Menu Plan Monday

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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

This weekend I got my dining room all set up at my house.  My new blogging station:

This is also our homeschool area. 

Talk about multi-tasking.

Some may call it small.

I would call it just right. 

The next room I hope to finish is the living room:

So cozy. 

The entry way is almost done, packed with books, just the way I like it.

Now, I am off to wash windows. 

I love how my old house feels new again, in that exciting way, but not in that "doesn't-feel-like-home-yet" way. 

Have a wonderful day!

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY:  August 17, 2010


Outside my window...birds are singing.  My windows are open, and I can smell a hint of fall on the breeze. 

I am thinking...about how strange it will be to wake up in my own home again.

I am thankful for...the hardest two years of my life...2009 and 2010.  God has taught me some difficult and amazing lessons that will remind me to be more like Jesus.  It wasn't fun, but praise God for it.

From the learning rooms...I am excited to begin school in earnest the first week in September.  We are going to be starting American history!

From the kitchen...tonight there will be steaks on the grill for the "menfolk."  The Husband and Brother will not have to ask THE question:  "Is there meat in this?"

I am wearing...the usual. 

I am creating...a home.  I went to my house yesterday, and while I cleaned my bathroom I prayed that God would keep me this grateful for a home to clean.  I just have an overwhelming sense of joy when I walk into my house, though just months ago I could not go there for the sadness that filled my heart.

I am going...to miss Brother.

I am reading...the Bible.  And other, less important things.

I am hoping...that the next two months pass quickly for Mom and Dad (and Brother), so that we can all be together again.  And I hope that Brother doesn't burn the house down.

I am hearing...silence.  I am NOT hearing the school bus driving by, though today is the first day of school in our area.  That sound is another thing I miss about living in my house.  I miss the little, insignificant predictabilities of town life.

Around the house...boxes.  Laundry.  Broken air conditioning.  No Kitty Friend :(

One of my favorite things...coffee!  It has fueled my early mornings, soothed my soul, and been enjoyed around the table with family and friends.

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Packing, cleaning, visiting with a dear friend that I haven't seen all summer, praying, and getting up crazy early to workout with DVDs filled with perky instructors with strange colloquialisms ("Burn butter?"  Seriously?  So, what do vegans burn?)

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...Brother, who I see every morning doing exactly this at the kitchen table.  How I will miss your profound thoughts, overuse of condiments, and propensity to calling me a homosexual.  I hope you will come to town and have coffee with me. 

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Changes...

My sisters, my brother-in-law, and my niece are currently in El Salvador on a mission trip.  They travel with an organization that digs wells in impoverished communities, teach health and hygiene information, and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the people.  It is such a wonderful project!  For more information, see here.
So, with my younger sister out of town, I have been enjoying this face for two days:

Oh, Roo, how I love you.

I have also been in charge of harvesting tomatoes from the Amazon garden.

That just says "summer," no?

All while collecting free stuff from Walgreens.

I don't know how Nivea makes money...I get stuff free from that company all the time!

In my free time, (as if...) I have been packing. 

My family and I will be moving back to our own home at the end of the month.  Brother will be here by himself for about two months until Mom and Dad come home for good!  I will be coming over to clean for him and generally make sure he doesn't die/mold/starve/cry.  This arrangement should make for some interesting blog material.  Please watch for future blog posts titled "Brother, why..."

Meanwhile, I will be happily making a home out of our house again, eagerly anticipating my parents' move back to the good old United States. 

Happy days are yet to come :)