First Daybook of 2013

Outside my window... a grey, rainy morning. I’m thinking there will be lots of coffee and reading aloud done today.

I am wearing... pajamas. Must get moving on some real clothes here in a moment.

I am thinking... about abiding, my word for 2013. I was reading John 15:9-11 yesterday morning and listing the many benefits that we gain from abiding in Christ and His word. So many found in just those three verses. That’s probably a whole ‘nother post. Good stuff.

I am thankful... for my morning hours alone. This morning I had a little girl waken earlier than she was supposed to and she came in and sat with me. My quiet time didn’t happen, but little people getting up early with me is more rare as they are sleeping a bit later. She sat quietly with me and read while I wrote some emails and it was fun hanging out with just one girl in the quiet.

In the kitchen... I’m trying to make it to Saturday before restocking the cupboards so we have been making do on some things. : ) I think I expended most of my creative kitchen energy getting us through our school break and company visiting. However, strangely, these people still insist on eating. On my list of things to make are these chicken enchiladas as well as fish tacos. (I made up my own recipe the other night and they were super yummy in my opinion, however this recipe looks good),

I am wearing... jammies. That won’t last long though as I hear little folks stirring.

I am creating... I am working on my 2013 project life album. Pictures are printed for week one (Dec 31 – Jan 6) and I hope to get the journaling done later today after we are done with school. This year, I’ve decided to run my week from Monday through Sunday so that I can group my weekend days together. That is taking some getting used to in thinking about my layout as well as when I work on it. When I wrapped up my week on Saturday, I had Sunday afternoons to work on my album. I guess I can still do that, though I might not have a Sunday picture at the time. Tweaking the system for 2013. : )

I am reading...

• French Kids Eat Everything: How Our Family Moved to France, Cured Picky Eating, Banned Snacking, and Discovered 10 Simple Rules for Raising Happy, Healthy Eaters. Very interesting!
• One Thousand Gifts Devotional: Reflections on Finding Everyday Graces (One Thousand Gifts Journal) in the evenings (and working on the habit of counting my gifts)
• Jane of Lantern Hill. Reading this aloud with the girls. Revisiting Jane and remembering how much I love this little book.
• lots of pictures books to the two littlest lately! The boy has discovered this “dine-toors” books that one of his sisters brought home from the library for him. He LOVES them!

I am hoping... for a healthy baby to arrive soon for a friend!

Around the house... trying to get back into the routine of a little housework + homeschooling. It was a lot easier to keep on top of the house when we were on our Christmas break from school. Coincidence? I think not. : )

A favorite quote for today... or a blog post instead? This one on goals v. to-do lists. Nothing earth shattering, but good, timely for the beginning of the year with a blank calendar in front of me.

One of my favorite things... a blank calendar in front of me. : ) The year ahead has such possibility before me in January, does it not? (That sounds like a very Anne-ish thing to say, but it’s true!)

A few plans for the rest of the week… It’s quite obvious that we are back to our regular schedule! CC started up this week, as did Awana, our Friday Bible study, and the girls’ Sunday night choir. On top of that we have not one, but TWO birthday parties on Saturday. It seems like birthday parties go in spurts – we either have none on the calendar or we get back to back to back invitations. We are looking forward to catching up with friends as we get back into our routines again!

A peek into my day...

I’ve started reading lessons with this one again and it’s going a bit better than in the fall. Pondering how I can help her and maybe the need to switch to something else (I have been eyeing All About Reading and think it might be a good fit for her because of the manipulatives). She is SUCH a different girl than her sisters (and I wouldn’t want it any other way) and we are still trying to find our way this year in some areas.

Happy Wednesday! It’s time to get moving on our day and get some little folks moving towards breakfast and clothes.