The Homeschooling Mother's Journal

In my life this week:   We left home on Thursday morning to drive to Florida with an overnight stop in Georgia Thursday night.  We stayed at a very nice Hampton Inn.  I don't think I have stayed at one  before.  Their free breakfast in the morning was fabulous.  They offered all sorts of healthy choices along with smoked sausage, scrambled eggs and potatoes, danish, English muffins and bagels, homemade waffles complete with waffle maker, boiled eggs, fruit, yogurt, milk, cereal, juice, coffee, teas, and I'm sure I'm leaving somethings off this list, but it was wonderful.  I would definitely pay the extra cost for a stay at a Hampton because of the breakfast.  It saves you time and money when you are heading on down the road.  Also, their check out time is noon!   Just the thing for us night owls :D

In our homeschool this week:  Daughter did some American history this week and studying for a quiz and test which we will do when we get home.  I love having the flexibility of homeschooling and that it allows for impromptu vacations!

Places we're going and people we're seeing:  Tomorrow we are going to drive up to Saint Augustine and look at some of the history of the town and the lighthouse.  But daughter is looking forward to visiting their outlet mall.  It is huge.  We drove by it on our way to Daytona and it is on both sides of the highway.  There is a Cosmetic Company Outlet there. We have heard about this on YouTube but don't have any in our area that I am aware of.  I am sure she or I will make a post about it for our Glamouriffic blog. Next week we are going to drive to Orlando and visit some favorite amusement parks.  One day I want to drive south of Daytona to the Ponce Inlet to see the lighthouse there.  Did I tell you I like lighthouses?  We were there when Robyn was a baby but now I want her to see it.

I'm reading:  I brought about 50 pounds of magazines with me.  No kidding.  I started getting a slew of magazines for free and I began saving them up for this trip.  I don't really take the time to read magazines at home often anyway.  After I read them and clip a coupon or two, my plan is to leave them for the maids.  That way I don't have to tow them home and they can enjoy them too.  Another good thing to do with old magazines is to take them to hospital waiting rooms.  I've done that before as well.  :D  I also brought my Kindle which is full of lots of good books to read.

I'm grateful for:  Aunt Pat invited us on this impromptu trip to Daytona.  She is so sweet!  We are having a fun time.  We had excellent weather driving down and I only got a bit anxious driving through Atlanta.  We timed it so we could miss rush hour, but oh my goodness it was still quite congested.

I'm praying for:  a friend whose husband is about to undergo very serious surgery soon.  She is stressed and I am praying for peace for her and guidance for the doctors in doing this surgery.  Also, praying for my Mother-In-Love who wanted to come with us on this trip, she loves the beach so much, but is under some pain and discomfort and is trying new meds to alleviate that and didn't feel she was up to the trip.  Get well Mama!

So sorry to be a day late getting this post up but we were on the road all day and then had to make a run to Wally World to get some vittles for the condo and I was absolutely too wiped out to post.  Thank you for stopping by Second Star Academy at Chaos Cottage.

Pam

Menu for week of September 24th

Monday:  Sausage Casserole, Roasted Asparagus, Mayonnaise Rolls

Tuesday:  Breakfast for dinner (Eggs, Bacon, Taters, Canned Biscuits or leftover Mayo Rolls)

Wednesday:  Not sure ???  either our favorite Chinese take-out or pizza!

Thursday through the following Friday or Saturday my daughter and I will be in Florida.  Hubby and my nephew are on their own!  :D

Go to http://orgjunkie.com/blog for 100's of menu plans.

Thanks for visiting Chaos Cottage.  Please stop by again!

Pam

Baptist Pound Cake

Made a favorite recipe today.  I found it many years ago on the internet.  If you Google it you will find it everywhere.  It is so simple to make and tastes delicious.  Not sure how it got it's name.  Remember to put it in a COLD oven.  Enjoy!

Baptist Pound Cake

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 stick butter or margarine, softened
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream together shortening and butter; add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift flour and baking powder together three times. Add flour alternately with milk to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan and place in a cold oven. Turn oven to 350 degrees and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

Photo take by my daughter Robs.

Happy first day of Autumn!

It's my most favorite time of the year.  I love the temps, I love the colors, I love pumpkins, I love just about everything about fall.  How about you?

