Summer Vacation, Days 73 ~ 77

Days 73 ~ 77

Saturday, August 1

We packed up & headed to Wisconsin. Jim worked in the morning, so we got a late start, and stopped for lunch before getting on the interstate. Once there, we made a Walmart run. And then I spent an hour washing and prepping the fresh fruit & veggies, boiling eggs, making iced tea, etc.  Jim got pizza for supper. 

Sunday, August 2

Sunday morning found me sitting by the lake with a cup of hot tea & a breakfast sandwich. Aaah! 

Church was oh, so good!  During the sermon, the pastor quoted Oswald Chambers: "The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else." 

Lunch at an old-fashioned diner.  Afternoon of beach & fishing. 

Monday, August 3

We arrived at the waterpark just after lunch and left just before supper. I did the lazy river three times and rode one waterslide (perhaps the last one I will ever ride in my life!). Jim found a seat in the shade and read "Age of Opportunity." LM made friends, two girls & their homeschooling mom. One of the girls asked if we could share info so they could have a play date. Alas, we live hours away. Made it back to the WI house in time for LM to go to VBS!!

Tuesday, August 4

After a nice breakfast out & time for LM & me to walk the streets of the resort town, beach & fishing were the themes of the day. Of course, LM was at VBS from 6-8.30 ... and sad she would miss the last three days. "I made a friend, Mom!" Yes, of course she did! 

Wednesday, August 5

We left around 8.30 and were home by noon. A pleasant ride home. We all were tired! 

But we kept going ... Jim to PT, then BK to the farm, then LM to tutoring, and then BK to a youth group swim party. 

I didn't keep notes of our time there but sprinkled into our days there, in addition to the beach & fishing, were:

• lots of requests for mac & cheese (including for late night snacks),
• naps,
• Boxcar Children, 
• bicycle & scooter rides, 
• trips to the ice cream shop,
• lots of reading for Jim & me, 
• and in general - REST - big picture windows, mature shade trees, quiet street, open windows, box fans, & simple meals.  

Staying for four nights is exponentially more restful than two trips of two nights each.  

1000 Gifts, Vol. 7, #92

891. safely through another week

1 Safely through another week
God has brought us on our way;
let us now a blessing seek,
waiting in His courts today;
day of all the week the best,
emblem of eternal rest.

2 While we pray for pard'ning grace,
through the dear Redeemer's name,
show Thy reconciling face;
take away our sin and shame;
from our worldly cares set free,
may we rest this day in Thee.

3 Here we come Thy name to praise,
let us feel Thy presence near;
may Thy glory meet our eyes,
while we in Thy house appear:
here afford us, Lord, a taste
of our everlasting feast.

4 May Thy gospel's joyful sound
conquer sinners, comfort saints;
may the fruits of grace abound,
bring relief for all complaints:
thus may all our Sabbaths prove,
till we join the church above.

892. calming music

893. such a fun summer swim team

894. safely through the first week of unstructured summer vacation (!)

895. older women to speak truth to me

896. peers to share each other's burdens

897. fun book series in which I could escape

898. we ate this week, even though I was out of practice with cooking, after a week with relatives in town

899. spending a half hour of respite with Jim's 96 year old dad & his wife

900. watching the Lord arrange plans for the coming week

Midsummer Ox Day

Have you ever heard of it?

In 2026, the Midsummer Day of the Ox (Doyo no Ushi no Hi) in Japan is July 26. On this day, people traditionally eat unagi (freshwater eel) to gain stamina and survive the intense summer heat.

Many times I went to the "eel restaurant" with some Japanese friends.  They were shocked that I liked eel.  But I imagine it all depends on how it is prepared.  I think these are grilled with a sweet and salty soy sauce-based "tare" glaze.

At this particular eel restaurant, near where we met for English & Bible class, we often saw yakuza (similar to the Japanese mafia), recognizable by their tailored suits, cars, and sunglasses. (We were always safe.) 

One day when we ate there, they were having some sort of campaign and giving away a mug to customers. (This is a very common practice.) The ladies gave the mug to me. 

And to this day I use it every day! It holds my toothbrush & toothpaste. 

I love the texture, and the sheep, which remind me of our Good Shepherd. And it is a reminder to pray for those particular ladies to come to know the Shepherd of their souls. 

