Outside My Window
It's getting ready to be steamy, probably one of the last steamy days of the year.
I am Listening to
Madeline working through her morning routine in her room, humming to herself.
I am Wearing
Purple knit pyjamas pants with white, teal, hot pink and black spotty-circles, and a tank top. I saw these pants on a shopping mission for something else but I had to have them. By rights they are fall and winter pjs but if I skip the matching hot pink thermal top I can wear them now. And I must, because I love them.
I am Grateful for
being able to exercise again, even if it's making me unbelievably tired in the moment. It feels great to be moving!
I'm Pondering
"Wisdom enters through love, silence and mortification. It is great wisdom to know how to be silent and to look at neither the remarks, nor the deeds, nor the lives of others." ~St. John of the Cross, via Elizabeth Foss
I am Reading
Before I Go: Letters to Our Children about What Really Matters by Peter Kreeft, with Matthew before I send him off to bed at night.
Boundaries with Teens by John Townsend, not because we're having trouble with our teen but because we want to avoid what we can.
The Handbook for Catholic Moms by Lisa Hendey, again.
I am Thinking
about hiking in West Virginia in September.
I am Creating
a How to Run My House While I'm Gone binder, which the recipient can take or leave as she likes, but don't say I didn't warn you and provide explicit driving directions. ;-)
On my iPod
Father Roderick again!
We are Learning
Finishing up the Middle East and heading toward hurricanes, since we generally don't have them heading toward us. We're trying block studies this year for social studies and science. Madeline likes to dive into a subject and stay there for a while, so that's what we're doing. We've had a month of the Middle East, and next week she and Grandma will investigate hurricanes. After hurricanes we start Asia with India and Mother Teresa, then back to a science subject. This approach seems to be working well so far this year.
Around the House
The new and improved job chart is working! It's really working!
From the Kitchen
Cooking big for the freezer. Late last week I made a yummy pulled pork recipe that provided two meals so far and two or three for the freezer, depending on who is eating. I made a double batch of Arwen's Family's Spaghetti Sauce yesterday, which will easily give us six meals. I think I'm going to go to Gerbers tomorrow and get a bunch of chickens to roast and shred for the freezer. I feel like Ma Ingalls putting things by for the winter, although I have the undeniable luxury of a giant freezer at my disposal.
I am holding in prayer
my children, who have made it clear they will miss their parents next week.
Activities for the rest of the week
Vacation is over. Ballet started last week and Madeline's swimming group started this week. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, for the next six weeks I will have three trips to the pool and back on my schedule. If anyone has a better idea, I'm all ears! I don't know what is more appealing: sitting at the pool or in its vicinity for hours, or running back and forth between pool and home. Mondays and Fridays have swimming in the afternoon and ballet in the evening. And this year we have big boy swim practice and little girl ballet on Saturdays. It's only a season, and the kids are thrilled. We press on.
