Daily Lives Vol. 12

The window sill...

Christmas Cactus

The crafting queen- working on her scrapbook. 

Sundays

"belly hanging"

Probably time to be retired for the season and replaced with muck boots

The pair

On our way to piano lessons

 Inside:

We've settled into our inside routine for sure. It starts with coffee, one by one little ones find there way to the warm window sill with blankets and books, breakfast @ 8, morning chores, school starts at 9,  a whirlwind of homeschool and cleaning, lunch, cleanup, play/chaos, a little more school/piano, naps for the littlest- maybe a little quiet time for everyone else?....sometimes....laundry, cleanup (quick before Dad gets home!), and then it's time for dinner and quiet (not literally!) evenings.
Thank goodness football is finally over! It's so nice to have a little less going on each day- piano and Boy Scouts is enough for me!

Candles- My solutions to the shorter days has always been candles and they're back in full force. When the sun goes away- the candles come out! Also, tea and slippers...

Outside: It's cold.
Not cold as in Alaska/Wyoming cold, but cold enough for a jacket and hat if you want to be comfortable- maybe some gloves wouldn't be a bad idea. I'm having to make a little more effort to get out these days and I'm noticing I'm also having to make more effort to get the kids out as well. The polar opposite problem of a month ago when I couldn't keep them in and was constantly unable to find various children!

Making: I've been working on a another doll for Maria these last couple of months- after a little bit of a hiccup with the hair and having to do it over hopefully I'll be able to make some time to work on it in the coming weeks. I think she's going to be really cute.

Trying to force myself back into the groove of knitting again. I finished some baby booties and have managed to knit a sleeve of William's sweater (only 2 years in the making.....) I'm really really trying not to cast of for any new projects until the sweater is done.
It's been rough.

Fixing that darned Jesse tree.
It' managed to sit in my laundry room all year and just now I'm finally trying to muster up the courage to fix it. It's part way there- but in my true idiotic style I decided to make a way bigger project out of it then was necessary and then....not finish it....
I have approximately 2 weeks before advent starts.

Reading
Lark rise to Candleford
The Story of a Soul- Terese of Lisiex
Mere Christianity- C.S. Lewis
Discovering Wild Plants-Janice J. Schofield
The Lion That Shot Back- Shel Silverstein

and hoping to start soon...

Chronicles of Narnia- C.S. Lewis
The Father Brown Mysteries- GK Chesterton

Misc.
Paul finds it entertaining (and so do we) that he can hang from the  arm of our couch from his
big ol' belly.  :)
He is the most amazing kisser, and regularly asks to give (and receive) a kiss.
Each time Paul hears the coo coo clock go off he sprints from wherever he is in the house to watch the little people dance and listen to the music. It's very sweet.

I'm hoping to get some Christmas presents ordered soon so everything will be delivered in time. Wish me luck and pray that I don't get too distracted reading reviews on every single little thing!
Good grief...