a daybook for the week

Outside my window...

Rainy with a cool breeze. Perfect morning.

I am thankful for...

Finding housing in Chicago for Mr. B. Personal prelatures. Personable spiritual directors. Disney movies on rainy days.

I am thinking about...

Homeschool plans for next year. Last year for PreK-3, I was really lenient. I never forced M to do schoolwork. I tried to make it organic. She flew through worksheets and excelled beyond any expectations. I plan on being more structured (which means very little to this homeschooling mom right now!) and more hands-on this year. I have so many ideas and for once, I'm not riddled with anxiety!

In the Schoolroom...

Nada. We're done! Technically, I guess we're always learning, though. That's what a good homeschooling mother says, right?

From the kitchen...

I'm failing miserably at cooking right now. Perhaps it's because of our new internship schedule, perhaps because none of the cooking utensils are mine, I'm not sure. My dinner prep goes a little something like this:

3:00pm - wondering what's for dinner

3:30pm - still wondering

4:00pm - should really get out of the pool and start thawing out meat. There's no microwave, so I put it on low in the oven. 

5:00pm - kids clamoring for food. Mommy ends up snapping (see Webster's definition of "witching hour" and you'll see my kids) that I'm trying to cook dinner and Daddy's not home anyway, so why are you asking for food when you could be outside playing or you could be upstairs playing and why are you throwing yourself down on the ground now, stop hitting your sister, that's not nice, do you think that makes me a happy mommy? AND DO YOU WANT ME TO BE A HAPPY MOMMY?

They end up eating sandwich meat, a veggie, and a fruit or cheese for dinner at this time.

5:30 - still battling over dinner because for whatever reason this is the season of tantrums and nothing I give them aside from candy or ice cream is good enough to eat. Oh, and did I mention that I'm trying to cook real dinner while doing this? Whatever happened to family dinner time??

6:00 - start loading kids up to go pick Mr. B up at the train station. But wait, NOW they want to eat the dinner the previously said was disgusting and made their stomachs hurt.

6:05 - reminding them threateningly that they'll miss standing on the train station platform to watch the train come in.

6:20 - out the door

6:22 - run back inside to make sure I've turned off the oven and stove (have I mentioned I struggle with anxiety?).

6:25 - finally get to the train station and lug kids up on the platform

6:31 - Mr. B gets home

6:40 - home to a meal that has grown cold and mushy and disgusting

7:00 - "Mr. B, don't eat this. This is gross and it's making me feel sick." "No, my darling precious wife, this tastes delectable."

9:00 - "Are you hungry, Mr. B? Let's get Taco Bueno."

I am creating...

• a blog. This blog. I'm proud of it's prettiness.
• hands-on activity ideas for my girls and their schooling next year. 

I am working on...

patience and gentleness with myself and my girls. It's a slow process, but I see the grace of Our Lord and the wise words of saints, my spiritual director, and my husband that I cling to.

Also, correcting the normal dinner night routine. Ahem.

Clicking Around...

• http://www.scarves.net/scarf-tying-index.html - Little known fact about me: I love fashion. I love thrifty fashion. I just love clothes. I spend naptimes catching up on my housewife fashion blogs. My newest fave:
• http://www.natthefatrat.com/ - a Mormon fashion blog.

I am reading...

• a collection of letters St. Francis de Sales wrote to those living in the world. Mr. B's Mother's Day present to me and I love it. He's one of my favorite saints and always has something relevant and poignant for me to read.
• Just The Way You Are by Barbara Freethy. It was a free Kindle download and I'm not far into it. It's not great, but it fills a reading need.

I am praying for...

a special intention for a dear friend; innocence and purity for our family; the SSPX situation; Mr. B's internships; for courage for all Catholics, especially in America right now.

I am hearing...

E cooking me "dinner." It consists of a "super duper hot doughnut" which I owe her $4 for. 

The sounds of The Adventures of Winnie-The-Pooh coming from upstairs. M is cuddled under blankets, with her favorite bear, watching one of her favorite bears on a rainy day.

Around the house...

It's not our house, so not much. I maintain cleanliness and orderliness, but aside from that no projects. :) It's nice! However, around their house, the owners have lots and lots of books about art history, religion, history, and music. I love it. I love that everywhere you turn, you see music, photography, the Faith, art. The house is peaceful. I can just feel the walls smiling with memories of happy squeals, laughter, and love. PS. They homeschool and have five kids and are professors at the local Catholic university.

One of my favorite things...

Watching my girls grow brave and self-confident in the swimming pool. M's still nervous about getting off the first step, but thankfully, it's a giant first step, so she just contentedly floats on an inflatable turtle while E swims away. I love it. I love hearing M cheering for E as she swims farther and farther out "by herself," which really means I'm right next to her, but not holding on to her. I love the pride she has in her little sister. I love that E encourages 

A few plans for the rest of the week...

A night spent with dear friends tonight. A lunch with a newly-acquainted Traditional Catholic attorney and his wife tomorrow. Dinner with Fr. Mozzie (the name my spiritual director has been given my friends). Mass on Sunday.

A Picture I am sharing with you...

Nothing says summer like shorts, ice pops, Dora shoes, and heart-shaped sunglasses.

Happy Friday on this Feast of The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus!