Really Long Daybook...

...in which I do some catch up blogging and get reacquainted with my camera:-)

Outside My Window

Everything is in full bloom. Our Bradford Pear looks so beautiful in its white lace splendor (too bad those particular trees absolutely stink while in bloom). The cherry trees are lovely and the crabapples have my little ones looking expectantly for Mrs. Applebee. My tulips are budding and blooming, too. And...a little bird told me that the bluebells have begun to burst into color as well. There is nothing, nothing in the whole outdoors so wonderful as bluebells in Virginia.

I am Listening to
chirping birds. They are Way Loud--having some kind of rocking party in the smelly Bradford pear tree.

I am wearing

capris and a poplin blouse. Hooray for the return of the  "summer uniform!"

I am Thankful For
Mike's safe return. He didn't get home until 7AM Easter morning, after driving all night. There was a very serious accident just ahead of him on I95 and he sat and sat and sat in traffic. He's been gone two weeks. This trip was a long haul for both of us and I'm so grateful he's home at last.

I am Pondering

these words, passed on to me by a wise friend:

Child of God, what have you done up to now to help the souls around you?

You cannot be content with that passiveness, with that idleness of yours. He wants to reach others through your example, through your words, through your friendship, through your service.

-- St. Josemaria Escriva -- The Furrow #880

I am Reading
Arise From Darkness: What to do When Life Doesn't Make Sense.

I intended to finish it during Holy Week, but Holy Week ended up being very, very active, not much time for reading. So, I'm going to finish this week. This is a slow read, only because every page holds something worth stopping to think and pray on.

From the Kitchen

Let's do some menu recording here:

Holy Thursday:

Roasted lamb
roasted asparagus
haroset
rosemary potatoes
flatbread

Good Friday:
I do not even remember. I functioned on three hours sleep that day.

Holy Saturday:
Gyros made with the leftover lamb. I love this meal and every year I wonder why I don't do lamb more often.

Easter Sunday:

Beef Tenderloin
Ham
roasted asparagus
salad with roasted beets and goat cheese and pine nuts
roasted sweet potatoes
mashed potatoes
fruit salad

    bread

    chocolate cake with mint filling and mint ganache
    edible easter baskets

   ice cream bar with hot fudge, strawberries, Easter candy, whipped cream

   mocha brownies

 

I am Thinking

about silence and conversation. About boundaries and embraces. About activity and stillness.

I am Creating

a social network for kind conversation. Hmmm...those words look strange here, even to me. I wonder at the events that took me to this place. But it's true, together with my big kids (who are the resident experts on such things), and some dear friends, we're creating a place of beautiful conversation. More news and an invitation very soon.

On my iPod

The Holy Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet with St. Faustina. This is beautifully done and so appropriate for this week where our focus is in His mercy.

Towards a Real Education
Lots of nature study and watercolors in the plans. We are also going to begin a multi-age Bible study together. We're finishing up most of the purchased curriculum (grammar books, science notebooks, etc). I'm looking forward to a spring of mostly Bible study, Shakespeare, nature and art. And we'll take a literature-intensive look at Asia.

Towards Rhythm and Beauty

I love the way that the gold ALLELUIA letters sparkle on the mantel this morning. It was a long Lent. A long, fruitful Lent. Easter shines in my house today. Baskets line up on the knee wall in the kitchen. Candles and baskets grace the tables. Our book baskets brim over with the spring term: books on birds; books about Easter; bible story picture books; books on China. There is a familiar beauty in the things around me and I can see clearly--if only for the moment--how the beauty of this place supports its rhythm and how hat rhythm is the heartbeat of our lives here.

To Live the Liturgy

Wood and felt. Felt and wood. Around my living room, there is a miniature representation of Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem, a table with a tiny cenacle, and another table with cross  and tomb. Over and over again, my children are drawn to the wood and felt as the gospels come alive in their hands. The liturgy lives here, in wood and felt.

This week, we are praying the Divine Mercy novena and lulling small children to sleep at night with the chaplet, sung over and over.

