Mint Flower - Homeschool Blogger

I will be Blogging at my old address again

Thu, 1 Jan 2009 22:11:00 -0600

Hi friends, I will be back at my old address( I am finding it easier to work with my picture program) so if and when i blog it will be at

mintflower.blogspot.com/

so please look for me there-- thanks!

Making Doughnuts

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:00:00 -0500

Someone suggested that maybe the homemaking the Proverbs 31 woman does is spread throughout her lifetime and not all in one day. I am definitely in a different season than when I had little children.

Today I made doughnuts for the third time in about eight years. The first time I made them they didn’t turn out how I wanted them to. The second time I made them was the next day, to prove I could do it. I actually remember seeing Martha Stewart make them on TV -- she always seemed to make things right after we did, we used to joke that she had spies---that morning and my perfectionism said I had to try again. It was this time of the year—days were darkening, I had 3 small children, I also made homemade pizza that day, and had been sick and watched my friends 3 kids and drove them home and my husband was working 2 jobs and we still had no money. It wasn’t just that day. I had been trying for a long time—maybe always—to do more, to be more, to make everyone happy, to impress people, to impress myself, to not ask for help…. And making those doughnuts stands out in my mind as the straw that broke my back. I didn’t realize how much had piled up on me, how much I was carrying, how fearful I was. I called my mom that night. I just knew something was wrong. I didn’t know it would take more than a cup of tea and my mom reading Psalm 23 to me to make me feel better (although that was comforting at the moment!). I didn’t know how much help I would need. That I would suffer from panic attacks, nearly constant anxiousness and worry, irrational fears, deep depression, insomnia, and illness for two years before I saw light at the end of the tunnel. That I would cry every day, all day, not want to see my friends, barely eat, and avoid driving. That my faith would be my own and all I could hold on to. That God would send me just enough strength to get me through my days and eventually, I would find hope and help and start crawling toward wholeness again. I thought I would go back to who I was, but that part of me is better left behind. So, while I still like to do all those things I tried so hard at, I have learned to be more realistic, less “perfect” and enjoy things more. And recognize the seasons. Today, when I made doughnuts, it was fun and relaxed. It was all I was trying to do, and I did it with my eleven year old daughter and her two friends. We had fun, we made a mess, we probably won’t do it again any time soon. I watched them put on a play about the forest, fire and water, then I walked them over to their dance class. I walked back along the river and enjoyed the refreshing air and the quiet.

God, I ask for wisdom, the right things for this season, what I need Your strength to work hard at, what I need to let go of…

Moving Into Fall

Thu, 2 Oct 2008 08:45:00 -0500

It’s officially fall and it’s so beautiful! We planted a large area of our front lawn last weekend and it’s so nice to look out and see things blooming instead of bare dirt. I love that we own a place now where we can plant trees and expect to be there to see them grow and give us shade. We’re still harvesting zucchini and tomatoes from the garden.

The school year is underway and going pretty well. Scott and I have been walking early every morning and it’s a great way to start the day (once I’m out of bed!) He has been working less hours so we’ve also had more family time in the evenings.

The girls are back to dance and acting and Karate. Gabriel is only taking computer classes this year and loving it. Jessamyn is taking a mentoring program, learning to teach dance, and Peace has started rehearsals for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe—she is playing the comical Mrs. Beaver this year! Jessamyn got her driver’s license and is looking for a little job. Gabriel and Peace and I are doing a Lord of the Rings study, which they love and we have been making up recipes to go with it—so far we had Hobbit’s Second Breakfast, Bilbo’s Birthday Cake, Sam’s Stew, Gollum’s Fish and Chips and Pippin’s Pocket pastries. I think maybe we’ll write a cookbook! We’ve also been making lots of granola and zucchini muffins.

My little brother, Josh got married at the beginning of September—it was beautiful and we love Annie! Jacob and Joseph were here from Alaska for a week and we had a great time with them.

The kid have been given a two month challenge from their karate school—which is about doing hard things and developing good habits. So it’s got me thinking about some goals and areas I want to challenge myself.

