Not Quite Ordinary Observations

For Today...Monday, February 17, 2014

In the great outdoors...a “normal” winter day. Well, actually it was a little warmer than that, even. It made it to about 70 degrees! The girls came in and traded their closed shoes for sandals, and Steven even put on shorts! We are thankful for the break from the extreme cold, but we also now must be on the alert for our typical severe weather as the temps go up and down. The next few weeks could get exciting!

Oh, and did I mention mosquitoes? Yeah. They didn’t waste any time reviving when the warm weather hit. Yuck!

Within our four walls...a little bit of fresh air as we were able to open windows today.

A heart of thanksgiving...for the excavator operator who took time out from his work across the street to swing around and clean out our ditches right by the sidewalk drain. We don’t have a working weed eater or push mower right now, so getting that cleaned out can be a challenge. What a blessing!

A heart of prayer...for a friend who fell from a ladder today, broke several bones, and will be facing surgery. Also for his wife who is dealing with the challenge of a newborn as well. And for another friend who was in a car accident last night.

Random observations...I have installed a little timer on my computer. It gives me work segments followed by a break time. It has really helped me see just how distracted I allow myself to get while I’m supposed to be accomplishing a task. It also lets me see just how much I can get done when I really focus and get in a groove. And, finally, it lets me see just how much time I waste on piddly little things. It’s been an interesting experiment today. I’m hoping it helps me develop better habits of diligence.

My silly children...had a delightful time cleaning out the van today. They dug deep and found all sorts of things hiding in drawers and the glove compartment!

Thoughts from the kitchen...meatloaf today for the first time in a long, long while. Yummy!

Oh, and Olivia will be planning and preparing all of Thursday’s meals for her AHG Cooking badge. This will be fun to watch!

On my bookshelf...Into the Whirlwind by Elizabeth Camden. Pure pleasure. I know it’s good to read non-fiction, but oh how I love fiction. Especially historical fiction. I’m learning about the Chicago fire and watch-making (by hand, not mechanized). And, I get to use the short breaks my timer gives me to read little snippets during the day. Not quite the “curl up in a chair and read for hours” delight that I prefer, but a blessing nonetheless!

Projects...tonight’s project is making a list of all of the badges the girls should earn between now and the end of May. But the big project for the week is starting a list of next year’s school needs. Yes, the time to begin is here. I know, I know…it’s only February. But it’s so much FUN! And this week is a break week. And the next break week I’ll probably have my nieces and will need to go through the kids’ spring clothes. And the next break week will be in May and it will just be too late. And did I mention it’s downright fun? Yep, it’s going to be a great week! 

Sounds of the moment...much quiet. The kids are in bed.

From Hibbard Academy...a week off. We were definitely needing it. Besides, I have to have my fun week!

A favorite thing from last week...hearing people complement Olivia on her hard work at the food pantry. Local churches and organizations rotate taking responsibility for food distribution every month (it is open four days a month). February is our church’s month, and this year Olivia is old enough to really be of service. So, Doug took her on Thursday. She dove right in, worked hard, and impressed the ladies in charge. Yep, I’m definitely a proud mama!

The planner...lunch with the Gleaners tomorrow. Then pretty much normal until Friday night. We take Olivia to her first real youth event this weekend. It’s kind of like a Disciple Now weekend. She’ll be with one girl she knows, but will otherwise be with complete strangers all weekend. I’m curious to see what she thinks. She’s excited!

Because visuals are fun...Olivia all done with work and ready to go find some lunch.