Off My Game Today

This may sound crazy, but I have been all off-kilter today because I got up EARLIER THAN USUAL. Isn't that the craziest thing you've ever heard?! Clay had to take Ashley to the dentist this morning to get her molds made for her braces & they had to be there at 9am. See, HE took her so he could do all the insurance/payment stuff.....I didn't even have to go, but it still just threw my whole routine off. First thing I did was fix tea, coffee & homemade apple-cinnamon muffins for breakfast & then got them out the door. So, I did all that first & didn't have any morning computer time. Then, after they left, I decided I should go ahead & get my shower EARLIER THAN USUAL too.....that would make sense, wouldn't it? It was just that I felt like I was doing everything 'bass-ackwards' (as Maw would say...LOL!) After all that, it was kitchen clean-up & start the laundry....by this time, they are back home again......and at 11am everyone was ready for lunch! What is up with that.....we don't usually eat til somewhere between noon & 1pm. Lunch over with & the boys are headed out to do more firewood. I was kind of scrambling to put together a package for a friend of mine....was going to get it mailed off today......but wanted to see if I could find some Vday candy to put inside......so the girls & I head out to Family Dollar to see what we can find. While we were out, we just HAD to make a fun stop at McDs for iced coffee & an ice cream cone. Sometimes ya just have to do these things, right?! Anyways, I got the candy I wanted....package is all ready to be mailed off tomorrow & so, we set to work making some Valentines. I also ended up doing a little scrapping too. And in the midst of all this rambling I wanted to point out we DID do school today......although it wasn't from the books. My boys had PE/wood-working & what would you call 'Home Ec' for boys........you know, taking care of the family,providing for their needs......they are learning to use the chain saw, axe, maul, wood-splitter. And Michael is one heckuva wood-stacker....that was his job while Clay & Jon ran the splitter. I should've taken some pics out of the window. Michael also participated in Bird Watching this evening....close to dusk....he was laid out in the yard near the big ole 'Bug Tree' because his legs were aching he said....when he heard something & saw out of the corner of his eye a small owl swoop down & perch up in the Bug Tree. He came inside to get the cam-corder but it wouldn't show up because it was too dark. Pretty cool though....we all got to go out there & see him. While the boys were doing wood....Alli was in here doing typing/keyboarding along with some research for guitar books. She was learning to navigate Amazon.com....typing/spelling skills as she searched for the books that she wanted. she is trying to find the books that she wants, with the guitar tablature & also some books on how to read music. She & Jon have compiled a list of several guitar books they'd like to get & have recorded the prices after doing alot of comparison shopping. Pretty impressive skills, I think. So, I guess even on an Off Day, we can still manage to learn a few things here & there.

I did this layout this afternoon......our church Thanksgiving dinner at Steve & Kathy's house.

Alli did this yesterday during 'Art Class'. She kind of copied one of Papaw's paintings but added some of her own touches too.

Just a gathering of a few photos taken back in mid December when we got some snow. The title is 'God's Handiwork' & the verse at the bottom is Psalms 19:1- The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork.