Elena 
My latest on Catholicmom.com is here.
Outside my window…
I am thinking…
that having most of my shopping done early this year has really made Advent a lot nicer. Mr. Pete is in charge of buying one thing – only one thing for Izzy, and he hasn’t done it yet! That is stressing me out a little bit, but I’m hoping we can go shopping this weekend and finish it off!
I am thankful…
that we can meet all of our needs, if not all of our wants.
In the kitchen…
Italian chicken tonight. Planning a fish dish for the first O’Antiphon Day – since fish is brain food and the antiphon starts out, “O Wisdom…”
I am wearing…
Dark brown pants and a black knit top with a brown sweater. I will put my black boots on when I go to Rosie’s recital this evening, so I hope that will be dressy enough. I am also wearing a look of exhaustion because my granddaughter spent the night and slept with me – which means she woke up at 2 and then was patting me away at 6!
I am pondering...
the persistence that it takes to say the Christmas Novena Prayer 15 times a day, every day! The prayer itself is lovely. I especially like this part.
” at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold”
but I am praying specifically about a law suit I’m involved in and that keeps it to the forefront of my mind every day.
I am going…
- to walk or work out every day with Pfilates. Mr. Pete laid a new rubber flooring in our basement which looks wonderful! but it certainly makes it a necessity to pick up my feet when I’m working out!
- 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…
We are winding down for the Christmas Break. Noah took the ACT for the third time last weekend, hoping to nudge his score up a bit more for some additional scholarship money. Since he has been writing essays every week for his AP World History Course, the writing portion felt very strong for him this time.
Izzy had a very difficult time with her Algebra 2 lesson 10, so I suggested we re-do the entire chapter instead of moving forward. On Monday, she listened to the DVD one more time, but instead of doing the entire chapter again, she jumped to the test and only missed two. She said there was just something in the presentation that stood out to her the second time and she understood it. We also watched some Kahn Academy presentations and that helped too.
Rosie and I enjoyed two interesting books this past week.
She wrote a report on the medicinal use of garlic and chamomile.
Everything else is on hold until after the holiday.
One of my favorite things…
A quote to share…
A quick reminder for those quick to dismiss the Wheat Belly Diet as something new fangled!
“This country’s cram-jammed with game,” he told her. “I saw fifty deer if I saw one, and antelope, squirrels, rabbits, birds of all kinds. The creek’s full offish.” He said to Ma, “I tell you, Caroline, there’s everything we want here. We can live like kings!” That was a wonderful supper. They sat by the camp fire and ate the tender, savory, flavory meat till they could eat no more. When at last Laura set down her plate, she sighed with contentment. She didn’t want anything more in the world.
Little House on the Prairie
A picture to share…
The toot fairy has not been diligent in picking up teeth like she should. So Rosie put her teeth in a bag and hung it on her door, labeling it specifically – “TEETH.” Since I took this photo she added another one- that’s 6 teeth!