February Daybook

{Outside My Window}  It's a tropical heat wave.  Sunshine and 34 degrees this morning.  I think the high is supposed to be somewhere close to 45.  I saw a patch of grass yesterday!  It was brown and mashed down, but it was grass.

{I Am Thankful For}  Warmer temps for sure!  I love snow, but not so much the cold.  A husband who always warms the car up for us and makes a nice path for us to get out to the car.  Sunshine.  The promise of Spring even though I know it's not here yet and there will be more cold days, I can see the end of winter just around the corner.

{I Am Thinking About}  Lent.  Not coming from a background or currently being in a church that really "does Lent" I don't even know when it starts this year.  Last year was the first time I participated in giving up anything and I really benefited physically, but I'll admit I didn't really do anything extra to benefit spiritually.  This year, I'm hoping for both.

{In the School Room}  Home schooling in February.  Most mom's seem to hit a wall right now, but that doesn't happen to me until April.  In April, I wish we had started school in June so we could just BE DONE!  In February, I feel the need to really hunker down and get a lot done.  It has been a productive month I think.  Callie and I have pushed our way through a book neither of us enjoyed and thankfully the last few chapters have been better.  Kate is making progress with her reading and finally making peace with the fact that yes, "we have school today", most every day. :)  Although none of this has taken place in the school room.  Since that room is two walls of windows and doors and no heat vent, we have kept it closed up most days.  It's been so nice to open the doors again.  Maybe that's another reason I don't mind February.  Educating while snuggled up together on the couch (or whatever spot is warmest) is not a bad way to live. ;)

{In the Kitchen}  Roast chicken.  This has become a staple around here lately.  I have discovered that I can get at least three meals out of one chicken.  First I roast it in the oven and we enjoy it the first night.  Then I pull the rest of the meat off and make a rich stock out of the bones.  That contributes to several meals.  Then, this week, we had cabbage stir fry with chicken, and another night chicken vegetable soup.  Both of those meals had enough left over for someone's lunch.  I love it!

{I am Reading}  I'm almost finished with 5 Conversations you Must Have With Your Daughter.  I think one of my sisters asked me about this a long time ago and I had never heard of it.  Cameron brought it home from the library one day.  It is.....eye opening.  I wasn't surprised that some of these issues that the author brings up were out there, but I was a bit shocked at how much and at how young.  It was interesting and worthwhile.

I'm also reading The Age of Opportunity by Paul David Tripp.  I'm just beginning the fourth chapter, but it is very, very good.  Now lest you get the idea that we are having some sort of teenage crisis or nightmare on our hands, don't worry.  It's just that I like to read and I like to read about whatever current "mode" our family is in.  I love to escape with a good novel, but real life advice from those who have been there and have similar values is always appreciated.

{Around the House}  We could give Sanford and Sons and run for their money with all the broken things we have right now.  I'm not even kidding!  It's just that they aren't all out in the front yard! LOL  However, every item is a problem only the "rich" have.  I'll take my first world problems any day.  Broken printers, dishwashers and water softeners are indicators that I have a computer in my home and do indeed have a home to live in and for that I am very thankful.  {so when I went to YouTube and saw that intro for Sandford and Son's, it occured to me that that's the kind of place I would slam on my brakes for now.  Antiques!  Or maybe just junk, but I would want to look!}

On a happier note, I did a little rearranging of some things to have the top of the fridge available for seed testing.   The top of the Hoosier cabinet needed a good cleaning and freshening and I needed to be able to put this pitcher and glasses there.  I like it and now the seeds are hopefully warming and sprouting in their little bags.

{One of My Favorite Things}  Art.  We went to the Indianapolis Museum of Art on Saturday.  It was nice to go as a family because although Kate likes to go, she doesn't linger long at any piece and she really likes the hands on rooms.  Callie is the opposite and If I'm the only other one it can get a bit tricky.  It was nice to have Cameron there and be able to split up a bit.

all photos by Callie

Yesterday we did a bit of picture study with Degas.  One of my favorites.  We talked about certain pieces and then Kate and I gave it our best to copy one.  When home schooling gets hard (and trust me, there are days that I think I can't do it another minute) these are the things that encourage me and remind me of some of the reasons we are doing this in the first place.