Jul. 15, 2008 - Give it another try

Ok, so the ohter day, i wrote out this nice long post with all kinds of pictures...and information...and teh internet crashed right as i was posting it.  You think it posted. of course not,...there was no fruit for my labor.  i am jsut now getting over that loss and taking a chance to do it again. 

so, we had a nice 4th of july.  Our town has a really great parade - so great it is said that the city becomes the capitol of indiana for a day.  there were 2 really realy cool, great fun, whatever you want to call it...things abou tour parade this year.  well, maybe 3.  1, the weather was phenominally fantastic!  2, the flyover (ok, a military guy flies his military jet over our parade rout to begin the parade) was THE MOST AWESOME flyover EVER!!!  He had so much fun with it-flying over low again and again and again!  there was also a formation of 4 other jets that flew oover.  yu woudl have thought it was an airshow instead of a parade!  and 3.  Sean Astin was in our parade! here is a pic to prove it :

pretty nice, eh? i believe his family was trailing behind him...

Another exciting thing to happen was the birth of my nephew tony:

my mohter and father holding him:

here is a rare picture of my hubby...doesnt' the aby look like a football in his arms??

Well, we had great fun with that day.  It is my youngest sisters birthday...and baby tony's father has 2 other relatives who share teh same birthday...But that is not the most fun!  I have a couple of very good friends whose sister was also pregnant , but not due until the 14th.  Well, turned out she also delivered 2 doors down from my sister!  hw fun is that???  Well, the other new mommy had 2 relatives adn one friend with the very same birthday of July 8th!  WHAT A DAY!!! 

other than all of that, I have been trying to do a lot of things outdoors sicne the weather has been so wodnerful.  We go to the park the lake, whereever i can go!  I am getting excited to begin homeschoong this year-officiallly.  We will be a aprt of a coop called homegrown hearts.  Thsi one is a new chapter or branch off of the old one which moved to porter county this year.  I am excitd to be the official photograper and in charge of clean up.  hey, we have to start somehwere! i am just excited to be so useful! haha.

Well, that is it for now.  i ahve tons of pics to post another time.  Oh, the street is nearly done! they have to put sidewalks in and then a protective top coat n the road and it will be done!  have a great day and thanks for reading.  I wil leave you with my favorit epic of baby tony, taken just minutest after he was born:

h :)

Jun. 19, 2008 - Late spring fun

I have not been good at posting.  i am not sure i will continue with this blog.  there has been so much going on!  this past week, my husband took my oldest son to canada with him, his father and his brothers.  they had a good time.  it was the first time i have been away from my son or husband for that long!  I took the other 3 kids and spent the week with my parents and nephew.  we had  a great time playing outside-when it was cool enough!  I took lots of pictures and played with my new lens and flash.  I enjoy photography so much! 

So, we have been enjoying fantastic weather this past week.  I have hardly gotten any housework done.  But the kids are getting lots of exercise and good sun...as am I. 

I am really excited this year to be a part of a "new" homeschool group here in our town.  Last few years, there has been one called Homegrown hearts.  I have not been able to be aprt of it-most cause my kdis were too young and then because there was nno room for the younger ones.  It has gotten so big that they are movng to another church in porter county- about a 45 minute drive.  Well, there were several families in the laporte area who were a prt of the group who did not like the idea of driving so far for a group-and seen teh need for one here.  So, there is a laporte "chapter" of Homegrown Hearts!  it is kind of a neat vision that a lady named margo (and some others) had -God has really blessed it! I am so glad to be a part of it here and now! It is a very christ centered group of women.  we will meet once a week-and offer 4 classes to the kids.  at first it is not that exciting, but it will grow.  I believe that God is in this and that there is a great need to be filled.

That is about it forn ow.  my internet is down at my house and the coffee shop wants to close.  so, i better scoot out of here. 

thanks for reading!

heather :)

May. 1, 2008 - construction pics

here are some p ics i promised to post:

this is the really cool machine that looks like a brontasaurus-it ate up the road and spit it back out into the back of a dump truck:

here is teh backhoe-or what i like to call the tyranasaurus rex (sorry for bad spelling).

that is it for now.  the big holes worry me, but they are usually filled in at the end of a day...which is really nice.   I have had nightmares about our kids getting out of the house and falling into them..These pictures aer taken either out my upstairs bedroom window or on my front porc h.  See how close they aer???  Also-my house sits at an angle to the road-there is a point where they have dug within one foot of the corner of my house!  Someone said they will take away the frontage yard-the part between the sidewalk and the road- which leaves me with VERY little yard at all!  The proximity of traffic will be VERY unnerving indeed! 

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Over the past weekend, we went to visit my parents.  with my nephew shane who lives with them, there were 5 children under 5 in that house all weekend!  talk abou tloud and fun!  Here is a pic of them...

Lana (2yo 3 on 5-25) and Andrew (20 months) are in teh front.  Shane (5 1/2) -my nephew-is in the middle and Danny (4yo) and ally (5 yo) are in the back...What a bunch of nuts!

h :)

Apr. 29, 2008 - Not forever gone

I got an emai the other day statign that Homeschoolblogger will delete all blogs that did not get used since april 1 .  I dont' blame them.  there are a lot fo people with good intentions to start blogs that arent' continuing with them.  I am sure it takes up space on their server.  well, i don't really want to be one of those people.  I have intentions to write on this blog, but never do.  When i sit down to write, i forget what i wanted to write or i feel that what i want to write is completely insignificant and 'why would anyone realyl care?'.  so, months pass and a lot happens - a lot that i never write about.  You know, sometimes it is the title that gets me.  If i can't think of a witty title for the entry, I don't bother to write! 

