10 Random Things on My Mind
Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 5:00AM
So often I think about things I would like to write on the blog, but can't form one whole clear post about that idea.
This week's Top Ten linkup is perfect for me: Ten Random Things on My Mind.
Here goes the ultimate brain dump. Maybe some of these things are on your mind, too.
1. I can't wait to finish my laundry closet make over. It's not going to be anything huge or elaborate , but I think a few colored bins, some cute pictures and maybe some paint will make me very happy. I've been pinning all kinds of home organization stuff on this Pinterest board to save my ideas. My house has a laundry closet - not a laundry room - but after reading my friend Rachel's post about doing laundry in Haiti I am NOT going to complain.
2. I need to get cracking on SQUILT Volume 2. I was so happy to finish Volume 1 that I took a break from writing the curriculum, and I must get to work again. I hope to have Volume 2 finished by the end of August.
3. I really don't like Facebook. I'm not sure why I say this, but I'm feeling the need to just keep up my blog FB page and that's it. {It's funny I say this because I am pretty active on FB, but I am feeling a huge need to take a personal step back.}
4. My life has been changed this past year through two very brave people. My friend Justin was hit by a drunk driver in Trinidad and is a quadriplegic. He is determined to make a full recovery and has started his own blog. Please go read and comment. Also, my friend Sandra's husband is fighting Stage 4 Melanoma. The faith and endurance I have seen in this family is God inspired and amazing.
5. I will always miss my days as an elementary school teacher. Last week at music camp I had so much fun teaching so many little ones. No matter what I do I always seem to come back to teaching and how happy it makes me.
How could you not love this funny crew of kids? (left to right: Grant and his best bud, a neighbor friend of ours who we have known since he was just a littel guy, a very special camper who always steals my heart, Anna, and I. There were 30 campers total - this is just a fraction of them.
6. I'm getting restless. We haven't been out of town since March when we went to the Great Homeschool Convention. Next week we'll be going to North Carolina for the week, thank goodness! Several days in the mountains away from our regular routine is just what we're all needing.
7. I love Quinoa. How's that for random? I recently tried this super food and loved it. I have made Strawberry Spinach Quinoa salad twice in two weeks and will probably make it again this week, too!
8. My girl is growing up. She will be 12 next week and this past year has been full of so many changes. At first I was sad to say goodbye to the little girl I knew, but I love this big girl, too! She always has her nose in a book or is always creating something (see the paper chains in the picture!). She also just got her first cell phone - thank you ZACT for a phone that has lots of parent controls and is the perfect solution for a preteen!
I snapped this picture of a pile of her things on the sofa - it used to be an American Girl doll and a stuffed animal. My how times have changed.
9. This summer I have enjoyed just being MOM and not TEACHER. We haven't broken out anything school related since the end of May and it feels very good. I am connecting with my kids (especially my oldest) on a "mom level" and not worrying about anything else.
10. I adore this online space. I don't want to sound too gushy, but I have come to admire and respect the readers of this blog. What started as a simple place to journal our days has turned into something so much bigger. Today I will be having coffee with a first time homeschool mom who reached out to me after reading the blog (upon the recommendation of a mutual friend). I love making personal connections and talking about home education.
Are there any random things on your mind? Care to share?
I'm joining other bloggers from the iHomeschool Network for the 10 in 10 blog hop.
Reader Comments (15)
I just went over to Justin's blog and was blessed by it. Thank you.
I love the blogging community, too. It has made a big difference in my life, and I also agree with you about FB. I dropped my account altogether.
I have a laundry closet too, so I can't wait to see what you did with it. Mine is a wreck right now. I'm trying to get all the home spaces in some kind of order before we start this homeschool journey :)
I just visited Justin's blog, thanks so much for sharing the link. I will continue to follow his journey and pray for complete healing. What a story he had to tell. On a completely different note I am about to try Quinoa for the very first time. I have recently gone gluten free and have been collecting some recipes with Quinoa.
Blessings
Diane
I'm inspired by you, even your random ideas make me smile! Enjoy your trip to NC (my husband and I were married in Blowing Rock and we go visit once or twice a year). Thanks for every post, and I'm really excited to get the second volume of SQUILT! (no pressure =)
I really miss blogging. I've been debating on starting it up again. Reading your last "random" thing just made me realize one of the biggest reasons I miss blogging. Now that my oldest is starting Kindergarten, I really feel like homeschool is a for realio dealio thing in our life, and the encouragement from you and some of my other BEECH faves have been so helpful. And please don't feel silly posting random things. I think that kind of stuff is what makes your blog feel real and authentic!! Have fun next week!!!
Mary, your posts always make me :-)
I am so sorry to hear about your friend, Justin. I will visit his blog and keep you both in prayer.
I too love Quinoa and dislike Facebook! Each year for Lent I give up FB and feel so liberated. I have yet to return this year. Last year I made it to the end of September before getting sucked in again. Isn't it nice to ditch the books for summer? I had grand plans of keeping the math going for the summer, but, it did not work out that way and actually we all need the break :-) Happy early birthday to your daughter. My son just turned 11 this year and it is truly bittersweet!
I love that you used the word "gushy". When filling out a survey at a restaurant one time, I wrote "the waitress wasn't too gushy". I get harassed about that word from time to time. Please, be as gushy as you'd like. Enjoy your quinoa and your time away, too! :)
I love quinoa too! I like FB, it's how I keep up with my kids who are all over the place, but I'm not such a big twitter fan. I also adore your online space and you!
EEEK! I've never thought of putting quinoa in a spinach-strawberry salad. Thanks for the tip. One of our summer staples just got tastier and more filling!
Love this list! I agree completely with #3, and I have very much enjoyed being MOM this summer. While I'm looking forward to our school year which starts in just a couple short weeks, it was nice to just be MOM for a while.
Is quinoa supposed to taste bitter? I want to love it, but I must be making it wrong as it always ends up tasting very bitter!
Please do write SQUILT volume 2, since I have already put it into our homeschool schedule for after we finish Volume 1. I love that I don't have to do any planning and can just open up, click on youtube, and go!
The only reason I have a Facebook account is to post updates for my blog; but other than that, it's a massive time dump.
And I honestly can't say I've ever heard of quinoa before today. Is it kind of like rice?
Interesting you said that about FB. I only reactivated my account to do photo edit challenges and that group page is no longer participating. So why am I still there? I'm seriously thinking of adopting a no computer day (or days!) in my week. We've had terrible connection lately and I had almost a week with nothing, no phone or Net. I actually got some writing ideas on paper - probably wouldn't have happened otherwise!
Whoops, one more random thought. I may live vicariously through you because blogging - while I adore it - may fall on top of the chopping block for me.
I'm actually beginning to dislike FB as well. I think from time to time about totally getting rid of it, but then remember all I do on it.