Spring Break

Soo, the cake decorating classes were cancelled due to lack of sign-ups.  That was a bummer, but everything happens for a reason, so on to the next adventure.  Things have been busy here at the Schaefer house, with Girl Scout cookie sales, school functions, & everyday life.  I did get some part-time work (3-4 days a month) at a food vendor cart at 1st Monday.  I began today & within 5 minutes of arriving, I was learning how to roll egg rolls!  It's too bad Vernon & the kids won't eat them :(  Oh well, I did get a little cultural lesson out of it, if nothing else!
   Speaking of cultural lessons, there has been something really weighing on our hearts for the past couple of months, & we are still in discussion & prayer for God to lead us down the right path.  We are looking at possibly homeschooling the kids after this summer.  It is such a huge commitment & will take a lot of time & work, but the rewards seem so worth it.  This year has just really worn our family out, with all the stress placed on the kids regarding the standardized testing, the tons of homework, & let's not forget all the fundraisers!  It seems that the schools are trying to make up for the state budget cuts by adding more fundraisers, & with kids at 2 different campuses, it is re-donk-ulous!!  Not to mention the constant money needs for field trips, t-shirts, or 'extra' supplies.  I added those up today that are due during the month of April, $125--that we know of right now!  I am not in the habit of complaining about the public school system, but wow, this just seems unbelievable!!  We will be praying that God leads us down the right path & hope that the decision that we make is right for our family.
   Tomorrow at 3 pm begins our Spring Break & I think I am more excited than the kids are.  I have lots of crafts & activities lined out for us & can't wait to get started on some of them.  Since next week is Holy Week, the majority of the crafts are for the Easter breakfast at church that I am planning for the fifth year.  The past two years I was stuck in a rut with the decorations & activities, but we are going to change that this year, & I can't wait!  Hopefully I can post pics of some of our activities (I know I haven't been doing good at that, but hey, i'm new at this blogging thing--I have to give myself a break).
   Soo much to do & soo little time---we wouldn't have it any other way  :)

No sense in wasting...time or peanut butter!!

Well, I didn't do very well at posting in less than 2 weeks, it's been almost a month!!  I have been feeling very homey lately.  I made my 2nd batch of homemade peanut butter today.  The 1st was a little too salty, but we ate it anyway...no sense in wasting peanut butter.  I have been organizing the hundreds, maybe even thousands, recipes I have collected over the past several years & have been trying some of them out.  We always seem to have our favorites, spaghetti, chicken & rice, tacos...  I am ready to break out of that pattern & try something new at least twice a week, but my family is not anywhere near ready.  I told them we were having teriyaki chicken tonight & they grumbled.  But when I said I was making banana bread for dessert, the smiles came out!!  I just can't help feeling like I need to be doing something else in my life right now...(as if there isn't enough already!)  Soo, I will begin cake decorating classes on Monday night.  Let's see how this goes since I have to eat a gluten-free diet & won't be able to taste my work......wait, maybe I can get away with trying more varieties at mealtimes as long as my family gets to sample my creations---awesome idea!!!  I'm sure there will be lots of wasted cake as I work on decorating, but my family certainly won't let it go to waste.  Just like the peanut butter, there is no sense in wasting!!