I have moved my blog site.  It is now at:

www.atmyhearth.blogspot.com

Well, here it is, my first ever sock!  I am so pleased with how easy it is going together.  I have finished turning the heel, finished the gussetts and have begun the foot....now the only "scary part" left is the toe.  I should be finished with sock number one within the next day or so.  WooHoo!!!

Basic beginner sock

Yarn:  Knitpicks Dancing

Needle size: 1

I am having so much fun knitting this sock.  I can see where they would be addicting.  So what do you think of my first attempt???

I recently moved Speedy B from Math U See Delta to Saxon 6/5.  It was a very good move for him.  Now Cowodie, my math whiz is wanting to switch as well.  I need to determine if I should go from MUS Beta to Saxon 5/4 or the Saxon Math 3.  Any suggestions?  Anyone else made the switch?

Today I received my copy of Knitting Rules!  I can hardly wait to have time to sit and read...Oh the choices, sip tea and read or sip tea and knit.  Both bring such pleasure, but what a dilemma!

Kim at Life in a Shoe has a contest that you need to go check out.  She will be giving away some wonderful prizes from Vision Forum.  My boys LOVE items from Vision Forum.  The books they sell appeal to a boys sense of adventure and the toys in the catalog provide hours of fun.

I am trying my hand at knitting socks.  I have knit off and on for several years, but have never gotten up the courage to knit anything other than dishcloths and shawls.  Nothing that required a guage or the perfect fit.  It is about time for me to break out of my comfort zone!  On one sock I have begun the heel flap and the second in the set is past the ribbing.  My goal is to have the heel flap complete on both by next Wednesday so that my knitting instructor can walk me through the gussets and picking up all the stitches again.  So far, it has been alot of fun.....and when I see all the beautiful sock yarn available....oh my, oh my.  I am looking forward to conquering the fear of fitting a pattern!

I am also going to participate in......

Looks like a lot of fun and the inspiration I need to complete my socks, go here if you would like to join in.

I received the message about housekeeping here at the homeschoolblogger.  It has made me slightly nervous.  Last time work was done here at the site I could no longer sign on to my old blog.  Thus I have this new blog....  There were some posts at my old blog that I do not want to lose, not that they are life changing nor profound; but they do have comments posted by my mom.  I went back and read the comments it was sad at first to read these little words, so stilted because mom wasn't sure what to type, but honoring my request to let me know that someone was reading.  Those little words are the last "written" notes to me by my mother.  So I have gone to the old blog and copied each post and comment from mom and pasted them onto a word pad.  Now how do I get them here?  The dates will all be wrong....but I don't want to lose them.  Any ideas??

Posted in Our Home Life

My dear boys have been having difficulty with the words coming from their mouths.  I have a whiner, tattler and one who tends toward a hateful tone.  Today was the day Mama could take no more!  After prayerful consideration an idea came to mind.  We had an errand to run, so I decided to add a stop.  We went into a local restaurant at snack time.  I ordered two servings of banana pudding for us to share.  After the first bite, I had the boys put down their spoons and I asked them if it was sweet?  Did it taste good?  Of course they replied yes it was great.  I told them that our words should also taste good, that if we would speak to each other kindly, it would be sweeter than honey.  I then had each of them say something kind and what they liked about each of their brothers.  As we finished our dessert, I told them that if they were unable to keep to kind words and tones, then they would not be able to eat anything sweet...cookies, candy or other special treats.

I don't know the long term results yet, but the discussion was good.  I think the visual (and tasty!) example helped them.

Posted in Our Home Life

It is hard to believe we have had so many hot days here in North Texas.  It was 104 or hotter today, yet one more day in a string of days well over 100.  There is no relief even predicted through the weekend.  Miss Mason was obviously in a cooler climate when she advocated a daily walk and much of the day spent out of doors for the younger set.  My boys, definately not couch potatoes, even protest being out of doors for long.  We went for a walk yesterday down the "Rail Trail", a converted railroad. After 30 minutes we decided to head back to the car and a respite in air conditioning.  The boys and I will definitely explore this trail further....when it is finally cooler.  Can anyone say December???

Posted in From The School

We have begun our year.  Yea!  It is so nice to be back in a routine and see the learning taking place.  Our life has been so crazy since my mom's passing.  Attitudes and tempers have all been on short fuses, I think mainly because of lack of routine.  Three boys left to their own devices is never a good idea, yet my sadness has kept me from being the "in-charge" mom of old.

