Lorna received her first CD yesterday. She listens to a lot of our music but this was the first time she asked for something that would be hers. I was able to get the deluxe edition of Taylor Swift's CD for her stocking. One thing that jumped out at me was the wholesomeness of the songs. Normally when you listen to music sung by young artists the songs are about mature themes, this wasn't the case. The songs were fun and cute, exactly what I want our 12 year old listening to! There was also a DVD included that had some videos and interviews.
Our day seemed a bit harried but that's always the case when we spend the morning at church. Due to the long drive and getting up so early we didn't actually get around to opening gifts until 5pm after we all got up from our naps. It made for a very relaxing evening that ended way too soon.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Good & Bad
Lorna had her quarterly visit with the pediatric endocrinologist yesterday. There are no useful specialists near us so we have to drive 3 hours to Los Angeles which makes for a really long day. Usually these visits are a whole 5 minutes but this time was a bit longer. The actual doctor isn't the one who does the visit, we always spend most of our time with the doctors in training. The actual endocrinologist only comes in at the end to say hello. This time we met a very nice woman who is in her first year of specialty training. She asked us all kinds of questions about what surgery Lorna had as a baby and if we would do it again given the chance. It seems there is a vocal group who feels the non-life threatening surgery usually done on infant girls with this condition shouldn't be done until the teen years. They feel these girls should be able to decide for themselves. Funny thing is, this has to be done once you reach puberty so I don't understand what the issue is. The new techniques now mean it's a one time thing, unlike Lorna's which will be have to be completed with a second surgery in the next few months.
The good news is that the labs look great, the bad news is that she hasn't grown any in the last 4 months. The doctors feel that she won't be growing much more. They said she may gain 1/2 inch over the next few years but they don't expect her to hit 5 feet. We already knew her bones had started fusing early but we didn't realize she was this far off in bone age. They were concerned but I didn't get the impression that there is anything they can do about it. She took the news really well and said that she would just have to get small horses to ride.
The good news is that the labs look great, the bad news is that she hasn't grown any in the last 4 months. The doctors feel that she won't be growing much more. They said she may gain 1/2 inch over the next few years but they don't expect her to hit 5 feet. We already knew her bones had started fusing early but we didn't realize she was this far off in bone age. They were concerned but I didn't get the impression that there is anything they can do about it. She took the news really well and said that she would just have to get small horses to ride.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Wal-Mart
Is Wal-Mart really any different than any other retailer?
That's the question I'm asking myself after reading the Wake-up Wal-Mart site. Statistics can be skewed any way you want. What I found somewhat amusing is the idea that Wal-Mart costs taxpayers money. The complaint is that they don't pay their associates enough and the costs for medical insurance are too high.
I only have our experiences with low paying jobs to look to but here is what we have found. The McDonald's in town pays it's workers $7.50 an hour (minimum wage in CA). The managers make $8.00 no matter how long they have worked there. There are no benefits given to the employees and no opportunities for raises. Wal-Mart is looking like a good employer right now. The unionized grocery store here in town pays better IF you can get hours. They are only required to give you 24 hours a week if you don't have any availability restrictions in which case they aren't required to give you any hours. The pay is better but at 24 hour a week you make less than minimum wage after union dues are taken out. The medical plans offered are useless, being more like a discount plan, and you don't qualify for medical for your spouse until you've worked there 4 years! Again Wal-Mart is looking really good.
If you want to just look at medical plans I can tell you that the plans offered by Paul's day job (outside sales) aren't any better than what is offered to Wal-Mart employees and for a higher premium. The plan we are currently enrolled in has deductibles of $1000 and only pays 65% after you have reached the deductible. To be eligible you have to meet a certain sales plan for the year or you don't get coverage for the next year. Just in case you missed it, we actually qualify for state sponsored insurance for our kids so you this supposed professional type job can be said to be costing the taxpayers money.
Putting aside all of the above I still question whether or not there is a problem with Wal-Mart. I get the impression that there is a growing idea that afforable medical coverage and high wages are a right. That everyone deserves these things no matter what they are capable of doing. If workers are unhappy with the pay and benefits of a job isn't it their responsibility to look for a better employer? The idea that kept popping in my head as I read the stories from Wal-Mart employees and the "facts" on this site is that Wal-Mart is no different than any other retailer. The complaints and frustrations of the employees can be heard at any other place that hires unskilled labor.
That's the question I'm asking myself after reading the Wake-up Wal-Mart site. Statistics can be skewed any way you want. What I found somewhat amusing is the idea that Wal-Mart costs taxpayers money. The complaint is that they don't pay their associates enough and the costs for medical insurance are too high.