Summer Vacation, Days 54 ~ 60

Days 54 ~ 60

A Week with Relatives in Town 

Monday, July 13

8:15 AM swim practice, Facebook Marketplace pick up, drive-through second breakfast, Walmart, ALDI, drive-through lunch, home. 

Jim had PT from 2 to 3. Then I made the rounds here in our town of the post office, the library, and the gas station.

Cleaned the kitchen and cooked supper while Jim’s brother and nephew brought in the Facebook marketplace purchase…

Tuesday, July 14

While LM was at 8:15 AM swim practice, I went to an 8:30 AM lab appointment and then ran an errand before picking her up at 8:45. We came home and she slept until noon! 

We dropped her off at the grandparents at 12:30 and went to Jim’s two week post-op appointment, and came home via some of his distant fields to scout them on our way home.

While I went to the pharmacy, he visited with his dad and brother and sister-in-law. 

Home in time to pack some snack bags and go to a relay meet. LM and I arrived at 4:45 and were home by 8:30 or 8:45 PM. It was HOT!! Two more mornings of swim practice. Jim ate supper at his brothers’s with 9 family members. 

Wednesday, July 15

Morning swim practice and a stop by the thrift store (Vera Bradley purse for me). Jim’s brother took him to PT and stayed to visit a while. 

After lunch LM and I went to the orthodontist’s office south of us for a 10-minute appointment and then picked up a Walmart order  

For dinner we gathered at Jim’s dad’s with 12 family members. Portillo’s was on the menu. Yum! 

Thursday, July 16

Morning swim practice- the last one of the summer!  Jim had PT early afternoon. At 5:30 we took a taco bar and homemade tres leches cake to Jim’s dad’s to feed 12 for supper. Playing Trafalgar rounded out the evening.

Friday, July 17

A designated sleep-in day, but our AC stopped working so I was up early;) Thank the Lord that the air conditioner repair man could come within a few hours! 

LM and I (& 4 other relatives) had a fun girls’ lunch out at the tea room. 

As soon as she was packed for the swim meet, I left her at home with Jim, and I drove almost an hour to pick BK up from camp. An aunt picked her up and took her to the swim meet - sheer chaos as it was an eight team end-of-summer championship! 

I dropped BK off at home, and he and Jim ate supper at Jim’s dad’s with several relatives, while I went to the swim meet and worked medals.  Home around 9 PM.

Saturday, July 18

Up early for the 8.15 AM end-of-summer championship meet for the older swimmers. BK's relay team earned two 1st place medals, and he dropped time and set a PR for his individual event.  And that concludes our fourth summer of summer swim! Our team was undefeated this year, and won the championship!  

LM & I took naps most of the afternoon!! BK had a couple friends come over to play pool & ping pong.

At 5.45, I picked up our order at a nearby fire station's pork chop dinner and took it to Jim's dad's, where 13 of us ate supper.  

Sunday, July 19

After church, we met at a pizza restaurant with 11 relatives. Yum!  Afternoon naps & rest time at home before meeting back at Grandpa's for sandwiches, veggies, chips, and cookies... and, of course, another game of Trafalgar!

It was a good week!

Summer Vacation, Days 52 ~ 53

Days 52 ~ 53

Saturday, July 11

We all slept in! LM & I went to a baby shower at church from 1-3. She went to tutoring from 3.30-5. BK had friends over, and I ordered gas station pizza for supper.

Sunday, July 12

A hard night for Jim, so I was up a bit.  The children & I went to church, got take-out, and were home by 1 PM. I dropped BK off at Wilderness Camp at 3.30. LM spent time with her aunt & uncle while I went out for a fun evening. 

We are waiting on the Lord to answer our prayers for Jim's knee replacement recovery ... 

Summer Vacation, Days 48 ~ 51

Days 48 ~ 51

Tuesday, July 7th

Left at 7.50, dropped BK off at the pool, dropped LM off at day camp, picked BK up, and home by 9.40. 

Tidied the kitchen (counters, table, dishes, laundry), since I was gone ALL DAY yesterday. Sat down to rest. :)

For lunch (& supper & lunch & supper tomorrow) ;) a friend brought the most delicious beef stew, salad, berries, and bread. 

