The Simple Woman's Daybook

Peggy hosts this meme each week. Read other Daybooks HERE.

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...It's a gray, dreary day. Rain has been steadily falling all morning.

I am thinking...of all the pain & suffering in this world & how I can try to do my part to help, little by little.

I am thankful...that Casinodad has gotten a new job & this is his last week at the bank.

From the learning rooms...Today we are watching Liberty's Kids. I thought that would be a good rainy day activity.

From the kitchen...I'm thinking baked potatoes for dinner tonight. Everyone can choose their own toppings.

I am wearing...denim skirt, a black knit top, & barefeet.

I am creating...lesson plans

I am going...to the doctor this afternoon. My splitting headache from this weekend has spread to my ear, so I'm thinking it's an ear infection.

I am reading...All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor (read-aloud for the kids) & Hector and the Search for Happiness by Francois Lelord.

I am hoping...the increase in The Archangel's medicine dosage will help w/ his emotional outbursts.

I am hearing...Liberty's Kids on the TV, the squeak of my chair, & the hum of the fridge.

Around the house...cluttered! I wasn't feeling well yesterday, so not much got done other than the dishes & a bit of a clutter drill by the munchkins.

One of my favorite things...books! I love to get lost in a good book.

A few plans for the rest of the week...school, doctor's appt. for me this afternoon, Mom Therapy on Friday

Here is picture (or two) for thought I am sharing...The Prophet recently bought this box of (mostly) Legos at Goodwill for $1.29. It had to be worth at least $50.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

For this week, I am thankful for the following:

1) Laughter...Thanks to Carol Burnett & Tim Hawkins, I have been laughing quite a bit this week.

2) Munchkins who play well together...The past couple of days, they have been spending a lot of time playing w/out fighting. This is a BIG thanks to God for me!

3) New jobs...Last week I mentioned being thankful for some good news. This week I can announce it...Casinodad was offered a new job & will start on Oct. 7. This is a GREAT opportunity for him & all of us!

4) Longevity...Today, Casinodad's aunt celebrates her 92nd birthday. We are going to visit her & Casinodad's father tomorrow.

5) Inspiration through life's hardships...I am currently reading Jeni Stepanek's book, Messenger, about her son Mattie. He was born w/ Dysautonomic Mitochondrial Myopathy & not expected to survive, yet lived to the age of 13. Through it all, he toured the country to speak out for peace (esp. after 9/11), published books of his own poetry, & met his heroes. I'm only halfway through the book, but I highly recommend it.

"Tuesday's Ten" - Ten Great Movies I've Seen

10 Great Movies I've Seen
(This is definitely not an all inclusive list, as there are many movies that I've loved over the years.)

1) Somewhere in Time (1980) - Christopher Reeve is playwright Richard Collier who goes back in time to meet actress Elise McKenna (Jane Seymour). Also stars Christopher Plummer.

2) Letters to God (2010) - An 8 yr. old boy w/ cancer writes a letter to God each day as his form of prayer. Throughout his battle, he touches the hearts of all he encounters.

3) Bride and Prejudice (2004) - This is a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice that comes from Bollywood in India. See my review HERE.

4) Benny and Joon (1993) - A mentally ill young lady (Mary Stuart Masterson) lives w/ her overprotective, older brother (Aidan Quinn). They end up w/ a house guest (Johnny Depp) who sees himself as Buster Keaton.

5) Untamed Heart (1993) - Marisa Tomei is a waitress & Christian Slater is a shy busboy w/ a bad heart. A touching love story.

6) Fireproof (2008) - Kirk Cameron is a firefighter who is having trouble in his marriage. His father suggests The Love Dare, a 40 day experiment to help save his marriage.

7) Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) - The first Cary Grant movie I ever saw. He learns that his two aunts are homicidal maniacs & his uncle thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt.

8) Harvey (1950) - James Stewart's character has a 6 ft. tall imaginary friend...a white rabbit named Harvey.

9) The Princess Bride (1987) - A fairy tale of "tru wuv" & adventure. "As you wish!"

10) Return to Me (2000) - A man (David Duchovny) unknowingly falls in love w/ the woman (Minnie Driver) who received his deceased wife's heart. A touching love story that also includes a group of Irish/Italian old men who sit around playing cards & listening to Dean Martin.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Peggy hosts this meme each week. Read other Daybooks HERE.

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...It's cloudy & looks like we're in for a day of rain.

I am thinking...of a lot of stuff & need to clean out/organize those filing cabinets in my mind!

