Sleep America company picnic

We had a good time tonight. Tim's work had a company picnic near us. Free food, games and time at the indoor wave pool and waterslide. Here's some photos.

Easter baking

Although I love to cook and hate to bake, I find myself attempting baking projects so much more since I worked at Abbey Gardens. For Easter, I made pastel-frosted cupcakes and cookies (from scratch), we dyed eggs with regular old food coloring, and I baked something called a Cottage Pudding Cake with Lemon Glaze. It was more like cornbread with Lemon Curd on top - but it's gone, so it couldn't have been that bad, right? Next time I'll add something to make it more moist.

As for food, we don't do pork, so we had turkey ham, Tim's awesome mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, peas and rolls. The best part is that there were enough leftovers that I didn't have to cook Monday night.

What a roller coaster of a year!

Ever have a time of trials that just keeps getting longer and longer? Yeah? Me too! This past almost 12 months now have been horrible. It started with having to change churches, then for me to get a job when I've been a stay-at-home, homeschooling mother for 17 years, then the place shut down, I tried to plug into several groups at the new church and all attempts failed, we're down to one car and one motorcycle now and that has to go away in just a few months, then my husband's grandmother died, then my cousin found out he's got cancer at 37 years old, now our home-based business is growing, but so much slower than the little money we have is going out.

The highlights of the last year have been...well...hmmm...let me see.....my friends from bible study gave me a great Christmas gift, a wonderful gift and going away party at the end of our last study together, and some of them took me to lunch for my birthday and gave me cards and gifts, too.

Thank God for good friends, huh? They really help you get through the rough spots.

But I'm done with the downhill already! It's time for some mountain peak experiences again!

I couldn't have said it better...

What more can a mother ask for her firstborn child?

Appreciating warm winters...

It's been almost 6 years since we moved here from the cold winters of New England and I appreciate it here more and more every year. This winter seemed to be especially hard on my friends and family back east this year. It seemed like they had snow almost non-stop, every week, for months! This is March - Spring! Snow season should be over, shouldn't it?

I appreciate the beautiful sunsets we get during winter and early spring (from all the moisture in the air), wearing short-sleeves and sitting in the sun throughout the winter, taking walks in January without a coat, good road conditions, and maybe even wearing shorts a few times before March ends.

I'm thankful every day that I'm not waking up to the sound of the snowplows scraping the ground at 5am anymore. I'm thankful I'm not sitting in my car waiting for it to warm up while my spine shakes so hard it hurts. I'm thankful that I'm not soaked to the bone shoveling the ice pack from the bottom of the driveway the city plow caused. I'm thankful for not having to shovel out the mailbox just to get bills!

I know snow is pretty - and if you have time and money, a snowmobile or even sledding can be a treat - but really...snow is something I'd rather visit, or see off in the distance on the mountain tops of Payson. I appreciate every day I live here, but especially in the winter and early spring.

What are you thankful for this season?

Carport Sale

Last weekend we had a 2-day carport sale. Everything we put out was something we just wanted to get rid of. There were about 3 items we needed to get some money for, but the rest we would've thrown out just for the space. If we made nothing, we wouldn't have lost anything - not even time - since it was a nice morning to be outside and meet the neighbors.

I made about $60, which paid for shoes for Jordan, a business lunch for me, Tim & Adam to strategize our business, and a few other things we needed.

Logan sold some stuff I never thought would sell, yet he made almost $20 on unwanted old toys and electronics taking up space. Now he can buy the 2nd controller to Adam's Xbox so he can play too.

Jordan did the best of all. She sold a Barbie 3-story dollhouse for $50, jewelry, perfume, and books. She made over $50! She's getting a Littlest Pet Shop toy, and probably saving the rest.

Tim didn't have any real guy stuff to put out except a set of expensive golf clubs, so he didn't do much with it.

So Money Tip of the week: Yard sale!
You never know what you have laying around that people might want. I recommend a yard sale to people when you need a little extra cash to get you through. It's also a great way to get rid of unwanted stuff and give you more breathing space in your home.

Grocery Strategies in tough times

I had a few people ask me how I can feed a family of 5 on under $100/week without eating pasta and macaroni and cheese every night. Here's what I tell them:

1. I check the flyers of the 3 or 4 stores I usually go to. I don't even look at the 2 or 3 others that are more expensive consistently.

2. I circle the items featured that I know we buy pretty regularly, or that I want to buy that week.

3. I compose a grocery list, by store, of the brand and size, sale price and how many I want. This way when I get to the store I know I'm looking for say, Ocean Spray juices, 64 oz., 2/$3, and I want to buy 2.

4. I then plan when to hit each store. Sometimes it's all in one day in a circle since they're all pretty close together. Other times, I may plan to stop in on my way to something near there.

5. I shop only what's on my list, saving the non-sale items I need for the last place I go, because I know they're consistently the cheapest on most non-sale items anyway.

