Daybook, Tuesday May 27

Simple Woman's Daybook happens weekly here*

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... mild, warm but slightly cloudy day

I am thinking... about the pile of books I need to make a dent in

I am thankful for...my handy husband who makes my home ideas reality.

From the learning rooms... School work is all done, sending homework home with Teddy for tomorrow, he is not at our house on Wednesdays.

From the kitchen... baking chicken, something that I can prepare and pop in the oven before I leave with Meg for Irish Dance.

I am wearing..jeans and a sweater

I am creating...trying to pick a paint technique for the new pantry doors Sky made- I want the pantry to not match the kitchen cabinets, to look like a piece of furniture we put in-place. I am thinking yellow with red showing at the corners.

I am going... actually, I am already at Starbucks while Meg is at Irish dance, then I will head home.

I am reading...

and 2 other books which titles escape me at the moment...

I am hoping... no one else gets sick at our house, I'm ready for a healthy run of luck!

I am hearing... barista's making coffee-stuff

Around the house... house is a wreck, I've been spending too much time on the 'puter...

One of my favorite things... chai soy latte, yum!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Wednesday is my relaxed day, yay!! BLT bagel is a tradition on Wednesdays! Thursday and Friday will be reserved for serious Science and History study.

Here is picture I am sharing...


(look to the upper right, can you see the duck?)

7 Quick Takes, but on Sunday

~1~
The week that was -this week started off with a very sick homeschool mom. Teddy was home sick, also- so no school on Monday. By Tuesday, my asthma meds were kicking in, so I was again, on the job.

~2~
We had an awards ceremony for our Classical Conversations Group Tuesday night, a very sweet ending to our year. I had one memory master in my class, what a delight to see and hear all they had accomplished!

~3~

Josie had an electric-sabre mini tournament in her class. Even though I am merely her proud mama, I do have to say that she dominated! She won the tournament!


~4~
We are having beautiful weather here in So. California. I took the homeschool crew to the library for books, videos and books on tape. I heart books on tape! After the library, we walked around the local antique district to enjoy the beautiful day.

~5~
The end destination I had in mind was the cupcake shop. I had heard that cupcake shops usually have $1 mini-cupcakes, just right for kids. Uh, no mini cupcakes at this shop...
$3 cupcakes X 5 kids = ouch!

~6~
The three littles opted for frozen yogurt instead. Brought back some 80's memories for me.
They were all about the toppings, of course.

~7~
Meg had her last orchestra concert of the year, and her very last concert with this group- she is now outside of the grade range for the group. Great concert, but a bit sad, too.

Dear Family

Dear Family,

I love being mom and I love serving you.
But, ahem- it has suddenly come to my attention that my baby is 8 years old.
Getting only 3 hours straight sleep at a time is no longer acceptable to me.

Please be on notice, I am declaring the night hours asthma-attack-free zones. No more nebulizer treatments at 11p.m, 2:30 a.m and 6 a.m. I'm not as young as I used to be, I can't keep up. Please save your attacks for the daytime hours.

Cat- no more waking me up because you want to come into the house, you want to go out of the house, you want a 6th meal, or because you need fresh running water out of the bathroom sink faucet and you lack thumbs.

Just because I am so slap-happy by 2 a.m that I do all of these things for you with no resistance (and stand and wait for you to stop drinking so I can turn off the faucet...)

-just because I have been too weak to resist your evil, calculating kitty-ways- does not make the whole set-up hugely wrong. Funny how you occasionally use the doggy door to come into the house when no human attendant is available...well, I know you can use it, so use it and don't let it hit you on the way out.

  • You are on notice that at the first meow from now on, I will be tossing you out the front door and locking the doggy door.

Dog- while I am moved by the complete and utter faith you have in me, demonstrated by your waking me up at 4:30 a.m - after the cat episodes, after the breathing treatments, -because you had itchy ears and were convinced I could make it all better...while I acknowledge the sweet testament to your view of my mom-ness, the whole scene was unappreciated.

talk to me about ears in the morning, I'm sure they itch just as much in daylight.

Teenager- if mom says you need a breathing treatment, then you do. I am still smarter than you.
The 1 a.m nebulizer treatment success proves me right yet again.

Husband, no more Indian food.

thank you for your attention to these matters,

love

mom

American Girl Place, Los Angeles-It's all about the dolls

The American Girl Place, Los Angeles was our destination last Thursday.

we had some good bloggy-guessers :)

Amie's Grandmother promised lunch and a day at the American Girl Store to buy the much-dreamed about doll of her dreams.

Imagine if you can, a huge two-story store- dedicated to dolls.

I was there, and I have to tell you it was real. Very real.
and girly, and fun, and kind of creepy, too. (just a little-did I just say that out-loud?)


Pink. It was very pink. We had lunch in the cafe. They had loaner dolls just in case you needed a lunch date. They even had little special chairs that hooked up onto the table.
The doll had her own plate and cup.
Of course.
I have to say that the cafe was pretty magical. Very pink. (don't drag along the brother..just don't!) The food was dainty and girlish, and pretty good. The dessert was all that, and very good! The day was a magical-memory-day, and having lunch made it more so.


And of course, the reason we were making this pilgrimage...the doll of her heart.
And all the accessories.
As we were nearing the store, Amie told me she was so excited that her tummy was tingly.
oh, to be so little again and so excited!

God bless Grandmother! :)

I heart faces challenge- dramatic b&w

I Heart Faces Photography Challenge: Dramatic Black & White

Beware the butterfly as they flutter by...
(Amie at the Butterfly house, Boston- can you see the butterfly right above her head?)

this was taken with my iphone, not perfect, but a pretty good shot, her face said "drama" to me!

I Heart Faces hosts a weekly photo challenge, this is my very first entry. Click on over to see many talented/creative/interesting entries. Pick up your camera next week and join up!

A Family garden project

Gardening with kids is an exciting thing. So much to look forward to, so much to plan, so much dirt!

Gardening with my children is a journey of optimistical planning. Here begins the planning and hopeful visions of a fruitful harvest.

A lesson on sowing now and reaping later; on planning, care and steadfastness.

Here are the lessons lived out for us, before our very eyes;

"Slow and Steady finishes the race" -Aesop's fable

and

"Behold, the sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell beside the way, and the birds came and devoured it. And other seed fell on the rocky place, where it did not have much earth, and immediately it sprang up because it had not depth of earth." -Mark 4:2-5


and this living lesson-picture:

"Catch the foxes for us, The little foxes, That ruin the vineyards While our vineyards are in blossom." -Song of Songs 2:15

a lesson to my children to be aware of the peculiarities, habits, and introspections (teen angst, anyone??) - the little foxes, that ruin the bright living out of Christ in the Churches and in ourselves.

why here's one of those little foxes, er- hens- now...looking for a way back into the garden...

Favorite gardening with children books at our house:

How about you, are you planning a garden this year?