Grasshopper Days

Grasshopper Days

For today, Monday, November 9, 2015

Outside my window...  it's 4:30 in the afternoon, and already we're losing the sun - down over the hill to the west of us.

Hearing...  a quiet house.  Gunnar is reading, Wyatt is on his computer, Kerry is in his office, and Tate is at work.  Just me and the laundry ;D

Pondering...  where, oh where, is the curtain rod for the living room window?  Kerry took it out to the garage when he needed to remove the inside of the wall (big window project) and now he can't find it.  The rod itself is not a big deal, but there were all the little rings with clips that are missing with it.

You know, those little gizmos.  About 20 or 25 of them.  Not cheap to replace!  Where are they?

Praying...  work for Kerry.  This is going to be a "thin" month, with the week off for dental work and the days Kerry spent painting the trim.  Ouch.

Thankful...  the trim IS painted, the dental work IS done, and everybody is healthy :D

And so very thankful today for my Tate, who is SEVENTEEN!  So here's a mini-retrospective of Tate :D

On our Arkansas Adventure

The night he received his Billy Mitchell Award

With Grandpa

Playing soccer - about 10?

Oh my.  That grin.  That dimple.

We always said that Tate worked in dirt like some artists work in oils.

But he cleans up nicely ;D

The first time we turned his first hearing aid ON, age 3 1/2.

At the beach with Grandpa, age 3 1/2.

Be still my heart.  From adorable to toddler to handsome young man :D

Wearing...  jeans, blue sweater, crocs (for slippers).  MAH-ve-lous.

Creating...  Christmas cards.  YES!  Starting early this year, in hopes of creating a more peaceful Advent season.  That counts, right?

Going...  off to rehearsal tonight.

Looking forward to...  getting my living room put back together!  Almost there, but I ran out of steam.  Kerry has been painting (which means priming and mudding and sanding, and strewing tools all over, and moving the furniture into a heap).  And I have to tell you that while I love the finished product, I'm not much of a fan of the process.  (Cliffs of Insanity, anyone?)  I've been dusting and vacuuming for much of the day.  Usually I love decorating for fall.  LOVE IT.  But at this point, it's two weeks to Thanksgiving, and then take it all down and get out Christmas stuff.  Worth it?  Sort of. Of course, I'm hosting Thanksgiving and I want it to look nice!  But I'm thinking more minimal this year.

In the kitchen...  I made chicken sandwiches for lunch today, for Tate :D  And Gunnar and I made modified cookie dough for dessert (no shortening or eggs).  Tate was in heaven ;D  They're all on their own for dinner, as Wyatt and Tate both work this evening (happy b'day, Tate, off to work you go), and I have rehearsal.  Good thing there are lots of left-overs in the fridge :D  It's a "festival-style" dinner ;D

In the learning rooms...  Gunnar, oh, Gunnar.  I mentioned he's getting glasses, right?  (Welcome to the family, kid, you hit the genetic jackpot for bad eyes!)  Well, I know he needs them. BUT... is he milking it just a little?  Trying to get out of some of his schoolwork because it gives him a headache? Because, it wasn't giving him a headache before he knew he needed glasses.  But then this is the kid that broke his arm the day before he started homeschool-kindergarten and I thought he was just whiny about having to write.  *sigh*

Around the house...  taming the chaos.  Woo-hoo!

The Mother Load...  got the bills paid, an appointment canceled, an appointment made, ordered replacement cables for Tate's processors, made a Thanksgiving plan, hemmed three pairs of pants (one for each boy), and started (drum roll, please...) addressing my Christmas cards.  I know, I know.  Shock and awe.

Noticing that...  I need to take new photos of the boys.  They're turning into men, you know?

One of my favorite things...  A CLEAN HOUSE.  Yes, the project has taken its toll on me.  That and a few episodes of "Hoarders" ;D

A few plans for the rest of the week...  oh, mercy.  I need to get Tate to the DMV to renew his learner's permit.  And I need to go to the mall (which I kind of dread) to have my ring "check up".  They re-did the prongs last time, and I Am Not Happy.  They're too huge and they snag on everything.  I've been wearing a "stunt ring" (a stand in, YKWIM?) until I can get mine fixed.  Arrrgh.  (I know.  Really, I know.  First world problem.)

 A peek into my world...  because we had such a dry summer, our fall colors are kind of a non-event this year.  I miss seeing this out my window...