6. When buying non-sale items, and even compared to sale price items, I buy the store brand of everything unless the sale truly is cheaper. I can get groceries, including meats, dairy, and fresh produce, for a family of 5, for around $75 a week.

7. By keeping groceries to $75/week for 3 weeks, every 4th week (or so), I may spend an extra $50 or so to catch up on staples we've run out of, or stock up on a really good deal, or refill our meats in the freezer, etc.

8. I don't cut coupons, I find it's a waste of time for us since we buy the store brand. As an example, I can buy a $3 item with a 50 cent coupon, so it's $2.50. Or I can just buy the store brand for about $1.50 and save a dollar just on that one item! Store-branded stuff is just regular brands in the store's private label. All of it! This way the store can charge less by not paying the advertising fees.

For example:
If you really hate one store's brand of ketchup, they usually offer a great return policy, even if it's opened, then you can try another store's ketchup instead til you find one you like. Some may use Hunts, some Heinz, but it's all branded stuff in plain packaging.

9. I recommend to overspenders to try to bring cash, or withdraw that amount from the ATM first. This way you have to keep track and only spend what you have. If you happen to go over, you can still use your debit, credit or check, but you'll be over by a few dollars instead of spending $50 over.

10. Eat before you go! There's nothing worse than going shopping on an empty stomach. If you shop while you're full, or even sometimes just chewing a mint or cinnamon gum, you aren't as tempted that you "want it right now".

11. As far as non-food or junkfood is concerned...I don't buy chips, cookies, ice cream, cakes, or candy. If it's in the house, we'll eat it, and more than we should. I try to teach my kids that you should have to go out and get stuff like that, it should be a treat, not a regular staple item in the house. If you want it bad enough, you'll go get an ice cream, and if you don't feel like going out to go get it, then you've saved yourself empty calories, bad chemicals entering your body, and money!

So I hope that helps somebody out there. I know there's coupon games and stuff out there, but unless I buy branded stuff, it doesn't work as well as my system. Sure I can get a free toothbrush, or a protein bar for free, but I'd rather save $75 a week consistently, on stuff I buy every week, without filing through coupons at the store, or checking for expiration dates, or making sure I bought 4 to get $1 off, etc. Good Luck!

And so it begins

My middle child just turned 13 and spent his birthday with his girlfriend. She lives 3 1/2 hours away, so it's not more than phone calls right now, but he is head-over-heels in love with her. I try to give him advice as he goes along, like:
"let her talk, listen to what SHE wants to talk about" and
"if you throw yourself all over her, she's going to take off running" and
"she's sat next to you for an hour without taking her coat off, you're making her uncomfortable, back off".

And so it begins...

The Family Visit

I love when the family gets together...here's 4 generations of the Cross (and Tower) family:

Grammy & Grampy Cross, my mother-in-law's parents
Tim & Bonnie Tower, my in-laws
Jamie Powers, my husband's cousin
and our family

The Cardinals Made it to the SuperBowl!!!

Well, it's been a long, hard season for the Arizona Cardinals. They survived all the usual pitfalls - losing in the last quarter, never quite getting their game going, too many injured players, coming in last or 2nd to last place in the NFL - they fought their way to the Divisional Championships, then the NFC Championships and even made it to SuperBowl 43 in Tampa Bay.

Although they lost (we won't even get into how that last play should've been reviewed and the pass WAS incomplete!), they did better than most expected they ever could, and they proved to themselves they ARE a first-rate team if they work at it and try hard enough.

We had a good day here, mostly just me and the kids til Daddy got out of work. We made signs, decorated the living room, made SuperBowl party foods, and had the warm day of 70 or so, so we had the doors open. It was still fun, let's see what next year bring!

Let's Bring Back the Picnic!

So many of us are stressed, running around the hamster wheel, and not taking time for friends and family. Some of us have time but no money to do too much these days either. Here's a solution to take us back to a simpler time - Let's bring back the Picnic!

I think sometime in the next week, I'm going to pack up a picnic basket, grab the kids, a blanket to put on the ground, and surprise my family with a picnic. There's so many parks available, and it's going to be warm this week, so why not? What's more important than getting fresh air and exercise with my kids? The dishes? Laundry? Vacuuming? I don't think so.

What to pack...maybe some turkey and cheese sandwiches, grapes, some lemonade, and maybe some crackers. I wonder if I can pick up a Frisbee before then? If not, there's always lots to do with a soccer ball, football or basketball. It'll be a nice change of pace for us. Oh, and I better not forget the camera.

My first onion soup

Yes, I'm still experimenting with recipes I've never made before. When Abbey Gardens closed down, I got a HUGE bag of onions that would've been thrown away. In fact, I thought they had been tossed til I got home and found out they'd been put in the van for me. So what do you do with 20 lbs of onions? I made onion soup. It was interesting since I've never even TASTED onion soup, I've only seen pictures of it. I made it with organic beef broth, I took an hour or more to slowly sautee the onions to perfection, and the toast and cheese on top really topped it off well. Even "Middle Child" who claims to hate onions tasted it and said, "Well, I guess I can't say I don't like onions anymore."

