My Daybook: November 7th, 2015

Outside my window…

it looks promising for a sunny day, this week though we’ve had a number of days teaming with rain. Just as well we are not roofing at present after all

 

I am thankful…

for the safe and mostly trouble free arrival of our friend’s baby.  She had a rough time with her first baby post-delivery and was quite scared this time.  Praying that this birth and babymoon is a healing time for her

I am thinking…

about joining the periscope craze.  I’m not normally one to willingly open yet another social media account however periscope had me immediately keen as, well it’s all about talking and that’s something I can easily do. I spent a few days planning all the possible chats I could have with you: I could chat about books, literally show you our library, answer any questions you may have. However when I went to upload periscope I discovered that my Android, HTC Sensation, can’t support the app:(  Anyone know any way around this?

 

Learning all the time…

we are ‘rocking’ it in with spelling and reading at present! Immersion, immersion, hours focusing daily on Language Arts is paying dividends.  Spelling lists, writing misspelt words a few times, All About Spelling lessons, family groups, discussing patterns, these are part of our spelling approach.  Reading seems to be all about synergy, everybody reading at same time, curled up in corners about the house.  Our competitive bookworm is also of strong motivation to some of the children

 

Celebrating the liturgical year……

at present I’m focusing on getting us all back into the rhythm of attending a mid-week Mass. Focusing on altering one habit at a time, it’s only been a few weeks but feeling the Graces already:)

From the kitchen…

nothing like majorly changing your mind at the 25th hour! Remember helping me design our kitchen? We were all set to move forth, had ordered the trusses and wall frame based on our location choice when … we became convicted to change the location of the kitchen and dining room! The wall frame was already on its way, however PC is confident he can make the needed alterations.

Our plan is to leave the kitchen in it’s current location making the room larger and changing the layout entirely including removing walls and adding large windows.  We’ll also move the dining room next to the kitchen. We now need to decide what ‘room’ to move into the previously planned kitchen/dining room.  As these rooms are the first rooms you walk into from the front door, it makes it a little tricky, I’m considering making this space the learning room but it can get messy

 

I am creating…

• I’m cutting down a soft woman’s top into a nightie for Bella. I’ve visualised it, pinned it, but am still nervous about getting this right
• Also trying to remember to pick up my camera more often, I slipped out of the habit after my course finished. PC made an observation recently that still has me grinning, “That photographer has a similar style to you” he said.  Months ago a photographer I admired assured me that one day I would discover my style, at the time I wasn’t sure what my style would be but I was keen to know. “I have a style, what is it?” I asked. “Light, your photos all have light” PC responded. So excited to realise that the style I’m the most drawn to, ’cause light is what I’m drawn to, is my style:):) Beaming still, and vowing anew to pick up the camera daily

 

I am working on…

a bit of housekeeping here on the blog, adding a plugin for spam which has increased dramatically since moving sites. Checking out how easy is it to subscribe here and learning about SEO, so a few ‘bits and bobs’. Wondering though whether the new format is losing me my old readers? My children don’t like it, nor does one of my loyalist readers, my brother, though they all admit it’s change they’re not keen on

I am going…

to our daughter’s ballet concert in a fortnight’s time.  Our Princess (14)  just loves dance, this year she has been studying classical and jazz ballet and tap.  She belongs to a lovely school, delightful teacher and nice girls, we’re very lucky there I know.  What I struggle mightily with though is concert time, sooo much money! $$ for three costumes, new jazz shoes and tights, tickets, DVD. What is irking me the most though is having to buy a new pair of tan tap shoes as Princess’ shoes were black and she needs tan for the concert!!!!!

 

I am hoping…

our roofing plans for the end of the month come to fruition.  Please, no rain, no rain!  Though He seems to have his hand on plans thus far.  We were concerned about our labour force, which consisted of only PC, Michelangelo(16) and Princess(14) and I, then PC’s mate insisted he was eager to help, though we’d have to work around his work hours. Feeling more confident, then my youngest brother assured me his back issues had improved and he too could help, and now a ‘far away’ brother will be in town at the time and be available to help too!!   Rather excited as these guys have helped us before with trusses and roofing and are fast. No rain, no rain please!

