tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88982108687186639422024-03-05T20:47:29.376-05:00Eager Family BlogA blog about a busy mom who homeschools her four children, juggles activities and housework, and still manages to find quality time to be a family.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.comBlogger723125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-13577971528740075372012-08-03T11:50:00.000-04:002012-08-03T12:15:33.104-04:00Happy Birthday, Ben! NUMBER 10!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today, incredibly, Ben is ten years old....we are having a nice day, doing whatever he wants to do. This year we're lucky--Matt is working from home all month due to office renovations, so both Ben and Emma have Dad home for their big day. We made a delicious breakfast of bacon and egg muffins--line a muffin tin with turkey bacon and fill with scrambled eggs and cheese, then bake...the cutest little omelet cups come out. Ben opened his presents and he and Emma are playing with the Lego game he got. We're grilling steaks for dinner, with a vanilla birthday cake topped with whipped cream and strawberries. Maybe some swimming in the afternoon, and then this evening, he and Matt will see "The Dark Knight," which has been the much-looked-forward-to plan for weeks now. (It was more important to Ben to see it on his birthday than to see it when it opened...my patient boy!)<br />
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The photos are from a gift box Emma made...she used a quart milk jug and drew these pictures for the top. I love how sweet she is--she made a little pom pom tiger for her brother to go in this box, got him sunflower seeds, the aforementioned Lego game, and a Kit Kat--all with her own money. Then the box itself just made me smile--"Happy Birthday to a brother who is smart, handsome, tidy...and forgiving!"<br />
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He loved all his presents--Julia made him a cool card with a runic code (one of his favorites!) and got him Nerf bullets for "never ending battles" and Reese's peanut butter cups. Rachel got him a Pokemon set with decks, a battle mat and directions on everything you need to know to play the game, plus Spiderman 3 on DVD. Matt and I got him Spiderman 1 and 2, new summer pjs (which he loves, for some reason the kid adores new pajamas!), two boxes of fruit leather--all for him!--and another set of Pokemon decks. He is as happy as a clam, which is just as a boy should be on his birthday.<br />
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<br />Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-65633579685631772862012-07-22T14:51:00.000-04:002012-07-22T14:51:03.246-04:00Kitchen FunAs if Facebook didn't already take me away from my own writing projects, there's a newish game in town called Pinterest. When I first heard of it, I thought, <i>eh, that sounds like a waste of time.</i>...and then I decided one dull day to check it out. In case you've never delved into the fascinating world of pinning, Pinterest is a way to save things you find on the internet for future use, and to share your interests with friends as well.<br />
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Has this ever happened to you? You see a recipe, or a great pair of jeans, or a fabulous shade of lipstick, or a review for a product you don't need at the moment but might want to try someday....and when you are ready to buy or cook or have a makeover, you can't remember where you saw it! Pinterest to the rescue! You make "pinboards," using any title you like. Then, when you find a tidbit that you want to reference later, you use your handy "pin it" button that you've downloaded to your toolbar. Friends get to see what you're looking at, and they can repin at will. You can peruse your friends' boards too, as well as hundreds of general categories where you will find things by pinners you don't know. It's kind of an interesting sociological study when you see degrees of separation played out by people around the world as they repin things you saw a week ago!<br />
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Anyway, all of this is to say that I have been pinning for months now, and it has inspired me to try a lot of new recipes as well as home projects, garden inspiration, clothing, and about a million handy tips for the home, such as cleaning products you can make with items from the pantry, or a sugar scrub that saves me a bundle because I used to but it from Burt's Bees at $13 a jar, and making it at home costs pennies. All of which is very helpful when you have daughters who can use up a jar in the space of a week!<br />
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Favorite baked items include a "buttercream" frosting that begins with a white sauce, uses far less sugar, and tastes far better than traditional icing, homemade Snickers bars that were to die for, pumpkin muffins filled with a cream cheese concoction and topped with streusel, cheesy zucchini rice that is delicious as a side dish or a vegetarian meal, and lime ice cubes.<br />
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Lime ice cubes, when put in the above list, sound ridiculous, I know. If I read that, I would say <i>forget lime ice cubes! Tell me about the homemade Snickers bars!</i> But really, they are adorable and delicious and I am thinking about making gallon Ziploc bags full of them for the freezer. I am even thinking of making lemon, orange, peach and strawberry ones! They are easy, but oh so nice.<br />
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All you have to do is take a tabespoon of sugar and put it in a measuring cup. Squeeze the juice of a lime into it and stir so the sugar dissolves. Add 1 1/2 cups or so of water and stir. This is a basic limeade and in my ice trays it made one tray of ice, so plan accordingly depending on how many ice cubes you want. Pour the limeade into your ice tray(s). Take one more lime and slice the ends off, cutting close so you're cutting the rind part off but leaving most of the fruit. Slice the remaining lime into 4 round slices, and then cut each slice into quarters, leaving you with 16 triangles of lime. Drop one into each ice cube and freeze. (If you have any triangles left over, simply squeeze the juice out of them right into the cubes you're making, so there's no waste!) <br />
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Use these cubes in drinks--we love it in fresh lemonade, Sprite when we let the kids have soda, water and cocktails, too--one of my favorite drinks is gin and tonic, and these are awesome in there! They add a kick to your drink and don;t water it down. YUMMY!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-58557120670056308592012-03-27T14:30:00.002-04:002012-03-27T15:46:32.037-04:00Is It Better to be a Grownup or a Kid?This morning on Facebook, I saw a link to a blog post on Long Island Parent Source about a family's conversation about being an adult. Basically, the woman's 6 year old daughter wanted to be a baby again so she wouldn't have any homework to do, and it got their family talking about whether being a child or an adult is better. I think almost every adult would agree that being a kid was MUCH more fun! However, I did want to see what my own kids would say, so I started with Ben. Here is his list:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Why Being a Grownup is More Fun Than Being a Kid:</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">by Ben, age 9</span><br /><br />1. Being able to drink delicious (mostly alcoholic) drinks.<br />2. Being able to watch NC-17 rated horror and action movies.<br />3. Being able to do what you want.<br />4. Being able to drive.<br />5. Being able to do things you have to be 18 and up to do.<br />6. Deciding what's for dinner (hint, hint!)<br />7. Deciding what pets to have.<br />8. Having the secrets of knowledge (I wish they'd let me in on some of it!)<br />9. Getting all jokes that come their way.<br />10. Reading horror stories by Stephen King.<br /><br />Pretty apt list, I think. The girls gave me a lot more resistance, but in the end I threatened them and they did it...just kidding. I begged a bit, but I didn't actually have to threaten them.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Why Being a Grownup is More Fun Than Being a Kid:</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> by Emma, age 7</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><br />1. Grownups stay up late.<br />2. Grownups get to paint rooms.<br />3. Grownups have jobs (mostly).<br />4. Grownups have no schoolwork.<br />5. Cats are scared of grownups and don;t scratch them.<br /><br />Emma gave me the most grief over this, insisting that she couldn't come up with ten reasons she wanted to be a grownup. She came up with five, and I figured it wasn't worth fighting with her. I guess she is sensible and realizes she has it pretty good.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Why Being a Grownup is More Fun Than Being a Kid:</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> by Julia, age 12</span><br /><br />1. Staying up late.<br />2. Watching scary movies.<br />3. Reading horror stories.<br />4. Being allowed to have as many pets as you want.<br />5. Having your own house.<br />6. Having a job.<br />7. Being able to drive.<br />8. Cooking anything you want any time.<br />9. Getting to make the rules.<br />10. Having your own garden/getting to plant whatever you want.<br /><br />Julia says that actually, she thinks being a kid is way better, and she is only humoring me by writing this list. I agree with her! And now for my list:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Why Being a Kid is More Fun Than Being a Grownup:</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">by Mom, age 41 for a few more days</span><br /><br />1. Someone else cooks.<br />2. Someone else cleans.<br />3. Someone else runs errands.<br />4. When the cat pukes, you tell an adult about it.<br />5. No bills to pay.<br />6. No real responsibility.<br />7. You sleep as much as you want to.<br />8. Christmas, and for that matter all holidays, are pure fun.<br />9. You get new clothes and shoes constantly because you're growing.<br />10. Weekends are an endless stretch of fun, free time, rather than a couple of days where in addition to anything you have planned, you cram all the chores and errands that didn't get accomplished during the week.<br /><br />I could go on and on here--but I won't. I think the point has been made.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-61138990651137298682012-02-01T22:00:00.002-05:002012-02-01T22:34:43.135-05:00Rachel's Excellent AdventureOver the past several months, I have thought of blogging about Rachel, but I never did because at first she was only applying, and what if it didn't happen?, and then...well, I think we all know how I procrastinate. But it is happening. Rachel has been accepted to a private school for the coming semester, and this Friday, she leaves for Land O'Lakes, Wisconsin!<br /><br />Quick summary: I found a school called The Conserve School via a sidebar ad on Facebook and happened to click the link. What I read intrigued me: it is a private high school experience for juniors and seniors, focusing on environmental science. It is a semester school, meaning that all students go for just a semester at a time-so Rachel will be on equal footing with everyone else, not a situation where she is a homeschooler coming to a school where everyone knows each other already. Their mission is to inspire young people to environmental stewardship through academics and engagement with the forests, lakes and wildlife of Lowenwood. They provide a "diverse group of young people with a residential academic setting that fosters understanding of the science of natural resource conservation, commitment to protecting the environment, an inclination toward careers that help preserve the natural world, enjoyment of outdoor activities and love and respect for nature." TA-DA! It was like a school had been created just for us!