Heartchild

Happy New Year!

2012-01-03T19:51:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from us to you!

I have been a tad MIA through the holiday season. It was the first time in a long time that we were the most prepared and relaxed as ever.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed their new pajamas, stockings and gifts as you can tell in the above picture. We have a Christmas Eve tradition of coming home from the church service to open our new pajamas. We then change into the new pjs, make hot chocolate and cider and drive around town looking at Christmas lights.

The pictures this year have made me very aware of how fast time really is going.

Just look at those kids. They are looking so grown up!

I'm not sure my heart can take it.

I hope you and yours had a blessed Christmas season. Happy New Year!!!

History

2011-11-14T10:42:00.000-08:00

It can be a challenge to teach five kids at four different grade levels. I am always looking for ways to streamline so this year I decided to choose a History curriculum that would work for multiple grade levels.

This is our supplies basket. We have clips, pencils, colored pencils, scissors and sometimes glue or other items depending on what we are working on. It works well having this in the middle of the table during work time.

This particular day the kids were working on maps of the area we had been reading about. We are currently studying the Middle Ages.

It is fascinating for me to study history as an adult. I feel like I am learning as much as the kids are learning.

Teaching multiple ages groups has its challenges but it also has some advantages. I have noticed that my youngers are mastering skills earlier than the older ones did. They really are sponges soaking up everything going on around them.

I love that they all are learning the same thing and it makes for some fun discussions around the house.

This girl loves to do anything that involves color. Can you see that smile? If it resembles art, she is in.

If you are interested we are using Story of the World, Volume 2. We read the current section, answer comprehension questions, do a narration exercise and then we choose activities from the corresponding activity book to keep things interesting. History, Geography, Writing and Art all in on place. I love it!

It was raining.

2011-11-03T10:07:00.001-07:00

The weather has changed here in the Northwest. There are moments of sun where we send the kids out to "Hurry and get some rays!"

Recently on a drizzly and cold day our youngest decided he wanted to roast marshmellows...over a candle.

Well, why wouldn't you?

It took awhile but it worked! Yum! (If you like marshmellows that is.)

Favorite Place

2011-10-18T14:32:00.001-07:00

My family really loves the outdoors but we do appreciate modern conveniences.

I posted earlier this year about our purchase of a travel trailer. We love it!

Three or four years ago we decided to visit a campground in our county that had become very popular. It quickly became our favorite spot to go. It is 30 minutes away, on a river, has private campsites and has a really nice playground.

It has become a yearly tradtion to go at least once per summer. We have also gone in September when the weather is still nice and the campground almost empty.

There is room to stretch out if we happen to get some rain.

Curtains can be drawn for early to bed kids.

We are pretty spoiled I think. We can even bring movies to watch on the laptop when some have gone to bed and others aren't quite ready.

Each campsite has a firepit and table.

Steve doesn't take the time to read very much but he almost always has a book when we are camping. He started and finished that one on our four day trip.

Lots of memories are made away from the busyness of the daily grind. (Wow, those are some diva sunglasses. Thanks, Lil!)

Time for games, just plain time.

I can't wait to go again next year. Hmm, might need to see about winter camping this year.

Fun weekend ahead

2011-10-07T06:56:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for this weekend. If you want to know why click on this link to my review blog. See you there!

School organization

2011-09-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

I have found keeping our school supplies and books to be a bit of a challenge over the years. I have tried various methods including some shelving in our garage. Having the items in the garage proved to be unwise. There is a saying that I have found to be true - "Children don't do what you expect, they do what you inspect."

I had the thought that if our supplies were visible to me I could monitor those who were being less than careful about putting items away. I also enjoy looking at organized school supplies so win-win. There are boxes that hold manipulatives, magazine holders that hold seperated subjects and activites and then there are the planners that the kids use to organize reports and papers they are writing. Two weeks in and so far, so good. I still need to make labels for the magazine holders but have been too busy schooling so far. I am really enjoying how nice the shelves look each day and love even more that there is a place for everything and every in its place.

Saving money and sanity while traveling with a young family

2011-09-20T11:23:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that traveling with a larger than average family can be spendy. A few years ago we purchased a tent trailer so that we would be able to go on vacation more often but not spend very much. The size of our family requires two hotel rooms for each stay. That adds up and having a trailer instead means we have plenty of room, a bathroom and a place to cook. This year we upgraded to a hybrid trailer that was less complicated to set up.

We attended a family reunion in Canada about nine hundred miles away and came up with a plan to make sure the spending didn't get out of control. Having a plan means less chaos and less spending.

There is a bank of cabinets under the boys' bed for storage. I purchased foldable bins that fit very well in the cabinets. Each of the kids had their own bin that held their clothing for five to six days. We were gone for ten days and did laundry at a campground half way through the trip. The shower worked great as a laundry basket since we were using campground facilities for showers.

We weren't sure what the weather would be the entire time but knew that some mornings would be chilly. The bank of hooks by the kids area served well for all of our jackets.

We had a second area of hooks on the outside of the bathroom that worked perfectly for bath towels, kitchen towels and swim suits.

I had tried a large tote bag for toiletries on trips past but we always found ourselves having to dig through items that had sank to the bottom each day. It wasted time and was a little frustrating at times. This toiletry bag I found at Target for less than $7 was the perfect solution. The fabric wipes off and each pocket has a couple of little riveted holes in case a shampoo bottle or toothbrush is still wet when it is put away. I kept toiletries as well as medications and first aid items in this bag.

It is no secret that a big budget buster on a trip is food. We worked hard ahead of time on food prep and organization. I made two quiches and 2 dinners of burrito mix. We had lots of lunch meats, breads, chips, bagels, cream cheese, eggs, cheese sticks and fruit. Our goal was to only eat out once per day and we did really well with that. Alternating each day purchasing dinner or lunch helped so that we didn't get tired of the same foods. Also, sticking to places like Subway also kept it affordable and less greasy. I used my regular grocery budget for the make ahead meals and we really only spent about $20-$30 each day eating out which came out of the trip fund. All in all we were able to stay under budget with a minimal amount of chaos. What do you do to keep costs in check while traveling?

Fall is here

2011-09-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

I know it looks like I fell off the face of the earth but I didn't. We went on our big trip up north and when we got back we hit the ground running. There has been school planning, firewood cutting, house rearranging and organizing and the never ending laundry pile. Then there was the matter of the almost 600 ears of corn that were gifted to us. Talk about a busy summer!

I tend to do my writing when the kids do theirs for school. Since summer arrived late here in the Pacific Northwest we decided to start school a few weeks later than the public schools. We have been taking advantage of the nice weather to get our firewood prepped and canning finished.

We opted to have a log truck deliver a load of firewood to my husband's mother's property. It will come out less money wise in the end to purchase it this way and her property has a much larger driveway than we have to give us room to cut it up.

Steve has been faithfully spending his free time working away at the pile and Nathaniel has been working along side sorting big pieces from little pieces. Big pieces stay there to be cut again and small ones that are ready to be split get stacked in the back of the truck.

It has been a family affair though Steve and Nathaniel have been doing the lion's share of the work. Splitting has started over at our house and the first stack has been moved into the new covered area that Steve built behind our garden shed. More pics and stories to come!

Headed North

2011-08-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

We found a great little resort/campground in Northern Idaho to stay at for our first night.

It has a giant chess set that was alot of fun for our kids to play with while we are were unwinding from the long drive.

The pieces were huge though they were made of plastic so still easy for all of them to move.

We are having lots of fun and can't wait to see what else is in store for us up North!

Run, kids, run! We still have a few more hours to travel tomorrow.

Where have we been?

2011-08-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

It has been one wild and crazy summer so far. It was late to arrive so now we are trying to cram everything in while the sun is shining. We have been to the lake, made icecream several times, continued junior high youth, bought three storage units, had a garage sale and now to top it all off we are headed to Canada. We are in full swing of the final preperations. The trailer is getting packed, clothing is getting organized, house is getting clean and lists have been made and re-made. I am working on some posts about how we are organizing for seven people for a road trip. Things like how we will save on meals, pack our stuff and keep five kids busy for the long ride north. We are all excited to see new landscape and have some fun on the road. Stay tuned!

The internet is our friend

2011-08-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

We are in the final stages of getting ready for a really big trip to Canada. We are towing our trailer and safety requires us to install a special trailer brake. Installing said trailer brake will reduce the amount that our vehicle will have to stop the trailer if you wondered.

We had received a quote of $300 to have one installed. Steve decided before scheduling it he would see if he could look online and see how hard it would be to do it himself. He found a 4 minute real time video. 4 minutes, people.

Long story short, $98.50 later and we have our trailer brake installed.

Then a few days later the resistor that controls the blower fan up front went out. That meant no AC up front. That meant a hot momma. That meant trouble. Enter more videos. One ten minute video and $54.99 and we had a fixed fan. Yay, internet and Steve!!!

Food, folks and fun

2011-07-26T07:38:00.000-07:00

We cooked up the beans last night and it was fantastic. Boil snapped beans for 20 minutes, add the new potatoes and bacon then boil for another 20 minutes or so. Perfection.

I also made a cucumber/corn/tomato salad. It was so fresh and screamed summer.

We invited my husband's sister and her husband. We wined (iced tea) and dined. The kids were throwing the football around the yard while we visited as the sun was going down.

I have been craving corn on the cob and found it 5 for $1 this weekend. I'm pretty sure we haven't seen that price in a few years. It did not disappoint.

Grilled pork rounded out the meal as our protein. Dinner on the deck as the sun went down proved to be so much fun. Life gets so busy and we often forget to stop and enjoy the simpler things in life. It doesn't take much to make the every day feel special. Last night it was a colorful tablecloth and summer foods on the table on the deck. Love it.

Garden Update

2011-07-25T14:04:00.000-07:00

We picked up some new potatoes at the farmer's market last week. The plan was to boil them this week with some green beans we canned last year as well as with some yummy bacon.

I was ecstatic when I went out to the garden this morning and found that the plants were ready for the first small picking. Fresh green beans tonight!!!

Someone was having a hard time waiting for dinner. Can you blame him?

The garden has been doing really well despite the lack of sun we have had this year.

Can you see that little pickling cucumber? I could be pickling very, very soon.

