"Why was there a pair of needle-nose pliers in the bathtub?" I didn't ask who because I know who it was-the boy. I don't understand why he had it in the bath with him last night, though.
When he was 4 and we were building this house Pat's roofing hammer was missing. Jonah told him the "toyotes took it!" (coyotes) He found it next Spring, gave it to his father and told him the coyotes brought it back. LOL
We didn't do school today. Pat was off from work because he is going back-packing for the next 4 days and wanted to have extra time with us before going. It was a very nice day. He did some errands this morning and took all the kids with him. I had almost 3 hours to myself! Usually I don't know what to do with myself, but this time I headed right to the garden and got a lot done.
For the rest of the day we just puttered around the house. Pat played catch with the kids, did some mowing and got some raw milk for me from our friend's farm.
I think I am going to try making yogurt. I've learned how to make cottage cheese, but have been nervous to try the yogurt.
Hannah's friend, Meaghan called and asked to come and play and she did. She is such a sweet girl.
So, Pat is gone now and I am missing him. He is going with one of my brothers to Maine. They are backpacking 15 miles/day I think. They try to go once or twice a year. But, I always worry and feel lonely.
I'll be busy, though, the next couple days. My friend Chris invited us to go to the zoo with them tomorrow. There is a new penguin exhibit that I'm looking forward to seeing. Susanna has never been to the zoo and I think she is going to love it.
Saturday we're going to my MIL's house to hang out. My MIL also offered to watch the kids for a bit so I could go shopping. She has a fantastic thrift store near her. I really need some clothes for myself. The kids are all set, but I am always wearing the same old stuff.
I've lost a few pounds, so it will be nice to get something new (to me).
I'm reading a very interesting book right called The Maker's Diet. It is really good and I'm wanting to change things drastically about our diets. I need to take it slow, though, as my dh doesn't like it when I mess around with his food-LOL.
He's come around a lot, though, over the years and is eating things he never thought he'd ever eat.
We've had so much rain the past couple weeks. Yesterday & today were so sunny and nice! We are really taking advantage of it. The kids got up and we all went outside in pajamas. Susanna looked so cute in her nightgown and green froggy boots surrounded by 25 chickies-I wish I had gotten a picture of it. The kids fed the chickens and checked on all the other animals. With the good grass we haven't had to grain the horses or cows, which is really nice.
I did some weeding in the gardens and found our very first big red juicy ripe strawberry!
The kids finally got dressed and finished up their inside chores. I made smoothies for us all (and had extra to make into popsicles) to drink outside on the porch chairs while we did our Bible reading and devotional. We also read out of Hero Tales about Amy Carmichael.
They got all their seatwork done, but we didn't get to our Konos unit.
Instead Hannah had an idea to take a nature walk and bring their nature notebooks. I thought that was a great idea. So, we went down the driveway, across the road and walked a dirt road that goes through 3 fields. The middle field is a meadow and was full of wildflowers and tall grasses. It was the most heavenly smell and is my favorite smell. I wish I could wear it or spray it in the house.
We went thru to the next field and picked a spot to lay a blanket. Hannah drew the edge of the pasture-a fence with trees and flowers. It was really pretty. Jonah doesn't enjoy drawing and didn't. I read them a couple books that go along with our next Konos unit. They really enjoyed The Inch High Sumarai.
We walked back home, but stopped in that meadow. Hannah wanted to pick flowers and I really treasured the site of her red hair shining in the sun while she was surrounded by tall grass and flowers. I wish I had the camera, but I know I won't forget that image. She would have liked to stay there for longer than we did, but Susanna was tired and I wasn't comfortable leaving her alone that far from the house even though she is 10.
Pat came home early and we spent the rest of the day taking care of outside things. We had hamburgers on the grill, salad, parmesan potato sticks with sour cream & chives. After dinner Pat left to go to Loewes to get new blades for the mower.
The kids watched Air Bud. Jonah got so upset when the boy tried to leave the dog. He started sobbing. He's never done that before and it broke my heart, so I sat on the couch with him for awhile. The movie had a happy ending and he felt better.
Well, I've neglected the dishes and there's clothes on the line I need to get.
Yesterday was a very interesting day. We had errands to do, so after handwriting, grammar, phonics & Jonah's math we went to the library.
I didn't notice what Jonah was wearing until we got there-t-shirt, shorts, cowboy boots, big black cowboy hat, a soccer medal and an archery medal. I don't know how I didn't notice!! Hannah looked fine but I wish I had done her hair for her instead of her doing it.
About 15 minutes after we got there a class from the school next door came in to do a lesson on looking for books and to encourage enjoyment of reading (according to the librarian). Well, I was at a computer looking up books for a unit and Hannah & Jonah were in the section where the other kids were looking for books. I could see them.