<br /><br />Matt and Rachel took a trip last May to the school for their open house, and were very impressed. Thus began the application process, which was like a mini-lesson in what we'll go through with college applications. She was accepted in October and we have spent the past few months preparing--gathering all the supplies she'll need for such harsh weather, getting her plane tickets, choosing classes, shipping boxes, etc. She will be gone for 18 weeks, although we'll see her for 9 days in April on her spring break. She will be taking a great course load, including AP Environmental Science, and will experience all sorts of outdoor activities, including ice fishing, cross country skiing, and a solo camping trip. <br /><br />There have been moments of fear from all of us--she is understandably nervous at the thought of so long away from home, leaving her friends, meeting new people, and being in a school environment for the first time. Julia, Ben and Emma are quite upset at the thought of her being gone, and I know we'll all miss her terribly. I am feeling the pressure of knowing that as her teacher for all these years, I bear responsibility in some ways for her success or failure academically...but I know that she is very bright and a hard worker, and that those fears will almost certainly prove baseless. And I know that I am going to cry as she walks away at the airport on Friday. There just is no way not to. <br /><br />There is no doubt in my mind that this is an important interim step for her college years--she will be living as she would at college, in a dorm, responsible for her own schedule completely, responsible for homework and studying without any parental input, eating at a cafeteria and attending classes...but with only 58 students this semester, it is a cozier atmosphere that will foster pretty close friendships, I think. Also, each student has their own room with a bathroom shared with just one other student, so she's actually going to have better accommodations than she does here! :)<br /><br />Crazy to think it, but this is the first little step towards an empty nest, Someone said to me the other day, "give them roots, then let them fly," and I think Rachel is going to fly this Friday!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-39481115637921854962012-02-01T21:50:00.003-05:002012-02-01T23:07:32.719-05:00Happy Birthday, Julia!Today is Julia's 12th birthday! Wait....what? It seems like yesterday that this girl was a baby, a toddler, a preschooler...and now she is practically a teenager? Pull the knife out of my heart very slowly, please.<br /><br />As always, we scrapped school in favor of birthday fun. This included a lot of playing outside, even for me. It certainly isn't often that Julia gets a sunny day in the low 60s on her winter birthday! So there was frolicking in the yard, a walk with the dog, and the kitchen door stayed open to let in all the lovely light. The birthday girl made pancakes...and before anyone asks why the birthday girl made US breakfast, let me just say that Julia loves to make pancakes. We watched a couple of episodes of "the Brady Bunch," in the afternoon, with popcorn made by Rachel, and Rachel made us pizza for dinner. We had a visit from our neighbor, who brought a card and turtle earrings, a package from Grandma with coveted books and art kits, and gifts from Rachel, too--a book, a Snickers and a lovely necklace.<br /><br />After dinner, Julia opened books from us...her other present is going to be a rabbit! But we're still looking into that, so a bit of patience is required, much to her chagrin. We had a chocolate cake with marshmallow cream in the center (I made the middle layer using a bowl to form a ring, which was then filled and covered by another layer, sort of like a homemade Ring Ding. After dinner, Matt and the three younger kids went to watch "X Men 3" while I cleaned up, and they are finishing the evening with a game.<br /><br />All in all, a wonderful day for a wonderful girl. Happy Birthday, sweetheart!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-48324682055978586272011-12-31T16:27:00.003-05:002011-12-31T16:57:15.279-05:00Happy New Year!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7wBLtAzGR4Axk3N9_o5s27hbMQ8RNACCfuQ81gDtyNtjWKSFgHCDeZu-jJDb25Rjz9KNoW8HUxpagnN683CyifvO8Mq4DVocLSXLyyqgZL7QsU26uEuqi6G0ap5xWVcqSV2L57TFr3cw/s1600/NewYear.Emma.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7wBLtAzGR4Axk3N9_o5s27hbMQ8RNACCfuQ81gDtyNtjWKSFgHCDeZu-jJDb25Rjz9KNoW8HUxpagnN683CyifvO8Mq4DVocLSXLyyqgZL7QsU26uEuqi6G0ap5xWVcqSV2L57TFr3cw/s320/NewYear.Emma.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692408868936352802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Emma made this picture this morning, in honor of New Year's Eve. The animals at the bottom are in silhouette because she knew that if they were watching fireworks, it would be dark and you wouldn't see them well.<br /><br />Animals from left to right are: a skunk with a mouse on his back, a rabbit, a deer with an owl on his back, and a porcupine. In the top corner, she wrote: Emma 7 years old soon to be 2012!<br /><br />Wishing you all peace, love and joy in the new year.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-27998519426083054662011-12-08T12:53:00.013-05:002011-12-08T14:14:56.655-05:00Happy Birthday, Sweet 16!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVicZwVyH8egHIsztiClr_bGhLCN-DAL46KnOMHXcPbFmUwMXyP5zWp9p1ReHmSMwNshUQ9OpH4LjFazzItFHYMaVd_yD5N5AhdnYyWZS6JYco5SNf2ziCTKZ9WYI70wfVGP5Ob7YOMRLY/s1600/215224_1917991878626_1506872477_32074806_465247_n.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVicZwVyH8egHIsztiClr_bGhLCN-DAL46KnOMHXcPbFmUwMXyP5zWp9p1ReHmSMwNshUQ9OpH4LjFazzItFHYMaVd_yD5N5AhdnYyWZS6JYco5SNf2ziCTKZ9WYI70wfVGP5Ob7YOMRLY/s320/215224_1917991878626_1506872477_32074806_465247_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683832303542273602" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">too beautiful</span><br /><br />At this time sixteen years ago, I became a mom for the first time. Rachel was the most beautiful baby I'd ever seen, and the love I felt for her was so intense I thought I could die from it. I didn't know before that minute that I could love someone so completely, with every single fiber in my body, that I'd willingly throw myself off a building if it meant saving her from harm. After I became a mom three more times, I understood the feeling better, but there's nothing like the first time, is there?<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuBQlAXjXMoDkfXgLwRk9EuOlrXcW2ENyJpjIGEvgz3a6dD0IpxJPkZbysIKZWjubQaPv5ZJFAtrvuVub4NhLGvczefOPU_HPeO_VFG2TCdywr_VC_16xwqoqEApmALBo8ieN8ZkEY2__/s1600/rachelmatt.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 232px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuBQlAXjXMoDkfXgLwRk9EuOlrXcW2ENyJpjIGEvgz3a6dD0IpxJPkZbysIKZWjubQaPv5ZJFAtrvuVub4NhLGvczefOPU_HPeO_VFG2TCdywr_VC_16xwqoqEApmALBo8ieN8ZkEY2__/s320/rachelmatt.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683838051295622914" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Matt looks like he's about 16 holding her!</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">She is about 3 weeks old.</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7aALDg_hpWZhTia80rsEIPbGgueXRnE9xZaP2uDYAQILyKBtdcncjvIy0ye5vAPbiiBk8JgCCymrIBwRNYahMEjlkfFw6IwyRj0S9puq2iUGBdA4RaGq5DS4ZdSqdTx3J7-j6sY1DgYN/s1600/racheljen.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7aALDg_hpWZhTia80rsEIPbGgueXRnE9xZaP2uDYAQILyKBtdcncjvIy0ye5vAPbiiBk8JgCCymrIBwRNYahMEjlkfFw6IwyRj0S9puq2iUGBdA4RaGq5DS4ZdSqdTx3J7-j6sY1DgYN/s320/racheljen.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683836922779773490" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />In the sixteen years that followed, there have been many ups and downs. There have been times that I have felt like a fantastic mom, and times that I've felt that I was the worst mom that ever existed. I have learned a little about patience--though it has never been my strong suit and probably never will be. I have learned more than I care to about how angry children can make you, and I have learned that I am about as far from perfect as it's possible to get. I have also learned that time is precious and passes too quickly, and that I am so very lucky to have this girl in my life.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32q_GII38fJecTh_WoEfJTEf82EWkVmbLEK2x5icLuQA4DQB3YAWTsMiNzjyFsJL_8i_CyvgbNZFAXDevDR1Ts-1MagOEcECHgMhJvBbUzQcSH-eyNhIxxMWTEBNzbAxkbGIUYSfVeYtf/s1600/rachelswing.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32q_GII38fJecTh_WoEfJTEf82EWkVmbLEK2x5icLuQA4DQB3YAWTsMiNzjyFsJL_8i_CyvgbNZFAXDevDR1Ts-1MagOEcECHgMhJvBbUzQcSH-eyNhIxxMWTEBNzbAxkbGIUYSfVeYtf/s320/rachelswing.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683837641262405922" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">loving the swings at 5 months old.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdDvzGPZRHMW6bQW85vQcFthLIOQZ-pjzyJaJza4gwmQxDmyiJgL0ghDD9RBncDt8lpKGe6ZH3vEKIV1NV1ep42NMRd_027Nf6NU5tOkE51IscJ3gKGkXt6lrHIiuQzteMYgXXy9FxMng/s1600/76920_1648744547611_1506872477_31607519_5444024_n.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdDvzGPZRHMW6bQW85vQcFthLIOQZ-pjzyJaJza4gwmQxDmyiJgL0ghDD9RBncDt8lpKGe6ZH3vEKIV1NV1ep42NMRd_027Nf6NU5tOkE51IscJ3gKGkXt6lrHIiuQzteMYgXXy9FxMng/s320/76920_1648744547611_1506872477_31607519_5444024_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683831883303926338" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">In Iowa, we used to visit these horses almost every day.<br /><br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQap3SrPPZmgLHx6OWK0UL7LjnpkjrbQmbMGOT06Gq-QihSCgKYDypvUAEisEZ6en4j_qVul7Z88UYpgXldtLdAHDAt9HhHhibZBy1Dwt_Kb5hDEdvCNar-8Mgop6kT5g2E1iPf2iwVeH/s1600/rachelbday3.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQap3SrPPZmgLHx6OWK0UL7LjnpkjrbQmbMGOT06Gq-QihSCgKYDypvUAEisEZ6en4j_qVul7Z88UYpgXldtLdAHDAt9HhHhibZBy1Dwt_Kb5hDEdvCNar-8Mgop6kT5g2E1iPf2iwVeH/s320/rachelbday3.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683837305032738818" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">On her 3rd birthday</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSh75sy0bNcKMZOshi1PhS_GSe5AomU3CAVgPwxm9FRDW6LRLsxIfi-NBXKIzZg1vHOD6bIGQKQHJrmS-XXkeW3k-Vl9retSg5HrTUpv5QMiB-iLEOOwgh3Gk925OzPhEKhfYgiu9Ned8i/s1600/258842_2018217824212_1506872477_32205677_3332787_o%25282%2529.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSh75sy0bNcKMZOshi1PhS_GSe5AomU3CAVgPwxm9FRDW6LRLsxIfi-NBXKIzZg1vHOD6bIGQKQHJrmS-XXkeW3k-Vl9retSg5HrTUpv5QMiB-iLEOOwgh3Gk925OzPhEKhfYgiu9Ned8i/s320/258842_2018217824212_1506872477_32205677_3332787_o%25282%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683832126516497538" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">4 years old, camping in Pennsylvania</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIC8CTeQC4gAFJnRAoKU0z-_-em7HqFYknUpXe97_hVpwz5ZL9KVyKENqR33D7QLt7GVk7Q5DpIs7tHL8S5fFQLdkJcIxCXWcoqfkcRJHruSJkrIcyNShMrWoJHemlU_EyyylhTMyxBVp/s1600/63809_1590470170788_1506872477_31489730_7366660_n.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIC8CTeQC4gAFJnRAoKU0z-_-em7HqFYknUpXe97_hVpwz5ZL9KVyKENqR33D7QLt7GVk7Q5DpIs7tHL8S5fFQLdkJcIxCXWcoqfkcRJHruSJkrIcyNShMrWoJHemlU_EyyylhTMyxBVp/s320/63809_1590470170788_1506872477_31489730_7366660_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683832227325209538" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">at 8 years old, on the beach with Julia and Evelyn<br /><br /><br /></span>What do I wish for Rachel? I wish her every happiness in the world. I want her to find passion in every area of her life, from a career she loves and finds meaning in, hobbies she can pursue with zeal that bring her joy, all the way to finding love and happiness with someone. I hope that someday (far from today!) she will know what it's like to love a child, all the highs and lows included. I'll try not to say "I told you so!" when her child is sixteen and she cries at the drop of a hat, either.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2gznbI-aor6k29QFGHNi-fMVqQzoBl54F_KxLjXyc-PJowDS-xqLUKpYI6qLCUkbEaGPH_d2CKwhCh3SfkKTtLqaIDebOagIFOlnKDRR84AMz1l1mHMDXaqQUOyVX_HjykGX2HkTcpPuG/s1600/31514_1451253930469_1506872477_31130110_3615634_n.