I can't wait to see what's next! Maybe something with that odd food I saw at the store called "jicama" (HICK-a-muh)?

The End of an Era...

It's the end of an era...for the past 11 years, Abbey Gardens victorian tea parlour and gift shop has been the best place to get away, hide, do something girly, and celebrate with your best friends. This past weekend it had to close its doors. The economy is killing people. You know how I know? Because I worked here. In spite of right decisions, lowering costs, and offering top-notch service, people just weren't coming through the door like they used to. The good news is that, at least for now, I'm able to be home with my kids after 6 months and get them, their schooling, their attitudes and the house all back up to where they should be - and I can rest my aching body for now.

If I could send a message to all my customers, I'd tell them how much I enjoyed the challenge of being a blessing to them every day. I'd pray for them to feel loved and appreciated when I was serving them, and they'd end up making me feel better in the process. There's so many I'll miss. As for my boss, I hope things turn out better than he expects and he finds prosperity just around the corner. He made going back to work after 15 years a joy by running the business and employees with character, integrity and Godly principles.

I don't know what our future holds without me working, but whatever happens, I'm sure it'll turn out okay anyway.

Ratatouille

I don't bake, so I don't experiment with too many baking recipes - cooking, that's different. I saw eggplant was on sale for 50 cents each so I bought a couple and figured I'd look for a new recipe. The kids don't like Eggplant Parmesan so much. I came across a recipe for Ratatouille (yes, like in the Disney movie) and thought I'd try it. It takes about an hour to make and cook, but it was so much better than I expected - and a LOT better than it looks.

I sauteed an onion in olive oil, cut into rings, until they were clear and carmelized. Then I fried 3 garlic cloves I grated, along with 2 green peppers cut in strips. Then I turned up the heat and added the diced eggplant (you sprinkle it w/salt, let it sit for 1/2 hr., then rinse and pat dry before cooking). After a few minutes, I added Italian squash (the recipe asked for zucchini but they didn't have any where I get my produce). The last step is to add 2 fresh, firm tomatoes cut into wedges, or half-wedges. Then you reduce to a simmer on med-low heat and let it all come together for about 40 minutes.

It was sweet and delicious. The kids ate it all with no leftovers and they hate most of the ingredients! You can eat it like the vegetable stew that it is, or you can add it to tomato sauce and ladle it over pasta for a filling meal.

It's easy, cheap to make, and tastes great - especially on a colder day.

Today, I'm making a 10-bean soup with chicken and maybe some rice.

A New Year, and a time to make big changes!

I love New Year's Resolutions. I know lots of people make them and quit, or hate them so much they don't bother, but I love them. The new year is a clean slate, a new start, a chance to drop bad habits and start new ones, a time to get rid of what's not working and begin working on improving situations in my life. I admit, sometimes I forget a few of them and find my list of resolutions about halfway through the year, but then I get back on track, and even if I only succeed at half of them - I'm better off than if I'd never attempted to do anything, right?

Here's a few things I'm optimistic about in 2009:

Our growing business will grow to the point I can leave my job and be a full-time, homeschooling mom again.

I'm already down close to 40 pounds this year, so 2009 should end with me healthier and happier.

I've already got a little bit of money put aside so I can visit my Grandmother this summer. So far I only have enough for 1 ticket, but I'm hoping to earn and save enough to pay for 5 tickets by then.

Thanks to my sister's generosity, our family will finally get to see CA and the Pacific ocean around the end of March.

I've been at a new church for about 5 months since Tim switched us from Mountain Valley to Central. This year, I'll join their ladies' bible study so I can meet some new people and not dread going to a place with so many strangers. I'll finally get to worship among friends again.

I'm determined to finish my Ferguson heritage scrapbook album. I've got the great-grandparents done, the grandparents, the aunts & uncles. Now I need to do the pages for the grandkids and great-grandkids in 2009.

If I can get out of the job thing, and the money's there, I'm also looking forward to visiting FL and TX to be with my family I haven't seen in years! I also would like to get to AK, but that may have to wait til 2010.

...and I've got lots more, but these are the top ones for now.

Mmmm...Gelato....

If you've never had Italian gelato...OMG, you're missing out on one of life's hidden treasures! It's not ice cream, it's better. Ice cream is around 50% fat, this is more like 8 - 10% fat, less calories, able to be eaten by lactose-intolerant people, and you've never tasted such strong natural flavors. Imagine eating banana ice cream, only denser, and sweet but not the typical "sugary" taste. Each bite has all the flavor of a real, organic banana.

It's healthier, more filling, more satisfying, and more tasty. In the Northeast, there's a place on (or near) Merrimac Street that serves it (google search?), and I know Boston's "Gelataria" in Faneuil Hall is amazing. Here, they just opened a store called Angel Sweet. It's so amazing. It's my new treat when I've been good and got all my work done.

