Simple Woman's Daybook

For today...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010.

Outside my window...
the ashes are still smoldering from last nights fire. The weather has been so interesting this month, too hot for part of the day but the just perfect early and late in the day. I love to hear my children make comments much the same as I used to do..."I love the smell of fresh cut grass. It smells like this in the mountains."

I am thinking...
that making the transition from childhood to adulthood is harder on parents than becoming a parent was. I am sure that God is trying to teach me many things in this situation, and I am glad that I will not have an empty nest overnight.

I am thankful for...
A wonderful strings program that our family has been privileged to be a part of. Yesterday I really wanted and needed to stay home and get some things done, but it was Jacob's very last rehearsal. Five years of his favorite thing to do ~ I went to rehearsal. It was bittersweet and tomorrow night will be his last concert with this group.

From the learning rooms...the same
things are total chaos. I am happy we are headed down the backside of May and around the first of June I will try to figure our how to end this school year and begin planning for next year. I do believe I have figured out what we are going to do over the summer, and I will share more on that later.

I am wearing...
capris, a souvenir shirt from a great trip, and bare-feet with a boo boo. I dropped a pair of loppers on my foot while trimming something in the yard and have a nasty puncture wound. I could not believe how painful that was. All super-glued and steri-stripped up, it is quite sore in the morning when I get up.

I am creating...
a caplet for about the 10th time. I think this thing must have been on my needles at least that many times, and taken off that many too. I do hope that it does not have to be pulled off again and that I can have it finished by fall, we'll see.

I am going...
to get a few things to make the yard and house a little nicer for a party.

I am reading...
a checklist of things for college admissions.

I am praying for...
a pastor and his family grieving the loss of a son. This son was to be a father for the third time in about three weeks...life is hard! Prayer is the only thing that can get us through many days.

Pondering these words~
and the winner is...two year blogiversary and my two hundredth post, pondering a giveaway for sometime next week.

From the kitchen...
freshly canned green beans and mulberry jam ~ YUM!

I am hoping...
to ship two baby quilts by the end of the week and that it will rain today.

I am hearing...
the very quiet hum of my computer, and the clickety clack of keys.

Around the house...
cleaning and preparations have begun for a graduation celebration next weekend.

One of my favorite things...
the end of all children activities, this means the beginning of beach days.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
cleaning, planting, fertilizing, washing, shopping, cooking...and not necessarily in that order.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...Congratulations Jacob!
Thank you Peggy for the Simple Woman's Daybook {follow links to read more}.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For today...
Tuesday, May 18, 2010.

Outside my window...
it has been raining. Thank you Lord for the rain! It has been quite dry and with Summer fast approaching dry is not good.

I am thinking...
it doesn't really matter how tired I am, I must keep going.

I am thankful for...
dual enrollment. The college President acknowledged the group of students that graduated with their AA a few weeks prior to receiving their high school diplomas. That was very nice of him.

From the learning rooms...
things are total chaos. I am happy we are headed down the backside of May and around the first of June I will try to figure our how to end this school year and begin planning for next year.

I am wearing...
one of my favorite necklaces, a LisaLeonardDesign that says, Love with your Whole Heart.

I am creating...
a month of memories.

I am going...
to my very favorite bookstore in the whole world? I do hope I can squeeze that into the end of my week.

I am reading...
nothing for fun.

I am praying for...
yet another young couple facing cancer.

Pondering these words~ to all 2010 graduates...
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3

From the kitchen...
children have been doing a lot of cooking.

I am hoping...
to find another dairy goat. We have had goats for about seven years and (for the first time) we had begun milking one. She was not happy, and I would work 15 minutes to get one ounce of milk. As we both got a little more comfortable, and I learned a better technique, things were greatly improving. Sunday morning we got a full 8 ounces in about ten minutes and were so happy. She was acting a little funny and we thought she may have eaten something that just upset her stomach. This has happened a couple of times since we've had goats and everything has always worked itself out. We went out of town, for the afternoon, to celebrate a birthday, and returned close to dusk. We hurried out to the goat pen for milking and found that she had died. We were so upset and worried that she may have gotten sick from the recently vacated hog pen. After doing a little research and questioning children as to what she had been given to eat lately we really believe she died of bloat. We are so upset and have decided to use the milk we have collected to make goat milk soap. This will last us a while and remind us of just how special she was.

