Home Again
� Jul. 26, 2008 - In Which I Summarize Our Week
Posted By Paula
I can't believe it has been a week since I posted last. The time just flew by!
Let's see, what did we do this week?
Monday we spent the day with my mother and sister. We had planned to go to the beach but ominous looking clouds made us change our minds. We ended up shopping at Mardens, having lunch and then heading over to the Y for open swim. The pool was really crowded (apparently the Y camp field trip to the beach was also canceled), but we had fun anyway.
On Tuesday Hubby and I took all the kiddos to the Y so that we could workout. I have been doing really well about making it there to exercise 3-5 days a week.
On Tuesday afternoon I took R and her friend Sophia to Get Fired Up, the paint-your-own-pottery place. For Sophia's birthday R had given her a homemade gift certificate promising a trip to paint pottery. R painted a plate with a monkey on it to match the mug she made last time, Sophia made a trinket box and I painted a travel mug. I painted it with really girly pink and purple hearts so hopefully Hubby will keep his filthy paws off!
Wednesday was a busy day. We met with Hubby's family to get group pictures taken. Everyone looked great so I think the pictures will come out nice. The photographer even managed to get some shots of both boys smiling! I can't wait to see them! After the pictures we all went out to The Olive Garden for lunch.
Wednesday night I went out with MIL, SIL, and GMIL to see Mamma Mia. MIL had made a copy of the CD for M (who has an affinity for Broadway musicals), so I knew most of the songs. It was a good show and it was nice to be able to make some sense out of the music.
Thursday was C's doctor's appointment. Nothing too fabulous to report about there. He is 24 lbs. and 1 oz. and 31 1/2 inches tall. It was pretty uneventful and I think we are going to skip anymore appointments until he turns 2.
We stopped on the way home from the doctor's office to visit my mom at work and to run around at the beach. We were only able to park in the half hour parking lot so it was just a quick trip.
Friday was another busy day. I hit the Y in the a.m., came home and showered and then went to the playground. We had been hoping to meet up with some friends, but it didn't happen. The kids still had a good time with the other children there though.
We worked in the afternoon on A's giraffe lapbook and we finally finished it! She is SOOO excited and can't wait to show EVERYONE what she learned. I am just happy we got it done! Now we have something to add to her portfolio for next year!
Friday evening we had an early dinner and then went back to the Y to go swimming with Hubby. We all had a blast! M is turning into a little fish and the girls are just amazing! R practiced swimming underwater without taking breath. She couldn't even make it 1/4 of the way across the pool, but Hubby showed her and went the entire length! A worked on doing somersaults under the water. It is amazing to see the progress they have made.
Last night C and I both got about 4 hours of sleep. He woke up at about 12:30 and thought it was party time until about 4:30. He has already napped today too, so I don't foresee a nap in my future. UGH!
Today we are packing, shopping and preparing for our trip to Hubby's family's camp. 3 days in a log cabin without running water or electricity and 4 kids should be a blast! I packed the kids' Leapsters and bought some fun art things to do. We are going to read about Abraham Lincoln tomorrow so that we can talk about living in a log cabin. We are actually all really excited about going.
This week R has read books 1 and 2 of the Spiderwick Chronicles. She is about half way through book 3 and she is loving it! She thinks it is so funny that all of chapters start with, "In which..." I am so relieved that she finds pleasure in reading now!
Tonight the girls and I are going to my sister's house to watch a 3-D Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus concert. It'll be a late night with yummy snacks and fun music. The girls can barely contain their excitement!
So, I guess that's all that we've been up too. Next week is going to be crazy because of our trip, but I will try to post all about it when we get back! |
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� Jul. 25, 2008 - Fair Recap, Part 2
Posted By Rohanknitter
Back to the fair: by the end of the day Thursday, we've finished with the goat show and we've also finished shearing any sheep in preparation for the next day. The lucky goats just get to hang out and relax the rest of the fair! Friday morning we all get up at about 5:30am (not my norm, letmetellya) so that we can be at the fairgrounds by 7am. We had several lambs in the first lightweight class, which meant they had to be ready by 8am sharp. First the boys (and lambs) head to the washrack. No matter how hot it gets, the sheep never seem to enjoy this.
That purple shampoo bottle you see there is special to help them look as clean and white as possible. After being washed, the sheep get on the stands for a blow dry, brushing (their lower legs mainly) and a show spray. They also get sprayed with fly spray as with their wool so short, they don't have much protection from flies. (and you don't want your lamb twitching and jumping because a fly is pestering it during the show!)