I only have our experiences with low paying jobs to look to but here is what we have found. The McDonald's in town pays it's workers $7.50 an hour (minimum wage in CA). The managers make $8.00 no matter how long they have worked there. There are no benefits given to the employees and no opportunities for raises. Wal-Mart is looking like a good employer right now. The unionized grocery store here in town pays better IF you can get hours. They are only required to give you 24 hours a week if you don't have any availability restrictions in which case they aren't required to give you any hours. The pay is better but at 24 hour a week you make less than minimum wage after union dues are taken out. The medical plans offered are useless, being more like a discount plan, and you don't qualify for medical for your spouse until you've worked there 4 years! Again Wal-Mart is looking really good.
If you want to just look at medical plans I can tell you that the plans offered by Paul's day job (outside sales) aren't any better than what is offered to Wal-Mart employees and for a higher premium. The plan we are currently enrolled in has deductibles of $1000 and only pays 65% after you have reached the deductible. To be eligible you have to meet a certain sales plan for the year or you don't get coverage for the next year. Just in case you missed it, we actually qualify for state sponsored insurance for our kids so you this supposed professional type job can be said to be costing the taxpayers money.
Putting aside all of the above I still question whether or not there is a problem with Wal-Mart. I get the impression that there is a growing idea that afforable medical coverage and high wages are a right. That everyone deserves these things no matter what they are capable of doing. If workers are unhappy with the pay and benefits of a job isn't it their responsibility to look for a better employer? The idea that kept popping in my head as I read the stories from Wal-Mart employees and the "facts" on this site is that Wal-Mart is no different than any other retailer. The complaints and frustrations of the employees can be heard at any other place that hires unskilled labor.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Medical Insurance
I've read an article that stated that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to make it mandatory that all people in CA have health insurance. If you cannot get the insurance from your employer then the state would offer insurance coverage. This is a problem on so many levels. We've had a recent problem that just proves this won't work.
We were unable to get private insurance for our daughter because of her genetic disorder. We had the option of taking the state Healthy Families coverage or going without coverage. We swallowed our pride and took the state coverage. The plan is administered by Blue Cross. As of October of this year we were told that UCLA, where her specialist is located, will no longer accept the insurance. Since then I've found out that the medical group in Fresno and San Diego has terminated their contracts. I was told that it looks like Stanford and San Francisco will also be going this route. The medical groups want more money and the plan administrator cannot authorize more since the state tells them how much they can pay. What this means is that we cannot get an authorization to continue seeing the specialist our daughter goes to. The plan administer has referred our case to another state program who can authorize different doctors for special cases. When I talked to them, the names they gave us were for doctors that I was told had retired! They can refer her to one hospital in Los Angeles county but having dealt with them in the past it is the last place I would feel comfortable taking her. Since all the patients from the surrounding areas will also be switched to that particular hospital I cannot even imagine what the wait for an appointment will be since it was 4-6 months before this happened. How can you require people to have insurance that no medical group will take?
I have no idea what we are going to do at this point. I have messages in to Blue Cross about an appointment we have scheduled next week. At this point I'm hoping to get them to cover this one appointment so I have time for the other state program to go into effect and find a doctor who will take it.
We were unable to get private insurance for our daughter because of her genetic disorder. We had the option of taking the state Healthy Families coverage or going without coverage. We swallowed our pride and took the state coverage. The plan is administered by Blue Cross. As of October of this year we were told that UCLA, where her specialist is located, will no longer accept the insurance. Since then I've found out that the medical group in Fresno and San Diego has terminated their contracts. I was told that it looks like Stanford and San Francisco will also be going this route. The medical groups want more money and the plan administrator cannot authorize more since the state tells them how much they can pay. What this means is that we cannot get an authorization to continue seeing the specialist our daughter goes to. The plan administer has referred our case to another state program who can authorize different doctors for special cases. When I talked to them, the names they gave us were for doctors that I was told had retired! They can refer her to one hospital in Los Angeles county but having dealt with them in the past it is the last place I would feel comfortable taking her. Since all the patients from the surrounding areas will also be switched to that particular hospital I cannot even imagine what the wait for an appointment will be since it was 4-6 months before this happened. How can you require people to have insurance that no medical group will take?
I have no idea what we are going to do at this point. I have messages in to Blue Cross about an appointment we have scheduled next week. At this point I'm hoping to get them to cover this one appointment so I have time for the other state program to go into effect and find a doctor who will take it.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
What is it?
We have a cast iron pot on the wood stove to add humidity to the air when we burn. Last night it gave a loud pop and actually jumped on the stove. I opened it up to find this.
