in case you were wondering...

We've recently decided to do a little bit of extra work Monday through Thursday to leave Fridays for fun stuff. If we get a whole weeks worth of work done in four days, we have an extra day to do some of the things we don't have time to do otherwise.

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By the way, I can't even belive that we don't find time to do stuff. For some reason, I was worried that I'd run out of ideas and the girls might be disappointed. NOT THE CASE! I'm ditching ideas left and right because I've over planned. I know, I know. I'm a chronic over-planner. I haven't found the support group for it yet. Maybe there isn't one. I could start planning for one...
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Anyway, we picked Friday not only because it's at the end of the week and starts with "f" (so we could call them Fabulously Free For Fun Stuff Fridays), but because we all ready have gym every Friday morning for two hours with our homeschool association. After gym class we've been enjoying lunch and art class with our friends, rotating which house we make a mess in.

This week was the third or fourth week they worked on 3-D paper projects, so they started to get a bit bored and off track. We decided to ditch the end of art class and take a field trip that would include lots of walking and fresh air.

Plus, honestly, I think I'm wanting to cram in as many outside activities as we can before it's cold and yucky. And its not like the girls have been complaining about all the outside, hands-on learning time! :)



Even with backs turned, you can pick Maggie (and her fine color matching abilities) out of our small crowd. Gracy was funny when we first got there. She pretended she didn't like the place, but she begs to go all the time! Stinker!



The last few field trips we've taken we've found the famous black and brown fuzzy caterpillar. Every one of them feels the need to poop on whomever is brave enough to hold it. This one was no exception. For some reason the younger girls were surprised its poop was green...I wonder what color they thought digested leaves would be.





I'm sure these flowers looked prettier at some point earlier in the year.



I'm not sure why I didn't photograph the wild grapes we found growing along the trail (and enjoyed munching on). Or the acorn that one of the kids smashed on the ground to taste. Makes me want to borrow a field guide from the library and see what else is hanging around that I don't recognize!

The girls have been enjoying morning recess. I tell them it's 15 minutes, but sometimes I let them play outside for 25-30, especially if they are moving around a lot and giggles are plentiful.

Thursday was no exception. I could hear the squeals of delight, so I went out to take some pictures. I was so proud they decided all on their own to play soccer this week. So I started snapping away thinking about how fun it would be to have a recess page in our yearbooks.

Then I discovered they were wearing slippers. Outside.

Now I did just tell them this was a good time of year to bust out the slips and bathrobes, since we're too cheap to turn on the heat yet. I should've clarified they were for indoors. They laughed tossed back some smart remark about it being homeschool and therefore slippers were appropriate recess attire.

At least they're having fun, right?!

The 4 Stages in the Life of a Butterfly by Maggie

Well, it was the first thing she did this morning, but I had to tell Maggie I was a bit disappointed in her effort here. While I do appreciate that she kept the same number of examples throughout her drawing, the ripped paper and the fuzzy looking caterpillars were not exactly what I had in mind. She added color reluctantly after my strong encouragement to do a good job. I told her I really valued quality over speed...







The 3 Body Parts of a Caterpillar by Maggie

...so she took a little more time on this one. I learned something new on this drawing. I had no idea that caterpillars have six eyes! Butterflies, by the way, only have two.

After months of reading about WWII, Gracy's projects are finally complete. She wrote a report complete with outline and bibliography and then had these two projects. Yes, she's still reading books about WWII.

I was a bit disappointed with this diorama. She started out strong and had lots of ideas. She worked really hard for one day and deciding she was tired of working on it called it done. I kept trying to get her to go back, but she was finished. I love the train car complete with mini marshmallow wheels. I also tried not to giggle when she used mini marshmallows for the German soldiers but left the Jews to be wire or toothpick people "because they were starving". I guess she pictured the German soldiers to have pot bellies. She made the fence out of an unusual combination of wire and hot glue. I was a bit disturbed by the toothpick Jewish person throwing himself into the electric fence to end it all. "What?! It really happened, Mom!"


