Renovation Rambles

::Weekly Rambles::

What’s really on my mind and heart?

Decluttering and minimizing is on my mind. Not surprising considering the state of the house. I'm constantly looking around, wondering how I can best use the space in the basement, and contemplating what to get rid of.

What am I thankful for?

The sound of men working in the basement! Yay! 

What’s going on in school?

Columbus Day holiday! Everyone is happy to have a day off, and I am happy to have my college boy home for part of his fall break.

What’s on the needles?

Last night I picked up my Westport Shawl that I had put down weeks ago when I messed up the lace. I finally had time to tink (un-knit stitch by stitch) 4 rows until I undid the mistake and could resume knitting. After only 3 rows of knitting, I messed it up again, and I have just. had. it. with this pattern! It's gorgeous and it seems to be well-written, but I must not have the patience or concentration skills necessary these days to work on such an intense design. So, now I'm looking for something else to do with these two beautiful skeins.

What’s special about this week?

They are beginning (and ending?) the installation of our new basement floors today. Ever since the sewage backup in May the house has been a disaster (actually, before that, since we moved half the house down to the basement for new floors up here). There is clutter everywhere and I'm learning to live with it. That is frightening to me. Since there's so little "cleaning" that can be done, I'm getting seriously out of the habit!

What am I reading?

I've reached the halfway mark in The Boys in the Boat! I'm really tempted to stay up well past my bedtime every night and keep reading.

I'm also at the end of The Maze Runner audiobook, and I don't know if I'll have any quiet time for a few days to finish it. But once the floors are finished and I can get down there to caulk and paint baseboards, I'll have lots of time to finish that one and start the next!

What am I praying about?

• Our country
• For all our priest and deacons
• an end to abortion and, especially, Planned Parenthood
• for all the beautiful people suffering chronic pain and from illnesses like cancer

What projects are happening at home?

LOL. Basement, decluttering, cleaning...

xo,
Sara

First of Fall Rambles

::Weekly Rambles::

What’s really on my mind and heart?

I'm excited that the Holy Father is here! Our country needs a good dose of his holy influence; we are so far from being the great country that we used to be. People are lost and unhappy and don't even know it.

What am I thankful for?

I'm thankful for a lovely visit to the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Alabama last weekend. A group from our AHG troop made an overnight visit; mothers and daughters were able to spend time together as we toured the incredibly beautiful and peaceful grounds. The last time I was there, the main church was complete, but they've added several new buildings including a replica of the Lourdes grotto, the St. John Paul II Eucharistic center, a gift shop, and the Barn--- a home for the men who belong to the Knights of the Eucharist. This Shrine is an incredible gift to the Church and the surrounding community. Located an hour north of Birmingham, the quiet countryside is a perfect backdrop for this peaceful community of servants of the Lord.

One of the first things we saw on our tour of the Shrine was the door that young postulants knock on to be admitted to the community. Meg was fascinated by that door! She mentioned wanting to go through it so many times that I suggested, maybe, Jesus was calling her to serve Him in that way.

What’s going on in school?

Spirit Week! Meg and Pip are both excited not to wear uniforms every day and stressed by the options they are given.

What’s on the needles?

I'm so close to finishing my afghan! I'm on the last skein of yarn, so the end is in sight, but I haven't felt the urge to work on it, because I want to finish my Stripe Study Shawl. I'm on the border, finally, but I stopped the stripes one stripe short-----My contrasting color was almost gone and I did not feel like playing that game of yarn chicken! If I lost, I would have been unraveling a lot of wrap-and-turns, which would have been a nuisance. I'm thinking of---no, I actually started----putting a few thin stripes of the blue in the variegated border to use it up. It will be pretty, and I can't wait to see it blocked, but I have a hard time believing that it is going to expand to be the size of the picture in the pattern!

What’s special about this week?

My two oldest, Katie and Brendan, had birthdays last weekend. I can't wait to go visit them in a couple of days to celebrate! Two birthday celebrations back to back used to be so stressful, and now....it's not. All you young moms, stop being frazzled by it all and enjoy the chaos while it lasts!

