Weekly Daybook

Go to The Simple Woman to read more entries.

For Today...December 21, 2009

Outside My Window...dark and cold.  The weather this week has been very cold.  We missed the big storm that went off south of us.  I was a bit disappointed, but I guess it would have made all of my last minute Chrsitmas preparations more difficult.

I am thinking...how much more I am enjoying Christmas this year.  I am having fun shopping and planning all the little surprises for the family.

I am thankful for...our dear daughter Bessie.  She does so much for us and for me in particular.  She is very quick to pitch in and help out and often does little things (like make me a cuppa tea) that make my life sweeter.  She is a tremendous blessing to our family.

From the learning rooms...our Christmas vacation has started and the "official" learning rooms are closed, but we all know so much learning happens everyday.

From the kitchen...all is quiet today.  We are enjoying a wonderful smoked chicken that Wayne smoked up for us yesterday.  Yummy! 

On my mind...finishing up the last of our Christmas preparation and hoping to get the rest of our cards out at least before Christmas.

I am creating...still working on last minute Christmas projects

I am going...to watch two movies tonight...they need to go back to the library tomorrow.

I am reading...The Unfinished Gift by Dan Walsh.

I am wearing...jeans, a red long-sleeved shirt and a Christmas vest.

Pondering these words..."For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."  Luke 2:11 Trying very hard to make sure I continuing to ponder these words throughout the Christmas season and beyond.

I am hoping...Brian makes it home tomorrow as scheduled

I am hearing...lots of little voices as the children head up to bed.  They were enjoying watching old videos of Christmases past and doing a lot of laughing.

Around the house....bags and boxes hidden in closets...wrapping paper, ribbons, bows and tape, gingerbread houses adorning the kitchen table (Well, minus one that Gracie the dog helped herself to when I forgot to close the gate.)...the smell of seasonal candles...and nativities set up on many shelves and tables.

One of my favorite things...the sound of all the children laughing and enjoying being together.

Here is a picture I'd like to share...

Recently I spotted some Snow Geese flying with a large flock of Canada Geese.  They are the ones that are white with black wingtips.  I was driving and Bess took this picture out the window for me.

Giveaway

Judi over at Green Fairy Quilts is having a great giveaway...a layer cake, jelly roll and pattern.  Hop on over and check it out!

A Trip to the Tree Farm

We finally had a few hours to go to the tree farm and pick out our Christmas tree. It was very cold, but the wind had died down and there was a bit of sunshine.

We all bundled up and packed into our truck. We call it our "clown car" when all seven of us get in.


The farm was quite crowded, but there were so many wonderful trees, plenty for all. You really can't go wrong. You pick your size and shape and you're good to go.

It had started to snow a bit by the time we got there.  A perfect setting for hunting up the perfect Christmas tree.

Bess is wondering about this one.


Gabe thinks this little one would be good. We would never fit all our ornaments on that one, Gabe!


After walking around for awhile, we finally found one we all could agree on. We tend to go for the ones that are a bit chubbier.


A meeting of the minds on the best way to cut down the tree. Gabe and Dan both had a turn at the saw and Hannah offered advice.


That tree was a bit heavy. We should have found one closer to the truck.


Into the netting cone it goes.


We set it up and will let it rest overnight. After being in the netting, the branches need to relax a bit. Tomorrow we will decorate it.

Wreath Making

We made wreaths and boxwood trees during out Ladies Night Out on Friday. Nancy once again gave us wonderful instruction on making the projects. I enjoy these evenings very much which always include lots of yummy goodies, great fellowship and much laughter.

Thank you all for a great evening.

Mystery Reader

Friday, Brian and I each had the chance to be the mystery reader in one of the children's classrooms. It was a lot of fun. I read for Rachel's class and Brian read for Hannah's. I went along with Brian and took a few pictures.


The children enjoyed the stories and had a lot of great questions. It was funny to hear the difference between boys and girls when they asked Brian questions. The boys all wanted to know about the airplane and things like did it ever crash and have you ever jumped out an airplane. The girls asked questions about what he did, the animals he saw and the South Pole.

Hopefully we will be able to do it again.

Snippits of a Snow Day

The public school children had a snow day yesterday, so we all took the day off from our regular schooling activities.

Here are a few shots of what we did do today.

Christmas color pages were enjoyed.

Lego creations worked on.

Bessie worked on her Christmas songs.

Always a stack of books.

Willie busied himself with keeping an eye on the birds.

Lots of playing in the snow and sledding.

And the evidence thereof.

Add in Gabe's Boy's Club, Bessie's piano lesson, some shopping and an errand or two and we had a very full day.

