Saturday Successes - Volume 7

Since the last time I posted, which seems like eons ago, I've hosted a slumber party, three birthday parties, and a Seder meal. I've attended the investiture and simple profession of vows of four young women starting a new religious community in the Diocese of New Ulm. I traveled with the family to Bismarck, North Dakota for four days. And I have pictures and stories to share about all of the above. And I have bills to pay. And taxes to file. And errands to run. And overdue library books to return. And Easter clothes and shoes to find. And a potluck to attend. And ... and ... and ... yes, folks, lest I get too discouraged this morning, it's time for an edition of Saturday Successes. Link up and join me!

* got out of bed and got a cup of coffee
* wrote this post

11:30 UPDATE:
* found recipes for pies and made a grocery list
* went on a spring shoe hunt in the basement and was (finally!) successful
* found Easter outfits for most and tried them on
* made a shopping list to complete Easter outfits
* poured another cup of coffee
* made a fried egg and cheese sandwich
* had my usual morning chat with my sister while eating the above-mentioned sandwich
* got The Baby fed and dressed
* took a shower
* ran to Target and picked up groceries and goodies for Easter baskets

3:30 UPDATE:
* put The Baby down for a nap
* unpacked groceries
* made strawberry jell-o beans
* arranged a meat and cheese tray
* scooped the strawberry jell-o beans out of the mold and made some orange ones
* attended a potluck at our church
* sent all four kids upstairs for a nap in the hopes of attending the Easter Vigil this evening

6:30 UPDATE:
* scooped the orange jell-o beans out of the mold and made some lemon ones (still lamenting that my Target does not carry the preferred pineapple ones)
* laid down with The Boy for a twenty-minute power nap in the hopes he would fall asleep (and he did -- big success!)
* scooped the lemon jell-o beans out of the mold and made some lime ones
* chatted with my mom while making a pie crust
* scooped the lime jell-o beans out of the mold and made some berry-blue ones
* chatted with my grandmother in New York while making a second pie crust
* scooped the berry-blue jell-o beans out of the mold and made some grape ones

11:30 UPDATE:
* picked up the house
* got myself and The Girls ready for Mass
* attended a beautiful Easter Vigil liturgy
* scooped the grape jello-beans out of the mold
* heated some leftovers for dinner
* filled and hid the Easter baskets

Wordless Wednesday - Irish Dancers

My Daybook - March 15, 2010

For Today... Monday, March 15, 2010

Outside my window... the sun is rising a little later than it was last week.

I am hearing... my DH eating breakfast in the kitchen and The Girls starting their schoolwork in the dining room.

I am thinking... about Bismarck, North Dakota ... more on this later.

I am praying... for my DH -- he is being stretched to the max right now -- teaching two courses, including his first graduate level course, preparing for a big interview, working on his dissertation, trying to spend some time with his wife and kiddos.

I am thankful for... sunshine! It was absolutely gorgeous outside yesterday. We even ate lunch in the park. without jackets. and the kids got their bikes out for the first time this year.

From the school room... we're going to have to simplify things this week and mostly focus on catching up. Having two Irish dancers during this time of year makes for a very. busy. week.

From the kitchen... things are going to have to be simplified here, too, because most evenings we will be gone ... lots of crock pot recipes, I think, or bigger meals at noon and pack sandwiches to take with us.

I am creating ... plans for an American Girls birthday party for The Younger Girl. I finished the invitations yesterday.

I am reading... work-stuff. I'm open to suggestions for any good novels you've read lately.

I am hoping... to make it through the week with a minimum of stress and yelling.

Around the house... We were gone yesterday -- The Girls danced at the Irish Music and Dance Association's Day of Irish Dance -- so the house isn't starting out quite as picked up as I like on a Monday morning.

