Didn't I just mention how one of my students is easily distracted?  And here I am ratcheting up the beguilement!

Well, we all found it difficult to concentrate on this morning after we decided to take our school to the yard and give the chickens a field trip....but I think it was well worth it.  We just s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d out our morning lesson time.

At first we just kind of enjoyed them ~ its only the second time they've been out of their coop for any length of time, and of course, they loved it.  The chickens did, too, ha!  Its funny how they stayed so close to us - must have been a lot of bugs for them to snack on.  They love cherry blossoms ~ isn't that funny?  They watch them fall and dive for them.  

But all too soon, it was time to turn off Chicken TV and get to work:

"Is that history?  'Cuz I just LOVE history!"

"Yes, Jeremiah, my favorite prophet!  Go on, go on, read!"

This nice Aracauna is right; we were reading from The Mystery of History about the prophet Jeremiah, also called the "Weeping Prophet."  

Hannah read some from the book of Jeremiah and from Lamentations:

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning; 

great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:21-23

And THAT reminded me of the hymn, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness," of which we sung the first verse and chorus together...I couldn't remember the rest!  The Broadman Hymnal I picked up at a yard sale a couple years ago didn't have it ~ doesn't that seem strange to you?  Its such a perfect hymn.  Anyways, we did what we could with what I remembered and sang it through a couple times.

I think the chickens liked our singing, even though they didn't act very reverent (ahem).  

"More blossoms?  I see blossoms.  Are these cherry blossoms?  No?  What about bugs, any bugs on these flowers?"

"Did somebody say, "QUIZ"?!"  I'm outta' here!

Chicken roundup!

Alas, all good things must end, and after our Bible and History lessons, we moved indoors for the rest of our (less distracting) studies.

But what a beautiful morning to enjoy our freedom to school at home!

More (late) snow pictures from our (late) last snow!

Here's some more snow pictures from our big snow last month ~ I realized I'd readied them but never posted!  Enjoy!

Our new home in the Blue Ridge Highlands!

Snow buddies!

 

Yes they are on the deck, yes they are underdressed for the weather, and yes, I approved!

Look at those red, cold legs!

"Watch me, mama!"

"Weeeeeeeeeeee!"

Sledding with friends....

We finally have a sleddable hill!!  

After living in the mountains for over 5 years, its the first time we've been able to sled downhill in our yard!

Andy, Abigail, Hannah and Kenzi....on the back yard hill...kinda hard to see in that heavy snow coming down!

And, a steep walk back up!

And now, THAT ends our "snow day" pictures!

Detecting

Metal detecting at an unnamed location.  We netted $.87!



The girls occupy themselves while daddy detects and mama scoops at another top secret location.



Some girls get more into their building projects than others.  Note the air cast on her left ankle...she only had days left worth of wearing it.



After a tough day of walking the beach, it was time for a little R&R!



excuse note

There was a minor upheaval in our house to which I can attribute my lack of posts of late! 
When we first moved into this house, Hannah claimed the master bedroom as her own.  We gave in, thinking that she would share it with her Tiny Baby Sister when she arrived, the third bedroom would be an office - and that plan worked in theory. 
You probably know that I kept each one of those tiny babies in my bed until they quit nursing and then moved them to their own beds.  Abigail was an easy transition from mama's bed to her own, and she actually slept well in her own bed.  At first. 
Abigail discovered all of the exciting things on her sister's side of the room at about the same time that Hannah began to be (naturally) possessive of things that were hers.  She also discovered that trying to keep her sister awake in the evenings was great fun and a source of great attention from her parents.
So...we did the room swap.  Each girl got their own bedroom and we lost the office/spare bedroom.  Andy and I are now in the master bedroom and while this arrangement has worked out very well for the girls, Andy and I have had to adapt.  The television/VCR and computer are now in our bedroom.  So when one or the other of us goes to bed, the other has to avoid clicking the keys late into the night. 
We need more space - another bedroom would be great, but so would a den.  Don't even get me started on a second bathroom!  It will come, I'm sure - I'm praying daily - but until then, we're crowded.  For school, we use the kitchen table - most homeschoolers do - and I send Abigail to my bedroom to watch a video when she's finished with her work. But she's so far away from us that its like sending her to the barrens.  Andy likes to fall asleep to the TV on, which is a surefire way to trigger a bout of insomnia for me...we're still learning to adapt.
This passage comes to mind whenever I consider our housing arrangements: 

