Tuesdays with . . . .

Booher. I betcha thought I was going to say Granddaddy. Well, he and Gigi are out of town and Booher and I have been trying to get together to catch up with one another. So she joined us for lunch. We had a great time. . . never lacking for conversation. What a precious young woman of God she is!!! I'm so glad she's apart of my life and I love her dearly!

Thursday's Tidbits

Wow I feel so productive today. Up and working at the wee hours of the morning as always. However, we got school finished, I packed up some of the kids old clothes to send to Guyana. . . got them mailed (which is totally amazing when I actually follow through with something), had Bible study with Ashley, then met Melissa and the kids at a local nature center.

She had texted me earlier in the week about us having a picnic. It was good. It's so funny though. We used to talk on the phone about 5 times a day, and now we text. Guess it's probably pride on both of our sides. Today was good though. We really all had a good time.

Two of my teen girls showed up today. Last Sunday I basically told them, if you're not going to be in the Word there is no point in us meeting. I'm throwing the ball in your court. If you've done your homework, then find me on Wed. and we'll meet on Thursday. I will not come to you, and I will not ask you about it. I don't want you to not want to see me when I'm coming up to you, thinking I'm going to hound you. These girls have got to want to be in the Word for themselves. One girl had to drop out because of volleyball, and I was so grateful the other 2 both found me last night and we had Bible study today. I love them all so much.

We then jetted out the door to soccer practice. Do y'all know how much I love being out on the soccer field and being a soccer mom??? I just eat.it.up. While Ash practiced I ran intervals and Hanna played on the playground. Wow running at 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., there is HUGE difference.

We laid down the law with the kiddos this past week. The last two days have been so much more pleasant with them. I actually like them again. In fact, Alec actually gave me a compliment the other night. He said, "Man, I hope when I get married I marry someone who will treat me like you treat Daddy." I don't think he was trying to compliment me at all. I think he was frustrated because he was doing the dishes after dinner and Jon got to sit on the cough and rest. I'll take the compliment though.

My sweet friend from high school Molly lives on the beach in NC. I'm so concerned about she and her babies. They are supposed to move in like a week, and now they have this hurricane that's about to hit. Also, our "other Hendrixes" are going to DC during all this mess. Please keep both families in your prayers.

Today is the 2-year anniversary of my Papa's death. I miss him so much. In fact, I really hate going home sometimes because it's just a remidner to me he's really gone. I'm so thankful for his life and his legacy and that he was mine.

I'm reading "The Help" right now and I can hardly put it down. In fact, my family probably wants to yell "help" because I'm neglecting them and all my domestic duties. My mom wants to go and see it though, and I'm such a nerd I just have to read the book first.

Happy Thursday!

Welcome to Our School

I always start school on a Friday. It is a relatively "fun" day. . . well, if you are 7 and 10 it is fun, but if you are a 14-year-old boy it is lame. . . although that is a bad word in our house. He doesn't say it, but his attitude certainly reflects it. However, he does participate in my "fun day".

Every year we start out with a school supply scavenger hunt. I always try to make my clues rhyme, which really I crack myself up. . . I'm someone between a bad poet and a cornball.
Wanna know what I mean? Here's some of our clues.


Flying creatures big and small. We know that God made them all. Find me where you put the cords to charge things on which you can call.

Bright, dark colors oh how nice. . . find me where there is kept sugar and spice.

Reading, writing, and arithmetic, you do this well, and anything will stick. Find me in this room where friends abound, good food is found, and plates are sure to be licked.

Every year we buy plenty of these things galore. However, they will all be gone if you keep them on the floor. Cookie will chew them and they’ll be torn to shreds. Find them where Mom and Dad lay down their heads.


What, you say, we will use 150 of these? Oh, before our year has completed my dear, we will find in these we will have great need. Look for these from the source that we feed. -This clue really stumped the kids. Hanna said, "Where is it, Wal-mart?", to which I laughed out loud. Nope, it was packs of paper hidden in the refrigerator.