So, yes, there is much that has happened since i wrote last.  The biggest thing that has happened to alter our normal routine is the major construction on our road.  I have pic which i will post another time-they are on my computer (i am at my husband's computer; mine is temporarily out of commission).  For all those who are thrilled with big trucks and machinery, you will enjoy them.  jWe live on a state road.  They decided to do major construction with the city-completely changing out sewage adn water lines, widening the road, etc.  NOrmally, they would do one side at a time and just allwo for trafffic to flow through the construction.  For this circumstance, though, because of teh way the pipes were laid and the degree of degredation of the pipes, they had to close teh ENTIRE road, denying traffic including access to our homes.  So, we have to park on a side road a walk to our homes.  It is kind of exciting to us-I was even interviewed and featured on the front page of our newspaper.  There are many concerns that we all h ave-the biggest beign for emergency purposes...like, how will ambulances or fire vehicles get to our homes in an emergency?  Just the day before teh interview, i had to take dan to the ER cause he crushed his thumb in the screen door.  Another concern is the close proximity to my house-they are diggin less than a foot away from my home!  talk about close!   These are still concerns, but it really isnt' all as bad as it could be.  Things are quieter out front!  you can hear the birds, the frogs, the bugs.  the neighbors obnoxious music.  The trucks out front are really exciitng too-we have learned a lot about the process of this type of construction...just by watching!  we get to see the big machines work first hand-now the boys are REALLY excited abou tthat!!  I am even enjoying it very much.  It is kind of like living at an amusement park - my heart just palpitates at the sight of the big backhoe claw come at my house like a big dinosaur!  And watchign the big brontasaurus eating up the road and spitting it into the dump truck...HOW COOL!  They said 2 months.  I believe it has been a little over 1 month. 

So also in that time since i last posted, we have celeberated 2 birthdays and one anniversary.  I got to see The Romeros at NOtre Dame.  I got to go to the IAHE homeschool convention .  I think that is it on the major events.  Fornow, the telling of the construction will be enough.  I do have more to tell about...especially the homeschool convention. 

thanks for readign for now.

h :)

Jan. 17, 2008 - Of babes and fires

As most mothers in winter, I have been dealing with highly energetic toddlers with a touch of cabin fever.  This usually is marked with much bickering and physical fighting.  It also is marked by times of unusual quiet in which one toddler gets into much trouble.  much. trouble. 

this was one such day where all three signs of cabin fever were evident.  Especially in my 2 1/2 yo Lana.  She decided she wanted to cook the disposable camera that they play with.  in the microwave.  YEAH!  Imagine my husband when he gets a call, "um, how do you put a fire out in the microwave?"  I am not sure what happened after succh a call on my husbands, end...but i had a good laugh after I unplugged the microwave and doused the flaming camera with water. WOO!

This excitement was created by the same little one who got into the bathroom and left the water on -and flooded teh bathroom.  The water went through the floor/ceiling and created a puddle on teh dining room floor!  yep.  I thought boys were supposed to be teh most troublesome and adventurous??

they keep me on my toes!

literally!

h :)

Jan. 8, 2008 - homemade photography tools

i love photography.  I use a nikon d-50 wth a standard 28-80 zoom lens.  i have foudn that it is quite simple and fun to make my own tools tat are helpful to make my photography better.  One thing i do not like is te on-camera flash.  it is a very brigh light that causes very harsh shadows.  So, to soften the light, i made a diffuser out of a coffee filter and 22 guage wire.  i bent the wire to fit in the flash mount and put theh coffee filter over teh wire frame.  it works quite well...it seems to work better in different positions- probably because of te way the flash ligt is absorbed or bounced off te filter.  Anyway, i ave some pictures that i took of te most willing subjects, my children...to practice te flash.  i also bought a really heavy dense dark fabric from walmart for $1 / yd.  so, tat is in there too. 

tat is supposed to be a funny face.

the fish face

 Tis one is from my hubby's work christmas party for the kids-i just love her expression-

 and I had to throw one in there of andrew-it is actually a better picture to demonstrate te softness of te filter-tere are no real hars shadows from the flash, whic is ideal.

Well, anyway, i have fun with it.  te filter is not very sturdy-it is one you could make again.  a flash or even a set of diffusers are so expensive and not in teh budget right now. I would much rather get a better lens-(a 28 or 55- 200 or 300 zoom would e ideal :)) and those run from 129-200 usd.  Now a flash is around the same amount, if not more.  soem day :)

i must end this session :)

 h :)

Jan. 8, 2008 - The medium of music

I have begun to notice how much music affects my children-and how useful of a tool it is to teach!  i have always known music, it was a part of me growing up, especially in my middle school and high school years.  i played clarinet for 7 years.  i loved it so much.  I still do-and i am finding that it is such a part of me that a day does not go by where we don't sing or hum or listen to some music.  life seems dull adn incomplete without it!  Right now, i have on itzhak perlman's greatest hits, pepe romero, and clarinet solos/ensembles...all scrambled.  i love having it on and it amazes me how much peace it brings to the house! 

I also sing to the kids efore bed at night .  We sing teh same songs, in teh same order every night...and some nights I sing other songs.  WEll, it just so happens that the only songs i can ever really remember and sing without help are hymns and praise songs.  So, i sing those...all that i can remember-and from the hymnal.  Tehy love it.  i have found that Danny loves to sing...he will remember songs pretty well-they all remember them better than i think they do.  he seems drawn to songs wth the word "rejoice" in them.  his favorite sogn foro a while was "this is the day" and "rejoice in the lord always" and for christmas it was 'o come immanuel"...lately it has been 'the rock song' (i will call upon the lord).  The oters have sons they request...and there are many tat are played on te radio-and sung at churc, which they will tell everyone "that's one that mom sings!!!) 

well, andrew (1yo) loves to dance!  he will dance to itzhak perlman's violin...it is so funny!  we went to some peoples' house for a new years party.  near teh end of te evening, they played some music...and andrew amused us with some swaying and bobbing-to "god of concrete, god of steel" and "marvelous grace".  it was wonderful!  I think it was then tat I realized how great a medium music iis to teach them scripture.  So, tat is one thing i will be implementing more of this year-music to teac scripture.  I am tryign to focus on songs that are already in psalms-like "i iwll call upon teh Lord" (psalm 18:3, 46-48), 'as teh deer panteth" psalm 42:1, ETC. 

