I have updated the theme of my blog for March.....I love redecorating.  I was tired of the flowers from Valentines Day!

SATURDAY......

Last night I took the younger two boys to get haircuts.  The lady that cut Erik's hair was new and I was VERY unhappy with her cutting his hair.  I made another stylist correct it.   If you don't know how to cut the style I ask for you should say so and let someone else cut his hair.   It doesn't look to bad now, but I sure let them know I was unhappy about it. 

Off to a late start this morning.   I like to get to Aldi by 9:00 and avoid the rush.   It was fairly busy when I got there today.   I love Aldi...I bought 4 bags of grocery and spent 54.00.  Then I grabbed a few sale items at Cub and picked up bread at the Taystee Thrift Store.   I spent a total of $81.00 for two weeks of groceries.  That isn't too bad at all.  

After I was finished with grocery shopping, I picked everyone else up at home after we unloaded and we headed to the library.   I had one book on Tape come in on reserve.  I will start that one as soon as I finish the Secret Life Of Bees.   This book, Can You Keep A Secret? by Sophie Kinsella has alot of reserves so I can only have it for two weeks.

After the library we had lunch and then it was nap time for Tommy and I.   Hubby and Erik went to half price books to shop.  Erik got a new video game and hubby a few computer books.   I read and napped, which is always nice.   Now Erik and Josh are cleaning and rearranging their bedroom.    I just wanted them to pick up the floor and vacuum, but now it is an all day clean job!   Oh well.....it needed a good clean.

Supper tonight is Teriyaki Chicken Wings and Chicken Fried Rice.  After supper we are going to watch Superman 2 and relax.  Of course Erik has seen it a million time he says and we haven't seen it all.  Very common, you can't find a movie he hasn't watched at his mom's already.   We just don't spend our money on buying movies.  Josh is the same way at his Dads.    I will probably cross stitch while I watch the movie.  

Next weekend we are planning on taking Tommy to his first movie ever!    We are going to take him to the Winnie the Pooh Movie.  It should be fun for him and keep his attention for his first movie.  

Hubby had a what are you doing with your life talk with Josh today.  He has not been too motivated lately, but he is doing ok in school.   So hopefully he steps up to the plate on a few things we requested.  Don't get me wrong I am truly blessed with a very enjoyable and non-attitudal teen ager.   I really don't have much to complain about in that regards at all!   We jsut want him to be planning a bit more for his future.  He only has one year of high school left after this year. 

I need to run and straighten up a bit around here before supper is ready.   Have a great evening!  Sorry I haven't been able to make it to everyone's blog this week....I hope to get caught up this weekend! 

VACATION PICTURES AS PROMISED.................................

BREEZY POINT RESORT

Dining Area and Firplace

Kitchen

Couch and Steps to Loft

Bathroom in the Loft

Loft Bedroom (mom and Dad's an Toms Room)

Mom's Reading Area in the Loft!

Josh's Room

Tommy and Daddy enjoying the little kids pool!

View out of window of the frozen lake and the snowmobiles!

Family hanging out in the gym!

Mom checking her email with Tommy!

Tommy and Erik Playing

So that is just a few pics of our winter vacation!   Not a bad room for 35.00 a night!   Our friends belong to this travel group and we are probably going to join as well.   It costs less than 100.00 a year for memberships and you get as many weeks as you want to purchase.  Very cool.  We need to  get some more details but I think it will be cheaper than our one trip we have been taking at the end of summer.   This will allow us to take two vacation a year for less than the one we are doing now!   And most are places with kitchens so we eat real cheaply too!  The best part is you don't have to purchase a time share to be a part of it!  

Forgot to brag about my boy!!   Josh has been doing really good in school lately.   He has been on the honor roll that last few quarters.   He had some difficult classes this last term and did very well I think.   I am very proud of him that he has been able to keep his grades up and have a job and girlfriend.

Chemistry - B
Integ Algebra - B
Trigonometry - A
Health for Life - B

WAY TO GO JOSHUA!!!!  CONGRATULATIONS!

SUPPER TONIGHT........

