Posted in Around the House

Quilting, by Carolyn Watson; available at www.allposters.com

I feel a bit at odds right now.  My house is mostly de-cluttered (unusual for me), the laundry is caught up (hunh, how'd *that* happen?), dinner is thawing, the school books have been purchased and are arriving daily at a steady clip, the boys are wrapping up their school year (we can count down in hours now), and I'm actually getting things done around our home.  You know, those things that you always mean to, but don't ever make the time to do?  For instance, I completed a sewing project yesterday that I purchased over a month ago.  For me, that's phenomonally fast, lol!  Oh, and last night I sewed closed holes that had been increasing in size on two of our gigantic sofa pillows along the seam.  *And,* I crocheted some more on a Christmas present!  I am amazed.  I have a couple of theories on why these items are getting finished; see what you think.

#1 - my house is mostly de-cluttered (don't look in the garage or Jigger's room).  Cutting down on 'stuff' has made it infinitely easier to get around in our home and to find things, but it's also had this unthought-of side benefit:  once you do it, you have worked yourself out of a job!  Those hours spent pitching and sorting are free once again - but the icing to that would be that those hours are now GUILT-FREE.  A *huge* thing for us guilt-laden homeschooling mamas, wouldn't you agree?

#2 - we are staying home.  Period.  We leave for two things:  lessons and church.  What about the library, groceries, visiting friends and family? you say.  We visit the library while the boy is at pipes lessons, get groceries while the other boy is at dance lessons, and visit with family at and after church.  The key is to work things into your regularly scheduled outings, and to not fall prey to running out in-between-times for an item or two.  For instance, I'm almost out of unbleached flour.  A gross oversight on my part when making up my grocery list last week.  Have I run out to get it?  Nope.  I'm rationing it, and combining it with my whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour.  No biggie.  Unnecessary trips have almost convinced us they are necessary, when all they do is waste our precious time and money.

#3 - I'm scheduling my time better.  I find that if I get moving first thing in the morning, my day miraculously opens up for me and the things I want to do.  For example, I get up at 5 a.m.  I get showered, dressed, and then head downstairs to make my wonderful husband breakfast and pack his lunch so that he can be out the door at 6 a.m.  At 6, I allow myself a little play time on HSB :), and then I get cracking.  I get some bread going or prep dinner, make the boys breakfast, get schooling underway and supervise, and do my daily chores around the house.  This takes us to lunchtime, and after I've cleaned up from lunch and finished dinner prep, I have the whole afternoon to do what I want to do.  Crochet, sew, read, gab on the phone, visit HSB again, play games with the boys when they finish their home lessons, etc. 

I think it's vital that we make time for our creativity.  Without it, the days can blur into drudgery.  Right now would be a great time to start those homemade Christmas cards you've always wanted to make, but never make the time for.  Or, do what Robyn and I are doing, and make up your list of Christmas gifts to make and/or buy.  We're exchanging them on the 15th of this month to hold ourselves accountable.  Most of the time, just knowing what you're giving someone makes all the difference in the world.

So, take a fresh look at your schedule and make some time in your week for you - and you'll be amazed at what you can get done by staying home, keeping your home tidy and de-cluttered, and being wise with your time.  Will you try?

Posted in Around the House

In this year of elections, we have:

a) done our patriotic, American duty whereby we have researched each candidate to their fullest, compared it next to our moral and religious beliefs, and chosen the best possible candidate to vote for come November

b) caught the news sporadically, participated in various election discussions gauging others' view points on the candidates, and then gone with the person's opinion we respect the most

c) lined all the candidates up on a bulletin board and shot darts haphazardly until we have a clear winner

d) made up a new word that we feel best conveys this year's elective process

If you guessed D - you're right!!  The BRAND NEW word of the year is:

POLITIMATIC:   (puh-li'-ti-ma'-tick);  the art of being politically diplomatic

USE:  This family is not very politimatic.

Hat Tip goes out to Piper, not only for the fine sentence accurately using the word POLITIMATIC, but also for creating POLITIMATIC.

Go forth and spread the (new) word.

