Phew.........

Is it really only Wednesday? I feel like we've crammed about nine days into this week already! It's been busy but good.

On Sunday, we enjoyed a great Ravens party with great friends. The loss was very disappointing but the fellowship (and the food!) was great!

Before the party on Sunday, we spent time "redding up" (any Lancaster County readers recognize that term?) our final spare bedroom for our newest addition-another Chinese exchange student named Daniel. Due to reasons beyond his control, Daniel had to leave the host home he was in previously. The host family coordinator asked us to consider having him in our home for the remainder of the school year and, after much prayer and consideration, we decided to go for it. Daniel needed a home and we had a spare bedroom (all six of our bedrooms are now full!) so we said "yes"! He has been here since Monday, and we have enjoyed getting to know him. His English is still coming along so we've had a few laughs trying to communicate, but Hero has been very good about translating for us when necessary.

Monday was a day off school for the older kids, and Daniel arrived late Monday afternoon. After a school basketball game for Sawyer, which they won 58 to 8 (ouch!), it was a busy evening of getting Daniel settled, a frantic trip to Wal-mart for some forgotten items that he needed, and falling into bed. Well, after I watched the latest episode of Downton Abbey, that is.

Tuesday was much of the same just busier! Tuesdays and Thursdays are always crazy because Sawyer has travel team basketball practice at 6 p.m. at a school 20-30 minutes away, depending on traffic. So I need to have dinner set for the rest of the family, get Sawyer fed and picked up from school basketball practice, and gather any things I need to "kill" a few hours while he's at practice. Life is never boring at our house! (Yeah! Just got a text that tomorrow's practice is cancelled! I'll get a rare night at home!)

Today was a bit more "calm". I had a busy but productive day at work. Dinner was fairly easy (pizza loaf) because Jeff leaves shortly after he gets home to take the older kids to church for their weekly youth gathering. Now I'm working on my meal plan and grocery list for the next two weeks, and Sawyer is working hard on a science project that's due Monday. Thankfully, he is organized and driven because I am less-than-zero help in the science project department!

Tomorrow will be busy again but, it's supposed to rain, and that always makes me smile! Dinner will be stew in the crock pot (a new recipe from my sister) and homemade bread. I was going to run some errands during Sawyer's practice but now I'll stay home and accomplish something like laundry or paying bills.

In closing, a few fun things I've learned/discovered during the past "busy" days

• Baked potatoes are yummy when cooked slowly in the crock pot.
• Rice cookers are A. MAZ. ING. I wanted to have rice readily available for Hero and Daniel so I got one. I am in love after just two cups of rice! Why have I waited 23 years to get one?
• Brooke is sick in Indy with sinus and ear infections. Even when they're almost 20, it's hard to have them sick and far away.
• Earlier this year, we decided our boys were old enough for Sports Illustrated. Tonight, I found out I could call the magazine and opt out of the swimsuit edition FOREVER. How cool is that? Thank you, Time Inc. I'm not normally a fan, but this is fabulous!
• I've had my iPhone for almost a year, and I'm still figuring it out. This article has some very helpful tips! 
• Speaking of iPhones, this is THE. BEST. GAME, hands down. Forget Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja; exercise your brain and play Word Warp (Word Warp Xtreme is even more challenging and fun!)
• Crescent rolls, cream cheese, and blueberries. Hard to go wrong with this recipe!

Hope your Thursday is calm and peaceful and filled with good food!