Cool Morning Daybook

You can find more Daybooks at the Simple Woman's Daybook.

~~~~~

Outside my window...

...The sun is up, and I sat on the front porch with my rosary while it rose.   Yes, praying, not just holding it.  It was cool and beautiful---the morning, that is.

Weird thing, though....we slept with the windows open last night and I heard all this howling and yapping of dogs early this morning.  Meg and I just heard them again; it sounds like puppies in the woods across the street.  She thinks it's coyote pups since they've seen coyotes while playing in the neighbor's yard!  I'm not sure how I feel about that.  It's a little alarming.

I am thinking... 

...about our parish.  Lots and lots of emails coming in about the directorial candidate who "auditioned" this past Sunday.  That's also what I'm praying about.

I am thankful for...

...the fact that this past weekend is over!  I had 2 AHG events last week that were very labor intensive, especially the training session on Saturday.  At pretty much the last minute I found out I would have to do the Powerpoint presentation and read the script instead of watching a DVD.  It went very well, but I ended up on my feet and talking for 5 (!!) hours that day! And that was just the presentation; it didn't include set-up, clean-up, and all the talking during that. 

To say my brain was completely fried Saturday evening would be an understatement.

From the lesson plans...

We are still trying to stay on track, and get a little ahead so I can sing at a funeral tomorrow.  It looks like I might be doing quite a few funerals if our new director has a full-time job and can't be there.  

From the kitchen...

...We're on Week 2 of the Everyday Paleo meal plan.  You would not believe how full of veggies my shopping cart was this weekend!  

I am wearing...

...Workout clothes---I just started the 3rd round of the Supreme 90 Day workout (that's workout #21).  It feels really good; I love this workout.  Just not the 6-days a week requirement.

I am creating...

...a shawl-collared cowl out of a gorgeous merino blend.  I'll show you a picture...tomorrow...at the Yarn Along.

Finished!  I still need to buy buttons; maybe I'll get to that today.  I haven't started anything new yet, but I'm looking over my options!

I am reading...

A Jane Austen Education.  Good, but I'm busy and it's due in a couple of days! way overdue and I can't renew it again.  My goal is to finish it today.  I've really enjoyed it, and it makes me want to read all the Jane Austen books again, but it's time to start our next book club book!

I am hoping...

...for an excellent resolution to the Music Director issue.

...that Meg doesn't need her tonsils out.  I'll be making an appt. with the ENT today because they're big and hurting her.

I am hearing...

...Not much since the coyotes stopped howling!  Just normal, homely noises.

Around the house...

...There are still piles of stuff around the house, but it's better than it was!

I am going...

...to buy buttons; to pick up Tom from school later, and that's about it!

One of my favorite things...

...knitting with cozy, scrunchy yarn!  Have you noticed that some people just don't get that?  I have to admit that I'm not even sure why I love it so much, unless it's combining my love of creating with my sense of touch.  It's definitely not as fun with yucky yarn!

I am praying for...

...My parish and my pastor, Gus, Daisy, Eric, Elizabeth, the people in Joplin, our priests...

A few plans for the rest of the week...

...AHG & More AHG.  and a funeral.

New Mass Translation

Love this!  You've gotta watch it.  It's cute and fun and informative.




Word for Word [Edge] from Life Teen on Vimeo.


h/t:  Dan Lord

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

A little Sunday music:  Breathe on Me, O Breath of God

Here are some chant propers for the day from the Chant Cafe.  They're in English and beautiful.  Why has our church lost this form of music in so many places?  It's reverent and peaceful, and lifts the soul and mind up to God.  Go listen.


Enjoy your Sunday!

Worrying

Are you a worrier?  I am.  I think it comes with being a Melancholic personality type.  Reading that is a bit depressing.  ;-)  But, looking on the bright side, my Melancholia is balanced by a hefty dose of Choler! 

