I am working a flexible schedule this week since Erik is with us.  I worked 12 hours on Monday and am home today.   I am hoping to get alot done around the house this week while I am home.   I am off to a good start today.  I have moved my morning routine to be 15 minutes earlier this week and it is going well. 

Morning Routine
6:45 - Make Bed and Shower
7:00 - Feel Pets/ Teddie Outside and Robbie Shot
7:15 - Meds
7:30 - Laundry Swtich
7:45 - Trash
7:55 - Wipe all Sinks Out
8:00 - Put Clean Dishes Away/ Wash Breakfast Dishes

8:15 - Wake Tommy
8:30 - Daily Chore if time permits

By the time school starts I need to have everything slid so that Tommy is getting up by 8:00 as he needs to be at school at 8:45. 

I had everything on my morning routine done by 9:00 and I went to drop off Tommy at daycare.  After dropping off Tommy we stopped at the bread thrift store for hot dog buns.  We also dropped off some movies at the library and dropped off Erik's prescriptions to be refilled. 

Since home I have been getting todays and yesterdays daily chores done.

COMPLETED SO FAR:

• Vacuumed Main Rooms and Chairs
• Clean Toilets
• Stock TP
• Change Hand and Kicthen Towels
• Wash All Comforters (5 of them) and Take Outside to Dry
• Clean Mirrors
• Vacuum All Bedrooms/Shake Out Rugs
• Scoop Cat Litter
• Clean Furnance Filters
• Take Apart and Clean Vacuum Filters

TO DO YET:

• Clean out and wipe out 2 cupboards in the kitchen - Put in new Shelf Paper  - DONE
• Clean out Upstairs Freezer -DONE
• Clip Coupons - ERIK'S DOING
• Clear off Dining Room Table
• Dust Dining Room
• Clean Tub/Shower - DONE
• Go to Library
• Pick up Erik's Scripts
• Make Supper
• Put Away Clean Laundry
• Night Time Routine

EVENING ROUTINE

7:00 - Dishes/Counters/Sink/Micro Cleaned
Sweep Kitchen and Entry

8:00 Laundry/Feed Pets/ Robbie Shot

8:15 - Plan supper/Make lunch/Lay out Clothes for Tomorrow

8:30 - Start Getting Tommy ready for bed

Hello Everyone!!  Hope everyone is enjoying the final days of summer.  I can't believe how quickly the days are going by.    Last week I worked each day as Erik was at his Mom's for the week.  I was home on Monday for a bit as I took Tommy for his physical in the morning.  He had to get a couple of immunizations for Kindergarten.

In the afternoon, we went to get our teeth cleaned.  I have one little cavity that I didn't get taken care of last year that needs to be filled.  Poor Tommy has two cavitites.  I could not believe that!!   Josh never had a single cavitiy until he was in his teens and then he only has had one!   I guess Josh just got better teeth genetically.   Tommy just like Erik does not have very good teeth.   ARGH!!  

On Wednesday night Tommy, Josh, Amy and I went to the community picnic at church.   We really had to wait in line a long long time for our food.  Hubby wasn't feeling very well so he stayed home.   Tommy enjoyed the different games they played.  We did the candy toss, water balloon toss and gunny sack race.   He was having fun! 

Thursday night was my book group!   Most of the members were out of town and couldn't make it.  But two of my friends came and we had a great night!!!  We sat out side in our new outdoor living room and chatted about books and our children.   Hubby came home and started a bonfire for us.  We sat outside until about 10:00 or 10:30 and really enjoyed the evening.  And the food I made was really good!!!  Yummmy!  Both recipes are keepers and I will need to add them to my cookbook site!   I made a Strawberries N Cream Trifle and Mu Shu Chicken Wraps.  I also had a veggie and fruit tray to snack on. 

Friday I worked all day and then when we got home we quickly went to Target to buy a birthday present for a friend of Tommy's.   We also bought Tommy's school supplies. 

Saturday - Tommy and Hubby slept in a bit.  I got up earlier and took my laptop, bills and budget out side to sit on the porch to pay bills and update our budget.  Then it was time for Tommy to go to the birthday party.  He was very excited to see his friends from preschool at the party.  While Tommy was at the party I went to rertun some shoes to marshalls.  When I was done I went to pick up Josh and hubby to take Josh to get a haircut.  We had to run a few errands before we picked up Tommy.  We went to CVS, Post Office and the Library.  We had to run to Target again since I forgot to buy Tommy a new toothbrush and Josh needed a few things as well. 

When we got home Tommy went over to this cousins house to go swimming.   Josh and I watched some TV and a movie we rented from the library.  We stayed up too late to finish our movies!

