(Please visit Peggy's site to participate in the Simple Woman's Daybook project. She is on sabbatical this week)

Outside
my window…. Sunny and hazy today but this summer has been cooler than usual.  By the wee morning hours the breeze ruffles the bedroom curtains causing us to bury a little deeper into the comforters. Perfect sleeping weather!  What else?  There are some giggling children under the tree watching their sister try to build a swing. They have a bird feeder they are hanging next.  Asher's car is disappearing down the dirt road taking little boys to the bookmobile – highlight of our week I tell you.  God bless the bookmobile.

I
am thinking….about how different life is these days from those gone by.  Still busy, still full.  Perhaps more of both of those things. But it is peaceful. Husband says it is that margin and he wants to zealously guard that this school year.   He is right.  We have no meetings, no outside commitments besides piano, no compelling interests outside these walls and each other and it has been sheer bliss.

I am thankful for… home improvement. And it is vastly improved this summer! Dh fixed the cheapie sewing machine so we can zig zag and sew knits again. (old machine does not like to do that) He also got the printer up and running again at least in grayscale so Montessori cards and file games are in the works.  We have a new roof.  The children and I painted the outside trim.  We ripped up nasty bedroom carpeting.  Allen and the boys tore down an ancient metal shed.  I am thankful for the stamina to participate.  It is a gift.

From
the learning room… Its quiet back there lol!  There are signs of the new year approaching however.  We have grade level boxes coming together.  I am removing the grade level books from the shelves and getting them all collected.  This leaves more room for the things we use daily.

The Montessori books are dusted off and new supply lists are in progress. Tess is the Montessori poster child.  She and Brendan have been enjoying lots of practical life work this summer. Table setting is a hit and they are carefully transferring glasses and plates and napkins each evening.

Kieran has finished a test run of the first chapter of his new history program.  He is accelerated though he has not skipped a subject or grade.  I was not certain he was ready for the next level of history.  It involves completing outline summaries and mapmaking. The whole finding data from the text thing seemed like it would be over his head.  He was so excited though so we had him complete the first chapter as a trial run.  He loved every bit of it and had no trouble at all and told his dad all about the people and places he read about at dinner.  So much for dead textbooks.

Aidan picked up a Dover coloring book – Rocky Mountain Animals and Plants – at Garden of the Gods last week along with a new box of colored pencils.  I wish I could afford some nicer pencils but little people have a tendency to let them drop or to pound on invisible drums with them.  For that reason Crayola and I are tight. : )   This is the time of year to stock up on school supplies even if you homeschool.  You can't pass up 28cent crayon boxes and stacks of composition books.

From the kitchen… It's quiet in here too!  Iced tea and homemade spaghetti sauce are in the fridge. The last of the oatmeal cookies were finished last night. A cooler is ready to pack for piano lessons.

I am wearing… Christopher and Banks denim skirt. (thrifted – woo hoo!) Rose colored tee. Silver knot earrings. Sandals.

I am creating…a home.  The downstairs is in the pink again – literally.  I touched up all the walls in the kitchen, dining room and hall. After much thought about repainting another color we decided it was much easier to just go over in the same color since the ceilings are all 9-10 ft and they are painted the same color. So its all very, very rosy pink.  But not smudged or chipped.

I am creating skirts and dresses for daughters.

I
am going… to take four children to piano lessons and hopefully to pick up yet more fabric. Groceries must happen. Lunch at the park in between if we are lucky. 

I am reading… I finished The Masterful Monk and was sorry to see it end.  So sorry we bought Colin the entire set of the series and he promised me I can borrow them. : )  The  Shadow on the Earth required some fortitude to get through the early chapters due to the British lingo and the metaphorical style.  This second title went much more smoothly.  I was totally drawn in to the characters and their struggle with the big issues.  

I
am hoping… my husband loves his new local job.  We are so grateful to him for making that move! 

I am hearing… Beautiful Dreamer on the piano in the other room.  I never tire of hearing that piano.

One of my favorite things… a baby who is crawling with record speed, cutting top teeth, and experimenting with new gurgly, growly sounds.  She is a momma's girl and that is just fine by me. : ) 

A
few plans for the rest of the week…  empty school crates and begin to refill them.  Make file folder games for Brendan and Kieran.  I have a new dress/top pattern for the little girls and a skirt pattern Moira wants to try.  Weekend Sewing is on my kitchen island….

Here is a picture thought I am sharing…