We couldn't figure it out until Malachi gave a little sound and turned red. It seems he wanted to hide something from his sister yesterday and put it in the pot. He forgot about it and later filled the pot with water and set it on the stove. Have you guessed what it was? It's a golf ball.
We couldn't figure it out until Malachi gave a little sound and turned red. It seems he wanted to hide something from his sister yesterday and put it in the pot. He forgot about it and later filled the pot with water and set it on the stove. Have you guessed what it was? It's a golf ball.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Another sewing project
I put the pictures and description under this link so I don't scare anyone away. If you are easily embarassed by items of a personal nature don't look. If you aren't then have a look at my newest creations!
Monday, December 03, 2007
Boring
That's how you can describe my life right now, and I'm loving every moment of it!
My posting has been erratic because I just don't have much to say. Well, I could go on and on but I wouldn't have anything of interest to say. I've spent the last week doing laundry, more laundry, reading, laundry, and getting a few loads of water in town because I've been doing so much laundry. It's gotten cold so the blankets and warm clothes needed to be brought out. Unfortunately the tubs that contained said blankets and clothes had been opened earlier in the year and the lids were never put back on properly. That left dirt and spiders in the stuff, the tubs are kept under our deck since we don't have a garage. So on top of our normal laundry I had to wash all that stuff too. Luckily my kids do their own clothes and sheets so I only had to wash every one's blankets. This is one of those times that I'm really glad I made the kids learn to do their laundry when they were young. In case you are wondering how young, I taught them to do their laundry at about 5. I had to help with adding the soap but they had to put their clothes in the washer and transfer them to the dryer. At this point I don't have to help at all. They wash their clothes, hang them on the line, take them down, and put them away. I'm not picky about how they fold them and I don't look in their dresser unless I have to.
My other exciting and big project was cleaning out the closet. I told you my life was boring! Since our closet is tiny (2 x 5) and we don't have room for a dresser I have to switch out the summer and winter clothes. I spent yesterday doing just that since the clothes I washed were dry and folded. It's always fun to see the clothes I forgot I had. Today I'm going to make myself sit down and sew up some of the fabric I bought at a day after Thanksgiving sale, it's been sitting on the ironing board tauting me for a week.
My posting has been erratic because I just don't have much to say. Well, I could go on and on but I wouldn't have anything of interest to say. I've spent the last week doing laundry, more laundry, reading, laundry, and getting a few loads of water in town because I've been doing so much laundry. It's gotten cold so the blankets and warm clothes needed to be brought out. Unfortunately the tubs that contained said blankets and clothes had been opened earlier in the year and the lids were never put back on properly. That left dirt and spiders in the stuff, the tubs are kept under our deck since we don't have a garage. So on top of our normal laundry I had to wash all that stuff too. Luckily my kids do their own clothes and sheets so I only had to wash every one's blankets. This is one of those times that I'm really glad I made the kids learn to do their laundry when they were young. In case you are wondering how young, I taught them to do their laundry at about 5. I had to help with adding the soap but they had to put their clothes in the washer and transfer them to the dryer. At this point I don't have to help at all. They wash their clothes, hang them on the line, take them down, and put them away. I'm not picky about how they fold them and I don't look in their dresser unless I have to.
My other exciting and big project was cleaning out the closet. I told you my life was boring! Since our closet is tiny (2 x 5) and we don't have room for a dresser I have to switch out the summer and winter clothes. I spent yesterday doing just that since the clothes I washed were dry and folded. It's always fun to see the clothes I forgot I had. Today I'm going to make myself sit down and sew up some of the fabric I bought at a day after Thanksgiving sale, it's been sitting on the ironing board tauting me for a week.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Content
I was thinking about what it means to be content the last few weeks. When I think about being content I automatically associate that with being complacent. I’m not ready to be complacent, I’m still looking for ways to change and improve our way of life. I’m still looking at ways to implement my “less is more” attitude towards living. If I am content then that means I’m done looking and changing. That doesn’t mean I’m unhappy with everything in our situation, I’m finding things that this particular place offers us that we may not have elsewhere. At the same time I’m continuing to dream and plan about what I’d like in the future. So I’m not content with our life but that’s okay because I’m still striving for ways to make our life even better.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Christmas Parade
I couldn't have been more pleased with the way things went at the Christmas parade!
Just to give you an idea of why this was such a groundbreaking thing I need to explain how far Lorna has come with Ginger. When she first saved up and purchased her horse 2 years ago her expectation was that Ginger would be a great beginner horse. The acquaintance we bought her from had purchased the horse at an auction and only had her for 6 months before he sold her to us. He really wanted to help Lorna get her first horse so he sold her for a lot less than she was worth.