My pile of books, bag and Galloping the Globe Curriculum were over there, too.
The PS teacher picked it up and looked thru it. I don't mind. I do wonder what she thought because she was talking to one of the librarians while pointing at it. Then she pointed at me.
So then the PS kids all gathered in a circle to have a book read to them. They looked about 4th or 5th grade. Hannah & Jonah stood to the outside to listen, too, and the other kids kept looking at them and then at each other.
When it was time for us to go my kids waved to them all and called "bye!" and they all waved back including the teachers.
It was kind of a neat experience and it made me laugh, too, in the car. I could really feel that PS teacher checking me out and observing my kids. I'm so glad they were behaving.
We did have a little pep talk in the car about how we are to behave as we represent Christians, homeschoolers and our family.
I am thrilled because I found out I can borrow books for 6 weeks instead of 3. I always owe money and so this will really help cut down on that. I just couldn't remember to renew the books.
After that we went to the farmers' market and the owner asked us if we still raise beef and would we consider selling him some in the future. I didn't know he knew we raised beef, but we don't have enough to sell. It's an interesting thought, though. Maybe someday we'd have a way to make some of these animals support themselves a bit.
Pat doesn't think he wants to sell beef, though. It costs money to raise them for 2 years plus so much of our time and it's expensive to butcher. He doesn't think we could sell it for what it is really worth and have people appreciate the price of natural raised beef. We have run into people trying to get things for less than it costs. It's not that I don't appreciate a good deal, but with all the work and money we put into it, I know what Pat is saying. He'd actually rather give things away than sell things.
But, he is considering doing this with pigs as it takes a lot less time to raise them and that might be worth our while.
Hannah had her piano lesson today also. I took Jonah & Susanna to the playground across the street while Hannah had her lesson. It's a small community playground in a tiny town. The playground is frequented by teenagers who happen to disrespect it. They write swear words on the picnic tables and throw their garbage all around. So, Jonah & I always pick it up. Also, there are a ton of weeds growing in the wood chips, so I did some weeding. I had nothing else to do and we do play there every other week for half an hour. I took that opportunity to explain to Jonah that it is a community playground and the community should be taking care of it. We use it, so we can help.
Finally at home again I got Susanna down for her nap and the older two helped me in the flower garden. I gave Hannah the choice of doing her math now or later as "homework" in her room.
So, she chose to garden. I normally garden by myself (it's my therapy) and I am particular about how things are done with my flowers, but I have been convicted of that. We're raising children, not flowers. And I did really enjoy having the company. Jonah loves to talk while working with me and he says the funniest things.
We put impatiens in the front of all the perennials and I let Jonah prune my bleeding hearts. He did a good job. I had flowers left over, so Hannah put some in the red barrel I keep on the back porch and then she made her own container garden in a metal tub complete with hens & chickens and little people and horses and rocks. It's cute. She got the idea from a kids' gardening book. Jonah put 2 flowers in 2 pots and put them on either side of the front steps. I did a bunch of weeding.
Susanna woke up and she likes to water, so she helped water the flowers. We had company the whole time we gardened. The 25 "chicks" were out and 4 of them are more adventuresome than the rest-4 roosters. They followed us around turning their heads from side to side at us like they were very curious. One of them is a scrawny one that we thought was going to die at 1 week of age. He was handled a lot so is friendlier than the rest.
Then I mowed the lawn again. With all this rain the lawn is growing like crazy. Hannah made dinner-chicken nuggets and fruit. Susanna rode on the tractor with me until her dinner was done and then Hannah took her.
Hannah is such a help. She also gave her a bath for me.
I talked to my MIL in the evening. She really encouraged me-as usual! She told me that a friend of theirs (who used to be a headmaster at a private school) stopped at their house for a bit while my kids were there (we were at the HS convention) and visited with them. A couple days later this man's wife called and told my MIL how impressed her dh was with our kids. He said they were polite and articulate and a delight to be around. That really made my day!
Pat got home at 9pm and was thrilled that I had mowed the lawn. I was hoping he would be. I let the kids stay up until he got home. He read some of the Hobbit to them and wrestled afterwards. I love watching them play. I don't take this for granted because Pat had a habit of always watching TV in the evening and wanting the kids to play upstairs so he didn't have to be careful of what was on the TV. He's been convicted of that and is really making an effort to change. I especially appreciate it when he's worked ALL day and is exhausted.
So, I'm thankful for this day (yesterday) and praising God for it.