We picked up where we left off with Ambleside Year 2.  Should finish it by the end of December and so we will then be on a January to December year.  I added in Easy Grammar for Speedy B, seems to be a good fit for him.  All the boys are enjoying La Classe Divirtida for Spanish.  I am also using HETutor for a nice compliment to the AO curriculum.

Posted in Our Home Life

Our old house is almost ready to put on the market!  I never realized how much we had let the house go until it came time to sell.  I guess having three small boys kept me a bit distracted and as the Headman would tell you, "house stuff" is not that much fun for him.  It does not help that the house is empty, so any minor flaw, chipped paint or dirt mark shows up like a neon sign!  I am proud of him.  He has done so many things to improve the house...things I didn't realize he knew how to do.  He laid tile, fixed sheetrock, replaced windows, put up new siding, as well as painting.  I have helped by painting and working in the yard....seems like a minor contribution compared to what dear hubby has done!

Posted in From The School

Speedy B came running in the house this morning full of delight. 

"Hey, Mamsie, the garbage man just asked my name in Spanish!"

"Were you able to answer him?"

"Yeah!  And even better he understood me!"

The little joys in life are grand.

We began Spanish this week.  After much thought, asking around and perusing at the Homeschool Bookfair in Arlington...I selected La Clase Divertida .  I have been so pleased.  The boys and I have all had fun, I believe we know the vowels (los vocales) and we have "What is your name?" down pat.  It is so cute to hear Smoda (4) chime in with us "Como te llamas?".

If you are looking for a fun way to teach Spanish I would suggest looking at La Clase Divertida!

Just got back from a round robin trip to Tulsa.  We had to attend my great aunt's funeral.  It is rather sad to see that my already smallish family has dwindled even more.  As Cowodie so plainly put it...is there anyone left in your family other than Pa (grandpa)?  The answer to that would be not any close relatives, you must go to the 2nd cousin so many times removed variety to find someone else in our tree.  Thankfully God has blessed me with a wonderful husband and three delightful sons, life is never lonely!

Today began my experience with grinding wheat.  I must say it was a bit daunting to begin.  I had never seen a grain mill used, just heard about the wonderful benefits of whole grains.  The Nutrimill had sat, untouched for almost six weeks.  I was waiting on my wheat order to come and waiting and waiting....  Last night at a whole foods store in our area I saw what I needed, wheat berries for purchase bulk.  Now this was much more expensive than my order I am waiting for, but finally an opportunity to try the mill!

I thought I would use a tried and true recipe that I know my children love...buttermilk pancakes.  The only thing changing was the type of flour used.  Surely it would be a success.  Well I was 2/3 correct.  Cowodie and Smoda loved them.  Speedy B (the Oldest dear son) thought they were okay, well not so good, oh please don't make them this way again!  Bless his heart, he doesn't realize that this is going to be the way it is as soon as the wheat arrives.  I am hopeful he will come around. 

Has anyone else had resistance from their children when they switched to whole grains??  I would love to hear your experiences.  I think he may be my only holdout.

I am always up for a good recipe. Especially one that is inexpensive.  Thanks to the Headmistress over at The Common Room for enlightening me about The Hillbilly Housewife. Miss Maggie has many wonderful money saving recipes.  This one in particular is fun for the boys....really for anyone that likes ice cream.  The chocolate version is very similiar to a Frosty from Wendy's. 

Magic Milkshakes

1 1/2 to 2 cups ice water

1 1/2 cups dry milk powder

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla

as much ice as you can spare

2 tablespoons corn oil plus 5 second squirt of Pam

Place all ingredients in a blender.  Blender should be 3/4 full.  Process for a FULL two minutes.  The time is very important, too short and you will have ice chunks and a non creamy texture.

Variations:  add ripe banana, a big spoon of peanut butter, broken peppermints

For vanilla milkshake: omit cocoa, decrease sugar to 1/2 cup and increase vanilla to 1 tablespoon.

We will be enjoying these many times during the upcoming hot Texas summer!

2006 is a year that I won't soon forget, or maybe I will and that will be for the best.  I found out in late December that my mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer.  She and I had just barely come to grips with the fact that she would need to undergo chemo and there was the first treatment upon us.  She made it through the first round with flying colors.  Mom was a little sick to her stomach, but nothing she could not bear.  We had a great time visiting.  I was her personal maid - cleaning bathrooms, grocery shopping, scrubbing spots on the carpet.  We laughed and enjoyed one another, something we hadn't had time to do alone since the boys came into the picture.  Plans were made for the next visit three weeks later.  She would help me make pajama pants for the boys.  Sewing -her love, my nemesis, but I was beginning to show an interest and she was going to run with it!