At 1.40 we left for PT & while Jim was there, I took BK to a friend's and went to the pharmacy.  Home at 3.15.

Left at 4.30 to pick up LM. Took her to the grandparents' with her supplies to spend the night. Then went to the swim meet, where I did ribbons.  Home at 9.30 PM. Whew! 

Wednesday, July 8th

Gone from 7.40-9.45 AM to take LM to day camp and run two errands.  Then I had Office Day! I paid paper bills. I paid five medical office bills that had come by text (not my favorite, because I want a paper trail), for both us and my mom.  I scheduled or re-scheduled 8 medical appointments.  

BK worked at the farm during the afternoon. (Translated: I drove to the farm twice. This summer is my driving era for sure!)

LM begged to stay at camp later than I had been picking her up, and this is the only day that worked. I was gone 6.45 - 8.15 picking her up.  Zzzz. :) Prayerfully, next year she can stay at camp!

Thursday, July 9th

Left at 7.45 to take BK to swim practice, LM to day camp, and then pick BK up. Telehealth appointment, took BK to the farm, spent an hour on the phone trying to get my daily meds from my Chicago doctor delivered correctly, picked BK up, & then went to his hair appointment. Home for less than an hour. Dropped BK off early for the swim meet. Picked LM up from day camp & took her to the grandparents to spend the night, while I went to the swim meet, and worked ribbons, arriving home at 9  PM. 

Friday, July 10th 

A friend rode with me on my morning drive so we could visit while taking LM to day camp. She got to go early today (in time for breakfast!) so I could be home in time to get Jim to PT.  Quickly cleaned the kitchen, did some laundry, made iced tea, and cooked some chicken I had thawed. 

Afternoon errands - bank, gas, medical supply lending library, dry cleaners, Dollar Tree for greeting cards, CVS, a scone for me :), Walmart (for flexible ice packs), and picked LM up at 4 PM. She can't wait to go to camp next year!! :) 

Summer Vacation, Day 47

Monday, July 6th

Today deserves its own post! I mentioned that Sunday after lunch I filled up the gas tank, and noted that that was foreshadowing.

What did I do today? Today epitomized my driving era!

8 AM LM & I left for Bible camp (40-45 minutes away), where she is attending as a day camper this week!! [Yes, I will be making that one-way trip 20 times Monday - Friday.]

From there I drove to Jim's orthopedic clinic to exchange his broken cryo cuff knee cooler for a working one! 

Then to ALDI & Walmart (including swim meet snacks).

Stopped at the hospital in the next farm town to purchase a DELICIOUS lunch of brisket and cheesy mashed potatoes in their cafeteria. 

Home at 11.30! 

I put groceries in the fridge, served Jim lunch, made a to-go dish for myself, and left again! 

After backtracking 6 miles to drop BK off at the farm, I was late for my 12.30 oil change & maintenance appointment. Boy, did I enjoy those 2 1/2 hours! :)  Lunch, hot tea, music in my ears, and a relaxing book to read. :) 

I arrived home just before 4, and had time to help Jim with a few things, before I picked BK up and brought him home. 

I left immediately to pick up LM. We drove through drive-through, and then took the wrong exit so had to turn around, and were home around 6.30. 

I think that was enough for one day. ;)

Summer Vacation, Days 30 ~ 32

Days 30 ~ 32

Friday, June 19

Today felt like a Saturday, because BK had arrived home the night before, and there was no swim practice.  I set my alarm for 8 AM! 

LM had her last day of Reading & Math camp while I sat in the shade & read a book. 

We all were home for lunch together, and it felt good!

The other three went to the farm for the afternoon while I rested. 

Saturday, June 20

I enjoyed a quiet house before everyone else woke up. 

Tutoring from 10-11.30. Packing for camp. 

Early Father's Day celebration at Jim's dad's at 6 PM with extended family.  Yummy food & a late night. 

Sunday, June 21

It was hard for everyone to wake up! We were oh, so happy! to be back in our own church after two Sundays in Wisconsin. 

Father's Day celebration at Jim's dad's at 5 PM with extended family. More yummy food, but thankfully not as late of a night. :)

Summer Vacation, Days 24 ~ 26

Saturday, June 13

EARLY morning wakeup call so we could leave at 6 AM ... BK packed in his youth-group-issued black tote with a yellow lid (so they stack in the trailer & are critter-proof in their tents) and the rest of us packed for WI.