Harvest Time

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:15:00 -0500

Suddenly there is an abundance of zucchini in our garden, so I have been making muffins this morning, huge batches to freeze, freezing grated zucchini for future baking and serving it sautéed at nearly every meal! We have tons of Basil, so making and freezing pesto is on my list as well.

My dad came to pick up Peace for the first blackberry picking club adventure of the season. Yum! Although we don’t preserve a lot of foods, I find it really satisfying when we do, both the process now and in the winter when we’re eating berries from our freezer.

Here is a story Peace wrote for her writing class last year.

The Berry Pickin’ Club

Bethany Peace

Mmm the fresh berry still warm from the sun beating down on it before it was picked. Blackberry, blueberry, or strawberry it doesn’t matter as long as it has been picked by a member of the Berry Picken’ Club. As part of the Berry pickin’ Club it is my duty to help pick the berries that our entire family feeds on. Currently the Berry Pickin’ Club members are myself, my five year old cousin Peregrine, a cute little boy with short dark hair, bluish-grey eyes, and a very strong personality, and my papa who has blue eyes, longish silver hair, and always wears levis 501s, a grey or blue tee shirt, and a denim jacket.

You see, I went to my papa, who has been in the Berry Picken’ Club for a long, long time and asked him how the Berry Pickin’ Club came to be and he told me:

“ Once an old man took his children to a berry patch to see if they could pick many berries. Slowly the children started to lose interest so the man went to his grandchildren and inspired by a book called ‘Blueberries for Sal’ the old man and his grandchildren had began berry pickin’ trips. Well that’s how the Berry Pickin’ Club got started.

Once when I was too little to go on berry picking trips, my older brother, Gabriel was coming back from a black berry pickin’ trip. My brother and I went outside our house. Gabriel and I chowed down on the berries. We had purple stained faces from the blackberries’ juice. But it was very nice of him.

There are also the rules for the Berry Pickin’ Club. First a rule from “Blueberries for Sal”, you must say kurplink and kurplink until you fill the bottom of your bucket. Second you have to share your berries with the other members of the Berry Pickin’ Club. Third and last, big pickers absoloutly must help little pickers in any way they can.

Berries, berries, berries. Our family eats them so many different ways. We eat ice cream which is one of my favorite ways to eat blackberries because the sections break apart and freeze. We also eat them in cobblers and jam and so many other ways or we just eat them right out of the Folger Coffee bucket.

A few weeks ago my cousin, Alethea was going to the zoo. When she woke up her mother asked her if she knew what she was doing that day.

“Going blackberry picking with Papa?” she asked.

She was wrong but really cute. Papa and I decided that soon we would make a special trip for her.

Alethea is one of the future members of the Berry Pickin’ Club. So will be two aunt’s babies that they will have soon. I love being in the Berry Pickin’ Club so much and it’s a great family tradition.

That is the

Berry Pickin’ Club

When Their Eyes Light Up

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 08:54:00 -0500

I’ve been thinking about next years homeschooling plans. One of the things that helps me decide what to use for curriculum is how interested my kids are in it. A friend was showing me a stack of Sonlight books. They looked great to me, but I called Peace to see her reaction--- “uh, boring” or “can I start reading this right now?”. I let them look through catalogues and see what they get excited about. Now, I have never seen anyone thrilled over their Saxon math or their spelling or handwriting, but we do those anyway! But with things like Bible, literature—unit studies, science and history, when we’ve worked together to chose something that suits them at the time, everything goes so much better.

Gabriel is really into Lord of the Rings right now. I was thinking about getting a study on it next year, but he practically begged to have it this year—how can I say no? I read the table of contents to him and he kept saying, “oh, I love that, I want to do that.” I’m especially happy to see this response in him, because he’s a little more quiet and it’s easier for me to predict what the girls might like. Then last night, he was looking at a listing of foreign languages offered by Rosetta Stone and he was seeing which countries a few of them were from, and saying he wanted to learn all of them—there was about 20! But what I saw was his eyes light up and that says to me that I better get him started on a language this year.