Mom and I when I went for her chemo

Then came the phone call on February 1st.  Early afternoon, a hysterical cousin - "your mom is in the emergency room and I don't think she'll make it".  I decided to wait to talk to Mom's level headed, calm friend.  This friend had taken her to all the doctor's appointments since I didn't live there.  She was up on all the testing, treatments and not prone to hysteria.  Tonja and I spoke, unfortunately, she confirmed that my mother did not look good.  We had a phone conference with the cancer doctor.  A diagnosis that my mother never asked about was shared with us - stage 4 metestatic breast cancer that had already gone to other organs, prognosis - terminal, not much time left.  Now what, it was 5:00 in the afternoon.  Did I drive up that evening or wait until the next morning.  My sweet husband and I talked about it when he arrived home.  After a long hard day at work, he was willing to drive the five hours so that I could be with my mom.  We were just formulating a plan when yet another call came from Tulsa.  This time it was the doctor in the MICU department.  Mother was failing fast was a I willing to intubate?  That may be the only way she would still be alive for me to get there.  I asked what mom's wishes were and the doctor said that she had requested no life saving measures.  I affirmed what my mother desired and said no to the procedure.  Any thoughts of driving to Tulsa flew out the window.  My dear one helped me throw neccessities in a backpack and we headed for the airport.  There was one last flight out that evening and he was going to get me on it.  While in line for boarding, yet another call from Tulsa, this time the cancer doctor.  She agreed with my decision to not intubate, but stressed the need to hurry home.  Mother was having difficulty breathing even with oxygen and her body systems were beginning to shut down.  As I hung up, I could hear her crying as well.  Tonja later told me that this sweet Christian doctor broke down in the hallway saying that notifying family was the hardest part of her job.

I arrived at the hospital at 10:00 p.m.  Mom was of course covered with tubes and an oxygen mask.  I wasn't sure what to expect, was she awake, would she be able to talk?  I went up to her, kissed her cheek and let her know I was there.  She opened her eyes and said very quietly "they won't be able to do surgery".  Her way of letting me know that she was terminal.  I told her I understood.  Ever the mother, she was concerned with how I got to the hospital, where would I stay and gave me permission to drive her car.  Tonja and another friend were at her bedside, as well as a young man that grew up across the street from my mom.  He viewed her as his "other mother".  We were able to talk to her, feed her ice chips, hold her hand and love her for quite awhile.  At midnight I had to make decisions regarding her medicines for the next day. Mother was in increasing pain and she needed more pain medication in order to be comfortable.  But to give her more pain meds, they would need to take her off of some of her blood pressure medicine.  The blood pressure medicine was the only thing keeping her BP elevated to 70/30.  That night I made decisions I never thought I would have to face.  Being an only child of a single parent, it was so lonely sitting at the table with the doctor saying "what do you want to do?"  Fortunately, God was there to hold my hand.  He gave me a peace about my decisions.  He allowed me to have a beautiful time with my mother.  She knew me, instead of being in a coma.  She was able to do the sign language sign for "I love you", something my 4 year old had taught her at Thanksgiving.  Right before she went to sleep for her final slumber she was able to tell me a message for my boys.  At 2:00 in the morning of February 2, my mother passed away, gently drifting off to sleep, holding my hand and surrounded by friends.

The next few weeks were a blur.  I had to arrange a funeral, gather up mother's things that I wanted to keep, dispose of the others, sell her house and handle legal affairs.  Needless to say, without the Lord bolstering me up I never would have made it.  I look back now and know that without the comfort of good friends provided by Him I would have crumpled.  Sweet ladies fed my family, came and helped me pack and hold an estate sale.  My dad and stepmother were able to keep my younger boys on the farm.  My dear husband's boss allowed the oldest boy to go to work with my husband for two weeks.  God is so merciful.

In addition to all the other changes in our lives, God has blessed us with a new home.  There was no way we could have combined the things I brought from my mother's with our already overcrowded home.  We had talked about moving for two years, God just gave us a little nudge.  Our new home is perfect.  We have a beautiful area to do school, room for all the boys, a spacious kitchen and when I can get it organized a room my mother would have been proud to call "her sewing room".  Here again the Lord has provided me with just what I need, I have friends willing to come and help me organize all of the sewing items - half of which I am not sure what they are for! I am sure that mom is smiling.  All the years I resisted and refused sewing, now I am eagerly waiting to try my hand at it.  I hope to make mom proud.