Peaches, peaches, peaches

I was able to buy a bushel of peaches for a decent price last week and have them all used up now....Since I want a record of what I was able to "put up" this year....I thought I'd just do this here too

1 bushel of peaches yielded....

7 quarts canned peach slices
7 half pints peach preserves
5 half pints peach butter
2 pints, 2 odd jelly jars (between half pint and pint size), and 3 half pints peach jelly.
1 big cobbler
several fresh to eat and gift a few.

The peach slices are beautiful but I'm not sure I wouldn't prefer them frozen in the future.  The preserves and butter are perfection itself.  The jelly tastes more like slightly peach flavored sugar to me so we'll see what everyone else thinks.

The cobbler was great and the fresh peaches in our oatmeal so so yummy!

Still finished up with the tomatoes although I'm almost ready to just mow them down.  I'm so tired of canning and my cabinets are FULL.  And I know I have apples and pumpkin to do in a few weeks.  

Recent appointment with the Doctor. :)

We recently spent at a nearby library for their Doctor Who event.  We made bowties and watched an episode of Doctor Who.  It was a good time!

the kids waiting to head in.

Bowties are cool!

A and the sonic screwdriver.  (I let him borrow it.)  

Looking good there

L is ready to be a companion ;)

Back to School!.....almost!

My facebook feed is FULL of first day of _____ grade pictures and I love seeing them.  We were also supposed to be back at school today.  But with all the canning I've been doing I am not prepared, mentally, physically, spiritually.  I am ready to get started but my lesson plans say differently.  So we will wait and start next monday.  And that's ok.  Pictures to come.  :)

Oddly, the 2 big boys were very easy to get ready for the school year.  I bought their curriculums back at the Homeschool convention.  And it was really as simple as looking at them and putting the plans in the first week.  Big G is a little more difficult.  He wants SO much to work with the big boys but I think that is actually holding him back a little cause he really isn't ready.

L, on the other hand, is making me feel crazy.  I sat for a couple hours last night (home alone) trying to figure out what to do for her.  She is preschool age for Heaven's Sake.  You'd think this was my first rodeo I am struggling SO much.  So I used my "phone a friend" lifeline and spent some time chatting (and ran to her house) with a friend who also has a preschooler.  Truly a lifeline.  Bouncing ideas off of another human really helps me get my thoughts in order.  I came home and had L's first two weeks lined up in less than an hour.  :) Not only that but I found some things to do with Big G that won't feel like extra "homework" (I hope) but that will be more on his level.

So these are my "big picture" plans....

A -
Apologia - Bible
Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) -Language Arts
Phonetic Zoo - Spelling
Apologia Chemistry & Land Animals - Science
Homeschool in the Woods Early American History - History
Rosetta Stone -Spanish
Math U See Delta (and Life of Fred for fun) - Math
Typing Instructor - keyboarding

M -
Apologia - Bible
Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) -Language Arts
Phonetic Zoo - Spelling
Apologia Chemistry & Land Animals - Science
Homeschool in the Woods Early American History - History
Rosetta Stone -Spanish
Math U See Beta (and Life of Fred for fun) - Math
Typing Instructor - keyboarding
Reason for Handwriting Cursive - handwriting

G -
He will follow along with Bible, science, and history with the big boys
Hooked on Phonics - Reading
Rosetta Stone - spanish (speaking and listening onl
Typing Instructor - keyboarding (as desired)
Reason for Handwriting - handwriting
And my "new discovery" from my file cabinet last night- Five In A Row

L -
My original plan was to do a letter of the week type curriculum.  It was NOT coming together.  And I'm not sure she's really ready for it anyway....so I've switched to a "literature based weekly units" idea.  We will be using things I find online as well as Five in a Row and Before Five in a Row.  I also found these which we are going to subscribe for 3 months to see what we think of them.   She will still be doing tot trays as well in the style of this blogger

So although we aren't starting today....I think we will, in fact be ready by next week.

Wish I didn't have to write this....

But I think it is important.  So here goes....

I have a beautiful family.  We are raising them in the way we feel is best.  That means we do things differently than a lot of people. I can handle the snide remarks and ignorance of others (it actually makes me feel sorry for their ignorance).  My children, however, should not be bullied by adults who think differently than I do.  It is not the kids' fault that we are raising them differently than the mainstream.  And I am sick of it.  If you have something to say....say it to ME, without my children listening.  I can handle your ignorance....laugh at it most of the time and it doesn't change who I am as a person....I've got broad shoulders, bring it on....but leave my kids out of it.