My sweet 5th grader in her chair she wakes up in every morning, hanging tightly onto her clues.
Here are their clues
Alec found one.
Hanna was so very excited.
Ash loved it too!
Cookie is so funny. . . when everyone starts running around the house he thinks we all want to play with him. He likes our scavenger hunt as well. . . ha!ha!
What a pretty girl. I love her pretty smile!
One of the many books we'll read this year.
We are using Sonlight for the first time, and so far I'm really loving it.
These two would stick their brains together to figure out the clues and their hidden corny meanings.
Remember when I said if you look in my pantry or my purse that it is a good idea of how my brain looks? See? P.S. That is not wine. That is Angela's "Master Tonic". I always feel such a need to tell everyone that :)
The fridge is really as bad as the pantry.
Next, we always fill out an "About me"- favorite color, food, restaurant, place to be, best friends, what I want to be when I grow up. I love looking over how their answers change and remain the same over the years.



Here is our book shelf of all of our history and literature books (oh yeah, and Alec's Spanish).
These are their folders where they each have their assignments. When work is completed, it goes into their folder. At the end of the day I check their work and go over with them their grades, what they have to redo, etc. If they have to redo problems, their first grade sticks. However, they have to correct what they missed.
Ash doing her Math.
Here is my sweet 3rd grader counting on her fingers.
Here's my 9th grader pouring over his studies. He's been really on top of things this year. He is still 14 and has an attitude at times, but he has really been motivated as far as school goes.
For lunch I did something different this year. I had this word scramble menu. The kiddos had to circle 3 things they wanted for lunch.
I had much more fun with this than they did.
I laughed so hard at them trying to figure out the words.
After all, when you have a mom who drinks "swamp water" (my drink featured on an earlier post from the weekend), hummus, and all kinds of gross food. . . you're liable to get anything in this house.

Alec ended up with this.
The girls joined forces and ended up with this.
A hot ham/turkey and cheese is one of my kiddos favorite foods. Alec was so mad (seriously) about what he ended up with. It was very over dramatic, and, if I'm completely honest I allowed his negative attitude affect me. Our house went from my laughing to me being silent (which my kids hate).
Later, however, Alec did "pipe" up and tell me that he enjoyed the day. Teenagers!!!!! So.very.emotional. His "emotional" just happens to be anger. He's a good boy and is obedient. . . just controlling those turbulent emotions is hard for him now.

All-in-all it was a good day. . . and, here, we go again. . . entering our 10th year of homeschooling. I can't believe I've hung in here this long. It truly is only by God's grace that I've been allowed to take this journey. I am grateful.

Here's a rundown of what we are using this year.

History/Literature/Geography/Bible - Sonlight

Grammar - Shurley

Math - Saxon

Science - Apologia

Want a Laugh?

Hanna: "Mom, when we have friends over can you p-l-e-a-s-e buy white bread?"

Ash had a bad bike wreck and her right hand was messed up a few days (which she writes with): "Mom, you know I'm really excited about using my left hand. After all, you know I'm anorexic."

Mama had the kids and there is this tiny church on their road. It always has the craziest sayings on its sign. This one said, "Are you a natural?" Mom told Ash, "Ash, I'll give you $20 if you go inside the church and ask them, 'Are you a natural'?" Hanna's eyes perked up. Mom said, "No, I want Hanna to do it. Hanna, will you do it for $20?" Hanna: "Well. . . . I'll whisper it."

Early Monday Morning

Dear Monday,

You met me this morning at midnight. Yep, midnight. i think that is when it is officially a new dawn and a new day, huh? I awoke to the sound of crashes of lightening and my house shaking. i was secretly hoping it was 4:00 a.m. and we would have to cancel our long run. Nope, only midnight. Ash hopped in the bed with Jon and I and I drifted back off to sleep. Oh 3:00 a.m. came quickly. I got up, downed some coffee, and headed off to meet Ang and Becky. . .for a 16-miler. . . although we cut it short at 14 miles. It was a great run and I really enjoyed our time together and our conversation.

I came back home, worked a little bit, took and shower, and I actually got ready (for once) for discipleship with Lydia. We did good again, 2-1/2 hours. Boy does time fly by!!!

