Daybook

Outside my window…it’s blue skies and breezy. There’s something magical about my backyard. It isn’t the size of my yard. Or the view. It’s the shade and the breeze. There’s always a nice, cool breeze. Really. The heat index is always in the upper 90s these days, yet we’re able to spend a huge chunk of our day outdoors. Nobody’s sweating profusely. Nobody’s complaining. It’s really beautiful. I am so very grateful.

I am remembering…last Sunday’s trip out to the University. To think that this whole thing started out there 13 years ago in a tax accounting class…

I am listening..to the wind rustle the leaves and Katie scream, as she tries to avoid every boy in this yard.

I am wondering…why it is so hard to keep these tiny little area picked up. It looks nice now. Give it 5 minutes. Ha, who am I kidding? Give it 1 minute.

I am going…to have to decide soon where I go next on this fitness journey. I’m over halfway through my 21 Day Fix (and loving it!). I have so many little cheerleaders! Plus Dax decided to join me, so there’s some extra accountability there (in addition to the awesome Facebook group led by my team beachbody coach, Cecilia McTague). So much encouragement, accountability and inspiration!

I am thankful…for Sculpey clay. I have a terrible confession to make. Every week, for the past eight years, I have packed the Mass bag with coloring books and crayons, lacing cards and books for the little kids, but I still spent half of Mass trying to keep them entertained. Until recently. I discovered that the absolute best thing for the Mass bag is a few little balls of Sculpey clay. It keeps little hands busy throughout the entire Mass. It doesn’t require so much concentration that they’re not listening. It doesn’t crumble or stick to anything. Really, it’s quite brilliant.

In the schoolroom…We just finished reading Macbeth (have I mentioned how much we adore Bruce Colville’s adaptations and, of course, we love Edith Nesbit’s adaptations, as well) and thanks to the suggestion in The Story of the World Activity book, we made the witches’ brew…next time I think I’ll replace a few more things with fruits…it felt like I served up a serious serving of sugar to the kids.

Around the house…trying to keep all those school books organized. Pretty soon we’re going to be like the family in the book The Children who Loved Books…the books are going to take over our house! We’ve already taken two loads to Half Price this summer, but as the number of readers increases and they each develop their own tastes, our book collection just keeps growing.

In the refrigerator…finishing up Grandma Nury’s jar of pesto, Andrew’s Paleo brownies and a bowl of homemade coleslaw.

I am wearing…olive green shorts and a coral Land’s End decorative tank top.

We are preparing to celebrate…Daxson’s birthday. He’s not much fun to shop for these days…his list is coffee and whiskey.

Someday I am going to miss…being asked to hold her hand while she scoots along on her scooter.

I am reading…The Goldfinch. Desperately trying to get to the end before the book club meeting, but it seems like this book just keeps growing.

One of my favorite things…bike rides with the kids. Since Katie can still ride on the front of mine and Andrew can keep up better these days, we can actually go at a normal pace.