Outside my Window…we have snow!
I am thinking…a lot about what I heard Bill O’Reilly say on his television program last week. Ordinarily people like us can get through this economic downturn by trying to live our lives as normally as possible, not using credit and just plowing through. It’s a little simplistic but overall I think it is true.
From the learning rooms…Sam and I are going to study the Revolutionary War. I have a DVD on Benedict Arnold I want him to watch and another coming on Washington. Today though we start plowing through int the Adam’s administration. The other kids and I are reading Johnny Tremain 
I am thankful for…having had the opportunity to know and love so many people in my lifetime who have passed on.November is the month that we remember our beloved dead.
From the kitchen…meatloaf, potato and side salad! Noah makes all the meatloaf now – he is the meatloaf expert!
I am wearing...New sweat pants that I splurged on ($14 at Gabriel Brothers). These are made by the John Deere Company – those guys use to build tractors! I remember we had a John Deere tractor on the farm and my grandpa always referred to it as “Johnnie.” Do they still make tractors? Or clothes? I also saw a John Deere Hoodie that said something like “Always a farm girl” on it. Might have to hint around for Christmas.
I am reading…Well, I hope to get the Scarlet Letter on tape so that I can catch up with Sam! Also this as the spine of Sam’s literature course:
I am hoping… to get Sam started on Moby-Dick 
I am hearing…my fingers on the keyboard and the usual buzzing in my ears that I am actually quite use to by now. In fact I didn’t have the buzzing for a time on Saturday – I missed it!
Around the house… Transcription and homeschooling.
One of my favorite things…Calvin went to Firefighter tryouts at a local community last week. He had to take a written test but he also had to do a rigorous physical challenge – like running for 12 minutes, push ups, sit ups, bench presses. He has been working out for months and he said it was all very easy. But what I loved was that he called me to tell me all about it.
“Hi mom. I just wanted to let you know how I did at the tryouts last night.”
He wanted to tell ME! I loved that.
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week…Make peace with Sam. He and I are having some issues over boundaries with his new girlfriend. I think talking on the phone at 11:00 on a school night, movies during the week, and going to the mall when the school work isn’t done are all unreasonable. He also thinks that it is unreasonable for me to be a little grouchy when I make special arrangements for us to take his girlfriend with us to Sam’s piano/pizza recital (arrangements such as leaving 20 minutes early on a cold rainy day so that I could exchange vehicles with Mr. Pete and paying for her share of pizza) only to have her be a no show. I believe Sam’s exact words were something like, Mom, you are being an a** h***. I have to wrap my brain around how loving, nurturing, sacrificing for a kid for almost 16 years can be so easily dismissed and forgotten. So I have to smooth that all over, if only in my own mind. I might need to talk to this girl’s mom.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you…
abandoned house in the fall
Originally uploaded by Mc Morr.
I found this on Flickr and thought it was perfect for a fall day.
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