I am Hoping and Praying

for Christian, who gets thrown curve ball after curve ball (and he's not a big fan of baseball). We need some solid answers from doctors this week. Pediatricians, cardiologist, surgeon--I’m praying someone can figure this all out. Hmmm. this remains the same as when I first wrote it two or three weeks ago. Not good.

and for my Aunt Ida, who fell and broke her hip last. She's 92; she doesn't "bounce back." She is however, the antithesis of a sour-faced saint. She's joy personified. I think that's why she's lived so long.

for Elizabeth deHority to have the time and the strength and the peace to do the important things.

In the Garden
There are still too many weeds. I also saw peony shoots yesterday. I pruned the roses (why does this always hurt me so much?). They look very healthy and I'm looking forward to a summer full of blooms.

Around the House

The house sparkled from top to bottom yesterday (well, the basement didn't exactly sparkle, but it was much better). I worked around the clock (literally) to get it to this point. And it was no small challenge. Mike was gone. Paddy was gone. Christian and Mary Beth were sick (really sick) and so all the routines were worthless. I never realized just how much my normal routines integrate those big kids into everything we do. But I did it! Mike came home to a perfectly lovely house and after working the way he does, he deserved to be as blessed by this home as we are.

Now, to keep it this way.

On Keeping Home
At the beginning of the week I told a friend (who is a truly gifted and creative homemaker) that I wished I had a homemaking fairy to come and rescue me. In my mind, this fairy looked a bit like the Flylady logo. My friend replied that her homemaking notebooks are her fairies. I whined a bit about how my notebooks are out of date and I didn't have time to stop and update before rolling up my sleeves. Then I remembered that whole "Sharpen the Saw" principle and I stopped and made a serious list. I wrote down everything that needed to be done. I worked backwards from Easter Sunday and thought about a logical order. I committed it all to paper. And then I lived that list. Now matter what happened. No matter who got sick. No matter how tired I was. The list ruled. It probably isn't the greatest strategy for everyday life, but it was my survival strategy and in the end, my wise and beautiful friend was right: those notes are the Homemaking Fairy. This week? I'm going to work on the Homemaking Notebook. It's been far too long.

One of My Favorite Things

Bluebells. 

Sarah Annie this week

She is talking up a storm and signing right along with her speech. (Mike says it's the Italian thing; talking with her hands.) Her favorite sign these days is "outside." She's pretty insistent.  If she's inside, she's signing "outside." As it should be; the weather is just beautiful and the whole world is in bloom for her. Outside. Outside. Outside.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week
The bluebells are in bloom. Around here, that's all the news we need to plan our week.

A few more pictures to share:
 I have no pictures of the Basilica to share this year. We attended all the Holy Week and Easter services our neighborhood mission had to offer. All week, I reminded myself how utterly grateful I am that this mission is healthy and holy again. But I did so miss the big church. Because of the blessing of a local mission, I was able to stay home with sick children and send well ones across the street to the local elementary school gym or leave for just a few moments with well children to attend stations on the town green. I wish I could wax poetic and tell you how beautiful it was despite the lack ofa a church building. Instead, I can report that when Nicholas walked into Mass Easter morning, he exclaimed, "Man! I wish all these people would show up just once when I play basketball here!"

 




 

Daybook: it's really spring!

Outside My Window

the birds are chirping and the sun is shining, but I’ve been outside already this early morning. It smells like skunk.

I am Listening to
chirping birds. The early crew has already left for Mass, then soccer and ballet. Everyone else is still asleep.

I am wearing
a T-shirt and boxer shorts. I saw the cutest Liberty of London summer PJs at Target and I was very tempted. I don’t think they’d wash well, though...

I am Thankful For
quiet. Those little pockets wherever I can get it.

I am Pondering
St. John of the Cross:
"Wisdom enters through love, silence, and mortification. It is great wisdom to know how to be silent and to look at neither the remarks, nor the deeds, nor the lives of others."
This quote will define my Lent. And, of course, the St. Ephrem prayer is  back at the forefront for this holy time. Plenty to ask God's help with here:
O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk.  But give rather the spirit of  chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother; For Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen

I am Reading
Delivered from Distraction. I recommend everything written by Dr. Hallowell. He’s the Crazy Busy guy. Interestingly, he’s also worked with Kim John Payne, author of Simplicity Parenting. Together, there’s a sense of cohesiveness and sanity in their messages.