Spirit Week and Homecoming at school. I guess this is the first year we can actually have a "Homecoming" dance since there were 4 graduates last May!

What am I reading?

I am still reading, very slowly, The Boys in the Boat. Since knitting is my daytime recreational activity, reading is just 5 minutes per night at bedtime. Unfortunately, i have approximately 20 books on the desk in my room waiting to be read, and I promised not to add to it....but I somehow acquired two more books at the Shrine last weekend! Oops! :-)

What am I praying about?

• Pope Francis's visit to the US
• Our country
• An end to Planned Parenthood. We pray for an end to abortion all the time, but it has always existed, and always will in some form or another, but our government can (and should) stop paying for the wholesale slaughter of babies and the sale of their body parts.

What projects are happening at home?

I'm not finished painting all the upstairs trim, but I bought paint for the basement bedrooms and I'm going to start that as soon as I finish this post. We are still struggling with the final decision about the basement floors because of cost, but I hope we get it figured out quickly. I'm ready to have this done!

xo,
Sara

***Linking up with Ginny and Leila today!***

A New School Year

::Weekly Rambles::

What’s really on my mind and heart?

It's the first full week of school, and we are trying to get into the new routine. I'm starting a new carpool tomorrow---something we've haven't done in many years!!---I hope it works out for both families. If I don't have to drive in the afternoons and interrupt whatever cleaning or crafting project I have going on, that will be awesome!

What am I thankful for?

I'm thankful for routine. One could argue that I have less time now than I did during the summer, but now I know that I have certain blocks of time at home or out of the house. I have to get my chores done during the home block. Before, I either worked on something until I was completely exhausted, or I did nothing for far too long. Usually the former. Neither option is great, so I'm happy to have a more regular schedule.

What’s going on in school?

Just getting started, learning the ways of our new school building. It's not really "our" building as we are leasing it for one year while we close on our new property and build our own permanent school. That will be something to look forward, too. This temporary location is farther away for us, closer for others, and really far from some families. We are all adjusting to new traffic patterns and times on the road. It takes a while to figure out the nuances---and how to find the right time to leave so you don't get trapped behind a school bus!

What’s on the needles?

Oh, there's a blanket....soft, cozy, alpaca blend.

And this shawl/scarf which I despair of ever finishing. I like the lace, but it takes so much concentration that I don't do more than 20-30 rows in a day of heavy knitting (which doesn't happen often!).

And I'm starting a Catan Afghan because we love Settlers of Catan so much. I'm not sure what I will do with it, or how long it will take me to finish. The project will become a permanent fixture in my car when I finish the other blanket, because little hexes are perfect tagalongs to meetings and carpool lines.

What’s special about this week?

New carpool and getting ready for a neighborhood yardsale! This is almost perfect timing after this summer. Now I have to do some really fast work to go through the house and get everything together that we're getting rid of!

What am I reading?

OMG. So many books on my nightstand! I just started another Philippa Gregory novel last night: Wise Woman, because it's less pressure and requires less brain power at bedtime. ;-)

What am I praying about?

• Our country
• everyone with cancer
• all my children (that sounds like a soap opera!)
• for all our priests and deacons and religious

What projects are happening at home?

• trim painting
• yard sale prep
• cleaning out the basement for new flooring
• choosing that flooring (HELP! What would you put in your basement? What do you have and how do you feel about it? We are back to considering carpet again, but I'm not sure. Frankly, I'd like something that doesn't require a complete overhaul if there is ever another sewage backup!)

Tell me about YOUR week! :-)

xo,
Sara

Summer Catch-up

::Weekly Rambles::

What’s really on my mind and heart?

There has been a lot of negative stuff on my mind since the water pipe breaking in the front yard, the sewage over-flowing in the basement, and then a little fender bender the other night. It has been difficult to get out from under the oppression! Even when it's all just "stuff" and every family member is safe and healthy, the stress still feels very heavy at times.

What am I thankful for?

I am thankful for the Atlanta Eucharistic Congress which occurs every year on Corpus Christi weekend. Hubs and I went for a few hours in the middle of the day to hear most of the speakers. I find it energizing to be in the presence of so many Catholics who love Christ in the Eucharist, and the speakers are always good, even if we don't think they're going to be that exciting!

