Nicole's Daybook

Outside my window... It thundered, it lighteninged (not a real word, huh), the wind blew, it poured! In the night we had a glorious thunderstorm that soaked the ground. I cannot express how badly we needed the rain or the escape from the heat! Now it's cloudy, wet, cool.

I am thinking... about how stressed I feel this week. And unmotivated. All I want to do is sleep late, stay in my pj's, do what little I have to, read, and then sleep again. Maybe it's just my body's way of gearing up for the school year that starts next week. I tend to think it's because I haven't been exercising or being on my "good" schedule. Anytime I try to be 'laid back', it seems to backfire.

I am thankful ... that Dawson went to church with us on Sunday morning and went to the youth group gathering on Sunday night! This little group reminds me of my little youth group when I was in junior high. Those were the best days of my childhood, as I look back now.

I am wearing... like I said above, my pj's and robe. I'll have to get dressed at some point to take Eli to get his haircut this afternoon. If I didn't have to do that, I might not get out of them all day.

I am planning... 1st Day of School photo ideas. I think I have a good one! Then I'm going to update Journey to Excellence with the photos and a "Get to Know the Travelers" page.

I am creating...  the last three units of our U.S. History curriculum. I've had to take a break from it this week because I have been working on all of Brynne's birthday party things. And the girl has high expections.

I am going... to go upstairs and look for the "Animal" bucket for Brynne. She has been playing with her Barbies the last day or so and needs the animals.

I am reading...  Escape by Barbara Delinsky,  More Faith in My Day by Emilie Barnes (daily devotional). I have two more books on my nightstand and another waiting for me at the library. I'm not going to get them read in time. There is a hold list on all of them, so if I don't have all three of them read in about a week (yeah, right), then I'll have to just request them again. My favorite author, Kristin Hannah, has a new book out called Night Road. My mom said that if you have teenagers, it is a very disturbing book.

I am hoping... that Dawson is feeling better today. He has had a nasty cold, of sorts, the past two days and hasn't left the couch. He said that last night his hands hurt?? What could that be? If he is feeling worse today, or not any better, I might run him to Urgent Care. Viruses scare me.

From the learning rooms... Brynne and Eli have pulled out all of their board games and have been playing them a lot the past couple of days. We are more in "preparation mode" for learning, than anything. We are doing haircuts, getting school supplies together, etc. Kyndal ordered her backpack yesterday and I bought her favorite binder, the Mead Hybrid Flexible at Target. Seriously, it's the most durable binder. It will last her all year. I got the schedule for Dawson's homeschool guitar class. It's going to be so great! I am working on getting a meeting schedule with Eli's teacher and his IEP supervisor to discuss his year and my suggestions for making it successful. The closer he gets to going back to school, the sadder I get.

Noticing that ... I am the worst money manager. I've always known that. But, being as structured and scheduled as I am, you would think this would be an area I would have under control. I get so mad at myself!

From the kitchen... This week I have been cooking meals primarily from our freezer and pantry stock. In the next couple of weeks I will get back into Menu Plan Monday.

Around the house... the outside of our house looks terrible! The trees are just dead. The leaves have fallen all over the yard. My flower pots hold dying, lifeless flowers and my flower beds are weedy and look atrocious. I need one full, coolish day to just work on everything to get it spruced back up.

One of my favorite things... is seeing my teenagers make good choices. It only gains them respect and more freedom. I hope they realize that.

A few plans for the rest of the week... today is Eli's haircut. Tomorrow Kyndal gets her school schedule and then we have an orientation at the Tech building tomorrow night. On Friday, I might take the little ones to the water park one last time. But then when I get home I have to bake Brynne's cake and get my house clean! On Saturday, my parents and niece are coming and it's Brynne's birthday party!!! We are going roller skating. She loves to skate! On Sunday, we'll go to church and then I will likely spend the rest of the afternoon working on school stuff. On Monday I am taking the girls to the mall. Kyndal is school clothes shopping and Brynne is getting to use her gift certificate at Build-a-Bear. It's going to be a fun day!

From my picture journal.

The supplies for Brynne's birthday party.

Lots of women Daybook. See what they have to say at The Simple Woman's Daybook.