The Homeschooling Mother's Journal

In my life this week...I'm telling you, this week flew by for me.  It was so nice having hubby home for several days.  He goes back to work tonight for the next four nights.  It's a tough schedule but we are so grateful to God for giving him this job.  In my home we accomplished more work in the master bath and bedroom.  I'm really loving the new paint on the walls.  I love having a clean room to sleep in.  I need to work harder to make my bedroom a haven.  We didn't get to the garage project this time but we will get to it when we can.

In our homeschool this week...daughter is trying to work ahead in anticipation of our trip to Florida.  She gets easily distracted by other things she would rather be doing :/

I am inspired by...fall, my most favorite time of the year!  I have the windows open in our bedroom all day and night and am enjoying the cooler temperatures!

Places we're going and people we're seeing...leaving on Thursday next week to drive to Florida with my MIL and Aunt.  We are going to stop about halfway to spend the night somewhere.  It's too long of a drive on my old back.  My doctor suggests we stop every two hours to stretch and walk a bit.  I think that will be good advice.

My favorite thing this week was...the beautiful weather we are having :)

Things I'm working on...I'm always working on being more organized, having less clutter and a more simple life.  (easier said than done)  Enjoying each day that the Lord has given us.

I'm cooking...made delicious taco soup last night.  I love it.  It is especially good in the fall and winter.

I'm thankful for...God's blessings on my life :)

I'm praying for...friends of ours in Ethiopia who are adopting the cutest little boy ever.  They have hoops to jump through before bringing him home and praying all goes as God plans.

Thank you for stopping by Second Star Academy.  I hope you have a fantastic weekend and week with your loved ones.

Pam

Chaos

Found this today on Pinterest.  Hoping this is true ;)

Pam

Homeschooling Mother's Journal

In my life this week...enjoying having my nephew here again.  He is a very good painter and I am enjoying my newly painted bedroom and bath.  Oh, and did I mention the closet?  He emptied it and painted it too.  It all looks so nice.  This week he is also working next door removing stucco off a neighbor's house and putting up siding.  He's a talented guy!

In our homeschool this week...we did school a few days and then Robyn went to her grandmother's for a visit.  That's the nice thing about homeschooling.  We couldn't do this when we feel like it in regular school.  Since she is going back to her Christian school for high school next year, she is taking advantage of this perk while she can :)

I am inspired by...love.  "...but the greatest of these is love."  (I Cor. 13:13)

Places we're going and people we're seeing...just visiting our parents and sticking around home.  Hubby is off for seven days starting today (crazy work schedule) and we are going to do some work in the garage.  It's so piled up we can't get our cars in there.  :(

My favorite thing this week was...starting a beauty blog with my 13 year old.  It's so much fun sharing our love of makeup and all things girly  :)

Things I'm working on...getting my bedroom and bathroom all clean and decorated now that the painting is done.  Going through clothes, shoes, handbags, and donating unwanted things, decluttering and just making the master bedroom look pretty :)

I'm cooking...with my nephew here there's another man to feed, so I am making more filling, manly meals.  He is working so hard I feel like I have to feed him well enough to keep his strength up.  lol

I am thankful for...family.

I'm praying for...family.

Thank you so much for stopping by Second Star Academy.  Please come and visit again and leave a comment telling me you were here.

Pam

Menu for week of September 10th

I'm late getting this up today.  I worked at church serving lunch to the seniors of the church today and then had to come home and take a much needed nap.  So, better late that never, here is my plan:

Go to  http://orgjunkie.com/ for 100's of menus.

Monday:  Smoked Turkey Sausage with Peppers and Onions, Taters, and Zucchini, Salad

Tuesday:  Chicken Stir Fry and Rice

Wednesday:  BBQ Chicken Kabobs, Baked Beans and Pineapple

Thursday:  Cheesy Chicken Bundles, Corn, Green Beans

Friday:  Crock Pot Pork Chops, Brussels Sprouts, Baby Carrots, Mashed Potatoes

Saturday:  Frozen Stouffer's Dinner, Salad

Sunday:  Bean Burritos, Chips and Salsa

Please come back and visit Chaos Cottage again or my new blog Glamouriffic Beauty Blog by clicking the link at the right.

Pam

New blog

My daughter and I have a new blog we are doing together.  You can go to it by clicking over at the right on Glamouriffic Beauty Blog.  We hope to post more often there.  If you like makeup, nail polish, fashion, and everything girly, you will like the blog.

Pam

The Homeschool Mother's Journal

Happy Friday everyone.  I haven't participated in this blog hop for awhile and thought I would today.

