Simply Monday - October 20th

for today...

outside my window - it is still dark and rather chilly. fall has definitely taken hold and winter is on its way. as far as the darkness goes, it always makes me laugh when we get the kids up and they say, "why are you getting us up now, it's still dark...so it can't possibly be time to wake up."

i am thinking - that at least three out of five days today include time for "nap time." jack pot!

from the learning rooms - it's week seven and things are still trucking along, which i am very grateful for. slacking in a few areas...ahem, science and latin. but it's just not here and there slacking, it's as totally missing slacking. so that's better right? then it can be done in its own intensive unit way...right? :) the little man is also doing much better than i anticipated and really enjoying himself. he finished his first phonics book last friday, which was supposed to take him until christmas to complete so that is good news. i guess i underestimated him. he really has a good grasp on it all too and is overjoyed to be reading his first few basic words but not upset that he isn't able to read more. and that is a very good combo for me as teacher. 'cause then i can stick with the phonics that i truly love and believe work like no other method of teaching reading and not have to interject those little books "to boost your child's confidence, entertain them and make them think they are learning to read but their actually only memorizing what tons of different words look like and when asked to sound something out they are up a creek." (says she who just started her sentence with "'cause"...literary genius...trust me, i know). oh sure, i'm all for sight words and know that there are some that only work that way...but not every word in the english language is a sight word.

i am thankful for - a very blessed weekend. saturday was very busy with a spiritual retreat for liturgical ministers at my parish in the morning and then a trip to baltimore with "the band" to play for a youth mass and holy hour there. and we actually made some money, so we can actually buy some recording time. all in all on saturday, i was blessed to attend mass twice (one for saturday and one for my sunday obligation) and spend time with Jesus exposed in the Eucharist on the altar three times. yippee! :) then last night we attended a dinner sponsored by our parish to support our parish school. the tickets are rather expensive but we were asked to attend by someone else and therefore had a wonderful night out for free. we were also able to sit at a table with some friends and some others whom we got to know. the conversation at the table turned political and to life issues and i would please ask you to keep everyone at the table in your prayers. those who are trying to uphold the sanctity of life and those who believe in that sanctity but do not believe they should push that belief on others. all in all it was a very good discussion and i believe there will be some wonderful fruits that come of it.

from the kitchen - well, today better include banana bread or else those bananas are going to adhere themselves to my counter.

i am wearing - the classiest cream business suit w/ a skirt you ever did see. black calf high boots with a stellar heel. my hair is in a great up-do and i have on some trendy gorgeous spectacles...oh, no. wait. that was governor palin when she was here in lancaster on saturday. and i had to miss her...again.

i am reading - well, i was trying to read "happy times in noisy village to my kids" but it is due today and when i tried to renew it, the system wouldn't let me because somebody has a hold on it. i hate how they don't tell you that beforehand so you can plan ahead for that. anybody have a copy they want to lend me?

i am hoping - to get some things done around the house this week since we have a bit of a laid back schedule this week.

i am creating - a few history unit studies and hopefully something else...i would allude to the secret project, but why bother. it's old hat, procrastination and poor time management now.

i am hearing - the clicking of the keyboard and other than that...silence. that is definitely my favorite benefit of getting up early. i certainly don't have that for the rest of the day.

around the house - there is laundry to be done, just like every monday. and the basement needs major straightening if i am to get any sewing done or know where the heck all of our school manipulatives and games are.

one of my favorite things - is spending time with my family just being. i just love when we are able to spend time here at the house all together without running here and there.

a few plans for the rest of the week - schoolwork of course, possibly some time at the library and "the band" traveling to a parish south of here to play for a holy hour (and get paid a little bit more to put to the recording money).

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you - there's nothing like having one of your favorite uncles visit and push you in your swing...
...and your car. :)

don't forget to take a hop, skip and a jump over to peggy's to check out all of the other daybook entries.