I don't have a lot of trouble speaking in public, though I do get nervous, mostly butterflies in my stomach.  I tend to make sure I am overprepared for any talks or presentations I have to give.  (Unless I'm speaking with my Dear Husband, then I know that I'm covered no matter what!)

If I'm organizing an event, as I do all the time now for American Heritage Girls, I want to make sure that every detail is covered, and everything is perfect.  But it never is.  It can't be because I'm not God.  And even if I were, I'd still be dependant upon the fallen Humans to do their parts!

Oh...wait...don't tell me! ..... Is this how He feels?  Exasperated half the time because He worked so hard to make everything perfect, and we're not doing our jobs right, or at all, sometimes, and His Creation is less than He anticipated?

Oh, my.  That's a bit humbling.  I guess I did think I was God!

I started off writing about Worry, ready to explain how useless it is because it doesn't change anything.  When all is said and done, it was the work we put into our task that made the difference, not the worry.  That only made everything more difficult.  And then I learn that the other reason for me not to get worked into a tizzy over every little detail is that I'm not God!  I'm just one of his very, humble, little servants with a job to do, and I need to do my best for Him, and let Him handle the rest.

Thoughts for the day from three of my favorite people:

Pray and Work. ----St. Benedict
Pray, hope, and don't worry. ----St. Pio of Pietrelcina
Pray as though everything depended upon God.  Work as though everything depended upon you. ---St. Augustine

The Art of Writing

People are telling me I should write a little every day, that its a good habit to get into, but I find myself casting about for ideas, and I don't come up with anything.  Now, I don't believe that I go through an entire day, or days, without a worthwhile thought, but I have noticed that reading a lot of other blogs knocks ideas right out of my head!  My mind is also filled up with to-do lists and worries.  There are a lot of things I need to do around the house and for AHG, and there are a lot of things I want to do.  So, my brain is definitely busy!

I wake up in the morning, and I might have some vague idea of what I want to blog about, swirling about amidst the to-do lists, but as I sleepily peruse the internets, any kernel of an idea I might have had disappears.  What is that?  Brain overload?  Too much switching  from subject to subject?

Astute readers will notice that the first thing I do when I get up is hit the computer instead of hitting my knees to pray.  I do make my morning offering, but I don't think it does much good for me to address my thoughts to God in my typical sleepy condition, so I don't do morning meditations as I know I ought.  I have this nagging suspicion, however, that if I were to do it that way---morning offering, meditation, then blogging----I would more easily find subjects to write about.

What do you think?  If you blog frequently, how do you pick your topics?  Do you pray first, and do you think it helps your blogging?

There.  I found something to write about.  Now it's your turn to help me out and give me some answers.  :-)

Yarn Along!

Joining Ginny at Small Things for her Yarn Along today.  Stop by for reading and knitting inspiration!

Here's my Shawl Collared Cowl that I just started. The yarn is Araucania Azapa: alpaca, merino, silk & donegal. It's cozy as all get out, but I'm sneezing this morning and wondering if it's related to the yarn. I'll have to pay attention when I'm knitting! Even if I'm not allergic to it, there are still lots of fuzzies flying about!

My reading, other than A Jane Austen Education, which is on my nightstand and gets picked up for maybe 10 mins. per day, however much I enjoy it, consists of American Heritage Girls Training modules these days.  I'm trying to make sure I'm prepared for the big training session we have coming up on Saturday!

Update:  The yarn isn't making me sneeze, but those little fuzzies sure bother my eyes!  I'm glad I'm not wearing contacts.

Busy Daybook

You can find more Daybooks at the Simple Woman's Daybook.