I'm also thankful for the opportunity to have attended my first Catholic New Media Conference. I saw some old friends there, and I met in person some new friends, made contacts, and got a lot of great information and ideas. It was great to be there, and especially great to stop thinking about all those negative things for the day!

What’s going on in school?

Pip is in "summer school"----his brother Tom is tutoring him in Algebra II/Trig.  Other than that, I'm finished. We just published the end of the year newsletter yesterday, so I can stop thinking about that!

What’s cooking?

I've been trying out recipes from my new Whole30 book. So far, so good, but I need to come up with a new menu for this week and do some shopping. Events last week threw me off schedule.

What’s on the needles?

A honey cowl which I started for jury duty. Since then, I have ripped it out and started over because I wanted it shorter and wider.

A Lorax book-blankey is on the Tunisian crochet hook. That is going to take forever with the small hook!

And my Westport shawl is in sad shape since I messed it up immediately before or after blogging about it last week. When I have a few minutes to concentrate here or there, I'm working on tinking it (tink=knit backwards) to see if it can be saved.

What’s special about this week?

Another swim meet!
Body work on the car. 

Meetings
Dentist
Finalizing plans for the remodeling? Yes!

What am I reading?

Ellen Gable's A Subtle Grace and Sarah Vabulas's The Catholic Drinkie's Guide to Homebrewed Evangelism. Two very different books. :-)

What am I praying about?

All of the stuff above, my children and their (future) spouses and careers.

What’s on my ipod?/

That really needs to be changed to What am I listening to? because I haven't used an ipod in years! 

What projects are happening at home?

The house is a total wreck. Except for the kitchen. Here in the library, all the books and bookshelves have been removed, in anticipation of new floors, and there is miscellaneous junk in the corners that we sort of need until the last minute. That's pretty much how all the rooms look! And all those boxes are piled in my room and the various rooms in the basement, no longer neatly organized, but piled haphazardly all over to get them out of the way of sewage. The big event for the week will be finalizing the details and making a deposit so the work can begin!

The kitchen is in pretty decent shape because I abruptly painted it on Friday! The plan was to just get paint samples, but I liked the color for the kitchen and just got to work. Since I hated the color that was there, this little change made me very happy!

What's up with you this week? Did you do any projects that made you happy?

May-Day-book

::Weekly Rambles::

What’s really on my mind and heart?

I am so ready for the month of May to be over! So much drama. So much stress. So very busy. So many bad decisions on the parts of too many people. So. Much. Over. It.

What am I thankful for?

Jesus and His mother Mary, because when I'm so over it, I know that He is all that matters and that they will both help me through it.

What’s going on in school?

Two more days. Then the very first graduation for our little hybrid school which will be both joyful and sad. Sad for reasons other than the usual children growing up stuff. Vague, I know, but not bloggable. 

What’s cooking?

I can't think about anything clearly, especially dinner. I'm sure I'll come up with something at the last minute, but not fast food as I was just telling my kids last night that it's fairly simple to make something healthy and delicious with minimal fuss when you're rushed or stressed. Of course. 

What’s on the needles?

Nothing. Maybe that's part of the problem---no coping mechanism. I finished my Liesl tunic on Friday, blocked it Saturday night (after wearing it unblocked!). Yesterday I spent about an hour fixing it after it snagged on something and pulled out a 20" loop! I will have to be very careful not to brush against snaggy things since it has such an open weave.

But, boy, am I itching to go buy yarn today! 

What’s special about this week?

Last day of school. American Heritage Girls Court of Honor. Graduation ceremony.

What am I reading?

Nothing. Again: No coping mechanisms. I've been a little afraid to pick up a novel that will be compelling and keep me from doing the actual work that needs to be done. I guess that's also why I don't have a knitting project yet.

What am I praying about?

All of it. Especially our AHG troop and leadership.

What’s on my ipod?/

Podcasts.

What projects are happening at home?

Hoping to have new hardwood floors installed and little bit of bathroom work done. Really dreading the amount of labor involved in those endeavors.