You've gotta try some!

WE DID IT!!!

We started a Monavie home-based business March 1st of this year. In just 9 1/2 months, we made it to the following levels:

Star
Star 500
Star 1000
Star Maker
Bronze

Not only that, but in our group, we've got 2 personal 1000s, 2 personal 500s, lots of Stars, and that's just the ones we've personally put into the business. Only 2% of distributors that sign up in Monavie ever hit the level of Bronze. Here's what we've found:

My migraines are permanantly gone - 100% of them!
My rheumatoid arthritis in my right thumb is better when I'm drinking the juice.
My auto-immune disease - scleraderma - is in remission and it's almost gone.
I sleep better.
I'm more rested, even on nights I get less sleep.
I don't have chronic fatigue anymore (no more crashing on the couch asleep at 3pm)

AND THE MONEY'S REAL !!!!! We make over $500 a month in our business now. And if we get it to make $2000/month, I'll be able to come home and be a stay-at-home Mom again. My goal is to leave the workforce by June 30th, 2009.

It's real...and if you're looking for a solution to your health issues, or income issues, you've got to at least TRY this!

Looking Forward to Rest

As busy as the last 2 weeks have been, the last 2 weeks of December should be a time for more rest. I normally have Sun - Tues off from work. That gives me the time to teach all day Monday, do my Tues. bible study, drop kids off at drama class and make it to the Tuesday night business meeting.

Well, Christmas week we're closed Christmas eve and Christmas day - Th and Fri. That gives me Sun - Thursday off! My in-laws will be here by Tues. afternoon, but that's not hectic. I enjoy their company and the kids get to hang on someone else for a change!

The week after, we're closed Sunday through Thursday again! So I'll have another 5 days off after the holidays to rest, sleep in, play with the kids, get caught up on stuff, and get back to playing drums. I actually expect that by the time those days get here, I'll have filled them with stuff to do, but at least it'll be stuff I want to do instead of going to work.

Oh...to sleep past 6:30am for just one day!!! It's been 6 months since I could do that!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

I was feeling a little restless on the last night of my 3 days off, so Tim and I went to walk through the outdoor mall down the street. They've got 2 great sitting areas with outdoor furniture, heaters, fireplaces, waterfalls, Christmas lights, a huge tree, lights that look like falling snow, etc.

I love this time of year. People act, do and give their best - and make things look as pretty as possible. Having Thanksgiving so late this year makes this season fly by. I hope I can take as much as possible in before it's over.

A Good Thanksgiving

It took a lot of planning and lots of running around before-hand, but I made it a good thanksgiving. I cooked (with Logan & Jordan's help) roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, turkey gravy, homemade orange-cranberry sauce, mixed vegetables (real ones, not frozen or canned), real mashed sour cream & onion potatoes, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie, vanilla cheesecake, homemade thumbprint cookies and fudge we'd made last week and frozen.

We played cards, ate together, laughed together, Tim took the younger two for motorcycle rides, brought Adam to a parking lot to practice his driving (can you believe he's almost 15?!), we looked through past Christmas' scrapbooks, made homemade ice cream with the kids, went to church the night before, started filling out Christmas cards, and even found time to relax and watch the football game. Oh yeah, we put up the Victorian tree too!

Now we begin planning Christmas. It's definitely going to be low-key, peaceful, and not some commercial whirlwind of complaining. We're focusing on what we want to give, not what we want to get. The kids are catching the vision.

Lots of baking still to do, and shipping boxes to find.
It's going to be great.

Mid-Week...how are we doing?

So far:

I baked a few things with the kids (the fudge came out really good, especially since I never made it before).

I had time with both Cathy and Marina.

I listened to Christmas CDs.

I bought Christmas cards (we'll take a family photo Monday to put in them).

Tonight is our church's Thanksgiving Eve service at 7.

I'll try to pull out the Christmas tree and ornaments tonight after work, before church

After dinner tomorrow, we'll probably decorate the tree and make ice cream with the kids.

Thanksgiving week hopes

This year, I'm hoping to make the holidays less commercial and more meaningful, even though I'm working. Here's a list of my Thanksgiving Week hopes:

1. bake with the kids
2. make homeade ice cream with the kids
3. introduce the Advent Wreath and it's meaning
4. attend a Thanksgiving Eve service at church
5. set up my Victorian Christmas tree
6. listen to Christmas CDs (TransSiberian Orchestra's rock, and Manheimm Steamroller)
7. buy and start filling out Christmas cards
8. go out to eat Friday night with the family - my treat
9. have lunch with both Cathy and Marina this week
10. help the kids make gifts for my in-laws

I'll let you know how it goes.

Neil Simon's Fools

Adam was in another play tonight, Neil Simon's play FOOLS. It's about a village that believes it's under a curse that makes them stupid. OMG it's such a funny play! Adam played the magistrate who was in charge of marrying the main characters.

