The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY, Monday 30th March 2009...

Outside my window... cars whizzing past, grey sky, next-door's beautiful magnolia tree

I am thinking... isn't it amazing how the cherry blossoms come on the trees, are there for a while, and then without fail God sends some strong winds and all the blossoms are blown off revealing the new leaves

I am Remembering... how quickly the year has gone... it really *can't* be a year since my last birthday, can it?!

I am thankful for... the longer hours of daylight

From the learning rooms... should be a decent week's 'learning' this week... (including the time spent with the Educational Psychologist!) as a little more time at home and less out socialising!

From the kitchen... Today sausages, mash & beans; Tuesday, pasta and tomato sauce, peas; Wednesday, something courtesty of Morrison's cafe! (birthday treat!); Thursday, baked potatoes, salad; Friday, something from the freezer; Saturday, own choice; Sunday, Roast and trimmings.

I am wearing... trusty long denim skirt (it *does* get washed!), t-shirt, cardy, bare feet

I am creating... nothing lovely yet, just piles of paper work to get on top of!

I am going... to try and finally go and get ourselves registered with the Library this week!

I am reading... too many 'ideas' books/articles that my head is bursting with ideas that I just don't have the time to implement! Time to work within the confines of what is possible right now!

I am hoping... I can make an effort to get up square with organisation issues so I can settle down to more relaxed evenings; and to try and ensure the kids go to bed and stay in bed when they're supposed to.

I am hearing... laughter outside... we've been making a bubble-blowing machine and now the kids are playing with it

Around the house... we really *live* here, so it's not going to be perfect!

One of my favorite things... bees on flowers

A few plans for the rest of the week... try to be based at home a little more this week; see Aunt Jill; have fun on my birthday

A Scripture... "Trust in the Lord with all your heeart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

(What great characters, regardless of one's age!)

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Simple Saturday

Ladies Day Conference - entitled the Rose Conference (hence the Rose we got to take home!)... a chance for me to make new friends in the area, and mostly to enjoy some Bible Teaching. The kids got to enjoy the company of their lovely Grama & Grampa.

Fun tea... an 'experiment' in home delivery service!

Clocks go forward an hour tonight... yes, I HAVE remembered, and I set them forward when the kids went to bed, so that I didn't forget!

Snapshot of our week

Shrinkles... been having great fun with these... we shrank our hands this week! Look at the 'real' size on the left, and how small it shrinks to on the right... endless possibilities!

Great fun at a new park! We were taken to this park in Worcester by some new friends this week, and the kids thoroughly enjoyed it... so when we had to return to Worcester later in the week, we decided to see if we could find the park again... amazingly we did!

The 'spoils' from our Home Ed group this past week... it had a Greek theme, hence the Trojan horses, Greek name tag, dove from the ancient Olympic Games, and the 'moasic' pots. Bubbles also tried some Greek food (olives, feta, figs) and didn't really enjoy it, but she tried!

More 'Park' time... we are a bit park mad me thinks! This is our local one...

More lego! Getting good at making houses now!

Bit of a Pizza theme going on this week! We'll get over it! Unfortunately the 'tell stupid jokes' has been going on for rather too long now... time to move on to some sensible ones!

Time stands still for no man!

Today my wonderful friend Ingrid turns 30 - Happy Birthday! Trouble is, that means that I finally have to recognise that I am actually well *over* 30 now! I have been able to kid myself that I was also still in my 20's since Ing and I became friends (6+ years ago), because she was in her 20's and I didn't *feel* any older than her! Ah well, time to gracefully accept my real age now, and recognise that time doesn't stand still!

Have a great day, Ing... we love you loads.

The Christian Institue Meeting

I went to a meeting with the Christian Institute the other night, hosted at our church. It was very interesting and particularly challenging! We were encouraged to not sit around mute, lulled into a sense of complacency by today's society or self-moderated by our fear that someone might take offence to something we say about our normal everyday life as a Christian. We were encouraged to speak up, that consciences need pricked, so that we can be the 'salt' to this world and help prevent the decay that is taking place here. And, as you wouldn't put a lamp under a bowl, so we shouldn't hide ourselves away. Sadly, we have become numbed by society and used to what is going on... the analogy given was that of being in the dark after a power cut... initially there is a feeling of startlement as we can't see anything, but gradually our eyes become accustomed to the dark and we are still able to get around.

I am, hands in the air, shamefully, one of those who lives in the hope that no one will ask me why I do things the way I do... one who likes to think that 'actions speak louder than words' - and I'm sure in many ways they do speak louder than MY words... I'm a hopeless orator and I can't ever seem to find the right words to say *at the time* - after the event, yes, I'll have it then; in written form, yes ok on that count too... but I should speak out too... give an answer for they way I am, not be ashamed to stand up and be counted. I had the perfect opportunity at the Home Ed group this week... "so, why do you home school?" I was asked (you need to understand that having just moved we are in the process of meeting new Home Ed families, so this question is bound to crop up just now). "ooo, er... hmmm... well... lots of reasons I suppose... the schools..." bla, bla, bla... you get the picture! WHY did I not say that I really believed the Lord had led me to it too? What's wrong with saying that? I'm sure some people have more ludicrous answers to the same question that no one would blink an eye at! "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel..." wrote Paul in Romans 1v16 and he had taken a lot of flack for sharing this Gospel, yet he still proceeded with boldness. We have been learning this verse... "why would anyone be ashamed of the Gospel?" asked Bubbles when we first heard this verse... yes, why indeed should we/I be ashamed? Fear? I definitely need to keep my eyes fixed more firmly on the Lord and try to grab any opportunity placed before me to speak up... maybe it could be the only opportunity that someone has to hear the Gospel... and right now, we do actually have the 'religious liberty' in this country to share our beliefs.