I think I’ve always done this, looked for the sparks of interest and the lit up eyes, but I’ve recently become more aware of it and not just for schoolwork, but for ways for them to serve, or the parts of cooking they like best, or as I help Jessamyn look for a little job this year—I want to see their God-given interests and help them develop them to the fullest. They will gain discipline from doing the “boring” stuff, but as a teaching mom, I want to try to make as much as I can exciting and a good fit for them and that’s one of the reasons I’m so glad to have them home.

Sixteen

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:16:00 -0500

Jessamyn Sixties Glam

Sixteen years ago this morning, I became a mom. A tiny beautiful girl with a very loud cry was born to us after a long night. The full moon I had been watching set, the sky turned bright pink and we were finally holding her. Jessamyn Faith. Yesterday, I as I took the blue silk bag out of my jewelry box, to pass on to her a ring that has been in my family for five generations, I saw the dried roses from the bouquet my mom brought when she was born. The first grandchild on both sides, she was welcomed with much celebration and captivated all of us. She laughs at me a little for being sentimental as she turns sixteen, but her smile says she understands. It feels like a big milestone, everything changing again.

Things that stand out to me as I look back are—well, her hair to start with! Big brown eyes looking out from under a mop of curly red hair, people would comment on it everywhere we went. She talked nonstop, loved to dance—and still does—loves pretty things, always dressing up and decorating things, cooking , reading, shopping— she still loves those too! How thrilled she was to have a brother, and then a sister. She was such a strong-willed little girl and I am so glad she has grown to balance that strength with a sweet and gentle spirit.

I have tried to treasure the moments and days, I really have, but it’s true that it goes by fast. Jessamyn is now one of my best friends. I love being with her and I like the person she is.

We celebrated with a big party for friends- a 50’s/60’s style dance party, which was really fun. Then family and friends form out of town yesterday. This morning she takes her driving test and we prepare for more independence. We will make homemade pasta and eat leftover cake tonight. Sixteen, whether I’m ready or not, here it is and I pray it will be a great year for her and I am so thankful to love this girl!!

This Morning

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:52:00 -0500

After our trip to Colorado and the various activities the kids have been doing, this morning I woke up to find it finally feels like summer—half-way through! Days with lots to do, but not a time schedule. I’m looking forward to several weeks of this. Time to sit out in the sun and drink a smoothie, play a silly game of Candyland (apparently they’re never too old for it) and take a walk to the river, all things I got to do this morning. I’m thankful I get to stay home with my favorite people. As I was walking with Gabriel and Peace this morning, a lady came around corner with her dog, looked up at them, opened her arms wide, smiled and declared, “OH, BEAUTIFUL!”. Yes, they are….Of course this relaxing beautiful morning is interspersed with fights over whose turn it is in the shower, my feeling overwhelmed about how messy things are and how much I want to get done, and needing groceries…..such is being a mom.

Our travels were good. Scott’s grandma was in the hospital, so there was a lot going on with his family while we were there. Jessamyn assisted her acting teacher and Peace took a class at a summer camp program. I am taking a Pilates/Yoga class with the girls 2x a week, I was sure sore when it started last week and hope that means I will see some results as time goes on. We are planning a big birthday party for Jessamyn and preparing for her driver’s test. Gabriel is really into Lord of the Rings and working on computer programming right now. Peace meets every week with her dance group, and got to do a performance on Saturday at a local celebration. Gabriel and Jessamyn helped with an overnight karate camp and had a good time. Scott is still working a lot of hours but not like before. I am planning on getting some organizing done, as well as a couple creative projects—making a family scrapbook for our adoption application, and sewing a dress for each of the gilrs.

It’s been so fun to have new baby nephews—they are about three months and just so cute and smiley—I really love them and I’m proud of my sisters for being such good moms.

Has a whole season passed since I wrote anything?

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:09:00 -0500

So, one of my three loyal readers is begging for an update!

We’re having a quiet day, enjoying the cool breeze and catching up on some rest.

I’m glad it’s summer—there’s still a lot on the calendar, but a more relaxed pace. The past months have been pretty full of year-end dance performances, birthday parties, some long work hours for Scott, and 2 new baby nephews to cuddle.

