Menu Plan Monday

For more menu ideas, visit orgjunkie.com

Moving is (mostly) behind us now, and we are so happy to be in our home again! 

Today is our first day of school here at the Campbell Homeschool.  I will post "First Day of School" photos tomorrow. 

Here is what our menu looks like for the week.  Brother, you may want to review this and see what nights you will be joining us for dinner...my guess is the nights that include beef.

Monday:  Beef Stew, Whole Wheat Beer Bread (see you later, Brother)

Tuesday:  Italian Chicken Sandwiches, Fresh veggies with Ranch

Wednesday:  Potato and Ham Rosti, Salad, Multigrain bread

Thursday:  Pasta with bacon and peas, salad

Friday:  Homemade Pizza, veggies

Saturday:  Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Tomato soup

Sunday:  Leftovers

Now, a little peek inside my cozy castle:

I don't know what the deal is with the weird lighting in this photo, but you get the idea.  Just picture it without the jaundiced look.  See that lump on the ottoman?

Kitty Friend would have just been livid. 

My kitchen:

Cheerful, no?

I even commemorated the move by buying myself some flowers.  Because, why not? 

Men, you should check out Aldi for all your flower needs.  Cheap and so cute.

Have a great day!

Home Sweet Home

Yesterday, while waiting to go have dinner with some of my lovely friends

and heading to a Stampin' Up card making party,

(humidity hair and more black clothing)

I stopped at my house, wandered through it, and generally missed it.

I admired my favorite tree,

reminisced about my children climbing their favorite tree,

I also spent some time wondering why, if we don't live there right now, there is so much junk of the Husband's stuff out by the barn. 

I admired my little herb garden,

which seems to be getting along happily without me.  On the left is thyme, on the right, sage.

I sat on my back steps and admired my irises, which have bloomed in my absence.

And I relished the thought that it won't be long before my family and I (and my parents) will be

home sweet home.

Got Me Some Education

I am back!  The homeschool conference was an awesome experience and a wonderful resource.  I came back with lots of lessons learned, such as:

• This small-town girl likes the view in the big city too.

(Yes, I took that.  From the window of my hotel room.  Wow.)

• In some parts of the country, beds apparently make themselves.

• It is entirely possible to spend three days straight (including a cumulative 12 hours in the car) with a friend and still be friends when it is over.  Maybe even better friends.

• Buying too many books is not a compulsive disorder.  It an "educational necessity" when you are a homeschooler.  On really bad days, this fact alone will keep me from jumping ship.

(ahhh.  homeschoolers' crack.)

• Illinois is beautiful...especially when you are homesick for the prairie.

• Paper dolls will ease the pain of being away from Mommy for three days. 

• And the #1 Lesson I learned at the homeschool convention? I can trust that God is sufficient even when I am not, so RELAX. 

Okay, maybe not that much.

There's No Place Like Home

If only they could just say it three times, click their heels and arrive safely from the land of Oz Canada.  Instead, they take an eight hour flight into the heart of the USA and into the arms of their kids.

And their grandkids.

After a home cooked meal Nick's Pizza, we hang out together, just enjoying the comfort of family.

Our family is not perfect, but I don't think it gets better this side of heaven.  There is conflict.  There is sorrow.  There are trials. 

And there is LOVE.

There is friendship.

There is laughter. 

So, for the next two weeks, I will enjoy NOT having part of my heart in Canada.

Welcome home, Mom and Dad.