Family Closet

Well -- now -- that's probably not exactly what you are thinking... I'm pretty sure.

I bet my family DOES have things hidden in a closet -- but what about a FAMILY CLOSET at my house -- where the whole family has their stuff in ONE PLACE!!

My on-line friend Ginger has a family closet at her place and I was just drooling reading about it on her blog. Isn't that the coolest idea or WHAT? (I'm assuming you clicked on the link and read her post).

I want one.

Do you?

Where would you put one?  My laundry room is upstairs -- our folded laundry sits in the hallway and it's annoying, until it gets pulled too and fro so much that it ends up back in the dirty clothes -- and I know it's not dirty because it's still partially folded... but alas... after sitting in a basket with dirty underware -- it now does not smell spring clean.  :gag:  So I must re-wash it... or the wearer of said stinky still folded clothes would highly offend people that day.

We've got the room... I've got a guest bedroom--- and a classroom and a den that I could somehow blend together.  I EVEN have a girls room right across from teh laundry room that I could use and I could put the girls in the guest bedroom.  Hmm...  thinking... thinking...  The guests could sleep somewhere else.  The classroom maybe, and then, then... we could put all the books in the den.  I'd have to prune a few books... WAIT A MINUTE... I could put some books in the FAMILY CLOSET... books on one side... the clothes on the other side of the room.  Oh my word... I'm getting all excited!! 

I LOVE this idea Ginger --- you know what else?  I love sharers... Ginger is a sharer... I've asked someone to teach me to make home made noodles... it's never happened... and here Ginger shares her pictures of her Family Closet -- and I didn't even have to ask. 

What a gal!  Ü

SUMMER OFF

The last several years we've followed a schedule where I would school for 3 months, then take one month off.  Usually we'd take August, December and April off.  Ended up about the same amount of time off -- just not all at once.

Well -- this school year (at the beginning) we decided to do a "normal" schedule.  I threw my dobuts to the wind about my kids forgetting every thing they ever learned (then we'd have to start all over in Kindgergarten in the fall), and are jumping into this new adventure feet first.

You  know what?  I'm so excited for June to be here I can hardly believe it.  We followed our local school districts schedule (loosely), and here we are -- at the end of our school year.  Woo Hoo!!!  We are in the middle of Math books - at the end of History books - and behind in spelling books probably... but we are calling it quits anyway.  That's what happens when you have weird schedules you end up with weird quitting spots.  But -- I'm the boss... and when it's time to quit -- we are quitting.

This summer I'm going to work at selling Scentsy.  (Meet me at booth #20 at the West side of the Knoxville Square!) The kids are going to work at getting a tan in the pool.  My husband is going to work at Pella Corporation.  So -- we'll be busy... just not doing school.  A trip to Colorado is planned -- we will be reuniting with my Dad's family.  Leah, Jini, Ron and Gene and kids and grand kids and maybe a few other stragglers here and there.  Who knows?  Neighborhood Bible Time will be squeezed in.  Junior Camp.  Our kids birthdays start in June -- the 1st of June actually.  The pool is cleaned and ready to go. (many thanks to Dan for that!) And we'll finish up with our church's Family Camp in September and be ready to tackle another school year. 

Now -- I need to make next fall's school schedule -- I can hardly wait.  My left eye is twitching I'm so excited.  But let's not hurry summer!  I want to cherish it.

I usually take a hiatus from electronic entertainment... but I'll need to computer for Scentsy ordering -- so I'll just skip the "official" boycott, and just be on here a bit less.  Who has time for TV and FB when I could be floating on a raft?  I'm not getting skin cancer -- in fact I'm soaking up some vitamin D... I've read a paper once that says people who use sun block actually get cancer at a more frequent rate.  LOL  I'm carrying that article in my back pocket this summer!! (I think it is all about skin types anyway).  We all gotta die of something... so I'm choosing skin cancer... everyone know tan fat looks better than white fat anyway -- that's a fact!

Hope you all have a HAPPY SUMMER!!!  

I plan on it!

I'll be back in the fall with pictures.  (you know me)

°Ü°

This is Just a Test

At our house -- the man of the house is the movie man... so I'm thinking the reason so many movies fail this test is BECAUSE -- the movies are designed for the customer.  



BUT -- they may have a point... interesting... what do you think?  Is this because they industry is listening to what the market wants?  or are they developing the market by their own likes or dislikes... and the men are just stumbling along blindling following WHAT.EV.AH...

 Great find Abraham Piper -- you can go to his blog to see what he and his readers this of this test.

