The Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window...it is dark and quiet.  The street lights at the top of our driveway are the only light I can see.  Neighbors are most probably sleeping as I should be, for their houses are sitting with dark windows....almost eerily starring down at our house.

I am thinking...of how rare it is for me to find myself sitting in my living room alone.  Most often my faithful companion, Morgan, is enjoying her end of the day time quietly beside me on the couch.  Enjoying just the being together that no words need be spoken at the time when the clock leaves one day to embark on a new one, unless to share something of importance that one of us come across in our nightly readings.

I am thankful...for an amazing husband who works long, hard days so that I may be a full time mom at home.  I am so blessed!

In the kitchen...is dirty dishes from late night snacks from the children  who came home from various directions.  Youngest four at a local VBS, older four off on an adventure of some sort and the middle child off with Tim to run children hither and yon, just to turn around and gather them up again to bring home.  Dishes can wait until morning once in awhile! :)

I am wearing...comfy black sweat pants and a teal tshirt.  We haven't retrieved the summer boxes from the attic to do a major clothing swap yet, but soon....the boys are starting to go shirtless....it is time.

I am creating...lots of different stuff with my Corel PaintShop Pro X4 program.  Loving it!  This was something I was playing around with yesterday. 

I created the green rick rack border from scratch which was my BIG learning adventure.  I'm not sure where this project will end up...but it has been a fun outlet for my creativity.  Loving it!!!!!

I am going...to be putting together a new record system for our homeschooling.  Researching and playing around with ideas.  I hope to have it in running order by August when we end this school year and gear up for the next.  This is definitely not my strong point at all, but I am putting my best foot forward!  :)

I am wondering...how our back yard will turn out, how long it will take us to complete now that we hit a slight snag that needs to be fixed, and will be get the fire pit area finished as well or have to wait until the Fall to finish it?

I am reading...about  homeschool record keeping and other related things.  Not my favorite cup of tea!  I did just start a for fun book, Beverly Lewis' The Bridesmaid, but I'm not far enough into it to say how I like it yet.

I am hoping...to get some important mail next week.  I will post pictures as soon as I receive the long awaited items!!!!  Oh...the excitement in our house is bubbling over!  :)

I am looking forward to...the Born For This Girls Conference that my daughters put together.  I am so proud of them.  To see them working so diligently for something they are passionate about is just overwhelmingly wonderful to this momma's heart!  I look forward to seeing what God has in store for them stepping out in faith and for the girls that He brings to the conference.


I am learning...that life is often nicer when lived slowly.  Time is already flying past at a rate I cannot control, but I can control the things I allow into our lives that have the ability to steal our peace, joy, togetherness.  This I have found can be a seasonal thing also.  The past couple months we have not been going out as much to this activity or that meeting.  We were homebodies enjoying the woods and creek in back of our house, hours spent playing on the tire swing, daily readings, and much more.  These past two weeks we have seemed to hit a busier schedule and it looks to last until the end of June.  VBS time tends to do that.  The youngest four will be attending three VBS adventures this June, while the older five will only be attending one.  Basketball camp for Johnston and Becca is now on the calender for one week and a possibility of a four week Friday camp for the younger four.  This month will fly by and I am already looking forward to two weekends I've purposefully left blocked off for our family to just enjoy a slower pace.  Before I know we will be in August and facing the end of a school year and beginning of another.

Around the house...VBS crafts from tonight are laying here and there, a playpen is set up for little Bman whom we watch during the week, Lego projects are proudly on display being saved by imploring creators for "just one more day" before having to take them apart and putting them away....items of our daily life is laying around for anyone who were to come and visit to see exactly what we have been up to lately.

I am pondering...about my parents 50th anniversary that is coming up on November 21st.  Different party ideas are running around in my head like untrained children.  I know I need to take the time to sit down and organize my thoughts and get the plans put into action.

A favorite quote for today...courtesy of Jameson..."I've decided I'm only going to have two kids.  I'm going to come home to a house that is niiiiiiice and quiiiiieeet and caaaaaaalm and it will not get dirty because I will only have two kids.  You can live with me to when you are older and I will take care of you."  (I love that boy!  He doesn't realize two kids can take a house down as well as 12!)

One of my favorite things...is getting new curriculum that from the moment your child starts they LOVE it and are eager to get to it each day.  That is how it has been with our new math (Teaching Textbooks) and english (Rod and Staff).  I love when my kids ask to do their "fun" school work before we even start class time.  Love it!

 A few plans for the rest of the week:


Tuesday: school, VBS, three kiddos going to the local library for a lock in with friends, I might even sit and talk with a few of my friends whom I have not seen for months while our kids are locked in the library together!  :)
Wednesday: youth night at church
Thursday: school
Friday: preparing food for the girls fundraiser at a local store, girls going to a friends slumber party at their church where Morgan has been asked to speak to the teen girls
Saturday: Fundraiser!!!
Sunday: Church and a free day to do whatever we want!

A peek into my day...
 

Johnston and Becca as Captain Jack Sparrow and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

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Tinkerbell, candy, and more!

Tim was able to get home early today in time to watch the newest Tinkbell movie that the kids have been waiting ever so patiently to see.  He being the best daddy in the entire planet bought us all pizza for dinner so we could just have a nice family night.  A big thank you Daddy from all of us!!!!

Tinkerbell and the Secret of the Wings. This was my favorite out of the three movies so far.  Even though Becca and I had a hard time choosing...they are all three very wonderful.  This one had Becca and I tearing up.  We hope they bring out a fourth!!!

During school today Becca had a little bit of a sidetracked moment and in her excitement she dressed our Tinkerbell up in honor of watching the new movie.  Look at this precious little girl!  She is just so lovely, and what a good sport to let Becca put her in such wonderful attire.  Tinker was greatly rewarded with many treats for what she had to suffer through.

First order of business after breakfast this morning was to let the kids organize their T-N-T candy! It was much to late to deal with it last night after we got home from out adventures.  So...this morning they put all their loot together in one bowl and separated everything into bags that are neatly organized.  They will be eating on this for quite a while. 

School went by quickly today as the kids were wrapping up their book work for the week so they can take tomorrow for a fun filled school day.  We will be meeting up with fellow homeschoolers for homeschool swim day, also spending a few hours having classes at the YMCA, and a visit to the library just to list a few of the things on our list for tomorrow!  I have to brag on these kids of mine...they have been going above and beyond in school this year.  I am so thankful for all their hard work and diligence.  Blessings they are!

Seems like I wrote my day all jumbled up...ha!  It was a good one full of noisy children, candy, hard work, snuggles and more!  Love it!

We're going green!

NOT!!!! Kendrick was kind enough to be our model today so we could show how we do our daily spelling practice. We used notebooks at one time, but one day Johnston asked if he could do it this way. It was awesome!

All you need is dry erase marker, wet rag and tile....bam....you can be green too! Think of all the trees we are saving!

When the kiddos are ready to be tested I give them a test on paper "gasp" and then I file that for our school records. The kids have a blast doing their spelling now. I love finding new ways to do schooling in an unusual way. Now this is not for parents who have children that might go off and draw on every surface of the house. Our kids know that writing on anything other then paper without permission is worthy of banishment to the dog house so we are safe.

Feel free to leave any ideas for schooling in unusual ways!