Goal Planning Monday ~ Week 22

 

It is Goal Planning Monday!!

How are you doing with your goals??

Click on the button above to view all the Goal Planning Monday links and find out how to join up with us.

My Goals from last week and how I did:

1. Read. Done. I finished reading My Father's World and read a bunch of Somewhere a Song. I am doing ok with my reading. I do not want to stress over this. I want it to be a fun part of my days and weeks.
   
2. Exercise.  Done. I worked out on the Wii on Saturday and plan to do better this week.
3. Keep reading Power of a Praying Wife.  Done. I read some but am still behind. I will just keep reading until I finish even though June will soon be over praying for our spouses should never end anyway.
4. Order stuff for school for next year, hopefully today. Done. School stuff is beginning to pour in. I love it! Almost as fun as my birthday or Christmas. I love books!!! Now I have more stuff to add to Book Collector and to work on to get ready for school 2011-12.
5. Log books into Book Collector Done. I made progress on this. I am working on logging in the new stuff as we get it so I can put the purchase dates and prices paid... Info I don't have for most of our books, but it would have been nice to have.
6. Work on portfolios of school stuff from this past year. Not Done. I will be putting this on my list again this week... one of these week I will actually get it done.
7. One on one time with Jessica... it is her turn.  Not Done. I don't know if I will get to do this this week either... the weeks are filling up, but I want to make time for this soon.
8. Post at least some of the Longwood photos from June 13. Not Done... enough said.
9. Blog about books I have read. Done. I got one done and posted and one partly started. I hope to get that one posted soon and another done this week also... so I plan to get two book reviews posted this week.
10. Read and comment on all the posts by other Goal Planning Monday participants.  Done.
11. Get ready for and have my 50th birthday party on Friday with friends and family.  Done. My party was superb... better than I expected. Everyone was loving, caring and generous. I really did not expect monetary gifts from most everyone. It blew me away! Now to pray on what to use the money for. I don't want to make a rash decision on what to buy... I don't get my own money very often.

My goals for this coming week:

1. Read and enjoy doing it... don't stress over it.
   
2. Exercise on the Wii at least 3 times 30 minutes each.
3. Keep reading Power of a Praying Wife. 
4. Log books into Book Collector 
5. Work on portfolios of school stuff from this past year. 
6. One on one time with Jessica... it is her turn.
   
7. Post at least some of the Longwood photos from June 13.
   
8. Blog about 2 books I have read.
   
9. Read and comment on all the posts by other Goal Planning Monday participants
10. Start planning school for this coming year... especially Science 
11. ... and History.
12. Help out at church tonight moving stuff from our old building to the new edition. The old building must be retro fit to get up to code... especially for sprinklers.
13. Spend the day with my friend Michele and her daughter Rachel tomorrow.
14. Attend Memorial service on Wednesday, for my cousin Katheryn, who died on Friday after about a year of battling cancer.
15. Friday is Ladies Bible Study. (that only leaves me Thursday with nothing to do... not counting the weekend, which is free, as of now)

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Blast From The Past ~ Debbie on the TV 1965

Since last Sunday was my 50th birthday and today we are having a party at our house with family and friends I am featuring me. 

This is one of my favorite photos we have of me in my growing up days.

The date says Feb. 1965 so I would be about 2 1/2 years old

I'm adorable...

if I do say so myself

So...

Happy Birthday to me

Here are the Rules for participating:
The purpose of Blast From The Past is to link up a post about something from the past. You can reach back all the way to your childhood and bravely post pictures of you in your wild clothes and hair styles or post something from last year and tell us about it. I'm not picky. Hey, even yesterday was the past... LOL My posts will mostly be about events that happened prior to blogging, as a way to share those things with the world.

• It can be about you, about your kids, about your parents, about whatever. For ideas check out the other posts in my label Blast From the Past. 
• Please use a permalink that sends readers directly to the correct post. If you are not sure what that is click the work permalink for an explanation. 
• Mention my blog and offer a link back to the main page of my blog. http://debbiesdigest.blogspot.com/ This is a requirement to take part and a kind gesture to me your hostess as well as your readers--they will know where to join in the fun, too. You can put the Blast From The Past button on your site and in your post. Please use it to link to my site, to spread the word about my meme. Using the button will help others know how to find me and how to join. Tell others to click on the button in your post to find us here.
• Leave me a comment. First so that you can let me know what you think of my pictures and secondly so that I will know a new post has been linked up and I can come visit your blog and comment on your photos.
  

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Join me! 
 

Reading Challenges ~ The King Will Make A Way

I am finally making time to get some of my book reviews done for the 52 Books in 52 Weeks. If I could just list the books read it would have been done long ago. Doing a review of them takes longer. I have a bunch of book reviews to do and none of them will be to thorough, but hopefully I will tell you enough for you to get you interested in reading the book.

