By Sun and Candlelight

A Few Things for Friday

First, and foremost, Happy Friday, my friends! I hope the week has been good to you. ❤

I'm behind on several things at the moment, so please accept my apologies for my lack of comment replies. I do plan to catch up later today, once we're back from Book Group. (My turn to lead ~ must bring cookies and discussion notes!) But I wanted to share a few quick thoughts before I kick-start my morning ...

 As I mentioned earlier this week, today is Dr. Suess Day (aka Read Across America Day). The Crafty Crow has a great round-up of Dr. Suess crafts here.

A few readers have asked about the "4 month/4 elements" unit study I spoke of the other day. I will absolutely share more about that very soon - I'm still working on the details myself! I can say it will be something the whole family will be involved in, though many of the activities will be geared towards my younger two boys (10 and 12).

(And oh my goodness, Penny and Tracy ~ That Nature Connection book is indeed quite a find! I was just working in ours yesterday in fact, gleaning ideas for our Spring Nature Learning. I should really do a proper review ... I think it's a relatively new book and not so well known as of yet.)

Now, on the domestic front, the new dishwasher arrived this week ... and so far I'm quite happy with it. The inside is a little smaller than my old one, but it works very quietly and efficiently. And happily, Ollie seems to be quite taken with it, too ...

(You know we were worried about this. :))

Oh, and I was so interested to read all of your weather reports yesterday ~ March is truly a mercurial month! Today is cold and snowy here ~ it looks more like February should have, actually! The snow won't last long, though ... we're due for a heavy rainstorm tomorrow, and next week may reach into the 60s!

(Just in time for our local farm field trip ~ more on that later!)

*

Well my friends, I'm going to run ... but wanted to say hello, and let you all know I'm here, just a bit tied up this week. I hope you have a nice day ... stay safe and be well ... I will see you again very soon!

"February brings the rain ..."

Or, perhaps snow or sleet or sun or - if you're in my part of the world - a mild foggy mist! (Such odd weather we're having this winter ...)

❤*❤*❤*❤*❤*❤*❤*❤

Anyhoo ~ Good Wednesday, my friends ... and Happy February! Did you remember to say "Rabbit, Rabbit" this morning? I did remember ... though it was not the first thing I said. I think the first words I (m)uttered were, "Why is he awake already?"

I did however, make sure to rouse the older boys at ten minutes to seven, with a whispered, "Rabbit, Rabbit!" To which, two sleepy (slightly disgruntled) voices responded in kind.

:)

And so now we're good to go ~ February can begin!

Today is also the Feast of St. Brigid, Patroness of Ireland (and dairy farmers). On this day we usually read this book and sometimes make these kinds of things but today's quite busy, so I'm not sure what we'll end up doing. And tomorrow brings Candlemas, so we're gathering up candles to be blessed at morning Mass. (Right after we find out what the groundhog has to say! Though honestly, I don't think it matters at this point ... I don't think Winter is bothering with us this year.)

Oh, and by the way ~ the soup last night was absolutely delicious! A real keeper for sure. So here's a link to the recipe in case anyone would like to try it. The soup was great all on its own, but Bookworm and I each added a dob of sour cream and a sprinkle of bacon. It was fantastic to dip our grilled cheese in ... and Bill (who was sent into work with a bowl of soup and a hunk of calzone) said it was just as good warmed over. (Note: Next time I will not pick the leaves off the rosemary branches - I will add the whole branches instead, and fish them out before pureeing. Also, since we were having panini, I didn't make the sage/parmesan croutons that the recipe calls for.)

Oh, and for those of us following Downton ... I know there was some question about whether or not we'd get to see the Christmas Special at some point. Well, my mum checked her 'GBH magazine (Boston's PBS channel) and it looks like the last episode of the season (to air 2/19) will be set at Christmastime. So that will be fun to see! I can't wait to see the set (and cast) all decked out in Christmas finery. :)

And, now for a couple of quick answers to recently posed questions: 

What time do I get up? I'm usually awake around - or just before - 5 (thanks to Earlybird), but I start my day at 5:30. (I doze/think/pray and fend off hungry cats before rising when the coffemaker beeps.) Bill usually gets up with EB first, and checks in with work/dozes on the couch/makes coffee ... then sometimes (when he has time) he returns to bed after I get up to catch a few more zzz's. I do like to get up early - even if EB didn't wake so early, I'd still be up before six. Six is kind of my "get the day going" point ... and I like to have time before that to adjust to the day ... and sufficiently caffeinate myself. ;)

What time do I go to bed? Well, EB goes to bed around 7, and we send the older two to bed by 8:30 (they're allowed to read for a while). Bill and I usually retire between 9:30 and 10, but we try to read for a bit before "lights out." I am currently reading this interesting book - just a chapter or two at a time. It apparently inspired both Upstairs, Downstairs and its descendent, our beloved Downton Abbey.

When do I work in my Daybook? This is a great question, and one I'm still answering myself! What I try to do is, over the weekend, fill in the daily pages as much as possible. Then, the evening before each day (sometimes before supper, sometimes after) I try to "work" in my daybook and really get a grip on the next day's agenda. What needs to be done? What about the boys' lessons? Any extra chores to catch up on? Any extra errands to squeeze in between activities? Those kinds of everyday challenges that are easier to face when considered beforehand.

❤*❤*❤*❤*❤*❤*❤*❤

Well, my friends ... I hope you all had a nice first day of February! Thanks so much for stopping by and "listening" to my rambles. I'll be back here again sometime tomorrow - somewhere in between church and the orthodontist and the art class and the supermarket, etc., etc.!

So, have a good night ... see you again soon!

Saturday Evening Post

Good evening, my friends! I hope you're all doing well. :)

I've been busy this afternoon, printing out and assembling my daybook ...

And it was going pretty smoothly - I was clipping right along, using my rather low-tech "spreadsheet" to keep all the pages in order - when one of the printer cartridges ran out (specifically, "magenta"). So I guess I'll have to run to Staples tomorrow ... where *sigh* I just happened to be this morning ... though regrettably I did not have "printer ink" on my list.

I did, however, pick up a few more MSHO supplies ... 

I just love all that orange!

And speaking of orange, Kim asked me to share the Orange-Spice Cocoa recipe I had taped into my journal and here it is, as found at The Food Network. Doesn't it sound delicous? I just may have that for my "Tuesday Tea" this week ...

