Yes, our chickens are eating the cherry blossoms that have fallen off our ornamental tree. I know that cherry leaves contain cyanide (did you), but hopefully the blossoms aren't tainted. If they are, I have my next blog post!!!
Speaking of a post....
I actually thought it had been eleven months since my last post; at only ten, I'm encouraged!
Well, about that truck......
The transmission was fixed, and Andy has been driving it. I got a 'neused' truck via Craigslist because the Escape was having other issues. As of last weekend, it looks like the engine is losing compression (whatever that means ~ there is a bunch of oil all over the inside under the hood). We'll keep driving it; there's always the other truck for a backup.
So many things change in ten months!
Bobo and Coco joined our family, two wethered goats. They were supposed to be pasture-mates for a dairy goat, Lilly, who joined us in February.
Unfortunately, Coco couldn't be kind to his new friend and had to find a new home. So he left with a nice family from Goodview.
Lord willing, Lilly will kid in mid-June, and we're looking forward to goat milk and late-spring kids!
The girls are plugging away at co-op, school and church. Speaking of church, we've joined a church just up the road As far as our garden Burnt Chimney ~ and are glad to be active there. We're also involved in a Bible study with some other homeschooling families, strengthening relationships and encouraging one another in our parenting journey. So thankful for the relationships there.
Lesseee, Andy survived a bout with MRSA after a scratch from a branch when he was cleaning out the woods behind our house. While it was scary for a couple days, once the antibiotics began to work, he's well on his way to recovery. We're so glad it didn't have more serious, long-lasting effects.
I had considered not blogging anymore. Time is scarce around here, what with schooling, keeping up with the house and animals and doing whatever it is we do. But I enjoy reading others' blogs and keeping a sort of record of what is going on in our lives. So, I'm going to try and start back again.
One problem was that our desktop computer is in the basement, away from our day to day activities. I've been using the laptop which allows me more freedom to move around.
Another problem has more to do with privacy concerns. I'm still not sure where I stand on that. When I log on to the Internet, do a Google search and pull up my name, my kids' names, my parents' names, where I've lived, my political views, etc., etc. on just the first couple pages of my search, I wonder if blogging is such a good idea. Notsomuch for "bad guys," but for the government and REALLY bad guys. And as I grow older and my kids grow older, I find myself having really radical ideas insofar as the mainstream is concerned. Nothing wacko or crazy, but just momma-bear conservative. I dunno. I'll have to think about that a bit as I decide what to write.
Anyways, look for more garden posts and chicken posts and goat posts and family posts. November marked our first full year in this home and I'm starting to get the hang of seasons and cycles here. Its going to be a great year!
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Thursday, May 17, 2012
math laugh
OK, so I had Han finishing up the (Virginia) third grade SOL test this morning....you know, the most recently-released one on the DOE website? Even though she's only finishing second grade, I wanted to get an idea of where she is; there's a couple areas we haven't learned yet.
Anyways, she got to number 42*:
Hannah stared at the problem for a minute, before she said,
"uh-uh! I'm NOT puttin' MY hand in THAT bag for NOTHIN'!"
"What?"
"You can't get ME to put my hand all the way in that bag for NOTHIN. NO way."
"Han, what are you talking about? Read the problem again."
"I DID. And I'm not putting my hand in ANY bag without looking first. There might be a scorpion in there."
(Allow me to point out that I had prayed for patience this morning, because I knew we'd be doing many many possibly difficult math problems in this test and she tends to go balky during long math sessions. THIS is how God answered my prayer.)
((Scorpion??))
[Laughing so hard] "What do you mean? Why would there be a scorpion in the bag? Look at the problem and just do the problem."
"Nope, I'm not putting MY hand in THAT bag. Maybe there will be another hand in there that will pull me in."
[!]
"Hannah, its a lunch bag. She brought it from home. Its new. There are no scorpions or hands in it."
"Then why can't I look?"
"Hannah," (trying not to get exasperated) "its not you doing it."
"But there might be another one of those caterpillars in there that would bite me. Or a scorpion. Or fire ants."
"You're not actually the one doing it, though. The girl is."
"OK, then, it would be blue."
"Why did you choose blue? (I only asked on this one problem, as I was devastatingly curious!)
"Because its at the bottom and on the side and if I kept my hand on the side to avoid whatever is in the bottom of the bag....."
OBVIOUSLY, probability needs to be included in our curriculum for next year.
Anyways, she got to number 42*:
A girl placed eight blocks like the ones shown, in a bag:
She pulled one block out of the bag without looking. Which color block is she MOST likely to select?
a. red
b. green
c. blue
d. yellow
*not copied exactly so I don't get in hot water with the DoE
Hannah stared at the problem for a minute, before she said,
"uh-uh! I'm NOT puttin' MY hand in THAT bag for NOTHIN'!"
"What?"
"You can't get ME to put my hand all the way in that bag for NOTHIN. NO way."
"Han, what are you talking about? Read the problem again."
"I DID. And I'm not putting my hand in ANY bag without looking first. There might be a scorpion in there."
(Allow me to point out that I had prayed for patience this morning, because I knew we'd be doing many many possibly difficult math problems in this test and she tends to go balky during long math sessions. THIS is how God answered my prayer.)
((Scorpion??))
[Laughing so hard] "What do you mean? Why would there be a scorpion in the bag? Look at the problem and just do the problem."
"Nope, I'm not putting MY hand in THAT bag. Maybe there will be another hand in there that will pull me in."
[!]
"Hannah, its a lunch bag. She brought it from home. Its new. There are no scorpions or hands in it."
"Then why can't I look?"
"Hannah," (trying not to get exasperated) "its not you doing it."
"But there might be another one of those caterpillars in there that would bite me. Or a scorpion. Or fire ants."
"You're not actually the one doing it, though. The girl is."
"OK, then, it would be blue."
"Why did you choose blue? (I only asked on this one problem, as I was devastatingly curious!)
"Because its at the bottom and on the side and if I kept my hand on the side to avoid whatever is in the bottom of the bag....."
OBVIOUSLY, probability needs to be included in our curriculum for next year.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
To Do List
- put new batteries in alarm clock
- c
heck email/Facebook/blogs/Pinterest - find notebook to keep near computer
rearrange living room furniturefeed/water chickensclean out chicken pen in basementdesign compost binrearrange living room furniture with homeschool stuff all grouped togetherfinish sewing Hannah's bedspread and curtainshang Abbo's curtains on her closet- repair Hannah's curtains where she cut them "because she just wanted something to cut"
- sew tiebacks for Hannah's curtains
- sew tiebacks for Abbo's curtains so she can "see all her dresses"
paint front hall wall (Andy)- buy paint (me)
- repaint hall wall more of a leafy and less of a minty green (Andy)
build chicken coop (Andy)move all of LR furniture that is on the left of the room to the right of the room and vice versateach school- make list of curriculum changes for next year
- look up homeschool convention dates
feed/water chickenslook at chicken coop for landscaping plans- break the news to Andy that I don't like where the chicken coop is
organize kitchen cabinets/freezer/downstairs pantrymake grocery list- plan garden
lunch w/Carrie @ 12:15; park with kids afterwards- re-read Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel
- find or buy "I'm So Sorry"/"Whoops"/"kids do the darnedest things", etc. rubber stamps or stickers
- make card for Carrie
- feed/water chickens
- read Bible while kids have quiet/naptime
- make curtains for MBR
- look for the plug-in alarm clock
- feed/water chickens
Monday, December 20, 2010
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....)
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....)
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Unreasonable
Maybe I get distracted by the cuteness.
Or, more likely, I can easily recall a time in the not-so-distant past when she was wholly dependent on me and trusted me and gratefully accepted my sage parental guidance in all things.
Then again, its probably those round brown eyes.
Either way, the Once Reasonable two-year-old (who turns 3 in mere days) has turned into a fuzzball of independence, making choices and taking stands on personal freedom that the most flag-waving patriot would gladly surrender based on mere grounds that the foe is indeed, larger.
I've given in on her wearing blanket sleepers - complete with feet - in June. They are pink, they have kitties on them, they zip and snap and they are polyester. But hey, at least I'm not checking covers all night.
Last night, however, was a curve ball.
Once Reasonable asked in a deceptively reasonable sweet voice, "can you get me some undahwayah?"
Me: Its bedtime, you need a dipey or some pull-em-ups at night.
O.R.: Noooo! I's potty-TRAINED and I can wear undahwayah!
Me: No, you're potty trained in the DAYtime and you still wear dipeys or pullumups at night
because whenever you don't, you wet th'bed.
O.R.: Waaaaahhhhhh!!! (Head in hands on side of bed)
Me: Even your sister wore pullemups for almost a YEAR after she was potty trained in the daytime because it is so HARD to be potty trained at night and...... (drifting off, realizing I'm negotiating with a terrorist....)
O.R.: perking up....
Me: (Relieved, because of COURSE she's being reasonable with this line of argument...)
O.R.: Gracie can help me! I know! Dat girl from my singin' class can help me go back and forth!
Me: ??
O.R.: She help me go to my pot and I can go on my pot and get back in bed!
Me: Grace from church?
O.R.: Yes, from curch! (Brightening and smiling through tears)
Me: Um, SugarBaby, Gracie lives far, far away and she is in her own bed in her own house with her.....
O.R.: Waaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!! (Head in hands)
Me: Sigh.
The compromise?
Me: You wanna wear unders over your dipeys?
O.R.: (Smiling again) Yes!
O.R.: Mama, can Gracie come spend the night tomorrow night?
Sigh.
Or, more likely, I can easily recall a time in the not-so-distant past when she was wholly dependent on me and trusted me and gratefully accepted my sage parental guidance in all things.
Then again, its probably those round brown eyes.
Either way, the Once Reasonable two-year-old (who turns 3 in mere days) has turned into a fuzzball of independence, making choices and taking stands on personal freedom that the most flag-waving patriot would gladly surrender based on mere grounds that the foe is indeed, larger.
I've given in on her wearing blanket sleepers - complete with feet - in June. They are pink, they have kitties on them, they zip and snap and they are polyester. But hey, at least I'm not checking covers all night.
Last night, however, was a curve ball.
Once Reasonable asked in a deceptively reasonable sweet voice, "can you get me some undahwayah?"
Me: Its bedtime, you need a dipey or some pull-em-ups at night.
O.R.: Noooo! I's potty-TRAINED and I can wear undahwayah!
Me: No, you're potty trained in the DAYtime and you still wear dipeys or pullumups at night
because whenever you don't, you wet th'bed.
O.R.: Waaaaahhhhhh!!! (Head in hands on side of bed)
Me: Even your sister wore pullemups for almost a YEAR after she was potty trained in the daytime because it is so HARD to be potty trained at night and...... (drifting off, realizing I'm negotiating with a terrorist....)
O.R.: perking up....
Me: (Relieved, because of COURSE she's being reasonable with this line of argument...)
O.R.: Gracie can help me! I know! Dat girl from my singin' class can help me go back and forth!
Me: ??
O.R.: She help me go to my pot and I can go on my pot and get back in bed!
Me: Grace from church?
O.R.: Yes, from curch! (Brightening and smiling through tears)
Me: Um, SugarBaby, Gracie lives far, far away and she is in her own bed in her own house with her.....
O.R.: Waaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!! (Head in hands)
Me: Sigh.
The compromise?
Me: You wanna wear unders over your dipeys?
O.R.: (Smiling again) Yes!
O.R.: Mama, can Gracie come spend the night tomorrow night?
Sigh.
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