joy in the Mornings

Yes, that’s right! I’ve been anxiously waiting for my three little hens to pull their weight around here and just this afternoon, one of them presented me with a fresh egg!

Woohoo!

If you wonder what the big deal is, try a fresh, farm-raised egg and compare it to the pale substitutes found in the stores and you’ll find the farm eggs much better in taste, color and nutrition.

I got my chickens this year with the intention of having a supply of fresh eggs and I’ve been watching and waiting and watching and waiting and waiting some more.

Today, my journey is complete - I have reached my goal.

Mind you, only one of the three hens left an egg, but I’m sure the other two are working on it.

Either way, I have one fresh egg that I’m quite proud of. Eggs are getting expensive and anything that helps ease the budget a bit is great. So bring on the eggs!

My kids have always loved to play with Nativity scenes. From the time my oldest (who is now - sniff, it goes so fast - 11 years old) was old enough to dig around underneath the Christmas tree, we’ve had kids playing with Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus every year. If I’d leave out the Nativity set year-round, all three of my babies would probably still play with it.

Right now my youngest, aged 7, loves the Nativity sets. She loves hearing about Baby Jesus. Unfortunately, most Nativity sets aren’t designed for play. Most sets are glass or ceramic or not exactly kid-friendly.

I’ve found one though, that fits the bill in my house perfectly. From One2Believe, it’s a nice addition to Christmas decorations. And it’s perfect for playing with.

I’ve had mine for about two weeks now and my two daughters (ages 7 & 9) have played with it constantly. My youngest plays with it daily. I got it in time to write a review then put it up until after Thanksgiving. I know the kids won’t like seeing it put up, but oh well.

The only improvement I can see for the set would be if a box to hold everything were included with it - but we can’t have everything!

The box states the set is for ages 3 and up, so if you have younger children that are still chewers, you might want to check it out a little more. Or better yet, look for a soft, stuffed Nativity set until your babies aren’t poking everything in their mouths.

BUT if you’re looking for a neat set that the kids will remember for years (heirloom maybe?) One2Believe’s set is a great fit. 

Check it out for yourself at http://www.one2believe.com/ - they have other neat toys and some free resources on their site. It’s worth checking out.

Did you ever dream of getting a horse for Christmas? You can get a sneak peek of our Fall issue and see Nancy Carter’s first horse! Oh, and she’s not the only one sharing her childhood pictures. You’ll see photos from the 50’s through the 80’s.But, you’ll need the Fall issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine to go on this walk down memory lane.Plus, do you like to create holiday memories? The brand new TOS holiday E-Book can be yours, too. It’s all about the fall and winter holidays - mainly Thanksgiving and Christmas. But it’s not even for sale yet. This is your chance to get it first  - for FREE ($12.45 value)!Normally when a person subscribes, their subscription starts with the upcoming issue which can take a while. But, TOS thought about that when they planned their  Fall Special.If you subscribe now with their Fall Special, you’ll get

Posting special, unique days has become a favorite of mine. Maybe because I like quirky things and enjoy sharing those quirks.

There are several special days this week - which is of course the week of Halloween. Tomorrow - October 28 is Plus Animal Lover’s Day. My daughters have started collecting stuffed animals, much to my chagrin. They take up waaaaay too much space in our already-cramped home.

October 29 is Hermit Day. I actually like the sounds of this one. It’s a day to enjoy the peace and quiet of being alone. Doesn’t that sound nice? As a mom - especially a homeschooling mom -  I find that I am never alone. Even if I retreat to my bathroom to just be alone, kids follow me into my bedroom or stand outside the bathroom door!

Anyone have any creative ideas to celebrate Hermit Day?

The end of the week boasts several Halloween-like celebrations: Oct. 29 is National Frankenstein Day; Oct. 30 is National Candy Corn Day and Mischief Night; Oct. 31 is Halloween, Carve a Pumpkin Day (we’ve already done that!), and Frankenstein Friday (always the last Friday in October). So you can enjoy creepy fun all week long if you’re into Halloween.

If you’re not into Halloween or just happy to see it over with, Saturday November 1 brings one of my favorites: Book Lover’s Day. Imagine! A whole day to just sit and read!

Too bad Book Lover’s Day and Hermit Day don’t coincide - I could sit alone and read all day! Hee hee!

Enjoy your day - and remember that each one is special!

We all - women especially - have guilty pleasures. You know, those things we enjoy but rarely do and when we do, we feel guilty because we should be doing something else.