~~~~~

Outside my window...

...Still a little dark; the morning is cool a pleasant with the sound of insects, and birds singing their morning songs.  

I am thinking... 

...about my schedule and my to-do list.  I thought things would get a little easier once summer was over (as in, school starts), but that's not the case so far.  

This week, I'm hoping that once I get through AHG Registration Night, and 5 hours of training Leaders on Saturday, life will settle down a bit.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

I am thankful for...

...the past 5 years of singing in the choir with our wonderful director and his wife.  It was so much fun.  I love to sing, but they made it even better.  Yesterday was our last opportunity to sing Mass with them.  We're reallly going to miss them!

...and, believe it or not, the opportunity to serve on the "search committee" for the new Music Director.  I was even asked to come up with a list of people to be on it with me!  I don't know how I got this job (except that God heard my whining!), but it makes me feel a little better about all the changes happening.  

Right now, I'm praying for a good resolution, and, above all, for some peace in my heart during Mass.  I want to be able to focus on Jesus and not distracted by all the changes.

From the lesson plans...

The new paper system is working well-enough, so far.  Meg has gotten ahead in a subject or two, and Pippo has fallen behind, but I can deal with that.  I'm finding that we have a really heavy load this year and school is taking a good 6 hours most days.  At least for my 7th grader. I don't know how we ever got it all done when Katie was a 7th grader, and there was a 5th grader, and a 3rd grader, and a kindergartener, a toddler, and probably a baby in utero!

Oh, yes, I know!  They used to skip stuff all the time and I wouldn't find out for weeks!

From the kitchen...

...So stressed am I, that I couldn't deal with coming up with yet another menu for the week when it was time to go shopping.  Don had given me this book for my birthday which comes with a 30-day family eating plan (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, no less!) and....get this....a shopping list!  So, I took it to the store and we are eating Paleo all week.  Two days, so far, and we're happy.  

I'm happy.  And I lost 2 lbs. already.

I am wearing...

...White shorts and hot pink v-neck.  Nothing special, but a happy color-combo.

I am creating...

...a shawl-collared cowl out of a gorgeous merino blend.  I'll show you a picture...tomorrow...at the Yarn Along.

I am reading...

A Jane Austen Education.  Good, but I'm busy and it's due in a couple of days!

I am hoping...

...that our AHG events this week are successful and run smoothly.

I am hearing...

...the rabbits in the garage who get a little noisy and rambunctious when they're ready to be fed!

Around the house...

...I cleaned up quite a bit over the weekend.  Some piles of stuff are still waiting for inspiration to strike, so I can decide what to do with them.

We hung dropcloth curtains in the family room after painting a blue border stripe on them!  They darken the room a bit more than I expected, which is fine for the summer, but I won't like it in another month or so.  I guess they need tiebacks.

I am going...

...to be making lots of copies and lists.

One of my favorite things...

...knitting with cozy, scrunchy yarn!  Have you noticed that some people just don't get that?  I have to admit that I'm not even sure why I love it so much, unless it's combining my love of creating with my sense of touch.  It's definitely not as fun with yucky yarn!

I am praying for...

...My parish and my pastor, Gus, Daisy, Eric, Elizabeth, the people in Joplin, our priests...

A few plans for the rest of the week...

...AHG & More AHG.

A photo thought:

Glamour Shots.  (sigh)

An Intelligent Investment

I'm stealing this today (on Sunday, of all days!) from Pleasant View Schoolhouse, in light of our struggles:

"Five good children are an immense luxury, and to deny one's self other luxuries in order to raise them is not self-denial at all, but merely an intelligent choice of investment."

--Edward Sandford Martin, The Luxury of Children(1904)


Only, make that Six Good Children!

What We're Learning

America for Me

by Henry Van Dyke

 'TIS fine to see the Old World, and travel up and down
    Among the famous palaces and cities of renown,
    To admire the crumbly castles and the statues of the kings,—
    But now I think I've had enough of antiquated things.


           So it's home again, and home again, America for me!
           My heart is turning home again, and there I long to be,
           In the land of youth and freedom beyond the ocean bars,
           Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars!


    Oh, London is a man's town, there's power in the air;
    And Paris is a woman's town, with flowers in her hair;
    And it's sweet to dream in Venice, and it's great to study Rome;
    But when it comes to living there is no place like home.


