Life Right Now #20

Right now I am: Heading out to the last academic co-op working meeting before we start in October. We still need to make a decision on location and some smaller items. Beyond that, every needs to submit their lesson plans by Labor Day. This meeting is all about getting those done.

On my bedside table: I don’t quite know. I have.a stack of library books that I need to decide on. Which ones do I really want to read? I might start with The Succubus’s Prize by Katee Robert. I’m also really looking forward to spooky reading season and trying to not jump the gun, but I really want to lean into the spooky.

On my tv this week: We’ve continued with Star Trek: Discovery as well as Game Changer, Breaking News, and Um Actually. I also managed to watch The Bachelorette and Below Deck in between all the activities.

Listening to: Just a huge music mix at the moment

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Out at book club

• Tuesday - Out at book club

• Wednesday - Loaded sweet potato nachos

• Thursday - Spring green spaghetti carbonara

• Friday - Out?

• Saturday - Mexican street corn totchos

• Sunday - Ginger glazed pork chops with Brussels sprout

On my to do list: I need to finish my Civics lesson plans for academic co-op. I also want to start planning my October rock, minerals, and fossils exploration day. I need to finish prepping discussion questions for Tuesday’s book club. And I need to work on enrichment co-op lesson plans for September.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Home Day

• Tuesday - Lewis and Clark Landing; Luminarium

• Wednesday - Pokemon Club

• Thursday - Co-op

• Friday - Hike at Schramm; Luminarium evening with J

• Saturday - Home

• Sunday - Home

What I am creating: Um…. I guess some to-do lists. Not feeling very creative right now.

My simple pleasures: Cooler weather (not happening this weekend but last weekdays), girls’ night on a friend’s deck, students engaged in the lesson being presented

Looking around the house: I put away all the pond exploration tools and supplies, but I still need to do a general sweep of the main floor. We have random things laying around that need to be put in their homes.

From the camera: Absolutely love this picture of the boys a friend snapped at pond exploration on Friday.

Life Right Now #19

As I look outside my window: The sky is cloudy, but it’s still super humid. Not the best weather today.

Right now I am: Deciding on what to make for brunch today. We have eggs and bacon, but I haven’t chosen the baked good. Maybe some blueberry scones?

Thinking and pondering: Oh I do not feel ready for school to star ton Monday. I realize that we homeschool and technically I can start whenever, but I did have us scheduled for Monday. I think that we will still start on Monday, but I need to spend some time prepping today.

On my bedside table: Dark Restraint by Katee Robert; The Nice House on the Lake Vol. 2

On my tv this week: I’ve been traveling, so not a lot of television viewing. I did catch up with The Bachelorette and Below Deck. And we discovered that Plebs had a capstone movie special.

Listening to: After finishing an audiobook on the drive home, I got back into S10 of Revolutions. I will finish it at some point, hopefully soon.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Apple Cheddar Stuffed Chicken

• Tuesday - Sesame Chicken

• Wednesday - Prosciutto Provolone Fig Grilled Cheese

• Thursday - Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp

• Friday - Leftover

• Saturday - Honey and Lime Jalapeño Chicken

• Sunday - Loaded Sweet Potato Nachos

On my to do list: I need to finish putting away all the travel stuff. The laundry is half done, but needs to be sorted and put away. Beyond that, I have a kitchen to get sorted and curriculum to organize.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Arthur Dentist Appointment; First Day of School

• Tuesday - Home Day

• Wednesday - Splashed Party; Pokemon Club

• Thursday - Coop

• Friday - Fontenelle Forest Hike

• Saturday - Home Day

• Sunday - Pool Party

What I am creating: Mostly lists…

My simple pleasures: My own bed. Really it’s so nice to be home and sleeping in my own bed.

Looking around the house: Obviously things are very cluttered right away after arriving home on Friday. I need to do a big pickup.

From the camera: Checking out our 4th SR-71. This one was a training plane.

Life Right Now #18

Right now I am: Prepping for the Homeschool Seminar I’m hosting today. Lots of people are planning on coming (like 25), we’ll see who actually shows up.

Thinking and pondering: Do I have everything for my trip to Indiana? Packing lists are such a pain sometimes.

On my bedside table: The Six by Loren Grush; Beautiful Vengeance by Katee Robert; Gargantis by Thomas Taylor

On my tv this week: Not a whole lot. We did jump back into A Gentleman in Moscow (we’re almost done). We also finished S2 of The Big Door Prize, S1 of Twisted Metal, S4 of The Boys, and S2 of Hit Monkey.

