Daybook: New Year's Eve Edition

:: outside my window ...it's dark because it is already evening.  Still not all that cold, really.  I guess I should be glad we've been able to keep windows open and let the kiddos play outside.

:: listening to ...Chopin.   And my sweet hubby getting ready to take the kids to the bath.

:: giving thanks for ...God's abundant provision for all that we need and more.

:: living the educational life ...We've still been off school this past week.  I'm hoping to do a 'light school' schedule of 30 minutes or so each morning starting this week - our new calendar (in French), maybe some math and handwriting...if I'm really ambitious we'll get the foundational events onto our new history timeline.   We'll see how we go.  We're getting ready to move internationally in three weeks time, but I think it will be worth the effort to get a little bit of school in if for no other reason than to give the kids some sense of routine.

:: preparing in the kitchen .... Nothin'.  We are still up to our ears in Christmas goodies and leftovers from having company last week.   Enjoying the simplicity.

:: creating by hand ... Michelle got a sewing kit and the Handicrafts Made Simple Hand Sewing DVD for Christmas.  We've been doing some practice on some scrap material and she is doing really well.  I'm looking forward to working through the projects with her this year. 

:: following these links ...I am really excited about these 100 Supreme Classical Masterpieces MP3s on Amazon, shared by someone on the SCM Forum.  They are "best of" albums that actually include full concertos, sontatas, etc, instead of just random excerpts.   And I need to find time to work through these reflection questions.

:: turning pages ...  Still reading through some of the books I plan to use for read-alouds in the next year or 2...this week has been Homer Price.  I remember my third grade teacher reading this to our class.  It's hilarious.  No wonder I still remember it. Robert McCloskey was a genius.

:: finding rhythm ... We ain't got none, at least today we didn't.  I need to sit down tomorrow and think through what we need to do to give some kind of rhythm to these busy days as we prepare for this huge transition.

:: keeping house ... Today we sorted just about everything in the house into trash, give away, store, ship, or take boxes.  Now that I have some idea what we have here, I can start getting things we need for our future household in Africa.

:: praying ... For grace and patience and strength as we face many transitions in the new year.

:: planning the week ahead ...  Getting organized for the weeks ahead.  Finding some kind of rhythm for the kids (and ourselves!) to stay sane.  Buying more stuff for our shipment.

:: capturing a few moments ... Christmas Day at our house...