The Reluctant Homemaker

Merry Christmas

2009-12-20T15:58:00.001-08:00

Sarah the night of her choir performance.

Danny all dressed up in his Spiderman hat and gloves, ready to make a snowman.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all! I was going to write a Christmas letter, but I don't seem to have the energy :) Know that you are loved and prayed for, my friends...

Apple Picking 2009

2009-10-08T18:46:00.001-07:00

As usual, we had a great time apple picking at Quarry Hill this year. The owner and staff are so friendly, I'd never go anywhere else.

I couldn't figure out why Sarah kept having pictures taken with an apple hanging out of her mouth. That is...

Until I saw this and many other pictures of Dad with apples hanging out of HIS mouth. Sarah would follow Papa to the ends of the Earth.

Yep...again. I'll spare you the 3-4 others, plus the ones with Dad and his similar look.

Sarah and her Papa. So sweet!

Mom missed out this year, because she was home with some kind of crud. Lord only knows what she had, but she did NOT look good. We're hoping that we escape that illness!

Month Two

2009-10-02T19:06:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe that we've already been at this for two months. There is still much deschooling to be done, but at least Sarah is no longer asking for recess. I am pleased with the progress she is making on most days, especially in math and history. For someone who despises math as I do, it's interesting for me to see her favoring these subjects.

We have been working on our study of mammals in general, and then we will move on to study of a few different mammals to compare and contrast. Of course, we'll need to get into the internal organs and how the body works, which should be way cool. As a part of this study, she will be using the computer to write a book, and she will illustrate it after we print out the pages. Hopefully this will not be too frustrating for either of us to handle. I have my doubts!

In our history study we've finished the Early Period in Egypt as well as early India and China. We start with Africa next week and there will be an African Feast, which should be good. I hope. Well, I hope that we don't have to order pizza, anyway. Steve will actually be home for that one, so we'll probably make it a party with instruments and all.

We continue to do as many field trips as we can handle, hiking and observing at parks, mostly. There's always COSI, where we went again today, for rainy days. The zoo hasn't happened lately, but that will be good for the mammal study pretty soon.

Sarah has been very good about her chores as well, and is actually loving her new level of responsibility. Most likely, I will be adding another chore once she is used to her current routine. Any ideas? Her current load is: making her bed daily, taking care of the cat, cleaning the bathroom on the main floor once a week. Cleaning her room hasn't stuck, and it's hard for me to enforce because my room's not clean either. Never has been...never will be....but I digress.

A Looooong Day

2009-09-15T13:45:00.000-07:00

This is completely my fault, but Tuesday are going to be tough! We start in the morning with taking Danny to school and Sarah doing school at home. This part is fine...but then the real fun starts. Pick up Danny at 11:30, feed both kids lunch, clean up (yeah, right) and out the door by 12:30.

Choir at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware starts at 1:00. I think this choir is going to help Sarah with her musicianship and also with her ability to follow instructions, as there are quite a few distractions in the room. The instructor is on faculty at the University, so that's cool too. I feel so nostalgic being in the conservatory building. Very surreal.

So, okay, we finish choir at 1:45, then back in the car, eat a snack in the car, and off to piano in Clintonville at 3:00. She loves piano, and Danny loves to pet the dog, Bacon, at the teacher's house. Boy oh boy, am I going to need a break on Tuesday nights! Too bad hubby is never home on Tuesday....

Month One

2009-09-11T05:13:00.000-07:00

We are in full swing now with school. It's going better than I ever imagined, and I find confirmation of our decision to homeschool every day. There are still adjustment issues, of course, but I expect that those will work themselves out with time.

After a slight revision, I have decided on Biomes for our first science topic. I thought that animals and Biomes would be best, since Sarah loves animals, but that was way too disorganized for both of us. We'll do the Biomes first, and then move on the the animals after we've researched the major areas they live. We have visited a brook, a wetland and grasslands so far. Of course, we hike a lot so we've been to the woods, but not with the purpose of doing any real investigation. We'll just have to go back again!

History is much more interesting to Sarah AND Danny than I ever imagined. We are using The Story of the World curriculum lent to me by a good friend, and it's just so cool! The lessons are just long enough to give some detail, but not long enough to bore my children so much that they stop listening. The added benefit is my personal learning...I don't remember anything from World History, so our Ancient History curriculum is nearly as new to me as it is to them. It's really hard sometimes to stay on a child's level when it's so interesting!

Our visit to the Honda Wetlands Education Center at Glacier Ridge Metropark.

Turning over rocks in the brook at Scioto Park to see who might be living under them.

Sarah and Dan both loved making "cave" drawings while learning about the earliest people. I have 6 of these things and they won't let me throw them away!

Riding the camel at COSI in the Egypt exhibit. They were also able to try to build a pyramid, pull the blocks for the pyramid using a simple machine, walk through a "tomb" chamber, see real mummies, a sarcophagus, canopic jars, and other artifacts on loan from museums. (The camel was probably their favorite...)

School Days

2009-08-19T13:09:00.001-07:00

The school year officially started here about a week ago. Sarah is loving math, science and history. Writing and English, however, are not her forte. It is literally like World War III trying to get her to write a sentence. We are working on learning to tolerate these subjects. (Yes, I really mean we!) I am much less worried than I thought I would be, and we're having so much fun together. Hopefully we can sustain this feeling for the year!

My parents bought Sarah a microscope for her birthday, so that's WAY cool, too. The kids have so many neat options for learning that I think it will be tough to not start Danny as well. He is really involved when Sarah has her lessons, so we'll see what happens there...

We're also working on what time of day works best for school. I have learned that Danny being present for writing is one ingredient in our recipe for disaster, so that will have to happen when he's at preschool. Once the other neighborhood kids go back to school it will be easier to tell. Right now, it's tough to get her to pay attention when there's someone outside having fun! There are so many things to learn before we even get to the "learning" part of it, but I'm up for the challenge!

Canning Season

2009-08-19T13:05:00.000-07:00

It's so exciting to have enough tomatoes to begin canning. I'm on my first batch of spaghetti sauce of the year, and there are 2 batches of salsa downstairs on the shelves already. My garden is, for the most part, winding down though. Snap peas are done as are the green beans. The zucchini is much less prolific than it was a couple of weeks ago. The strawberries which weren't supposed to send out runners are doing a great job of sending out runners! I hope to have a nice patch next year, as well as being able to gift some to a friend. Hopefully, pictures will follow when I have a few free minutes!

