Daybook: Thanksgiving Week

Outside my window::

::it's dark and cold after an absolutely beautiful soccer weekend.

 I am listening to::

::quiet. We were all up very late last night when Real Salt Lake played two 15 minute overtime periods and then went to penalty kicks to win the MLS Cup. Mike has the little boys in Seattle with him.They were texting us from down on the field where they witnessed the trophy presentation up close and personal. It still makes me grin wildly to imagine how thrilled Nicky and Stephen must have been.

I am wearing ::

::A bright pink hooded sweatshirt and jeans.  A french braid, earrings, wedding band and no engagement ring. My diamond must have caught something and the setting bent. I need to have it fixed before I wear it again. This has happened several times and I've always been lucky to find the diamond. I think I should probably have the ring completely reset but the sentimental part of me wonders if that isn't a bad thing do do.

To be Fit and Happy::

:: News Flash: Chik-Fil-A has the most outrageously good peppermint milkshakes. These threaten to be my undoing this season as I have a confessed peppermint milkshake addiction. Chik-Fil-A is way too close and that drive-thru option makes these shakes way too accessible...way more accessible than the also awesome Dairy Queen ones....

I am thankful for::

::nebulizers. Ours has served us well for fifteen years. It's going every day at least four times a day for the foreseeable future. As I sit and inhale secondhand steroids, I reflect on how far the treatment of asthma has come in a generation. And I am very, very grateful for nebulizers at home and little plastic respules of pulmicort.

::my 86-year-old father-in-law, who is still my faithful companion every time a soccer ball is kicked or basketball is shot. He's amazing.

 I am pondering ::

::"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." ~Chesterton

I am reading ::

::nothing right this moment. I took my current book to Adoration, left it in the van, and it got swallowed by whatever van creature swallows things. I'm sure it's here somewhere; I just don't know where.

From the kitchen::

:: Today is a massive clean out of pantry and fridge and then a shopping. I don't cook Thanksgiving dinner, but I do cook all weekend long and I'm looking very forward to it.

I'm thinking:: 

::that it's an extraordinary privilege to watch my oldest child play with my youngest. She thinks he's just grand. He loves to be silly and he's still got a lot of play in him, but he's strong and tender, too. He picks her up and tucks her inside his coat and together they melt my heart. He joined us for soccer yesterday,much to Sarah Annie's delight.

I am creating ::

::as much order as humanly possible before the house is torn apart to install the flooring.

On my iPod::

::David Archuleta's Christmas album. I caved and allowed Mary Beth to download it last night. She heard him sing two songs live at Kaleidoscope on Ice last week and was captivated. The ice show was taped to air on television on Thanksgiving after the football game on FOX. Everyone from Karoline to Mike had nothing but great things to say about the show. Dorothy Hamill is as enchanting as ever  and we got a peek at the USA's new Olympic contender and became fans for life. "Kaleidoscope" (the newest incarnation of "Frosted Pink") is the creation of Mike Burg, CEO of Edge Health, LLC, who developed the program after twice winning the battle against Hodgkin's disease. Go Mike Burg!

Towards a real eduction::

::The lesson plans for December are here and here. We're taking all our old favorite advent books and reorganizing them to focus on Christmas Around the World and dovetail with geography studies. And then, there is our Ann-with-an-E advent and Christmas, too--that one has me giggling a bit with anticipation. 

Towards rhythm and beauty::

::Oh, the rhythm of advent! I love this time of the Church year. This is the rhythm of advent for me. (Lyrics and MIDI file here.)

To Live the Liturgy::

::Mass Thanksgiving morning is a definite plan. Then, Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent. I'll get all the Jesse Tree ornaments out this week and make sure they are all accounted for. I'm printing parts of this resource to use with the Jesse Tree this year.

I am hoping and praying::

::for Michael as he takes several exams this week.

::for a peaceful Thanksgiving week and for safe travels for all.

In the Garden::

::roses still blooming. Every year, we hope for that December rose...

Around the House::

::I am determined to have the whole house clean and shining and smelling of sweet beeswax when Michael walks through the door for Thanksgiving break tomorrow night. Maybe I've seen too many Hallmark commercials, but it just seems like that's the way it should be. I bought new fleece sheets for his bed and thoroughly cleaned the room he shares with Christian last week. Now, to finish the rest of the house:-).

On Keeping Home::

::Oh my goodness! We thought we'd bought the right wood for the floor and we were moving along to the installation phase. Then, we gave a  sample to Sarah Annie and let her hit it with a Lego. She dented it pretty effortlessly. So...back to the warehouse we went. Now, we think we've chosen the right wood, but it's going to be a bit longer before it's delivered and then it has to sit in the house and absorb humidity for a week and then they will install. Deep breath. It looks like this is the year that the Foss family learns what it's like not to decorate for Christmas until just before the feast. But I'm fine with that. Just get rid of these nasty carpets. I don't care about the chaos. Really, I don't. La la la la la la....

One of my favorite things::

::Watching Patrick play soccer. I'm sure he'd think it odd to hear me say that he is poetry in motion, but I'll say it anyway. Dear God, I'm so grateful for your generous gifts and for your faithfulness. Thank you for the chance to watch him play all weekend. Poetry, really.

Sarah Anne this week::

::And she crawls! So far, it's just two little scoots and then SPLAT, but still, we'll take it. And she also blows kisses. She is very generous with these blown blessings and she offered them far and wide in Maryland all weekend, making lots of total strangers smile. 

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week::

::The little boys are touring Seattle with Mike until Wednesday.

::Girls will make a craft store run to lay in supplies for advent

::Must do St. Nicholas shopping.

::All the boys will go to the studio to watch the PTI Thanksgiving show. That way, they'll be conveniently on hand to spirit away all the leftovers. Every year, the set is "decorated" with an impressive Thanksgiving spread. And that spread blesses the Foss family all weekend. Yeah for ESPN!

::Major holiday on Thursday.

::Mike's birthday on Saturday. I am thinking a white tablecloth dinner date. My most competent babysitter will be home to hold down the fort. The baby will be just fine without me for a few hours. It's about time.

 A  Picture Thought I'm Sharing:

Karoline at the ice show, taken with Mike's cell phone