Lorna didn't have much experience with riding so she really needed a "kid-proof" horse. Ginger quickly found that she could take control and promptly threw Lorna off twice. After that Lorna would only sit on the horse and have us lead her around. Once we got settled here we told Lorna she either had to work with Ginger or sell her because the cost of upkeep was too much for a lawn ornament. She started lessons in August and now is able to maintain control of her horse. Today she proudly rode Ginger down the street with sirens blaring and people cheering. Never once did Ginger give her a problem, that's a long way from throwing Lorna off and running down the road! Lorna is now confident enough that she is going to ride Ginger at her next gymkhana event.
The group Lorna rode with (they won 1st place for the equestrian division).
Coming down the street.
Lorna and Ginger
Malachi greatly enjoyed all the candy the various participants threw to the spectators.
Just to give you an idea of why this was such a groundbreaking thing I need to explain how far Lorna has come with Ginger. When she first saved up and purchased her horse 2 years ago her expectation was that Ginger would be a great beginner horse. The acquaintance we bought her from had purchased the horse at an auction and only had her for 6 months before he sold her to us. He really wanted to help Lorna get her first horse so he sold her for a lot less than she was worth.
Lorna didn't have much experience with riding so she really needed a "kid-proof" horse. Ginger quickly found that she could take control and promptly threw Lorna off twice. After that Lorna would only sit on the horse and have us lead her around. Once we got settled here we told Lorna she either had to work with Ginger or sell her because the cost of upkeep was too much for a lawn ornament. She started lessons in August and now is able to maintain control of her horse. Today she proudly rode Ginger down the street with sirens blaring and people cheering. Never once did Ginger give her a problem, that's a long way from throwing Lorna off and running down the road! Lorna is now confident enough that she is going to ride Ginger at her next gymkhana event.
The group Lorna rode with (they won 1st place for the equestrian division).
Coming down the street.
Lorna and Ginger
Malachi greatly enjoyed all the candy the various participants threw to the spectators.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
A Nontraditional Thanksgiving
We don't celebrate Thanksgiving like most others do. A number of years ago, after a failed attempt to hold a traditional dinner at our house where all but 2 people cancelled the day of, we decided it was a waste to do all that cooking for just our small family. In addition to that, none of us care for turkey and we just don't have the money to attempt such an extravagant dinner. We now have the tradition of doing appetizers all day.
I started the day by making homemade french and brown bread.
The french bread was used for a goat cheese spread topped with sun dried tomatoes.
Lorna made homemade crescent rolls for the next 2 snacks. These are filled with cream cheese, dried onion, asiago, and bacon.
The last batch was filled with cream cheese, asiago, and roasted red peppers.
The only ingredient that we bought special for today was the cream cheese so the cost was really minimal. And just so you don't get the idea that we ate junk all day I should add that our lunch consisted of chicken salads.
I started the day by making homemade french and brown bread.
The french bread was used for a goat cheese spread topped with sun dried tomatoes.
Lorna made homemade crescent rolls for the next 2 snacks. These are filled with cream cheese, dried onion, asiago, and bacon.
The last batch was filled with cream cheese, asiago, and roasted red peppers.
The only ingredient that we bought special for today was the cream cheese so the cost was really minimal. And just so you don't get the idea that we ate junk all day I should add that our lunch consisted of chicken salads.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Nothing
I've been remiss in posting lately. There just isn't much going on so I'm enjoying the relative calm of our lives right now.
We celebrated Lorna's 12th birthday last week by taking her to the American Girl Store in Los Angeles. She was surprised since we didn't tell her where we were going. We were able to get a couple of her grandparents to give her money so she could shop while there. We left with 2 dolls, their accessories, and an outfit that was on special. Since the store is in an outdoor mall we walked around and enjoyed being out and about.
This Saturday we are gearing up to take Lorna and her horse into town to be in the Christmas parade. The gymkhana club that she is now a member of is part of the parade and asked if she wanted to join them. I know it doesn't sound like any big deal but we are taking her horse, Ginger, for her to ride. This will be the first time she's done anything with her horse besides ride her around the property. Lorna's been working with her horse daily. She's gone from not being able to control the horse very well to trotting around trashcans set up as barrels. Now we will see how Ginger does out with other horses and lots of people. We are hoping Lorna will be able to start riding Ginger in the gymkhana events sometime next year.
Even with the addition of transportation available I find that we aren't really using it. We've gotten so used to being home and working our errands into one day that I forget we can go out. Today we will take a trip to the library to pick up some books the kids requested in. Since we have found another branch with a nice librarian we have started using the library again. This branch is only open 2 days a week and has one small room full of books but I can order in just about anything at no charge.