I made lunch (leftovers. . . sigh and moan). Then, the kiddos and I headed upstairs to finish school. Today, they were all finished this morning in like 1-1/2 hours. I knew something fishy was up, and it was. I made them redo a lot of what they had half done. There were tears.

I made spaghetti for dinner, which we haven't had in quite a while. Everyone was very excited. YAY!!!! Score one for mom. The boys headed to work on a house, and the girls and I headed to soccer. .. well, honestly, first we headed to McDonalds to get their new Rolo McFlurry. . . oh such yummy goodness. . . we shared, so I needed not feel quite so badly about all of us ingesting all the sugar. . . W-H-A-T-E-V-A!!!!!

Ash was so in her element at soccer practice. Sometimes watching her and her face light up with joy I wonder silently if that is what she was born to do. She just eats.it.up. Chris was really glad to have her back on his team. He met us halfway to the field and got her to pass the ball to him. He said, "You still got it." She was thrilled afterwards because she said Coach Chris called her "one of his good ones."

Meanwhile, I tried to take Hanna to the park so I could read "The Help". I'm such a nerd. I've heard such good things about the movie, but the nerd in me must read the book before I see it. I'm so boring, I know.

I laid on the grass (all the while knowing there was a possibility I could get red bugs, didn't care, I was tired), held my book above my head, and actually drifted off to sleep on the soccer field. I jumped up quickly from my sleep, reminding myself Hanna is there with me.

And, now, dear Monday, we are home, and it is 8:07. I'm about to brush my teeth, take this makeup off, put on my PJs, curl up with "The Help", and

PUT

YOU

TO

BED!!!!!

Good night!

Weekend Backwards Style

So because I loaded my pictures in the wrong order I'm going to recap our weekend in backwards style.

Sunday, it was just Jon and I, and we headed to church. The kiddos had spent the night with my mom and James. After church we went to Longhorn and actually ate healthy. . . both of us. It was funny. He ordered a salad and when the lady came to put our food in front of us she put the salad in front of me. We then came home and I took a short nap. I went to mama's to pick up the kiddos and she was in the process of fixing dinner. . . turnips, ham, potato salad, and rolls. Can I get a yummy to my tummy? My mom's cooking is wonderful. .. . really my favorite out there. Mama also had her sewing machine out and she and the girls had been sewing aprons all day. The girls were having a BLAST!!!

Saturday Jon worked in Concord. I took the kids to meet mama and James and they were taking them to the Buck-a-rama, or as Ash said, the Booook-a-rama. Funny girl. I came home and finished working. Then I had this for lunch. . .

kale, pear, chia seeds (yes, like the chia pet), and banana. No, it's not that good, but I know it's good for me.

Then this little thing who follows his Fo everywhere
plopped up in the Coastal Room with me and I had a sweet time studying this. . .
Jon and I then went to dinner with Gigi and Granddaddy. They've been wanting to take us to this place for awhile. Funny this is, Gigi takes everyone here. You'd think she loved the place. However, as far as the entrees go. . . in her own words. . . she's never had anything that she liked. That's Gigi for you!

On Friday, Ash and I FINALLY got out her sewing machine she'd gotten for Christmas. I know, I know, I'm terrible. She learned how to thread a bobbin, threaded her sewing machine, and sewed a pillow.


That night we all headed to a basketball game. Jon's work has a suite at Phillip's Arena and someone had given him tickets for the game. It was the women's basketball team, but we were excited about sitting in a suite. Never had that happen before. We even got parking privileges.
Hanna said she was most excited about the suite because of the "private restrooms". Here she is proudly.

We took our sweet friends the Jones' and Brisendine's with us. We all ate dinner together at the Varsity and stuffed our faces silly.




I thought this was so sweet with Hanna resting her head on her Daddy's shoulder.


We all were so very tired when we got home. It was after 11:30 and mama in high heels doesn't do well with late nights. In fact, Jon and I were both so sleepy he stopped by McDonalds and treated everyone to a McFlurry. . . I think ours was an attempt to keep us awake.

We had a busy weekend, but a very good weekend, and so very thankful for people to share it with.

And. . . It DID!!!!!

