Daybook for Jan. 11, 2010

Outside my window... men climb a roof while the sky breaks into color behind them. (Our neighbor is having her roof repaired.)

I am thinking... that if you have a lot of plates spinning in your life, you might have one fall and break, but you've got to be grateful for the ones that are still spinning.

I am thankful for... children who enjoy being children.

I am wearing... blue running pants and a blue sweater. I am the smurfiest!

I am remembering... that I used to ditch school on cool, blue-skied mornings like this and how wonderful it'd be to ditch work and just escape to the movies and have a slice of pizza like back then.

I am going... to have a busy day of work, do some freelancing, continue sketching some ideas for an exciting new project ... oh, I'll just not post about that until it's for sure. And it's nice to build suspense, right?

I am currently reading...marketing materials for my full-time job.

I am hoping... that I can make exercise a priority in my life. The treadmill is ready for this wannabe runner. But I need to be consistent with my exercise. Right now, it's more like "This is a very special episode of Vee's life. Here's where she does some exercise." It's that rare.

On my mind... Greek mythologies.

Noticing that... the older kids are stretching upward at an alarming rate. They are growing so quickly, and I have such a short amount of time with these people before they are on their own. There is so much to do together still!

Pondering these words... "If you embrace all things in this life as coming from the hands of God, and even embrace death to fulfill His holy will, assuredly you will die a saint." (St. Alphonsus Liguori) I've had some major setbacks in, oh, everything lately, and it's good for me to ponder those words.

From the kitchen... the happy chirps of the four-year-old as his nine-year-old sister gets them bowls of cereal. (Wait. Why I am I not hearing the coffee-maker? Must. Go. Brew.)

Around the house... everything is shiny and clean from our hard work for the landlady's house inspection. The heater is humming. Books about Ancient Greece are piled up in our reading basket. Husband and two boys are still deeply asleep.

One of my favorite things ... crossing off items on my checklist. Because I'm cool like that.


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The Simple Woman's Daybook for Dec. 28, 2009

FOR TODAY:

Outside my window...everything is crisp and gray and melancholic.

I am thinking...that it's difficult to accept one's physical limitations.

I am thankful for...the scent of candy canes, little twinkling Christmas lights and the deep-red glass ornaments

From the learning rooms...I hear mostly silence since the 7-year-old is reading and the 9-year-old girl fell asleep at her desk. (She woke up with a fever, attempted school and passed out.)

From the kitchen...I hear the quiet rumbling of the dishwasher, which has been steadily used almost nonstop since Thursday.

I am wearing...blue running pants, a blue v-neck shirt and a black sweater.

I am creating...sketches of Greeks and little rabbits (not together) and also brainstorming a new sort of product to add to my Etsy shop.

I am going...to finish the Winter Fun collection this week and have it in the Etsy shop for the New Year.

I am reading...the Gospel of Saint Luke.

I am hoping... that tonight I'll have time to see one of the movies in my Cary Grant collection that I received for Christmas.

I am hearing...a four-year-old's heavy breathing due to his cold, my husband washing dishes from last night's dinner, the low hum of my old PC.

Around the house...everything looks like Christmas. We decorated the tree and the house on Christmas Eve, so it's all very new and lovely for us right now.

One of my favorite things...is brainstorming ideas and seeing if I can make the image in my mind match what I manage to assemble together.

A few plans for the rest of the week: rest, rest, rest. I have some illnesses, so sometimes, I hit a rough patch. Right now, I'm in a flare, so I'm all about peace and quiet.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing: (A few days ago, we had a little family "Elf" party. My daughter made signs that she posted around the house. We made paper chains and snowflakes to hang everywhere. We wore elf hats and recited our favorite lines as they happened during the viewing of "Elf." We also had spaghetti, though without maple syrup.)


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The Simple Woman's Daybook for Dec. 14, 2009

FOR TODAY
December 14, 2009

Outside my window...the morning is taking its time in stretching out and dispelling the darkness.
I am thinking...that my list of gifts to make keeps growing.
I am thankful for...colorful wool felt, embroidery floss and an imagination.
From the learning rooms...the children are in the midst of their Advent lapbook.
From the kitchen...are the leftovers of my four year old's birthday cake.
I am wearing...lavender Nick & Nora owl pajamas. They are so cute and cozy, and made extra-special because dear husband put them under the tree for me on St. Nicholas's feast day.
I am creating...a great white shark in felt, snowflake ornaments, a prince doll, a roll-up flannel board and three little pigs in blue felt, a Winter Wonderland paper doll set and a list of Greek Olympic gods to draw.
I am going...to have a mellow week after weeks of work craziness, so I need to rest up, drink hot tea with lemon (I'm sick right now), wear my owl pajamas all day and craft once I unplug from work.
I am reading...the Gospel of John.
I am hoping...that my full-time regular job is less stressful than it has been for the last month.
I am hearing...silence for once, and it's a nice sound.
Around the house...bits of felt from my crafting project, piles of blankets and pillows from our family sleepover/movie night, little plastic cups of frosting for yesterday morning's cinnamon rolls ... Christmas lights sparkling their hello.
One of my favorite things...is Christmas lights and the manger. The manger is one from my childhood, and the figures are an assortment of other Nativity sets (the ones that survived my children's toddler years). It makes for a mismatched look that I love.
A few plans for the rest of the week: make children's Christmas gifts, finish the Winter Wonderland set for the store, see if I feel better and if so babysit a sick friend's child, go see a boat parade later in the week.
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...(The gal in the picture is not me. She's my more attractive doppelganger. I'm rounder and black-haired. However, these are the lavender pajamas I am wearing, and they are so comfortable that I needed to share them with you. They sold like hotcakes at Target, so my city is well-pajammed and cozy this winter.)

Thanks to The Simple Woman's Daybook for this meme.