June Goals

June is already in full swing but the first few weeks of June have been oddly busy.  I seem to recall this from last year - it stays busy until Worship Camp is done (which is happening this week) and then it calms down just a little.  I'm using this week during the day, while my guys are at camp, to tackle some projects AND enjoying some scrapbooking time.  

A few weeks ago I shared a post about summer plans.  That is an addendum to my goals - it's an overview of what I'm hoping for the entire summer; this is the plan for just June!  

So, here's the plan for June: 

1. Complete all of the items on the June Declutter 365 calendar.  

2. Complete all of the zone cleaning from Flylady (I made my own master lists based on her suggested lists) 

3. Basement Declutter - Continue with the "bag/box/bin" cleanout each day.  Honestly, I almost always do more than one when I start working so it moves faster than it appears. 

4. Deep Clean the Garage - This is one of my main focus' during the month of June especially while the guys are at worship camp.  

5. Finish the odds and ends in Josh's Room - I am keeping this on the list in case we get a chance to get it done but really, I'm thinking this will happen in July. 

6. I'm still working on deep cleaning the living room so that is the main goal this month.  If (and that is a big if) it is completed before month end the next room on the list is the bathroom. 

7. Go on a date with Darryl - this month it takes just a little more planning :-) 

8. List curriculum on sale on-line

9. Read at least 6 books this month

10. Do my daily Bible Study

11. Scrapbook 

12. Clean my vehicle!  I always do this during worship camp :-) 

13. Now that school is done I need to wrap up Josh's records and make his transcript. 

14. Figure out the Google Work Space access so I can upload documents for anyone on our Leadership Team to access. 

15.  It is time to start planning my Joyful class.  My goal this month is to just get weeks 1 and 2 planned and prepped. 

16. Learn a second piano song and review the first one.  

17.  One of my yearly goals is to decorate my home for the seasons.  As we come into June-August I want a more clean feeling so I'm taking down the spring decor and not adding anything new.  So the goal is to just get the spring things done and put away. 

18. Attend our various field trips/meet-ups:  Honestly, I don't think there are any official items on the list for our Co-Op that we can actually attend.  I am hoping to do a meet-up with the teems at a local bowling alley.   

19. Work on finances/budgeting - looking ahead and what is needed and sticking to our budget.  

20. Find time to have a bonfire or two including roasting hotdogs and smore's.  

21. Begin some planning for our 25th anniversary year.  I have some ideas in my head and it is time to start planning or it will be here before we know it! 

22. Keep up with the yard.  To be honest none of us enjoy yard work.  So keeping the yard goal in front of me/us is a good thing.  My teens do a great job with mowing and weep whipping.  From there we just need to stay on top of the big things that grow, trim my tree (the one thing I actually love doing), and just do a general pick up periodically. 

23. Computer clean-up.  There is a lot of stuff saved on my computer and it is time to start cleaning out the stuff that doesn't matter.  Just 15 minutes a day will clean it up pretty quickly. 

24. Make a weekly/daily plan.  I want to make sure I use my time during the summer in a good way.  Don't get me wrong, I do plan to read, enjoy my swing, and relax without the need to run around to all the things but trust me, I can read a day away without an issue if I don't have a plan. HA! 

25. Accomplish at least half of this months goals HA! (I like this goal very much LOL) 

Weekly Song - Homecoming (Lyric Video) - Cory Asbury, Gable Price

Nate shared this song with me so I thought I'd share it with you.  

Our weekly snapshot

 This past week has been busy!  At some points in the week we were running in multiple directions.  Thankfully my brother and/or my mom were able to help get Josh and Nate places they wanted to be while Darryl and I were running in other directions.  

Here is a quick snapshot of some of our adventures! 

On Saturday, Josh got to fly!  It was a free opportunity that he just loved.  Yes, he really did get to fly the plane and he loved it.  He has always had a dream to learn to fly and that dream is still alive!  After dropping him off at home, Darryl and I took off to spend the afternoon with his dad.  My mom was able to take Josh and Nate to a friends house for a bonfire.  

On Sunday I had a choir concert.  Normally either everyone attends or I go by myself BUT this time, Darryl and I took off and went just the two of us while my teens hung out with my mom and my brother.  (We are singing the exact same concert in another week right in our town so my family will attend that one HA!)  Darryl and I drove to the most adorable town (which is actually an island!) where we enjoyed lunch, a few minutes at this amazing park behind us, and then the concert.  