    I like the German fir-woods, in green battalions drilled;
    I like the gardens of Versailles with flashing fountains filled;
    But, oh, to take your hand, my dear, and ramble for a day
    In the friendly western woodland where Nature has her way!


    I know that Europe's wonderful, yet something seems to lack:
    The Past is too much with her, and the people looking back.
    But the glory of the Present is to make the Future free,—
    We love our land for what she is and what she is to be.


           Oh, it's home again, and home again, America for me!
           I want a ship that's westward bound to plough the rolling sea,
           To the bléssed Land of Room Enough beyond the ocean bars,
           Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars

 I love this poem.   Meg has the first 2 stanzas memorized, so far.  She likes it, too---just itching to get to that 3rd stanza!

It always reminds me of Betsy, in Betsy and the Great World, when the Great War is beginning (that's WWI), and she realizes where her heart truly lies.  (sigh!)

I haven't looked, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if it was in the book.  Do you know?

7 Quick Takes

~1~

This was our sky the other morning as my men left for work and school.  So pretty.  The camera doesn't do it justice!

~2~

First Day of School!  Doesn't she look great in her uniform?  All the 7th grade boys are going to fall in love with their pretty teacher!

I should've gotten her shoes in the picture----black patent Mary Janes with 3" heels.  Nice.

~3~

I finished my Scots Bonnet the other day and felted it in the washing machine.  I know from trying to felt the first one that it a) takes forever by hand, and b) gets done a little too fast in the machine!  So this time, I went straight for the washer and practically staying in the room  the whole time and kept opening the lid to take it out and check.  Once it got close to the end I had to be very diligent and check more frequently, like every minute.  Then I put a dinner plate inside and set it to dry.  It was taking a long time, so I put it on the front porch in the sun yesterday.  I wanted to give it to my good friend Diane last night at our AHG meeting.  It was a gift for her 50th birthday.  

I'd like to report that it looked adorable on her, especially with the addition of 2 peacock feathers, but I didn't get a picture.

I know, right?  That was dumb.  I did get a pic on her phone, so I'll get a copy when I can.  

And now, I need to make one for myself.  It was soft and warm and comfortable!

~4~

What are your weekend plans?  I have NONE.  Yay!  I'm going to scurry around the house, cleaning, decluttering (not the usual clutter, the un-usual clutter that accumulated during our Too-Many-Projects-Around-The-House Summer), and finishing up a couple of projects.  Then, God willing, life can return so some semblance of "normal".  Or, at least the house won't be as messy!

~5~

I'm off to cantor at a funeral this morning.  I've only cantored one funeral before, so this will be somewhat new.  My son will be the altar server, and I'm not sure where Meg will be.  Either with me at the funeral, or reading in the church office.  Helping out our Parish Administrator, maybe.

~6~

I've been feeling so good these last months, until very recently, when I started allowing the occasional sweet treat to pass my lips.  Then it started happening more and more.  I finally realized the other day, that I've gone back to being a total sluggard when I get out of bed in the mornings.  I'm dragging and listless.  And stupid.  My brain doesn't work as well when it's fueled primarily by carbs.  So it's back to the primal eating plan:  meat and vegetables and fat.  Even if extra weight never magically falls off, I'd rather feel strong and healthy than tired and listless.

~7~

I might start a new knitting project this weekend, during my breaks.  I bought some yarn with my Birthday Money, and I can't wait to use it!  Of course, I might try working on my sweater that I already started this summer----but I need a very simple project that I can cary with me for those (very) occasional spare moments.

~~~~~
Tell me what you're doing this weekend!

Bonnet blocking

Hope swells in the heart of the American bear...

Yarn-along

Linking up with Ginny over at Small Things!  Go see what everyone else is knitting and reading!