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2gznbI-aor6k29QFGHNi-fMVqQzoBl54F_KxLjXyc-PJowDS-xqLUKpYI6qLCUkbEaGPH_d2CKwhCh3SfkKTtLqaIDebOagIFOlnKDRR84AMz1l1mHMDXaqQUOyVX_HjykGX2HkTcpPuG/s320/31514_1451253930469_1506872477_31130110_3615634_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683832060409528114" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Joy like this, every day!<br /><br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fx2Bx3UKuRxfgZ0DZq13a1qiyEMt9L5SPUxDdaIw8f8R8wUQWv5mKO_OqcSEQxwQgJXrZdb7KQSuKr7DEsfaQlMGt1d6gGuj1LhtrN6JcMyqYpAC5v-LEaC39NVhhWjWnWWqn6PEyjCY/s1600/243241_2023641679805_1506872477_32214695_2263244_o.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 316px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fx2Bx3UKuRxfgZ0DZq13a1qiyEMt9L5SPUxDdaIw8f8R8wUQWv5mKO_OqcSEQxwQgJXrZdb7KQSuKr7DEsfaQlMGt1d6gGuj1LhtrN6JcMyqYpAC5v-LEaC39NVhhWjWnWWqn6PEyjCY/s320/243241_2023641679805_1506872477_32214695_2263244_o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683831967815779058" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">and a smile like this one.</span>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-65287407390455834932011-12-07T16:05:00.004-05:002011-12-07T16:15:49.035-05:00Letter to the Tooth FairyYears ago, I bought a small silk pillow with a tiny pocket for a tooth. It has a pretty fairy on it and it's used so the Tooth Fairy can easily find a child's tooth in the dark, unlike the medieval way we grew up with just putting the tooth under the pillow and hoping she could find it without waking us up.<br /><br />Emma just lost another tooth today, but when we went to my drawer where the pillow should be, it wasn't in the usual place. I searched the dresser to no avail, and told Emma she should just look upstairs because probably the last person to use it forgot to bring it back to my drawer. I still think it's up in the girls' room. However, Emma had a different idea, so I thought I'd share:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecRKdRoWlZdahwCokx1mSXw0AnyqL4p8CsR3nCdN3AUtoELpQxp97CpTVsGDqxOF1jI_uhj7aX1sUdh4d-t14JBnBKlEHbbTY21emHNpRAYvEpBh5b0fRrNpTw70MzM2Zjx6IE6Su3oGZ/s1600/toothfairy.emma.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecRKdRoWlZdahwCokx1mSXw0AnyqL4p8CsR3nCdN3AUtoELpQxp97CpTVsGDqxOF1jI_uhj7aX1sUdh4d-t14JBnBKlEHbbTY21emHNpRAYvEpBh5b0fRrNpTw70MzM2Zjx6IE6Su3oGZ/s320/toothfairy.emma.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683496660478416786" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Dear toothfairy we cuold'nt find the toothfairy pillow. instead I have put my tooth at the bottom of the paper. I hope you get my tooth.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">From: Emma Grace Eager</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">To: the toothfairy</span><br /><br />I love the way she taped the tooth to the fairy's hand. Hope she can get the tape off!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-4271508017560474152011-11-08T14:32:00.003-05:002011-11-08T14:42:12.273-05:00Emma's Writing Assignment.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxW54NEsF8oUzQzwmEdSMLM0RYXZyTGGT6t_i35a0sR4-jIZ7HbO910uKEkR1tiNZqvmLn2yeA5Qon0cMZsEB7H977EUzq-ecT-o-P5O1Y1yV-j1MB83JqyAsnL8Hn9wPS3zZpswfNQ2ye/s1600/aliencat.Emma.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxW54NEsF8oUzQzwmEdSMLM0RYXZyTGGT6t_i35a0sR4-jIZ7HbO910uKEkR1tiNZqvmLn2yeA5Qon0cMZsEB7H977EUzq-ecT-o-P5O1Y1yV-j1MB83JqyAsnL8Hn9wPS3zZpswfNQ2ye/s320/aliencat.Emma.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672712013393657058" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Emma's writing program this year is fun. She chooses a photo from a pack, ranging from animals to family groups to landscapes, and then flips the card and picks one of three writing exercises on the back. Today she chose a picture of a sleeping orange kitten, and on the back the assignment was to write about the fun dream the kitten might be in the middle of. This is her story, in case you can't read it in the scanned image of her notebook....<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">My Long Nap</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Once I dreamed I went to space. It was incredible! I had a shiny space helmet. Also, I had a gray space suit. Anyway, I met all sorts of things.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I met an indestructible blob. It just kept on oozing out of metal rock.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">There was some space coral. They were all kinds of shades of blue, pink, yellow, red, black, green, orange and brown. Also, I saw planet squids. They were a blinding shade of scarlet. Then unfortunately, my dream ended.</span><br /><br /><br />I give her A+ for spelling, vocabulary and imagination....she could work on the plot a bit, but then again, dreams tend to be a bit open ended. Smiles.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-65104601953418283572011-10-27T14:08:00.002-04:002011-10-27T14:21:16.569-04:00Every Day is Mother's Day<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNaDV5VYD5mRJuW6WteXgFoheIokSCyuvNvoxoNjfnoG3F5uM-CJR-zGbQscCm0wGpzP7hWqgyy4k3KdyDNUSj6tzZ7wbPsm_TxqGY3ywRq9j9En8B1Wtz9b9kle20MGRk0cnDIs9SOAW/s1600/kidsmenu.doc.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNaDV5VYD5mRJuW6WteXgFoheIokSCyuvNvoxoNjfnoG3F5uM-CJR-zGbQscCm0wGpzP7hWqgyy4k3KdyDNUSj6tzZ7wbPsm_TxqGY3ywRq9j9En8B1Wtz9b9kle20MGRk0cnDIs9SOAW/s320/kidsmenu.doc.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668235969252575922" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This morning I was checking my email and Facebook, as is my habit when we have nowhere to go early in the day. Julia, Ben and Emma were in the living room, reading. Ben came into my room and asked, "Did you hear what we're planning?"<br /><br />Sounds like an innocuous question, unless you're a mom. I tried to remain calm as I answered that I hadn't.<br /><br />"Well, just stay here for a while, OK?"<br /><br />I made him promise that they weren't planning to burn anything down and then agreed. They are usually pretty sensible, after all, so I wasn't worried there'd be much I couldn't handle.<br /><br />After about 15 minutes, they called me into the dining room. They'd set my usual place with a place mat, cloth napkin, china, a tiny goblet, a water glass, a coffee mug, silverware, and even a tiny china plate with an extra fork. There was a folded paper on the plate. It read: <br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">To Mom--a token of appreciation that you can manage ALL the cooking, cleaning and work. We don't know how, though....you must be magical! --Julia, Ben & Emma <3 <3 <3</span><br /><br />Look at all the choices! And note that everything is FREE! This was my lucky day. I had coffee, orange juice, cubed pineapple and a cheddar omelet made by Julia. Ben and Emma did the order taking, serving and sous-chef jobs. And they sat with me while I ate, and we talked. <br /><br />I love those kids.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-16196376219239051502011-09-12T10:52:00.002-04:002011-09-12T11:16:13.942-04:00First Day of SchoolThe kids have been asking to start school for several weeks now. I have been putting it off as long as possible, as usual! This has less to do with school itself than it does with wanting to prolong summer and the long, lazy days I quickly become used to every year. However, it's finally time and I can't put it off any more. I am always amazed to see how a few months off can really improve everyone's skills. Handwriting changes for the better, or a math concept that seemed just out of reach in June comes easily. Growth in their brains and rest for their bodies helps across the board.<br /><br />Emma is now in second grade--whatever that means as a homeschooler. I should say, I report Emma for second grade, but in all actuality I know she works mostly above that level. I got an interesting thing for writing this year for her. Over the years of buying curricula for the kids, I have noticed that finding good language arts programs are difficult for us because all my kids are great readers and they all have enjoyed writing too. So if it is labeled second grade, it's usually...boring! Spelling words are the "cat" and "man" variety, and writing is being able to write a three word sentence. Reading involves picture books--and not very interesting ones at that. So I need to find creative solutions in the language arts department.<br /><br />I found something for Emma this year called "Writing Styles Photo Prompts," by Edupress. It's a simple pack of 5x7 photos of a variety of things. Animals, family groups, kids playing, a beach, a snowy landscape, etc. On the back of each card there are three writing prompts that demonstrate different writing skills. You could write a story about the family going camping, or a letter to this grandma, or a newspaper article about this county fair. You get the idea. Emma has been looking at these pictures for weeks now, deciding which ones are her favorites and which she'll choose first. My idea was that each time we do these lessons, I'll let her pick a card, and then she can choose which assignment on the back sounds best to her. The point is to get her writing, and I don't really care if she tends more towards creative writing, for example.<br /><br />I was not surprised when she chose the card with two dolphins racing and jumping through the ocean, since dolphins are a big favorite of hers. What did surprise me is her choice of assignment. Two of them were creative: imagine you're a baby dolphin and tell about your underwater adventures or, pretend to be a dolphin trainer and write how you train your dolphin to do your favorite trick. I would have bet money she'd have chosen the baby dolphin story. However, she chose the third: Use an encyclopedia or book to find out about dolphins and write a short article telling about what you learned. Here is what she wrote: (I left the spelling/grammar mistakes in--she is only 7, after all!)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dolphins</span><br /><br />Dolphins are very smooth. It helps them to glide across the water. The fins are used for changing direction fast when chasing there prey. Dolphins have a toothy beak, helping it to grab hold of there prey. Compared to the adult human body, Dolphins are pretty big.<br /><br />Dolphins are very loyal. If a Dolphin is sick, another from the Pod pushes the Dolphin up to the surface for air. The dorsal fin helps to keep the Dolphins steady. I think Dolphins are beautiful animals.<br /><br /><br />I guess we'll be reviewing homonyms and capital letters this year!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-14351960447751467472011-08-10T10:27:00.003-04:002011-08-10T11:29:08.644-04:00Great Adventure<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZD9TPjRvIpZa93Ao7ozHXkysHkU12VDsU0GLWxPtIfoKV1BJNAHx-GHrAUHuwQjkqwGvaJdWdQgS78tomryQmeqOwXREnuh-Zbnjq_mw1ht0VxytdsSwoISAzctOFuFPnE4FupjTLThBQ/s1600/medium_NJ_KingdaKa.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 170px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZD9TPjRvIpZa93Ao7ozHXkysHkU12VDsU0GLWxPtIfoKV1BJNAHx-GHrAUHuwQjkqwGvaJdWdQgS78tomryQmeqOwXREnuh-Zbnjq_mw1ht0VxytdsSwoISAzctOFuFPnE4FupjTLThBQ/s320/medium_NJ_KingdaKa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639248472506878802" border="0" /></a>
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<br />Kingda Ka
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<br />Summer is flying by. We had a week of beachy fun in Delaware with my extended family--30 of us in a rental house. We've gone swimming endlessly, to the movies, read in the hammock, enjoyed air conditioned splendor when it was too sticky outside, caught fireflies, collected shells, seen plays, spent time with friends, had Grandma here for a week from Georgia, worked in the garden, celebrated Ben's birthday and barbecued. There's still a lot more fun to come before we call summer over--but yesterday, we had what the kids have all said is The Best Day EVER. We went to Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, a place I haven't been since I was a teenager.
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<br />Being me, I have to get my complaints out of the way first. Beginning with ticket prices--which have gone up to $59.99 for a one day ticket! Excuse me?? That is, quite simply, insane. We got four tickets FREE because Julia, Ben and Emma participated in the (pathetic) Read to Succeed Program, where they read for 6 hours and got a ticket in exchange. What a joke--they completed that in days, but hey, we're not complaining, especially since I also got a ticket, being their teacher! The best deal I could find for Matt's and Rachel's ticket was $36.99 each, and then when you add gas, tolls, and $20 parking, $15 for a free-refill soda cup, and the left lung they charge for food...let's just say it's a good thing they have this reading program! Their other moneymaking scheme that pissed me off was the Great Locker Conspiracy. We brought a backpack with us--we needed sunscreen, an extra shirt, wallets, cell phones--the usual. What we didn't know was that many of the rides no longer allow you to bring ANYTHING with you! I have never seen an amusement park where you can't stuff your bag under your legs, but they take it a step further--not only do you have to rent a locker at a buck per rental, you can't even leave your things there half the day till you're through with that part of the park, because lockers have a 2 hour time limit! And yes, before everyone tells me the minutiae of Disney and all the ways they extract money from you, I'll say, Great Adventure is NOT Disney World!
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<br />That said, once I shoved all financial thoughts from my mind, we had a great time! The day began on a sour note when we realized that Ben's head didn't quite reach the 54" mark required for the most extreme rides--which he'd been desperate to go on. Nonetheless, he went off with Matt and Emma and rode other things while Rachel, Julia and I waited nearly an hour for the Superman Ultimate Flight coaster. I've never been on a roller coaster tipped forward before, and it was worth the wait! Ben was cheered by the fact that they were able to ride three rides while we only rode one, and happily, the park has plenty of roller coasters for 48"+. There are just six rides that kids under 54" are excluded from, so it isn't too bad. The girls and I loved Nitro and the Batman coaster--which we rode late in the day and went twice in a row with no line! And we all got to have a blast on Rolling Thunder, the Runaway Mine Train, Skull Mountain, and El Toro (which I just have to say I thought was fantastic, and I'm not sure why the under 54" crowd can ride this, but not the extreme rides--it was scary! I guess it has to do with the constraint systems not fitting properly.)
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<br />Two rides we found disappointing: the Dark Knight, which has a great setup for the ride, with a line that looks like the Gotham subway, giant TV screens playing Gotham news that Ben assumed was really a news station!, lighting effects and menacing graffiti from the Joker everywhere...but the ride itself was pretty lame. It was dark, but you could still see enough to know where the cars were headed, and there were twists and turns, but no heartstopping drops. The biggest letdown went to Green Lantern--I'd had such high hopes for this ride. I'd never seen a roller coaster where you stood up! And the upside down and twisting straight towards the ground effects looked terrifying. However, my head was rattling back and forth in my constraint like a piece of popcorn, which made it impossible to concentrate on the fun--I was trying so incredibly hard to keep my head and neck stable that the ride was over before I could enjoy it. Also, they adjust the height of the constraints depending on the rider, but there is an unfortunate bar between your legs to keep you steady...let's just say I don't see how men can be comfortable on this ride!
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<br />We got soaked on the Congo Rapids--all of us except Emma, who was really disappointed that she had the one seat in our 12-person boat that avoided a huge wave! And Emma loved the Twister, the sort of ride she's never been big enough for before--one of those spins-around-and-tilts-with-gravity-keeping-you-in-place kinds of rides. I asked Matt what he'll do in a couple of years when Ben and Emma can ride whatever they want, and he said that he'll stop going to amusement parks, because I can ride all the insane rides with them and he won't have to. Spoilsport.
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<br />We had a sudden rainstorm at lunchtime, which subdued the mood of everyone there. It poured for over an hour and closed many of the rides--the worst part, of course, being that we couldn't tell if it would ever stop! Matt was getting cranky, since walking in the rain is one of his least favorite things to do; but I was NOT going to sit under an overhang somewhere waiting for it to stop! We ate lunch during the deluge (along with everyone else, giving us a 40 minute wait on line for our incredibly pricey burgers and chicken!) but that was as long as I was willing to loiter. We waited in line for rides that were under cover that we probably would have skipped otherwise--tea cups and the carousel, for example. We went to Houdini's Great Escape, the closest thing we found to a haunted house and which has a really cool effect as if the room is turning upside down (in fact, it's just a buccaneer-type ride where the backdrop of the room turns upside down, but the physics of it makes your head spin!) Things were looking grim as the rain continued--but just as suddenly, the rain dried up--and the rest of the day was cooler and the lines were far shorter! I think people may have actually left the park, which was just great for us.
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<br />We had to leave around 8pm, which was good in a way as we were all getting tired. It's a 3+ hour drive back home, after all, and Matt went to work today. However, I am plotting that if we go back next year we should make it a long weekend camping trip so that we can use one of the middle days at the park, allowing us to stay till closing. An amusement park at night is particularly magical, and as I said, the lines had opened up ridiculously, which was fantastic. However, I think I can say that nobody was exactly unhappy to collapse into the car and feel the air conditioning!
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<br />On our next visit, we plan to ride the few extreme rides we missed. The lines made us avoid a couple of coasters that we thought we'd get back to, but we simply ran out of time. (Another reason to stay till closing!) First on my list will be Kingda Ka--which looks completely impossible! Seriously, it doesn't look like the car could even stay on the tracks. It is described as follows: "Experience the thrill of a lifetime as you shoot 45 stories high at 128 mph on our world-record-breaking Kingda Ka — the tallest coaster in the World, fastest in North America." Who wouldn't want to ride THAT??
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<br />Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-48512189968856262382011-06-06T17:00:00.002-04:002011-06-06T17:20:45.056-04:00Best Painting Tool Ever!<p>A lot of work is going on at my house right now. The winter destroyed our front patio, and the resulting expense and home line of credit is allowing us to do other projects that we've needed and/or wanted to do, such as renovating our formerly horrible bathroom, installing a greenhouse window in the kitchen to replace the broken louvered window and allowing me to have a year round herb garden, and replacing our broken stovetop with a nice new five burner model. It has also made me remember my desire to get the bedrooms, kitchen and the hallway between the first floor bedrooms painted this year. Something about a shiny new bathroom with fresh and lovely paint made me remember that it's been five years since I last painted these parts of the house--especially when the workers painted the inner part of the bathroom door, but left the outer part with its old, crummy paint!</p><p>Anyway, I loathe painting. And I am the one in the house that ends up doing it. Matt is a superior painter, because he is far more patient than I am...but he does have a job, and as I just said, I have little to no patience! So once the supplies are in the house, I want the job done. Yesterday. The kids <em>want</em> to help....but I can't quite bring myself to allow them to. All I see is the potential for disaster, for drips on the hardwood floors, for freshly painted trim to be smeared with a careless switch of a brush, for sloppy corners, for missed bits. If Rachel volunteers, I think she could do a great job, and probably Julia could too, being artistic and having her dad's patient nature for details.....but it hasn't happened yet.</p><p>This morning I got up, determined to get some work done. We bought the paint over Memorial Day weekend, but because of various activities and the work on the bathroom, it's been sitting there mocking me all week. Primer was needed because the hallway was a bright lemony yellow (NOT the color I'd originally wanted, but a very long and old story that I won't go into...) so I started off doing that, and in about ninety minutes, I was finished. I took a break for a few hours to let it dry, and I almost allowed myself to slough off doing the color today because I'd changed from my painting clothes...but in the end I put them back on and decided to power through. At least when I'm putting color on the wall I feel like I'm making progress. I gathered all the new supplies, including a Shur-Line edging tool I'd picked up on a whim when we got the paint....</p>Oh. I. Am. In. Love. With. This. Tool! When we moved into the house in 2006 and I painted the entire house in ten days (not something I would recommend or ever want to do again, by the way!) I didn't have this tool. And so all the molding, the baseboards, the doorframes, the ceiling lines were a gigantic thorn in my side. No matter how carefully I tried to make straight, even lines, I messed up. Frequently. In the last five years I have noticed these mistakes constantly. They aren't the sort of thing that a guest would remark on; some guests might not even notice at all. But I did. When I asked the Home Depot paint guy if this was a good tool, he said it was pretty good, <span style="font-style: italic;">if</span> I followed the directions rigorously (something I often have issues with) and was very careful. <br /><br />Well, I am happy to report he was W.R.O.N.G. You do have to be sure you aren't putting too much paint on the pad. But as long as you make sure you're scraping off the excess, it is a dream to use this. I was able to whip along the door frames--and in this hallway, there are five door frames--two bedrooms, a bathroom, a linen closet and the doorway into the dining room--in less than twenty minutes, and then it was a snap to fill in the spaces that were left. Best of all, it looks quite professional, with nice sharp lines along the ceiling and no marks on the molding. I did the hallway in about an hour, so I definitely can't complain.