Cease Striving...

I was reading Psalm 46 in my NASB and verse 10 reads thus "Cease Striving and know that I am God..." (empahsis mine). I'm more used to the translation "Be still..."... and I know I'm hopeless at being still, but even more so at ceasing to strive it would seem. It's really helped me to understand more about being still... I CAN be still, sitting quietly reading my Bible, and yet still striving in my mind over something... can I REALLY know the sovreignty of God while I'M still in the equation? I don't think so; and how can I really know that God is truly God if I won't let Him be! "Cease striving..."

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY, Monday 23rd March 2009...

Outside my window... darkness, wind, rain

I am thinking... that I should be in bed by now!

I am Remembering... the pleasant afternoon the kids and I had... Pizza Hut for lunch, Morrisons shopping, and fun playing with my early birthday present - a Wii Fit board.

I am thankful for... the rain! Ok, I didn't enjoy it very much, but it saved me from having to water the plants myself!

From the learning rooms... not much in the form of structured study this week; today was letter writing morning and errands afternoon; Tuesday will be full of 'odds and ends' no doubt; Wednesday and Friday we have Home Ed groups; and Thursday the day is spoilt by me having to go for my bi-annual interview at the job centre... just one of those weeks where 'life' seems to take over!... but learning continues all the same!

From the kitchen... Today we indulged in a meal out at Pizza Hut; Tuesday baked potatoes and salad; Wednesday shepherds pie and veg; Thursday rice, beans and veg; Friday pasta and tomato sauce; Saturday something simple; Sunday roast and trimmings.

I am wearing... trusty old long denim skirt, t-shirt, and cardy as needed, bare feet

I am creating... no time! no time! I'm driven up the wall in despair over this at the moment! I NEED to be 'creating'!

I am going... to bed in 5 minutes!

I am reading... some sample Educational Philosophies, so that I can work out what to say in mine once we have to be accountable to the Local education Authority in the near future.

I am hoping... that the above doesn't tax my brain too much!

I am hearing... tapping of computer keys, the occasional car, clock ticking

Around the house... it's Monday, so all is pretty much in order!

One of my favorite things... buds on trees in Spring

A few plans for the rest of the week... Home Ed groups, a Christian Institute meeting, Work Focused Interview at the job centre, all-day ladies meeting on Saturday, friends coming round to pray; better use of my time, healthier eating

A Scripture..."Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

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Simple Saturday

The object that caused me to shed a few tears today! How silly! Couldn't get the washing line to open up and my emotions got the better of me!

The Jedi warrior!

Two houses... one this morning, one this evening.

Snapshot of our week

Our first Home Ed meet up down here... at the Pump House in Worcester. Very interesting place. And the park adjacent to it - Gheluvelt... lots of history there. Beautiful day for exploring it a bit.

My feelings on looking after the house at the moment!

Our new 'regime'... there will be much flexibility involved and a lot of honing, but everyone has to start somewhere!

Brinton Park with Spike. Cherry Blossom. Magnifying glass.

The Outdoor Hour - Challenge #9

So, here we are looking at Challenge 9 (One Small Square). We are to see how many different things we can find in our square. It's been such a lovely afternoon that we spent a lot of it in the garden, and we went to the top of the garden to find our 'square' to look in. We threw a bit of twine in a rough square shape and grabbed the magnifying glasses and our field microscope and had a good look to see what we could find.

To be honest, it wasn't a hugely exciting square of the garden! However, we did discover that life goes on underfoot, even when we don't notice it!... we had a fair amount of grass in our square and moss and some creeping leaves, which we think may be buttercup stems - what was more interesting was the root systems of these, fascinating. Then we had leaves, a few small stones, dead branches and tiny cones (off the overhanging conifers we presume). We also managed to see an ant, a small spider a couple of small bugs and a tiny woodlouse.

The kids hugely enjoyed using the magnifying glasses and Bubbles particularly liked using the field microscope and eagerly viewed her 'finds' (mostly leaves) this way.

Eager to continue using the mangifers, talk turned to burning grass... but the sun just isn't quite hot enough to manage that yet so we discovered... so talk turned to melting chocolate - that worked! Not exactly nature... but managed nature study AND science activity all out of the same equipment!

Wordless Wednesday (nearly)

Took mum to see The Young Victoria for an early Mother's Day treat. It was fun.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY, Monday 16th March 2009...

Outside my window... sunshine, gentle breeze in the trees, bees, cars...

I am thinking... what a glorious day! Thank you Lord!

I am Remembering... what a long winter it has been; and how it seems that we are headed into Spring now.

I am thankful for... the gift of sight and the wonders of Creation I see around.

From the learning rooms... new school and chore schedules! No gentle breaking in, just launching into it all and hoping we survive!

From the kitchen... Today, McDonalds; Tuesday Baked Potatoes, salad; Wednesday, Roast Chicken, veg; Thursday, Rice, Beans, veg; Friday, Chicken Curry, veg; Saturday, from the freezer; Sunday, own choice.

I am wearing... black trousers (gardening to be done today), t-shirt, fleece jumper, bare feet

I am creating... piles of paper work all over the place! It's out of control! Not managing to create anything beautiful!

I am going... to be up straight and organised by the end of the week!

I am reading... The Psalms

I am hoping... I get an early night and feel more awake tomorrow!

I am hearing... an argument... uh oh!

Around the house... a lived-in feel, homely living, still way too much 'stuff'!

One of my favorite things... a vase full of beautiful flowers

A few plans for the rest of the week... hopefully 'find' one of the Home Ed groups around here; maybe visit a local carpet factory museum; do something special with mum for Mother's Day.

A Scripture... 'Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."' John 8:12

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

(doesn't it look like they are just having SO much fun!)

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