Sick days, getting caught up, getting ahead, some links,and fighting with the critters

How’s that for a post of totally unrelated topics?

I am up to my earlobes in stuff to do.  Honestly, I feel like I’m drowning in it.  And then today, I wake up with a stomach thing that my husband had yesterday.  So I couldn’t do what I needed to do today.  I am totally a task-oriented person.  I like to finish my tasks and put my checks on my to do list.  It makes me feel accomplished and like my day had purpose.  The problem is: if I don’t get those tasks done and those checks on my list, I feel as if I didn’t accomplish anything.  I know, I know…I’m working on that flaw personality trait with the help of God. 

But I’ve decided to just let the blog go quiet for a few days so I can get caught up and then get ahead.   And I really, really don’t want to do that.  I enjoy conversing with my friends on here.  However, I need to get things done around here and my family needs me to get these things done.  So, I’m thinking that I need to stay away from the internet a few days.  I hope to be back next week.   Of course, I won’t be completely internet free since I have to be on the internet to order curriculum and check out curriculum reviews.  But I’m not going to post on the blog until I get my stuff done.  <boo hoo>  Maybe that will motivate me to finish my school planning and order our curriculum for next year.  (And do some decluttering around here. :)

I will also be out in the garden and trying to make the most out of our small space.  I’ve run into a few snags in the garden as I battle different critters that must think that someone left them a big yummy buffet bar outside.  I’ve also realized that I’m getting less sun this year due to trees that surround our backyard.  So I’ve been thinking very hard about how to utilize this space and grow the food that our family needs. 

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Before I go, I wanted to leave a few links that I’ve come across here lately:

Some of the blogs that I’ve been reading speak of living a simple life or simplifying your life.  David and I long for that are taking the steps needed to simplify many areas of our lives.  Here is a post that I came across today about simplifying:

You need less than you think

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We are trying to eat more of a real foods diet.  I’ve been trying for years to wean our family off of processed food but we always seem to end up back where we started.  I’ve found these blog posts about real food to be very interesting reads.  They are what has inspired me to begin my sourdough again and start making more homemade bread again. 

Baby Steps at Keeper of the Home (She has other great posts there also!)

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I am in the middle of trying to plan out the rest of this school year and to order next year’s curriculum.  I am trying to simplify in this area by ordering only what we really need (which is how I came across the first link above) and by ordering something that makes it easier for me to plan since I will have four children to plan for and a toddler.  I’ve pretty much got in mind what I am going to do for my older children which I’ll share later.  But I’m trying to plan for my four year old.  I really wanted to write a curriculum because I love that stuff!  (I was an elementary teacher and that was one of my passions!)  However, I don’t have the time to do that…not in this season of my life.  So upon looking, I came across this free curriculum:

Hubbard’s Cupboard

I like how she has built her lessons upon character traits for the four year olds.  She includes many activities which is another thing that I love!  I want my children to enjoy learning.

I also found this from a site that I frequent.  She has just started writing it but has shared the first lesson.  It is based upon Bible verses.

Raising Rock Stars Preschool

So I hope to see you again in a few days after I conquer this extra long to do list!  I hope you have a blessed week!