Great Find

I feel pretty safe posting this because my husband does not read my blog. He has an old motorcycle that he likes to ride. I sometimes feel like he is living his second childhood, but then he really never got to have alot of fun during his first childhood (another post, another day) so I really don't mind. I think he needs to have some fun in his life. So, his birthday is next week, and he really doesn't like for us to make a fuss. We really don't buy each other gifts, just usually do something nice for each other. Well, he has been wanting a leather jacket for the motorcycle (you know you have to look right on the cycle). We have a local thrift store that is like a treasure trove. You never know what you will find. I like to buy from them because it does help the community. Well, I found a leather jacket at the thrift store today. They wanted $25 for it, which I thought was steep for a thrift store, but a great deal for the jacket. I bought it and we will wrap it up for the birthday.

Tomorrow is yard sale day. Let's see what I can find! I will post some pictures. I think my yard sale budget is going to be $25. With my husband's birthday also comes our tag tax. Yuck!

Monday

We had a pretty busy weekend. The church had a yard sale this weekend to benefit the people going to El Salvador and since Ashley and Steven are going, they had to help. We were at the church until late Friday and Steven and Ashley were there until 2:00 Saturday. They didn't make as much as they wanted, but every little bit help us. Then Saturday night we ate at my parents house for dinner.

Sunday my nephew was getting dedicated at my sister's church. We were all planning to go, but Ashley woke up with strep throat. I knew it was strep as soon as I saw her throat. We had a change of plans and Steven took her to the doctor and I took the other three to the church and after lunch. I hate it that we all couldn't go, but we couldn't help it. Last night our church baptized six people and it was a great service. We left Ashley at home.

She is up already and says that her throat still hurts, but she doesn't have any fever so I am sending her to school. After you have been on the meds one day you are no longer contagious. She missed last Monday because of the dentist and the older you get it is harder to miss.

I am going to volunteer with the special ed pre k this morning, then come home and clean up. That is about it for today.

Yard Saling

One activity that we all love to do is yard sale.  Almost every weekend that we are in town and the weather is nice (we live in Ga so the weather is warm 9 months out of the year) we take in some yard sales.  We get incredible buys on clothes, shoes, toys, furniture, household stuff, and all kinds of things.

These are some of the clothes and shoes that we got this weekend.  The flip-flops and boots are for Ashley at $1.00 each.  There are two shirts for Evan, one for Emma and several items for my baby nephew.  Grand total $4.00.

We got this shelf for $5.00 for Evan to put his Legos on.  He already has the matching lamp.

Emma and Natalie also got Baby Alives for 50 cents each.  These are $50 in the store.  Emma also got two pairs of sanals for $1.00.  We often find birthday presents, stuff for school, crafts, you name it.  We couldn't afford half of the clothes shoes the kids have if we didn't yard sale.  Now, we do enjoy going to thrift stores and I find cute dresses at consignment sales and consignment stores, but yard sales give me more bang for my buck.  You do have to drive around, and you never know what your going to find, but for us that is the thrill of the hunt.

Boy Scouts

Evan is going hiking at an animal refuge park today near our house. They have miles of trails there for hiking and biking, so the boys scouts go up there often. Evan is in cub scouts. He took a break from it over the summer, but now he wants to get back into it. I like boy scouts because they teach character and are a Christian organization. What we didn't like last year is that many of the boys were badly behaved, even with their mother or father with them. I think Evan and Steven got tired of them, so that was the main reason that they took a break. We are hoping for some maturity this year, ha ha.

I went to the MOPS consignment sale yesterday and got the younger kids some jeans and a dress for Emma. My kids have to wear slims, so I rarely find them anything at consignment shops, thrift shops, or yard sales. When I found a few slims I snatched them up. Evan and Emma are so rough on their clothes, that I hate to spend good money on them. I think spending $30 on a pair of kids jeans is ridiculous.

Well, I have to get up and get some breakfast for some of these kids. The girls and I are going to start some laundry, and then we are going to meet the guys at the park for a picnic. It is going to be perfect weather today with a high of 80. We just love fall! Then I have to take Ashley to get some tap shoes for dance. I tried to order her some, but they didn't work and now I have to return them.

Teacher Conferences

Today the kids get out early for parent/teacher conferences. I have two today and we scheduled one for Monday because I couldn't work it in my schedule for today. Emma has soccer today at 5:30 and I already had one scheduled for 3:00 and 3:30. These teacher have alot of students to deal with and don't really understand that I am responsible for my four kids and three others that belong to somebody else. Oh, and Evan's teacher goes to church with us and said that she would just have a church conference in passing with me. Everything with him is fine. In fact, they are all fine, but I feel like I should talk to as many teachers as possible. I mean, they did make the time for it. I just like to show that i am interested.

The brother/sister I babysit for are gettting picked up at 2:00 today. Collin will just go with me and Ashley will stay here with the others. Yeah for having a daughter old enough to babysit.

I guess I will get going and get Collin up and take these kids outside. I think that if they are getting picked up at 2:00, everyone will get an early nap. They are playing and watching TV right now, but they love outside and so do I when then weather is nice.

Menu for week of 9/11

Monday :
Pork Chops, ramen noodles, green beans

Tuesday:
Crock pot venison stew and bread

Wednesday:
Spaghetti and salad

Thursday:
Potato soup and bread

Friday:
Pizza and salad

Saturday:
Grilled chicken, mac and cheese, broccoli

Sunday:
hot dogs, chips and coleslaw


Breakfasts are usually cereal, bagels or eggs.  Lunches are sandwiches, leftovers, or school bought lunches.  Snacks are crackers, fruit, granola bars or yogurt.  Dessert is whatever I happen to feel like making or we will have ice cream or Popsicle.  I try to avoid the sugary stuff as I am losing weight so when they has dessert I have a sugar free Popsicles or a piece of fruit.

My 911 post

I decided that the day cannot continue without my comment on the 9/11 attacks.  I had dropped my oldest child at pre-school for the morning and my one-year-old and I went to my aunts house for a visit.  When I got there she told me what had happened and while we were watching the TV we saw the second plane hit the towers.  Until then I really didn't understand that we were under attack.  I thought a plane got off course and hit the tower.  We live in Georgia, far from New York, but I was immediately afraid.  I didn't know if there would be other attacks or what to do.  I ended up going to my mom's house and waiting for Ashley to get out of school.  We then went home and I don't think the children and I went anywhere for about three days.

When I think about how frightened I was, I can't imagine how it was in New York for those people who had to live through that.  The Lord helped many people get though those days and I am assuming he still is.  I don't think you can live through an event like that and come out the same.  Our county changed that day.  I always wonder why some people are so full of hate, that they would die so that thousands of others could die.  It is something I hope I never understand.

God was with us and those people who suffered.  The attacks are the results of evil and not God.  He has helped us though, and will continues to help us.  He is the only one who can help.

I hope that you spent this day is church and praying.  If you are not a Christian, then my hope is that you will find a church and see how much you need him.  God is the only way to peace!