It appears we have a little stowaway.

Is it my imagination or is that tomato turning orange? There is no better food to me than a plate of sliced, fresh garden tomatoes. I love summer!

Weeknight Entertainment

2011-07-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

We have some options for entertainment around here. Our kids just by themselves make us laugh alot.

Whether playing the guitar or cards, there really is not a shortage of things to do.

How are those hands looking, girls???

Last week the kids decided they wanted to come up with something different to do.

Enter any loose items that could be moved to make an obstacle wall.

We have varying degrees of skill level in our family.

More effort was required from some family members.

Way to clear the hurdle, Ellie!

Man, that boy can jump and barefoot, too. He prefers it that way. I can safely say he did not get that ability from this mom.

Girls with guitars

2011-06-23T10:23:00.000-07:00

She has wanted to play the guitar for a long time.

We had given her a child size guitar for her birthday several years back but she had long outgrown it.

Recently she had mentioned that she would really like a full size guitar to learn on. She thought maybe her younger brother could enjoy the small guitar.

So when we purchased a storage unit and found a nice guitar inside we knew we would be making one ten year old girl very happy. Steve replaced the strings, tuned it and away they went. Music to our ears.

Almost Wordless Wednesday - Summer Edition

2011-06-22T14:23:00.000-07:00

(Persuing personal interests.)

(Making strawberry jam.)

(Summer library reading program.)

(Summer sunset as seen from the backyard.)

CUHRAZY!!!

2011-06-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

That would be a description of my life right now. We always look forward to summer but it doesn't mean less work, just different work. I like the change of scenery but we have filled our plates for this month. First we finished up school but I am still doing some correcting for olders who were working towards a specific goal. Next is the tent trailer clean-up we are working on so we can sell it. (Yay! New school books!) The garden is in and growing be it slow. The Pacific Northwest hasn't been so great for gardening the last few years. We are hopeful this year will be better than last.

We are now the proud owners of two bunnies for a certain ten year old girl. Thumper and Chubby are the names they came with and they need supplies and attention. So far, said ten year has been doing a fantastic job of taking care of most of this on her own. Her and daddy are building a double hutch as they are a boy and girl and well...let's just say we are happy with just two bunnies.

The biggest venture we are working on currently is that of storage auctions. Have you ever seen Storage Wars or Auction Hunters? They are two favorite shows around here and we are doing something similar. We purchased our first two units last week and are sorting through and selling contents. Not an easy task my friends but fun so far. The jury is still out on whether or not this is a worthwhile venture for us. We intend to go to one more auction, have a garage sale and see where the bottom line ends up before deciding to continue. I would like to say that it is not glamorous by any stretch of the imagination but Steve and I love auctions and we are enjoying doing something like this together. We make a pretty good bidding team.

My laptop, which has all of my pics on it, seems to have bit the dust. My tech guy is hoping to recover my info so I can post some pictures of our adventures again.

Off to scrub the trailer. Makes me tired just thinking about it.

New digs

2011-06-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

We purchased a tent trailer almost three years ago. It sleeps ten and has served us really well. The fact that we are a family of seven means that finding hotels that will sleep all of us in one room is difficult. The two drawbacks to the tent trailer have been 1) no bathroom and 2) set-up has become difficult after Steve's shoulder injury and surgery.

We only used the trailer once last year and decided it was time to upgrade. The fold out bed feature worked for us but putting the roof up and down did not.

Enter the hybrid trailer. It also sleeps ten people but it has a bathroom AND the beds pop down instead of sliding out. Perfect!!!

Due to the size of the beds we will be able to still sleep all seven of us on the three pop-out beds and leave the table and sofa set up to use daily.

Each bed area has a curtain to close it off making nap times easier.

The fridge is bigger than the one we had in our tent trailer and the kitchen will be perfect for making camping meals.

We found this trailer used but it looks new. Also, being a hybrid means it is only 22 1/2 feet long for easy towing but 29 feet long when extended making for lots of room for all of us. Score!!!

We can't wait to take it out camping very soon. We also have a trip planned to Canada for a family reunion this summer. The comforts of home while seeing some of God's amazing handiwork on the road, how perfect is that? Also, we are fans of not having very much in the Blazer with us while we drive. Can. Not. Wait.

(We haven't moved, these pictures were taken before we purchased the trailer.)

Garden 2011

2011-05-17T09:03:00.000-07:00

It's that time again. Time for freshly tilled dirt and newly planted seeds and plants.

Gardening can save a lot of money through out the year but starting up isn't free. I am determined to keep track of costs and yield this year to see how much it benefits us.

So far we have spent $32 on soil and compost, $11.48 in seeds and $30 in plants for a total of $73.48.

We also have two fruit trees, an apple and a prune. I hope to find a food scale to use for weighing the produce we harvest this year.

We are all about the fancy around here. Yes, those are milk jugs covering my peppers. They like to be warm and here in the Pacific NW we have to help them out a little.

Those are our cucumber mounds up there. The pickling cucs like to vine out so hilling works really well. My guys worked really hard this weekend getting everything tilled, raked and staked out. I love it!

The strawberries are blooming, too. Ahh, the promise of summer.

Part of my mother's day gift was seeds for the salad garden. Love, love! We already have radishes and lettuce sprouting. I can't wait for fresh salad!

MIA

2011-05-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

Admittedly I have been MIA the last while. Life has been so busy with the weather giving us a few breaks, our library fines being paid (ahem) and trying to wrap up school. Here is our life in list form.

Plans for the garden are in full swing with our tomato and green pepper plants already purchased. Thank you boy scouts!

The garden has been turned over once and compost is coming later today or tomorrow. Thanks, hon!

Three kids are in swimming lessons again and loving it.

Six of us are done at the dentist for the year. Four are done at the eye doctor.

Two kids and one daddy are getting new glasses.

Kids are busy working on earning jobs around here. There are plenty of earning opportunities this time of year.

Steve helped me get our raised salad garden planted yesterday. Love, love, love!

Someone is having a birthday soon and it's a big one. Plans are under way.

I am working on a re-org of my desk area. I am easily distracted by pretty things so hoping some pretty organizational items on my desk will help.

We purchased a new to us hybrid travel trailer. We are currently in the planning stages for two trips. One close to home and one out of country. Can. Not. Wait.

That's it in a nutshell. I am hoping I find my blogging mojo somewhere in the desk clutter. Wish me luck!

On the road again

2011-04-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

My parents recently purchased a travel trailer. They plan to take a few days here and there and travel short distances inluding to the homes of their grown children.

They came this last Sunday and we had such a great time.

The only live about two hours away. But getting to share every day activities and meals was priceless.

They came in during school time and sat with the kids and talked about what they are working on.

Giving help when needed. Love it.

The two days went by so fast. We can't wait for them to come back again!

Clear as mud

2011-04-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

Youngest had some money burning a whole in his pocket. I went out to run errands and he asked if I would stop at the Dollar Store and pick up a certain toy for him. I told him I would but when I got there I was having trouble locating said toy. I called home to ask for some help. He is six and this is what he told me.

"Look for the pirate stuff. When you see the pirate stuff look to the right and to the left of the pirate stuff. If you can't find it then look more to the right and the left. Then just look everywhere in the toys."

Thanks, that was very helpful.

I couldn't find the toy.

We are going back today so he can look for himself. It would seem that my eyesight is going. I better get my eye appointment on the books.

Book Review: Out Live Your Life by Max Lucado

2011-04-11T13:33:00.000-07:00

I recently finishing reading the book above by Max Lucado. I have always enjoyed his writing style, especially his children's books. This one took me awhile to read. I think it did because it was a familiar theme, making a difference. I would feel inspired but would then get a bit bored after a chapter or two. I felt like the ideas were very good and the second chapter moved and inspired me to do more where I am emotionally as well as physical location. Each chapter ends with a scripture and prayer that gives a basic foundation for putting each chapter into practice. I did really appreciate in the last chapter where Lucado describes how we miss Jesus in the everyday, something I do all too often. Even though this book is not my favorite writing of Max Lucado it is inspiring and a good read.

This book was provided to me by Book Sneeze to read. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and I was not compensated in any other way.

The baby is a baby no more

2011-04-08T20:11:00.000-07:00

The moment he has been waiting for finally arrived. He lost his first tooth and he couldn't be happier. Even his friends at Awana got to share in his excitement.

This guy is always looking for things he can do like the "big kids". It's now time for his first dentist and eye appointments. It's something we usually right before our kids start school but somehow we missed doing that with Lij. He knows it's on the calendar and he can't wait, silly boy. If he knew what his mother went through on Tuesday he might not be so eager but I'm not telling. I think I will let him enjoy his enthusiasm. This spring holds 7 dentist appointments and 7 eye appointments. We have 3 dentist appointments down this week and so far so good. No cavities.

Just recently he sunk his first basket and now a lost tooth! Where does the time go?

Best Vacation Ever!!! Part One

2011-04-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

We had been planning and scheming for months. The plan was to surprise the kids with a week long vacation to Southern California including three days at Disneyland. Surprise them we did.

On the Friday night before the trip we took the kids to Nana's while we had date night. We picked up take out, came home and packed for everyone like two crazy people. We picked the kids up and brought them home to go to bed, all the while everything sat in the den waiting for the next morning.

In order to keep costs in check so we could splurge along the way we packed a cooler of sandwhich makings, fruit and chips. This was also a time to get to have the rare treat of their own sodas. It was nice to stop at rest stops or empty parking lots for a traveling break. It was also nice not to eat out every single meal.

We woke the kids at 5am to tell them of our plans as well as to tell them they had 15 minutes to get a few things together to do for traveling, get dressed and get in the vehicle. They didn't believe us! They were sure it was prank but the excitement grew the further South we drove.

Our kids travel really well and it went really well. We had two days in the vehicle each way but always made day 1 our long day. We had about 10 hours with stops the first day and 7-8 the second.

Grassy rest areas help get some energy and at this one we were about two hours from Los Angeles and we were all getting pretty excited.

We found a great place to stay two exits from Disneyland and it was a great home base. It got really busy at the hotel towards the weekend but during the week we almost had the place to ourselves.

This place was perfect for us. We had a full kitchen for some of our meals, a loft for Steve and I with our own bathroom where I took the above picture from.