Sleepwalking

2009-08-05T17:55:00.001-07:00

So...last night, Sarah had a little "episode" of sleepwalking. I was startled awake by doors slamming multiple times. She was going in and out of her room. By the time I made it upstairs, she was closing the bathroom door. I went into her room to find a trail of drips from the bed to the bathroom. The sound of her going to the bathroom seemed a little higher pitched than usual, so I was a little concerned, but not enough to check. I commenced changing the sheets on her bed. After I had her tucked in, I was really concerned that she continued to make a peeping noise, much like a young chick. Not sure what that was about. I entered the bathroom to find a LAKE of pee on the floor next to the door. Nowhere near the toilet. What fun at 0100! Both kids found this story quite funny. I'm still not sure.

Maftoul

2009-08-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

This recipe is posted for Mom, but anyone who likes Mediterranean food would like it. So easy and so tasty!

Maftoul with Pine Nuts, Parsley and Lemon

2 T butter, divided
1/2 c pine nuts
1/2 c shallots, finely chopped
1.5 c Israeli couscous
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 3/4 c chicken broth
1/4 c parsley, finely chopped
zest of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Melt 1 T butter in large saucepan over medium low heat. Add pine nuts and stir til golden brown. Transfer to bowl. Melt remaining butter and 1 T olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and saute til golden, then add couscous, cinnamon and bay leaf. Stir often until couscous browns slightly. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender (about 10 min). Remove from heat, transfer to bowl, and stir in parsley, pine nuts and zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Danny's 4!!!

2009-07-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that my baby is already 4 years old. This morning, I took both kids to the zoo at his request. We stayed there 5 hours, a feat never before accomplished. We ate our picnic lunch while in line to see the baby elephant, Beco. (check) The Amur Tiger was pacing back and forth like he wanted to eat us (check), and the kids both we allowed to choose an item from the zoo store. They both chose "Unicorn horns," and Danny fell asleep with it in his lap on the way home in the car. So sweet.

This evening, it's back out to a restaurant where they will sing to him, and then cake baking for tomorrow's party with his two friends. I'm tired already!

Trial

2009-07-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

Today we honed our stealth and observation skills at Scioto Park. The kids were actually quite good at moving slowly to get close to the ducks. Most of the time, they got within a couple feet of them. Danny was usually the spoiler, when he'd try to talk to the duck about what it was doing. Needless to say, Sarah was not too pleased with that aspect of our trip. I, however, was ecstatic, as this is a BIG part of what we'll do while homeschooling. Both art and science can be accomplished quite easily using these skills, provided we go home and research what we have found, and that I remember the sketch book to draw. We'll see how it goes!

After about 20 minutes of being stealthy, the kids had had enough of it. They went back to their favorite standby activity...gathering slime from the run that goes into the river. Yuck.

Dance Recital...finally!

2009-06-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

Last Day of Preschool

2009-05-27T18:43:00.000-07:00

We didn't have pony rides at MY preschool!
Here's Dan telling Pastor Rob that he already knows how to play shuffleboard.

The kids did a cute program, and then each child got an award. Danny got the "Best Storyteller" award. I wonder if this is akin to the "Never Stops Talking" award?

What a sweet boy!

Gardening 2009

2009-05-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

2009-05-26T19:28:00.001-07:00

"What doubles the pleasure of reading is the subconscious feeling that I ought, most of the time, to be doing something else." Carl Patton, The Atlantic, 1922.

Gwaking

2009-05-20T18:14:00.000-07:00

If there's one reason I don't get any sleep, this is it. My boy likes to run himself into the ground, and then falls asleep at very inopportune times. Here, he fell asleep on the short trip to pick up Sarah from school. School is literally down the street. Not even 3 minutes. Geez!

Here's Danny being the superhero "Rainbow Man," of his own creation, of course. "Look Mom, I'm cool because I'm gwaking (walking) backwards, and I'm good at it because I'm Rainbow Man and I'm cool because I'm a big boy gwaking backwards." Got all that?

Spring Programs

2009-05-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

Sarah and Danny were both in programs at school last week. What a blessing to see them perform. Sarah was so consumed with looking at me in the audience that she missed half of the movements, and probably half of the words too. It was so cute. Danny was about 5 words behind the rest of the class for the "I Love Mommy" song. (Sung to the Frere Jacques tune) It didn't seem to bother him, though. He kept right on going at his own pace, happy as a clam. As usual, I can't post any pics because the other computer is occupied :)

We Love Spring!

2009-05-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

We are trying to cram everything we can into the little bit of time we have to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of spring. So far, we've checked off the hike to see early spring plants, tadpole observation, playing in the creek before it gets too full, early season plantings....I think that's it. It's always amazing to me how nature holds a child's attention like nothing else. A child with "ADHD" or whatever label you'd like to give them can sit for hours on end observing rocks, tadpoles and toads. We were truly designed to be in nature...not apart from it. My problem now that it's warm? My children don't want to come in the house...ever! I guess that's a good problem to have.

Piggies!

2009-05-05T13:16:00.001-07:00

My dear friend lives in my dream house about 25 minutes from us.

We just had to go over to meet the new pigs! They had 9 at the time we were there. I think they may be up to 14 now. They are just so adorable!

I couldn't resist a picture on the gorgeous screened porch.

The kids had a blast playing in the straw, although they couldn't agree on what they should play. Sarah, as usual, is observing, boys are just being insane, and Riley was trying to organize it all! Life is good.

This is Humbling....

2009-04-21T04:24:00.000-07:00

"What, therefore, is our task today? Should I answer "Faith, hope and love?" That sounds beautiful. But I would say - courage. No, even that is not challenging enough to be the whole truth. Our task today is recklessness. For what we Christians lack is not psychology or literature... we lack a holy rage - the recklessness which comes from the knowlege of God and humanity. The ability to rage when justice lies prostrate on the streets, and when the lie rages across the face of the earth... a holy anger about the things that are worng in the world. To rage against the ravaging of God's earth and and the desruction of God's people. To rage when little children must die of hunger, while the tables of the rich are sagging with food. To rage at the senseless killing of so many, and the madness of militaries. To rage against the lie that calls the threat of death and the strategy of destrustion peace. To rage against COMPLACENCY. To restlessly seek that recklessness that will challenge and seek to change human history until it conforms to the norms of the kingdom of God."

-Father Kaj Munk, 1944

Conference Weekend

2009-04-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

As usual, I did not bring my camera, but we had a great weekend at the Midwest Homeschool Conference with some good friends. I learned a TON about methods and was so encouraged by the successes people have when they bring their children home. Sarah is getting more excited by the day, which is both good and bad. The bad, of course, is that it's difficult to get her to finish up the year at school. I don't know why I feel like she should do that, since they switched teachers on us for the last 6 weeks, but I'm going with it. We will be able to do lots of hands-on, and hopefully we'll keep her desire to learn alive.

