Monday, January 26, 2009

Simple Woman #3




FOR TODAY January 26, 2009

Outside My Window... cold clear sunshine, snow on the hills around the lake, and my boys, waiting behind our house for a friend coming home from public school about now.

I am thinking... I can’t think straight. Gunnar is talking my ear off while he waits for his friend to walk over. All my boys were (are?) like this. It’s like having your whole life narrated. Putting a positive spin on it? “We have a language-rich environment.” Yeah.

I am thankful for... a productive school day with good attitudes, today’s work completed (school work, anyway), piano practice already accomplished, and the sound of Gunnar’s voice as he runs downstairs to meet his friend, saying (to me), “I love you! I love you more!”

From the learning rooms... a clean table, meaning the day’s work is done and put away, new artwork on the walls, and the sweet smell of a gingerbread candle.

From the kitchen... elk and barley soup bubbling in the crock-pot, sending a warm rich smell through the house.

I am wearing... “nice” jeans, a blue and gray sweater, thick fuzzy socks, and slippers. (We’re trying to keep the heat down lower than ever.)

I am creating... another quilt. This one is an OCD delight. I’ll explain later.

I am going... to book-club tonight :0) To be honest, I haven’t enjoyed some of the book selections so far. Heavy, dark, depressing. (The Picture of Dorian Gray, To the Lighthouse…) But we moved to a new church less than a year ago and I am really enjoying getting to know the “girls”. (I know, I know, that’s not very PC.) And I love to read :0)

I am reading... Just starting “Parenting By the Book”. It was a gift, so I have no idea what’s inside yet.

I am hoping... Kerry will get some work. Soon.

I am hearing... tappety tappety tappety. Oh, besides the computer? Chris Rice, “Run the Earth, Watch the Sky”

Around the house... I can see the floor in the boys’ bedroom. Yay, they picked up all the plastic soldiers! The family room, however, is a different story. It looks like a Lego factory exploded. *sigh*

One of my favorite things... Little red-cheeked boys that smell like fresh air. (We haven’t hit the major b.o. age yet. Lord have mercy.)

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: It’s looking like a fairly “routine” week. (Famous last words.) The boys have a PTO day coming up, which we’re all anticipating. And then– of course – we’ll be going to Grandpa and Grandma’s to see the “Super-Ball”. Yeah. Because we’re really sports-savvy like that.

Here is picture thought I am sharing... I may be taking my life into my hands, because my mom does read my blog, but I couldn’t resist. She is the third person in our family to have a shiner… Kerry in November, Tate in December, and Mom in January.

Really.

This is a tradition that needs to stop right here.

Love you, Mom!



7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love your Simple Woman posts!
I'm praying about hubby's work. My husband is "self-employed" part-time in addition to a regular full-time job "for someone else". But we count on that part-time money and when he doesn't get a contract, WE FEEL IT. So know that I am praying for you and yours and know this is a "worry".
Has he considered teaching in the evenings at community colleges? With the U.S. in a "job market" decline, many adults are going back to school. Someone with his experience would be welcome in the classroom at a community college teaching things he knows!

leah said...

There's nothing better than "boy smell" (until puberty, I presume)! I still have one that has "baby smell," which must be what heaven smells like.

Here's to Kerry finding work soon!

Tina Marie said...

ELK and Barley???

That sounds awesome, but I am pretty sure I can't get Elk here in the deep south.

Love the post today!

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Denise,

I hadn't even thought of the idea of teaching, but I'll mention it to Kerry. Thanks :0)

Leah,

Oh, I miss the baby smell. And the baby hair.

Tina Marie,

My dad is a hunter :0) We often benefit from his "hobby". (And I don't mean to make light of it. He doesn't just go around blasting animals for fun.) I grew up on venison. We've had deer, elk, and even moose, (rarely).

Depending on the age of the animal and what it has been feeding on, the taste can vary, considerably, as well as the tenderness... or lack of. Which is why I'll often cook it in the crock-pot :0)

If you'd been at my house for dinner you probably would've assumed it was beef - especially cooked in beef broth.

The nice thing is, no worry about hormones or Mad Cow or whatever. And the meat is a lot leaner. A lot leaner. Sometimes when we cook the burger we actually have to ADD a bit of fat (oil, whatever) because it cooks so dry.

Anonymous said...

Hi Julie! I really enjoyed reading this post. I would love to be smelling a nice meal in a crock pot right about now, but instead it's a box of mac and cheese for my dinner tonight!

Denise has an interesting idea about Kerry teaching in a community college! I'll keep you guys in my prayers and hope that something comes along soon.

Take care....

Herding Grasshoppers said...

My boys would've preferred the Mac and cheese :0)

Prayers are much appreciated - thanks.

The dB family said...

Julie, these posts are great!! I can just envision your learning room, your dinner...

Still praying Kerry gers more work soon!