It had a bedroom with two queens as well as a second bathroom, this comes in very handy with seven people in our crew.

Having so many months to plan meant we also had lots of time to come up with ideas for little surprises along the way. We bought the kids new shirts with the Disney theme to give them the night before our first day in the park.

They loved them!!!

The excitement kept building but thankfully everyone was so tired from traveling falling asleep was easy.

Look at that handsome smile!

To be continued...

The Big Picture

2011-03-04T17:04:00.000-08:00

I have the ability to see life in terms of the "the big picture" but as a stay at home mom I do tend towards the details side of things. I get stuck in the everyday wondering if I am doing the right thing, if I am making a difference and if there is any progress. Making the decision to homeschool isn't an easy one nor is it the most popular path. I have doubts and questions.

Our main reason for homeschooling isn't because we are scared of the public system. Flawed as the system may be, it has it's upsides as well. Our kids actually did quite well in the public system and enjoyed their time there. We had some issues here and there but overall it was a good experience. Our main reasons have more to do with character training and special learning needs. We only have so much time with our kids before they are off on their own seeking their own path. Our time and input is limited so we want to make the most of the time that we do have. Add to that the fact that our oldest two have three years that pre-date us and there are times, even nine years later, that I feel like we are making up for lost time.

I have been struggling lately with doubts, worried I am not doing enough or leaving something out. I began praying nightly for God to show help me to be diligent and to show me how to be creative with my kids. A new life has made it's way in. Nothing earth shattering but slowly I am seeing results of my efforts and clear direction has been coming each day.

Just yesterday my oldest three turned in their writing assignments for science. As I read my oldest son's paper I began to cry. This child who has struggled with writing as long as he has been in school wrote the most interesting paper. It was well thought out, included more information that I had expected and was longer than I had asked for. Granted, he did say it is a lot easier to write about somthing you are interested in and I would agree with him. But the fact that he wrote such a great paper and didn't die in the process was nothing short of a miracle. I told him I was going to keep this one and he asked why. I told him that when I compare it to something he wrote last year the difference is remarkable and it shows him how far he has come.

My mom told me recently that in every situation it is important to not just look at where someone is, but also how far they have come. That is a truth I have been thinking about over and over lately and is has meant so much to me. If I look where my oldest two were when we brought them home in the third grade compared to where they are now it is remarkable. They were behind slightly in reading and struggling in math. In their testing last year they were both either on grade level or slightly above grade level. I am so proud of my kids and think I am going to work on doubting myself less. It's good to assess things and make sure you are on the right track. I also believe that when you start questioning every brush stroke it's probably best to step back and take a look at the big picture.

Snow Day

2011-02-24T14:22:00.000-08:00

We started school a little late this morning. Snow is a bit rare here in the Northwest so we had to get out and enjoy it for a bit.

There wasn't a lot of snow but for sure enough to make snow angels and small snowballs.

I think the happy faces say it all. (The older two decided it was cozier to stay inside by the fire.)

Signs of Spring are popping up but Winter is still lingering.

The kids were finding every surface they could to make more snowballs.

Even the odd pool tool worked for playing in the snow.

The best part?

Coming in cold and warming up by the fire while working on school. Now that's the stuff.

Motivated Monday

2011-02-15T10:14:00.000-08:00

I waited to work on my Motivated Monday post until yesterday afternoon because of the specific project we were working on. We have been spending a lot of time watching The Food Network in our house and were inspired. We decided to make cupcakes for extended family and deliver them for Valentine's Day. While the kids worked on seat work I baked and baked.

In the late morning we frosted and decorated. We had five dozen cupcakes and made a cream cheese frosting to go on top. Yum!!!

They were so much fun to decorate and tasted even better.

Simple heart tissue paper in plain white gift boxes made for a perfect way to deliver them to the recipients.

My only regret is the distance we live from my parents. We thought of you, Mom and Dad! I hope everyone had the chance to be with a loved one yesterday. Happy Valentine's Day!

Group sports

2011-02-01T09:47:00.000-08:00

I know that organized sports aren't for everyone. We choose to participate in them for several reasons. For one, we homeschool so we are home a lot and we have some really social kids. Kids who went to school for a few years and have some good friendships from that time.

We don't write homeschool on the school line at sign-ups. Not because we distance our kids from homeschoolers but because we want them to be on teams with kids they already have friendships with.

The twins are particularly gifted when it comes to athletic ability. For obvious reasons they feel so different than a lot of kids. Having confidence and being known for their ability when we go to events helps them to feel like they belong.

That comes with challenges, too. We have lots of conversations about humility and where our identity truly lies. Sports shouldn't be the place they find their value. It is a part of them, something they love, but if they didn't have sports they would still be valuable.

The twins were both selected for select traveling teams this year. We have been crazy busy and it has been somewhat challenging. But these two light up and are in their element when they are doing stuff like this. It wouldn't feel right to say to them, "We aren't a sports family, that's too busy," when it has such positive effects. We try to balance it and time and family are important factors to consider. The younger three love to participate in sports or other activities and the twins will be there cheering them on when it's their turn. It's a mixed bag. The older they get, the harder the lessons become. Attitudes, emotional growing pains in addition to dealing with coaches and teammates can be difficult but we value the opportunity to help them navigate those situations when they are young. Each season we weigh the pros and cons and make the decision what to participate in. Everyone knows just because you play this year doesn't mean you will next year. It depends. We always put family first and I may be going out on a limb here, but sometimes the greater good is doing what works best for someone individually. I wouldn't be honest though if I said I wasn't looking forward to an extra curricular activity free summer. But that's just my story and I'm sticking to it.

Motivated Monday - Movie Organization

2011-01-31T14:54:00.000-08:00

Motivated Monday posts seem to have taken over on the old blog. Never fear, I am working on a basketball post about the twins for tomorrow. I am trying to get this house in order and that takes time, people. Speaking of basketball, time is something I am short on these days. So this week's project was movies. Our movies drive me crazy not to mention the fact that storing them drives me even crazier. With Netflix, keeping them on hand is becoming less necessary.

Storing them on one long shelf was proving to be a horrible waste of space. One long row was nice as it let us glance at all of the movies at one time. But you can see in the picture above that it left the front half of the shelf unable to be used.

I got rid of some movies that we no longer watch or the kids have grown out of. Don't worry, hon, your favorites are safe.

I was able to get all of the DVD's into one basket and the VHS tapes went in the other with a little overflow, for now. Once I did that I was able to store all of our tie dye supplies as well as my cards basket on the same shelf.

The kids can still easily grab a basket from the shelf and pick something to watch. Not only does this shelf hold movies but also my cards and other supplies. It is now a much better use of the space if I do say so myself.

Motivated Monday: Menu Planning

2011-01-24T12:17:00.000-08:00

One way I am working on being more organized this year is with meal planning. I have done it over the years but haven't been very consistent. Not only do you save money by doing it but there is less waste and it's easier to eat healthy.

(Corn cheese chowder)

Basketball is in full swing and with two kids on traveling teams (what were we thinking!) meal planning is a must. I start by looking at my calendar to see if there are evenings where we will be gone or need to eat late/early. Those days get skipped or are going to get crockpot meals so we can eat anytime no matter who is coming and going or when. Instead of coming up with a meal for each evening I come up with up to 14 meals for the next two weeks. This gives us freedom to move things around based on time or in the case of forgetting to get something out of the freezer. Does that ever happen to you?

Here is my list of meals for the next two weeks (13 meals):
Broccoli cheese soup and bread
Beans, cornbread and fried potatoes
Cheese tortellini with pesto and salad
Roasted chicken, potatoes and salad
Porketta roast, creamed peas and salad
Tacos
Homemade pizza
Crockpot chicken enchilada dip
Soup and grilled cheese
Corn cheese chowder
Hamburgers and home fries
Grilled chicken salad
Spaghetti, garlic bread and salad

There aren't really any make-ahead meals on this list, something I need to work on for the next 2 week stretch. The more I make ahead of time, the better. Delish!

Cozy happenings

2011-01-21T14:06:00.000-08:00

We have wanted to put a woodstove into this house since we purchased it almost five years ago.

There used to be one in the house before previous owners put a new roof on and removed it.

We have been buying pieces of pipe one paycheck at a time and finally got everything into place this week.

In anticipation of the stove being installed my parents bought us this great tool/wood holder for Christmas. We probably loaded it with more wood than is intended but we were pretty excited.

I can see many cozy nights ahead for us sitting by the fire. The lower energy bills won't hurt either.

So it's Tuesday...

2011-01-18T09:15:00.000-08:00

I intended to have a Motivated Monday post up yesterday but I was actually getting motivated on Monday. This is the area outside the storage room in our garage. Disgraceful I tell ya. This is the area we keep extra homeschool materials, where the kids work on the computer and where we keep our freezer. Over the holidays it became embarrassing with less checking by me to make sure things made it to their proper homes. Then once I did check, well, let's say I just chose to pretend it didn't exist.

We decided to take advantage of the holiday and get things back in order. Nothing fancy, just basic organization. Do you love the beautiful blanket as a curtain? Nothing but the best around here. The kids actually hung that to combat glare on the computer screen.

We removed all of the cardboard from our many Christmas Amazon.com purchases, moved in a stacking shelf organizer from another room and just generally cleaned up. (Just igore the white splatter on the floor, that was from the Great Spraycan Incident of 2010.)

I put my less than enthused to be cleaning 12 year old son on the task of hanging up our chalkboard. We have had it for over a year but have never had it hung before. The kids all love to go out here and draw but now it is much easier to use. He did a great job and I'm pretty sure he was walking a little bit taller when he was done.

All in all I would say this job was a success. It only took a few hours and I can breathe easier. It is nice to get into the freezer out there without kicking things out of the way. Ahhh, the little things.

I love new appliances

2011-01-12T10:13:00.000-08:00

We purchased the protection agreement when we bought our front loader set almost five years ago. With seven people in our house we put more miles on our appliances than the average Joe so it seemed to make sense. Well, technology has come a long ways in five years. We have had our front loading washer serviced 6 times in the last two years so the company replaced ours under our agreement under the "no lemon" clause. The main problem we were having, stuff getting into the water pump, has been resolved with the newer machines.