In other news, Sarah no longer has ANY front teeth. She's so cute with her lisp...cracks me up. She walks around with her tongue in the hole, so that looks a bit odd, but it's time limited. (I hope!) Danny has his own gross habit to contend with. He no longer is satisfied with sucking his thumb. He likes to stick his fingers in his mouth, sometimes gagging himself. For good measure, he licks the back of his hand and wipes it on his forehead. NASTY and stinky. Hopefully, this is time limited as well!

Good Friday

2009-04-10T19:27:00.000-07:00

I have matured so much in my relationship with Christ in the past few years. Today was a day of reflection and sadness...and amazement at what He did for us.

Beth Moore always has such a way of saying things. Getting them down to my level. If you have a minute to read, this is a neat post regarding Good Friday.

http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/2009/04/thinking-about-death-and-healing.html

Tim and Heidi

2009-04-03T04:36:00.000-07:00

Barle, the SECOND best yellow lab ever.

Wally, the chocolate English lab. I was surprised at how much more stocky this breed is.

The kids with Heidi, who looks concerned about the kids topping their own sundaes!

One of our nights in PA was spent with our former neighbors and good friends, Tim and Heidi. They were so gracious to let us stay there and love on their dogs while they made dinner and did tons of work! The kids loved it and so did we...but it sure did make us miss them even more.

2009-03-30T04:34:00.000-07:00

What a week we had last week! Many good things and bad things. Of course, the worst was losing Zubin on Monday. We all cried...a lot....and it still gets us at the strangest times, but I know that what we did was right. It's so hard to walk down the steps in the morning and not have him waiting to go outside. I'll be the first to admit that I was annoyed many mornings when I wasn't ready to deal with him yet, but boy, I miss him. The picture above is Zubin's last meal...hamburgers from Wendy's.

Monday was also the day that Sarah learned to ride her bike without training wheels. Steve had taken them off the day before, and she just hopped on and started riding. She's now working on jumping curbs and doing figure eights. It seems like sometimes they just grow by leaps and bounds in the matter of days. This was one of those weeks for Sarah.

We also just returned from a trip to PA together. I will post more about that later, as I'm needing to get the kids up for school. Our friends there are all so awesome, and we didn't get to see all of them, but we did our best. Time to start planning the next trip!

The Adventures of Zubin Mehta

2009-03-18T17:58:00.000-07:00

Zubin's last few days have been very exciting, no doubt. He has been on adventures I can only imagine. For those of you who don't know, he has run away twice in 3 days, and both times he was gone long enough that we feared he was gone forever. Both times, good people have found him, picked him up, brought him home, and LOVED him. He has been swimming in the golf course ponds, running through fields, playing with other dogs, sleeping with new people in various homes....and God only knows what else. I think people were better to him than they would be with a lost child.

It is so sad, yet so fitting, that he will end this way. He has lived a good life, and has been the best pet I can imagine. But his time has come. He can't control his bladder anymore, he limps everywhere even with pain medication, and his ears are constantly filling up with fluid. Not to mention the growths that are back in his eyes, causing his eyes to water and be flaming red continuously. It is time. We are devastated. Please be thinking of us as we spend our last weekend together with him.

St. Patrick's Day Parade

2009-03-16T17:46:00.000-07:00

One of several St. Patricks that were in the parade.

Sarah's float...she's second from the left.

Sarah in full parade regalia.

Black Teeth and Wigs

2009-03-11T18:22:00.000-07:00

Danny had a nasty fall about 3 weeks ago, and one of his front teet is quite dark as a result. Thank goodness he doesn't need a root canal or any other intervention!

Sarah got her wig today for dance, just in time for the St. Patrick's Day parade in Dublin. She is very excited! This was just a quick try-on, and it will need to be much neater for the parade and for any feis in which she participates. For those who are familiar with my hairstyling abilities, you know this will be a real challenge. Hey, at least I don't have to make all of those curls every time!

Too Much Dancing, Or Just Too Old?

2009-03-07T14:46:00.000-08:00

So, first off, don't start Irish dance at the age of 36...maybe I could have done this at 34 or 35, but apparently, I'm just too old. We had such a good time at the Ceili, and I loved dancing with Sarah during the traditional set dances.

That said, I am now down a toenail and have a bad limp. The podiatrist asked if I had done anything "atypical," and at first, I said no, but it was definitely the dancing. My big toe was VERY swollen and angry looking. I showed Steve to get some sympathy, but all he said was, " I never knew you had such a long big toe!" Aargh! Is it that hard to know what to say? (I guess it is...)

They removed my nail at the podiatrist so that my toe could swell as much as it wanted to. That was Wednesday, and I'm still limping, but it's getting better every day. I could post a pic....but let's just leave this one to the imagination.

The Last Picture of Sarah's Baby Tooth

2009-03-04T11:50:00.001-08:00

Sarah is VERY close to losing her first "top" tooth, and she is very excited. Undoubtedly, this is because the tooth fairy will bring her $2.00. Quite a bit more generous than the stingy fairy who brought ME money :) Just kidding, Mom!

Lessons to be Learned

2009-03-03T11:40:00.000-08:00

Irish Dance is a very expensive activity, I'm finding. All of the one time purchases that are required the first year really add up. Since my daughter does not do much outside the home, I really would like to allow her to continue on. So, after I bought the $50 wig and $70 performance outfit, I found out that she also needs warm ups, which are nearly $90. Gulp!

Steve and I decided that we'd keep going, but she'd have to earn the warm ups doing work around the house. She has done everything without complaint, and last night, she washed the kitchen floor on her hands and knees, humming. I wish I could be that cheerful about it!

Salsa for Canning

2009-02-19T07:38:00.000-08:00

Another way to use the tomatoes and jalapenos from the garden throughout the year...most closely resembles Chi Chi's bottled salsa. You can adjust the heat easily by reducing the jalapenos, as this version is pretty zippy. I like to leave the seeds in the jalapenos for more heat. I have fiddled quite a bit with this recipe to get to what we like, so it may take you a few tries to get to the flavor and consistency you prefer.

8 cups fresh tomato, chopped (I do a rough chop)
2.5 cups onion, chopped
1.5 cups green pepper, chopped
1 c jalapeno, fine dice
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 t cumin
2 t black pepper
1/8 cup kosher salt (scant)
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
6 oz can tomato paste
1/4 cup cilantro (add after cooking)

Cook all except cilantro for 10 minutes at a low boil. Take off heat and stir in cilantro. Process for 10 minutes.

Ceili, Ghillies and Wigs...Oh My!

2009-02-18T15:43:00.000-08:00

Sarah is really getting into her Irish dance class, and we just attended our very first ceili. For those not well versed in Gaelic, it is social dance party, kind of like a square dance. There was a little performance by each class, but for most of the night, it was a free for all. Sarah actually had blisters on both feet from dancing so much!

