Day “off”
We are enjoying a day “off” from all our normal responsibilities. In other words, I’ve not done school with the little ones and we don’t have anywhere we HAVE to be.

I took Jamin over to mow Ian and Becky’s yard. I did NOT get bored enough to dig out her cleaning supplies…though I checked and sure enough there they are in her laundry room. :::snort::: I corrected six essays and a play for the first hour and a half. I put aside Jared’s 11 page report on Abraham Lincoln for another day. LOL I spent the remainder of the time reading various books I’d brought with me.

Before we’d left to water I’d put a roast in the crock pot. This is the very same roast that we didn’t get to eat last night because it wasn’t done before co-op. {g} Mike is going to be working late tonight, so we had our main meal at 2:00. Roast, buttermilk biscuits, roasted red potatoes and carrots, salad, and lots of fruit. It is a good feeling to have the main mess and work for the day behind us. We plan to go to the pool a bit later.

Stacia hates carrots but she LOVED these carrots…guess she is an olive oil, garlic, sea salt, Italian spice type of girl. She stuffed herself so well that she’s taking a nice long nap.

I forgot about the raisins that were drying and left them in a bit long…but they are very yummy. We use them most for salads and granola so they’ll soften up in dressing and milk. The kids are enjoying a smoothie icy. I’m going to see if I can lay down for a bit before Stacia wakes up. She was up about 6 times last night. The corner of a new tooth is through this a.m.

Books, Books and Books….
I had received two books from PBS. I read them and listed them back on PBS yesterday. They have both already been requested! Yippee! Next time they try to send me *The Excellent Wife* I’ll be sure to have credits in the account. Since that one was mailed maybe it will eventually find me.

Here’s as good a spot as any to comment on books I’ve read this week.

*Mudrer at Five Finger Light* by Sue Henry

This is a Jesse Arnold mystery. The series follows Jesse, an Iditarod racer through various mysteries set against the backdrop of Alaska.

This is the classic “closed room” mystery. I really enjoy to read these because so many of the spots mentioned in the series are ones that I’m now familiar with. Jesse does live with her boyfriend, AK State Trooper – if this bothers you the series will bother you. I wish the characters had been a bit more developed but I did enjoy the book.

This book is on it’s way to someone in ID who saw it on PBS.


(Picture won't load)*Life Management for Busy Women* by Elizabeth George

This book focus’ on managing the seven major areas of a woman’s life. Elizabeth George lists these as: our spiritual life, our physical life, our home life, our financial life, our social life, our mental life and our ministry life.

In each area Ms. George summarizes what Scripture has to say and then gives “disciplines” to help us order our life in that specific area.

Frankly, I didn’t learn a whole lot new from this book. I think I would have if I’d read it 20 years ago. {G} One phrase in the book has stuck in my mind “Commit to a pursuit of life-long discipline.”

I had thought I would hold on to this book and have it to loan out; but I listed it to see if anyone on PBS would like it (I had originally received it from PBS) and it was requested within minutes. I think this is a topic that many women wrestle with.

*Jan Karon’s Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader*

Yes, I AM counting cookbooks as books read. This one had great little sections from the Mitford series, cute looking doodads around the pages and even pictures of Jan Karon’s childhood. I enjoyed reading her comments here and there in the book as much as checking out the recipes.

If you are a Mitford fan, I think you will get a kick out of browsing through this book. If you are not a Mitford fan but would like to check out some authentic southern cooking, the editor is from MS. I’m glad I checked this one out from the library.

*Rejuvenate your Life: Recipes for Energy* by Serene Allison
I can’t find a picture of this one for you. It’s one of Becky’s – you know where Jamin waters the lawn. {bg}

I loved the list of various ingredients in the front of this “cookbook”. I also learned some things from reading her articles in the book. The book has over 200 recipes of nothing but RAW food…..and some of them look very good. I was thinking of buying this one for the different recipes….but I’m not sure I want to pay the $18.00 I’m finding it for. It’s a plastic comb binding and I really don’t like those. I’m not sure how often I’d use the recipes in this book – but she has some really cool NEW ways to use fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and sprouts. I’m watching ebay for this one. {G}

“Whiney Blog”
A friend and I have joked about the need to have a whiney blog where you could whine all you want and no one would read it. I used this forum as my whiney blog earlier today and I apologize – sort of. {G} I think it is good for any who may want to put me on a pedestal to know that I’m not always gracious.