One of my guilty pleasures (I have more than one) is taking a hot soak in the tub. I know that it’s not environmentally correct to fill my tub full and sit in it. I know that hot showers are cheaper and quicker (and yes, I love hot showers too!) but I love to sit in a hot tub, soaking and wrinkling up, while reading a novel.

I rarely have time to myself to do such things, so when I do - I really, really enjoy it. Unfortunately, I also hear my kids knocking on the bathroom door wanting this and that - but I try to tune that out!

So what’s your guilty pleasure? Is it curling up with a novel? Is it getting a massage or getting your nails done? Maybe it’s going grocery shopping by yourself. Whatever it is - I’d love to hear it!

Now, I’m off to lock myself in the bathroom with some nail polish!

Since today (Thursday) is turning into a rainy, dreary day, I thought I’d write a bit lighthearted today.   I came up with a list of things I like to do on a rainy day.

   1. Sleep in. Didn’t happen this morning but it should have.

   2. Read books. I love to curl up in a warm blanket on the couch and read when I hear the rain pouring outside and my kids are no different. It can get pretty quiet in our house on a rainy day, with everybody parked somewhere to read.

   3. Bake. There is nothing better on a chill, rainy day than a plate of hot, fresh-baked cookies or homemade bread.

   4. Make crafts. When you’re stuck in the house and it’s pouring cats and dogs outside, I love to gather the kids around the table for fun and creative craft projects.

   5. Play games. Board games, card games - whatever. The kids and I can make a day of flitting from game to game to pass the time on a rainy day.

   6. Do laundry. Okay, so this isn’t exactly fun - but for some reason hearing the rain makes me want to do laundry. Maybe it should rain every day!

   7. Clean out my refrigerator. Not really - I’m just hoping SOMETHING will motivate me to do this.

   8. Crochet. I love to crochet and for some reason fall and winter nights and rainy days get me going on new projects. Now if I could just finish all of them. . .

   9. Look through old magazines. I save magazines. It’s a bad habit. I love to look through them periodically to see what I missed the first 20 times I read them. Somehow it seems as though I always find something new. Go figure!

   10. Draw. This was contributed by my son. He loves to draw and thought that seemed like a great activity on a rainy day.

   11. Play outside in the rain. This was contributed by my oldest daughter. She likes to go out in the rain and play - even if the weather is turning off chilly. I don’t. I like to play in hot, summer rain but my daughter marches to the beat of a different drummer and I love her dearly for it!

   12. Write. I like to write every day, but rainy days seem to bring out a different type of creativity in me.

   What about you? What would you put on the list of things to do on a rainy day? 

   Whatever you like to do on rainy days, I hope yours is full of joy.

I am one of those Southern Illinois residents who suffers from seasonal allergies and ongoing sinus problems. It’s true that you can’t live in Southern Illinois without sinus problems. Today I am sluggish. Why? Because the weather has turned off quite chilly and I woke up with a pounding, throbbing, monster of a sinus headache. My teeth are actually aching.

So today, my mind is fuzzy and slow. Yes, it’s like that a lot. Today is just worse because I feel like I’m moving in slow motion. My typical speed is slow it seems - or degrees of slow. Today I’m just slow-er.

I think - even though it’s already 10 a.m. - it’s time for me to take a soothing - hot shower with some delicious apple jack soap a friend gave me (Thanks P & K - love it!). That should help my sinuses - and if not, I guess I’ll just suffer through!

Does anybody have any really good home remedies for sinus trouble? I’d love to hear them. I think I need them! Help!

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Did you celebrate Wear Something Gaudy Day on Friday? I did. I fingerknit an exceptionally gaudy skinny scarf to wear.  It got a few confused glances, but everyone in general was too polite to comment.

 This week has a few interesting days.

October 21 - Besides being my brother’s birthday (Happy Birthday Den!) is Count Your Buttons Day and Babbling Day. I guess that means I can babble like an idiot while counting all of my buttons? Not too much of a stretch for me!

October 22 is National Nut Day. How does one celebrate National Nut Day? How would YOU celebrate National Nut Day? I’d love to hear your ideas!

October 24 is National Bologna Day. Now, I for one, am not a fan of this stinky lunch meat. I have never liked the smell, but I know plenty of people who do. I grew up with fried baloney sandwiches. I never ate them but they were a staple around my house and at my grandparents’.

October 25 is Make a Difference Day. This is always the last Saturday of October and people are encouraged to find a way to make a difference in their community. What kind of things do you plan to do to make a difference where you live? I’d love to know.