The bottom line for me is that she's having so much fun, and is just really comfortable there. She may not have the steps down, but she's loving it, and that's what counts.

Meatballs...belated

2009-02-05T13:17:00.000-08:00

Well, I said I would post this quite some time ago, and didn't exactly get to it. Story of my life, I guess. So, here it is...the meatball recipe to go with the spaghetti sauce. SO good when simmered together for about an hour.

1 pound ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I use whole grain, processed til medium size...not very fine)
about 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I just use the stuff in the can)
1 tsp garlic powder, or a little less if you don't like garlic as much
scant 1/4 cup onion, finely diced
salt and pepper to taste (I do not pepper, use only a little bit of salt)

Mix all together and shape into balls. You can either plop them in sauce just like that, or I like to brown them in a skillet, then into the sauce. Or, you can bake them at 375 for 12 minutes or so. Too easy, and way better than any store bought version you'll find.

Sarah Bean

2009-02-03T10:26:00.000-08:00

Whoever said my child is out of sync is just crazy.
Doesn't every kid run around with swim goggles on?

What a free spirit. I love it!

Tag...you're it!

2009-02-03T10:19:00.000-08:00

1. Go to the the 4th folder where you keep your pictures on your computer.

2. Post the 4th picture in the folder.

3. Explain the photo.

4. Tag 4 fellow bloggers to join in the fun!

So, here's my photo...a very nice picture of Sarah on her first day of kindergarten, sporting her crown from the Dublin Irish Festival. Kind of boring, considering all the silly pictures we have on the computer, but I had rules to follow! Now, the problem is, I don't have 4 follew bloggers to tag...I only know one blogger, and she's the one who tagged me. Quel dommage!

Igloos and Stuff

2009-01-28T13:00:00.001-08:00

Today we had a snow day, just like almost all the rest of the residents of Ohio. My back is sore from shoveling and trying to assist in "igloo" building. You can see our finished product here...it started to sleet in the middle of building and I called it a day. We tried to give it a top with a blanket and then a sheet, but neither of those worked. You can see why I didn't become an engineer, but they were happy.

Naban...

2009-01-21T11:17:00.000-08:00

This is how Danny "helps" Nathan play with his toys. Notice how thrilled the poor boy is.

The wonderful woman who babysits for Danny a couple of days a week has the sweetest baby boy, Nathan. (or Naban, if Danny's saying it!) We had the good fortune to watch Nathan a few days ago, and of course I HAD to take some pictures. Oh, to have a baby again....

Old Man

2009-01-06T05:23:00.001-08:00

Zubin is getting really old. I mean REALLY old. He's been suffering from hip dysplasia for many years, but now it's so bad his back legs actually face each other instead of facing forward. He doesn't eat much anymore (unless it's food he's stolen off of a child's plate downstairs) and he's lost 25 pounds in 5 months.

Despite all of that, he's a happy guy. He trots around with his messed up legs, lays in the front yard watching the house for us, and still loves us as he always has. He stays closer to Steve now, since he can't really hear or see much. He loves to lay on Sarah's blankets, coat, or clothing that is left to lay on the floor. It's just not his time yet...

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T15:38:00.000-08:00

So, it's not a very inventive title for the post, I'll give you that. I'm finding myself recycling the same old stuff that I do each year. Should I bother with a resolution? Stop procrastinating...get organized...eat a healthier diet....blah, blah, blah.

This year, I resolve to just be happy and forget about the millions of imperfections I could list. We are so blessed, and I would like to just enjoy that for a change. I will enjoy life in my messy house with my wonderful, imperfect, and sometimes unhealthy family.....

Happy 2009!

Dear Jesus, I would like some more presents...

2008-12-26T18:24:00.000-08:00

Yes, this is what Danny said for his prayer tonight. Apparently he feels shorted. Sarah prayed that we might consider those who have less stuff than us. She followed that up with "Please help us to get more and more stuff, and help us to give them some of the not good stuff." I am just overflowing with pride. Really...you just can't tell.

At any rate, our Christmas was lovely, even though I did have strep and feel kind of punk the whole time. Everyone made it, the food was good, presents were incredible, and no one fought. (If they did fight I wasn't paying attention!)

Sarah's favorite present is a Wall-e shirt from Grandma and Poppa, while Danny's is the chocolate lab Webkinz that he named Sparkly, just as promised. My parents also bought us a Wii...our foray into video games that we've always sworn we would never get. It's so cool!

Home Stretch

2008-12-21T12:42:00.000-08:00

This was the craziest week of the Christmas season, by far. We had parties for both kids at school, Christmas programs, a party out, and two parties at our house. Don't ask me why I do this every year. I guess I like it!

Tonight is Steve's family celebration at our house. Christmas Eve will be spent with my parents, as usual, eating my mom's cioppino and some other soup that I will choose. Christmas Day, my brothers and family will come for dinner and presents for the kids. I just love all of the time we get to spend with people we love at this time of year.

This morning was Sarah's choir program at church. I have a couple of excerpts, and will post the best...hopefully in a day or two. She was a bit nervous at the first performance, which is of course the one I taped. Additionally, she was walled in by two boys and couldn't move her arms well. The second, she saw her brother and couldn't stop smiling and waving. It was very sweet!

Angels We Have Heard...In the Laundry???

2008-12-16T19:01:00.000-08:00

Is this what happens when your child goes to church too often? This was the end of about two hours of singing the SAME thing after my choir practice.

Scary

2008-12-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

An article about a local food co-op owner and how the Department of Agriculture feels about them. Those of us who enjoy farm markets, farm tours, or aspire to farm need to get behind small farms now, before they are forced out of business.

http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/08/swat-team.htm

O, Christmas Tree!

2008-12-07T18:45:00.000-08:00

The blasted Christmas tree is up...mostly. I have never wrestled with something so much in my life. (I guess I should consider myself quite lucky.) My mom said that I need to find some more Christmas cheer, but I assured her I have plenty of cheer. It's just not directed at the tree.

We decided not to use our special ornaments again this year, after Danny tried to climb said tree yesterday. I have plenty to cover the front and the side that is most visible, so that will just have to do. Most likely, people will not notice much of the tree once they get past the blue rug (from Lola) and the spots on the rug (from coffee). We are so blessed!

Speaking of blessings, Sarah is becoming quite the singer. She goes around the house all day singing her choir songs, as well as mine. In fact, last week at practice, she sat with us in the alto section. I looked over next to me, and that girl was singing every note right alond with us. It's so neat to see your kids develop interests like this, especially when they are shared interests.

For A.

