Sickness and Cheer-leading.

Sprout is going to miss cheer pictures today because she's out sick.  The whole house has it and I think she's milking it really, but FarmBoy is off so he's letting her stay home again today.  I got sent home with antibiotics yesterday and told if I wasn't some better to call and stay home again.  I woke up without the nagging headache, but still feeling a bit crummy.  I figured it would keep people out of my office so I just came on into work.  FarmBoy is hanging out with Sprout so he can get more rest before he goes on nights this week.  I'm just hoping we are all recovered before next week and Thanksgiving.

Cheer got started late this year so I ordered shoes and sent messages about her cheer outfit this morning.  She missed fittings last night with being out ill.  I'm hoping we get this out of the way early and that we all get over it for the rest of the holidays.  She's really wanting to cheer at least until she switches schools.  I really think she's avoiding her teacher and not really needing to stay home, but that's a whole other subject.  She loves to cheer and sing and right now she can't do either so she's been a total grump.  All she wanted to do yesterday was snuggle in bed with me and watch movies and since I was home I gladly let her.  I know days like this are few and there's going to be a time she doesn't want to do this with me.  She's growing up so fast. 

Last weekend before all this hit we were grocery/early Christmas shopping and talking.  We had gone to a famous chain restaurant for a quick bite.  I needed to rest my knees and she was tired of walking and wanted a break.  I didn't let her get soda because I knew I had a little bit of an old gift card that needed used.  I had planned on letting her get an ice cream, but knew if soda was involved it would be too much sugar and I'd end up grumpy because she was over stimulated.  We have a family friend who is not allowed to see her mother anymore by court order and I used this as a moment to teach her that she should be thankful for all she has including me.  I wasn't mean for not allowing her soda since I had planned on letting her have ice cream, but didn't tell her.  I reminded her that her friend would give almost anything to have a mom that cared at all what she ate or did.  It really made her think and the rest of the day went pretty smooth with little complaining.  It's amazing what putting something in perspective does for a person.  I'm reminded that I need that sometimes to and I need to seek out the one who will tell me when I need to hear this.

Snow and rushing past Thanksgiving

Well it snowed here and not just a little dusting.  I saw people turning on their Christmas lights.  It made me a bit sad.  Don't get me wrong I love Christmas.  In fact our house transforms at Christmas time.  It starts outside and moves all the way through our house including the bedding and towels.  It makes me happy, but I also love Thanksgiving.  Let's face it here in the US we have it easy compared to most places in this world and so we should be thankful, really really thankful, but it seems after Halloween is over everyone is ready to just move on to Christmas.  I decorate our house for fall or autumn not Halloween.  It's just my opinion, but the Bible tells us not to be afraid so why would I decorate with scary things that would make someone be afraid.  That's just not what a home should be about.  Harvest is a big deal for us so most things in the house have something to do with that.  After Halloween I do get out a few special things like a pilgrim set of candle sticks and a turkey figurine that came from my husband's grandparents as well as a few other things.  The pilgrims remind me of my past.  I have a descendant that was a pilgrim on the Mayflower.  It reminds me to always be thankful for what they endured to get here so that I can worship freely even today.

I remind Sprout that we need to always be thankful but especially in this season.  Our harvest is done, but loads of our friends and neighbors are not.  FarmBoy has picked up several new customers for selling grain handling systems.  They may just want small stuff right now, but small stuff often turns into bigger stuff later.  We have a warm and dry house and plenty of food.   I try to always be thankful for the small stuff too.  I'm thankful I know how to cook.  I'm amazed at the people who can't cook simple things.  It's so much nicer to come home and cook soup rather than heat up what you can find in a can.  It doesn't take that long either.  I'm thankful that FarmBoy is handy.  He can fix just about anything at our house and that saves us a ton of money.  I'm thankful that I have a God who loves me even when I'm not lovable and that I can tell him thank you whenever I want.  It may seem little to me, but that is really big to others in this world.

Winter volleyball and crazy continues

Well our week just gets crazier and crazier.  I haven't seen FarmBoy in 2 days.  He's on nights so he doesn't get off work until after I have been at work for a couple of hours.  He's finished cutting beans on Tuesday and has finally gotten everything moved home.  He's had several service calls that he's fit in where he could as well as sleeping some.  The last couple of nights he didn't get done until it was time to go to work.  I'll be glad when things slow down.  I miss him.