Listening to: I dove back into Revolutions S10 with my new AirPods. I’m about 60% of the way through that season.

On the menu for this week: We will be having leftovers on Monday night… and then we will be traveling, so no definite plans.

On my to do list: I have some random things I want to get down before leaving on Tuesday. Mostly they are little tasks and general clean-up items.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Pool afternoon (last one of the season for us)

• Tuesday - Travel Day; Pickup Alex from the airport

• Wednesday - Drive to Fort Wayne

• Thursday - Chill Day

• Friday - Coffee with a friend; Pool afternoon

• Saturday - Coffee with a friend

• Sunday - Hanging out with Grandpa

What I am creating: I made a little travel kit for my Memory Planner and regular planner. I should be able to finish July’s pages while in Indiana. And work on August-September’s planner pages.

My simple pleasures: Conchitas, returning library books (that I’ve finished), time alone to just think

Looking around the house: Things are pretty picked up prior to our trip. I like coming home to a decently clean house.

From the camera: The boys experienced Sushi Train for the first time. They loved it!

Life Right Now #17

As I look outside my window: It’s a bit overcast this morning. Definitely rained last night. I would be fine with it as the temps are a bit cooler, but the humidity is a killer right now.

Right now I am: I’m not, but I should be making a meal plan and grocery list. Why does everyone have to constantly be eating?

On my bedside table: I have the rest of Katee Robert’s The O’Malley’s series on tap for my lighter reads. I also have The Six by Laura Grush on my nightstand.

On my tv this week: We finished S2 of Hit Monkey and S4 of The Boys. We also continued with A Gentleman in Moscow. Otherwise, it’s been a quiet week television-wise.

Listening to: I have continued with S10 of the Revolutions podcast. We finally got to World War I. only forty-some odd episodes to go.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Gone at book club

• Tuesday - Snack dinner

• Wednesday - Salsa Chicken

• Thursday - Balsamic Glazed Caprese Chicken

• Friday - Chickpea Curry

• Saturday - Parmesan Tilapia

• Sunday - Honey Lime Chicken with Asparagus

On my to do list: I have a list of errands for the week (before our trip to Indiana), plus I have to teach on Thursday. I want to prep a good example of the project for the kids and troubleshoot any problem areas.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Pool Afternoon; Book Club

• Tuesday - Coffee and Park Playdate; Coop Happy Hour

• Wednesday - Pool Afternoon

• Thursday - Coop

• Friday - Kids’ Video Game Playdate

• Saturday - Home Day

• Sunday - Homeschool Seminar; Nerdy Bookish Friends Book Club

What I am creating: I was working on my June MP pages and finished them yesterday. I think that I’m going to print July’s photos and make a little project case to take to Indiana with me…

My simple pleasures: A walk in the woods, checking to-dos off my list

Looking around the house: We need a serious pickup, sweep, and vacuum today. Added pressure as Tuesday is coop happy hour here. I am getting a little annoyed by all the random things laying around everywhere.

From the camera: Loving all the plants at Heron Haven this week.

Life Right Now #16

As I look outside my window: Very blue skies with no clouds. It’s going to be another scorching hot day.

Right now I am: Making a Target list. We leave for a mini road trip tomorrow and there’s always a few last minute things I need. Right now my list has beach towel, sleep mask, and iced coffee cup (mine got destroyed).

On my bedside table: The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

On my tv this week: We mostly watched our currently airing shows (The Boys, Loot).

Listening to: I jumped back into S9 of the Revolutions podcast. We’re about halfway through the Mexican Revolutions, or should I say revolutions.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Gone

• Tuesday - Gone

• Wednesday - Gone

• Thursday - Crab Curry

• Friday - Tater Tot Casserole

• Saturday - Chickpea Curry

• Sunday - Sweet Potato Nachoes

On my to do list: I started to do another brain dump list. So many random projects that have multiple steps to complete! We’ll see how the list shapes out this week.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Des Moines Road Trip

• Tuesday - Waterloo Road Trip

• Wednesday - Waterloo Road Trip

• Thursday - Coop and Ice Cream Meetup

• Friday - Home Day

• Saturday - Home Day

• Sunday - Home Day

What I am creating: Nothing much although I did fix my photos for my May and June memory planner. I don’t think I’ll have time to actually print and do anything with them this week.