2008-11-28T14:54:00.001-08:00

Spaghetti Sauce for freezer

1/4 c olive oil
1.5 large onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
12 c tomato, chopped
1 small can tomato paste
3T or more shredded carrot (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 t dried oregano, or more if fresh
2 t dried or 2 T fresh basil (or more to taste)
4 t salt (or to taste)
1 t black pepper

Saute onion about 3 minutes in oil over medium heat, do not let it brown. Add garlic and saute until onion is soft. Add everything else and cook at least 3 hours, partially covered. Blend in batches until desired consistency, then cook some more, until you are happy with it.

That's about as specific as I can get! I haven't made it the same twice, but it's certainly more crowd friendly when it's blended pretty smooth. A purist would seed the tomatoes. I think that's a waste of time.

Sinking

2008-11-26T11:07:00.000-08:00

I have sunk to a new low. Parents who Christmas shop in search of one item for their child, seemingly losing all sense of reason in the process, have always mystefied me. Well, I'm one of them now.

Danny asked for only 3 things...3 simple things...Play Doh, a green cat, and a chocolate lab Webkinz to name "Sparkly" (or Barkley, if you actually listen to him say it). I have learned that this Webkinz is retired. Aaaahhhh!

I have just placed the first of many bids on eBay.

Random Thoughts

2008-11-24T16:45:00.000-08:00

What a month it's been. We have had a great time with the kids, doing all of the fall things we love. I have been reading about homeschooling and trying to decide what's best for us. Some really tough times and tough decisions ahead, I think. That said, we are blessed to have a nice house, good neighbors, and a family that has stayed together. Steve is being told to travel even more, which will certainly stress our relationship, but there's really no other option. At times like these, I have to trust that everything is working just the way it should, and I try to look for the lessons in all of it. That's about all I can do, is try.

I have some pictures and movies, all of which I intent to post, but who knows. I've gotten awfully lazy with this blog since finding Facebook!!!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

2008-11-18T04:04:00.001-08:00

About 8 years ago, Steve and I attended a party where I had the best soup EVER. I loved it, so of course I asked the recipe. The hostess would not share the recipe, so I was quite disappointed. (Surprised as well, since we didn't have the same "group" of friends...we'd never bring it to the same party)

Since then, I have tried several renditions, none of which measured up to the wonderful original. Well....I think I've found it.

Curried Butternut Squash Bisque

1 whole butternut squash
2 T butter
1 c onion, chopped
1/2 c carrot, chopped
1/2 c apple, peeled and chopped
1 1/2-2 t Thai red curry paste
2 cans chicken or vegetable broth, plus more if needed for desired consistency.
2 bay leaves

1/2 c heavy cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Cut squash in half, scooping out seeds and membrane. Place in a 13x9 pan coated with cooking spray, cut side down. Roast in oven for about an hour, until tender. Scoop out roasted squash and measure 3 cups. Reserve rest for another use.

Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and apple; sauté 5 minutes. Add curry paste; stir 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, bay leaves, and 3 cups squash. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered 1 hour. Discard bay leaves. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return to same pot. Stir in cream if bisque desired, but skip if you'd just like more traditional soup. Season with salt and pepper. Rewarm over medium-high heat.

Garnish with sour cream and cilantro if desired. (I do not)

President Obama

2008-11-05T11:42:00.001-08:00

The election results have me sincerely distressed. I am not at all surprised, as we currently have a President who is neither conservative nor liberal. I agree as much as anyone that we need change, but I fear that we have gone too far. Great power that is unchecked is bound to lead to disastrous results.

I do not believe that America will cease to be a great nation, but I sense some difficult times ahead. I pray that we can endure what people have asked for.

Who Are You Feeding?

2008-10-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather "Which wolf wins?"The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Autumn

2008-10-21T18:35:00.001-07:00

Autumn in our house means apple picking and the jail game at Grandma and Papa's. We've done both of these since Sarah was 3, and as soon as the weather gets a bit cooler, she starts asking when we're going up there. We did not get to play the jail game last weekend, because there weren't enough leaves down yet, so explanation of that will come later. We did, however, go apple picking at Quarry Hill farm. What a great time! Another perennial favorite is throwing pumpkins to the cows and watching them try to break them open. What a riot!

The most blog worthy event of the weekend, though, concerns Sarah. As most people who know us are aware, she is an extremely jealous child. She is also quite concerned that everything is "even" between the two of them. Well, she decided that she was jealous of Danny's imaginary friend, Sandy. She didn't think it was "fair" that he always had someone to play with. So, she made up her own friend, named "Sis" but it's pronounced Sid. (She couldn't find a D in the magnetic letters) So she carried around the letters "Sis" for a day, talking to them. What a goof!!!

Munich and The Residenz

2008-10-14T06:53:00.001-07:00

Salzburg

2008-10-14T06:44:00.001-07:00

Dachau

2008-10-14T06:40:00.001-07:00

Germany and Other Stuff

2008-10-14T06:31:00.000-07:00

Having dropped off the face of the planet for about 2 weeks, I'm ready to get back into things. The world is dragging me, kicking and screaming, back to reality. We have been back for almost a week, but it already feels like a million years ago that we were in Europe. I will try to post each day, but we'll see how that goes.

For now, I'll just tell about our first day. My plane arrived at about 12:30 pm, which put us at our hotel (after renting a car and finding our way) at about 4 pm. We decided to go to a restaurant for a beer, then to Oktoberfest. I did not wear my dirndl, as it was WAY too cold, and I needed a sweater. We stayed for about 15 minutes! Steve says that it's very different inside the tents, but when you arrive late, you can't get into a tent...not even to stand! So, I did not drink a beer at Oktoberfest. I think that I'm spoiled by the Dublin Irish Festival....

We did go back to Solln, where we were staying, and had a good dinner of German cuisine ( I know, that's stretching it a bit) and then I crashed while Steve worked on his computer.

Since returning home, we've been preparing for Halloween and autumn. Danny had a little fall festival for preschool that the kids really enjoyed. What could be better than hayrides and choosing your own pumpkin?

Perspective

2008-09-24T11:28:00.000-07:00

Did I actually complain about how much preserving I was doing. How quickly one's perspective can change. Ike brought lots of wind to us. We have a very windy little microclimate in our backyard, and the winds were quite high here for about 6 hours. We lost some siding and shingles, but nothing to complain about. The damage to the garden though. If I could just take back my complaints from last week. Canning and preserving will have to wait until next year, since the plants did not weather the storm well.

We are so lucky to live in an area where weather is rarely an issue. Really, we have very few issues here, other than those of our own creation. Another blessing...I will have enough tomatoes from the plants that survived to make some Balsamic Tomato Bruschetta for tomorrow night's wine tasting. YUM!

