Sunday morning daybook

I always enjoy reading Elizabeth's daybook posts,

so I thought I'd do my own this morning.

I stayed up waay too late last night 

working on a post for a finished quilt.

(Those things take a long time, ya'll!

I've already invested over 4 1/2 hours,

and I still need to add the pictures.)

When I woke up this morning, 

I wasn't feeling real great,

plus - sleeeepy! - 

so I stayed in bed.

I always feel badly about missing church,

(and I hate to miss out on sitting next to my man!)

but honestly,

sometimes I have really great worship sessions

at home 

all by my lonesome.

On to the daybook...

Outside my window:

Things are looking a little rough around here.

Landscaping is not high on the list right now.

But - we do have a beautiful crepe mrytle in the front yard,

and an amazing house

growing in the back.

Listening to:

Not much.

The clicking of the ceiling fan.

I've turned off the air conditioner

(we only have window units, and in our room, 

it's right by my head when I sit on the bed.

I get so tired of the constant noise,

that if it's not too hot,

I just turn the air off while I sit here with the computer.)

Now, there is a train rumbling by.

Clothing myself in:

a skirt (black, with big flowers down the center of the front and back) 

and a tank top (pink)

Pretty much my summer uniform.

Pondering:

Shoot - things are so scattered in my mind right now,

nothing stays there long enough to actually ponder.

That's not really a good place to be...

Carefully cultivating rhythm:

Umm.

This isn't happening either,

although it will have to very soon.

The calendar is yelling at me that it is almost time to start school.

Creating by hand:

Well.

I've just finished 2 quilts,

and another graduation zip pouch,

and my hands are staying quite busy building a house.

I knew that we'd have 70 to 100 thousand dollars of sweat equity

in the house

by the time it's finished,

I just hadn't anticipated that so much of that sweat

would be mine.

Reading:

Not really anything,

although this week, 

I'll be reading curriculum catalogs.

I've snuck in 2 kindle books this summer,

and both have been enjoyable.

The second one,

I read in 20 - 30 minute snatches of time

while getting my mile in.

The kids have read quite a bit this summer.

Brandon took care of signing them up for the library's reading program,

and they all read enough books to get their name in one.

That's always fun!

Lexi's reading has improved so much!

She had the mindset

 that 

unless in was in her 'reading lesson book',

she couldn't read.

But she doesn't think that anymore.

Learning Lessons in:

All things related to building.

I hope I can retain even a portion of all I'm learning.

I had planned to record in great detail,

but

there is just not time for that.

Six weeks ago, 

I had no clue what PEX even looked like.

Today,

I could totally run the water supply in your house

by myself

(with maybe a consultation or two with Tyler or Brandon, or my dad ;-)

Encouraging learning in:

love

and kindness.

Self discipline.

Taking initiative.

And Lexi absolutely must learn to banish the words 

"being mean to me"

from her vocabulary.

Keeping House:

Ugh.

(why did I think a daybook would be such a good idea??)

Not doing real great on that front either.

Crafting in the kitchen:

Oh my goodness,

what was I thinking?!
This is turning into one big confessional.

Nothing special coming out of the kitchen to be sure.

I've been throwing together a lot of one dish meals lately.

Camper Supper

Smoked Sausage and Sauerkraut

but more often, no recipe;

just whatever is in the fridge.

Then top it with cheese.

Or sour cream,

or ketchup and hot sauce...

To be fit and happy:

Happy, I've struggled with a bit lately.

Yes, we are excited to be building our house!

I feel like I've attacked every challenge and responsibility

with a good attitude and willing hands

but this building thing is also hard

and exhausting,

and I am just rather weary.

I am still on my intentional mile-a-day streak.

more often then not, though, 

I'm adding it in at the end of the day,

and I think I did a bit better emotionally

when I forced myself to fit it in early in the day.

I'm not sure if it's the 'exercise' part,

or the 'not hanging over my head' part,

but I need to get back to doing it first(ish) thing.

I'm also going strong on my no wheat or chips or sugar,

except I did have wheat in the fried chicken tender salad 

when we went to Cheddars to celebrate,
and twice
when Tyler lovingly brought food that had contained a little.

I also tried the jalapeno Kettle chips

Josiah talked me into buying. asked me to buy.

But it was a conscious choice, and I only had 4 (very small) chips.

The numbness/ tingling in my hands and arms

is only slightly better,

which is a little disappointing.

Of course, 

I have also stayed off the scale,

but I am quite certain

I haven't lost any weight.

I want to get back to lifting weights.

I really like to lift,

and I like being strong.

(If I can't be thin, at least I can be strong, right?)

I'm not sure how to fit that in.

And I'm always a little worried about bad form : /

Giving thanks:

For the few but faithful men who have poured in to Brandon 

the past few years.

For my dad.

He has been so generous with us

and helped and taught us so much.

It's been completely unexpected

and such a huge blessing!

And for his wife, Jeannie,

because without her blessing and encouragement,

the above wouldn't have happened.

Planning for the week ahead:

Lots of important things to fit in this week.

Like  school planning 

and filling out and turning in homeschool forms.

Buying college books.

Paying for that college,

and turning in some other paperwork

and just getting ready for life to change.

And of course,

working on the house.

We have got to get the porches finished to the point

that we can get the siding put on.

We also have to prep for insulation.

There's of course, much more to do,

but those things are the very top priorities.

The family would also really appreciate it
if I went to the grocery store.

Also - I've got to get that quilt post finished.

Last but not least,
we have a 29th (!) anniversary to celebrate tomorrow.