A February Daybook

Outside my window: the sun is shining, birds are at the birdfeeder, spring flowers are bursting through the ground and the grass needs to be mowed.

Listening: I am enjoying several podcasts these days. It's fun and nice to have something to listen to when I'm out running. Here are the ones I'm currently enjoying.... The Phil Vischer Podcast, Read Aloud Revival, Homeschool Snapshots and CiRCE Institute (Quiddity)

Reading: My reading pile never seems to be a normal, reasonable size...sigh. Right now I'm using the next 40 days to read through the New Testament. I'm also reading (and listening to) The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Go Into All the World by David Chalmers (a book about sponsorship through Compassion International), How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig and getting ready to read aloud The Green Ember by S. D. Smith.

In the kitchen: Salads...lots and lots of salads. I'm on day 20 of my first Whole30 and I'm loving it. I've tried many new things and feel so good about this new way of eating that I'm planning to continue through Easter. We've eaten kale, brussel sprouts, short ribs, spaghetti squash and more. I've made a whole chicken (first time for me) and made my own mayonnaise. Olives are my new blue cheese.

Running: My 1/2 marathon training is well underway and the mileage on my long runs is increasing. It helps that the weather has been nice. I run 4 times a week...2 short runs (4 miles), 1 medium run (6 miles) and 1 long run (8+ miles). I can do this (I think).

In the schoolroom: Believe it or not, we have been getting a lot done in very little time. I think the single biggest reason is that I have started writing down what we need to do that day. When I have a plan, I don't get distracted and we can just move from one thing to the next. I usually add one too many things and let the girls "throw one thing out" each day - as long as they don't throw the same subject out every day.

I am working on: Organizing my days so I'm more productive. When I make a list of what I need or would like to get done in a given day, I am able to focus my energies on the tasks at hand and am much more productive. I'm usually always able to get through the priorities and even move on to others things.

Around the house:  more decluttering, spring cleaning and some re-decorating. I bought the above prints from a "friend" on instagram - Mari Orr. These are watercolor paintings of the 7 states my husband and I have lived in. I'm headed to IKEA this weekend to buy a frame so I can get these up. Here's the story they tell....a girl from IL met  a boy from NY in college in VA. They fell in love and got married. They continued their education in NC and then moved to VT and had babies. The family then moved to MN for a year, the upper peninsula of MI for a year and then settled in OR.

Grateful for: This month has been a little tough as both of my girls have had pneumonia. My oldest daughter was quite sick and it's so good to see her back to normal (even if it means fighting about school work). My youngest daughter also managed to get pneumonia, though not nearly as severe. She's on the mend, too. I'm very thankful for our good doctors and insurance!