Anwyay, that is it for ow.  i hope i haven't already told about that. 

h :)

Jan. 3, 2008 - Why are we homeschooling???

It has been nearly 5 years since our first child has been born.  In that 5 years, I have been learning a lot about homeschooling.  And a lot about home management.  I am not the neatest person.  I am not the most organized.  And I do'tn do multiple stressful tasks well, so i have been learning to handle the stress in a away that is honorable.  I dotn' do thatwell.  at the beginning of the 5 years-actually, at the beginning of our marriage 6years ago, i knew why we were homeschooling.  And in the first couple years of marriage, I gathered as muc information as i could to get a good grip and understanding on why we homeschool.  i thought the main reason we were homeshcooling was because it is our responsibility as parents-our God given responsibilit to teach them, not any other institution.  i htought we were to raise them to be Godly citizens.  i also believe that there is much fault within the structured school method--especially within the public school setting.  Anyway, I felt so strongly and still feel so strongly about our reason for homeschooling, but my husband has thrown at me "i dont' know why you plan on homeschoolng.  you can't even keep the house in order."  i do'tn understand the statement. i don't understand how it relates to our reason and vision of homeschooling or raising our children.  Is he saying i am a failure already at homeschooling because I have failed to keep the house clean and organized?  One other thing, I was NEVER homeschooled.  The reason I searched to understand it so hard was because i wasn't homeschooled.  I w1as in the "public school only" camp for the longest time!  He was homeschooled his whole life.  It stings.  I have felt alone.  I have felt condemned and discouraged adn defeated.   I hear about wonderful women who pray together, who encourage one another in homeschooling and keep one another reminded about the vision and reason for homeschooling.  I so wish I had that.  So, right now, I am really asking that question again, "why are we homeschooling?" or "are we homeschooling?" 

I guess we get bogged down by all the rough things that are happening-all the things we are constantly working to be better at-that never seem to get better.  when there are so many things, it is hard to see the progress-no matter how great or small.  My dining room, the catch all room, the biggest room in the house, has been significantly decluttered.  Not without help, but it has been done.  In teh past couple of weeks, i have gone through and gotten rid of much STUFF!  Much of the house has been taken over by clothes-no kidding-we have been nearly consumed by teh clothes monster :).  i went through our bedroom and decluttered it.  My husband cleaned out the closet and i was able to put a few bins of yarn and material-and keepsakes in there.  So, at the end of the day, i had about 6 bags of clothes (gasp) for goodwill.  2 bags to put away-(that is size 0-4t boys and girls adn some of ours) and 1 basket of dirty clothes, 1 basket for my husband to go through.  that is NOT BAD!!!  I kept very little.  It felt so good to get it  clean.  It as so bad after he cleared teh closet.  It is embarassing, but i have found that facing it has been a great motivation for changing.  I WANT to be organized and clean-and neat.  I am finding out how much clutter takes over one's life.  So, that is progress.  major progress.  the only thing i can aspire for in the year to come is mroe progress-mre ground won in the battle to be organized! 

well, i better end this now.  The kids really need my attention. thanks for reading.

h :)

Dec. 8, 2007 - Ps, area code 502

uGh!!  area code 502: louisville, kentucky!!! KENTUCKY!!! we are far from KENTUCKY!  we are about 1 1/2 hours from chicago-20 mintes from MIchigan!  crazy, no wonder we didn't recognize the number. 

h :)

Dec. 8, 2007 - the voices of little children

I have a cold...a full blown, achy sneezy watery eyed cold.  my danny (3yoboy) is very sensitive and caring.  He started singing to me-"maybe a song will  make your cold go away." adn in his sweet, perfect singing voice, he sang "jesus, jesus, jesus" , adn on the part where he says "tings and tingdoms will all pass away", i cried with joy at the example of reward-How sweet to hear the kids sing the songs I sing to them every night before they go to bed.  i dont' know, by teh time he was doen with the first song, the girls were snging too -"i cast all my cares upon you" adn "jesus loves me" and the most melodious version of "abc song" i have ever heard  Oh, and andrew was dancing and swaying in the background.  Man, how sweet...hwo comforting adn innocent-I think it really did make me feel better :)

ok, so, yesterday they weren't so sweet, at least i didn't think so at that moment.  Lately, lana, my 2yo girl, has been hornery as all get out!  she will get into things-climb, open, push press, make messes, etc.  whe i am busy with other things-like phone calls, dishes, laundry, etc.  So , yesterday, I was tryign to get my hubby on the phone, call the lady i had to get food to, find out what time my sil was picking me up , etc...meanwhile , lana had gottne nto the bathroom.  She has been doing that, too-gets into the water.  and lately, doesn't' turn it off.  Well, i finished my last phone call-adn nnoticed water pouring down from the dining room ceiling!  it wasn't a drip-there was a puddle on the floor!  so, i ran upstairs to see that she had turned the water on and ddn't turn it off!  now our sink has not been draining very well, so naturally, it overflowed and flooded the bathroom, leaking through the floor/ceiling...I was distressed, freaked out...I had the ladys dinner in the oven, had to get ready to go somewher with my sil, get the kids dressed for my hubby when he got home...AND clean up that mess!!! I was so afraid of what else would happen-i called my sis and se came over to keep them company while i cleaned up the mess-plus she took care of the food-etc.  It didn't take long to sop up the mess-thankfully-and nothing , that i know of, got ruined, except the ceiiling tiles n teh dining room.  What a crzy day! 

