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This is nothing special, well to you anyway. I'm not a scrapbook type, or a baby book writer, or even a picture printer. I'm terrible at recording memories. This blog is my attempt at holding on to some of my life as a Christian, a wife, and a homeschooling Mom of 5. I am a country girl that lived in a big city for 14 years, and moved to the Deep South for quiet, quaint, small town living.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Technical difficulties

My sweet husband got me a macbook.  Wow.  I didn't think I needed one, but he made some valid points and he just likes me, I guess.  I'm digging the parts I understand- which is not much.  I can surf the net easier and waaaaay faster than before.  I can be wireless for the first time (a huge benefit for resting my back on the couch, bringing recipes with me into the kitchen, and soon- taking it outside while the kids run rampant in the backyard- yay!!).

Now, the bad news.  I'm slow.  I can't figure out how to transfer my pics from the camera easily, I can't find them when I want to post, I have no idea how to organize my photos anymore, what half of the programs on my dashboard are, why my downloads arc like that.... oh just about everything else you can think of.  It is too much to contact customer support, I'm so overwhelmed.  I think I need a personal tutor, oh and the time to listen/learn from a tutor.  Any takers?  I can pay in cinnamon rolls....

So, all that said, I'm behind on my postings.  I'm sure Troy will struggle with me when he gets some time so I can at least find my pics.  Till then.....

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Valentine's Day has always been a family day for me.  My Mom would get us little treats and make something special for dinner.  Since I'm not a gift person, and would rather spend the time with the whole family, it made sense to continue the tradition.  (Plus, I'm cheap and have a hard time enjoying going out spending money on food and a sitter just because the calendar says to.)

So, last night I made heart shaped raspberry meringues.

♥ I traced little hearts on 2 sheets of parchment paper.
 
♥ Then I mixed up the batter? mixture?  um..... fluffy stuff!
 
♥ I piped the fluff in the heart outlines.

♥ Baked for 2 hrs, then left in the oven overnight.



Today for dinner- Our traditional heart shaped meatloaf!
 
  
(And yes, I forgot to take a picture of it baked because, well.... I was hungry.)
Served with homemade mashed potatoes and parmesan green beans.

And for giggles....
Homemade ♥ Whoopie ♥ Pies for Dessert!
Get it?  Ha ha!

Olympic Fever

Well, I'm not a fan of sports, and especially winter sports (is curling the only safe winter sport??), but I can't pass up a learning opportunity for the kids.  During the opening ceremony (that we tivoed and watched the next day due to the late hour) the kids helped Troy find each country on the globe. 
 Troy and I were glad we saw the performance part of the ceremony alone the night before because we spent the next couple of hours answering back to back questions about how the floor turned into water, how whales got inside, and where those Native Americans like Pocahontas. I was impressed that Liv and George enjoyed it so much.

Maybe the special Olympic pizza helped with the excitement.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Answer? distract? or ignore? HELP!

Livia asked me for the 3rd time since this pregnancy began, "How does the baby come out of your belly?"
I smoothly answer for the 3rd time, "We will learn about that when you are in 4th grade health."

For the 2nd time, she asks, "Why do I have to wait until the 4th grade?"
I again, quickly reply, "Because that is when I learned about babies being born."  (I'm sure I had a decent idea before then, we did have a set of encyclopedias that I loved to read!  But this was the first year I remember a health class being taught for just girls, if you know what I mean.)

Today she adds on something new.  "Why can't I learn about it now?"
This time I stutter a little, trying to make up something that might pacify her.  "Well, um......you can't learn everything at once, or what will you learn in the 4th grade?"  Oh man, that was lame.  So glad it worked for now!

Any better suggestions for next time?  You know there will be a next time!

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Jail Bird

Ginnie needs boundaries.  She needs childproofing.  She needs a leash and tether.  Ok, so I'm joking a little about the last one..... maybe.

We have never child proofed before Ginnie, besides the gate at the top of the steps and keeping chemicals out of reach.  We just taught them No.  Until Virginia Jane.  Months and months of training (in multiple ways) has led us to just barricading her to keep her safe, and us sane.  When we are downstairs, she is usually kept in the living room, with a gate closing off the kitchen, and another closing off the dining room.  We have been able to keep her off the steps finally...after about 9 months of training!  (I know, it sounds like we are talking about a puppy.  Sigh).  Well, this week she has decided to venture up the steps about 12-20 times a day!  It always ends up with us chasing her up there, re-enforcing NO STEPS!, and her being unaffected 5 seconds later. 

Today we brought out the jail.  Ha HA Ginnie Jane!  How do you like prison?  She isn't very happy now, but I'm sure a few days of this will tell us if it is working or not.

Too much white can't be good

So I armed the kids with spray bottles of Kool Aide to decorate the snow.  Grape and Black Cherry smells filled the air and it kept them out a little bit longer. I think next year I should find something with an easier trigger for little gloved hands, though.

Does anyone else have to do this?