Tis a Bird Day

Let's play I Spy.

I spy something small and yellow and chirpy.


Can you see them?

BIRDS.  

Pretty birds.

There were a whole FLOCK of them... I think I counted 8 at once.

The birds were eating the left over seeds from last years wild flowers.  I know they look like weeds... but really -- they are pretty weeds flowers!   Ü

Isn't God's creation wonderful?

Thank You God for the pretty birds you sent for me to enjoy!

The Next Four Years

Do you know what you will be doing in four years? (the Lord willing)



Well -- I do.  ACTUALLY I know what TORI will be doing in 4 years... because I said so...

Think I'm crazy?  No -- just a planning freak gone wild.  For those of us who LOVE to plan and make charts and organize and think and drool over home school stuff... you know who you are... The four year high school planning stage is HEAVEN (said in a high sing song voice!)  Woo hoo...

I was trying to spread my enthusiasm around a bit last night... and people quicly fled the room... I found myself sitting at the dining room table all by myself... leafing through the Scope and Sequence book from Landmark Freedom Baptist Curriculum... turning the pages... thinking, "what if".  "If only".  "My kid will be so smart when they are done with this four year plan." sort of thoughts...  She will KNOW all about the North American Continent before European colonization... and isolationism versus diffusionism.  "The Fish I didn't Catch" will be read and comprehended and vocabulary from that story used.  Binomials and Tinomials will be talked about (hopefully with her dad... think he remembers that stuff?)   After four years Tori will have learned about Hygiene... there is a class for everything -- in case I forgot to teach her about footcare, or deodorant.  And shop... need I say more? 

I bet since I'm typing about TORI's life you think I'm typing about shopping.  NO -- I did not mistype... I said SHOP...  electricity, plumbing, machine shop and carpentry sort of Shopping.  It's an elective... I let her elect.  Well -- the more I thought about it -- the more I liked her choice.  She is a first born driven sort of gal... and in week one of SHOP she has to choose a project to do from one of the four areas...  Well -- I need a new deck.  I'll give her an A+ in shop if she builds me a deck (that will work).  It can't cause me to break my leg every time I use it...  I'm so excited!! 


And Spanish I.  Some things I'm less excited about... Dan did peruse her schedule and crack open the Spanish workbook... as he was pronouncing those words, I realized I'll probably be the Spanish coach, not he.  That's too bad... just ask my dad... he was my Spanish I coach.  Well -- we are planning for Spanish in her Freshman year -- that way if it takes her four years to do... NO -- I'm kidding!!  It'll be fine...  (oh me)...

I am excited about one thing -- being from a Christian curriculum... her Spanish class goal is to be able to present the Gospel to a Spanish speaking person.  That's a lofty goal, and I pray she attains it!  And it does come with some CD's...

My one huge strangling fear was that after 4 years of high school... she would decide to go to college and then "they" would all turn to me and say, "Her transcript please," and I would be standing there -- under a really bright light -- with only my slip on... and one curler left in my hair and lipstick on my chin and me crying and saying... "Trans wha??". 

Well -- LFBC gave me a sample to follow -- and I'm all over make charts... so I sat down and did it already.  LOL  I'm such a nerd.  I'm so eXciTeD!!!  I feel like we have arrived already.  Poor Tori - for some reason -- seeing all those classes and charts and credits and grades and BLAH!  She may be a bit overwhelmed... so we'll take it one day at a time... but my parts done.  So There!  (Whew... I don't even own a slip... that was making me a bit nervous).

Here we go Tori!!!  (first lets finish this year... only 1 more day of school left... you can DO IT!) 

Wrinkled Ladies

It looks like the last time I posted it was an Anita Renfroe video -- apparently I like her sense of humor.

Well -- laugh along with me again will ya?



Oh -- the joy of being in the 40 and over club. :giggle:

Today is my Brithday -- so to celebrate... let's all laugh together

I love laughing!!  and I LOVE Big Ol' Sweet Iced Tea °Ü°

Scentsy Basket Party

I have all of my bags of Basket Party Samples out right now -- so does anyone want to be next in line to have a Basket Party for me? (It's just like a catalog party).  I'll mail them to you too, if you think you are too far away.  A basket party is a pretty cool idea, if you ask me.  You can earn the same hostess rewards as you would a home party!  You get 80+ scents in a small carry around bag... to smell while looking at the catalog.  Really -- very cool idea.  °Ü°   Easy to take out and about. 

I have several things for you to remember.  RED CANDY APPLE scent is wonderful... 10% off in April.  E-mail if you'd like a sample.