Another Day, Another Batch

2008-09-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

The Worster family lives on pasta. (Just ask our ex-au pair) The kids love pasta of any shape, size or sauce. Steve and I are a bit more picky, but with it being tomato season, it's pretty much marinara. Although I do agree with Barbara Kingsolver regarding the rewards of preserving the harvest, I am at the time of year where it seems like a grind. Tonight, chicken broth simmers on the stove as does another pot of marinara sauce. I thank whatever brilliant people invented the freezer, since this means I do not have to can the aforementioned items. The rest that will come in late fall, between the end of the harvest and Thanksgiving, will be very welcome.

Now, do I buy that extra bushel of tomatoes or not???

Oktoberfest-Columbus Style

2008-09-07T15:45:00.000-07:00

We went to the German Village Oktoberfest yesterday with some of our friends. The kids were unimpressed, which isn't surprising since they are used to the Irish Festival. I tried to talk to them about our German heritage, but they were more interested in climbing the barrier fence and playing in the fountains. I can't say that I blame them.

One highlight of the evening was that I bought my dirndl for the Oktoberfest in Munich at the end of the month. I am so excited, but I feel like a dork when I'm wearing it. I'll wait til I've had a few at Oktoberfest to post that picture!!!

Davis Family Reunion

2008-09-02T18:24:00.001-07:00

This weekend was the reunion for my dad's side of the family, which is always quite an event. This time my parents had it at the poolhouse of their marina. We had enough food for about 5,000 people. All of the siblings were there, totaling 7, plus their kids and some grandkids too.

The kids all had a blast playing ball, playing with fire, and throwing rocks in the river. Danny tried to fall into the fire, but thanks to my Aunt Judy's quick reflexes, he is fine. (I was too busy making smores to notice that he fell...oops) I wish that we could do this event annually, as I always feel so out of touch with everyone when we see them.

We went to Kalahari again and stayed there along with my two brothers. We had a good time, but the kids were all really tired. I think that we were tired too! That place is just so cool, and the waterslides are incredible. It's like the Cedar Point of indoor waterparks. I even got to try one of the "real" slides this time. This is just more evidence that my kids are growing up...I get to act like a real person occasionally.

First Grader

2008-08-19T09:18:00.001-07:00

I honestly cannot believe that Sarah is going into first grade. She was so excited last night that she had trouble sleeping, but she got up without a problem. We had to do pictures with both dogs this morning, as well as do a production with breakfast. She "needed" to eat one of the eggs they collected at Stratford, but the catch was that she needed to make it herself. These days she's becoming quite self-sufficient with food prep. I know that I will be thankful she can do it herself, but it just takes SO much longer to teach than to do yourself!

We have new chores for the new school year. Everyone must clear their own spot after meals, and Sarah and Danny are setting the table every night. We also have a 15 minute clean up period each night...every family member goes around and cleans for 15 minutes, with a focus on one's own items that are strewn throughout the house. So far, so good, and it's much easier for me. We will still have the additional chores that are worth some cash, but these are just what they have to do because they are part of the household.

So one down, one to go. Dan starts preschool September 9. He needs it BADLY, since the only friend he has to play with now is "Sandy" his imaginary friend. Sandy is a good guy, but I'm thinking that Danny needs a bit more stimulation!

Party in the Park

2008-08-15T18:21:00.001-07:00

Lobster Party

2008-08-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

Sarah's birthday wish this year was to have a "Lobster Party" and try lobster for the first time. We happily obliged, and lucky us, lobster was $9.99/pound at Kroger! We kept it small, just us and Grandma and Papa.

She didn't care for the lobster, and thinks "I'll like it when I'm 20." But she did try. She loved the lobster cake though, and she also tried the lobster bisque that I made the next day. YUM!

Farming

2008-08-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

We spent another morning at Stratford Ecological Center on Saturday. This time, we were able to spend it with Laura, the "girl farmer." We always have such a nice time there, and the kids are learning some valuable skills for our future pursuits.

I remembered my camera this time, so here are some pictures.

Toothless

2008-08-09T04:32:00.000-07:00

Well, not really. Sarah lost her first tooth yesterday at the library. We were wondering when it was going to happen, as this thing has been dangling for a week. As we were sitting at the computers together, she said, "My tooth is going to fall out right now!" She then pushed it out with her tongue.

Unfortunately, she is going around with her hand in her mouth constantly. She wants to feel where the tooth was. As a former thumb-sucker, only recently recovered, this is a bad sign!!! Hopefully she'll get used to it and get the hand out of her mouth before school starts next week.

Dublin Irish Festival

2008-08-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

What can I say? I haven't posted because I've been having the time of my life. Every year we enjoy the Irish Festival, but this year was even better than ever. My volunteer assignment this year was the Music Workshops, so I spent the days with other musicians, listening to performances and learning a bit about playing Irish music. This might be enough for me to get my violin back out. I even got to the genealogy area this year, which is something I've never done due to my babysitting duties.

The kids seemed to have a good time as well, as they do every year. Sarah just loves to see the dancing, and her favorite band is, surprisingly, Gaelic Storm http://gaelicstorm.musiccitynetworks.com/. She was really ticked when we left at 11, before they were done playing. Danny wanted to dance his pants off...which would be possible since he's no longer wearing diapers and everything is so loose around his waist!!

Next year, we're thinking about doing the Milwaukee Festival, which I hear is great, and I'd love to do Peoria as well. (Peoria since that's where the Dunlea side of our family lived, or at least I think!!) We'll have to wait and see.

Landscaping...er...gardening

2008-07-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

Much to the chagrin of some of my neighbors, my yard is very quickly turning into a garden. I am waiting to see how much I can get away with before I'm turned in to the "association". This year, things seems to be working pretty well. We've had 2 meals of our own green beans, countless salads, 3 cucumbers, 5 tomatoes and LOTS of jalapenos. 3 of my tomato plants are so heavy that the cages are falling over! I hope to take pictures, but my camera is currently MIA.

I cannot wait to make salsa and spaghetti sauce, with an eye toward preserving enough for part of the year. We are trying to wean ourselves from processed food, but it's so much easier in the summer, when fresh produce is bountiful.

So what for next year? Another raised bed, some blackberries, strawberries, and possible some elderberries for wine. Anyone have some land available???

Tree Climbing

2008-07-18T19:26:00.001-07:00

Last night I had a sweet tooth attack of mammoth proportions, and we HAD to go to Graeter's for some ice cream. The one in Dublin has some trees in the back surrounding the patio, and the kids love to climb them. Sarah is finally learning that she can climb pretty far if she takes her time. So after ice cream, she's up about 3/4 of the way up a tall white pine, and says "Wow! I can see half of the universe from here!" She then turned around "Yep, and there's the other half!" I love moments like these.