We have a beautiful daughter who looks differently from us.  If you know me or read this blog you will see her picture.  We have 3 handsome boys as well.  We homeschool.  Pop, candy, and processed foods are not a part of our everyday diet.

Words are powerful powerful things.  In church on Sunday, the sermon was about the power of our words.  We have the capability to injure or to heal.  To tear down or build up.  And we don't need to be physically fit or have any training....all we have to do is open our mouths.  And we are all so good at that!


People say/ask the most ignorant things when you have a "mismatched" homeschool family.  Its like because we are different, we are clearly open to anyone's opinion. And we need to hear it because clearly we are weakminded idiots who are ruining the next generation.  Most of the time, I can let this roll like water off a ducks back....but my kids are going to be effected.  I TRY to answer kindly because they are learning from me how to handle the ignorance and rudeness of others.  I'm not sure how much longer that is going to last. (consider that fair warning)

To most people, (clearly not all because these are things that have been said to us in front of our children) these statements are clearly over the line.

"How much did she cost?" (WTH! For the record, I was rendered speechless in my utter fury over this one and typing it out makes me cry.  I could have killed this man with my bare hands if I wasn't totally and utterly shocked by his nerve.  This was also not a person we know personally....and I may have cost him his job once my power of speech returned....I kinda hope I did)

"Is that one adopted?"  Seriously, "that one."  she is a girl and the proper pronoun is "she."  Again random stranger in Pizza Hut.

"Is your new husband black?"  Nice.  very nice.

Moving on to homeschooling (they make me want to hurt people less)....

"What about socialization?"  oh Lord have mercy.

"You know you can't school them thru high school"  Well, thank you for your compliment to my intelliegence.

"But they will miss sports and prom"  really?  They do sports not related to the school system where their last name doesn't matter and I went to prom 3 times....unimpressed....there are also other options within the homeschool community.

and the list continues....forever and ever.

The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."
Proverbs 12:1  

"I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

– Matthew 12:36-37 (ESV)

Two words in these verses jump out at me.  "reckless" and "careless"   These are the words that "pierce like swords"  and by which we will be "justified" or "condemned."

So here we think about the questions and statements made that are seemingly ambiguous but that will seep into the fiber of my children's lives because that's what words do....they seep in and change who we are as people.  Some might use the words "self fulfilling prophecy"...but what if the words don't come from within?  What if they come from well-meaning curious people who REALLY don't mean to be offensive?

Words like

"why didn't you do her hair this morning?"  after we spent an hour of crying while trying to comb it because it is so different from mine and we are struggling with scalp issues that are causing pain and itching so it can't be in braids for a bit.

"is she hiding things in her hair?"  seriously, people.

or maybe just petting her head without permission....she is not a puppy or a doll and that is her head that you are touching without permission.  (I might start petting people back....it worked when people touched my pregnant belly without asking)

---can you tell we've had some hair issues recently---

"is she black?" (whispering the word black).  Folks it is not a secret.  Nor is it shameful.  She is black.  And you are short/tall, thin/heavy, wear glasses/or don't and have straight/curly/long/short hair.  However, if you think it is something that needs to be whispered then maybe you shouldn't ask....like you wouldn't ask "is she stupid?" or "why is she so fat?" of an adult you know within their hearing....even in a whisper.

"Is she yours?" or the more offensive "This one clearly isn't yours"  -why yes, as a matter of fact, she is.

or

"what did you learn in school today?"  I don't quiz your kids about their school lessons....don't check up on ours.  There is clearly a difference between genuine asking what they are learning about and a quiz.  My kids and I are ALL able to tell the difference.

"What a beautiful daughter?"  Now this one is really tricky.  Sounds like a compliment doesn't it?  And it is (intended as one) I get that. And she is beautiful... But there are 3 boys who are sitting here and being looked over like they are nothing.

"I didn't think they were allowed to have any sweets.  You are so picky about the food they eat."  yes I am.  And they are fine with it most of the time.  they get plenty (a lot) of treats - I really like to bake especially cookies (with real butter).   Thanks for making it clear that you think I feed them too much healthy food....why don't you have another marshmallow and shove the bag at them too making me either let them eat them (and be sick the next day) or be the jerk mom who won't let their kids have any fun....thanks.  :/

 "You are only _____________."  - way to make a kid feel like they aren't enough.  That they don't measure up.  That they just aren't quite good enough.

These words that we say (and I am SURE I am guilty of saying things that make people feel bad....I am not saying that I don't stick my foot in my mouth occasionally) seep into the fiber of their childhood....of their memories...of who they are.  I am not a proponent of keeping everything fair and that one child might actually deserve praise when another doesn't (As an example, I do not think that trophies for participating is a good idea at all).   I am saying like the proverb says that we need to be careful with our reckless and careless speech...because those are the words that hurt most.

Even from these "harmless jokes" or oversights....my daughter learns that her hair is ugly even after we work on it all morning.  She learns that it is a joke and not as nice as everyone else's around her because clearly her hair is vastly different from others.  She learns that people can say whatever they want about her because she looks different.  She learns that because she is different she doesn't have the right to her own space and people can touch and pet her as they wish and without her permission.  My kids learn that their education is sub-par because they aren't in a classroom (I have strong opinions on this that I will not expound upon today). And the boys learn that because they aren't different they are easily looked over and not noticed.  And my kids think they are missing out on things because of the statements made around them.

Of course, as their mother (and dad), we do all that we can to counteract these statements....but it is a big world and full of a lot of stupid....so it is a big big job.

Scheduling! House cleaning! and Summer School! Attempt #1

One of the sessions I took at Homeschool Convention this year was a class on scheduling.  I have never liked the idea of scheduling by the clock and prefer the idea of routines better but the speaker (whose name I've forgotten) convinced me that maybe some scheduling (by the clock-YIKES!) would make everything go much smoother in our house.  With 4 kids in 4 different "grades" and the need to start teaching the older one (or two) some self motivation techniques, I think this might be the year to just take this plunge.  So I've been thinking/making one before we start some summer school (tomorrow).

Actually, I've been working on it before now but less "officially"...My part so far has been to set an alarm and get up in the morning at 6.  That way I get some quiet alone time to read my Bible, pray, and do some journaling.  I hate mornings but I love being able to have that time.  I also get a little time to check email and facebook without the kids.  I can't expect them to start disciplining their time without first disciplining mine. :)

I have also built a weekly cleaning schedule so that each room will be cleaned (dusted, vacuumed, etc) each week.  It also works the kids into this schedule and no one will have a ton to do.  We should be able to keep the house clean in around 30 minutes a day (15 minutes to clean a room and a 15 minute dash n stash before daddy gets home each day) plus the time it takes me in the kitchen to keep it clean....that room is just continually a mess since everyone seems to want to eat multiple times each day.  ;)

This is our new trial weekly cleaning schedule.  Each person is given a different chore for the week (floors, surfaces, walls, windows).  And we'll clean a different room each day.  Tuesdays are for toilets and the division in the bathrooms will be done differently.  And on Wednesdays I will do the next item on the rotating chores list to do some of those things that are required less frequently while the kids maintain their desk area.  We'll see how it works.

I took the plunge and while home from church with a sick kid, I made a daily schedule.  It starts at 6 am and runs through 5.  Evening time is family time and we will do family things....no schedule necessary.  This is our summer schedule with only an hour of school time.  Of course, it is going to get much more complicated (and difficult) once we are doing a full school schedule.  But I think this is a good practice run!

This is our first attempt at a daily schedule "by the clock".  I did it in half hour increments and we'll see how that works. I made the blocks nice and big so I can jot down notes of what did and did not work and make adjustment in the next bit.  Then hopefully, I'll be able to successfully make a daily schedule for school time.   

While I was doing it...I went ahead and made out a lesson plan for the week...we're going to do some geology with Mr. Hibb and start the Lego Quest.  The boys will all be working on math again.  And we'll do Smart Kids Launchpad on Fridays (for math).  Only doing school 4 days/week with one day spent at a day camp offered at a local church.  The great thing about all of these plans is that they are not very school like at all!  Mr Hibb is FULL of experiments with just a little reading in between times.  The Lego Quest is just a great way to be more creative and open up some options with legos.  And the launchpad are all activities.  Math and reading is the "schooliest" school work.  They will also have the option to start spanish and keyboarding now (or waiting till later), it is all computer based so I think they maybe will like it.

Lets get this party started!!!!  But not till Monday at 6 AM...don't want to throw the schedule off.  ;)

Science Heavy week!

We have been on "summer break" since the start of June but that doesn't mean I don't take advantage of "teachable moments."  This week we have learned a LOT of science.

We have 2 goats and are hoping to have babies this spring.  They have to reach a certain weight in order to be bred this fall....they are getting close.  And prompted a conversation something like this.

