Daybook

My friend who recently moved to PA has started doing this on her blog. Basically it is a little journal entry for the past weeks activities and highlights. I hope that I can keep this up!

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW...

Right now it is black. Today was a great day in Spokane. Josh was able to go mountain biking with a friend after church, while the kids and I went shopping for some x-c skis for me. The weather lately here has been the perfect fall weather. We were expecting the leaves to eventually all turn magnificent colors and fall from the trees, however, as we learned at the arboretum yesterday, since we had such a hot summer, the majority of the leaves are dying on the trees and not falling off. Normally at the arboretum they have a huge leaf pile for kids to jump in. Not this year! There are some pretty colors though; and the sun has been pleasantly warm.

I AM THANKFUL...

For my neighbors. On Friday night we began "date night swap." They watched our kids and Josh and I took off for a great dinner in downtown Spokane. Speaking of Spokane, this place has so many wonderful and quaint restaurants! I had a beet and lentil salad and Josh had duck. Now, I am not a fan of duck, but it was actually really good! Anyway, the neighbors are amazing. Our kids get along great. Claire and Owen are best buds, while Levi and the older two, play all kinds of boy games: army, boy scouts, star wars, and indiana jones.

I AM READING...

Ahh, a tough question for someone who loves to read! True readers always have more than one book going. I am no exception. My mother is also an avid reader, and she usually will send me a few of the books she liked after she has read them. We got such a package a couple weeks ago. I have already finished one book she sent and am working on number two. I finished Eleanor of Aquitaine rather quickly. Now I am reading Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund. So far, love it. The book is "inspired by a brief passage in Melville's Moby-Dick, where Captain Ahab speaks passionately of his young wife on Nantucket."

I am also reading Eastern Orthodox Theology, which is a compilation of short essays written by various theologians. This book mostly covers the liturgy and sacraments, tradition, and Orthodox relations with other faiths.

Josh and I are reading Preserve Them O Lord together. It is an Orthodox book for engaged and married couples. We read this before we got married as well, but books like these are good to revisit!

I AM PONDERING...

ways to become a better wife and mother. I tend to loose my cool quickly; at both my husband and my children. I am working on giving all three of them the benefit of the doubt before I become too accusatory.

I AM LISTENING TO...
To The Point with Warren Olney. Well, not this minute, but it is what I am into! Unfortunately the local NPR station stopped airing his show. Now I download the podcast and listen to it at my convenience.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS...When Claire comes to my bed in the morning, climbs into bed, rubs my cheek and says "good morning mama, I love you!"

THE REST OF THE WEEK...
The kids resume swimming lessons tomorrow. Claire is so excited to start wearing her swimming suit again! I swear, she would wear that thing everyday if I let her. Joshua's mother is coming for a quick visit on Wednesday, so both the kids are happy for that. Josh is still working the night shift, so nights are hectic and quiet, all at the same time. The kids don't get baths as often and the dishes don't get done every night, but we manage.
I also need to finish up our Halloween costumes. This year Claire is going to be Luke Skywalker. She had a hard time deciding on him or Obi-wan Kenobi. Her outfit is SO adorable. I got brown leggings at Burlington Coat Factory, a white tee and belt at The Goodwill and blue mud boots at a consignment store. Now I know what you are thinking. BLUE mud boots? Luke did not have blue boots! Here is the greatest part. I painted those boots gold. They look amazing. Think of it as a little feminine touch on Luke's masculinity.

Levi finally decided on Indiana Jones. Such an easy outfit! We got the cargo pants and tan shirt at Burlington for such a great price. And they are both pieces that he can wear in the future (he wore the pants to church today). We already have boots and our neighbors have a hat he is going to borrow. I need to make him a whip and try to make a satchel. He will look great. I will do some beard stubble with make-up for when we go trick or treating.

I am also trying to finish up Levi's Star Wars quilt. The top is almost all put together.

LEVI AND CLAIRE THIS WEEK...

A few days ago we took Josh and Levi in to get haircuts. The place we went to had hair extensions in various colors. Naturally Claire saw the purple one and I totally gave in. Now she wears her purple hair everyday. She looks super cute too.

Levi is progressing rapidly in reading. We are already on book 16 in the 1st collection of Bob Books. I am constantly amazed how fast their little brains work. Levi is finding words in all places and trying to read and sound them out. Of course, this stage is also reminding me of how strange the english language is. So many rules, and then so many exceptions to those rules! Oh well, we all learn, right?

A PICTURE TO SHARE...