And later in the evening, there is always time for some stitching and a nice cozy fire.

Weekly Daybook

Go to The Simple Woman to read more entries.

For Today...December 7, 2009

Outside My Window...all is still and dark. It is almost midnight. I'm just making it this week.

I am thinking...how much I enjoy TV some times. I do not watch a lot, but it can be so mindless and relaxing. Quite entertaining at times.
I am thankful for...Mom and Dad. They are always so faithful to the family, always helping out and they are such wonderful people. I always enjoy their company.
From the learning rooms...working on a lapbook of the 12 Days of Christmas.
From the kitchen...baked chicken, noodles and broccoli tonight...yummy.
On my mind...the weather and wondering if it will interfere with our plans for the next few days.
I am creating...Christmas things...gifts and decorations.
I am going...to work on the Christmas tablecloth...need to finish the embroidery.
I am reading...nothing new this week...too many projects.
I am wearing...long sweatshirt and lounge pants and can't forget the fuzzy socks.
Pondering these words..."It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me."

This is part of a poem I read recently. The men and women that are away from their families this Christmas season have been mightily on my heart this week. My heart aches for them and the sacrifice that they make and their families make so that we can enjoy the freedoms we do and the security here at home. And on this Pearl Harbor Day, I am remembering all the soldiers over the generations who have been willing to stand at the front of the lines for us.

I am hoping...that Hannah does well tomorrow at the orthodontists.
I am hearing...the ticking of the clock. Very, very quiet tonight.
Around the house....school books being sorted and organized for storage.
One of my favorite things...accomplishing something that I have been putting off.

Here is a picture I'd like to share...

Gabe and his pal, Ethan playing Mario Kart on the Wii.

Sledding

Bess wasn't feeling well so we stayed home from church today. Gabe, Rachel, Hannah and Dan were up and outside taking advantage of the new fallen snow. What fun to watch them. They have been eagerly awaiting enough snow to go sledding. Their faces tell it all.





I have one happy crew of children today.

First Snow

We had our first accumulating snow yesterday and overnight. The children were so excited. They spent hours outside yesterday toting snow from the trampoline to the sliding hill so they would have enough to go sledding. A few more inches fell overnight, so the hill was covered nicely this morning.

There is always something so magical about the first snow.

Brian's Birthday

We celebrated Brian's birthday after he got out of work. It was a quiet celebration, spaghetti and meatballs and cheesecake. Brian doesn't really enjoy his birthday. I have to chuckle at the difference between him and me. I love everyone to make a big fuss on my birthday and he would just as soon let the whole day come and go with little notice.

Happy Birthday, Brian. We love you very much. :-)

Hannah's Dental Day

Hannah had a tough day today. She had two appointments, one with the Orthodontist to put in spacers in preparation for a palette expander and another with the Oral Surgeon to remove a tooth.

She is such a tremendously tough little girl and very brave. She rarely complains and never gives us a fight when she has to have these procedures done. She took it all so well.

The tooth extraction was a tough one. It was a canine tooth with an extremely long root and even though it was a baby tooth, it was not loose at all. There was quite a bit of pain afterward and she did not like the fact that she could not spit or use a straw.

This picture says it all...poor little dear. I felt very bad for her. Thankfully, by the evening, she was feeling much better and almost pain free except when she bumped it by mistake. I told her she could stay home from school if she wants tomorrow. It would be pretty hard to send her to school with a tender mouth and a soft food diet.

Weekly Daybook

Go to The Simple Woman to read more entries.

For Today...November 30, 2009

Outside My Window...a very dark, gray day. Some rain, but not quite cold enough for snow.

I am thinking...I need to remember where our copy of Bartholomew's Passage is. It has to be here somewhere, but oh, where is the mystery.
I am thankful for...Brian for so many reasons. Today as on many days, he makes my live easier. He is always quick to help when needed and does it without complaint.
From the learning rooms...worked on setting up the Jesse Tree today and other advent prep.
From the kitchen...left-overs today. One more round and then any left-over Thanksgiving food goes away.
On my mind...How best to help our "Littles". They will face a lot of challenges and I want to make sure we give them the best opportunities to maximize their abilities, but not sure exactly what that will look like.
I am creating...still working on Christmas things and probably will be until Christmas Eve.
I am going...to continue to enjoy the excitement of the Christmas season. The last few years have seemed too much like work. This year I am trying to recapture the fun of the season.
I am reading...Fix It and Forget It Complete Collection. So many new possibilities.
I am wearing...Black windpants, a green shirt and sweater vest.
Pondering these words..."One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries." A.A. Milne
This was posted on FB today by my friend Jennifer. My life is often so disorderly and I fight constantly against the tide of clutter and disorganization, but the discovery part has happened so many times. I'll be looking for something, usually with a lot of frustration and rediscover a long lost treasure and it makes me smile. I love this quote.
I am hoping...that Hannah feels better soon from her tooth extraction today.
I am hearing...the dish washer, the clothes washer and Brian just coming in.
Around the house....bins of Christmas things waiting to be put out.
One of my favorite things...taking pictures. I don't think I'm very good at it, but I do enjoy it, especially pictures of the children, my gardens and the beautiful nature around us.