And then there's the propaganda poster I requested. Try to make one up yourself I said. Try not to copy one that all ready exists. What would you have said to people in a poster back then? The result? "What?! I changed it. On the original the Uncle Sam is pointing at people." Ugh. It's a start. Baby steps... She did a great job making him look friendly...

Field Trip!

With Maggie off to her dad's house today, Gracy and I grabbed the neighbor and took her with us the botanical gardens for a field trip. It was the perfect day for it. The weather was not too hot, and not cool enough to need a sweatshirt. The sun was shinning part of the day, then lit up the cloud cover in the afternoon. And the best part - FREE! Family Day at the botanical gardens!

We went late enough in the afternoon that they had shut down the craft section and the food section, (in other words, Gracy slept until 11 and then we decided it would be less crowded toward the end of the day anyhow) but we still had a good 3 hours to wander the gardens. We had a great time and took a billion photos. It was hard to narrow down which ones to post!

We were amazed at this tree. It had these greenish-brown pods with bright orange berries just popping out of them. We were equally surprised to find out it was a type of magnolia. Bright and shiny, just like our little Magnolia. It's official name: Encore Loebner Magnolia.


I love this! If I get to plant a garden next year, I want to grow something (peas, beans, flowers, whatever) on a tee pee made of branches! I figure the victorian style is too complicated. But this! I can do cute, rustic, and whimsical! :)

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3kHtI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/4umF2Icw7xg/s1600-h/100_3784.JPG">

Along that same note, I told Gracy we should try to do this for the boarder of our next garden. How fun!



I love this picture. I had to stand on my tiptoes and reach the camera way up and over to get this flower. I couldn't even see what it looked like. I was happily surprised to see a ladybug resting on the flower!


Gracy and I were geeking out about how cool it would be to have this at home. They actually grew gourds up over our heads! We want to try this out someday.


While walking on the prairie trail we talked about how strange it must have been for the first settlers in our area to come through here in a covered wagon (Laura Ingles Wilder inspired, of course) without any roads.


I couldn't find a tag to tell me what kind of flower this was, but I want to make sure not to ever plant it. There were bees everywhere! Most of the flowers had multiple bees. Good for honey, I suppose...


I told the girls to lean on the door, cross their arms and look tough...Yeah...I don't think they know how to "look tough". I suppose that's a good thing...



This is a worm's view (on the ground looking up).


Oooooo! Pretty!


Oooooo! Prettier!


The girls couldn't resist snuggling up! And yes, they did try to pluck the strings on the violin.


Gracy said she wants "one of these" at home. "You know....viny things growing up all over and making it all dark and then whoosh...maybe we could build one." Maybe she's never seen her mom with a hammer...


This spot freaked me out. Notice the person in the lower right hand corner of the picture? See how tiny? How far away? When the girls first jumped up here I had a mini stroke thinking they'd fall off and die (no drama here, right?!). They, of course, laughed at me. The drop is about 18 inches. And then there's a steep hill.


True confession time here. I took this picture out of pure boredom. The girls stared out this window for 5 minutes (but it felt longer because there was nothing else to look at). I like how it turned out so thought I'd share it.


Gorgeous Gracy!


If Gracy were Rapunzel...


Why is it so hard to resist wooden cut out photo opportunities?! And why did I leave out most of the wooden cut out?!

Gracy's working on writing essays in Literature and Creative Writing. She needed to write an essay using the outline:
I. God knows me
II. God helps me
III. God wants to use me
Her book then asked questions regarding each section to help lead her to forming appropriate paragraphs. English, Spelling, and Writing are the areas she's needing quite a bit of work in, but she's starting to put it all together.

I Am Yours Lord

My name is Gracy. I am a kind person. I think it is very important to have Godly character. I think so because it pleases God and our family. I feel I am smart, friendly and funny. I wish I was more faithful and trustworthy.