We celebrated Lorna's 12th birthday last week by taking her to the American Girl Store in Los Angeles. She was surprised since we didn't tell her where we were going. We were able to get a couple of her grandparents to give her money so she could shop while there. We left with 2 dolls, their accessories, and an outfit that was on special. Since the store is in an outdoor mall we walked around and enjoyed being out and about.
This Saturday we are gearing up to take Lorna and her horse into town to be in the Christmas parade. The gymkhana club that she is now a member of is part of the parade and asked if she wanted to join them. I know it doesn't sound like any big deal but we are taking her horse, Ginger, for her to ride. This will be the first time she's done anything with her horse besides ride her around the property. Lorna's been working with her horse daily. She's gone from not being able to control the horse very well to trotting around trashcans set up as barrels. Now we will see how Ginger does out with other horses and lots of people. We are hoping Lorna will be able to start riding Ginger in the gymkhana events sometime next year.
Even with the addition of transportation available I find that we aren't really using it. We've gotten so used to being home and working our errands into one day that I forget we can go out. Today we will take a trip to the library to pick up some books the kids requested in. Since we have found another branch with a nice librarian we have started using the library again. This branch is only open 2 days a week and has one small room full of books but I can order in just about anything at no charge.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Transportation
We finally broke down and purchased another vehicle. The rising fuel costs and maintenance on the truck pushed us into this as a way to save money.
We found this on a local dealer's website after visiting a few used car lots. It seems everyone wants a small fuel efficient vehicle so the prices were out of our range. This particular vehicle had been sitting at the dealer since April so they had just lowered the price by almost half. It's in really good shape considering the price. The best part is that our yearly premium for insurance went down by $11!
This now leaves me with the truck during the week. I don't foresee actually going anywhere because of the cost of fuel, but at least we will have it available in case of emergency.
We found this on a local dealer's website after visiting a few used car lots. It seems everyone wants a small fuel efficient vehicle so the prices were out of our range. This particular vehicle had been sitting at the dealer since April so they had just lowered the price by almost half. It's in really good shape considering the price. The best part is that our yearly premium for insurance went down by $11!
This now leaves me with the truck during the week. I don't foresee actually going anywhere because of the cost of fuel, but at least we will have it available in case of emergency.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Typical day
I’m in the middle of reading Homeschooling: A Patchwork of Days and I’ve been thinking about what our days are like. I also had a nice discussion with a woman at the stables last Friday. She was wondering about what resources we use and how we go about doing school at home. I decided to actually write down an average day just to prove that we aren’t normal!
Here is what Monday looked like at our house…
Since the time change was yesterday we were all up by 8am! That is an unusual occurrence for me, I usually get up closer to 9am. I’ve given up getting the kids out of bed so they get up when they want, which is usually after 9.
8-9am I spent reading email and blogs.
The next hour I spent getting dressed, making the bed, getting a list of books together for Paul so he can go to the library for me, printing out the planning sheets for school, cleaning off the kitchen counter, washing dishes, and hanging up the wet laundry from yesterday.
At 10am the kids put away the Legos they were playing with so they could start their schoolwork. I needed to make bread so I started that while they worked on their individual stuff. While the bread was rising I checked the stuff Lorna had already finished and got her working on some overdue thank you notes. Between kneading the dough and letting it rise a few more times we worked on science and history together. We finished up with catechism work and prayers. By this point it was after 1pm so I left Malachi to finish his thank you notes while I cleaned the bathroom. Lorna decided to move her horse riding to the afternoon since it gets dark so early so she went out to ride Ginger. After I finished cleaning, the bread was ready to go in the oven and Lorna was ready to start her afternoon chores.
I got off easy today since there were leftovers from last night for lunch today. So at 2pm, I sat down to eat and read a bit. Malachi was still working on those notes so I helped out a bit before I finished lunch. The kids ate lunch after I did because they were busy with their own stuff. From 2:30-3:30 I read some more email and decided to start this blog post.
Paul got home relatively early, 3:30, with the load of library books. From then until Paul left for his night job at 5:30pm I read one of the books he brought home. At 5pm the kids were finished with their chores so we put in the movie we got in the mail from Netflix. About an hour into it I started making dinner. Once the movie and dinner were finished I went back to my book. I started getting ready for bed around 10 pm. The kids finished up showers around this time as well, getting to bed around 10:30pm.
I finished my book and started another one until Paul got home at midnight.
