Today was another big shopping day. First off to WallyWorld (Walmart) for some underwear, gym clothes and jeans. Dr. Hair is now in adult sizes which means more expensive. Dandylion had grown more than I thought he had by his birthday so he needed new boxers. Both found two pair of jeans they liked and that fit; add to that all the right underwear and socks, plus a new zippered hoodie for Dandylion, plus gym clothes for Dr. Hair and it added up to about $141.00.
Now on to the shoe store. Dandy was the first to be measured. He'd grown TWO sizes. When he grows into his paws he is gonna be a big dog!! So instead of getting just one pair and using his old ones for gym, I bought him two new pair AND Sunday shoes as I just couldn't expect him to squeeze into his two sizes too small ones. The dress shoes are $120 Florsheim leather soled black loafers blessedly on sale for $35. I talked Dr. Hair into getting two pair also, one for school and one for gym. He is the most cost conscious of our children and is self-sacrificing to a fault. Anyway, five pair of shoes totaled $259. Guess who won't be getting new shoes this month.
When I was telling TopDad about the purchases I waxed nostalgic about the days of homeschooling when clothes didn't matter so much and we got ready for school with far less money. Actually this was the first year I bought brand new jeans for the boys, usually I look for nice ones at thrift stores throughout the summer. But this summer I didn't do that. I did lay down the law that as soon as they get home they must change out of their nice school clothes and shoes to keep them nice. That's a reasonable request, yes? Anyway, TopDad gave me a hug and complimented me for always managing to find things on sale and take good care of our needs. (I must give credit where it's due; I prayed before going shopping.)
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Countdown Begins
Two weeks from today school begins in our town! Gadzooks, where did the summer go?
We're still working on our new house, but progress is slow as we are not under any deadline to finish, and I refuse to begin a second room until the first one is completely finished. I don't want to be living in a house of unfinished rooms. So I do a little here and there and we'll see what happens.
Yesterday I had the boys sort through their clothes to see what they had and what they needed for the new school year. I got out our storage box of "grow into" clothes and found I had enough shirts to meet their needs, plus shoes, Sunday slacks and belt for Dr. Hair. SCORE! That leaves jeans for both boys, and all new underwear for Dr. Hair (Dandylion got his for his June birthday).
JET has a birthday this month and I promised him new jeans and Sunday Shoes too.
PW is registered for classes at Utah Valley University and has found an apartment and roommate so he is excited, and we are pleased that things are going well for him.
Noble is enduring through her third and final semester at Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. She celebrated her 23rd birthday last Saturday by going to California Pizza kitchen where she had a Pear and Gorgonzola pizza, which she said was divinely yummy.
TopDad is stressing over all that needs to be done to be ready to teach classes at TWO schools this year. Enrollment is down and he is (sort of) half time at the two schools. Always a new challenge.
I'm getting ready to teach early morning seminary again this year--my two students are our two sons. We'll study the New Testament, which we read as a family last year.
We're still working on our new house, but progress is slow as we are not under any deadline to finish, and I refuse to begin a second room until the first one is completely finished. I don't want to be living in a house of unfinished rooms. So I do a little here and there and we'll see what happens.
Yesterday I had the boys sort through their clothes to see what they had and what they needed for the new school year. I got out our storage box of "grow into" clothes and found I had enough shirts to meet their needs, plus shoes, Sunday slacks and belt for Dr. Hair. SCORE! That leaves jeans for both boys, and all new underwear for Dr. Hair (Dandylion got his for his June birthday).
JET has a birthday this month and I promised him new jeans and Sunday Shoes too.
PW is registered for classes at Utah Valley University and has found an apartment and roommate so he is excited, and we are pleased that things are going well for him.
Noble is enduring through her third and final semester at Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. She celebrated her 23rd birthday last Saturday by going to California Pizza kitchen where she had a Pear and Gorgonzola pizza, which she said was divinely yummy.
TopDad is stressing over all that needs to be done to be ready to teach classes at TWO schools this year. Enrollment is down and he is (sort of) half time at the two schools. Always a new challenge.
