Seriously. This is the Monday-est January ever!! I mean, it's not a bad January. It just feels like it's hanging around longer than usual. And don't even ask me how I feel about 29 days in February.
WHAT WE'RE EATING THIS WEEK
Monday night we had Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, and last night we had chili. Tonight we had leftovers because I forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer for a pot pie, and we got home late because Mason had another orthodontist appointment. So chicken pot pie tomorrow night.
Mama surprised me with an Instant Pot for Christmas. So I've had fun playing around with it and learning how to use it.
WHAT I'M REMINISCING ABOUT
Honestly, I think I'm so busy looking ahead to some exciting things to come that I haven't spent much time lately looking back.
WHAT I'M LOVING
I got a new devotional book and a new prayer journal for this year, and I am absolutely LOVING both of them, especially the prayer journal. I got the Val Marie Paper 2020 Yearly Prayer Journal. I can't wait to open it up every morning, and I love writing in it. I've had several prayer journals and most recently just kept everything outlined in my planner, but I can't see myself going to back anything else now that I've found this one. If the same thing happens this year, the 2021 journals will go on pre-order sometime this summer. I snagged this one last summer during the pre-order, and it was also on sale at the time.
My new devotional is The Quiet Place by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. It's just the sweetest little book, and I look forward to my time in it also.
WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO
Schooling. And BSF. And more schooling. And dance. And gymnastics. And dance. And gymnastics. And schooling. Nothing to write home about, but I'm ever mindful that these are the days, these are the moments, and I'm trying to be "in the moment" even in the ordinary.
WHAT I'M DREADING
I know there are some big projects upcoming. I know they'll be hard. But I'm not dreading anything.
WHAT I'M WORKING ON
At this point, I'm just trying to keep everyone fed and clothes washed and school work done. I consider that a win.
WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT
Mardi Gras break. Spring break. Summer break. Do you notice any similarities there? But, more than that, I'm waiting expectantly for God's provision and providence in a couple of situations, and I'm excited to see what He's going to do and how He's going to work all things for good.
WHAT I'M WATCHING / READING
Mason and I finished Dante's Inferno at the beginning of the month, and now we're reading Paradise. Considering that Inferno is about his journey through hell and Paradise his journey through heaven, I thought I'd like Paradise better. Well, I thought wrong. I'll be so glad when we're finished with that book! And now that football season is over, there's really not anything worth watching. Besides, who has time for that anyway?
WHAT I'M LISTENING TO
Right now? The dish washer. But you know what I'm tired of listening to? Mason chewing gum! Ever since he got his braces off last week, he's been chewing gum like it's going out of style. I told him today that if he doesn't correct the smacking immediately, I will not buy anymore gum. And you know what else I'm not buying anymore of. Sunflower seeds. I bought a bag for a game we did in Sunday school last Sunday. It was a big bag because that's all I could find. So that big bag came home with us. You haven't heard anything until you've heard Ellie crunching on sunflower seeds. Driving. me. insane. I know. I have issues. I really do. But I'm serious. When Seth came home from work on Tuesday, his eyes lit up when he saw the bag on the table. He'd looked for it that morning before work and thought I'd thrown it away when he couldn't find it. Well, I thought about it. I really did. But, instead, I sort of hid it. But not very good. Mason found it that afternoon and couldn't wait to tell everybody. You know what's more annoying than Ellie crunching sunflower seeds? The hulls or shells or whatever you call them that end up on the floor that nobody cleans up and the cups of empty shells sitting around the house. But. I digress.
WHAT I'M DOING THIS WEEKEND
LSU has another home gymnastics meet this Friday night so that's where we'll be. Not sure about the rest.
WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH
Mardi Gras break. Not to be confused with Mardi Gras. Because the only thing that's good for is a break.
WHAT ELSE IS NEW?
Mason got his removable retainers today. Invisalign. Yeah, somehow I missed that. I was expecting them to bust out the old school molds with the wire that goes across the front of your teeth. I kinda hate he's missing out on that.