My Daybook: March 2nd, 2015

Outside my window…
It’s afternoon and summer storm clouds are gathering, hoping it doesn’t mean an incoming lightning storm. We have swimming lessons today and we already missed last week, as when we arrived for lessons they were calling all the children out of the pool due to lightning

I am thankful…
that we live in the age of modern technology.  Although Anna Maria will be far away for the next three months we can still keep in constant contact via skype and emails.
I often ponder on the courageousness of our early Australian ancestors as they set sail from England and Ireland on a journey half way around the world.  Never again would the majority of them see their loved ones and it would be years before they heard any news via letters

I am thinking…
that it might be a great time to undertake a study of all things Irish and then the UK. Literature, geography and history will mean more as we ‘journey along’ with Anna Maria

Learning all the time…
well Australian history and geography at present with the younger children.  The French Revolution and World War One respectively for the older children, with a ‘little more’ as well;)  Then again today we visited a fantastic exhibition from the Antarctica and we may well take a detour…

Celebrating the liturgical year……
we’re at the beginning of Lent, and I’m still ‘getting organised’, so a normal Lent;)

From the kitchen…
Jelly Bean has taken up baking with a passion, goodies are being baked daily and she has natural skill. I’m torn she is using gluten flour and it’s Lent….

I am creating…
an itinerary for blog posting. I’ve printed out months until May, am planning what type of posts I want to write about and when I’ll publish.  Even have some titles all penciled in. Realistically I know plans change, that’s fine, it’s a start.
Talking blogging, where you sick of all the homeschool posts the last few weeks? I know I was certainly sick of talking about homeschooling towards the end.  Time for some new focus I think

I am working on…
altering clothes; turning dresses into skirts, sizing overlarge skirts into something classier. I’m contemplating how to turn an oversize women’s linen top into something useful; a top for me, a nightie for Bella??  Hoping to come back and chat about upcycling clothes soon, a huge sense of achievement for minimal work

I am going…
to our niece’s wedding this weekend and then another niece’s wedding at the end of the month.  I’ve borrowed a dress for one wedding and am going to ‘recycle’ the dress I wore to my brother’s and our nephew’s weddings for the other, with as per your advice changing the accessories.

I am hoping…
that an email I need to write this week returns with favourable news. I made an extremely hard decision last week to ‘close the door’ on a ‘bigger picture’ that included something near and dear to my heart, I gave it to God and handed it all over. However He had it all in hand, the door has not closed on the ‘bigger picture’ which means there is still a chance for my ‘near and dear’ project. I just need to finish praying over my email, send and await an answer. It’s been a lesson for me though, He really does ‘have it’:)

I am praying…

• for Anna Maria, for her safety and that her grand adventure is all she seeks
• for my brother who departs 5 days after AM to Rome and Europe.  Yes jetsetters they are!
• for Carpenter as he begins his final year of his LA degree today
• for Einstein, he has a couple of job interviews this week, may he be offered the ‘right match’

I am pondering….
education, kindling and fanning the flame of enthusiasm. How to strike the balance between consistent learning and keen learning, and how can I nurture enthusiasm when I’m not feeling very enthused nor self-disciplined myself

I am reading…
Consider This, a couple of friends and I studying this book, we are getting together monthly and sharing our thoughts, very thought provoking

I am listening to……
nothing at present but… if PC upgrades his MP3 player to an ipod I may inherit the MP3 and then I could download and listen to podcasts easier..maybe…

I am hearing…
Bass singing, “We all live in the yellow submarine” so cute.  Taking him for a speech assessment though this month, his speech is not always the clearest. Familiar road this, most of our boys have needed a few lessons

I am struggling…
with tiredness, I’m just feeling tired and I don’t know why.  Maybe I’m just feeling the effects of twenty one years of interrupted sleep, might be time to wean Bella, though I’m not overly in a hurry

Clicking around…

• Screen Freedom: Why Go Screen Free? – Totally, totally ‘get this’! Totally on board.  Screens have crept more and more into our lives, they are insidious you know, you have to be constantly disciplined. So big crackdown here, Lent’s always a good time to get serious anyhow
• Making Your Own Photos Books – I so want to do this, I want to make books of my blog, I want to make books of my family.  I have not printed any photos for 11 years!! and sadly we are missing the first two years of Jelly Bean’s life when a computer crashed:(  For some reason though I’m just frozen in inertia, I need to get my mojo going

Around the house…

• Shower screen in our ensuite has been installed, very excited, stay tuned for pics
• Front door screen is also hung, yay no more chooks (chickens) sneaking in

One of my favorite things…
children being creative, children playing outside, NOT on screens

A few plans for this week…

• Anna Maria departure for her grand adventure to Ireland, Scotland, England & Wales
• Our Niece’s wedding
• Clothes shopping, all a panic now, thinking maybe my dress isn’t formal enough

A little peek at my day…

• Orthodontist Appointment
• Homeschool excursion to an exhibition at the Art Gallery
• Children have:
• Swim squad & lessons
• Referee meeting
• Ballet Lesson
• Rock n Roll Dancing