Here is a picture I'd like to share...

Some mornings after the bus leaves, Gabe, Gracie and I go for a walk. It is a great way to start our school day.

Christmas Card Photos

Today after lunch, we had the children put on somewhat matching outfits and we took a ton of pictures for our Christmas card photo. The children really did great. The only time they complained was during the tree pictures. The little girls were somewhat nervous of sitting in the tree. This struck me funny as they climb the trees all the time.

The following pictures are ones that did not make the cut. I won't show the winner until after the cards gets sent out.

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving would be a bit different than most years. We stayed home. Usually we either spend the day at Mom and Dad's or at Glenn and Theresa's. We do not have a lot of room for a large sit down dinner, so this works out well. This year, Mom and Dad were traveling to Ohio to attend Chris and Cayla's wedding on Saturday and Glenn and Theresa were spending the day with her family.

I was all for having lasagna or something non-traditional like that, but after weeks on the road and restaurant food, Brian wanted a nice home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner. Brian, Bess and I had a great time cooking and baking. The chores were shared which made the work light and the company was great. Preparation went along smoothly.

Walt joined us shortly before dinner.

The table all set and ready for the feast. You can see our Thankful Tree on the wall. This has become a favorite Thanksgiving tradition.

Everyone ready to dig in. The food was all so yummy. We had all the favorites, turkey, stuffing, mashed potato, gravy, sweet potato, squash, turnip, fresh baked rolls, pickles and olives. And for dessert, pumpkin and apple pie.

After dinner we took a walk to the show Walt the falls and to burn off a bit of our dinner before dessert. The sun was setting and by the time we got back home, it was almost dark.

We had a very nice relaxing day. We are so very thankful for the many blessings in our life.

Daddy's Coming Home

Brian has been on a trip since late October. We have been eagerly awaiting his arrival back home and hoping for no delays. Tuesday night we headed to the airport. The children love these late night trips to the airport. They view it all as quite the adventure.

Here they are waiting for his flight to arrive.


We had a lot of sleepy eyes the next morning getting up for school, but we were so thrilled to have him home and that he would be with us for Thanksgiving.

Children's Museum of Science and Technology - CMOST

The Children's Museum of Science and Technology (CMOST) was a recent destination for a field trip with our homeschool group. CMOST is a fun little museum with lots of hands-on displays.

We picked up Ethan, one of the boys in Gabe's class to go along with us as his family wasn't going to be attending. Ethan and Gabe had a great time.

Here they are playing with a giant sized Lite Brite. I couldn't get it in a picture, but one of the highlights for the boys was a large light wall. It was heat sensitive, so when you moved your arm along the wall, it would change color, like a mood ring. We spent a lot of time hanging out by the wall. At one point, the graphic changed to the solar system with all the planets bouncing around and as you moved your arm or hand toward one of the planets, it would bounce up like a ping-pong ball...very fun.

They had a nature demonstration. The kids got to hear about several animals and touch them.

The snake was a hit with our crew.

Another fun exhibit was a green screen set up like a weather station. There was a tele-prompter and you could pick what type of weather you wanted to report on and then it recorded you and you could watch it playback.

Gabe and Ethan really enjoyed this.

Bess got into the act and did a great stereotypical weather girl impression. She hammed it up big time and had us all in tears from laughing. And yes, she is on her knees...these exhibits are made for much younger children.

Here is her recording, well a picture of it. I wish I would have thought to put the camera on video. It was very funny. Gabe was playing her assistant, being blown around by the stormy blizzard in the background.

Checking out the battery and light bulb table.

Finding out about the head waters of the Hudson.

Playing in a dugout canoe.

The last thing we did was see a dome show in their planetarium. That was really fun and is similar to an IMAX experience. We got to lay down on the floor and with the dome over us, they played this great movie on astronauts.


It is times like this that I really miss having all the children at home. I think next time we go on a field trip, I'll let the public school children have the day off from school to join us.