Today is our 18^th anniversary and it’s also 20 years since we graduated form high school—hard to believe!

All three kids have grown so much lately and every time I turn around, they are facing a new level of independence. It’s emotional for me, because they are doing so good and I’m proud of them, but it’s letting go again and again, learning not to worry…

Rosetta Stone

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:46:00 -0500

I don't enter many contests, but i want to win this one! We have 2 years of the Spanish, but they want more-- and Italian, Frnech and Japanese, too! Rosetta Stone is great! Here's how to enter:

Rosetta Stone has been the #1 foreign language curriculum among homeschoolers for a while -- next week they are unleashing a brand new curriculum, and you can WIN the *all new* Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3… FOR FREE!

This is a $219 program (and believe me it's worth every penny!) and the winner gets to pick from any of these 14 languages: Spanish (Spain or Latin America), English (American or British), Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Irish, Hebrew, or Russian.

This will also include a headset with microphone, and students will participate in lifelike conversations and actually produce language to advance through the program. Rosetta Stone still incorporates listening, reading and writing as well, in addition to speaking. Many homeschoolers requested grammar and vocabulary exercises, and with Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3, they're included! For parents, the new Parent Administrative Tools are integrated into the program and allow parents to easily enroll students in any of 12 predetermined lesson plans, monitor student progress, and view and print reports.

To win this most excellent program -- in the language of your choice -- copy these (blue) paragraphs and post it in (or as) your next blog post -- then to enter the contest, go to the original contest page HERE: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/JenIG/501132/ and leave a comment with the link showing where you blogged about it. And please make sure the link works to get back to the original contest page when you post it. And good luck! The winner will be picked randomly on March 26, and will be notified thru the link they left to their blog pg. And if you have more than one blog, you can post them and enter those separately for more chances to win. Yay for free stuff!

New beginnings--- Spring!

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 08:37:00 -0500

Spring starts officially in a couple days. The perfect time to think of new beginnings. After a long rainy winter, I am so excited to see the flowers and trees start to bloom and see 2 amazing rainbows this week. Although the forecast is still rain, showers, some showers, rain, light showers…. as far as they can see, spring is on the way and there will be bursts of sun that make everything sparkle in between the cloudbursts. I like to walk outside and see everything change.

Besides the rain that made this winter feel long, Scott started a new job, which included a project at the start that was very time and energy consuming. That’s getting wrapped up and we’re looking forward to things settling into a more regular routine and seeing how the direction of this new job goes.

The kids have been having some fun. Gabriel turns 13 next week! He loves everything he’s learning about computer programming and is full of ideas. His imagination has been dreaming up a gnome world for his book and in between, he snacks! He is growing so fast and I am only about a ½ inch taller than him now.

Peace joined a dance group that will be performing throughout the community, as well as they have a Bible study and do service projects. She played Bianca in a junior version of Taming of the Shrew in Feb. I see her changing so fast into a “pre-teen”! She loves glamour as much as her big sister and they both put together some pretty creative outfits and even share clothes sometimes.

Jessamyn has a calendar full of social events—movies concerts, dances ( I’ll have to put up a pic of her great 80’s outfit) and play practice. She is also in a Shakespeare play and helping with costumes etc. for another play. She drives us most places now and is doing well with that. We all look forward to her getting her license this summer.

Both my sister will be having babies within the next weeks—we are so excited to hold and love those babies. My youngest brother will be getting married in the fall, so our family is growing. We are still in process of applying to adopt and I am currently working on making a photo book for the case workers and children to look through.

I feel really good about the fact that I am working toward some better habits of eating and excercising—I’m eating more small meals that have good carbs and protein in each one throughout the day and drinking more water, nothing radical, but I think I’m finding something that works for me and I can stick with and continue to improve upon. I seem to be losing that sugar craving and habit of mindless eating. It’s important to make this a priority, part of taking care of me, not putting myself last.

God is good to us, my life is full of love and blessings and I am thankful to begin again each day and to soak up the springtime.