I am hearing...
silence and yes ~ it is golden.

Around the house...
it is very apparent that we have been running form one ceremony, event, party, performance, ...

One of my favorite things...
sitting down and playing a game despite the fact that the dishes are piled high in the sink, or the floor needs to be mopped, or I could find one hundred other things that I could or should be doing. My children are only little once and they are already not so little any more.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
college orientation, orchestra rehearsals for an up coming concert, mountains of laundry, and maybe a Sarah Plain and Tall marathon; to go with my ironing and as reward for the very first series she has read all by her self.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...Way to go Class of 2010, we had a great time!
Thank you Peggy for the Simple Woman's Daybook {follow links to read more}.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For today...
Friday, May 14, 2010.

Outside my window...
is a most beautiful cool morning. The evenings have also been cool and with a lovely breeze. Summer will be brutal and it is approaching quickly so we treasure each one of these lovely cool moments.

I am thinking...
how can it be possible that my homeschooling years are nearly finished with Jacob? It is exciting to see him have choices to make and work hard for what he wants. Perseverance is a great quality.

I am thankful for...
clean sheets dried on the clothesline, work experience for boys, goats to milk, and fresh eggs.

From the learning rooms...
things have been quiet for too long. When things get very hectic in "life", I allow my children to continue on their own. This has always worked and until there are signs, to tell me otherwise, I'm not going fix what isn't broken.

I am wearing...
I nightgown and bare-feet.

I am creating...
baby quilts. They are finished and I will post pictures soon. A couple of dish-rags and dreaming of goat milk soap.

I am going...
to farmers market in search of black African soap. I have heard that this is great for acne and I hope it works for us.

I am reading...
nothing for fun.

I am praying for...
a friend in need of medical help and direction as to where to get it.

From the kitchen...
summery dishes. Last nights supper was tuna salad on bagels with chips and a pickle, eaten at 8:30, a sure sign that summer is just around the corner.

I am hoping...
(still)to find a little more time to write in this space. I can not spend time here to the aggravation of my family and so I have to just let it be.

I am hearing...
a ceiling fan, the rooster crow and the hum of my computer.

Around the house...
everyone is working on projects. Today is the last day of college classes and preparations begin for graduation and the boys trip.

One of my favorite things...
tucking my girls in at night.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
the week is finished today, graduation is on Monday, and two weeks are left for normal activities like choir and strings and football, etc. We are taking the summer off and can't wait.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

Thank you Peggy for the Simple Woman's Daybook {follow links to read more}.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...May 5, 2010

Outside my window...
it is hot, hazy, smokey with a hint of a breeze. Summer arrived this week in a blaze ~ a difficult transition from a very cold Winter and nearly perfect Spring.

I am thinking...
I am very tired.

I am thankful for...
weeds in my yard and in my life...the ones that have stickers and the ones that bloom. The ones that bloom are easier to enjoy, the ones that are thorny help me pursue Him.

From the learning rooms...
premature Summer preparations and Fall dreams have begun. However, there is still much to be done to finish this year.

From the kitchen...
creating a menu with the girls. Attempting to make things easier and less expensive, I know this can be done.

I am wearing...
garden clothes.

I am creating...
two baby quilts and lists of things we want to do this summer in the studio, projects and decorating.

I am going...
to knitting tonight ~ I hope. Being down a car requires a little extra creativity.

I am reading...
very little this week.

I am hoping...
to try a new knitted scrubbie this week.

I am praying for...
a neighbor battling liver cancer, a young lady making a missions trip this summer.

Pondering these words~
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. "
Winston Churchill

I am hearing...
a big brother on piano with two little sisters playing violin ~ Canon ~ too sweet.

Around the house...
things are beginning to manage themselves. Don't get me wrong, we still make huge messes and things can get so overwhelming for all of us but, when I say get it cleaned up and that means clean enough for company to walk in, we can do it. All this to say...mothers of young children, keep training, the children keep doing their part ~ growing, and one day you just make it there.

One of my favorite things...
children willingly and lovingly helping each other.

A few plans for the rest of the week: spring football starts this week, practicing instruments for end of the year concerts, finishing two quilts, catching our breathe ~ work is just a wee bit slower this week.

Here is picture thought I am sharing... beautiful moon rising over farm field (picture does not do it justice)



Thank you Peggy for the Simple Woman's Daybook {follow links to read more}.