Not Quite Ordinary Observations

For Today...Monday, September 12, 2011

Outside my window...a flower bed that I should probably clean out. It’s full of leaves and random greenery. Flower beds are just not my strong suit.

I am thinking...about the week ahead and my hopes for productivity.

I am thankful for...the fact that when it gets the least bit uncomfortable, we can turn the A/C back on. I don’t take that for granted.

I am wearing...blue-gray capris, white sleeveless top.

I am creating...Christmas plans and cloth napkins.

I am remembering...when we first started homeschooling, although in all honesty it’s hard to remember not homeschooling.

I am going...to reorganize Steven’s history plan so I can have a better idea of what books to look for at the library each time we go.

I am reading...George Washington Carver by John Perry. I am enjoying it more than any other biography from the Christian Encounters series.

I am hoping...to be a little more organized in my afternoon schedule starting this week. I think the fact that swimming season is officially over will help. But, I can definitely say that seeing my kids grow so confident in the pool was worth a summer of less structured and productive afternoons!

I am hearing...the ceiling fan, a ticking clock, and my chair squeaking. The fact that I’m not hearing children’s voices is actually a good thing right now. It means Steven is resting like he should be and the girls aren’t trying to work and talk at the same time.

On my mind...some school thoughts for the next couple of years and, as always, prayer needs of friends.

From the learning rooms...more light, color, and magnetism; more World War I; a great need to catch up on read-alouds. We’ve fallen way behind somehow.

Noticing that...today has gone smoothly. Typically I school plan and we don’t do a regular school day on Mondays. But, the planning was already done, so we went ahead and jumped in.

Pondering these words... I have always said that the best means…for destroying race prejudice is to make [oneself] a useful, and if possible, an indispensable member of the community in which he lives. I do not know of a better illustration of this than may be found in the case of Professor Carver. ~Sir Harry Johnson, as quoted in George Washington Carver by John Perry.

From the kitchen...pork chops, mashed potatoes, and peas. Today or tomorrow I will be pre-making some parmesan chicken cordon blue and peachy chicken for the freezer, two of my family’s favorite meals.

Around the house...signs of clothing transition: tubs of clothes sitting out, awaiting their return to the attic; piles of sweaters and sweatshirts in the top of closets, awaiting the removal of shorts, capris, and summer shirts; summer and winter shoes intermingled on closet floors.

One of my favorite things...fall. Have I mentioned that recently?

A few plans for the rest of the week...a pretty normal, routine week.

A picture worth sharing...If you look closely, you should be able to see three silly monkeys in this pecan tree. They thoroughly enjoyed spending last week outside!