My simple pleasures: AC, unshelving books that I will never read, reconnecting with friends

Looking around the house: I did a whirlwind clean yesterday so I could come home to a decently clean house. Feeling much better.

From the camera: Very steamy walk on Friday morning, but we did it!

Life Right Now #15

As I look outside my window: Clear and bright. Thankfully the temperatures have decreased slightly…

Right now I am: Deciding what to make for brunch. I think this is my weekly line.

Thinking and pondering: How do I efficiently pack the van? The retreat boxes number 8, plus all the cold groceries, my two personal bags, and various small bits. And then I need to fit in my three passengers’ stuff.

On my bedside table: Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez, Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson, Rules of Civility by Amor Towles, Annie Bot by Sierra Greer - Except for the ebook (Annie Bot), I’m taking books from my Unread Shelf to the retreat.

On my tv this week: J and I have just been working through our currently airing shows - Welcome to Wrexham and Clarkson’s Farm.

Listening to: After finishing my audiobook last week, I switched back to podcasts. Specifically I listened to S8 of the Revolutions podcast focused on the Second French Republic. That was a short season with only eight episodes. I might just start S9 today…

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Spinach Potato Sausage Soup

• Tuesday - Fish from Freezer

• Wednesday - Leftovers

• Thursday - Sunday - Gone on retreat

On my to do list: All the little (and not so little) tasks to prep for leaving town on Thursday. I have a few little errands (dropping library books, grabbing my beverage from the store) and the big task of grocery shopping. Beyond the actual retreat tasks, I do have some random house things I want to take care of.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Swimming Lessons for kids; Pool afternoon with friends

• Tuesday - Swimming Lessons for kids

• Wednesday - Swimming Lessons for kids; Retreat grocery shopping

• Thursday - Swimming Lessons for kids; Coop; Leaving for Retreat!

What I am creating: Mostly still piles.

My simple pleasures: A quiet moment, a walk in nature, finishing a book

Looking around the house: Meh. The big pile will be gone on Thursday. Otherwise things are decent around here.

From the camera: Pretty bit of purple on our nature walk

Life Right Now #14

As I look outside my window: The big storm has rolled through this morning. I think the sun is now trying to come back out and shine.

Right now I am: Prepping to make brunch, per usual.

On my bedside table: Ghost Station by SA Barnes; Cursed Cruise by Victoria Fulton and Faith McClaren - Guess I’m in a horror mood this week.

On my tv this week: Along with some news videos, we finished another season of Clarkson’s Farm. Now we’re ready to dive into the currently airing season.

Listening to: I am so close to finishing my epic audiobook. Hopefully I can slot in a few hours over the week to get it done.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Bacon Cheese Peach Paninis

• Tuesday - Leftovers

• Wednesday - Lemon Ginger Turmeric Chicken and Rice

• Thursday - Sausage, Spinach, and Potato Soup

• Friday - Pizza Night

• Saturday - Orecchiette with Sausage and Sun-dried Tomatoes

• Sunday - Swahili Fish with Coconut Broth

On my to do list: Prepping for coop (I’m teaching on Thursday), prepping for the retreat (just a few small tasks to finish up), prepping for summer activities, prepping for next year’s homeschool curriculum. I’m big into planning and organizing this coming week.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Zoo Day (It’s member appreciation week)

• Tuesday - Strawberry Picking

• Wednesday - Bounce U open session; Kid dentist appointments

• Thursday - Coop (starting summer session)

• Friday - Walk at Fontenelle Forest

• Saturday - Home Day

• Sunday - Breakfast Club

What I am creating: Mostly all the lists

My simple pleasures: Muffins (any flavor), checking off tasks (love to actually make that check mark), listening to the rain

Looking around the house: Things are getting cluttered and messy. Thankfully the huge pile in my breakfast nook will be gone in two weeks. Hoping that helps me feel calmer about the house.

From the camera: Okapi!

Life Right Now #13

Right now I am: I still need to decide what to make for brunch. Maybe coconut banana bread?

Thinking and pondering: My June is absolutely packed with starting coop summer session, the bookish retreat, a mini trip with the kids, and all the usual school and summer activities. I really need to sit for a bit and get my head all straight and ready.

On my bedside table: Blood by Jen Gunter; Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke

On my tv this week: We watched some news shows and our current series. Almost made it though season 2 of Welcome to Wrexham.

