Dec. 15, 2009 - Gentle Snowfall
And yes, we do have another snowsquall warning.... but today the snow has been falling steadily with everything from huge flakes to small ones. Right now it is coming almost straight down, and it looks so very pretty!
A lot of last week's snow actually melted, with temperatures being above freezing for a couple of days. However we got enough, that the only places you actually see bare ground is on the roads.
Life otherwise has been moving along as rapidly as usual, but relatively smoothly. We're still doing school at the moment, and won't be taking off until just before our visitor arrives next week. Then school will be rather hit-and-miss for a few weeks with holidays and birthdays just around the corner.
Evenings have been quite fun for me, although I am missing my regular walks. I've been making headway on listening to old conference audios, and working on my cross-stitch. I took out the portion that I made a counting mistake on, and re-did it, and now it is coming along nicely. It is amazing how easy it is, once you've figured out where the mistake is. I have taken to coloring in my chart (a copy of the original) after I've stitched an area. I just started last night. Not sure whether it is due to my age, possibly needing new glasses, or just that this chart is more difficult to follow than the many I have used before. I have found it very frustrating at times, and made many more errors than I usually do.
Time to get back to afternoon lessons. 
Dec. 9, 2009 - In Lieu of a Walk
Between the weather, and life, I haven't managed an evening walk for a couple of weeks. I haven't managed a morning walk either. It is beginning to tell on me. My energy level has been taking a plunge by mid-afternoon again, and the last couple of days, I've been struggling to maintain my evening routine.
So, barring the kind of weather we had this morning--freezing rain and such-like stuff, I have made up my mind to get out in the morning tomorrow--even if it means starting on our schoolwork later.
So since I'm not walking, I'm blogging. And since I haven't walked, I don't have any recent photos.
School work has been going very well lately. So well in fact that I haven't wanted a break from school--just a break from the other stuff in life--like laundry, and cooking, and cleaning up the house. I can see the kids are growing up, and able to do a lot more work independently of me. I can still be around for questions, but I really have been more free to work on dinner prep, and other household chores. The downside of this is that when I'm not sitting with them, checking their work as they do it, I have to check work at other times. It is sometimes easy to forget to do that. I shudder to think of it piling up without my noticing.
We will have another full week and a couple of days before a friend comes to visit for a few days, and the holidays are upon us. We don't make a big deal of the holidays, so I am not sunk in preparation at the moment, however there will be some preparations to make for our friend's visit, and after that, we will be getting ready to make a trip (weather-permitting) to see Grandma and Grandpa and an Aunt and Uncle for a couple of days. That visit will be a fun way to celebrate the New Year.
Along with the snowy and wintry weather has been a desire to do more crafty things. Unfortunately that desire hasn't gotten beyond two rows of knitting today, and perhaps a bit of cross-stitch tonight. It would be fun to take a day off school to do crafty things--if I didn't spend the whole day doing household stuff that I don't usually get to.
The cross-stitch and audio book are calling me just now, so I'm away.
Dec. 4, 2009 - Snowsqualls or Snowed Under?
I've spent today frequently checking the forecast--I'm not sure why, except maybe it is the fact that we woke up to the sound of snowplows and the sight of snow on the ground. And for the entire day there has been a great big (it seems) red banner saying "Snowsquall Warning!". In actuality, we saw a bit of snow, some cloud, some blue sky, and some completely overcast, and the day actually improved once I made the decision not to go skating. That was a big disappointment for the kids, however I think they still managed to have a pretty good day.
Since it was Friday, our academic work was at a minimum. We spent some time browsing a virtual tour of Warwick Castle. Then we spent the rest of the day in home economics. For them, that meant each mixing, and baking one pan of cookies (I put the rest on the pans for them). Belle made her delicious oatmeal raisin cookies, and Boo made some yummy chocolate cookies. The chocolate ones beg a bit of icing, which I hope/dream of doing tomorrow.
My dear husband spent part of the afternoon "shrink-wrapping" the bedroom window. We have a huge window in our bedroom that has a tendency to let the heat out and the cold in. His receding hairline will probably have a happier night of things tonight! I am glad that is done. Now... to get the garden tarped...hmmm...how soon will it be under two feet of snow? That is a job yet undone because dear husband didn't quite know what to do with the Oregano plant. My vote is to tarp the garden, and fold the corner where the plant is, back so the plant is left uncovered. I wouldn't mind doing it myself, but I didn't even make it outside once today!