Meanwhile, Nate attended the "end of the year" youth group party with one of the youth groups he often attends.  

On Monday, Nate, two of his friends and I attended the year end field trip with Nate's on-line school.  It was a beautiful day!  PLUS it's great having teens HA!  Unlike the days when the boys were in elementary school and they couldn't wander too far, the teen boys could hike, play at the splash pad, and do the fun run without me worrying about where they were.  I got to visit with a friend and read! 

On Tuesday evening we enjoyed dinner with my mom, brother, and sister-in-law.  We also played some fun games! 

While there are no photos of Wednesday - it was super busy.  Nate had a birthday party to attend while Josh went to a friends house for the afternoon.  While they did that, I cleaned our church before taking each of the boys to a youth group (yes, separate ones as they were each attending with different friends!) 

Finally, Thursday,  My mom, brother, sister-in-law and I went started out by visiting our cousin/niece in the hospital.  It was a great visit but I didn't get a photo (plus who wants a photo in the hospital HA!)..Then we met another cousin (who is the sister of the cousin in the hospital) for lunch.  We had such fun visiting with Ginger!  

Then, we ended up back at my mom's a little later for pizza and games.  Nate actually had plans with his two best friends so he was off on his own adventure! 

What about Friday?  I think we were all tired LOL  Ken and Lynnette headed down South (home) early in the morning.  We love when they are here and always miss them when they leave. 

Weekly Menu

 Family has left (we are always sad to see them go!) and we are on to a family wedding and a week of worship camp!  

Friday - Nate is off with friends for the day/night.  I figured I would see what Josh would like to do for dinner (and we will invite my mom to join us if she so pleases HA!) 

Saturday - Today we have an open house to attend in the morning; then Darryl and I are off to his nephews reception while Josh and Nate attend a youth activity. 

Sunday - Today is Father's Day! (That kind of snuck up on me!)  I always ask Darryl what he wants :-) 

Monday - Pork Roast in the Crock Pot, Fried Rice, and Green Beans 

Tuesday - Chicken Scaloppini with pasta and a salad

Wednesday - Youth Group(s) - While our youth group is done for the summer, they each have a friend who has a church youth group that IS continuing through the summer that they are choosing to go to.  Darryl and I will be on our own in between driving kids to their locations HA! 

Thursday - Pulled Pork Sliders, Homemade Potato Salad, and Baked Beans (it is summer after all!) 

Last Day of School

 It is hard to believe but another year of school has ended!  Joshua wrapped up 10th grade and Nate finished up 9th grade.  If you would have asked me when I started homeschooling if High School would be harder than elementary I would have said YES!  BUT it isn't!  For one, we have all learned together.  The other reason is that they have learned to be independent.  I'm here for anything they need related to school and we do sit on the couch together and work on things.  Sometimes I'm just "moral support" and sometimes I'm explaining concepts but they are also very capable of completing assignments on their own and it is great!  That is the goal after all - Independence. 

Here are their photos from this year : 

I always say "WE" made it LOL 

And "WE" are both moving on to 11th grade LOL 

Big Daddy Weave - I've Just Seen Too Much (Official Lyric Video)

I ran across this one just on a sidebar on YouTube while looking for a different song, clicked on it, and just really liked the message.  It is fun finding new songs I haven't heard before! 

Our weekly snapshot

 Here’s a look back at our week: 

My brother, Ken is in town so we enjoyed dinner with him.

We had some unexpected vehicle issues. 

Josh and Nate had a piano recital. 

We celebrated the last day of school. 

And my brother Kel surprised my mom (and we celebrated National Donut day with him!) 

It was really a great week! 

Weekly Menu

We are technically on Summer Break!  I say technically because Josh has chosen to work on a few things this summer.   But I can say that everyone is done with the 2024-2025 school year which is great!  Not to mention youth groups are done and lessons have all wrapped up too!  This next week is pretty quiet and then we will enter summer camp phase which keeps the boys busy for sure!  My brother and sister-in-law are around this coming week still so, again, as I'm planning I know that it might change based on when we eat dinner with family.  (My guys have just informed me that they want to go to youth group on Wednesday nights with a friend who's group runs all summer so . . .I guess youth group isn't really done HA!) 

Here's the plan for the coming week: 

Friday -  Tacos - it is my standby right now for a simple, easy dinner. 

