Daybook for Feb 28, 2010

I've been admiring other bloggers' Daybook posts, and have wanted to write my own for a while. I think there's no time like the present! So, without further ado...

FOR TODAY
Outside my window... The sun is shining. MELT, MELT, MELT! We don't have as much snow as our neighbors up north, but there's still plenty around. And this is the first year that the reality of MUD season on the farm is starting to sink in. Yikes. [edit: by the time I finished this post, the sun was gone. Sigh.]

I am thinking... That I really need to step up my housekeeping, and I'm struggling to find a balance between finding a routine and being flexible enough to do the things I need to do.

I am thankful for... A little one that loves going to church. She could make Sunday mornings pretty miserable, but as it is, they are a joy. I owe a lot of it to "church shoes" (not to mention God's grace) and that's a post I'd like to get written one of these days.

From the learning rooms... More thinking, not enough doing. I need to start pulling together the things I want to do and DO THEM (referencing my resolutions to DO IT, though I think it may interfere with my resolution to go to bed on time. Must! plan! time! better!)

From the kitchen... We had eggs for brunch today, I need to introduce you to our chickens sometime! Perhaps once the snow melts and the mud dries up. I have fallen out of the habit of at least planning a handful of upcoming meals, and it's starting to pinch me! Regular meal planning hasn't worked very smoothly for me, because I never know just how long the leftovers will last, and I usually estimate on the side of having too much food. Which leads to waste, which frustrates me, and then I respond by not planning meals for a while. Vicious cycle. I have at least been meaning to soak beans and make a big batch in the crockpot - I use the method from A Year of Slow Cooking.

I am wearing... Stretchy pants, unfortunately. I need to do a lot of work in this area. I'm also sporting the shortest haircut I've had in 20 years! My mom cuts my hair, and last weekend, she lopped off enough that it's just below shoulder length right now. I like it pretty well, most of the time. I haven't tried to put it in a bun yet, but I haven't really needed to since a pony tail keeps it pretty well out of the way.

I am creating... Baby gifts for a cousin's shower next weekend. I'll try to put together a post of them later - I am so pleased with how the crinkly taggie toy turned out. I also made a little something for our nephew's upcoming first birthday and need to get it in the mail since it has a long journey. I may need to wait to post a pic because his mama reads this, and I want her to be surprised... enough that I didn't even request measurements, so I hope it fits!

I am pondering... The St. Ephrem prayer Elizabeth Foss posted on her daybook. This is one to tape to the mirror...

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... Too many things to pay enough attention to any one of them. The pile includes Guiding Your Catholic Preschooler by Kathy Pierce and Rediscovering Catholicism: Journeying Toward Our Spiritual North Star by Matthew Kelly. Waiting in the wings are Bless Me, Father, For I Have Kids and Please Don't Drink the Holy Water!, both by Susie Lloyd. (Why yes, I did get a pile of books off eBay just for Lent!) (And those are affiliate links, but I don't really expect anybody to buy them. I keep a wish list on Amazon mostly to remind me of what I want to read someday.)

I am hoping... To see more glimpses of spring soon. We had a very foggy winter which folklore says is a predecessor to a wet spring. I just need some sunshine!

I am thankful for... A surprise of two small books for Goose in the books I got off eBay. They didn't cost the sender much *at all* (they're only 15 cents or so each) but they meant a LOT to us.

I am hearing... Hubs watching a movie, Goose chattering instead of taking a nap.

Around the house... Decluttering! I have plenty more to clean out, though.

One of my favorite things... Goose and her papa. Hubs has been working long days building an airplane at a shop that is over an hour from here, and he even stayed overnight for a few days' stretch. Even when he comes home at night, Goose still wants to "go see-see him" - she's daddy's girl for sure.

A few plans for the rest of the week... proofreading tomorrow at the newspaper, Bible study tomorrow night, and whether or not I go to our Village board meeting is directly related to whether or not Goose takes a nap tomorrow. Stations of the Cross on Thursday.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing... It's stuff like this that gets me through the day. It's a stuffed grey kitty, that herself is stuffed on the back of Goose's bike. Also along for the ride is a small crucifix we got as a freebie in the mail, and a keychain of Snoopy flying a plane. (Just like Papa, according to Goose.) You can't see in the pic, but there are more things stuffed into the basket on her handlebars. She was busy!

You can read LOTS more Daybook posts here.