Monday, September 28, 2009

Just Some Random Things

First of all, this week's Christmas prep assignment---begin thinking about Christmas cards. Print out your addresses (or begin typing them into a word document if you need to), and read over them. Make any corrections (people who have moved, or sadly passed away). I keep a stack of envelopes with return addresses that I receive throughout the year that I know I will need as I update my Christmas card address list. This stack includes any Christmas cards that were returned to me last year. The post office usually puts a little yellow sticker with the person's correct address if you have the wrong one. I also look through our newest homeschool directory and think of new friends I have made throughout the year and add any new addresses to my list. Then, I make all of the corrections on the computer, and the addresses are ready to be printed out.
The next part of preparing for Christmas cards is to think about what your children (or you and your spouse too) will wear for the photo if you send photo cards. I bought black long sleeved t shirts today from Walmart for my children to wear this year.

Secondly, from time to time people ask me either in person or by commenting on my blog if I ever have a "bad day". Of course I do! But who wants to read about someone whining about their problems!! I will make an exception today, however. I have had a headache for 3 days. I periodically get headaches, and they are so bad that I want to go to bed and cry. I get grumpy. I feel nauseaus. The headaches along with a busy schedule, a messy house, and a never ending laundry pile can cause me a little stress! I cannot figure out what triggers the headaches, and taking ibuprofin sometimes helps, and sometimes doesn't. I may go 2 or 3 weeks without a headache, and then I may go only 2 or 3 days without one. About a month ago I stopped taking ibuprofen on a regular basis thinking that the medication itself was causing me to have headaches. I did not have a single headache until Sunday! So who knows what causes them!

Thirdly, a friend sent me a link today for a neat website called Old Fashioned Living. I only spent a few minutes looking around, but I found a good looking recipe for Black Eyed Pea Soup that I plan to try, and I also found a couple of great articles under the Moms category. One is called Say Bye Bye to Burnout, and the other is called How to Stay Calm. The burnout article addresses the downfalls of multi-tasking, and the calm article offers advice on just that....how to stay calm! (instead of yelling, screaming, crying, breaking down, etc. when your child spills a whole can of coke on your freshly mopped floor just as you are heading out the door for piano lessons.....oh that really did happen today!)

Fourthly (is that a word?), I did an entire Algebra I lesson today with Olivia, and I got only 1 wrong! However, this took 45 minutes, and I am not sure how to work this into our day, every day! Leah is taking off with learning to read. I love teaching my children to read! For our family read aloud, we began a new book today, Son of Charlamagne. I can already tell that it will be a great book!

So, yes, I have bad days. Yes I am for real! Yes, my whole house is never clean all at one time, and yes I frequently forget to put shoes on Sam before we go somewhere! That child goes all over the place barefoot! And finally, yes, I am grateful to God for every single blessing that I have, and I am grateful to Him that my problems are really nothing in the whole big picture of life! My verse in the header of this blog is one I read, reread, and pray on a daily basis.
Be Joyful Always!

3 comments:

  1. So sorry about your headache!! I know quite a few people like you that suffer like that! I hope and pray that today will be a stress free relaxing day with no headaches for you!!!

    I love the tips on how to stay calm! I find myself using the one, just breathe! It sort of works!

    Enjoy your day!

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  2. I loved reading your blog this morning. It is so hard to keep it all together. We all see the finished product of someone else's home life such as everyone dressed walking into the church building together. What we don't see is what it took that family to get it all together. We assume that since it looks easy, it is easy. Keep up the good work.

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  3. Hi you sweet little gal! What a powerhouse of inspiration you are! Love your thankful heart and love your emphasis on JOY!! Thankfulness, I believe, actually generates JOY, and helps us manage the JUNK in our days! God made it that way!! That's why we're suppose to give thanks in all things! What a wonderful testimony you are to his goodness!!

    I will be praying for your headaches. I have just recently started having sinus headaches again after years of not having them. Some allergy must have come back or something! I sure know how it can get!

    Love and hugs,
    Becky

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