The Life of Riley

Gardening in the Snow

2010-12-06T20:43:00.000-08:00

It is fun to be able to pick a basketful of beets on a day when the high was in the mid 30's and we had a dusting of snow. I wonder how much my anniversary greenhouse will increase production?

Wordless Wednesday: Iron Men

2010-06-08T04:52:00.000-07:00

Kevin and some of his buddies pose for a picture after completing their first Triathlon.

Wordless Wednesday: Daughter Obsessed With Greek Mythology

2010-05-26T19:42:00.001-07:00

I just had to laugh when Colleen got into the googley eyes and tried to turn Paco into a Greek monster.

Garden Transformation- Day Fifty-Four

2010-05-20T19:02:00.001-07:00

Today was the day to work on our church's community garden. We felt like it was important to include the children in this project so that they could spend time in service to others and boy did they work today. There was an enormous amount of weeding to be done and they stepped up to the challenge.

We also got to harvest some onions, lettuce, beet greens, and basil. What a great feeling to reap the rewards of your labor. It was fun dividing it up and taking it to some of the members of our church.

The home garden is not looking as wonderful, though. Glen put up a fence for Mother's Day to keep the chickens, bunnies, and dog out, but not before they dug up my seed. So, here it is:

The corn:
The squash, beans, and cucumbers:

The tomatoes:
Pitiful, I know. However, I hopes for a brighter future. In the mean time, the spring garden is doing great. This week we had Swiss Chard, radishes, onions, and kolrhabi. I have never tasted kolrhabi before, but it was quite good. The leaves taste like a very mild kale and the bulb tastes like broccoli. Surprisingly yummy.

This week we will be eating spinach, salad, and more kolrhabi. It is so fun to pick your food from your own backyard!

Crossing Over

2010-05-13T19:18:00.001-07:00

Tuesday night was the annual "Last pack meeting of the year" for Cub Scout troop 442. We have attended this for 4 years and watched many young men cross the bridge from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts, but this year was different. This year "my" cub was crossing.

It truly is a bittersweet moment. He is ready, but I may not be. It seems like just yesterday we started as a Tiger. The first year all the moms participate. But, for the next two years, I was the den mother for this group of boys. They have grown so much, both physically and mentally.

They did have to get rid of me though, because they needed someone, a man specifically, who had more to offer than sand art and sing-a-longs.

Here they are as Boy Scouts with their new troop. I am so proud of all of them, especially my little cub.

Mother's Day Hike

2010-05-09T15:16:00.001-07:00

Today, I was given the choice of activities by my lovely family and I chose something that we all love... hiking. We wanted to try a new place, but wasn't quite sure. My friend Sharon suggested at church this morning that we try the Schoolhouse Gap trail. Then, I remembered a blog written by my friend Randy at 900 Miles about his recent hike there. That was it.

It was a nice hike that started off along a creek and then headed up. Once again, my family was wondering what my problem was trying to get up the hill. But, it was fairly short and the rest of the incline was not so steep.

This a great hike for wildflowers. We saw Solomon's Seal, Foam Flower, Dwarf Irises, and numerous Trilliums and daisies. The best of all was the Pink Lady Slipper. Colleen was so excited! As we were climbing the hill she said that she had never seen a Yellow Lady Slipper or Pink Lady Slipper in bloom and when we got to the top of the hill... viola! She was so excited and talked about it the rest of the way.
We also found interesting creatures on our hike. Glen found a lizard that Colleen caught and I had an Inchworm land on my back. That would not seem so exciting, but we have just been learning about caterpillars and, in particular, we read about why Inchworms crawl like they do. It was fascinating to hold one and watch its little feet propel its long body.
Well, we had a delightful day and I am now waiting for the Mother's Day feast of steak and oven-roasted potatoes to commence.

Wordless Wednesday: Sprouting Potatoes in Feed Sacks

2010-05-05T20:14:00.000-07:00

Church Garden/ PapPap's Garden

2010-04-20T18:18:00.000-07:00

Friday was a beautiful day and the right day for planting according to the signs. There is actually some scientific evidence to support planting according to the signs. I used to think it was witchcraft and totally discounted the farmer's almanac. Now, I understand that the gravitational pull from the moon can actually aid in the germination of seeds. In Ecclesiastes 3 it says that:

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot...

Who am I to argue with the Word of God? There are definite seasons and times to plant and harvest. With that in mind, I tried to plant a whole lot in one day.