This is a pretty typical day for us. The kids don’t have set times to go to bed or get up and they have chores that help the house run pretty smoothly. I have a lot of time to read or sew because I don’t have access to a vehicle during the week so I am home all day without any errands to run. I frequently read 5-7 fun books a week and check my email numerous times a day. I sometimes feel guilty that I have so much time for my own amusements but I don’t have many of the same opportunities for adult conversation that others do so these things help keep me sane. I used to try to clean a lot more but realized it’s useless to try to keep things picked up. The house is so small that it is really impossible for it not to be cluttered. One benefit of it being so small is that it is a quick job when I do go on a cleaning spree.
An average day for school is only about 2-3 hours. We are using fewer and fewer textbooks every year. I started out really regimented but have relaxed a lot over the past few years. Even though "school" is only a few hours we all spend a lot of time reading and doing things that could be counted as school related.
Here is what Monday looked like at our house…
Since the time change was yesterday we were all up by 8am! That is an unusual occurrence for me, I usually get up closer to 9am. I’ve given up getting the kids out of bed so they get up when they want, which is usually after 9.
8-9am I spent reading email and blogs.
The next hour I spent getting dressed, making the bed, getting a list of books together for Paul so he can go to the library for me, printing out the planning sheets for school, cleaning off the kitchen counter, washing dishes, and hanging up the wet laundry from yesterday.
At 10am the kids put away the Legos they were playing with so they could start their schoolwork. I needed to make bread so I started that while they worked on their individual stuff. While the bread was rising I checked the stuff Lorna had already finished and got her working on some overdue thank you notes. Between kneading the dough and letting it rise a few more times we worked on science and history together. We finished up with catechism work and prayers. By this point it was after 1pm so I left Malachi to finish his thank you notes while I cleaned the bathroom. Lorna decided to move her horse riding to the afternoon since it gets dark so early so she went out to ride Ginger. After I finished cleaning, the bread was ready to go in the oven and Lorna was ready to start her afternoon chores.
I got off easy today since there were leftovers from last night for lunch today. So at 2pm, I sat down to eat and read a bit. Malachi was still working on those notes so I helped out a bit before I finished lunch. The kids ate lunch after I did because they were busy with their own stuff. From 2:30-3:30 I read some more email and decided to start this blog post.
Paul got home relatively early, 3:30, with the load of library books. From then until Paul left for his night job at 5:30pm I read one of the books he brought home. At 5pm the kids were finished with their chores so we put in the movie we got in the mail from Netflix. About an hour into it I started making dinner. Once the movie and dinner were finished I went back to my book. I started getting ready for bed around 10 pm. The kids finished up showers around this time as well, getting to bed around 10:30pm.
I finished my book and started another one until Paul got home at midnight.
This is a pretty typical day for us. The kids don’t have set times to go to bed or get up and they have chores that help the house run pretty smoothly. I have a lot of time to read or sew because I don’t have access to a vehicle during the week so I am home all day without any errands to run. I frequently read 5-7 fun books a week and check my email numerous times a day. I sometimes feel guilty that I have so much time for my own amusements but I don’t have many of the same opportunities for adult conversation that others do so these things help keep me sane. I used to try to clean a lot more but realized it’s useless to try to keep things picked up. The house is so small that it is really impossible for it not to be cluttered. One benefit of it being so small is that it is a quick job when I do go on a cleaning spree.
An average day for school is only about 2-3 hours. We are using fewer and fewer textbooks every year. I started out really regimented but have relaxed a lot over the past few years. Even though "school" is only a few hours we all spend a lot of time reading and doing things that could be counted as school related.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Changes
I hadn't realized that it had been so long since I posted!
We are in the middle of yet another change in schedule. Paul was informed by the manager at the market he works at overnight that they are eliminating the produce position overnight so he would be switched to days. The guy tried to just schedule him during the day without saying anything but was reminded, again, that Paul has a day job. Back and forth they went until the manager scheduled him overnight this week. When Paul thanked him the manager preceded to tell him that he will be on days next week. I'm not sure what he doesn't understand about the statement, "I have a day job and cannot work during the day." So Paul went on a job hunt over the last few days.
On Monday he starts working at McDonald's. Certainly not the most glorious or highest paying position but they need someone to work nights. The biggest benefit of all, in my mind, is that he will be able to get more sleep. Also, no more union dues!!! Even though the rate of pay is less, the lack of union dues will more than make up the difference when the new minimum wage takes effect Jan 1st.
We are in the middle of yet another change in schedule. Paul was informed by the manager at the market he works at overnight that they are eliminating the produce position overnight so he would be switched to days. The guy tried to just schedule him during the day without saying anything but was reminded, again, that Paul has a day job. Back and forth they went until the manager scheduled him overnight this week. When Paul thanked him the manager preceded to tell him that he will be on days next week. I'm not sure what he doesn't understand about the statement, "I have a day job and cannot work during the day." So Paul went on a job hunt over the last few days.