Philippians 4:11-13  ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

It comes to mind, but in all honesty, I do not feel content in this situation.  I struggle daily with it on some level.  I look to friends who are more tightly packed into their homes who make things work and I quit bellyaching to myself about it.  Is this coveteousness?  Maybe.  That just occurred to me.  I don't covet any specific home, nor do I fault anyone for the homes they have.  I just feel that we need to spread out a little more here - have more privacy, more room to be efficient.  Nothing excessive or ostentasious.
So there, friend, is my rant/excuse as to why I've been quiet for awhile.  We've been settling in to our new living arrangements.  Hannah can now stay up till all hours telling her "stories" in peace, Abigail has her own group of toys to call her own, while Daddyo and Mama race to be the first to fall asleep so as not to be disturbed by the others' snores. 

She's A Girly Girl

Again, I didn't have my camera handy for a photo op....

When I was little, threats of coal in my stocking or switches under the tree simply paled in comparison to the mere suggestion that one of the brightly wrapped packages addressed to me and poking out from underneath the tree contained slips.

Slips of what?

Slips of.....oh, I don't know....filmy, diaphanous, silky material that felt slimy against my legs and were hot and simply horrible to have to wear on Sundays or whenever I had to dress up.  I was so glad when I graduated to denim skirts and was able to convince my mom that heavy weight knits didn't require those awful things.  I didn't even think that little girls wore slips anymore until one was given to the three year old in a sack of hand-me-downs last week.  But apparently these filmy (ick! slimy!) things are still available for little ladies. 

Well, fast forward to this Sunday.  Believe it or not, sometimes Sunday mornings just aren't smooth going for us - its the only day that all four of us have to be out the door at the same time before noon, and well, for some reason that is often a struggle!  I thought I had conquered this week's morning of chaos by waking up an hour early and getting clothes out before the girls were up.  I pulled out a "new" dress for Abbo to wear and ironed it.  Its a sweet red checkered dress she's never worn before that buttons all the way down the front.  Alas, with temperatures in the teens when we left for church, she needed something under it.

The slip!

I dug it out from where it was hanging in her closet.  I had a momentary flashback and knew that I'd never be able to pull something like this on our six year old whose sense of "style" (as in, thrift store/WalMart chic) more approximates my own, but figured I might be able to get away with it with the little one.  I expected I might be able to put something over on her if I acted quickly, but I didn't count on the opposite reacation:  Her eyes lit up when she saw it and she immediately rubbed the skirt to her cheek (ewwww!), closed her eyes and said, "mmmmmm...." 

So I popped the slip over her head and went to her dresser to grab a pair of tights.  I turned around and there was the three year old modeling a new look:  a gossamer slip and purple flip flops. 

Me:  "C'mon, Abbo, you have to take off the sandals to put your tights on."
Her:  No.
Me:  "C'mon, its too cold for flip flops.  Maybe in the summer."
Her:  No. 
Daddy, coming in the room:  "I don't care if she wears flip-flops."
Her:  Daddyo said I can wear thems.
Me: (trying not to lose it, after all, today was going to be a chaos-free Sunday)  Maybe if there weren't still 6 inches of snow on the ground and maybe if the temperatures were above freezing, but she HAS TO WEAR TIGHTS.  AND SHOES.
Daddy:  You're right.  Abbo, put on the tights.
Her:  Well, I'm wearing this dress then.
Me:  Yes, but you're putting this pretty RED dress over that dress.
Her:  No.  This dress is soft, see?  (Rubs hands over slip and skirt).  I wanna wear DIS dress.
Me:  (Gagging)  We wear our dresses OVER our slips, now come here......
etc., etc.