The new machine arrived last week. Ten percent bigger inside with so many options I am still learning how to use it. But all said and done I love it, really love it. It looks like we are going to need to raise that folding counter frame and my dryer looks a little small now, hmmm...

Motivated Monday - Stockpiling

2011-01-10T09:36:00.000-08:00

Stockpiling is a hot topic right now. There have been some extreme couponers highlighted on TV but that's not the kind of stockpiling I am talking about. I am referring to a 2-3 month stockpile of things we use regularly.

(items on wood shelf total about $25 total after coupons and deals)

I like to have enough of certain items on hand to make a small store. There are several reasons for doing this. Life can be very unpredictable. Having a small stockpile of items that I have spent very little on helps during those times when there are unexpexted expenses or the added expense of the holidays. We just shop more from our small store that month and shift the food budget to more pressing items.

(green beans and tomato sauce from our 2010 garden)

Another reason I love to have my stockpile is for illnesses. When one of us comes down with something the last thing I want to do is pack everyone up to go get supplies. The sick person appreciates this the most. It isn't pictured here but I also have a small stockpile of medicines, the last thing my budget needs is me running out to pay $6 for a fast acting fever reducer for the febrile seizure guy in our house. Not to mention by the time I got to the store it would be too late to give it to him.

In the picture above you can see my toiletry closet. As you can see I don't have a 100 year supply of deoderant. What I do have is enough body wash (almost free), toothpaste (free) and shampoo (virtually free) to last us a couple months. When we are getting low I look for really good deals to fill back in what we have used. Nothing kills a budget more than last minute dashes to the store for an item you have run out of. Not to mention how difficult it is to leave the store with only the item you went for. So, how do I build a stockpile without breaking the bank? I am so glad you asked. The main way I have done this is by making use of the register reward program at Walgreens, at least where toiletries and medicines are concerned. (See below for the websites I use for deals. I don't have the time to figure it all out myself.)

In this picture above I spent just over $10 but saved just over $58. For sure there are some items here that I wouldn't normally buy full price but for this little they are worth putting away. I generally am able to share with people in our extended family if there isn't something we will use. If I don't know someone who can use it then I won't get it. If you are interested in finding our more about saving check out the websites below that I read for seaking out deals. These gals post great deals for families and encourage integrity in couponing as well as debt free living so I recommend them.

I try to use websites that are written in my region. The deal match-ups are more accurate that way. These gals also encourage debt free living and that is very important to me. Purchasing great deals on credit kind of defeats the purpose of a good deal, don't you think? For more information on how to use coupons, find great deals and how to use register rewards at Walgreens:

http://thecouponproject.com/

http://www.frugallivingnw.com/

http://moneysavingmom.com/

2011 - Getting it done and Motivated Monday.

2011-01-03T09:32:00.000-08:00

The last couple of years, in one way or another, have had us functioning a bit in crisis mode. I think it is safe to say that I was not sad to say goodbye to 2010. We have some goals set for 2011 and I for one am really excited to devote some time to getting organized and meeting those goals. We are entering into a new season and will be opening up our home a lot more this year. I do not want to spend more time than necessary getting it ready every week.

Our garage has always been a pit of leftover items that we have no idea what to do with as well as boxes of things that need to be sorted. This past year we were able to get rid of most of the boxes making room for actual organization. Yay us!

I plan to have a weekly posts detailing different projects. I am hoping it will keep me motivated as well as give some ideas for inexpensive ways to keep track of what you have. Also, I plan to share pictures of my stockpiling and why I coupon. Thus Motivated Monday was born. Is that catchy?

Have you seen the show Hoarders? Oh my does that ever make me want to get rid of everything! So stay tuned for more posts of us getting our house in order.

A great gift

2010-12-29T10:20:00.000-08:00

We had a great time with my extended family the day after Christmas. When we got home Lij decided he wanted me to take a picture of him with his gifts from Grandma and Grandpa.

He loves his new blanket and Galaxy set.

This momma loves it, too. It is geared for a little bit older than he is and that means some assistance from his older siblings is required.

In the last three days this set has provided hours of putting together, following written instructions and problem solving. Fantastic!!!

Tis the Season...

2010-12-22T11:49:00.000-08:00

...to be busy. At least that is what it is this year for us. Crazy busy but a lot of fun things have been happening. My mom and dad now have matching degress from George Fox University as of last Saturday. We are all so proud of both of them.

(My dad and I)

My brother who is living with us made the varsity basketball team here in town. Here he is dressed up for a home game while he was waiting for OSAA approval for the disctrict transfer.

Our washing machine has been really loud for awhile so we decided we had better get it serviced before it quit on us. This is the pile of the concrete the technician found underneath. We are pretty sure this is not normal. Apparantly there are concrete weights that balance the drum and ours broke. The repair man said he has never seen one this bad. Yay us, over achievers that we are.

My husband's family decided to give my mother-in-law a mini home make-over for Christmas and her birthday. She has new carpet, new tile in the entry and under the woodstove, windows and paint. It has been a whirwind the last two weeks but the house looks great. Steve laid the tile and I am so impressed!!! He is so talented and it really adds a lot to the new look, don't you think?

Winds of change

2010-12-07T09:48:00.000-08:00

There are lots changes happening in our house. You may notice this guy making an appearance in my pictures. This is my brother. Born in Africa and then again conceived in my mother's heart when he was three years old.

The reasons he has chosen to live with us is his story, one I hope that he shares someday.

Matters of the heart can be like that.

Private healing for now, a testimony later.

In the meantime we will enjoy getting to know him in a way we never have before.

And that works for me.

Big man little man

2010-12-06T20:11:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you need your things around you

2010-12-02T07:49:00.000-08:00

She says she feels safe when she has all of her stuffed animals around her. This is just a sampling of the things we find tucked in with her when she is sleeping.

There have been plastic stools, flashlights, spatulas, you name it, we have probably found it in bed with her. I do love that the doll has her purse around her arm. One must always be prepared for shopping at any given moment, even while resting.

It's a hard knock life

2010-11-30T09:44:00.000-08:00

I went to take a shower first thing this morning. This is what I returned to find.

One child doing her schoolwork and two doing her bidding. It looks like the other two were wise to sleep in. (For the record, the youngest two were having a great time. :-) )

A rare moment

2010-11-18T17:33:00.000-08:00

It doesn't happen very often that I am caught in front of the camera. I enjoy documenting get togethers and special moments and truth be told I am more comfortable behind the camera.

But as you can see on the right side of the photo my camera was out of my hands and something much more precious had taken its place. Thanks to one of my sisters for catching this moment!

Mostly Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

Do you think he was cold?

Discoveries of the Day

2010-11-09T13:01:00.000-08:00

I am participating with Storing Up Treasures today with her Discoveries of the Day. It's really more from the last while but I agree with Courtney that Discoveries of the Day has a better ring to it. Here we go...the last while I...

Discovered a brand of cookies that only has 6 grams of sugar each so I can have one.
Discovered that it is difficult to have just one of said cookies.
Discovered a love for design blogs.
Discovered I should limit my time on design blogs to keep a lid on all of the coveting.
Discovered that when people are unhappy with me it very often has very little to actually do with me.
Discovered that I would like to own a Kindle.
Discovered I spend too much time on the computer. (Well, really more of a last few months kind of thing but coming to terms with it recently. Wink. )
Discovered that I can have half of an Almond Joy.
Discovered that I think about chocolate too often.
Discovered that though I miss the chubby cheeks of my kids being little that I also am really enjoying getting to know them as they grow up.
Discovered that I actually won't miss out on anything if I shut everything down and go to sleep at a reasonable hour.
Discovered that my husband loves museums. Who knew?
Discovered that I would not make a good sisterwife. I do not share well with others. (Ok, not a new discovery, more of an acknowledgement really. And for the record I do like to share, just not my husband, thankyouverymuch.)
Discovered that even though I think I can't love my kids and husband more, they and my heart surprise me and I actually do more every day.

So much for a great deal

2010-11-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

We purchased this great patio set on Craig's List for $120 brand new in the box three years ago. It was a $700 set so I was thrilled. Each of the last two years, come October 1st, I have removed the chair pads, stacked the chairs and placed the table in a location that would be safe from the branches that fall in the cooler months.

Sadly, I ignored the storm report that came out last week for the weekend and this is what we opened the curtains to this past Monday.

Sad, sad, sad.

Leaf Season

2010-11-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

The very thing that drew us to this neighborhood is the very thing that may drive us to move some day.

The trees are a gorgeous canopy in the spring and a mess in the fall.

We are in the fourth week of leaf blowing and we have at least four weeks to go.

All of us neighbors work together to put the pile in the middle of the cul-de-sac. It makes for hours of fun for the kids and keeps the mess to a minimum until the city picks them up in December.

A house full of readers

2010-10-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

We are now officially a house full of readers. I have read to and worked with all of my kids since they all joined our family. Then as each one reached school age I handed over the reigns to the schools to finish the job of teaching our children to read. Our youngest is the first one that I have actually taught to read. He is just beginning his reading journey but it is pretty satisfying to see him sounding out words knowing that I helped him learn that skill. He was proud to show off his new skill to Daddy the other night before bed. Also, during free time, he has started making lists of things in his little notebook sounding out the letters. Things like trcee for turkey and Dnl for his Uncle Daniel. Pretty fabulous if you ask me.

Playoffs

2010-10-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

I am really proud of this kid. It's his fifth year of football and he loves it. He works hard and he's good at it. The team is 6-1 for the season and they are headed into playoffs this weekend. Last year they weren't able to win one single game so this year's hard work has paid off.

He had a personal record a couple weeks ago scoring four touchdowns and rushing for more than 220 yards. The icing on the cake was that Grandpa and Grandma got to be there to see it. He is very strong, so much so that often when he is tackled he drags the defenders with him for another few yards. I'm not just saying that because he is my son, other parents tell me it really is amazing to watch. (I tend to agree partial as I may be.) The season is almost over and to be honest I am ready to be less busy. I would be remiss, however, if I didn't say that I would miss watching this guy play every weekend.