My "home-ec" consisted of dusting downstairs, cleaning off my desk, cleaning the bathroom and vacuuming upstairs. I didn't get the downstairs done tonight because back pain and dinnertime both hit at the same time. I think bending over umpteen times taking cookies in and out of the oven is what did it.
The reason for tackling the housecleaning today instead of tomorrow, is that, barring snowsqualls, I need to go grocery shopping. I had been planning to go on Monday, but since skating was missed today, we thought it would be good if the kids could go on Monday. Grocery store and skating rink are in opposing directions, so doing both on the same day isn't going to happen in winter. If I'm going to go venturing into town on Saturday, I want to go EARLY. But downstairs cleaning still awaits---could it, would it be possible to enlist Belle to do it--on a week when we're expecting visitors on Sunday? I'll have to think about that. She is getting pretty good at vacuuming, and she might enjoy the responsibility.
I still need to finish making a grocery list. It is mostly ready. I also need to pull meat for next week out of the garage freezer and put it in the house, so that if it is snowy I don't have to go out every day. Our garage is not connected to the house, so it means going out to it. Then there is the usual budgeting and lesson planning that beg to be done. The list never ends.
And tonight, the long-distance caring for Grandma has meant several phone calls. So a call to them again tomorrow is on the list.
Nov. 28, 2009 - Various and sundry notes...
After spending most of the week feeling scatterbrained and like time was disappearing too quickly for words, today's duties kind of fell into place--at least so far. I cleaned this morning, did the budget stuff this afternoon, and have meals planned for the week. (One can at least hope that things run smoothly enough during the week that I can cook what is planned.)
Yesterday the kids and I went for a walk before breakfast. As always, when I go out at that time, I am so thankful that I don't have to scramble around in the mornings to get the children ready to go on the bus to school. We walked down to the park, and watched the geese on the river. I was delighted to try out my new camera on some outside photos.
Yesterday was also our children's first time ice skating for this winter. Belle ventured out without any support at all, from the beginning. She fell a few times, but not nearly as many as I thought she might after not skating since March. Boo took a chair on the ice for support, but soon gave it up as he got his "ice legs" back. They both did very well. Skating happens Monday and Friday afternoons, however I don't plan to go on Mondays until I finish the history Core that we are still working on.
I have finally found a pair of shoes that are wide enough and comfortable enough that I can wiggle my toes. My orthotics fit nicely. I still have pain in my feet, and I have to do stretches before I get out of bed in the mornings, and during the day, but the situation has improved immensely! I don't have nearly the same amount of pain that I had when I first started seeing the chiropodist in the summer. I am grateful to the store for ordering a wider size for me since they didn't have it in stock. I was still able to purchase them at their sale price.
Now if I don't get off the computer I will be slipping behind for the evening. I still have to plan lessons for the week, finish making cinnamon buns for tomorrow, see that the children are bathed, and hopefully spend some time cross-stitching if I'm not too tired this evening.
Oh dear! Just realized that what I thought was chili leftovers from the freezer happens to be pasta sauce! So glad I hadn't already started the rice! Surprise supper.
Geese flying just after taking off from the river.
Still a few autumn colours around.
Dec. 28, 2009 - SpellQuizzer Review and Giveaway
When I was asked to review the SpellQuizzer program, I was surprised! I have never done a review of anything before. I was also in the middle of planning my lesson schedule for the year, and I was trying to figure out how I would do spelling with one child while keeping my other child busy working at the same time. I was starting to think I would have to be working with two lists at once, and trying to keep them both straight!
SpellQuizzer came at just the right time for me! I answered the request for a review of the program, downloaded it, and let my children play with the sample lists--wondering how they would like it. Boo took to it like a fish to water--spelling on the computer--What fun! Belle was not as excited at first. But she came around, and now I get complaints when I don't have time to input their lists and they have to write out their words by hand.