I am like David because when tempted I pray. Also usually I do the right thing, but sometimes I do wrong. Many times I have been tempted to cheat on my work but I never do. I never cheat because it is wrong to cheat.

There where many shepherd boys in Israel. I think God chose David because of his faith, love, and trust in God. I know God has a special plan for me. I think his plan is for me to show me how to do what he wants.

Directions:

Think of three actions each of these words could do. Write these action vers on the lines.

our God

rains
rulls
creats

by Maggie

A couple of weeks ago the girls had said it would be fun if they had desks like at school. At first I thought they were pulling my leg. Seriously?! Then I sort of dismissed the idea because we have no room for them. Then...

Yesterday I was dropping off Maggie's sleep over friend when I spied a couple of school desks on the side of the road. $4 each. How could I pass this up? They were exactly what each of the girls wanted. Gracy wanted a desk with a thin solid top and a small basket for books below the plastic chair. Maggie wanted a desk with the lift up top and the storage space below the writing surface. And amazingly, these were the two desks staring at me. I just happened to have the cash in my pocket, which is a miracle in itself. My friend (THANKS CHERE! YOU'RE THE BEST!!!) was fabulous and picked them up for me in her van and lugged them all the way to our house for us.

But all the way home I kept thinking...I'm an idiot. Now I've gotten the kids all hyped up about having their own desks and where do I think I'm going to put them? Was my brain on vacation? I know better than this. The kids are going to be crushed if I get rid of them...not to mention I'd have to ask someone to haul them for me again. And what a pain!

But Cherie saved the day. (THANKS CHERIE-YOU'RE THE GREATEST!) She came up with this super idea to split the living room in half, making one section a school section and leaving the other to remain the living room. After MUCH re-arranging of furniture and then measuring and re-arranging some more, we finally have a finished designated school space with separate living room.

I couldn't fit it all in one picture, but the couch is obviously in the middle of the room serving as a divider. The desks are in the corners (again, the girls surprised me and picked these locations) with an end table with a lamp and a laptop (THANKS FOR THE LAPTOPS MIMI & POP POP AND SADDIE & KEITH! YOU'RE ROCKSTARS!) next to each of them. The big chair between them is for me to hang out in to do corrections or reading with them, etc. It wasn't in the original plan for the school section, but it no longer fit in the now shortened living room.


Here's what the rest of the living room looks like. It's not very clear in the photos, but there is a blue chair on either side of the couch. Strategically placed so that the girls have no choice but to jump over the couch to go to school. I intend on sliding one of the chairs over to get there, but don't tell them that! It's obviously a smaller living room space than we had. It will take some time to get used to it. But there is plenty of room. We didn't even have to displace the pumpkin that's been rolling around and being used as a chair.

We went apple picking with some friends this week. We had a blast & now are trying to figure out exactly what to do with 50 lbs of apples...So far we've made some yummy carmel apple jam and some apple sauce. Today we plan on canning some apple pie filling. Whoo.


Here's a bird's nest Gracy discovered while picking.



Apple Train. Everybody push!




Apparently all the excitement of apple picking wore the girls out. When we got home they both sat down to finish up their school work and passed out. Maggie is actually sleeping on the pumpkin. Snoring. I think Gracy is trying to learn her spelling words through osmosis.

This week I learned that when planting a garden, it is important to make sure you don't plant it on the neighbors land. If you do, they might wait until September to tell you by putting up some posts and trampling through the all ready sad looking plants. Should this happen, your options are to give up the garden, or (and this option is only for the truly stubborn) transplant the entire garden. Obviously I decided on transplanting.







I only transplanted the plants that weren't mostly dead, or still had veggies attached to hopefully harvest. The rest I ripped up and tossed into the compost pile. I've been babying them a bit this week. All plants seem to be doing fine so far. Thankfully I screwed up the plants in the beginning by planting them too close together. Now they are not going into shock being so close to one another in buckets!

