I am wearing... yoga pants and top, fleece jacket and tennis shoes. I start each day in exercise clothes, with the intention that if I'm dressed for the activity, I have a better chance of actually doing it. Sometimes I end the day that way too.
I'm listening to... the mechanical sounds of a house and nothing else, at the moment. I love a quiet afternoon. This morning I listened to a very interesting podcast on TED Radio Hour about the ways we communicate with each other. ( The episode was March 13th Spoken and Unspoken) Along those same lines was this podcast about talking more and using technology less in our families. You should listen just to hear the staggering statistics she offers.
I'm thankful for... a house for Travis and Becca, a stitched up cut on a finger that wasn't as bad as it could have been, purple flowers, sunsets and frozen lemonade. ( Have you tried the frozen lemonade at Chick fil A?)
Around the house... I've been decluttering bookshelves, cabinets and closets. One of the Lenten practices that I enjoy is cleaning a small area each day. Just one drawer or cabinet, maybe a bookshelf or closet. I keep the action small, so it doesn't take too much time. While tidying up my physical surroundings, especially those hidden from view, I think about those hidden sins that might need to be cleaned up in my heart. Spring cleaning the inner vessel, if you will. I find that when I ask the Lord to help me recognize sin in my own life, he will show me where I need to start and what changes I need to make.
From the kitchen...
We had an Irish dinner for St. Patrick's Day. Corned beef and cabbage with Irish Soda bread. Key Lime Cupcakes for dessert. We had the missionaries over for dinner that evening and having been trained well by their mothers, they ate everything I offered them, but I think they liked those green cupcakes the best!
In the garden... I've cleaned out the weeds from three of my raised beds and checked on the garlic. I have kale ready to plant, thanks to a friend who's been growing little plants from seed. It's time to till the garden for onion and potato planting. I had hoped to get that done this weekend, but with the cold snap forecasted... I don't know if it will happen.
I'm loving... date nights. At the beginning of the year, I asked my husband if we could reinstate date nights. After thirty some years of marriage, we had gotten out of the habit and found ourselves in a rut. I was feeling bored and thought this would be good for our relationship. And I was right on with this one! Every week since January, we've had a date night (or sometimes day, depending on the activity). We take turns choosing activities. Last week, we went to Carl Sandburg and hiked around with the dogs. It was a beautiful sunny day and it felt great to be outside. Sometimes we go out to a restaurant or concert, or stay in and order pizza and watch a movie, play backgammon by the fire or have massage nights! It doesn't matter so much what we do, but that we consistently choose to spend time together. I really look forward to the weekends and our dates!
I'm reading... The Gift of the Atonement, The Cloister Walk, Little Britches, Under the Tuscan Sun and Getting Things Done. I just started The Girl on a Train on Audible this morning while I was driving around town doing my errands. It's a pretty eclectic group of titles, but I like to have a book for every mood and time of the day. Something spiritual for early morning, some kid lit for the treadmill, nonfiction for snippets of daytime reading and fiction for before bed. Always fiction before bed. I know it's a weird way to read, but it seems to work for me.
I'm creating... a baby blanket. Still, working on the baby blanket. With general conference coming up, I will listen to the talks and work those needles. I have until July to finish this project, but it would be so nice to finish it up next weekend. I'm ready to move on to something else.
I'm learning... the Getting Things Done way of becoming organized. It's supposed to revolutionize the way you approach projects and free your mind for creative pursuits. I'm still reading and in the beginning phases of setting things up right now. I'll let you know how it works out.
30 Day Challenge... for March has been trying to get in 10,000 steps a day with my Fitbit. Just having the goal, makes me more intentional about moving throughout the day. I park in the last parking space, I make extra trips up and down the steps, I walk to the mailbox, instead of stopping the car on my way in and out. I walk to the garden or chicken coop, rather than riding my Polaris. It all adds up.
I'm pondering... "Invest yourself deeply in what is instead of being so caught up in what you thought it should have been. I think this is a recipe for a very present, very rich life." Shauna Niequist
(From this excellent podcast.)
I'm preparing... for the holy week of Easter, which will include; reading from the gospels, a trip to the temple, a passover meal, Good Friday dinner with friends, dying eggs, making hot cross buns, fresh flowers on Micah's grave, listening to sacred music and hiking to a mountain top to watch the sunrise on Easter morning. I'll cook a wonderful meal and gather loved ones around my table to celebrate hope, peace and the glorious resurrection of Christ. This is my favorite week of the year.
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