On Monday he starts working at McDonald's. Certainly not the most glorious or highest paying position but they need someone to work nights. The biggest benefit of all, in my mind, is that he will be able to get more sleep. Also, no more union dues!!! Even though the rate of pay is less, the lack of union dues will more than make up the difference when the new minimum wage takes effect Jan 1st.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Mona Lisa Smile
When I originally looked at this movie all the reviews I saw said it was a feminist movie. I finally broke down and ordered it from Netflix because I really like the actresses in the film, I was pleasantly surprised. We all really enjoyed the movie for several reasons.
First, having it set in the early 50's was interesting. I was fascinated by the clothes and such.
Second, the views of the time were almost the complete opposite of what we see now in society. The movie focuses on a woman's place, whether it's in the home or not. Those that chose something other than getting married and being a full-time homemaker are the misfits.
Last, the message wasn't what I expected. The message seemed to be to think for yourself. The idea of being a homemaker wasn't condemned and in fact one of the main characters struggles with whether she wants to further her studies to become a lawyer or get married. Although the character played by Julia Roberts tells her she doesn't have to make a choice this character explains that she does if she's not wiling to sacrifice her (possible) family.
The special features on the disk were also really good. It gave us some interesting topics for discussion.
First, having it set in the early 50's was interesting. I was fascinated by the clothes and such.
Second, the views of the time were almost the complete opposite of what we see now in society. The movie focuses on a woman's place, whether it's in the home or not. Those that chose something other than getting married and being a full-time homemaker are the misfits.
Last, the message wasn't what I expected. The message seemed to be to think for yourself. The idea of being a homemaker wasn't condemned and in fact one of the main characters struggles with whether she wants to further her studies to become a lawyer or get married. Although the character played by Julia Roberts tells her she doesn't have to make a choice this character explains that she does if she's not wiling to sacrifice her (possible) family.
The special features on the disk were also really good. It gave us some interesting topics for discussion.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Gymkhana
Lorna just finished her first show with the local Gymkhana club. She thoroughly enjoyed herself and looks forward to making this a monthly ritual. She rode the horse she's been taking lessons on for the last few months. We are hoping to eventually get her out there on her own horse after they start lessons together in a few months.
For those that don't want to wade through the link above, Gymkhana is a timed event kind of thing. Each month the local club gets together to go through 7 different events, there are a total of 13 events that alternate each month. The events involve going around poles, barrels, and over small jumps. You can go as fast or slow as you want. This particular club has a very wide age range and is very relaxed.
Lorna did great and the other members cheered her on, which made her day. She placed 2nd in 2 events, 3rd in one event, and we are awaiting the results for 2 others (technical difficulties). Not bad for her first try!
Thinking Blogger Award
Elizabeth at Muddy Boots has named this as one of the blogs that makes her think. It's kinda scary since mostly I just like to whine and now the pressure is going to make me whine more.
The rules:
1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.
My brain is fried from preparing for and cheering at Lorna's first horse event so I'm going to have to ponder more before listing 5 blogs that make me think. I know, I'm already breaking the rules...
The rules:
1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.
My brain is fried from preparing for and cheering at Lorna's first horse event so I'm going to have to ponder more before listing 5 blogs that make me think. I know, I'm already breaking the rules...
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Tagged
I was tagged by Glenda so here it goes...
The rules of this are:
1. Link the person who has tagged you.
2. Tell seven true things about yourself.
3. Tag seven new people.
4. Leave a message with the person you have tagged so they know about it.
Seven true things...
1. I'm addicted to Diet Pepsi, but if I'm really desperate I'll drink Diet Coke.
2. I love to read, I always have.
3. I like to sew but not enough to make time to do it on a regular basis, I'd rather read.
4. I love dogs, as shown by the 5 we currently have. I can't visit animal shelter websites because I'm too tempted to go adopt more!
5. Sleeping is one of my hobbies, it's right up there with reading.
6. I hate shopping for clothes and shoes.
7. I'm blond and I have a BA in math which most people don't think go together :)
Everyone I would have tagged has already done this or has been tagged so if you are reading this and have been overlooked consider yourself tagged.
The rules of this are:
1. Link the person who has tagged you.
2. Tell seven true things about yourself.
3. Tag seven new people.
4. Leave a message with the person you have tagged so they know about it.
Seven true things...
1. I'm addicted to Diet Pepsi, but if I'm really desperate I'll drink Diet Coke.
2. I love to read, I always have.
3. I like to sew but not enough to make time to do it on a regular basis, I'd rather read.
4. I love dogs, as shown by the 5 we currently have. I can't visit animal shelter websites because I'm too tempted to go adopt more!
