Month: November 2008

Reflections on the Day

Reflections on the Day – November 14, 2008

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reflections

Reflections on the Day for November 14, 2008.
The sun is spilling out from the clouds making everything golden.   

Plans for today – Is it Friday already?  My goodness, where has the week gone?  Today I will work on getting a few things done… wow.  Friday already.

I am wearing – My olive corduroy pants and the snap button top.

I am feeling – Slightly congested.  I think my almost ten week long cough is getting better, I had xrays done this week and they say my lungs look fine.  It is to the point where I wish they would find something so I could do something about it.

I am hearing –  Amazing Grace on the radio.  I love the line “The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine, But God who called me here below,  Will be forever mine.”  It reminds me of watching Amazing Grace I had heard good things about the film and was not disappointed.

I am thankful for – A decent day weather-wise to get some fall yard work done.   Oh, and though it seems silly – yesterday was the release of WoW’s Wrath of the Lich King expansion.  Kyle and I both enjoy the game and we have never picked up any of the limited edition packs, this time we hoped to get them but they were sold out of the Collector’s Editions within a day or two of when they were available for pre-order.  I was sort of disappointed.  Yesterday, my dad (who also plays) called and let me know that Fred Meyers had the CE available.  I popped down to my store and they had none on the shelves, they had been open at midnight to sell them.  I asked and low and behold there was a box of stock that they had missed in the selling extravaganza the night before which had a couple of collectors editions in it… that I got – for the regular price not the insane $129 I am seeing them for now.  Woot!  Little baby dragon is mine… Joy!

In prayer – Nadine, Zachary, Granny and Pat.

The Children:

Ashley – Was doing the moody-blues teen thing last night.
Rachel –  I am waiting to hear back from her teacher…. tap, tap, tap.  Apparently she got into a person’s yard and ate a rose while out walking while at school.
Christopher – Was very excited yesterday that his math (fractions) click yesterday.
Hannah – Is starting to read really well.
Joshua –  Yesterday was a rough day for Josh.  Hopefully today will be better.
Sarah – Woke up this morning and told me she was wearing a night-gown.  It  is a very pretty night-gown.  She is just too sweet.

The Homefires:

Kitchen – Pizza night!  woot!
Craft-room – I am cutting out a pattern today.
Music – Sarah might be my most musical child at the moment.  Yesterday she was sitting at the piano gently picking out one note at a time while singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”. Now, mind you, none of the notes were actually correct, but it was very cute.
Lucky Room of the Day –  The bathroom.

My pleasant thought for the Day –

 “For me prayer is a surge of the heart, it is a simple look towards Heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.”
~Saint Therese of Lisieux

 

A picture worth a thousand words – 

sarahanddaddy
Sarah holding daddy’s hand.

Advent · Christmas · Simplicity

Holiday Grand Plan Week Twelve.

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The Official Holiday Grand Plan started on August 31.  In order to accommodate the Advent season I have started earlier, and I hope to have everything in order and ready for a calm and spiritual Advent season.

This week the I am focusing on the Dinning Room and the Children’s rooms.  My dinning room is very straight forward so there isn’t a ton of cleaning there.  Normally I would have done the children’s clothing at the middle of October, but this has slipped a month.  This is a good time to go through the children’s toys and toss/donate anything that isn’t played with.  

Weeks before follow up: The past two months have thrown me completely off task, life happens.  This is almost a restart so I have to take a little time to evaluate where I am this week.

Week Twelve: Cleaning:  The Dinning Room  page at the original Holiday Grand Plan is very helpful.
Children’s rooms: the Grand Plan cleaning page is a good place to start.  The main goal this week is to get all the summer clothing/too small/torn, stained and otherwise clothing out of the children’s drawers.  I am rather ruthless in this.  I developed a checklist for the children’s clothing that I use to “prune back” to and by following it I save myself a great deal of work in laundry and clothing maintenance.  I also want to go through the children’s toys.  As they grow they do out-grow certain things, some thing break, others aren’t played with.  By pruning the toys not only do I make room for the Christmas gifts that will soon be coming, but I create a great deal of sanity in my life.

