February feelings

Hard to believe, but February is nearly over (mostly it’s hard to believe because we are so very far from Spring).  This week felt especially long… probably because it was the only week this month that the kids were at school for the entire scheduled school day ALL 5 DAYS!  Yes, it has been quite the month here.

I was awake most of the night, thanks to the wind. The steady winds of 25-35mph weren’t so bad, but those wind gusts over 50mph caused some rather loud noises and conveyed thoughts of losing power.   It’s the same storm that’s walloping New England and that wind is bitterly cold.

As I was picking up H-J from his “rehearsathon” on Tuesday night, his flute case popped open and all 3 sections of flute fell on the pavement. The good news is, the bent end of the mouthpiece was an inexpensive repair (only $25)… the bad news is, I have to drive in this wind storm to pick up his repaired instrument and it will take about 2 hours to complete this errand.

The newsletter has been proof-read and is being printed this morning. After the small group of us fold, seal, and label nearly 300 of them, we’ll be off to the Post Office (an adventure in itself — the rules have changed in the past 5 months and every month brings a new discussion with the Postmaster). THEN I can have a little free time again!

It might be my lack of sleep and my desire for a long nap, but this video made me laugh this morning.

Singing about it makes it better

Five on Friday

1.  It’s been exam week (midterms) here for my 3 oldest boys, which means they have no homework and they get home early each day. I’m enjoying the change of pace and I know they are, too.

2.  I wasn’t feeling up to snuff on Tuesday, but since the boys were home early, I asked the oldest to accompany me to Costco. Score! Someone besides me had to lift those cases of water, juice, and Gatorade.  😀  This also meant that I had enough energy to cook dinner.

3. I’m teaching a class on Thursdays based on the book A Woman After God’s Own Heart by Elizabeth George. If you are a Christian and you are asked to teach a Bible study class, be forewarned: God is going to be working on something in your life! Guess what the current & next few chapters deal with? Procrastination. Taking care of your home (not just cleaning, but also attitudes, etc.).  I’m glad God has a sense of humor (proven by the fact that I was asked to teach this class).

4. Thursday night was a reception at SnakeMaster’s school for the students who had participated in a program offered by the state PTA. This initial level of competition was at individual elementary schools and was judged by folks from the nearby Arts Center.  Well, guess what?!?  SnakeMaster’s photograph won the photography category for his school!

"Sherbet Sky" by SnakeMaster, age 10

The actual entry was an 8″x10″ photograph which we matted in black (the inner edge of the matte was thin line of gold).  His artwork is now moving on to the district-level competition.
Yes, I am a proud mama!  We might need to buy him his own camera.

5.   I wish I had known about this song “back in the day” — you know, back when I was “stranded all alone in the gas station of love.”  It would have been useful to be able to sing along, because singing about it does indeed make it better, especially if you can sing in 1950’s style.
Al Yankovic tells sings it like no other. 😀

**Sorry about the disabled embedding. Just click through, it’s safe.**

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All in all, a busy week here in Kcinnova’s World.
How was your week?  Any plans for the weekend?

I’ve never been to Boston in the fall

1. This song makes me think I need to get off my duff and go visit Janet.  Seriously!  This fall is kind of busy (not that next fall won’t be) but why should that stop me?

2. However, I have been in Boston before: my folks took us on a whirlwind tour of some Midwestern and East Coast States during my 15th summer.

3. I’ve been to Moscow [Idaho], too. Does that count?

4. My household is full of homebodies who don’t want to go anywhere. I’m usually included in this category, but sometimes I just want to get away, y’know?

5. Sadly, I have sniffed a stinkbug.

5 Words

Quilly has given me 5 words and she wants me to share my thoughts on them.  After you’ve read my meme, if you feel inclined to play along, say so in the comments and I will send you five words of my choosing.

1. Trinket

When I read the word trinket, I initially thought of the following adjectives: cheap, flimsy, disposable, expensive… and already I have run into a cliche’, with thoughts of cheaply made [in China, do doubt], overpriced doodads created for the tourist trade.  And yet, there are trinkets of value — be that monetary or sentimental.  A rich person might consider a pair of diamond earrings to be a trinket.  This week, I received a package in the mail bearing a key-chain with my nickname on it, which makes me smile (and think of Guinness).   <– That’s a shout-out to you, KCINNOTX 😉  I think that ultimately, a trinket given to someone is a little gift that says, I was thinking about you today.  I know it’s not your birthday, but I want you to have this gift as a token of our relationship.

2. Sandwich

I made 4 peanut butter & jelly sandwiches this morning and packed them into 4 separate lunch boxes (except we don’t really use lunch boxes anymore — they are padded totes of various sizes and shapes).  When it comes time for my own lunch, I won’t be eating a sandwich.  I’ve got my eye on a frozen package of shrimp won ton soup.

3. Hair

There are days when I question myself — why don’t I care more about my hair? I have been rather spoiled, as it is naturally curly (no, I do not voice the character on Peanuts! 😛 ) and I don’t have to do anything special to it. I’m a wash, brush, and leave-it-be kind of gal.  I’ve been cutting it myself for the past 2 years.  But I’m aging and there is now gray mixing in with the multi-toned brown, with the gray showing especially well around my face.  It is past time to make an appointment with a person who can give me a professional cut and style, and perhaps even a bit of color.

4. Purse

Along with my lackadaisical approach to my own hair, I am not fancy when it comes to my purse. For many years, I have carried a medium-brown purse and been perfectly satisfied. This past Spring, I stepped out of my comfort zone just a little bit and bought this:

It’s not fancy, but it threw some color into my life (although it is still a plain brown on the opposite side — I’m not that much of a risk-taker, LOL).  The good news is, I can shove a lot of great stuff in there!  I’ve been known to add a water bottle, a book, the GPS, travel brochures and still be able to zip my purse closed.  However, for everyday use, it is too big and I lose things in it.  Can’t find my keys? Better feel around a little more… they might be under the camera!

5. Splurge

I was raised in a home where we didn’t have much in the way of “disposable income” so I’m pretty frugal most of the time. I married someone of like mind, and our poor children truly believe that money does not grow on trees. My husband likes to tell me that we are “broke.”  He apparently thinks this will keep me from buying things we don’t need, but I’m really pretty good at considering needs vs. wants. However, there are times when I do splurge on expenditures: a pampering pedicure, my annual Girl’s Weekend, or scented candles (I went more than a little overboard purchasing PartyLite items when SuperDad was deployed).  Dining out is definitely a splurge.  It can be difficult for a frugal-minded person to spend money, especially on big purchases.  For example, in a few years, we will need to purchase a new clothes washer & dryer, and I plan to splurge and buy matching side-load models.  Do I NEED a side-load washing machine? No, I only need a washing machine, plain and simple.  I desire a nice side-loading machine –they save water and are gentler on clothing– but I don’t need one.  If my husband does not encourage me to go ahead and splurge on the nicer model, I am likely to re-think my plan… after all, we’ll have 2 kids in college and a third kid thinking about college applications by that point in time.  Some people see stars when they are bump their heads, but when reality bops me a good one, I see dollar signs and my desire to remain debt-free jolts into high gear.