Saturday - We have a busy day today and my guys will be at a bonfire with friends tonight which leaves Darryl and I with a "date" night.  

Sunday - My kids will get to hang out with my mom as I have a concert with my choral group.  

Monday - Buttermilk Waffles and Sausage/Bacon

Tuesday - I'm guessing dinner with the family

Wednesday - Brats, Fried Zucchini, and . . .. something.  Maybe baked beans or corn or something.  I'm not inspired yet HA! 

Thursday - BBQ Cups and Fries 

Recap of May Goals

 May brought us some really hot, humid days;  some wicked storms; and the coldest Memorial Day Weekend in a very long time!  We put the window A/C units in earlier then we ever have to combat the humidity.  Then ended up having to click the furnace up enough to come on due to near freezing temps at night!  Just crazy! May has also brought lots of green (which means mowing HA) and beautiful flowers.  In reality, Spring time might be my favorite time of the year.  I love seeing everything come alive!  

May was pretty heavily focused on school as both guys were working towards wrapping up their year.  That meant I did not focus quite so much on my "to do" list and instead helped them as much as needed.  I also felt like I was gone more and we had more "things" going on also.  I tried to focus on what I could get done and not worry about what didn't get done.  Summer is coming which opens up my schedule a little more :-) 

Here's a recap: 

Here's the plan: 

1. I'm keeping Delcutter 365 and Flylady Zones on the goal list.  I think that as I declutter/deep clean spaces both of these ideas will help keep the areas clean.  I actually completed the May Declutter 365 calendar tasks.  (it did help that I didn't need to do most of the tasks because they didn't apply to me/my house HA); I have also noticed that the Flylady website is not being kept current so what I did was went through her deep cleaning lists and created my own that fit my space better and plan to implement those each month.  I did get week one done! 

2. Continue on with the basement declutter.  Last month a started with a "bag/box/bin" cleanout a day.  Basically I just worked to clean out at least one thing.  Most times I ended up cleaning a whole shelf or a whole corner but it really helped make it seem more doable.    I didn't have as much time to focus on this during most of the month.  During the last week of the month though, the boys helped carry up things that needed to be donated to give me more space to work and then I worked on going through a bin/box/shelf each day and got more done. 

3. Deep clean the garage (hoping for more consistent decent weather to empty it, clean it, and organize it for summer) This did not happen.  Weekends seemed busy this month.  

4. Finish the odds and ends in Josh's room. This hasn't been his top priority right now with school and such.  There is a week that Nate is at camp and Josh is not so I'm tentatively planning to work with him that week to get it done (really, there is less then a days worth of work to do) We may get to it sooner but we shall see. 

5. Clean up the yard - get rid of junk that accumulates thanks to the winds of winter, clean up flower bed, spray weed killer where needed, and set up the yard ornaments. This was my Memorial Day Weekend project.  Well, some had been done during April as far as clean-up.  But I did spray the weeds and set everything out.  I even got a new rug to put by the back door.  

6. Now that the Dining Room is done - it is time to move on to the next room which is . . .. the Living Room!  My list is a mile long so hopefully I can get it done this month! I'm pushing this into June :-)  

7. Go on a Date with Darryl (this is an every month goal!) Done :-)  Now that youth group is done though I'll have to actually plan one and not rely on our Wednesday Night dinner dates HA! 

8. List curriculum for sale on-line.  I have not done this yet.  Just have not take the time to take photos and list. 

9. Read at least 6 books this month Done (and then some).  The Libby App has really increased my reading.  One, I have access to so many books for free and two, I get them for 14 days HA!  Yes you can renew them as long as no one else is waiting "in line" for the book so I push myself to get them read before the due date. 

10. DO my daily Bible Study. Nope.  

11. Scrapbook :-)  Yes!  I was able to get time during the Holiday Weekend and then I planned my own scrapbooking retreat while my guys were all at a Father/Son Retreat. 

12.  Clean out my vehicle . . well, and clean it HA! This got pushed to June.  I usually deep clean it one of the days my guys are at Worship Camp - I drop them off and then spend a good 45 minutes at the spray car wash doing some deep cleaning. 

13. Finalize Josh's 11th grade curriculum and budget to order it before September. This is basically done - we haven't picked his science course yet.  I've reached out to the community college that offers Radiology Tech to ask some questions about the best science courses that he should take the next two years. 