Eventually, the dress went on and was buttoned up and there were no drafts between the button holes.  I have to admit, a slip (ptoey!) was perfectly appropriate in this situation.

But now, I'm afraid I might never get the slip off of her.  She insisted on wearing it to bed over her jammos.  Just before I tucked her in, picked her up and put my hand on a damp spot on the front of her. 
Me:  "Why are you wet?  Is this pee-pees?"
Her:  "No, I like to chew on it."
Me:  (Shudder, gag....)

Snow Baby

One of the things that was instilled in me from an early age is my duty to take care of all of God's creatures and adopt any stray wild ones that may cross my porch as my own. While I wasn't homeschooled, a love for nature is an essential part of Who I Am. And although we lived in the suburbs, I learned valuable lessons about wildlife at an early age.

I learned that sometimes your mother is fast and furious at making peanut butter sandwiches at 11PM because raccoons are scratching at the back door. Often this entails watching the raccoons pull the edges off the peanut butter sandwiches because "we don't liiii-iiike the ed-ges," and as a result you must stand firm in your resolve to love them nonetheless. As a homeschooling mom, that duty has been expanded to actively be aware of any and all opportunities for learning and to jump on them as "teachable moments."

If it means getting the girls out of bed in the middle of the night to have a field trip at the living room window for an impromptu lesson on nocturnal creatures, this, too, must be borne:

If it means not banging on the window when the nocturnal creature with a prehensile tail and more teeth than any other land animal (I didn't know that!) is using those sharp teeth to chew at the gourd you so carefully hollowed out to feed the pretty little wrens, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and such, then so be it.

If it means being glared at because there are no peanut butter sandwiches on hand and the handmade suet balls are secured tightly in a cage overhead, then it means you must kindly but firmly say good night and rustle your little girls into bed because, after all, then they don't need to be challenged by a pointy-nosed marsupial who was once a staple of southern cookery. This what its all about: Passing down treasured family traditions of feeding wild animals on the porch and teaching your girls essential knowledge like, for instance, that their night-time visitor gets her name from the Algonquian (Indian) word for "white dog." Sigh.

New Kids on the Block

Something's been brewing in Clifton Forge.....

Two new restaurants opened recently ....

We took the girls here, to Jack Mason's Tavern the other night. This really is a place that has something to offer everyone. The food ranges from appetizers to sandwiches to more gourmet entrees, it includes a kids' menu....and of course, fish and chips in keeping with the pub atmosphere. Prices were reasonable and both the food and the service were great. Anyone would feel comfortable here - the seating included cozy leather armchairs in front of a gas fireplace, bar seating, family-style seating for large parties, tall tables and booths. The game room in the back scores major points with the Ms. PacMan/Galaga video game, a pinball game, dart board and TWO pool tables. (Next visit I'll set the high score on Ms. PacMan; I think I still have it in me). We saw folks from all over the area - representing all walks of life. Jack Mason's reminds me of the little restaurants in Shockhoe Slip in Richmond or in downtown Fairfax.

Frankly, I'm saving my trip to the Old Forge Coffee Company for a "Daddy Day" (when Andy has the girls for a couple hours). I want to linger over coffee or hot chocolate in what looks to be a quiet place full of comfortable chairs and books to peruse. I actually promised to take Hannah here on her own when she masters "tea time manners," a bribe, yes, but this is what's in it for me! Old Forge is right next door to Jack Mason's and is another reason to make downtown Clifton Forge a destination. I'll let you know how my visit goes, but if you've already been or if you make it there before me, comment below to let me know what you like best!

What assets to Clifton Forge and the Alleghany Highlands!

Lost Tooth

A Very Important Thing happened after church last Sunday.

I was a little concerned, because Hannah doesn't turn 6 until October, and for some reason I was thinking that "6" was the magic number in the dental realm. Alas, there is another bottom tooth that is loose, so it appears that we have officially entered into the business of the tooth fairy.