The first activity was the church garden. Our women's ministry is planting a garden for the members of our church with hopes to donate any leftovers to a local food bank. We started the day with praying and then proceeded to plant 2 rows of beans, 6 rows of corn, cucumbers, watermelon, cantaloupe, peppers, and I am sure something else, I just can't remember.

While I was working on that, Glen was at my dad's house building a raised bed vegetable garden. We are giving him a garden for his 69th birthday. He has been talking about having a garden since he moved here 3 years ago, but his Rheumatoid Arthritis has prevented him. So, Glen and I decided to make a low maintenance garden that he may enjoy his own tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, peppers, and zucchini without too much work.

When I finished at the church garden and the kids had finished swimming, we went and planted PapPap's garden and had a lovely dinner of venison tenderloin and oven roasted vegetables with my family. It was a great, albeit exhausting day!

Garden transformation- Day Twenty-One

2010-04-15T20:33:00.000-07:00

I am so frustrated with blogging because it takes forever for me to figure out how to post pictures. My dear friend at SmallWorld said she would help me, so here is the update until I get a lesson:

The raised bed gardens are up and going. We had a major problem in the beginning because I decided to set the bunnies free. We have 2 bunnies, a mother and her daughter, who have been living in a pitiful hutch that rarely got cleaned for 2 + years. I decided that their lives would be better if we let them out to nibble on the fresh green grass, even if they only lived two more days until the hawks got them.

Well, now we have a fence and a farm dog and the chance of them getting eaten by hawks (like their predecessors) is slim. So.... they have plenty of time to eat the cabbage and broccoli plants in my new raised bed gardens. What a headache! The chickens also enjoyed scratching up the beet and lettuce seed and the dog thought that it was a good "jump" and a place to mark his territory.

We have come up with some temporary fixes, but it looks like a fence inside the fence is in the near future. Pictures will follow.

Tomorrow is planting day for our churches' garden co-op. I am so excited that the Lord is using a passion that I have to minister to others. We are planting a garden for the members of our church to share, with leftovers to share with the poor. Some of it has already been planted. On Monday, several women planted, tomatoes, peppers, and squash. Tomorrow it is beans, corn, and okra. More on that later.

Tomorrow also is the day to build and plant my dad's raised bed garden. While I was planting our raised bed garden a few weeks ago, I decided that I would love to give my dad a garden for his birthday. So that is what we are going to do. Today my dad turned 69 an tomorrow my husband is going to build it while I am planting the church garden. When I am done there, I am coming to plant my dad's garden.

I love spring. I love watching things grow. I love most of all the harvest of the Lord's provision.

Wordless Wednesday: Spring on the Dining Room Table

2010-03-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

Garden Transformation- Day One

2010-03-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the first day of spring and it brought Day one of the garden transformation. We worked all day! It does not seem like that much got done, but it was a lot of work and we were all sore, tired, and hungry by time we finished for the day. Below on the left is the Montmorency Cherry tree that we planted. It is my favorite dry cherry. I am not sure it will do well in our climate, but I willing to give it a try.

On the right is Kevin removing the English Ivy that had taken over the bed that now holds our cherry tree. It was very hard work and excellent means of "character training". I think he is going to think twice about telling me he finished his math when in fact he hadn't.

Next was the building of the raised beds. We have had them before and removed them because I had decided if I wanted my husband help in the garden I had to do it the way he wanted. We have compromised and I am allowed to have two to do a spring and fall garden. We will still plow up a big area of the yard for the summer garden.

Raised beds are great for many reasons such as being able to concentrate your nutrients in one place and being able to work them earlier and later in the year. The other reason, and the one that won my husband over, is that it is hard to grow root vegetables in East Tennessee clay soil. I have not been able to grow beets well since we got rid of the raised beds. I guess I better produce this year or lose face.

The last picture you see is my new experiment growing potatoes. This is kind of along the lines of "trash can" potatoes. This is what I did: I punctured some holes in the bottom of a bag, threw in a few handfuls of dry leaves, dumped in some dirt to cover, placed 4-5 small seed potatoes, and then covered with more soil. The instructions say to use a kitchen garbage bag, but a friend of mine who is a Master Gardener said she uses feed bags. As the plants grow, I will need to keep adding dirt or hay for the tubers to form. When I am ready to harvest, I will simply cut the bag open and pull out potatoes.

If this works, I will be so excited. Homegrown potatoes are one of the tastiest food on the planet, but the work and the land that goes into producing them will keep most people from growing them.

All in all, it was a great day in the sun and we got a great start to the transformation.