From the Kitchen

For Saint Patrick’s day, we had salmon and green potatoes (using Dubliner cheese). We made the mint cake again, substituting white lifesavers for the red-striped peppermints and Creme de Menthe (thanks, Mary Chris!) for the peppermints schnapps. So the filling was green. It was so good!

I am Thinking
 About a quote from St. Teresa of Avila and how it really is a caution to those of us who find our support in church-related groups.  It’s been good food for conversation with my eldest daughter, as she learns some hard lessons from “church ladies.” Teresa of Avila writes, “From silly devotions and sour-faced saints, good Lord, deliver us.” I’m thinking that we need to be careful not to be influenced or hurt by people who, though well-intentioned and seemingly devout, are unkind and judgmental and joyless. Good Christian friends aren’t sour-faced saints. Good friends don’t bring you down. They aren’t shrill and hysterical and fearful. They are joyful, happy witnesses to a life of grace. Or they bear the inevitable sorrows in life with sure faith in God’s wisdom and goodness. They are kind. They don’t tear down; they build up. And if you are surrounded by friends who are sour faced saints, find some new friends. There are genuinely holy people out there who will walk in faith beside you with a spring in their step and a  shoulder to lean on when necessary. 

I am Creating
pockets of quiet. Mike will be gone pretty much from now until Easter. My plate is heaped to overflowing with the usual and the unexpected. I know that I have to eat well, exercise, get outside, and have some quiet and some space. I intend to do just that. And everything else I have to do.

On my iPod
Superparenting for ADD. I highly recommend this book.

Towards a Real Education
this time of year always has the same effect on me (and on my children). We want to do nature study and art and pretty much nothing else. I’m working on some plans that will make that almost all we do. Sorry kids, there’s a little math in there, too:-) 

Towards Rhythm and Beauty
Today is the day I pull out Jerusalem works. I’m really looking forward to it this year, since Karoline loves every aspect of our home atrium these days.

To Live the Liturgy
I’m hoping to get to daily Mass every day this week. My calendar says this will be a very difficult week, with impossibly full scheduling. My head and my heart both tell me that daily Mass is a necessary non-negotiable.

I am Hoping and Praying

for Christian, who gets thrown curve ball after curve ball (and he's not a big fan of baseball). We need some solid answers from doctors this week. Pediatricians, cardiologist, surgeon--I’m praying someone can figure this all out.

and for my Aunt Ida, who fell and broke her hip last week. She's 92; she doesn't "bounce back." She is however, the antithesis of a sour-faced saint. She's joy personified. I think that's why she's lived so long.

In the Garden
Oh my goodness! There are tulip leaves everywhere! And weeds. Many, many weeds.

Around the House
I gave up on the basement until after Easter. Or maybe summer. Whatever.
On, the positive side, there are only 6 loads of laundry left.

On Keeping Home
chore charts printed. We’re going to follow those things to the letter while Mike is gone. And it’s time to give some serious consideration to table settings and decorations for Easter.

One of My Favorite Things

the the long fifth burner in the center of the stove. A cast iron griddle fits perfectly. Pancakes for breakfast every day since that stove arrived!

Sarah Annie this week

Poor dear. She gets terribly, terribly sick in the car. The vomiting episodes are becoming regular occurrences. Since we have lots of driving to do on a daily basis, any suggestions towards motion sickness remedies would be very much appreciated.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week

Gracie is coming to spend spring break with us this week! She’ll be at Atrium today and then back here to play. We’re planning a day at Clemy park, a sleepover, a tea party, and lots and lots of time to play.

And Patrick leaves to play a week of soccer in Dallas. He's counting on a contingent of local Dallas fans to come out and cheer for him and totally confound his DC area teammates. I'm working on a schedule for distribution today. If you're a Dallas buddy and you want to take your kids to see some seriously good soccer, email me for the details.

A Picture Thought I'm sharing:
 

Sarah playing with our wedding bands.

Daybook: Mid-March

Outside My Window::

::It's balmy and nearly sixty degrees. I can almost smell bluebells in the air.

I am Listening to::

::all nine children downstairs, post-basketball, making homemade pizza.

I am wearing ::

:: an ancient blue hooded cashmere/cotton sweater, dark jeans and black felted Mary Janes.