Aren't you glad I decided to blog again after 2 weeks? ;-) Sorry for being so cranky! Except for the past 5 days, it has really been okay around here. We've had a Confirmation and a college graduation that I haven't had time to blog about...and drama...good drama, not the bad kind...more to come. Maybe I'll be back next week to update you some more. I actually have a couple/three draft posts waiting to be finished when I find the time and the brain-space (at the same time!).

Not Quite Weekly Rambles!

::Weekly Rambles::

What’s really on my mind and heart?

This past weekend I was on a leadership retreat with our Pioneer and Patriots girls from AHG. I was one of the presenters, and I may have gotten more out of the retreat than they did! It was so fun to be with those beautiful girls and help them to grow in their faith. 

What am I thankful for?

I'm thankful for the unexpected opportunity to participate in that retreat during Lent. I hope it was beneficial for everyone.

What’s going on in school?

It's the last day of school! Meg is already on spring break because she doesn't have standardized testing this year, so she has a full 2 weeks off. Pip's last day is today, and then he has a week and a half. Unfortunately, his online AP World History class doesn't have break, so he will still be working. Our college senior has his "exit show" for his photography major coming up. That's very exciting---he's almost done. Well, there's that and a May-mester class. Then he's done.

What’s cooking?

Nothing? I awoke this morning to the realization that it is time to plan meals for Holy Week and Easter. What do you have planned? I'd love to know!

What’s on the needles?

On the needles is a simple, drapey cowl that is taking longer than it should, I think. I haven't really had much knitting time in the past week, so that's probably the reason.

What’s special about this week?

Holy Week. My favorite week of the year! If you haven't had a very good Lent (meaning you slacked off on your penances), the liturgies on Thursday and Friday are a wonderful opportunity to make up some ground and really enter into the mysteries and suffer with Christ.

What am I reading?

Ida Elisabeth by Sigrid Undset. Its good, as I expected, since I'm a fan of Kristin Lavransdatter, but it's really long and the print is really small, so it's kind of slow-going. I need to renew it for the 2nd time, but I'm not sure. Maybe I want to get another, more readable edition.

What am I praying about?

Lots of things, my uncle's declining health, AHG, Fr. Joseph who is expected to die within the year, all of my family, but especially Elizabeth DeHority. I've had her socks on my sidebar for years, almost since I started blogging in '07. She's had breast cancer all that time, and now it has metastasized everywhere. Most of her blog posts over the years have been about knitting and helping others, not about complaining about her cancer. Even as her condition has steadily worsened and treatments have gotten more difficult, she has been working to help others. I don't know her personally, but she's one of the most inspiring people I've ever encountered, and I know that her friends and strangers from all over the blogosphere will be praying her into heaven in the coming months.

What’s on my ipod?/

The best Way of the Cross ever. Produced by the Archdiocese of Denver and read by Greg Willits, it's beautiful. I haven't been able to use it as much as I would like, but I'm going to keep it on my phone to use this week and throughout the year. 

What projects are happening at home?

So many things. Cleaning, decluttering for spring cleaning and Easter. AHG projects. School projects. Looking into getting hardwood floors and maybe a little bathroom remodeling.

And I have furniture on the deck that needs a coat of spray paint. That I bought last year. And didn't use. Do you do that? I can't believe it has been a full year and I never found the time or the energy to do it! Praying that I will find both the time AND the energy to do it this spring----after the massive amounts of yellow pine tree pollen have been washed away.

11th Day of Christmas Rambles

::Weekly Rambles::

What’s really on my mind and heart?

We had a pretty nice Christmas despite several of us being in various stages of illness. Namely me, so meals were simpler than usual, and the house was messier than I would have liked, but probably no one noticed except me. 

I love celebrating Christmas and I sometimes wish it weren't a gift-giving event so that we could focus on the Real Meaning. All my Christmas decorations are still up, and I'll probably start slowly working on putting them away this week while Meg and Pip are at school, but I'm in no rush. I am looking forward to being back in somewhat of a routine.

What am I thankful for?

