My Daybook

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FOR TODAY
(Monday, December 21, 2009)...

Outside my window...

dusk is falling. The deer have come to have a snack under the pine trees.

I am thinking...

Christmas has once again come too fast. I still remember the times when I was a child when it seemed like it would never come. 

I am thankful for...

a great group of homeschool friends who made it fun today to spend time with a bunch of hyped-up-on-sugar-kids celebrating Christmas together. 

From the learning rooms...

we've pretty much not done a whole lot of formal school this month. December is always a rough month for that. New plans in the work for the new year.

From the kitchen...

all kinds of Christmas goodies but most are done. Now I'm going to make some meals for my hubby's grandparents to put in their freezer. That's my Christmas gift to them.

I am wearing...

really comfy jeans, homemade socks, winter crocs, mock turtle neck & my new "warm winter wishes" sweatshirt. Not quite as warm as I would like but good enough for now.

I am creating...

not a lot right now. It's been a busy few weeks, but I am thinking of making coupons for the boys. I saw the idea here. 

I am going...

to enjoy the real reason for Christmas. God who sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.

I am reading...

a series I picked up at the church library by Michael Phillips. Not bad....

I am hoping...

that the sadness of what I've lost this year doesn't take over the joy of this season for me. It's a struggle but I know that those I've lost would not want me to dwell on the sadness. So I remember them smiling and all the fun times we had together. Siblings: Remember "Where's my pen?? We're not going any further until I find my pen!!!" Laugh. I always do.

I am hearing...

the whir of the fan blowing the hot air from the woodstove in to the trailer (although not quite keeping up enough for my liking), Cyberchase on TV, the animated houses in my Christmas village moving.

Around the house...

Christmas has finally sprung. The tree is up. Lights are up. Christmas village is up.

One of my favorite things...

watching the joy of the holiday through my children's eyes.

A few plans for the rest of the week:

some routine items liking cleaning Grandma's house (skipped it this weekend) and some not routine like visiting my Dad on Wednesday to bring him his Christmas gifts, taking photos of a friend's newborn on Christmas Eve morning, singing a solo at the Christmas Eve candlelight service at church that night, and then, of course, celebrating Christmas on Friday. After that - enjoying the aftermath of it all - oh & getting ready for the new semester of school too.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Every year for my birthday (since we've been married so 16 years now!), my hubby has bought me a new piece for my lighted Christmas village. This year it's pretty unique. It's a "treehouse" & it's automated. The kids in the middle are "sliding". Another unique feature is that it doesn't plug in. It uses three AA batteries. This makes it far easier to set up although I do have two cords that allow for five pieces to be set up using one cord. That's extremely helpful and I don't have the space to set up all of them so I put up about half of them each year. Hubby also bought me a small "outhouse" this year too. No photo of that one though.

Merry Christmas!