Coffee Talk 11/06/09

Good Morning Company Girls! You may notice the lack of the Company Girls Picture today. I am posting "remotely" from Louisiana and am not too familiar with this laptop. We will actually just be lucky if this actually posts!



It has been a busy week in the Tigerden (aren't they all). Nothing really special or exciting. Dentist appointments, church, tutorial, dance, guitar...all the usual.



We are still trying to implement the workbox system in our homeschool and it is going pretty well. I do like the system although we are still working out some kinks. However, I have discovered that it is not a cure all. I know you are all probably thinking that is obvious, but I think I was hoping that all our struggles would be over when we started this and that has certainly not happened. Kind of like the housekeeping fairy still hasn't shown up at my door yet. I keep waiting and watching, but I am just about to decide I am going to have to do it myself!



Now we are in LA for the weekend. We are excited to visit with family, take in a HS football game and work on a little Christmas surprise for the grandparents. Apparently we have just decided to go with a four day school week--which is a great idea when you are already behind and can't get the work done in 5 days.



The highlight of the week for me was, pitifully, the start of Priscilla Shirer's blog and our very own Rachel helping out with it. Really...how much better can the week get when you have Rachel, Priscilla, and even a little Lisa Whelchel thrown in. When I grow up...I am totally going to be a part of that little group. In fact, I wonder if Lifeway would just go on and hire me as a groupie or something.



I hope all you ladies have an incredible weekend. I hope to find time to visit some blogs...maybe travelling home Sunday. In the meantime, we will be soaking in this sunny LA weather and enjoying a little visit.



For more Coffee Talk, go to Home Sanctuary.

Seven Things You Never Wanted to Know

Thanks to Spesamor Academy for this sweet and quite undeserved award! She made my week! Really, how many people can get a creative blogger award for doing nothing but carnivals a whopping once or twice a week! Actually, she is a sweet, encouraging bloggy friend who is actually an organized and put together homeschooler with tons of fun ideas! Please check her out!

These are the rules:

1. Thank the person who gave this to you--Thanks!

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog--In a freakishly technological way,I actually accomplished this!

3. Link the person who nominated you--done!

4. Name 7 things about yourself that no one would really know

5. Nominate 7 other bloggers & let them know they are nominated.

Now, for the seven things part. Unfortunately, I am both incredibly boring and quite an open book so this is gonna be tough.

1. I HATE to be barefoot. I even sleep in socks. The only time I am without foot covering is in the shower or in the pool. I will never be a shoes off at the door person because I MUST WEAR SHOES!!!

2. I LOVE breakfast. I really don't even care what it is, a bowl of cereal is fine. I eat as soon as my feet hit the floor. But no coffee, please I can't stand that nasty stuff!

3. I asked Jesus into my heart when I was six years old. I don't remember a lot but I can still remember my Daddy preaching with tears running down his face as he portrayed a picture of himself begging Jesus not to die and Jesus lovingly telling him that he had to even if just for one person. It is so clearly imprinted in my mind that I can almost hear it every time I think of it.

4. I am the most insecure person I know. I know it is ridiculous and it makes me MAD! It is why I hate going to the dentist, because I know he is going to tell me what is wrong with my teeth. It is why I hate my kids to struggle with school, because I am afraid it is my fault. In my head, I know I just need to shake things off and realize they have no eternal value, but deep inside, it is a constant struggle.

5. I would really like to teach a women's Bible study but if you refer back to question 4, I can't bring myself to do it. I really just want someone to walk up to me, tell me I am Suzy Superchristian and ask me to teach, write a book and start my U.S. tour alongside Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore, and Lisa Whelchel. Hey, it could happen.

6. I have absolutely no talent. I cannot play an instrument (okay, I played the flute back in the day, but I wasn't good and I sure couldn't play now), I cannot decorate, I am not crafty or creative. When I cook, I am a STRICT recipe follower. I am sure that I am SUPPOSED to have some sort of talent at something, but at 37, I have yet to figure out what it is!

7. I wish I could help Tigerfan out more financially. I do teach at tutorial but that pretty much just pays for my kids to go. I have thought of a million options but can never match them up with homeschooling/extracurricular scheduling. I have even considered home sales like Premier Jewelry or Southern Living at Home but always talk myself out of it because I figure I would never have customers and it would throw me into a deep #4 depression.

So, basically, what we have learned is, I am boring and need counseling!

I have now allowed my children to sleep 40 minutes late on the worst schooling day of the week. This is why I rarely blog anymore.