Preparing for the Holidays: This week I am looking for some new holiday books.  We will pull the decorations up from the basement and double check what is working, broken, missing etc.   The goal is to have holiday gifts done by the first week in December. 

Planning:  The Offical Grand Planhas recommendations for this week.  My list is a little different since we started a couple weeks earlier.  The USPS had a Holiday Planner for mailing gifts.  Check it out.  If you are mailing gifts over-seas these need to be going out right now.  (USPS suggests last week for gifts for overseas troops).  We are finalising our Thanksgiving plans.

Gifts: I have fabric for the girls Santa Jammas  I need to make a trip to get some fabric for the boys. 
Cards:  Still working on my cross stitch cards.  I need to double check my mail list and order stamps.
Parties: No planning for parties this week.
Menus: No Holiday menu planning this week.
Decorating: Taking down the Halloween decorations and checking the lights and decorations.
Baking: The stores are starting to offer holiday baking items, it is a great time to stock-up.  This week we need to purchase any needed containers for freezing and gift giving. 
Devotionals: We got our Advent candles from our Little Flowers group.
Traditions: Checking the needed items for our wreath and Advent decorations..

Simplicity

The Simple Woman’s Daybook – November 10, 2008

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The Simple Woman’s Daybook
is hosted by Peggy at the Simple Woman.
Thank you Peggy.

 FOR TODAY : November 10, 2008
The sky is cloudy and chilly, it really feels like fall.

 Outside my Window – The plumb tree and apple tree are hanging onto their leaves, but cherry tree is almost nude. 

I am thinking – I love my warm snugly heated mattress pad.  

From the learning rooms – We will shortly be finished with Greece and moving into Roman history.  We are going to add music lessons in this week.

I am thankful for- Home – I love my home.  It isn’t perfect, but it is mine.

From the kitchen – Crock-pot dinner tonight.  We will be making “ship-wreck”  which is much tastier than the name suggests.

I am wearing – Slacks and a comfy black sweater.

I am reading – C.S. Lewis – Four Loves.  Almost done.

I am hoping –  That the weather is nice tomorrow.  Ashley has the day off and it would be nice to take an outing.

I am creating – Christmas cards.

I am hearing –  Sarah talking to the cat.

Around the house – I need to clean the fridge today.

One of my favorite things – Chocolate cake.  Rachel’s 15th birthday is today and we celebrated this weekend.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week – Picture time for the younger children. 

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you – 

teapartywithblur
Hannah and friends at a tea party

 

Reflections on the Day

Reflections on the Day – November 7, 2008

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reflections

Reflections on the Day for November 7, 2008.
Typical wet fall day in Portland. 

Plans for today – We Have Little Flowers this morning.  Tonight is “pizza night”.

I am wearing – Cream top and brown pants.  I need to get my shoes on soon.

I am feeling – Sleepy,  I had a strange dream that we were selling our house.  Most of our neighborhood had been leveled and we needed to go somewhere else.

I am hearing –  Almost nothing, the computer is humming and Christopher is trying to convince Sarah to get out of my bed and eat breakfast.

I am thankful for – Kyle being home!  Even if he does have to go back again, it was nice to get him back so soon.

In prayer – Our nation, my grandmother.

The Children:

Ashley – I wish she would remember to ask for things more than 12 hours before she needs them.
Rachel –  She turns 15 this weekend.  Holy Cow!
Christopher – Is a funny kid.  He is good at getting the dog to do what he wants.
Hannah – Is very excited for Little Flowers today.
Joshua –  Is starting off on kind of a bad foot this morning.  I will be glad when he gets over this phase.
Sarah – Snuk into my bed last night.  Silly little bed bug.