 
We realized we didn't have snow gloves that fit the kids during the last snow, so we just changed out the knitted ones when they got wet.  The fingers were warm enough since they don't have the stamina to stay out that long, but the wrists kept getting exposed.  (Of course I went all over looking for snow gloves, but winter season has come and been clearanced at the end of January, and bathing suits are hanging on the racks!) This time we are taping the gloves to the shirts and it is working.  Ahhh, the twice a day production, and don't forget the undoing in reverse!

Snowmagedon of 2010

My point of view.  Ew.
Troy's point of view.  Indifference, as usual.
The Kids' point of view.....

The excited anticipation as Troy clears out a path (of 3 feet of snow!)
The frozen frolicking and sliding down the 3 ft snow slide.
 
The thawing out over hot cocoa with marshmallows and graham crackers.

There has been lots of puzzles, board games, "room time" (the kids think it is special to play alone in their rooms!  Shhh, don't tell them otherwise!), and a special rented movie each day thanks to Amazon and Swagbucks.  Our street is blocked in due to the un-plowed snow and not to mention the wall of snow the plow left from the main street being plowed that completely blocks anyone from entering our neighborhood.  I'm thankful that it might keep those crazies off our street for a while.  I'm a firm believer than only emergency vehicles need to be out in this kind of weather (until you can see the street!).  So don't come visit us in this mess, or I'll call you crazy all over the internet! :)  Think I won't?

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

All in a day

I have had a couple of messages asking me what our typical day looks like.  I completely understand this.  I spent a couple days observing/hanging out with a friend of ours with 6 kids, just to ask questions and get tips from her.  (One cool fact: She numbers all the family's socks for each person, 1-8.  Makes sense!)  After all, why all the hype with the large families on TV.  People want to know the inner workings.  I know my little brood of 3, going on 4 is not very big by those standards, but throw in homeschooling and it becomes a total mystery to most folks.

(I did get a couple messages asking about specifics of my daily schedule, but for the one who asked, "How do you do it," well, I'm not sure if you mean the logistics or about my sanity.  Who said I was sane??  There, that part is answered.) 

 Our Daily Life
6:30-7:30 Wake up, make our way downstairs (Troy is amazing here, I'm a bear in the AM)

7:30-8:30 On MWF Troy leaves with George.  We get dressed (maybe), eat breakfast (we are slow movers)

8:30-9:30 The kids free play  or Liv keeps Ginnie busy so I can catch up on e-mails, start laundry, plan dinner, do breakfast chores.

9:30- 11:00 Ginnie goes down for a nap and Liv (or Liv and George) do school. (These pictures are from today, notice this was not a get dressed day.) 


11:00-1:00 Get George at 11:30 (on MWF), Lunch, story time, and free play (I try to clean up from the morning and check the computer again)

1:00- 3:00 Rest time!!  Liv has been allowed to stay downstairs this school year, she loves to play computer games (Starfall.com) or listen to books on cd.  George sometimes falls asleep and sometimes stays up and plays in his bed, and the baby naps.

3:00- 5:30ish A lot of things happen here.  Sometimes we are all upstairs cleaning, or playing a game, or watching a movie.  I like to do more on the computer or finish some chores.  This is when we might have a play date or run to the library or park too.

5:30- 6:30 Make or eat dinner, depending on how early I start the prep.  Troy's schedule is all over the place daily, so he can be home as early as 3:00, but as late as 7:00.  Troy does a family devotion after dinner while we are all together

6:30- 7:30 Fun time with Daddy and/or bath time. (Depending on the mess and our moods, whoever starts baths, the other will clean up the kitchen.)

7:30-8:00 Bed times!  The baby gets put down first, then Troy prays and reads to George while I pray and read with Liv.  Of course Troy and I relish the sweet quiet after this.  We are usually down stairs vegging, doing odd jobs, playing on our computers, making out..... You get the picture.  Life is good.  :)

P.S. Don't ask me what will happen next year adding the end of a political campaign (more about that later), George going to Pre-K 5 mornings a week, and life with a newborn!  It makes me dizzy just thinking about it.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

How do Zoos do it?

I'm sure the Zoo keepers don't pull out the Dyson five times a day, and get out the Pampered chef scrappers to clean up after feeding times.  Breakfast, morning snack, lunch, Afternoon snack, and dinner end up leaving the table, chairs, and floors a gross mess- everyday.  This morning I was wiping down from breakfast and I bumped the table a little too hard (there is a belly in the way now) and a dried up lo mien noodle fell from underneath the middle of the table.  Ew.  I guess I need to start checking there too.

I've thought about skipping meal times all together, and while that is very cost effective, I am sure it is illegal. 

I've tried to think of crumb-less, not-sticky, healthy snacks- but alas, my children can make a carrot stick a disaster. 

I've given into making the vacuum's home right behind the baby's seat.  I use it THAT much.

I dream of warm weather to picnic and hose them off outside.

Please tell me I'm missing something!