Small Successes

I am really stretching here people. I'm not sure why, it has been a perfectly good and productive week. But for some reason I am really having a hard time pulling three seperate small successes together.

1. Finished the deck! Woo Hoo!! (pictures forthcoming after the rain ends..ugh)

{not small I know, however this is probably it's hard for me to pick out other stuff. It was a fun project, but it did kind of dominate life around here}

2. did lots of reading, praying and talking to Lee and the kids about our home education thanks to some thoughtful posts by Leila

3. signed up for AHG for Lainey (first meeting tonight!) and Boy Scouts (tomorrow night!) for the boys

Weddings make me cry

We watched The Office last night on Hulu, the episode(s) where Jim and Pam get married. {We don't watch much TV, but there are a couple of shows we like. On Hulu we can watch them whenever we want! And it's free!} It was hysterical yes, but it also made me tear up.

Weddings always make me think about my own wedding and marriage. I get all nostaligic and shocked that it's been 5, 10, now 12 years since we were married. I am asked often if I ever thought we'd have this kind of family, this many kids, the homeschooling etc...The answer is NOPE!

But God's plan, it turned out, was waaaaaaay better than my plan.

Small Successes

1. We made it to the homeschool mass.

2. Completed week one of the CT5K. I feel a sense of accomplishment, and I HATE running. I still waiting for the 'runner's high', unless it feels like you have a nasty hangover chased with a swig of tequila. I don't think that's the feeling those runner people are so nuts about though.

3. Took MaryClare to the dentist and Lainey for her 7yr. check-up. Both are just fine. I need to get everyone on a more streamlined checkup/teeth cleaning schedule though because I seem to have an appointment for someone at least once a month an that's not counting sick visits...

So that's it. See you next week!

Feast of the Archangels

We celebrated with fish sandwiches (St. Raphael), cheese triangle 'bugles' (St. Gabriel) and devil's food cupcakes with swords (St. Michael)

When preparing I was trying to find these

But apparently they do not sell them at our Publix. The outrage! In a bizarre twist we ended up having refried beans and that led to a discussion about the musical fruit .... um, yes.

Anywho, the cheese triangle trumpets worked just fine for St. Gabriel.

Tonight's menu includes angel hair past with shrimp and angel food cake for dessert.

Also, we're beginning to teach MaryClare the Guardian Angel Prayer so we'll work on that.

I am an awesome photographer

Not really, but with this new website {free!} I can seem like I am! You just upload a photo and then mess around with the editing tools. Did I mention it is free! You don't even have to register or anything.

Look at my befores and afters:

before

After

after

Isn't that amazing!

Neighborhood Field Day

We live in a great neighborhood. There are about 60 homes and we have everything from empty nesters to newlyweds. Luckily, there are several kids my kids ages and as all the parents have gotten to know their familes we all feel comfortable letting them play at each others houses. All summer and every afternoon it is like grand central station around here. The phone ringing, door banging, dog barking... you know the drill.

We are the only homeschool family and our kids were bummed at the end of last school year when all of their buds were getting ready for field day. I always hated field day in school so it was hard for me to relate, but when Lee announced we would host a Woodland Forest Field Day I went along with it and got into the spirit.

First our kids picked some events. here's what they came up with:

1. water balloon toss

2. run around the neighborhood

3. hole digging

4. soccer ball goal kick

5. quick dash down the street

6. timed karate bag kicks

7. swim race

getting ready for the first event

They invited all the kids in the neighborhood. We ended up with way more than we thought and some came after the events had gotten underway.

They're off!

Lainey in the water balloon shotput

We also decided we'd have individual winners, an all-round winner and a sportsmanship award.

The kids were pumped and the big day arrived.

my neighbor handing out some refreshments

here goes Ryan

Head coach and Master of Ceremonies {note the whistle!}

The kids had SO much fun (so did Lee!) and lots of other parents came out to cheer. We had volunteers to do this again next summer, bigger and better! I have to say this was much better than the field days I remember at my schools. Heh.

New grout!

*UPDATE at the bottom 2/29/12*

We have tile in our kitchen. Not what I'd pick, but it came with the house. Besides the issue of all the broken plates and glasses we've had around here the last four years, I HATE the grout. I simply cannot keep it looking clean. I mean, I can clean it, disinfect it, etc..., but it just looks gross. The tile itself is a cream color and the original grout is very light. {I only know that from checking the low traffic areas under the cabinet ledges}



Eventually we'd like to add hardwood to all of the downstairs, but that is on hold right now. Things keep popping up, like having to get a new air conditioner, replacing our sewer line and fixing/replacing our deck {although we are getting it done in the best way!} So my dream of replacing the dish monster tile and the gross carpet is on the backburner for now.



BUT! I found a great interim fixer! Ready to be amazed?




















The dark part is the before.
So, are you stunned? And maybe a bit grossed out by the before? Me too!
And guess what my 'magic' solution is?
GROUT PAINT!
Yes, paint. I got outdoor acrylic paint at Hobby Lobby in a color I thought would go nicely {antique mum}, then I cleaned the area took a small brush and painted along the grout lines. I am not the most careful painter though so I use a wet paper towel to wipe down the part I get on the tile. So simple and easy. I wish I had done this ages ago.

*UPDATE*
Well this is one of the most visited pages. I think from google images? Anyway I wanted to update anyone who's wondering how it's held up. Well, it still gets dirty, but it hasn't been hard to clean and although sometimes when it's mopped the paint can get a bit peely, overall I'm still glad I did it. And it's easily touched up, if I feel like it! Thanks for checking it out and good luck with your projects.