Me: I think Betty and Lois will be ready to have babies this fall.  And goats commonly have twins.  Yay.
M: That's awesome.  We could have 4 baby goats.
Me: Yep.
M: who will the daddy be?
Me: Well, we will borrow a billy goat.
M:  If we want 4 babies though we need to get 2 billies, Mom.
Me: well, honey, we can just borrow 1 billy and he can be the daddy for both.  It isn't like with people.
M:  cool.  So we can have a bunch of girl goats and borrow and billy and he can just mate and mate and mate and we can have a bunch of babies?
Me:  Yes, I guess that would be true.  (Not going any further down that path just now)

little while later.

M:  how are baby goats born?
Me: well, they grow inside the mama for about 150 days.  Then the muscles in her belly start to cramp and she pushes the baby out.  It looks like the baby comes out of her butt, but it doesn't.  People babies are born the same way.
M: Will we have boy or girl babies?
Me: I don't know.  But if we have boy babies, we won't be able to keep them boys.
M: Why not?  What will we do?
Me: well, a boy baby can't make more babies with his mama and goats don't know that.  Plus boy goats get mean and stink really bad.  Remember Andy (the donkey) and Ben (the mini horse) and how they were mean and the vet came out and did surgery (the boys all watched as much of this as they wanted-which was all of it).  We will do it differently but that keeps them from being mean.  We will use a special rubberband on his testicles and they will come off.
M:  On his testicles?  You mean his balls mom?
Me: yes.
G: (piping in from the back of the van) Can we stop talking about this please?
Me: SURE!

Whew!

Then at dinner the other night we talked about genetics.  That although L is our sister/daughter, her genetics are different from ours.  We drew a family tree on the board and figured it all out.  That cousin Nae has dimples like Nanny.  But L's dimples come from somewhere in her genetic line.  That Cousin Nae is darker skinned like her daddy but Cousin D has our lighter skin and hums while she eats like her mom did and crinkles her nose while she smiles.  (our cousins are visiting so they were good examples-HA!)  Also that although A has some similarity in looks to MY uncle J, that he could not have gotten those characteristics from Uncle J becuase there is no direct line between A and Uncle J on the family tree.

Then this morning at breakfast we learned this....

M: Dad you are awesome but not nearly as awesome as me.
Dad:  Well, that's just not true.  With each generation there are 200 more mistakes in the genetic code....so you can't be more awesome than me.  You have 200 more mistakes in your very make up than I do.  So I am the most awesome.
M:  {crickets chirping} ....I still think that would make a good coffee mug "My dad is awesome.  But not as awesome as his kids".

Science OVER!

Testing for Yellow Belt!

We've been in TaiKwanDo for nearly a year and today we tested for our third belt.  We all really love learning this and doing it as a family (L has to wait a few more years till she is big enough to join us).  Although, we won't know for sure till Monday, I think we all passed and will get our yellow belts Monday night at class.  Here are some pictures of testing.  (LOTS of pictures!)

We get there early to stretch and run thru things a couple times.

L ready to watch the show.

During opening warm ups, we all do some punches, kicks and blocks in unison (like in the movies -HA!)  This is G.

In the center is A, doing his warm ups

After warming up, everyone is called up in groups of up to 6.  Only like belts are called together.  Here G is ready to start

M standing at attention.

Here A is doing his form...

and M doing his.

And G.  they also have require kicks to demonstrate

The judges pair them off for self defense

and sparring

get 'em G!

The king does his form.

And I do mine.

Then we pair up for self defense and sparring.
He totally kicked my butt while sparring- I am not overly happy about that.  

The way to win a girl's heart (whether she be 3 or 33) :)

My mom (known as nanny) stopped by this morning as she was heading out and this conversation happened....

L: Nanny, go wif you.
Nanny:  "No honey. I have too many stops today.  I'll buy you some mac n cheese"
L:  I LOVE YOU TOO, NAN.


Mac n cheese is clearly the answer to all our problems.  :)

Mini Vacation #1

This year instead of one big long vacation, we are doing several little mini vacations....and we had a chance to do the first one a few weeks ago.

We took all the kids to Medieval Times.  We also stayed in a hotel with a pool.  What more does a family need for a little get away?  Oh yeah, hotel also had a really nice hot breakfast.  :)

Everyone had such a great great time!  The food was phenomenal and our serf was totally great with the kids   "dragonblood soup for you sir"  or "Here's your baby dragon....it tastes a lot like chicken."  The boys loved eating with their hands.  I wasn't sure L was going to eat cause she LOVED the horses.  LOVED them.  It was a perfect mini vacation.  I didn't get many pictures (cause I was eating with my hands too).  But I got a couple.

