What I'm Reading, What We're Eating and Other Random Things

TBT - My brother Jim& me, Kindergarten Graduation

A few random things today...

Picture is for Throwback Thursday - my big brother and me at my Kindergarten Graduation. 

My sweet niece, Jamie, the sunshine of my life, giver of hugs and sweetest soul that ever walked the Earth... is sick. She has missed three days of school this week and next week she has the lead in her 3rd Grade Musical. (like High School Musical only for third graders). Pray with us that she bounces back and is able to be her best for her performance. She's worked so hard for this! 

I'm dealing with a lot of pain today. I know it's the same lame game but today nothing is easing it. I've been up since before 5am and have thrown the entire medicine cabinet at it but nothing is helping. Nothing. Have I used the word "nothing" enough? 

While Austin was in the youth group at church I always looked forward to a special retreat weekend they had once a year called Disciple Now. The teenagers from our church gather with other churches in the area for combined worship services and then split up into groups to do service projects in the community and spend the night in groups at different homes. The kids are fed and have devotions at the home where they spend the night. It was very precious to me that on Austin's first year here the family that hosted his group got him a birthday cake as his birthday fell during D-Now weekend. This weekend we're hosting a group of kids here at Cedar Hollow. Just a couple boys and two chaperones for them... but what a blessing to be able to open our home for this... to return hospitality for the hospitality that Austin received over his years in youth group. My dad will do the cooking and the kids will stay on the top floor where we have two guest rooms and a bathroom... I don't have to do much other than help keep Oscar the Unsociable Dachshund from being an unholy terror but I'm glad they're coming. 

I haven't shared my list of books from the library this week yet so here goes:
Going Rogue - Sarah Palin  I'm a little over halfway through with this. I enjoy the biographical information and backstory about the family but the political stuff is a bit whiny and defensive. 
A Medieval Family: The Pastons of Fifteenth Century England  - My historical research for the week. Working on genealogy has shown me how very little I know about World History so I'm working at expanding my knowledge.
Uncharterd TerriTORI - Yet another Tori Spelling Book. It's like literary junk food. 
Mob Daughter: The Mafia, Sammy "the Bull" Gravano and Me - 

I started and haven't finished Unveiling Islam (which is good but takes a bit of concentration) and Charles Krauthammer's book - also involves a bit of concentration. My problem is that if I've taken any pain medicine it's harder to concentrate - this is partly why I try to read - I don't want my brain to turn to mush but sometimes I'm too mushy to read. Also, Austin is like a pop-up. Unless he is sleeping he comes through the Living Room on average about every fifteen minutes. Makes it hard(er) to concentrate. For these reasons I will read some fluff stuff when I know I won't be able to concentrate and save the deeper stuff for when I'm more likely to be able to focus and less likely to be interrupted. I read my Beth Moore books and the Bible when I'm drying my hair because that is when I'm least likely to be bothered by anyone or anything in my environment. I'm an A.D.D. reader but at least I'm reading! I'm interested in getting Greg Gutfeld's new book, Not Cool that just came out this week. I adore Greg but never pay full price for books so maybe I'll catch it in a few years. 

This week we've been eating a little bit better. Pop made corned beef with cabbage, potatoes and carrots on Monday. He made tuna casserole (with rice, cheese and edamame) and steamed mixed greens on Tuesday. Last night Austin made meatloaf and oven fried green beans. I made my favorite three bean salad (with red onion and cilantro, red wine vinegar and olive oil) and have been eating that for lunch. I had several days last week that I had not one single serving of fruit of veggies and that's just completely unhealthy. We'll do better over the Summer because of the availability of fresh produce but I'm really making an effort to do better now. I think lasagna is on the menu for tonight. 

I've covered everything except the weather which looks to be sunny and mild today. Hope your week is going well! Love and hugs all around.