Also, Daniele asked me to share the "Winter Car Checklist" also taped in my clippings diary. I found that list in Mary Jane's Farm magazine, but since I can't find it online, I will share it here with you all:

Winter Car Checklist

• cell phone with portable charger and extra batteries
• emergency phone numbers
• full change of clothes
• extra outerwear
• sleeping bag
• space blanket
• pocket knife
• whistle
• small shovel
• windshield scraper
• radio
• flashlight (and extra batteries)
• beeswax candle
• matches (in waterproof container)
• small pot or mug
• 2 gallons of water
• non-perishable snacks
• tow rope
• bungee cord
• tire chains
• flares
• jumper cables
• brightly colored flag or help sign
• first aid kit
• basic tool kit (including duct tape)
• paper towels
• poncho or large trash bag
• busy work

(Goodness! I'm sorry to say I have very few of these things in my van. Actually, I just checked this list with Bill and he tells me I have the windshield scraper and maybe some bandaids in the glove compartment. Clearly, I like living on the edge, lol.)

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*

So that's all for now - just a quick little post to say "hi" and catch up. We're about to start supper (panini on the griddler) so I'll be off now ... but sweet dreams, my friends! And just think ... only one more sleep till Downton Abbey returns!

:)

Talking Shop*

*i.e. file folder and calendar questions. :)

Good Thursday morning, my friends!

I'd like to catch up on some more blog comments, so if "shop talk" is not your cup of tea - feel free to skip this rather lengthy, detail-oriented post. I'm very sorry I've fallen so far behind on addressing reader questions - this is one area of organization I obviously need to work on! ;)

This first one's from Michelle ...

Thank you for the filing posts! I am feeling much better about mine now, because you showed pictures of where you keep your papers. My countertop looks a lot like yours. I like the idea of keeping folders in the basket as well. Do the big paper clips hold the bills to be paid? Also, do you keep your daily calendar open on the countertop? That seems to be my big dilema... going back and forth from the papers in the calendar to the papers in the files. I do love the feeling of being organized!

Michelle, thank you so much for commenting! I love the feeling of being organized too, which is why I'm constantly tweaking my "systems" to make them work as well as they can. I know I can never be on top of it all, but feeling some sense of control really makes my days flow more smoothly. And then "mama" feels happier ... so then everyone feels happier! ;)

Now, to answer your questions ... 

Yes, one of the binder clips holds our bills to be paid and there's another one holding business cards (from various health professionals, our hairdresser, the vet, etc.). I LOVE binder clips - I use them constantly, and keep an assortment of sizes on hand at all times!

As for my calendar ~ I do keep it out on the countertop, with the file folder just beside or beneath it. I generally keep my calendar open to the week at hand - so I can quickly see the day's agenda (aka, where we have to go) and specific daily to-do's (i.e. clean out the freezer, bag up the recycling, mail check, etc.). 

And this topic leads me to a question asked some time ago by a reader, Briar (such a pretty name!), about how often I repeat information ...

My other issue is that my calendar and to-do lists are online. This *mostly* works for me, but I find that it makes dealing with the paper aspects of my life difficult, because they aren't in sync. Which leads me to a question: how often do you repeat information? What things get written in the your calendar versus what gets written on the planning sheet? If, say, you have a book group meeting, does that go in your calendar, or just the planning sheet, or both? Do you also write that down in the lesson planner? I love the idea of the FCS, so I'm really hoping I can figure out a way to make it work for me this year.

This is something I struggle with, Briar. I love putting pen (or as the case may be, pencil) to paper, so it's very easy for me to get carried away. Graphophilia aside, and in the interest of time and efficiency, I do try to limit myself and keep things as streamlined as possible. And yet, I often find myself writing some information more than once. 

For instance, as you mention above, when I write down our Book Group event, I first write it down in my month-at-a-glance calendar:

"Book Group, 12:45"

> This information is helpful when I'm scheduling appointments, get-togethers and other activities. <

> I'll do this ahead, once I know when Book Group will be. <

Later, as I prepare for a new week ahead, I first consult that month-at-a-glance calendar. In my week-at-a-glance calendar (another section in my MomAgenda) I write the event/time in the Friday column, and if there's something I need to remember for that day - something I need to bring or do on the ride over or back, I jot it down here, too.

"Book Group, 12:45-2:00 - atm/gas" 

> This information is helpful when I'm planning out my day. <

> I'll do this several days ahead. <

Next I prepare the weekly planning sheet (the one that attaches to the front of my file folder), and here I write (under "Of Note") the event, along with a little more information:

"Book Group - Bridge to Terabithia"

> This is helpful when going back and writing end-of-year reports. <

> I do this on the Thursday before. <

So I do repeat the information, but I use it in different ways in each instance. The month @ a glance helps me schedule ahead, the week @ a glance helps me manage my day, and the weekly (file folder) planning sheet helps me give shape and feel to our week. It also helps me reflect on our week when I go back at year's end - I write yearly academic reports for the school system.

Now, all that said ...

I think it would be much more efficient and convenient to combine the second two actions - the week @ a glance calendar and the weekly planning sheet - thereby keeping all "weekly focus" in one place. I have yet to make that happen, but I'm working on it! It would have to be something of my own design - something that would work within the framework of the weekly file folder.

Because ultimately it would be great to have a (portable) month @ a glance calendar and a weekly file folder with all the planning space I need for the week, in general, and the days of the week, specifically. Then I'd just be writing down information twice - once on the monthly calendar and once on the weekly file folder. But until I get that all straightened out (envisioned/created*) I will go with what's working well for me now.

(*I'm thinking the inside file folder cover would be a great place for that week @ a glance calendar ...)

Now, if I haven't bored you all yet, lol, I'd like to also quickly address a relevant question left by by Trish a while back, about why I choose paper planning over computerized ...

Hi Dawn ... I have a question for you. I notice you have a MacBook (I do too) and was curious why you don't use iCal for your planning purposes? I go back and forth between paper planners and iCal and can't seem to figure out which I like best! I love the physical act of writing (I was an art major in college long ago and understand the joy of writing on nice paper!) but I also enjoy the wonderful portability and ease of the MacBook/iPhone combination... especially at the grocery store and out running errands. Any thoughts?

Tirsh, while I find digital planning intriguing - especially in the case of grocery shopping as you mention above - I can't seem to give up my paper paraphernalia!

First, there's my aforementioned paper passion - but there's also my overall comfort level. I just find it easier to check in with my planner stuff as it is spread out on my counter - than it is to hop on my computer.

Then there's the whole trust issue - plainly put, I don't fully trust my computerized tools! Recently my MacBook crashed (due to a crimped wire inside the hard drive) and I could have lost all kinds of things. (Thankfully, I didn't!) Sure it's pretty easy to misplace a list or a folder, but in the end, I'm just more comfortable using my low-tech systems.

For example, I have this handy little shopping notebook - it's small enough to fit in my purse, but big enough for a good amount of notes. In it, I write out a weekly grocery shopping list which includes other errands like the pharmacy/library/etc. 

Now, I know I could keep this list on my iPhone, but I really just like using that notebook! I clip timely coupons to it - I jot things in it through the week as I think of them. I keep it in my hand - or propped up in the child seat of my carriage - as I walk around the store. All these actions just seem easier to me in notebook, rather than phone, form.

Now, I don't mean to disparage digital planning as a whole - I think it works fantastically for some people! (In fact, here's an article on digital planning at Parents.com.) And it probably is more efficient overall - and it's certainly less environmentally taxing. I won't rule out that someday I might be converted - but for now my paper junkie nature still rules, lol!

~**❤**~

 Ok, that's all I have time for right now - I do have more reader comments and questions "on file" and will be getting to them just as soon as I can.

In the meantime, I hope you all have a lovely day ~ stay safe and be well!

I'll be back again very soon ...

:)

Academic Calendars & Dry-Erase Boards

Happy Wednesday, my friends! It's bright and beautiful here this morning ~ I hope your day's off to a great start!

This morning I have question and a suggestion from Heather ...

My question: Do you know where can I find those 2 page-spread, month-at-a-glance calendars for Aug or Sept 2011 on? I have only seen them for Jan 2012 on. If you or anyone could help me on that I would be so grateful. I am slowly trying to get all the things I need for this system ... OK now my suggestion: For daily reminders, have you ever considered using one of those small dry erase boards that you can stick onto the front of your fridge? I think those are awesome. Hope that may help.

Heather, thank you so much for this wonderful comment! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to respond - most likely you've already found what you're looking for, but in case you haven't let me answer as best I can ...

So first, in regards to your question: I've seen lots of "academic" (summer start) calendars for sale at Staples - but are you looking for something spiral-bound (self-contained) or are you in need of loose-leaf pages (i.e. a refill)? I use "Day-Timer" 2 page-spread, month-at-a-glance calendar forms in my planning binder. At Amazon I found an academic version in desk size but I can only find a January start version in the folio (binder) size. The latter is what I use. (I currently have both the 2011 and 2012 calendars stored here.)

Does anyone have suggestions for Heather? Are there places (online or otherwise) where you find a good selection of calendar products? I usually shop at Staples (which I believe is a nationwide chain) or I order through Amazon. In fact, I got my most recent supply of calendar forms here. 

There are also sites found online, Heather, which allow you to print off month-at-a-glance calendar forms. The one that comes to mind is Donna Young but I'm sure there are others out there. There are probably even software programs - to purchase, or already installed in your computer - that allow you to do this on your own! I'm not too tech-savvy though, so I stick with what I know - so long as it's working for me! :)

Now, as for your suggestion ... I do actually have a small dry-erase board on my fridge, but I hardly ever use it! When EB was younger he was (more than) a little fixated on getting his hands on dry-erase markers, but due to the odor and dye, I can't let him use dry-erase markers - or any type of marker really. Having the markers out only presented a temptation so I kept them hidden in a drawer ... which really cut down on how much I used the board! (Plus he always seemed to find them, lol!)

Mostly when I use the board these days, I use it to post a "honey-do" list. ;) But I do like the idea of posting your daily chores on a dry-erase board ... The only real issue for me is I'd have to re-write my tasks each day.

For example, my Wednesday chores would post like this:

Clean Kitchen:

    sweep/mop

    wipe down appliances

    wash countertops/stovetop

    scrub and soak sink

    run baking soda down disposal

Go through cabinets/fridge/freezer

Start marketing list and menu for next week

Organize trash & recycling

This is what is noted on my Wednesday daily card. I have it posted at my workstation in something like this. 

Now, Earlybird still can't use those (any) markers, but he is much more understanding about them these days. So I do have a magnetic marker placed just above the board - I guess I've just never gotten into the habit of using it. But I can see where it would make a great place for posting daily reminders - for yourself and your family!

Do any other readers use a dry-erase board as part of their planning? There certainly are all kinds (sizes/shapes) of boards now - and multi-colored markers, etc. I'd love to know if you use a dry-erase board in your household - and how. Drop a note below if you'd like!

***

Well, thanks again to Heather for her thoughtful comments! For now, I must be off and get this day rolling ... just thought I'd sneak online and post another quick Q & A while I could. So have a great day, everyone ... I will see you again very soon!

 ~ Dawn

File Crate Posts & Crafts for Next Week

Happy Friday, everyone! 

This morning I'd like to take a minute to answer a couple of questions left overnight ...

Hi Dawn, Your planning system is so interesting. Do you have another post where you explain how you set up all these weekly folders? Thank you, Mary

Mary, here is my File Crate System archive which contains, to the best of my knowledge, every post I've done about the FCS. This post in particular - Revamping the File Crate System - is pretty thorough in explaining how I set it all up. (Note: I've since moved the weekly sheet into a planning binder, along with my month @ a glance calendar.) Please feel free to ask any other questions you might have about the file crate and folder system. Just drop a note in my comments box below. :)

Hi again Dawn! Is there any chance of daffodil cake pic and recipe, the lion craft, and the St. David's day details? Thanks, Holly

Sure, Holly!

Here are pictures of the cake I made for St. David's Day a few years ago ...

And here are the recipes for Daffodil Cake with Lemon Glaze

As for celebrating the Feast of St. David - here's a link with lots of activities and information. We'll probably do something with dragons and I'll make the daffodil cake for Tuesday night's dessert. I'll also add a daffodil plant to the nature shelf, as I revamp the learning room for March. (It feels so good to say March! We're that much closer to Spring!)

I also plan to make a very simple lion craft with Earlybird to celebrate the first day of March (which comes in like a lion, of course) and to kick off next month's "wind study." According to the the forecast, Tuesday looks to be brisk and very windy - perfect!

