Rain, Rain Go Away

In my life this week...we got out the rain boots and umbrellas.  After a chilly weekend, we've had a warm but rainy week.  I'm looking forward to sunny weather again (warm or cool)!

Helpful tips or advice to share...ask your child questions about school.  If you want to know what goes on at school, preschool, child care, etc. you need to know how to ask the right questions.  I have found that asking an open ended and SPECIFIC question helps.  Like 'who did you sit by at lunch today' or 'what did you play with during play time' or 'what instruments did you use in music class' (you get the idea).  Whenever I ask 'what did you do in school today' or 'what did you learn today' all I get is silence (or the occasional 'nothing' or 'I don't know').  I have especially enjoyed hearing Luke's answers to these questions.  I love to hear his 3-year-old thoughts on his preschool mornings.

App or website I love…by now you know that I'm an avid reader.  I love the website (and app) for Goodreads.  Its free and you can get great tips and reviews (by regular people that actually read them, not professional book reviewers) on books.  You can also see what your friends are reading and how they rate the book when they finish!  You can add friends who use Goodreads (via facebook, gmail, yahoo mail, hotmail, and twitter - or you can search by name or email) to see what they're reading, have read, and plan to read.  I also love it because its a way for me to keep track of the books I want to read so I can remember them when I have some time available to pick up a new book!

Questions I have...when will Luke get over his 'picky eater' phase.  I hope its soon!

Places we're going and people we're seeing...I haven't been going or seeing as much as Will has this week.  Along with some business trips, he was able to go with some friends to the Green Bay Packers vs. Carolina Panthers NFL game last Sunday in Charlotte, NC. Go Pack Go!!

What's working for us...what's NOT working is our vacuum.  We were spoiled with an awesome CentralVac system at our old house, so when we moved we had to drag out our old (and cheap) vacuum.  We thought it just needed a new bag, but now we realize that it just doesn't do a great job at all.  I guess its time to shop for a new one.  Suggestions?

I'm working on...all things related to John's birthday next week.  Trying to figure out what to get him, how to celebrate, when to celebrate, etc.  I hate to say I haven't made much progress!  Hopefully things will come together and he'll feel very loved and special on his big day!

I'm reading...I finished Catching Fire last week (in just a few days!) and I just got an email that Mockingjay is ready for me to pick up at the library :)  I think that will be my weekend reading! I will be sad for this series to end.

I'm cooking...comfort food.  This cooler weather has gotten me in the mood for fall comfort foods.  We had baked chicken with homemade mashed potatoes and gravy earlier this week.  I think I'll make something in the crockpot today (beef stroganoff or beef burgundy). 

I'm grateful for...friends.  I have been developing some new friendships here in Williamsburg and I'm so grateful for how friendly everyone has been and how quickly I feel like I'm getting to know some of them.  I'm also grateful for facebook (however lame it has been this week) for keeping me connected to my friends in faraway places!

A photo to share...I enjoyed wearing some of my Grandma's old jewelry to church on Sunday.  This picture was taken by Luke after church!  My Grandma Kinservik (maternal grandma) passed away over 20 years ago, but recently my mom got out her old jewelry boxes so us girls (my sister and sister-in-law and me) could go through it and pick out some items to keep.  This is the first time I wore this set - the clip on earrings were a little painful, but it was fun to wear all the same.