A mother's daybook - October 29

Reading - Dr. Jeykl and Mr. Hyde with some AO ladies. We just finished up Frankenstein which was not my favorite but this one I'm liking. After that I would love to get a hold of a copy of The Deadliest Monster which uses both books as a way to compare worldviews. I'm kinda laughing that we are reading this in October because as far as I know, it wasn't done to be seasonal or halloween-y at all but I guess it does kinda fit.

Watching - Death Comes to Pemberly. Austen Characters + Murdery Mystery + PBS = was there any doubt?

Eating - All the sugar! Okay, not all the sugar. But I'm giving up on trying to be completely sugar free. It's just too hard and not worth stressing me out over. I only lasted about a month and honestly, I probably didn't even do as well as I did when I tried a similar experiment at the beginning of the year BUT I know that since then I've really cut down so my general level is pretty good. And I'm okay with that. Because when life gets stressful, a mom needs chocolate!

That said, I have been renewing my efforts to figure out stevia and that seems to be paying off. I don't like it as a 100% replacer in foods but used partially with a reduced amount of honey or maple syrup, most of the things I've tried have come out quite yummy.

Thinking - Of where I could possible have put the camera. It's MIA. Alas, the last place I remember having it was on a hike. A hike which ended badly. As in, one particular unnamed child misbehaved so badly I had to carry him/her to the car under duress. So the possibility that the camera got left behind as collateral is quite high. What is worse is not knowing for sure. Arg. We are making do with Craig's cell phone for now but that means I can't take any pictures of the kids during the day. And they have been really cute lately!

Planning and Preparing - For Christmas. Yikes, did November sneak up on me or what? I really hope to be done with most of my holiday planning by the beginning of December so we can just focus on the good Jesus-y stuff then. But my lists are well begun and you know what Mary Poppins says, "Well begun is half done" so it's not even quite November and I'm already half done! Look at me!
Okay, maybe that's going a bit too far. But I'm really having fun...

Making - the kids presents this year. We really only get them one small handmade gift. Last year was the stick ponies. This year I'm painting them wooden peg dolls. I think they'll love them but even if they don't, I'm having a blast making them. I've got 3 Pirates, half a royal family and one blond haired, blue eyes girl wearing a striped purple and pink dress. If I can ever find that silly camera, I'll show you. If I get these done, I might even try making them homemade pajamas.

Is it just me or are pajamas a feast or famine type of item in your house too? One day we have 20 pairs of pajamas overflowing our bin and the next time you look, you're down to a pair and a half and you're trying to convince your child that elephants and frogs get along so it really is okay if the top and bottom don't match (not to mention that NOBODY IS GOING TO SEE THEM!)

Then I made the mistake of looking for pajamas on Etsy and oh my goodness, are these not the cutest things? Lucy's just finished listening to Little House on the Prairie at quiet time (we had already read it together a few months ago) and I'm pretty sure she would think a Laura nightgown would be the best thing ever. And if I could get my act really together, she could where them on St. Lucia's day. Jonah doesn't really care one bit if I make his pajamas and truthfully, he'd rather not wear any but its getting cold and he has a teeny tiny waist and a teeny tiny bum and even over a diaper his pajama bottoms tend to fall off as the night goes on so custom fit ones would be good.