For Today

Outside my window... springtime in Anchorage! Aaah! Smells like...melting dog poo. Yuck! Now is the time of giant mud pies and melting snow berms. Today is a cloudy, cold day, with sprinkles of rain now and then.

I am thinking... about the socialization issue lately. It's one that keeps coming up, and it really gets under my skin. The idea that because my kids are homeschooled, they aren't getting enough socialization, just really drives me crazy. My kids can carry on a conversation with people from 1 to 90 years old. They have friends, and they play well with them.

From the learning rooms... Almost done with the O word families. I think Amy is closer to reading than Sarah, but both are really bored by the rote memorization. It's so exciting when something clicks and they recognize words on their own, though. Andrew is working on colonization for Social Studies, and astronomy for Science. I wish these clouds would blow away for a while, since he is supposed to be observing the night sky, looking for constellations and planets.

I am thankful for... this may sound funny, but I am thankful for every darned thing that has fallen apart in my house--and there's been a lot of it lately! I'm just seeing it as an opportunity to clear away the old and make room for the new. I'm hoping most of all that as we repair damages and remodel, we will be that much closer to someday selling and moving. We outgrew this old house a long time ago.

From the kitchen... Fried up some corn fritters and some "French Breakfast Puffs" (basically, doughnut holes) yesterday. It still smells yummy in my house.

I am wearing... a turquoise knit blouse over a long sleeved white t-shirt. Jeans and sneakers.

I am reading..."Children: The Challenge" and still reading Little Pilgrim's Progress aloud to the kids at night.

Around the house... Decluttering like mad! Andrew and Taylor's dresser collapsed yesterday, so that will have to be replaced now. It was all particle board, anyway. I took a bag of outgrown boots and shoes to the donation bin, along with a bag of clothes. We picked out the flooring for the house, but we still have to call the crew to come pull up the rest of the old stuff. Hopefully the next time I write, that'll be done and over with.

One of my favorite things... When kids have their little revelations. I love hearing them say, "OH, THAT'S what that means!"

A few plans for the rest of the week...nothing special. Everyone's finally cured up from the bug that hit us, we're planting the seeds for our garden and anxiously waiting for the snow to melt away. Girl Scouts on Tuesday, roller skating on Wednesday. That's all, folks!