Well, I hope these links have been helpful! Before I go, I'd also like to say thank you to all who've left wonderful tips and encouragement for our Disney trip! I so appreciate any and all advice! To clarify, we are going to Disney World (Florida), as opposed to Disney Land (California), and the RV will be our means of travel! And though I don't want to say (for privacy/security reasons) exactly when we're going, I can tell you the trip's a little ways off. But we're all booked (my parents too!) and as you can guess, I've started lots of lists and ordered a few books. We also got a doctor's note for Earlybird (confirming his autism Dx) and really, my main concern there is just keeping him safe and not overwhelmed. I know I can't plan for everything, but I'll do my best to think ahead as much as possible!

Have a fantastic Friday, my friends ... it's a gray, rainy day here, but I honestly don't mind. With every hour that passes we see a little less snow, and a little more grass out there. Please keep it up, Mother Nature! Let's leave Winter behind for good, shall we?

See you all again soon ...

:)

Just right for a cold winter's day ...

... baked apples with dried fruit & honey!

It was a perfect day to bake something warm and wonderful - it was so very cold, and quite windy as well! I found a recipe for baked apples in a magazine at our pediatrician's office last week - for the life of me I can't remember what it was called, but I wrote down the instructions in my planner so I could try it at home.

I started with six good-sized apples (a mix of Pink Lady and Golden Delicious), as well as dried cherries and golden raisins. The recipe also called for honey and orange juice concentrate.

First, I washed and cored the apples, and pricked the tops lightly with a fork. Then I placed the apples in muffin cups brushed with canola oil. I also placed a small piece of parchment paper beneath the apple, in the bottom of each compartment.

I filled each apple with 1 tablespoon dried fruit, 1 teaspoon frozen orange juice concentrate and 1 teaspoon honey.

They baked for 30 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

(Note to self: next time, place the muffin pan on a cookie sheet to collect spills!)

The boys were downstairs building Legos (enjoying the last bit of their lunch break) as the apples baked. Before too long I heard a voice call ...

"Mom? What's that smell that smells so good?"

:)

So we all sat down to a baked apple before we resumed our lessons for the day. These made a very nice snack, but I think they would also be delicious served at breakfast or even as a side dish at supper. (They'd be perfect with pork chops!)

Now, before I go, I thought I'd answer a few food questions that have been left for me recently ...

Lecia asked for recipes for the chocolate-chip cookie cake and the raspberry danish from brunch. Well, first of all, the danish was store-bought, Lecia! I had wanted to make a scratch coffee cake, but didn't have the time between Mass and brunch, so store-bought danish made do. ;)

The chocolate chip cookie cake was all homemade, however. Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Chip Heart Cookie

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray pan with Pam. In a large bowl, cream butter with sugars. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread dough into prepared pan with spatula. (I sprayed my hands and following manufacturer's directions I pressed the dough just short of the edges of the pan.) 

Bake 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool before cutting.

(Recipe from the Wilton Company)

We had this for dessert last night and it was SO yummy - a very nice, cakey texture, with a small amount of - but just enough - chocolate taste.

And Kristie asked me to expand on this week's long-day, "easy" dinner menus.

Here's what I have planned:

M - Valentine's Supper

T - baked ziti, salad and rolls

W - (frozen) chicken pie, butternut squash and roasted potatoes ... possibly, apple crisp for dessert (I have a lot of apples to use up.)

Th - hot dogs, veggies with ranch dip and tater puffs

F - pizza/leftovers 

Well, the timer on the pasta is ringing so I'd best wrap up. Thanks as always for stopping by ...

See you again very soon!

A Few Thursday Q & A's ...

On today's agenda ~ working in my planner, getting ready for next week.

So far I'm quite happy with my new planner. I'm still tweaking things, but the weekly section seems to work well with how I like to plan. The index cards though ... well, I'm not loving them so much. They're so great in theory! And they're very pretty in all their rainbow colors ... but for now I've reverted back to using my little spiral bound planner for my daily to-do's. Too much was slipping through the cracks!

So, I've had a few questions left in the comments recently and I thought I'd address them this morning ...

Jennifer asked for some links to posts on my routines and journals: (I can't find a post on my daily routine, so I'll see about writing something up on that soon - maybe a "day in the life" kind of thing?)

 My Weekly Homekeeping Routine

(This was written a few years ago, but I still pretty much follow this same schedule.)

Friday is Journal Day

My Journal: A Happy, Humble Hodgepodge

Tracy asked for the quick bread recipe, and it can be found in this post: A Little Taste of Fall. Lori asked how I use baby food in that recipe. I simply use 2 cups worth of baby food (bananas, pears, squash etc.) for the "mix-and-match" portion of the recipe. It makes a very moist bread! 

And finally, Kristie asked for online instructions for making butter. This would be a great activity for a farm unit study! 

***

Well, that's all for now ... I hope you all have a nice Thursday! It's the Chinese New Year today, by the way, and 2011 is the "Year of the Rabbit." We looked up our zodiac animals here and Crackerjack was pleased to learn he was in fact a rabbit! (I'm a rooster, lol.) We're going to watch "Kung Fu Panda" today and possibly order Chinese for supper tonight. (It's a busy evening so I'm not sure we'll have time.)

What do you like to order when you get Chinese take-out? I myself love scallion pancakes. I order them every time. :)

Have a great day, everyone ... see you all again sometime soon!

Wednesday Q & A

 

Good morning, my friends ...

Well, Earlybird has the big-bad cold now - he woke up with a barking cough, and cranky as all get out, proclaiming, "I'm sick now!" So we're doing an impromptu mini-unit on germs this week - how we get sick, and how we can stay healthy. In the spirit of things I've set up a new book list called "Winter Health Study" and we'll be making some nutritious fruit smoothies and soup. Nothing like hands-on learning, right? ;)

Anyways, while I'm here, I wanted to catch up with some of the questions that have been left in recent comments ...

Oh! I've wanted to read Artful Blogging for the longest time! Do you like it? ~ Jen

It is an absolutely beautiful magazine, Jen. Lots of delicious eye candy, and some very inspiring stories and helpful suggestions. It's one of those magazines you can just flip through and absorb visually - and that would be enough - but even better when you can find the time to sit and read through the articles. Somerset magazines are quite expensive so aside from this gift issue I've only purchased AB once before. (I think it was a birthday treat to myself last year lol.) One thing I did come away with - besides maybe a bit of blog envy, lol - is a wish for a better camera. The photographs are just so clear and beautiful! My envy shames me a little though, because I am really very happy with my Cybershot. It's easy to use and that's why I use it so much - no lenses to mess with and I basically ignore the special settings. Still, I look at all those yummy pictures and ... sigh. ;)

Now, I have to admit to feeling a bit jealous that you have Where Women Cook....I have been searching high and low for it...here at home in Florida and points in between. I guess I'll have to order it. Are you enjoying it? ~ Mary Chris

Mary Chris, I received both Artful Blogging and Where Women Cook as Christmas presents, but I have seen them at Barnes & Noble. They are absolutely beautiful and so inspiring! 