<br /><br />Next up, our bedroom. I am probably going to split that up across several days, just doing one wall at a time so I don't have to completely dismantle the room. Here's hoping for continued success.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-49378883502154507482011-06-01T14:37:00.011-04:002011-06-01T15:02:44.784-04:00Garden Growing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZXjqTYut0oKxpfazD9vPIO8ltC8_nLW148ABeGgU9sEf7jqMUnJNTbaNfeDHOAYr3f6D-PnXsOl5HovMoXVZKAQ7ePQsCCPJM5BiH6n6uuCrp9GPASXOr1_EcRrDXGUCt-7lr4awL6BD/s1600/img_0008.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZXjqTYut0oKxpfazD9vPIO8ltC8_nLW148ABeGgU9sEf7jqMUnJNTbaNfeDHOAYr3f6D-PnXsOl5HovMoXVZKAQ7ePQsCCPJM5BiH6n6uuCrp9GPASXOr1_EcRrDXGUCt-7lr4awL6BD/s320/img_0008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613327252598637714" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Emma took this picture, love the angle on the rose</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZHKYyrqVbC3AyOfPlT3kxBcslK6-Prf8n70Vxplz2WdMJiQD6cB4eK-i0lMvw6263gAz-srovSoiGWXJ4rBKwq76P0fKfBkbKb8Tqek_aGZ3Ue8MzrPMHQ10qS6yd-LWC51yBZ0CNYIc/s1600/img_0007.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZHKYyrqVbC3AyOfPlT3kxBcslK6-Prf8n70Vxplz2WdMJiQD6cB4eK-i0lMvw6263gAz-srovSoiGWXJ4rBKwq76P0fKfBkbKb8Tqek_aGZ3Ue8MzrPMHQ10qS6yd-LWC51yBZ0CNYIc/s320/img_0007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613324792170006098" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> <br /> pink peony</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">too lovely</span><br /><br />My weeding resolution is going reasonably well; I haven't quite managed to get out every day, but I'm keeping up with the perennial garden. I need to remember to handle the wildflower garden in front, especially since my beloved neighbor is an avid (and sort of obsessive) gardener who puts me to shame in the weeding category--he literally spends hours in his yard every day and no weeds are to be seen, so I get a bit embarrassed when he looks at my efforts! However, I kind of figure that once the wildflowers are tall and blooming the weeds won't be as noticeable--the cottage garden style lends itself to weed camouflage in a way that my orderly perennial bed does not.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPdmJsC-KUjV3HUcbH6YJu0FkK2VXA3-aA955DhXd3isdli4ZPOa1NAvseI7RMcyB9TVOKggPlWuDYig9NleAtN85Eydyd_kbUEPaaTVkO-puHo6EZrufQ5eKo1qQXoUbV_aoIQtgUXlg/s1600/img_0012.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPdmJsC-KUjV3HUcbH6YJu0FkK2VXA3-aA955DhXd3isdli4ZPOa1NAvseI7RMcyB9TVOKggPlWuDYig9NleAtN85Eydyd_kbUEPaaTVkO-puHo6EZrufQ5eKo1qQXoUbV_aoIQtgUXlg/s320/img_0012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613327149733176482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> roses the size of dessert plates</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwDsWw4zc01nHTHP7NVLleprF20HyQW2AyPwBX_vyZNJFqnYaA9QUDpB5Rtl4Fi7Ba8NZb__uQQL848LEVBes9-8VHl6-o-dl8F5AlwbdcCIchRzKTkFUAw7Y4L4FHBF1w3WXE4ykZKDu/s1600/img_0028.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwDsWw4zc01nHTHP7NVLleprF20HyQW2AyPwBX_vyZNJFqnYaA9QUDpB5Rtl4Fi7Ba8NZb__uQQL848LEVBes9-8VHl6-o-dl8F5AlwbdcCIchRzKTkFUAw7Y4L4FHBF1w3WXE4ykZKDu/s320/img_0028.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613325118944192530" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">my lilacs seem to bloom later than other people's, even in my own town. Maybe they're a different variety?</span><br /><br />The vegetables are coming along; we're picking snap peas and lettuce almost daily, and I'm trying to remember to use my herbs. This will be easier next week, after my greenhouse window is installed in the kitchen! Then they'll be in easy reach while I'm cooking...always assuming that the cats will leave them alone, of course. The tomato plants are getting taller, and the beets have great foliage; I was advised I can leave them in as late as December if I want the biggest beets possible (I only have 4 plants) and the carrots are coming along too. These I can't wait for, since I got a Carnival Blend with purple and white carrots as well as orange ones. Should be fun! One of our watermelon seedlings seems dead, but I'm frankly all right with only having one watermelon vine. I guess that's going to have to live in the perennial bed since our veggie patch isn't big enough to hold it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lv6xOgkdn3KEiI9VVog57SaJY-dFnP_uFccgloMy-kLl-gXRR68ne-_fY6lLwPPfhSI4ZmzaFOlpB80sFwOqE-miOmXsanal80ZnTtuAnbl0c7xrjWgrCyOV8dKZka7zzNCVj8udMZJC/s1600/img_0011.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lv6xOgkdn3KEiI9VVog57SaJY-dFnP_uFccgloMy-kLl-gXRR68ne-_fY6lLwPPfhSI4ZmzaFOlpB80sFwOqE-miOmXsanal80ZnTtuAnbl0c7xrjWgrCyOV8dKZka7zzNCVj8udMZJC/s320/img_0011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613327036070247906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> can't resist a rosebud</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTUCBiceUdVY074pBf1XLio-VtDuY1VMkKwUqIwAu21KLTcnp8xkeBwHNdtsbN4iV4hK_m1Xlf2xCpzCXptQWiMoFs7SZz1m7u5b4sVqWN57LY-R1ZlPgBNWHqN6kfqG982hVFeVO6fa1/s1600/img_0013.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTUCBiceUdVY074pBf1XLio-VtDuY1VMkKwUqIwAu21KLTcnp8xkeBwHNdtsbN4iV4hK_m1Xlf2xCpzCXptQWiMoFs7SZz1m7u5b4sVqWN57LY-R1ZlPgBNWHqN6kfqG982hVFeVO6fa1/s320/img_0013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613326761296936402" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> pretty yellow roses</span><br /><br />My climbing roses are doing wonderfully, which makes me really happy. There are blooms and buds all over it, and indeed, the roses in the perennial bed and at the side of the house seem to be thriving, too. My very favorites are the peonies and the lilacs. I'd really like to get more of those.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3fSTrnzu87C0wcgRe2xyEdF-o_g0F2im0P09olEFYDnMA5oJij1WKnkqwUdtR412n3uzWhBoBIg8VSzgmDjq2xdxlntNX8cC0BB-sFQg5lkqet4t3hN9nUNb1BC2hPU0jRTaMcQ_-M4_/s1600/img_0009.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3fSTrnzu87C0wcgRe2xyEdF-o_g0F2im0P09olEFYDnMA5oJij1WKnkqwUdtR412n3uzWhBoBIg8VSzgmDjq2xdxlntNX8cC0BB-sFQg5lkqet4t3hN9nUNb1BC2hPU0jRTaMcQ_-M4_/s320/img_0009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613326868149804466" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">these pink ones are in the perennial bed<br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPNaORkZjoSeN18VNwcR-V3qjeJue0LdUhjZ5s311ujNfEzB9w89Mpanyd3dA1kCAwvAmwjUJMRvA2NHqkqjxgLpIeUtFOXCiD-W6I5I9p0HHnYlZqU1G48h0_VkCQ-lfqDnEzumM61-X/s1600/img_0021.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPNaORkZjoSeN18VNwcR-V3qjeJue0LdUhjZ5s311ujNfEzB9w89Mpanyd3dA1kCAwvAmwjUJMRvA2NHqkqjxgLpIeUtFOXCiD-W6I5I9p0HHnYlZqU1G48h0_VkCQ-lfqDnEzumM61-X/s320/img_0021.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613326574813990434" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">but these darker ones climb the back fence</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTQGBEG4GJOvGWQOLvtw9JQqgPmC-EQ1YSCd234YfRGy-x07t0ANiBn7GpnO-4e1Y4uRq2wCiUmAzPn6nxx-I5OZUArWVI8gyI95rOqMtg4enU03AzOM56_zY7VCGi8v4RfykAZ3JZbLd/s1600/img_0026.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTQGBEG4GJOvGWQOLvtw9JQqgPmC-EQ1YSCd234YfRGy-x07t0ANiBn7GpnO-4e1Y4uRq2wCiUmAzPn6nxx-I5OZUArWVI8gyI95rOqMtg4enU03AzOM56_zY7VCGi8v4RfykAZ3JZbLd/s320/img_0026.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613325250907469538" border="0" /></a>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-45807035488408750162011-05-25T10:42:00.009-04:002011-05-25T11:09:06.402-04:00Ginger & Bella Houses<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHhdtRzoOVZ-s92LGk8DeA58NZ86XxGaGG_ylUSQVTti7Llv_qVcrWKYw2smGz_KTwW_ZM7k72-kVBourBx2ghdYzYysejYLO8LZBwe8PM0vjbVeKs8ASAYRIqou18G_8jPTZWcu1Td0U/s1600/img_0014.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHhdtRzoOVZ-s92LGk8DeA58NZ86XxGaGG_ylUSQVTti7Llv_qVcrWKYw2smGz_KTwW_ZM7k72-kVBourBx2ghdYzYysejYLO8LZBwe8PM0vjbVeKs8ASAYRIqou18G_8jPTZWcu1Td0U/s320/img_0014.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610667877878021794" border="0" /></a><br /><br />outside view of the house; notice the steps they made on the right, going up to an outdoor patio! The bundle of sticks is a camp fire, and behind that is a stool made from a rock balanced on twigs.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOX1smwxya6wkh70GR0Y-wc2OMvkAsetYkerlMRBdaEvht3QCqy1LDm5MxV0k6sZQBbWPdG-2zfu9rxJHxkGwbtSpvLPyU2TczazghE2HYkl22GRe33rWMUF-GRSjFfIM5p1fzoV3Mq0K/s1600/img_0013.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOX1smwxya6wkh70GR0Y-wc2OMvkAsetYkerlMRBdaEvht3QCqy1LDm5MxV0k6sZQBbWPdG-2zfu9rxJHxkGwbtSpvLPyU2TczazghE2HYkl22GRe33rWMUF-GRSjFfIM5p1fzoV3Mq0K/s320/img_0013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610667753011416466" border="0" /></a><br /><br />the pink flower at the right is in a vase made from the tip of a bamboo shoot. Bed on left, side table made from a scallop shell, with the inside piece of a conch shell on top for decoration. The big scallop shell at right is a table and also a place to cook.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfK3aXSwAKoA_aaX08heftMv4tP1eExBUBTuyvER_hJ9mN6jUmlqgeCvK2W3DGT_Bup_dXWzulPReCkBj_DDWD3CThfTO8n6C8z4eFvgnwBYpoQ414SLB_QdGefTlnKAzjlW5JaIDj0Hna/s1600/img_0015.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfK3aXSwAKoA_aaX08heftMv4tP1eExBUBTuyvER_hJ9mN6jUmlqgeCvK2W3DGT_Bup_dXWzulPReCkBj_DDWD3CThfTO8n6C8z4eFvgnwBYpoQ414SLB_QdGefTlnKAzjlW5JaIDj0Hna/s320/img_0015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610667638698633906" border="0" /></a><br /><br />love the moss pillows on the bark bed--they chose this spot because moss was already there for a carpet. Desk in the back right of the room, with a bark stool.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVG_jHl2Xrx8SlubCtXw2Ta2hDf_fhTBjNhdgcymLhlqnmUgwZSwYapF_M6_xE3AYoU_5lnoqqs2GNscuXeIVNsrmDwBP1iRWrjICzUH89Y-dXdtFxppp981BFo5AYmq_D_kPSo6Y-tLg/s1600/img_0017.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVG_jHl2Xrx8SlubCtXw2Ta2hDf_fhTBjNhdgcymLhlqnmUgwZSwYapF_M6_xE3AYoU_5lnoqqs2GNscuXeIVNsrmDwBP1iRWrjICzUH89Y-dXdtFxppp981BFo5AYmq_D_kPSo6Y-tLg/s320/img_0017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610667369832936530" border="0" /></a><br /><br />bathroom with seashell sink. A broken piece of flagstone from our patio is the floor.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ONsGcPlvgnMCNjR0YdZKXd9c4N_cDuV3k_ghiXdtRWmpXlXENLA1-xzhTTYqXPnmx3x38WJQMFSWwY6IjiKEi_7LrOF3KPsJNXzUIVrlmnjCxlVS__kqaq8tjE8u_QUxURxAKn7hwEBb/s1600/img_0018.