Juliet's Shower

The shower yesterday was just beautiful. We made scrapbook pages for Rachel to insert her favorite photos. Some of the gals were going to come see my house afterwards, but we sat around talking so long that we didn't make it happen! The guys at home were so disappointed!! They had been cleaning house all afternoon for my friends. But hey, now it's for us and it looks wonderful!!

Morgan and I have already been outside burning trash and picking up more junk out of the yard. Winter made more trash come to the surface. Every rain does it, too. It's so disappointing how much broken glass and metal is everywhere. It is nice that my kids don't really desire to be barefoot, but I at least wish it was an option.

Anyway, must get some laundry and school going! Another day!

Day for Divas

Mom took Mallory out for the day yesterday, and it sounds like they had quite the time. They started off at the salon where her best friend's mom works, because she was running "Diva Days" there. She and Brooke had their nails done, got dressed up, had a tea party... sounds like it was just the thing for them! They forgot my camera and Mallory's very disappointed that I don't have a picture to post here. Mom says someone was taking some pictures, so hopefully it won't be very long until I get to see what they did. After her little makeover party, Mom and Mallory went Easter dress shopping, but didn't find anything that fit. Was hoping things wouldn't be like this for poor Mallory! Nothing's ever fit me, but I was hoping life would work out better for her! They came out to see me at the bakery, but still had many stops to make! They also went shower gift shopping. We have a shower for a precious baby Juliet today. I posted the cake on my other site (link to the right... cakes by michelle).

More poor Mallory... her birthday was Tuesday and she still hasn't done much celebrating. With Brooke tied up in her mom's Diva Days, she couldn't come over this weekend, we have our homeschooling conference next weekend, and Easter the next. BUT... the weekend after that is a crop, so she and her friends are extremely excited about what's in store! So she'll have to wait until mid-April for her March 20 birthday party, but at least she feels it's worth the wait!

Matthew is at his friend's house right now. This is his very first overnight at a friend's house. I wasn't anticipating any problems, but just keeping in mind that he's never done this before!

I got housewarmed at AWANA Wednesday night! My friend Laura gave me about seven or eight potted plant starts for the new house. I'm so excited! Mom brought all my old pots, probably from when Laura did this before and I got all matching plant pots. The first time she did it, we had no kids. It was our first house and we had just been married. We left for Vermont within about six months, so I had to find homes for them. Unfortunately, most of them lost their lives at Mom's house, which is why she had all the pots for me! So anyway, if I can pull myself together after the shower, we'll grab some potting soil and get them started off in their new home!

Anyone else have a problem with this?

So I'm looking for my students because it's 8:30 and time to start school. Well, the princess is in the shower and I can hear the boys outside. Ok, probably letting the puppy out. Hmmm... somehow that involves riding bikes in our jammies... And you wonder why I'm on the edge.

The "ten"-ager

Happy Birthday Mallory!!

She spent yesterday "enjoying her last day in single digits." So funny. My math princess.

Mom's been helping me get some curtain projects underway. We came across some great deals in the clearance section at WalMart. About $630 in rods and curtain/drapery panels for $170. We had to remake some of the panels to fit my long east windows, but got them done and hung. Mom's been helping me clean and organize things and just hoping to catch up with all the inside stuff so we can get to all the painting that still needs done, along with all the boxes that are still in her basement. Just don't know how we're going to get all this done. We were planning on putting a chest freezer in the mudroom, but now I see I didn't plan my outlets very well! One thing after another.

I'm also still fighting with this new computer. It froze up today and Best Buy said to bring it in. Wow... you don't even want to hear what's happening? So I got transferred to a few dozen people and got my fill of Kenny G while waiting. I had already tried a few things that I knew to do on XP, but this Vista is very different. After the long haul of getting that problem fixed, I decided it was either the printer or the mouse that was arguing with Vista, so I started to pull out the one that came with it. Hmmm... you would have tried that first? Well, I'm a girl on a budget and I still have 3 ink cartridges to the old one and I wasn't ready to change. Well, neither was the computer. Vista really rejected the software for the printer that came with this computer! Then I started to remember the geek's advice when he sold me this. He said very little software works with Vista, but try the software that comes in Vista. It does a lot on its own. Ok, kinda like, "Use the Force, Luke".....
So, against the advice of the easy set up instructions, I plugged the sucker into the computer and let 'er fly. Hmmm... maybe this operating system does have its perks. Anyway, I'm trying. Things seem to be working my way now and then, and other times? well, I guess I'm learning to expect surprises!

It's a Boy!!

This is the family with little Clyde. He arrived this afternoon, right as school was almost over. Well, I'm sure you figured out what happened to school, but anyway...

I guess someone who works with Michael was moving and couldn't take the poor guy with him, so he became my guy. He's a really nice puppy. I've wanted a St Bernard pretty much my whole life, then came into close contact with one this summer and was pretty sure I'd changed my mind. But when Michael called home with one needing a home, it all came back!!

The kids are really pleased, and I'm just thankful we have a big farm!!

Well, signing off with Bonnie and Clyde,
Michelle

Problems?

As if my problems weren't enough... Monday we decided it was time for a new computer. So on top of my internet struggles, my finish-the-house struggles, and my do-we-really-have-to-do-school struggles, now I'm trying to move all my files and watch Vista reject them all. Fun, fun. Should have let the brainiacs at Best Buy do it. Had a coupon for $100 off, but was frightened by what that meant it would cost... more than the computer? So anyway, just thought I'd post a note to say we're alive and well and hope you still check here for me! It was much easier signing in this morning! I've been getting rejected by blogger for quite some time, but got right in this time. Now I really need to go show Mom how to get into hers. She's still on 98, so there's no more support for her, including the new time change. I tried loading up xp, but it wouldn't take. Could be that I've loaded it on too many computers!! Anyway, we'll get her fixed up and you'll be hearing from her, too. Need to get a few cakes in, too. Those, of course, are on the old computer setting behind me. We'll see what it takes to get those back!

Anyway, have a great day and you'll be seeing me back soon!!

School?

Yesterday was one of those fun days where Mom goes to work and Dad stays home with the kids. The kids have been pretty sick all week, so school has been minimal, but he wanted me to leave something. I started to show him where we were in everything when he stopped me saying that he didn't want the math and English, he wanted some science and fun stuff (fancy that... I love the drills and rhetoric). It was so awesome to get a chance to really talk school with him, and he was enjoying it, too. So since neither of us was going to be working today, we decided to have our own little homeschool conference to decide as a family what we wanted for direction and goals. I've been so excited ever since! Then he got called in. grrrr But he went in before we all got up, so he may be home shortly after noon. Let's get this conference set up!! The nicest part was getting home last night and hearing how much fun they had with Dad. They usually run to me complaining about the substitute and how mean he is. That or I come home to find them playing poker. That's what every kid should learn! Anyhoo... I think he may also have seen why so much is still out when he gets home. It can be such a whirlwind to get everything done that you have planned, without losing their attention, that sometimes you can't clean up each subject before the next. So anyway, now it's my turn for clean up... but that's okay... I still don't have anything organized the way I want yet, so here's just further opportunity to get it right!!