Not Quite Ordinary Observations

For Today...Tuesday, December 29, 2015

In the great outdoors...overcast and cold – the cold finally came! We were so hot on Sunday, but when I was out yesterday trying to rescue our outdoor nativity scene from the wind, I think there were ice pellets mixed with the rain spitting on my coat. 

Within our four walls...Christmas decorations are down and mostly put away (still have to put away outdoor decorations that are currently just resting in the garage). I normally don’t like to take decorations down so quickly, but this year I wanted to be able to spend the week re-establishing our normalcy.

Also, the girls want to rearrange their room. Like with the rest of the house, their room is set up the way it had to be to make it functional quickly when we moved in. But, they’ve since had time to live in it, consider the implications of sharing a room, and even map out some considered reorganizations. Right now they’re cleaning off shelves and dressers in preparation for help from me in the actual shuffling of furniture. It will be like one of those slide puzzles – getting everything moved around in a confined space!

A heart of thanksgiving...for cold weather; for a full week to renormalize life; for protection of friends and loved ones in recent storms and flooding; for a halt in the rain that has brought flooding to much of our region.

A heart of prayer...for those dealing with the aftermath of Christmas weekend storms and flooding. A couple I know from college both work at a school that was devastated in a tornado. It’s amazing to see pictures of walls completely demolished while just a few feet away, posters still hang on bulletin boards and baskets sit on shelves untouched. Tornadoes are horrific, yet so fascinating!

Random observations...weaning off of sugar is tough. But I already feel more energetic after greatly minimizing my intake the past couple of days!

Also, Facebook is down. Kind of funny. I still post regularly on Facebook and try to keep an eye on what other people are up to. But, it’s not as big of a deal anymore when it’s inaccessible. I like Facebook. But I’m also trying to pay much more attention to how much time I spend on it. So, the outage is not really that big of a deal. I like that.

My silly children...keep me laughing.

Yesterday, I was missing things right before my eyes. I just had to remind my children that I was crazy – and I thanked them for putting up with me.

Angie responded with, “That’s okay. Crazy runs in the family.”

Steven, of course, had to tag on, “It practically gallops.” (our family’s favorite Arsenic and Old Lace reference, for those who don’t “get” it)

Almost simultaneously, the two kids began to gallop around the living room while “singing” the William Tell Overture.

Yes, I enjoy the galloping insanity of the Hibbard family!

Thoughts from the kitchen...parmesan chicken cordon bleu with rice is the plan for today. I have a new potato soup recipe to try later this week. And I’m sure the crock pot will be in heavy use as the cold finally (hopefully) settles in!

On my bookshelf...I got my fiction review books done. Just need to get the rest of the reviews written. Now to figure out what to dive into next. I want to intentionally read in the coming year, but I also want to intentionally write. We’ll see how that all balances out.

Projects...rearranging the girls’ room, then rearranging my own space to keep the sewing machine more accessible. Not sure yet how it’s all going to work out, but I’m looking forward to trying. Yes, I want to work in intentional sewing with intentional reading and writing. Prayerfully considering how to balance all three.

Sounds of the moment...the girls chattering as they continue to clean off bookshelves. There are a LOT of books stored in their room! Then, there’s Steven piddling with Legos at the table. He got a Crazy Contraptions instructional book for Christmas, and he’s created quite a few neat contraptions already! Can’t wait to see how he uses the concepts in his creations.

From Hibbard Academy...one more week off. Tomorrow I’ll start prepping for the new week. We’ll be adjusting the schedule a bit. It’s time. We’ve stuck with roughly the same schedule for almost a year and a half. Amazingly enough, it’s still working for Steven and Angie – just not for Olivia. Fortunately, Steven and Angie are very flexible and don’t mind changing up to help their sister.

A favorite thing from last week...we had a nice super-quick trip to Monroe, a beautiful Christmas Eve service, and a good visit with my family on Christmas evening. But, I must confess that what I enjoyed the most was the chance to have a Saturday in which we truly could just relax and do what we wanted to do. We got to stay home and fill the time our own way. It was very, very nice.

The planner...Doug’s at work most of this week, but we’re at home. In the mornings, I’m tackling home stuff I want to do before we get back to school, and in the afternoons I’m working. The kids are helping with the home stuff and enjoying the break from school. We’re planning on some time with the Choates this weekend – squeezing in those last delightful visits before they leave next month! Oh, what a treasure their closeness has been!

Because visuals are fun...my silly middle child recreated a favorite Doctor Who scene. Any DW fans recognize what’s going on here? (Of course, you have to ignore the fact that the twelfth Doctor and Clara are observing in the background. This is all about center stage…and that infamous fez in Amy Pond’s hand.)