Monday, January 11, 2010

My Daybook - January 11, 2010

For Today... Monday, January 11, 2010

Outside my window... it's still dark, but there's going to be a heatwave in Minnesota today -- it's already fourteen degrees and it's supposed to get up to 21!

I am thinking... about prayer. How do you other mothers pray? I'm not talking about with your husbands or with your children, but you yourself with our Lord. When? Where? How? And how do foster a constant awareness of His Presence throughout the busyness of your day?

I am thankful for... warmer weather this week -- the kids will be able to spend their recesses outside again.

From the school room... I'm really enjoying our art lessons this year. We're using Artistic Pursuits. This year the topic is "Stories of Artists and Their Art." So far we've studied Cimabue, Giotto, the Limbourg brothers, and Van Eyck. I've found some great books for our book basket on the artists themselves. We've just started learning about Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. Last week we looked at da Vinci's interest in the proportions of the human face and body. This week we'll study the Mona Lisa. Here's what the kids did last week:

"Cowboy" by The Boy

"Farm Girl" by The Younger Girl

"Horse Champion" by The Older Girl

From the kitchen... a simple winter snack (or breakfast) that I grew up with and now my kids enjoy -- warm buttered toast strips dipped in hot chocolate. (If you try this, make sure to tell your kids to dip quickly because the toast strips get soggy REALLY fast and then fall apart in one's hot chocolate -- something The Boy was REALLY frustrated with until he got the knack of it.)

I am wearing... my jammies, robe, and slippers.

I am creating ... a menu for the week. The month of December got a little crazy and it's time to work this back into our routine -- the evenings go much more smoothly when I know what I'm making ahead of time and have all the ingredients on hand -- especially since our new dance routine involves one of the girls dancing from 5-6:30 and the other from 6:30-8 -- no more overlap -- so eating together means eating at 4:00!

I am going... to go grocery shopping, stop at the library to pick up a request that's ready, return a DVD to the nearest Red Box, and take the girls to whistle lessons and all three older kids to dance.

I am reading... O Pioneers! Yes, a novel! Even if I only get to it on Sundays, I am going to start reading for pleasure again. And Willa Cather is the perfect place to start as she is one of my favorite fiction writers. I read four chapters yesterday. in bed. with a cup of tea. in the middle of the afternoon. And the Older Girl joined me with her book and a cup of tea. It was an extremely enJOYable way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

I am hoping... to make it March 7 -- my husband has said he will finish his dissertation by then or die trying, which means I will largely be a single parent until then. Pray for us!

I am hearing... the refrigerator humming and my fingers on the keyboard. The Girls' alarm clock will be going off in about two minutes, though.

Around the house... Ordinary Time begins today. It's time to put the Christmas decorations away for another year.

One of my favorite things... quiet. Ahhh ...

A few plans for the rest of the week: Tin Whistle lessons this afternoon. Dance on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Little Flowers on Tuesday. Get some groceries. Take down the Christmas decorations. Lower The Baby's crib mattress.

A picture-thought I am sharing:
The Cousins on My Side at My Nephew's Baptism Yesterday

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1 comment:

Thanks for stopping by!