Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Happy New Year!

Well, yes, I've been very very busy and just now feel like I have some time to blog again.  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.  It has been crazy busy but fun around our house these days.  My husband got me a Korean cook book for Christmas since I really didn't want or need anything.  I am loving it!  So far I've made sweet rice balls, japchae, seasoned spinach, and seasoned zucchini.  Jacob has told me, "I'm the bestest cook ever."  Apparently I'm making my Korean dishes correctly with this cook book because I haven't always got that response for my Korean cooking from him.

For family and friends this year, we decided to make the majority of our Christmas gifts (items that were usable).  I was worried about the response, but everyone seem to really enjoy what was made for them.  Just a month before Christmas I had learned about making my own soaps and cleaners and really got caught up in finding the healthiest items to use for glass cleaner, soap, laundry detergent, floor cleaner, etc.  This lead me to creating some really cool cleaning products for just pennies.  My kids love the body wash I make out of honey and my husband loves the floor cleaner and glass cleaner.  My husband is so excited about the glass cleaner that he wants me to investigate selling some of these products (to see if we could actually make any money).  Guess that's my next big project!  I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

New Years didn't go exactly as planned.  Jacob got a stomach bug that delayed out plans with another family in celebrating Korean New Year.  We just postponed our celebration by a few days.  It ended up being a very fun time that we all enjoyed!

Now to the present - all 3 kids are in school (boys 3 days a week and Rebekah going forward through her 1st grade year).  Winter break was a blast!  Our 2 oldest worked on getting their Junior Ranger Stones River Battlefield badge, Underground Railroad badge, and Fort Donelson badge - with final outcome a Junior Civil War Historian badge (they really enjoyed getting to learn more about history and it was a fun way for them to spend their time off).  I took the boys last week to the Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's home) for the 199 anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans.  They had a great time!  Mason even got a picture made with Andrew Jackson and his wife Rachael.

With everyone being in school 3 days a week, I've been coming up projects that need to be completed around the house.  So far, I've repainted Rebekah's old desk to match her room and give her a personal space for doing her homework in the evenings (she gets so upset at the boys for being loud and gets so distracted by everything going on).  She loves her next desk and workspace (total cost for reworking the old table - $12).

Today I finally got the boys moved into a room with a bathroom.  I took the "playroom" and transformed it into their room.  They have more floor space and closet space.  The "playroom" can be put back out when needed (every toy has a place in the closet - making it easy for the boys to pick up their room when finished playing at the end of the day).  Was nice to not have to lock the closet and finally have a place for everything.  As Jacob said when he saw his new room, "you make me so happy" - aka I love my new room!  :-)

Next house project, convert their old room into a guest room (something we haven't had since moving here almost 4 years ago).  :-)

 Boy's new bedroom

Painting Rebekah's table

Mason with Andrew Jackson

Being Sworn in as a Junior Rangers

Fun on a snow day (I know - it's just a dusting)

 Sleeping with his toys from Santa

Me and my kids (I love being Mom)!