So, for the last requirement, The Nominees are (and I will be hard pressed to come up with seven because my bloggy activity has been slim recently):

Growing With It

The Mother Load

CiCi's Corner

Purple Diva's Diary (I am going to try to pull her out of retirement!)

This and That

and my two boys (to try to get them up and blogging again)

Fighting Tigers

LSU Tigertown

New Blog

Okay ladies, I totally am planning on posting for real today at some point. Right now, I must run because I am running late for tutorial. However, I simply HAD to tell you that there is a new blog in town that you need to check out!

Priscilla Shirer, an INCREDIBLE Bible Study teacher, daughter of Tony Evans, and awesome speaker has just started a blog on her website. You can find it here. Go check it out and add it to your followings or blog reader or whatever. It will bless you, I just KNOW it.

By the way, when I grow up...I want to be just like her or maybe her good friend, Rachel who runs the Home Sanctuary site, but I digress.

Simple Woman's Daybook 11.2.09

FOR TODAY, November 2, 2009...

Outside my window... a beautiful fall morning. The leaves on the trees around the pond are changing and they are just so pretty to look out. It is crisp and cool outside and we are actually predicted to have a dry week this week! Yay!

I am thinking...about the week, so much to do and I am so far behind. Doesn't that sound familiar, it is the story of my life!

I am thankful for...A fun weekend with the family. We were so busy all weekend, but enjoyed lots of family time. Tigerfan even took Friday off from work and we got some fall shopping done.

Also thankful for an answered thought. I know, that doesn't make sense. But we have had a situation around here that was stressing me out. It was one of those things that I felt bad praying for...I mean, we have shelter, a secure job, etc. we are really very blessed, but it was stressing us and while I thought about praying for/about it, I never did because I have a really out of control guilt complex. Anyway, God answered that thought in a far greater way than I ever would have imagined. He is so good! I did nothing to deserve such a blessing, and yet He delights in giving to His children!

From the learning rooms...still tweaking our workbox system. I think it will be a good fit for us once we get it all figured out. It would probably be easier if I had actually read the book, I do plan on asking for it for Christmas...but for now, we are winging it!

From the kitchen...Hopefully pork chops, although in my normal, spacey way, I forgot to take them out of the deep freeze last night!

I am wearing...P.J.'s, did you really need to ask?

I am creating...nothing, did you need to ask?

I am going...to the dentist, the post office and possibly the grocery store. And one day this week to the library. Our Language Arts teacher from tutorial keeps assigning us library assignments. I appreciate the thought, but my son knows how to use the library and taking Tigercub to the library two to three times a week is sort of like taking a bull into a china shop on a regular basis. I am pretty sure when they see my car pull up, they are going to start locking the doors!

I am reading...My Bible, oh for a nice piece of light enjoyment reading...

I am hoping...for a non eventful trip to the dentist. I am like a little child...I get so stressed out going there. I have terrible teeth and I dread what they might tell me.

I am hearing...silence, I should really get up and get busy!

Around the house...laundry and hopeful some Home Sanctuary stuff. I have been a bad little Company Girl the last few months and need to get back into it. Oh, to be a naturally organized, together person

One of my favorite things...A Huge bowl of chocolate ripe for the taking after Halloween. One of my least favorite things... the 10 pounds I will gain if I indulge!

A few plans for the rest of the week:A little trip to Louisiana the end of the week. Working on a little Christmas surprise for Nana And Papaw.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Two of our little Tiger fans at our Fall Fun Fest...what did you THINK our family would be dressed as?

The first ever carved pumpkin of my married life! Tigerfan was out of town this week so I bit the bullet and did something my kids have begged for always! We had so much fun carving this little guy...why didn't we do this before!

To read more Daybooks go to The Simple Woman's Daybook.

The Simple Woman's Daybook 10.26.09

FOR TODAY10/26/09

Outside my window...The sun is just beginning to rise. It is a beautiful, chilly Autum morning!

I am thinking...about school. I am going to begin using the workbox system today and am wondering how it will go. I stayed up until 1:00a.m. getting everything ready and set up, but if it is effective, it will be totally worth it!

I am thankful for...An incredible weekend at the Extraordinary Women's conference, my friend who gave me a ticket and an awesome Sunday with my family.

From the learning rooms...Reading, writing and arithmetic! We got all caught up on tutorial last week and will begin using the workbox system this week. We are not doing anything else, just the regular "stuff" and learning the new system.