Posted in Around the House

So, one day last week, in an effort to stall the bedtime process, Jigger came over to me and began massaging my shoulders.  Now, before we go any further, you should know that Jigger's fingers are magic.  I've been thinking of getting some clay to help in his lack of dexterity, but now I think I'll just write a daily five-minute massage into his lesson plans.

Anyway, he began massaging my shoulders because I got the massage-gluttony gene from my mother, so he knew it would work.  After a couple of minutes, I said to him, "You know, if you do this to grandma, you could probably get her to do whatever you want."

"Really?" he asked, speculation high in his voice.

"Yep," I muttered, too intent on enjoying the neck rub to continue the conversation.

"What if I did this to grandpa?  Would he do whatever I want?"

"Probably not," I replied, and out of curiousity asked, "Why?"

"Well, because I would want him to play pool with me."

"Ahhhh.  But where would you play it?" I asked.

"You know, in their new pool barn they're building."

"Their new... whaaa?" I confusedly spit out.

Here I looked over at my husband, with a distinct look of heavy  confusion concentration on my face, only to be met by the same look.  Suddenly, the light dawns on my husband, and he turns to Jigger with a barely concealed look of absolute delight on his face.

"Do you mean their new POLE barn?"

"Yeah, that's what I said.  Their new pool barn.  Where grandpa's going to put his new pool table."

Conversation ceased, laughter commenced, and Jigger looked around with a dazed but happy look on his face, for while he didn't understand what the big joke was, his parents had temporarily forgotten about his bedtime.

Posted in Around the House

Oh my goodness.  It's been two and a half months since my last post.  Two and a half months!!  I know, I know, some of you kept reminding me of the passage of time, but to be honest, I just kept plugging along and figured *that* much time wasn't flying by.  Boy, was I wrong!  For all of you still tuning in to see if I've updated, Thank you!!  I hope to visit you all again soon.

So, where to begin??  Well, when last we spoke, I was concentrating on building next year's curriculum for the boys.  I spent many, many hours on it, have a definite vision, and will spend some time in the upcoming weeks fleshing it out and ordering new books (I love doing that!!). 

From that I moved onto spending a little time on myself, and figuring out what I feel most called to do.  That was quite a mental process, let me tell you!  I began with the Ladies Against Feminism site, which turned me off initially by the title, but once I began searching and reading, I realized their true intent:  to give women the freedom to be women.  THAT is what I felt called to do.  So, I tested myself (and, to a certain degree, my husband) by trying a week-long trial of wearing skirts.  Wow!  What a challenge to this capri-only-all-year-long woman!  Many, many revelations came from that, some expected, some unexpected, with it resulting in me moving my capris to the back of the closet and purchasing half a dozen skirts.  I decided to do my hair and make-up *every day* (gasp!), and not rush through my days.  I deserve to feel the flow of my days, not the tug-and-pull.  All of these changes were surprisingly less difficult than originally anticipated, and have stuck.  Well done me! :)

Next, I felt that my heart was pulling me to give homemaking an honest, loving go, not just piece time together for it.  I've painted my living room, rearranged furniture, cleaned my kitchen inside and out, and added some lovely finishing touches to my kitchen.  All with love.  I allowed myself to enjoy my home, instead of feeling guilty whenever I walked into a room because I had no time for it.  Homemaking is my calling for now, and I'm allowing myself to embrace it.

After that, the process flowed into purging my home.  I've been sorting for awhile, and have decided to make a sewing nook out of an unused portion of my closet.  I'd like to decorate the half bath downstairs, and eventually work my way upstairs.  The library is shouting for a makeover, as are Jigger's room and our room and bath.  The laundry room teases me with how quickly I could do something with it, and the garage is weeping for a thorough going-through.  I'm so content with my new outlook, and am trying to get life simplified. 

The boys have been busy; Jigger switched dance schools at the beginning of June, and that has been an adjustment.  Piper has just wrapped up a three day piping workshop where he studied under the tutelage of a world-class/famous bagpiper.  Jigger has a five day dance workshop scheduled for next week, and then they leave with my parents for 9 days for a trip to Cheyenne.  We've been busy with piping performances, and mo Chroi's work in the summer leaves few precious family hours.  We're hoping to ditch life and play hooky on Sunday, beginning with the new HP film.  The boys have 4 days left of this school year, and then they're (I'm) off until the end of August.  Hooray!!

