Simple Woman's Daybook... March 30th edition

For Today...

Outside my window... It is still dark and it is 53 degrees. Today is supposed to be the only sunny day this week. You know what that means...RAIN!!! WHOOO HOOO!!

I am thinking... that I wish I hadn't woken up so early this morning (4am), but since I did, I wish I had made better use of the time!!

From the learning rooms... I think we are going to work on getting some of Aly's Notebooking projects together. She loves her a good creative project!! I want to get them done for Math, English, Bible Time. We will be able to include reading, writing, math and Bible study/memorization in all of these. Should be a full week of fun!!

I am thankful … that my husband is home, safe and sound, from the hospital!! It was only for one night, but we really missed him!!!

From the kitchen... a whole new world!!! Can't wait to get it all underway!!!

I am wearing… my nightgown...are you kidding me? It is 5am people!!!!

I am reading...my bible. Don't have much time for anything else right now.

Still working on that one!!

I am hoping... that I can not procrastinate this week. I am trying to rid myself of that evil demon!!!!

I am creating... a new apron for myself out of some fabric I got at a yard sale this weekend. It was FREE!! :-)

I am hearing... The humming of the air purifier and the dog snoring

on the couch behind me!!

Around the house... Working on sorting kids clothes this week!! It is WAY overdue...I mean WAY WAY overdue!! I'm just going to tackle one pile at a time and try not to get too overwhelmed.

One of my favorite things... is watching my girls love on each other. When out of nowhere they just offer up a heartfelt "Lili, I love you" "I love you too, Aly" It just does my heart good!!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

...cause everybody has to sleep somewhere. Yes, she is half under the couch sound asleep!! This was taken over a year ago, and I just love it!!

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Thanks for dropping in today!

In HIS Mighty Grip~

Moments with Lili

The following conversation happened earlier this week...

Lili: Mamma?

Me: Yes Lili.

Lili: I have a question.

Me: Okay...what is it.

Lili: Did Jesus die on a cross or in a car?

Me: ****crickets chirping****

Have a great Wednesday....

In HIS Mighty Grip

Simple Woman's Daybook...March 23rd edition

For Today...

Outside my window... it is raining and 63 degrees. I have windows open and the front door open and it is wonderful! I absolutely LOVE rainy days. Something about them makes me feel fresh and new and clean. I guess just the thought of God giving us all a good washing. My Daddy always told me that I would probably end up living in Seattle...HA!!

I am thinking... about all the changes that are swirling around in my head...from rearranging the rooms to God dealing with me about continuing to simplify our lives even more. I keep thinking about that saying (it keeps popping up everywhere I go) "Live simply so that others may simply live" I think some wonderful changes are on the way...I'm excited!!!!

From the learning rooms... We are getting ready to do our Bible study in a few minutes and then some memorization. I don't think we will get too much done today beyond that. Some reading and math is about all we will do.

I am amazed at how Lili is picking up on things from just listening to her sister and I. When I am working with Aly, Lili is usually either sitting at the table coloring or playing with Lego's or on the floor beside us. So she hears everything and it all is soaking in. I was going over some Math facts (addition) with Aly the other day and Lili started answering them before Aly had the chance. I was blown away. But, then she really freaked me out when she walked through the room reciting the books of the Bible. She got up to Song of Solomon with little help at all. Heaven help us when I actively start teaching her stuff like that!!! I guess it is time to move beyond colors and numbers with her!! They are both just amazing and I am so blessed.

~Thank you God for my precious daughters!~

I am thankful for… the rain!!! We haven't had much at all in a long time and everything was pretty dry. I am also thankful for the opportunity to homeschool my children! God dealt with me a long time ago about homeschool and I am thankful for the gift that it is to our family!

From the kitchen... I am thinking homemade calzones. Yep...that sounds good!! I'll have to remember to ask David to stop and get me some more zuchini on the way home from gymnastics!!

I am wearing… my robe...got a late start this morning and haven't had the chance to get dressed. Ooops! you caught me :-)

I am reading... Reading??? I don't know how to read...unless it is a kids book!!!

I am hoping... that it rains all day today and that I can get some serious stuff done today!!!!

I am creating... some cute little knitted summer/cotton hats...embellished with beads or with ribbon or with buttons...to sell. Anyone interested in them?? Aly wore one to the store the other day and we got lots of people stopping us to ask about it.

I am hearing... my dad make coffee (I know it is 11:30, but he drinks it all day long!!) and the girls discussing the difference between the basket ball and the beach ball in their playroom.

Around the house... David and I are considering switching the living room and the dining room. The main room of our house is the kitchen, living room and dining room...we kept the LR and DR as is, but now we are thinking that it might work better if we switch them around. I think it just might work!!!

We also got the playroom redone this past week. It looks amazing and now I can start slowly moving our homeschooling stuff in there so we aren't taking over the dining room any more!!!

One of my favorite things... Is RAIN!!!! Did I get that point across today??

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Aly loves to jump and she does it quite often. I think she is part Kangaroo!! I took this one last week at gymnastics. It happened so fast that I forgot to check the flash, but I kind of like the way it looks with her hair flying everywhere in the shadows.

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Thanks for droping in today!
In HIS Mighty Grip

Simple Woman's Daybook...March 16th edition

For Today...

Outside my window... It is rather foggy and overcast and looks like we might get some rain! We REALLY need it although it is not in the forcast. Instead, it is 64 degrees and planning to get up to 80 once this fog burns off.

I am thinking... that Lili looks so adorable standing in the chair at the diningroom/homeschool table with her little Elmo underware and a tee shirt on as she tells Aly that she loves her. I am so blessed!!

From the learning rooms... we are planning to do a little NASA study today after the launch last night. Aly wants to watch the video of it since we watched it live from the street in front of the house last night. We have a bunch of "of the day" sights that she loves to check out

and it stirs her little brain everytime we go to them. We will probably check out

the "Botany photo of the day", "This day in history", "Sibley's bird of the day", "NASA photo of the day", "Tonight's sky", "NPR classical music of the day". These sights always lead to some wonderful learning for her.

I keep a daily homemaking journal. Nothing major, but I keep notes of things that go on and thoughts that God and I are talking about and a bible verse to go with it. I make notes about what I need to do, what happened during the day, where I need to go, whatever. Aly LOVES to help me "Mom...shouldn't you put that in your journal?" So, she decided that she wanted to make one for herself. I helped her put it together. We cut out pictures in magazines that made her smile and she glued them in her book to accent the pages. She is still learning to read, so she can't really do too much, but it gives her the opportunity to work on her writing as she puts things in it and mostly it is just getting her into the habit of keeping a journal.

We also have some reading to catch up on...so The Wind and the Willows will get our attention today as well!!

I am thankful for… the help we had this past week getting some MUCH NEEDED yard work done. The yard looks just wonderful and it feels more like our home with each project!! Thanks Dwayne!!

From the kitchen... HA HA HA...I haven't the slightest idea!!!!! I'll go tackle that when I'm done with this update!!! My first plan is to go get the green smoothie started!!!

I am wearing… my robe. I woke up late and none of us are dressed yet. I don't have to go anywhere today so I'm not in a rush. David is taking Aly to gymnastics later...THANK YOU DAVID!!!!

I am reading... nothing right now. I have too much on my plate at the moment to tackle a book. Got to make some room in my brain!!!

I am hoping... to get Mt. Laundry tackled today!!

I am creating... a gameplan for some crafts projects that I want to try and sell. I let you know more as I get it figured out.

I am hearing... the girls have a conversation as they play together on their computer next to me. Their conversations are always a wonderful source of humor!!! They are both becoming such amazing little people!!!!

Around the house... I am coming up with a gameplan for organizing the girls playroom. I'll tell you this...it involves getting rid of A LOT A LOT A LOT A LOT of stuff in there!!! Hopefully it will happen THIS WEEK.

One of my favorite things... is watching Aly discover God for herself each day. She made a profession of her faith back in January and is forging ahead in her relationship with him every day. I love that she is desperatly trying to figure out how to "hear God" right now. Aly is an amazing little girl...she gets the BIG PICTURE of most things, but it is the details that wreck her world. That is where we are right now with all of this...she is totally cool with the fact that the creator of the universe loves her and sent his son to die for her so that she could spend eternity with him...but she is frustrated beyond belief at how exactly God talks to her on a daily basis. I am hoping that her journal (see in the learning rooms above) will be a place that she can put down her prayer requests and then be able to go back and see how God has answered them. Also keeping notes about how God is interacting with her each day.
Oh....teachable moment...it is kind of like her learning to play chess! She wants to understand all of the intricacies of the game RIGHT NOW. David keeps telling her that it takes time to learn how to play...just as it takes time and attention to develop a relationship with her Jesus.
Oh...and I also love how when we pray each morning, Aly prays for Lili to come to know Christ soon so that she can be her sister-sister and not just her sister! (She now calls David and I Mommy-sister and Daddy-brother.)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...
Our first morning with TigerLili. This was December19, 2006 at the Lakeview Hotel in Nanchang, Jiangxi. We were getting ready to head down for breakfast. At this point we had no idea that she had never had any solid food...boy was she in for a yummy new addition to her world. Once David got her to let him put that spoon in her little tiny bird mouth...everything changed for my little monkey!!!!

"...When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalms 139:15-16

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In HIS Mighty Grip

Oi...

I am sitting here listening to Aly and David play chess. He has been waiting since the day we adopted her to teach her to play and a few weeks ago he finally pulled out the chess set that we bought in China and began to teach her. She is still learning and has a long way to go...I mean, it IS Chess...but the last time they played, she almost beat him.


The night she almost she nearly beat him!!

Learning all the pieces.


Holy cow...I have to homeschool this child!!! She is so smart!!! God help me!!!

"...guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my

hope is in you all day long..." PS 25:5

In HIS Mighty Grip

The Simple Woman's Daybook- March 9, 2009 edition

For Today...

Outside my window... The light is just starting to peek out and it is 54 degrees. It is supposed to be a beautiful sunny day with a high of 74.


I am thinking... that I wish I hadn't woken up quite so early...the clock read 5:34!!

From the learning rooms... we have some science experiments and some copywork to do. We are also behind on our bible verses and need to review what we have done so far.


I am thankful for…the fact that my legs didn't hurt as much today as they usually do when I get up. Thats a good sign!!!

From the kitchen... I haven't the slightest idea...I'm still half asleep...anyone have any good vegetarian suggestions for dinner tonight?

I am wearing… my blue nightshirt


I am reading... some articles that I printed out a while back and never got around to reading. There are a BUNCH of them I am trying to weed through.


I am hoping... to not fall asleep today while doing something important since I woke up so early this morning!!!!


I am creating... a new life for my little family...one step at a time.

I am hearing... the hum of the air purifier across the room. I love the QUIET of this time of day!!! As I say that, I hear a bird starting it's morning serenade right outside the window.


Around the house... I ALWAYS have a project in the works...they just never seem to get finished. But today I need to try to get caught up on laundry!! I spent most of the weekend outside with the girls and didn't get it caught up on Saturday.

One of my favorite things... is quiet early mornings before everyone gets up. I have always enjoyed that time alone, but I don't get it too much anymore. I MUST start going to bed earlier so I can get up and have my alone time!!!!!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...it is a picture of my Dad's hand. I don't know why, but I just am drawn to this photo. His hands have seen so much and I took this picture not too long after my mother passed away. I guess it is just sentimental and I remember all the love in these hands over the years!!!

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins."

1 Peter 4:8

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What does THAT mean???

So last night David and I were watching tv and Lili was playing with her Lego's on the floor beside me. She was making wonderful things to eat and drink and sharing them with us and I was half listening and taking them as she offered them to me. Suddenly I realized that she was saying something that didn't make any sense so I stopped and asked her to repeat herself. With a big ole smile she told me that she was giving me some "unbenectable hot chocolate" and "Macker-row muffins" Now, I still have no idea what the "Macker-row muffins" are, but we finally figured out that the hot chocolate was "delectable" And Delectable it was!!!
So, here are some pictures of Lili last night with her "unbenectable hot chocolate"

Here's hoping you get some Unbenectable hot chocolate today!!!

"From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise..." Ps 8:2