The sheep show goes most of the day, until about 3:30-4pm, with a break for lunch. We had sheep that showed early, in the middle, and at the end, so it keeps us busy all day. This was youngest boy's first year in 4-H so he was a little nervous about showing but did great. We had sheep that placed everywhere from first place to last place. It's always interesting to see what the judge thinks and try to figure out where we can improve. Middle boy also won showmanship for his age group, so he was thrilled!
These two are taking a little break while they wait their turn. The blankets keep them clean until it's time to hit the show ring. (it doesn't seem to make them any hotter, plus they have a fan on them) The one in pink is Doodle, the lamb that lived in the laundry room with a diaper on for 6 weeks when her leg was broken as a newborn.
The boys always look forward to fair food - maybe a corn dog or an elephant ear. Most of that stuff doesn't appeal to me, especially in the heat but I do enjoy having some ice cream after the show! This however, just kills me- talk about taking 2 things that aren't good for you and making them even worse: deep fried twinkies and oreos! UGH!
In the interest of full disclosure, I can't stand oreos in any form (I know, my family thinks I'm nuts) but I can't even imagine a deep-fried one. Maybe I just don't know what I'm missing?
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� Jul. 25, 2008 - Grocery Shopping and Menu
Well today was my grocery shopping day. I go every two weeks. I tried to go only once a month but found I kept running out of stuff so back to every other week I went. I've been doing a lot of reading on eating healthy and ridding our diet of unwanted chemicals. As a result I'm trying to use up the stuff that isn't so good for us and slowly restock with things that are better. Here is what I spent on groceries today.
Aldi's
5 gallons of 2% milk
seedless watermelon
4 containers of cottage cheese
10 cans of frozen juice
4 lbs. of real butter
3 bags of shrimp
2 bunches of bananas
10 lbs. of red potatoes
2 bags of dried tart cherries
fresh garlic cloves
sea salt
2 packages of string cheese
coffee creamer
coffee
1 tube sausage
12 small containers of yogurt
Spent = $90.64
Krogers
organic milk
organic salad dressing
washing soda
borax
tart cherry juice concentrate
ground flax seed
garlic powder
minced onion
skewers
2 bags of long grain brown rice
3 boxes of organic cereal
6 lbs of pork loin
greek vinaigrette
5 lbs. of crab
red wine vinegar
2 bars of fels naptha
5 boxes of beef stock (they are discontinuing this particular product and it is the only one that is natural with no msg. I'm bummed)
3 boxes of vegetable stock
1 box of chicken stock
1 bag of navy beans
5lbs. of whole wheat flour
Spent = $108.05
Wal-mart
4 pack of minute maid boxes
3 avocados
tomatoes (mine aren't ripe yet)
2 bags of red seedless grapes
2 heads of iceberg lettuce
1 bunch of green leaf lettuce
1 bunch of red leaf lettuce
2 containers of strawberries
beef bullion cubes
chicken bullion cubes
4 new shirts for mom off the clearance rack
Spent = $64.37
Dollar General
3 boxes of 8 gallon trash bags
4 stack-able plastic bins
Spent = $9.25
Farmers Market
5 lbs. of green beans (different variety then what I planted)
2 cucumbers
2 cantaloupe
2 green peppers
sweet onions
Spent $13.20
Grand Total = $ 285.51 That averages to about $143 a week
Now for the Menu. Somethings I already had in the freezer or pantry, so if your wondering how I got some of the things for the menu, that is where they came from.
Breakfast (served with fruit or juice and milk)
cereal
french toast
pumpkin bread
zucchini bread
waffles
pancakes
boiled eggs/toast
scrambled eggs/toast
Lunch (these are served with a veggie)
salad
ham sandwich
ham spread sandwich
chicken wraps
hot dogs
leftover dinner
peanut butter and jelly sandwich
tuna salad
grilled cheese and tomato soup
fried bologna
bologna spread
leftover dinner
chicken salad sandwich
mac-n-cheese w/ham
Dinner (served with some form of bread)
chef salad
baked ham w/potatoes/green beans
pork kabobs/salad
shrimp/brown rice/ veggie
tamale casserole
chicken soup
salsa chicken, rice, corn
eggplant Parmesan
crab quesadillas (I probably spelled this wrong LOL)
grilled pork, roasted potatoes/ salad
leftovers (twice)
roast, potatoes, carrots
beef stir fry over rice
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� Jul. 25, 2008 - My School Room
I have a school room! Yippee!!! I'm so happy. It took me so long to finish it. I've been working on it for days. I would get stuck sometimes because I was unsure of where to put things. But, what a relief it is to now have it done.
