I am glad the weekend is here….but also is disbelief in how quickly the week went by.   I am very busy at work with 2 placements.  There is always alot of coordinate with a placement.  I have arranged my work schedule so I have Friday monrings off.   I went to tommy’s school this morning and volunteered for about an hour.  I then came home and payed bills.  While I was ordering our gift cards for next week, I saw that the script company had a special on a couple of cards.   So I started my Christmas shopping.   Believe it our not, I have Susan and Dawn’s families both done.  I am done with my brother and Tommy’s teachers.   I also have part of my mom’s, sisters and SILs gift.   It was very nice to get started.    I am going to keep an eye on what cards are giving a higher return as it gets closer to Christmas.   I have a feeling I will buying alot of gift cards this year!!  

This weekend also is beginning to look fairly busy.  I thought it might be quite enough that I  could work on putting the bookcases together in the guest room/office.   Saturday, Tommy has an early morning soccer game.  we have a couple of errands to run and then we are going to a 50th Birthday Party.  

Tommy would like to get his Halloween costume this weekend.  He wants to be Batman and Noah is going to be the Joker.   I also need to go to Sears and figure out how much my new stovetop will be.  Then I will order gift certificates to pay for it so I can get money back on Tommy’s tuition.  

Sunday after church we will have Brunch at church.  I hope to get groceries after that.  At some point during the weekend I need to make my menu and shopping list.   And of course there is laundry to do!!  Is there ever not???

Tommy starts swimming lessons this weekend.  I hope they go ok for him!

Well I better scoot.  I have not been sleeping very well.   I have been having nightmares about some things going on at work.  ARGH!!!   Sure hope I sleep better tonight.  

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Jen C

I am glad the weekend is here….but also is disbelief in how quickly the week went by.   I am very busy at work with 2 placements.  There is always alot of coordinate with a placement.  I have arranged my work schedule so I have Friday monrings off.   I went to tommy’s school this morning and volunteered for about an hour.  I then came home and payed bills.  While I was ordering our gift cards for next week, I saw that the script company had a special on a couple of cards.   So I started my Christmas shopping.   Believe it our not, I have Susan and Dawn’s families both done.  I am done with my brother and Tommy’s teachers.   I also have part of my mom’s, sisters and SILs gift.   It was very nice to get started.    I am going to keep an eye on what cards are giving a higher return as it gets closer to Christmas.   I have a feeling I will buying alot of gift cards this year!!  

This weekend also is beginning to look fairly busy.  I thought it might be quite enough that I  could work on putting the bookcases together in the guest room/office.   Saturday, Tommy has an early morning soccer game.  we have a couple of errands to run and then we are going to a 50th Birthday Party.  

Tommy would like to get his Halloween costume this weekend.  He wants to be Batman and Noah is going to be the Joker.   I also need to go to Sears and figure out how much my new stovetop will be.  Then I will order gift certificates to pay for it so I can get money back on Tommy’s tuition.  

Sunday after church we will have Brunch at church.  I hope to get groceries after that.  At some point during the weekend I need to make my menu and shopping list.   And of course there is laundry to do!!  Is there ever not???

Tommy starts swimming lessons this weekend.  I hope they go ok for him!

Well I better scoot.  I have not been sleeping very well.   I have been having nightmares about some things going on at work.  ARGH!!!   Sure hope I sleep better tonight.  

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Jen C

July

The Septembers of Shiraz – Dalia Sofer – (4/5)

The Stone Diaries – Carol Shields – (3.5/5)

Daughter’s Keeper – Ayelet Waldman – (4/5)

August

Creation in Death – J D Robb – (3/5)

September

Stalked – Brian Freeman -(4/5)

Unaccostumed Earth – Jhumpa Lahiri – (3/5)

I was so happy when I pulled onto our street tonight.  Josh was over.   I was so happy I cried in the van.  I pulled myself together and came into see him.   He wasn’t gonna stay for supper as he needed to do laundry as he didn’t get it done on his day off. 

I love seeing him, but it is so hard.  When I see him it makes me realize how much I miss him.  And then he leaves again to go home.  The leaving is the hardest for me.  I tried so hard to not cry in front of him as I don’t want to make him feel bad, but I really miss him so much.   It is like he is a part of me.  It has always been Jenny and Josh.   Then I got married and then we were a family and along came Tommy as well.  But there are times I am so happy to just sneak off to the store with just Josh and have a small taste of old times…..Jenny and Josh.

I am finding I am having a hard time imagining my life without children living in my home to take care of.  That is who I am and what I do.  I take care of kids at home and work.  I know these are all good thing.  My son is a mature young man who I am very proud of.  He just got a promotion at work and he is really valued there for his intelligence and work ethic.  He has moved up to an ITS2 an equal position to my husband.  He totally skipped being an ITS1.   Josh will be the Share Point Adminstrator.  He will be running the share point server at the college. 

I do know that the time will come that I will have grandchildren and they will be the loves of my lives……just like my sons.  I am sure I will drive my sons NUTS!!    I am off to bed to read…..

Good Night!!!   Go hug your children and be thankful for needing to go pick up their socks and junk, soon enough that stuff won’t be there to annoy you any longer.   I always called Josh leaving his junk all over the house, “Josh Droppings” and believe it or not I miss them.

Jen C 

The Coyan Family Menu: September 8^th – Sept. 14^th

 Monday

LEFTOVERS

Tuesday

Frozen Pizzas x 2

Wednesday

Salisbury Steak and Gravy (9/28) and Green Beans

Thursday

NO MEAT – Stuffed Shells http://www.menus4moms.com/kitchen/weeklymenu/2008/080707.php

Friday

Chicken- Bacon Sandwiches (8/19) – Chips and Dip.