So now on to The King Will Make A Way

The book opens with this line:

"We‘ll tell them the King is dead."

Right away she's got me. Who is the King? Does he represent someone in real life? He must not really be dead if they said "we'll tell them..."

I have only one regret with this book... that I did not make it a priority to read sooner. I loved it! So much! I want to read it again. I am going to make my boys read it. I am going to encourage my girls to read it. I will probably even buy a hard copy, soon.

Over and over Gabe and some other see that "The King Will Make A Way." This is a story of trial and hope, of God the King and his "subjects" and of those who would make other think He (God) does not exist any more. Gabe discovers the truth one day while taking a walk in the woods... he follows a frog...and a few other animals help.. and he finds the King... he is alive and well... Now to get others to believe.

Those who don't believe and that are perpetuating the lie begin to persecute those who do believe... how do they stand up to the persecution? and will the King come and save the day??? You will have to read the book to find out.

NOTE: Here is her description from the website of some things to think about before you read this to your children. Besides reading the cautions below I suggest you read the book yourself first if you plan to read it to younger children. My boys are 14 and 16 and will be fine with the "mature" themes in the book:

"I think this book will be a great tool for your family. This is not a children’s book. Reading age is probably 12-adult. It can be read aloud to younger children though with explanation–which is good, it’s supposed to prompt thought and discussion. I was careful in my descriptions: while there are martyrs, there is no oozing blood. My children have read it or have had it read to them. I know other families have read it aloud to their elementary age children as well.
The story is done in an allegorical style. It has an historical setting, but it parallels end-times events. If the King can make a way through the worst tribulation man will have ever seen, He can make a way anytime!"

Web Page: http://hebrews110.wordpress.com/the-king-will-make-a-way/
Blog Page: http://thekingwillmakeaway.wordpress.com/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-King-Will-Make-Gabea-Way/198637096167?sk=wall

BUY THE BOOK! ($9.97) 
Buy the Kindle edition ($6.45)
Download the pdf for FREE: The King Will Make a Way

Not only does Lee have the pdf available for free but there is a whole bunch of free stuff, especially good for homeschoolers, but could also be used during the summer for "regular" schooled children.

Here is the link to the Freebie Page. On this page she has:

• Geography and Cultures Curriculu
• Language Arts Lessons
• Animal Lapbooks
• Country Lapbooks
• Early American History
• Math
• Preschool

I have not had time to look all the freebies over, there is a lot there. Lee is so generous. I don't know if I will use any of the extras for my boys but I will definitely be taking time to check out all the stuff. Since I will be requiring them to read the book next year for school I may add in some of the extra stuff she offers on her website to go with it.


Here are the links to my reading challenge pages: This book was entered into the first two challenges.

• Reading 2011 - 52 Books in 52 Weeks
• Reading 2011 - 100+ Books Challenge. 
• Reading 2011 - Library Challenge
• Reading 2011 - Winners Challenge

I am also going to submit this to The Christian Home Carnival:



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Wednesday Hodgepodge ~ Summer

1. Summer's here-whoohoo! What's your favorite sight, sound, AND smell associated with summer? Hamburgers on the Grill... that is sight, sound... and smell... oooooh and then.... taste!!!  Yum!

2. Fireflies or lightning bugs...what are they called in your neck of the woods? Lightning Bugs.. and we used to love to catch them, look at them, and then release them... my kiddos are getting to old for that now.

3. What is something from the past week that reminded you of your childhood? Sunday Mornings... piling in the car for church.

4. Define 'the good life'. I have God, Salvation, Family, Home, Health... If we just had Income coming in (only unemployment as of now... 15 months and counting)... I would be living "the good life".

5. Tell us what we'd see if you took a snapshot of your desk/work space? A mess!! LOL I have a corner desk with bookcases on both sides. On the left at the top are stuffed animals and photos of my family. Under that are three cubbies with paper, stapler, stickers, tape and other assorted things. Under that is a section where I have binders... this section is level with the desk area. In front of the binders I have little buckets with pens, pencils and markers in them. Under the desk on the left are books, homeschool catalogs, and a tub with extra desk supplies.

In the center of my desk I have my computer monitor and above that a shelf with my calendar on it.

On the right hand side on the top shelf is my laminator, a box of tissues, and our digital clock. Under that is a stack of cdroms for my computer (maps for our homeschooling, Print Shop, and some games... along with a couple of music cd's). Next to the tower of cdrom's is another cubbie with books: my devotional books, a binder with my to do lists and some journal pages, and books I am currently reading. In front of the books I have a stand with my laminated list of goals for the year. Under that is a short space where I keep my scanner. Under that is the desktop. Under the desktop on the right are some more binders and a dictionary. Under that is my computer's tower.

