a cool blog to check out

If you've followed me, you know I love to read blogs.  This one is one of my very favorites. Work in Progress   Even though it's technically a scrapbooking blog- they sell a monthly kit and show layouts- they also share so many other things as well- recipes, crafts, decorating ideas, etc. They have several individuals who post pretty much on a daily basis.
Check it out if you have a chance!

Happy new year!!  Be safe!

Christmas break ROCKS!

I am so loving these lazy days of Christmas break! With the schedule I keep during a normal week (tutoring 14 different kids, working for the church 15 hours, subbing a day or two, prepping and leading a Bible study, doing too many loads of laundry to count, running kids, fixing meals, etc. etc.- you get the picture) a few days at home with nothing scheduled on the agenda is wonderful.

I have been...

1. doing laundry because unfortunately that  doesn't stop over Christmas break!
2. slowly cleaning up after the Christmas madness- still have one tree to take down and a huge mess in the storage area to clean up
3. getting my paper trail organized for my church job
4. cutting coupons and getting my coupon binder up to date
5. looking at recipes and hoping to get some sort of schedule going for a meal plan
6. creating our busy January calendar
7. deciding if it's worth it to pay $150 to sign up for some local exercise classes or if I will get my own butt in gear and use our treadmill-
8. trying to finish up my year in review album- that is my goal for today!!!
9. playing Boggle on the kids' new I Touches- I'm officially addicted
10. looking into a chronological Bible reading plan- I have wanted to do this for a few months- I found this one which has some notes along with it and this one that I printed out. I have never been successful with a yearly reading plan, but even if it takes me longer than that, I am good with it.
11. sleeping in.... my favorite thing!!

hanging my head in shame

2 1/2 months- ridiculous- not that I haven't been a little busy in that time, but my poor blog has been shamefully ignored- don't know if anyone has noticed, other than my 14 year old (soon to be 15 year old) son. He has reminded me numerous times that I haven't blogged since October 14. Yes, I am painfully aware of that- so here's to the return- hopefully for good. I feel like I've been swimming in a very long lap pool, and I'm finally coming up for air.

We're moved!! Yeah! October 30 was moving day, and am loving my new home. I had a fabulous time decorating for Thanksgiving and Christmas and look forward to getting some things up on the walls- I hate painting, but I'm getting antsy to paint my tutoring room- nothing bold like corn cob yellow or the bright orange I had in the last house, but maybe a gray tone?? I've never been a gray fan, but I've found some paint samples of a blueish/gray that I'm really digging- the problem is I loathe painting.

moving day- friends and family helped move all our crap treasures

1025 Bellflower

About 3 weeks after moving in, we hosted 20 family members for Thanksgiving weekend. I loved having everyone in my home. It was SO great to have room for everyone! We have a full basement and had room to set up 2 beds down there so all adults could have a bed to sleep in. The turkey came out edible (thanks to my sister and Reynolds turkey bags!) and we even made our family's recipe of sweet dressing! Hopefully I be able to host many more family functions here...

my crazy sister getting the bird ready

Fox family photo

Brad finished up the football season and now is playing basketball. Bren will start playing Upward basketball after Christmas.

Gary will start back in the study routine after the first of the year. He only passed one out of four CPA tests and needs to get that done before a certain time limit is up. He's also trying to work on projects around here- building shelves in the basement to put all our crap  treasures/putting up shelving/counter in the laundry room/ cleaning the garage so we can put our cars in there for winter/ etc. etc. etc. The honey-do list hasn't gotten any shorter for him, that's for sure.

I led this Bible study with some ladies at our church this fall, and am now gearing up to do this one for the spring term. I had such a wonderful group of women this past term. I so looked forward to Tuesday mornings. These Coffee Cup Bible series are awesome too. I have done studies on Philippians before, but never to the depth of this one. It's not so deep you can't understand, but just gives great background/cultural information. I'm really looking forward to the Colossians study.

Well enough for now- I could go on and on, but I must get on to other things for now. I haven't scrapbooked in ages, but I am working on finishing my year in review monthly calendar. I think I posted it last January. Even though I haven't scrapped a thing for months, I did print out my monthly collages last night, and everything is updated except for Dec. Hopefully next time I blog (before 2 1/2 months) I will show you!!!

Hope you all had a merry Christmas!