Two Weeks Instead of One

So, I decided to do two weeks instead of one in this update. Usually I update weekly but since one of my favorite places to link up was taking a week off I decided that it might be a good week to take a week off myself! Not that I'm actually taking a week off of blogging (I work on updates every day) but I just won't publish this until there's two weeks worth of information.

Relaxing at Grandma and Papa's house.

The first weekend:

• Friday Daddy and all of the rest of us got up relatively early and when Daddy went to work I jumped on the blog to finish up a post and then start this one, threw some laundry into the wash, and then played my computer game for a bit. ECJ finished taking apart some scrap while both girls played on their electronics (mostly watching Littlest Pet Shop YouTube channels) ... and then ECJ did his lawn mowing job. After Daddy got home we all ran to the scrap yard and then to Grandma and Papa's house. Daddy had to install their new dishwasher that had gotten delivered and the campers wanted to go for a visit. We ate supper at their house and when we got home everyone simply relaxed until bedtime. Three kids and a mom reading books while Daddy watched the local news.
• Saturday we ran Grandma and Papa's old appliances to the scrap yard first thing in the morning to get them off of the truck (the wind kept trying to blow the fridge out of the bed of the truck even though it was strapped in!). While we were doing that the campers were doing their chores. When we got back Daddy went to work, I ran the vacuum and did some laundry, and the campers went outside to play in the amazing weather (it was only in the 70's this day!). Daddy wasn't at work long and when he got home he played catch with YCJ, who really wants to join the softball team next year, and Peanut. We watched a movie as a family in the evening ... just one of the ones that we have laying around. Supper was chili dogs and chips.
• Sunday we went to mass first thing in the morning, for us that means the 11:30 mass on Sunday's because we all like to sleep in. After lunch we packed up some chicken and some corn on the cob and headed down to Grandma and Papa's house. We BBQ'ed there for supper and then went scrapping. Doing our normal park stops and frozen drinks while we were out. We didn't get home until late and the campers all went straight to bed after the girls had gotten their medicine.

Monday Daddy had to go to work first thing in the morning, the campers tried to sleep in but ECJ had scrap to take apart and it was too nice of a day for the girls to sleep until noon. So, they quickly ate breakfast and did their chores and then all three of them were outside either playing or taking apart scrap. I caught up on this post and did some admin related things on our Facebook page so that the holidays for August would be ready the next day. I then researched a little more into just what was left to be bought for the school year curriculum wise and figured out how much more I needed to spend on it. When Daddy got home from work around 1 PM we loaded the scrap back into the truck and went to the scrap yard. It was a small load. After that we came back home and I made pork chops with fried zucchini for supper and we all relaxed for the rest of the night. 

On Tuesday we pretty much had another relaxing day. Daddy went to work after taking me to an appointment that I had at 11 AM (which means the girls woke up around 10:30 AM with me saying we'd be back soon lol). I walked in to the lovely sight of YCJ cooking pancakes for herself and her siblings for brunch, she'd meant to get up early and make them for breakfast so she was a little disgruntled that she'd slept in. After pancakes the campers finished their chores and all went outside to play, well ... ECJ went and mowed one of the lawns he gets paid to mow that he hadn't mowed on Saturday. I tended the garden, did some laundry, and played on Facebook for awhile and then read until Daddy got home. Daddy took a nap while I read some more and the campers stayed outside playing. Around 6 PM I called the campers inside to eat something (this night it was leftovers or make your own supper as neither Daddy nor I felt like cooking), Daddy woke up and he and I ate cinnamon sugar toast for supper. After we ate I took a long hot bubble bath with my book and Daddy watched some TV while the campers played off and on on their electronics together and separately. After my bath it was bedtime for the campers, complete with reading and battle of the kisses. Daddy and I were in bed and asleep before the 11 PM news finished.

Wednesday I slept in until it was time for Daddy to leave for work, then I got up and drank my first cup of coffee while looking at emails and Facebook notifications on my phone. ECJ decided to play a little Playstation 3 Final Fantasy X while the girls still slept (I beat the game he's working on now the year that Peanut was born but on a different game system). After my second cup of coffee I sat down at the computer (after turning on the dryer to get the wrinkles out of the clothing so I can fold it in half an hour) and updated this blog post. The girls slept in until after 11 this morning, ahhh the joy of actually taking the summer off of lessons ... my children seldom sleep in past 9 AM during the school year and it's awesome to me to see them so relaxed that they'll sleep until almost noon. After folding the laundry leftover from Tuesday (during my reading binge I decided that folding the last load could wait) I worked on a couple blog posts that I want to get posted for the new school year. The girls did their chores and then headed outside to play some more, ECJ saved his game and joined them even though he was still a little sore after falling out of a tree on Monday (no serious injuries he's just sore from the impact where he wrenched his back when he landed on his feet). I crocheted some on the top I'm making for myself, a cami that's to be worn over a tank top, and waited for Daddy to get home from work. Supper was soup and sandwiches on this rainy evening. I did cut up a tomato and cucumber for the kids to add to supper so it'd be a bit more healthy. After scrapping we all watched some TV together (while I crocheted) and then the campers went to bed, shortly followed by us parents.

On Thursday we started out our day with Daddy going to work and me paying some bills online. Daddy surprised us all with breakfast from McDonald's!!! The girls were over the moon excited to be woken up to breakfast burritos and hashbrowns. After eating breakfast Daddy went back to work and I finished paying the majority of August's bills. The girls went outside to play right after eating and ECJ went outside to take apart some scrap. After finishing paying the bills I worked on some blog posts for the upcoming two months and did a load of laundry. Once Daddy got home we went to the scrap yard twice! Bringing home pizza for supper was a nice surprise for the campers. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing together.