In case you're wondering, the going rate for baby teeth is anywhere from $.50 to $5 for the first and $.50-$2 for each successive one. I did a quick Facebook poll and of 20 mamas who replied, this was the average.

We decided to go with a $1 Sacajawea coin and a $1 bill. That way she can save the one, spend the other. Plus, with her fascination about Indians, we figured it was a good way to kill two birds with one stone. See, Butterfly just knew that she would appreciate the extra effort.

Who is Butterfly? Hannah's tooth fairy, of course! She was a little bit stunned that I didn't remember the name of MY tooth fairy - and she said she was going to ask her good friends in Sunday School what their respective tooth fairies names were. I hope she's not too disappointed, for truly, this was the first time I'd ever thought they would even have a name.

I told Andy we'll have to either stock up on Sacajawea coins or just go with the $1 for each successive teeth. This could get expensive....not exactly our most frugal venture, but it will be a chance to teach about saving and spending, right?

Abbo wanted to get in on the action, too, as she shows off an expensive ($500) tooth of her own.

2010!

So, um, I decided that I'm going to avoid the rush and not set any New Year's Resolutions until February 1. Does that make me a procrastinator?

I don't have any pictures to post from Christmas or the RRR Reunion since they are still on my Dad's computer in Norfolk. I hope to have them by next week....I'm mailing my parents a zip drive to copy the pictures on, which they will need to mail back to me, along with my ring* that will have been resized by then. The sooner the the better!
*that means that you, mom, are in charge of this project ;)

Snow flurries here in the mountains every day since I've been back from Norfolk, and there was a dusting over the cars and driveway this morning. Its been in the high 20's and in the teens at night. Our yard is still very snowy, so we can't get the tractor back to the woodpile to load the woodpile in the carport. So today, the girls and I bundled up, kicked the pickup into 4WD and drove to the shed. I forgot about the three big hills of clay and rock off to the side in front of the shed and lurched precariously towards the creek. I smugly thought to myself, "Andy doesn't have to know about this...." But then, once I got out I realized what an idiot I am sometimes, as said hills are covered in SNOW and now bear very obvious evidence of a Chevrolet Silverado cruising overhead. He didn't have to be a detective to figure that one out.

I actually like getting wood. For one thing, its a bit of exercise and a chance to do some physical therapy on my arm. Course, after I come in, I take a couple Tylenols so I don't ache all afternoon. But I always think about when I had to get wood when we had our stove back home. I wear gloves, now, and wonder why ma and pa didn't tell me to wear gloves back then. You get better traction and you can cart more before your hands get tired or scraped. I also like to pretend that I am Laura Ingalls getting wood and that we need to stock up for a blizzard (The Long Winter, published 1934). That always inspires me to toss a couple more logs on the stack. Now that I know how to run the logsplitter (and, ahem, how the choke works), I always make a bucketful of "shims" or kindling, out of poplar. Poplar dries quickly and burns like paper. Its easy to light with the acetylene torch or whatever that thing is that we use to start the fire in the mornings.

The girls stayed out until their hands were bright red and Hannah said her knees were cold. They did have gloves, but Abbo keeps taking hers off and we have to hunt for them before we go inside so they're not lost till the Spring Thaw. Hannah chose to wear sweatpants today and kept kneeling in the snow, alas, her freezy kneezys. Now, they're both enjoying Ramen noodles in front of the woodstove before quiet time.

We've got ham and sweet potatoes on the menu for supper tonight and I think I'll inagurate the new KitchenAid mixer Andy gave me for Christmas by mixing a loaf of bread!