It's possible this may be his last play. It's not cheap to be in drama, and it's a lot of time and money if you've only got a tiny part.

I've watched Adam in so many shows, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Cinderella the Musical, Antshillvania, The Music Man, and now Fools. I'm always so proud of him (and Logan when he's in a play too). Moezart Productions has been such a blessing to our family, especially for bringing Adam out of his shell and giving him back his self-confidence. We've been so fortunate to have found (by accident) a Christian Production Company run by a homeschooled, missionary woman who loves kids as much as Sharon does.

I have to admit, the "Drama Mamas" I've met have become some of my closest friends, too. I'll really miss them if we're through with drama. Logan has interests in learning technical sound & lights stuff from Sharon's husband Steve, so maybe we'll still be around behind the scenes.

State Fair Photos

It's hard to match up wording to photos since blogs sometimes shift order so here's some basics:

We took photos from the biggest ferris wheel (and the sky ride), you can see the city's skyline in the background in a few pictures. Jordan loved her ice cream, she's spent 3 weeks trying to drop a few pounds to fit into a new shirt she has with a monkey on it. She did it, so I let her get a small cone as a treat. Logan went on his first roller coaster today - all by himself. The kids loved the hydro slide, it's a smaller version of Canobie Lake Park's Boston Tea Party ride back in NH.

Adam stayed home to work on school and babysit (his choice, I begged him to come, and he gets paid to babysit 2 girls Jordan plays with).

What else can I tell you? Oh, the strange photo that's first is looking straight up through the ferris wheel's spokes. I think it's the biggest one I've ever been on, but I don't know how tall it was.

ENJOY!

The State Fair

This is the time of year we have our huge state fair. I went with Tim when we first got married back in 1992. We've lived here for years now and never brought the kids. It runs for a few weeks, but it's either too expensive or not convenient, but this week, we're going to try to go on my day off. Their last experience was the Rochester Fair in NH. It was small, very "country", had a tiny petting zoo, a few rides that were expensive, no music or entertainment, not much to do. It's okay when the kids are little, but with them being 14, 12 and 10, it takes more to amuse them these days.

We'll hopefully get to see things that will expose them to the surrounding cultures in this part of the country, maybe they'll get to try new foods (no, we won't try deep-fried CocaCola or anything too unhealthy), maybe they'll even see an entertainer or two.

Anyway, with them getting so big so quickly, I really hold every moment with them as being very precious. I'm looking forward to spending the day with them playing. I don't like our only interaction to be school or chore-related.

If we make it there, I'll post photos.

The Holidays are Coming

This week was the week the Holiday season was introduced. I saw ads for Kmart lay-a-way plans for Christmas, and we put out all the holiday decorations we'll be selling at work. This weekend is our Harvest Tea when we have menu changes to include pumpkin and other fall foods.

Even though this year we won't be putting up a tree (where would we put it?) and won't be spending on gifts (one family gift this year instead - money's too tight), I'm still looking forward to it. Maybe without the pressure of spending, we'll figure out how special the holidays really are. Maybe this will be the year the kids will finally learn to be thankful for all that we have in spite of how broke we've been. Maybe this year they'll make each other gifts, or better yet, focus on volunteering to serve others.

There's lights to see, parades, church pageants, and so much more to do for free here that we can still enjoy the holiday season without going deeper into debt.
Maybe my next post will have to do with things I'm thankful for - in advance of Thanksgiving.

Not a bad two weeks...

In spite of a few minor setbacks, the last two weeks have been extremely productive for me. I've managed to put 3 new people in our business in just 14 days, and got 2 inactive people to become much more active (that credit goes to Tim's Dad). Also, when I started working at Abbey Gardens we were 5th in the state according to a popular website - and the last 4 comments were made by my customers - and we moved up to 4th, then 3rd, and we now sit at #2 in the State for tea rooms. The number one spot is held by a place that isn't a tea room at all, it's more of a Starbucks for tea, no food, no atmosphere, not an experience, just a place to buy tea in take-out cups.

Also, we've made it through the rough spots of Honors Algebra I and Spanish with my oldest, we're working on more responsibility and accountability with our middle child, and the youngest is really progressing in her Math and Science classes.

Tim's also having some great days at work, and my customers have been wonderful, especially in their tipping. So we're caught up on bills instead of falling behind (lowered gas prices and deals on groceries really has helped lately too).

So all in all, life is good and progressing forward.
We're even planning a trip after the first of the year and it looks like we'll be able to pay cash for it. We've been consistently making a few hundred bucks a week with our business. Our goal is to earn $2000/month with it so I can come home and be a full-time, homeschooling Mom again. Then the kids can participate in more stuff because I'll be available during the day to take them.

Life is good.

What an amazing day!!!

Yesterday afternoon, a bunch of us from our Tuesday morning Ladies' Bible Study went to the home of Pastor Phil Toole and his wife for a baptism. There were over 35 people who made the decision to declare to the world that they will follow Jesus in obedience and choose to be baptized as he was.