I am very, very thankful for the success of the procedure I had done last Monday, and even more thankful for the news on New Year's Eve that all the tissues biopsied were benign. I'm really thankful for general anesthesia, too! This was my first experience being put to sleep and it was like magic. What a beautiful thing to be completely unaware of what they're doing to you! Of course, they could do anything,  and that's a little creepy, but I just keep pushing that thought away. ;-) I'm also thankful for my doctor's skill since I have had no issues and no real pain which seems to be unusual.

What’s going on in school?

School starts tomorrow for Meg and Pip. They're looking forward to seeing their friends. Schoolwork? Notsomuch. Pete and Tom started classes at their respective universities today. It's Pete's last semester! Another graduation to start planning for in May!

What’s on the needles?

The very beginnings of a Settler Shawl. The gorgeous, purple Tosh Merino Light was a Christmas present for me, so the shawl is also for me. I'm loving it already because the pattern, the color, the yarn. All of it. Yum!

Also, a simple cowl that is intended for the shop. The yarn is Elspeth Lasvold's Silky Wool, a random skein from the stash. I love the denim colorway and the rustic feel!

What’s special about this week?

So much specialness! The Church celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany on Sunday. Tom's birthday is tomorrow on the actual Twelfth Day of Christmas, and then Pip's 16th birthday is Saturday! There are too many birthdays and celebrations in January to even think about starting a diet on Jan. 1!

What am I reading?

I am reading The Martian as recommended by Mac Baron of Catholic in a Smalltown podcast. I got it for Christmas and am finding it fascinating. Astronaut Mark Watney is a member of the Ares 3 Mars expedition and when a huge sandstorm came up, he was injured and left for dead while the rest of the crew had to leave the surface. He wasn't dead, and now he has to figure out how to stay alive, all alone, for 4 years (and only 1 year of food supplies) when the next manned mission is scheduled for.

What am I praying about?

Other people are coming up with words to live by during 2015, and I'm praying to know God's will. It might come in the form of one word, but I don't know yet. I spent a lot of prayer time asking for grace while expecting to deal with a cancer diagnosis this year, so I'm happy to be able to move on to something different that the Lord wants me to focus on!

I'm also praying for all my children, others with cancer, my sister-in-law, and myriad other loved ones and friends.

What projects are happening at home?

Not quite into project mode, yet. Between Christmas, the flu, and recovery from my little surgery, we're just in day-to-day mode. The first big project will be Christmas clean-up, and then I'll let you know. ;-)

Weight loss should be a big project. I guess it is, and it sort of started today with a 3-mile walk. It will take a while to get the food back under control because we are totally addicted to sugar around here, and, again, it's Birthday Month. So....yeah.

I am looking forward to getting back into the habit of blogging more than 2x per month! I'll never make a living from my blogging, but I enjoy chatting with folks, so stop in the combox and say Hi!

xo,
Sara

Weekly Rambles

::Weekly Rambles::

What’s really on my mind and heart?

I am still on a high from my adventure with Meg Saturday. We went with our American Heritage Girls on a "high adventure" activity which involved a high ropes course. This is the first time Meg was old enough for these activities, so I stayed and participated, too. "High" seems to be the operative word in that paragraph!

That's about 55' up---we climbed the cargo net and crossed to the other side; there were four sections of varying difficulty. The hardest being a tightrope (high wire?) with obstacles. It was fun and not nearly as scary being up there as I expected! I found stepping off the ledge to rappel down the most challenging.

Standing directly under it while Meg rappels down gives you a better idea of how high it is! 

Then we climbed a higher cargo net to a 75' aerie so we could ride the quarter-mile zip line. Standing on the ledge while they got everyone situated was a little nerve-wracking for some, but, again, I found stepping off the platform to be the hardest!

The point of these activities, and the whole day, is to build thinking skills, to grow as a team, and challenge yourself. We all had partners on the TEC course that we were responsible for keeping safe, and we crossed some of the sections as a pair or a team. It was a great experience!

What am I thankful for?

Today I'm especially thankful for my new, fleece-lined rain boots. It's cold and rainy with "bitter cold" moving in behind the rain. Fun.

What’s going on in school?

The usual. Last week for the home schoolers who get a full week off for Thanksgving! 

What’s on the needles?

This shawl. It's actually OFF the needles. It's soft and warm, but not as large as I would like.

