brimming over

The Simple Woman's Daybook - March 9

 

 

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window... warming up and sunny today.

I am thinking... about the day my middle boy was born.  Wow.  Nine years is a long time.

I am thankful for... springtime coming right around the corner.

From the learning rooms... kinda light today since it's a birthday.  We'll have to make up for that on Friday!

From the kitchen... homemade cookies today!

I am wearing... jeans and a long sleeve pink shirt.

I am creating... didn't I already mention the cookies?  Isn't that enough?

I am going... out for lunch for Wesley's birthday!

I am reading... not much right now.  I'm just trying to keep up with everything.

I am hoping... that we can agree on a party location for a Wesley's party.  Not looking good right now.

I am hearing... children playing Legos.  :)

Around the house... artwork all over the kitchen table, Legos all over the playroom, and way too much laundry piled up to wash!

One of my favorite things... dough nuts from Krispy Kreme for birthday breakfast!

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Craig and I have theater tickets for Tuesday night.  And Thursday night is the Junior Cotillion Grand Spring Ball!  Parker is dreading it but I think he'll have fun once he gets there.

Here is picture thought I am sharing... 

more explanation to come.

 

 

To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.
 

The Simple Woman's Daybook - March 2

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window... still snowy but fading.  :)

I am thinking... about how beautiful everything looks covered in white and how it feels like we're living in a foreign land.

I am thankful for... central heat!

From the learning rooms... we're taking a break today.  The public schools have a snow day so I figured we would, too.  I mean, when you only have snow like this once every 15 years, you ought to take the day off, right?!

From the kitchen... lasagna? Whatever.

I am wearing... jeans and a red striped top.  And my red mary janes.  My happy shoes!

I am creating... memories with the kids.  Playing in the snow, brownies with vanilla icing, goof-off days, silliness.

I am going... no where if I can help it!

I am reading... online about accessories for my new cell phone.  I need a protector of some sort for it since it is slippery and flew right out of my hand in the (parked!) car twice last week!

I am hoping... that this snow day won't mean a horrible school day tomorrow.  Sometimes days off are totally not worth the trouble.  Ugh.

I am hearing... children playing in the snow.  I don't know what they're doing but it's a bit noisy!

Around the house... things are on the messy side right now.  Being home all weekend tends to make things get cluttered.

One of my favorite things... looking at Highlights magazine with the kids.

A few plans for the rest of the week:  nothing exciting at all.  Aren't we fun?  Just the usual stuff on tap.  But Wesley's birthday is next Monday so we need to plan at least a little something.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

 

 

 To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

The Simple Woman's Daybook - February 23

 

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window... cold right now but sunny and it's supposed to be "refreshingly cool" today.  :)

I am thinking... about paying bills.  Ugh.

I am thankful for... my Sunday "coffee hour" with Craig.  We don't get it every week but some weeks we now have 1 single hour where all 3 kids have an activity at church (choir) that we don't have to supervise or be involved in.  An hour is only enough time to get coffee but it's still a date.

From the learning rooms... inspired by The Pioneer Woman, I have pulled out my old copy of Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses to read with the children today.  My favorite poem from this volume has always been "The Swing" since I have always adored swinging and spent hours and hours going up and down on the swing as a child.

From the kitchen... I refuse to discuss this.  Humph.

I am wearing... dark denim jeans, red striped top, and red mary janes.

I am creating... nothing?  I'm starting to not like this one either.  I don't think I have enough time for "creating" in my life.

I am going... to the grocery today.  Have to since we're running out of things.  Maybe then I'll know what's in the kitchen.

I am reading... Simple Mom.  Her blog has some great ideas for organizing and simplifying your life, as well as links to sites with great recipes, money management ideas, decorating, etc.  Good stuff.

I am hoping... for a constructive week with the kids who seem to have spring fever or some other malady that makes them unable to concentrate.

I am hearing... whispering children who are whispering because they know they aren't supposed to be talking.

Around the house... lots of laundry to fold.  And some tidying to do.