SpellQuizzer is a software program that is designed to help children master their spelling and vocabulary words. It is not specific to any spelling curriculum, but instead is designed to work with whatever program you want to use. This was especially helpful to me as I have two very different children in two very different spelling programs. I input my own lists, and when I can, I use words that are in the database. There are also spelling lists available for download on the SpellQuizzer Website.
The program is very easy to use. There is a screen with options to Quiz on a list that is already made, to Create a spelling list, to Edit, Import and Export lists. You select the option you wish to use and follow the directions. The creator of the program suggests that when making your list, you give the word, and record it in a sentence, and then repeat the word. Making the sentences interesting and funny whenever you can, makes the program more fun for the child. Once the list is recorded, it is saved in the program database for review and practice. I use my lists for testing also. I can record the number of words missed for grading purposes, or not, as needed.
The only drawback to the program that I have found so far is due only to the spelling methods I use. As I test daily with different tests each day, I have had to enter not one, but two lists from two different spelling programs each day. That is a bit of a lesson prep headache for me, but it pays off in that I am not having to read spelling words to the children during school time.
The SpellQuizzer program has a page directed to Homeschoolers, but is not restricted to homeschooler use. So if you are not a homeschooler, and want to enter the giveaway, go for it! I am sure you will find the program helpful for any child needing spelling practice.
Now for the good stuff: The Giveaway! I am authorized to give away one license to the program. I will keep this post up until December 28th. If you are interested in winning, please comment. Leave me a blog or email address so I can contact you. Tell me why you want this program. I will post the winner's name, and contact you after the 28th of December.
Nov. 23, 2009 - Lately...
Another long gap between blog posts. I really should get better at this--would like to make it a priority again, but haven't gotten around to it.
In bullet points:
*Getting back into a school routine. Only 8 weeks left of Core 3 Sonlight.
*Last week, my husband had meetings in Grand Rapids. Since he was driving, we got to pack up the school books and go along. The weather was nice.
*Highlight of the trip--my sister and her husband came up for the day. We went to the Grand Rapids Public Museum. It was awesome! A place to go if you're ever in the area.
*Back home, no snow on the ground yet. It is an absolutely gorgeous day today, and the frost patterns on the top of the van this morning were beautiful!
*I'm getting a new camera--an early birthday present. When one's birthday is in January, it makes sense to shop the pre-Christmas sales. I got the camera and memory card both on sale at a price almost as good as Amazon in the States, and I don't have to pay shipping. (It was also less expensive than the same camera in a store in G.R.) I'm very excited about it, as the current camera is getting worse and worse. It should arrive tomorrow. (Perhaps I should plan time in the schedule to figure out how to use it....hmm...)
*Time to call the kids in from the sunny outdoors to get back to the books.
Here are a couple of the latest photos from the old camera. These didn't turn out too badly. I really like the one with the red and gold leaves together.
This one is a farm just on the edge of town--an early morning shot.
Nov. 9, 2009 - Long-Awaited Photos?
I've been so busy lately that blogging has gone low on the priority list. But I did promise photos of the Scotland trip. And I suppose that an update on life might be nice too--at least it might provide me with the sense that I've been doing something lately.
I do have to apologize for the camera though. It was acting up a lot, and I don't think the colours in some of the photos are perfectly true. Still, I have picked the best of the lot to show you.
Cawdor Castle. We've been there before, years ago. I think perhaps it may have been my first trip to Scotland, or maybe the second, when Belle was a toddler. If you know your Shakespeare, this is supposedly the scene of MacBeth. It is an inhabited castle--so one isn't able to see the entire building, however the rooms we were allowed to see were very interesting. One thing that helped a lot was the quiz the children were given to fill out. It drew one's attention to details that would otherwise have gone unnoticed.
This is the countryside around Inverness. I really really love this area. My husband's Aunt lives up in this area, and we had a lovely visit with her.
The Fisher Woman statue in the town of Nairn, and the beach beyond. It was a grey day but the sea was beautiful anyway. The pinkish hue to the photo of the statue is due to the camera rather than the lighting.
Chatelherault, a former hunting lodge of the Duke of Hamilton, and now a country park with play area. I believe the building, and grounds are often used for weddings.