Growing up Catholic, we were baptized as babies, and that was taught to mean you "made it into heaven". As I got older and read the Scriptures for myself, I realized what it really said, that only by believing Jesus already paid the price for your sins (the wages, or cost, of sin is death) will you go to Heaven. Baptism is a personal choice you make, often as an adult, but also as a child or teen who understands. It's like "coming out" where you're telling the world you want to follow Christ, obey him, be more like him.

In the picture are my friends: Diane, Cassandra, Sallie, Laurie, and Tracy. There were another dozen of us or so that came to cheer them on and be a part of this special ceremony with them. We are family. Sisters in Christ.

I Have New Recipes!

Working at my favorite restaurant, which happens to be an elegant, Victorian tea parlour, has been great for adding new recipes to my family's meals! Check these out:

Tropical Scones
(Cold) Strawberry Soup
Chicken salad in a cucumber boat
Mimosa salad (with oranges & strawberries)
Turkey sandwiches w/Rasp. Cream Cheese

...just to name a few...

I really do enjoy cooking for my family when I'm home long enough! Tonight no one was really hungry, Adam & Tim weren't home, so I whipped up Caprese salad and Strawberry Soup. Light, sweet, healthy, and easy!

Next I may branch out to some of the desserts, which scares me since I'm a cook, NOT a BAKER. There's a huge difference! I'm going to try to make either the Lemon Bars or their Black Cherry White Chocolate Bars...when I get up the nerve.

Saguaro Lake

Here's our recent 2 trips to Saguaro Lake. It's about 1/2 an hour from here but never found it before this year. Here's Jordan after a mud fight with Logan, Logan making hot dogs in a solar cooker he built, Me & Tim (but the sun was in our eyes), and Adam with a large reed he found and made into a Tiki Torch. He looks so tribal. His sense of humor is so funny.

This place is great. For just a $6 day pass per vehicle, you can bring stuff to grill and make a day of it. It's nice to get away to hidden places like this. It's our new favorite swimming location because it's got a soft bottom where most others you need to wear sneakers in the water because of all the rocks.

It always seems that the kids are nicer and play together better when we get away to spots like this.

It's Getting Better

I've been working for about a month now, the money's pretty good, the people are great, it's a good "team" environment, but yes, it's still a job. I miss being with my kids when I'm at work. I really enjoy teaching when I have a day off. I've got Mondays and Tuesdays off for now. That works out perfect because I get to start off the week teaching the kids what they need to do the rest of their week's work. I still get to go to my Tues. morning Bible Study. Without that, I'd never have the support and strength to get through everything else all week. Adam gets to stay in drama on Tues. afternoons (he pays for it). And if someone wants to attend a Monavie Team meeting, they're on Tues. nights so I can go to those too.

I realize by my aches and pains that I'm older than I realized, but I think the addition of so much walking at work is good for me. I'm losing weight consistently, so that's good too. I just get really tired these days. I used to deal with chronic fatigue, but since my scleroderma has been reversing itself, that's not really a problem. However, I have a new problem...I can get sick now where before my never-shutting-off immune system prevented that. I've been sick with a bad cold for over a week now, constantly struggling to breathe clear, and I can't stop blowing my nose.

It's an adjustment, but at least it's only temporary.

She's coming!!!

I've waited for over a year now for my best friend to move here from Boston. I've known she was coming and the waiting has been so hard! We talk on the phone for hours every time - what'll it be like when she's finally here? We have so much catching up to do. The last 15 years we've been apart trying to build a life for ourselves, figuring out how to be good wives, etc., now we can learn and grow together.

I'm so excited to meet her husband again too. We met him briefly around 5 years ago, but it was the last weekend before we moved here, it was at a family and friend gathering where I'd been away a long time and he was fairly "new", so we didn't talk too much. We probably were thinking the same things that day, though. My friend is forever telling me how wonderful and intelligent he is, how much she respects him, and would do anything in the world for him. That's so refreshing to hear in today's "me-me-me" society. I'm sure I'll learn to love him like a brother. She's been my long-lost twin for most of our lives: we think alike, finish each other's sentences, enjoy and respect the same things, married very similar men, have identical thoughts (and words) within 24 hours of each other, even though we're 3000 miles apart. It's going to be the best thing for me to have her in my life again. I barely can come up with words to describe how much she means to me. The weekend I last saw her, before our move, I cried my eyes out at the thought of not seeing her again. I never cried saying goodbye to my family, friends, church members, neighbors, but with her, I was so scared to let go of her. We've been through so much together. Now we can go through EVERYTHING together. My kids already call her "Auntie ________ " when she calls.

I pray that she'll be here as soon as possible. It's less than a month to go now.