NATURES HAVEN Full size Warmer of the month for May is going to be very popular.  I have a waiting to order list going already... 10% off in May.  I'll be making samples of the scent soon.  May's scent is Clarity - it's a lemony & herby smell - very fresh... e-mail if you would like to be on the list for receive these samples.  I'll have them ready by May 1st.

Lots of options.

May is a gift giving month -- with Mother's Day and Graduations and Weddings.  Just f.y.i.  Plug in Warmers are normally allowed in dorm rooms, same wattage as a night light... what a Scentsational gift THAT would be for a new Freshman in college.  Let me know if I can help you with gift giving. 

pst... Pass this on to your dear husbands or children if you would love some Scentsy for Mother's Day -- gift wrap included.

If you are local and aren't in the party mood -- but want to stock up on Scentsy with free shipping -- I'll be making a order for myself in May.  I'm getting ready for Farmer's Market in Knoxville.  Give me a hollar and I'll add your order in with mine.  I love free shipping!!  Don't you?

~*~ Jennifer Johnston ~*~
A Independent Scentsy Consultant
641.943.2350
https://jenniferjohnston.scentsy.us/home

Nothing to Trifle With

My dd made me a trifle for my birthday -- in place of a birthday cake.
Oh my word...

It was heavenly...

So much so, that I believe I may have gained 3.5 pounds just from eating 1 helping of it.

Thank You Tori!!

This Trifle will go down in history, I believe.

It was yummilicious!

I serviced the yummilicious trifle (that cost 3.5 pounds a serving) in my Grandmother Phillips' crystal glasses.  Any of my relatives reading this blog want to expound on that a little?  I'd love to be able to share the history of such fine goblets with my children next time we use them.  I think it made the trifle taste just a tad bit yummilicious being served in real crystal. 

One more race

Distance Medley  - it's a long race.


Distance Medley Relay 2010 Knoxville MS Track at Newton from Jennifer J. on Vimeo.

200 y dash

You know... grandparents read this blog.  So -- yes, I'm posting another race today.  Ü


2010 Knoxville @ Newton Track Meet, 200 y Dash from Jennifer J. on Vimeo.

4th place finish! 

Yesterdays Track Meet

Track and Field is one of my favorite sports to watch. Tori had a track meet yesterday in Newton.  It ended up being 63° and drizzly the entire 4 hours.... you know what?  I had a GREAT time!  Ü  I told Tori on the way home, "now -- if I had to be in the rain and 63° for 4 hours for anything else, I'd probably be a whiny crying baby".  LOL  

Well -- this is one of Tori's races... I'll share the fun with you.  She is running the third leg.  

Marissa, Laney, Tori, then Jenci.  A great relay team.  They ran together their 7th grade year too.  Their time was around 58 seconds... their goal -- set by their coach was 59.  YEAH!! 

2010 KNOXVILLE MS TRACK @ NEWTON, 4x100 from Jennifer J. on Vimeo.

GREAT JOB GIRLS!!!

GO PANTHERS!!!

My husband is such a ham...

 When ever Dan gets in front of a camera -- he starts kissing.  LOL

So -- I thought I'd save one for posterity. 

swag bucks

Something new...

So -- have you heard of swag bucks??

www.swagbucks.com is a search engine that offers you the chance to win cool prizes from swagbucks.com every time you search. They believe very strongly in rewarding their users for their loyalty and the prizes are their way of thanking us. No registration is required. Try it, you'll be hooked - we guarantee it!

I put my referal code "button" on the side of my blog.  I'd love it if you used my name if you sign up.  BECAUSE, of course, I'd get some swag bucks. 

It's real... folks have used their points to get gift cards... and that's my goal... because one can never have too many gift cards can they?  OK -- that sure sounds greedy.  But if you are already seraching for something on-line  (I sure do), then you might as well get a buck or two for doing what you already do.  Ü 

Have fun!!

Bootcamp for Lousy Housekeepers

Some of you know me... I love a clean house -- but I don't love to clean house. Ü


But I have pre-read some of this book Bootcamp For Lousy Housekeepers by Heidi Schaap, and I'm telling you what -- this Drill Sargent author knows her stuff. When I follow her example, it sure makes something I don't love to do a whole lot easier.


Well -- it's about spring... which means about time for spring cleaning -- so JUST IN TIME, Miss Heidi is going to give away 2 copies of her new book BOOTCAMP FOR LOUSY HOUSEKEEPERS.  I want to WIN!  I want to hold a copy in my little hands.   


