Delegation....

Yesterday, I needed to get out the door to attack my errands.

I needed to complete several desk tasks before I could do that including something that resembled a menu to build a grocery list from.

The twenty minutes that I had was not adequate to get all the at-home stuff done.

The kids began hovering over me with the million questions and requests that vacation days bring.

In a moment of inspiration (don't even dare to call it desperation), I grabbed a piece of paper, listed the days out, and handed it to them. "You guys come up with the menu for the next week, AS a team."

Collaboration commenced. They actually had fun as they remembered favorite meals and took turns (without my prodding!) making suggestions.

Here is what they came up with:

Wednesday (last night): Pasta and veggies
Thursday: Potato Soup, but also cheese and hummus and crackers for our New Years Celebration
Friday: pizza (we almost always have pizza on Friday)
Saturday: crockpot macoroni and cheese
Sunday: spaghetti and meatballs
Monday: Veggie Soup that mom made up (This one cracks me up. I asked them to explain it, that I didn't remember the recipe. They said that's okay, you can just make up a new recipe. They have so much faith in me.)

Yes, the menu is starch laden, but perfect for a snowy weekend. And since they have buy-in for the menu, there will be minimal meal struggles, and maybe even some extra help in the kitchen.

Creative Mathematics with Christmas Gifts

Take these:













Add this:












And you will likely get this:














My first completed pair of American Girl pants, modeled by Miss Molly McIntire. The girls and I have three patterns and have great hopes for these girls 'custom' wardrobes. What a fun new hobby for these winter months!

(The nightgown on Josefina in the first picture is also homemade, though not by me. I picked that up at a craft show a couple weeks ago.)

Marc's What...

My sister, who is the coolest in the world, made Marc a 'what' for Christmas. On his website is a variety of his guesses.

Here is the answer.




















I love having such a creative sister. She inspires me. I especially love that she loves teasing Marc as much as I do. : )

Christmas Already?

Today is the last day of school for 2009. The kids will have a full two weeks off. I am amused with myself that I find these two weeks a bit intimidating - me, that homeschooled for six years and had them at home ALL the time.

In a fit of inspiration, I decided to pull out our games, and put them under the tree. They will be easy to see, no hidden behind a cupboard door. They will be easy to grab. They are located next to a warm pellet stove and large open place of carpet... a perfect place to play a game. A perfect setting for some good family holiday fun.

Snow Day

'nuff said?

More Socks

Why yes. They are homemade socks. What? Oh yes, I made them. That's right, my third pair this Fall.

I am SO excited. This pair I made both socks at the same time, and I think I may be just downright addicted.

The book that I used for this pair is Knitting Circles around Socks. It was a great help to me and I highly recommend it. I spent too much money on it because it was a spontaneous purchase, but especially now that I've finished my first pair, I feel certain I will use it as a guide for many sock pairs to come.

A new family member

Our new family member, Captain

Art Student of the Week

Anna has thoroughly enjoyed her art class at school. Yesterday, she came home with a special certificate for being the Art Student of the Week for her school. The art project they worked on last week was pictures of pumpkins. What the art teacher appreciated about Anna's pumpkin picture was that she drew a background of pine trees.

Socks

I finally wove in the ends and finished up these two pair of socks this past weekend. On the left, Sofia feet. Anna's are on the right. The socks were made toe-up with finger-weight yarn. Sofia's are all wool, Anna's are wool/nylon blend.

When you don't pick up your dirty laundry....

.... someone might fall and slip on it with our hardwood floors. Like your mom. When she's looking for a shirt for you to wear to church.

Lately, if I trip or stumble, my body does it with gusto, with knees and ankles getting hurt way more than they should. This morning it was my big toe, mostly, that hurt. Call me talented.

So after I got the shirt, I sat in a chair and told the kids to leave me alone to have a pity party. Examining my toe 'I think it's swelling', 'It might even be longer than the other one'.

As all mom's know, when mom is hurt, no one knows what to do. Most of the time they don't believe we are hurt or sick, because after all we are super-heroes.

As my family processed my pain and my self-pity, my 4yo came quietly to my side, "Mommy, can I pray for your toe?" She put her hand on my foot and with a heart full of faith prayed for my healing.

I hugged her with tears in my eyes, in awe of her quickness to ask her Father in Heaven to attend to all our needs.

When I looked up, my 10 yo son was standing near. His offering to my pain - a Snickers bar from his Halloween loot. My very favorite kind of candy.

I have such great kids.