Where Women Cook, like AB, is also filled with lots of "eye candy" ... beautiful pictures - of food, dishes, cooking spaces, and some yummy recipes as well. I've only skimmed this issue so far - but I'm excited to dig in and read more thoroughly. Some of the women featured in this month's issue include ~ Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman), Joy Stinger (who raises makes lovely honey and wax crafts), Serena Thompson (The Farm Chicks), and MaryJane Butters (MaryJane's Farm). Scrumptious recipes are featured throughout, too ~ like Blackberry Scones, Meaty Lasagna and Saltine Caramel Bars.

Both Where Women Cook and Artful Blogging are splurges for sure, but well worth the money spent - for the information and inspiration!

I have 2 questions from older posts since I have exhausted my own search. 1.) Where do you purchase the 2010-11 Academic Daily planner and did you add the tabs yourself? 2.) I loved those autumn sheets. What brand? ~ Sherrylynne in Mpls

Sherrylynne, I buy the daily planner at my local Hallmark Paper Store, but I found it online here, too. And yes, I added the tabs myself - I think I bought them at Staples - possibly Target.

The sheets are from LL Bean, but I don't think they carry them anymore. For the record, they are incredibly soft and wash up so well. I definitely recommend LL Bean bedding in general. :)

Did you make those pizellecookies? They look yummy as does that poundcake. I'd like to try them both ~ Jan

I didn't make the pizelle cookies, Jan - they were an impulse buy at the supermarket down the street, lol. I've always wanted to try making pizzelle cookies - I'm not a big fan of anise (which is, I believe, the traditional flavoring for these delicate cookies) but I do love pizzelles made with vanilla or citrus. I like to serve them on the Feast of St. Agnes - a saint who is special to us - as "St. Agnes Snowflakes."

I've had my eye on this pizzelle maker for some time ... and I also like the idea of making homemade ice cream cones with pizzelle cookies. Especially since EB can't eat commercially made cones. 

It is funny that you posted a food post today because I read a book this week that reminded me so very much of you. It is called The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. Have you ever read it? Such a lovely book! ~ Jackie

I have not read that book, but my library has a copy so I'll definitely be checking it out! Thank you for the recommendation!

Not that I have a lot of time for reading, but I am always grateful for good book recommendations, so please readers, if you have some - lay them on me! ;)

I was checking out some of my favorite sites and found this place and immediately thought of you. These are the cutest journals. ~ Nancy

Nancy, that is such a neat site! I loved looking through the journals they have posted there ... very inspiring! Thanks for the link. :)

***

OK, I think I've caught up with all the questions and links left for me recently. Thank you SO much to everyone who stops by, and special gratitude for those who leave an encouraging comment, or a helpful link. I appreciate each and every one of my visitors.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone ~ hope your week is going well!

Busy with my Boys

I apologize again for being just too busy to blog recently! I may not have had time to sit down and write, but I did take photos as often as I could. I thought I might share some of them with you this fine Tuesday morning. :)

This is Earlybird's "Thankful Board." It's been a more meaningful project for him than the acorns we hung on our Seeds of Gratitude Tree.

He's still learning (and remembering) the holidays themselves and I find that concentrating on symbols are helpful. So of course I chose a giant sparkly turkey for this board! We added a card (and sometimes a photo) every few days or so, talking about what we are thankful for, and what thankful means - a tough concept to explain when you think of it! 

And here are some pictures from a neat little craft we did last week - I found it in the November issue of Family Fun: Nutty Boats

For obvious reasons we did this activity outside on the deck ...

Crackerjack was intrigued enough to join us ...

A skill we work on constantly with EB is patience and reigning in impulsive tendencies. Something as simple as pouring a cup of water into a bowl can be a real challenge for him 

For example, yesterday we made pumpkin breads together. He stayed by my side while I worked on the recipe, helped fetch ingredients (and put them away) and I allowed him to dump/pour the ingredients into the mixing bowl. (Sure, I snuck a little math in there *wink*.) He was a little quick sometimes but he's really come a long way from those impulses that tell him to act fast and make a mess!

A day or so later, Crackerjack had a science assignment to work on - he needed to dig up a sample of backyard dirt and examine what all was in it. Then he drew and labeled his results in his science notebook. EB had fun with this too.

But Earlybird had a real grand old time doing some "Thanksgiving Painting" last week!

I called it "Thanksgiving Painting" because we used autumnal colors. Due to EB's sensitivities, we have to be careful about the kind of art materials he uses. No Crayola for this boy ... I ordered a Clementine All Natural Paint a few months ago. (Note: I've found them available at Amazon. And I plan to order some more supplies for EB's birthday  next month.)

It was so nice to be able to indulge EB's love of finger painting. He even let me paint his palms so we could make the traditional Thanksgiving handprint turkey:

(Of course he immediately asked to clean his hands once we made the print, lol.)

We also used a brush.

The colors he painted with are so in tune with the season ...

Also, while Bookworm volunteered at the library yesterday, the younger two and I ran a quick errand at the grocery store ...

(Lol, EB was transfixed by the wide carrot selection.)

A full-blown shopping trip is not feasible with EB (I do those on Saturdays sans children), but we do take him for short visits to practice good public manners. Plus, the food store is just such fun! So much to see and to talk about. :) 

Back at home we marveled over the setting sun and how it filled our house with golden light and striking shadows.

This is our November Nature Shelf ~ the focus this month is squirrels, as you can see.

Now, as I reach the end of my post, I realize I didn't include Bookworm in any of these photos! He had a busy week too - the highlight being Saturday, when he took part in "SPLASH" weekend at MIT. He had a great time and can't wait for "SPARK" in the spring.

 So that's a bit of catch-up from me - a little look at what we've been up to! And now here we are only two days away from Thanksgiving ... We're hosting dinner this year for our family, so there's much to do these next few days - to cook, clean and create! I hope you're enjoying your November too ~ and I hope to be back again before the holiday ~ but until then, have a happy Turkey week and see you again soon. :)

Playing Catch Up

First of all thank you for all the brownie pan insight! I'm still waffling on the pan purchase ... and in the meantime I have myself half convinced I could really use a pizzelle maker lol ... for the homemade ice cream cones as well as the cookies. Can you tell someone has an Amazon gift certificate burning a hole in her virtual pocket? ;)

Second of all, thank you for all the dinner menu input! I'm printing out the comments left at my last post so I can peruse them at leisure. I appreciate all the ideas very much - please keep them coming! Would it help if I paste them all into a giant separate post or is it easy enough to access the comments section of that post?