~~~~~

I'm attempting this project again, just like last week.  Same book, too:  A Jane Austen Education, which is due today at the library.  I'm not going there, but I might try to renew it online since I'm really enjoying it, but I haven't the time these days to sit and get into it.  

Anyway....this hat, this Scots Bonnet, or Tam 0'Shanter, whatever you want to call it, is making me crazy.  You can go back and read about my first attempt, here.  I started making another one last week, and DH asked me how long it would take to knit.  My response was that I could knit it fairly quickly (and I'm a slow knitter) in an intense weekend.  Well, the weekend came and went and I was still knitting.  The rest of the week came and went and I was still knitting.  I got in a good couple of hours of knitting at Trivia on Friday night.  Then, instead of being good and going to bed afterward, I worked on it some more, and I don't what possessed me to look at the directions....

I discovered to my horror that instead of increasing 8x per round, and then decreasing 8x per round, I had only done 4x per round up, and 4x per round down.  So I had a giant bag instead of a much smaller hat!  I was near tears as I ripped it all the way back to the brim and started frantically knitting again.  This hat had a deadline.  Which I have not met. 

I'm close to the end, finally, and I might actually get to felt it today.  Cross your fingers and say a wee prayer for me!

Thanks!

Assumption Daybook

You can find more Daybooks at the Simple Woman's Daybook.

~~~~~

Outside my window...

...Sunny and very pleasant temperatures.  Even a cool breeze!  Gosh, it almost feels like fall is coming!

I am thinking... 

...about my schedule and my to-do list.  I thought things would get a little easier once summer was over (as in, school starts), but that's not the case so far.  There are still too many things undone.  I'm hoping that once I check the last of these household projects off the list that life truly will settle down.

Ha!

I am thankful for...

...the past 5 years of singing in the choir with our wonderful director and his wife.  It was so much fun.  I love to sing, but they made it even better.  Yesterday was our last opportunity to sing Mass with them.  We're reallly going to miss them!

From the lesson plans...

You're not going to believe this, but I'm going totally low-tech this year!  No more scheduling on the computer.  I don't know why I made the decision, except that every time I thought about sitting down and doing my plans on the Skedtrack, I just couldn't face it.  I thought it would be easier to see what I'm doing if I just printed out weekly forms and wrote in the assignments.  On a weekly basis no less.

However, while I did print out a year's worth of forms for both kids, I'm filling them in for the whole year, for the most part.  I just don't want to spend every Sunday night trying to get that done.  BUT, (this is a big 'but') I see on the Donna Young site, where I got the forms, that she doesn't recommend planning more than a few weeks in advance because you might get into trouble.  I thought about that, but I use my own special shorthand, so it doesn't take that long, and I used pencil.  I'm sure I'll find a way to work it out when the inevitable happens!

 

I printed the forms double-sided and put them in a binder where they should stay neat.  Both Meg and Pippo can see theirs at the same time as his is on the left and hers is on the right.  There's a little circle to check off that the assignment is finished, and I'll add their grades with a big, felt-tip marker so I can find them easily and make up a report card at the end of the semester.

From the kitchen...

...Since today is the Feast of the Assumption, Meg wanted white cupcakes with blue buttercream frosting.  Pippo suggested Angel Food Cake, and no one thought about the fact that you can't really make angel food cupcakes.  So now, someone, who shall remain nameless, is having a little fit in her room about the lack of cupcakes.

I am wearing...

...My black, chain mail shirt.  Super cute, but heavy and hot.  Good thing it's a bit cooler today!

I am creating...

...one mess after another.  We're in and out so fast these days.  Nothing is getting cleaned up!

(yep, that hasn't changed)

I am reading...

A Jane Austen Education.  Good, but I'm busy and it's due in a couple of days!

I am hoping...

...to get the essentials done in the next couple of days, plus a few other things.  

I am hearing...

...the microwave beeping because the defrost cycle is done,

...Pippo playing a video game on the ipod behind me.

Around the house...

...The painters did a beautiful job, now I just need to finish getting rid of the piles around the house.  But when?

I am going...

...to be driving somewhere every night this week.  Yuck.

One of my favorite things...

...the sound of children playing happily in the mornings.

I am praying for...

...My parish and my pastor, Gus, Daisy, Eric, Elizabeth, the people in Joplin, our priests...

A few plans for the rest of the week...

...AHG & lesson plans.

A photo thought:

This does not bode well for our history studies this year!  Falling asleep after reading the first chapter...