Listening to: I started another audiobook that J wanted me to read. I’m about halfway through a 20 hour audiobook with unfrequent listening.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Chicken and Dumplings

• Tuesday - Fish

• Wednesday - Out

• Thursday - Vegetable Beef Soup

• Friday - Pork and Green Chile Stew

• Saturday - Chicken Cordon Bleu Dip

• Sunday - Pulled Pork Sandwiches

On my to do list: This is our light, break adjacent week. I’m going to use some time today making a bigger to-do list. A brain dump and some organizing for summer is needed today.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Home Day

• Tuesday - Board Game Playdate

• Wednesday - Book Club

• Thursday - Home Day

• Friday - Hike at Schramm

• Saturday - Coop Book Club

• Sunday - Home Day

What I am creating: Working on April’s Memory Planner pages. Hoping to knock part of it out today.

My simple pleasures: Field day games, homeschool chats, a great creepy horror book

Looking around the house: There are piles everywhere… Retreat pile, coop pile, homeschool pile. Thankfully a few of those piles will be cleaned out in the next three weeks.

From the camera: Field Day Fun!

Life Right Now #12

Right now I am: heading out to lead a meeting for our new homeschool academic coop. Hoping the conversation goes well.

Thinking and pondering: What science mini summer unit should I put together for Arthur? I’m kicking around a few different ideas, but want to make sure that I don’t overdo the work for myself.

On my bedside table: A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall; The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders

On my tv this week: We finally finished the first season of Shogun and Dead Boy Detectives. J also convinced me to start S1 of Welcome to Wrexham.

Listening to: I finished an audiobook this week to my big surprise. I am not usually a fan of romance audiobooks, but the library only had this one on audio. So I tried it. Still don’t like romance in my ears, but I finished it and am moving on.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Blackberry Bacon Grilled Cheese

• Tuesday - Chicken Pad Thai Nachos

• Wednesday - Leftover

• Thursday - Lemon Chicken Thighs with Potatoes

• Friday - Crab Coconut Curry

• Saturday - Greek Pasta Salad

• Sunday - Spaghetti and Meatballs

On my to do list: I am certain that I have a ton of things to do, but I’m focusing on one day at a time.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Chemistry class (our last class of the year)

• Tuesday - Curriculum Share and Swap

• Wednesday - Sketchbook Hang; Book Club

• Thursday - Coop

• Friday - Robber’s Cave Field Trip

• Saturday - Junkstock!; Escape room for Arthur

• Sunday - Home Day

What I am creating: I’ve been working on the bookish recommendations for the retreat. And I hope that I can get to the March Memory Planner pages.

My simple pleasures: Cookies… that’s all I got this week.

Looking around the house: My house is a bit of a disaster right now. I really need to do a big pick up and put away today before Tuesday’s event.

From the camera: Despite the face, Q loved being silly and posing in the French fry cut out.

Life Right Now #11

On my bedside table: Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham; Unmasking Autism by Devon Price

On my tv this week: J and I started multiple new series for us. We have been loving Dinner with the Parents, Fallout, and Twisted Metal.

Listening to: Slowly, slowly working my way through the 6th book of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. I still have like 6 hours left, but considering that it was 24 hours, I’ve made a ton of progress.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Mongolian Beef

• Tuesday - Chicken and Corn Soup

• Wednesday - Lemon Butter Shrimp and Asparagus

• Thursday - Honey and Lime Jalapeño Chicken

• Friday - Out

• Saturday - Out

• Sunday - Out

Happening this week:

• Monday - Chemistry Class

• Tuesday - Morrill Hall and Lincoln Day

• Wednesday - The Brave Learner Discussion

• Thursday - Coop

• Friday - Trip to Ashfall Fossil Beds

• Saturday - Niobrara State Park

• Sunday - Yankton and Sioux City; Travel to home

What I am creating: I’m hoping to finish my March Memory Planner today along with the rest of the retreat crafts.

From the camera: Lots of cleaning to do today.

Life Right Now #10

Right now I am: Prepping for brunch. I’m think about making Pecan Pie Pound Cake with eggs and bacon.

On my bedside table: The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler; Die Vol. 1 by Kieron Gillen

On my tv this week: We started a few currently airing shows including Twisted Metal, Fallout, and A Gentleman in Moscow.

