Author Archives: Grace Mischenko

To do list

Posted on by

Things I accomplished yesterday:




  • Monitored boys doing math


  • Washed the picture window in the livingroom


  • Wiped down the front of the fridge


  • Scoured the cooktop


  • Bleached the tub


  • Folded 4 loads of laundry


  • Washed and changed the sheets on the Master Bed


  • Got the infant carseat out of storage and reassembled it (it was already washed!)


  • Folded extra blankets and towels in the Mstr. Bed.


  • Worked out homeowners insurance for new house with Julia from Country Insurance via phone


  • Worked on layout of kitchen with Terri at Lowes via phone


  • Left message for Tammy at MVFCU about insurance & to check on appraisal


  • Called Grandview: confirmed reservations and asked about phone situation


  • Made an entry on my blog and checked/responded to emails

Today while in town, I need to go to the following places:




  • Learning Essentials – see if they have multiplication wrap-ups


  • WF – cash checks


  • Eye Guys – pick up glasses


  • MEA – sign work order and pay w/ check


  • Lowes – p/u kitchen and countertop bids


  • Midwives – appt. 2pm, take baby's Vital Stats paperwork & carseat


  • MVFCU – drop off paperwork


  • Sears – get B's glasses fixed and adjusted


  • Dittbrenders – drop off copy of kitchen bid


  • Fred Meyer – groceries and personal supplies

And why does it seem like I am forgetting something?!?  Dh saw me cleaning up a storm yesterday and commented on my physiological condition…I think he was trying to say he thought I must be nesting!  LOL!


 


Well, I am off to drop off my daughter to play with friends, and head to town with the four boys.  I am taking all of my “baby stuff” with me just in case.  Dh is in town for three days, so if anything comes of my appt. today, he will have to come meet us.  I am feeling pretty good right now though.  I woke up yesterday with such a positive attitude, and I think with all that I have to accomplish today, it will continue.  Dh was hoping I would make it to today without having the little one so we could get all of this busy work behind us….now if we can just get it all done, then we can sit back and wait for this little one to show up.

Weekend baby update

Posted on by

Well, we are still holding on here…no baby yet.   All weekend I have been having contractions to the point of wondering if we should head in to the birthing center.  We live an hour away, and my labors go pretty quickly, so I anguish over making the drive down, and not really being in labor.  Anyway, I guess I just need to mellow out and stop fretting about it, and I suppose I will really know when it is time.   God has safely delivered two of my babies from here, so I have no doubt He will do it again.


 


My dad preached a sermon yesterday about trusting God and how we have peace through Him.  He will never fail us if we rely on Him.  Instead of fretting and worrying, we are to turn to Him in prayer, and REJOICE, knowing that He hears us.


 


I am just going to enjoy sleeping through the night (mostly!) and getting lots done around here.  Now that we are past the 37-week mark, I don't have to worry about doing whatever I want to to get the house ready for a new little one and a move.  I am just praying that he doesn't come the last week of August, as we are supposed to move on September 1st…even if he comes a few days late, after the move!  At least we would be right across the street from the birthing center then!


 


Still no name….

Math struggles and a plan

Posted on by

Well, I had planned on starting math this month, as that seems to be our biggest area of struggle.  I was feeling at a loss of what to do with them, as it seems to take them FOREVER to finish three pages of math.  Dh and I discussed it and we decided that it would be a good idea to practice their times tables every morning, so from now on, here is what our routine will be for math each day:


 


Three pages in their workbooks


15 minutes on MathBuilder (a computer math program)


Saying the times tables for three numbers twice daily


Saying the number progression for three numbers twice daily


 


For example, on Monday's, they will do 2's, 3's, and 4's in MathBuilder, do 2×1, 2×2, 2×3, 2×4 etc., and 2, 4, 6, 8 etc.  Each day of the week will have their designated numbers.  Hopefully doing this will cement it in their minds a little better and will help them do their worksheets more quickly.


 


That's what we are going to try anyway.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Doesn’t this look wonderful!

Posted on by

Kris, of Journey Back In Time, created this new blog template for me!  I couldn't be happier!  She was so tolerant of my many emails to her asking for this change and then another one…and what a perfect fit for me!


 


She also did new blog templates for:


 


Bump on a Blog


Receiving God's Blessings in the Bahamas




Picket Fence Mom's Place (absolutely love this one!)



Chronicles from Holland


 


Thank you, thank you, thank you Kris!  I love it!  Isn't she the best?!?