While I have certainly relaxed and enjoyed time, other things have weighed heavily on my mind, as is expected.  Balance is such a fickle beast.  I'm in the process of doing a mental cleaning, and am muddling my way through it.  A few good friends are helping me, and hopefully all will be resolved soon.

I hope to blog from time to time again, and have missed you all!!  My blog has so many updates that need to be made that it will be under construction for a while yet.  There are so many additions I look forward to making as well.  Hopefully I'll be able to devote some time this weekend to it.  Please pardon the dust and confusion if you visit again.  I promise to write sooner rather than later.  :)

I hope this finds you all well and enjoying your summer.  May you have a blessed weekend!!

Posted in Around the House

Good morning!  I trust this finds you all had a wonderful weekend and are easing into your week confidently and contentedly.  My weekend was a mixture of joy and... what do you call that feeling you get when you poke yourself in the eye with a red-hot poker?... ummmm.... crap.  Yep, that's the word.  Crap.  Why the two extremes?  Well, because my children were at their aunt and uncle's overnight (joy... alone time with hubby) AND because we spent all day Sunday doing a financial review (aahhhh, you get it now, but for the sake of consistency, I'll say it:  Crap.). 

Finances.  What to say about them?  If you get emotionally involved, you're screwed.  No point in trying to pretty it up.  You're screwed.  Totally.  Because then every bill, every dollar, every decision becomes personal.  If your finances are tight (as ours are), then you begin to feel inferior, or just plain miserable.  Unless.... you don't.  What??  You don't.  You don't take every bill, every dollar, every decision personally.  You decide going into it that YOU are in control.  YOU got yourselves into this mess, and YOU are going to get yourselves out.  Without that second job, without a loan, without tears. 

And so we did.  I am very proud and happy to say that, for now, on paper, barring a complete catastrophic financial disaster, we did it.  We assessed our finances, crunched some numbers, and took a realistic but miserly approach to paying off our debt, and it all seems doable.  So now we can breathe.  Because the not-knowing and the sticking-our-heads-in-the-sand thing are worse than the sit-your-bottom-in-that-chair-and-don't-move-until-you-face-your-finances thing.  Having said this, do we have money for a vacation? (snort) Hardly.  I think we can fit one three-day weekend in around October/November, but any actual vacation will have to wait until October 2008, when our trip to Europe is scheduled.  Do we have money for sightseeing around town?  Only if we can walk, take our own lunches, and there's no admittance fee (who wants to go for another walk in the desert? lol).  Do we have money for dining out?  Only if dining out means taking a picnic to the nearest park (which happens to be across the street from our house).  Money for movies?  PBS anyone?  About the biggest excitement we'll be able to muster up is for the boys' birthdays coming up within the next two months.

However, we are happy.  Hubby has learned that mutual decision-making is phenomenally helpful (I was doing it by myself for YEARS until he took it over last June - solo.  We're now doing it together.), and that he doesn't need that second job he was panicked he was going to have to get even though we hadn't yet assessed our financial future.  I am happy because I'm learning a lot about managing a home through all this.  Huh?  Managing a home?  Yep.  No stuttering here.  Financial stress and woes have taught me to be more self-reliant, more creative, and a much better homemaker.  I'm forced to think about meals now, something that I never much did.  We no longer have any processed meals in our home (for both financial and health reasons); everything is made from scratch.  Just this morning I made two loaves of bread, homemade yogurt, homemade noodles (for the chicken soup for dinner), pie, and homemade blueberry pancakes for the boys for breakfast.  I spend 2-3 full mornings in the kitchen (I get up about 5) each week, and while I always make bread, the other items may vary.  Maybe I make a double/triple batch of red sauce to freeze for future use, or maybe I make something special for tea later on.  Whatever it is, it's much cheaper (I've been spending less than $100/wk on groceries for my family of four, and we eat three meals a day plus tea from our kitchen) and healthier than anything I could buy.  If you enjoy being in your kitchen, think about trying a couple of weeks from scratch. 