There's a "Goodnight Moon" book blanket in the works, as well as a "Lorax," and another "Cat in the Hat, but they're all on hold for a pair of socks and some earwarmers! It's kind of crazy!

What’s special about this week?

"Mockingjay" opens in theaters on Thursday. Meg can hardly wait!

What am I reading?

Gone with the Wind and Kristin Lavransdatter: The Cross. Nothing new there. I'm supposed to be reading Forgiven for book club this week. I should order that!

What am I praying about?

Healing for lots of people, especially my uncle who is recovering from surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his colon, and my sister-in-law who has a lot of struggles and cannot put weight on her ankle for a couple of months. Greg Willits of The Catholics Next Door podcast who is in the process of finding a diagnosis for new health concerns. Sounds alarmingly like ALS or Parkinson's to me. :-(

A few prayers would be nice for my own physical exams this week. Shouldn't be any big deal, but you never know. Thanks!

What projects are happening at home?

Cleaning up the yarn detritus is a never ending battle! Now, the big push is on to get ready for Thanskgiving and prepare Christmas presents for anyone we might see over the holiday. That will save shipping costs and be a huge weight off the shoulders during Advent.

~~~~

What did you think about A Week in My Life? It was hard to keep up with for me! I'm not sure I enjoyed reading all the minutiae of everyone's life. What do you

like to read about here? I'm all about knowing what you want to know! :-)

Yarn Along Rambles and Book Blankeys

::Weekly Rambles::

I'm combining my Rambles with the Yarn Along this week since I have so much to share, and yarns of all sorts are always favorite topics!

What’s really on my mind and heart?

So many things! Sometimes I feel like a hobbit who feels things deeply and is afraid to speak of them for fear of saying too little or the wrong thing. 

What am I thankful for?

Mid-term elections.

What’s going on in school?

Meg is sleeping and Pip is hard at work. No big projects this week, but we are skipping today's farm field trip to make up for a big, school-interrupting Costco shopping trip and a movie at the new, spectacular Avalon, where they've been showing $2 movies for a week.  Meg wants to live there, and I can't say I blame her!

What’s cooking?

Something with the chicken breasts that are thawing in the fridge. Got any suggestions???

What’s on the needles?

I did NOT have to rip out my shawl on Sunday. Since I totally dreaded untangling the 3 different colors, I ignored it in favor of something else, and it turns out that I only made one small mistake---instead of the big one that would have ruined it---and I was able to fudge that one and move on. I'm going to finish that one in a day or two and then start on some socks for my son.

And that's just the "personal" knitting. I've also been working on #bookblankeys a lot. I finished the Very Hungry Caterpillar and the Rainbow Fish, and I'm working hard on a Lorax blankey. They will be in the shop (see below!) very soon.

Fishy has a face, now. I love the texture in his body!

He looks happy! His body is a very touchable alpaca blend. Yum!

What’s special about this week?

Nest Egg Knits Etsy shop is now online! This is the brainchild of my good friend, Kathleen, who came up with the #bookblankey concept: a cozy blankey to go with your favorite (or your child's favorite) storybook. In the next couple of days we'll get a bunch more blankets in the shop. These are so much fun to knit and crochet. We have both fallen in love with the Tunisian crochet, and I think it makes a great fabric for these blankets. You can see that in this Cat in the Hat blanket in the shop:

Won't you stop in for a visit and favorite our shop so you can see what we post next? Like Kath's totally adorable Chicka-Chicka Boom Boom blanket! Which book would you like to see turned into a blanket?

You can also follow @NestEggKnits on Twitter and Instagram!

What am I reading?

Upstairs on the nightstand (are a lot of books, especially in my Kindle!), I'm actually reading the third Kristin Lavransdatter book---The Cross. I'm having trouble putting it down, but I try to force myself when dh turns out the light! I'm also insane and checked out Gone with the Wind and Scarlett yesterday from from the library. I haven't read GWTW in many years, and after watching the movie a couple of weeks ago, I really want to revisit it AND read Scarlett to get her and Rhett back together again!! (Spoiler there, sorry.)

What am I praying about?

I am praying with and for everyone who is struggling to find a diagnosis for their illness/ailments. I'm praying for peace, trust in God, and the doctors who treat them. There are several, specific people on my heart, and I hope you'll pray with me. God knows who needs the prayers!