In my life this week...my nephew is visiting with us and doing some odd jobs around the house.  I am most excited about my master bathroom and bedroom.  They are getting painted the nicest light blue you ever did see.  With my tannish tile my bathroom looks like the beach!

In our homeschool this week...just plugging along with our Switched on Schoolhouse curriculum.  It's 8th grade and starting to get more difficult. So glad I married a smart man!

Places we're going and people we're seeing...went to my mother-in-love's on Labor day for delicious hotdogs.  Robyn and I did some shopping this week but mainly we are working on projects here at home.

Things I'm working on...my daughter and I are starting a mother and daughter blog where we talk about makeup, nail polish, fashion and mainly girly stuff.  I thought it would be neat to have a younger and um, err, older perspective on these.  What do you think?

I'm cooking...see my menu posted every Monday and my occasional new recipe.

I'm grateful for...God's blessings on me and my family and the gorgeous weather we are experiencing.  I can't wait for the changing of the leaves, my favorite time of year.

I'm praying for...my husband to stay safe at work and driving to and from.  For our homeschool year (our last, as daughter will be returning to her Christian school for high school) to be successful.  

Thank you for stopping by Second Star Academy.  Please come and visit again soon.

Pam

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!

I'm a happy girl!  Things are getting done around my chaos cottage.  My nephew is visiting us to help us check things off our to-do list.  In return we bought him a new cell phone and we are paying him a decent wage.  It's a win-win situation for my unemployed nephew. 

So far, I have a new painted front door, painted trim on the porch, freshly power washed porch, steps, sidewalk and drive-way.  At the moment, he is power washing the deck.  It hasn't seen a power wash in years.  On Tuesday he and my dad repaired some outside trim on our kitchen window.  Yep, things are looking good around here.

We've bought paint for our master bath and bedroom.  I can't wait to see how fresh and clean those walls are going to look.  They are the same contractors white color that they were when we moved in this house in 2000!  I know, I know.  Besides the upstairs hall, every room in our house has been painted but those.  It's time to give those room some love and attention.  It's way over due.

I went to see my internist yesterday and got a much needed shot in my back, prescription renewals, blood drawn, etc.  I am hoping this shot will help me to get through a trip I am taking soon that entails a long drive.  The doctor said I should stop every two hours to stretch and walk a bit.  I think that is a good idea too.

We had a wonderful afternoon on Monday at my Mother-in-Love's.  All the food was so yummy.  I hadn't had a hot dog with the works in a while and it was just delicious.  Afterwards we went to the mall and I only ended up purchasing a scarf and earrings at Claires.  Robyn and I both had a $10 off a $20 purchase coupon to use.  I know that store caters to the younger crowd, but I have a lot of fun perusing around in there.  We went to Victoria's Secret to look at their 5 for $30 body care items, but I didn't find any that I was crazy about, had a hard time finding samples to smell, and the employees weren't helping me.  I was a little disappointed in that because that was a great sale.  Then we went to Twenty-One.  I had never been there but see a lot of ladies on YouTube who show their shopping hauls from there.  They don't carry plus-size in their stores so that too was a disappointment. 

Yesterday, Robyn and I went to Cracker Barrel for Linner (lunch-dinner) after my doctor's visit because neither one of us had eaten anything, and then to Krogers and then to Walgreens. We bought 9 bottles of Sinful Colors nail polish for 99 cents each.  We got some beautiful fall colors.  Can't wait to try them.

So you see, I am feeling better, getting out and about more, seeing things getting accomplished around my house, and that always makes me a happy girl!  Clap, clap, clap!

Thanks for visiting Chaos Cottage.

Pam

Menu for week of September 3rd

I know, I know, everyone is saying it, but where did August go?  Really.

Here is my menu plan for this week:

Today:  Hot Dog cookout wing ding at my MIL.  Yum.  We haven't had "dawgs" in a while.

Tuesday:  Meatballs (made with ground chicken), Pasta, Sauce, Zucchini Casserole (an old favorite)

Wednesday:  My famous Potato Soup and all the fixin's.

Thursday:  Pork Chops, Baby Carrots, Brussels Sprouts, Rice Pilaf

Friday:  Shredded BBQ Chicken (on buns or not), Corn on the Cob, Broccoli Salad

Saturday:  Ham and Cheese Quiche, Leftover Broccoli Salad, Muffins, Fruit

Sunday:  Hoping for a pizza day!

That's my week.  How about yours.  Go to  http://orgjunkie.com/blog   to 100's of menus every week.

Thanks for stopping by,

Pam