January Daybook

Outside my Window ... it is COLD! The temperature at this moment is 21* (and it started at 12* this morning). I'm loving it.

I am thinking ... that I haven't gotten nearly enough done during the girls' rest time today.

I am thankful for ... Mondays. A return to routine. Cold weather. So much.

In the learning room ... we are visiting Russia this week via Another Celebrated Dancing Bear. Next week, we start a BIG winter study (well, big for a kindergartener) and are going to be bouncing around winter weather, penguins, polar bears, and all sorts of cold-ish things.

From the kitchen ... making a chicken/rice/broccoli casserole tonight, with a salad. Warm, comforting. See: COLD above.

I am creating ... several things right now and I'm enjoying it. I put together some invitations for a little winter birthday party for my almost 4 year old ... I actually had them printed at Costco so I didn't have to try and hunt down the right size envelopes and such for them, and I'm excited how cute they turned out. Also, need to wrap up the last few pages of my December album. I didn't get everything captured or hit every day, but it did capture our month simply which was my goal.

I am going ... to have a fairly quiet week. I've been spoiled by our three weeks of Christmas break and I'm going to try and keep that simple schedule in place. Granted, activities are starting back up (which is a good thing) but I have enjoyed our low-key evenings. I have a girls-night-out on Friday which I am looking forward to, but other than that my week looks very quiet.

I am wearing ... black yoga pants and a yellow t-shirt.

I am reading ... um, floating through a few things right now ... a Nancy Drew book is sitting next to my chair, as are a few other things. Nothing is jumping out at me right now so I'm just reading in bits and pieces as I have time. I mentioned on Facebook that my husband and I watched Julie and Julia on Saturday night, and he was inspired to order me Mastering the Art of French Cooking and is eagerly anticipating some fabulous meals in the future. I'm sure there will be some blog-worthy disasters to share. :)

I am hoping ... just hoping.

I am hearing ... the sounds of little noises while the girls are resting in their room, and an episode of Mythbusters playing on the computer (via Netflix).

Around the house ... Not too bad. The girls have done a good job helping me pick up their play messes this morning, but I do need to run the vacuum and put laundry away before T gets home. I would love to do some organizing of a few books shelves, but that is a project best saved for another day, I do believe.

One of my favorite things ... my family. I was spoiled rotten by them this weekend on my birthday. Some folks that have Christmas-time birthdays bemoan the time of year because they feel slighted because of the fuss of the holidays. I have never ever felt that way - my family makes a huge deal out of my birthday (and, really, birthdays in general) and I love that about them.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... again, not much. :) A little schoolin', a little homemakin', a little girl friend time on Friday ... shaping up to be a well-balenced week in my book. :)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you ... ignoring the fact that I look just like a red pear in this photo, this is the coffee cup my BIL got me for my birthday. It holds exactly one pot of coffee! Not that I will be drinking out of it ... I don't think I could lift it if it were full. :) I need to decide what I'm going to do with it - probably put my pens in it or something fun like that!