Baby update…

Posted on by

I didn't have too many contractions today.
We had a lovely picnic with many fellow Christian homeschoolers today,
and then I had a midwife appt. The baby is definitely very low.
Jessica (one of the midwives) said that she could barely feel his head
he is so low! I had a contraction while I was there, so she felt how
hard it was, and how long they were. They are definitely real. She
also said that the sharp pains in my nether regions were probably
changes in the cervix.

She asked if I wanted to be checked, but we didn't want to stir things
up any, so she will check me next week just so I know how fast we need
to drive when the contractions get regular! LOL! They did offer to let
me come stay there at the birthing center if I feel like I need to.
They just remodeled a little room for that exact purpose at the center.

The baby is laying backward, meaning that it feels like he is way over
on the side, so she has me trying some postions to help encourage him to
turn, so he doesn't come out upside-down, like Naomi did. I have
another appt. next Tuesday.

Yes, only one more day…and dh will be home tomorrow night. 😉 I
really miss him when he is gone, especially after this memorable
weekend!! He has been so sweet, calling me very regularly to check up
on me. Such a dear….

Well, it is late, and I have groceries to put away and I need to get the
kids to bed. They got their new science books in the mail, so they are
sitting in the livingroom at 9pm doing school! Gotta love the beginning
of school….

Our delightful anniversary!

Posted on by

Oh, we had such a lovely time!  We dropped the kids off at my folks house around 5pm, and drove the last hour into town by ourselves.  We had a wonderful talk about some spiritual things.  We got to town right at 6pm, and our reservations were at 6:30, so we parked and walked down to the little park near the Fine Arts Center.  Dh mentioned that I might want to take some crackers, as we weren't actually going to eat until 7:30p.  I wondered where he was taking me at 6:30….


 


The park was lovely with all kinds of beautiful flowers and a water fountain in it, so we sat down and talked some more, and then headed back toward the restaurant at 6:20p.  As we were almost to the restaurant, here came two horse drawn carriages!  “I believe one of these is for us.”  he said.  “REALLY!?!  Oh, wow!”  We got a half hour carriage ride along the Cook Inlet with a beautiful view of Sleeping Lady and through the Park Strip.  The horse's name was Barney (my grandpa's name) and the driver's name was Craig (my dh's name)!


 


The carriage dropped us off at our favorite restaurant, Glacier Brewhouse, where we were immediately seated.  We knew what we wanted to order as we had already looked at their online menu, so after ordering New York Strip, garlic mashed potatoes, and salad, I gave dh his gift.


 


What I had done was hire a friend of mine to scrapbook a wedding album for us!  We had never done anything with our wedding pictures as we were dirt poor when we first got married, and they have been sitting in a box for the last 12 years.  My friend did a fabulous job, and dh was very suprised!  While we waited for our food to arrive, we looked through the album, and “re-lived” the day, commenting on how young everyone looked!  We ate, laughed, talked, made future plans, and snuggled our way through dinner.  It was SO lovely.


 


Even though it wasn't very late, we were too relaxed and sleepy to go do anything else, so we headed back to my parents house, an hour away.  We got back there about 10pm and most of the kids were still awake, so we told them about our evening, looked through the album again, and then everyone promptly fell asleep.


 


What a lovely day it was….

This is the day that the Lord has made…

Posted on by

Let us rejoice and be glad in it!


 



 


Here is my sweet, loving, hardworking husband, to whom I have been married for 12 years today!  He is such a wonderful man, always putting others first, and devoting his life to serving others in a quiet unassuming way.  This picture was taken last fall at our new property, while he was, as usual, working hard to build us our large, brand-new home!


 


I respect and love you, honey, more than words can express.  You are such a wonderful husband and loving father.  I thank God for you daily.

Contest! Win a free book!

Posted on by

Gayle, over at Grace For Gayle, is having a free book giveaway!  She is giving out five copies of a book called For Women Only:  What you need to know about the inner lives of men by Shaunti Feldhahn.  She is going to do an online book discussion group, and this is the first book that she is going to use!  It sounds rather interesting, so I thought I might join in.  Check it out!

Saturday is our 12th Anniversary!

Posted on by


It is hard to believe that we have been married for 12 years.  Sometimes it seems like we have been married longer, but that is probably because we were engaged for four years prior to getting married.


 


I did something pretty special for dh, but I don't want to tell just in case he actually does read this!  I am not sure who will be more excited about it though, as it is as much for me as it is for him.


 


Saturday night we are dropping the kids off at my parents while we go into the “city” to our favorite restaurant.  We looked at the menu online last night, and already know what we want to eat, even for dessert!  I asked dh to make the reservations early enough so we can go do something else after we eat.


 


We will spend the night at my folks (not real romantic since I sleep on the couch and he sleeps on the floor!) but then we won't have to drive back for church the next day.


 


I'll post what I am giving him after Saturday….