Precious in His sight

2010-10-22T11:28:00.000-07:00

Trading ashes for beauty

2010-10-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

For me autumn always seems to usher introspection in with the colors. I felt the shift a few weeks ago. Everything around me takes on deeper meaning, highs are higher and lows lower. At times I welcome the depth of emotion and stay there awhile. Other times I avoid books, blogs and passages of scripture that challenge my core knowing it will go to a place I am fiercely protecting. I deny the journey for a moment convinced I will drown in the darkness.

It was a cold and brisk fall day when I went into labor much too early with our first daughter. The colors were changing and Steve was woodcutting with family. The smells and colors of fall bring it all back in an instant. I'll turn the corner on a country road and the autumnal display of reds and yellows will make me catch my breath as the reminder brings it all rushing back. The smell of a warming fire or the sound of crisp leaves under my feet is all it takes.

It was the following fall when we welcomed our second daughter into this world, this child we would take home to keep. I spent the nine months fighting grief refusing this child I carried to know only a crying mother. Her arrival, however, opened my heart to joy once again but also to the grief of my loss that snuck in the same door. A joy we desperately clung to, this child of grace who brought healing to our hearts. Unaware her joy and grace were a salve to our wounds, a sling for our hearts and a safe place to let go.

It was that same fall it became clear to both of us that God had plans for us still. Plans for us to prosper, for a hope, for a future. Our little family of three would not be the same. Our little girl was just five weeks old when we made the decision to accept the call on our hearts to open our family to two little children across the ocean. The prayer of my mother's heart she prayed on our wedding day coming to fruition that we would be blessed with children and a blessing to children. Life is a gift we said, one we have now with no guarantee of tomorrow. Now is the time.

It was again fall the next year when those little round faces joined our family making us a family of five. Three more years and two more little faces born to us, now a family of seven. Each change of the seasons bringing more and more life as the grief slowly faded.

Watching the colors change this year I am once again reminded of my grief. Once again I feel it washing over me but it does not overtake. When I catch my breath and look around my table, I see the blessings of my children that are my beauty from the ashes.

Works for me Wednesday: Organizing our school

2010-10-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

I decided to take a different approach for the kids this year. With two sixth graders in the house this year, I wanted to start teaching some organization as well as the basics. I picked up these binders at a back to school sale and they were just $.75 each.

I bought a variety of stickers trying to hit on an area of interest for each of my kids. They look a little strange in the picture below but those are dinosaur eggs.

Inside the binders vary slightly for each one but some things are the same such as an assignment page, journal, beginning/end of year statistics sheet and book lists.

Organizing this way does several things. The most important one for all of us is that it allows the readers in our little school to start without me. They can look at their assignment sheet and start on their independent work while I work with youngers on their handwriting and math.

I can slip worksheets in for each day if needed and the younger two have weather graphs that they are working on in the front of the binder. Every day they get their binder out and it's the first thing they see.

We are more than a month in and it is still working!

Soup Season

2010-10-05T13:11:00.001-07:00

Just about the time we end birthday season around here (five kids in seven weeks), we round the corner into soup season. The leaves are starting to fall, too early in my opinion, and we get the call that our half of a beef is ready at the butcher.

I pulled out a gem of a recipe book last week, the absolute best engagement gift ever. My grandmother put together a list of family favorites and hand copied all of the recipes into a book for me. I have used it over and over the last thirteen years. It was a rainy day and I was looking for something warm and easy for lunch but more special than the standard grilled cheese. I came across one of my favorites that she makes, Corn Chowder. It was perfect for a mid-week lunch. It's easy to make and is fast, too.

Corn Chowder (serves 5 well but I like to double it for my 7 and have a few servings leftover)
Cost per serving: $1- $1.50

Ingredients:

1/2lb bacon, diced 3 1/2 - 4 cups potatoes diced up

1/2 cup chopped onion 1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped celery 1/8 tsp pepper

2 Tblsp flour snipped parsley (optional)

4 cups milk paprika (optional)

2 cans creamed corn shredded cheese (optional)

In a large saucepan fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon(set aside) and all but 3 tblsp of drippings from the pan. Add onion, celery and potatoes to drippings and cook until the onion and celery are tender. The potatoes will finish as you go. Remove pan from heat and add flour. Blend flour in and add milk. Heat to boiling and boil for one minute. Stir in corn and seasoning. Heat through. Stir in bacon. Serve and garnish each bowl with snipped parsley and paprika or shredded cheese.

This soup is so good with a dense bread or baguette. Let me know if you try it. Enjoy!!!

On my mind

2010-09-23T09:09:00.000-07:00

Random train of thought when I should be sleeping. I hope you can stand the craziness.

What's with the weather this year? Only 8 quarts of pickles instead of 75. Tomatoes are coming off so slow. There was enough going on that less canning was welcome, though. God knows.

The beef is at the butcher. Soups and steaks and roasts. I love soup in the winter. Pumpkin soup in Haiti. Mmm, wish I could make it like they do.

Now I'm hungry.

Breakfast. What I am going to make for breakfast? I am tired of coming up with breakfast foods. Time to meal plan those too I suppose.

I cannot wait for the twins to get their birthday presents this year. Fits them perfectly and they will be thrilled.

Oldest didn't think her and I had anything in common. Thought I hated shopping and shoes. How did she misinterpret not being able to afford it with not liking to do it? Love how her dad set her straight pointing out how alike we are and how she has been relating to me since. She is going to love her birthday this year.

Second oldest is dealing with some heartbreak. So grateful he has his dad to lament with and relate to.

Youngest three still think I walk on water.

Love how capable my hub is and how the family room looks now. My inner Mallory can rest.

For now.

I love brown and white with shades of blue. Living room maybe?

No rest for the decorated weary.

Whatever happened to the chocolate Special K?

Now I'm hungry again.

Book Review: Your Money God's Way

2010-09-20T20:06:00.000-07:00

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book "Your Money God's Way" written by Amie Streater. I was skeptical to read another book about money. We are Dave Ramsey fans and have learned a lot the past year about the way we handle or mishandle money. We are enjoying the discipline of the envelope method and have been eliminating debt which feels so good. We have a plan that is working and I wasn't sure I would take much more away from another book on the same topic. However, when I saw that the book is endorsed by Dave Ramsey my interest was piqued.

Amie doesn't mince words and says it like it is. Her advice is biblical and quite frankly is a kick in the pants where needed. I was impressed with her straight forward approach and the book answered some questions I wasn't even aware that I had. She takes what she calls counterfeit convictions and replaces them with timeless truths explaining mistakes that Christians make every day concerning money.

She explores topics such as spending habits, loaning to family members and friends, viewing God as an ATM, Scarlett Syndrome and so much more. I enjoyed this read and highly recommend this book whether you are doing well at managing money, need a refresher or just plain want/need good biblical advice regarding money.

Booksneeze sent this book to me for my review. The opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way other than the book that I received to read.

Proof

2010-09-15T12:59:00.001-07:00

This picture is for me. I need to have it documented. Yes, that is one lone towel in the bottom of the basket. Though I get close, laundry never really is done around here.

Why I iron my husband's clothes

2010-09-14T07:55:00.000-07:00

Confession time. My husband loves ironed clothing for work. I hate to iron. Ok, maybe hate is a bit too strong of a word. I don't enjoy it, however. My feelings aside, though, it is a necessary evil in our house since the hubster needs to dress in business attire for work. However, he has never asked me to iron for him. In fact, he has actually said that if he wants something ironed he can "do it his own dang self." The laundry is on my list of responsibilities but the extra step of ironing has not been an expectation that Steve has of me. I appreciate that he recognizes and gives room for my aversions.

It is hard for me, though, to hang up wrinkly dress shirts and pants in the closet knowing he will have to iron when he is tired before bed or would have to get up extra early to do it. My solution? Buy wrinkle resistant business clothing and circle the laundry room like a vulture over fresh meat waiting for the dryer to buzz. I have been known to hurdle toys and other laundry to get to the dryer so I can yank those babies right out and get them on a hanger before they wrinkle. Did I mention that I don't enjoy ironing?

If I am being honest I do have to admit that you really can tell the difference between an ironed shirt and one just out of the dryer. Recently it became important to me to go a step farther, go the extra mile, if you will. Steve works very hard, gets up early with no complaint, deals with my night owl tendencies and more importantly values the call on my life to be stay at home wife and mom. I realize these days that being able to stay home with my kids is a luxury, that it's not always possible for those who would like to do the same. While we have made zillions of sacrifices and it is hard, hard, hard, I still wouldn't trade it for any other job.

Each week, I get his wrinkled shirts and pants out of the dryer and I iron them. I pray for him and his co-workers and I thank God that I have a husband that values the call on my life as much and sometimes more than I do. And you know what? When a less than desirable chore is done as an act of love and gratefulness, it takes on meaning and purpose and can actually be enjoyable. And if I do it while watching my Seattle Seahawks mow down their opponent on a Sunday afternoon, well that's just gravy.

It's time

2010-09-07T07:06:00.001-07:00

Time to finish up the canning.

Time to crack open the books.

Time to slow down on outside activities.

Time to open our minds.

Time to learn.

Time to buckle down.

Time to build character.

Time to make memories.

Sweet reminder

2010-08-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

I have long wanted something subtle to honor our first daughter that we were blessed to parent for a short ten days almost eleven years ago. Kelli from Rie's Dialogues had a Vintage Pearl giveaway recently and I won a gift certificate. I have been a fan of The Vintage Pearl but had never taken the plunge and ordered something.

When I found this necklace that could have an O engraved on it I knew it was exactly what I had been looking for all of these years. Now I can carry a little piece of Olivia Margaret with me. Margaret is the name of both of our mothers and means precious pearl. So many perfect details in my sweet reminder.

A family affair

2010-08-26T08:52:00.000-07:00

We were gifted three boxes of apples from my great-uncle. They were the best apples I have seen in long time.

We decided to try some pie filling first and made 6 pints.

It looks so pretty in the jars.

We then moved on to applesauce. My kids like it so we thought it would be worth having it on the shelves.

We all chipped in and the process went really fast.

With all of our help, not to mention the awesome motorized victorio strainer, we made lots of beautiful applesauce.

21 quarts and 7 pints to be exact. The kids are devouring it. I knew they liked it but it would seem that they like homemade even better.

