the brew*crew adventure

Outside My Window... A sunny morning has turned into a breezy, somewhat cloudy afternoon. Clothes drying on the line, and a new swing set that our neighbor gave us over the weekend. Their grand kids have outgrown it, and we thought that it would be wonderful to have here for baby S, who LOVES the slides and swings at the park. It's turned out that N and T are having as much fun on it as baby S is... well, almost as much.

I am thinking... Has it already been a whole week since I did my first daybook post? Wow! Yikes... and I'd really like to finish reorganizing my books closet today.

I am thankful for...

• *The joy that resides in my 9yo daughter's heart, evidenced by how she often hums to herself as she writes, or draws, as she's doing now, while working on her "Horse Study Notebook" at the table beside me.
• *That our sweet 1yo (on Thursday!!) baby girl has finally gotten into a nice routine of taking afternoon naps, for about an hour, every day.
• *For a weekend of bounty, that started with Chris calling me while we were at the park on Friday, "to tell me the good news", that Apple is paying to fix our iMac (the logic board needs replacing)!! Wooohooo! It continued with all of our great frugal finds this weekend: from the perfect set of old, white glass salt, pepper & sugar shakers at our fave antique store we meandered around on Saturday, to the "ba-by" that baby S found there for $1, to the new Raggedy Ann doll T found for Aunt Alicia, to the "collectible Blue Ribbon Ranch Breyer horse!" that T also found for $1, to the new (to us) *free* swing set our neighbors were giving away (just in time for S's b-day!) that Chris spotted the sign for as we drove home from church on Sat. night, to the mig-welder that Chris found for sale on Craigs List for a mere $20?!
• *That N is actually interested in learning how our government works, and so is somewhat enjoying this Government 101 course we started a couple of weeks ago, which he'll be finishing up just in time for his "Presidents & Politics" co-op class to start in Sept. He said that he's excited to be able to better understand what he's talking about when discussing politics, (um, yeah, he and a buddy do actually rangle over politics, got pretty into it with the whole Paul vs. Huckabee controversy, heh.) and for this co-op class.
• *Did I mention that Apple is paying to fix our iMac?! I'll have my Mac back! And be able to upload pictures again... wheee!
• *For a husband with such determined initiative, who actually called Apple for himself, even after the computer techie guy who's working on our Mac said that ours, being a 2nd Generation, wouldn't qualify for some kind of recall thing because of faulty logic boards... but apparently he was mistaken. We bought ours within a window of a few months that made it qualify. It had even occured to me that morning that he probably would get results when he did call, even though I'd initially thought it pointless and his fervor in insisting that we do so misplaced! Figures, he was right again. ;P I've learned from Chris to take the time to go out of my way to call and ask, and check on things, even when I doubt the validity or point in doing so...  There's a whole lot of mundane, every day truth to that lofty saying of old, "you have not because you ask not"... it's true. That one call saved us over $400.
• *That we have this old lap-top to load N and T's math programs onto, since their old pc died this weekend... it won't even re-boot. Aren't computers fun?
• *That the lady who gave T the violin to use for lessons found that she also had a brand new violin case, AND a bow to go with the violin, both of which she'd forgotten about, but found and brought over last week. Saved us $120- the price of a new case and bow! (Wow, so actually the blessings of bountiful savings started even earlier in the week!) *Ahem* AND
• *That same friend also found another violin, and bow with case that she was happily willing to lend to a friend of ours who was also prayerfully wishing for them! How cool and wonderful is that?!
• *Baby S in all her cuteness... the pitter-patter of her little feet as she's run, run, running for a door open to "outside", all of these sweet kisses that my baby girl has been giving us lately, on my leg while I'll be cooking dinner, on my face, or belly upon awakening... how she starts pumping her little legs and throwing her hands up in the air to dance at the sound of music, how she holds her "ba-by" so close as she whispers the word "ba-by" and loves it, how she'll bring me books, and backs up into my lap, knowing that I'll stop just about anything and read to her, how she celebrates when she hears us say "bath", or says "nigh-nigh" to everyone before bed... etc. Thank YOU Lord for this baby that I prayed so long, and waited so wistfully for...

From the kitchen... N doing the dishes, his turn... he and T squabbling over stupid stuff, just called her out, reminded her she's supposed to be reading.

I am wearing... jean capris (with spilled yogurt stain on them) with a teal & pink X-alt t-shirt and my fave, comfiest American Eagle turquoise flip-flops.

I am creating... a clean books closet and mopped floor, etc. Cleaning the house REAL good and thorough, so that when my Mac is back I can play with it to my heart's content for a week or so... blog some pics galore. I'm creating some posts in my head, of course. Still working on our homeschool plans and schedules for the year too.

I am going... to take N to his guitar lesson and pick up T's violin book from Music Doctors while there... um, we got all loaded up into the truck when I realized that I'd left my keys in the car, which Chris took to work this morning. Aaaargh, and we still haven't gotten that spare made yet?! We have a spare car key, and house key, but not a spare truck key. How is that?!

I am reading... The Book of the Dun Cow by Wangerin aloud to N and T. They're absolutely loving this tale, which so wonderfully personifies the farmyard animals, as the keepers of Wyrm, and is a favorite of mine from childhood. Next we'll read its sequel, The Book of Sorrows. I think that our having chickens (who are the heroes in the story, along with Mundo Cani dog) makes it doubly fun. I'm also reading The Pilgrim's Progress Devotional by Ford, along with my daily Bible readins, and The Pilgrim's Progress aloud to N and T.

I am hoping... to get all of the laundry on the floor and in the baskets in my room put away, and keep my bedroom floor clean, completely, for a long time. Is that even possible?

I am hearing... T telling me of her recollections of reading Chanticleer and the Fox, as she's run and pulled it off the shelf when I just mentioned that The Book of the Dun Cow is based upon that story... all when she's supposed to be reading her chapters from King of the Wind for today!

Around the house... baby S has strewn a giant deck of "Hearts" cards on the floor (among other things). All of the curtains are pulled back to let in the sunlight, kids are done with their studies for today, now watching Little House on the Prairie. Samson is lounging on the floor at their feet. I've got some piles of books on the counters and tables that I've pulled out of the book closet I'm reorganizing... it always looks worse before it gets better, right?

One of my favorite things... my coffee/teeccino brew with lots of cream.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:

1. Huh. Whadayaknow?! That would be the same list as last weeks... *sighs* How about cross some of these out, as done! Hey, at least we are getting our studies done, healthy meals made, and a few other things even!
2. Weed  garden, maybe plant a few late crops?
3. Rearrange my bedroom, replace baby S's co-sleeper (which is beside our bed) with her crib, with one side off (it's one of those convertible types) so that it will be more supportive and comfy for her, more long term since it's obvious she'll be sleeping in our bed for awhile yet.
4. T is so excited because this means that it (the crib) is coming out of her room and she'll now have room for a desk in there, which means rearranging her room too.
5. Post some books and curriculum for sale to local homeschool list.
6. Finish re-organizing big book/curriculum closet.
7. Continue with N and T's lessons, which we started last week. We're gradually getting into our studies, hoping to be in full routines by September.
8. Post about that, our plans for this school year.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

See all those blooms?

Well, they're apples now, beautiful and and quickly ripening. Soon it will be time for all of the fresh, organic apple juice we can drink, and apple crisp, apple pies, apple sauce, etc...

Hosted by Peggy @ The Simple Woman

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