Daybook

Outside My Window

It is still dark.

I am Listening to

The hum of the refrigerator and nothing else.

I am Wearing

A t-shirt and boxers—pjs;-).

I am so Grateful for

~a daughter who conspires to celebrate the day her family began (Thanks, Mary Beth, for anniversary sweetness;-)

~starting the week in a fairly tidy house

~soccer moms (and soccer dads, too)

~come to think of it, soccer siblings, too

~regular updates from Patrick in Spain

~the gifted educators who have published excellent curricular material that has blessed our new school year

~homemade miso soup

~grocery store carnations

~lunch date on a Sunday

I'm Pondering

Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants. ~Michael Pollan

I am Reading.

I just finished a pre-publication copy of a very good parenting book.

And

Food Rules by Michael Pollan

I am Thinking

About the coming weekend.I’m so looking forward to having company here.

I am Creating

A new ‘do. Well, I’m not really creating it, but I do desperately need a haircut and I’m considering asking for something different. Appointment this morning. We’ll see.

On my iPod

Mossflower. We finished Redwall over a week ago and spent some time talking about whether we’d listen to another or the boys would be on their own to binge through the series. As a compromise, we’re going to listen to the prequel and they’re going to read the sequel. This audio version is so well done. The author narrates in a rich, deep, lovely accent. It’s a full cast audio that does truly bring these books to life.

Towards a Real Education

I can say with all sincerity that we are off to our best start ever.I’m rocking the Charlotte Mason Organizer to its fullest potential. The children seem to understand that if we’re going to keep up the pace of soccer and ballet that they want, we have to use those morning hours to their fullest. They are working hard and genuinely seem to like that resources I’ve chosen for them.

I’m happy to report that each and every one of my children spent a full hour or more working on math every day last week (even Labor Day—and we had a soccer tournament final that day). I attribute this astounding fact to the warm embrace our family has given to Dreambox and Aleks. They love it. They are definitely learning something. I am not a math teacher. I am grateful for a computer that is. Hooray!

Towards Rhythm and Beauty

I have stressed and stressed over The Schedule. I have lost countless hours of sleep trying to make it all work, to figure out how to be at one opportunity east of me, one west of me, and another north of me at the same time, in order to meet the needs (and wants) of different children. And then something amazing happened. I handed it all over to God and watched in awe as He worked it out in ways I could have never imagined. I started to write about it here, but it’s gotten too long, so I’ll save it for a post of its own. Hopefully soon.

To Live the Liturgy

It’s nearly time to begin our preparations for feasts of the fall.

I am Hoping and Praying

~for Patrick, who is in Spain this week. He plays the Spanish U17 national team tomorrow and Thursday.

~for the traveler who will come to stay with us this weekend. I pray her time here is everything she hopes it will be. And then more.

.

In the Garden

The mums are starting to pop. The petunias look a little beaten up after some serious wind last week, but I’m going to leave them in a while longer, yet. Tomatoes are looking a bit bedraggled. Roses are beautiful.

Around the House

I still haven’t created a new chore chart. I’m using the “see a need, call the first person who comes to mind” method.Mary Beth and I thoroughly organized the little girls’ room last week. That’s probably a post in itself, too…

From the Kitchen

I’ve temporarily abandoned my cycle menu while we experiment with some new recipes. This week, we’re eating

Sunday: chili (with sweet potatoes added-it was yummy)

Monday: chicken and white bean salad

Tuesday: Maple Dijon pork chops, Caesar salad, roasted broccoli

Wednesday: Chilled Linguine with Gorgonzola and Basil

Thursday: sandwiches to go—we’re eating at the park.

Friday: Cowboy beans and cilantro lime rice

Saturday: grilled sandwiches before Michael’s game

Almost all from the Whole Foods Market Cookbook

One of My Favorite Things

Happy Anniversaries.

Sarah Annie this week

After nearly two years of living in our room, she has discovered “her room.” She could easily spend several hours a day playing with the dollhouse in there. And she prefers to sleep in “her” bed, too, much to her daddy’s chagrin. It’s sweet to see her moving into the territory of her sisters and to see them envelope her in their world.

Gonna miss her, though.

Gosh, there’s a lot of missing going on around here, isn’t there?

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week

Hmmm: haircut; ballet planning meeting with dear friends, the kickoff game of Monday Afternoon Football season, two playdates in the park, much soccer, ballet, and the hum of busy excitement as we prepare for Saturday’s trip to the airport to meet our guest.

Picture thoughts:

My anniversary lunch: a Sweetheart Roll at our favorite sushi bar. Isn't it beautiful? (Cell phone photo)