Simple Woman's Daybook

For today, November 10, 2008



Outside my window...the dreary gray sky is releasing a chilly down poor lending a gloomy feeling to the day.



I am thinking...if not for Savannah's dance class this afternoon, I would still be in pj's or sweats with this weather. Don't think the thought did not cross my mind to let her skip, stay undressed, put on a movie for her and a pot of hot tea for me, and curl up on the couch!

I am thankful for... the bounty of children books on Savannah's shelf and our mutual love of devouring them. Nothing erases a less than ideal morning with my 3 year old like story time before her nap. We snuggling up and travel the world together without leaving her bunk bed, meanwhile dissolving any differences we might have had.

From the kitchen...I am headed to a woman's ministry dinner and Mark and Savannah are going on a date which relieves me of all kitchen duties. However, for your enjoyment I thought I would post an irresistible recipe. My new fall favorite, let me rephrase that, my whole family's (including Savannah) new fall favorite is Risotto with Roasted Winter Squash. With my homemade chicken broth, this dish was rich and flavorful but I'm sure it would taste pretty good with store bought broth as well.

I am wearing...jeans and a cute rusty orange fitted button down. Soon I will be putting on a clean pair of pj's for the dinner tonight. I can't remember what the theme is but, we are suppose to wear pajamas. On a dark, cold rainy night, who could pass up that opportunity? Tell me again why I even get out of my pj's today?

I am creating...a host of ideas for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Gifts, decor, parties, and menus, are all in the works. If only I could make a living "hosting" things... (some of you will find that funny for a particular reason ;)

I am going...out for dinner. Ya know, I think we are having breakfast for dinner and that's why we are wearing pajamas.

I am reading..."Creative Correction" by Lisa Whelchel, again. Last time I read the book Savannah was 1 1/2. This time the material is proving to be a bit more applicable.

I am hoping...that Savannah and Mark get in some good bonding time tonight on their date before Savannah and I leave for Colorado again next week.

I am hearing...Savannah stomp around the hardwood floors just for the sake of hearing her deeply loved brown boots clomp.

Around the house...Savannah and Mark are heading out the door and I am about to leave. There is laundry that needs to find it's home and sheets that need a bed. But the important things is, that I have no qualms about leaving it all undone.

One of my favorite things...my church family. Mark and I had a hard time visiting churches when we first moved here. Neither one of us had had to "visit" churches before. How could I go to a church where I wasn't related to half the congregation and the other half should be like family because they would have known my parents and grandparents for a hundred years? We couldn't find a church in this new town of ours where everyone had known us since birth. Imagine that. So how am I going to bond with them? Well not knowing me from birth turned out to be a blessing. Last January at D-now when they handed me keys to the church van with no hesitation I thought, "Oh, this would have not happened in my old church without at least one snide remark about my driving during the teenage years!" Let's just say the fresh start was just that, refreshing. Although we felt we had arrived where we needed to be the first time we patroned IBC, last Christmas it hit home. During the welcome part of the service it felt like warm arms were all around me, both holding me up and loving me. I scanned the congregation and saw nothing but inviting familiar faces. It was the closest thing I've had to an outer body experince. Tears welled up as I realized I am home.

Whew! OK, on a lighter note...

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

Savannah and cousin Todd, our house Thanksgiving 2005.

Every year since she has been born, I have captured a picture of her crawling over Todd on Thanksgiving day. The question is, are the children drawn to him because of his charisma or is it his annual stretch-out-on-the-floor-and-try-to-catch-a-post-turkey-nap ritual that leaves him wide open for invasion?

A few plans for the rest of the week...MOPs tomorrow, dinner at the Lessard's this weekend, many projects, a few appointments, and a little work. Lastly Sunday, Savannah and I will jet off to Dallas again in preparation for another Aspen trip. We will be back just in time to host thanksgiving.