Sunday Journal: Winding Down and Gearing Up

sleeping kitty...so cute — sleeping kitty…so cute

Monday marked another year around the sun for me. The kids and I put in a few hours of school together. We read and worked on some Brave Writer projects. Oldest is writing an end of year letter, Sparkles is writing in secret code, and Middle Boy is writing letters to his future children. Once they wrap up their writing projects and finish their current read alouds we will be done with school for 2016. Officially, anyway. Learning never ceases. My husband had to work really late several days this week but he did come home with a box of chocolates and a bottle of wine on my birthday.

Mom's blanket I knotted — Mom’s blanket I knitted

I spent hours frantically trying to finish the blanket and pillow for my mother. I’ve worked on it constantly the past month. If I am lucky I have a couple of hours knitting time in the evenings. I managed to get everything for her finished on Friday morning about an hour before she arrived…or, so I thought. When she didn’t show I started to worry that something bad had happened. I called her cell phone but didn’t get an answer. Finally, I called her home phone. She was home. She decided not to come until the next day. Um, hello!! Thanks for calling and letting us know! She never gave me an actual reason for not coming on Friday. She seemed to believe that I was just supposed to intuitively understand her plan changes. I told her that my telepathic abilities were on the rusty side. She agreed with my snark so I am fairly certain she doesn’t really listen to anything I tell her. She ended up not

coming at all this weekend. We will not see her until next year sometime. She did call on Saturday to listen to the kids open their gifts from her and talk with them on the phone.

A friend sent us a box of Christmas love that we started opening on Monday. Her family made us beautiful Twelve Days of Christmas ornaments with scripture verses to read each day on the names of Jesus. Some of the verses are from the Book of Mormon. I did look a few of them up online to get a little more context for the readings. She also sent us several family Christmas gifts to enjoy together. Tomorrow I am taking a box for them to the post office. I enjoyed brainstorming with my family on ideas for their Christmas box.

My favorite fairy of them all...kudos if you know the movie! — My favorite fairy of them all…kudos if you know the movie!

Oldest was over the moon to learn that the awesome people at Beautiful Feet Books wanted him to work their booth at the Cincinnati convention next year again. He had a blast last year and I enjoyed the one-on-one bonding time with him. He even had the chutzpah to ask if I was working too!!! Silly boy…

My husband and I spent the weekend making Chex mix, bourbon balls, cookies, fudge and Christmas candy. He also spent hours in the kitchen making his awesome spaghetti and meatballs. We also watched tons of Christmas movies, listened to Christmas music, and shopped for stocking stuffers. The kids and I will finish making bread and cookies for our neighbors tomorrow and get those delivered by Tuesday.

I spent a couple of hours today working on Christmas cards. Next year I am paying for addressed envelopes! I also spent a bit of time organizing a bujo (bullet journal). I am constantly putting information in my regular planner or my school planner. I always forget to cross post and then get our school calendar all messed up or not using all of the lesson planning space. Unused space just feels like wasted money to me. I figure it will take me a couple of months to figure out how I want the life/school bujo to work. I plan to keep it very basic. Pencil, dot-grid and maybe some washi tape. It will not be a work of art like so many on Instagram.

I’ve started planning some goals for next year and thinking about my focus word for as well. Brave was a good word for me this year. Time for a new word. I’ve already been inspired from this post by Julie. I know that I need to spend some time on developing good health related habits this year. Not just physical health but mental too. I have felt a bit rushed and emotionally overwhelmed this year at times. When I was walking nearly every day some of the frentic brain buzzing calmed down. Practicing box breathing techniques helps too (and knitting for some reason). I want to make these daily habits. Developing plantar fasciitis definitely put a stop to frequent exercise the past couple of months. I’ve been doing stretches and massages for it but I need to get back to walking a couple of miles each day again even if it hurts.