Mothering Many

I broke open one of the card games the Easter Bunny brought to me. Yeah, I know, I’m real timely and all that. Sigh. The point is–we played “I Spy Snap” last night, and again this morning, and it was a smashing success with everyone, including 13 year old Country. The youngest player was 3, and the oldest me. And just let me tell you, I am the Snap Champ.

What kind of title is that for a post on this blog about mothering? Well, most of us mothers are married to daddies, aren’t we? And you know Father’s Day is not that far away. Since I got this laptop for Mother’s Day, I’m gonna have to come up with something pretty spiffy for DH, don’t you agree? He is the Snack King, so I am looking at Father’s Day Gifts like this:

I know he would enjoy that, and it’s got cool grown-up food in it so the children might actually let him enjoy it in relative peace. There are many great gifts at Delightful Deliveries, for all occasions, not just Father’s Day. Perhaps we could arrange a wee trade: Beer of the Month Club for him, and Tea of the Month Club for me. Oh wait, that probably would not technically qualify as a gift then, would it? Thwarted again!

I realize I still need to post my menu for the week, and I will. I haven’t decided on it yet, because I am still thinking about recipes. I don’t want to have to go shopping, so I need to plan around what I already have here at home. I’ve got plenty of pasta, and also chicken.

Do you ever get stumped on what to cook? Right now, I am so sleepy I can barely think, and food is just back in the corner of my mind, since I am not hungry. Okay, lets do it, so I can go nap!

Monday: frozen chicken parmesan, salad
Tuesday: beans with rice, sausage
Wednesday: shrimp scampi –I keep saying I am going to make this, and really I am. Maybe even this week!
Thursday: reruns
Friday: homemade hotwings with pizza from Wal-Mart

That’s the menu, subject to change if I look at it later and say “what was I thinking!!??!!” We all have days like that, and this just might be one of mine.

I did indeed write the lesson plans for Country over the weekend, as I said I was going to do. And that led to thoughts of higher ed, as it tends to do. It’s an awesome responsibility to prepare my kids for whatever studies they wish to pursue after high school. I want them to be able to get into the school of their choice (as long as it’s within daily driving distance, LOL), and I don’t want them saddled with overwhelming debt, either.

The simple fact is that my kids will have to work for college, just like DH and I did. One of the things I’ll have to have a few serious conversations with them about is student loan consolidation, and how choosing the right student loan consolidation program can make or break them financially after they get out of college.

I’m not sure all of my children will go to college. I imagine a couple of them at least will apprentice in fields that do not require advanced degrees. But if they do go, I want them to choose wisely, so they don’t find themselves in the situation I was in: under a mountain of debt, needing a federal student loan consolidation to save my hiney.

I am late posting this today, because I’ve been on the run: Church in the AM, lunch at the computer doing some uploading for church in preparation for tonight’s business meeting, visiting Grandmother in the afternoon and fellowship/business meeting tonight. Those busy-nesses are also my blessings.

I am so blessed by my church. I love to go there, because every week my soul is fed. I am blessed to have the technical know-how (limited though it may be) to do some internet work for our church. Our tech team is two people: a high school senior who already knows more than I ever will and myself. My skills are valued and needed and that blesses me. As for Grandmother, she has blessed me all my life. I could write volumes about her, and it would never be enough. I love her and she loves me and I am blessed,

Sometimes, I like to get away. Now, getting away takes many forms, and actually leaving the house for an extended period of time is not something I do very often. Since I am needed at home, I take little mental vacations, and little pampering times instead.

I like to sit alone in the quiet (quit laughing, it happens sometimes) and read or think. I enjoy having a cuppa when I do that, be it coffee or tea. In fact, I’ll probably drink quite a bit of both as I work on the lesson plans this weekend. I’ll be doing most of that in the evenings when I can think my own thoughts, with a minimum of interruptions.

I’d really like to try some of the teas from Full Bloom Teas. That picture shows the one of the Mother’s Day Gift Sets. The glass teapot is mandatory, because you have to watch the tea bloom. See, when it’s shipped it looks like this:

When you add the hot water, those pods actually “bloom” as your tea steeps. Pretty neat, huh? Not only is it a delight for the tongue, but the nose and eye as well.

I am tickled to report that it has been over 24 hours since the last eruption. We’re celebrating with mountains of laundry and solid food. I just need to say that it feels good to feel good again!

Of course, there are significant portions of my home that need some quality one on one time with a heavy quantity of bleach, and I need to spread some baking soda on the carpets and let it sit for awhile.

And I need to do some school planning, but that deserves a post of it’s own. I’ll throw some RFI Shielding up around the desk this weekend, so I can think clearly. Do you think that will work for me?

We need motorcycle sunglasses to protect our eyes from the brightness that is you.

The remainder of this post has been relocated in a blog reorganization to avoid a duplicate content penalty. You can most likely find it on Cass Knits. Since I am contractually obligated to 60 words, I feel compelled to leave an explanation. Just in case that mass email referred to this post, which wasn’t removed, but only truncated. Enh, better safe than sorry.

I have been giggling at my older two sons lately. Well, actually all of my boys. The two older ones started state quarter collections for scouting, and they are really interested in filling up the little folders. Dh and my mom, and even just family friends are helping them add to their collections, and they are like little coin dealers as they check out what each one has, and arrange trades. I’m pleased with how they are co-operating with each other.

Of course, the brother with no collection is pretty jealous, and so he has to have quarters, too. It’s a shame they won’t make the kinds of profits actual coin traders make. the amount of silver in quarters just isn’t high enough to qualify as an investment. But they are having fun, and they are learning a bit about coin values and geography, so it’s all good.

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