Christmas preparations

Even though I am not wholly ready, I feel a strange -albeit unsettling - peace about the whole thing! Kind of like when a hurricane is forecast but the skies are nothin' but blue, blue skies....
Yes, we had 22+" of snow on Saturday, and the reason I have no pictures to show is that I lost my camera battery recharger and had to order a new one. Its still not here yet. There are a few on our 35mm, but who knows when we'll get those developed.
I got the girls' presents wrapped two nights ago and stuck them under the tree. They are getting excited now, seeing the gifts. Hannah asked this morning why there were no presents in their "Stanta Bags" (stockings), and I told her Santa doesn't come for two more nights. What?! Two more nights! That sent a jolt through me that no swig of Starbucks ever could!
I still have to sew the girls' nightgowns. I'm deterred by the fact that there are several orange blotches scattered throughout the fabric that I've washed and ironed. I'm not sure if it was there when I bought it or if its a casualty of our washing machine and our hard water. Before we trek to th' WalMart tonight I'm going to cut out the patterns and see if I have enough to avoid the stains. If not, I'll get another yard or two.
Christmas baking? Well, its a staple of several presents and I guess I better get at it today and tomorrow. Its a false sense of security that I'm going to Tidewater the day after Christmas and I think that I'll have Christmas afternoon to bake. Mmmm, like I said. I better get at it today. I was able to gift our trash guys and mail lady with cookies and treats, and I'll set out a cake for the newspaper guy this afternoon. But after that, my supplies are low, so its back to the kitchen with my little "helpers". I just have to trust that the oven heat will kill any germs from repeated sneaky "tastings".
I want to post pictures of my homemade Christmas gifts, but the recipients may find it too hard to look away. I'll save that post for after Christmas!

Roaring Run Hike

We went for a lovely hike last weekend!

No, really, they enjoyed it!

It was at Roaring Run Furnace, just south of Alleghany in Botetourt. The hike to the falls was about 3/4 of a mile at an easy grade. Abbo walked most of the way up; Andy carried her some of the way because she was slow and her legs got tired. But Hannah made it the whole way.

The best part of the hike was that it is almost wholly right beside the creek (Roaring Run), so its cool, moist and pleasant, with lots to see and do.

(like threatening your parents with a stick while perched on a rock over the creek)

(or playing Indian in the cave)

There are two sets of falls - well, one cascade and one falls, I guess. There's also a special trout management area, and while we saw several fishermen, we didn't see anything in their creels. But we did see a couple fish in the deep holes.

(upper falls)

On the way back, we took the Woodland Trail, which is exactly what it says: a trail through a mostly deciduous forest with some piney sections, especially at higher elevations. There was one fairly steep grade with an overlook.

The rest was downhill from the falls back to the furnace and the parking lot area.

We'll definitely go back and do this hike again....but with more than corn chips for a snack at the top!

And afterwards to celebrate? The girls put Pull-Ups on their heads and said they were fire helmets....then dressed up all their stuffed animals with the same. Argh.

Hannah's 5th Birthday Party

While it was supposed to be a family-friendly event, it appears that Abbo might be flashing a gang sign....

He's hard to see in camo, but he did most of the work....

Lisa, Kellen & Brandon warming by the fire -

The only picture with all the kiddos in it! Look at that cool fire pit setup - Thanks, Daddy!

Amber was in charge of making sure all the kids - mine included - got suppah....

Lisa at the front of the pinata line. With a giant pokey to keep those kids in place....

The infamous pinata, with Riely taking a go.....

and Ian, with Christian looking on....

Sabrena - thank you again for doing pinata duty - not only could I not have done it, but your timing was perfect!

my favorite pinata picture - go Olivia!

Colin, with his best Ninja/Jedi moves....

Kellen bargaining for another go....

Ahhh, the butterfly gives up the treasure~ Abbo, Hanno, Brandon & Kellen planted for the take~

Plastic spiders, cowboys & Indians, candy bracelets, gummy fruits, Tootsie Rolls....(reminder: brush your teeth!)

Bye, bye, butterfly!

"My cake should be pink and white, with sprinkles. And butterflies. And yellow on the inside."

The redneck way to light candles: with a blowtorch. Git 'er dun!
Happy Birthday to yoooo-oooouuu!

Thar's a happy five year old girl!

A friendly game of cowboys & Indians :)

Woo-hoo! Even with all the candy, we managed to wear them out by playing a couple games, and mine, at least, were in bed before 9PM. Thank you for a great time!