I am Thankful For::

::Michael, who came home for spring break and set about puttering on Typepad, quite determined to make everything fresh and pretty. I'm very pleased with the results.

I am Pondering:

::St. John of the Cross

"Wisdom enters through love, silence, and mortification. It is great wisdom to know how to be silent and to look at neither the remarks, nor the deeds, nor the lives of others."

This quote will define my Lent. And, of course, the St. Ephrem prayer is  back at the forefront for this holy time. Plenty to ask God's help with here:

O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk.  But give rather the spirit of  chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother; For Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen

I am Reading:

::my new book! Danielle and I spent the weekend looking it over now that the typesetting is finished. Very nice; I think you'll like it.

From the Kitchen::

::I made Barbecued Shrimp last week, following directions from Colleen. Pretty much, you put the shrimp in a glass baking dish, pour butter over it, sprinkle with Cajun seasoning and bake until it's done. Yeah, I know, what makes it barbecued? Apparently, it's a Louisiana thing--it's not really barbecued; you just call it "barbecued."
Regardless, it was yummy.

I am Thinking:

::that weekends are for filling our tanks. There is Mass, of course, and an opportunity to fill up on grace. And then, there should be those things that restore energy and enthusiasm for life and love. Many times, I fill up on a soccer sideline. I watch my boys play and I am filled with their joy. Today, I filled up at the dance studio. We went for a birthday party for a dear little friend. Oh, how I filled up on watching Katie and Karoline dance in a pink wonderland! Sweet little Sarah Annie rocked and swayed on my lap, eager for the day when it is her turn. I look forward to that day, too. I could just sit and watch them forever.

I am Creating::

::new lesson plans for Serendipity, a book proposal, and an outline for another book project.

On my iPod::

::a book! I downloaded the Kindle app and then bought my first Kindle book at Amazon. I'm really enjoying reading that way.

Towards a Real Education::

::the girls are making a knotted quilt for the NICU in honor of "Q" week; Patrick is really buckling down as he recognizes the year is slipping away; Mary Beth has begun the Peony basket (my apologies if you're waiting for me to post it--I've gotten sidetracked); Stephen continues his My Side of the Mountain project; Christian is making great strides with the tutor; Nicky is just hanging on and hoping that it's not too long until Bluebell Week. 

Towards Rhythm and Beauty:

::We are doing much better in controlling TV watching. It's down to almost nothing at all. Still working on all those other screens.

::To Live the Liturgy:

::There is one month left until Easter. I was reflecting this morning how gracious God has been when I keep my Lenten resolutions. Never before have I been so assured that I am doing the things He wants for me. But when I falter, He is there, too. He shows me that I need Him and encourages me to lean more heavily on Him. It's pretty cool, really.

::I am Hoping and Praying:

::for strength and grace.

In the Garden:

::there are tulip shoots peeking up through the front beds. I suppose we need to get out there and weed.

Around the House:

::still cleaning that basement. This week really needs to see some major progress.

On Keeping Home:

::I have noticed that however the laundry goes, so goes the house. Ahem. The laundry needs catching up again.

One of My Favorite Things:

::the first time I switch the flannel sheets for crisp, cotton sheets for the season.

Sarah Annie this week:

::she still would prefer to hold on when she walks, but she really is getting around all of a sudden. I need to do some more babyproofing.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week:

::I hope not to let March Madness become March Angry-ness in my heart. It's going to be a challenging week or two (or three). Basketball is overlapping with soccer because of all the snow. Patrick has a big tournament in Richmond this weekend, but everyone else has big games here. Michael is home for Spring Break and I really would rather not turn the whole thing into a giant to-do list for him. But...the van needs inspecting; the dog needs grooming and the vet; there's doctor's appointments and dentist appointments; oh, and he's coaching that Richmond tournament, too. I think he's got a midterm or two to work on as well. Not much of a break, huh?

A Picture Thought I'm sharing:

 
 Looks like the girls were playing with my webcam.

Daybook

Outside My Window::

::I can see my entire front lawn. It's a curious thing though because when I visit my neighbor across the street, it still feels like the day after a big snowstorm. I face south; she face north. Life is like that isn't it? It all depends on your perspective

I am Listening to::

::a whole lot of noise downstairs. Nine children--more or less--are cooking, eating, planning more eating and doing "pregame prep" in advance of the hockey final.