Friday!!!! Friday was awesome!!! We went to a local homeschool group's annual family picnic and had a blast!!! There were lots of families and tons of food. Face painting and the local fire department came and showed off for the kids. Everyone had a lot of fun socializing and meeting new people. (We also picked up some awesome homeschool curriculum for free!) After the picnic we dropped ECJ off at home, because he wanted some "me" time, and went for a long drive ending up at Grandma and Papa's house for about two hours. We had a great visit and the campers (yes, even ECJ) were given bracelets by the neighbor lady who lives next to Grandma ... ECJ got his when we got home. Supper was rotisserie chicken, mac and cheese, and cucumber/tomato/onion/provolone salad. We watched some TV together as a family and then it was off to bed for the campers ... shortly followed by us parents.

The rest of the second weekend:

• Saturday Daddy got up pretty early and went into work, making up for the time that he took off on Friday to take us to the picnic. Daddy makes his own schedule at work so he really didn't need to make up any time but he also has responsibilities that he takes seriously and he knows the time frame that he has to get certain things done. The campers slept in this day, waking up around 11 AM ... well, except for ECJ who was up by 9 taking the dogs out. The campers cleaned their rooms and did their other chores after eating breakfast. I did a load of laundry and finished up the first pot of coffee. I won an e-book related to homeschool and organization from a Facebook flash giveaway and updated the blog. Four wonderful tomatoes were picked off of the tomato plants (perhaps a day or two early but trying to fall off of the plants). After Daddy got home he and I ran to the store and picked up Boss Baby to watch together as a family. We spent the rest of the evening enjoying pizza and movies all together. 
• Sunday we went to mass at 11:30 ... one of my favorite things about our church is this mass time. No waking up early on the weekends unless we choose to. After mass Daddy had an appointment a couple of towns over so I went with him. We then went scrapping on the way home and filled the truck up twice (!) before we grabbed the girls (ECJ again wanted to stay home) and went scrapping down by Grandma and Papa's house. We filled the truck up for a third time, went to three parks, had frozen drinks, AND stopped and got McDonald's for supper before heading home for the night. Daddy and I were asleep almost as soon as our heads hit our pillows ... the campers stayed up a bit later in their rooms ... enjoying what's left of summer.

Sunday night's scrap load!

Another Monday rolled around and we were still having unseasonably cool weather for August. Daddy and I woke up late, when it was nearly ten am... and spent about half an hour together before Daddy had to go to work. ECJ took the dogs out and then began taking apart scrap. I woke the girls up just before 11 AM and they ate breakfast, did chores, and then broke out the electronics to watch various YouTube channels that they subscribe to. I updated the blog and did some things on Facebook, then did laundry and dishes, followed by some crochet while I periodically checked on ECJ taking apart scrap in the yard. The girls went outside to play with the neighbor girl for a while in the afternoon. When Daddy got home from work we unloaded the third load of scrap off of the truck to work on taking that apart too and then his friend showed up because he was having car troubles and needed Daddy to check it out. We didn't end up going to the scrap yard but we did we go scrapping this night. Burger Helper was what was for supper and we topped the night off with a movie together before everyone heading off to bed.

On Tuesday Daddy and I got up at 5:30 AM ... yup, you read that right. Daddy had to take someone to the hospital for their shot and I wanted to cook some peanut butter cookies without heating the house up too much. He was out the door by quarter after six and I was in the shower shortly afterwards, I find a shower can help me wake up on these early mornings. Cookies were then baked and coffee drank ... some blogging took place while I baked as well. I woke the campers up at 8 AM for breakfast and chores. By 9 AM the girls and I were out the door while ECJ began taking apart the rest of the scrap left from the three loads we'd picked up Sunday night, the girls and I walked to the library here in town. By the time we got back from the library ECJ was done and shortly there after Daddy came home from work. He and I took the first load of scrap back to the scrap yard and then took the last load and a half back as well (it's amazing what happens when you break scrap down). After that Daddy and I ran down to Grandma and Papa's house to do a few chores for them that they just can't do themselves now and then it was back home ... only to run some movies back to the rental store and go pick up some necessities while we were out. When we were finally home for the evening I made chicken thighs, butter noodles, and corn for supper and then we all relaxed for the rest of the evening. 


Wednesday we were up early, but not as early as on Tuesday... Daddy had to go to work again while the campers and I got ready for a day at the beach with Noni. Daddy came home right before Noni showed up, he'd cracked three of his ribs and didn't know how. He decided to rest the rest of the day while the campers and I went to the beach. We went to our favorite beach for the day where the campers had lunch, swam, burried each other in the sand, swam some more, then played on the playground before we left. A quick trip to the grocery store for a few essentials and we were home again. I went with Daddy to scrap our town (mostly to help him if there were heavy objects because of his ribs) and then when we came home I made chicken wraps for supper. They're always a big hit in our house and we didn't have any leftovers. The campers went to bed around nine and Daddy and I went to bed around midnight.

On Thursday Daddy got up and went to work, the campers ate breakfast and did their chores, and I blogged. ECJ took apart what little scrap that we picked up from the night before, always have to maximize what money you can get out of scrap. Then Daddy came home from work and we took the scrap back to the scrap yard. Daddy then took the truck up to the shop to get a rear seal fixed on the rear end. When he got back we took the car and ran up to the grocery store to pick up some things I'd forgotten so that we could make cheesy chicken for supper. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing.

Cheesy Chicken Recipe - 

• boneless chicken breasts or chicken tenders
• mozzarella cheese slices
• spaghetti sauce

Brown your chicken and cook through (season how you wish). Cut up your chicken into bite sized pieces. Place a portion of chicken on the plate, top with some spaghetti sauce and a slice of cheese. Pop it into the microwave just long enough to melt the cheese. Serve with whatever sides you wish. YUMMY!

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