We waited in the church parking lot for the prayer circle (40 trip participants; almost a 1:1 ratio!) and then we got on the road.  After stopping at Walmart, we still reached the house before noon.  We three had a leisurely afternoon of reading, beach time, and eating at the same lakeside restaurant where Jim and I ate on our second date. :)

Sunday, June 14

Church was really special, as always. I sobbed my way through, "Hymn of Heaven," by Phil Wickham. (Video here. Lyrics here.)  

And on that day, we join the resurrection
And stand beside the heroes of the faith
With one voice, a thousand generations
Sing, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain"

Lunch. Naps or reading. Safari!! (That was a new experience.) Walking around a touristy town, and trying out a new playground. Jim got takeout for supper.

Monday, June 15

We slept in. I paid bills (work which I had taken with me). LM & I walked almost 3 miles on the shore path. I love our tradition! I don't think we did it in 2025, but we did it together in 22, 23, 24, and this year! Jim met us at the restaurant at the end of our walk (near the Red Park, where LM played after lunch). 

Another leisurely afternoon of read alouds, napping, and, at 5.30, packing.  Home shortly after 9 PM (with another Boxcar Children read aloud completed in the van!) and very well-rested!

Summer Vacation, Days 20 ~ 22

Tuesday, June 9 ~ Thursday, June 11

Tuesday, June 9

It was 97% humidity when we woke up, so I spent swim practice inside at the coffee shop around the corner. :) I had just enough time to combine all our various calendars and belatedly fill out our master summer calendar. :) We had a leisurely midday, all happy to be home again.  (Although I did about five loads of laundry and got over 14,000 steps!)

LM's Awana group had an end-of-the-year water night at a local gravel pit. She has been anticipating this ever since BK first went three years ago! 

As I pulled out of the driveway to pick her up at 7.45 PM, I remembered what one of our neighbors said when we ran into each other at the hair dresser's.  Her husband came for a cut while she & I were both sitting in chairs, and she pointed out who I was to him, and added, "You know, we watch her go in and out of the neighborhood all day long." Sure enough! It was my 9th time in or out of the neighborhood for the day!

Wednesday, June 10

Up early for swim team pictures and a modified practice schedule (BK 8-9 and LM 9-10). A friend of BK's joined us for errands ... DG, thrift store, UPS store, Walmart, and picked up lunch (swim team fundraiser)... and a few hours at our house.

In the midst of their Nerf battles, goofing around, and video games, they also started packing BK for an upcoming youth trip.  The friend left at 3. 

While LM was at 4-5 PM tutoring, I ran errands in yet another farm town. 

Youth group from 6.30-8 (+ travel time). Another good but choppy day.

And a choppy night as there were lots of storms. Thankfully we were preserved from any tornadoes near us.

Thursday, June 11

Swim practice at 8.15. (I went to a coffee shop.)

Telehealth appointment from 10 - 11.20.

Dropped BK off at a friend's at 3.40 for a birthday party! 

LM & I ate supper in the basement while Jim worked late and the storms rolled through. So thankful for protection!

Summer Vacation, Days 17 ~ 19

Saturday, June 6 ~ Monday, June 8

Saturday

We woke up, packed, and hit the road to Wisconsin. By 2.30 PM, we were at the (rather tiny) beach.

The women's restroom was out of order, so I had to walk over to the boathouse. There I ran into our neighbor, so I joined her on part of her walk, and we caught up and praised the Lord for His work in our families the past year.

Almost immediately, LM had met a family from Central Asia! After playing in the sand with them for a couple hours, she ran over excitedly to tell me that she was going fishing with them!

I met the mom, her oldest son suggested we exchange phone numbers, and then we introduced our husbands, and then I spent a couple hours on the pier visiting while the boys took turns helping LM fish! 

What a gift to run into people from another country, culture, language, and religion, and get to spend time with them! 

Sunday

We love our church in WI! LM had the best time in children's church, and came home with some great handouts to keep her in the Word over the summer. 

Lunch at a small town diner. Back to the beach. Eventually Jim & BK went to golf, while LM continued playing in the sand for quite awhile. 