Another silly thing-last week hubby was waiting on a phone call from our tenant who owed us rent.  I vaguely remembered his name and had not seen it or heard from him.  Well, it turns out that a call i had received from area code 502 (where the heck is that???) (we are 219, 574, MI: 269, chicago: 813, etc-no 502 nearby) so, anyway, when i answered that call, there was noone there...I guess the guy called back and talked to my 3yo son-???-adn gave him a message to tell my hubby to come fix the bathroom ceiling...Who would leave a message with a 3yo child??  well, danny remembered it real well, just didnt' remember to give the message to me or my husband. It is really a pretty funny story adn a testimony to how well the kids can remember things like details...

So, it has been wild adn wooly here in this house-wth cabin fever infected kids-bouncing off the walls, getting into trouble, and in the littel children's voices, singing, laughing, giggling, but yelling, crying, demanding-ugh!  i love peace and quiet after they are asleep.  :)

Well, did i tel you my sister is pregnant?  she is due in early July, i believe.  i am concerned for her-i dont' think the guy she is with is good-he is very controlling and degrading to her, even in front of people-even me, here sister.  I guess there is a lot more to it-but they are supposedly getting married-and i am tryign to be really supportive and helpful to her.  The last thing she needs is another christian condemnign her for the consequences of bad choices.  (she is nto a christiana dn quite resentful toward them in general).  anyway, i think this guy she is with is searching out truth-and maybe she is in her ehart, too-we have had some great discussions with him...but he isn't where he is broken and sees his need for a savior-just that he wants to do better-be a better person, etc.  He doesnt' want to believe the bible but he believes in Jesus.  Anyway, that is about it. 

i am off of here now-hope whoever reads this is well!

h :)

Nov. 26, 2007 -

Well, it has been a busy week.  Hubby was off work to blow insulatin in the house-monday through wednesday.  we took the kids to the Shedd aquarium on tuesday.  THAT was a great day !  We left late and it was very foggy and misty...not the greatest day to be wakling about chicago-but it was interesting .  We saw some beautiful spiderwebs heavy with water drops.  reminded me of lace.  Ok, so then, my sister and her fiance were over on monday.  They told us that she is goign to have a baby.  so, he is marrying her - We had a late thanksgiving dinner at my inlaws.  then friday, i did laundry and packed for our trip to my parents home.  we took my sister and her fiance with us so they could have a ride and tell my parents their news in person.  What a dramatic weekend!  There are issues with the fiance-he is a bit weird adn kind of disrespectful and controlling...etc.  3yo D had an asthma attack and we had to take him to hospital.  The triphome wasn't so bad except we had to stop like, 5 times!  which is highly unusually. BUT with 2 kids out of diapers, a pregnant woman and a hubby wth issues that day...i guess 5 times doesn't soudn so bad.  I am happy to be home and on a normal schedule. 

Other news, there isnt' much goign on.  I am actually trying to find some advent readings or ideas to help brign a bit more of the focusof christmas on Christ in our littel family.  I think i will have them make construction paper rings, and hang some christmas lights and a star.  We do't do a christmas tree...which i am used to traditionally.  Ths time of teh year is usually the most stressful, most depressign time of teh year.  I have decided i am goign to try ot build my own traditions with the ids-to help me find more joy in the season...and also make it memorable for them (other than all the gifts they get). So, if there are any suggestioons, i woud appreciate them.

so, as far as updates, that is it. I have been working strictly on a project that i said i woudl make for the shop; it has taken me a lot longer than i thought it would.  it is a bit tedious wth the 3x3 ribbing...in teh round...for a total of about 70 inches in length! anyway, i will be gald when i get that done, then i can work on the little christmas projects i want to do this year. 

so, ttyl!

h :)

Nov. 13, 2007 - Dreams

Ok, do you find you have dreams under certain circumstances? or rather, you remember them or they are more scary, or intense at some times than at others?  Sometimes, it is something I eat late at night, but that is not normal.  When I was pregnant, I had some of the strangest dreams!  I can't remember them , but I do remembe rthat one involved a dead guy . -that one i remmber was not scary, but surreal and almost comic.  Another time I know i have strange dreams is if i am laying on my back.  Usually, those are intense, anxious, scary dreams.  So the other day, I fell asleep while waiting for the kdis to go to sleep, on my back.  And I had one of the most yucky dreams i have had in a while.  I woke up and there was a fire-we were in a big complex of a building-liek a hotel or apt complex.  My husband had alreayd left, or wasnt' around-at work or soething, either way, it was just me.  and the kids.  all 4 of them.  It was so awful!  I reember trying to get out with all 4 of them, and havingto watch all around me to make sure they wre all with me....and not being able to go fast enough cause i had to carry teh youngest and keep hurrying the other3...and all the while, the fire was getting hotter and hotter and closer  and closer. ..then I got to a safe place and it was not that much further than where we started, so we were going to have to run again, then i woke up.  part of e wanted to see what was goig to happen...and you know, I ws burning up in the bed!  that is where the feeling of heat came from.  ISn't it strange how our minds and bodies work?  After those kinds of dreams , i never have a good day.  I have had soe dreams about my hubby-like one where he was gettingmarried to another woman and i was watching-but he didnt' see me or hear me...just kept on.  Then i wake up upset with him.  Those are rough, too-and i hate them. 

I hope you all have sweet dreams.  i have to go for now. :)

h :)

Nov. 5, 2007 - Ms bubble head and a fingerless mitt, among other things.

WEll, I have been busy this week.  -or the past week.  A few f us have been sick.  but i hope we are on the upswing. 