Ready to head in.

waiting for them to unlock the gates

So excited!  yay

All the kids got swords and shields....I tried to get L to get a princess hat but she wanted a sword and shield like her brothers.  I have a feeling she is going to be a tomboy  ;)

Announcing the start of the games.

bring on the horses

bring on the knights

bring on the food

We wear green crowns because we are in the section of the green knight...

presentation of the knights....and time to put the camera away.  :)

Our family is growing......

Meet Betty and Lois.  (l-r).  Our newest "kids"....they are so cute and fun and friendly....and LOUD!  :)  These are a dairy breed so hopefully by next spring we'll have more babies and fresh milk.  I'm sure goat milk will take some adjustment but I'm excited about it.  :)

And "Bacon"....he is also friendly and the kids love chatting with him cause he always snorts back.  But they also know his name determines his destiny....I am sure some people think that is cruel or mean but so many have no awareness of where our food comes from.  Unless a person is 100% vegetarian then everyone eats animals that started out as cute little babies...and many times not in the 5 star lifestyle our animals grow in.  ;)   

And our ducks....One is Donald and another is Aflack but I don't know which ones...the rest are probably named too but I don't know what.  We are looking forward to seeing how many males and females we got here and trying duck eggs....and then hopefully having duck babies....we will not be butchering these cause duck meat is icky....and I'm sure it's similar to butchering chickens which is a job I loathe.... :)

The kids were bummed when they figured out this kiddie pool wasn't for them.
But the ducks LOVE it!  And the kids literally sit out there and watch them play.  Who needs tv?
HA

We also got our garden in.  And they helped a little.  :)

I love spring.  It is such a time of possibilities.  I am always excited to garden and I pray this year that the garden is successful.  I've planted zucchini, cukes, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, brussel sprouts, green beans, peas, cantelope and watermelon.  Fingers crossed.

Back to work I go!  :D  Happy spring to everyone!

SPRING!

Its Spring....kinda.  We had to have the heat on the last couple nights.  But the temp is above freezing.

With the seasonal change has come a WHIRLWIND of activities.  I can just barely keep my eyes from not spinning.  This means that I have sadly neglected this blog and those who read it.   I am going to try to tell some stories from the last few months in the next week.

But today I found a blog post that struck a chord with me....so read this one since I've dropped the ball in my little corner of the blogosphere.  It is called simply "I am a birth mother."  I still cannot fathom the strength of a birth mother.  Sure, there are times simply being a mother is hard.  But to be a mother from afar seems unfathomable to me.

For the record, in our home we do not use the words birth mother because L's first mom did much more than give birth to her.  We use the phrase "first mom."  I think it is more fitting for our situation.  :)

We're so Sappy!

Well, its that time of year and we're hoping its a good one.  Maple Sap Season.  Every couple years we tap a few trees and make our own maple syrup.  It is something I love doing....and the kids have a great time too.  Plus we get awesome homemade syrup.  Here's some pics of the day.  And by some, I mean A LOT!

We started by building lids for the buckets we would be collecting in.  Each of the boys got a chance on the different power tools.  Only one made this mama clench....

A with the circular saw...

M takes a turn with the power saw.

G has a go....

They all did great

 A getting the measurements just right so he can.....

drill the holes in the lids.

A saws off the 1/2 inch PVC to make the stile.

M has his turn  (G was missing for this step)

Since the PVC was half in and we used a slightly smaller drill bit (1/8 of an inch smaller) the boys used a grinder to whittle down the end to a point.....this is the part that made mama clench.

By doing this....the pipe will have a tight seal within the hole in the tree preventing leaks

M was smoothest with the grinder.  Whew....glad that's done.

 And off to the woods we go....

L just sitting on a log supervising.

G taps the first tree.  When I was little we used an old school drill (and did it by hand).  power tools all the way now.

First taste

another taste

drill the hole at a downward angle so the sap can run out more easily....

Hammer in the stile....

getting herself a taste

another kid....another tree

This is our collection method this year.  Tap in the tree with plastic hose running down through a hole in the lid on a 5 gallon bucket.  the block is wedged under the handle keeping the lid down....

Focus is important.

 Work is done....time for play!

slackline fun over the creek.  

Pappy and L take time to chill.  :)