Daybook for Monday, May 10

Outside my window... It was a rainy day, overcast and cool today. Figures, since I just put away all the long sleeves and pants a week ago!

I am thinking... about buying some things for homeschooling next fall. I am hashing out plans in my mind. One thing I came up with is that I want to read a bit of a chapter book each evening with Caroline before bed. Stuff that is classic and good for age 5 and 6 year olds. I have come up with Charlotte's Web, Ramona the Pest (since she is in Kindergarten herself in that one, although I remember its reading level being higher than Ramona the Brave, where she is in 1st grade... hmmm). Any suggestions?

I am also thinking of printing off a bunch of stuff in advance, once I nail down exactly what I want to do!

I am wondering... still wondering when my prize will arrive in the mail. And wondering what craft idea to do this week with the girls. Something for Our Lady of Fatima, perhaps... or something spring-y and flowery.

I am thankful... for my mother and my mother-in-law, on this day after Mother's Day.

I am also thankful for this incredibly done video on co-sleeping. I was surprised to see a mainstream media outlet cover this topic with this much depth and accuracy. I really cannot say enough how much I loved watching it... and if you know me on Facebook, you may have seen that I posted it there as well. Very good information, and maybe a good one to show to that nagging relative who genuinely thinks you are going to kill your baby by co-sleeping with him but would trust something put out by a mainstream news outlet (I am also thankful to not have any of those relatives!).

I am hearing... Chris is working on importing old family videos... I was hearing 18 month old Caroline at the beach on the balcony, yelling, "Beeeeee!" (big) as a tractor drove by grading the sand on the beach. I am also streaming this on my computer. You know, until that prize comes. ;) Nice of them to put it online like that, though.

Learning at home... mental math with Caroline. She comes up with these things on her own. One of the readings at Mass this weekend included the part from Revelation about the city walls with 12 gates, three facing each compass direction... and on our Garden of the Good Shepherd, it happened to be the day that we put up the city gate sticker. The sticker shows five gates along what appears to be the front of a wall. So Caroline tells us that there must be five other gates on the back side, and a gate on each end, for 12 gates in all. When asked how she figured that out, she said, "I just thought about it."

From the kitchen... I made a big pot of homemade enchilada sauce today. It makes the equivalent of five cans, and into the deep freeze they go for all our Mexican meals. We had fajitas tonight, but not with enchilada sauce. ;) Last night was veggie lasagna. Later in the week: tomato, mozzarella, and pesto sandwiches.

I am reading... just blogs and homeschooling stuff, craft ideas, etc. I just ordered the Flat Belly Diet book - my mom has been doing it with good success! I want to read this book, but as you can see, it costs a pretty penny since it is out of print. I want to read it over the summer though...

To live the liturgical year... we did our May Crowning yesterday, and we are hoping to do something for the Ascension this Thursday. We are seeing if our friends are available for a park day with an Ascension-themed lunch.

One of my favorite things... hot chocolate. Since it was in the 50s and rainy today, the craving popped back into my head!

And this photo below is one of my favorites ever of Cecilia, I think... the expression, the position, the band-aid on the knee, the outfit from whenever it was that Gymboree's tag looked like one of these from 1998 or earlier...

I am creating... I actually did something crafty recently besides the Mary crowns, and now I can't remember what it was... does that ever happen to other people?

Around the house... didn't get to that desk organizing. Of course not, right? ;) I should stop procrastinating and do it.

A few plans for the rest of the week... we had La Leche League today. Wednesday is Mother's Morning Out. Thursday might be our park day with friends. On Sunday, we have a birthday party to attend for a little girl who will be five years old!

A picture thought I am sharing... you may have noticed I was sharing them throughout. ;) We had some nice weather and outside time, strawberry-picking and such, last week. Here is one last picture of some watercolor painting that Caroline did last week. She gave it to Chris to hang on the wall in his office: