FOR TODAY

Outside my window...
The weather is beautiful and fall-like today. The sky was clear and the kids played outside with the neighbors nearly until dinner time. We all got to walk this morning when we went downtown on an errand.
 
I am thinking...
About organization. Homeschool organization. Paper organization. I have out nearly all my homeschool books because they all say something about how to keep the papers from getting lost, crumpled, stepped on, and used for paper airplanes (or origami). I want sleek binders for each general subject, color-coded, sectioned, and kept by my children. I want to make portfolios of their best work and I want to hang beautiful artwork before moving it to a portfolio. Currently, I can't even find the tape (we just moved, so it isn't quite as bad as it sounds). Maybe we'll buy tape when we buy color-coded binders.
 
I am thankful...
So thankful for all the space we have now that we moved. I'm thankful for a big backyard and for neighbors whose children leave just as many toys over the backyard as our kids. I'm thankful for a heating system that overheats (rather than underheats) our house. I am thankful for big windows and thick roller blinds. 
 
In the kitchen...
We are reaping the rewards of freezer cooking a few weeks ago. We had meatball sandwiches on Five-Minutes-a-Day artisan bread tonight with cole slaw. The meatballs just had to be reheated, and the other things were pretty easy. I'm thinking chili and cornbread tomorrow night. Those are great cool weather foods.
 
I am wearing...
Jeans, a t-shirt, and a silk long underwear shirt. The weather is changing! Scarves and jackets when we go out!
 
I am creating...
Does a clean kitchen count? We bought four pieces of furniture for the living room off of Craigslist over the weekend and we're trying to figure out how best to arrange it. I reorganized the books today, but they still need help. We all drew from a Renoir this afternoon. It was so fun!
 
I am going...
We went downtown this morning and got our new in-state drivers licenses. We went to Madison last week and toured the capitol.

The capitol of Wisconsin.

 
I am wondering...
Dan's nervous about how I'll react to the winter. I'm not worried, yet. Will it go well in the city? 
 
I am looking forward to...
My mom's visit! I hope we'll organize the office (and find the tape). I hope we'll explore some of the city, do fun grandparent things like go to a pumpkin patch, and find ways to make the house more homey.
 
I am learning
The value of planning ahead! We were out most of the morning at the DMV, but due to plans I'd written last night, we had a really productive day, getting in language arts, math, reading, and some geography, poetry, and art to boot. We started the day at noon and got more done, with better attitudes, than we often get done when we start at 8:30.
 
Around the house...
The living room is starting to be very inviting!

A favorite quote for today...


Why can't I think of the quotes I've been pondering all day when it comes time to blog?

OK, paraphrased from the Clarksons. 

"There are some effects you don't like. They all have causes. You won't get the effects to disappear by complaining about how bad they are. You get the end effects to stop by carefully dealing with the cause."

Obese prairie dog at Madison, WI zoo.

One of my favorite things...
Walking everywhere in the city, and seeing people everywhere I walk. 

A few plans for the rest of the week:
German coffe, ballet, soccer, possible piano lesson, picking Mom up from the airport, pumpkin patch, coffee klatsch. Whew. I'm tired.

A peek into my day...

My baby Matthew, a gift from God.