I am wearing ::

:: jeans and a cream colored sweater that is Mike's favorite. I have a date at the airport a little later, a date I'm very eagerly anticipating.

I am Thankful For::

::an amazing, unexpected avalanche of blessing in my inbox. You are dear, sweet, kind people and I read and treasured every single word.

I am Pondering:

::St. John of the Cross

"Wisdom enters through love, silence, and mortification. It is great wisdom to know how to be silent and to look at neither the remarks, nor the deeds, nor the lives of others."

This quote will define my Lent. And, of course, the St. Ephrem prayer is  back at the forefront for this holy time. Plenty to ask God's help with here:

O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk.  But give rather the spirit of  chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother; For Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen

I am Reading:

::I have three different books that I'm eager to share with you here. I'm hopeful this week will present some pockets of time for that.

Oh, gracious! I wrote that last week. This week: book reviews, I promise.

From the Kitchen::

::It's spaghetti carbonara for lunch and homemade kung pao chicken for dinner. Not sure exactly what the game food is...

I am Thinking:

::that some thoughts are better kept private ;-)

I am Creating::

::new plans for Serendipity. Pardon the temporary closure. We're getting some work finished as quickly as we can. Feel free to email me if you absolutely must have a page this afternoon.

On my iPod::

:: I Have Been Blessed. Oh, boy, have I ever.

Towards a Real Education::

::Stephen was really ready to change gears for awhile. Since he's so into My Side of the Mountain right now, I downloaded this unit for him. It's so complete and he's really relishing the change of pace.

Towards Rhythm and Beauty:

::Basketball season has ended for the big boys and the Olympics will end tonight. Those two endings will make a good time for some beginnings of new rhythms. I'm very ready:-).

::To Live the Liturgy:

::a little complaint: is anyone else bothered by the "alleluias" in the compline at iBreviary? Alleluias during Lent? Didn't we bury those?

::I am Hoping and Praying:

::for Colleen and for Elizabeth deHority. Some people don't get to choose their Lenten sacrifices.

In the Garden:

::It's time to do a little cleaning up. I can see just a couple tulip shoots. Spring? Really. Oh, happy, happy day!

Around the House:

::The great basement cleanout continues. Slowly.

On Keeping Home:

::Part of the new rhythm is a new chore routine/rotation. It's time.

One of My Favorite Things:

::the way the light streams through the sunroom in the morning, awakening us to a new day of discovery there.

Sarah Annie this week:

::she turns 16 months this week. I'm not sure exactly when; what do you do with those birthdays that fall on the 31st? Whenever, my baby took her first steps the week she officially became a 16-month-old. I rejoiced again in the miracle of her. And, truth be told, I wept a little, too. My baby is a toddler.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week:

::I'm dedicating the week to re-establishing some warm, bright rhythms in our home.

A Picture Thought I'm Sharing:

When Karoline first saw Sarah this morning after yesterday's momentous event, she said, "Oh, Sarah Annie, today is the best day! Now you can walk and you get to be my best friend!"

Wouldn't you love to be Karoline's best friend?

Daybook: Quiet

Outside My Window::

::The big thaw has begun in earnest. There are still 8-10 inches of snow on the ground and it's becoming really ugly. But outside my back window, there is a single set of tiny little tracks where our sweet friend Isabel made her first journey since the blizzard, across our joined yards to my back steps. She wanted to visit the dollhouse. It's good to have her back with us! 

I am Listening to::

::nothing. We've been besieged with ear infections lately and I'm no exception. Last week was a blur of painful ears and fevers and all sorts of febrile shenanigans. Now, my left ear still has that weird cottony feeling. Since I only have one ear, that makes for some definite "quiet" in my life:-).

I am wearing ::

:: pajamas with roses on them. All the girls went to sleep last night with rose pajamas. Sometimes it is an exceedingly happy thing to find myself in this sorority.