Listening to: I’ve been listening to the sixth Dungeon Crawler Carl book and various podcasts that I enjoy.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Honey Lime Jalapeño Chicken

• Tuesday - Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Grilled Cheese

• Wednesday - Blackened Salmon

• Thursday - Out at Chinese Buffet

• Friday - BBQ Cheddar Meatloaf

• Saturday - Avocado, Bruschetta Chicken

• Sunday - Mongolian Beef

On my to do list: I need to redo my big to-do list and get all the tasks out my head and on paper. My bees have been a bit agitated this week. I think a brain dump is really in order.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Home Day

• Tuesday - Park Playdate (if it doesn’t rain)

• Wednesday - Home Day

• Thursday - Coop; Durham Museum Visit

• Friday - Urban Farm Field Trip; Earth Day Celebration

• Saturday - Friends’ Birthday Party

• Sunday - Breakfast Club

What I am creating: I’m hoping to get my Memory Planner today… But first, I need to finish cleaning.

My simple pleasures: Gummy bears, clean floors, iced tea

Looking around the house: I wanted to start working on my March Memory Planner, but got very distracted by the state of my office. And so instead, I decided to completely clean out my office. It turned into a very large job, but I’m so glad that I at least started it yesterday. My angry bees have calmed.

From the camera: I spent some time crafting yesterday. Finished the retreat name tags. They are so pretty!

Life Right Now #9

As I look outside my window: It’s windy but at least the sun has come back out.

Right now I am: Organizing my side table so I can work on all my random projects. It’s a bit of a chore.

On my bedside table: Everyone Braves is Forgiven by Chris Cleave; Empty Smiles by Katherine Arden

On my tv this week: We started watched A Gentleman in Moscow and I’m already in love with it. So good!

Listening to: I finally started listening to the next Dungeon Crawler Carl book. 26 hours and I’m only about 4 hours into it. I can only listen in about one hour increments before it overloads my brain.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Chicken Pad Thai

• Tuesday - Chicken, Bacon, Broccoli Alfredo

• Wednesday - Italian Noodle Soup

• Thursday - Leftovers

• Friday - Chicken with Black Beans and Cream Cheese

• Saturday - Parmesan Tilapia

• Sunday - Honey and Lime Jalapeño Chicken

On my to do list: I need to carve out a few hours today to work on lesson plans for coop. I’m emergency teaching the oldest class on April 18th and then the middle class on April 25th and May 2nd.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Home Day

• Tuesday - Home Day

• Wednesday - Park; Children’s Museum

• Thursday - Coop; Possibly Zoo

• Friday - Nature Hike; Park

• Saturday - Drop Off Chicks

• Sunday - Home Day

What I am creating: Nothing at the moment, although I have a few projects on tap. I need to clean off my desk and gather my ideas.

My simple pleasures: Throwing out my property list for my TBR to choose books I wanted to read.

Looking around the house: It’s definitely laundry day. I need to finish doing the loads and then putting it all away. J has begun working on the foyer and there’s drywall dust all over the place. I see vacuum and Swiffering in my future.

From the camera: We got ice cream after book club yesterday. I got Black Raspberry and Honeycomb. The Honeycomb was amazing.

Life Right Now #8

As I look outside my window: Sunny and bright but pretty cold. March’s weather is all over the place per usual.

Right now I am: Ready to pick up my current read for a little bit before making brunch. Later I have my Nerdy Bookish Friends zoom and then we’re off to see The Lion King at the Orpheum.

Thinking and pondering: What polls/questions do I need to posit to the coop? We’re making some changes this year (really we make changes every year) and these ones are pretty big. I’m debating about what to make a poll and what to just change through executive action.

On my bedside table: Dark Waters and Empty Smiles by Katherine Arden; The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia

On my tv this week: We finished Wonderland this week! Another show completed. Otherwise, we’ve been keeping up with Shogun as well as a few random movies.

Listening to: Nothing too exciting. I have been on a Within Temptation kick, so their newest album has come up a lot.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Mississippi Pot Roast

• Tuesday - Honey and Lime Jalapeño Chicken

• Wednesday - J’s Birthday Dinner

• Thursday - Prawn and Sweet Potato Jamaican Curry

• Friday - Ham and Potato Soup

• Saturday - Sweet Potato and Quinoa Bowls

• Sunday - Ranch Cheddar Chicken

On my to do list: I need to order J’s cake for this week. I also need to find a tax document and hopefully make doctor’s appointments. I should probably do an admin check-in for the coop.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Chemistry Class

• Tuesday - Home day?

• Wednesday - Lauritzen Gardens Field Trip; J’s birthday!

• Thursday - Coop

• Friday - Home day? Park day? Not quite sure yet.

• Saturday - Home Day

• Sunday - Home Day

What I am creating: Nothing much. I wanted to get to my Memory Planner today, but it may not happen.

My simple pleasures: Singing along to music in the car, chats with friends, free play time for the kids

Looking around the house: Looking decent.

From the camera: We had another “fancy” ramen night this week. Kimchi flavored instant ramen with lots of toppings!

Life Right Now #7

As I look outside my window: It’s super clear outside and supposed to be almost 70 degrees, but windy. We’re having book club outdoors instead of stuck in a house.

Right now I am: Trying to decide what to make for brunch. Maybe lemon poppy seed scones, bacon, and eggs.

Thinking and pondering: What changes do we need to make for coop? We are shifting some things around and changing the ways that families can interact with the coop. I keep second guessing myself on a few things…

On my bedside table: The Worst Best Man by Lucy Score; Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge

On my tv this week: We mostly stuck to random television shows this week. I finally finished S2 of Our Flag Means Death and switched back to Wonderland.

Listening to: I’m still taking a break from audiobooks so I listened to some episodes of Hello from the Magic Tavern.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Out for book club

• Tuesday - Italian Beef Sandwiches

• Wednesday - Crab and Asparagus Soup

• Thursday - BBQ Chicken, Apple, and Bacon Quesadillas

• Friday - Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Bowls

• Saturday - Chicken Tikka Masala

• Sunday - Birthday Dinner (not my actual birthday, but when we’re celebrating)

On my to do list: I made eye appointments, so I guess I should move on to doctor appointments for the kids and me.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Chemistry Class; Book Club

• Tuesday - Bregant House Tour

• Wednesday - Eye Appointments; Book Discussion

• Thursday - Coop

• Friday - OPPD Arboretum Hike

• Saturday - Home Day

• Sunday - Birthday Day Out

What I am creating: Nothing much. I finished January’s Memory Planner pages, but have yet to start on February’s pages.

My simple pleasures: Target runs by myself, coffee

Looking around the house: The kitchen is about due for a massive cleanout both in terms of equipment and food. I think the rest of this month is going to be eat the food in the house (or buy the one ingredient that can turn the food in the house into a meal).

From the camera: Yesterday we had a lovely baby shower for a friend making her a ton of freezer meals. A lovely afternoon.

Life Right Now #6

As I look outside my window: Bright and clear with just a bit of cool temps.

Right now I am: Going to pick up my current read and enjoy a few pages.

Thinking and pondering: How can I make the retreat meals smoother? Randomly this is what popped into my head this morning.

On my bedside table: The Rise and Fall of DODO by Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland; The Worst Best Man by Lucy Score

On my tv this week: We dove back into Nic Cage Quarterly and covered a few more of his movies. We’ve made it out of the 1990s.

Listening to: After my big audiobook binge, I managed to pivot back to my podcasts. I got through another couple of episodes of Hello from the Magic Tavern.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Out (book club)

• Tuesday - Garlic Shrimp Pasta

• Wednesday - Peanut Butter Chicken and Broccoli Rice Bowls

• Thursday - Apple Cheddar Grilled Cheese

• Friday - Pizza Night

• Saturday - Coffee Rubbed Pork Loin

• Sunday - Buffalo Chicken Nachos

On my to do list: I need to finish my questions for Tuesday’s book club meeting that I’m hosting. I also need to post a few reminders in the coop group. And I should try and update my retreat documentation.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Chemistry Class; Book Club

• Tuesday - Errands; Book Club

• Wednesday - Home Day

• Thursday - Coop

• Friday - Nature Hike

• Saturday - Friend's Baby Shower

• Sunday - Coop Book Club

What I am creating: I want to get my January Memory Planner pages finished soon…

My simple pleasures: Cinnamon spice tea, cooler (but not cold) temperatures, nature walks with friends.

Looking around the house: I need to tidy and vacuum the living room, but the kitchen is looking good right now.

From the camera: We had to stop at the neighborhood photo spot before they change it.

Life Right Now #5

Right now I am: Taking a break from a very busy day.

Thinking and pondering: How do I word a few things? Working on documentation for coop…

On my bedside table: Sellout by Dan Ozzi; Chaos Terminal by Mur Lafferty

On my tv this week: We’re continuing our Nic Cage Quarterly this month. So far, we’ve watched 8 movies this month getting us to the late 1990s.

