The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY January 7, 2009...

Outside my window... It is a beautiful warm day here. Blue skys and so much sunshine. The Weather Channel Desktop says its 69' at the moment.

I am thinking... That I wish inside my house was as peaceful as it looks outside. The kids have been in trouble far too many times today.

I am thankful for... Having all the bills paid for the month, already.

From the learning rooms... We are getting back into the swing of things, after taking a very long, relaxing break.

From the kitchen... Way to many chocolate goodies still left from Christmas. Thinking about what to make for dinner. Maybe we will grill up the chicken fajita mix we have in the fridge.

I am wearing... Comfey clothes today. Green sweatshirt with dark blue T-shirt. Red gym pants.

I am going... to start working more with the boys and their schooling.

I am reading... Hebrews with my CBS bible study group. Just finished Like Dandelion Dust, by Karen Kingsbury. Am hoping soon to start A Thousand Tommorows, also by Karen Kingsbury.

I am hoping... To be able to work out tonight at the gym.

I am hearing... The kids playing in the girls bedroom. Page explaining how the Titanic sunk. Some arguing, then laughter.

Around the house... We have had some lazy days and really need to clean up the house.

One of my favorite things... Watching my kids learn new concepts. Kanon just learned how to read larger numbers, like 2010.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Bible study tmrw, church on Sunday.

Why I dont send my kids to "the neighbors"

I read another great article about Homeschooling. Thought I would post it here.

http://www.khouse.org/articles/1999/132/

Im "borrowing" this comic from another homeschooling moms blog. I saw it and just had to laugh. Its kinda hard to read, so if you can't read it let me know.

Sunday's Sunrise - Sunset

I found a new Meme that im going to try to remember to do each week. But this will require me to remember to do two things. First take a picture, then post and write about said picture.

Hmm, we'll see how well this works.

This was taken from our front porch one evening, a couple weeks ago. I happened to look out the window and noticed the beautiful sunset. We get them alot here, but I often dont have my camera when see them.

Fall

Fall is fast approaching us. I love Fall time. I used to not really like it, since it meant the start of school and cooler weather. But in recent years I have really come to enjoy all that is Fall. I am anxious to see what Fall is like in Texas. This will be our first Fall here. We are looking forward to cooler weather, just not real sure when it may happen here.

Here are just a few of my favorite thing that are "fall".

Fall

Starting our homeschooling school year

Cool crisp mornings

Hot apple cider

Pumpkin pie~ Smell and taste

Scarecrows

Beautiful red and orange leaves

Snuggling with the kids on cool evenings, watching movies with hot cocoa

Pumpkin patches and corn mazes

Fall festivals with homemade wares

Harvest moon in a clear sky

Colorful Mums

I am just in amazement all the time of Gods glory, in what He has created. Just look around and see all the vibrant colors of each season. Plus each season has such an individualized purpose. In Oregon we would be spending as much time outside as possible, right now. Getting ready for quite a few months of "inside activities". But here in Texas it hasn't quite happened. The kids are still playing outside much of the day, but the weather isn't hinting of cooler things to come yet. I am liking Texas for that reason.

On another note, my Mom and I happened to be out today looking for a couple farmers markets. We were in search of corn on the cob. (come to find out it is an early summer thing and is gone for the year) Around lunch time we decided to go eat at a nice little Goodwill cafe that we had eaten at once before, called Good Bytes. On our way down there we found a little street fair with craft vendors and music. It wasn't much, quite small actually, but we found a couple treasures. There was a photographer with his work there. We bought a nice matted picture for my sister for Christmas and I bought an awesome picture for us. Mine is of two rocking chairs, sitting on a porch, looking out at a nice yard and pasture. Its a view from behind the chairs, looking out. It is titled "Togethere". I LOVE it. This has been one of my "ideal"s for quite awhile. A big country porch with rocking chairs, looking out on a nice lawn where we can watch our children play. Then pastures of animals beyond that. I bought it as a tangable reminder of what we are working for, one day.

Savoring Today and Looking Forward to One Day,

Jennifer

Starting Homeschooling... Again

We are starting homeschoolimg again next week. When we ended homeschooling I didnt know that we would be coming back to it. I didnt know that we would be just taking a year off. But ALOT has happened in the past year. We put the kids in a great charter school, we moved from our little farm into a travel trailer (with 4 kids and 2 dogs), then moved in with my mom, who was having health problems at the time (she is better now), then packed up our stuff and moved from Oregon to Texas. Its been an exciting journey along the way. But it seems the Lord has called us all back into the home to school together again.
I am excited!! I have been ordering our curriculum and am elated when I get it in the mail. I am just peicing it together again and love searching for it all. I will be HSing all 4 of the kids this year, as before it was just 2 of them. I have found a great HSing group that is close that we will be doing park days and field trips with. I am excited to join this group and socialize (myself) with other HSing families.
I am also excited to see how HSing goes here in TX. It is warmer longer here, so we will be able to be outside longer than in Oregon, and not cooped up in the house for as long.
It is going to be a great year and I can’t wait to see what our Father has in store for us!!
Blessings, Jennifer