Daybook: I Can't Believe Its Been Five Months Since My Last!

Outside My Window: ...its dark. Its been dark for several hours now and quite honestly that annoys me. Since we live just a few short hours drive west from the Alabama/Georgia border--which is where the time zone changes from Central to Eastern--the sun sets quite early here in the winter...like before 5:00PM! Needless to say, I miss the sunshine and fresh air that we get to enjoy so abundantly during other seasons of the year.

I Am Listening To: ...the gentle hum of the clothes dryer in the next room.

I Am Wearing: ...red and white striped pajama pants and a red long-sleeved tee.

I Am Thankful For: ...the simple things. In particular, sharing an ice cream cone with a certain blond-haired, blue-eyed two-year-old in my life. Sweetness!

I Am Pondering: this wonderful post written by the ever-talented Elizabeth Foss. If you are not familiar with her or her faith-filled writings, please go check this post out now. It will speak volumes to the heart.

I Am Reading: ...The Discipline Book and The Fussy Baby Book, both authored by the Sears. Yes, I know I've been reading those two books for several months now, but if it counts for anything, I'm almost finished with both of them.

To Be Fit And Happy: Oy...I have to be honest that I haven't done much beyond lug babies around. I'm hoping that counts for something because my back says it does!

From The Kitchen: I've been keeping it simple the past several days--lots of soups, salads, etc.

I Am Thinking: ...that weekends go by way too quickly. It seems as though Saturdays and Sundays almost always go by at least twice as quickly as the week days.

I Am Creating: ...a special something as a Christmas present for a special someone. ;-)

On My iPod: Hmmm...I think the most recent thing I've downloaded would be Wow Hits 2011-30 of Today's Top Christian Artist and Hits. Such a lovely, heart-lifting collaboration of music for when I can't listen to my beloved KSBJ...or I get tired of the Christmas music that they play non-stop from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

Towards A Real Education: While we ultimately chose not to rush formal homeschooling curricula onto Brinley this fall, she is constantly learning new things. Over the past several weeks she has been recognizing more and more words. I just hope her love for reading is something that she holds onto for the rest of her life.

Towards Rhythm and Beauty: While it seems as though the Advent season slips by us every year, I am really trying to pull the reigns back, slow things down a little bit and savor this blessed season for what it is.

To Live The Liturgy: Focusing on making this Advent season as peaceful as possible for our little domestic church.

I Am Hoping And Praying: ...that the sun will continue to shine.

In The Garden: Well, not a whole lot besides various plants and hedges that can tolerate the cold weather we've been experiencing lately. I've already been making plans in my head for the flower beds once spring comes....which plants need to be replaced, where mulch needs to be added, etc. I'm thinking I need to start putting some of those ideas to paper before they disappear all together!

Around The House: Things have been going fairly smoothly. The only thing I've been finding a struggle to keep up with during this time of year is the laundry. With all the traveling, it seems as though just as I'm getting caught up from one trip, it is time to pack for another. That's okay...I think the time spent visiting with loved ones afar is well worth the sacrifice of having to wear jammies around the house the first day or two after we're home from a trip. ;-)

On Keeping Home: Bruce, Brinley and I finished 'decking our halls' last weekend. We hung icicle lights on the house, edged the walkway and flower beds with bulb lights, put up and decorated the Christmas tree and hung our stockings just in time to celebrate Saint Nicholas's feast day.

One Of My Favorite Things: ...is the sight of a lit Christmas tree. I love it so much that I keep ours on all. the. time. In fact, the only time that it goes off is if we are out of town. Otherwise, its kept on. Even when we go to bed, I like to keep it on all night just for the shear fact that I love walking out of my room into the living room on a chilly winter morning to catch the sight of twinkling lights draped on the boughs of an evergreen (or an artificial one). All I can say is thank goodness we live in the age of LED lights or else our electric bill might be as high as our mortgage payment for the month of December!

Brinley Anne This Week: ... LOVES having the Christmas tree up. Every morning, as soon as she walk from her room to the living room she says "Cwistmish Twee!". She also enjoys looking at the neighbors' outdoor Christmas lights as we drive in and out of the neighborhood.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Aside from having W in our home next week, I need to finish up shopping for one Christmas gift and then I think I'll be done...I think. Then, I'll just need to get started with the wrapping. Normally, I do pretty good and wrap as I buy, but this year I just can't seem to get in the mood to wrap. Oh...I also need to finish crafting that special Christmas gift that I talked about above.

A Picture I'm Sharing: I'm actually sharing two. The first picture is of a cup of cocoa for my sweetie pie...the little one, not the big one. ;-) The second picture is of the previously mentioned sweetie pie enjoying her cocoa. A small cup of cocoa has become somewhat of a mid-afternoon custom on chilly afternoons for Brinley and myself.

~Marshmallow-topped Cocoa~

~Yum!~