Saturday

Pork Loin – Plain – Honey Roasted Pork Loin http://thematzats.blogspot.com/2008/01/honey-roasted-pork-loin.html

Sunday Baby Back Ribs – Macaroni Salad – Vegetable

Macaroni Salad -(no real recipe – I just throw it together)

2 cups Elbow Macaroni, cooked
Thawed Peas to your liking
1/2 cup or so Cheddar Cheese Cubed
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup mayo (approximately)

Combine the first 5 ingredients into a large bowl.  Stir in enough mayo to coat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Menu planning will save you money and time.  Stop by Organizing Junkie and get ides from over 200 other menu planners!

I can’t believe it is Monday.  Our weekend was so busy that it was over and I hadn’t done a single declutter project or did laundry.  ARGH!!!

Friday I worked.  I came home and made Meat Ball Subs and relaxed for the evening.   We were in bed early as we were all tired after our first week of school.  

SATURDAY

 Everyone was up early, but me.  I didn’t get out of bed until after 8:00.  I need to work again with getting up earlier, especially during the school week.   I would like to get more chores done in the morning as I don’t have time in the evening with school things etc. 

Tommy had a soccer game at 10:30.   He even scored one goal.  He was so excited.   We had to be there early as hubby was subbing in a coach as Coach Steve wasn’t able to come.  After the game we went to Cub to buy a few groceries and get stuff to make a dish to pass at the school picnic.

We came home and made lunch and our dish to pass.   We then all laid down and Hubby and I fell asleep.  OOOPS….we wont up at a bit after 3:00.  We were suppose to be at the picnic at 3:00.   So we got everything together and then went to the Hanson’s farm in Hugo for the all school picnic.   It was alot of fun.  The boys went on a hayride and we enjoyed visiting with other parents for the afternoon.

We left the picnic around 7:00 and headed to Fleet Farm.   We needed to buy a dog clipper.  I tried to groom Teddy to save a bit of money, but the clippers I had didn’t work well enough.  We bought some as I don’t plan on paying to have him groomed very often anymore.  It is too expensive.  Once home it was time for bed.  

SUNDAY

We made our way back to church.  we have been terrible about attending church all summer.  It felt so good to be back at church and see our church family.   We signed Tommy up for Sunday school and attended service.  We came home and changed clothes and returned to church for the Rally Day celebration.   We ate lunch at church and then visited and played for a bit.  Our neighbors were there with their son and granddaughter so we spent some time with them.

After Rally Day, Josh came over and we went to IKEA.  We bought 5 bookcases to go in the office/guest room.   I am hoping to have all books in that room instead of in different places in the house.   Josh and Amy went with to IKEA.   After shopping we decided to go to Raising Cane in Apple Valley.  A Favorite place to eat.  

After eating we came back home and I started on Laundry and paid bills.   My allergies are just terrible, which is making me miserable.   My eyes itch so very much. 

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!!!   

Jen C

Windy820 –  I have tried to go to your site and the page doesn’t load.  I wanted to stop by and see your before and after pictures.   When I go all I get is top pink box, but there is no content to read at all.  Thought I would let you know.  Maybe it will work for others…but I can’t get it to load. 

Jen C 

I just stumbled across the following post that has MANY reading/book blogs to check out!    I could spend a day surfing through these and probably will !!!

This is the post from My Friend Amy’s Blog.   Check it out as she lists all the finalists of the Book Blogger Appreciation Week!  

http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/2008/09/bbaw-awards-finalists.html

I just stumbled across the following post that has MANY reading/book blogs to check out!    I could spend a day surfing through these and probably will !!!

This is the post from My Friend Amy’s Blog.   Check it out as she lists all the finalists of the Book Blogger Appreciation Week!  

http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/2008/09/bbaw-awards-finalists.html

I decided that it would be better for me to simply do 30 decluttering projects than to try to do one each day.   Some days I am just too busy and will not be able to do a project…even a small one.  And some days like on the weekends, I can do more than one project!!!   Either way if I stay at it and do 30 projects it will make a difference in our home!!

Tonight I decided to straighten out our linen closet.   Mainly the bottom two shelves.   I wanted to stock up on some winter things like cough medicine, but didn’t know how much I had.   I thought I had alot of bandaides, but it seems I have 4 empty boxes in there.   I really wish my children would throw away a box when the take the last item.  It makes me think I have alot of something and find out all the boxes are empty!!!!!! 

BEFORE:  This is called strategic stuffing.   Just shove things where ever they might fit.  

AFTER:   Like items are once again together.  First Aid container has all the bandaides and ouchie supplies, cold medicines all together, etc. 

WEIRD/EMBARASSING or ANNOYING THINGS:

1.  Four tubes of cortisone cream all opened.   I usually keep my extra supplies that I buy on sale or what have you in the linen closet.  Frequently people in our house just grab whatever and never looks if there is one open already.  Drives me nuts!  So annoying…… 

2.  White Curling Ribbon – I have no idea why or how this got in the linen closet.  Someone must have been too LAZY BUSY and didn’t put it where it belonged!! Probably ME!!

3.  Red Heart Tag – Rabies tag for one of our four pets.  I have no idea which one.  If they bite someone we can call our lovely vets at banfield!  They keep track of those type of things.

4.  White Little Round things –  I have no idea what these are!!!   They look like mouth fresheners but I am not sure if they are for humans or pets.  I was tempted to try them…..but I don’t need fresh breath that badly!!