Sunday - Tommy had the mystery box for church for the children's sermon.   He was very excited!!   After church hubby wanted to go to eat out at Old Country Buffet for brunch.  We decided after filling out tummies we had to go for a long walk.  We went to a local wildlife refuge to hike a bit.  We went on a shorter trail and went to the lake to watch a bunch of turtles.  It was hot, but we had a great time.   Tommy fell in love with a wood turtle that is at the main shelter.  We had to stay and watch the turtle for a while.  The staff was taking the turtle outside to exericse so Tommy got to help with that as well.   We hope to go back on a cool day and go on a longer trail.  The rest of the evening was filled with laundry and dishes, etc. 

Finished Reading - I feel Bad About my Neck - Nora Ephron - 3/5

1.  Saving Fish from Drowning - Amy Tan - (Book Group Selection) - DONE

2.  The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy - (Book Award Challenge) - CURRENTLY READING

3.  I Feel Bad About My Neck - Nora Ephron  (Recorded Book) - DONE

4.  The Scarlet Letter  - (Observer's 100 Greatest Novels)

5.  A Thousand Splendid Suns - (Library Book) - DONE

TO READ IN AUGUST - 2007

1.   Rise and Shine - Anna Quindlin - (Book Group Selection) - DONE

2.   Gilead - Marilynne Robinson - (Book Award Challenge) -

3.   Knitting Circle - Ann Hood - (Recorded Book) - CURRENTLY LISTENING TO  (REALLY GOOD)

4.   ??????? - (Library Book or My Book Shelf)

5.   ???????  - (Observer's 100 Greatest Novels)

Do Kitchen Drawers ever stay neat???   I am always needing to get mine in order.  With summer coming to an end, I am getting the desire to put the house in order again before school starts. 

Before...Big pile on counter.  I didn't think to take pictures of the drawers before I unloaded them!

Gadget Drawer

Silverware

Potholders and things...

I have been working on getting a new morning and evening routine in place.  It is hepful, but I haven't been following much of one all summer.  This was my first week of trying to get back on schedule.  

This week I am getting up and in the shower by 7:00, next week I plan on being up and in the shower by 6:30.  It is taking me a bit to get back into our regular schedule since during the summer I bring Tommy to daycare later!

An evening in the sprinkler with  friend on a hot day!!

Get a free weekly dinner menu from Menus4Moms.com

Been a pretty busy day.  I didn't plan it that way...just seems to happen.  I woke up at about 8:45 and hurried to get Tommy and I ready for church at 9:15.  We made it to church on time!   Tommy did so very well in the service.  At the end, he said "Is is done already???".  He went up for the children's sermon and got to bring the mystery box home to put something in it for the sermon next week. 

After church I came home and worked on my menu and shopping list.  I then went to get groceries!!   I stayed within budget and we needed alot of food.  I have my menu and groceries bought for the next two weeks done!

Aldi - $126
Festival - $43.00

Total spent  - $169.00 (within Budget)

All groceries are put away and now I must peel our cucumbers and then I am going to a meeting for a fund raiser for Tommy's school at the Montgomery's home tonight.  I best get a few things done before it is time to go!!!

Monday – July 2^nd – Summer Sub/Chips & Dip - MADE

Tuesday – July 3^rd – Marinated Chicken breast/ Mac & Ham Salad

Fourth of July – Hot Dogs/Hamburgers/ Chips & Dip/ Red – White and Blue Salad/ Holiday Cupcakes - MADE

Thursday – 5^th – Leftovers

Friday – 6^th Cheeseburger Pie x2/ Fries - MADE

Saturday – 7^th – Bacon, Tomato Grilled Cheese/ Broccoli Salad - MADE

Sunday – 8^th – Grilled Chicken Parmesan/ Pasta and Veggie

Monday – 9^th – Chicken Salad & Croissants/ Chips & Dip - MADE

Tuesday – 10^th – Leftovers

Wednesday – 11^th - Leftovers

Thursday – ON VACATION SEE YA NEXT WEEK

WEDNESDAY - Went to Erik's psychiatrist appointment.  He was started on a new medication so we are very hopeful that this will be helpful to him.  We toured the school he is on a waiting list for.  They don't anticipate an opening before school starts in September. So  the district needs to keep looking for an appropriate placement for him.

THURSDAY - Back to work......I had unit meeting in the morning and a team meeting with another social worker in the afternoon.   In late afternoon I had my yearly review at work.  It went very well and I was a given a raise.  I had been fretting how we would pay for the Christian School tutition as our budget was very tight.  But God always provides for those things are suppose to be.  So between my raise and hubby's promotion, we hope we earn enough to cover Tommy's tuition!  I love my job and I am so glad they value my hard work!

