My Simple Daybook

For today, September 28, 2009

outside my window...

...very warm, but we expect a cold front tonight!! Thank you, Lord!!

I am thinking...

...of my mom's friend who is suffering terribly with cancer.

I am thankful...

...for generous family and friends who gave me a wonderful baby shower on Saturday. It was a sweet time of fellowship and celebration of our little one. My girls had a great time. Mary-Grace was our photographer, actually getting some good pictures, and Ava brought me gifts. Each time I would open the card to find out who the gift was from, she would look at that person and say, "THANK YOU!!!" before the gift was unwrapped. She was too cute.

from the kitchen...

Shrimp pasta, apples & chicken (scroll down), taco soup, beignets, leftovers;

simple breakfasts and lunches. It feels good to have a plan!

from the learning room...

We begin F week today. We are excited, and really enjoying the Alphabet Path this year. We are plugging along with our core subjects, and I am so proud of what my kids are showing themselves capable of. We will wrap up our second history unit this week, as well as putting together a hurricane lapbook. It will be a full week!

living the liturical year at home...

It's a big week!

On Tuesday, we'll celebrate St. Michael the Archangel with special waffles, activities, and devil's food cupcakes with swords.

Wednesday is for St. Jerome with lion cupcakes.

And Thursday is for our dear St. Therese. We are looking forward to having friends over Thursday night to celebrate our family's patron. I'm hoping to make it to Mass that day also.

Friday, we celebrate the Holy Guardian Angels with angel hair pasta and angel food cake.

Sunday, our godchild will be baptized on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, who is also Phil's patron saint.

Whew!

I am creating...

...lesson plans for this week, felt food, Christmas gifts, a baby room, and most importantly, a baby.

I am wearing...

...my new denim skirt and a lime green shirt.

I am hoping...

...for a peaceful, albeit very busy week.

I am praying...

...for Mom's friend, for my children who all have colds, for a healthy baby and delivery.

I am hearing...

...quiet.

Around the house...

...I'm hoping we can wrap up our major cleaning projects in the next couple of weeks. It's amazing to me every pregnancy how this nesting business works! The things that I want to have clean are so random.

One of my favorite things...

...Coffee Mate's Creme Brulee creamer. I have given up sugar and flour for this last trimester (with the exception of very special occasions like baby showers!), so this was one of those things I gave up. Stevia and half-and-half don't hold a candle to my favorite creamer! I might pack a bottle for the hospital since they put refrigerators in all the postpartum rooms.

A few plans for this week...

• 
  
  Lots of liturgical plans!
• 
  
  Ballet for Mary-Grace on Monday (scratch that...she woke up with fever).
• 
  
  Dentist appointments for the kids on Wednesday
• 
  
  Birthday parties on Friday night and Saturday afternoon for friends
• 
  
  John's baptism on Sunday, plus another birthday party for a friend (if it's doable, no promises on that one!)

A picture thought I'm sharing...

Mary-Grace learning to "embroider" for E week. I remember doing this as a child, just making lots of stitches. She loved it!

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My Simple Daybook

outside my window...

...damp, warm, muggy...Fall, where are you?

I am thinking...

...about what's left to do to get ready for the baby! We're all so excited. Phil and the kids put the crib together last night; they can't wait to meet their new baby.

I am thankful...

...that I'm done hosting major events until after the baby arrives. Now it's time to settle in and finish nesting.

from the kitchen...

...leftover crockpot chicken (recipe here) Phil, Ava and I loved it over rice, and the big kids ate (somewhat) obediently.

from the learning room...

...We began E week this week after taking off last week to catch our breaths. We're reading about Eyebright, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, electricity, eggs, elephants, and may even give a shot to some embroidery. (HT: Jessica) We are plugging away at our core stuff quite nicely. I also started giving the kids fish gummies loaded with omega-3s. I am amazed at how much better they are focusing, and I really didn't think I had a problem with them at all.

living the liturgical year at home...

