Back At It Daybook

Outside my window...
A glorious, sunny, 70 degree, crisp-air, beginning of fall day.  Warm in the sunshine, cool in the shade. Leaves beginning to change.  Couldn't be better.

I am thankful for...
Having Ains go to school where I teach.  Those brief moments of blown kisses, attempted winks, and stop-your-heart smiles are priceless.  The pride, ownership, and confidence she exudes because we are both there fills me in a way I hadn't been prepared to feel.

Also - for our internet FINALLY working again!  World --- I'm back!

Finally - for being spoiled by my husband for my birthday this year!  I came home to find the house charmingly (as only a boy can do) decorated with party garb, flowers, a candle, and a glass of red wine waiting for me.  Then - whisked off to my favorite italian restaurant where we had a candle in a cannoli for dessert.  And great presents. I mean GREAT presents.  Show tickets & a spa appointment.

I am thinking about...
Professional Learning Communities - and my role in them.

Learning all the time...
Trying to learn how to make a distribution list on my contacts with Outlook - from a bunch of addresses in a table.  Any tips?
Ains is learning more ballet moves.  And is practicing her curtsies several times a day. :)  She is learning so many songs, poems, and words in school - Jasper and I mostly walk around with our mouths hanging open in awe and delight.

From the kitchen...
Twirly Pasta & Chicken With Sauce (Ainsley's 2 favorites) make it on the menu every single week.  This week I even tried a crockpot recipe!  Boy, that made for a relaxed arrival home after a long day!  [and by recipe - i mean that i tossed in some pork chops, onion, mushrooms & bbq sauce - not that i actually looked at a real recipe. that would require effort.]

I am creating...
a more balanced & healthy schedule... including a spread-out cleaning list ala Sarah.  (Having a schedule for chores now has a needed place in my day-to-day. Keeps my house clean without any real thought or worry about when I'll get to something.  Ok - so my list is CONSIDERABLY shorter.  In fact, my weekly and monthly goals fit on a single side of an index card... with a little space.)

I am working on...
learning choreography from my favorite dance teacher in the world.  What a gift.

I am going...
to the Beijing Dance Theater!!  I have coveted these tickets for months!!!  (like I said, good b-day.)

I am hoping...
that I will be better about calling and writing a dear friend whom I love, and is going through a really hard time.

I am reading...
your blogs, now that I have internet again!

Not Without My Daughter - by Betty Mahmoody.  A true story.  Breathtaking.  Gripping.  Fascinating.  Terrifying.

Next up? The Island - Elin Hilderbrand, Cutting For Stone (Thanks, sis!), The Dancer Within (thanks, Aileen!)

For teaching: Your 5 Year Old (Gesell book), Whatever It Takes (DuFour), Choice Literacy website, Daily Cafe website, re-read of National Reading Panel summary

I am praying for...
A dear friend who is embarking on a new chapter in life unexpectedly.  A friend close to my heart who is nearing the arrival of a long-dreamed-of baby.  A new friend who has heard time and again bad news and whose heart is breaking.
A prayer Ains brought home from school, that we adapted for our new bedtime routine:
Dear God,
Thank you for the world so sweet.
Thank you for a good night's sleep.
Thank you for the birds that sing.
Thank you, Lord, for everything.
(Then she adds 1 or 2 other things she wants to thank God for.)

I am hearing...
The whir of the laundry spinning and tumbling.  Can I tell you how satisfying it is to hear that on a quiet FRIDAY night?? Knowing that I may actuallly get through it all before Sunday evening?

Around the house...
Matt was our guest recently and a self-appointed house-elf!  He worked on fixing a rusted hinge, investigated our refrigerator door-not-closing problem, restocked odds and ends which I continue to find as we go through our days.

Glad to say that Houdini (what? I didn't tell you about our resident magical mouse?) played his famous disappearing act.  He refused to be caught in a trap (though he ate everything in them!) - and simply stopped coming to our house.  He disappeared.

One of my favorite things...
coffee.  Oh, how I LOVE really good coffee.

A few plans for the rest of the week...
time with friends
ballet for Ains
seeing a site-specific dance performance
a trip to the apple orchard & pumpkin patch
class & rehearsal
a wedding
catching up on blog reading & ... dare I?  FB
apple-investigations in kindergarten

Here are some picture thoughts I am sharing with you...

this girl takes after her aunties - a natural in the kitchen!

current favorite skirt

why?  because it curtsies well!



and is great for dancing



and just plain being beautiful