and a new week....

I am almost hesitant to write anything today since I possibly offended half the world with my last post about Monster Jam:) It just goes to show that I have to think about the fact that people actually read this when I am writing it.

Paul and I have been married for 30 years, yesterday was our anniversary. Did we celebrate? Go out to dinner? Um, no. He fixed the oven though. He thinks he fixed it, I hope so, black stuff, sooty-like, has been the by-product of this oven for too long now. I also got to go to church to watch a few transmissions of a Sister's Conference, and had lunch with my friends. Time change combined with staying up way too late on Saturday night, and I was ready for a nap yesterday...but I didn't want to waste a perfectly good afternoon sleeping, so...I went shopping with Evelyn and Mirielle. Paul just didn't feel like going out to dinner, so I didn't push it. We are planning a weekend away sometime when the weather warms up, to Gettysburg again. I realized that going out and about made me feel better about the fact that hey, it was our thirtieth, and yes, I had some expectations. We agreed to postpone our week away, but still, I guess I felt a little ripped-off. So, off shopping we went. Mirielle is great fun, and she has a Kohl's charge card, and had a 30% off coupon. I bought my little granddaughter a beautiful dress for next Christmas for $3.50. I got the princesses each a skirt for $2.40. We went to the grocery store next, and got some corned beef and cabbage and carrots and onions and milk and coffee and bananas and oranges and grapes and cookies and eggs and cheese. Then a quick stop to the craft store because they had a good sale and a %20 off coupon. I bought some canvases for homeschooling Kathryn to paint on, a sketch book to put away for Joseph's birthday, and some lovely fake flowers. Oh, and some spools of ribbon for the princesses.

Home. I sauteed some chicken breast in olive oil and pepper until it was crispy, then tossed it in orange ginger sauce. Steamed broccoli and snap peas, and voila, a dinner! A yummy healthy dinner. Camille was home with Paul, she had already eaten. The rest of the kids went to church to see a movie and have dinner, so they were all set.

Kids going here and there and everywhere, it is hard to sit down and eat as a family these days, but we try, because it is really important. We already have Thursday's dinner planned, it will be our corned beef meal. Mirielle has the night off, and we may possible be able to all be here in the evening.

There are chicken thighs marinating in the 'fridge for dinner, so I feel accomplished, knowing in the morning already what's for dinner tonight.

I have my second load of laundry in, and have washed a sink full of dishes.

Jon needs some help with some school work,(he is teaching Camille some math right now) and Camille is chomping to get out of the house and go somewhere. I kept her home from school again because she still had a fever yesterday. She is much better today, but needs to get better before she goes to school to pick up the next sickness.

It is 32 degrees out right now. Zero Celsius. Camille opened the door to let the dogs out, and yelled, "It's spring! I am not serious, it is spring!" She obviously doesn't know exactly what the word SERIOUS means, but it was funny. Because it is still freezing out, and there is still lots of snow, but when it has been such a long cold winter, 32 doesn't feel so bad. But...there is a snowstorm brewing for Wednesday night....more snow. ugh.

But spring will come, and it will feel glorious.

Emily and I might take a little trip out west to visit Ben and Ashley and their baby Anya, next month. She is trying to get a few days off from work. I just think that not seeing that baby day after day, week after week, is torture...but not seeing her for the whole year is just not right. They are supposed to come home in November, when Benjamin gets out of the Army. I can't wait that long. And of course it will be nice to see Ben and Ashley too.

Mirielle and I are talking about trying to plan a little trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania, to take the younger kids to the amusement park there. And we are planning our trip to Georgia for Sam's graduation from boot camp. We would like to take a few vehicles and take the whole fandamily, if possible. We will see.