to bake.


Monday- Bagels and cream cheese , it's a Monday morning and there is more then one kid eating on the way to the bus.


Tuesday- Pancakes, by time of the week mornings are usually going better for both the kids and myself.


Wednesday - Cereal mostly because this is the morning that I try to schedule Doctor and Denis it appts for.


Thursday- Eggs and toast or cereal


Friday- french toast sticks,  I buy them from Sam's club and they do take up a lot of room in the freezer but they make a easy breakfast.


Saturday- is waffles I make them when I get up and under cook them a bit, so when the kids wake they can place them in the toaster. I try to make enough to also freeze for a quick weekday breakfast. But for some reason no matter how many I make they all get eaten.




 Lunches-


School day lunches are pb and Jelly, fruit, snack ( homemade or pretzels),and go-yurt. I do offer options on Monday they can also have salad, Tuesday tuna is a choice, and almost any day they can also choose ham, turkey, or salami.


Weekend lunches and or non- school days- 


Saturday- is leftover pizza from Friday and any other leftover in the fridge


Sunday- is leftover soup from Saturday dinner


If for some reason there are no leftovers then we do grilled tuna or ham, or ramen soup.

Menu Planning for March- part 1

I would like to say that I have found the perfect plan for feeding this family of mine, but that would be a lie. Each season is different in what works for me and for them.


I was able to plan the next five weeks of meals out and bought all the food needed to prepare them as one of the issues right now is finding time to shop. Since it is winter, trying to find a day that the weather is nice enough for the drive to the store, the kids don't need me after-school and that I have time to get home before dark is hard if not next to impossible.

I figure 5 weeks was good as that is about how much food my freezer can hold and spring is just around the cornor, and before you ask I will be sending the husband to get milk at the store as needed. I really don't like to ask him pick up more then that as he already works a 10 hour day.

I have looked at our week as it stands and made the menu based activies and who's home for dinner on a certain night.

Sunday- A nice meal that takes time to cook as this is day that after church in the morning we normally do not have much to do.

Monday- is food with a Mexican flavor

Tuesday- is a crock pot meal as this is a day that I do a lot of dropping off and picking up right around dinner time.

Wednesday- for this month is soup at church and leftovers at home if anyone is still hungry.

Thursday- is pasta, this day my husband  who is not a fan of pasta is not home for dinner, so we have pasta.

Friday- is Pizza, we buy the pre-baked crust from Sam's ( 14 to a case for about 15ish dollars) and Conner is the pizza maker around here.

Saturday- is soup/ stew day what recipe I'll make that day I don't know until Friday. I base it on what is happening on Saturday does it need to be in a crock pot, pressure cooker, or is there time to make it on the stove-top and what is leftover in the fridge that can make it's way into a soup.