5. Sleeping is one of my hobbies, it's right up there with reading.
6. I hate shopping for clothes and shoes.
7. I'm blond and I have a BA in math which most people don't think go together :)
Everyone I would have tagged has already done this or has been tagged so if you are reading this and have been overlooked consider yourself tagged.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Frustration
Why is it that employers love to guilt their employees into giving to whatever charity they are sponsoring?
Paul received a United Way packet from his employer last week. Honestly after I considered writing a note to human resources saying we would love to help but since we don't get enough from his job to afford the necessities we can't participate, I just threw it away. Today he got both a voicemail and email from his region manager saying he wants 100% participation in this campaign. I want Paul to make enough money so he isn't working an additional 25-35 hours a week at another job but we don't all get what we want!
This comes on the heels of being told that he couldn't get the motorcycle he was considering, not only would it save on gas but we figured it would save on the tire eating problem. His employer requires a 4-door vehicle, which is news to us since there is nothing in his contract about this! I'm getting really tired of employers who have control over the vehicles we buy, where we live, and requiring things like high-speed internet and fax services without allowing us to expense these things. Now we have to consider whether or not the lack of participation in a "voluntary" giving campaign is going to affect his yearly review. I know they can't legally do anything but we've seen too much at other companies not to realize they can find other ways to punish you for not complying with their whims...
Paul received a United Way packet from his employer last week. Honestly after I considered writing a note to human resources saying we would love to help but since we don't get enough from his job to afford the necessities we can't participate, I just threw it away. Today he got both a voicemail and email from his region manager saying he wants 100% participation in this campaign. I want Paul to make enough money so he isn't working an additional 25-35 hours a week at another job but we don't all get what we want!
This comes on the heels of being told that he couldn't get the motorcycle he was considering, not only would it save on gas but we figured it would save on the tire eating problem. His employer requires a 4-door vehicle, which is news to us since there is nothing in his contract about this! I'm getting really tired of employers who have control over the vehicles we buy, where we live, and requiring things like high-speed internet and fax services without allowing us to expense these things. Now we have to consider whether or not the lack of participation in a "voluntary" giving campaign is going to affect his yearly review. I know they can't legally do anything but we've seen too much at other companies not to realize they can find other ways to punish you for not complying with their whims...
Feeling guilty
I've spent a lot of time recently feeling guilty that I have so much extra time. Most of that time has come at the expense of housework, I just can't seem to make myself want to clean. I'm still battling the feeling that we should be getting ready for another move.
I've been feeling guilty for how much sleep I get too. Kind of a weird thing to feel guilty about but since Paul gets so few hours of sleep it just seems wrong that I get so much.
The biggest thing I feel guilty about is our inability to settle on a church. I feel like I'm failing the kids. I don't feel like our basic requirements are all that much. We want a church that is liturgical, doesn't have women lay leaders/readers/communion assistants, practices closed communion, and has a pastor that preaches law and gospel. We've spent the last few weeks attending the last 2 churches in the area on our list. Nothing fits within the parameters we set up, and yes I am well aware that no church is perfect! The one that comes closest falls short in the preaching, and the communion practices are such that we don't feel comfortable communing at this time. *Sigh*, I keep telling myself that at least we hear the Word in this particular church each Sunday. The preaching just leads me further into despair though because I know I'm not doing enough. Both times we attended I feel crushed under the weight of sin and I've spent the week just miserable. I know I'm forgiven but not hearing it during the sermon after being shown my sin is so hard to deal with.
I've been feeling guilty for how much sleep I get too. Kind of a weird thing to feel guilty about but since Paul gets so few hours of sleep it just seems wrong that I get so much.
The biggest thing I feel guilty about is our inability to settle on a church. I feel like I'm failing the kids. I don't feel like our basic requirements are all that much. We want a church that is liturgical, doesn't have women lay leaders/readers/communion assistants, practices closed communion, and has a pastor that preaches law and gospel. We've spent the last few weeks attending the last 2 churches in the area on our list. Nothing fits within the parameters we set up, and yes I am well aware that no church is perfect! The one that comes closest falls short in the preaching, and the communion practices are such that we don't feel comfortable communing at this time. *Sigh*, I keep telling myself that at least we hear the Word in this particular church each Sunday. The preaching just leads me further into despair though because I know I'm not doing enough. Both times we attended I feel crushed under the weight of sin and I've spent the week just miserable. I know I'm forgiven but not hearing it during the sermon after being shown my sin is so hard to deal with.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)