Simple Woman

Outside my window…

Randy Durram via Flickr   licensed cc     South Charleston, Ohio

I am thinking…
about the law suit in which I am the defendant.  Basically the plaintiff is refusing to settle and is pushing for a jury trial, and every time I get something in my e-mail about it, a little jolt of electricity goes through my system and I can barely make myself open it.

But something different happened yesterday. Yesterday I got this big e-mail with all the argumentation about why this should go to a jury instead of just a judge, and how I’m one of the bad guys etc., and I had such a peace about it.

I read all the paper work attached and then simply thought to myself – “these guys don’t know what they’re dealing with  – I just started praying the Christmas Novena!!“

I am thankful…
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

(It is piously believe that whoever recites the above prayer 15 times a day from the feast of St. Andrew  – Nov.30th until Christmas will obtain what is asked.)

In the kitchen…
I think meatloaf tonight with salad and maybe sweet potatoes.   I am giving up potatoes and corn in the new year and trying to limit my carbs to only 15 grams per meal.

I didn’t realize how much I LOVE potatoes. Love em – french fried, baked, boiled, roasted – I could eat them at every meal – but they have a HUGE insulin response and correspondingly don’t really help with losing weight. It’s not going to be easy because they are so economical and they fill the rest of the family up.

It’s hard being a grain free, potato free person when my spouse isn’t exactly on board with any of that and the kids are on his side.

I am wearing…
Black pants, Firestone booster shirt, black sweater and my blue Christmas Jacket that is super warm.

I am reading…

I am pondering...
Last week I was pondering the etiquette involved with co-habitating couples and couples who are co-parenting but aren’t “a couple” and the holidays.

This week, I am pondering how expectations of childhood don’t meet the realities of adulthood.  When I was growing up, my grandfather called his mother and went up to visit her regularly. That was my only life experience observing an adult son and mother relationship.

But for my friends and me, it isn’t working out that way. Our sons are more bound to the families of their significant others. My friend was allowed to visit her grandchildren on Thanksgiving, but not allowed to stay and eat with them.  I didn’t see any of my three older sons on Thanksgiving day, although one son came and watched half of a movie with us that night. Then his girlfriend called him and he was gone. I did spend a lot of time with my oldest and his wife on Sunday afternoon for a wonderful Thanksgiving feast at our new in-laws house, but didn’t see them before or since because of their other social obligations with friends.

And while I will admit that Mr. Pete used to spend a lot of time at my house when we were courting, we spent a lot of time and his parents house for the holidays and a good part of our yearly trip north was spent visiting my mother-in-law in the nursing home. So this turn of events wasn’t something I saw coming or even imagined when I started having all of these sons. Is it a generational thing? or a cultural change?

I am going…

• to walk or work out every day with Pfilates.  Actually got a short workout done in the basement this morning. 
• to cut my carbs via the Wheat Belly Total Health: The Ultimate Grain-Free Health and Weight-Loss Life Plan  recommendations. 
• Diligently pray the Christmas Novena. 

From the Learning Rooms…


Noah- Senior

• Pre-calculus
• AP World History  
• Chemistry
• Basic Economics – done – A+
• 
  
• Selected Themes
• 
  
• Piano
• Choir and bell choir

Izzy-Junior

• Algebra II
• American History  2
• American Literature 2
• Spelling
• Sign Language
• Chemistry
• Economics  – Passed!
• Art Class
• Health

Rosie 5th grade

• Saxon 65
• Bravewriter

• Prairie Primer
• Spelling 
• Geography
• Anatomy and Physiology

• Choir- co-op
• Art Class

One of my favorite things…

Some ideas to try with Miss C this advent season

A pic of me and my first baby this Thanksgiving – that is NOT my tail – that belongs to his dog, Toledo.