Wordless Wednesday: St. Patrick's Day 2010

2010-03-17T16:56:00.000-07:00

The preparations are started at 9:30

6:00- Everything is ready. The celebration begins.

The Garden Transformation Begins

2010-03-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

My garden and yard is about to have a major rennovation. For the past several years, we have been considering moving so we have not done anything to improve our garden like I would have liked. Also, for several years now I have not felt well because of fibromyalgia, but since my hysterectomy last fall, I feel remarkably better. Not that it has cured all my ailments, but it has given me more energy.

The other thing that has got me moving forward with my plan is my eleven year old daughter. She wants all of these things too and is willing to help. At least she says so now. We will see come the middle of summer and the garden needs weeded.

Below are pictures of my vegetable garden last summer. It was O.K., but the plans in my head are so much more. I have plans for all kinds of fruit trees, nut trees, and berry bushes. I love the idea of self-sustainability. I would love to produce as much of our food as I can. We'll see what happens.

Later this week I will post some "before" pictures of the muddy mess that is out there right now and I will keep you posted as it progresses.

2010-03-10T09:05:00.000-08:00

Last Saint Patrick's Day was about as delightful a day as one could wish for. It was unusually warm and the corned beef was perfect. As I started to plan our annual family celebration, it occurred to me that maybe not everyone actually knows how to prepare a traditional corned beef and cabbage meal. So I thought I would share how we do ours.

Only three items needed: corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes. Earth Fare has a coupon this week for a FREE bag of organic potatoes and a coupon for $1.00 off corned beef. I will check the price of the corned beef and if it is not too high, I will get it there. But, if the price will cause my husband to hyperventilate, I will wait until next week and get it at Krogers. They always have them on sale the week of Saint Patrick's Day.

The morning of SPD, put your corned beef and as many pieces of cut up cabbage that you can fit in your crock pot on the low setting. I usually don't mess with the season package that comes with the corned beef because the meat and the cabbage will have plenty of flavor without pepper corns in my cabbage.

About 45 mins- 1 hour before you are ready to eat, remove the beef and place in a roasting pan, slather with some plain mustard and brown sugar, cover with foil and put in oven at 300 degrees for about 30 mins.

Meanwhile, dip some of the juice out of the crock pot and put in a pan with your peeled, cubed potatoes. Add extra water if needed and boil until potatoes are fork tender, drain. The wholesome goodness in the crock pot is truly the key to yummy potatoes.

Serve with butter for the potatoes and sometimes we like ketchup on the cabbage. Yum!

Of course every Saint Patrick's Day celebration requires Celtic music and dance. Last year the kids invented some instruments to accompany the music.

Erin Go Braugh!

Wordless Wednesday: Orange Crush

2010-03-10T07:59:00.000-08:00

Kids will be kids! I told them to get a box of oranges out of the trunk and the next time I cam home, this is what I saw as I pulled in the driveway. Apparently there were a couple "bad" oranges that needed to be repurposed.

Yet Another Reason to Homeschool

2010-03-08T20:53:00.000-08:00

My eleven year old daughter spends literally hours pouring over the offerings in the Guerney's Seed Catalog instead of hours looking at Shaun Cassidy in Teen Beat magazine like her mother did at her age.

She has picked out several different varieties of roses "in case I wanted to get her something for Easter."

She has no idea how hard it is to grow roses.... yet!

Weekly Wrap Up

2010-03-05T15:28:00.000-08:00

Whew! What a week! It was extraordinaryily busy, but mostly fun. Monday started with our regular rountine. We had classes at our local co-op and then Gymnastics. Usually it is dinner and then swimming, but not this week. We had our final practice for the Energy Bowl at the Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge the next morning.

Tuesday we woke up to blowing snow and sleet but headed out for our 40 minute drive to compete against other sixth grade teams from around the area on the topic of physical science and energy. Our kids did fabulous! We earned second place and we even had 2 members who are 5th graders.
After a trip to the museum gift shop to spend our prize money we went to lunch, Earth Fare and then home to piano and gymnastics before the Pinewood Derby that evening. Unfortunately, we did not have quite as a spectacular showing there. Kevin's car actually was no where near done, but he decided to nail on his wheels and go for the fun of it. It wasn't so much fun when he came in last.

Wednesday was about the most "normal" school day we had all week even though it ended at around 12:30. Glen came and picked me up at 12:45 for an appointment with an allergist. I knew they were going to test me, so I wanted him there. The kids went next door and worked on their assignments while I got 130 pricks in my back. It really was not that bad and the good news is that I do not have any allergies. But the wonderful, kind, doctor agreed with me (in front of my husband) that I probably had some sensitivities to preservatives, additives, etc and that white flour probably did make me sick and explained to him why.

Thursday was our AMSE science class. An instructor from the American Museum of Science and Energy comes to Maryville once a month and has a class for the kids. This class was on geology. Colleen had a rock collection at four. She loved this class. Actually she loves all of them.

Friday brought yet another field trip. The Sam Houston Schoolhouse was having Civil War

reenactments and exhibits for homeschoolers in preparation for their reenactments this weekend. We went with some friends and had a great time in the cool sunshine. The kids helped the re-enactors unload a truck full of wood before getting chased out of the flower bed by the school marm. In their defense, we had no idea it was a flower bed either. All in all, it was great fun.

But are we done yet? No. We are on our way to a friend's house for a mother and daughter homemade pizza and "Little Women" party.

Wordless Wednesday: Two Cool Dudes

2010-03-03T18:38:00.000-08:00

The Day of Why's

2010-03-02T18:46:00.000-08:00

Today was a a day full of "why we homeschool" conversations. It started this morning as my daughter was getting ready to go to Oak Ridge, TN and compete in the Energy Bowl at the Museum of Science and Energy with her twin brother and 3 other 6th graders from our Blount County Co-op. They are actually 5th grade, but they needed another student to compete and agreed to let a couple 5th graders on their team.

As she was getting dressed she asked, "Do people think homeschoolers are weird?" When I asked her why she was asking that question she said that last week while we were at a field trip at our new performing arts center, there were some public school girls making fun of her and her friends because they were homeschooled. I told her that some people may think we are different, but that is one reason we homeschool.. to be different from girls that behave that way. I also told her that if she was in school , those girls would be making fun of her for something else most likely.

So off to Oak Ridge we go in the snow and sleet. The kids were all nervous but they did great and came in second overall. We were very proud of them for that accomplishment, but quite dismayed that they were beat by a team who apparently had the questions to study ahead of time. I know without explanation, I might be labeled an "overprotective, controlling, homeschool mom". So, here it is:

The most obvious question, among many, went something like this. "Blah, blah, blah... all of the following except". The other team's captain buzzed in at that point and answered "C" which was the correct answer. How could he have known that "C" was the answer if he had never heard the answers to choose from?

I was a bit perplexed as was one of the other moms who asked what was going on and the response given her was "This happens every year with this team". But, they can't prove anything so they don't want to accuse them of cheating.

Needless to say, my children, the keepers of the fairness torch, were outraged. I tried to explain that some things in life are not fair and when that happens we just need to accept it as graciously as we can and try to glorify God with our behavior.

This led to the next "why" discussion. While I was trying to talk them down we talked about how we do not educate to a test. We do not have packets with test questions, we have books that we read. In the past month we have all learned so much about energy and physics that we did not know. We, most certainly, are the winners when we look at it in this context.

The last "why" of the day came when we pulled into the driveway. A little girl who is I think about 11-12 was on the street, on her bicycle in the snow, chasing after her sister who is 13 who was running away after a bad day in school. These are some really sweet girls who are home by themselves in the afternoon with their 9 year old brother until their mother gets home from work.

We parked her bike and loaded in the car and went and found her sister. She was talking to her mother the whole time on the phone and all I could think is "Thank you Lord that you have blessed me with the luxury of being with my children." I knew that these girls would be ok, but my heart was aching for their mother who was at work and unable to do anything. I know that homeschooling requires a sacrifice of time and money, but it does not mean that we love our children more.

When we got them home, their nine year old brother was in the garage in his socks and a t-shirt just sobbing. Yeah, I would say I that I have the "luxury" of being with my kids and homeschooling them.

I guess there is yet one last "why". It was what my daughter did when we got home for the evening. She had taken her prize money for being on the second place team to the museum gift shop, bought some kits and came home and made a robot and started some crystals growing. She gets to love what she loves and my little girl loves, among other things, science.

Memories

2010-02-18T19:30:00.000-08:00

Memories. I have realized have very few. I am doing a Beth Moore study called "Breaking Free" and we are supposed to identify generational sins to help us break free from them. I have been a big believer in generational sins for years and have seen the effects of them on my family. This is nothing new, but what is new, through a series of events I have come to realize I only have bad memories, especially from my childhood. Also, I can only identify the negative qualities of my parents and grandparents.

For some reason, I can not remember when I did something well or when I said something smart or even when I was kind to someone. I only remember when I said something stupid, hurt someone's feelings, or did something shameful or embarrassing. I have on occasion had someone tell me that I was kind and I remember being shocked. I thought surely they are one of those people who have problems with over-exaggeration.

The Lord says, "That as far as the east is from the west, so far have I removed your transgressions". So why can't I let them go? This is what I have asked Him as well as, "Please help me to remember the good things too".

Therefore, I intend to blog about the good memories as He brings them to mind. It is my way of drawing a line in the sand and saying, "No more!". I am not going to wallow in the sins of the past. I am going to "think on the good things that the Lord has done for me". And since there are usually only two people who read my blog and I feel very safe with both of them, I think it will be very therapeutic.

First memory: playing cards. Last night while talking to a friend about getting together, she mentioned playing rummy. I remember having so much fun playing rummy and various card games with my family. As long as everyone was home and no one was drinking, it was so much fun. I remember one summer day sitting on the back porch and my mom teaching us older kids how to play hearts. It was so much fun and I remember laughing. It was warm and safe that day.

Popcorn and Olympics

2010-02-17T19:00:00.000-08:00

My daughter was in the tub while the popcorn was popping. She asked me if I had a smell that reminded me of home. My thought was, "yeah cigarettes and stale beer" but I didn't answer. Instead I asked her if she had one. She replied, "Popcorn and homemade bread". I almost started crying. Maybe one day my kids will "arise and call me blessed" instead of "mom I don't have any clean pants".

As long as they know that I love them, I guess they don't have to call me blessed. I know my mother loved me and the rest of my brothers and sisters. Things were not always "blessed" but my mommy loved me and besides the love of my Heavenly Father, that's enough.

2010-02-13T20:00:00.000-08:00

Birthday! Today is my 46th birthday and it turned out pretty well. I woke up depressed. Not sure why. I don't think it had to do with my age but maybe because Thursday was the one year anniversary of my mother's death. Maybe it was because I took care of one person after the other with the stomach virus this week. (Thankfully, I did not get it.) Or maybe it was because of the argument my husband and I had last night over me wanting to watch the opening ceremonies in bed and him wanting to sleep. How is that for a switch?

Anyway, I was not really looking forward to the day. I woke up to a messy house, an irritable husband not completely recovered from the virus, and grumpy children who did not want to do anything the irritable husband told them. I would have canceled my appointment at the spa if it weren't for the fact that I had to get out of here.

I left home and picked up my friend Kim. We drove to the spa and I went in for a facial and she took my filthy car to be washed and the carpets cleaned for my birthday. Next we went to lunch and then shopping for organic produce. I know this may not sound exciting to most people, but it thrills me. Fresh, nutritious, and flavorful foods for my family make my heart jump.

The best part was when I returned home. The house was clean, everyone was happy, steak and asparagus were on the menu, presents had been dropped off by Granny Bear and my sister Mandy, and this beautiful cake was on the table. My dear sweet daughter had made it and decorated it all by herself. No one had ever shown her how. I was so impressed.

Lastly, I had the courage to accept a friend request from a women I went to high school with and even invited another high school friend. I thought that if I kept my maiden name off of Facebook, no one would ever find me.

I am not really sure why I am so afraid of my past. I know I don't remember very much of my life before I was saved. I know I was not happy and really did not like who I was. I really can not remember "good times" or things that I am proud of . I only remember hurt and shame. It has taken me years to partially understand this and see how it affects the people that I love.

I don't deserve the good things God has given me. But, I know the time has come for me to see me as He sees me. A beloved daughter that He was willing to die for. Oh if I could just wrap my arms around that one, it would indeed transform my life.

Wordless Wednesday: "Daddy Mummy"

2010-01-06T17:08:00.001-08:00

Cub Scouts is so much fun!!!

Christmas Wrap Up

2010-01-05T19:59:00.000-08:00

How did it happen? It came and went. I enjoyed it and was not too terribly stressed out. It was either the advanced planning or the absence of a uterus, or a combination of the two? We went to several Christmas parties but declined a few also. That is entirely new territory for me. We saw several Christmas performances, but not every one. Most presents were either purchased in one day or bought online and wrapped far in advance. I was even able to host the homeschool mom's cookie and ornament exchange and on Christmas Eve host about 20 family members and enjoy both events. How did that happen?

The day after Christmas we drove to NJ to visit Glen's family and on the way back stopped to see my baby brother, his beautiful wife and their precious 2 month old twins. Look below for a picture of Colleen feeding baby Luke. I enjoyed everything but the drive through the rain, sleet, snow, and fog. However, "The Hobbit" on tape made even that tolerable. How did that happen?

I am not sure. I do think it has something to do with the lack of a uterus, but either way, I am so thankful to God for making it possible. I do not wish by any means to dismiss the real miracle of Christmas, but this was indeed an additional Christmas miracle for me! Might I add one for my family as well?

When You are Homeschooled by a Nurse

2009-11-05T19:19:00.000-08:00

"What is this?" I ask. "Oh... that's where that went" she replies. So the story goes, she was using the hypodermic needle to look at bacteria from her fish bowl under the microscope and the needle flew off when she pushed the plunger. I found it lodged into the wall above her closet door like someone had thrown a dart. My response was "No more needles to play with!". Her response was, "Maybe you could show me how to screw it on so the needle doesn't fly off". She has an answer for everything! Aghhh!!!!

First USA Swim Meet

2009-09-27T14:21:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we traveled to Bristol, TN for Kevin and Colleen's first ever USA swim meet. We knew it would be a little different than summer swim league, but we didn't know how much. They had to swim at the minimum twice the distance in every event and in a couple events they had to swim 8 times the distance. It was a small meet which it made it great to start their year. We are all exhausted, but they both left with trophies for third place overall in their age groups. On top of that, their team "BLAST" won first place overall. We were all tickled. Below is a picture of them with their trophies and Coach John.

Wordless Wednesday: Counting Tree Rings

2009-09-22T21:35:00.001-07:00

"This tree is a hundred years old mommy!"

Wordless Wednesday: Mr Opportunity

2009-09-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

She is entirely too young to meet Mr. Opportunity! Thank you Lord!

What Was I Thinking?

2009-08-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine (or so I thought ;) called me and said she heard that I may be wanting a couple additional hens to replace our dear departed Stella. She had a friend who had recently acquired some little bantes for her daughter to play with and had to get rid of some wonderful Plymouth Rock hens that laid giant eggs everyday. Perfect!

When we went to get them I noticed that one was losing some feathers. Maybe its time for her to molt I thought. But something told me I better not take them. On the way home I decided to be on the safe side I should not put them in with my healthy hens. So my dear husband made me a temporary pen and we have been watching them for 5 days now. Clearly they are older hens, one of them has diarrhea of unknown etiology and the other one lays an egg every day or so and usually they smash it and eat it.

I wonder why I can't use some common sense and go with my intuition? It sure would save me a lot of time and energy. Come to think of it, maybe I now know where my son gets his "acting without thinking" behavior.

I guess we will watch them for another week and if they don't look any better, we will let Daddy take care of our problem. He really deserves better.

Glamour Shots by Glen

2009-08-14T19:35:00.001-07:00

Thanks to my dear sweet husband who lovingly seized the opportunity to take a "glamour shot" of me hours after my hysterectomy last week. It reminded him of "Glamour Shots by Deb" on Napolean Dynamite. He said something about Uncle Ricco. Love you too honey! ;)

Wordless Wednesday: A Botanical Heart From a Little Sweetheart

2009-08-05T10:29:00.001-07:00

It's Here!

2009-08-04T06:01:00.001-07:00

It was one of the most exciting things I had ever experienced. After almost 5 months of waiting and nurturing baby chicks, the first egg arrived last Friday. Since then we have had 3 more!

To add to the excitement, we won the "Race to Egg" competition with my friend Sherry. We had both been wanting chickens for a couple years and both had our coops early this year. She called me around the last week in February to tell me that she had won because she was driving back from the Greenback co-op with her baby chicks. I said, "But Sherry, the competition was the first egg and not the first chick". So the race was on.

The following week we had our first 2 chicks and two weeks after that we had another two. We chose a variety of chicks for fun which was to our advantage. A couple of the chicks that we picked were bred for early and consistent egg production. Sherry's downfall was her selection of the beautiful, heirloom Buff Orphingtons. Our Josephina, a Golden Comet who is 3 weeks younger than the Buff Orps won the crown for us.

So you may ask, "What does one with so prestigious a title win?" Nothing less than a fine supper prepared by Sherry. Which by the way, she has won the cooking contests in the past. Victory can be so sweet!

Weekly Wrap Up

2009-07-24T19:02:00.000-07:00

What a week!!! I am so glad it is over. I have had a horrible flare up with the fibromyalgia and an ER visit for chest pain. Just the low potassium again I guess. I am finally starting to feel a little better.

Colleen's favorite chicken took ill the end of last week and we have been nursing her trying against the odds to help her make it and we came home today and she had scratched her neck wide open. Thankfully Daddy was here and could take care of Stella and put her out of her misery. What would we do without daddies? We will miss you Stella. Colleen has lost 2 fish and a chicken in 4 days. I am not sure how much more she can take. I am not sure how much more I can take.

The City Swim Meet is tomorrow. If the kids do well, we will have to go back on Sunday. Although I do not relish the thought of 2 days at a swim meet, it would be nice to have some happy around here.

On the happy side, we were able to cancel Colleen's appointment for tests at UT this week because her stomach is feeling much better. Thank you Lord!

Takes One to Ride One

2009-07-16T17:36:00.000-07:00

I love my husband but.....this was too easy!

One Thing I love About Homeschooling

2009-07-12T20:07:00.000-07:00

The other day I was reading SmallWorld and was challenged with the question of whether I felt like I was doing a good job homeschooling. Although some days are hard, the payoffs are huge in my opinion and yes we are doing a good job. I love that my son who is 10 still likes to make beleive and is not embarassed to get in a Spiderman car designed for 5 year olds when it looks like fun. He has been allowed the opportunity to still be a kid.

It seems to me that being a child seems to get ripped from you the moment you get on the yellow bus these days.

The other night at the dinner table we somehow got on the discussion of what the Pink Floyd video of "The Wall" meant. Don't ask me how they got to see parts of it (Daddy!). They did not know what the kids wearing masks on a conveyor belt falling into a meat grinder all coming out like perfect, equal sized hamburgers meant. When we started saying the words to the song, "We don't need no education, we don't need no thought control", it struck me that maybe Pink Floyd was on to something. I have always thought it was just about being a rebellious teenager, but now it seems to have a whole new meaning for me. We homeschool so our children will not end up being "just another brick in the wall". We want them to grow in the gifts and talents that the Lord has given them. They get to spend time learning about the things they love and learn about history the way it actually was and not a textbook author's interpretation. (The Pilgrims first gave thanks to God...not the indians! )They are able to learn about science by experiencing the world around them. They have time to create and play and imagine. And if the latest videos you have watched are "The Lone Ranger", then it is Hi Ho Silver...Away! Thank you Lord for giving me the ability to give the gift of childhood to my children.

Suburban Gardening

2009-07-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

I received one of the best compliments I have ever had about a week ago. My neighbor who is about 85 and had farmed all his life came over to take a look at my little garden and chickens. He said, "I have never seen such a good small garden. I would have never believed that you could get so much into such a small space." Wow! All his years of farming and he had not seen a small garden like this. It is nothing spectacular and the weeds and bugs often win, but there is something so wonderful in eating the food you have grown. Thank goodness we don't need to live off of my garden because it wouldn't cut it, but I do enjoy it.

Wordless Wednesday: First Fruits of the Summer Garden

2009-06-17T16:37:00.000-07:00

Medical Mondays

2009-06-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday while playing with some friends my son got stung twice by some big ugly hornets. He was stung on his arm and behind his left ear. It was a little swollen so we put some ice on it and it seemed to be ok. This morning when I sent him off to Wesley Woods day camp it was still a little swollen, but he was not complaining and it didn't appear to be any worse. When he came home, this is what we had. If it was both ears, he would look like Shrek. He got some benadryl tonight. Poor little fellow didn't quite know how to go to sleep. He was crying, "I have to sleep on this side but it hurts". After the bendryl kicked in, he was able to sleep on the other ear thankfully.

On a lighter note...as I was sitting eating my lunch (without children), my face started to feel warm and then it started to tingle and then burn. I just had to get my hair up so I went to the bathroom and when I looked in the mirror, my face, ears, and chest were beet red. I thought, "Oh no! I am having an allergic reaction". Contemplating how my afternoon without children would be ruined by a trip to the ER, I went to consult my neighbor Libby. She suggested that even though it was really red, maybe I could wait a while and see what happened. Taking her advise, I went home, laid on my couch, turned on the fan and tried to relax. After a few minutes I started to feel better and the redness decreased. It was then that it hit me. "I am having a hot flash!" I can't believe I almost drove myself to the ER for a hot flash!

Testing the new iPhone

2009-06-06T20:32:00.000-07:00

Pictures taken with my new iPhone while we waited for the account to be activated. Colleen and I had just been talking about how I always seem to get what I want. Maybe not everything...but I do like my iPhone. I just need to figure out how to use it ;).

The "Firsts" of Summer

2009-06-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

Summer has arrived with the the "firsts" of the season.

The first lightening bug was caught by Colleen and the first fish was caught by Kevin.

We had plenty of fun with worms and mauls today too.

"Rice Pickers"

2009-05-22T18:53:00.000-07:00

My daughter chose the title of this post. She thought it was appropriate to the subject and I guess she is right.

Question: What do most people do when they find moths and larvae in their rice? Of course throw it out. But not us. We have a farm collie who would love some basmati brown rice cooked with some old ground beef and four chickens who love grubs. So.....we pick. For some reason, my pictures of the chickens devouring their feast did not show up, but Colleen picking the grubs and the grubs themselves did. Enjoy!

One of the Good Ones

2009-05-05T20:21:00.000-07:00

I would have never imagined how hard it is to parent some boys. My son is smart, antsy, and a challenge. There are days I am not sure we will make it next week, let alone adulthood. However, tonight was one of those nights that gives me hope. He was awarded his Weblo's Badge and remarkably, I had little to do with it. Not only did he read his book and complete the requirements, he wanted to do it and do it well. It just tickles me to see him put on his uniform with such pride. He has to tuck in his shirt and put on his belt with all of the "beltloops" he has earned and tie his neckerchief just so. He loves cub scouts ( now that I am not the den leader ;-) and wants to do his best. Am I seeing a maturing young man?

Friends in High Places

2009-05-04T17:39:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we had an impromptu getaway to Cherokee, NC with friends for some "Native American" studies. Both dads are in the military and were unavailable, so it was just the moms and kids.

We stayed at a cabin overlooking the quiet town of Whittier, NC. The view was spectacular, but the driveway was a little scary. Although it rained much of the weekend we still were able to visit the Oconaluftee Indian Village, the Cherokee Museum and the Art Museum. Other highlights of the weekend included panning for gems, fishing for trout, and an extremely close game of Trivial Pursuit. I believe that it was my reluctance to watch or read anything Harry Potter that cost me the game. What in the world is a Hogwort?

I think the kids had a blast and built stronger friendships just like the moms. I know that anyone who will stay up to talk theology with me until 2:30 am must be a friend for life.

Give and Take

2009-04-27T19:22:00.000-07:00

Paco cam to live with us the day my mother was buried. Colleen and I had been looking for a farm Collie and found one in West Virginia with the same name as her stuffed dog that she has been carrying around since before she was one. When we saw him online with the name "Paco", we knew it was divine inspiration.

We were planning how we were going to get to WV to get him and at the same time make a visit to Pittsburgh to see my mom who was not doing very well. Suddenly, there was no longer a reason to visit my mom, but instead a funeral. I am so sad that I did not get there to see her before she died, but God alone knows why we didn't. I am able to suggest many reasons, but none of it matters now. I miss her and wish I had one more time to visit with her. I am sure she would have some suggestions about how to get the "stink" out of a farm dog.

Two Hikes (Uphill) in Two days

2009-04-17T18:52:00.000-07:00

What was I thinking? I thought the Blueberry Hike at Wesley Woods would be a nice stroll in the park. I should have a lovely time enjoying nature with Kevin and Colleen on a homeschool field trip. Surely we would know if was challenging by the

description in the brochure! Well it was straight up a mountainside. Granted there were "switchbacks" so we didn't go straight up, but I was wondering how I was going to speed-dial my cardiologist when we were in the "no service" area. As the blood started to shunt to my vital organs, I was wondering why my children were able to leap up the hill as though it were nothing to ascend 1200 feet in 15 minutes. Then, it dawned on me. They exercise all week long. They swim twice a week, do karate, gymnastics, and horseback riding while my exercise consists of pushing a pedal and turning a wheel. It just doesn't seem right.

Once we arrived at the summit one would think it "is all down hill from here". Well it was...over a couple of water falls. This was really kind of fun but I think the guide was thinking "what am I going to do if this fat lady falls"! When we returned to camp I am pretty sure the counselors had a grand time at lunch sharing their stories of the "mothers" who accompanied the kids. I feel confident that they are not used to assisting such old joints climbing down off the waterfalls.

Hike number two was today at Spruce Flat Falls. The guide book says "don't let the steepness of the trail in the beginning scare you". Well I was not sufficiently scared and I am now reaping the rewards of the effort. The mere act of sitting takes 14 times longer than usual and is fraught with reminders of the "steepness". Once we arrived at the falls however it seemed worth it (at the moment). It was beautiful! The kids had a blast taking off their shoes and wading in the water on one of the first warm days of spring. I just don't understand their insatiable need to be barefoot, but I am trying to be more flexible.