Daybook - Monday, Sept 13th

outside my window . . .  the grass is crisp and crackly from the late summer sun and lack of rain.

in the kitchen . . . recipe books laid open looking for a barbecue sauce recipe - a newly discovered favorite!

around the house . . . boxes are slowly filling and anticipation is growing!

listening to. . . my two middle ones enjoying a mid-day movie.

thankful for. . . 18 years of a joyful marriage, yesterday was our anniversary!

creating . . . plans in my mind for our new house

one of my favorite things . . .  leaving the windows open to the cool, dry air of fall nights.  

milestones in the past week . . .  

:-: Toddling L (previously known as Baby L) has begun to be a real flirt out in public.  She's waving hello and good-bye to everyone she sees!   

:-: Our house is complete!  All but the touch-ups to paint, etc.  We are expecting to have the walk through next week and close Friday or the following Monday.

a few plans for the upcoming week . . .  

:-: Tomorrow is Holy Cross Day.  I've planned nothing, yet, but I just might be able to manage a small celebration of some sort.

:-: Wednesday my middle son, H, turns 11.  We are planning a "with friends" party in October (after we are moved in), but we'll still have a nice family celebration.

:-: Thursday all the kids head to Va Beach to visit grandparents.  Toddler L will stay home with Erik and me, but it'll be like "old times" to have just one. :)  Erik and I will have a more proper celebration for our anniversary then.

:-: PACKING!

:-: And finally, one of my best friends was just diagnosed with lymphoma.  She starts chemo Thursday.  Pray for her if you would.

Peter Piper's Picks - Sept 9th

Mary at Evlogia has posted about her family's use of Praying the Hours.  She has compiled a Children's Book of Hours that you can download in two formats.  Read her post and then scroll down to see the link to the files.  Thank you, Mary, for sharing!

From a Study in Brown, an archive only blog, this lovely reminder for those of us introverts:  Survival Guide for the Quieter Species.  HT: The Introverted Church

I've been thinking about making my own detergent for sometime.  While I was at the beach in the summer, my good friend Beth brought hers to use.  It worked well and smelled great.  I have a full jug of store-bought detergent not, but as soon as it runs out I'm making some of this!

I don't really like "Because I said so", but sometimes I just don't know what to say.  I intend to try this the next time I'm tempted to use that phrase (or an even less kind one).

Lots of Recipes added!

As I'm thinking about this whole blogging thing, I'm trying some new things out.  Tell me what you think...

I've added a whole bunch of recipes from an "old" cooking blog.  (The only reason I've updated that blog at all as is a place to store recipes online.)  You can select the "In the Kitchen" label and see them all.  Let me know if you like this addition to the Ten O'Clock Scholar.

Gratitude: Sept 8th

:-: an unexpected afternoon get-away for hubby and me (a trip to IKEA for shared dinner and shopping)

:-: the slight chill of soon-to-be-fall air in the late evening air

:-: my favorite part of the road around my new house: where it dips down low by a large creek.  The air is always sweet smelling and slightly cooler.

:-: my silly dog with a rediscovered ball

:-: the last of summer's peaches all dressed up and delicious in cobbler batter.
 

Daybook - Tuesday, Sept 7th

outside my window . . .  we woke to a subdued, slightly foggy morning.

in the kitchen . . . a new dishwasher is sloshing away.  I think a batch of 5-minute artisan bread dough is in order this week. Haven't made it in a very long time!

around the house . . . packing, packing, packing.  I started on my china cabinet, but it is not nearly as rewarding as one would hope.  Four boxes later and I've barely made a dent. I think I'll have to work in some other areas to get the feeling of accomplishment that will spur me on to keep at it.

thinking about . . .  our new home and how we'll "live" in it differently.

listening to. . . "Charlotte Talks" on NPR.  Something about war prisoners.

thankful for. . . kind words from a few of you - you've encouraged me to at least keep at the blogging a bit longer - if only modestly, and a chance to finally be in bible study!

one of my favorite things . . .  my son's new MacBook.  He doesn't like me liking it, but I do!  

milestones in the past week . . .  
:-: Baby L has officially left "babyhood" - she is now 2 and a TODDLER.  
:-: Eldest son, S, started high school at a small, Charlotte Mason private school nearby.  
:-: We started our 8th year of homeschooling with H in 6th and E in 3rd grades.  
:-: Our new home is almost complete!  We expect to have our first inspection late this week, or early next.

a few plans for the upcoming week . . .  
:-: packing 
:-: Daughters of the Holy Cross meeting 
:-: packing 
:-: maybe a walk through of our new home 
:-: packing 
:-: our 18th wedding anniversary coming up on Sunday.


and a photo . . .

We learned about the cave paintings of places like Lascaux this week
and decided to give it a try, too!

The Rest of Summer

We've had a busy, busy summer in which we've rested and played and visited and more!   Would you like to see?

Sent H and Farmor off to Sweden for nearly 3 weeks!  They toured churches, castles, museums.  H also got to meet extended family on his Dad's side - lots of them!

Made forts and watched movies on rainy days.

Watched our house go from dirt to nearly completed.

Picked blueberries in Little Rock, AR with our good friends.  And then made some awesome blueberry pies to celebrate Jeffrey's 13th birthday (in the white shirt).

Enjoyed playtime with friends.

Felt a little sassy.

Got some sand under our feet, some sun on our skin, and some saltwater in our noses.

Celebrated 40!

Sent our eldest off to High School!

Started another year of homeschooling the other two.

And welcomed our Baby L into the Terrific Twos!

Is This Thing On?

*KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK* - is this thing on?

Yea, blogging hasn't been a real priority this summer...and frankly, I'm not sure it will be this fall either.  I wasn't even sure I wanted to publish this post, but sometimes you just have to start putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and see what comes out.

I've loved blogging the past few years, but in the past 6 months or so my desire has waned.  Honestly, it had become a bit of an obligation and chore and that is certainly not how it started, nor how I want it to continue.   So, I don't really know what is ahead for this teeny-tiny blog.   I'm praying and discerning if blogging here is in my future or not.  I am keeping up with our family blog: The Potter's Shed, so you can come on by there and see what we've been up to this summer.

In the meantime, I'd love to hear from you!  What have you been doing this summer?  Have you ever had blog-burn out?  Or a mid-blog crisis?  (And if so, what did you do?)