Monday

We all slept in and had a leisurely morning. Jim treated me to my favorite breakfast restaurant for a really late breakfast.  Then we visited the library. After the kids packed their things up, Jim took them down the street to the ice cream shop, while I cleaned the house. 

Home around 4.45 PM. 

2026 Summer Vacation, Days 8 ~ 10

Thursday, May 28 ~ Saturday, May 30

Thursday, May 28

• Swim practice. 
• I had a life-giving phone call with another adoptive mom during practice. We are reading a book on our own, then discussing it together & praying. Such a gift! 
• Visit with an out-of-town relative. 
• Hair appointment. 
• More visiting. 
• Farm for BK. 
• Telehealth appointment from 5-6 PM.

Friday, May 29

• Swim practice (usually it's M-Th, but this Monday was a holiday). 
• Thrift store ($5.25 for a pair of Sunday shorts for BK, two books for my Mom's birthday, a Starbucks tea tumbler, and a few more items). 
• Aldi. 
• Picked up subs on the way home, and then made a huge fruit salad.  
• Jim & BK came home for lunch, and it was nice to eat together.  
• BK worked on the farm in the afternoon, and 
• then the children and I went to the pool from 5.45-7 PM!

Saturday, May 30

• My first sleep-in of summer vacation! 
• At 10.30 we all left for our neighbor's visitation, funeral, and funeral lunch.  (He passed away almost 3 months ago.)  His earlier years had been at the Mennonite Church near Jim's childhood home, so the "old guard" was out in force at the funeral, and 
• we enjoyed catching up with several people.
• Jim, BK, and LM went to the farm in the afternoon!
• I rested (I'm missing my hour siesta on school days!) and prepped food.

Chick-fil-A breakfast

I love a good Chick-fil-A breakfast. (Well, truth be told, I love CFA any time of the day!) But it is not good on one's pocketbook. 

The other day, LM had an early morning orthodontist appointment, around the corner from CFA. My mind immediately started scheming, "Oh, we could get breakfast afterward!"

And then I realized that I had most of the ingredients at home!

So I scrambled two eggs, added some shredded cheese, cooked some tater tots in the air fryer and cooked some bacon (I thought we had sausage links, but bacon works too). Voila! I had a delicious and filling breakfast ... without paying CFA prices!

And, it's a good practice to get into, because I foresee many early morning appointments "around the corner from CFA" in my future.  

I made it another morning also, this time when we had sausage. :)

Day of Rest?

Maycember doesn't stop even on Sundays! 

I thought Saturday was a doozy, but Sunday took the cake!

Jim teaches 3rd grade Sunday School every other month, and May is his month, so we had to leave 15 minutes early.  We arrived at church before 8.45, and left around noon. 

After lunch, Jim & BK left to check the Gideon Bibles in a hotel and replace any that were missing or damaged.  

Shortly after that, LM accompanied me to Baccalaureate.  I was planning to go alone, but she certainly couldn't stay home by herself! She did great, belting out the songs, sitting next to my friend's high school daughter, and going through all the items in her church bag. 

This was the first Baccalaureate I had ever attended in my life!  (Although it's nothing like the Baccalaureate of years ago.  Only 13 seniors -out of 100 or more- attended.) Our ministerial alliance sponsors it, and had enthusiastically invited Moms in Prayer to be a part of the service. Two of us praying moms were able to attend.  

We are overjoyed for the publicity, and hope that more moms will join us! The host pastor described Moms in Prayer and also let the moms know that, even though their child is graduating, they can join a zoom prayer group for their child's college or they can join a young adults' group.  Brochures with a QR code were also available by the refreshment table.

Home in time to make a fruit salad, and find & sign three cards. 

Then off to a family dinner from 5.30-8.  

What will the rest of Maycember be like?! 

Today's list

We are at the point in T-minus-summer-vacation where my to-do list includes: 

• get dressed 
• use inhaler
• brush teeth
• wash face.

I am happy to report that those tasks were crossed off my list today. :) 

Lunch had a question mark next to it on today's list, but I rallied and put some frozen salmon in the air fryer & heated some frozen green beans.  We had salad if desired. Good enough. :) No time for "Kate eats a fancy lunch" of Naptime Kitchen fame on IG. 

I filled two laundry hampers with dirty laundry found on a child's bedroom floor (!), washed & dried them, refilled my pill box, called the pharmacy, and picked up four prescriptions. 

