Daybook November 23, 2009

For Today...

November 23, 2009

Outside my window... deep, inky blackness.  Well...except for all the lights anyway.  It doesn't really get super dark around here.

I am thinking...that I'm looking forward to getting back to school.  We took 2 weeks "off" for Thanksgiving and I miss the routine and structure we usually have.

I am thankful for...well...everything.  My sister in law recently started something on our My Family site.  She asked us to list things that we're thankful for.  We all came up with some interesting things.  The usual: health, spouse, kids, jobs, etc.  But then we got creative!  Things like supermarkets, stop lights, fast food & delivery, elastic.  I mean, how ofter do we think about the elastic in our undies???  Never!  We sure do though when it's stretched out.  And it made me realize how many incredible things we have in our lives here in America.  So many things that people in so many other places don't have. 

From the learning rooms... Thanksgiving school.  We took last week and this week off.  We've been doing some Thanksgiving projects and reading Thanksgiving books, so it isn't really time off.  I've made some concrete Advent plans.  Now I just need to get books lined up. 

From the kitchen...Thanksgiving preparations.  I made egg nog cookies today.  Just like drinking a cup of nog, only better!  I made German style baked chicken for dinner.  A fairly simple casserole, but time-consuming to get everything together.  Tomorrow...more baking!

I am wearing... Tan shorts and a teal t-shirt.  Bare foot, of course.

I am creating...a Jesse Tree!  And a new Advent calendar.  We have one that you put the ornaments on, etc, but I found one at Michael's that has doors that open for a treat hidden inside with a little train on top.  I forgot to get a "before" picture, so it will have to wait until I'm done :)  The Thanksgiving projects can be found here. And so many yummy things from the kitchen.

I am going...to get the house clean tomorrow.  And tackle some to-do items as well.

I am reading...several things.
Long-term:
MOM's a Personal Journal by Paula Hagen and Vickie LoPiccolo Jennett. This is a study course to help us realize the importance of our ministries as mothers.


Short-term:
The latest issue of Family Foundations.  And Homeschooling the Challenging Child by Christine Field.  I actually have yet to start this one, but I plan to in the next couple of days.  Velcro Boy isn't the most cooperative student (yes, I KNOW he's only 4), so I thought she might have some good ideas.  I read another book she wrote, Help for the Harried Homeschooler and it was very informative.


I am hoping...I don't go out of my mind :)  No seriously.  I want to try to keep Advent fun but simple and really spend time with the kids creating things and having fun.  I just hope I can keep to that resolution.

I am hearing...Sanctus bells (hubs is watching a video of the Extraordinary form Mass), the dryer and the air conditioner.

Around the house...Thanksgiving dinner preparations.  Also, Me eying all the toys I want to put away that the boys don't play with anymore.  I want my spaces back :) 

One of my favorite things...the sacrifice of the Mass (especially when uninterrupted by little ones :) ).  It makes me feel so very humble and so very, very grateful.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Oh gee...where to start.  As I mentioned cleaning and lots of cooking.  We're hosting Thanksgiving, so guests all day on Thursday.  Relaxing on Friday.  And pulling out the many boxes of Christmas things.  I have no idea which box our Advent wreath and calendar, etc are in, so I get to do some digging. 

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

I love it when they play well together.

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