14. Write a weekly to do list and stick to it (I did this in April and it helped me stay more focused on my goals) I did do this and it does help me focus on what is important/needed.  It also shows me how much I over plan. 

15. Wrap up all things related to my co-op this semester -  Figure out the Google work space access so I can upload documents for anyone on the Leadership Team to use/print/see.  Also, go through all of my co-op files on my computer and clean them out. Didn't even touch this one.  

16. Learn one piano solo. Done.  

17. Learn a song to sing in church. Not done.  I am singing with our praise team once a twice a month though and I like this opportunity. 

18. Update my home for spring. Done

19. Buy and hang new curtains in my living room. Still have to order my new curtains after returning the ones I didn't like. 

20. Visit Boulder Ridge Zoo with Josh, Nate, and my mom. As stated previously, this month was focused on school so this didn't happen.  Maybe we can do it in June :-) 

21.  Attend various field trips/meet-ups - A park day and a trail walk are on the plan for this month.   Done

22.  Work on finances/budgeting - looking ahead at what needs to be paid, like summer camps, and budget for paying those things.  Track daily/weekly spending so I can see where funds are going. 1/2 done.  I started out strong but didn't track well half way through the month.  I kept track in my mind so I still did much better at not spending on things that weren't in the budget. 

23. Go through my guys clothes for summer;  make a plan to purchase all that they need in the coming weeks.  (shorts, shirts, dress clothes, shoes - thinking about camps this summer and what they need) This is also pretty much done.  I imagine that as we get to the end of June and do a final camp list for July we may have to pick up a few things but they are good to go to start the summer. 

24.  Put away all winter gear - snow pants, coats, boots ect.  Also go through ALL of the jackets hanging up and only keep what we wear/use.  Done. 

25. Accomplish at least half of this months goals HA! So close!! I had two 1/2 done items - so that would total 12 all together.  

Bright Side of Broken by MercyMe [Lyric Video]

I don't think Mercy Me has every done a song that isn't just great.  This one is just another example of their great music!  Enjoy! 

Our weekly snapshot

 Here’s a Quick Look back at our week: 

We celebrated my moms birthday on Sunday. 

I took some photos of our sweet animals. 

This was the last week of youth group 😊

Nate shared devotions at TKD on Thursday. 

Weekly Menu

 Welcome to another week!  We are creeping into June and that is blowing my mind just a bit.  My brother and sister-in-law arrive this weekend for a few weeks so we will end up eating at my mom's a few more days than normal and it isn't always planned.  So, while I am planning meals it doesn't mean they will get made :-)  

Friday - Darryl, Josh and Nate are to a Father/Son retreat.  I'm "heading" to a Scrapbook Retreat (I don't have to travel far HA!)  So I'll keep dinner simple.  

Saturday - My guys will all get home later today so we will just plan dinner around that. 

Sunday -  My brother and sister-in-law arrive this weekend so we are having dinner at my mom's after church with them. 

Monday -   Beef tips and noodles. We go in different directions tonight (TKD, Choir).  

Tuesday - Amish baked chicken and butter noodles

Wednesday - There is no more youth group so now I have to actually plan dinner HA!  BBQ cups and fries

Thursday - Tonight is my guys piano recital so dinner will need to be fast and easy. I always like to do Tacos on nights like this because we can eat in shifts and eat quickly as needed. 

Summer Plans

 The past few years I've shared our Summer Plans and then do weekly posts on what we did (or didn't do HA!)  Since I already have my weekly snapshot post on Saturday I will just use that to post about our summer.  I planned a lot more when the kids were little and we had our friends here all summer.  I felt like I needed to plan learning fun, game fun, water fun, and just plain fun. Now that they are teenagers they prefer to plan their own things, sleep in, play video games with friends, and only do a few things I have planned.  That's ok.  I tend to plan my summer more than theirs now and that's ok too.  I also work to find very inexpensive (or free) things to do together for fun because, quite honestly, summer can get expensive.  Zoos, Museums, and other outings always come with a price tag!   Plus, my guys have multiple weeks of camps - Worship Camp, Summer Camp (x2 for Nate), Nana Camp, and hopefully a trip to Darryl's mom's for at least a few days.  Throw in visits from two of my brothers and well, summer kinda plans itself.  

