A Dgrin Day

Yesterday I tried something new with the Dgrin Challenges by putting all of the entries in a gallery. With everything combined (nasty-grams from disgruntled people included), I spent over 8 hours on it. Then another two in the wee hours of the morning trying to wrap things up. My poor kids didn't get any schooling and were bored totally, so it better not take any where near as long next time! Today I plan to be much more productive (HA!).

(Photo: Another of Lana...keeping her in my prayers today)

This week has been a good one, although a little tiring. I'm still dealing with the asthma crap, and now the doctor has put me on prednisone for 4 days. He says that should wipe it out. I really hope so!

We've spent the week preparing activities for school (Nativity and Thanksgiving lapbooks, country studies, book studies, etc.). We have almost completed our study on Egypt and the coinciding lapbook, and J is sure she now wants an Abyssinian. :) We went to the Chattanooga Zoo where J had a zoo "I Spy..." to complete. She had to write the name and draw a picture of "an animal with scales, an animal with fur, an animal that lays eggs" etc. It was the first time she has really taken her time to look at the animals and it made a big impact. The zoo is laid out by continents, which is perfect for our geographical studies. We've almost got the lapbook on animals completed now too.

N is sick (again) and was running a fever all last night, super congested and pretty miserable. So...it looks like Todd will be staying home with her tomorrow while I go run the church nursery. Praise the Lord that I have Christina helping me now - it really makes me able to handle it so much better.

So, here's a cute kid story...

Dian got me some mylar balloons on my birthday and the kids have been playing with them since. Yesterday, Natalie was sitting with me, holding her ballon and breaks into the birthday song. The only thing was, she was singing "Happy Dirt Day, Dear Mommy", so she must have gotten the lyrics confused. Or maybe not.

Today I found another great website for our homeschooling (www.filefolderfun.com). It has all kinds of learning games that you use a file folder to make. I put together a couple today, using my own little added twists, and I think they're really neat. These will be especially useful for N to do while J is doing lapbooks. They have a similar look to the lapbooks, so she'll feel like she's really involved. I've got several more printed off and ready to be put together!

Well, I finally went to the doctors after coughing and wheezing for almost 3 weeks. I've got bronchitis, causing temporary asthma. Apparently my lungs were running at about 75%. Not too horrible, but at least I know why I've been so tired! I now have antibiotics and an inhaler, so hopefully I'll start feeling better soon.

Mum got through her cataract surgery fine, Mom Shinner is recovering slowly from her knee surgery, and Grandma Tina's house looks like it will be sold, so Dad and Mom Green are on standby for heading back up to Canada. It's been a busy time for the parents!

A Bit Off!

I've really been out of sorts today. Church (my part in the nursery) seemed chaotic, the lunch at Dellinger Park afterwards was nice, but I totally crashed when we got home. Thankfully Todd took J shopping so I could nap with N. I still woke up 1 1/2 hours later wishing I could keep sleeping. I'm still coughing and I'm really wishing I could be over it.

Now I need to go have a tidy up and be ready for our school time tomorrow. I have a schedule all written out...let's see how close I can stick to it!

Today has been a good day, getting just bits and pieces done. Still nice, and finished with a little bit of time working on a couple more of Lana's photos. Tomorrow is another morning at The Well. I'm still trying to organize, and my office needs to take first priority now. Maybe tomorrow...

Glamor Shot!

Today I've managed to get a good bit of school done, and dishes, and worked on a few more photos of Lana. I was working on some skin smoothing techniques and I'm really pleased with how this one turned out. I'm finally learning some new stuff...woohoo!

Time For Me

Today I took advantage of my desire to do something creative. It seems that I have really taken any photos just for the fun of it since I began running the Dgrin challenges. So, I called my friend, Lana, and worked out a deal where she'd pose for me in return for some Halloween costume shots of her daughter. What a deal, eh? Of course, I think she would have worked with me regardless. I was super pleased with how the images turned out. I'll be posting more here over the next few days, but here's one of my favorites.

Other news: We lost a rooster yesterday. We've been having extreme winds and it apparently picked the chicken coop up (a converted dog pen), then dropped it back down right after he stuck his head under it. What a way to go! Hopefully it was quick and painless, but he'd been sick since I'd gotten him and none of my medicating efforts had worked, so I guess it was a blessing. Then, last night, after Hank & Dian had reattached the tarp to the top, the wind decided it didn't like the coop there at all. It picked the whole thing up, turned it upside down and dropped it over the six foot fence and into the backyard. So, here I was, running around at 3am, catching traumatized chickens and throwing them into the old chicken coop (now a garden). Todd and I got a pretty good chuckle out of the whole scenario!

A Bit Blue

Well, Mum's gone back home and I'd be a liar if I said it didn't make me sad. I truly wish I could pop over to her house with the kids on a weekly basis for a visit, but that's just not our life. Every time we say goodbye there's too much crap that influences how I deal with it. And I'm tired and still coughing pretty hard, which doesn't make me feel too much better. I do recognize, however, that we are very blessed to have been able to have a visit, especially for my birthday. We didn't "do" much, but that made for a good visit and one that gives her a more real slice of our life.

Tomorrow will be better and I'll get back on the ball, but tonight is a time for reflecting.