a hurried morning

I hate waking up late. It wasn't really really late, just 7:30, but J and the middle boy had to be at a hike by 8:30, they still needed breakfast, to get gas, and pack snacks, which I had of course forgotten to plan for earlier. We jumped up and started running, but it never fails when you're hurried the rest of the day just seems to be off kilter.

Boo, the baby and I got some breakfast, at 10am. Now it's 11am and I'm still full as can be, but the little one thinks it's lunch time soon since he didn't eat much.

We did find time to have family prayers though. That has been something in our marriage that has been very important, to pray together as a couple and as a family, no matter what. I remember when J was traveling all the time out of state, we'd all get on the phone and kneel by the side of the bed together and have our prayers day and night.

I really do notice the difference when this is delayed or people are still sleeping so the whole family is not there. We're all just a little crankier when we don't get the chance to come together before our Lord.

*******

Today I'm cooking, again. Not just making meals cooking but doing a whole lot of it just for the pure enjoyment. Yesterday I made 9 dishes and was quite wiped out, I think I will skip something on that scale today. I'm going to make a beef stew (which is on the stove cooking right now) and I really need to make some bread if I get around to it.

I like to make my stew by boiling either steaks or a roast with bone in - in a stock pot, I do this all morning before adding barley, vegetables and seasonings. I remove the meat and bones and let cool. Afterwards I pull the meat off the bones and remove the excess fat and put the meat back in to heat before serving.

I really need to make bread but haven't felt that great today, so I'm not sure if I'll get around to it.

All about me

I've been thinking about writing a blog for a long time. But as with most things in my life it gets procrastinated and nearly forgotten about until I read someone's and think about it again.

I am wife to J, Mom of 6, but 2 are gone but not forgotten. The oldest, I like to call him Fred, is off to college far far away. How did I get old enough to have a grown up? The next one is 12 going on 60, she is an amazing one. We like to call her Boo. JJ (J Jr as he calls himself) is 10 and the baby is 5 1/2.

We're currently "in transition" as I kindly refer to it. When living in Southern California J was laid off from his job and we moved north to be near family again. However we don't know where we will land so we're living out of boxes and just grateful to be in an actual home in the meantime.

I homeschool the 3 youngest nutcases which I just love! It is such a joy to watch them learn but as with all things in our life right now this is mostly in flux as well since it's just so hard to find focus in the moving and chaos we're going through.

We had one cat and one dog, perfect huh? Then this summer every stray dog seemed to move on in. We finally got rid of most of them, but we have one left, Muffin. Of course as luck would have it she is now expecting puppies any day.

My hope is to chronicle our quest to find a job, a new home, our learning, a little bit of travels, and all the fun of a family that makes me just a little nutty but overall I sure do love them :)