Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Daybook - November 29

Outside my window...is darkness and chill, crisp air. Finally feels like November. I am always amazed at how dark this campus is despite being "in" a town. So much country around--I love it.

I am thinking...of what all I have to get done the next few days as we're back on tomorrow and also how crazy this month is going to be!

I am thankful for...unexpected breaks.

From the learning rooms...[or in our case--the learning brain]...comes words. and words. and more words. Until this last week Blueberry had some words: "Mama, Doggy, Nana, Up, Down." All very useful and greatly utilized words. Then this past week she's had language explosion. "Ba (bear)" - Babe (baby) - a very garbled attempt at "I love you", "No (no, no, no, no, accompanied by emphatic head shaking when she's getting into something she knows is a "no no!"). And then so many other "words" that are her imitating sounds, but occasionally throwing them back out at us. I guess it's not really 'words" per say but sound imitation. But it's still fun to hear.

From the kitchen...I'm still eating up leftover Thanksgiving Apple Spice cake (gluten free of course). Can I say, "Yum" if I made it myself?

I am wearing...jeans and a black shirt. and socks. because it's chilly.

I am creating...a Jesse tree for the girls' devotions throughout this month. Rather excited about it. Here's a pin if you're interested in more info:

Source: eriercd.org via Hanna on Pinterest



I am going...to a Christmas party on Thursday--the first of many it sounds like. Except this one is actually for us adults and the majority of them are for the kids here.

In my mailbox this week...was many Amazon packages including a stylus for my Kindle Fire (did I mention my Kindle Fire--yeah, in love with that!), a case, several books, gluten free foods of various sorts (pasta, crackers), much funness.

I am reading.. . Sunshine by Robin McKinley, The 4th Bear by Jasper Fforde, and several books on my Kindle. It's a book for each room?

I am hoping...to get our Christmas card ready soon...very soon...sooner than I probably can manage...

I am hearing...a video game that Chris is playing, children chattering on the other side of the hall from me, and an occasional "wuff" of air from Calista as she lays curled up in her cage.

Around the house...we have progress! Our living room actually feels like "ours". We have pictures up. Christmas is also sneaking in; although, admittedly, it will be rather thin decorations this year for the simple reason that as I'm trying to set up our house for "normal", I didn't feel like taking it all back down again right away. So we have a nativity set up (a must) and our Christmas tree will go up with some lights. That's about it. In the main cottage, however, we spent all day Saturday decorating and it is ready to go (inside any ways--outside still needs some lights).

One of my favorite things...watching Blueberry read books in her Jarble Language.

A few plans for the rest of the week: spend time with five lovely girls, go to several meetings, hang up more pictures on the wall, do laundry.

Want to join in? Go check out The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

PinUps and Pinspirations (Vol.3 )


PinUps: My Top 5 Pins of the Week
(in this particular case--week being a generic term for "the last few months"

My first three are apparently themed:
1.
Source: etsy.com via Hanna on Pinterest


2.
Source: etsy.com via Hanna on Pinterest


3.
Source: etsy.com via Hanna on Pinterest


4. This one, you either get it or you don't. Personally, it cracks me up.
Source: imgfave.com via Hanna on Pinterest


5. I will say "amen" to that! Although it could probably just say read without the fairytale part...



Pinspiration: (i.e. a Pin I've actually used in some way recently)

For the record: doesn't work very well

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Dabyook - November 15

Outside my window...it is lightening, thundering, and bucketing rain.

I am thinking...of plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Not entirely sure on what those plans will be. But they are being considered!

I am thankful for...our new home and job. Every job and place has bad points, but when I consider the good in comparison to the bad here, I am blessed.

From the learning rooms...[or in our case--the learning brain]...comes so much. Every day she learns new words and concepts and skills. Lately she's been climbing on top of everything she can manage to get a leg up onto (and with lots of attempts to climb even if she can't quite reach). The plaintive cry comes shortly after she accomplishes her climbing goal: "Mama. Mama" Until she gets my attention. And then it changes to "Dow" "Dow." (down).

From the kitchen...comes birthday pancakes and birthday cakes. Two of our girls have birthdays this week, so that's taken up a lot of time. I saw this pin on Pinterest awhile ago for birthday pancakes and decided to give it a try.



My cake that I made for our two birthday girls this week. They wanted a vanilla and chocolate, cookies and cream ice-cream football cake. If you are familiar with my non-skills in cake-decorating, you will understand my pride in this cake. I think I did a pretty darn, good job!




I am wearing...jeans, socks, long sleeve shirt. Messy hair. Need pj's.

I am creating...scrapbook pages again! Posts to come.

I am going...to bed soon.

In my mailbox today.. .three pay checks. Two from here and one from editing (yay!)

I am reading.. . Jasper Ford's The Big Over Easy. I do so enjoy these books.

I am hoping...to decide between wanting a Kindle Fire or if I really want to save up and get an IPad2. At this point, I actually think the Kindle Fire might give me want I'm looking for (at a much cheaper price). Input welcome!

I am hearing...blissful silence. And rain.

Around the house...things are still coming together. We ordered some new bookshelves and they should be here tomorrow. Very excited about this as I should be able to get a lot of this last pile of stuff properly put away once they are situated. Sometimes I wonder if I have to many books. And I'll weed some out. And then realize that the rest I want.

One of my favorite things...story time with my big girls. Most evenings (well, we attempt most evenings) we have devotions and then a chapter or two out of a book before the girls go to bed. Definitely one of my (and I think their) favorite times of day.

A few plans for the rest of the week: chapel, work meeting, parent/teacher conference--all tomorrow. Plus a birthday day. Thursday a second birthday day and preparation to go off of work on Friday morning. Three beautiful days to myself. Almost. Me and Blueberry any ways.

Here is picture (or more) for thought I am sharing...

Chris with one of "our" girls.


Want to join in? Go check out The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Six More Months of Shuffle and Change

The last post I wrote was July 2018. We were settling into routine, finding a groove, and trying to fit our family of five into a two-bedroo...