Not Quite Ordinary Observations

For Today...Tuesday, June 12, 2012

In the great outdoors...cool, humid day after getting rain all night long! Oh, how joyous that was! It started off a little hairy yesterday afternoon when a pretty fierce thunderstorm came in. We were very concerned about how the hail and wind would affect the crops – especially the corn, which is already so tall, and the rice levees which can easily be damaged by the force of heavy wind and rain. But, so far we haven’t heard of any great damage. God miraculously protected the crops! I love it!

A heart of thanksgiving...for yesterday’s crop protection, for cool weather, for answered prayers from various sources, and for a peaceful week.

A heart of prayer...for travel safety for our group returning from youth camp.

Random observations...I really, really, really need to sort pictures. I’m up to around 3,000 unsorted pictures. Yikes!

My diversions...I’m feeling organizational. Fortunately, I have plenty of options. In addition to needing to organize all of those pictures, I have a new digital planner to mess with! I’m in on the beta testing of Home Educating Family’s new software version of My Well Planned Day. I love, love, love the paper version (the only school planner that I’ve ever even liked!), and I didn’t know that I’d want to go digital. So, I decided to try both this year. Oh…my…goodness! The software isn’t completely finished yet, obviously, since we’re still in the beta testing phase. But, it will be August 1. And it is going to be amazing! I can’t wait until Olivia heads off to Kids Can Sew camp next week so I can spend the week playing working hard to help iron out all of the kinks before August 1. (And no, this isn’t a sales pitch – I just really am that excited about it!)

Thoughts from the kitchen...it doesn’t do any good to have meals planned out if I don’t actually look at the list and use the meals I’ve planned. What is wrong with me?! Although in my defense, we have had quite a few leftovers to use up.

On my bookshelf...a lot of fiction. Can you see my smile? I do enjoy good non-fiction, but oh how I love fiction. My Review Team boss is keeping me well stocked. Thanks, Lea Ann!

Projects...the planner software project is the biggie right now. But, I also am tired of the Wal-Mart bags hanging on hooks both on my kitchen wall and in my broom closet. I’m thinking a bag holder needs to move to the top of my sewing list. And I’m bound and determined to play with my new hemmer foot and get cloth napkins made.

Sounds of the moment... “For Your Splendor” by Christy Nockels on iTunes, the hum of the computer and soft clicking of the fan, sounds of the children playing calmly (they have been soothed by the morning’s rain and afternoon’s clouds – we haven’t had enough rainy days to make them stir-crazy from it!).

Last week we learned...that penguins say “Gork!” and “Gook!” (Mr. Popper’s Penguins – such a fun book!), an introduction to mammals, and that 49 peanut butter M&M’s can weigh anywhere from 82 to 89 grams (what better way to review how to create pictographs than by counting M&M’s? The weighing was just a side curiosity.) That was all Angie & Steven. Olivia discovered the true identify of the mysterious Saburo (The Master Puppeteer), learned more about Japan, and reviewed modifiers.

A favorite thing from last week...a child-free day. I think it was a fun day for the kids, too!

The planner...a pretty normal, smooth week. Nice. So, we’re working steadily on school. If it warms up, we’ll swim (but I won’t complain if it doesn’t!). And, I hope to get this blog updated with pictures from our trip to Monroe for Mother’s Day and our recent visit with the Choates. Otherwise, we’re just gearing up for an “off” week with Olivia going to Kids Can Sew camp every morning next week.

Because visuals are fun...Explorer Steven