My new job at Abbey Gardens

If I have to work, what a great place. I get to work with great people who understand the importance of serving others' needs, take a team approach to getting jobs done, everything that surrounds me is Victorian, girly, porcelain and beautiful, it's perfect. I also don't have to be at work before 10:30, so I can teach the kids for 2 hours even on days I work. I'm home by supper. I keep my Tuesday's off for Bible study, drama and business meetings. I even get Sundays off for church. I couldn't make as much money working hourly anywhere else. Although I'd rather be home with my kids full-time, I'm still truly blessed by God's favor.

Top 10 Things About Lisa

1. I'm a server at Abbey Gardens tea house now.
2. I'm writing a Genesis Bible Study to teach at church this fall.
3. I play drums, but I'm self-taught and still learning.
4. I'm an avid scrapbooker.
5. I love homeschooling my 3 kids - I believe it's my true "calling".
6. I love building my Monavie business (www.the-team.biz/mv909588)
7. I love to cook but hate to bake.
8. I've gone as organic as possible on our budget, also no white flour, sugar or corn syrup in our home.
9. I love living in Arizona, although we could use a bigger house in a real "neighborhood".
10. My favorite subject to study and teach is American History.

What a busy week!

This has been a busy week and it's not over yet. My Tuesdays are always busy anyway, then Jordan and I went to spend some time with a dear friend on Wed. We used to see her and her daughter all the time, but since summer came, and everyone's busy and gone, it's been pretty near impossible. It did me good to be around her, she's like me: she has every reason to claim "I'm a victim" yet she goes through life with a positive, loving attitude, always the first one to help, and never asking for anything in return. She's always so happy. When I don't get spend time with her for a while, I find myself getting too serious. She reminds me that you can't control life anyway, so have fun with it.

Thursday I got to see another friend I've missed, along with her step-daughter. We spent time talking about everything we've been dealing with lately, and stuff that we need answers for. We're able to be honest with one another - what you see is what you get - no pretenses - and encourage one another to grow and become better. Afterwards, we spent about 2 hours in and around the pool. It was perfect because it forced me to get fresh air when I probably would've spent most of the day writing on the computer, otherwise.

Friday was Adam's 8th grade graduation, so it was a little crazy...we (us and Tim's parents) drove downtown, dropped Adam off for practice, drove to 2 car dealerships, picked up Tim, picked up Adam, ate supper at a slow-paced restaurant, then the ceremony itself - all in the same 6 hours.

Today was okay, we had a small celebration for Jordan's 10th bday (Sunday), and I had to run Adam to a friend's on the other side of town. Oh yeah, and I had about 4 loads of laundry to do!

Sunday we try out a new church. It's one of the ones on TV, so I'm already skeptical. Then I have to practice my drums and spend the rest of the day writing my Genesis curriculum so I'll be done before Sept. 8th.

Monday I take Jordan to the tea house for her real bday celebration: The 2 of us, 2 of my friends, and their 2 daughters, Jordan's friends. We only get with them once a year, so we really look forward to the quality time we get with them.

Tuesday - the week starts all over again - busy!

Only a few weeks left...

This summer has flown by. What have I done? Well, let's see...I found a fun place to hang out called As You Wish. They have pottery there and you paint it, they fire it in the kiln and you pick it up 3 days later. So far I made Jordan a fairy, a gift soup bowl for my father-in-law, and then a decorative dessert plate for my friend's birthday.

I didn't swim every day this summer like I normally do. It seems like I've had other stuff to do, appointments, stuff that took up my summer.

I spent a few hours today swimming and talking with a friend of mine, but I haven't done that at all this whole summer until today.

School starts back up in just about 6 weeks, so I better figure out what it is I want to do before it's too late and I'm too busy...

I'll go to a movie tonight, and the tea house on Monday, and spend time with a friend tomorrow. Maybe that's enough. Maybe it's a summer to rest, stay indoor where it's air conditioned, and just write.

Latest on our Monavie Business

Well, it's been 4 months, just about 120 days or so, and we've made it to the levels of Star, Star 500, Star 1000, and we'll be at the Bronze level soon. We started with nothing but the help of Tim's parents and our own few contacts, and now we've got around 109 people in our group. This is the easiest thing we've ever done - and the most fun! We're making money consistently and let me tell you, people are LOOKING for something!

Our oldest just signed up and made his own contacts that we'll be meeting with this week. Imagine, by the time he's done high school, he could be making thousands of dollars a week, own his own house, pay cash for his car and toys (motorcycles, 4-wheelers), and never have to work for anyone else his entire life. He's faithful at giving to charity too, so I know his heart's in the right place and his focus is right.

Where else can you sign up to own a business for just $39, order just 4 bottles of juice that makes you healthier, and within 30 days, you've recouped ALL your cost, plus made enough to pay for your NEXT month's supply too!?! The money is absolutely crazy, it doesn't take hundreds of people to make a few bucks, the product actually tastes great, and the only risk is cheaper than a tank of gas or one dinner out for two?!

Everyone should at least TRY this!

End of June already?!