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ONsGcPlvgnMCNjR0YdZKXd9c4N_cDuV3k_ghiXdtRWmpXlXENLA1-xzhTTYqXPnmx3x38WJQMFSWwY6IjiKEi_7LrOF3KPsJNXzUIVrlmnjCxlVS__kqaq8tjE8u_QUxURxAKn7hwEBb/s320/img_0018.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610667276884579778" border="0" /></a><br /><br />outside view of bathroom.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Pw8Q9xmWQOxz21qGoSFgYFBPKD7LbT7ZH9972cpCt1Ns_wijRErzATTqRVxXWG8cQmKZvtHpaXD8j4KuLwDsRZ1pqOcYi0P3DTJu61E0_fytyl-H-H_UmdALjRIDIipvAKl0woZibv1W/s1600/img_0012.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Pw8Q9xmWQOxz21qGoSFgYFBPKD7LbT7ZH9972cpCt1Ns_wijRErzATTqRVxXWG8cQmKZvtHpaXD8j4KuLwDsRZ1pqOcYi0P3DTJu61E0_fytyl-H-H_UmdALjRIDIipvAKl0woZibv1W/s320/img_0012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610667181630884658" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Emma's newest creation--a sofa with rhododendron cushions, a seashell bottom and a lilac leaf for comfort. Not sure how long that will hold up, but very pretty!<br /><br /><br /><br />I am so proud of the imaginative play that goes on in my house every single day, and one of the longest running games around here involve tiny animals (Only Hearts Pets, if you're a parent who keeps abreast of fad toys) of varying species. I can't keep all the names straight; cries of, "No, Mom! That's Kirby!" or "No, Mom! That one is a girl!" are frequently heard in my house. But the two stars of the game are Ginger and Bella, a cat and a panda. They own a very spacious dollhouse upstairs, they are the stars of coloring books, drawings and comics galore, and they also have a vacation compound under our dogwood tree. Emma was showing me some new features this morning, so I asked her to take some photos so we could always remember this game.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-474226107114471782011-05-12T14:58:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:22:46.323-04:00New Year's Resolutions--Yes, In May!I know, I know, it's May, not the time for resolutions. But really, I have a good reason, and that's my garden. You might recall that last year I overhauled the perennial garden in the backyard. When we moved into this house five years ago, I thought "perennial garden" meant that I never had to do any work in the garden, because after all, the plants are perennials...doesn't that mean they take care of themselves? That's what it <span style="font-style: italic;">should</span> mean! I am the worst mix possible: I love having a beautiful yard and flowers to fill up vases in my house all summer long....but I really, really hate yard work! And after pricing out what it would cost to have landscapers do all the work for me....let's just say that if Matt had only cared about being rich, he should have saved himself the trouble of getting that Ph.D. and gone into yard work instead!<br /><br />But I digress. I finally got tired of my formerly lovely perennial garden being an overgrown weed patch and last year I decided that I was going to do something about it. So I worked. HARD. And with practically no help from my family, I might add. Matt and Rachel gave me a bit of help when it came to buying the forty tons of mulch I needed and humping it from the store to the car and from the car to the back yard...but once it was in the back yard, it was up to me to heft it all over the garden. The kids helped a tiny bit, when it came to planting, and Matt dug a few holes when I needed a deep one for roses or peonies. He also worked with our neighbor's rototiller to turn everything over before I began. And the kids helped a bit collecting the three hundred thousand pounds of beautiful stones I collected from local beaches over the course of the summer, so I could ring the garden in (and hopefully keep the lawn from encroaching while I did it)...so okay, I STILL don't have that project completely finished...but in my defense, rocks are heavy, it's a pain in the neck to collect so many, and my garden is large--I'd say it's probably 30 feet long by 10 feet wide (but don't quote me, because I'm terrible at eyeballing measurements!)<br /><br />My theory was simple. The former owner of the house was apparently a master gardener, or at the least she could afford to pay for people to do it for her. The perennial garden featured gorgeous flowers, but the problem was that I had a hard time telling weeds from flowers, so it all got very out of control. Also, she stuck to a pretty boring color palette of yellow, purple, and tiger lilies in orange thrown in--I happen to hate tiger lilies. I like them on roadsides, but I hate them in gardens. They are messy looking with their massive foliage and they don't make good bouquets because they wilt as soon as you cut them. I decided a better plan for my style of garden was to plant bushy perennials that might spread out...I used various butterfly bushes, coreopsis, roses, peonies, lavender, Montauk daisies and others of that nature (OK, yes, I've forgotten some of their names!) so that when weeds pop up, it would be easy to tell them from the plants I wanted. Then I could yank those troublesome little buggers before they became a problem. The fresh mulch looked so pretty, and I laid landscaping cloth underneath too...so really, weeds wouldn't be a problem at all. No sun, no growing.<br /><br />Someone really ought to give weeds some kind of award. Really. I have had trouble many times in the garden--with veggies, herbs, flowers--I plant them and sometimes they just die. For no reason whatsoever. Really, no reason! And yet--I am a <span style="font-style: italic;">champion</span> with weeds! Landscape cloth? Mulch? HA! Those weeds just come right through it. No trouble at all, don't mind if I do! I'd imagined that this year I could sit back and watch my beautiful garden, maybe spend three or four hours <span style="font-style: italic;">(all summer, as in three or four hours TOTAL)</span> pulling out the weeds that would sprout, and finally finish up the rock collecting to border the garden at my leisure. All done. Finito. Flowers to enjoy and that's all. We bought a new hammock and I'd envisioned reading novels while I looked at that beautiful garden....I guess the lesson here is that gardening is a series of endless chores that make you want to stab yourself repeatedly. All those people who say they love gardening? I think they are either Stepford wives, compulsive liars, or are quite simply insane. What's to love about backbreaking labor that never ends? I just don't get it!<br /><br />I should pat my kids on the back here and say that sometimes they are willing to help me. Emma and Julia, especially, will help me weed and plant things. They are all willing to pick things from the garden. And Ben can be counted on to pick yellow dandelions for me--at least that way they won't go to seed and make more of their horrible clones. Gardening is an area where I can say Matt is a terrible husband, however. (And this is not something I can say of him often; he is mostly a very good husband. But gardening? He is a jerk about gardening.) He mows the lawn, and will trim bushes if I nag him for a few weeks first. He will rake leaves in the fall (again, with the nagging) and he's aces at shoveling snow. But work in the garden? N-O-P-E. No can do. Never. Not in this lifetime. He tells me "I hate gardening, and I don't care what the yard looks like." I've tried pointing out that he enjoys vegetables and herbs that we grow. I've tried tantrums. I've tried the whole "if you LOVED me, you'd give me some help..." I've tried pointing out that this should be a family project, and by not helping me, he's subtly encouraging the kids not to help me....all for nothing. This seems to be the single area of life where I simply cannot budge him. (*sniff*) <br /><br />This spring, the weeds have been really bothering me. Every time I went out in the yard and noticed new weeds sprouting in the garden, I wanted to punch someone. Every hour I've spent weeding has bred resentment in my mind, that I have to do all this alone, even though I already do so much for this ungrateful family....and every time I stop to buy four bags of mulch so that I can drag them home and dump them over the garden in the hopes that it will slow the growth of these pesky weeds (and I can only buy four bags at a time because otherwise we'll wreck the new shocks in the van that we had to put in because LAST year I supposedly wrecked them bringing home too many bags of mulch and beach rocks...blah blah blah...and by the way, four bags of mulch weigh about a million pounds and cover about nine square inches of the garden) every time I do this all I can think of is that it's going to take a hundred MORE trips to buy enough mulch to cover it all, and what's the point anyway because obviously the weeds grow right through it anyway...and so, here is the resolution part.<br /><br />My resolution is simple and beautiful in its simplicity. Every day (assuming the weather is fine, and that I'm home, of course) I will get outside in the garden or yard, and I will weed. For half an hour, or possibly forty five minutes if we're home all day and I feel like it. I set the alarm on my cell phone and put it in my pocket, and I work like a machine till it rings. This is going to make all the difference in the yard and in my levels of psychotic rage, because it breaks the job into tiny pieces--rather than going out once in a while and spending hours working like a crazy person while the rest of the family does something fun--which is basically anything that doesn't involve yard work!--muttering to myself about how I'll never get it finished, how horrible it is, how nobody is helping me, etc. --I am working steadily and daily, and in short bursts of time. In half an hour, I can get a surprising amount accomplished, and more importantly, I <span style="font-style: italic;">know</span> the job won't be finished, so I don't care that it isn't. I'll be back out tomorrow, and after I've worked for a month or so, maybe I'll even be scrounging around trying to find something to do. At least that's the hope. There I go, being terribly optimistic again....at the least, I can use it to make my husband feel extremely guilty that he's such a lazy sack when it comes to the yard, and maybe I won't have to nag quite so much when it comes time to trim the bushes again.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-27622176570471574002011-04-23T12:14:00.002-04:002011-04-23T12:20:31.307-04:00Easter Picture, by Emma<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzgmmF_uYcWGahBCdPHYSvYo91hdWl1SY2dl_TYlsCQnVlG1ZjfdU6PjhVt11VZZMXIlP8v_4TWI_ozrrQ7aXr_Xd0NjWVrJ1MWBX4uSsdcp4ofPSeeu4-LcRoO8W3mbq3xR44W5hBw6f/s1600/easterbunny.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzgmmF_uYcWGahBCdPHYSvYo91hdWl1SY2dl_TYlsCQnVlG1ZjfdU6PjhVt11VZZMXIlP8v_4TWI_ozrrQ7aXr_Xd0NjWVrJ1MWBX4uSsdcp4ofPSeeu4-LcRoO8W3mbq3xR44W5hBw6f/s320/easterbunny.