I am thankful...for naps. I took a much needed one after lunch yesterday afternoon

From the learning rooms...We're starting to get back on track. We've withdrawn The Archangel from the online school & am piecing together a good set of lessons for him.

From the kitchen...banana bread - I love when Giant Eagle has bags of ripened bananas for 99 cents.

I am wearing...denim capris, a black knit top, & barefeet.

I am creating...(hopefully) a balanced day for our school/household tasks

I am going...to start school as soon as I post this!

I am reading...The Life of Our Lord for Children by Marigold Hunt (read-aloud for the kids) & Messenger by Jeni Stepanek, her story about her son Mattie & his courageous battle w/ Dysautonomic Mitochondrial Myopathy

I am hoping...that school will continue to get better for us this week. Each week it's been a little better.

I am hearing...The Princess "teaching" The Saint his ABCs & the hum of the dishwasher.

Around the house...a bit cluttered, but not too bad - typical for our family as we transition into another school year.

One of my favorite things...hugs from The Prophet. He's grown so much & there is so much of him to hug now!

A few plans for the rest of the week...school, a trip up north to visit Casinodad's dad & aunt for her 92nd birthday, Small Church Community gathering, Mom Therapy

Here is picture (or two) for thought I am sharing...a school lesson provided by the city - watching city employees working together to resurface our street

The Catholic Company Book Review - God's on the Phone: Stories of Grace in Action

I just finished my latest review book for The Catholic Company...God's on the Phone: Stories of Grace in Action by Regis J. Flaherty. When I received this book & read the Introduction, I was a bit disappointed. My expectations were that these stories would be a compliation gathered from many different people, not just Mr. Flaherty's. Instead, this is a collection mostly of his own experiences and a few from people he knows.

That being said, I quickly realized what a treasure this book was. He includes thirty chapters of grace-filled experiences...times he was in the right place at the right time when he didn't think so at first, people who've helped him along his faith journey, people whose lives he influenced & those who influenced his life, etc. In each chapter, he describes his experience, quotes Bible passages & sacred texts, gives a prayer related to the experience, & even has questions for further reflection or group discussion.

This is a book that doesn't require a long time to read. Each chapter is no more than seven or eight pages long. You can read this book straight through or jump around to chapters of interest. Each chapter has a subtitle, making it easy to find a particular need. For example, chapter 12 Where is Your Heart?, is "on putting God first,." or chapter 25 A Hero and an Angel. is "on the works of mercy." I've marked numerous pages that stood out to me, pages I plan on returning to again & again.

God has graced us abundantly & this book can help us to open our hearts & minds to those graces.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on God's on the Phone. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.

Small Successes

Sherry at her blog, Chocolate for Your Brain, hosts Small Successes each Thursday. Check it out to see others' successes & share your own. Recognizing the small things we accomplish each week helps us realize that even when it doesn't seem like it, we are getting things done!

1) I managed to get our living room dusted, de-cluttered, & vacuumed on Tues. while still getting through school w/ the munchkins!

2) I took The Archangel out on a mother/son date Sunday. He was so happy w/ the time we spent together & even now, several days later, he's still thanking me for taking him out.

3) I got creative w/ a couple meals this week. For dinner on Sun., I sauteed some kale & celery in olive oil, garlic, salt, & pepper. Then I added it to some pasta & pre-cooked chicken. Then on Mon., I added a Knorr butter & herb rice mix to a can of Progresso beef soup. I also baked my mom's beer bread recipe (which was a hit w/ the munchkins!)

4) We made the decision to withdraw The Archangel from OCA & go back to official homeschooling for him. (My first week of school post is HERE & it hasn't gotten too much better since then.) It just didn't fit w/ his issues & temperment, not to mention all the stress added to the rest of the family. "Aaaaaaaaahhhhh!" Big breath of relief!

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for dates w/ my munchkins! This past Sunday was The Archangel's turn. We went to a couple of stores that HE wanted to go to, instead of just running errands together. I also took him to McDonald's for a sundae.

2) I'm thankful for some recent good news.

3) I'm thankful today is my last physical therapy session, however, I'm not seeing any relief for my back pain. I'm beginning to wonder if it's something that I'll have to live w/ & watch more carefully how I sit, stand, do ANY activity, etc.

4) I'm thankful when the munchkins are happy w/ the meals I make & can't stop gushing over how good something tastes, especially if it's something new! It doesn't happen often, but I love when it does.

5) I'm thankful for unplanned school lessons. Our city has been resurfacing our development the last couple of days. "Hey kids! Instant social studies lesson...come see how city workers come together & paint the street!"