From the kitchen...well, Tigerfan did a little shopping while I was gone for the weekend. We have poptarts, brownies, cookies, chocolate milk, powdered donuts, and bananas (apparently, he figured he better get SOMETHING with nutritional value). Unless I plan to do some amazing Top Chef concoction, I better go to the grocery before anything comes out of this kitchen! :)

I am wearing...pajamas...come on, did you really need to ask?

I am creating...hopefully a lovely sanctuary for my family to dwell in. More likely, a need for therapy for my children.

I am going...to the grocery store and the library and tonight to Upward evaluations.

I am reading...My Bible

I am hoping...For a better, smoother school week.

I am hearing...nothing, what a beautiful sound!

Around the house...Laundry, the kitchen needs cleaning and daily maintenance. Fortunately, Tigerfan is a better home maker than I and everything is in tip top shape after my weekend away!

One of my favorite things...spending some much needed time with a grown up. Being in the Word and being encouraged by other Christian women.

A few plans for the rest of the week:School pictures at tutorial this week. Orange you glad you know Jesus day. Sleepover party for B.B., bonfire for F.B., birthday party for Dancer, juvenile hunt this weekend for Daddy and the boys, Fall Fun Fest at our church Saturday night.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Two of my boys...I am blessed!

To read more, go to The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Coffee Talk 10/23/09

Good Morning Ladies! I am embarrassed to tell you that one week later, I STILL have not been to the grocery store. Now, part of that was intentional...waiting for payday. But that day has come and gone, and still no groceries! I have just been too busy to fiddle with unimportant things like feeding my family nutritionally sound food.

Instead, we are going the route of Ramen Noodles, bologna and the occasional carrot and ranch dip. But something tells me that you probably don't really want any of those things. I totally have sodas, though. I mean, you have GOT to have priorities! :)

I am absolutely beside myself because in just a few short hours I will be bidding my family adieux and heading out with a friend to the Extraordinary Women Conference in Tupelo, MS. This was a huge surprise! A great surprise! A last minute surprise! She won tickets on the radio and called me Monday to see if I wanted to go! Oh yes I do!

So, this morning will be filled with rushed lessons, packing, and preparing the kids for a night with dad. I must admit a small amount of guilt (almost not on the radar)! Tigerfan must take all the kids with him to take Dancer to dance tonight. He must then get them all up and ready for an 8 a.m. ballgame in the morning and there is not one thing in this house to feed them. Okay, he probably wouldn't have fed them in the house anyway, but I do feel bad that that option isn't at least there! Supermom would have had individually plated portions of a nutritionally balanced meal frozen and labelled for this occasion. I am clearly NOT Supermom!

Anyway, I hope all of you have an amazing weekend! I KNOW I will! I probably won't be around until at least Sunday, but I will be thinking of all my sweet Company Friends and wishing you could be there with me!

Blessings, and don't forget to check out Home Sanctuary for more Coffee Talk.

Hidden Treasure

Look at that precious face! It looks so innocent, and yet...

Friday, his two best sippy cups went missing. This was tragic because they are the only two cups in the house that don't leak and that he cannot get the stoppers out of and then make puddles of milk, juice, or water to fingerpaint in.

I began the search. I would even ask him..."where are your cups?", because often he will "stash" them in a chest or cupboard and when I ask, he goes straight to them. So, I asked, and each time he would run to a different spot. For instance the couch. He would throw himself down on his tummy look under the couch and point. I would victoriously run over throw myself down on my tummy and look at dust and toys...but no sippy. This episode repeated itself time and again. Under the entertainment center, in the dress up box, under the treadmill, you get the idea. By the end of Friday--no cups!

I was a little concerned because I knew one of the cups contained whole milk and would surely be found soon do to a smell I wasn't looking forward to. Saturday the search began again but this time, without help. I looked EVERYWHERE! I went through all the kitchen cupboards, emptied the toy boxes, searched drawers and cabinets and toys with hiding places...those darn cups didn't turn up ANYWHERE!

When Tigercub woke from his nap, I decided to try one more time and asked him where his cup was. Without even a pause, he walked out of the room and returned with one of the missing cups! "Where did you get that?" I screamed. He marched into the playroom and went straight to a window of Dancer's Rose Petal Cottage. FB was standing next to it and looked. That little hurricane on two feet had unzipped the lining on the house from the outside. Looking between the layers we found: the other missing cup, several missing toys, all of my measuring cups and all of my measuring spoons (which, incidentally, I had replaced about 1 month ago when this same scenario played out but with less success).

I'm not really sure of what the moral to this story is, but if you happen to have any missing utensils, toys or small animals and you happen to be the owner of the ever popular Rose Petal Cottage, you might want to go unzip it...it could be a treasure trove!