Outside My Window...is a gorgeous late summer day. I get to enjoy our waterfall and pond a few more weeks before we tent it for winter. Our five fish have been abundant this year and are almost too numerous to count now! The humidity is about to break this week. More outside time.
I am Thinking...that I need to schedule more time for myself in the coming year to prepare for when our children leave the nest.
I am Thankful For...my husband who supports me in all that I do and even that which I don't. The strong, competent, and fascinatingly interesting women that I have finally met after I started on our family's homeschooling journey! My health. I am so grateful for the health that I continue to enjoy after almost seven years of suffering pre and post breast cancer. Still, not out of the woods, yet!
From the Kitchen...will come another frugal meal as we recover from a devastating year in extra hospital and doctor bills and still take our family vacation. We still take the time to make what we have attractive in both decor and plating the food. Our girls are eating less and less carbs by choice; except for my vegetarian who will eat tons of pasta!
Learning at Home...we are in full-speed ahead as our academic year has started for our fourth-grader and is coming to a slow crawl for the previous year for our rising ninth grader and rising sixth grader. I want to add the French language, one that I am quite proficient in and I simply adore! I hope our girls will not only be receptive to the new language but become fluent in every way. I'd love to reward our hard work by going to Paris, France and also tour the Loire Valley and see all the chateaux and vineyards.
Living the Liturgical Year At Home....celebrating The Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady on September 8 and anticipating the Feast of St. Michael. Not only is St. Michael the Patron Saint of Homeschooling but he is the Patron Saint of our Parish here in Glen Allen, Virginia
I am Creating...a peaceful, soulful home in honour of the RVA Peace Festival at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Three Chopt Road and Grove Avenue and International Day of Peace on Monday, 22 September at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. The Universal Peace Federation in Richmond and the Catholic Diocese of Richmond extend an invitation to all to participate in this event commemorating the UN International Day of Peace under the name of "Harmonious Interfaith Relations," and its foreseeable impact on local and global cultural transformation for a peaceful world. Give Peace A Chance....
I am Watching...the made-for-television, late 1970s miniseries, "Centennial" by James A. Michner. Our girls got interested and now we are watching it as part of our U.S. History study, especially the settling of the wild, wild West.
I am Praying....not just for peace, but for families; my immediate family, my extended family, our friends families; families of Metro Richmond; families of the Commonwealth of Virginia; families of our Nation; and families throughout the world. Families of all shapes, sizes, and dynamics.
I am wearing...as usual clothes that are too small for me; I need to lose weight before I can fit into anything that I currently own. But, I still adore fashion. I wish that I could be the size that maximizes that goal.
I am Reading...the book Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn in preparation for the release of the movie. I am also reading chapters in the Old Testament and some French schoolbooks in anticipation of teaching that language.
I am Hoping...that this will be a successful year of homeschooling, activities and growth for all of us! I would like to continue to work on my book, give it a pithy working title ("Laying Down the Brain" just isn't working for me...) and finish it by the end of June, 2015. I would also like to turn the book into the screenplay (which I've never done) and work on peddling that to Hollywood. I want to bring about the Joy of Homeschooling as the best option for our middle-class families in America right now. I would like to schedule more 'friendship time" for me this year with my friends and also my husband. I am hoping that a dog that is just perfect for our family will make itself known to us soon!
Noticing that...our girls really are benefiting from being homeschooled students. It brings them closer to each other, their father and their mother. But, they also have the freedom to cultivate not only what interests them the most, but develop and build healthy habits and virtuous friendships. They know the force of their own minds, hearts and souls.
Towards My Personal Self-Care...I am still working on Yoga, my walks, my swims and I want to use my Nesbit gift card for a facial that my husband bought me for Christmas 2013 before my friend leaves to work somewhere else.
I am Listening...to "Gone Girl" audiobook in anticipation of the movie release in October, 2014 and Rod Stewart's Adaptation of The Great American Songbook for music. I'll listen to Maureen Corrigan's piece on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross tomorrow regarding her favorite book and upcoming book by Corrigan on F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.
Around the House...I will tackle my closet and the spare Guest Room before the end of this month.
My Favorite Things...Autumn itself is my favorite season. I love the crisp autumn air, chrysamthatmums, cabbages, autumn pansies, hearty soups and stews; pumpkins, breads, root vegtables, apples and apple & pumpkin picking. Hiking through the mountains near our home in the Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
My Plans for The Rest of the Week...start our children's annual activities like ballet, harp and piano lessons, adding in violin lessons this year for our youngest. Shakespeare, choirs (two this year) Model UN, Chemistry classes, Narnia IEW writing Class, Girl Scouts, LifeSmarts, soccer and the Ice Cream Social after the first week at the Academy of Music and the American Youth Harp Ensemble. I will have some free time on Saturday when all three of our girls attend the Father/Daughter Dance. We are all taking Community Bible Study and this year the theme is "The Road to Jerusalem". The subtheme, according to Faye, our CBS Leader, is "Marriages, especially Difficult Marriages.
Headlines this Week: Home Depot, credit cards hacked from computer system and identity fraud stolen; former Governor Bob McDonnell and First Lady Maureen McDonnell are convicted felons for 11 out of 13 count convictions (Gov) and 9 out of 13 count convictions (First Lady) for fraud. The Disease Ebola is spreading; another doctor has been brought to the U.S. to attempt to recover from the disease that currently has no cure. Fast-food workers went on strike for higher wages.Tom Hanks, Al Green, Sting were named as 2015 Recipients of Kennedy Center Honours; comedian Joan Rivers passed away. Comedian, Robin Williams committed suicide three weeks before that. Ferguson, Missouri riots after the slaying of a young African-American or Black man was gunned down in broad daylight by local police officer. Two more women were named to The View (Rosie Perez) and Nicole. Brad & Angelina Pitt were recently married in late August, 2014 at their vineyard in France.
Hostage, kidnapped journalist James Foley was executed by
Daniel Perle was kidnapped in Pakistan 2002. Marianne Perle was his wife and made the television movie, "A Mighty Heart" about the kidnapping with screenwriter, director, actress, Angelina Jolie
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