Listening to: I finished my audiobook and decided to take a break. I moved back to music especially various punk bands mentioned in Sellout.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Tacos

• Tuesday - Leftovers

• Wednesday - Sloppy Joes

• Thursday - Peanut Sauce Chicken and Broccoli Bowls

• Friday - Coffee Rubbed Pork Loin

• Saturday - Cajun Stuffed Chicken

• Sunday - Maafe

On my to do list: Probably a ton of things, but right now I’m working on a few tasks for coop. Doing a brain dump for big ideas and narrowing down some details.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Home Day

• Tuesday - Nature Hike

• Wednesday - Chalco Park Playdate

• Thursday - Coop

• Friday - Nature Hike

• Saturday - Home Day

• Sunday - Nerdy Bookish Friends Meeting

What I am creating: I finished my 2023 December Daily, so I’ve moved onto my 2024 Memory Planner.

My simple pleasures: Chats with my big kids, going to the library, making decisions that give me calm

Looking around the house: Meh. It’s good, not great, but good. Seems to be where I live.

From the camera Finally made it to the Luminarium and I did this fun tracing. We are going to have so much fun exploring that space.

Life Right Now #4

As I look outside my window:

Right now I am:

Thinking and pondering:

On my bedside table: Midnight Ruin by Katee Robert; Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison

On my tv this week: I watched some random television shows, but did watch much at night. I was so incredibly exhausted most nights that I went to bed early.

Listening to: Dungeon Crawler Carl #5… This audiobook is over 24 hours long and I’m only listening an hour day or so. Hopefully I can finish it sometime this next week.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Chicken Schwarma Fries

• Tuesday - Leftovers

• Wednesday - Roast Pork Cubano

• Thursday - Teriyaki Chicken

• Friday - Maafe

• Saturday - Pot Roast

• Sunday - Garlic Shrimp Pasta

On my to do list:

Happening this week:

• Monday - Chemistry Class

• Tuesday - Black Violin Performance @ Steelhouse

• Wednesday - Home Day

• Thursday - Coop; Luninarium

• Friday - Home Day

• Saturday - Home Day

• Sunday - Galentine’s Brunch

What I am creating: I finally got photo paper deliver, so I’m hoping to make some progress on my Memory Planner and/or December Daily.

My simple pleasures: My bed (seriously I missed it when I was away), triple chocolate cookies

Looking around the house: It’s laundry day, including all the sheets. So there are clothes everywhere…

From the camera: My birthday present from J came early! (Usually the presents are months to years late.) I’m definitely a Donut Hole.

Life Right Now #3

As I look outside my window: The sun has finally decided to make a bit of a comeback after multiple days without it.

Right now I am: Heading out to the coop steering committee meeting. I’ve got a whole agenda, but the biggest thing is a the creation of a survey to really get at our needs.

Thinking and pondering: How many books is too many for one weekend? Right now I have a stack of 10 books for next weekend.

On my bedside table: A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone; Midnight Ruin by Katee Robert

On my tv this week: J and I ended up watching a decent amount of television and movies. We finally started S2 of Our Flag Means Death and continued with some random sitcoms we are watching.

Listening to: Mostly audiobooks. I am jumping back into the Murderbot series. Hoping to knock out the last two books this week.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Jerk Pork with Caribbean Salsa

• Tuesday - Manicotti

• Wednesday - Chicken Tortilla Soup

• Thursday - Bacon Cheddar Waffles

• Friday - Gone

• Saturday - Gone

• Sunday - Leftovers

On my to do list: Appointments need to be make. I also need to finish packing for my reading weekend.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Chemistry Class

• Tuesday - Hot Shops Pottery Demo; Book Club

• Wednesday - Home Day

• Thursday - Coop; Homeschool Dance (third time’s a charm!)

• Friday - Board Game Hangout; Reading Weekend!!!!

• Saturday - Reading Weekend

• Sunday - Reading Weekend

What I am creating: Nothing much. My photo paper delivery was delayed which means that I can’t do much with my Memory Planner or December Daily this weekend.

My simple pleasures: Getting outside, temperatures above negative numbers, parents’ happy hour for adult conversations

Looking around the house: Meh. I’ll take it. Although I do want to move the bins out of the hallway and back into the garage. Wonder if I can do it with J noticing..

From the camera: Just some elephants in the snow… we got to see all four baby elephants (only one pictured below) during our trip to the zoo. The fifth one is due someone late February-early March.

