Sweetheart got off to work this morning, and as I type this (it is 8 pm) he should be on his way home. My morning was quiet. The kids all slept while I had some time with the Lord. Sassy, who is very playful in the early morning hours, found her milk ring and came to play.
Milk rings are her favorite toys....they are just the plastic ring off a gallon of milk.I got my housework done and even made a few changes. I am forever changing that entryway. I found this old Hymnal...I love old Hymnals.
It looks nice on the easel. I swapped pictures and put the Jesus print back in the entryway...I did straighten it out after I saw this picture, so it is nice and straight now ;)
All the furniture got polished and the runners were all washed.
I even made a batch of Sweetheart's favorite cookies.
Ok, enough housework. How about some pictures of the little kids?? Zachary has been very creative lately. He made this creation with math manipulatives this morning.
He put this Lego design in the Lego Gallery on their website.
Something VERY wonderful happened to Zachary last Tuesday. He accepted Jesus as his Saviour.
He wanted a new Bible...one like his sister has. We went online and picked it out, had it engraved, and it arrived today.
Cool Bible, huh? It is a large print, red letter KJV with the best maps and a great reference layout that is so easy for the kids to use. Charlotte loves hers and now they can both read together....which they did today.
Charlotte....she has been on a bit of a roller coaster lately. Adolescent girl. That is all I need to say! She did finish her blanket for her bed....
She did such an incredible job and it looks beautiful in her room. She took the picture too. ;)Also, I want to say Happy 51st Anniversary to my parents! They were married on the 29th of February, so no actual Anniversary "day" this year, but 51 years none the less! I love you guys!!!
Well, I need to go touch myself up just a bit. Sweetheart should be home in just a while. I missed him so much! I can't wait to see him!
I have my daily sheet filled out for tomorrow. Some call it a PODA (Parade Of Daily Activity). I just call it a Daily Sheet. I take my daily schedules from my binder and fill out the next days list of chores. Some days, everything on the schedule for that specific day does not need to be done. For example, if the dining room wasn't used, it may only get dusted and vacuumed once a week instead of the 3 times a week it is on the schedule. If it does, it goes on the daily sheet.
Any phone calls, appointments, or errands also go on there. I list at least one job per child for the day too.
Such jobs as wiping down switch plates, vacuuming behind and under furniture, and washing windows, find their way onto the daily sheet. It is spread over the week, with some days not getting any deep cleaning added to them, and everything gets done. For example, I added some of those jobs onto tomorrows list since I will be working in those rooms anyway. On Tuesday and Thursday, other than general pick up, those rooms are not on my list, so I will not add any focus cleaning to those days. If I do things right, I should easily be done with my cleaning in 1-4 hours per day, depending on the day. It averages out to be 2-3 total, and that includes the deep cleaning jobs and the regular routines, like making beds, swiping down bathrooms, etc. You can see my complete Home Management Binder by clicking on the link on my sidebar.
I created my Home Management Binder years ago...it started out a "Control Journal", but I didn't like that name AT all. It has been a wonderful tool in organizing my cleaning schedules and daily routines. It worked for me...I didn't work for it. 
Two years ago, Sweetheart got laid off and his business actually closed it's doors. There has been little, or nothing in the way of work ever since. God has provided for us in ways I can not even begin to share here. Just know He has performed miracles here! Anyway, in that 2 years, my schedules have been put to the side. Things get done regularly, but not always by me. Sweetheart is a clean-freak-neat-nick-
I would do the deep cleaning, but things were not on a schedule. Having Sweetheart here most days is like a never-ending weekend. I could never make it all work. Once or twice a week he would go to his mom's, but I usually took those days to relax and sew. Now...2 years later, Sweetheart is going back to work. 
Homeschool, though affected in the beginning, has moved along quite well in the last 2 years with Daddy home. Little will change, though we may be a bit more laid back. Dad liked everything "timed"....and he preferred the kids do school at a table. Zach use to work in every room of the house, which was fine with me. Today was testing so he stayed at the table.