What a blessed day at home with my family this day has been! Pat & I got up early together to have coffee and talk by ourselves. I love it when we do that. I had Sunday School to teach this morning and Jonah came with me. Everyone else stayed home. After the class, we came right home, picking up local strawberries and asparagus from a farm stand on the way. I also got some flowers, tomato plants and basil plants.
When we pulled in the driveway, Pat was mowing the lower horse pasture with Susanna riding on his lap. It was such a cute picture.
I made beef stew for lunch from a leftover beef roast that was in the freezer and then got Susanna down for a nap.
Two of Jonah's friends came over then and those three played hunting in the woods all afternoon.
Hannah & I read a little out of Beautiful Girlhood by Karen Andreola. We are loving this book. It will take us forever, though, because as soon as I start to read it to Hannah, she starts talking-LOL-which is what is supposed to happen!
She asked me if I ever had problems when I was young with friends who were raised differently than me. It turns out that when she was at a friend's house(this was last summer, actually) another girl was there and they were trying to decide what movie to watch, but most of the movies the other girl wanted to watch Hannah couldn't watch and told her. So, finally the other girl told Hannah that her mother was dumb to not let her watch all these great movies. So, we had a good long conversation about that, which would be too long to long to put here.
I didn't know about this at the time, but when I met this girl, something about her made me uncomfortable. Hannah hasn't seen her since.
I did some sewing while Hannah continued to talk to me and then we went down to the horse pasture and brushed the horses while they ate the grass Pat had just cut. I really enjoyed that. I don't spend enough time with the horses. The kids do, but I always feel guilty when I do. I should probably be doing other things like cleaning or weeding or something. There's always something.
But, I'd really like to get to know Retro better. I think there is something really special about him. He acts like he wants more attention, but then when you get close to him he acts like he doesn't need or want it. He was really friendly today. He rested his head on the top of Pat's head and he was giving me horse hugs.
Bonnie loves getting brushed-she won't move the whole time. Slugger doesn't really care about getting brushed and he usually rolls in the mud afterwards anyway. LOL He likes it when you sit down on the ground and pick grass for him, though.
I came back up and did a little weeding. My garden is really growing great! Something is eating my mustard greens, though. They're full of tiny holes.
By then Susanna was up and we all stayed outside to do a bonfire. There are a ton of fallen branches in the upper cow pasture. We worked on cleaning that out and we're burning it up.
We also let our 25 chicks that are bigger now out of their pen for the first time to roam loose in the yard. That was fun to watch. The two older hens are not being too nice, but those 15 roosters (for meat) gave it right back to them and they ran away. I think it is going to be a hard day when we butcher them. Plus, we've never done that before.The other 10 chicks are hens for laying eggs.
The kids all roasted marshmallows over the fire and then Pat took the two boys home. He ended up taking all the kids. He was going to leave Susanna home, but she said, "Daadee, pease go tuck!" So, he went and got the carseat to put in the truck. He really cannot resist her and it is so adorable.
So, I am getting dinner going. Since we got all that beef from our cow yesterday we are having porterhouse steak on the grill, salt potatoes, asparagus and watermelon.
After dinner we're going to a farm that has agreed to not sell us raw milk-LOL. They're going to show us how to not get it from the tank and then we are not going to enjoy raw milk whenever we want!
Today has been a busy day. Pat needed to help some friends tow a camper with his truck, so they met him here at 8am. Of course we'd been up for awhile. Jonah went with them. Pat told him he was going to need his help, so that made Jonah feel good!
Hannah & Danielle put together a play last night and decorated the whole loft-it was quite detailed with music and special lighting effects and lots of props. Susanna was an extra in the play and was pretty funny as she wanted to move all the props around. Jonah was the sound and lighting man. But, this morning there was a LOT to pick up. Plus animal chores.
I got the dishes done and some laundry. Pat keeps teasing me by calling the laundry hamper his dresser and the dryer his other dresser, so I really needed to do some folding! He calls the dishwasher the silverware drawer, too. LOL
I also got some organizing done with our school supplies. The counter was getting over-run with piles of books and projects. I never know what to do with all the miscellaneous papers!
When Pat & Jonah got back we all went to the butcher to pick up our cow. I wanted to go so we could talk in the truck on the way there. It's been hard to find time to talk this week.
It is a long drive and he thought the place closed at 1:00-in fact he had called the day before and was told they closed at 1:00. We got there at 12:15 and they were closed. That was kind of rough. Pat was upset, but just as we were about to pull out, the owner came from around the back and he was so kind to let us pick up out meat. We were so thankful. So now our freezer is full of beef. We raised this cow and it is so nice to know what is in it. It's always hard to bring them to the butcher, though.