Well, my sister who has been living in town near me, is leaving town.  Tomorrow morning to be exact.  It is good for her.  She will be goign back to stay with my parents for a bit-with a boyfriend.  Then doing crazy things like traveling.  nice for her.  Anyway, I got it in my head to make her a little soething before she left.  I made her a pair of fingerless mitts.  I used the pattern Dashing and she loved them.  Her color: fire engine red. 

AND I finished a hat for my sil.  I LOVE it!  I had so much fun finishing it.  I even got my hubby to laugh with me.  He wouldn't model it for me.  the kids were in bed and i was impatient to get a pic to show everyone.  SO, I made MS bubblehead.  SHe is not the prettiest thing, but she was a willing model :)

She is still sitting on the couch clinging to that curtain. 

Also, last week, I ventured to dye my first skein of yarn.  It was kind of fun...and it turned out great!  I haven't used it yet, but i will soon. 

Do you like it SP?  I used your little can you sent me for my dpns :)

Anyway, that is it for now.  t is late and i nee dto get to bed. 

thanks for reading.

H :)

Oct. 22, 2007 - Thanks SP!!!!

I got a box today from my secret pal.  I was so excited!  i actually didn't expect it so soon-she said she sent it on thur...or was it fri...well, anyway, it came today.  The kdis were just as thrilled with the box

as I was...although, they had more fun with the styrofoam packing stuff.  She is very clever, my secret pal!  she sent me a nice card explaning everything that went with the "HANDS" theme.  She sent some:

"hand" made stitch markers in a really cute little tin:

I especialy LOVE the fish, isn't he cute?:

well, sorry about the stray thread there..it kind of makes it look like he's pooping.

THen there was some satin "hands" by Mary Kay.  I haven't seen this in anything other than white-the scrubby part smells really good!  I used it a bit ago and I really lke it! it makes my hands soooo soft!

And then there was some "hand" dyed yarn in a cool tin can. OH, it is 2 skeins of mirasol hacho-a merino that is so soft!  What I like most about it is the colorway...I think it is so beautiful! i sat earlier and just looked at all the pretty colors in it-

And, i think this was last, my secret pal sent me 2 skeins of bare yarn adn some Koolaid to use!  I was particularly extra excited about this one cause i have been wanting to do this for a while now.  I just haven't gottne the "stuff" for it.  I am excited!  I told hte kids they cold help me, too. 

and here is the goodies all in one picture:

Thanks, Pal!  everything was just right...You really know how to make someone happy, huh? thanks for everything, i really like it all. 

____________________________________________________________________________

On another note, i have some more pics to share.  I love taking pics of my kids.  they are fun subjects and good practice.  Here are some of the most recent:

I am letting dan's hair grow out-it is looking a little wild right now, isnt' it?

 Andrew gets so excited watchig the trucks go by-can't you see him going (or grunting) "ooh OOh!"??

Dan's pretty proud of this car, i had to show you-at his request :) :

Ally, "helping" me make no-pudge brownies for moms night out a couple fo weeks ago...she really loves her chocolate!

my ally :)

Well, I hve been having a bit of fun in the kitchen the past couple of days.  We have been running out of food before payday, so i was challenged to use whatever I could find to createmeals.  We haven't gone one day without plenty to eat...and there really isnt' that much in there-just food i haven't used-duh...i mean, stuff that didnt' get used for what it was supposed to-like a bag of broccoli...extra noodles...etc. so, yesterday, i made a really good pasta thing with leftover kielbasa and noodles.  I fried the kielbasa in garlic and butter, then the noodles, then cooked some broccoli...and mixed it all together.  I added a bit of parmesan-it was so flavorful!  I was pretty proud of that one.  Another thing i did was make bread.  I am not afraid of making bread.  what little milk we had i had to give to the kids, so i had no milk...we used the eggs...so no eggs.  I made a simple italian loaf with water, yeast and flour and salt-it was a bit too salty0but it worked for PBJ's!  I was pretty proud of myself with that , too!  It is amazing what a bit of accomplishment-or ingenuity will do for one's constitution :) 

Kind of like knitting.  I have one more pic-of the Jaywalker.  but this one is no more.  I frogged it today and will restart it and do better wth guage.  maybe even do a toe up.  I get the pattern and might be able to alter it to a differnet number of stitches if i have to, but that is too muc work.  I want thigns to stayy simple right now. 

I think that is it for now.  thanks for readng!

h :)

Oct. 21, 2007 - What is goign on in my little family

Well, there really isn't much, actually.  I think my hubby and i are passing a stomach bug back and forth.  The kids have been really crabby lately-showing the less attractive side of the "blessing" they really are.  I think they may be comign down with something.  My 4yo girl has been very emotional...like crying over a bathing suit and how she doesn't like getting big.  poor thing.  She is big-she is wearing a size 6 barely comfortably.  She is tall and a little thick.  Not fat, just thick.  Her daddy is very tall; I suspect they will all be on the bigger sde; I am on the short side.  My 2yo girl is actually quite tlal and very skinny/wiry.  She is so cute, though-those skinny little legs bouncing around here all the time.  Then there is dan and andrew.  Andrew is always by my side lately.  He just doesnt' want to be anywhere else.  It is hard when he is fussy and clinging to my leg...but he also tries to help-doing whatever it is that i am doing.  danny is my sweet lover.  he is also a boy-every once in a while, he will get this surge of testosterone and roar and tackle someone.  Reminds me of hsi daddy and his uncles when they "play" together.  aww..maybe you all are getting tired of reading about my kids... 