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598814579466363330" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Emma made this Easter bunny picture, so I thought I'd share.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-50478591710899859862011-04-14T15:08:00.005-04:002011-04-14T15:16:30.260-04:00Spring Craft, by EmmaEmma wanted to make a spring craft for art last week, and she worked and worked for almost two hours to make this Easter egg. The bunny is made from individual pieces of paper she meticulously cut and glued--she discarded many parts before she was satisfied with her work. I really loved seeing her so intent on getting it just the way she wanted it!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhg8tUeX5A23X7A15Z8bVOSK109y5gg9AzHtwOD-5T0AAbhsWPXxn-1VRqqVvgB7mXICskGq3E_7SFCxA7G6T-Ix9jn5B-3eOoCEBVP5Os2xMpG1CLaOmHtRoahrRUMT_dN7eTtQTk8GM/s1600/emmaeasteregg2.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhg8tUeX5A23X7A15Z8bVOSK109y5gg9AzHtwOD-5T0AAbhsWPXxn-1VRqqVvgB7mXICskGq3E_7SFCxA7G6T-Ix9jn5B-3eOoCEBVP5Os2xMpG1CLaOmHtRoahrRUMT_dN7eTtQTk8GM/s320/emmaeasteregg2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595519538749028770" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdOAvWpPJR9YFn9fIMvzlopg6xA4hBgeEs-cX22dTMdDAOjHxzZhlpHa__l9OGoXDv1-JQVcPr6yxZMZFu0pTpeeV7gsNX8PifqCm6pjmh-aBp6DTV9rJB1Opchkebt-kERq-TUgxypWh/s1600/emmaeasteregg.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdOAvWpPJR9YFn9fIMvzlopg6xA4hBgeEs-cX22dTMdDAOjHxzZhlpHa__l9OGoXDv1-JQVcPr6yxZMZFu0pTpeeV7gsNX8PifqCm6pjmh-aBp6DTV9rJB1Opchkebt-kERq-TUgxypWh/s320/emmaeasteregg.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595519035292619106" border="0" /></a><br /><br />If it's hard to read, she wrote "Emma 2011 (for art)" in the middle of the mosaic.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-29606051755852379512011-04-07T15:23:00.003-04:002011-04-07T15:31:56.768-04:00Spring, A Poem by Julia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5u0rHJDkVIneYOByxNpHlE4jen_tJ9j6Mt74GjUk935SSzVWNao_a3bXnsPpaV_KeZE8xrjK-eobqHwQpXi45zDhZ5ZeH9Dw-2bgNmYdkQJTFh9UTEE0tygxt6PuRMUZ1K_IGMgFS11SW/s1600/springpoem.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5u0rHJDkVIneYOByxNpHlE4jen_tJ9j6Mt74GjUk935SSzVWNao_a3bXnsPpaV_KeZE8xrjK-eobqHwQpXi45zDhZ5ZeH9Dw-2bgNmYdkQJTFh9UTEE0tygxt6PuRMUZ1K_IGMgFS11SW/s320/springpoem.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592924952774350802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Spring<br />by Julia<br /><br />The blossoms blooming on the trees,<br />shaking and bumbling and buzzing with bees,<br />the birds building nests will now take a small rest,<br />to kick back and eat a few fleas.<br />In the air, the butterflies flit,<br />and a few have alit,<br />on a few flowers out in meadow open.<br />The monarchs will lay their eggs in one day<br />on the milkweed bobbing in the breeze of the ocean.<br />The lambs frolic and play<br />in the green grass of today,<br />and bleating, stay close to their mothers.<br />But once they're done eating,<br />their fear is all fleeting,<br />and they go off to play with the others.<br />The rain will blow,<br />the flowers will grow,<br />and like so,<br />the clouds will pass on in the shape of a koi.<br />And spring is the bounciest, flounciest,<br />wiggliest, jiggliest,<br />twirliest, whirliest,<br />flingiest, springiest<br />season of JOY!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-74870597514998749432011-03-23T17:18:00.004-04:002011-03-23T17:25:22.066-04:00More Photos by RachelJust a couple more photos from Elizabeth Morton Wildlife Refuge. Because they're pretty.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCguz6eIAJEE4L0BNSLYLxXQZVyngG6mRa7dGNZ-4iZQ2avtrspexLnlVrJ8KMF3vYYY6jm5aUdmp_9msq33YNlEUmp9BSez8fiyLg27ffdGBTCQJ8w0P7s_wwTxFQg8Tvnepe9HLtNohL/s1600/cardinalmale.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCguz6eIAJEE4L0BNSLYLxXQZVyngG6mRa7dGNZ-4iZQ2avtrspexLnlVrJ8KMF3vYYY6jm5aUdmp_9msq33YNlEUmp9BSez8fiyLg27ffdGBTCQJ8w0P7s_wwTxFQg8Tvnepe9HLtNohL/s320/cardinalmale.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587389053778684850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfSuFDJTryvBPXxUlfKxfad2XXPk7bShcsNGc_l304NO_C7B7wSmk9uRbiJTPIt6-UVbfQNQqGzU-OEKPpP-28gvPso5p1QD6gjKsM5bI4iq27IMmbxpZhAk034jYaA3VVs8r3UfyNSx_/s1600/chipmunk.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfSuFDJTryvBPXxUlfKxfad2XXPk7bShcsNGc_l304NO_C7B7wSmk9uRbiJTPIt6-UVbfQNQqGzU-OEKPpP-28gvPso5p1QD6gjKsM5bI4iq27IMmbxpZhAk034jYaA3VVs8r3UfyNSx_/s320/chipmunk.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587388755897381474" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii-pDXlPkoxeXTNE2tCUD4ZvTYJ4JHVp_nBG6alfkzWtbvGAkM52NNxCeiL3HPcUKmqhDldEway9vmQ35mvkIcJTciWqaVTh-oRaNbC2yhlU0-jZZ0rhKSWmMD3yAijtfg-5MMxyh9_Vdr/s1600/cardinalfemale.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii-pDXlPkoxeXTNE2tCUD4ZvTYJ4JHVp_nBG6alfkzWtbvGAkM52NNxCeiL3HPcUKmqhDldEway9vmQ35mvkIcJTciWqaVTh-oRaNbC2yhlU0-jZZ0rhKSWmMD3yAijtfg-5MMxyh9_Vdr/s320/cardinalfemale.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587389460920914898" border="0" /></a>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-36885785708856071022011-03-23T13:42:00.006-04:002011-03-23T14:11:25.345-04:00Enchantment<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvap8rWSzjQSDIoGeqTusOpfqJtzbPVqbrIu2xyefHaHRf8iULlbWKkMlJSIjIiQgIPHrmFI6C0ObxRIRjevZKzfpL20ktJpbKvZgWy7olCg60Z7ankhMBfIcbLMJiyjt2Kyi37HD34Xs/s1600/chickadee%2526julia.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvap8rWSzjQSDIoGeqTusOpfqJtzbPVqbrIu2xyefHaHRf8iULlbWKkMlJSIjIiQgIPHrmFI6C0ObxRIRjevZKzfpL20ktJpbKvZgWy7olCg60Z7ankhMBfIcbLMJiyjt2Kyi37HD34Xs/s320/chickadee%2526julia.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587337465269528162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Yesterday we took an afternoon trip to Sag Harbor to the Elizabeth Morton Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is small; the loop trail is only three quarters of a mile long with a spur trail to the beach, but it is a unique jewel in Long Island's crown because over the years, the birds there have learned that people bring them food, and will land right in your hands to eat! I have never seen this anywhere else; we have hand fed squirrels in Boston and used to do the same in college at Drew University, and we did hand feed birds at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh--but those weren't wild birds, and they didn't land on us, they flew by and snatched food from our outstretched palms. These are wild birds who have learned this trick, and we just never tire of it. Julia said a number of times that this was her favorite place in the world, and that she wished she could live right there.<br /><br />We usually visit in the depths of winter, because of course you get the greatest number of birds on you when they have almost nothing else to eat. However, we had so much snow and such cold temperatures this year that I had to keep putting the kids off. It's even colder there because you're right on the water, and it just isn't fun to be there if you're freezing. Also, I wasn't sure if there was any sort of snow removal there because although it's a popular place, it's still a trail. Although it seems that many birds hang around right near the front of the trail, so I guess if you just walked in and stood you'd still get birds. Regardless, early spring is still fine--the woods are just beginning to green up, but the leaves aren't on the trees yet and I imagine there aren't too many insects yet, so our friends were still hungry.<br /><br />The easiest birds to attract are the sweet little black capped chickadees. They are bold and brave, sitting in your hand and choosing just the right seed. The tufted titmouse, with its big eyes and cute little hairdo, is the next most common visitor to our hands, followed by the nuthatch. The last time we went we were lucky enough to have the red headed downy woodpecker land on us several times, but this time we didn't get that privilege, although we did see a few. The squirrels will follow and yesterday we saw a few chipmunks for good measure, but for some reason, the squirrels won't get close enough to hand feed--they will accept donations that you toss over, though. (This vexes Julia and Emma, who love to get squirrels to come and take nuts right from their hands in Boston.) Dozens of cardinals will follow you throughout the refuge, but they will never land on you. We have tried and tried, and they desperately want the seed--they will take what has fallen to the ground as soon as you move away, but they simply refuse to get close.<br /><br />The biggest surprise yesterday was from our fellow visitors. We saw four other groups while we were there--ranging from couples to a group of five--and not <span style="font-style: italic;">one</span> of them had come with seeds! One lady said they used to sell seed at the front, which I then vaguely remembered from one of my first visits, but they didn't have any out now. Luckily, we had a gallon bag of sunflower seeds, the birds' favorite, so we shared with everyone we met. If you ever go, don't bother with mixed seeds! We had chickadees flinging that seed around and only taking the sunflower seeds--they can afford to be picky, I guess, when they have devoted followers! Anyway, it was a wonderful time, and Rachel got some of her usual fabulous photos.....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRY2Wyjj40kF20fUyP2gcirisFaswr-SoW2NlOAp3vDZhbzJ2gmZCAaP4FuhcPk1q_5_0pvnu65NJr2Rbh2T_3yf_nRM80d_Q3wtpiX0K90AeFnR-df0Wa6K7O1b92tTMFBfWhxUurytAT/s1600/femalecardinal.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRY2Wyjj40kF20fUyP2gcirisFaswr-SoW2NlOAp3vDZhbzJ2gmZCAaP4FuhcPk1q_5_0pvnu65NJr2Rbh2T_3yf_nRM80d_Q3wtpiX0K90AeFnR-df0Wa6K7O1b92tTMFBfWhxUurytAT/s320/femalecardinal.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587337025327618162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjy1eDBu4GBea6EQdTaZG-W5G3XOmsvkmoDtD9MQVL-OIY9F48lrZ-T3e4yyAR-uRMpXUWAGbtQ1-etxQIBtkpYhZJprxysc4LHqWAN_Wxp-7gJp95RcMboPXWdjeF5-P85EbXJbUTjaG8/s1600/chickadee.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjy1eDBu4GBea6EQdTaZG-W5G3XOmsvkmoDtD9MQVL-OIY9F48lrZ-T3e4yyAR-uRMpXUWAGbtQ1-etxQIBtkpYhZJprxysc4LHqWAN_Wxp-7gJp95RcMboPXWdjeF5-P85EbXJbUTjaG8/s320/chickadee.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587337262525156866" border="0" /></a>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-35571332135334500282011-03-04T09:53:00.002-05:002011-03-04T11:01:32.378-05:00School Year Winding DownIt seems crazy to say that our school year is winding down at the beginning of March, but I can clearly see the end of the tunnel. The three younger kids are actually finished with a few elements of the year, such as health and some language arts books, and are within sight of being finished with others. Other subjects, history being the most glaring example, are going to need some intensive work in order to finish, but we'll get there. Rachel, having more work to do, just plugs away and will finish in June, but still, I am going to have to finish the requisite length of the school year doing more <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">unschooling</span> than bookwork with the younger ones.