This is what it used to look like:
After a lot of rearranging and unpacking and making a huge mess because you can't do any cleaning with making a big mess, this is what it looks like now:
I have all the books sorted by general topic. Science, history, etc. Eventually I will have them all sorted into more specific topics to make things easier to find. I have a shelf for books I want the boys to read this year, read aloud books, children's books, and a nature shelf.
I have games and puzzles in the built in, math and science manipulatives under the fish, and in the bookcase I have things that I want to finish up from last year, what I want to work on this year, the kid's notebooks showing some past work, and homeschooling books for my benefit. Above the fish tank I want to get a cork board so I can display some of the kids work. The top of the built in is empty so far. I wanted to put some nice things in there and not just games or books.
That is my nature shelf. My nature box is on the floor my the bookshelf for easy access. The boys can grab it and go. If they ever felt so inclined...
Now, on to the next room. Ugh... |
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� Jul. 25, 2008 - Sacrifice
Posted By momanna98
My 2 yo is really frustrating. I want to give up. He runs around, messing things and destroying things. He couldn't care less about any type of discipline. He will go right back to being disobedient. He likes to disobey. He enjoys it. He is stubborn. He knows how to use the potty, but refuses. He will not keep his fingers out off his mouth, even though I keep reminding him to take them out.
But as I think about giving up, I am reminded about what Jesus did for us. He died on the cross. He knew we would still be stubborn. He knew we would continually sin, even though we know better. He knew we would enjoy sin. And yet, He didn't give up on us. He didn't say, "Well, no matter what I do, these people will never learn." Nope. He did what he had to do. He suffered for us. He made the biggest sacrifice knowing full well that we could never fully appreciate it. Some of us would never even acknowledge what He did. Am I too selfish that I will give up on a two year old because I am sick of disciplining?
Lord, please help me get though this stage. |
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� Jul. 25, 2008 - Sew Crafty Friday and Misc. Pix...
Posted By Bridget
It's Friday already? I almost forgot!!!!
Pop on over to Shereen's blog and see what others have been up to for crafties...
"WAITING FOR HIM" blog
And before I go on... just a friendly reminder to enter my contest!!
CONTEST LINK
OK...I mostly just knit this week! My week was consumed with lots of random things and we went to visit my niece mid week, so I never once sat down at my sewing machine!! I am having some slight withdrawals, but nothing a little sewing can't cure maybe tomorrow :)
I finally knit a longie, hat & sock set I am making for my friend, Katherine! I can't wait to see her little guy, Luka, in it!!!
(I had finished the longies and socks and posted them last week... but knit the hat this week)
This is my daughter's doll modeling the cute hat. I had to turn up the brim because this baby has a small head! haha
And this is the complete set...
And I wanted to make some fun hats for my SIL's sister, Debra, who is undergoing chemo. (please pray for healing for her!!!)
You can read a bit about her on my brothers missionary blog. She was in Costa Rica, at the same language school as my brother and SIL, when she found out she had cancer.
Blog Post About Debra Leaving Costa Rica
She may have her hair back by the end of the year, but these will help her have something to keep her warm during the cool months! (She has a beautiful wig that she wears when she's out and about and she looks SO beautiful wearing it!!!)
Since she told me she was one of the "tiny head people" haha I tried it on my middle son to see how it fit him...
looks pretty darn cute! (and I actually tried it on myself and it fits well! I am also one of the THP :)
I used this pattern INSIDE OUT CHEMO CAP and am really happy with how it turned out!! I can't wait to give it to her!! If it fits and she likes it, I will make her another one!
That's what I've been up to! Now I'll just post a couple little pix...
The other day my youngest fell asleep with one of our kittens. It's hard to see "Caspian", but he's right there snoozin' with "E" and they were both stretched right out and SO comfy!
This is my goldfish plant! My Mom gave me a rooted piece of hers a few years ago and it never grew any "goldfish". THIS YEAR though... it has grown a bunch! And then once the older ones die... there are more in their place!!! I love it!!!
When we visited my niece this week, the kids loved the chalk art in her driveway! They just HAD to go out and add to the "hands" and "feet" and then they got some good pix for me!