This month flew by! I got some things accomplished from my To Do List, but others didn't quite get finished as I'd hoped. I guess it's time for my July list to be compiled. Here's what'll be important to me so far:

July bdays posted on my Family blog, send bday and anniversary cards to family and friends, rest on the 4th, play drums more than once a week, swim more, eat better, reach the next level in our business (made it through the first 3 already! Yeah!),
attend a seminar, finish Phase I of my Genesis project, donate another bag of my clothes that are too big or too small, have tea with my daughter for her birthday at our favorite tea parlour with 2 of her friends she otherwise doesn't see for months at a time, drop 10 more pounds, go to my son's 8th grade graduation, and enjoy a 2 week break from my 2 youngest as they visit their grandparents up in the mountains.

And if I'm lucky, maybe I can get away for 2 days at the end of July to the mountains too.

More Memories Gone

This morning I read online that the China Tea House in the town I grew up in, burned down. This was a favorite hangout for me and my friend Michelle. It seems like we must've eaten there almost every week for years once I got my driver's license. We spent hours there laughing and sharing. They used to have Chinese lanterns over each table and although I'm not proud of it today, it used to be a challenge to take a tassel off the lamp and leave with it, without getting caught. By the time we'd spent a year or two going there, most table lanterns were missing quite a few. I don't even know what I did with all of them. We also took a napkin and a coconut shaped drink cup...yeah, we were young and stupid, and not yet Christians.

You know, we also lost our wedding location a few years ago when the property was sold and knocked down for something else. It just goes to show, you need to get pictures of meaningful places and things - not just people - because nothing lasts forever, and later on, that photo will be all you have to remember it, and share it with your loved ones in stories of fond memories.

Summer Plans

What a great summer this is going to be. Although I won't get to do everything I'd like to do, like attending my sister's wedding and visiting family/Boston, or getting to San Diego, it's still going to be great.

My oldest and youngest will be spending 3 weeks at their grandparents' house both visiting and earning money doing odd jobs. That'll give me some time to spend with my "middle child" to try to calm his angry spirit. He's been so quick to lose his temper for so long, I hope some one-on-one time will help calm him down. He gets a lot of attention, but if his siblings do too, it's like his didn't count.

After that, he'll get to spend 2 weeks up there where he loves it so much. I don't know yet if the other 2 will come home at that time, or if one will come home, or if all 3 will be there - and I may be child-less for 2 weeks - wouldn't that be amazing?!

In any case, I'll get to relax, spend time by the pool, sleep til 8 or 9, read stuff "for me" for a change, and who knows what else! It's just what I need before we start up our new curriculum in August.

Although I love to travel, with gas being over $4/gallon soon, and maybe even up to $5/gallon before summer's over, I'm glad our major business convention is right here in the city. Last year we had to go all the way to Utah, but this year, we'll save money, don't need to stay in a hotel or eat out that weekend, so we can spend less than usual.

I'm really looking forward to this summer.

School's over (sort of)

Well, we did it. We finished this year's assignments, but we'll have to carry Spanish through the summer. Adam needs it for a high school credit next year. We missed a few weeks of school during the year:

2 Wks. of Drama Dress Rehearsals and performances
1 Wk. of Adam's Teen Pact government experience
2 Wks. when public schools were out so the kids could play w/their friends
2 Wks. we take off around Christmas & New Year's

So now we've made up almost all of it, except Spanish.

I also instituted a reading contest for the kids. If they read 5 books in the next 8 weeks, they'll go to a pizza/arcade place and can bring a friend. Jordan already read the first Narnia book, The Magician's Nephew and she's half-way through the book Sounder (about a dog). Logan's reading a fiction book about Silas, a scribe hired to write things Jesus said. His dilemma is that he's trying to decide if he believes Jesus was the true Messiah sent to save the world - or just a nice guy who seems wise. Adam has told me he's not interested in participating. Last summer he read 5 books or more with no contest or reward. I may do something nice for him anyway.

I'm excited about teaching next year. I've got the new curriculum I'm using, got all the schedules figured out, the kids' notebooks are all set up, I've got the library books I'll need for the first month already in my "wishlist" cart online with the local library, I've ordered all the school supplies I'll need, and I'm now ready to take the summer off.

If things go well, I'll go to lunch and a movie for my anniversary, take a trip to a lake with the kids (we have quite a few to pick from), get 2 days with adults at a Summer Convention for our business - no travelling this year - it's right in Phoenix - how cool is that?! I'll try to get with friends for lunch once in a while, spend the 4th of July with friends, go to Adam's 8th grade Arizona state graduation in July after the Homeschool Convention in Phoenix. I'll read, swim, sleep in (that means til 8:30), get caught up on writing, studying and scrapbooking, and with a little hard work, raise our Monavie business income from an extra $100/week to an extra 2 or 3 hundred a week. We've got over 90 people in our business now and I'm making more than I would if I went out and got a job for 20 hours a week.

Yes, I think it's going to be a nice, relaxing summer.