The Homefires:

Kitchen – Pizza night!  woot!
Craft-room – There is a bit of sewing I am getting to and I need to take my machine in for its tune-up.
Music – Here is that lovely version of the Ave Maria by Caccini I found the other day on the Anchoress

Lucky Room of the Day –  The bathroom.

My pleasant thought for the Day –

 “Joy is not in things; it is in us”

Richard Wagner

 

A picture worth a thousand words – 

pumpkinkids
Happy Pumpkin patch kids.

Uncategorized

Reflections on the Day – November 5, 2008

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reflections

Reflections on the Day for November 5, 2008.
Rather cold and wet today.

Plans for today – We are going over to my parent’s house today.  WoW dropped a patch yesterday and dad is having issues with his addons.

I am wearing – My brown pants and a cream turtleneck.

I am feeling – My cough seems a little worse this morning, maybe it is the wether.

I am hearing –  The children being loud.

I am thankful for – That I live in a democracy even if I don’t always like the end results.

In prayer – Our nation, that Kyle travels safely, my grandmother.

The Children:

Ashley – Is a good kid.  She makes it out to school even when I over sleep.
Rachel – Conferences are coming up soon and I will finally meet her teacher.  She turns 15 this weekend.
Christopher – He actually managed to get his work done yesterday.
Hannah – Asks evert morning if today is Little Flowers.  She doesn’t want to miss it.
Joshua –  Totally destroyed a roll of double sided tape for the windows.
Sarah – Was shocked that her Halloween basket was empty this morning.  I fear she thinks we are going to my parents’ to refill it.

The Homefires:

Kitchen – I forgot the sour dough… doh.
Craft-room – There is a bit of sewing I am getting to and I need to take my machine in for its tune-up.
Music – I heard a lovely version of the Ave Maria by Cuccini yesterday. I will atempt to share it later today
Lucky Room of the Day –  The office.

My pleasant thought for the Day – From Happy Catholic:

 I am a Christian, and indeed a Roman Catholic, so that I do not expect “history” to be anything but a long defeat — though it contains (and in a legend may contain more clearly and movingly) some samples or glimpses of final victory.

J.R.R. Tolkien

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you – 

threekiddos

Reflections on the Day

Reflections on the Day – November 4, 2008

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reflections

Reflections on the Day for November 4, 2008.
Today is election day.  The weather is alternating grey and chilly with bright  sunshine.

Plans for today – The ballots where dropped off at the  library, then we had lunch.   I want to work on getting some more work on the book shelves done today.

I am wearing – My slacks and a comfy top.

I am feeling – A little out of sorts.  The boys have been especially trying these past two days.  My chair broke.  I can’t believe it, but the back just snapped off.  Very depressing.

I am hearing –  Christopher walk himself through long division.

I am thankful for – Our new roof. If anything would have made to old one leak it would have been the past couple days of rain.

In prayer – The election, Kyle while he is traveling.

The Children:

Ashley – Was so helpful last night.  She made dinner while I went to the store and got her a new bus pass.
Rachel – I keep forgetting to email her teacher.  I will do that next.
Christopher – Do you remember the pain of learning long division…. I do.  And if I had forgotten I have just been reminded
Hannah – Is very excited that she has been invited to a tea party this weekend.
Joshua –  I have never seen a child more into coloring pirates.
Sarah – Misses her daddy and has been a very good potty-girl.

The Homefires:

Kitchen – I want to remember to start sour-dough tonight.
Craft-room – There is a bit of sewing I am getting to and I need to take my machine in for its tune-up.
Music – Josh learned “When the saints come marching in” at CCD last night.  A couple of the children wore their Saint costumes to class and Josh was so sad and upset because he was worried that he would be the only child there in street clothes.  He was sort of mad at me.  But he was fine when he got to class and saw that most his class didn’t wear costumes.
Lucky Room of the Day –  The living room.

My pleasant thought for the Day – The election is over today! 

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you – 

lolkitty