Checking In

Outside my window...I'm so thankful for the sun streaming in the windows.  The weather has been very pleasant, not too cold, no rain.  On the other hand, I do wish it would snow!  Just for a week.

I am thankful for... slippers.  I was just murmuring this....little things like slippers really make my day.

I'm also thankful to be a stay-at-home-kinda mom, and that God always gives me wisdom.  Those are very big things.  And I'm very thankful!

From the learning rooms... Back in full swing, enjoying our school days and I've stepped things up a bit without any kick-back.

From the kitchen...our dishwasher is broken.  I am spending much, much more time in the kitchen these days!  It's been interesting though, to see that when I slow down to work the boys may end up helping me which leads to pleasant conversation, or I might have a sweet boy come read to me.  I am enjoying the time, but looking forward to getting a dishwasher in February!

I am wearing...slippers.  Jeans, a sweatshirt and a pony tail.

I am creating...this is such a silly question for me.  I'm not so creative/crafty.  But I'm creating a lesson plan for the week and order in the home and that's enough for me.  :)  No knitting, as of late.

I am going...to vacuum my whole house today.  Okay, not the basement.  But the other 2 floors.  I do love clean floors, if only for a minute.

I am reading... nothing!  Can you believe it?

I am hoping...to recover from this cold quickly, for a  date with my husband soon, for snow.

I am hearing...my dryer (thanks for all your hard work, Mr. Dryer!)

Around the house...laundry, paper piles, sunshine, football, boys on trampoline, and pink toys.

This explains my January absence.  I've been babysitting in January, a sweet 14 month old girlie.  It's been really lovely and I've rarely a minute to even read YOUR blogs.  When she's here I'm busy with her and the boys' school...when she's gone I'm catching up on the rest.

One of my favorite things...a little sweet after lunch, losing pounds, Sleepy Sundays

A few plans (or just one!!) for the rest of the week:  the little pink girlie, school, all the usual.

Here is picture thought I am sharing:   School Hours.  Joe and I work one-on-one for a little keyword outline.

A New Year

I'm not much of a resolution kind of girl.  I am consistently inconsistant.  I crave change within my routines, I try things and then trail off, this is just who I am.

my morning view, from my bed

That being said, I do love to look at the New Year and wonder what joy and change it will bring.  And I do, along with a great number of people, like to think that I can do some things to make this year a little better than the last.

Heaven forbid we ever give up changing things for the better!!

So rather than some proclamation of amazing feat (I will Love every person I ever see, I will never get angry, I will run a marathon-ha!, or I will never eat a slice of pie in 2012)  I have worked on a simple list.

I intend to print this list out (oh, the never ending trials of my printer!!) and hang it where I'll glance over it from time to time.  A reminder of things I want to do, habits I want to cultivate.

2012 

1. Put the laundry away.  (Piles make me cry)

2.  Speak less, listen more

3.  Everything in it's place, a place for everything 

4. Participate in a monthly photo challenge, continue my own photography studies

5. Eat more grapefruit.  I just love it

6. Participate in regular Nature Studies (they make me smile)

7. Read more

8. anxious= pray*

9. Read to the boys more often (snuggle up!)

10. Look in their eyes.  Whoever.  

11. Hang out with my husband more

12.  Move my body, I feel better for it

13. Destroy household piles.  Demolish.  Black Hole. * 

14.  Talk about Jesus more often
15. Drink more water

Seems pretty reasonable, right?  I think so.  Some of these are more challenging than others (oh, the laundry piles) but I think they're practical and will ALL enrich my life more.  My 38th is a bit of a sobering year, not because I fear growing old, but I fear being old and not growing.  

Here's to a new year.  Here's to a time to reflect and wonder at what this year will be, to intend for it to be good and for myself to be sweeter.  I hope you're all having  a lovely first few days and have hopes for a wonderful 2012!

* more to come on these...