Last week we took a field trip with some friends to an event called "Turtle Fest" at a local nature preserve. The kids got to bowl with acorn squash, run through the most pathetic maze I've ever seen, and do a scavenger hunt. They had more fun on the trails than on the planned events.

Here they are discussing the algae in the pond.



The next few pictures are by Maggie. She insisted she takes better pictures than I do.




And then there's gym class. Every Friday the homeschool association we belong to has group gym class for a couple of hours. It's great to see so many kids out there having fun. Gracy enjoyed flag football the first week, but had WAY more fun playing volleyball this week. She's really good at volleyball, and enjoyed serving "like 8 times in a row". Maggie played kickball and dodge ball both weeks. The first week she was a little bit shy. She's never thrilled when she and her sister are put into different age categories. This week she made some friends and had a good time. She must've felt like she could be herself, because she offered to carry one of the orange cones back from the field - on her head.

I think maybe God made fall so colorful to counter the depression I feel about the balmy, sunny, warm summer weather fading into the long, cold, gloomy darkness of winter. That's right. He created fall's beautiful colors for me. Ok, maybe not just for me, but I like to think so.

Every day I see just a few more leaves on the trees in my backyard changing color. And every day I think about how it will only be a few more weeks before frost has replaced the leaves. I keep forgetting to enjoy the season I am in-dreading the one to come.

Oh God, help me to enjoy the season I am in. Both in the very obvious natural way, but also in my life. Help me to not dwell on and dread my children being teens before they are. Help me to enjoy the season of life we are currently in. Help me to not worry about next year, when this year is still waiting to be lived.

Maggie had an assignment this week in Literature and Creative Writing to write an anecdote. Her book explained what an anecdote is, she read examples of anecdotes, and then walked her through writing an anecdote step by step. Somehow, I don't think she quite got it...but it's a start. Here's Maggie's anecdote:

My birthday

My birthday was comeng up. Megan and I could not see each other for a little bit. Because we spray payinted it and I got intruble alot. On my birthday she came to my house with my birthday present. We played with my blendy pens for a little bit. Then she apolagized. Then we were friends again. We had cake, which was soooooooooooooo good. Then my dad picked me up.

The End!!

And here's my proof. A very reliable, highly accurate quiz told me so.

We attended the kick-off meeting for the homeschool association we joined this week. It was a bit intimidating. I felt like I snuck into a group of super moms, and they somehow didn't notice I don't fit in. It's not that they presented themselves this way on purpose. It's my own insecurities. When a mom stands up and says, "I have 23 kids ranging in ages from 30 to 6 months, and if I can do this, so can you!" (OK, I exaggerated-a little) It reminds me a bit of when Gracy was in kindergarten and I agreed to be her girl scout leader. At the training all the moms showed up with blond bobs, prada bags, and french manicures. Completely different group here-yet I feel the same panicky insecurity. I guess I fear not fitting in more than I thought. Ouch.

Then I remember what the Word says, "For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear, I will help you" (Isaiah 41:13). That's right! How could I forget?! This isn't about me! Nothing ever is. When I forget my focus - God - I start to bobble and wobble. Of course I feel insecure-that I'm not as good as the super moms. I'm not! They are depending on God, they're not all that great by themselves either!

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9) How exciting is that! The way I see it, I'm full of weaknesses, so that gives God a TON of room for His perfect power in my life. I don't need to compare myself with others. I only need to make sure I remain in Him, He will guide me the rest of the way. He will light my path, be my shepherd, provide me with a peace that passes all understanding.

What an awesome God!

Walking to School

We started the day by walking to school. We left the house and walked around the block. I thought this would be a cute idea. It would get our blood moving and let us feel like we left home. Our block is enormous, so it took us almost 40 minutes. After about 10 minutes of walking the kids let me know they thought it was the most ridiculous idea I ever had. Gracy said, "Tomorrow, let's take the car to school". I hate when my sarcasm comes back at me in the voice of my child.

