Not Quite Ordinary Observations

For Today...Thursday, February 25, 2016

In the great outdoors...beautiful, glorious sunshine! It seemed so bright inside this morning, and I realized it was because we had a completely clear sky to start the day. It was so refreshing!

We’re in a chilly dip before 70’s come back by Sunday. Yes, I think the extra cold winter forecast was off this time around. We have the normal ups and downs of a southern winter…and our stuffy heads are proof! 

Within our four walls...a slow morning, even slower than most Thursdays. We were late starting school and are trying to catch up on the day. But, no worries.

A heart of thanksgiving...for the flexibility that I am continually offering thanks for! I love structure. I crave structure. But, it is such a blessing to have a structure that can be flexed to allow us to accomplish what needs to be done, refresh ourselves when needed, and fulfill the ministry God has put before us.

A heart of prayer...for adorable little Elijah, the baby with heart issues we’ve been praying for since his birth in Sept (on Angie’s birthday). He’s in his second heart surgery today.

My silly children...deserve a separate post. But, I didn’t write down yesterday’s goofiness, and I don’t remember all of it. But, when I told Olivia yesterday that I was losing my mind, she informed me that she’d be getting the paperwork together for a family suite for Happy Dale so we’d be ready to go as soon as I finished losing my mind.

Perhaps I should not have let them watch Arsenic and Old Lace.

In other news, they’d now like to plant elderberries along with our grapes, apples, and peaches.

Thoughts from the kitchen...beef and barley soup. We’re almost to the end of soup month. I’m ready for something different, but not thrilled about having to menu plan again.

On my bookshelf...several review books. Need to get busy.

Projects...getting a bit behind on the afghan, but I’m on an easier log now, so that’s helping me catch up. Of course, I only have about four more rows on that one, so we’ll see what the next log is like and how quickly I can get through it! Once I’m done with this log, I have two left for this first block (roughly two months per block, give or take a few days). Then I’ll have to decide if I want to start the pattern all over or get a little creative and make each block different. I’m thinking about three slip stitch blocks and three cable knit blocks. Could be interesting.  

Sounds of the moment...Steven practicing piano. He always gets to finish with something from the Star Wars book, so I try to listen to make sure he’s diligent with the other stuff first.

From Hibbard Academy...I just finished getting Steven’s first few weeks of his new core planned out. We’re mid-year on new cores for him and Angie because we’re spreading two cores out over three years for each of them. With their late birthdays, they both started school early, and now we’re trying to slow them down a bit, filling in some extras while we slow down the cores. It’s been fun, but it is a bit confusing to be “off.”

A favorite thing from last week...a mostly free Saturday, as well as a mostly unobligated week. We still had plenty going on, but it was back to our normal routine busyness instead of the chaos we’ve been trying to pull away from since we moved.

The planner...the week’s almost over! Wow! So, what’s left? Well, tonight is an at-home night, but Doug and I both need to get some things checked of our lists. Tomorrow will be errands and work, and Saturday we’ll hopefully get to work in the yard (weather permitting) to prep for planting trees and vines. YAY!

Because visuals are fun...mild weather means a backyard fort!