Life Right Now #2

As I look outside my window: It looks bright and sunny, but I know that it’s still very very cold.

Right now I am: Marinating our steaks for dinner… always with the food prep.

Thinking and pondering: Which books should I pack for my upcoming reading weekend? Right now I have 10 sitting in a pile. I most definitely will not complete 10 books, but should I take them all? I will probably want to have options. I’m going to lean into my mood reading side.

On my bedside table: Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells; Untouchable by Talia Hibbert

On my tv this week: We finally watched a history of folk horror documentary and it was delightful. We also watched some other movies.

Listening to: Lots of audiobooks, which is weird for me. J got me hooked on the Dungeon Crawler Carl books, so I was binging those. I’m also listening to the Murderbot series. Mostly a reread for me, but I wanted the whole experience leading up to the volume that was released in November.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Whatever Dinner

• Tuesday - Buffalo Chicken Dip

• Wednesday - Fancy BLT Grilled Cheese

• Thursday - Jerk Pork with Caribbean Salsa

• Friday - Sesame Chicken

• Saturday - Pesto Stuffed Shells

• Sunday - Leftovers

On my to do list: Appointments to be made, lists to be made, reservations to be made.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Chemistry Class; Book Club

• Tuesday - Zoo Day; Coop Happy Hour

• Wednesday - Home Day

• Thursday - Backyard Playworld; Errands

• Friday - Fontenelle Forest Hike

• Saturday - Home Day

• Sunday - Steering Committee Meeting; Book Club

What I am creating: I started work on my December Daily 2023 album this weekend. I had to order more photo paper, but I got most of the pictures printed. Next I need to pull all my base papers out and start laying out pages.

My simple pleasures: Having a schedule, chips and dip, interesting conversations

Looking around the house: I got most of the first floor all picked up. Helpful because we have coop happy hour on Tuesday night…

From the camera: Nothing… I apparently didn’t take photos this week.

Life Right Now #1

As I look outside my window: Everything is white. That last winter storm dropped a ton more snow and the wind hasn’t let up. The below zero temperatures are not helping the situation. But I can concede that all that snow is very pretty to look at.

Right now I am: Deciding what we are going to have for brunch. Sausage, eggs, and maybe banana bread?

Thinking and pondering: I’m working on the Coop Steering Committee agenda. There’s a lot of random things that I want to discuss, but I need to work on prioritizing the really important bits. My biggest question to tackle is how to have people sign up to teach next year without me losing my mind with frustration?

On my bedside table: Despite my best intentions, I have a stack of library books to read. I’m really really going to try to not put a ton more library holds on my card (exception being book club reads). I want to read more from my own Unread Shelves. But for this week, I have The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott and Mr. Fixer Upper by Lucy Score ready to go next. Plus I want to listen to the next Murderbot book after I finish this Carl volume.

On my tv this week: The family is continuing to watch Percy Jackson episodes as their air. We also started watching Monarch together. I started Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (I know, I know, so late to the party) and am absolutely loving it. J and I watched a few movies and finished The White House Plumbers.

Listening to: Mostly just the adventures of Carl and Donut. Maybe I’ll go crazy today and listen to music instead…

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Spicy Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

• Tuesday - Potato Soup with Sausage

• Wednesday - Buffalo Chicken Dip

• Thursday - Whatever Dinner

• Friday - Honey Lime Chicken with Asparagus

• Saturday - Bourbon Grilled Flank Steak

• Sunday - Beef and Barley Stew

On my to do list: My reading weekend is just two weeks away. I need to finalize some plans and make a packing list including a TBR for the weekend. I also need to plan my coop lesson for this week. We are covering symmetry.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Chemistry Class

• Tuesday - Dentist appointment for me

• Wednesday - El Museo Latino field trip

• Thursday - Coop; Winter HS Dance

• Friday - Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company performance at The Orpheum

• Saturday - Home Day

• Sunday - Breakfast Club

What I am creating: I received my 2024 Memory Planner base, so I want to start on January’s pages. But I also need to start and complete my December Daily pages for 2023.

My simple pleasures: Earl Gray Tea Bread, snuggling in blankets, good television

Looking around the house: I need to do laundry today, including sheets, and I want to reorganize part of my office. Otherwise, the house looks pretty good.

From the camera: Enjoying the snow earlier this week. We have much more snow on the ground now, but the temps are below zero.