Registration & Orientation

After we arrived at school, we went immediately to registration and orientation where we went over our anticipated schedule and set up our weekly one on one meetings. We made a list of places that might be less crowded now that other kids are in school, and discussed things the girls want to make sure they learn about this year, and what their biggest fear about homeschooling is. This of course brought a few tears from Gracy. She's still concerned about her friends from school. Even though she's seen them pretty regularly. I remember all the tears I cried when we moved when I was about her age. We only moved to the next town over, but it might as well have been a different state in my mind. Fortunately things looked better, as I'm sure they will with Gracy. She'll soon get used to the idea of seeing her friends outside of school instead of talking her way through the day.

School Identity

Next, we created a school identity. We'd like to introduce: The Lighthouse Academy
Colors: Yellow and Black (taken from our family crest)
Mascot: Swordfish

We started making letterhead, student ID's, and T-shirts. We paid for the download of a tuff lookin' Swordfish from istockphoto, but I can't figure out how to open it...so we had to put that project on hold. (If anyone knows how to do this, please let me know!)

School Pictures

We made a trip to the local Walmart picture people to get some cheapy/cheesy school photos taken. Then they tried to scam me. They actually tried to sell me a $200+ package AT WALMART! Seriously! If I wanted to spend that kind of money I would have gone to a REAL photographer! They insisted the cheapest package they had was $79. I asked about the sign that read $4.99. They told me it was company policy to only allow one of those packages per person per day. So, I told them that had to be the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard, took my kidos and left. Apparently they thought I was an idiot with too much money on my hands.

We went home and took our own photos. Their not the best, but certainly better than $79 for each of them!


Maggie's a 5th Grader all ready!


Can you believe Gracy is in 6th Grade?!

We took a copy of our new school pictures and put together a scrap book page to kickstart the yearbook. They turned out SO cute!

Here We Go!
So tomorrow starts homeschool with school work. I think they are secretly looking forward to it. Gracy just picked out her outfit for tomorrow, and Maggie is getting giggly.

I'm ashamed to admit that when the girls were young I often felt as if they happened to me. Um...let's see, how do I explain this...I felt that some people did it the right way-they fell in love (probably at college), got married, bought a house, had kids. But me? Well, I just was playing the cards I'd been dealt. Of course I loved them, they are my girls, but this single mom thing wasn't in my plans for life - it just happened.

While they were still itty bitty I went back to school with dreams of becoming an attorney. When I imagined myself at my current age I pictured a new car, a three bedroom house, nice clothes, and extra spending money. I tried to push away any thoughts of 60+ hour weeks, late nights working on cases, and leaving sick kids at home by themselves because I have no choice but to be in court in the morning.



Not in a million years did I picture that I'd be working with runaway teens making less than my pre-college days (but how much fun and a flexible schedule), driving the same car (and praying it keeps running), and living with a room mate and her son in a rented three bedroom duplex.

In a perfect world I'd be able to shower my girls with gifts for no reason and spend unlimited amounts of time with them. Unfortunately, that's not an option at this point in my life. I have to choose. Do I give my children my presence or my presents? They can't have both.

While some people opt for financial stability, I am opting for time with my children. No, I don't expect them to live at home with me forever. It's just that I am unwilling to sacrifice the lives God entrusted me with so that I can chase the proverbial American dream. Call me crazy, but I'll take my flexible yet low paying job over a high paying time sucking one for as long as my girls need me. Sure, more money would be nice, but I wouldn't miss this loud and crazy time in life for anything.

There will be another stage in my life when my house will be clean and quiet and I'll want to avoid it's monotony by working long hours and saving for retirement - or maybe I'll finally buy that new car...



Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
~Proverbs 23:4-5

He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor. ~Proverbs 21:21

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ~2 Peter 1:3

Maggie's dad had somewhere he had to be this weekend. So he left Maggie at home - and brought her sister Cecelia over. So I have the giggle triplets for the l-o-n-g weekend.

Cecelia and Gracy are only 4 months apart, so let's just say there's a lot of pre-teen in the house. I must have said "yes" (temporary insanity?) when they asked if the neighbor could sleep over, because she's here in her pajamas with make-up on and her hair straightened (all the typical signs that a sleepover is underway).

Maggie is currently in the shower singing loudly in a beautiful opera style. The other girls are gathering pillows and blankets and talking about watching Camp Rock and High School Musical 2. They want pizza, ice cream, popcorn, cookies, kool-aid, and popsicles. I anticipate smelling nail polish and hairspray any moment.

They are dancing in the kitchen (I asked what they were doing and they said, "the skit, or skat, or mashed potato, or something like that". Followed by whispers). The giggling...one is giggling at all times. They take turns so that it never stops.

Someday my house will be clean and I'm going to miss this.

Someday.

@->--Having a garden makes me feel like a hippy. I'm raising my own food (well...sort of...), using grass clippings as mulch, fallen branches as stakes for tomatoes, trying to be all organic, and taking kitchen scraps to the compost bin - and I'm doing all this fabulous gardening in my bare feet (don't look, Mom!) while enjoying the sun on my face, the breeze in my hair, and the sounds of the little critters in the woods.

@->--Patience is a virtue. Allthough I consider myself to be virtuous, I lack this one.

@->--One should not make more work than necissary by watering daily, or one not only will realize the importance of an outdoor water spicket, but also will wear a path in the grass between the house and the garden.

@->--Morning Glories grow like weeds. And if you have some friendly new neighbors who offer to mow your lawn for you (thank you, thank you, and thank you again) they may think the morning glories you planted (next to the enormous electrical tower in an attempt to cover up all the ugliness with pretty stuff) are weeds and chop them down with a weed wacker. Thankfully, they grow like weeds and will make a comeback three times if need be. If you tie them to said electrical tower it will be obvious you put them there on purpose.

@->--Seed packets come with instructions. Use them. The spacing they suggest is based on someone's experience & expertise. Randomly plopping an enourmous amount of seeds and plants into a tiny area will yeild lots of laughter from people who know better.

@->--If you plant a garden next to a wooded area, the deer will find it. Even if you've never seen a single deer in the 2 years you've lived there. The deer will find the food. They think you've planted it for them.

@->--Naming vegetables is fun, however it's also creepy when it comes time to eat them.

@->--Grass has an amazing ability to grow in places it didn't exist before, and a special way of dying in the lawn where it is supposed to be.

@->--A compost bin brings to light how much I throw in the trash on a regular basis. It's embarrassing, really.

@->--I may have ADD. Just two short months ago I was wishing I lived somewhere that had a longer gardening season so I could keep this up longer. I was having a blast, reading gardening books, gardening blogs, talking to people about gardening, starting new plants WAY too late just to see what would happen. Now I'm a bit bored of it all. It may have something to do with the ferns getting all yellow and brown behind the garden, and the trees starting to turn yellow and red...or the realization that I really could've done a better job if I had done it right the first time...Ever since I realized I will not be having enough tomatoes to make salsa and sauce I've been a bit discouraged-but there's always next year!

@->--Nine cherry tomato plants is just enough to keep Maggie happily eating tomatoes all summer. Nothing else. If I want more than tomatoes to feed Mags, I need more plants. It also takes WAY more than I had anticipated of every other plant to come up with a decent amount of food. I was really surprised by this.

@->--I'm cheap. OK, I knew this before, but...I refused to spend the $15 on a trellis on clearance (which is nothing compared to the springtime price of $75!). I can make one of those out of bamboo and string I declared! Worked out well if I do say so myself.