I'll take random thoughts for $200...

Hey-ya friends!! My life is totally on cruise control right now, I'm a victim of my circumstances- something like that...or maybe not....

• First up, I have achieved total slacker level in my own photo challenge.  Um, I'll catch up, maybe tomorrow.  The problem, after being sick- it's kind of cold here in Orange County and I like to sit next to the fireplace in the dining room, sitting at the table with my laptop.  Problem is, all my photos and photo editing software are on my desktop in the front living room.  The cold front living room.  I'm kind of disinclined to change my location.

• Our homeschool plans/curriculum have been in a state of flux.  I am contemplating if I should do a side-by-side comparison of what we started of with and what we actually ended up using....it will make a busy page even more messier though, I am conflicted.  Here's a teaser, I've ditched MTC Grammar for Shurley Grammar. Does the change in educational philosophy just make your head spin?  Honestly, I loved MTC, but the format was a more -read with a child one-on-one and discuss.  In this crazy household, it just kept getting pushed off.  Shurley Grammar has worksheets and I can do the lesson with all 3 kids together.  !worksheets!  [yes, I am forever a worksheet girl]

• My car theft saga:  Photo evidence here * March photo a day: mom-my-ride Back -story: I now have the nicest car I have ever had. It's a 2004 with a bucket-load of miles on it, but it is fully loaded to the max.  I told Sky it was all over, luxury all the way, from now on, baby!  I had it 2 months maybe- and it got broken into, on our driveway, and the fancy radio/navigation system touch -screen- wonder was stolen.  Top it all off, this was when I was really sick, so I was sick in bed and Sky called home to tell me.  After I got over feeling depressed that I was not destined to have nice things {extreme pity-party in action}  I snapped out of it determined to replace it and move on.  I was also determined on some righteous karma wishful-thinking....

I had it all figured out:  The radio actually didn't work all the time and had lately started shutting off when I tried to use the nav system.  it was starting to do this when I was changing music functions, too.  My great all-consuming hope/dream was that the thieves would go on to sell the radio on craigslist, sell it to a gang-member and then get their tuckus kicked when the gang person realized the radio was broken.

You're a little psyched with me, I can tell!  Karma, got to love it!

Sky returned home from church and I filled him in on my great hope.  He looked at me, a little confused/concerned and said...

"I just prayed for them, they really must need the Lord."  ....okay.... I realized with sudden clarity that it was glaringly obvious which one of us was reading their Bible and which one of us hadn't been...

So okay, I prayed too.  Is it bad that a teeny tiny part of me still kind of likes the whole craigslist scenario??  Don't answer...

• I am getting a lot of visits to my blog because of a google search for River Song's red shoes.  This makes me a bit giddy.  You can see her shoes in action here *River Song video

• I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with way less sugar. Brilliant move, the result was the kids left them alone.  Score!  I will share my recipe as soon as I can get it together enough to take nice photos of the cookies.  My name is Jenn and I have a homeschool curriculum habit problem and a picky photography hang-up, I am seeking an appropriate 12 step program. 

• I actually made three things on my pinterest boards!!  Woot!  I made the crock-pot French dip sandwiches [great but lacking in flavor, must figure out a spice remedy] the pancake apple rings [made them with gluten free pancake mix-they are an awesome snack!] and then tonight the Greek lemon chicken. [Sky thought they were too sour, but he ate the skin, I did not eat the skin and liked them]  I think I need to make a pinterest board titled "pins I've actually done"   Here are my boards - henjenca on pinterest

• everyone but me it seems, has seen The Hunger Games.  Big pout.  Meg and Josie went with friends on Saturday night.  Sky is going to take me hopefully tomorrow.  He has no real interest in it, but knows I want to see it badly.  He's a good man <3

Hope your week is beautiful, bloggy friends!  :)

March Photo-a-day {days 14, 15, 16, 17}

March photo-a-day challenge

day 14  {Math}

a short lesson for Demi & Sky out of their 6th grade test prep.  The chocolate bar upper right made me hungry....

I'll have to remember for tomorrow that fractions are more fun with Hershey Bars :)

day 15  {Mom-my-ride}

Sunday morning, I was sick in bed but Sky and the kids jumped into my car and discovered it had been broken into and the fancy nav/stereo was gone!  Also gone: my ashtray which holds spare change :(

I recently moved way up in style and got an older, many miles on it- used car.  *But, it is loaded to the max.  I told Sky I was  never going back, luxury for me, all-the-way!  (it has heated seats- OOXXO)

But alas, my love affair lasted only a few months.  I'm back to "mom-my-ride" land...

day 16 {black & white}

snapped a photo with my iphone of the ash tree next door.  There is a huge crows nest up there, and everyday I see mr. & mrs. crow sitting together in the tree.

day 17 {green}

this is my keychain, it is an Irish symbol of the trinity.  (I was sick St. Patrick's day, so nothing festive happened, except Meg danced in an Irish dance show)

Well my lovelies, a horrible host I have been!  I am so behind, but I have been really sick.  Link up or comment if you have been keeping up!

You can find the link-up and the list of March prompts here:

March photo-a-day-challenge @ homeiswhereyoustartfrom

March photo-a-day {days 11, 12, 13}

March photo-a-day challenge {this moment, effort, art}

{this moment} Meg and Josie are spending a lot of time riding. We were so blessed this year to meet an older couple that delight in having our girls exercise their horses!

{effort}  Josie is wanting to step up her fencing game and start competing.  We started a fast-track coaching program that has her (and mom) at the fencing academy almost daily.

{art}  Sky put together this board which I then painted with chalkboard paint-to hang over the couch.  I love it!

I apologize for getting behind on the challenge, I've been pretty sick with a nasty virus and bad asthma.  -I've got some catching up to do!

can't wait to see what you have come up with!  Link up or comment :)

Mr. Chewy.com -pet food retailer {review}

I was invited to review the online pet food retailer- Mr.Chewy.com recently. I have to say that, as a  dog-mom, a homeschool-mom, being both busy and a procrastinator; the idea of ordering dog food online and having it delivered right to my door was really appealing to me.  Heck, it's an answer to prayer!  I haven't ordered dog food online before because frankly, I figured the prices  would be higher and then I'd have to pay for shipping too.

I was pleasantly surprised to find Mr. Chewy's prices to be competitive, and sometimes even lower on the many products they offer.

MrChewy.com is an online pet food retailer offering more than 70 brands of pet food, treats and supplies.

***MrChewy offers free shipping on any order over $49

***orders under $49 pay just $4.95

***offers automatic shipments - and you save 15% off your first order when you set up automatic shipment. *** you can easily cancel, pause or change any part of your order schedule.

 Emma the- wonder-labradoodle is allergic to rice.  (and I think, eggs)  Um, guess what ingredient is in almost all dog food? Rice.  I spend most of my time in pet stores reading labels.  I have found a few brands of food Emma can eat, but they are not sold in the pet store closest to me.

Ordering online is the way to go, I've seen the light!!

MrChewy.com has a very easy to use website.  They had all the familiar brands, and also the hard to find rice-less brands I can buy.  I appreciated the handy tab for each item to click for the list of ingredients.  Because of this handy tab, I was able to order a box of treats we haven't purchased before- but I knew they were safe because I could read all the ingredients right there on my screen.

I ordered two cases of canned dog food for Emma, a box of carob/peanut butter cookie treats (these are her all-time favorites now) and a chewy bone.

It was very easy to place my order online, I got a notice the next day that it had shipped- and then, 5 days later I had a package at my door.  Easy peasy.  I am now, quite the fan!

Emma was quite the fan, also.  She gets so excited when we bring something home for her, she knew this package was for her and had to sniff it.  (We gave her the bone right away)

if you want to try ordering with Mr. Chewy, you can use the discount code MARM6630 for 10% off and Mr. Chewy will donate $10 to an amazing animal charity.

 disclosure: I was given a coupon so I could order from the website and give my honest review of their service. My opinions are all my own.

March photo-a-day {days 7-10}

*day 7 {sky} a piece of the blue sky above the blossoming tree in our front yard.

*day 8 {handwriting} Amie's handwriting worksheet of Psalm 100:1 ~Abeka curriculum

*day 9 {snack} carob and peanut butter cookie DOG treats for Emma. Yes, dog treats. They smell delicious, the only way you would know they are for dogs is by the bones stamped on them!  I didn't try one, but I bet they taste pretty good!

*day 10 {together} Meg rode doubles with Amie so Amie could experience riding a running horse.  I love that my kids are good to each other. <3

you can find the photo prompts for March here*

Lucky Nola {affordable art} giveaway

Dear bloggy friends, I have a giveaway for you!  I am giving away this beautiful double heart ceramic wall hanging by Lucky Nola.

as you can see, it is beautifully made, and it is stamped with first- "Home is where your heart lives"  {be still, my heart!} and also with a pelican and some other neat etchings.  It is about 4 1/4 inches by 6 inches and has 3 hooks on the back for hanging.  Her pieces are kiln fired for permanency.

You can visit Lucky Nola at her facebook page  *Lucky Nola on FB

or visit her Etsy store to see more handmade lovelies.  (I am particularly crushing on her bunny items and her other bird items<3)

*Lucky Nola Etsy store

click over, Lucky Nola will satisfy your gift-giving ceramic whimsy needs :)

 ******

I am giving away this double heart pelican wall hanging I have right here + Plus + a $10 Starbucks card.

You can now have tasteful ceramic art on your wall, and soothing caffeine at the same time!  If that is not love, I don't know what is...

**all you have to do is click over to Lucky Nola's Etsy store and come back and tell me what spoke to you in an "I need" sort of way.

follow the directions on the rafflecopter button-thingy...it's okay, they will walk you through it.