One of my favorite things... a new camera lens!  I bought it used from my friend Tammy who is switching to Canon (traitor! :) ).  But lucky for me!  It's a 30mm 1.4 and I've only taken a few pics so far but love it.  I'm not expecting my photos to turn out like Tammy's but I'm excited to have a new toy.  Oh, and it's supposed to be a birthday present but we'll see about that.  My birthday is still more than a month away so I've got time to work on that.  LOL!

A few plans for the rest of the week: eh, the usual...gymnastics, science, park day, tennis lessons, etc, etc.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

 

 

To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

 

The Simple Woman's Daybook - Feburary 16

 

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window... it is sunny but chilly.  I noticed yesterday that the maple tree is budding.

I am thinking... about family dynamics.  My kids have been little monsters to each other lately and I'm rather tired of it.  What to do?

I am thankful for... my parents.  They visited last night on a stop through town at our "Bed and Breakfast" :) on their way to Jekyll Island.  It was a nice visit and good to see them.

From the learning rooms... a light school day today.  All our public school friends are off today for President's Day.  But since we have a couple of morning activities this week we couldn't take the whole day off!

From the kitchen... ack, leftovers?  Who knows.  But last night I made delicious chicken quesadillas!  See, I do cook!

I am wearing... blue polar fleece pullover and gray sweatpants.  Classy.  LOL!

I am creating... organized living.  I'm still working on my wall/shelf organizer.  And also the areas that have been freed up by it.  We also added hooks to the back of the hall closet door so the kids could hang their jackets there.  And that freed up space in the laundry room for an organizer for the kids' socks.

I am going... to hibernate today as much as possible.  The rest of the week is very full.  :)

I am reading... not much.  I have The Shack that Daddy gave me for Christmas that I want to begin reading but I seem to spend all my time reading kids' books.  The boys and I are starting a new book tomorrow.  And otherwise I hardly have time to keep up with my magazine subscriptions.  :(

I am hoping... that our new cell phones arrive this week without incident.  Shopping for these things has been a nightmare adventure.

I am hearing... the door opening and closing.  The kids are playing outside right now.  I am posting in the afternoon.

Around the house... we're about to begin a new jigsaw puzzle.  My parents brought some new ones from Grandmother and Parker and I have already chosen a cool one to start!

One of my favorite things... my extra TiVo remote!  It's been annoying me for a while that the kids watch tv at the bar and then forget to return the remote to the den.  Just when you get settled in on the couch to watch a show, you realize that the remote is nowhere to be found!  Drat!  Well, it occurred to us this weekend that we probably had an extra TiVo remote tucked away because one time we got an updated replacement remote.  Craig looked in the super-secret electronics stash and voila!  Second remote!  Now we have one at the bar and one on the coffee table.  This makes me exceedingly happy.  Hey, it's the small things.  :)

A few plans for the rest of the week:  the kids and I are supposed to see a show of Ronald K. Brown/Evidence (warning: that site has music playing) this week.  I don't know much about it but it should be entertaining.  Parker will have tennis on Wednesday and all three kids have their 2nd pottery class on Friday.  And either Friday night or Saturday night we'll go see "The Emperor's New Clothes" starring several of our young friends.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Trying on clothes.  But doesn't she look a bit like a one-legged doll?

 

 

To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

The Simple Woman's Daybook - February 9

 

FOR TODAY... February 9

Outside my window...sorta sunny and warming up.  Today is going to be pretty warm, I think. 

I am thinking...about our tax return I did yesterday and how annoyed I am that we ended up owing money.

I am thankful for...Craig's good job that even enables us to pay taxes.

From the learning rooms...lots of grousing today from Wesley for some reason.  He hates Mondays.

From the kitchen...I'm going to quit answering this question.  Ugh.  Right now, coffee.  For later, still contemplating.

I am wearing...dark jeans and a long sleeve black t-shirt.  Bare feet.

I am creating...a mess.  I have stacked up a couple of years of bills that need to be shredded.  That's what I get for not keeping up with it!

I am going...to the doctor this afternoon.  Nothing special, just a checkup but I hate them.

I am reading...The Wolves of Willoughby Chase with the boys.  It's a really great book that I'd never read before.  I was enjoying it so much that I kept reading and finished it early!

