Outside my window... It's clear, frosty and cold - and dark.  As usual I'm writing this well after my kidlets are in bed.  I just lit the fire to warm the house up before bed.

I am thinking... about my hard-working husband.  He drove five lambs to market today, stopped by Lee Valley to get hardware for a kitchen he's building and picked up our new (to us) car.  He left well before eight this morning and isn't back yet (at nine tonight!).

I am thankful for... the thoughtful friend who GAVE us her old car.  It's been very well-maintained and even though it's older than our current vehicle it has 100, 000 LESS km, as well as four doors and a working trunk!  I'm so excited!  Our little family has long since outgrown my well-used two door cavaliere!  I'm also thankful the second thoughtful friend who drove down with my husband to drive our truck back home for us - sacrificing a day off at this busy time of year!

From the learning rooms... Silas can now identify the letter sound of every letter in the alphabet except for D/d, E/e and Y/y.  So exciting!  I had no idea he knew so many of them!  I've ordered a few books to guide me along teaching to read as that will probably come in the next year or so - neato!

From the kitchen... absolutely nothing!  I've been sick all week so I've served uninspired meals and leftovers.  Today was such a busy day, then we went to my parents' for dinner as it was my dad's birthday.  So dismal in there, I must make amends tomorrow!

I am wearing... warm clothes.  I spent a lot of time outdoors today and I haven't had a second to change into anything more comfortable.  Funny I come here to blog but don't consider myself to have spare time lol!

I am creating... My creations are finished!  Silas and I made ten Christmas Cards for an international card swap and mailed them out yesterday.  I've already written both my family's Christmas letter as well as my extended family's Christmas letter.  I hope to get a chance to make some wreaths for my door, my parents' door and possibly my grandparents' and sister's doors as well in the coming week.


I am going... to check the fire soon.  It's chilly in here and I'd like it to hurry and warm up so it's more welcoming for my husband.  I also need to put the puppies in their crate downstairs for the night before some opportunistic coyote has them for a bedtime snack!

I am reading... Monsterblood Tattoo book 3.  Can you believe it?  I'm embarrassed to write that out here but my husband really enjoyed it, so I ordered a copy for him as soon as it was in print.  He wanted me to read it so he had someone with whom to discuss it.  But shhhhh . . . don't tell anyone!  I'm actually kind of enjoying it, as I did the first two books in the series.

I am hoping... for a serene, restful Christmas.  It sounds like this year we don't have a Christmas Eve engagement, rather an afternoon engagement (read early bedtime for the littles!), as well as only one dinner on Christmas - again in the afternoon, rather than evening (as opposed to TWO, and again, read early bedtime for the littles!).  Instead, this year, we'll have dinner with my parents on Boxing Day rather than Christmas, followed by a small gift exchange with extended family that evening (read late bedtime for the littles lol!).  One late night out of three will be such a blessing!

I am hearing... Our oldest dog snoring.  He's semi-retired, although he won't admit it, and lately he's really began to snore!  I like it, it's a comforting sound somehow.  As long as it's not in my bedroom at night!  Whoops!  And the puppies barking! I'd better go check that out . . . There!  Puppies safe and fire stoked.

Around the house... It's beginning to look a bit like Christmas.  We won't get our tree or do our major decorating until this weekend, but there are definite signs here and there.  From the stockings drying in the laundry room to the Christmas books on our reading ledge - I'm getting excited!

One of my favorite things... A long hot bath.  Maybe where I'm headed next?

A few plans for the rest of the week:  A half birthday tomorrow with a good friend and her six month old daughter.  Not a party with cake and gifts, per se, but an excuse to get together with kids at a great little bakery in town (partly owned by a mom my own age - love it!).  My mom is coming to help me with some house projects - need to get a to-do list worked out, and of course, the tree and all the decorating!  As the wrapping is practically done, I'm hoping to enjoy the season with my boys making cut-out cookies and wreaths, crafts and memories!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing... 

These are my grandparents.  They've been together for more than sixty years!  Isn't that amazing!  I love them to pieces and hope to live a life as full as they have.  I've always felt a special bond as the three of us are born within four days of each other and have always celebrated our birthdays together.  This picture was taken at the birthday supper at my parents'.