I'm trying to get back to my old routine...

Here's the plan for the week - June 1 - June 7

Monday

Spaghetti with marinara

Tuesday

Leek Potato Soup - yes, I know it's summer, but I have a craving!

Wednesday

Dinner at the in-laws

Thursday

Tacos

Friday

Make your own pizza

We are going to try not to eat out this month at all. We also shopped Saturday for the month. It was our first time to try that, and I'm interested to see how much money we'll save from the food budget. My hope is that we've cut our food expenses by almost half. Now - if we could just get the boy out of diapers, we could buy the vacation home we've always dreamed about!

Have a great week, people! And be sure to check orgjunkie for more meal ideas!

Vacations are just too expensive...

So - we had a wonderful time on vacation. We shared a house with my sister and her family for a week at a beach in NC. The weather was less than stellar, but we had a wonderful time regardless. We played, ate, went to the aquarium, played, and ate some more. The last day we were there, I remembered to take my camera out. I took this photo of my daughter on the sundeck on the way down to the beach. Then, my camera battery died. Yep. I like to plan ahead.

While we were gone, a pipe leading to our water heater decided it was tired of working. It quit and didn't give us any notice. When we got home, our Master Bedroom was destroyed. Here is a photo of some of our furniture.

This is what our bedroom looks like now.

This is the ceiling of our bedroom. That is the head of our insurance agent, who was also our realtor, our car insurance agent, the mayor of our town, and he plays a mean saxophone in a local band that plays Music on the Square one Friday night every month - from May through October.

This was what our ceiling looked like 4 minutes before we got all our stuff out. Thank heaven we got all our stuff out.

So... this is what we'll be doing for the next few weeks. Plus arguing with an insurance adjustor. I can't wait.

Fasting

So - we decided to do a f*ast for the next 21 days. We decided for several reasons. The biggest is for spiritual discipline. For about 6 months now, I have felt the Lord calling me to deeper discipline and obedience. I've been so submissive and obedient, I've ignored it this long.

Well, it's time to listen. My copy of Discipline the Glad Surrender fell behind my dresser a few months ago. I see it every time I vacuum. You know, every couple of weeks! :) Well, it's time to crawl back there and get it and actually use it for more than putting my glass of water on top of while I do something else. I can't explain it well, but I feel an urgency to be still, quiet, and listen. 

So... Goodbye Forever! 

Only kidding. I stole that from PW. I'll be back in a month. Between now and then, talk amongst yourselves. Check out the blogs in my sidebar. Pray for me. And, try not to miss me too much! :)

Where everybody knows your name

Yesterday, we went shopping for a chair for my Mom's bedroom. We drove to the Big, Big City and saw the Mississippi, Beale Street, the Peabody, and several furniture stores. My son saw the bathroom of all the furniture stores. Let me explain.

He ran through the stores like a 2 year old, jumped on every bed, climbed in every chair, jumped on sofas, did the Tom Cruise bit from Risky Business, and laughed this maniacal laugh he's been using of late.

D and I have one aspiration when it comes to our children and public behavior. We just don't want to leave a public venue and have everyone know our kids' names. You know, "Sarah, don't do that! Sarah, I said, NO!" (My apologies to any Sarahs who might read this. I've got Abraham on the brain. It's nothing personal)

Well... when we left every store, clerks and shoppers alike said, "Bye, bye _____________. " Fantastic.

On another note, I fell off the poetry wagon yesterday. I'm going to continue, but probably not post anything. I received a cease and desist order from the poetry police. Enjoy the reprieve.

A Love Poem

As if one isn't enough... it's Two for Tuesday. A love poem and an anti-love poem. Oh, goody. I have no idea how to go about an anti-love poem. I may come back with one, I may not. Here's my love poem, in honor of my son.

The Love Song of a two-year old boy

Hearing the thumping sound

makes me want more

beat, beat, beat

it's all I can do

it doesn't matter that I may lose it

I have to

smack, smack, smack

I'm driven by something deep inside me

that makes me hit things

the wall, the table, my head

they all sound different

and so I am driven to produce

as many sounds as I can

bonk, bonk, bonk

thwack, thwack, thwack

I'm in love with hammers

Who has time to knit?

Today's prompt was to write about a hobby. I have had various at various points in my life. I don't have one at the moment. The closest thing I have is cooking and eating. Eating has always been a hobby. Well, really, it is the passion that fuels my life. This needs to change. It might change after this weekend. My hubby is taking me to the Viking Cooking School for my birthday. We will participate in their French Date Night class. We get to make Boeuf Wellington, broccoli with hollandaise, and Crepes Suzette. Kill me now.

I used to love reading

becoming so engrossed in a character's life

I would forget all time and find myself

looking at the clock and seeing 4:30 am. My first

adventure in reading occurred when I discovered

A Wrinkle in Time.  I read the book in one evening 

during fourth grade. I made my Mom read it, too.

I didn't know before this point how fantastic written

worlds were. This jump-started me into an obsession

that would land me in Waldenbooks every Friday night

with my allowance, spending who knows how long

looking for the book worthy of that five bucks that week.

I once graced the stage to rave reviews

from my parents. I would become so engrossed 

in a character's life I would find myself

taking on their idiosynchracies. If my character was

super bossy and organized, so was I. If she was

a ditz, I ran into scenery backstage. The only one

I never connected with was Teiresias. Thank heaven.

I attempted golf. I hit my instructor in the head

during my backswing more than once. Thank goodness

it was my husband. He was already addle-pated. 

You have to assume that, since he married me. 

I did win one golf tournament. There were 3 of us 

in the EE flight. One lady suffered heat exhaustion and

the other one was legally blind.

Now I cook. Mainly out of necessity, my children seem

to want to eat on a regular basis. I watch Food

Network when I can switch from Noggin

without a huge revolt. I watch Alton Brown,

Paula Deen, the Barefoot Contessa - they are

my rock stars. My children sit down to

shrimp fettucini alfredo. They eat homemade

cinnamon rolls for breakfast. They get Ribeyes

grilled to perfection. At the end of meals they tell me,

"Thank you, Mom, for yummy dinner."

I beam. Then my ego is deflated when I am

pushed for time and they eat Kraft macaroni and cheese

like it's going out of style.

Also - I want to point out for any homeschoolers who happen here, and everyone else for that matter, check out freebie of the day. Today's (April 13) free download is a birdwatching primer, and they have a great line-up of other free downloads every day this week. It is worth checking out.

Also, also - my friend B has written some great poetry and devos on her site - Upsidedown Bee. Check them out, too.

He is Risen

We are at home this morning with a sick Pumpkin. She woke up in the middle of the night with a fever and was still miserable this morning. She has a fever but no other signs of illness.

I really hate missing church this morning. I look forward to worship service on Easter Sunday more than any other. Celebrating Christ's resurrection is what it's all about. Still, we are celebrating here.

To see how others are celebrating around the world click here.

He is Risen. He is Risen Indeed!