The last three photos are of Bothwell Castle, again a place that we have been to on nearly every trip. It is located about five minutes from my sister-in-law's house. It is a very old castle. We were actually there twice this trip. The last picture is from the first visit, a late afternoon walk with Granny's dog. I have a lot of good photos of the ruins from previous visits. The castle is very photogenic with the red sandstone walls. This time the weather didn't permit great photos, but I like this silhouette, even though the lines are caused by...you guessed it...the camera.
It was a bit rainy the second day we visited, when we actually went inside. We climbed up a very steep, slippery, narrow, winding stone staircase to the top of the tower. I didn't get photos of that because I was a) holding on with both hands to the rope attached to the wall, and b) because every time I looked at the stairs, I felt a bit dizzy. Going up was difficult, and going down was SCARY. But the view from the top was beautiful. And yes, the kids went too--Daddy in front and me in the back, watching every step they took. For some strange reason, nearly all of us had sore leg muscles the following day.
We had a great time browsing the wee shop in the castle and making some purchases to bring home, among them a book of castles (Usborne), and a fridge magnet for my collection. The gentleman in the shop chatted with us for a long time. I believe he probably hadn't had another visitor all day.
So a few photos of the trip. It was a lovely visit, and fun to reminisce about it. Just sorry the pictures didn't turn out better.
Oct. 24, 2009 - I'm Back!
Back to our home. Back to real life. Back from a great holiday. Back to the land of computers and internet and other time-consuming but necessary things.
I'm feeling ambivalent about the computer these days. I spent three weeks away from it all--and the only thing I missed was the contact with family and friends. Now I'm back, and under the tyranny of email again. Oh well, one has to admit that the computer is very useful, and I doubt I could easily live without it for a long period of time. After all I do everything from banking to menu and lesson planning on it. I didn't have to do any of that stuff on holiday.
If none of this makes sense, I attribute it to jet-lag and the fact that I've been waking up anywhere from 2 to 4 a.m., and having to get up because at least one of the children wakes up then too. Only five hours time difference--hopefully we'll be back to normal in another couple of days.
For the friends who aren't already aware, we are just back from a trip to Scotland. We spent our time there visiting the other half of the family. And we did a bit of sight-seeing on the side--to a couple of castles and museums. We had a great time, and the weather was lovely--maybe the best it has ever been when I've been there.
Hopefully soon--once the camera and the computer get together--I will have photos to tell the story. That is yet to happen, for I am in the throes of unpacking and laundry, and planning for next week, AND paying the bills. The camera is a story in itself, for it has decided to go all jiggly and pink at times. Fortunately I was able to get mostly clear photos--if I could be patient enough. How does a digital camera die? Does anyone know?
The biggest plus? I got hours and hours of cross-stitch done (Relax TP--it isn't THE cross-stitch
). I even had time to take out a large chunk that I had stitched with two strands when it was only supposed to be done with one. My travel project is a kit of Eilean Donan Castle that I bought on my first trip to Scotland about 13 years ago. I was so motivated by it that I hope to be able to work on it more at home--whenever I can manage to get off the computer.
I also got to see two and a bit parts of the new four part BBC TV series of Emma by Jane Austen. I am very upset because I will miss the last part, and BBC iPlayer doesn't work outside of the UK. I did buy the book to read on the way home. Hopefully I can finish it now. I did read three books all by myself (not to the kids) while away. I think that is the most I've read in that short a time since Boo was a newborn.
So it was a lovely time away, and now the house needs a clean and tidy, so I'm away too.
Sep. 19, 2009 - Win Some and Lose Some
Well, the Fall Fair was most enjoyable. As a family, we entered 18 different items. In a nutshell, we won 6 first places, 6 second places, and one third place. There was quite a bit more competition in some categories than there has been in previous years.
Belle won first place for her oatmeal raisin cookies, and second place for her skirt. The beaded bracelet she made didn't place, but as that was her first attempt at anything like that, I am still pleased with what she made.
Here is the skirt. Isn't it pretty? She wanted it quite long.
Boo placed second in both the Lego category and the "My Favourite Collection" category, in which he put his collection of fishing flies. He had taken the time and made the effort of carefully writing out the name of each fly. I was proud of him. He placed third in "A Big Cookie". He had made M & M cookies, and they were delicious.