...Today we celebrate St. Padre Pio's feast and begin the novena to St. Therese. Eight years ago today, after having being told months before that I probably had a 1% chance to conceive a baby on my own, I began this same novena. Nine months later to the day Jacob was born. How's that for a rose?

I am creating...

...more felt food for the girls for Christmas, a few more Christmas gifts, and a baby. All pretty fun stuff!

I am reading...

lots of E week books.

I am going...

to be patient today even though I barely slept.

I am wearing...

...pajamas right now, but soon a new maternity skirt that my mom bought me last night. I love it! It might become my uniform for the next 6 1/2 weeks.

I am hoping...

...that this baby will be just a bit smaller than his/her brother/sisters. I'd really like another non-epidural birth (only my first was), so I'd settle for an even 8-pounder.

I am hearing...

...Phil waking up. That's it...no other noise. I'm savoring these few moments of quiet, and looking forward to the time when I share them with our new little one.

Around the house...

...it's all about getting ready for the baby. I cleaned the windowsills, baseboards, door frames yesterday in the baby's room. My mom is repainting the dresser for me. I have a cleaning list a mile long, but will settle for what we can get done reasonably before his/her arrival.

One of my favorite things...

...picking up Ava from Nursery School. She tells me everyday, "K, turn off the music. Let me tell you about Nursery School." She loves it!

A Few Plans for this Week...

...nothing major, which is nice. We're doing school, having co-op on Friday, and my family is hosting a small baby shower for me on Saturday. I'm looking forward to it!

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Simple Daybook...3rd edition

outside my window...

It's muggy and warm...with the promise of rain and 90 degree temperatures. Fall, where are you?!

I am thinking...

about crossing things off my list! I am in super holiday preparation mode so that once this little one arrives there is little to create, only much to execute.

I am thankful...

for a productive weekend on many fronts, and a husband who is so willing to help me around the house and with the children.

From the learning room...

We are moving and shaking. This is our 5th week for this school year, and so far so good. We've not hit our groove yet schedule wise,butonly because life happens. Friends have babies, and we are delighted to shift our routines to help out. But the learning part is happening when it can, and for that I am grateful.

From the kitchen...

LOTS! Yesterday I made a quadruple batch of taco soup, a quadruple batch of spaghetti sauce, and a triple batch of smothered eggplant and spinach. The rest of the week promises lots of ziti, gumbo, and smothered chicken. I'm stocking the freezer for the baby moon. The only reason this was all possible was because my hubby washed EVERY SINGLE pot, pan, spoon, etc. Oh, and there were cupcakes, too.

I am wearing...

gray pants, pink striped top, crocs.

I am creating...

Christmas gifts, Advent and Christmas plans, newly decorated rooms for the kids (for Christmas), and still lots of lists.

I am going...

to the hospital very shortly for my grandfather's surgery. It's minor, but he is 81. Say a prayer for him, please?

I am hoping...

for a successful surgery for my Papa, for a great day with my munchkins, an uneventful week.

I am praying...

for my Papa, for my new godchild and his mommy, for the Mitchells, and for lots of intentions that I hold in my heart.

Around the house...

nothing much for today, but I have a monster list of deep cleaning to accomplish before our little one arrives.

One of my favorite things...

hearing my children playing happily together. Nothing warms my heart like lots of creative, cooperative play between them.

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

• Bible study tonight, if time allows.
• cooking for friends tomorrow night.
• co-op on Friday
• more freezer cooking, present wrapping, birthday gift assembling (Ava will be 3 soon!) on Saturday morning.
• visiting with out-of-town family on Saturday afternoon.
• possibly breathing again on Sunday!

To live the liturgical year...

• celebrating Our Lady's birthday today with books and cupcakes and singing.
• the feast of St. Peter Claver tomorrow.
• the feast of the Holy Name of Mary on Saturday.
• Mass on Friday.

I'm terrible with the picture of the week. Sorry!

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