October 25 is also Punk for a Day Day (isn’t that redundant?) and World Pasta Day. So you can eat a whole lot of pasta while your hair is died green!

I enjoy reading about these days that someone, somewhere has designated for a special purpose. When you think about it though, we take so much for granted that we forget that every single day we are alive is a special day! Why not celebrate it as such?

I think I’m going to create Blow Bubbles Day, or Take a Nap Day, or Sit in the Yard Day. How about Sleep In Day or Take a Hot Bath Day? I know, Let the Kids Wait on You Day! Maybe Do Nothing Productive Day would be good. . .

   Okay, I admit it. I’m not Supermom.

   Yes, I know this may come as a shock. . . and I hope you caught the tongue-in-cheek action there.

   Anyone who knows me knows better than to assume I’m Supermom. I’m open and honest about my flaws and imperfections and as a mom with three children, if I choose to ignore those flaws - someone will undoubtedly point them out for me.

   This week I have been sick and it has brought my anti-Supermom status glaringly into the light.

   I realized some things about myself, though.

   It’s okay not to be Supermom. It’s okay to be flawed to some degree. And it’s okay to be quirky.

   I fit the bill perfectly!

   Just last night I realized something I had not thought of before: I am very thankful for frozen pizza.

   Oh, I know frozen pizza isn’t on the healthy list and it isn’t haute couture cuisine. But my hungry minions appreciate it.

   This week, they’ve appreciated it twice - two nights in a row.

   I started feeling bad Monday and ended up at the doctor. By late afternoon, I was crashed on the couch with no desire to get up.

   It was right about the time Dear Husband Sam was getting off of work and the kids were starting their evening “What’s for supper? I’m hungry.”

   In a dreary, exhausted voice I would reply “I don’t know. I’ll figure out something. Let me think.”

   Then Dear Husband called as he was leaving work.

   “Do you want me to bring anything home?” he asked nicely.

   In my ravaged physical and mental state - okay, so that’s stretching it - in my tired state I managed two words: “Frozen pizza.”

   Dear Husband, as wonderful and thoughtful as he is, brought home six frozen pizzas and my Darling Grandmother sent over two more that she’d picked up while grocery shopping earlier in the day.

   I knew it was a sign from God that He approved.

   Frozen pizza meant that I didn’t have to tackle that mound of dirty dishes taunting me from the sink.

   Frozen pizza meant that my hungry babies could fill their tummies with somewhat nutritious food.

   Frozen pizza meant I had to do nothing more than open a package, stick the pizza on the pan and slide it into the oven.

   Then I could go back and enjoy my misery.

   Tuesday came and I felt a little better. Still not 100 percent though.

   I didn’t accomplish much again on Tuesday. My dishes still smirked in the sink and the living room floor looked like a small explosion had occurred. My laundry was still piled in the utility room. Oh wait - I did get two loads of laundry done! That’s probably why I was so tired by Tuesday evening.

   Dear Husband came home and once again I began to hear the familiar chant: “What’s for supper? What’s for supper? What’s for supper? We’re hunnnnnn-gry!”

   Tuesday is normally “Movie and Pizza Night” at our house. We usually settle down for a new release DVD for the whole family and graze on pizza - whether it’s homemade, carryout or frozen. The kids love and look forward to our Movie and Pizza Nights.

   As the hungry hoards waited for my answer about supper, I glanced at the sink where the dishes waved at me with their encrusted forks and spoons and then noticed a pizza pan sitting on the stove. There was a bright light shining on it and I heard music from somewhere. . . okay, so it was the light over my stove and the radio was playing. Same effect.

   I knew there would be complaints, but I didn’t care - I was in self-preservation mode.

   “Frozen pizza again tonight guys!” I stated proudly. “And if you don’t like it - tough! I don’t feel good and you’re going to eat frozen pizza because it’s quick and easy. And I don’t have to do much. Then I can sit back down on the couch and rest. Or maybe I should just let you fix your own supper. You can figure it out. There’s no law that states I must provide you with three meals every day. You can survive on one! So if you don’t like frozen pizza then go fix yourself something else. But I’m fixing frozen pizza!”

   My four precious loved ones just stared at me. They knew I was close to flipping my lid.

   “Frozen pizza sounds good” one mumbled meekly while the others nodded their heads in quiet submission.

   So we had frozen pizza two nights in a row. Everyone enjoyed it. I feel better.

   On my list of things I am thankful for is frozen pizza. I have my reasons - they don’t have to make sense. But I do, I thank God for frozen pizza.