As I headed out my door Thursday evening my heart was just so full of discouragement. It seemed to be coming at me from so many angles. Jenn, Lisa, Faith, and I often get together to celebrate one anothers birthdays. We've been doing this for years now. We all have been missing one another alot. We see one another, but it's normally in bigger group settings, and it's just hard to share your heart in larger groups. . . plus, these girls KNOW me. . . so I KNOW I'm safe with them. I know they are going to love me anyway. . . ha!ha!

As I left off and headed out the door. . . I was hoping my frustrations would turn to belly laughter. . . it did. Man, I love each of these ladies so much and I'd never want to go through life without them! We did decide, however, that Jenn B. does need an Oscar :) I'm seriously going to nominate her next year!

It was so funny as we were literally shutting down the restaurant. The owner kept going by our table but would never say anything. When we realized they had closed 10 minutes ago, we decided we needed to leave. Jenn, me, Faith, then Lisa walked out. As we walked out he commented that we were like stair steps with our height. . . so funny!

Frustrating Thursday

The Lord was so very good to me at the beginning of the week. Well, He's been so good to me today. . . everyday. . . but at the beginning of the week I'd gotten some very sweet words of encouragement from friends and Jon, nothing particular or spectacular. . . just a sweet text or a sweet facebook message, or a sweet word at church. I thanked the Lord for sending me that encouragement, and I knew full well I needed to hold onto it.

It's been a rough few weeks. My sister and I really aren't speaking. No need to hash out the details. We each have our perspectives and our "sides" of the story, and each of our perspectives is our very own reality. So, of course, that has been a small dagger in my heart. Forgiveness has abounded, so we'll see how the hurts and wrongs pan out. I actually send her a FB message yesterday, she replied back today, to which I replied. Hopefully as is over and things will resume to normal soon. We'll see.

Then, Alec and Ashley have been fighting like CRAZY!!! I've been so patient, encouraging them each with the Word, listening to each one's struggles with the other. Yet, today I blew my gasket and it went off loudly. I don't think I've blown up like I did today in about two years. Let's just say we all were in tears. Terrible, terrible day. But, I've had it and I'm fed up!!! They now know it. And, of course the terrible mother guilt you feel afterwards is almost unbearable!!!

I also meet with my other "girls" on Thursdays. . . girls in my Sunday School class. I was just so frustrated. . . none of them had done their homework. Soooooo, we had nothing to discuss. One of them is pretty faithful to the Word. One is so-so, and I don't think the other one has even answered one question in her book. It is just such a challenge to get these girls in the Word and the Word in them. They are all very excited at the beginning, but then allow so many other things to steal them away. I had to be pretty tough with them, which I DON'T LIKE AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!! I even feared sharing truth in love with them, because that is how the fallout with Melissa happened (well, from my side of the story anyway). But, I knew I had to!!!! I basically told them if we were meeting just to meet and hang out and we aren't trying to grow and become more Christlike then we were wasting everyone's time. I even asked them if they thought it was time to stop meeting. I have a precious girl who has asked me to disciple her. You have to WANT Him!!!! I can't make anyone DESIRE the Lord!!!! Of course, they want to continue meeting and we all brainstormed and offered suggestions as to be better time managers, etc. We'll see how next week goes. Question and please, please answer if you have the slightest inkling of an answer. At what point do you just stop? If the girls aren't in the word, aren't praying, and just want to come and hang out. . . at what point do you say it's time that this ends????? Lydia, a young woman I am discipling told me that her youth pastor (who discipled her) told them they had to take a test every week and if you made below an 80 you could no longer come. He wanted to invest his life in the ones that desired Christ and not just a time of chatting about their problems. Can you sense my frustrations? There is a discipleship conference coming up at our church, and I'm excited to learn more.

However, I'm about to head out and meet some friends for dinner. I can't wait for "girl time". It is so good for the soul. One is my friend, Lisa. . . one of my oldest and dearest friends. It's been so very long for us to hang out and laugh together. . . so I'm off.. . .hoping my frustrations turn into belly-rolling, make your stomach hurt laughter.

Where this leaves us?