I pursued three volunteer opportunities for BK ... several phone calls & emails. 

I stopped by the grandparents' after the pharmacy for a 10-minute visit. 

I did not do a lot of other things, but we are surviving.  

What was on your to-do list today?

Schedule Adjustments

Second shift on Monday only involved four hours of being on the road (2-6 PM, but it felt long. It was pretty tame, compared to many second shifts I have known, but I am out of practice (which is a good thing). 

• Pick LM up from school 20 minutes early. 
• Go to the university speech clinic. 
• Do a really quick Aldi run on our way home. 
• Stop by home & put the food in the fridge and freezer.  
• Continue on to the grandparents'. 
• Leave LM there. 
• Take BK to his haircut. 
• Go back to the grandparents'. 

And then:

• Collapse in an easy chair. 
• I was ready for bed.  

But ... onward, ho! Home. Supper. Get LM in bed. 

And this is where the schedule changed from A Farmer in Winter to #Plant26.  Jim actually didn't start planting until Tuesday, but he worked late (until long after I was in bed) on Monday.

Now it's time for story time. Back in the day, I spent a summer or two as a camp counselor. (I worked at camps many summers, but was only a camp counselor on rare occasions.) Why did I not like being a camp counselor? Because I had to stay awake until everyone in my cabin was asleep. 

Why do I not like #Plant26? For the same reason.  I cannot in good conscience go to sleep before the children are in bed. (I also miss Jim tremendously.) 

My mother-in-law called today to see if I got any rest. In spurts! I am definitely still not over pneumonia.

• Take the kids to school.
• Lie down. 
• Pick up LM, drive 30 minutes to orthodontist, appointment, drive back.
• Lie down.
• Take lunch to Jim in the field (#Plant26!)
• Lie down. 
• Pick LM up from school.
• Lie down. 
• Pick BK up from school. 
• Lie down. 
• Cook supper. 

What will Wednesday hold? Only the Lord knows. Thankfully He is also holding me!

New Week

It's a new week, and I'm still rueing the fact that my phone calendar doesn't give me a week at a glance.  I am a pen & paper girl, and just wrote it down, and am happy to see there is only one thing on my calendar most days this week! And - I have zero medical appointments for myself this week. Woo-hoo! 

This Saturday night is a Daddy-Daughter Dance.  As LM's tutor says, "It's an agricultural community. Why would they plan it during planting?" Exactly.  I fear I will have an inconsolable girl on my hands Saturday evening ... But that's yet another life lesson. 

We attended 6th grade Orientation for Youth Group yesterday (!).  The Lord has blessed our church with longevity (current youth pastor has been there 20+ years) and a solid program, and by that I don't mean programming, but philosophy, volunteers, etc.  

Jim's phone apparently has an overactive Siri!  Yesterday the assistant pastor who was preaching got a little excited (& loud) at one point in his sermon. Siri started talking back! This morning as Jim prayed that the kids would have a good day in school, Siri said, "I hope you have a good day, too." Oops!! BK quickly disabled Siri on Jim's phone ... as Jim has never used it intentionally!

I printed all of my Mom's tax forms (see reference to pen & paper girl above), but our printer must need toner or something. Normally I would just go to the library to print, but a minivan drove into our little village library the other day & the library is closed until further notice. I could not make this up! 

Thankfully, the voucher to mail with Mom's tax payment is mostly legible, so I can be a good citizen & get that in the mail. Whew! 

My biggest rock today is no doubt checking fridge/freezer inventory, making a meal plan, and placing a Walmart order that I can pick up after LM's orthodontist appointment tomorrow morning. 

I saw this online the other day: 

No one warned you that getting older basically means having to decide what to make with ground beef and chicken every day the rest of your life 😂

My sister replied, "And then hope that people eat it."

True!

I'm inspired by Debt Free Mom's simple meal plans. But I'm still confused how to cook what my people will eat. :) 

A new month

It has been three weeks since I was diagnosed with pneumonia. And all I have to say is that the recovery is no joke.  The fatigue is real. I sorted the "laundry couch" the other afternoon, and then had to rest for an hour. I didn't even take the laundry to its home; I just sorted it.  