As for the education, well, we are apparently in a more relaxed frame of mind, which has caused me to rethink the whole more-regimented-than-I'd-like approach we've been taking.  I'm going to spend this afternoon poring over a more relaxed approach.  I've come to the conclusion that we are classical home educators, with a distinctly Charlotte Mason approach, but I want learning here at home to be a relaxed, flowing daily adventure.  I have a goal, and that's more than half the problem most of the time, so I just need to follow my instincts. 

Well.  I had no idea when I got on here over four hours ago that I would be this long-winded, lol!!  I hope this has been.... what, entertaining? informational? inspiring?  Anything other than boring, I suppose! :)

Have a wonderful week, and enjoy your children!!

Posted in Around the House

Hello!  I feel as though I've been gone for ages!  Sad to say that my posts may be more sporadic from now on as I'm feeling called to spend more time being home while at home.  Does that make sense?  When I'm home, I feel the need to do more, be more, and concentrate more on home and hearth and education, and less on frittering away my time by sitting in front of the computer or chatting on the phone.  I rarely get the things done I want to get done, such as crocheting (I'm teaching myself how, lol), cross-stitching, baking, in-depth studies with my boys, etc.  Instead I get caught up in my day being distracted and wish I could just have one more hour, or one more minute! to get things done. 

So, my computer time is going to be severely limited, my phones shut off during the day, and I'm headed outside to begin a container garden with my boys, walk more, talk more (with my children instead of my girlfriends), play games more, and live more.  I will still be blogging (I just can't seem to give up the friends I've made!), but there just may be a little more time between entries.  We do what we can, and at the end of the day, we are held accountable.

On a completely unrelated note, I will be slowly redecorating my blog, so thanks in advance for your patience. :)

This came across my desk within the last week, and inspired me to think about what I truly want my children to take away from their childhoods, and what I want out of my life:

“A roof to keep out the rain? Four walls to keep out the wind? Floors to keep out the cold? Yes, but home is more than that. It is the laugh of a baby, the song of a mother, the strength of a father, warmth of loving hearts, lights from happy eyes, kindness, loyalty, comradeship. Home is first school and first church for young ones, where they learn what is right, what is good, and what is kind, where they go for comfort when they are hurt or sick; where joy is shared and sorrow eased; where fathers and mothers are respected and loved, where children are wanted; where the simplest food is good enough for kings because it is earned; where money is not as important as loving-kindness; where even the tea kettle sings from happiness. That is home. God bless it!”
-Anonymous

Have a wonderful week!!

Posted in Around the House

I love this week.  Everything (almost) about it.  From a seasonal point of view, it's perfectly placed at this time of year.  Think about it.  Last week was Thanksgiving.  Advent and the Christmas season don't officially begin until this Sunday.  That means that this week is a week off.  A freebie.  A week in which we can leisurely decorate our homes and make ready for Christmas without feeling as though we're 'behind.' 

I'm taking full advantage of this week.  I've spent a little time each day installing lights, placing garland, and decorating the tree.  Candles are burning, Christmas music is softly playing in the background, and each day is a peaceful respite of joy.  I hope you are all enjoying the spirit of the 'free week.' 

Posted in Around the House

Today I find myself gliding through the day, leisurely preparing portions of tomorrow's feast.  I get such joy thinking that all across the nation, you all are doing the same thing.  I've done my laundry for the day, washed the sheets, made the dressing and Jell-O, and am currently preparing meals for hubby to take next week when he's gone. 

I so want to be finished with my kitchen work so I can finish the light cleaning I would like to do, so that I can sit on the couch, sew, watch a girly movie that's arrived from Netflix, and have some tea.  I so desire the work to be done and the relaxation to begin!  I keep making deals with myself: "work really hard until 3, and then you can relax...", LOL!!

Tonight I will make my family's favorite holiday breakfast food, Monkey Bread, and set it on the stove to rise overnight.  Tomorrow morning, voila!  Pop it in the oven, and the holiday is off to a work-free, enjoyable beginning.  If anyone's interested in this five-minute breakfast treat, let me know and I'll post the recipe.