I'm blogging about her contest so I'll be entered in a drawing to I may win one of her books.  I read her stuff while the book was in the making -- I want to read what made the final cut.  So -- don't even think of heading over to her blog, or being a fan on facebook, or twitter... because I want my chances of winning to be better.  LOL 


OK -- I wasn't supposed to say that... Actually -- head on over... you may learn some thing new today. Here is the verbage she posted on her blog.

It's just SIX days until spring, and if you're anything like me, I know you're just itchin' to open those windows wide and shake loose the the winter's yuckiness from your home.

It's SPRING CLEANING time!

To make this therapeutic, if not overwhelming task a little easier for two special Bootcampers, and in honor of reaching almost 3000 visits since my blog began, it's also time for a SPRING CLEAN FLING -- that means I'm giving away one print copy and one digital copy of Bootcamp for Lousy Housekeepers on this Saturday, the first day of spring!

There are four easy ways to get into the running:

1. Follow this blog, and leave a comment letting me know that you have! (Just click the Follow! button on the left and follow the instructions.) (So -- you need to follow HER blog... not mine.)

2. Follow me on Twitter, and leave a separate comment letting me know that you have! (That's HEIDI... not me -- I don't tweet... I'm not a bird).
3. Become a fan of Bootcamp for Lousy Housekeepers on Facebook, and leave a separate comment letting me know that you have!  (Oh -- I did that already -- have you?)

4. Blog about this giveaway on YOUR blog, and leave a separate comment with the link!  (OK  -- I've done that now... thanks for reading friends.)
You can enter one, two or all four ways, but the more ways you enter, the more chance you have to win -- I'll pick the winners randomly on Saturday!

May the Lousiest Housekeeper Win!!   (That's ME!!!  I'm the lousiest!! Pick me, pick me!)  ha ha haaa

New Thing

I have HEARD this before... but yesterday it really HIT me.


God is soverign.  I know that.

SO when I'm thinking... "WHAT??  Why is this happening?  How can this be in your plan?  I'm ruining EVERYTHING!!  My children -- HELP!"

God is saying... BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP --  "This is a test. Your God is conducting a test of the Conforming them to the image of His Own Son system. This is only a test."

 So - now I have posted by my sink.  THIS IS ONLY A TEST... °Ü°


1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1Pe 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Paul David Tripp says, "God is at work in every situation to conform us to the image of his Son.... God is at work to complete the work of salvation He began before the earth was made... We ought to greet trials with joy because God is using them to complete us.  We can view trials as the means by which we receive the goal of our faith, the salvation of our souls."  I may just start calling some people by their real name -- "Hey Trial -- nice to see you.  See the joy on my face!?!  Really -- I'm being conformed just by you being in the same room as me."  (Ok -- could you hear the sarcasm?  I hope so.)

I have heard these things before -- but it got hammered into my heart yesterday.  I need to give up my "control" of my circumstances -- they often are a result or a consequence of some choice I have made, but sometimes they are not.  I can not make anyone not be rude... but when they are rude... THIS IS ONLY A TEST!!  It's not a personal failing of mine, and I need to keep my focus on Jesus Christ, and know that I am being conformed into His image.  Praise God!

I am enjoying going through Paul David Tripp's book War of Words with my Wednesday Night Group.  Thank you for leading that Dave Hendricks, and offering it Grace Baptist Church.  Appreciate it!  No really... I do... I like being broken down and reshaped... I do...really...

Declaration of Independence

My kiddos are supposed to be memorizing the Declraration of Independence with our home school group.  I'm not sure they are keeping up with the rest of the kiddos -- because I forget to work on it at home.  But my friend Becca decided to share this with us who are working on it together.  I'm glad she did. 

Enjoy!

 

Mansel on the Mat

Mansel likes wrestling. This photo is for his Grandpa and Grandma -- who don't get to see him wrestle often. He's wrestling at 80 pounds this year. Can you believe it?  That weight often puts him against 7th and 8th graders, so his record as a 4th grader isn't as good as you would like it to be.  But -- this year he is getting a lot of good wrestling time.  Districts will be March 13th. 

GO MANSEL GO!!

My Firefighter

Wayne likes to play dress up -- this day he donned a fire hat, his fireman boots, and his face mask (left over from Dan's c-pap machine)...

I'd say he's pretty close. LOL Better then his sister's princess dresses!

Wrestling Season in Iowa

If you aren't from Iowa -- you may not get this... but it's Wrestling State Tournament this week.  Amazing stories are surfacing -- and I'd like to share one of them with you.