What projects are happening at home?

I'm not really doing any projects, other than knitting and crocheting, but I am trying to figure out how to keep this large house clean with a large percentage of my workforce missing! Yes, I know they're not here to make messes, but the bugs and spiders and dust still accumulate!

Starting to think about Christmas gifts---what to make, what to buy. Don't tell me you're on top of it or already done!

"Weekly" Rambles

::Weekly Rambles::

What’s really on my mind and heart?

I'm trying to figure out how I can do all the things I want to do (or at least some of them) in addition to the things I need to do.

What am I thankful for?

I'm thankful for a quick visit from the Athens kids, yesterday. I'm thankful for a little camping trip with AHG which included Tom, Pip, and my dear husband. We had a good time; it was relaxing and pleasant in spite of unwelcome thunderstorms, stitches (for another child), and sewage backups in the bathrooms.

What’s going on in school?

Today being Columbus Day, we have the day off for "enrichment." I think some reading aloud of fairy tales is in order.

What’s cooking?

Why do you always ask that? lol. I should just delete it. Well, I'll tell you what---it will be something healthy since we ate way too many pop-tarts and toaster pastries while camping. I know how to cook healthy meals while camping, instead of just using boxed foods, and I did do some of that, but I also provided lots of the aforementioned unhealthy options which I enjoyed.  Too much.

What’s on the needles?

This shawl. It's going to be heavy and warm, unlike my usual light and lacy things, and I'm learning some new skills on what looks like a pretty simple design.

What’s special about this week?

It is "Spirit Week" at school, so there will be several fun outfits for Pip to wear instead of the usual uniform. PSAT this week, also. And more of the usual: Eucharistic adoration, AHG, and LOTS of fun on Saturday with kids activities!

What am I reading?

I finished The Twelve, Book 2 of The Passage trilogy. Good, but I didn't like it as much as the first. The story went a bit off the rails in terms of believability---if you can even make such a comment about an apocalyptic vampire virus that destroys the world. If you're contemplating reading these, be warned that there is plenty of graphic language in both, and then the second got a bit sexually graphic. These are definitely not the same YA fiction as Divergent and Hunger Games.

What am I praying about?

Healing for lots of people, especially my uncle who is recovering from surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his colon, and my sister-in-law who has a lot of struggles and cannot put weight on her ankle for a couple of months.

What’s on my ipod?/

I discovered another podcast (as if I have time to listen to them all! I think I need to walk more. A LOT more.) called Katy Says with Katy Bowman. Katy is all about "restorative exercise" and body alignment, and I love it because of my bad back and neck that give me problems, and those problems reach down and affect the knees and feet. You know, the head bone's connected to the leg bone! 

What projects are happening at home?

First up, is cleaning up and repacking all the camping gear. After that, I think I need to give the poor, neglected basement some TLC since no one goes down there and DH found a dead lizard in the bathroom. I don't know why that would be surprising, though, because we always found live lizards when we were down there schooling every day!

Oooh, and I scored a couple of free pallets that were left up at our tennis courts by guys resurfacing the courts. Now I need to peruse this Pinterest page to find something to do with them!

~~~

It's nice to be back---home-wise and blog-wise. Tell me what you're up to! Are you reading anything good? I need a new book! Got any pallet ideas? (Easy ones, cuz I'm lazy like that.)

Labor Day Rambles

::Weekly Rambles::

What’s really on my mind and heart?

The suffering that goes on around the world---in Iraq, in Israel, in Ferguson, and just in everyday lives where people are suffering from various illnesses. What's my response to that supposed to be?

What am I thankful for?

So many blessings---too many to count, though I try. This week, I'm thankful for a long weekend, and a kid who comes home from college for a short visit.

What’s going on in school?

You guys, officially our Causevox fundraiser for our new school building ended yesterday, and there is exciting news on the site today! Please go look, and if you haven't given, won't you please consider a small donation? Every bit makes a difference.

What’s cooking?