I have been a little discouraged in my faith.  So much of it has been tried lately.  But you know, I am so well founded in my beliefs that I won't stray from it-it is more the living.  I have been criticized of my desire to learn more-I love to bible study and really get into the nitty gritty of the OT and the NT...all of that theology and doctrine that is in there; I really love to learn about God and how HE works with mankind.  But people have told me that it is all meaningless...i am just out for more and more knowledge...blah, blah, blah.  I don't believe , and I have prayed about it, that that statement is true.  So, anyway, i have not been doing study-or prayer.  Study is one way i stay personally stay close to God.  I guess that is one thing-I know much about Him and the way He works with His people and the way we are supposed to be-that I have trouble applying and acting on it in my life.  Oh, do I have the nudging of the Spirit when I lash out in anger-He has dealt with me-is dealing with me on that...SOOOO I know that all that "knowledge" isn't for nothing.  If the Spirit is working in me, doesnt' that mean something?  So, I guess it is a time of wilderness for me.  I am not happy, I dont' hide it well.  I am trying to figure things out.  I am so glad that HE is patient with me :)...

So, I hve been knitting some.  Seems like everyhting is a bit discouraging lately.  Seems like everyhting I start has to be torn out again...I would just set it down for a while, but most times, I just dont' like to keep my hands still.  I like them to be moving and doing soemthing.  I started a pair of jaywalkers using a different technique for picking up the yarn while knitting-and the "norwegian" purl which is a way to purl without flipping the yarn to the front.  For me, it makes for a MUCH looser knit and purl!  My problem before was that it was just too tight.  I kept starting a pair of toe up socks-they wre too tight.  I have a red yarn that I bought on sale to make a scarf for the red scarf project.  The ladies in the shop will be doing them i november.  what else??? My friend tina wanted me to make a project along with her.  It is the shawl collar wrap in sally mellville's book 2: the purl stitch.  I really like the project, it is one of those that I just can't get into!  i have had to rip it out and start over 2 times now.  I have a hat i am making for my sil-there were math problems that turned out to be technical problems-I was doing a particular M1 wrong, accordign to the book-which is aussie, where they do things just a bit differently.  I am at a point where I need my circs and i can't find the right ones.  ugh!  I am also doing a  project for the shop-a turtleneck shrug from the Scarf style book.  that one is jus ta bit tedious...a k3,p3 rib.  Maybe I jsu thave toomany projects on teh needles.  there are so many that I want to make, too!  I have enough Cascade 220 superwash to make my own sweater.  I want to make a hat and scarf for myself...there are a coupld of sock patterns i would like to knit.  Ihave yarn for all of this-Right now, I jsut don't want to start anythgn new!!!  I have a pretty lavendar angora blend that would make nice fingerless mitts...a lace pattern that I have in an interweave mag.  oh, I am rambling now...

I thought I would be able to get into the homeschool coop this february, but my cousin told me that she talked to the lady in charge and she said she woudl rather I wait until the fall.  :(  I was disappointed, but I tried to look at it like it was jus tmeant to be.  Ally won't be in Kindergarten until the fall, so, it is n't like they really need it.  The way my cousin talks about it , though-she makes it sound so wonderful!  like I might be the one encouraged by it-they are really good about pryaing together-and all are doing it for the same reason that we are all supposed to be doing it-for their good-For the glory of God, etc. 

well, thatis about it for now.  AHve you all seen "Amazing Grace"? the movie about william wilberforce?  it is coming to video in november, i believe...it is a very good movie. 

Ok, i will go for now.  I haven' tbeen taking pics lately, iether!  so i have not hign to show you.  maybe i should take all my UFO"s outside to photograph...have a good day!

h :)

Oct. 16, 2007 - Like it?

Wow!  I like my new look!  I can say that like that cause I didn't do it.  My very good friend ALi did it!  She has a good eye and taste; she also really likes to do it.  Thanks so much , ali!  I love it!  I wish i knew how to do what she does...but then, my blog wouldn't look as nice as it does now :)

Oct. 11, 2007 - I have no great witty title to give this post...

I hate it when i cant' think of a title to give a post...it is soooo boring! 

What is goign on?  I have not been wanitng to communicate to many people lately, certainly not post a blog about boring stuff, unhappy stuff.  I have just been down lately.  I really think htat God is taking away or making it seem like it- friends, so that I will have to just run to Him more.  And I do'tn understand it all.  I knwo that I have problems.  I am a messy housekeeper.  I get angry (I am workign hard on that, though), and I dont' love my kids like I should-or other people think i should.  But is that reason for people (I mean like family) to dis me?  I think my inlaws are some of the most critical, legalistic people right now.  they focus so much on what a person should be doing, not about their heart for God!  I dd not grow up in a churched famliy, a homeschooled famliy.  I understand a lot about grace.  personally-it is the difference between Peter and Paul.  i am discouraged and down about things with the famliy-things that AREN'T said, but i just feel- But when i clear my head and emotions long enough to see it as it is, I can just run to HIm and ask His forgiveness-He is the one that deals with me, not them , right ?  Anyway, I know what is right, I just hav to keep doing it.  I must seek HIm for all my needs and fellowship right now.  And try real  hard not to let their attitudes get to me-or take their condemnation...

So , about kids.  Does anyone have a hard time sometimes loving your kids the way you should?  I am quick in my temper to get upset with them-to get frazzled and annoyed.  i dont' get all giddy and gushy over them.  or feel surges of emotional love-sometimes...but when danny whines and whines and whines about every little hting and demands that I hold him (he is 3) or that he sits next to me-when i am on the phone or wen i have to hold one of the younger ones, etc...always at times when i can't do it at the moment...when Lana keeps getting out of her bed at night and playing, turnign onteh lights...after I took them through their routine good night.  When ally (4yo) encourages the others to get into trouble...or acts liek a dog and bites the whiner adn he comes yelling while i am trying to go to the bathroom...all of these thigns...They are normal, right?  but why dont' i find them as little blessigns?  arent' we supposed to do that?? ahhh...anyway, I find it hard to see them as blessings at times like these...I have 4 toddlers.  they are the most sinful little beigns!  at times :)...how can soemthing so sinful be such a blessing?  I am not beign evil here, just thinking and questioning out loud.

