Simply Monday - January 5th

outside my window - it's still dark. i'm very grateful to say i haven't been up before the sun in two weeks. but here we are. back the the usual.

i am thinking - that it was so good to have a complete vacation and spend lots of family time for the past two weeks. so now i need to suck it up, be thankful and keep a positive attitude. i am hoping the positive attitude will carry over to the kids. my son was already in tears last night in bed when his daddy told him that he had to go back to work today. he loves having his daddy home. why shouldn't he? i laughed when my husband told me that our little boy and had told him that he wouldn't have any fun without him home. i said, "well of course, don't you know i'm the 'no fun' tyrant?"

i am thankful for - today finally being the appointment for my car to get the coolant leak checked. we haven't used it since last thursday morning and have been driving "the meat wagon." that's what i call my husband's van that has not heat. he and the kids affectionately call it "the polar express."

from the learning rooms - hopefully a peaceful and productive transition back into schoolwork. it will be interesting. i'm going to try and offer it up for all those other moms whom i know are easing back into this structure today too.

from the kitchen - there will be turkey casserole this evening and hopefully a batch of homemade cream of mushroom soup to stick in the freezer. i need to get a meal plan made. i have a plan for this evening but that's where it ends. i completely flew by the seat of my pants during vacation and that won't work now. i'm sure of it.

i am wearing - back to the old work out clothes. i totally slacked during the holidays but am back on the wagon as of this morning.

i am creating - well, i need to create a christmas gift for each of the kids that i never finished but we shall see. my goal is to sew more in the coming months. i was pleasantly pleased that i was able to whip together the pajamas for the kids so quickly. heaven knows i have enough fabric...if i would just do something with it. i need to see if i have some material and a pattern to make myself some skirts. they are desperately needed.

i am going - probably nowhere. the car, like i said, is gone. i would like to go to target because i'm pretty sure their christmas items will be ninety percent off today. oh well, we'll see when they call about the car. the place is within walking distance and it's supposed to be 42 today. it is so nice to know that we don't have any appointments and we get at least this day without craziness to ease back into the routine.

i am reading - nothing at the present but i do have three books that i want to start. i'm going to try and give our days a bit more structure and when everyone else has quiet time...i'm going to try and take it to, instead of using it to clean, cook, lesson plan or whatever else i try to catch up on. i think using a bit of this quiet time for reading would be a big benefit for my tired little brain.

i am hoping - that the car doesn't cost an arm and a leg. we don't have the limbs to spare. we are trying to save up and plan for a new vehicle that we need desperately but i'm not sure how we are going to do this. i would like to say we will cut corners here and there but already with no cable tv or other frivolities like that, i feel sometimes as if we already live in a sphere.

i am hearing - my daughter's door creak open as my husband tries to wake them for the day. here we go.

around the house - it is surprisingly clean for just coming off of a vacation. there is definitely some laundry that is calling...no, screaming...my name though.

one of my favorite things - is vacation. especially the kind we had these past two weeks. i can't even remember how many days we stayed in our jammies 'til noon. it was superb. we still managed to get a few things done around here and i think we all feel pretty rested.

a few plans for the rest of the week - hide my lack of motivation for schoolwork from the kids :) and really try to dive back it with a good attitude. i don't really make resolutions but i am going to try and pray more and be an overall happy, more positive mom. other than that (of course, that's easy right?) we have spanish, piano, gymnastics and irish dance. the usual suspects.

here is a picture thought i am sharing -oh how i love these happy little faces!

please hop, skip and jump on over to check out the other daybook entries. have a blessed and peaceful day! :)