I'm getting ready to teach early morning seminary again this year--my two students are our two sons. We'll study the New Testament, which we read as a family last year.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
How did that get in here?
Last night as I was reading in bed before turning out the light to go to sleep I was interrupted by Dr. Hair saying "Mom, there's a bird in my room and it just flew downstairs." I threw on a robe and we went downstairs to let the bird outside. I saw it flying around the kitchen, then it went into the pantry and Dr. Hair saw it go into a big box where I keep plastic containers used in lunches during the school year. I got a dishtowel and draped it over the box and took the box outside. Once outside on the patio I pulled the towel off expecting the bird to fly out of the box to freedom. It didn't! So Dr. Hair grabbed a flashlight and I looked into the box where I could hear the creature moving around but couldn't see it. I moved the containers around and finally got a glimpse of it. It wasn't a bird but a little brown BAT!!
I wish I'd had my camera handy, but didn't so couldn't get a picture. The little thing looked just like a cartoon creature peering over a cool whip container up into the light beam of the flashlight. It didn't make a sound and to get rid of it I finally had to dump the contents out onto the concrete before it finally took off.
Bats are useful for eating insects, especially mosquitos. But how it got into the house is still a mystery.
Several weeks ago I found a baby snake in the basement. It was not a friendly snake either, as it kept opening its mouth and striking. I don't know what kind it was because I couldn't hold it to get a good look at it. I captured it in a quart yogurt container and took it out to the garden. How it got in or where it came from I have no idea.
Many years ago in Virginia we occasionally found baby snakes in our house; they were beautiful light grey with a dark necklace. They never opened their mouths or struck so I could pick them up and hold them. They were smooth and lovely. Only once did I find more than one at a time. Weird. But true. No idea where they came from either.
I'm not the kind to scream about creatures in the house. I've battled all sorts of insects, reptiles and mammals in my time. Good thing too, what with raising four boys.
I wish I'd had my camera handy, but didn't so couldn't get a picture. The little thing looked just like a cartoon creature peering over a cool whip container up into the light beam of the flashlight. It didn't make a sound and to get rid of it I finally had to dump the contents out onto the concrete before it finally took off.
Bats are useful for eating insects, especially mosquitos. But how it got into the house is still a mystery.
Several weeks ago I found a baby snake in the basement. It was not a friendly snake either, as it kept opening its mouth and striking. I don't know what kind it was because I couldn't hold it to get a good look at it. I captured it in a quart yogurt container and took it out to the garden. How it got in or where it came from I have no idea.
Many years ago in Virginia we occasionally found baby snakes in our house; they were beautiful light grey with a dark necklace. They never opened their mouths or struck so I could pick them up and hold them. They were smooth and lovely. Only once did I find more than one at a time. Weird. But true. No idea where they came from either.
I'm not the kind to scream about creatures in the house. I've battled all sorts of insects, reptiles and mammals in my time. Good thing too, what with raising four boys.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Vacation or Where Was My Brain
We spent almost a whole week with my Dad in San Diego and I didn't even think about taking a picture of him with our boys. ARGHHHHH. Where was my brain?
We had a great time in Utah and California; especially San Diego where the weather was perfect.
Here are the few pictures I did take, such as they are.
(When I got home and caught up on my blogs I found a link to this scrumptious collection of Prada clothes for men from their fall collection. Check it out for great Steampunk looks.)
We spent an afternoon at Coronado Beach, named one of the top ten beaches in the country, of course, one of our favorites (San Diego is my home town, after all).
And that's about it. Doesn't look like much, but my journal entries tell the whole story. We had a great time together and accomplished all our goals.
Now back in Iowa we're enduring a killer heat wave! Our local church leaders have asked us to join in a day of fasting and prayer this Sunday (July 29) for drought relief. We sure need it.
We had a great time in Utah and California; especially San Diego where the weather was perfect.
Here are the few pictures I did take, such as they are.