Here is his Lego effort.
It is a cutaway of a mobile police/emergency mobile station.
My husband took first place in both the Tea Biscuit and Cheese Scone category, and second in the Shortbread. We have to chuckle over the shortbread because for some reasons the judges seem to prefer "whipped" shortbread (which looks to me like those buttery cookies you get in tins) to the real Scottish style shortbread. Oh well, two pounds of butter as second prize is nothing to sneeze at.
I managed to do pretty well with my Pineapple Upside-Down Cake and Breadmaker White Bread--taking first in both again this year. The winners in that category get auctioned off to raise money for next year's fair. The same lady who bought my cake last year, bought it again this year!
I also earned one first and one second in the Amateur photography section. That was a first for me this year, and I entered 6 photographs. I was pleased that a couple of them placed well.
Last but not least, was the cross-stitch. I didn't have time to get it framed (nor did I really want to frame it here because I plan to take it to Scotland). The competition was quite stiff and the first-place piece was very pretty. Mine placed second. And for those of you who have been waiting....
Borders, borders and more borders! I do still like the colours though!
So that is the Fall Fair for this year. I am a week late in posting about it because I hadn't gotten around to uploading my photos until this evening. One forgets how busy life gets when school is on.
Sep. 2, 2009 - Getting Better, and Other Stuff
Man this was quite the bug! I am over a week into it and still have a lot of congestion. I think I've got chest wall pain from coughing, and while my energy has increased, I still don't feel 100 %.
Boo had a fever from last Tuesday night until Monday morning. I took him to the doctor on Friday, and she started antibiotics. It still took two days until his throat felt a lot better, and nearly three before his temperature stayed below 100 degrees F. He is still coughing a bit, but is much much better! I was quite worried about him one night--a horrible croupy sounding cough and significant fever. His cough changed sometime during that night to one considerably less scary.
She didn't put me on antibiotics, but I wasn't nearly as sick as Boo. And I do feel like I am getting better--just a bit more slowly than I would like.
Belle is much better from her bout with it, but she also sounds stuffy and coughs quite a bit. She had nearly a week's head-start on the antibiotics.
By the time we were feeling able to start on our lessons again, we'd had more sick days than we'd had days of school. That was depressing! However, we are picking up the pace again--if only I can keep up. Our upcoming trip to Scotland will be here before we know it.
Yes, a trip is in the plans. It is time to go and see the other side of the family again. I am looking forward to it, but not looking forward to getting ready for it.
Last night we took sandwiches with us and went fishing! The kids loved it--I enjoyed the time outside by the pond, looking at tall trees and peaceful water. Unfortunately for me, my fishing license had expired, so I was unable to spend time casting a fly into the water. I was impressed by how my children's ability to fly-fish is increasing! I took my knitting, but didn't knit. Instead, I spent the time walking back and forth between the kids, watching their bees float in the water and chatting with them. It was a very restful time, and felt like the first time I'd been out in two weeks (although it wasn't--I'd been out taking either kids or myself to the doctor).
On another note--today I finished a cross-stitch project that I have been working on (off and on) for nearly eight years. I started it when I was put on bed-rest for pre-term labour with Boo. I spent somewhere around five weeks on bed-rest, and got nearly a quarter of it finished. Needless to say--the rest of the project took a lot longer to complete. Remind me not to do another project with borders for a long time! This one had double borders with design in them, plus gold lines around each border. And the backstitching!!!! Ay yi yi! This thing had backstitching on everything--on the borders, in the borders, on every aspect of the design itself. Did I tell you that backstitching is my least favourite thing about cross-stitching? The backstitching took two years to complete--I'd work on it for a month and then get fed up. Did I not know all this before I started the design? I did, but it was the colours in the design that grabbed me--blues and golds and pinks--Gorgeous!
But alas, my faithful readers will have to wait for the photo. I have to wash it, block it, and figure out a way to display it (I don't have time to get it framed before the Fall Fair next week). Only after that will you get a photo. I am delighted that it is finished. Now I have to find another UFO to finish--of the several that are in process. I am thinking about one that is nearly done. Then I need to find more time to stitch.....
<- Last Page • Next Page ->
