Outside My Window ~ 12.13.09

Outside My Window…is rain!  Yes, rain……cause everyone knows we could sure use it.  We were actually in danger of some of the larger puddles drying out!  🙂  Seriously though…….it is raining, again.  The forecast for today is to receive about a half an inch today.  In normal conditions, a half an inch wouldn’t really mean all that much…..in our current condition, it just adds to the saturation.  Right now at 9:30 a.m. we are at 56F, which is a great improvement over the 33F mornings we have been experiencing these last few days.  We won’t get much warmer today, only a high of 59F.  This temperature high will only last a couple of days before we are back down into the mid 40’s. 

I am thinking…about which household chore I want to start with today.  I’m also thinking about how nice it would be to be totally lazy on this rainy day……but sadly that isn’t an option since I did that yesterday, I need to catch up today. 

I am thankful for…Cailin feeling much better.  We took her temperature around noon yesterday and it was back to normal.  So far no relapse…she was doing fine when we went to bed last night.   I’m also thankful for my neighbor helping me get my drain spout unclogged so it is draining freely now.  I guess with all the wind and rain we have had, the debris from the roof and the leaves made a nice combination of a mud pack near the top of the drain spout.  He was able to get it free for me so I should not have any further problems with it…….she said with fingers crossed.  🙂

From the kitchen…a cup of delicious hot coffee at the moment.  Later this morning will be pan grilled chicken breasts and eggs.  And for dinner, a oven roasted boneless turkey breast I picked up from Costco on sale last week.  I have been craving more turkey since Thanksgiving but not so much cooking one for hours and hours.  This small breast fit my needs perfectly. 

I am creating…a couple of Christmas packages that I will be dropping in the mail tomorrow.  Later today I may be altering a shirt my oldest daughter has to wear for work.  They gave them all “Santa Helper” t-shirts to wear and by the time she got hers, all they had was an extra large.  Poor thing can put her head through the arm hole it is so big!  I’m going to drag out one of my sewing machines and see if I can do something with it.  If not, she may have to go into work and tell her employer her mom messed up her shirt!  🙂

I am going…to put the website on hiatus for a while.  It seems ironic I worked so hard to get it up and running again only to decide a short time later that perhaps this isn’t the right time.  I going to continue to make soap and other products and may sell on Etsy occasionally…..but right now, it will be mostly for me and my family members.  I’m going to keep the domain but the site will be idle.  The blog will continue under www.whispersfromthewoods.com though.

I am reading…again, not so much…..unless you count the couple of magazines I pick up here and there.  I haven’t had the time to sit and read….that will come after the holidays.

I am hoping…to get our family Christmas photo taken later today.  I think we have all agreed that this will be a good day to get the photo taken…..again she said with fingers crossed.  🙂  The next hurdle, deciding on which one looks the best….and that can be a challenge when you have two girls that want to look their best.   I’m talking we could be saying cheese for many, many photos today!!   Seriously, you have no idea how many pictures are taken to get that one Christmas photo each year.

I am hearing…the ticking of my many clocks…..the Weather Channel talking about rain, rain and more rain…..rain drops hitting the awning covering the front porch……a car driving through the puddles out front.  In other words……rain.

Around the house…chores, chores, chores…..never ending chores.

Plans for the week include…an orthodontist follow up appointment for Cailin…..a dentist appointment for me……a doctor appointment for Alanna ~ and all on the same day!  I will be wrapping up things at work to get ready for my vacation which starts on the 19th!  Of course, this will probably be the longest week in history because my vacation is starting on Saturday ~ isn’t that how it works?

One of my favorite things…V A C A T I O N!!  The College shuts down for several days during the Christmas holidays and I add a few days of my own annual leave which results in a nice long holiday for me…..oh yea!  After the 18th, I won’t have to go to work again until the 4th of January!  I’m doing a little vacation dance just thinking of it!! 

A picture I’d like to share with you…possibly the Cutest Santa Ever!!  This little guy belongs to Alanna’s boyfriend and his family.  I haven’t allowed myself to think about getting another pet since my last one passed away about 10 years ago.  I have had many pets in my life and each time I lose one, I lose a little bit of myself.  But I have to admit, this little guy has won my heart ~ I would take him home in a heartbeat!!