I feel like the more I share truth the more people I lose in my life. Man, that is so.very.hard for a people lover.. . a person who truly means it when I say I love someone. When I share my heart with someone I get attached very deeply. It is no longer a surface thing for me. About a year and a half ago this happened. I lost someone very dear to me. I was just actually sharing truth with her about some things other people had said. It wasn't even Biblical truth, just some things I thought she should know so she would understand why I was responding the way that I was. Now. . . 1-1/2 years later, thankfully forgiveness has taken place and all is well. However, the bond that we once shared is broken. Will it ever be restored? I'm not really sure. I've rested that in the Lord's hands. Maybe we were just apart of one another's lives for "such a time as this". Anyway, I'm just so very grateful there are no more hard feelings, and I'm grateful for the 8 years of friendship we shared. We even met at the pool once this summer and the kiddos played and we chatted. It wasn't weird or awkward. It was actually good. I've come to peace with the way things are now and I'm sure she has to. HARD though .. . . very.very.very HARD





Well, this has taken place once again except the wound was much deeper, and it happens to be with my sister. I don't think she reads my blog or otherwise I wouldn't be posting this. I knew something was up with her when I would try to share about Guyana with her. It was obvious she didn't want to hear it. I mean she was good with me telling her stories of customs, Kathleen, etc. (all of which I will share on here soon), but when it came to stories of the heart, ways God had convicted me. . . she just didn't want to hear it. She was never ugly or mean, just obvious. I tried to be sensitive to this.





About 2 weeks ago she was having a really rough day. I got really personal and asked her how her walk with the Lord was. . .and from there shared His words with her, not my own (because He promises His will not return void). I even shared with her my own struggles and my own convictions. If anything I was putting myself down, certainly not elevating myself. From there, it just went downhill. She said some things to me that hurt me deeply. No need to rehearse those things on here. Let's just say the knife went deep and it hurt. . . to the point of tears. I don't know what her intent was. . . if she was just angry with what I was sharing and so she wanted to hurt me. . . OR if she really believes those things about me. When I hung up the phone I knew instantly things had changed. She did send me a text apologizing for hurting my feelings, not for the things she had said. However, true biblical forgiveness doesn't ask for an apology or even need an apology. I'm still such a work in progress. A man I have a lot of respect for once said to me, "I make it a habit to forgive as soon as I'm offended.. . . to which often times I forget the offense. There is power in forgiveness." It is also a command from our Lord. Because if we are to forgive as the Lord forgave us then we remember the offense no more. . . therefore, the relationship should be restored back to normal, if not closer because of restoration is such an act of love.





Oh boy have I prayed, searched my heart, asked the Lord to search my heart, to convict me. The very last thing I want to be is the words she spoke to me!! My heart was truly to help and encourage her. I think that's why I was so hurt. Don't get me wrong, I know I can be a snot, but usually I know when I'm doing it and I actually mean to be doing it. Not this time.





I've actually made efforts to call her. I hate distance and fighting. I really do grovel back to people to seek restoration. We will talk. Things are surfacey. We even saw one another Sun. night to celebrate James' birthday. I could tell she was trying to be "normal" with us. I, on the other hand, didn't have very much to say. Not because I am mad at her. Simply because I don't know what to say. I have a really hard time with being close to someone and feeling like certain things are "off limits" for conversation. This is how our relationship is for now. So, my question to myself is "Have I truly forgiven her?" Obviously I'm trying to navigate her feelings and not say certain things based on the things she said to me. Is forgiving forgetting?





I tried calling her yesterday so we could talk about these things. She didn't answer. I sent her a message via Facebook. I really hated to do that, but if she's not going to talk to me I had to tell her how much I missed her and how much I hate this distance. I even called her husband. He didn't answer my call either. Parts of the message where very direct, but needed to be said. But the overall message was that I love her and miss her . . . plain and simple. She never responded.