One of my favorite things... steak -- last evening, my DH grilled steaks for the first time this year and we enjoyed them with loaded baked potatoes and roasted asparagus. Yummy!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Dance classes for all three big kids tonight. Tuesday The Girls will perform for a seniors group. Wednesday we'll spend the day at the Landmark Center for The Irish Music and Dance Association's St. Patrick's Day Irish Celebration -- The Older Girl will perform in three shows and The Younger Girl in one. Afterward, we'll head north to my sister's for corn beef! Friday The Girls have a performance at a nursing home. Saturday I'm hosting the second of my four birthday parties. In the evening, the dance studio is hosting a relax-together-after-all-the-craziness-of-St. Patrick's Day-party. Whew!

For more daybooks, visit here.

Saturday Successes - Volume 6 AND 100th Post

This is my sixth volume of Saturday Successes and I think I have figured out Mr. Linky, so you can join me in celebrating your Saturday successes. The concept arose from my complete frustration at the end of my Saturdays. With homeschooling and working full-time, and hopefully resting on Sundays, my Saturdays have typically been left for EVERYTHING else. My to-do list was so long and overwhelming and hopelessly impossible to complete that I was left frustrated at the end of the day -- only seeing what I did not get done, instead of the myriad of accomplishments. So, I tried a new approach: I start each Saturday with a clean slate, instead of a to-do list. Instead of writing down what needs to get done, I write down what's gotten done, even the seemingly mundane things like changing The Baby's diaper. The point is to find JOY in my successes ... I hope you will join me.

So far today ...

* fed The Baby breakfast and got her dressed

* had breakfast (leftover omelet) and coffee

* spent two hours reading some of the very. lengthy. testimony for a marriage case (in preparation for writing a Defender brief later)

* wrote this 100th blog post and figured out Mr. Linky

2:30 UPDATE:

* showered
* got The Girls new costume pieces labeled and helped them get things together and pack for an afternoon of dancing
* did The Girls hair (BTW, this was a most unpleasant experience for all involved, especially The Older Girl and Mommy!)
* dropped The Girls off at the International Institute for a Festival of Nations review, from their they will go with one of their instructors to perform at the Wee Leprechauns Contest
* took The Boy and The Baby with me to Michaels to buy a star-shaped cake pan and the supplies for The Younger Girl's birthday party invitations
* stopped at McDonald's -- The Boy has been begging to go to a Play Place, and since the older two weren't with us, it seemed like the perfect opportunity (plus, The Boy has been driving me NUTS with his motor mouth and ants-in-pants and it's been too wet and muddy to send him into the backyard to play!)

8:30 UPDATE:

* spent another hour and a half reading the above-mentioned case
* picked up the living room
* picked up and swept the dining room
* went to Mass
* went out for Chinese
* dropped two kids at home to get ready for bed
* dropped DH off at office to work some more
* picked up a friend at a birthday party (got lost!) and dropped The Older Girl and her friend off at The Celtic Junction for a Two Tap Trio concert (The Girls take whistle lessons from Mr. Miller and The Boy's dance teacher is Ms. Norah)
* brought The (very. tired.) Baby home and got her ready for bed

11:00 UPDATE:

* unloaded the dishwasher
* poured a glass of wine to enjoy while ...
* ... still reading this (stinkin' long) case

11:35 UPDATE:
* finished reading ... going to bed

Creamer Funny

Since The Girls had dance tonight and my DH had to teach, we decided to celebrate The Younger Girl's birthday by going out to brunch.

You know those individual creamers they put on the tables? I have always given them, and the sugar and sweetener packets, to fussy babies to keep them busy in a restaurant. I've never had a problem doing this. Until today.

Guess what The Baby did? She figured out how to get that little container open with those four sharp little teeth and before we knew what was happening she was drinking the cream! I thought it was maybe a fluke, so I gave her another one -- she wasted no time chewing on it until she could get the cream out!

Better watch out for this one -- she's a smartie!

My Sunshine's Birthday

My second child has always been affectionately known as our "Sunshine" around here. And here's why ...

Happy 8th Birthday, Sweetheart!

Wordless Wednesday - More Trouble