June Roundup

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?

I'm very proud, as I read The Old Schoolhouse magazine front to back (okay, so it was the Spring edition). I also started reading Homeschooling at the Speed of Life, Love Comes Softly, and almost finished The Busy Mom's Guide to Simple Living.

What movies and/or tv shows did I watch this month?

The Girl of the Limberlost was a surprisingly good movie. We are enjoying the list that Nancy Campbell sent out. I will post that soon. I did a couple of revisions, and took off movies that were on our "no no" list. This list is compiled by Nancy, but were recommendations from many many women. Each family has their own standards, so that needs to be remembered. Most of the movies were available from Netflix.

What special days did I celebrate and how?

We had a nice Father's Day with Big P. We visited the nursing home and sang together with them, before and after Big P gave a message.

Big P's birthday was on the 29th, but we didn't get to spend much of it together. :( They were on their way home from Rockport most of the time.

What gifts did I give and/or receive?

My children are always making me things, so I know I pinned up a couple of pictures.

I was able to give some thank you gifts to Tanya and her mom for coordinating the scrapbook weekend for us. They were little tin mailboxes covered with scrapbook paper and stickers with their initials on them. I thought they turned out adorable, and both of them were surprised and thankful. It was nice to give something unexpected.

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?

Thank you Jesus for continued good health!

What fun things did I do with my friends and/or family?

I took the bigger 3 children to the IMAX theatre to see Dolphins and Whales in 3D. That was very exciting. We also had VBS at church, which was lots of fun for everyone. I got some chatty time with other mamas. For our pre-Father's Day celebration, we went to the lake for a few hours, had a picnic and played in the water! And of course, the scrapbook weekend was a blast.

What new foods, recipes or restaurants did I try this month?

We tried the Saving Dinner freebie frugal menu. I've enjoyed all the recipes and they were easy to make. On Father's Day we had a nice lunch at Applebee's. We've been there before, but a dinner out is always a treat.

What special or unusual purchases did I make?

I purchased our George Foreman standing indoor grill. It can also go on the counter. We've used it a few times and really like it. It's a bit harder to clean, just because of the size (it's HUGE), but we are pleased!

I also "splurged" and bought myself a new blog design.

What were this month's disappointments?

Feeling a bit "ahead" and then plummeting into feeling "behind" in the day to day tasks that need to be taken care of.

What were my accomplishments this month?

We did establish what seems to be a great routine for cleaning the house. It is just a matter of some sticktoitiveness!

Anything else noteworthy to record?

I discovered digital scrapbooking through some friends at the scrapbook weekend. I'm hooked and have already made 6 pages for our Missouri trip. It's very portable and I can stop and start as needed. Love it!

Also, I had previously planned to have a planning weekend by myself in the Rv getting some necessary things done to start our new school year in August. Instead, after hearing some incredible messages on the Ultimate Home School Expo, and listening to one about Purposeful Planning, I asked Big P about us doing a planning weekend as a family to get our family goals and plans in order. So I'm about to make reservations for us to go to the campground where I went last year (just up the road) and we will hang together. This is the park where we were going to be staying when we were planning to do the debt free in the RV thing.