I just cried and cried to Jon yesterday telling him my frustrations. Very few people actually really want to talk about the Lord. Very few people really want to struggle together. So many people are offended when you really start to share what God is doing in your.actual.heart. . . where HE is convicting you, where HE is growing you, where HE is moving and working. People want to stay on the surface. But, if we are going to be effective in being His ambassadors, do we just stay on the surface? I don't think so. I'm at a point in my life. . . me. . . "Ms talk about anything or everything" that the superficial, surface talk I can't do anymore. I'm just quiet. So.very.unlike.me. . . . to be quiet, that is! Yet, I am finding the more truth you share, the more people you lose. And God so very gently reminds me I am still to share truth. . . to be salt and light. . and if that means I lose those I love dearly in the process. . . then I am to count ALL things as loss for the sake of knowing Him and for the glory of His name.

Tuesdays with GRANDdaddy

If Gigi and Granddaddy are in town you can bet your bottom dollar we will be having lunch with Granddaddy. It is just a sweet tradition the kids and I have and I'm so thankful that the kids will have this memory with them for as long as they live. We go have lunch with him because Gigi is a volunteer at the hospital. I think it helps her to know someone will be with him, and she doesn't have to worry. Bless her heart. . . it's really a great treat for us. She does all the work, always fixing us a yummy lunch. . . and we love being with Granddaddy.

I've thought so many times I want to blog about what our Tuesdays actually look like. What a man with dementia/Alzheimer's talks about, what he remembers, what he doesn't, what his mannerisms are, how his social skills are, etc., etc. . . but I'm really not sure if I want to remember these things. Because sometimes. . . well. . . . many times. . . I forget who he USED to be. Every now and again we will catch glimpses of who he really is. . . who he is without this terrible disease that has taken not only his memory but his dignity. I'm so thankful he's not aware of these things.

Sometimes the things he does really makes me laugh. I guess some could chose to get offended or have their feelings hurt, but I know his heart. So, I think I will share those things that make me giggle. . . and I may at times share the things that tug heavy at my heart. BUT, this will be the man I remember.

• The man who wrote me a letter on Jon and I's wedding day telling me how excited he was that I was now apart of their family.
• The man who is my husband's very best friend.
• The man that Jon would always want to call when something exciting was going on.
• The man that Jon would always want to call when he needed advice.
• The man that I would go to to ask spiritual questions, questions about God, life, and how to handle things.
• The man that I would go to the car auctions with. We'd always eat Chick-fil-A Drawf House on the way home and talk about everything and nothing. . . and we'd always manage a laugh or two.
• The man who wanted to pay for me to finish the 8 months of college I lacked completing to get my Bachelor's Degree.
• The man who won the first ever "Citizen of the Year" Award in his town.
• The man who is so humble and gentle. . . never forgetting where he came from and what hard work can accomplish . . . all the while giving the Lord the glory for it.
• The man who has a compassionate heart.
• The man who would write so many people sweet notes. People from everywhere would love when they would get a note from him.
• The man who always asks about my parents telling me, "because you know they are our family too."
• The man who when I greet him greets me saying, "I love you."
• The man who would take Alec to get all of his haircuts and treat him to lunch anywhere of his choice.
• The man who loves sports as much as Jon does.
• The man who gets aggravated with the sports commentators.
• The man who is highly respected everywhere in town.
• The man who has a good reputation.
• The man who never took pride in who he was or who others said he was.
• The man who worked so very hard to provide for his family.
• The man is such a great teacher when their church was without a pastor, many, many members of the congregation wanted and some even pleaded with him to be the pastor.
• The man who made women cry at his "Mother's Day" sermon.
• The man who taught Sunday School and was a lay speaker.
• The man who never wanted much in the way of material things, but would give his family anything.
• The man who thought one of the best treats in the world was a Coke and Snickers bar.
• The man who would ride Alec around in his little truck looking at the birds.
• The man who loved to hear the sound of Ashley gurgling as she sucked her thumb. . . so much so, he asked me to make a recording of it.
• The man who would laugh so hard and get so silly . . . you could see the laughter on his face, yet no noise would come out of his mouth. . . then, we'd all get to laughing.
• The man who was the first one in the room to cry at a sweet movie.
• The man who has literally loved me like his very own daughter. I once told Holly, "You're dad makes me feel like he loves me like he loves you. She replied, "Michele, it's because he does."
• The man who made the best out of difficult situations, who was supportive and showed excitement at a difficult time when it was hard to show support and excitement. . . when it was easier to show disappointment.
• The man who loves his family fiercely.
• The man who loves to people watch.