FRIDAY -  I went to work in the am.  I attended the funeral of a co-worker's father.  It was an amazing funeral.  I really can say it was a person who had a life well lived.  He was a one of the longest serving judges in the state of MN.  He was on the bench for 41 years.  Right before the funeral about 30 judges all filed into the chapel in their black robes.  Very impressive....The stories of this judges life were wonderful and we are all laughing at the funeral.  It is very obvious where my co-worker got his sense of humor and values.   I can only hope to make such an impact on the world.  

I was so tired when I got home.  Hubby was so nice and got McDonalds for him and the kids.  I needed to finish reading my book as it was due back at the library today.  We also stopped at Target and I paid off the items on my credit card, back to a zero balance.  I can't wait until I can say that about every credit card.  We are getting there, slowly but surely.  

FINISHED READING....

A Thousand Splendid Suns - by Khaled Hosseini - (4.5/5) - It was a good book, some of the scenes of the violence inflicted on Afghan women was hard to read.   But then the book Kite Runner also written by Hosseini was difficult at times. 

TODAY.....
I need to pick up Tommy's uniforms for school.  They are in!   We will be going to the library and maybe half price books.  I am not sure.   Not much else planned for the day.  Oh yeah...I have to plan my menu and make my shopping list so I can get groceries either today or tomorrow. 

Did we get to sleep in???  Of course not!   I sleep with ear plugs in as my hubby is a snoring and I can't sleep otherwise.  At about 7:00am I wake up and I hear an alarm clock going off.  ARGH!!  I am crabby and can't figure out where the alarm is coming from.   It was not in our room, so I headed to the kids room.  Nope....so I follow the noise and open the door to the hallway.  ARGH!!!  Just my luck!!  The fire alarm is going off!  Now mind you, I have stayed here before and have needed to leave the hotel due to the alarm.  But I decide we better be safe.  So I wake up the kids and hubby and rush the children out the back fire exit.   We all end up outside in our pj's.  Tommy is asleep and Josh is carrying him.   Hubby doesn't come out....as we are standing in the back parking lot the fire trucks come.   So we walk into the lobby and find out it was a false alarm.   The alarm panels said the fire was in the lobby and they fire fighters could not find anything.  So we went and looked at the fire truck and the fire fighers gave Tommy a sticker.  See what happens when you vow to sleep in!!!!!! 

Since we were up early we had breakfast and got ready for our adventures of the day.   We decided to tour Glensheen, the historic Congdon Estate.  It is a beautiful mansion with 39 rooms.  I love touring it.  It is also knows for the murders of heiress Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse, Velma Pietila, on June 27, 1977. Roger Caldwell, the second husband of Congdon's adopted daughter, Marjorie, was charged with the crimes, convicted on two counts of first degree murder and sentenced to two life sentences. Marjorie was charged with aiding and abetting and conspiracy to commit murder, but she was acquitted on all charges. Caldwell's conviction was overturned by the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1982. He was set to be retried, but pled guilty,  submitted a full confession, and was later released from prison.

The Boys in the Outside Garden...

The Boathouse...this was where the Movie with Patty Duke called "You'll Like My Mother" was filmed.  I remember the scenes in the boathouse!

Following the tour of Glensheen we went back to the room to eat some lunch. We sure had plenty of leftovers from our evening meals.  Next we went to see a replica of the colonial ship the Nina.  It an actual sea worth replica built is Brazil.

FINALLY THE ARCADE......

 After wards we decided to finally go to to Thrillz Arcade.  Erik and Tommy had been waiting and waiting to go there.  I bought tokens and split them between the kids.  Amy hit the jcakpot on tickets and won a ton!  She gave her tickets all to Tommy so he would win a prize.  So very nice of her.  The older kids played one game of Laser Tag and them we played a family game of mini golf.  Erik was the winner of the golf game!! 

Tommy redeemed the pile of tickets for these two toys! 

ALways have to have a family game of Mini golf!

After we were done there Hubby wanted to see if a ship was going to be coming in.  Tommy was so done with going to look at ships so I ended up taking him back to the room to wait for the others to return.

For supper we went to the Raddisson, Harborside.   A very cool restaurant that really messed with Tommy's mind.  It is on the top floor of  the Radison (16th floor) and is a revolving restaurant.  It has a beautiful view of Lake Superior and Duluth. 

View of the Restaurant...

The view of our hotel from the restaurant....

This was our last full night in Duluth.   We went back to the hotel after supper.  Tommy and Daddy went swimming.  Mommy watched and read her book.  Josh, Amy and Erik went walking around Canal Park.  We all headed to bed fairly early as we were tired!