I thought about this whole co-op thing some more this morning and I realized that USUALLY by the time folks begin to show up to pick up their things we are done with all the sorting and bookwork. I’m able to visit and I do keep an eye on the children. I think the problem was that we were all still trying to sort things out and so there wasn’t the fun of visiting and there weren’t as many watchful eyes to make sure *my* children (as well as others) weren’t going “ballistic”. This simply confirms for me that the goal is to have all the work done before folks arrive so that I can visit, enjoy the time, and be sure my children are being appropriate hosts.

FITNESS UPDATE

Yehaw!!!! I did 50 crunches today! 4 sets of 12 because the book said to and I could….and two extra because I cheated and pulled on my pants leg for one of them….and TORE MY PANTS…..but I got them done! :::snort:::

I released a lb, brining my total loss since January to 20 lbs. I’m below where I was when I got pregnant with Stacia but at least 15 – 25 lbs from where I was after having Zander. I can tell that the 8 Minutes thing is helping me tone up because I’m fitting into a few of the size 10’s that I normally wouldn’t fit into for another 10 lbs or so.

I lost 1.25 inches this week too. AND I did make the 50 mile goal on the bike…..

Every 4th Monday is full of Co-op thoughts, chores and such. {G} Yesterday was especially full. I typed up instructions on how to do everything and laminated them. Mike came up with a better system for unloading and sorting (this involved rearranging the kitchen for the night). I made up nametags for those who ordered and laminated them as well. I expected everything to go seamlessly. It was the most stressful co-op night I’ve had to date. LOL

The truck was scheduled to be 15 minutes later than usual – that meant that it was a later night than normal. We did fine with the sorting and such but there were a LOT of out of stocks this time. Usually, when items are out of stock they deduct them from personal invoices before I download the invoices…this time they didn’t. This meant that I had to adjust many invoices….and I’m still not sure I got it all right with taxes and fees and such…but its close enough. LOL I think this stress of trying to be sure everyone was paying only for items they received is why the night was overwhelming to me.

BUT the noise of the children was certainly a noticeable factor as well.I don’t think we usually have as many children here….and I appreciated all the help we received….actually the noise was during the pick up phase and not the work phase…and my children were a big part of it…though certainly not all of it….Mike thought about taking kids to the park in the future or arranging something for them to do other than throwing toys at ceiling fans and windows…..I think if the order hadn’t required so much THINKING; the noise wouldn’t have seemed so overwhelming?????

It’s been suggested that we do this at a local church….but then we would have to stay longer to clean up after folks are gone….and if the kids break something we’d be responsible….and we’d have to get keys etc…..and it would plain ole TAKE LONGER. It would mean that my young children would be at home and I prefer working where I can keep an eye on them myself.

I like having folks at my house. I like folks being comfortable to bring their children. I love children thinking our home is fun. I like people associating our home with healthy food. It usually doesn’t bother me but I was on edge last night. It could have been PMS, it could have been the need to THINK and do math in a noisy environment and yes, the kids were also not being well supervised. They’ve never been quite so rowdy in the room before…..Maybe it was the moon??? LOL I was on edge. Heather noted and gave me a hug. Cathy did as well and then told me that I looked like I needed some sleep. I knew it wasn’t just me though when we couldn’t find Mike after the last folks left. He said the noise had gotten to him and he had to hide out for a bit. I may add ear plugs to the co-op kit??? :::snort::::

We discovered that Dr. Becker tastes very, very much like Dr. Pepper. The Cream Soda is wonderful as well! I don’t know what we’ll do with so MUCH in our home (had to buy in 24 can cases) but we now have everyone’s favorite at home. I’m hoping this makes it easier to say NO to the junk at the chapel and restaurants…..because they’ll know they can have the healthier version at home. It may last until we move….since we tend to divide a can three ways…..it’s very sweet when you aren’t used to eating a lot of sugar.