TODAY
Out my window: Cloudy slanty light, but it's been another warm week, and temps are flirting with 80 today and tomorrow. By looking at the forecast though, it looks like we're in for our coolest week yet this fall.
Around the house: Hmmm, not much. Trying to fill in the gaps in the kids' wardrobes for the upcoming winter. Gemma needed a new coat (I *LOVE* the ones they have at Walmart for kids, trim yet warm enough for this climate, we've bought them for years now) and some jeans for spirit day at school. Kolbe needed a few more long sleeve shirts and long sleeve pants (as he calls them). I picked up a couple rugs at Target, for coming in from the deck and the mudroom. The ones we had were literally threadbare. The backing was crumbling off of them every time I moved them and I don't think they absorbed or took anything off dirty feet they were so worn down. For $20 it was a nice upgrade, and hopefully it will save us at least a little bit of mess this winter. I have actually done a little bit of Christmas shopping as well, trying to keep things very simple this year.
The kiddos: Hmmm, not much notable really. We're in our school year groove and everything is going smoothly enough. I feel like I never take pictures anymore. They are getting older and there aren't as many milestones and stuff and I just feel like it is rare that I think to snap a picture of something. I am taking them for professionals this weekend though, so we will see how that goes. Pictures stress me out more than they should.
Kolbe went to his first birthday party this past weekend. It was at a local science place and he had a really good time. I was invited to stay as well, but he was very certain he wanted to stay by himself. He is growing up so much. He had a lot of fun and got to see (and hold and touch!) some really cool bugs and other animals. Right up his alley. We usually keep our social calendars pretty quiet around here, but I'm glad he got to do this.
In the kitchen: This week we've had chicken fajitas, cripsy chicken salads, beef stroganoff with steamed green beans (I am seriously obsessed with this recipe, it is so good. The only thing I do differently is add a chopped onion and I use chuck roast). The rest of the week is up in the air (hopefully we won't have to resort to the tears of our forefathers) and I need to menu plan for next week so I know what to buy at the store tomorrow.
Learning: I've gotten into the habit of looking at the kids' weekly newsletter from school over the weekend and then checking out books from the library that go along with what they are going to be learning. This seems to be a great way to continue learning at home while doing something we really enjoy instead of just flooding them with more worksheets. This week Kolbe is learning about spiders and Gemma read Cinderella in her reader, so I got several great illustrated versions of that fairy tale. We read Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella last night and it was so.so.great. Jan Brett never disappoints, but this one was particularly fantastic. We're continuing through the old testament every day at breakfast and our stories have sparked some really great discussion. The Israelites have just reached the promised land, so I don't think we are going to get all the way to the end of the O.T. before it is Jesse Tree time, but that's OK. And speaking of Jesse Trees, I am trying to figure out what we're going to do this year. I have been oogling over some of the felt ornament sets, but I don't have the time or know-how to make one and really don't want to spend $50-$100. I think I may just start on December 1 and use this list of readings this year. I like that it has the "O Antiphons" at the end. We have used the Holy Heroes DVD previous years (which I would definitely recommend), but I'm just not feeling it this year. We've got in such a habit of reading straight from the actual Bible text, I'd like to continue that. We'll see what I come up with.
Reading: I have picked Searching for and Maintaining Peace back up, and am trying to read a section (2-4 pages) from Introduction to the Devout Life daily, along with more focused Bible time and trying to get in a chapter from the Imitation of Christ each day. I notice a direct correlation in the time I spend at prayer and the amount of interior peace that I have. One of those "duh" things, but I still struggle with it. In other news, we seem to have lost our copy of Turkey Trouble (sniff). I keep our seasonal books packed away on a shelf only I can reach, and I went to pull it down and it wasn't there. It was an ex-library copy, so I am wondering if I inadvertently returned it to the library last year. Sad day.
Watching: MLB and it is FINALLY GOLD RUSH SEASON PEOPLE!!!!!!!!! The 2hr season premier was last Friday, and we finished watching it last night. It should be a good season.
Bringing me joy: Autumn days. Interior peace. Wonderful husband. Reading with the kids. Some recent stewardship opportunities that have fallen in my lap.
Thinking about: Stewardship. I have recently (past year or two), especially as our kids are getting older (read: not infants), felt like I have a little more time to give but just not really been able to find my niche in our parish. It is something I have prayed about and thought about (and probably obsessed over) a lot. Just this week, two different things literally fell into my lap and I think they should be a prefect fit. I am so grateful. Stewardship at its heart really is a grateful response to the gifts we've been given by our Creator. It is wonderful to live in a diocese where this fact is no small matter.
Pictures to share:
Some shots from our annual trip to the pumpkin patch.