Pulled pork roasted all night in the oven. This is like the easiest dish ever, and everyone in the family loves it. And the leftovers.....we're happy for days around here. I use Tyler Florence's bbq sauce recipe, but we just coat the Boston butt in sea salt before roasting. I'm sure a rub would be better, but we have 0 complaints about this way!

What’s on the needles?

A ginormous cowl, or infinity scarf. I made one for a friend, upon request, and now I'm making another. On size 50 needles it doesn't take long!

Still working on Clapo-ktus....well into the decreasing now, so every row is faster. I can't wait to finish it and wear it---even though it may be too warm for that for a long while!

What’s special about this week?

Busy with AHG! We had a new parent meeting last week with lots of registrations to process (and that means checks to deposit for this new Treasurer!), and we have a special meeting for Leaders this week with all the girls coming next week. 

What am I reading?

Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan. I have to remember to read it in his "voice" if you know what I mean, otherwise it isn't funny. :-)

The Beauty of Broken by Elisa Morgan, recommended by one of my good friends. It's about how no one has a perfect life; we all have baggage and issues that prevent us from fully living out God's plan. I think. I'm not that far into it, and I had terrible dreams the other night about....ugh...it was awful...and about brokenness....I think I'll read this book during the day and not just before bed. 

What am I praying about?

All of those things listed above, family, and friends, and our school fundraiser.

What’s on my ipod?/

Some of my favorite podcasters have been AWOL, so I listened to a book that I really didn't care for, but the story had great potential and I wanted to see how it ended. The ending was decent, but it was still a trashy novel. 

What projects are happening at home?

One weekend I had a lot of energy and started cleaning and thinking about a yard sale, but I haven't had the time or energy since then, so the bags of Keep, Trash, or Giveaway are still in the upstairs hall waiting. I'd still like to finish cleaning the house, though, even if I don't sell the junk but donate it instead.

Maybe an Etsy shop is in the works. 

Graduation Rambles

::Weekly Rambles::

What’s really on my mind and heart?

The high school graduation of my 4th child and everything that implies is what is on my heart these days. There is a great deal of pride in his accomplishments of the past four years; I'm excited about the next phase of his life; I'm feeling the impending ache of missing him and the other 3 who went before him; I'm feeling the pressure of cramming a lot of New & Improved Parenting into the next 6 years; and kind of at the bottom is the question of what is the next phase of life for me when the 6 years have run their course. It's a lot to think about and ponder in my heart!

What am I thankful for?

I am thankful for the family members who went out of their way to be with us for this momentous occasion. It was wonderful to be surrounded by people we love so much.

What’s going on in school?

It's the last week for Meg and Pippo. Pretty much just 2 days of exams for Meg, but she did the math and figured out that neither failing nor getting perfect scores on her exams will have much impact on her grades, so she's pretty much home free. Pip, on the other hand, has a lot of studying to do along with several drama rehearsals before he is finally finished with his 2 performances of Fiddler on the Roof on Saturday.

What’s cooking?

Cleaning out the fridge after cooking lots of food last week. We still have a ton of pulled pork---which no one is complaining about!

What’s on the needles?

A better question is What's OFF the needles? That would be the Color Affection, finally. I cast off an inch early because I was running out of the navy yarn, which was a good call since I finished with only a couple of yards left! Finished photos later in the week after blocking.

What’s special about this week?

Last week of school. Last drama performance. AHG Court of Honor where Meg moves up to Pioneers---She is so excited about that!

What am I reading?

My Life in France by Julia Child and Paul Prudhomme. 

What am I praying about?

• the kidnapped Nigerian girls
• the persecution of Christians all over the world
• our Priests & deacons
• for Eric and Elizabeth

What’s on my ipod?/

It's about to be filled with audio books for summer read-alouds! Do you have any suggestions for books that Meg, Pip, and I will all enjoy?

What projects are happening at home?

I have a few sewing projects I'd like to work on, and find a new knit, but I think I'm done with home improvements for a while. The next graduation isn't for another year! I'm sure I'll come up with something for the summer, though.

Do you have summer projects planned? I'm always talking about a terraced garden and stone patio....could this be the year?