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This and That

  • busy vs. full- Everyone always says they are busy when you ask about their day. I am guilty myself. But I am trying to make an effort to live full days, not busy ones. I want my days to be more intentional. I am making a list each morning with the heading "I will...". The list includes things that need doing along with things that I like to do and things I wish I did, but never make time to do. So far, it seems to be quite effective.

  • I found a website called Simply Charlotte Mason. I really like the idea of this method of homeschooling. However, I don't honestly know if I could pull it off. This old dog has been using a completely different approach for so long, (thirteen years!) that I wonder how I can possibly make such a big change. Plus, is it too late to try this approach with the older kids? I don't know!

  • I got a new camera! I think it is smarter than me. But that is one of the things on my list mentioned above. To play around with the camera and figure out how to use it! Two days ago, I tried photographing the same flowers with the old and new camera, to see what the difference might be....
    old camera

    new camera
  • for Jack's Social Studies course, we did a virtual tour of St. Peter's Basilica the other day. I am hoping to see it in real life before we leave Germany. After viewing the Pieta, I said to the kids "Can you imagine taking a piece of marble and a chisel and creating something so beautiful," to which Anna quipped, "Yeah, Mom, that's marble-ous."

  • Ben's birthday was earlier this week. He would have been 16 this year, which I just cannot fathom. I wonder what he would have looked like, what his interests would be. All I can picture is my sweet little boy. I was supposed to go to a meeting that night, but Tony got held up at work and got home too late for me to make it to the meeting. I think it was God's way of making sure we celebrated Ben's life as a family, for Tony brought home BBQ wings, which were Ben's favorite food, and I cut up carrots and celery. Tony also bought ranch dressing, which we never have in the house. We had a nice, quiet celebration. I think Ben would have approved.

  • We had a surprise snowfall yesterday, with fine, fat flakes falling throughout the morning. It was cold enough to stick to the grass, but warm enough to not affect travel. The perfect snow in my opinion. The drive to Anna's band class was so pretty that I just wanted to stop the car and take a thousand pictures. Alas, my camera was not with me.

  • Though the snow is pretty, I am more than ready for Spring! And that is a little of life here in Germany on this chilly, foggy, February day!
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Comments

  1. BarbaraFebruary 24, 2016 at 8:19 AM

    Love your beautiful crocuses, but I think your old camera did a pretty good job. ;-) We're supposed to get some snow tomorrow, and I have to admit I'm not ready for winter to be over.

    Hope you're having a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jennie C.February 24, 2016 at 8:26 AM

    I think your old camera picture is better, but probably just because that's what you're used to. Keep practicing with the new one and you'll be just as great in no time! What did you get?

    I read a story a few weeks ago in which one of the children in the family died, and the younger ones weren't allowed to go to the funeral, and afterwards, the child was never mentioned again, and all photos were removed, presumably to minimize the pain of that loss for the other children. But that's not how it worked, of course. People need to grieve and to remember - Did you ever read Catcher in the Rye? Same sort of issue.... It's beautiful that you make it a point to celebrate and remember Ben. Lots of love to you, Jenny.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JennyFebruary 24, 2016 at 2:06 PM

      I got Canon's entry level DSLR, the EOS Rebel T5. I really have no idea what I am doing yet.

      I read Catcher in the Rye years and years ago. I remember nothing about it. Worth a re-read?

      Delete

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