Simply Monday - December 1st

for today -

outside my window - it's still dark...and wet. we had a doozy of a rain storm yesterday and through last night. it was rather yucky out (we had to run some errands)but i will take the rain anytime if the other choice is snow or ice. the weather says it's actually warmer outside than it looks so hopefully if the rain has to continue this afternoon (like they say it will) it will stay only rain.

i am thinking - that the kids need to put on their boots and get outside today. sure, they will complain that it's chilly but at least it's a little fresh air.

from the learning rooms - we are heading into the final week of our first term. hopefully last week's break has done us good and we will be off with new vim and vigor. also i hope the advent and feast day activities we have planned will help with the enthusiasm.

i am thankful for - having almost all of my christmas shopping completed so that i can focus on advent and preparing myself and my family instead of spending it out in the craziness. did i mention that i refuse to go near the mall again until after the first of the year? :)

from the kitchen - a meal plan needs to be made. i slacked quite a bit with company last week and with leftovers from a variety of things coming directly out of my ears. i want to concentrate on using what we have and hopefully only traveling to the store for milk and bread.

i am wearing - my brand new winter coat that my husband so graciously talked me into on saturday.i think i mentioned in the past how much i disliked my old one and how it didn't really fit so this one is delightful. it's pretty much just what i was looking for. (ok, it's not really so cold in the house that i have to wear a winter coat, but since i like it so much maybe i could turn down the heat and...)

i am reading - nothing. i'm too fixated on projects that i would like to do for advent with the kids and things i would like to complete for them for christmas.

i am hoping - that this week goes well in the schooling frontier and that i can get lesson plans completed which will take us up to christmas break.

i am creating - a plan on how to transform a regular child's winter hat and mittens pattern i purchased last week into a hat that looks like "dora" and mittens that look like "boots." i'll let you know how that goes through fits of screaming "this isn't working."

i am hearing - my husband bringing our littlest one from her bed to hear her say in a squeaky and rather groggy voice, "good morning mommy, i love you." ahh, music to my ears.

around the house - laundry, with an extra set of bedding from our house guests. much clutter that needs to be tackled and organized and a basement and garage that are in need of much help. i have a garage. something we dreamed about for years...but it doesn't house my car. it houses my husband's car (because he doesn't have heat or defrost...and well, his car can't get frosted up or he can't see to drive it...and, that's just another story all together) and my garage also houses stuff. i'm not even sure exactly what stuff is out there. all i know is that it needs to leave. quickly. if i don't know what is in the boxes i can just toss them all out without abandon...right?

one of my favorite things - is feeling rested. i think (and hope) that this last week of r & r did us all good. (aside from my lack of sleep last friday, but that is another post for another time).

a few plans for the rest of the week - a much slowed week with some activities missing, which i am grateful for. nothing today, piano tomorrow and picking up a surprise for the kids which i was offered by someone on freecycle and practice for myself in the evening, wednesday nothing, thursday is busy with gymnastics, spanish and irish dance and then friday nothing. ooh, looks like three nap days. :)

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you - my oldest leaving last friday night for her first sleep over. i almost cried. yes, i'm a sap. but she's getting older. she had a great time. they painted nails, wore cucumber slices on their eyes and watched all the american girl movies. but, much to her dismay...they didn't get much sleep. she said that she tried to sleep but couldn't with the others awake. she was astounded that they didn't sleep. i guess i didn't fill her in well enough about what goes on at a slumber party...a lack of slumbering.

have a blessed first week of advent and stop over to peggy's to check out all the other day books.