I drop Sprout at early care and head in to work.  I have picked her up all week too.  Evaluations for winter volleyball started Tuesday evening, but the season doesn't start until January.  She did pretty well on Tuesday and has more evaluations on Thursday and again on Monday evening.  She's excited, but also a bit scared that it's overhand serve only.  She's just learning to overhand serve and it's not very good.  Her previous coach had them doing the underhand serve only so this is totally new to her.  We will see how it goes.  I'm excited that she's making new friends and is not at all intimidated that there are lots of girls in this program.  This tells me she really is ready to move on to a public school and classes that have more kids.  She's navigating pretty well.

It seems like this week I have run from one thing to another.  Sprout and I did get some quiet time to play a board game last night.  I left work early yesterday to go have my annual mammogram and then headed to her school to pick her up.  Since I wasn't feeling well and FarmBoy wasn't going to be home we hit a drive through.  It gave me a chance to work on decluttering for a bit and then had time to chill and play a board game.  She needed the time with me to just talk.  She's navigating typical pre teen things like boys and peer pressure and such.  I'm glad we have the open communication that we do.

Oh I usually do a Thankful Thursday post, but I'm going to combine it with this one today since I really need to get some work done today. 

I'm thankful.....

1. FarmBoy goes above and beyond to make sure we are provided for and are working toward our shared goal of paying off the house and transitioning me to part time work.
2. That Sprout is improving in math and loves the videos that go with her current curriculum, but are from a teacher at the school she will be at in January.  
3. That I haven't lost my mind this fall and haven't severely lost my temper either.  I've had a few moments of frustration, but nothing major.  
4. That tomorrow is migraine shot day.  The new medicine really helps, but I notice it wearing off toward the end of the month and I'll be glad for the next round.
5. That I'm actually making some head way in organizing the basement and decluttering the house.  I like to do this before the holidays really hit so I'm not so stressed.
6. for all the little things that happen during the week that show me God loves me.  Like the sunrises and sunsets that I get to see in the car.  Their beauty reminds me that he creates things like that just for us to enjoy and that is amazing to me.
7. That I get to go to Sprout's last feast day at school.  It's an annual tradition that I don't always get to go to.  I'll talk more about it later.
8. That my current job allows me some flexibility in my hours to make all that has to happen at our house possible.
9. That God is giving me the strength to keep going.  The migraines haven't been as intense and that helps me keep going.
10. That I have a God that loves me and provides good things for me like a godly spouse and family always willing to help.

Crazy week, but quiet is coming!

Well it's going to be crazy for the next few weeks, but a quiet holiday is coming.  This year we aren't traveling even across the county to the relatives.  FarmBoy is working most of Thanksgiving weekend ( although the rumor is that they won't work Thanksgiving Day ) so we decided to just stay at home.  We want a quiet day with a simple meal just the 3 of us.  If people want to come by they are welcomed, but we are just relaxing and watching the Macy's parade and probably playing some board games.  The thought is to just chill. 

Harvest has been a bit much with rain off and on.  FarmBoy has had several customers need help with fans, heaters and stirators so most of his extra time has been away from home.  I've got basically 3 weekends from now to get the house decluttered, stocked up and ready for a relaxing day.  I'm making stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, pie and maybe some noodles.  FarmBoy always smokes the turkey so that won't change, but at least we don't have to prepare it for transport anywhere.  The pie and noodles can be made ahead so cooking won't be difficult.  I'll probably throw in a cheese ball and grab some summer sausage for later in the evening. 

I might slip out for my annual Walmart Black Friday trip, but I don't take anyone with me so it's not so bad.  I do the Kohl's trip on line and I have my cart preloaded several days before.  FarmBoy goes back to work on Friday so I'm going to try to make the trip really quick.  This is one of the ways I make the budget stretch for the holidays.  Sprout has crossed over into not believing in Santa anymore so I don't have to be quite to secretive, but I still want things to be a surprise.  Now I don't have to hide the Santa wrapping paper, etc.  Santa only ever brought stockings at our house, but everything came wrapped in Santa paper that was always hidden.  The big stuff always came from Dad and Mom and was wrapped in other Christmas paper.  Just a way I made things special.  I'll still wrap that way I just don't have to hide now.

I LOVE family, but I'm really looking forward to a quiet day this year.