Chemistry & Cootie Catchers.

I just ordered Madeline some Chemistry material off of HomeScienceTools.com.

I hope that by me trying to make science fun, she will love it more then her mommy did. Science was always my worst subject, I just never understood it. But she doesn't seem to have that problem.

Today, we are also doing something new. I am making Cootie Catchers to review vocabulary words in Latin. Seems like a fun way to learn and review and I am hoping that it will help us with remembering things.

2 Days until my in-laws come!

Square Roots

Funny thing. When I was in the third grade I am pretty sure that I had no clue what a square root was. However, Madeline learned about square roots today in math and absolutely nailed it. I guess it helps that she knows her mutliplication tables. She is doing so well in school. I am amazed every day at how smart she is. She has her goals in life all set out that she wants to go to Harvard, own her own business (candy store where she makes her own candy), become President of the United States and then after her terms as President, she wants to go to Tim Gunn's school of fashion in NY and begin her own line of fashion. She is such an amazing blessing to me.

Spicy Chili

Tried a new chili recipe this past weekend and it was great.

1 lb. ground beef, browned with minced onion and minced garlic until no longer pink
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 small can (5 oz) hot & spicy V8 juice
1 T. chili powder

Put in the crock pot and cook on low for 5 - 7 hours.

I also think this would be great with noodles in it, as it is a thin chili.

Valentine's Day

Our church is doing something different for Valentine's Day this year. I have mixed feelings about it, however, I am going to support it, because it is the church. I come from a family that Valentine's Day is a day that has always been special - to the whole family. Daddy always included me in his plans for mom and now that I am married, Madeline is always included in our plans. Not to mention, now that we are with mom and she is widowed, we always include her. It is a very depressing day for her. But the church is doing a couples only thing. I really don't like the thought of it, I expressed my views, and apparently my views didn't matter. I just don't feel "right" about it. And truthfully, I might just support them with making the food, and still do things with my family like we had planned. I don't know why it can't be a "family" day. If we wanted to do a couples thing, then we can invite couples to our homes to start that kind of group. I don't know - guess I am just venting!

Visit from family

My husband got a call from his mother this morning saying that they would be coming to visit next weekend. Of course, this makes my daughter very excited. It's been about 5 months since she has seen Ah Poah & Ah Yeah. They went to China for therapy for mom's leg (healing from the stroke). I am really praying that they will actually come for a visit. This has been said before and never amounted to anything. Madeline (being 8) doesn't always understand why things do not happen. But I am praying that this week, Madeline & I can be very productive in getting the house ready for our company and hoping for a wonderful visit with Ronnie's parents and sister.

Fibromyalgia

What a terrible way to start the day. This weather that is blessing North Florida is really starting to hurt me. I think it the weather would either be cold or hot and not jump so much and so radically, I would be fine with it. However, the jumping of the weather is making my fibromyalgia act up terribly. Of course, I do everything that I can do so that it doesn't look like it effects me. I still go on with my day to day, I just go a lot slower. I have noticed that the older that I am getting the more that I do seem to be suffering from migrains. They always told me that I would get them, I was just hoping that they were wrong.



So today my prayer is that the Lord helps me get through the day, getting done everything that I need to get done, as well as

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I often buy things from Schwann's, and one of my favorites that I have found is the Buffalo Chicken Dip. I just absolutely fell in love with it. Well, I just can't have an addiction that is so expensive, so this is my version of it:

2 cans chicken breast
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/4 c. hot sauce
1/2 c. ranch dressing
1 - 1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Mix together your cream cheese until smooth. Add in chicken, hot sauce and ranch dressing. Put into a shallow pie plate and cover with cheese. Bake at 350 for 25-30 min. Serve with Tortilla chips.

New Year, New Me

This year I have decided to make some changes. First, I am going to do my best to blog more. I really think it will be helpful to me in my growth as a homeschool mom, a wife and a Christian woman. I have also decided that I am going to FLY with Flylady. I have already taken this into effect, making myself a control journal and following it with my daily schedule. I am cleaning every day, just a little a day, to hopefully make it where all of my cleaning doesn't have to be done on one single day.

I have also made Madeline an age appropriate chore list. She is doing so well, getting her morning chores and afternoon chores done.

There are some other changes that we are making. I am trying to keep her up until 9:00 at night, to try to help with the sleeping in time. This 5:00 AM is killing me! I am doing a new Bible Study during my "me" time. It is on the women of the Bible, and so far I love it. Of course, I am still on my first lady - Eve. I love how the study is broken into 5 days so that it isn't just a quick study on the woman, it is actually digging in the Bible and finding more that she has done.

I am also hoping this year to try new recipes. I always make the same type of food, and I love cooking, but I have soooo many cookbooks and I would really love to try some of the recipes that I have admired in them. This week we will be having a new chili (very impressive for me since I have the ultimate chili recipe). Hoping that I can try one a week.

School is going to be great for the remainder of the year, even if we are starting it behind. From the schedule that I made back in August, we are currently a week behind. And of course, we are behind this week, when it is freezing in Florida and Maddie is fighting this cold for all that she is worth. She is a trooper though and is working on her school work - just a bit slower then normal.

Well, here is to a great year. So looking forward to all the things that I know I will learn this year and looking forward to a great year with my family.