Well, on homeschooling.  One of te things about our littel group, the one my hubby belonged to and his mother belonged to, is dying.  there are few families there andmost of them are involved in a local coop called homegrown hearts.  Anyway, the thing about our little group is that we only meet maybe 2 times amonth!  I know I dotn' have much encouragement or exposure to homeschool moms and I think i need that a bit more-I have never homeschooled or been homeschooled.  So, i have been thinking about tryign out the coop.  I dont' know what i could bring...I don't know if it is worth it for my kids; they are so young yet.  I tlaked tomy cousin last night...who brought up the subject...which was teh first time that someon has asked me or talked to me about it.  She was surprised that it has made such a big difference in her homeshcooling.  she said that it has been so encouraging...everyone is so supportive and there is a great focus on God-each mother is required to take an hour for prayer... isn't that awesome?  there is much that is lackign from our littel group.  Why do we do this?  what is the point? does it really make a difference?  etc...my cousin said that it has reminded her why she homeschools, rekindled a love for teaching her children at home.  Anyway, So , now i will think on it more steadily...I can't join until next semester-which ithink begins in february. 

Well, i must cut this off for now.  thanks for reading.  I will write more later and post a couple of pics.  The kids helped me make "no pudge" brownies for mom's night out the other night.  they were a great help----licking the bowl! They enjoyed it.  well, take care for now!

h :)

Oct. 5, 2007 - Chicago museum free days

I have always loved Chicago; it is nice to be so close and yet not too close.  There is so much to do there!  I have been to all of the major museums except one and that is the shedd aquarium.  It is 27.50 for adults!  and they charge for the children...so for our family, it would cost too much money, thus, we have never gone to teh aquarium.  BUT!  My mil sent me this in an email today...what a great opportunity!  Next week is free, i believe, for most museums including the Shedd aquarium!  Here is a list, if anyone near chicago is interested.  It is so worth it, especially if it is free!

Chicago Museums

FREE DAYS

Brookfield Zoo

Free general admission is offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays in January, February, October, November, and December. Additionally, Saturdays and Sundays are free in January and February.

 Adler Planetarium

Museum admission is free on the following days in 2007:  Sept. 10, 17 & 24; Oct 8-12; every Mon & Tues in Oct. – Oct. 1, 2, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 20; every Mon & Tues in Nov – Nov. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27

 Field Museum

Discount Week – Oct 8-12; every Mon & Tues in Oct (same as above); every Mon & Tues in Nov (same as above)

 Chicago History Museum

Free on Mondays

 Shedd Aquarium

September - last three Mondays (Sept. 10, 17, 24); October discount week (Oct. 8-12)
October - Mondays and Tuesdays (Oct. 1, 2, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30); November -Mondays and Tuesdays (Nov. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27)

 Museum of Science & Industry

September 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 and 25
October 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30
November 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20 and 22
December 24

 Hellenic Museum & Cultural Center

No free days; Admission $3/person

 Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Free days are Thursdays; suggested donation of $7/adult

Jane Addams Hull House Museum

Free every day

 Art Institute of Chicago

Thurs and Fri evenings are free from 5pm-9pm until August 31.

 Chicago Cultural Center

Free every day

Oct. 3, 2007 - My Public School Experience

About 8years ago, I started goign to chruch again faithfully-I got very involved with the people in the tiny church and I learned a lot from them.  One of the main things I was introduced to was homeschooling.  It was an odd idea to me, very conservative, very proctective, very geeky , very radical or whatever.  I had my opinions and they wre based off of a bias cause public school was all i knew.  I had the typical arguments- kids need to be socialized, how can parents be qualified to teach their kids, et.  But I over time and after much contact with homeschooled kids, I started to realize the benefits of homeschooling and later the great need and responsibility that parents have to educate their own children.  I have also seen the fall of public schools-and heard and seen teh horrors in the school system today.  On the social side, for instance-my father used to work at a high school as a maintenance mechanic...the job is what it sounds like-he fixed things.  He would walk from one job to anohter in teh building and the students would act as if he werent' there.  some of the conversations he overheard some of the girls talking about made him sick to his stomach.  as a man, he had heard some pretty crude conversatons among other men, and been disgusted by the crudeness...but he said it apalled him that young girls could be so much worse!  the other thing was the cloting-they have no modesty.  Another thing iis hwo disrespectful the kids are to older people.  One thing that irked my father was how they would not flush teh toilets.  He asked my highschool aged cousin one day why they do that- he said, "well, that's your job".  HOw disgusting!!!  Kids would walk into him and look at him in disdain cause he was in their way-when they were obviously in his way...

Anyway, those are just a few of the social reasons.  anyway, I have many reasons, academically, why I wouldn't send my children to the local schools .  Besides religious reasons.  I don't remember too many bad things about my public schoool experience.  Exept the peer thing.  I worked harder at pleasing my peers than my parents.  The boys were more than willing to give me the sex education my parents weren't giving me.   I was not exposed to much of the drinking or pot smoking or partying education that many of my peers were undoubtedly involved in.  I really do have many good memories and a lot that I did take from it. 