On the way home we saw the biggest oak tree I've ever seen. It had to be 8ft in diameter or more. The kids were wondered if the tree had been standing during the revolutionary war. I do wonder how old it is!
When we got home Pat took a nap because he got home at 2:30am and had to go in to work for 4 hours this evening.
I put Susanna down for her nap and got fabric cut out and pinned for 4 cloth diapers I am making for a friend.
The kids played outside in the woods almost all afternoon. Danielle just went home a little while ago so now I have the kids to myself. I'm hoping they will settle down a bit so we can read a book aloud.
I also need to get to work on our quarterly reports for the school district, which I have not felt like doing at all.
I need to put together my Sunday School lesson for my class tomorrow, too. It's 1st and 2nd graders and I only have 2 weeks left with them. I've done this class for 4 yrs now and all year long I have been feeling like I needed to give it up. So, I finally let them know. I will miss the kids, but I know this is what I am supposed to do.
I see dog hair tumbleweeds floating across my floors (that I have been ignoring), so I better go and round them up before they carry away a kid.
Today has been an ok school day. This cloudy, dreary weather is really starting to get me down. I haven't felt very motivated.
We read our Bible and read a chapter on William & Catharine Booth our of our Hero Tales book. They were the founders of the Salvation Army and were amazing people! We really love learning about Christian heros.
Hannah did her Daily Grams, Easy Grammar, Handwriting and Math. She is loving our new handwriting program. It's called A Reason for Handwriting. In math today she learned how to convert improper fractions to mixed numbers. We prayed about it before attempting this new concept and it went so smoothly!
Jonah did his handwriting, ETC and math lesson. He started his 3rd grade math already because he couldn't wait-LOL. He loves it. We didn't do Simply Grammar today. He's getting stuck on verbs. I thought they would come easy for him because he could be the poster child for the entire "Verb Family." LOL I think he should take grammar slowly anyway.
They took a break and went outside to play for awhile. I read books to Susanna and got some laundry and dishes done. Hannah & Jonah found out that 2 baby robins in one of the nests they were watching had fallen out and died.
When they came back, they had lunch and listened to "Jonathan Park" on CD. We bought this at the convention and it is awesome!!
We all folded clothes while continueing to listen to the story.
Then, I rocked Susanna to sleep while reading The Hobbit to Jonah. He reads some and I read some. He is loving this book and I love watching his facial expressions.
We also did some reading in A Child's History of the World by Virgil Hillyer. We read about the Egyptians and the Babylonions. This book was a little confusing at first as it talked about evolution and God in the beginning. The kids kept stopping me to check what was really true and what was theory. Their background is creationism and young Earth teaching. Now, that we have gotten away from stone age and all that other stuff, the book is easier to understand. It's good that they heard this, though. Now they know where many of their friends are coming from.
We talked about Fibonacci #s again. We learned about this from Jonathan Park and made up a little 2 step dance to practise saying the #s.
Hannah has her friend, Danielle over for a sleepover now. They made a cake and frosted it to look like there is a pair of sunglasses on it. It turned out great! Jonah went to play with Ryan for a couple hours and now is back.
Jonah has had a very accident prone day today. He rode Bonnie before lunch and asked her to trot, but she cantered and he dropped the reins and was hanging onto her neck. He didn't fall, but got really scared. Then at Ryan's he fell off a scooter and he fell off a bike and landed with the handle bars in his ribs. He's a big scrape and bruise over his lowest left rib. It looks awful.
They're all outside playing in the woods now after having checked on all the animals. Slugger has some open bug bites on his shoulder we need to put ointment on. I think the chicks will need their lamps on tonight, too. It is cold outside!
Susanna is playing with her babies and watching a sign language video.
This happened a few days ago, but I don't want to forget it, so here it is:
We've got 4 baby robin nests that the kids have been checking most mornings.
They've seen the nests being made, the eggs appearing, one nest they actually saw a robin hatching.
We've learned all about robins, but the kids seemed to forget they grow up fast and leave.
After they got their morning schoolwork done they went to check all the nests and for one nest, the baby birds were flying out and landing in the hayloft and then flying down to the ground (inside the horse shed).
So, Hannah & Jonah with gloves spent a good amount of time picking up the babies with gloves, climbing a ladder and putting them in the nest-only to have them fly out again and then they went thru the whole process to put them back in again.
I have no idea how many times they repeated this. LOL!!
They finally came to tell me this all tired out and frustrated that the babies would not stay in their nest.
Jonah said, "Mom, we had to take care of them. Their parents were no where around to look after them. I can't believe they left them alone to get hurt like that. What if a horse stepped on them!"
It was so cute the way he said that.
Hannah was mostly worried because 3 of them were flying out and one wasn't and it was all alone.