And now for a couple of recent questions:

First question from OSG ...

I also love Learning room posts. A question though, where do you store things that don't fit in the baskets? 

There is a small pile of items stacked under the file crate table to the left of the cubbies - these are mostly novels the boys will be reading later in the year - but also, EB's learning games, a Rosetta Stone program we have yet to start, and several DVD's we will be using to supplement our studies (i.e. the PBS National Parks series, etc.). I keep all my teacher manuals are in an extra large tote bag tucked away beneath the worktable. (It's parked right below the chair where I sit and do my planning.) Otherwise, the baskets fit their materials rather nicely. All their textbooks, workbooks and notebooks reside here as well as the book they are currently reading (as assigned, not personal reading - those books are all over the house lol!).

Next question from Shelly ...

perfect!!! love the cubbies :) 
where did you get your baskets?

Shelly, we bought the baskets at the same unfinished furniture store where we purchased the cubbies. I'm not usually fond of the cotton liners (they tend to bunch up and get awfully dusty) but these seem to fit pretty well and of course I can always wash them if they get dingy.

OK, well that's all for this morning ... I hope you all have a nice Thursday (raining and foggy here) and I will back here again just as soon as I can. :)

Friday's This and That

Heading into the Valentine's Day weekend ...

 

.. and boy-oh-boy, it's a busy day here! I am well on the mend ... making cookies for the homeschool Valentine's party ... dropping them off at the church on our way to Teen Bowling. Giving a spelling quiz, admiring a food chain poster, correcting a "Giant Panda" report, and a couple of math lessons ... assigning a new chapter of this, reading about rabbits, practicing s-blends, tallying our bird count (and calculating percentages) ... 

WHEW!

Did I mention we were busy today? ;)

Thinking about next week too - Lent is upon us! Guess it's about time I came up with some plans for my family ... In the meantime, Abraham Lincoln's birthday is (was?) TODAY ... I will pick up a jelly roll (aka a "Lincoln Log") for dessert on the way home from bowling. 

(Our "Abe Tea" from 2007.) 

(And here's hoping Bill picks up pizza on his way home from work!)

Going to the Percy Jackson movie tomorrow - and a birthday party too! Hosting a family Valentine's Day brunch on Sunday and SO glad Bill has Monday off. We'll need a day to rest after these super busy few days!

Sorry this post is a bit scattered, but I really just wanted to pop in and say hi. :) I hope this week has been a good one for you, and my best wishes that you have a happy, healthy, holiday weekend. I'll see you all again sometime soon!

Good Tuesday Morning!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! I can hardly believe another Christmas is coming to an end. I say this every year but really and truly - it all just FLEW by!

So we're getting back into the rhythm of everyday life here - slowly but surely. :) I have a couple of posts in draft, and I hope to get them up in the next day or two. It's a VERY busy week here - on top of all the regular back-to-life stuff going on this week (lessons, classes, clubs and the like), the kids have dentist appointments, I'm leading Book Group AND our Homeschool Support Group meeting (on the very same day!) and Bill and Crackerjack are preparing for their very first Cub scout camping trip!

By the way, the meeting I'm hosting on Thursday for my Support Group is all about the Basics of Blogging - and more specifically, how blogging can be used as a great homeschooling tool. If you have a blog, homeschooling or otherwise, and would like me to share it with my group Thursday night, please leave me a link below in the comments. Thanks so much!

Have a fantastic week, everyone ~ I'll be back here again soon!

 

Pictures and Notes from the Past Couple of Weeks ...

So, what have we been up to lately? :)

Well, we spent a (cold, gray) morning at the Topsfield Fair:

 

Made friends with a donkey ...

 

... and a sheep.

 

Got fall gardening ideas.

 

Spied the giant pumpkin (all 1,471.6 lbs)!

 

Marveled over the giant sand sculpture.

Enjoyed fried dough with my boys.

***

We took a bike ride through the autumn woods:

 

Watched a gray heron come in from flight ...

... and make his way to his nest. 

 

Spotted a beautiful turtle by the path ...

 

But look what was on his shell (a leech)!

 

We removed the leech and sent the turtle on his way.

 

Watched milkweed float by.

Listened to noisy mallards in the lake.

***

We met Old Frost in the yard one morning:

 

 

 

 

And we added a bit of flash to the night ...

***

We spent some time learning about (and meeting!) wolves:

 

***

And we made stuffed peppers for the Feast of St. Francis:

 

 

 

 

 

Topped with cheese in the final 10 minutes, this was an absolutely delicious dinner!

This promises to be a busy week, too ... on top of all the usual goings-on, we have two field trips this week (Walden Pond and Whole Foods), Bookworm starts his volunteer "job" at the library and I go in for surgery this Friday. Yes ... surgery ... but nothing serious thankfully; I'm just having my gallbladder removed. As some of you know I've not been feeling my best for a few months now, so I'm glad to be getting this taken care of. I will probably be MIA again next week while I recover, but will try to post again this week with pics from our field trips and a few other topics I want to discuss. :)

I hope you enjoyed catching up with our family ... and I hope you and yours had a wonderful weekend. It's snowing here right now if you can believe it! This feels a little more like December than October!

Take care, everyone ~ Talk again soon!

It's the most wonderful time of the year ...

... because I am DONE with the year-end reports and I have finally FINISHED the ed. plans for next year! 

*big sigh of relief*

Gosh, it took me so long to get all of this pulled together and I'm sorry I had to stay away but honestly staying offline was the best way for me to juggle all I had going on these past few weeks. And it's not just the reports - there's a lot going on here at home. Nothing bad, I promise you - I've just been busier than normal recently. And as for being online, sometimes there's no such thing as "a little bit connected" - sometimes it's better to just take a break from distractions (and as much as I love the internet I do find it completely distracting!) and focus on the task(s) at hand. 

But now I have sitting on my kitchen counter an especially thick package ready to mail to the school department - all three boys are accounted for coming and going. I will share our new year plans with you all very soon ...

I have tell you, I'm not sure how much I'll be blogging in the near future. I certainly don't want to give it up, but I have appreciated how much more present I've been to my family and my household this past month. I will have to work on a "workable" writing schedule for myself - maybe weekly updates until I get back in the groove - but for now I'll ease back into things by sharing a few photos from my backyard with you all ...