I moved around  a lot.  My father just got promotions or transfers.  In themiddle of my 3rd grade year, we moved to Jacksonville , fl.  At the end of my public school career, i had attended 9-10 schools.  In Florida, they are bound, at least in hillsboro county, by the segregation laws.  So , for 6th grade and 7th grade, I was shipped into tampa via bus to a school for 6th, and a school for 7th.  for some reason, they had 8th and 9th grade at one school, then 10th -12th at the high school.  I moved to northern indiana the middle of my 11th grade school year. My best experiences were at the schools in florida.  Florida, at that time at least, had a very good education system.  There was much about it that was challenging.  I excelled in math adn english and by high school was put in honors/advanced classes.  I thrived on the challenge.  I remember a few of my teachers.  I had a teacher, Mrs English, my english teacher.  she was very challenging and actually was the one credited for advancing me into honors english.  She instilled a love for classics like ray bradbury's Farenheit 451 and Patten's "cry the beloved countyr" and willa cather's "o' pioneers".  she was wonderful kind and patient.  another teacher I keenly remember was mrs bono.  Teh first semester, we had a teacher who sat at the proejctor with notes on it and we were to copy them while he slept.  needless to say, I got a d in that class (9th grade).  AFter teh christmas break, we had a cute , short fiery lady with short curly hair at the board.  MAN! she had a love and passion for history VERY much like Diana Waring.  I got an a+ after she walked in.  Another teacher I remember was Mr Hettinger who taught economics.  He also had a way to bring interest to an otherwise boring subject.  I still to this day remember much of what he taught about tehh economy and the way it works.  My absolute favorite teacher in all of my high school career is mr Hope.  he was the band director of Bloomingdale High School's raging bull band.  We were awesome!  He created these marching shows with awesome music, like Holst's "the planets" and "les miserable" .  He also challenged us wth some really great music.  I have played the "rudetsky march" and "march slave" by tchaichovsky...some aaron copeland and other great composers.  I think that band class is where I received much of who i am today.  OH, how I miss playign music-beautiful music. 

When we moved to indiana, i was not prepared for the difference - the classes i attended wre so far behind me-even iin the advanced classes!  I was so bored.  Everything academic was just so different!  I also strongly disliked their music program.  I went from playing tchaichovsky and holst to playing bits of music i played in junior high!  I was sooo bored and my passion for music was nto what it was.  Teh people up here are so mean, too.  they are not nearly as accepting or laid back as my peers in florida.  AND they are more racist up here!  in teh north!  I remember sittingin my chem lab group wth 2 guys (1 other girl) and listening to them whisper about the KKK rally they wre to attend that weekend-or talk so horribly about blacks, who were so few I don't even thing they could be considered a minority-more like a rarity.  I was so sick.  In florida, the community is so diverse!  there are many hispanics of different countries and a few black people-but it was all so mixed up...I dont' remember anyone ever getting racial against anybody!  In fact, I had a very good friend who was puerto rican .  Anyway, I hated that part of school here.  there is so muc more here that is bad.  The "christians" i knew were and can still be today, the biggest snobs i have ever known.  I don't have many good academic things to say abou tthe school.  I did have one teacher my senior year , Mrs Burns who was the "meanest" (by other's standards) teacher in teh shool. she was second to Mr Hope on my list!  I loved her and she loved me.  Mrs burns was my honors english teacher.  she instilled the lvoe for shakespeare and writing. 

Ok, so I don't look back and remember my hgh schoool years as being the best, but there are a few things that I remember and often wish i could go back to-like playing music in a band, or ensembles, adn in all kinds of competitions.  I had some great trips and great times with the kids down there.  You know, another thing about the band is that there wre all grades in that one class-it wasn't 11th grade band, like english or math or science.  and we al got along.  we were all given advance and honor according to performance, not age.  I do wish my kids could have those experiences...with music.  Maybe I will find a band or orchestra they can get involved in.  they are still young right now.  I think out of all my experiences with school, tha tis the one i will miss themost for my children.  I do'nt care if they never get to go to prom or play sports on a team...the musical experience does so much for character and personality and just every day life-  Besides music there is more, like wokring together as a team-and showing respect for those under you and above you-Rythm and control ...

anyway I guess i have made this long enough.  All in all, I will homeschool our children because I feel , as well as my hubby, that it is our God given responsibility to teach our children-not another and certainly not their peers.  That being the main foundational reason, there are many more to fall off of that.  I think i will end here  .  i hope you have born with me; thanks for reading. 

h :)

Sep. 30, 2007 - Finished projects

Ok, so I finished my cozy wrap...

Modeled willingly by my son.  I loved working on this project.   will miss it.  Now  i am working on a hat for my sil, next some legwarmers for my mil...i should be doing those socks, but I just can't get into them!  the pattern i was doing is just not working for me...then the needles i have (size 1) are too small to get a good gauge with that particular pattern.  i am waiting for a set of 40" 3's...so i can do the 2 at once...etc.  I want to cast on for some Jaywalker socks.  maybe that will be the easiest to do...

i do not like halloween.  I did it as a kid, but since I have become a christian, I can't justify celebrating a holiday that celebrates death adn darkness.  Even if we changed the reason we celebrate it, it doesnt' change the fact that it is still a pagan holiday-and always will be.  THen again, werent' christmas and easter mixed with pagan holidays?  I remember that easter-with the easter eggs and teh easter bunny - was mixed with the pagan holiday that celbrated the god(dess) of fertility.  Anyway, that is my thoughts on that. 

Well, I don't have much to say.  My friend sent me a bunch of her old curriculum books- rod and somthing.  I haven't looked throught them thoroughly.  there are som older ones-for grades 1 adn 2.  My oldest is still only 4.   there are some bible, science and som reading.  right now for schooling, we just sing or do fun things in teh car.  LIke make up songs that have words that begin with the "d" sound, for example.  they get pretty silly, but the kids get it.  Even my 2yo!  she is smart as a whip, though . andrew, my 1yo is getting big.  He is fun and usually so laid back and mild mannered.  He makes some of the funniest sounds.  Just today, he was saying "ickle ickle ickle ickle" which he has done before... figured out he was saying "tickle tickle" and actually tickling himself!  isn't that cute??

well, i thought i would post a couple of pics...

 Dan, 3yo; lana, 2yo; ally, 4yo

and andrew:

lana:

My dan.

well,i thin that is it for now.  i better finish this before it gets late and i decide i won't post it. 

by, h :)