Date night

2010-08-17T13:10:00.000-07:00

We love date night. They don't happen very often though it is more often then when the kids were younger. We have made a point this year to increase the frequency from our anniversary and birthdays to once every month or so. I know a lot of people say you should do it once per week but that just isn't practical for us right now.

Yesterday was a very challenging day for both Steve and I on many fronts. By five o'clock we had both had it. We were tired, frustrated with circumstances we have no control over and both needed some time out.

Steve had an idea. The kids were happy and were going to watch two shows they have been waiting for. Each an hour long. We made an easy dinner of nachos for everyone and let the kids picnic in the family room. We took our dinner and went upstairs to the office and watched the news and channel surfed for a bit. I suggested that in a bit we go for a swim. Steve was game so we changed and came downstairs. The kids looked at us like we were a bit off our rockers, going swimming without them? We told them they could finish watching their shows and we would be in the pool if they needed us and out we went. We each took jousting floatables that we have and reclined on them. Hands intertwined we floated for about 45 minutes or so. Sometimes chatting, sometimes enjoying the silence with the gurgle of the pool filter in the background that when our eyes were closed sounded like a small waterfall. At one point I asked why we hadn't thought of this before. Steve laughed and said he has no idea. Around bedtime we came in and ushered the kids off to bed. I was so relaxed that I went to sleep much earlier than normal. I'm pretty sure we started something new and I think I just felt my brain take a breather.

August is getting away from me

2010-08-16T08:43:00.000-07:00

I hope you are ready for some random catching up that may or may not bore you to tears. We are already half way through the month of August and I am feeling behind. We start school in a few weeks and we are just hitting the canning season. I am feel like I am floundering a bit. I still have some curriculum to purchase and a lot of organizing to do. Our house guest that had been living with us for well over a year moved last week and so now there is more shuffling to do to get things in order. But it's one of those things where in order to organize this you have to move that, but to move that you need to move around those things. It's a snowball effect that I am having a hard time even starting to attempt. I know that when I do it I will be so relieved but the getting started is killing me.

We celebrated our youngest daughter turning eight over the weekend. Eight!!! No more booster seat for her in the vehicles much to delight of siblings who like a little more room next to them in the car. Speaking of vehicles...

We took the plunge and finally traded in the van. All I can say about that is a hearty hallelujah! My husband once again enjoys driving aka I get a bit of a break. The van made him hurt in so many ways, even to ride. I love to drive and completely understood the need for me to do the driving. It has been 3 years of driving all the time and the last week it has been fun to sit and just look at landscape while we travel. We got a newer extended Trailblazer and we couldn't be happier. Once again we have leather seats and as the mother of five I think some of you can relate to the ease of cleaning leather vs cloth.

There are circumstances going on with people around us that are weighing heavy on me. Sigh.

On the upside, the weather is gorgeous and that makes my husband happy which makes me happy. I am a 70's, low 80's person but the hotter it is outside, the happier Steve is. Yay for lots of pool time in the backyard!

If you are still reading this incredibly engaging post, congratulations. Give yourself a pat on the back. You stuck it out and I appreciate it. :-)

Campout 2010

2010-08-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

Steve and I decided to host a campout for all of the kid cousins (all 19 of them) on his side of the family this last weekend. We chose his mom's back field as the location making it convenient if anyone needed to run home for something or if a child needed to be taken home in the middle of the night. In hindsight we took on more than we should have but we learned a lot and a good time was had by all.

As kids arrived, set up tents and settled we started off the evening with tie dye. Each of them were given a shirt and some designs to choose from. They then chose their colors. It was so fun to see them all together drying on the clothesline Saturday evening.

Each shirt was as unique as the person wearing it.

There were campfires both mornings and evenings with lots of old stories being told by uncles and aunts. A lot of memories were made and new stories will be told for years to come. We also had a water balloon fight that I will post pictures of later.

This guy was the driving force for all of the plans. He came up with the ideas and made some fantastic breakfast food. Some of the kids have asked us to do it again next year and we are considering that. I think we need to nap first. For a week.

For now, we are having fun looking at the pictures of the smiling faces enjoying their extended family. That's what it all about anyway.

It never gets old

2010-07-28T09:09:00.000-07:00

Every year I am amazed. We plant the seed, water, weed and wait.

The plants and greens grow every so slowly but surely.

And when it comes to harvest each year I am no less amazed. The meals that include produce from our own garden simply amaze me. I feel so grateful and blessed to be able to eat something so good for us that we had a hand in.

All by himself

2010-07-27T11:10:00.001-07:00

He planted the seeds...

watered the plants...

weeded a little...

watched and waited...

and pulled them up all by himself. He couldn't be prouder.

Sweet peas

2010-07-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like fresh garden peas. Straight from the pods into the steamer for just a few minutes and then placed in a warm bowl with a couple dollups of butter.

We don't buy them canned or frozen unless they are going into some sort of casserole where they are covered in something else. They aren't even the same thing. When canned or frozen the texture morphs the peas into something not even resembling the same vegetable.

On the last night of VBS Steve and I went over to where we had already pulled up the pea plants and found a few pods we had missed. We opened them and put the few remaining peas onto the kitchen counter. When the kids got home our oldest daughter immediately spotted the peas and with shocked disappointment she asked, "You guys had fresh peas without us?!" Her dad told her that no we hadn't had any while they were gone. Her response was a slightly disgusted question, "Then who's stash is this?"

Should we be worried? :-)

Brothers

2010-07-14T20:56:00.001-07:00

I always wanted a big brother. I love my two sisters very much but there was something about a big brother that I longed for.

When I was twenty-one my first brother came from Africa. He was three years old and was ring bearer at our wedding four months later.

Then the second came when I was pregnant with our second daughter. He was six.

They are now seventeen and sixteen and heading into their senior year in high school.

I love them as if they have been there my whole life.

I love them as if we share blood.

And I make them smile when I call them my "big" little brothers. I really love that.

A walk down memory lane

2010-07-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

13 years ago this past February Steve and I were in this very spot on this very bench when he proposed to me. My family and I were on vacation and Steve was at a funeral in California for a long time pastor friend of his family. Having planned the proposal for some time and not wanting to miss out on his plans he drove all night to come out to join our family for a few days and to propose. My parents had the skinny but I was kept in the dark. I really had no idea.

This place is absolutely gorgeous and has a spectacular view of the mountains and ocean. Later he told me that he felt like it was the perfect place because I was a lover of the woods and he of the ocean.

Calling this place a romantic spot is an understatement.

We explored the area letting the kids look over the cliffs and enjoy the view looking out for miles over the ocean. We also told once again the story of the Japanese tourists that were standing in this very spot in the picture above when Steve proposed. They had just come around the corner as Steve got down on one knee and they went crazy. They were laughing and taking pictures like they were the paparazzi. I was dying laughing trying to say yes. So much so that Steve thought that I was just laughing and hadn't answered him yet. I reassured him that my answer was yes but all I could do was laugh watching all of these cameras clicking away listening to them talk in their language having no idea what they were saying. I bet somewhere in Japan we are in a few vacation books. Ha!

There are a few trails through this spot on the coast. It is easy walking making it a great trek for the kids and the view is worth every step.

When we came back around Steve asked a passer-by if she would be willing to take a picture of our family at the same bench that started it all 13 years ago. A lot can happen in 13 years. Look at that family! That young couple had no idea what was in store for them but that same couple 13 years later wouldn't change a thing.

Coast Extravaganza

2010-07-06T10:15:00.001-07:00

I have been quiet here on the blog because we are on vacation. We are at the coast for nine days and are having a blast. The weather has been better than any other trip we have taken here. Every day has been gorgeous and picture worthy.

The kids have been spending countless hours exploring and playing on the beach as well as up the river that feeds into the ocean where are staying.

The tide doesn't come in as far this time of year making lots of tidepools for looking at ocean life.

My parents came for the first part of vacation over the 4th of July weekend. My kids love spending time with them and Steve and I enjoy chatting with them late into the evening.

A game of memory is always more fun with Grandma.

We all said at the dinner table last night that the highlight of the trip so far has been the fireworks at the beach. The house we stay at is right on the bay. People build fires and set up camp for the evening to enjoy the festivities. Once it gets completely dark the city sets off fireworks over the ocean and it's a spectacular way to end the night.

It's that time of year again.

2010-06-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

I love hanging clothing out on the line. I know to some it seems primitive or time consuming. For me, however, it is very relaxing. Aside from the garden, most of the work I do at home is indoors. Doing the slow and methodical job of hanging out the clothes outside is therapeutic somehow.

I pray, think and plan, decompress or sort things out. Add to that the benefit of money saved and less wear on the clothing and linens and you have worthwhile summer chore. I can do this for only 3-4 months a year where we live and I look forward to it every year. I suppose it might lose it's luster if I could do it all year round. But this way, it is something different from the norm, something simple and something very enjoyable.

I run out of clothespins by the time I get to the socks so the deck works just as well. I do go out and flip them to dry the other side at some point. You would think there wouldn't be so many socks to wash in the summer but we are in the Pacific Northwest and with seven people, well, you do the math. That's a lot of socks no matter what time of year it is.

I love those greens!

2010-06-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

It took two tries and four bags of new soil but our salad garden is finally growing!

We have several kinds of greens including lettuces, spinach and cilantro along with green onions and radishes. Yum!

The strawberry patch is doing well also. The berries are large and sweet.

I love this time of year and I'm hoping heaven will have gardens and temps in the 70's. :-)

Today I...

2010-06-13T21:34:00.000-07:00

sat in the garden in the sun and weeded for over an hour.

listened to the water from the soaker hose hit the tomato tent and pretended it was the roar of the ocean.

watched my kids play in the pool.

sat with my guy while we visited and laughed.

re-planted most of all our green and red peppers.

did laundry. (Dirty clothes don't recognize Sundays as a day off.)

prayed about some hard stuff.

ran errands with my oldest girl and had a great time enjoying the person she is becoming.

missed my oldest son who was having a great time with his aunt and uncle.

got to see one of my sisters.

missed my oldest daughter who left to spend time with her cousin.

worked on plans for a party.

got two spontaneous hugs from my middle girl because she just felt like it.

told my husband how much it means to me that he appreciates and gives me the freedom to be who I am.

made pico de gallo and guacamole for the first of what will be about a gazillion times this summer.

ordered a new camera.

got a sunburn.

read two books and sang a lullaby to my two youngest before I sent them off to bed.

thanked God for the place he has me right now.