<br /><br />This is fine, since I have always flirted with the idea of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">unschooling</span> but am too A-type to actually implement it. Spring is gardening time, and gardening is a perfect <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">unschooling</span> science opportunity. We have shelves and shelves of nonfiction kids' books, which originally I started collecting with the idea that they would be handy for homeschooling but in actuality do a lot of sitting around because we forget they even exist, or we follow book lists in our curriculum. Sometimes it's actually easier to get books from the library than to look through our extensive collection! After all, the library is organized, and our bookshelves...are not. Rachel's most recent English assignment is Edith Wharton's "The House of Mirth," and I was on my way to the library. Matt reminded me that we have that book somewhere--well, DUH! I was an English major! Of course we have that book, and many, many more classic works of literature--but finding it was quite another matter. Besides, as I pointed out to him, it was highly unlikely the book would be checked out of our library, and so we'd be helping by adding to circulation statistics. So with time at the end of the year, I picture letting the kids pull from a plethora of interesting subjects--from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">rainforests</span> to birdwatching to the Salem with hunt to atlases--and just seeing where they lead us.<br /><br />Creativity is also huge around here. Right now Julia is sewing a stuffed rooster from felt, fabric and buttons. She got a kit for her birthday but decided that rather than follow the strict pattern, she'd make her own--and I have to say, it's cuter than the kit's version. Drawing takes up copious amounts of time, and once I order more felting needles the kids have been loving that, too. Of course Rachel can spend hours with her camera, and the younger kids have been playing with mine, taking photos and making videos. Lola the hamster also provides hours of creative time, because Julia and Emma delight in making complicated courses for her to run out of recyclables, spending hours planning, cutting, taping and then playing with Lola in the run...when I was a child, I did this too, but the difference between me and my kids is that the mazes I made would hang around for months--I think that the kids actually prefer making the mazes, because they are constantly adding on or making new ones. Then there's writing, reading and the numerous pretend games they play. I think we can fulfill more than enough academic hours even when the workbooks are finished.<br /><br />Rachel has found a place at the local community theater working the lights. This started a few months ago, when I volunteered at the theater as the box office manager. Rachel came with me a few times, and we had fun together. I told her I thought that she would have a lot of fun in the theater even if she decided she didn't want to be on stage, so we spoke with the lighting director, who loves sharing what he knows and is always in need of help. He called her for the next show, running now, and has been really encouraging and complimentary to her. She wants to keep working on that, and I am encouraging her to put herself out in the community. We are also increasing the social life of the homeschooling teens in our area by planning purely social outings like movies, ice skating, browsing at the mall, etc. This gives Rachel and her friends ways to simply hang out as they'd do if they went to school--with homeschooling, there are so many field trips and classes planned, but rarely time to just be together.<br /><br />We are waiting to hear if she has been accepted to a volunteer position this summer, too, which would allow her to go camping with a group of peers somewhere in the country to work on an environmental project. We should hear about that in the next few weeks and are really hoping she can go. In May, she and Matt are going to take a road trip to Wisconsin together to check out the Conserve School, a semester school she hopes to attend in the spring next year, where she would get to learn all aspects of environmentalism as well as new sports such as skiing, ice fishing, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">canoeing</span>, and extreme camping.<br /><br />We have a big family reunion in July, which we're all looking forward to. My niece and her husband are opening their house in Delaware and we are also chipping in on a huge rental house; between the two we will house 32 people, ages about one month through 75 years. We're looking forward to the beach, the boardwalk, plenty of talk, food and card games and just being together, and are especially excited that my sister Amy and niece Chloe will be there, visiting from Vienna. We hardly ever get to see them, so it will be a treat.<br /><br />Finally, to my extreme delight, we have decided to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">forego</span> organized sports and are instead working with some homeschooling friends to start meeting at parks to play sports--you know, the way we USED to, just meet up with friends to play baseball or kickball or soccer or basketball, without all these horrible schedules and fundraising that you have to endure when you sign up for Little League or Police Athletic League or any of those other leagues. Don't get me wrong; I think sports are valuable for kids. However, since my kids don't have to abide by a school schedule, I REALLY loathe being forced to abide by school kids' schedules when it comes to sports! I have had enough of having every weekend from March until June or from September to November completely ruined by having to sit at ball fields half the day, and I have definitely had enough of the practices being scheduled two or three or four times a week at 5:30 in the afternoon, wrecking dinner completely. Not to mention that during sports times of year, even if the day has been warm and sunny, by that time of day it is usually windy and cold! I have had more than enough of freezing half to death watching sports and a bunch of kids I have no desire to know playing them! Call me snobby, but it's the truth. Playing sports with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">homeschoolers</span> means we can meet during the day, when the spring days are gorgeous, and the kids can play rather than stand around with all the endless waiting that leagues entail.<br /><br />Another year gone by in a blink. Can't believe it, but I'm kind of getting used to it.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-69712253242042420782011-02-15T17:39:00.002-05:002011-02-15T17:53:52.255-05:00Rabie Baby Comics, by BenI have posted many pieces of art and writing by Julia and Emma, and Rachel's artistic bent is in photography. Ben has not previously showed too much interest in spending time drawing, though he does enjoy writing sometimes. So it came as a surprise to me when he spent nearly an entire day drawing comic strips featuring Rabie Baby. This may need some explanation to some: for several years now, Julia, Ben and Emma have played a hilarious game they call Rabie Baby, in which Emma is a baby who has--well, rabies! The rules are many and complicated and I'm not sure I know them all, but I know that Rabie Baby is afraid of water (hmmm...she IS rabid, after all, so she has hydrophobia) and can be tamed by being (lightly) whipped with a dish towel. She also loves to move in slow motion sometimes and she's very good at death scenes. It is a game that has brought us much laughter.<br /><br />Normally I would post the comic for you to see, but since Ben doesn't spend half his day drawing as Julia does, his comics are a bit crooked and really too small to be appreciated unless you are holding them. (He drew the panels only about an inch square!) However, his prologue to the comic is too amusing, so I am putting it here with spelling intact:<br /><br />Cover: Raibie Baby Comics Rabie Baby of the Many Nick-Names<br /><br />Prologue: Lord of the Fuzzles<br /><br />Fuzzles are cute, loveable animals that are often kept as pets. They are never evil at all. They do not bite, are good with children, but do not like loud noises. But one terrible roar scares them too much for them to run. Yes, it is the Legendary Raibie Baby. They worship her, hoping that the rabid Fuzzle will not eat them alive. She has only three weaknesses, and only two people know them. These two people are named Ben and Julia. And the weaknesses are: water, a dish towel being used as a whip, and furniture. They ward her off with their weapons--into the human world! Julia and Ben are the only ones who can stop her! List of Raibie Baby's nick-names: Rubba Bubba, Rubziti, Rubba Babeer, Rubba.<br /><br /><br />Weird? Yes, but imagination is a wonderful thing!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-72955285835714496292011-02-05T16:52:00.002-05:002011-02-05T16:54:50.843-05:00Cheetah, by Julia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGH7QAscjJA2HDXjnVkbhn5yD9o_X5Q-UYrWFQJApUqbJByrrh9T0fkcgp0quL_PBUKOPqlnwv-Y9s5P8xGhY_u8J-3UErWxW_OW6mtIiPvDElJsRftTJ8YM6vOGJhT-5Ev8N7vQPPpU7q/s1600/cheetahjulia.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGH7QAscjJA2HDXjnVkbhn5yD9o_X5Q-UYrWFQJApUqbJByrrh9T0fkcgp0quL_PBUKOPqlnwv-Y9s5P8xGhY_u8J-3UErWxW_OW6mtIiPvDElJsRftTJ8YM6vOGJhT-5Ev8N7vQPPpU7q/s320/cheetahjulia.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570327210766663778" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Can you tell Julia is having lots of fun with her birthday drawing supplies? :)Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898210868718663942.post-49058069603644225252011-02-04T15:34:00.001-05:002011-02-04T15:36:40.643-05:00Lion, by Julia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIQAbDK6fhw8qt0m6GQYvnuuYD2qEmkXdLYoKYv8p5FJfyhsTmmbgutfyW4Yc2XG_ZYfwcsD2YS2XT50nJ8CawvlF-0DGEjZQtKNnRfAGq6vt2YpPvxn6aCstKyI30Ws0_HxJQpy-yT8s/s1600/lionjulia.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIQAbDK6fhw8qt0m6GQYvnuuYD2qEmkXdLYoKYv8p5FJfyhsTmmbgutfyW4Yc2XG_ZYfwcsD2YS2XT50nJ8CawvlF-0DGEjZQtKNnRfAGq6vt2YpPvxn6aCstKyI30Ws0_HxJQpy-yT8s/s320/lionjulia.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569936022562884594" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />This one is my favorite in her series of cats.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02155510680451151404noreply@blogger.com0