Sour Cherries

2008-07-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

I think perhaps I was a bit misguided, or ill informed anyway, when I ordered 2 buckets of sour cherries at the local farm. I assumed that they'd be small buckets. Well, each is 10 pounds of cherries, already pitted. Did I mention that I've never made ANYTHING with a sour cherry? No time like the present, I guess. I plan to make some preserves, at least, and we'll see where else this goes. One step toward eating more locally...learn to use the ingredients available to you when in season!

Zubin and Lola

2008-07-08T19:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, I was informed by my friend that I have not kept up to date with my dog postings! Lola is now 5 months old. She is ALMOST as big as Zubin! (Not weight, just height) She is pretty much house trained, but if I leave water out, she'd drink it all, and just stand there peeing. She loves water! I even asked the vet if she might be diabetic, but they said she's just addicted to water. I need a little of that.

RIP

2008-07-08T18:50:00.000-07:00

It seems I am saying goodbye to many things, tangible and intangible, and so I will say farewell to some of my plants. Rhubarb, for which I had to quest high and low, has been eaten by a creature of 4 legs, either rabbit or dog. Same goes for ALL of my basil, except the one in my raised bed, which just isn't growing. Oh, and one pepper plant, which the dog ate. And two tomato plants, from which Danny decided to pick all of the green tomatoes.

I built a tripod for my cucumber plants. That blew over in the thunderstorm today. NOT A GOOD DAY!!!

Strawberry Preserves - and the Winner is....

2008-07-03T03:34:00.000-07:00

The clear winner of my preserves "war" was the basic recipe with pectin and nothing else. I made 3 batches. #1 and #2 are described previously, #3 used pectin but also a little bit of lemon juice. Both 2 and 3 are too runny to really use on sandwiches. I have found that #2 makes a great strawberry yogurt when combined with plain yogurt, so that's a consolation. The taste of the second is very cooked, even though I pulled out the berries to cook down the liquid. I will not make it again, or at least I don't think so. Again, KISS.

Booky Party

2008-07-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

Danny had his 3rd birthday party the other day, which consisted of our neighbors and us. The catch was that everyone had to look spooky at Danny's request. Perhaps an odd request in the summer, but hey, I wasn't going to tell him no!

It was so nice to pare down and have something small. Now we don't have a bunch of toys that we don't need, and we could really enjoy each other. Dan had a blast, as usual, with the girls from next door. He got a super soaker, so I'd better watch out for the rest of the summer!

Bible School

2008-06-26T19:39:00.000-07:00

Sarah attended Bible school this week at Northwest Chapel, just across the field from us. What an incredible setup. There were 465 kids that attended. Our bible school growing up was probably 40 kids. This thing was like a rock concert! She was so excited to go each day, and she really learned some good, basic principles about Jesus' power. (The theme was Power Lab, loosely based on science) It was just really cool, and we are so happy to have this place in our backyard.

I hope to post the crazy hair day picture that we took, but right now, I'm trying to check off my very long to-do list before I go to bed!

Stratford Ecological Center

2008-06-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

Although I have no photos to share, you'll just have to trust that we had a great morning at Stratford today. What a beautiful farm. The staff are incredible, and the Director of the center took the families around. He had such a gentle way with the kids. Anyone who can coach 10 or so small children in collecting eggs and placing them carefully in a bucket, without a single cracked egg, has a special gift.

We were also able to feed and milk goats, feed chickens, hang out with the cows, see a very large, very pregnant pig, and browse the gardens. I can't even begin to think about what my favorite part was, but the kids enjoyed the egg collecting the most. It will be exciting to make breakfast with their special eggs tomorrow!

I am more focused than ever on working toward a diversified farm. The kids really enjoyed it, and they are looking forward to the chores. (Now if they would pick up their toys)

Pig Sitting

2008-06-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

We had a blast pig sitting last night! The kids got to do all kinds of things...make the pigs jump, watch them eat, pee and poop, and lets not forget the best thing of all...the kids got to pee on the barn floor. After all, what's more fun than going to tha bathroom in illicit places?

All of this is geared toward our desire to eventually have a farm. I don't feel as if I have a good idea of what it takes to care for animals. I have read about it, talked to people about it, but I've never really done it, and there's no substitute for experience. Saturday, the kids and I are going to a chore day at the Stratford Ecological Center, where we will collect eggs, milk goats, and do various other chores at a sustainable farm. I can't wait!

War of the Strawberries

2008-06-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

I am testing two different recipes for preserves this year. #1 is the traditional preserves, using pectin. #2 uses only strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. It is cooked longer, and there must be several strawberries with green tips, as these have more natural pectin. I am a bit leery about not using pectin, but figure it's worth a try, and I made a small batch. If it's not good preserves, it will be good strawberry sauce over ice cream!

Check!

2008-06-12T13:16:00.001-07:00

I can't get my projects done, and here's why. I am distracted by other wonderful things to do during the course of the day. Yesterday, it was strawberry picking and making and canning preserves. The day before that, it was homemade pizzas. Tonight, more preserves, this time for the freezer. It is so satisfying to cook and have others enjoy the fruits of your labor. Much more satisfying than painting the downstairs. In fact, I would rather go pick 10 more quarts of berries and eat them until I blow up. Maybe I will.

So the check? I learned to make strawberry preserves, and they are good. I also FINALLY made a good pizza crust, thanks to Alice Waters. All of her recipes are incredible, and very easy to follow. (They are not for measurers, though!!!)

Day 3 - Cades Cove

2008-06-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

Cades Cove was by far the favorite destination for our family. We played in a stream, collected a few rocks, played with butterflies and a toad, visited an old cabin, walked in the woods, and saw an old grist mill that was still in operation. Additionally, it was the year of the cicada, and the kids had a blast playing with them too...both dead and alive.

Day 2 - Clingman's Dome

2008-06-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

Clingman's Dome is one of the highest peaks in the Smokies, so naturally, we wanted to see it. The other factor in this decision was that there is a 0.5 mile paved path to the top of the mountain. We took a scenic and slow drive up to the trailhead, and walked up to the top. Sarah was lagging behind so badly that I wasn't sure we'd ever get there, but we did. My dad took all of the pictures of us, so I'm posting one from the hike on the way.

After our hike and picnic on the spot that the park was "dedicated", we went and did a total tourist thing. Gem mining. Sarah had a blast, and picked out every single colored rock. Every black one as well. It was so cute, seeing her getting into it. "Hey Mom, this not real gem mining is pretty fun!" That about sums it up.

Day 1

2008-06-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

Our first day, we went to the Visitor's Center, of course. From there, we were able to hike a short distance to a small waterfall. The trail crossed some moderately dense wooded areas, so the kids had a blast. I was so stressed about them getting into the poison ivy and oak everywhere, but I just gave up and stopped yelling. I think.