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| Dandylion, Dr. Hair and PW ready for take-off |
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| Topdad the Captain |
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| "Captain, we've lost two of our crew." |
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| Lincoln Monument at the highest elevation on Interstate 80 |
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| Dr. Hair |
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| PW and Dr. Hair at the Purple Heart Trail Marker (same spot on I 80) |
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| Smoke from fire near Scipio, Utah |
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| Another view of smoke |
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| Crew restored and ready -- well, maybe just restored |
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| Moonrise over Southern California, north of San Diego |
Dr. Hair wanted to go the the San Diego Automotive Museum to see his beloved DeLorean and to his astonishment and delight there was a Steampunk exhibit:
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| Fantastical Flying Car - We thought it looked just like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang |
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| Another fabulous creation with our three boys to the left |
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| Side view of the wild buggy |
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| Hats and goggles and other gizmos and gadgets |
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| Different Angle - Same stuff |
(When I got home and caught up on my blogs I found a link to this scrumptious collection of Prada clothes for men from their fall collection. Check it out for great Steampunk looks.)
We spent an afternoon at Coronado Beach, named one of the top ten beaches in the country, of course, one of our favorites (San Diego is my home town, after all).
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| Dandylion and Dr. Hair |
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| Dandylion warming up in his cocoon of sand |
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| Dr. Hair gloating |
We toured the aircraft carrier USS Midway and were awestruck at the immensity of it. We covered only one deck besides the flight deck before we were tired. Just enormous.
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| PW -- future pilot |
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| We stopped for gas in Las Vegas -- check out the temperature! |
Now back in Iowa we're enduring a killer heat wave! Our local church leaders have asked us to join in a day of fasting and prayer this Sunday (July 29) for drought relief. We sure need it.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
New Reality Show
We're leaving tomorrow for a two week vacation to Utah and California; so this week I've been using up leftovers and attempting to leave an empty fridge. Last night I looked in the fridge and found very little, but there were some leftover meatballs from a recent church activity so I set about to make something with them. I remembered that my family likes Glazed Meatballs and checking the fridge again I found a bottle of barbecue sauce with less than an inch remaining, also the tail end of a jar of plum jelly. The recipe calls for grape jelly but hey, we'll use what we have. I put water on to boil for some rice and dumped the sauce and jelly in another pan for the meatballs. There wasn't much sauce so I limited the number of meatballs I put in. Got the rice going, the meatballs glazing, and them cut up most of the broccoli to steam, leaving just enough to "stretch a can of tuna" today for lunch.
TopDad was astonished at what a delicious supper I came up with with as he put it "no discernible ingredients."
So I propose filming a new reality cooking show called "What's for Dinner?" A chef wannabe (and crew) goes into various neighborhoods across the country knocks on any door and makes dinner using just what there is in that kitchen, with the tools available in that kitchen. THAT would show who's a good cook. I believe that almost anybody can make something wonderful with a pantry full of everything you can imagine, and a kitchen with every tool you'd ever need. BUT! What happens when you have little or nothing to work with?
As missionaries, my companion and I once made a meal out of some bite-sized shredded wheat cereal, butter, and cheese. Being poor and/or frugal has stretched more than a can of tuna at my house. My imagination regularly gets a work out.
What meals have you made out of "nothing"?
TopDad was astonished at what a delicious supper I came up with with as he put it "no discernible ingredients."
So I propose filming a new reality cooking show called "What's for Dinner?" A chef wannabe (and crew) goes into various neighborhoods across the country knocks on any door and makes dinner using just what there is in that kitchen, with the tools available in that kitchen. THAT would show who's a good cook. I believe that almost anybody can make something wonderful with a pantry full of everything you can imagine, and a kitchen with every tool you'd ever need. BUT! What happens when you have little or nothing to work with?
As missionaries, my companion and I once made a meal out of some bite-sized shredded wheat cereal, butter, and cheese. Being poor and/or frugal has stretched more than a can of tuna at my house. My imagination regularly gets a work out.
What meals have you made out of "nothing"?
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