this week

 

right now I'm:

listening: to the pounding rain outside my window and settling in to Oregon winter as it arrives on my windowpanes.

treasuring: every sweet smile that Silas so freely gives these days. Almost 10 weeks old and he is such a happy little guy. There is nothing I love more than to fall asleep with him in my arms but unfortunately this now means that he won't sleep anywhere but my arms (including during the day when I have much to do).

delighting: in finding a new bff with every new blog I visit. How I love all the friends I've made here and how much smaller the world feels when I am connected with new friends in far off places through similar hobbies and interests.

planning: the girls' 4-H club, Silver Creek Homesteaders, that I am starting up next month. Sewing, cheese and candle making, felted goods and other old fashioned crafts are on the agenda.

preparing: to get serious about losing the extra baby weight. Two babies in a year and a half mean I have a lot of work ahead of me. I've been consistent at the gym the past few weeks, now I just need to cut back on the calories.

reading: books about homeschooling like For the Children's Sake and A Charlotte Mason Education as I try to refocus on school starting up next week.

waiting: for some absolutely wonderful yarn I've been coveting (and I received money for Christmas to buy) to arrive in the mail this week. 

thankful: that my girls are so happy with their humble Christmas presents. We have so many toys already and not much money these days, that we tried to just give them stuff to do like craft supplies and books to read. A felt kit, American Girl craft books, Lamplighter Theater audio books and Little House on the Prairie Season 1 were under the tree for them this year.

excited: about the girls' upcoming theater classes with Christian Youth Theater in Portland. They've been wanting this for so long and are so excited about the upcoming audition for The Wizard of Oz.

making: lots of felted crafts including little felted people. We tried the "felt in a baggie" technique a couple days ago and West wasn't content with just rubbing the bag as instructed. Oh no. He, of course, had to try to open it to see how this felting business works. 

playing: with the children as much as possible and taking time to do some special things with them this week. Yesterday the girls each invited a friend to come with us to the Kroc Center to swim. It was just the girls and I (and baby Silas of course). It was so much fun to be together with these four girls and I loved that they included me in their girl chatter during the long drive.

laughing: at how much time I spent knitting a gnome. Last night I said to Shane, "I can't believe I have 101 million things to do but I'm siting here knitting a hat for a gnome." Shane, aware of my stressful day, said, "maybe knitting a gnome hat is exactly what you should be doing right now." 

* knitting along with Ginny at Small Things this week.