I love the little hands!!!
And I had taken some time off from the "index card" chores due to just getting overwhelmed with trying to keep a routine during the busy summer! I will start it right back up as soon as we start schooling again!
Anyway... Sunday morning (after we had held my nieces bday party here on Sat.) my oldest son said "what are the chores in the chore envelopes?"
Hm. I told him I didn't put any chores in. I cracked up when I read each child's TWO chores...
#1 Build a rocket ship
#2 Star in a Hollywood Movie
#3 Become an Entrapraneur
#4 Discover Cold Fusion
#5 Locate the memory center of the brain
#6 Discover new lands
#7 Discover a new solar system
and #8 Discover a new species that is previously undiscovered
I knew RIGHT off that my niece's husband must be behind it!! I was right :)
Thanks for the laughs, Nate :)
That's all for now!!
:) Bridge |
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� Jul. 25, 2008 - Face Lift, Name Change, New Life
Posted By MaggieRaye
Well, I've picked out the wallpaper and the furnishings and my friend Janet is about to work her magic. There will also be a name change when you come by. Single Parents & Home Education will soon be Patchwork Cottage. You'll understand better when you see the new digs
It was time to move forward. I'm still championing the cause of single mom's and home education, no fear that I'm abandoning it.
I'm just, well, honestly, I confess, I've taken on the WalMart mentality. I want you to be able to do one stop shopping, right here. Instead of having a homeschooling blog, and a ministry blog and a Haiti blog and a quilt blog -- I've tried maintaining this many blogs -- it is not fun -- I figured we'll just offer a patchwork of things right here at this blog.
When the dog gets to be old enough so he just isn't "puppy cute" anymore, you don't go get a new puppy, you find new ways to enjoy the dog you already have (or at least you should). That's what I'm doing here.
I'll remain loyal to my followers (yikes, the thought that people might actually follow me, is a little scary) maybe readers would be a better word -- I'll continue with the familiar, but I'll also be adding the new stuff also.
I know change is hard - I don't really like change much myself - but I hope you'll enjoy what we're doing with the place.
Blessings, MaggieRaye |
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� Jul. 24, 2008 - Show and Tell
� Jul. 24, 2008 - Hurricane
Posted By Chris
We are getting the top bands of Hurricane Dolly here, so mostly just rain, which we need. I soooo hope it's raining this much out at our property to fill up our pond for the duckies and turtles!
The girls are having fun making weather reports, and everyone is home from work today (blah, LOL).
Fun fun!
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� Jul. 23, 2008 - Fair Recap, Part One
Posted By Rohanknitter
So, I survived another county fair, in spite of the extra-hot weather, good dose of humidity and periodic torrential downpours. We planned ahead and knowing it was supposed to be hot, brought along our own supply of shade:
 It was a good move. I always tell people that going to the fair is like taking your animals on a camping trip (altho we do go home to sleep) and having a tent made it feel even more that way! Here's another shot of some of the "gear" we bring with us- barrels of feed and hay and a show box built by my bil about 25 years ago, still coming in handy! (inside are halters, the blow dryer, feed buckets, brushes, etc)
On Wed we basically tote all this stuff down to the fair, plus the animals. Some of them have to be weighed, and the sheep weigh-in didn't even start till 9pm because of the heat. Makes for a fairly late night.
Here the boys are getting the sheep settled in and fed. Once they get into their pens with a few of their friends and get a meal, they are pretty content to settle in to their new surroundings.
Thursday it's up early as the goat show starts at 8am and you want to put the finishing touches on the goats before the show, even though they were given a good bath and brushing the day before. (our new tip we learned for this year - rub vaseline on the horns to shine them up)
"Team MEH" won champion pair of does - yay! All of their other placings were 2nds or 3rds, but each older boy won showmanship for their age group which was pretty exciting. It was really hot under that tent and we were very glad when we were done and could cool off under the tent with an ice cream. After our traditional supper of pork burgers at the Pork Producers tent (yum!) we sheared the last couple sheep in preparation for the sheep show the next day. I think we made it home by 9:30. The boys did their evening chores and headed for bed, while I made sure everything was ready for the next day (show shirts, extra socks, knitting project, lunch packed and a cooler full of cold drinks). Not to mention, it's always a good idea to bring a book in case you have some down time:
Stay tuned for next time in which we show sheep and I wonder at the things people will eat!
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