And now I have to turn my attention back to the preparations for Crackerjack's birthday party which we're holding here tomorrow ... things to clean, food to cook, party games to coordinate ... can you believe he'll be 10 years old next week?

Talk with you all again soon! Thanks for checking in and keeping my family in your thoughts and prayers. You are all always in mine. :)

~ A Little Note ~

Good Wednesday Morning, Everyone. :)

I've had a few emails from concerned readers wondering why I haven't posted in over a week. I apologize - I know I promised another File Crate post last week - but unfortunately I have not had much time to get online lately. I've been trying to finish up our end-of-the-year reports and outline our ed. plans for the new year; they're due this week. And while that's all going well (if slowly!), in a stroke of bad luck, I had a whole post ready to go Monday morning - yet somehow it deleted right as I went to post! 

>o<

I will try again just as soon as I have a little block of time to sit down at the computer, but in the meantime I hope you are all enjoying the week. It's turning into a lovely summer at last.

I'll be back just as soon as I can. :)

File Crate Q & A: Post 1

Well I just have no hope of getting a mammoth file crate post done anytime soon (I always think I have SO much more time than I actually do), so instead I'll post a few Q & A's at a time. 

Hope you all had a nice holiday weekend!

Dawn,

I noticed that there is a menu section for the front of the weekly folder. Is this just for special items related to the week's lessons or do you list your meals there also?

I always write out my meals on a sheet of paper and then create my grocery list accordingly. I often debate if I should save my weekly menu lists (I never do as I tend to purge the house of paper quite often). I think of how interesting it would be to see a weekly menu and grocery list, handwritten by my grandmother when she had young children at her home and a husband away at war....

I wonder if you have saved such things, just as you have saved lesson plans from years past.

Nicole Coffin

Nicole, that area of the weekly planning sheet is just for writing down dinners. At one time I tried to write out all the meals for the week (breakfast-snack-lunch-snack-dinner-dessert) - which is great in theory, but near impossible in practice. (For me, anyways!) Now I write down a dinner plan for each night of the week. Typically they are not related to the lesson plan, but I do write the plans next to the itinerary because it reminds me what we've got going on - a busy day out of the house, a birthday to celebrate, etc. I try to plan the dinners roundabouts Thursday so I have time to list ingredients on my shopping list before running Saturday errands.

I agree those menu plans would make nice remembrances someday. :)

******

Hi Dawn! 

I never, ever tire of hearing about the file crate system! It's terribly inspiring and happy to look at!

My question is where do you get the yellow lined paper with the pink line that is very usefully more towards the center of the page allowing for two columns to write in??? That would be a very handy thing indeed for planning and noting action items!

Thanks for the time it took to get this post out! Always fresh inspiration here!

Jennifer Mackintosh

Thanks so much, Jennifer! I'm glad these posts have been helpful to you. :) 

Now about the paper ~ I bought that pad at my local Office Depot, which unfortunately has since gone out of business. I bought several pads before they closed their doors, because I've never seen it at another store and have not been able to find it online. The design is convenient and the paper has a nice feel to it. (If you're a paper nut like me you know what I mean by that, lol.)

******

I think this post answered my questions, but maybe you can clarify - do you use a year-round system of folders or only have folders for the time of year that you school? (I believe I understand correctly that you aren't a completely year-round schooler?) :) 

It seems to make sense to have a folder per week for the whole year because the activities don't quit just because the full gamut of homeschooling does. Thoughts?

Always love to hear about organization ... thank you for sharing. :)

stephanie

Stephanie, you have it right - I don’t formally school year-round but because I use this system for all areas of my life - household, homeschool, personal, family etc. - I keep folders for each week of the year (52). I do however run my year from June to June. I just find this works well for me.

******

Dawn,

I never tire of opening your blog and seeing a post on organization of the home and school!!!!LOL. We have incorporated many of your ideas and I have to say, this was our best school year. So hats off to you! You are a kindred spirit (Anne of Green Gables). I do have a question. 

How does your spiral notebook with clippings and tidbits fit in with this system??? I have been using it also. That is where my menus have been written down and projects I sketch out to attack. I recently tore our schoolroom/ diningroom down and reworked it on paper first, then attacked it over a few days.

Does any of your systems overlap into which you are rewriting dates, meals, etc????
Thank you for answering these questions.

Teresa

PS. Thank you for sharing the spiral notebook. It has been one of those tools that has been a life saver. It is nice to save just a recipe instead of a whole magazine, or one decorating photo instead of a whole magazine and all those little scraps aren't cluttering the whole house!!!

Teresa, I LOVE my spiral notebook journal. My absolute favorite hobby is sitting down with my current journal, scissors, tape, pen and a stack of magazines/catalogs, etc. It is another facet of my life and organization that I have kept going for years - so that tells me it’s a success. I try so many different systems but only a few work well enough to stick - the journal and the file crate are two examples of things that work well for me. The household - or home management - notebook is an example of something I keep trying to make work but just can’t seem to. 

As for the journal, it’s kind of tricky to explain what I do and don’t keep in it because really it could have ANYTHING in it at any given time. I jot down random thoughts, or a quick action item - say someone calls and leaves me a number or bit of info. - and sometimes I add things I print out from websites. (Recently I pasted in a picture of a book coming out in October - I could have just written it in my calendar - which I did do - but adding the pretty cover to my journal along with a word or two makes me happy. 

I do paste a lot of magazine clippings inside of my journal. I might come across a recipe for something very seasonal - like strawberry-rhubarb jam - that technically, because it’s a recipe should go with my recipes files but because it is just SO pretty and inspiring to think about in June I paste it in my notebook. I do like the idea of writing everything in my journal - like menu plans, shopping lists, lesson plans, to do lists etc. - because then things would all be in ONE place, not in several. And I do on occasion start lists like this in my journal, but somehow that doesn’t always work. I need the journal to be undated and random - it just works better that way. 

******

Oh no, another organization post, I'm being overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy!!!

Jane

Oh Jane, this is the last thing I want you to feel! 