Today I enjoyed my life.

The sun is coming!

2010-06-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

Several weathermen have predicted at least ten days of either sun or partial sun.

I'm trying not to get too excited just in case but I know there are a lot of people in my life that could use a good dose of Vitamin D. I'm off to check our lettuce and tomatoes and radishes and dill and cucumbers and potatoes and, well, you get the idea. Anything that is not inside. Have a good weekend, friends!

Stream of consciousness

2010-06-09T13:43:00.000-07:00

I am borrowing the title of this post from other bloggers. It seems to be appropriate for this post. I have been a bad blogger the last week. Our summer has had an interesting start and we have yet to hit our stride. I have been spending days gardening, working on couponing deals and getting organized. We are hosting a Thrill of the Grill House Party for Oscar Mayer, a larger family garage sale and are getting ready for upcoming vacation. Life is good but busy!!!!!!

Closets are being cleaned out, hot spots de-cluttered and the back yard is getting whipped back into shape. Steve and the kids have been working this week on cleaning out and setting up our pool for the summer. Rumor has it summer is on it's way but I am a tad skeptical at this point. I do love that the pool is ready to go should it really come.

It would seem that I owe an apology to our local bird population. It was suspected that birds were eating up our garden when in reality we have a snail and slug infestation like nothing I have ever seen. All along our northern property line across the fence is a field of ivy. Slugs in particular love ivy. Yay us. They ate all 16 of my pickling cucumber plants and 14 out of 18 pepper plants. They also ate just about every green bean plant that came up. I couldn't believe it. We have never had a problem before. We tried some organic options but in the end had to settle with slug bait. Almost three dozen slugs and one HUGE snail later we seem to have the problem under control. I have begun re-planting and so far, so good. Now if only the sun could come every now and then and we would be golden.

Our kids finished up their first round of homeschool testing for the state since we started home educating. I am relieved to report that they are learning, thriving even. All of you teachers out there understand when I say you never know how much they are retaining. You hope for it but the proof is in the pudding. Even two of mine who struggled big time with math when they came home both scored above grade level in that subject. What a relief!

Already I feel that summer break is getting away from me. I am trying to find a way to slow down and enjoy the season.The rest of the year I am focused on schooling, feeding and cleaning. During the summer its feeding, buying school supplies and gardening for food. As busy and hard work as it is I still love it. It can be frustrating, mind numbing and hard but it is also enjoyable and rewarding and I cannot imagine having it any other way.

On that note I think the dishwasher needs to be run. Happy Wednesday!

Remembering

2010-05-31T17:51:00.001-07:00

Today we went to the cemetery where my daughter and father-in-law are buried. It was decked out with flags along the perimeter and roadways. The cemetery is normally cleaned up and mowed the week before but the flags were a new and beautiful tribute this year.

This cemetery is outside of a little town we used to live in when our daughter was born. When Steve's dad passed away it made sense to the family that he would be buried next to her. A fact that comforted me when we moved from that little town. I know she's not really there but there was a part of me that felt like I was deserting her when we re-located.

It is so pretty up in the cemetery on the hill and the view is breath-taking in almost every direction.

We placed flowers and admired the flags that were placed next to each head stone of someone who had served in the military. Steve's dad served in the Korean War and had one of those flags. Someone had been there before us, presumably from the family, and added some flowers to our little girl's place as well as several small flags in front of Steve's dad's stone.

May we never forget.

Happy Birthday to You!

2010-05-31T09:55:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Steve's birthday this last week.

I had a lot of fun working on some little surprises with the kids.

The kids decorated with streamers, chains and snowflakes. Not sure why the snowflakes other than they knew how to make them, but it worked.

I made one of his favorite cakes for dessert. White cake with whipped cream frosting and strawberries.

I think it's safe to say he really liked the cake.

I think we had as much fun celebrating him as he did enjoying his birthday. Happy Birthday, hon!

The calendar says it is spring...

2010-05-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

...but the weather is looking otherwise. We got our garden in and now it is so saturated I can barely walk in it.

Since we can't be in the garden we have found plenty of other projects to keep ourselves busy.

Like splitting a huge pile of bark into two piles. We went in with our neighbors to order enough to avoid paying for delivery.

It's so nice having good friendly neighbors to do things like this with. We are grateful for such great neighbors in our neck of the woods.

Heart for Adoption

2010-05-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

Do you have a heart for adoption? Are you looking for a way to care for the orphan? There are so many ways to do that other than the obvious of having adopted children in your home. Things such as walking along side another family emotionally, taking in meals in those first few tender months, committing to praying for adoptive families, giving respite to weary parents giving lots with little in return in those first days and sometimes for years, giving financially and the list goes on. Storing Up Treasures is doing something called 10K in 20 Days. They have selected 26 families working towards giving children families to call their own. You can donate a little or more than a little. It doesn't matter. Anything to get those kids in loving families helps. Someone came forward and paid 3/5 of our adoption nearly ten years ago. Those two kids have added so much to our lives so we are asking any of you who read this small blog if you are so led to go over to their blog and donate to this cause. Adoption is near and dear to my heart and I love to pay it forward in this way. Would you help us do that? Go to this page for more information.

Birds

2010-05-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

I have always really enjoyed having birds around. I love hearing them sing and watching them build their nests. Well, today they are wearing out their welcome. All of my lettuce that was coming up is gone as well as half of my cucumber plants and a few peppers. I have been able to turn over some planting containers over the remaining small plants until they get bigger to protect them but we are still working on a solution for the salad garden. Ugh. So annoying.

And so it begins...the four W's.

2010-05-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

Watering, weeding, watching and waiting. I'll take you on a little tour of the food growing on our property from east to west. Our house faces the south. The back of the house faces north.

That's the salad raised bed above on the north/eastern side behind the house. It has radishes, spinach, lettuce greens, cilantro and green onions in it.

Moving west along the northern fence we have the strawberry bed that is looking very good this year. It is starting to fill in and each plant is loaded with blooms and berries. I can almost smell the jam.

Here on the western side of the property lies the main family garden. It is about 20' X 25'. Each of the kids have their own small plot. These three squares above are the plots for the youngest three in our family.

There are the tomatoes under their green house tent. First we lay down black plastic, then cut holes and plant the tomatoes. Next we place tomato cages over each plant and lay down a long soaker hose. We then cover it with a semi-transparent plastic and clothes pin it at the tops and bottoms of the cages. Our tomatoes will get a fantastic head start this way. You can see pictures step by step from a previous year here.

I took the picture above from the garden bench Steve built me last year on the side of the garden shed. It's a great vantage point to sit in the shade and watch my garden grow. Behind the tomato tent lies the two older kids' garden areas. They are older and have a little bigger area to work with than the younger ones. On the right side behind the tent is a small area for dill, rasberries and broccoli plants. The potato bed is on the western side of the garden running north to south. In front of the tomatoes you can see the two double rows of green beans. (Well you really can't see the beans yet but you can see the area.) Just south of the green beans are the two beds of carrots and to the right of that is the pepper bed. We have 18 pepper plants this year. Last year we had 8 and we had just enough for salsa and a little eating. We also love to make shish-ka-bobs and stir fry so decided to increase how many plants we have. Finally we have the cucumber mounds in the south end of the garden that run west to east. We hope to have 16 plants again this year to make all of the pickles from. You may notice the walk-ways between the veggies areas. They are just the right size for a small narrow tiller we have access to. We will use it every few weeks to till between the rows keeping the garden looking neat. There is something so nice about an attractive garden free of weeds. I am quite happy to have all of our plants in this early. Now on to the watering, weeding, watching and waiting. I love it!

This man

2010-05-11T12:46:00.000-07:00

This man...

...(while I was out grocery shopping and unaware) got all of the laundry caught up before he went on a business trip last week.

...helped me plant my salad garden, potatoes and Mother's Day flowers when he got back from said business trip.

...made me breakfast and lunch on Mother's Day.

...gives all that he has at work even when he doesn't feel like it.

...listens to me ramble on about nothing.

...isn't afraid to do "women's work" and in the process makes himself look like a real man.

...lives out the definition of team work in our marriage.

...shows the kids on a daily basis what a good husband looks like.

...in light of tight finances helped me plant flowers from seed for the yard this year.

...comes home after a long day and makes dinner when it looks like my day might have been just as long.

...loves me like no one else could.

And this woman is grateful.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T15:25:00.000-07:00

Wishing all of you mothers and those wishing to be mothers time with your loved ones today.

I will be hanging out with my blessings in the backyard today.

Happy Mother's Day!

Fruit and my kids

2010-05-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

It's really hard for me to keep fruit in the house around here. It is a great snack and the kids love it. Five kids eating fruit twice a day = 10 pieces of fruit per day. Of course, then Steve and I eat some as well. Being busy daily means I don't have time to run to the store all the time as well as the expense in the winter time means less fruit buying that time of year. About five years ago we came up with solution of canning fruit in the summer when it's fresh and less expensive.

Canning the fruit is really quite simple. Normally I don't can pears until summer but our local fruit guy got a shipment in and at $.37/lb who was I to argue?

The clincher for me was that doing it now means I won't need to do it while I am in the middle of green beans and pickling cucs.

We are often given pears that time of year and if we are I will still can them then. But this way, the pressure is off. Three hours with my two oldest and we put up 28 quarts of pears. I will still can some this summer if we get them but I won't feel like I need to process every last one for later. I have a head start!

Parenting is hard

2010-05-04T20:57:00.000-07:00

Can I be honest? Even when I know the right thing to do parenting is still hard. Allowing my kids to experience things they need to really bites. Sometimes I want to swoop in and take the hit but that's not always what is best. I can't be God in their lives; I can only point the way. (That may or may not include uncomfortable circumstances. For instance, I now have a very clean back deck.)

Just today I explained to two of my children that I can bring discipline but the change of heart is up to them. What they choose to learn from the discipline isn't up to me. I know what I would like them to take away from the lesson but in the end it's they who have to either accept or reject my correction.

Having a teachable spirit is easier said than done, even for us adults. One minute I am explaining the concept and the next I am living it out. Or not. Ouch.

Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. (Yikes!)Proverbs 12:1

How do you teach all five kids?

2010-05-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

I get this question from time to time. It really can be a challenge at times but there are some things that work for me. For instance, I have two fifth graders and a fourth grader. I am able to teach them some subjects like science and history together making my job easier. I am even able to include my second grader in some of those activities.

I try to use my children's strengths when schooling. One example is that my second grader is a little mother. She was born believing that she has the answers. Wink, wink. This personality can be a challenge sometimes and there are occasions where I have to remind her that only one mother is needed in our house. On the flip side that personality can also be a valuable asset. When I have a subject or activity that I need to do with the older kids I will send her with a Science reader and her little brother to the family room. Here she will "teach" him from her reader. They do the activities together, she learns, gets her reading done and our youngest is read to. It's win-win. Sometimes getting it all done includes delegation. I am still the primary teacher but I try to use the strengths of my kids to all of our advantage.

Growing up...almost

2010-04-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

Little guy has given up naps for the most part. We were all getting ready for our last night of Awana this last Wednesday. I was making dinner and the kids were getting pajamas on since it was pajama night.

When dinner was ready I went to find this little boy who had conked out on the couch. Sometimes life gets to be too much and you need a little siesta. We figured since he had his pj's on he decided it was as good a time as any to give in to the exhaustion.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

(Listening to tunes in the grass.)

I'm just panicy!

2010-04-26T08:39:00.000-07:00

For mother's day this year Steve's mom requested help on her property in place of a gift. Each family would spend a couple of hours working from a list of projects. We went over on Saturday afternoon to work on her strawberry and potato beds. Nana shares her strawberries and potatoes so this gift of work for her also gives back to us later in the summer.

The kids worked with us but we also gave them lots of time to run around and play. A favorite past time at Nana's house is to look for snakes. And look for snakes they did. (Harmless ones of course.)

They formed a small snake pit out of a pile of sand to keep the snakes in. It was much larger than the beginning of one you see above. Unfortunately, however, the snakes had other ideas and wouldn't stay put for observation for very long.

The kids would be weeding or doing other jobs and suddenly one would cry out, "Snakes out!" They would all come running to catch the snake and place it back into the pit.

Fun was had by all. The kids came home tired and fell right to sleep. That is until a small knock was heard during the night on our bedroom door. A little boy came to my side of the bed scrambling to climb in saying, "I'm panicing. I'm trying not to but I am just so panicy! I keep seeing snakes and sand and it's creeping me out!"

The hum

2010-04-23T14:37:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again when you hear mowers and tillers. I love that sound.

The garden is an empty slate. I have all kinds of ideas for this year.

We spent four hours cleaning up, edging, blowing off and weeding out front.

I love our property in the spring. It's park like and peaceful. The dull roar of the mowers and tillers don't bother me. They come with the promise of BBQ's and time with friends and family. Now I'm off to the store to get pizza making supplies and a movie. A nice reward for a job well done by my family.

Oh laundry, you must not like me

2010-04-20T07:51:00.001-07:00

While Steve was working on the hammock...

and the older kids were hanging out...

the younger three were doing this.

I'm glad they had a great time. On one hand, I am all for times of creative, unstructured play.

Laundry, on the other hand, could be a challenge this week. ;-)

Lazy Sunday afternoon

2010-04-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

What a day! It was in the 70's and we loved every minute of it.

There was lots of time to play and enjoy the weather. A very good thing for us because rain is predicted for the week.

It was one of those days where everything was at peace.

We laughed, played, walked, took pictures and relaxed.

I think it's time to start working in the garden. It's a little early for many things but we are planning to plant potatoes this week.

Look at those apple blossoms. Would anyone like to come over for apple pie this summer? Happy Monday!

Passing the time

2010-04-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not much of a game person though I do try to indulge my kids here and there.

Steve, on the other hand, loves games. He tries to play games with them more often.

Nice way to spend a rainy Friday evening, eh? (Phase 10 is our favorite card game.)

Here we go again

2010-04-09T10:56:00.000-07:00

Last year we emptied the kids rooms in what we lovingly refer to as "The reclaiming of the kids' rooms '09". We recently just moved the boys back to their old room and I had some stellar mother moments during that process. I will spare you the details but please trust me, it was ugly. Wow, boys. Just sayin'.

Today we are in the midst of working on the room that belongs to our girls. It amazes me what gets collected, stored or shoved here and there. No amount of reminding them of the work that will come if the room is bursting at the seams again seems to help. Every. Single. Item. Is. Precious.

Sigh. I will be one happy camper when this garage sale is over in a few weeks. We have been removing more from this house than ever before. I am hoping to wave the flag of victory over clutter sometime in May. I will enjoy it while it lasts because I did not just fall off the turnip truck. I am well aware that same flag could be seen at half mast come June 1st. Wish me luck.

Works For Me Wednesday

2010-04-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

I do a lot of cooking around here. 3 meals a day x 7 days = 21 meals per week x 7 people = 147 servings. One thing that I do not take for granted is that Steve enjoys cooking meals almost as much as I do.

The kids know that every Saturday breakfast will be a creation from Dad. Last week it was homemade biscuits and sausage gravy. Oh so good. There is no reason to go out to eat for breakfast when you can have this! Steve gets to cook, I get a break from cooking and the kids love what Dad makes. And that's what works me!

Gift that keeps on giving

2010-04-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

My parents gave us a membership to a large science center this past Christmas. It is a great gift. We can go as often as we like and it's good at many other museums. We spent a good part of this last Saturday there.

I didn't take very many pictures since we were too busy doing. With the weather being very rainy it was also very busy. I spent a lot of my time counting heads making sure we didn't lose someone.

The older ones were able to drift from us a bit more this time since they are trustworthy and careful. Not too far yet, though. But my lack of pictures of them is proof.

We did get this one of all of the kids. This tall guy was pretty cool to see up close. Em cracked me up with her pointing behind her, mouth wide open. Too funny. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for such a great gift!

Spring has sprung

2010-03-30T09:46:00.000-07:00

Our Italian Prune tree is in full bloom.

A promise of sunny days to come.

A promise of fresh fruit.

A promise of new life. Happy Spring!

Ending the break with fun

2010-03-29T09:39:00.000-07:00

Our break was heavy with projects this year. The kids had lots of outside time play but the parents were busy with moving rooms, building a room and general organization. We wanted the kids to end break on a high note. Friday night two cousins from Steve's side of the family came over.

A couple of the girls baked cookies for everyone wearing aprons from a great grandmother and a great-great grandmother. They weren't having any fun as you can tell.

Later on they all participated in a Wii challenge. Meanwhile, the youngest two kiddos got to watch a DVD on daddy's laptop in an upstairs bedroom. They loved that!

Saturday, we got to play with two of a neighbor friend's adorable girls. An 8 month old baby and a 2 year old toddler. Later on we had my sister and her family over for a BBQ and a round of Settlers of Catan (our new favorite game). Their oldest daughter spent the night with us and we took her home after church the next day. The kids had Awana games practice and then it was a relaxing evening of eating and resting. It was a very busy weekend but a great way to end a busy week. I think the kids are ready for our regular routine. I know I am!

I'm not ready!!!

2010-03-26T10:24:00.000-07:00

My oldest son is taller than me.

Taller. Than. Me.

This is very exciting for him as his twin sister has always been slightly taller and this means that he has now passed her for the first time ever.

Oh my word. It's such a strange feeling to be so excited that I can now leave my two oldest at home while I run errands yet freaked out that they are growing up!!! Steve has been sick in bed for the last few days and I have been holding down the fort. I needed to go the store last night and it was so nice to tell the olders to watch the youngers while I went out. They could get their dad if they needed anything and I could get in and out of the store without little people. I came home to the kids watching a movie quietly and it was bliss. It made me feel good to walk in and see big sister with her arm around little brother content as could be.

Progress is good (recipe below)

2010-03-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

So far so good.

My plans are coming together and I feel a little bit like Hannibal Smith from the A Team. "I love it when a plan comes together." (minus the cigar of course.)

The boys have been successfully moved into their new room and I have put five meals into the freezer. Two Ginger Beef, two Teriyaki Chicken (recipe below) and one Sweet Asian Chicken. We know we love the teriyaki but I will post recipes for the other two when we find out if we like them. They are new to us recipes that I got out of my Fix, Freeze, Feast book (Thanks for the great birthday gift, Mom and Dad!). As you can see, I used my Food Saver for the meals. It makes storing the food a piece of cake and I can easily read what everything is when it is stacked in the freezer.

Today I am tackling the rest of my garage/workout/canning/homeschool storage area. How is that for a multi-purpose spot?

Teriyaki sauce for my family of 7 with some leftovers

1 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 medium cloves minced garlic

3 tablespoons oil

Place 3 lbs meat (chicken or beef) and let it sit in the marinade for at least an hour(2-3 hours is better) before grilling. When making for the freezer we place the meat in foodsaver bags, seal and freeze right away. Take it out on the day you want to grill. By the time it is thawed the meat will be nice and marintated. We also use this sauce for shish-ka-bobs. We just cut up the meat and marinate it the same. We save the marinade after we have put the meat and veggies on the soaked sticks and use it to brush the bobs while they grill. They are heaven on a stick!

Spring Break

2010-03-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Spring Break will be all about organization for me this year. I know that not all homeschoolers take a spring break but it makes sense for me to have the week. There are so many projects that I need to do and things that have fallen behind so a week devoted to that helps me keep my sanity.

I will be making some freezer meals for dinner as well as some breakfast meals for the freezer. We did a major project this last weekend to get ready for moving around in the house to accomodate our family better. This included moving my school room inventory into the house and I am still figuring our where to house it. We will be moving two kids into a different bedroom and that means cleaning out and organizing their things once more.

I am also working on a garage sale which is a tad humorous since I vow each year that I will never have one again. However, we have been going through ancient boxes and de-cluttering and there is so much that it makes sense to have one again.

The list is long but I hope to have some fun with the kids as well.

I'll leave you with a picture of Em on our recent trip to the coast. I told her that she could read for awhile until she got tired. As you can see on the clock, she was enjoying her book very much. (That's 10:45pm!)