For Today...

Outside my Window... It's overcast.

I am thinking... of easily prepared things that are good with ham for supper tonight.

From the learning rooms... I heard about an article on Dave Ramsey's radio show today, and I want to go read it. It's supposed to be a really good reflection on the collapse of Lehman Brothers. I think I'll print it out, because I hate hunching over a desk to read stuff on the internet.

I am thankful for... schools that my children enjoy attending. All 4 of the kids love school and I credit the schools for providing great curricula and for the awesome teachers that love my kids and inspire them to learn. The kids soak up a great deal of typical school knowledge at their respective schools, but they also acquire a lot of Biblical knowledge as well as interacting with teachers who love Jesus and model his love. I really can't ask for better situations for my children. God has been very good to lead us to these schools.

From the kitchen... I have so many peaches, because my husband stopped at the local produce stand on Saturday and bought a huge basket of the gorgeous, good smelling fruit. I also have an abundance of Yellow Delicious apples, because they were 99 cents a bag last time I went grocery shopping. I need to slice and freeze the peaches and do something with the apples before they rot.

I am wearing... a navy blue top that has a keyhole that bothers me (it shows too much cleavage if it falls too low, but it's super comfy other than that), some khaki shorts and a pair of Target knockoff Rocket Dogs.

I am reading... nothing right now. I need to finish Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend and plan on starting Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson.

I am hoping... it rains like the weather guy has claimed it would for the past week.

I am creating... a scrapbook from our December 2007 Disney trip. I spent yesterday organizing pictures and embellishments for last month's trip plus the one my husband and I took alone in May. That's a lot of Disney, but I would go back tomorrow in a heartbeat. Love that place.

I am hearing... My iPod on shuffle. Right now it's playing "Down To The River To Pray" by Allison Krause.

Around the house... dinner to be made, dishes to be unloaded from the dishwasher, dishes in the sink to be loaded, a load of laundry in the dryer, 2 baskets of laundry in the den to be folded and lunches to be made for the boys.

One of my favorite things... is going to the movies. Today Lillian and I went to see Wall E. I hadn't seen it (hubby took the kids to see it earlier in the summer). It was so cute, and Lillian and I had a blast on our Mommy date. We shared popcorn and had Cokes and I even treated her to a Nerds Rope ('cause I wanted Raisinets to go with my popcorn). I am looking forward to seeing more movies by myself this year; I'm especially intrigued by "Burn After Reading (the Coen Brothers ROCK), "The Duchess" (one of those fluffy Keira Knightley period films with gorgeous costumes), "Eagle Eye" (with Shia LeBeouf), "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" and "Nights in Rodanthe" (because I really, really like Diane Lane... she's gorgeous and timeless). I love the dark theater, escaping into a story for a couple of hours and then walking out into the blinding sun. It's a great way to spend my time. I saw several previews for movies I know the kids will enjoy, too. "The Tale of Desperaux" (based on one of Camryn's all time favorite books), "Bolt" (the hamster is adorable) and "Madagascar 2: Escape from Africa (the clip made me LAUGH OUT LOUD today! I like to move it, move it!)

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... Tomorrow a nurse is coming to the house to do a health profile for new life insurance. Always love those. Tomorrow is also Camryn's teacher's birthday, so I'll go out there sometime tomorrow to take her gifts and a chocolate chip cookie cake thing. I have a room mom meeting on Thursday, which is the same day I have to pick up my check and leftover clothes from the bi-annual consignment sale I participate in. I'm hoping for at least $300, but we'll see. I just don't want to have a lot of clothes left over. Saturday is Lillian's 4th birthday, and I still haven't put together a party. I guess she'll have to celebrate next week. I'm awful about planning the kids' parties. In between all that I'll have more laundry to do, dishes out the wazoo and lots of helping with homework and cooking dinner. It never ends.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...



This is Lillian in her strawberry gown. She inherited the gown from Camryn, so it's a little pilled and small. I took a picture of her wearing the gown because I remember how Camryn looked in it, all clean and fresh from a bath. I always called her "My Strawberry Girl" when she wore it, and I do the same for Lillian. Lillo's about to outgrow the strawberry gown, which means it will be put in a bag bound for Goodwill. Maybe some other little girl will find it and her momma will call her Strawberry Girl, too.