~~~

We have a Winner!

Heather is the winner of A Year with God! You should receive an email from me shortly.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Pinterest is great for finding fun recipes to try----like Sangria.

Knit-along

This week's knit is another Scottish Bonnet.  I adjusted the number of stitches to make it fit better, but I'm afraid this one is going to be a disaster, too!  I wonder if I actually used a different sized needle than the one it called for in the pattern.  Is it possible that I checked my gauge and adjusted accordingly without writing down the changes I made?  Seems unlikely...unless you look at the size of this hat.  It looks scary.  I hope the magic of felting will make it come out right!!!

My book---yes, I'm actually reading this week!---is A Jane Austen Education.  It was recommended by A Modern Mrs. Darcy, so I snagged it from the library.  As much as I love Jane, I thought it would be an interesting read.  And it is.  I daresay I'm learning much more about her books than I expected, and I shall have to pull them out and reread them with new perspective!

~~~

Stop by Ginny's for more Yarn & Tales

A Stranger in My Own Home

That's how I felt today at Mass.  We've been there 16 years and weathered 11 different priests.  We have a new pastor who started in the spring and immediately made changes that were distressing, but we've been getting used to him and his style.  Now, however, our beloved Choir director has moved on to a better situation, and while we wish him well, he was evidently doing more to maintain the status quo than any of us expected!

There's no word on a new music director yet, but the Lifeteen guy is in charge of making sure the Masses have cantors during August, or until a new director starts.  I have not been contacted about cantoring at all.  Eh, I can deal with that; I'm just waiting to see what happens.

So today, instead of checking out another parish, (I hate the thought of "parish shopping") we went to our usual Mass where there were complete strangers singing and playing the piano.  They sang a song before Mass, and then they sang another song after the recessional hymn, giving the whole thing the air of a concert.  I found it not only disturbing, but also quite strange considering the pastor's words about being "quiet" in the presence of our God before Mass.  He even made us close our eyes before Mass!

Whoever the musicians were, they sang a completely different Mass setting from what we're used to.  Is that because they didn't know ours?  Is the pastor changing to this one for good? (Or until the Mass changes take effect at Advent?)  But they didn't even stick with that setting for the whole Mass.  The Gloria and the Alleluia were one Mass, and the Sanctus and Agnus Dei were from another.

I'm terrible about accepting change of any kind, especially when it isn't my idea!  I'll admit that.  I'm doing a lot of praying these days for my parish, the pastor, and for my family.  We're struggling with what to do.  Stick it out?  He won't be there more than 6 years.  (yikes.)  Move on?  The kids are already ready to go somewhere else.  They hate the changes, too.

What would you do?  If you don't have any suggestions, at least offer up a prayer for us! Thanks!

7 Quick Takes

Visit Jen for more Quick Takes!

~1~

There's light at the end of the tunnel----and it's a school bus!  We've finished dealing with the worst of the summer mayhem here, and are ready to wrap up Summer with a few family activities this weekend.  Then it's off to school for everyone next week---Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday will be Big Days.  I expect lots of tears from myself and others!

~2~

The painters wrapped up very quickly in just 2 days, but they left more than 2 days worth of dusting!  We've done a large part of it, but there's still more....we keep finding it...it migrates all over the house!

They also turned our kitchen table sideways when they moved the furniture.  I've left it because, while it seems very strange, it leaves more room to walk past the table into the family room.

~3~

There is still stuff all over the house that doesn't have a home and needs to find a new one---either here or somewhere else---but we're working our way through it.  Rehanging art on the walls in new locations since we made this Gallery Wall of my mother's paintings in the family room.  That left a few gaps to be filled elsewhere!

~4~

We donated flowers for the altar at Mass on Sunday in honor of our 25th anniversary.  There's always a notice in the bulletin saying who donated the flowers, and a very nice, older gentleman sent us a dozen roses for our anniversary!  Wasn't that sweet?  It brought tears to my eyes!

~5~
Woot!  Just got a new DVD player in the mail!  It was a cheapo $30 one to replace the one downstairs.  I haven't been able to do my Supreme 90 workout for 2 days because the other broke.  It's amazing how much better the picture is on this one.  It's also amazing how fast I got it from Amazon with that 2-day shipping.

~6~
7 Quick Takes aren't very quick when your photos don't show up in iphoto...and you wait all day for that magic moment so you can upload them to your blog.

~7~
We have a new "driver" in the family.  TMax (Tom) just got his learner's permit last week and I finally had a few minutes to spare to take him out.  Usually, I drive to an empty parking lot just outside our neighborhood and we spend several hours there over the course of a few Saturdays before venturing out on the road.  Since today is a workday and the lot is full, I just let him back out of the driveway and drive around 2 cul-de-sacs.  That was enough for him!  The driveway alone is very traumatic since it has a tricky curve in it and you either hit the mailbox (steel) or go off the curb.  At least he aimed for the curb!

