Nicole's Daybook

Outside my window... The calm before a huge storm.

I am thinking... about how I personally know three women who have lost their husbands in tragic ways in the past 6 months.

I am thankful ... that the little robin fledglings in our yard have survived the past couple of days, storms and all. (More on that later in the week.)

I am wearing... cotton capris, an Orange Beach t-shirt and tennis shoes (just got back from a walk.)

I am planning... to get outside and pull some weeds out of our front beds today. The rain brings on massive amounts of unwanted vines!

I am creating... a de-schoolroomed playroom.

I am going... to have to figure out how to watch both The Biggest Loser and American Idol finales tonight, all while we are having projected storms that will likely knock out our dish reception.

I am reading...  Planting Dandelions by Kyran Pittman, I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borten de Trevino (Dawson's read-a-loud), 26 Fairmont Avenue by Tomie de Paola (Brynne and Eli's read-a-loud).

I am hoping... to hear word that a fellow homeschool mom's son, who was accidentally shot in the chest last night, made it through the night and is improving.

From the learning rooms... LAST. WEEK. OF. SCHOOL.

Noticing that ... if I just get my hiney out of bed in the mornings and take that walk/run and get ready for my day before my day gets started that my day goes so much better! Duh! How many times do I have to have that realization before it sticks?

From the kitchen... starting to see some fresh produce from my own garden! So far only chives, lettuce and spinach, but with all this rain, it won't be long until we have some zuccini and squash!

Around the house... are more organized toys. I came up with a system for Eli and Brynne called their "NOW box". These are the toys they are playing with now. They tend to have a hodge-podge of toys they are playing with that end up everywhere, so I just collect them pile them in their room and then they continue to pull out more toys and add to the pile until there are so many of those little toys that I don't even know where to put them. So they have their NOW Box that they keep their current toys in. When it gets so full that they can't put the lid on, they have to take some out and put them where they go.

One of my favorite things... Doing a whole house cleaning on Sunday so that I wake up to a clean house on Monday morning.

A few plans for the rest of the week... We are finishing up school this week and I am deconstructing the schoolroom. On Friday we are going to the zoo to celebrate the last day of school with an A-Z Scavenger Hunt. The older two kids are going to their dad's on Saturday and Sunday. And on Monday Rick and I are going to a golf tournament to see some pros and stars.

From my picture journal.

Have you ever seen a hummingbird sitting? We have hummingbirds constantly at our feeder by our dining room window. I see them all day. They zoom past each other to eat. But lately I have seen them sitting on this chair waiting their turn. It's so strange to see them sitting still.

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