I would post a snapshot of my kitchen table if it weren’t so pathetic. It does not look like the organized, tidy office space of an efficient home educator. There are receipts from the first week of January in a stack next to the laptop. We have yet to close out December’s budget – there are too many loose ends floating around to be sure of our exact number and both Tim and are dreading the work of figuring it all out. I’m sure we didn’t overspend after all our hard work and determination to stick to the budget.
Wow, I almost said that with a straight face.
Can you say “DENIAL!”
.
A picture of our street, three days before Christmas.
There’s a Vikings hat in the center of the table next to a birthday card. My birthday is in July so I’m not sure how that card found its way among all the Christmas letters. Just another sterling example of the pat rack motto we live by. A deck of cards is shoved to one side, the last remnant of our New Year’s parties. My new Nutrimill is at the head of the table, waiting patiently for me to mill some wheat.
Did I mention I was blessed with a new grain mill for Christmas??? Oh, yes!! Doing the happy dance here. I’m still in shock over the HUGE gift.
Can I ignore the start of school and just grind wheat and make bread all day? My friends and neighbors, hoping for a loaf of bread, would all shout a resounding ‘yes!’
At the other end of the table is my new, fantastic cookbook from my aunt. It’s the all-new edition of The New Best Recipe by Cooks Illustrated.
I am completely in love with this cookbook. Can I say that about a cookbook? Is that getting too personal? I’ve spent hours pouring over the pages, reading, planning and making notations. I’ve already tried the hearty beef stew and mashed potatoes. Tomorrow I hope to make the pot roast dinner. All the BEST recipes with detail and precision that can’t be beat. You can imagine Tim’s delight as I cart this 1000 page book off to read before bed. It takes up practically half the bed.
We had enough snow for Christmas to satisfy all our snow bunnies.
The kitchen is mostly clean with a dirty dish here or there, a box of crackers and some party plates.
Where is the schedule for tomorrow’s school day?
The ingredients for our big breakfast, celebrating the first day back at school?
Fresh assignments for all the children?
Nope, no, nada.
All that you would see, beyond the mild chaos of a lived in house, is a squinting, tired mother who has stayed up too late the last three days ringing in the New Year.
Between the parties and the general fun, I’m exhausted.
The slide served as a little sledding hill, right in our own backyard.
I need a mini vacation to rest up from the holidays. Sadly, even the snow that fell this evening doesn’t bring any respite. Homeschoolers don’t really get snow days.
I had better get to bed. That alarm is going to ring VERY early for this night owl crowd.
Happy New Year – shall we jump into 2009 with poised pencils and cheerful attitudes?
It’s gonna be a stretch but I’m always up for an adventure.
Kathy
living the adventure with you! Hope the morning wasn’t TOO painful. The first hour of the first morning back is probably the hardest. And God’s grace is sufficient Even for Monday after New Years! Such gorgeous snow, you’d laugh at our dusting of frost!
Good Luck!!
I know you will do fine and get back in the swing of things soon. There is definitely some relief in getting back into a schedule and groove again.
Leeann
We got a Nutrimill to make rice flour for all my wheat-free needs. It works great but is loud [smile]. May yours serve you well!
~Luke
I’m ready for a break, already. It’s not quite 9am. That’s how it is over here. I’m getting the full gambit of excuses….sore throat, headache, headgear issues, etc. etc. KNOW that you are not alone, my friend, in the back to school blues. Hmmmm….there should be a song in there somewhere…..
I’ll be looking for God’s grace and mercy (oh, and patience, too) all week long. It’s there, I know it is…..
A new grain mill………WOOOHOOO! How awesome! You will definitely put that to good use.
Way to go, Timothy!
Haha, ready for a break at 9 am. Don’t we all feel that?
But the grain mill wasn’t from me — my parents are the benefactors in that. My mom went into grain milling and bread making recently, and has become an evangelist. They gave the Nutrimill to Kathy (and me), and there was much rejoicing. Yesterday our supply of grain arrived — now we just need to make the time to mill some serious flour.
Homeschool science, anyone?
I’m marveling at the large trees that are in this picture! We just don’t have trees like that in the Midwest. Beautiful!
I’m so feeling your pain here. The first day back to school has involved a very tearful start and an exhausted me. Thankfully the sun is shining today or I might have just climbed back in my bed:) Here’s to second semester!
I, also, need a mini-vacation and so declared school would begin on WED. I MAY be ready if I can accomplish as much tomorrow as I did today – in fact I’ve not blogged (reading while I wait for shutterfly to upload)….
Kathy, your photo of your street brought it home! WOW! NOW I understand how Krista got stuck in the middle of the road trying to get to work….::snort:: Amazing.
Cool! You had snow for Christmas! You are so lucky!
love that pic of the snow on the evergreens! if only it were like that every winter, i’d move back. oh well ….
your new cookbook looks really interesting. please, let us know what you make out of it thruout this year. and a grain mill–wow! that is so cool. i forsee a few blogposts coming!
and kathy, how’s the sleep coming along? i’ve been staying up way too late too.
That looked like my street on Christmas Day!
Keep us posted on the grain mill progress. I have wanted one, but not bought it either because of the price.
Also, let us know about your success with your new cookbook. I am a cookbook reader as well and my Tim just rolls his eyes as I sit down with a new one and read the comments, recipes, etc., especially since most of my cookbooks are from Cook’s Illustrated.
Hee, hee! Sounds like our table
We’ve been having a little trouble with re-entry into the new year — didn’t start school back up until the 12th, but finally getting back into the swing of things this week.
Hope it’s gotten a little easier now that you’ve thawed out from all that snow!