For Today

Can't believe I haven't blogged in a week. Goodness.

Outside my window: It's cold and dark, snow in the 'Ville this weekend. Of course Ryan doesn't think it's nearly as fun to have a snow day on a weekend!

I Am Thinking: About how quickly the weeks seem to be going by, I think mainly because of my new job ... which is keeping me mucho-busy-o.

I Am Thankful For: For my sweet and thoughtful family.

From The Kitchen: Not much time to cook this week although on Friday I bought a new food processor (my first!) and made salsa for Brian! I used a recipe from the Pioneer Woman's site, I've yet to make anything she has written about that hasn't been yummy. I think I've shared my salsa woes here before but just haven't been able to find a store bought salsa in these neck of the woods that we like.

One night this week Ryan is going to try his hand at making chili. He's found a recipe, Brian went shopping for him - the plan is to make it Tuesday night. It tickles me that he's following in his papa's footsteps on the ol' chili front. Brian makes some AWESOME chili!

I Am Wearing: black sweats, pink t-shirt ... this area is gonna' have to go since it doesn't change much from week to week.

On the 'Go Organize' Front: Haven't had much time to organize this week either. My intention was to save the basement for last. The author's strategy is that as you clean out a room you have certain boxes for things such as donating and for things that do not belong in that room. I'll digress on that one in just minute ... but since I seem to be finding a lot of things that fit that category they end up in the basement. Anyway, I started out just trying to clean a little down there and was going to just make a quick pass through this weekend but ended up getting quite a bit accomplished. I love it when my hubby is in one of his cleaning moods - he's the champ when it comes to cleaning and purging. He's not nearly as sentimental as I am!

We had moved all the toys out of the kid's rooms a while back and had tried making the basement their toy room but it just hasn't worked as I would have liked. I'm sure it doesn't help that there is just way too much down there. But we made a dent, and that's a good thing! Even little Rebecca walked down there and told me "thank you for cleaning up this mess"!

Back to organizing/digressing. The author just had to be writing about me when she notes that when you are working on a room to set the timer and stay in that room. She writes about the various boxes to have with you and then points out the purpose of the B.E. box (belongs elswehere). She says absolutely not to leave the room until your time is up and then goes into the reason why - which is SO me that it was scary. What happens is you pick up something and you head off to put it where it belongs, (I'm paraphrasing here - but this is ME), you walk through the kitchen and you notice there are dishes to be done so you stop and do them. Then you remember you need to start some laundry so you head off to do that only to see some books and you think how nice it would be to sit down and read to the girls. So you put the laundry on, sit down to read ... on and on. So your project has been abandoned and now the "thing" you took from the room in the first place has found a new home on the kitchen counter.

I Am Going: To bed soon ... been a little under the weather with some weird stomach thing and then it hit little Emma today. Hope it doesn't go through the rest of the house.

I Am Reading: Almost finished with "The Namesake". A little more on the melancholy side than I had anticipated but I have enjoyed it. Haven't decided on what to start next but I think there are 5 or 6 to choose from on my nightstand. We all enjoy our books around here.

I Am Hoping: It warms up soon so we can get Ryan's trim finished! The three of them are still sharing a room and I think he's ready to get his life/room back!

I Am Praying For: My young friend who lost her dad to cancer a few weeks back. Also for little Emma, you know something is wrong in the world when she's not eating, dancing around or messing with someone. She's been quiet as a church mouse this afternoon. Hopefully she'll make it through the night w/out getting sick again.

I Am Hearing: The dishwasher running, the shower running - even Ryan seems to be turning in early tonight. Hopefully he's not getting sick too.

Around The House: Laundry finished, bills made out, one corner of my messy dining room table cleared off (now that one is progress!)and back packs ready to go for tomorrow morning.

One Of My Favorite Things: Even though it makes me sad when Emma is sick, I do enjoy just holding her. She & I stayed home from church tonight and I just held her and she snuggled up and was so still. She has the softest little head in the world and while I hold her, I can't help but kiss her on her punkin' little head.

A Few Plans For The Rest of The Week: My birthday is tomorrow and my sweet family is taking me to dinner. That is if everyone is well, if not we'll just have to reschedule for another night. Some kind of a church meeting on Tuesday for Brian and then choir on Wednesday. From what he says, the music for Easter is going to be awesome. Academic team practice for Ryan on Wednesday and then a playoff basketball game on Thursday. Hard to believe baseball signups are just a week or so away. Gymnastics for the girls on Thursday. Brian has offered to take the girls again this week so I can catch another basketball game. Not sure what I ever did to deserve such a sweet and thoughtful husband. Then on Saturday we're heading to Lexington with some friends to attend a Chinese New Year celebration for the Year of the Tiger. We're also going to be able to meet up with a few families from our first travel group as well. I just love it when we're all able to get together! One family is having a little get-together for the girls in her hotel room on Saturday afternoon. Can't wait!

Have a great week everyone!