I am Thankful For::

::wise friends who keep filling my inbox with nuggets from their Lenten readings. It is such a blessing to help each other along in quiet contemplation:

Doubtless the terrors of the Lord are often the beginning
of that wisdom, which we name conversion; but men must be frightened in a kind
way, or the fright will only make them unbelievers. Kindness has converted more
sinners than either zeal, eloquence, or learning; and these three last have never
converted anyone, unless they were kind also. In short, kindness makes us as Gods
to each other. Yet, while it lifts us so high, it sweetly keeps us low. For the continual
sense, which a kind heart has, of its own need of kindness, keeps it humble. There
are no hearts to which kindness is so indispensable, as those that are exuberantly
kind themselves. Frederick William Faber Spiritual Conferences

I am so certain God calls us all to kindness and quiet. And I am so grateful for all the ways in which the Church encourages and enables us to overcome our particular Lenten temptations.

I am Pondering:

::St. John of the Cross

"Wisdom enters through love, silence, and mortification. It is great wisdom to know how to be silent and to look at neither the remarks, nor the deeds, nor the lives of others."

This quote will define my Lent. And, of course, the St. Ephrem prayer is  back at the forefront for this holy time. Plenty to ask God's help with here:

O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk.  But give rather the spirit of  chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother; For Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen

I am Reading:

::I have three different books that I'm eager to share with you here. I'm hopeful this week will present some pockets of time for that.

From the Kitchen::

::I made Carmie's cream of corn soup last night. Big hit! Perfect comfort food for a cold, raining, melting kind of night.

I am Thinking:

::about this post. Words are limiting in this world. Sometimes I feel as if we are gathered around the Tower of Babel. Lent is such a gift, because it does beg us to stop. talking. so. much.

I'm thinking about recent news, all in the past week:  about two of my husband's colleagues who face terminal cancer in their early forties, about Rod Dreher's sister, and about a very dear friend who's cancer news is not good at all. I'm a cancer survivor. It doesn't take a very big leap of imagination to know how my world would reel upon that news. I don't often let my mind go there. But Lent does ask us to think about our last days. How would we spend our time? Honestly, I think I would want to live St. Ephrem's prayer as well as humanly possible and then take to heart and live out Fr. Faber's counsel on kindness, focusing intensely on those dear souls in my own home.

So, that's what I'm thinking.

I am Creating::

::some plans for spring. As soon as the thermometer crept above 40 and that incessant melting drip noise began, my children starting talking about Bull Run and my husband starting talking about the beach. Both good ideas. We've got an advanced case of cabin fever here.

On my iPod::

:: This song. I'd never heard it or the artist until I saw it on Kim's blog. Very inspiring.

Towards a Real Education::

::We're buckling down and being productive. Patrick and Mary Beth are focused on their confirmation notebooks, due to be turned in early next month. Nicholas has taken a little rabbit trail to study birds. Stephen, who is a dutiful student and absolutely always completes each day's work just as planned, declared he is utterly bored. So, I'm going to try to enliven things for him a bit.  And the little girls are reluctant to leave "P" week--what with all that pink, and princesses, and paper dolls. They rather like being there.

Towards Rhythm and Beauty:

::The conversation about rhythm continues between the grown ups in my house. It is interrupted frequently by Olympic hockey games, basketball tournaments in far away towns, and makeup ballet lessons.

::To Live the Liturgy:

::have I mentioned how grateful I am for daily Mass?

::I am Hoping and Praying:

::for Colleen and for Elizabeth deHority. Some people don't get to choose their Lenten sacrifices.

In the Garden:

::the laurel took quite a hit under the weight of all the snow. I wonder how it will bounce back. I saw hydrangeas at Costco last week. I'm very tempted to give them a try...

Around the House:

::the floors are finished:-) Now, the great basement cleanout begins.

On Keeping Home:

::I find myself sweeping and vacuuming all the time. Fortunately, I like sweeping and vacuuming.

One of My Favorite Things:

::quiet mornings

Sarah Annie this week:

::she give kisses! Sometimes. If you're very lucky;-)

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week:

::Christian's basketball team made it to the state final four, so we'll all travel to Winchester on Friday. The championship is on Saturday. I think I might miss it because everyone else has basketball here at home and Mary Beth has her confirmation retreat. 

A Picture Thought I'm sharing:

Mothers at home don't often finish something that stays finished.

This is finished.

Pretty cool.