Oak Den: Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY, Monday, December 1, 2008

Outside My Window...blue sky, a little chilly but not bad. Winter is coming a little later this year than last and I'm okay with that since Spring came so much later this year. I'm fine with our harsh -30* (below zero, that is) winter to delay coming.

I am thinking...there is so much to do that I almost didn't want to let the day begin! AND, I'm thinking that a storm might be coming because my left ring finger knuckle is aching (*sigh* I think I have a little arthritis going on there. Am I old enough to have a little arthritis going on??)

From the Learning Room...in honor of December 1st, I declare today a holiday! (code for today we need to unpack from our Thanksgiving trip to Gramma's and put Christmas up!! There will be learning, it just won't be the usual stuff.)

I am thankful for...Well, I have a whole month of "Thankful" that I just finished. But in honor of December I am thankful for Christmas and all the fun traditions and joys that come with this holiday. And I am especially thankful for the birth of Christ, which is what Christmas is for.

From the kitchen...ah yes, the kitchen. It wasn't enough that I fixed salmon and couscous for dinner last night. Or that I spent two days last week fixing food for Thanksgiving. I need to think about yet another meal for today, and for tomorrow, and make this week's menu and go grocery shopping. This fixing meals every day has always been my challenge. Oh, wait, I know: I bought two Gingerbread House kits while we were in the city last weekend for Abbie and Jake to decorate. THAT is what is from the kitchen today. Abbie put her house together last night and Jake can do his today. Okay, that's what is from the kitchen!

I am wearing...my usual morning attire: workout clothes. Sometimes I even actually make it to the gym and get a good workout!

I am creating...I am going to TRY today to create a lovely Christmas house for our family with Christmas music and a scented candle and the decorations up!

I am going...to work very, very hard today. I don't think I'll get everything up and decorated today, but I'm going to try...

I am reading...my scriptures and the conference edition of the Ensign. Still looking for a book to get lost in.

I am hoping...that we do get either some rain or snow within the next day or so. If my knuckle is going to hurt like this then I want some fun winter weather to be cozy in!

I am hearing...Christmas music. Love that Christmas music all day long.

Around the house...utter chaos. Enough said.

One of my favorite things...sleeping in my wonderful bed after having been gone for a few days. Sheer bliss.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Get the house cleaned (dusted, vacuumed, swept and polished) and have all the Christmas decorations up and the tree decorated (we put it up before we left for Gramma's, but it isn't decorated yet), laundry done, bathrooms cleaned, start working on the Christmas cards and letter. Hummmm...do you really want to know all of this?

Here is picture thought I am sharing...