I am hoping...we are starting to get back into our normal routine now that January is firmly behind us.

I am hearing...didn't I already mention the grousing?

Around the house...still trying to organize.  We got something new to work on the countertop paper clutter.  I'll take pics and show you later this week.  I need to tackle Amy Grace's room...she has spirited away WAY too many things that need to be thrown out.

One of my favorite things...morning cups of coffee.  I've gotten to the point that I can't do without it.  How'd that happen?

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Amy Grace has tumbling tonight, we have Physics and Park Day tomorrow, and Parker has tennis lessons on Wednesday.  For the last 3 Wednesdays tennis has been called off either due to sub-freezing temps or rain.

 

To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

The Simple Woman's Daybook - January 26

 

 

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window...chilly but sunny.

I am thinking...that I'm ready for January to end.  It's a long, slow month for homeschoolers with not a lot of activities.

I am thankful for...Sunday afternoon coffee break with my husband...our one hour a week that all 3 kids are occupied with an activity (choir) that doesn't involve either of us!

From the learning rooms...finishing The House of Sixty Fathers today-what a great book!  And the boys are starting on Russia.  :) 

From the kitchen...the big question of the day!  Who knows?

I am wearing...ivory long-sleeved t-shirt, cozy brown velour sweats, Keen mary janes.

I am creating...sticky mosaics with Amy Grace.  Sparkly mermaids.

I am going...mostly nowhere but the kids have basketball practice tonight so I have the house alone for a few hours.  Heaven.

I am reading...Southern Living, Family Circle.

I am hoping...we'll be seeing our friends more this week.  We're really missing them!

I am hearing...mostly silence.  The kids are downstairs right now and I only hear the guinea pigs drinking from their water bottle.

Around the house...I'm still dreaming up organizing plans and trying to sell Craig on them.  And my washer and dryer (those 16 year old lovable beasts) are starting to wheeze and sputter their last gasps.

One of my favorite things...my table lamp from Pottery Barn.  Yes, we *finally* replaced the one AG broke last summer.  It's not perfect but I still love having a lamp.

A few plans for the rest of the week: basketball practice, doctor appointments, final basketball games of the season, and hopefully Park Day.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...I'm borrowing a picture of "the lamp" from the PB website to share since I'm feeling too lazy to take one myself.  :)  It's the smaller one.

 

To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.
 

The Simple Woman's Daybook-January 19

My friend Ann (House of Estrogen) recently turned me on to The Simple Woman's Daybook.  I love this idea as a way to focus on the beginning of the week and taking notice of the little things in life (and the simple things that have big impact!).  So I'm going to make an attempt to do a Daybook post each Monday morning.  I've even set up a reminder in Outlook so I won't forget!  Oh, well...we'll see.  :)

 

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window... it's gray and chilly.  But at least the birdbath isn't frozen today!

I am thinking... about the week ahead which includes a Physics lab at my house tomorrow!  Yikes! 

I am thankful for... tomorrow's Inauguration and looking forward to watching it with my kids.

From the learning rooms... the standards...math, language arts, reading, Greece for Amy Grace, finding out what happens to Tien Pao & Eric Liddell for the boys.

From the kitchen... coffee now.  Slow Cooker Chili-Chicken Tacos for tonight.  Yum!

I am wearing... gray yoga pants, long-sleeved blue t-shirt, and running shoes.  This is not an indicator that I've been exercising but at least I've showered!

I am creating... organization around the house where possible.

I am going... to meet with the girl I'm mentoring for Confirmation tonight for our first session.  On Wednesday, to see Ain't Misbehavin'.

I am reading... organization blogs!  Lots of them!

I am hoping... that everyone will feel cooperative today (but we're not off to a good start!).

I am hearing... sounds of a morning homeschool...chairs scooting, coughing, books opening, humming, "Mama?", pencils dropping, whining.

Around the house... it's staying more or less straight.  But the Legos are taking over the playroom!

One of my favorite things... cuddles with morning children.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Amy Grace is changing from gymnastics to tumbling; Parker is starting tennis lessons with some friends (not a clinic); my parents are coming Friday morning to visit and see basketball games on Saturday morning.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...