For Today...October 17, 2010

Outside my window...the sun is going down. The boys are getting in their last bit of outdoor play until tomorrow afternoon. They love playing outside until the very last second.

I am wearing...a pink t-shirt, black shorts and flip-flops. The pink t-shirt has food all over it. This always happens when I'm pregnant. I am such a slob.

I am listening to...do I really need to say it? The Old 97's.

I am grateful...for each and every one of my boys. All five of them. They each add something different to my life.

I am praying...for the rest of this pregnancy. It's gone by so fast, I have to look at a calendar when someone asks "how many weeks."

I am realizing...that I LOVE life without the phone. Who would have thought that? I cringe every time the phone rings now, and that happens before I know who is calling. I feel so free from the phone. And emails. I have people asking to send pictures through email and I think, one click and you can see all the pictures you want. The chance of me sending pictures is zero. Which sounds bitchy, but it's really just honest. I hate loading pictures and for whatever reason we have the slowest computer in the world when I am using it.

From the kitchen...a great menu planned for the week. We just finished C week, so we had cookies and carrots!

On keeping home...the purge continues, this week it was serving dishes and cookbooks. We have to clean out our garage this week, which means more to throw away. I love this feeling. I talked to someone who just moved from DC and she said she loved being a small space because you didn't have a bunch of crap. You learn to live with what you need. I think I could handle a big city like that.

From the learning rooms...I LOVE Handwriting Without Tears. The more I delve into this program, the madder I get at our school system for not adopting some kind of handwriting curriculum. It is amazing how kids are not taught anything about writing anymore. The Baby Hulk is loving his wooden letters and only writes his name four times a day. We are not moving to writing for a bit. We start D week as far as science goes which means one thing: Dinosaurs! I am pretty excited about it and have lots of fun things planned. Still completely and utterly unsatisfied with Goose's school and teacher.

The Baby Hulk this week...read for ten minutes each day!!! I have a timer set so that both he and I don't get frustrated. We are trying this for another week then evaluating if this should continue. Honestly, he's a bit lazy when it comes to reading, but he is so, so ready. We're on book four of the second set of BOB books. Over the weekend, he tried to trick Goose and Lance into reading for him. Saying stuff like "I bet you can't read this page."

No David...continues to act the same. I try for most school work while he is asleep, but honestly, the best time for learning is in the morning. So I usually throw some letters at him and then the Baby Hulk has to make whatever letter he picks for him. I figure he will learn his letters this way. He is also coloring and so proud of it. I have a wall, (so sad) devoted to the kid's work and he always gets the tape for me to post his artwork! Too cute.

On living the liturgy...what a great week! We celebrated Our Lady of Fatima as it was the anniversary of the Day the Sun Danced. We also celebrated St. Therese of Avila and St. Gerard. Plus, we had Super Saints. This week, we'll focus on The Little Flower and St. Francis again.

To be Fit and Happy...working out. I think I am buying shoes for spin. I keep saying I'm going to wait until after the baby arrives, but I don't see myself going back to Body Combat for a while, so the shoes won't be a waste.

Around the house...I finally went to the attic and brought down Halloween decorations. Last year, Squirt made scary signs and I kept them. Lance wants to toss them, says I am "hoarding them, what about purging". He even asked Squirt if he would be mad if I threw them away. I let Squirt know he wouldn't have to be mad at me, but instead his dad. I won, they stay. The kids love holiday decorations.

One of my favorite things...Mad Men. LOVE this show. I can't wait for tonight. I have to wait until Lance comes back from Mass and CCE before watching it.

Squirt this week...I wrote a note in his lunch, not normal for him anymore. He brought it home with him and asked where he should put it. He knows this is what Goose does with all of his lunch notes. Isn't that the sweetest?!

Goose...while he continues to nerd out on a regular basis, he is also a trash talker. You should have heard him yesterday and today while the Cowboys played. And he doesn't care that I love the Cowboys.

A few plans for the week...school, swim, the gym, OB appt, field trip, Lost Pines.

A picture thought I am sharing...

So excited to finally "beat" his father in chess!