Something unique this year is that Josh and Nate will both be gone for an entire week together at camp which gives me two options.  Plan a full week of projects or a full week of doing absolutely nothing.  Ok, maybe it will be more a mix of the two ideas - but it will be good no matter what.  

I have been working on my list of plans . . .goals. . .hopes.  Here's a few items on that list:

1. Go to the next town over with my guys and take photos at all of the fun murals and such around town. 

2. Finish cleaning out the basement (I've been working on it as you know so it is time to wrap it up!) 

3. Go to the Grand Rapids Museum with my guys. 

4. Deep clean the bathroom - I had started it but then got side tracked.  This is a good project for when my guys are gone at camp.  

5. Go to the Sunday Night Worship on the Waterfront concerts. 

6. Completely plan my fall Joyful class (I say this every year - lets see if I can make it happen this time!) 

7. Go to a fun cow and sunflower event in August (I already have tickets)

8. Scrapbook a whole lot. Like tons. 

9. Attend the Andrew Peterson Concert at Maranatha in June. 

10. Finish Ordering/planning Josh's 11th grade year; Also wrap up anything related to 10th grade as far as grades and organization. 

11. Attend a wedding, open houses, and my choir concerts.  

So, as you can see, I have fun and "work" thrown in the plans.  I also want to really dig into my own personal devotions/prayer time while I have more "free time" as well as read as much as possibly can because that is something I love!   

It's About the Cross (The Ball Brothers)

This is my mom's favorite song and, since it is her Birthday today I thought I'd share it just for her :-) 

Our weekly snapshot

 Last Saturday Nate went with a group of some of his close friends to a homeschool “prom”.  One of the girls is graduating and she asked for this - a group of friends to go together.  Her parents took care of everything - dinner, transportation etc.  the teens just had fun!  (Josh was invited but he prefers casual game nights to semi-formal events) 

On Tuesday my Mom and I attended a funeral for a long time family friend and were able to catch up with the rest of the family as well. 

That’s all the photos this week! 

Weekly Menu

 It is the unofficial start of summer - Memorial Day Weekend!  Wow!  I felt like January-March were long and a little trying at times with sickness and broken things but as summer approaches I'm enjoying beautiful spring days and lots of sunshine (and I also love the rainy days too!)  

Friday - Stuffed Crust Alfredo Pizza and Salad.  I just love this recipe.  I don't make it often but every time I do make it I wonder why I don't make it more often! 

Saturday - Ham and Cheese Quiche, Sausage Balls, and Overnight Cinnamon Rolls  

Sunday - Today is my Mom's birthday!  She picked Paremsan crusted pork chops, Cheesy Potatoes, and Sweet Potato Casserole for dinner :-) 

Monday - Memorial Day - we will be heading to my mom's today for a nice Memorial Day meal. 

Tuesday -  Pork Loin Stuffed with Spinach , potatoes and carrots.  This is an old favorite - I think Darryl made it first years ago for Valentine's Day or some sort of Holiday.  I made something similar for Christmas a few years ago but without the spinach.  (This was schedule for last week but I had a funeral to attend so I left chicken tacos for the guys to make) 

Wednesday - This is the last week of Youth Group.  Darryl and I will enjoy a "date night" before I have to start cooking on Wednesdays again LOL 

Thursday - Beef Tips and Noodles and Crescent Rolls.  A Family favorite for YEARS!  

So now, on to summer!!  :-) 

A Few of My Favorite Things

 I actually think I should rename this - "Things that bring me Joy"!  This time of year my list is driven more by the weather than by anything else. 

Tulips are my favorite flower.  I don't currently have any in my yard but our church has some beautiful flowers popping up!  I used to have Tulips in my yard but the rabbits kept getting to them!  I might need to try planting some bulbs again so I can enjoy them next spring. 

My flowering tree always brings me joy!!  It is just beautiful and full of blossoms.  I was a little concerned about it this week because we had some really strong winds early in the week but, thankfully, the buds hadn't opened yet so I still can enjoy it's beauty!  The flowers don't last long so I always make sure to snap some photos when it is at its prime. 

I don't want a ton of TV but these are two shows I really enjoy.  Vacation House Rules is on HGTV and host is just great - he is funny and talented.  Darryl enjoys it too because of the host.  24 in 24 is on the Food Network and it is one of Josh and my favorite's!  We watched season 1 last year and it was SO stressful LOL  Season 2 started on my birthday (it was a birthday gift!) and we are hooked once again!