Simple Woman

Outside my window…

Well… not really MY window – but this was the view from the top of the Sleep Bear Sand Dunes on our little vacation last week.

I am thinking…
about how I am not really ready to start up the ole’ homeschool.  I am enjoying just having to worry about keeping house and getting my transcription done without adding school to the mix.  Yet the school kids head back next week – including Calvin who will be doing paramedic school 2.0.

I am thankful for…
for the great lifetime friends I have.  We were so unexpectedly honored at my goddaughter’s wedding.  We were also blessed to see Gabe’s godmother while we were in town.  It was all good.

This was after Mr. Pete and I had just spent 3 nights in a tent with the kids, and driven 4 hours in a van with 4 more hours ahead of us! I also obviously couldn’t find my hair brush after the girls “borrowed it.” Still not too bad a picture of Mr. Pete and me and our good friends of 30+ years. I was in her wedding/ she was in mine!

From the learning rooms…
We are still taking a well-deserved break. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!   That said- Izzy is in cross country practices and Noah and Rosie are running as well.  Izzy and I are also working on her confirmation papers that I hope to get done before school even starts!

Izzy is also starting her third  Wilton Cake Decorating Classes this week.  This is the course she really wanted to start – fondant and gum paste – yum!  She and I decided that we would NOT do the fourth course until after Christmas.  In the meantime she made cupcakes for a friend’s church picnic and she has been commissioned to do another friend’s birthday cake.  I have also commissioned her to do cupcakes for my sister’s upcoming wedding rehearsal dinner!

Tacos or Italian chicken – I can’t decide

I am wearing…
Black skirt that I got from Woman Within.  I thought it was a skort and when it came I was disappointed, but I really, really like it now.  Might even get a couple more.

Speaking of clothes purchases.  I decided that for my goddaughter’s wedding and also my sister’s that I needed a good dress slip – and then I thought why not get a slip with extra “support?” Because honestly ladies, there is nothing worse than watching belly jiggle in some of these bridesmaids dresses, but I digress.  So I ordered this from e-bay. 

I thought it would be great – it’s a bra and slip in one, plus it would smooth and shape me.  Perfect.

I quickly discovered that this was not an item that I was going to be able to pull on over my head and I almost suffocated trying.  This item has to be stepped into and then pulled up – and you have to have good shoulders to do it too because getting this slip on is a lot like trying to coax a tennis ball through a garden hose.  Unfortunately my left shoulder is very painful for certain activities and I can now add getting into this girdle slip as one of them.

Once it’s on – it’s fine. and taking it off isn’t as bad as getting it on – taking off only takes about 5 minutes!  Mr. Pete was making fun of me although he did help me with some of the tugging and pulling. He calls it my sausage slip – an apt description.

I am creating…
my notification for the state of Ohio – groan… the busy work that they require of homeschoolers every fall.  At least I have our portfolio reviews so that was the hardest part.


I am going…
to be organizing my class room  today.

I am reading…
Nothing. But I’m listening to some great MP3 recordings from  The Ultimate Homeschool Expo. 

Including great talks by  Felice Gerwitz, Meredith Curtis, Cindy Rushton, Cathy Duffy, Andrew Pudewa, Maggie Hogan, Tyler Hogan, Kim Kautzer, Mary Jo Tate, Carol Topp, Israel Wayne, Melanie Young, Hal Young, Christina Gerwitz Moss, Candie Donner, Lorrie Flem, Rachel Carman, Jeannie Fulbright, Heidi St. John, Trish Goyer, Judy Dudich, Richelle McFarlin, and many more! *Note – Not all speakers are represented below with a photo.
Felice Gerwitz	Cathy Duffy	Jeannie Fullbright	Maggie Hogan
Hal & Melanie Young	Carol Topp	Andre Pudewa	Judy Dudich