Inside she had filled it with some wonderful teas and a scripture print from her online store, 
I chose the Wagon Wheel design because she and her family moved out west this summer. They traveled by RV and made a real memory of the trip.
All my PIF's will have the same backing fabric to tie them together. Yeah....it was a large piece I bought and then decided against. It works for a back!
I may just start blogging a little more now that I will be back in "normal"...Sweetheart use to always read my blog from work and he would know how the day went before he ever saw us sometimes! His hours will be long, so I may have to take lots of pics and post them so he knows what is happening!
While cutting backing and batting for a little quilt, my granddaughter was intrigued by the whole process!!! She laid that piece of fabric over the batting several times before she was happy with how it laid....
She is ALWAYS at my side when I am working in the studio. I really think she will want to learn someday. How happy would that make this Grandma??!!
I got an itch to clean today. I mean REALLY clean. I don't know if it is the 45 degree weather (which feels like Spring to me) or the fact that we have all had nasty colds and it just feels "icky" in here, but the main floor got a good scrubbing! The kitchen took a BIG hit with the sponge.
Everything came off the walls, the counters were emptied and all things ON the counters along with the surface itself, were sprayed with Lysol cleaner and wiped down good! Both coffee pots, the knobs to the stove/oven, the microwave and even the salt and pepper shakers and cream and sugar holders were emptied and washed!
It sure did need it, and it sure feels and smells clean in there now! Now to hit that Studio! It is left in shambles and Sassy loves it that way! Me?, not so much!!!!
Praying you have all had a blessed weekend! Say a prayer for us....this next week could bring some VERY good news!!!
Emerson has not decided if she is right, or left handed yet. She is sure getting BIG....she looks like a little girl instead of a baby now. Those who knew my son at that age will see him in her face very strongly.
While I was making dinner, she asked me "Whatcha making, Grandma?" clear as a bell...I told her "Spaghetti." She said, "Spaghetti? Oh, cool." LOL Love that girl!
Her brother was off playing cars and "guys" with Zach! Speaking of Zach, he did a cool Science experiment on condensation last week.
Homeschool is progressing, though we did have a couple of days off this week. We took "Snow Days" I know....but all the neighborhood kids were home, so we played hooky too. This is what we had to look at.....and it's still there.
That is a 5 foot fence back there and the swingset (squint) is pretty much buried! We were trapped for more than a day before the plows dug us out. What a snow fall that was....and the wind.....goodness, it was awful.
Otherwise, she was not phased. She is carrying an extra layer of "something" for winter, so she is happy. Every morning she gets a can of Fancy Feast. She is waiting for me to get up and we have our routine.....when it is all said and done, this is what that fat girl leaves behind.....
Look at that mess! Everyday, I have to clean that up! Oh well...she is happy and satisfied. Once she eats, she bathes. I have never seen a cat who likes to bathe more than Sassy!! Here is what you get if you try to pet her during her bath time.... 
She means business!
We are all eating pretty good around here. I am making healthier choices though....and hey, I learned something recently. See this tri-colored pepper???
You know how all fresh produce has a sticker on it? Well if the numbers are 5 digits and start with a 9, it means it is organic....if it starts with an 8, that means it is genetically altered (don't buy it)....a number that is 4 digits and starts with any other number is not organic, but not altered and needs to be washed in a veggie/fruit rinse. Cool info, eh?
Today I baked a couple of breads. Whole Wheat Challa bread....
....and a pan of pull apart bread for our Spaghetti dinner....
We know man does not live by bread alone, so I have been spending some good time in study, feasting on His Word. 
2 Peter has been a place of needed instruction for me, and Psalm 119 is my memory goal, so I am spending good time there also. God is so faithful to give us exactly what we need, just when we need it. We all suffer loss, but knowing God will pay back that which is lost when we step out and obey His instructions....well, it is His love in action. I am no longer a mother in law. The divorce is final now, and I am settling into that idea. God is full of mercy and grace and I am confident that what is meant for bad will be used for good to bring glory to Him who, still, to this day, sits on the throne. That is a fact that is easily forgotten.....