Here is a picture I did not fix the picture in any way or clean up my desk.

6. Peaches or watermelon...yes, you have to choose. Peaches... because I haven't had a good fresh peach yet. We had watermelon and it was delicious... the peaches we had were pithy and not sweet... still waiting for the first really good fresh peach of summer.

7. Ever been skinny dippin'? Is that too much for the Wednesday Hodgepodge? Rest assured we won't need details...unless of course you feel you must but remember, this is a family friendly blog so keep it G rated. Nope. 

But when I was younger I used to love diving in our backyard swimming pool, in my swim suit, in the evening, and swimming in the dark with only the tiki lights on. Very refreshing.

8. Insert your own random thought here. I love Eggo Fiber Plus Chocolate Chip Waffles... only 1 pt on WW for 2 of them, 9 grams of fiber, and then I use 1/8 cup of low cal syrup... yum!

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Goal Planning Monday ~ Week 21

 

 

It is Goal Planning Monday. 

How are you doing with your goals??

I did not do so well this week. Our guests from Texas did not leave until Thursday and I did not get much done until after they left. Then I decided to work on logging books into our Book Collector software. I got 2 tubs full of books logged in... now if I want one of those books I will know where to find them. Unfortunately, logging books into book collector was not one of my goals for last week. But at least I got something productive done, and even if it wasn't on my weekly list... it is on my summer goals list. Well her is how I did with the things that were on my goal list last week:

1. Work on portfolios of school stuff from this past year. Not Done. My daughter still has my scrapbook stuff in the living room. This makes working on the portfolios more difficult. I may have to just set up shop down there one day this week to get this done.
   
2. Read. Done. I got some reading done this week but want to make more time for this in my day. I have a goal of reading 100 books this year and I wanted to get a big chunk of that done in the summer while I am not teaching the boys.
   
3. Blog about books I have read. Not Done. No excuses for this... just didn't get done.
   
4. Exercise. Not Done.No excuses for this either. Planning on getting back to it today.
   
5. Catch up on Bible reading. Partly Done. I made up a lot of this and if I do 2 days today I think that catches me all the way up.
   
6. Catch up on reading Power of a Praying Wife. Partly Done. I made up a lot of this but I am not all caught up. I read 2 chapters some days and none some other days. I also have been giving my hubby a note for each chapter with the prayer copied on it or just thoughts of mine. I will keep doing this until I finish the book weather I get it done in June or not.
7. Order stuff for school for next year, I usually have this done by now but our guests have delayed this since in late May we spent a lot of time cleaning and then the girls were here. Court did not want packages arriving while we were out showing our guests the town. Not Done. This is on the agenda for today. After my hubby get's back from taking dd to get some blood work done and doing some errands... Hopefully it will get done today.
8. One on one time with Jessica... it is her turn. Not Done. We just did not get this done once the girls left we were all just tired... nothing much got done Thursday, Friday or over the weekend. Time to get back in the groove now that a new week has started.
9. Post new Longwood photos. Not Done. I got the old Longwood photos posted but have not started on the new ones. I still need to crop and correct some of them. Hopefully I can at least post some of them this week.
10. Spend time with my family... especially the girls as they will be sad to see their friends go and may need some extra lovin'. Done. This we did do. We watched some movies, talked, and just hang out, especially yesterday since it was Father's Day and my 50th birthday. Now it is time to get back to work.

My Goals For This Coming Week:

1. Read.
   
2. Exercise. 
3. Keep reading Power of a Praying Wife.
4. Order stuff for school for next year, hopefully today.
5. Log books into Book Collector
6. Work on portfolios of school stuff from this past year.
   
7. One on one time with Jessica... it is her turn. 
8. Post at least some of the Longwood photos from June 13. 
9. Blog about books I have read.
10. Read and comment on all the posts by other Goal Planning Monday participants. 
11. Get ready for and have my 50th birthday party on Friday with friends and family. 

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Longwood Gardens part 3

Remember these are from our May visit to Longwood.
Our trip this past Monday I will post later, this weekend probably.

Chimes in the tree near the treehouse.

Rachel, Christopher and Jessica are on the balcony...
I did not know it at the time but I got a picture of Court and Nathan also...
in the upstairs window of the treehouse.

Christopher

Christopher

Court and Nathan

Christopher and Rachel

Italian Fountains

left to right
Court, Jessica, Nathan, Rachel, Christopher

I love these mica schist steps

The Conservatory

after this my camera batteries died!!!

My daughter got more photos but hasn't posted them on her blog yet.

Luckily my batteries lasted a lot longer on Monday and I took all the photos I wanted.

 

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