~~~~~
All six of my children will be home for the weekend!  We haven't seen Brendan in 2 months!!   Fun times ahead.
What are your plans for the weekend?

Book Sale & Giveaway

I'm joining in Jessica's Book Sale!  Prices include shipping and I can accept Paypal or personal checks.  We are a pet-free and smoke-free home.  I ship Media Mail; if you want it faster you can pay $3 extra.

• Ann Voskamp, A Child's Geography, vol. 1, slightly rumpled corners
• Ann Voskamp, A Child's Geography, vol. 2, excellent condition
• $20 each or $35 for both.     SOLD

(Did I really take that picture sideways?)

• Theology of the Body for Teens workbook.  Never used---we had too many.  $8.  SOLD

• Catholic Heritage Curricula Lesson Plan Guide: Middle School Years, 5th-8th, used, but very good condition.  $40
• Handwriting Practice, Book 3 by Marie Picard.  Never used.  $8
• Starting a Spelling Notebook, Mari McAlister, $8

• Harcourt Science, grade 2, with Kolbe Academy Answer key.  Very Good condition. $30

• Holt Earth Science, 7th grade, with Kolbe Academy Answer key.  Excellent condition. $40

• Singapore Textbook 2A, slightly wrinkled, $6.

Giveaway Item!  I've read it and used it, but I find I don't need it so much anymore and it's time to bless someone else with it.

Just leave a comment and tell me you stopped by, whether you buy anything or not.  Make sure I can contact you if you win.  I'll draw the winner next Friday.

Yarn Along

I've had a little time to catch up  knit a very little bit this week.  Mostly during 3 hours at the pool with friends on Monday.   Or was it Friday?  I honestly have no idea without looking at my calendar.  Now that I've gotten past a really tricky party, I'm able to make a bit more progress in those few, fleeting moments of sitting still.

I'm not reading anything, unless it's one of several books that have been on my nightstand forever, and only a page at that.  Not even worth talking about.  

It's super, crazy busy here.  Still.  It's been a long time since I had my house painted inside---the professionals are here to do all the cathedral ceilings this week---  I'd forgotten about the huge, dusty mess.  So my walls will look great, but I'll be stuck with having the whole house torn up and needing to be dusted from top to bottom because of all the spackling dust.  And I have a Troop Board meeting...tomorrow (??!!!)...for AHG that I have to plan.  This is a big meeting because it's the last one before the year starts and we have a lot to do.  We won't even talk about the fact that school starts for everyone next week! 