I have so many appointments that I have canceled and need to reschedule ... sometime. 

And there are bills to pay and my mom's business to attend to.  

Thank the Lord that the school wasn't able to have the meeting they had originally scheduled for this week.  

On spring break I was getting 9 hours of sleep every night plus taking an afternoon nap.  

I placed and picked up a Walmart order on Monday, thinking it would take us through the week.  I forgot that there's no school Friday or Monday, so I'm serving more eaters. :) 

Plus I need to make food for the church potluck Friday night (a family sized bag of Caesar salad and gluten-free chicken enchilada casserole).

We have been gathering at Grandpa's to watch March Madness (thanks to his cable TV). Two evenings we enjoyed (?) gas station pizza (Casey's, so it really is good & was 40% off). But for the Saturday evening game, we made a menu, and I'm taking chips, fruit, and vegetables. 

Sunday is Easter, and I'm signed up to take deviled eggs and oven-roasted green beans. (Frozen green beans in a 9x13. 1 Tbsp. olive oil. 1 tsp. spice mix. 3 slices cooked bacon. 425* for 20-30 minutes.) 

So, I have made another Walmart order. :)  

And there's another game on Monday night. :) Wonder what we'll eat? 

Monday after spring break

I am a morning person, so by 9.45 AM, not only had I taken the children to school, but I had done two loads of laundry, unloaded & loaded the dishwasher, gone to the post office to pick up a week's worth of mail, placed a Walmart pickup order, and called the pharmacy to order 9 refills. 

And then I went to bed!!!

An hour later, I went to the pharmacy, so I could pick up lunch there at the hospital cafeteria when it opened at 11.  Delicious!! And a great timesaver on the first day after spring break when I didn't have my grocery order yet. 

After eating, I picked LM up at 12.20 for her orthodontist consultation. Our orthodontist likes a baseline visit at 8 or 9 years old to take a 360* x-ray, etc. In BK's case, he returns once a year.  In LM's case, I now have four appointments for her top expander.  Surprise! 

From there, we had a little time, so we got a snack, drove through a car wash, and checked out a shop next door which I had heard about.

Next up was speech therapy at the university. Then a Walmart pickup order. Gas for $3.85. Home. Put away groceries. Cook taco meat. 

Collapse into bed! My body is in shock from all the activity today ... after a week of forced rest as I followed doctor's orders.  

Tuesday will be a day of rest. Amen!

Parent-Teacher Conferences

My mom never missed a Parent-Teacher Conference. I remember once she went to PTC at our middle school, and parents stood in line outside the classroom door.  The man ahead of Mom was complaining about how long they were waiting, and informed her that the parent in the classroom at the moment was only there about one F! He said, "If I only had one F to discuss, I wouldn't come." Mom didn't let on that she had three students in the school at the moment, and nary an F among them. ;) 

I have never missed a PTC, either. (Like mother, like daughter.) 

BK's first three years of school were spent at a private special ed school, and we actually had monthly team meetings. The first year BK was in public school, PTCs were on Zoom (or Google Meets).  

Anyway, I find childcare, I sign up to feed the teachers their evening meal, and I go to PTC. 

Jim went with me once, and was ready to fire the teacher! He thinks the PTCs are useless, and to be honest, in terms of gathering helpful information, they aren't that helpful. But I go to show that we are concerned & involved parents, and to keep my thumb on the pulse of the school. 

(I can feel my blood pressure rising as I write this ... Sigh!)

Anyway, PTC are coming soon.  And, since it's SPRING PTC, they are student-led. 

Okay, hopefully you didn't spew your coffee.  You read that right, and I have always refused. But one year both BK & LM begged and begged me, because they had spent so much time at school preparing, and if I didn't take them, they couldn't show me what they had prepared.  I took them, and they hated it!! And I promised I would never take them again. :)  (I think they didn't like that I asked so many detailed questions.) 

And, thanks to the work done in class to prepare for the PTC, LM was able to read a book very fluidly ... before she could read. So it clearly was not an accurate portrayal of her abilities. 

So, this week, Lord willing, I will be attending (or cancelling due to health, as the case may be) two PTCs, showing up, asking questions, thanking the teachers, oh, and taking 5 bottles of salad dressing for their evening meal. :) [Cooking something in a crockpot is not in my schedule this time around.]