EASY VEGETABLE SOUP

4 cups vegetable, beef, or chicken stock
4 cups vegetables (I keep a bucket in the fridge and if we every have left over vegs I freeze them and use then for soup as needed)
left over meat, cut in small pieces, or 1 lb cubed beef, browned in oil in skillet
15 -oz can chopped tomoatoes
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup uncooked rice or barley or 1/2 cup cooked orzo or small shells

1.  Combine all ingredients in slow cooker except pasta.

2.  Cover.  cook on low for 6 hours, adding pasta 1/2 hour before serving.

3.  Serve with rolls and a salad for a great comfort meal.

 

Back from the Dr with Tommy.   He still has these viral warts that are spreading.   The Dr treated some more of them with this African Beetle Juice.   He says this virus can stay in your body for two years, but hopefully his body will fight off these warts soon.   I have to give him a bath in two hours and wash the stuff off.  When we use the compound W Tommy screams and screams...but this beetle juice doesn't hurt him so he is better about it.  Unfortunately they can only do it in the office and I have to pay a $20.00 co-pay each time.   

YEAH!!  Good news....after I talked to the teachers at preschool and they said that the class was full for next year, I went to the main office.    At the main office she said that Tommy could go into the 4/5 year old class since he will be turning 4 a month after the class starts!  YEAH!!  So Tommy is all set up in preschool for next year.  It isn't the class I wanted, but it is the time slot that works best for us.   He will be going to school Tuesday and Thursdays 9 -11:30 at the site at our church.  

Almost time to  get Tommy from Preschool.   I have the bills paid and the budget figured out for the week.   So we will stop at the post office and mail those.   I forgot to register Tommy for Preschool for next year, I am mailing it in late so I hope he will get in.   He will be going two days a week next school year so we will have to budget for that increase in tution.  It is well worth it!   He is very lucky he will have three years of preschool before he starts Kindergarten!   He will be well prepared.  

The mail came and a book I ordered from half.com came.  I know what I will be doing this weekend!!  The book is the Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory, I am looking forward to starting it!   I think I will ditch the Tree Grows in Brooklyn again and read this instead!  I also received my shampoo I had bought on ebay.   I love packages in the mail!  

Well off to pick up Tom from preschool.  Later!

Yesterday went by so quickly!!   I was at the Autism Transition conference listening to Peter Gerhart of Baltimore speaking on Aspergers.  He was very good and he reminded us all how when teaching young adult with Aspergers you have to teach every step of a task and we often forget that.   THere are many steps to things we do everyday and don't think about, such as riding an elevator, using a public urinal.  And each of these tasks had unwrittem social norms or expectations, that you also have to teach.  So it was interesting!

I got alot of cross stitching done too!   When every I am at a conference I have to do something with my hands or my mind wanders terribly, so I cross stitch.   I have a project that the only time I work on it is at conferences.  So I have been working on it for many years already!    It is done on linen so it is very detailed.  I am almost 1/2 done with it.   I have a two day conference next month and another 3 day conference in March so I will get alot more done.   I enjoy cross stitching, I just don't have time to do it at home and I would rather read with my free time at home.    

After the conference I went to the office for a bit and then to my book group!   had a great time.   About 4 of us had read the book and all liked it.   It was a more difficult read in the writing was difficult to get used to.  It was a book that was best read in long sittings so you could get use to the language.   The story had alot of plot turns too so those that din't finished it were inspired to finish it after listening to us talk about it.  Our book group was at a lovely old St Paul home, with amazing wood work, crown molding, etc and details of the home was amazing!!   Very nice!    I got home after 10:00 and went right to bed.   I just love my book group!

Today I am home in the morning as Tommy has Preschool so I will pay bills and make my menu and grocery list.   Tommy has a Dr appointment at 1:20 and I will return phone calls from home for work for a few hours, but probably won't go into the office.  Just a day to catch up around the house today I guess.    I can't believe the month of FEbruary is almost over!    

More books read in February......

London Bridges - James Patterson -3.5/5

The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory - 4.5/5

Kite Runner -Khaled Hosseini - 5/5

 

CURRENTLY READING......

Secret Life of Bees - listening to on CD.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn  - (nearly finished, it was one I was partially done with from book group)