We're on Stay-Cation this week, so while I'm at the World of Coca-Cola today with my kids, I'll look like the calm, cool, collected Mom, but inside I'll be having a little freak out.  Taking notes on my iphone when I think of something else I have to be doing.

~~~~

Stop by Ginny's to see what everyone else is knitting and crocheting this week.  Maybe they're trying to keep calm, too.  I need one of these signs:

photo source

25 Years Ago

1.  We were young and in love.
2.  We were totally confident in what we were doing.
3.  We were 21 and 23.
4.  We got married at the University Chapel at the University of Virginia.
5.  We had so much fun setting up our first home.
6.  We spent our wedding night in our first home, and I love that.  I think the memories are so much more special than if we were in a hotel.
7.  Those first years were fun.
8.  Those first years were challenging as we learned to grow and live together!
9.  We've created 7 children together, including 1 miscarriage, who give us great joy as we watch them grow up.
10.  They all look like me.
11.  They all look like him.
12.  They all look like each other.
13.  They've brought us closer together.
14.  He brought me into the Catholic Church.
15.  He's the head of our home.
16.  He keeps me calm.
17.  He keeps me reasonable.
18.  He loves me in spite of my crazy emotions.
19.  He loves me in spite of my unreasonableness.
20.  He loves me in spite of all my flaws.
21.  I love him for his intelligence.
22.  I love him for his sense of humor and his smile.
23.  I love him for the crinkles in his face.
24.  I love him for his faith.
25.  I'll love him forever.

And I thank God for giving me the man I wanted, and the man I needed.

Happy Anniversary, Dear!  

August, already! Daybook

You can find more Daybooks at the Simple Woman's Daybook.

~~~~~

Outside my window...

...Sunny and HOT.

I am thinking... 

...about this article I just read on Vitamin D.  It follows my line of thinking perfectly.  I think sunscreen is way overused.  God wouldn't have left us with this giant, cancer-causing ball of fire if we were going to spend most of our lives outdoors as we used to.  I only use sunscreen if I'm going to do something silly like spend all day wearing practically nothing at the beach.   And it's not because I'm afraid of the sun; I'm afraid of the pain of the burn.   Generally, I try to follow my body's cues:  if I'm overheated, get in the shade; I'm probably burning.

I am thankful for...

...the past 5 years of singing in the choir with our wonderful director and his wife.  It was so much fun.  I love to sing, but they made it even better.  Yesterday was our last opportunity to sing Mass with them.  We're reallly going to miss them!

From the lesson plans...

No actual "plans" so far, but I've gotten the curriculum chosen and that's a huge step.  And a huge weight off my shoulders.

From the kitchen...

...Nothing special this week.  Oh, wait, that's not necessarily true since tomorrow is our 25th anniversary, and I plan to make something special.  I just don't know what yet.  

I am wearing...

...Shorts and a v-neck over my swimsuit since we're going to Six Flags!

I am creating...

...one mess after another.  We're in and out so fast these days.  Nothing is getting cleaned up!

I am reading...

Pinterest.  In my spare minutes.  No books.

I am hoping...

...Lots of hoping for people who are sick.

I am hearing...

...SQPN's Catholic Weekend

Around the house...

...Painters coming tomorrow and I have to take all the art off the walls and get rid of the rest of my piles in the hallway!

I am going...

...to Six Flags

...to be really HOT all week,

...to have a great time,

...to be really tired when I get home!

One of my favorite things...

...the sound of children playing happily in the mornings.

I am praying for...

...Debbie, who has recently entered hospice, Gus, Eric, Elizabeth, the people in Joplin, our priests...

A few plans for the rest of the week...

...AHG & Staycation

~~~
Eye leave you with this:

Courtesy of Pippo who left a bunch of creepy eye-pictures on my camera!
(You never know who is watching you!)