At Gigi's house you know you will always get dessert. The last few times we've had lunch over there I will see him sneak back into the kitchen when we have all finished eating, and he'll go and hide the rest of the cookies (mostly it will be cookies Gigi has baked when we're over there). If he sees me looking he tells me he wants to put some up for Gigi. I think that's partly true. I think he's probably putting some aside for himself. And, he knows. . . you better do something with them quick when my kids are around or they will gobble them all up. Makes me giggle.

Monday Monday

Told you I was going to do better with this blogging thing. I'm trying to give myself just 10 minutes a day to blog about what our days look like. So, here it goes. . . for Monday

Up and at 'em at 4:00 a.m. Worked. I got the kiddos up at 7:00 to get ready for their first full day of school. Hopefully I'll be posting pictures of our first day, which is always a ton of fun. . . well, for me anyway. . . until the whining starts. While they were getting themselves ready I went out for a quick 3.1 mile run. . . a little over 24 minutes. I'm really trying to work on my speed. Hoping to have it down soon. . . very soon.

I got back in, cooked some grits, and the kids had already started on their Math. We all had breakfast together and then started our day. Lydia got here about 10:30. She is this precious 19-year-old young woman I am discipling, and I'm so very grateful the Lord has put us together. . . you want to talk about a pure heart? This girl is the cream of the crop!!! I'm truly very honored to have her in my life. We wrapped things up around 1:00, which has been better. Normally it will be about 4 hours. Poor thing, she knows what a talker I am. With her starting back college and me starting homeschooling I know I'm going to have to be very disciplined to keep us in a 2-hour time-frame. I really do love our time together.

Lydia left and I fixed lunch. . . black beans and rice. . . go ahead and moan like my kiddos did :) I know I'm really no fun when it comes to food. After lunch I checked their work and started reading the girls our first read-aloud for the year. It was a really slow start, but Jenn G. assured me it was a good book. We then had rest time for about an hour. . . and I snoozed. I find that if I take 30 minutes to an hour I'm much more peppy when Jon gets home and I'm not fantasizing about getting in the bed to sleep. I used to beat myself up about the little nap I take. Now, I just give myself some grace. It's not an everyday thing. . . I don't "schedule" it in, but I'm very grateful when I do get a little shut-eye.

I got up and gave the girls a spelling test. I'll do Alec's tomorrow. He was on the phone with his friends Eli and Levi (brothers). I wanted him to enjoy his time talking with them. I started dinner - lemon chicken with roasted potatoes and butter beans. Then the kids and I started folding laundry.

My sweet man got home and while we were eating dinner Gigi called. She said they wanted to know if we were home because they had a surprise for us. We all know when Gigi says surprise it involves food. That's how she loves on us. She brought over the best cheesecake I've ever put in my mouth and one of the richest chocolate cakes ever. Hanna exclaimed, "This was soooworth eating that yucky dinner." Thanks Han!!!! After we gorged ourselves for 5 minutes and wolfed down dessert we visited with Gigi and Grandaddy and then took Cookie on a walk.

That dog is so funny. He has to pee on every.single.mailbox. He gets to the point where he hikes his leg and nothing comes out. Jon calls it air peeing. CRACKS US UP!!!! When we got in from our walk Cookie laid out like a bear skin rug in front of his water bowl. I do love my dog!

The kids and I finished putting up laundry and now we are going to go and watch TV - BORING!!! I may try to sneak in reading a book and just be in the same room with everyone. Normally when I attempt that it really is a no-go. They really want my attention on what they're doing. . . so, we'll see.

10 minutes. . . YAY! I met my goal. See, Michele, that wasn't so bad, was it?

Happy Monday everyone!

They're In My Closet Already

Not to steal my clothes. . .

but to play dress up.
Does that mean I'm tacky if they would rather use my closest as their dress-up box rather than our actual dress-up box? That's a rhetorical question. Don't answer it! Hee!Hee!