My children are enjoying this day to the nines.  They have vowed not to get out of their pajama's, and they're sticking to it! lol  For the better part of the day, Piper has been sitting on his bed going through a card collection and making notes, and Jigger has been listening to a Redwall book on CD while lying on his brother's floor amid pillows and blankets.  I have been working downstairs with my Celtic Christmas music on in the background, with candles twinkling from room to room.  I have made my day too peaceful and enjoyable, as now all I desire is to sit and be among the peace. 

Such a peaceful day!!  May your day be as filled with love and peace as you go about your work.

Posted in Around the House

Do you have a spot in your home for you?  I don't mean the kitchen, either, lol!  I mean a spot that is in an enclosed room, with a chair or loveseat just for you and your wonderful husband to talk to each other after a long day without constant feet running through the room, or little ears listening in.  Are you laughing at me?  I'm serious here, ladies!  Where's your spot for you?

Well, I looked around my home today and wondered where my spot was.  I've always been the type of person to value *alone time,* and we're teaching our boys the value of being alone, entertaining yourself, and being comfortable in your own skin.  What with these past couple of months being so out of control, I decided  to take back control of my life.  One of those things I'm taking back control of is my alone time. 

Where do I go when the school books have been reshelved for the day?  Where do I sit with my cup of tea and cross-stitch, or read a book, or sketch?  Where do my husband and I feel peaceful gathering after he gets home from a long day spent away from us, to talk and put each other first without constant interruption?   We haven't had time these past few months for these little daily luxuries, but in the spirit of simplifying and rectifying, I decided it was time to make time.

As my eyes scanned the living room, I rejected it as a peaceful place, because it's smack dab in the middle of the flow downstairs.  You have to walk through the living room to get anywhere downstairs, so the living room's out.  I wandered upstairs to the library, where the loveseat in the corner is so inviting Jigger and I spend a good portion of our school day there curled up reading or doing sums.  I rejected that room, because there's no door.  It's completely open to the rest of the upper level.  This left me with the bedroom, so I walked into it with completely different eyes.  Narrowing them, I studied the room critically, and decided this would do.  Well, an hour later, it more than does~ it's wonderful!  After some simple rearranging and a thorough cleaning, the chairs in the corner look so inviting I can't wait for him to get home so we can sit and talk.  Our chairs are in front of the window, which looks out onto the mountains, and with the radio humming quietly in the background and the door closed, it's almost as if we're in our own private little B&B.

It's a little slice of Heaven. 

Have a wonderful weekend with the ones you love~ I certainly intend to!!

Posted in Around the House

As I sit here resting my weary feet, I feel such a sense of accomplishment!  I made my grocery list and menu for the next week-10 days, went shopping (at two stores), divided bulk items for the freezer, put all the groceries away, kept my laundry up, and made up a day of school today! 

Yep, you read it right:  we schooled today.... ALL DAY!  My children chose to play with their friends on thursday, and while previously I would've just adjusted my schedule yet again and felt that windmill-tilting futility, this time I said "No more.  If you want to play, you pay."  Much to my astonishment, they understood and agreed perfectly!  Hunh.  Soooo, my feelings of frustration before this were for what?! exactly??  (Of course, when my parents dropped by and expressed a surprised-not-in-a-good-way reaction, my back went up, but my mouth stayed shut~ yea, Me!!!)

Today, they got up, played for a little bit, got dressed, we all had breakfast together (with daddy~yea!), and then we got down to business.  Mo Chroi handled the math lessons (we do them orally and mentally, so it's extra nice to have a break every so often) and listened to every other narration (Jigger was on a roll today!), while I handed out assignments, kept the lessons flowing, and did my laundry.  We had a late lunch/early dinner of homemade biscuits and homemade vegetable soup, then went off to the shops.  It was a lovely day! 

I hope your day and evening hum along just as well as mine, and that you enjoy them to the fullest.  I'm off to snuggle up with Mo Chroi now that the children are in bed for the evening.

Have a wonderful weekend!