Believe me, the whole reason I came up with this system is because I was feeling overwhelmed by my own inadequacies! My own tendency to let clutter and chaos build around me is the very reason I came up with this system. Because we all know how hard it to keep up with (nevermind on top of) it ALL - the household, the family, the homeschooling - I needed something to help me get a handle on things. If I don’t do something like this it all crashes down around me I PROMISE you. And as I say in every file crate post - this system is not perfect - I am not a professional organizational expert (the universe just laughed at that very concept) - just a busy mum (wife, woman) trying to simplify my life a little. :)

******

Thanks so much for the questions, everyone! More Q & A to come midweek. :)

Quick Note re ~ File Crate Questions

Well, so much for being "Wordless" today, lol, but I wanted to pop in real quick and catch up. I want to let you all know that I am working on that File Crate Follow-Up, cutting and pasting questions from this post to answer in a new draft, but it's taking me quite a while to finish it up. (I'm up to 20 questions at last count!) I hope to work on it when I have time over the next few days and post it over the weekend. Thanks for your continued interest and patience! :)

In the meantime, I hope your week is going well. I also hope your weather is drier than ours is here! It's STILL raining here in New England but improvement has been promised starting tomorrow. We may have celebrated the summer solstice a few days ago but it feels anything but summery around here. With the 4th of July just around the corner I'm really looking forward to some old fashioned hot and hazy weather ...

Be back again soon!

More on Seasonal Planning (and The File Crate)

In a comment left after my last post, Jennifer asked: 

"Do seasonal binders mean the end of the file folders??"

It's a very good question, Jennifer, and one I asked myself, because I do try to limit the number of "systems" I use to keep my household on track. But for now, the answer is no, the planners will not replace the file system - but they will, hopefully, complement it. 

The seasonal planners are mainly places for note-taking and strategizing. Throughout the year, events, activities and projects come up that need more than a simple reminder - they need some detailed attention.

So, in the Winter this might be a mid-year review, a new hobby (bread-baking) or an impromptu unit study (wolves). In the Spring this might be Easter or a new garden plan or a First Communion celebration. In the summer this might be a vacation, a summer reading plan or a shell-collecting bag I'd like to make. In the fall this could be a home project, a bake sale or a Halloween party. And of course it goes without saying that the Holidays (November and December) bring major plans between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

It's all part of the job description of course. ;) As a full-time mother, this is what I do - I plan these kinds of things out for my family, and it's both a huge blessing and an enormous responsibility! But since I don't do well "last minute" and I don't have a lot of (any) extra time on my hands, I know that if I'm going to pull something off, I really need to plan and prepare ahead of time. I need a place to hash things out - to write my notes and make my lists, and unfortunately, the file crate isn't really the place to do this ...

It would be great if it could be - it would obviously make things simpler just to have the ONE place where ALL plans and information and reminders are kept. I tried to make it work - but keeping planning pages inside the folders was just a mess. Even making up special folders for holidays didn't work (out of sight, out of mind). I realized I really need to keep timely projects front and center - hiding them in the file folders didn't do that. 

So how do I decide where something goes? Well, let me try to briefly illustrate the difference.

If I get a reminder card from the orthodontist (or the vet or the eye doctor) in the mail, I pop it in the appropriate file folder (i.e. the week the appointment is scheduled). If I find a coupon for a special sale or a flyer for an interesting class, I do the same thing. An e-mail reminder for an upcoming field trip would also go in a folder, as would an invitation to a party.

All these things warrant a brief mention on the calendar or maybe an action or two on the to-do list.

But let's take something more complex, say something like Easter. A holiday that means so much to our family, to our children in particular, takes some planning and forethought. There are books to read, crafts to make, special food to make, baskets to prep, Masses to attend and of course, a big family dinner to host. For an event like this, I need lists (how I love lists!), and clippings and space in which to work it all out. An "Early Spring" planner filled with plenty of paper and pockets for storing clippings (etc.) seems a good place to do that. 

Does any of this make any sense, lol? :)

I plan to keep the current season's planner out and about in my workspace so that it is always at my fingertips (in other words, the most timely projects are fresh in my mind). The rest of the binders will sit on that shelf I showed you in my last post - still close by, but out of the way. As I think up a new project or when a new event pops up, I will start a planning page in the appropriate binder and mark the project (event/activity) on the index page. 

I hope this helps clear things up a bit for you all. Thanks to Jennifer for asking the question and getting this ball rolling. :) I will be revisiting this topic again before long, I am sure, so please don't hesitate to leave me more questions if you have them. I certainly don't profess to be a home management expert (by any means!) but I keep trying to make things work a little bit better for my family. To my mind, we can all use a fresh idea now and again - you never know when it might be just the ticket!

Well, I hope you all have a good Wednesday. We are fighting a cold here and an snow-ice storm is moving through the area. Very wintry, indeed. 

See you all again sometime soon!

A Weekend in April ~

Yesterday was such a quintessential April day. It began drizzly and cool, but by noontime, the sun was shining and the temperatures had soared (really, soared) into the low 70s. Bill and the older boys drove into Boston to meet Grandma and Grandpa at the MOS so Earlybird and I made ourselves busy at home. While he had a bubble bath, I cleaned the bathroom; while he played with his trains, I washed down the stovetop. And together we watered our marigold plants and cleaned the cofeemaker parts, too. EB watched an episode of Nanalan while I took apart and re-assemebled the learning room, getting it all ready for spring. I wanted to take pictures (in particular, our new nature shelf!) but Bill had the camera at the museum ~ rightly so, of course. And they took great pictures! (A guest post will come later.)

Later on, Earlbird and I spied the first butterfly of the year ~ a cabbage butterfly! Nothing feels more like spring than a butterfly sailing over your lawn. Later in the afternoon, just as we were getting ready to go outside, we heard a roll of thunder off in the distance. Yes, our first thunderstorm moved through! It got so dark, and the rain made such a racket. The sun kept bursting through so we scanned the skies for a rainbow. I was half hoping we wouldn't see one (and we didn't) because I didn't have the camera, lol!

Well, today is dawning rosy and cool. We'll be heading to Mass in a little while, and then Mum and Dad will come back for coffee. After that I have a craft store run to make, and later we'll be getting Crackerjack ready for his first soccer game of the year. I know Bill wants to get some raking done, and I'm eager to rough out some potential garden areas. I have overripe bananas to turn into breads, and a knitting mistake to check out with my mum. Oh, and the birds need their feeders filled!

So what's on your list today? Whatever it might be, I hope you all have a lovely Sunday!

Praise the spells and bless the charms,
I found April in my arms.
April golden, April cloudy,
Gracious, cruel, tender, rowdy;
April soft in flowered languor,
April cold with sudden anger,
Ever changing, ever true --
I love April, I love you.

(Ogden Nash)