Simply Monday - February 9th

for today...

outside my window - it's still dark (that seems to be a recurring theme, darn) and not too chilly. it's not supposed to be quite as nice today as it was this weekend but hey, it's about freezing and supposed to be sunny...so i'll take it. it's actually supposed to be about sixty on wednesday. i hope all of this mud dries up by then so the kids can actually play out there without ruining their clothes in the red clay (where no grass will grow because the builder sold all of the topsoil...but i digress).

i am thinking - that it's going to be a long week. this weekend was extra busy and that never makes the week get off to a good start.

from the learning rooms - we will hopefully be picking up some more art, music and geography this week to change things up a bit. we'll see how that goes.

i am thankful for - friends that help your very mechanically challenged husband change the brakes on a car that they gave us so it will hopefully pass inspection...without paying $1,000 to the mechanic, for friends from college that make a point to stop by and see us (unfortunately just for a couple of hours) on their way back to rhode island and my husband's wonderful and giving aunt who sent me stamps and $20 to "buy the kids some fruit" (she has to be one of the most wonderful women in the world, we are really blessed with her little acts of kindness).

from the kitchen - i need to bake up my hamantaschen (if i even spelled that somewhat close to what it's supposed to be). today i am presenting to the oldest group of girls at little flowers. we are talking about initiative (i guess you don't have to possess the virtue to teach about it :)), st. margaret of scotland and esther. esther showed great initiative when she went to talk with the king and ended up saving her people. this is where the jewish fest purim comes from. so, i am taking "haman's hats" for snack time.

i am wearing - my purple striped jammies. i started this daybook after my workout and then took a brief hiatus in the middle of "from the kitchen" to shower and eat breakfast with the family. now i'm back and just not quite completely ready for the day. could i just go back to bed? :)

i am reading - a slew of snippits from different books trying to decide what our family is going to do for lent this year.

i am hoping - that we are able to purchase a van that runs well that is also within our price range this week. we went out for quite a few hours on friday and all i have to say is...salesmen. it just stresses and tires me out trying to keep up "the game face" and get the best deal. we looked at an '02 and an '04 honda odyssey that we really liked (but the salesman didn't seem willing to budge), an '05 chrysler town and country (that the salesman seemed willing to do quite alot of wheelin' and dealin') and an '07 toyota sienna (that i think i must have slobbered on with delight but seems to be way out of the price comfort zone). anybody have any thoughts? do you have a van you really like? i have heard that the siennas run like nobody's business but their price tag is also rather hefty.

i am creating - a menu plan for the week and a quilt block for the virtual quilting bee. michele, i promise it will be there soon...maybe not really soon...but soon. :)

i am hearing - the satellite radio on some kid's channel (my dad got our family this for christmas and my kids love the children's station...my husband and i love the 80's first wave station, but anywho...) and sounds coming up through the heating vents of my oldest practicing piano in the basement.

around the house - it's surprisingly tidy around here since we had company for a bit this weekend.

one of my favorite things - is checking off "to-do" lists. i can't say i get much accomplished around here but when i do i make sure to scratch it off the list with a really nice pen and much gusto.

a few plans for the rest of the week - presenting at little flowers this afternoon, i think i'll go to our parish mom's group tomorrow since spanish and piano are not meeting this week and then sing for praise and worship that night, wednesday i am watching our friend's little boy so they can lay some flooring, thursday is gymnastics and dance and friday is nature study and a valentines party with the homeschool group. oh, and on saturday we are hoping to take a trip to nearby gettysburg to give our oldest a visual on some things we have been studying in history.

here is a picture thought i am sharing with you - our youngest marveling at the new kinex exhibit at a local hands on science museum.

have a wonderful day make sure to stop by the other daybooks. have a great monday!