The Simple Woman's Day Book - 2

This may not happen every week, but it is a fun way to snapshot the goings on around here... (from the The Simple Woman's Day Book at http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/.

Outside my window... The weather has shown small signs of change. A bit cooler (The A/C isn't going on until the afternoon) and a few trees are slowly changing color (as little as they do here in Southern California). I do love the fall and welcome the first day next week.

I am thinking... We are off to a pretty good start this school year. We are really enjoying our curriculum and getting it all done, although it is taking longer than usual with a 9 month old underfoot and teaching 2 grades.

I am thankful for... My sister who is flying in tomorrow. She tries to come home twice a year and we love her visits. She has lived in St. Thomas the past several years (insert *sigh*) and I miss her terribly, but I'm so proud of her individuality and the all-around person she has become.

From the learning room... The learning room is taking over our home, but maybe that is how it is suppose to be?? Learning really happens at all times and everywhere. Although it would be nice to eat at the dining table every now and then.

From the kitchen... Apples, Apples, Apples... we went apple picking last Sunday and I have made apple butter (for the first time) and a new recipe for a delicious apple cake so far with them. I also have some apple muffins on the brain. I made granola for the first time yesterday, and found a new breakfast favorite: Greek yogurt with apple butter and granola : ). Yum!

I am wearing... shorts and a nursing tank (easy access for said 9 month old, who is teething and wants momma 24/7).

I am creating... Spanish flashcards for our vocabulary words this week. I also helped the kids make the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria for school, which we sailed this morning. Man, would I love a scrapbook day, but these days have been more filled with school crafts than momma crafts. Fall is coming, so hopefully that will bring on knitting very soon : ).

I am going... to enjoy this whole day at home (I hope).

I am reading... A Charlotte Mason Companion, Personal Reflections on The Gentle Art of Learning by Karen Andreola. I guess I can't really say I'm reading it. It's more like, I open it to an interesting looking page and read until I get my first interruption (usually half a page) and set it back down.

I am hoping... I can get school back on track for the day after this little lunch break (ah-hem).

I am hearing... Two big kids playing happily with each other up in their rooms, and an absent baby who just went on a bank run with daddy.

Around the house... Still trying to organize school in a way that will make it easier to do. I also need to find a way to organize our photos before they make it into the scrapbooks. Another thing on the to-do list is to baby proof the downstairs better so we don't have as many interruptions while schooling to get the baby out of mischief.

One of my favorite things... Our current three day weekends with my husband. He has had a 10 hour a day/4 days a week work schedule for about a year, and we LOVE all the time that gives us with him. He works so hard for it and for us.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Organizing, playing with Aunt Dawny, meeting with my grandparents financial guru, spanish class/community center/library, dinner at my parents, celebrate the first day of fall...

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...