 

I am praying…

• for our College boy, he begins his final exams soon!! Can’t believe three years have flown past already.
• giving thanks for our Einstein’s new job.  It’s been a rocky year finding work, he’s had ‘bits and pieces’ but nothing steady.  He is working in a fish n chip shop, hard work, but they like him and have already given him extra hours
• our oldest girl, for her needs
• Our younger children, that they strive to be all He wants of them

I am pondering….

our quarterly electricity bill. When we had the solar panels installed we reduced our bill by $200! However this quarter we’ve seen another massive reduction, the difference is our oven. We’ve gone from a 126 litre oven to a 36 litre, our bill has dropped a further $300!!! This has convinced me to not purchase another large oven but instead two separate ovens

 

I am reading…

Lost Lake – Sarah Addison Allen Gulped it all down quickly, really enjoyed it but then I’ve loved everything I’ve read of Ms Allen’s.

The Light Between Oceans – ML Stedman Mesmerising thus far, though I’m nervous as to how it will pan out, seems like heartbreak ahead

 

I am listening to……

Read Aloud Revival podcasts at long last! After waiting months to inherit a ‘new’ mp3 player I was unhappy to discover it didn’t work unless plugged into power. Deciding returning to my old and frustrating mp3 player was better than none, I discovered it’s still missing and it’s been months.  PC kindly offered to share his ipod with me (on weekends), researching how to upload onto his device I noticed the word ‘android’ and realised “I can upload onto my phone!” Which I have:):) I was also hoping to upload Your Morning Basket  and Homeschool Snapshot podcasts but they only have a download button. I need to research to see if I can transfer downloads from my computer to my phone

I am hearing…

the rooster crowing, annoying, though roosters means chicks and we’re waiting for six eggs to hatch.  We’ve had once thus far but we believe a crow took it, the children are planning how to protect this batch

ETA: Children awake and playing a game down the hall that involves lots of thumping sounds

 

I am struggling…

to find time/energy to nurture relationships other than my husband and children.  They’re my priority at present, as they should be, but I do feel that I’m neglecting other relationships in my life; extended family, Church relationships, old friends, budding friendships. I’m not certain if I should just accept this as ‘a season of life’ or if I should be ‘fighting against’ my inertia

 

Clicking around…

5 Ways to Ramp Up Comments on Your Blog – apparently 90% of your comments are from 1% of your readers. I concur that that’s my experience. Mind you in the past month since I’ve moved here to WordPress the amount of comments I receive have dropped drastically. Please tell me, is it difficult commenting here? Do I need to fix something?

Whilst comments are down readership has certainly increased, can hardly believe in one month I have had 1000 visitors!!  Thank you taking the time to visit:)

Around the house…

I’m about to embark upon a major de-clutter. Frankly I’m tired of picking up ‘stuff’, tired of the energy needed to constantly manage possessions.  I did suggest to the children that perhaps we don’t buy physical Christmas presents this year but ‘experiences’ instead. They were rather outraged but when I think of more ‘stuff’ to ‘come in the door’ I’m overwhelmed.  I ponder about possessions at times, ‘why, why do we gather material possessions around us, what is the purpose?’

 

One of my favorite things…

seeing the enthusiasm of our seven year old when he served at Mass for the first time last week, an event he organised all by himself!  He has been keen to serve Mass since he made his First Holy Communion. My thoughts were he should wait at minimum another five months but preferably another eleven months, until he turned eight.  He kept asking and asking, and in exasperation one Friday after Mass I said, “I really think you should wait a few more months at least and anyway we have to ask Father B.”  He walked off, I began gathering children into the van and when he didn’t appear I knew he’d headed off to the sacristy then and there to ask Father.  Well Father obviously agreed as he gave him an impromptu training lesson on the spot and said he could begin serving next Friday with his big brother Michelangelo training him

 

A few plans for this week…

• our town’s annual month long festival concludes this weekend.
• we attended a free sausage and fruit brekkie at our market sqaure this week along with many of the town’s residents and tourists
• today Princess will be participating in the Float Parade with her Dance Academy
• tomorrow the majority of us will be running in our local Fun Run. The children have been training and JB (11) and Jem (7) can run 2 km in 10 minutes!  I’ll be running with our 4 year old who has also been training, as I haven’t been, I know I’ll be left far behind
• tomorrow the older children are going to the beach with our Youth Group
• this weekend we begin to raise the posts and beams on the verandah in preparation for our roofing
• orthodontist appointment early in the week
• actually a busy weekend but other than the orthodontist appointment the calendar is blank for the week, looking forward to a solid learning week

A little peek at my day…

• dance concert practice for Princess
• float parade in the evening
• Mass this evening as we’re running in the morning
• post and beam raising on the verandah
• visiting friend’s new baby, we’re all excited
• swimming in the pool is a daily is now a given, it’s going to be a hot summer