Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Simple Woman's Daybook, Monday, November 9th

FOR TODAY
(Monday, November 9th, 9:58 pm)...

Outside my window...once again, it is dark. I can tell you that most, but not all of the leaves have been raked off of the back patio. They were combined with many leaves raked together from the lawn in order to form a big pile for jumping in. The big pile is still sitting out there. It will probably sit there until spring. No, I'm not worried about my lawn. It is not a delicate lawn. Its a wild lawn of any green plant matter that wants to volunteer for duty out there. It's very durable that way.

I am thinking... isn't it about time for another weekend? How can it possibly be only Monday? Plus, why does my cursor jump to the very bottom of my post every time I hit enter, instead of just going down one line?

I am thankful for...the health of my family. As much as I moaned and complained and bellyached about having the flu the week before last, really, we've been very blessed with good health overall. And no one came down with a severe case of the flu either.

From the learning rooms...we have officially lost the head start we had by beginning school in August. Between the days off for the Buffalo/Niagra trip (totally awesome) and the week or more that we missed for illness, we are no longer ahead. I'm not sure that we're behind yet....but I don't think we'll be hitting 50% completion before Christmas, as I was originally hoping for.

On a way cool note, we have started two new traditions. At nine o'clock (or thereabouts), we start the school day with chess puzzles and pawn games. Both children are enjoying this. After lunch, we come back together for a read-aloud chapter book. Its a good way to transition from "recess" back to school.

From the kitchen...I tried two new recipes recently. Both were a "breakfast for dinner" menu. One was for peanut butter french toast, which was very filling and well-liked by the kids, but not so kindly received by the Jedi. (I used what was on hand, which was wheat bread, 2% milk, no yogurt, and Total cereal. I also halved the amount of eggs and milk called for, and the lesser amount worked very well.) The second recipe was for fluffy pancakes, which was one of the best and quickest pancake recipes I've ever made.

From the garden... we planted bulbs on Sunday, raked leaves to jump in, and then piled leaves on each of the kids for photo shoots. (Before we went outside, Toa of Boy was begging, "Please may I rake leaves, Mommy? Please?"  I felt like Mrs. Piggle Wiggle.) Then we mulched our flower beds with leaves to protect them from the upcoming winter. Yes, i know I'm supposed to shred the leaves first, but I figured being thoroughly jumped on by my 6 and 11 year olds was almost like shredding them.

I am wearing...the Phillip Island t-shirt which the Jedi gave me as a birthday present, like seventeen years ago or so. I remember I wore it to Gingerbread during my first year or two of teaching. Everyone asked me if I had gone to Australia. I said no, my husband knew I really like penguins, and found a way to order this t-shirt from a gift shop in Australia over the computer. Everyone was amazed that such a thing could be done. It seems strange now to think that on-line shopping was so completely novel not too many years ago. (I think I've just found the topic for the compare/contrast essay I'm writing with the 6th graders at co-op.)

I am creating...or failing to create, choreography for the worship dances in our Christmas Reflections program at church. Normally, I feel pretty good about my contributions to this creative effort. Tonight though, I had zilch. Nada. Nothing.

I am going...to give up on ever being able to breathe through my nose again. My nose's new purpose is simply to hold up my glasses.

I am reading...just finished a Terry Prachett Discworld trilogy, Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky, and, Wintersmith. The first two books were outstanding. Many times, I was literally laughing out loud while reading A Hat Full of Sky. The third in the triology was good, but not great. I think perhaps because many of the Mac Freegle stunts that had me laughing so hard in the first two books had already been done by the third book. Plus, I was really hoping to see more done with the character of Roland. The Baron's son started to turn into an interesting character in the last book, rather than just a blank foil for Tiffany, and I would have loved to see more attention on him. (See what a jaded, nitt-picky reader I've become? This is comletely Stephanie Meyer's fault.)

I am hoping...that our Children's Ministry continues to grow and be strong. I cannot keep Toa of Boy home from church without tears. He is broken-hearted if he doesn't get to go to church. Granted, he tells me about the games they played first, but then he also remembers the lessons. He's learning and singing worship songs and memorizing Scriptures...and loving it all.

I am hearing...the dryer buzz. The Jedi is turning in for the night, the children and Mama have long since been in bed. Its just me at my computer.

Around the house...laundry, laundry, laundry.

One of my favorite things...is not laundry.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
 School, school, more school. Also Tuesday Tae Kwon Do; Wednesday groceries, Awana, and the Brink;  Thursday Co-op, library, and Tae Kwon Do; Friday---hooray for the weekend!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing... 



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