The kids were not as resiliant as I figured they'd be. They both love nature, so I thought we'd be able to hike all day. However, they were done after 2.5 miles, and of course, we had to turn around. This was our first lesson in pacing ourselves to fit our children, instead of the other way around.

On Top of Old Smoky

2008-06-07T19:31:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a great vacation.

We just returned from the Smoky Mountains (TN side) after a 4 day trip with my parents. We rented a beautiful cabin in Sevierville that was as big as our house. We had a yard for the kids, a hot tub, full kitchen, dishwasher...everything we needed. The last time we were in TN, Steve and I were camping in October, so by comparison, we felt as if we were in a castle! I will do separate posts for each day, since I am too lazy to figure out how to place my pictures throughout the post.

Memorial Day

2008-05-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

We had a great Memorial Day get together with my family this weekend. We took the kids to the fountains to play, ate lots of good food, and visited until evening. My sister in law, God love her, looked beautiful as always, but also VERY ready to have her baby next week. I was secretly hoping that she would go into labor here, so I could visit her at the hospital and help out. Darn...my party was not exciting enough I guess!

Brian, my brother, spent much of the weekend with us, "helping" Steve drywall the garage. Brian pretty much did it, but I think that Steve learned a lot, and hopefully we'll be a little more self-sufficient for it. It looks so different now with the walls finished, and I'm sure it will improve our heating and cooling efficiency.

With the drywall mud mixed, I have started on my next project, which is the lower level TV/play area. To the chagrin of children and family, we only have one TV, and it's down there. The room has gotten no attention at all, since I hate the TV. So...I will fix nail pops, prime and paint the walls. I plan to do part of one wall in chalkboard paint. Maybe I'll actually want to spend some time down there...once the guinea pig is gone. PEEEWWWW!

Growth

2008-05-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

Perhaps I should have inquired a bit more specifically about the growth rate of English Mastiffs. I knew that they got quite large, but my goodness. When Lola gets up in the morning, she's taller...every day. Literally.

House training is going fairly well, but in the morning, it's outside every 15 minutes to either pee or poop. This goes on for 2 hours, then slows down for the remainder of the day. We haven't had any accidents yet today, so that's not too bad for 1.5 weeks. So far, we are not regretting our decision!

Curtains...Kind of

2008-05-18T12:05:00.000-07:00

Wow! I have two curtains hanging in my office. One of them is exactly how I imagined it. Double rod curtain on the door...looks nice. I think that my fabric was a bit wide, as it has a bit too much material to gather exactly as I'd like it, but I will not be reworking that one at all. The other is too short. Darn it! I cut the material prior to sewing anything, and I should have waited to cut the length. I am going to try to make a valance with that fabric and buy another length of the same fabric to make another door curtain. (As soon as I have a good coupon, that is) I am very proud of myself!

I also went to a sustainability conference this weekend. I learned a lot and met some great people. I have some personal changes that I would like to make, that I have been thinking about for some time, but mostly I went to learn about the sustainable communities movement. The other benefit to the conference was that I had a whole day away from home...without the kids!

Mom, Please Don't Be Mad!!!!

2008-05-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

I have a confession. We have a new dog, and her name is Lola. She is going to be huge. I am 35 years old, and I am afraid to tell my mom!

The strange thing is, I was talking to Mom today, and she related a dream to me. It was about going to get a dog that was too expensive, so she didn't get it. Very strange.

Motorcycler

2008-05-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

My son is obsessed with motorcycles and police officers, as I'm sure many 2 year old boys are. Well, this was solidified yesterday morning when, due to a small accident in front of our house, there was one of Dublin's motorcycle patrol officers. Danny was in his glory, talking to Officer Keck and sitting on the "motorcycler".

Today at the mall, he insisted on sitting on one of those rides that costs 1.00 for 10 seconds or something. I did not put money in, but he played on that thing for 30 minutes. He was a "motorcycler pleese obber" with a "motorcycler joo bok". (Motorcycle police officer with a motorcycle juice box) What a riot! And to think that people actually spend money on those things.

By the way, Zubin is doing wonderfully. His mouth is still healing, but he's eating now.

Doggie Surgery

2008-05-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

We always swore that we wouldn't do any surgery on an old dog, but once again, we are eating our words. Zubin, our 10 year old yellow lab, has had a growth in his mouth for a good year. It really didn't bother him until about a month ago, and then he stopped eating much. Today, he went to the Rascal Unit to have it removed. He is crying and obviously in pain, but they said that he should be good to go in about 5 days. Until then, it's antibiotics and pain medication, and lots of love. Poor guy!

Happy Mothers' Day!

2008-05-10T16:17:00.000-07:00

We are celebrating Mothers' Day a day early, since it's supposed to be rainy here tomorrow. Most likely, we overdid things, and the day went accordingly. We started out by going to ecoDublin (my choice), an expo at the community rec center. It was a lot of fun, and I made some good contacts. The kids ate a ton of candy, so they enjoyed it as well.

We moved on to the Worthington Farmers' Market (my choice) to buy the remainder of my plants for the year. I was pretty successful, but the kids started to lose it on the car ride over. They were just insane, running onto the street, hitting other children with sticks, etc.

Lastly, we went to my favorite metropark, Highbanks (my choice). We brought our lunch from one of my favorite restaurants, La Chatelaine. The river was really high today, so we really couldn't get close to the river, and the kids were even more insane.

When will I learn that even simple plans sometimes don't work with young children? I really wanted to do everything today, so we did, but now I feel like a witch rather than a doting mother. Perhaps next year, I should get over wanting to do everything together...we'll see.

Bunny Mountain

2008-05-07T18:07:00.001-07:00

Does it make me a bad mother that I like to take my kids to play in the fountains with their clothes on? It was 70 degrees and not windy. It just seemed like too much work to find the suits, put them on, pack extra clothes, etc...when I knew that I would be stripping and bathing them as soon as we got home.

Neighbors

2008-05-07T16:44:00.001-07:00

Grub Season

2008-05-06T05:08:00.000-07:00

My good friend and neighbor has a bit of a grub problem this year. I wondered how bad it could be, so I went across the street to check it out while she was there musing about what to do with the colonies of ants and grubs. We easily plucked 150-200 grubs out of a 15 sq ft area, flicked them onto the driveway, and then Sarah squished them with rocks. Yuck! I was still thinking about it when I went to bed. Now, keep in mind, I am a nurse and have dealt with many disgusting things, but this takes the cake.

By the way, they squirt up to 3 feet when you squish them.

2008-05-03T18:48:00.000-07:00

Today we got our tomato plants from the local farmers' market. It was a rainy event, but at least it was warm rain. I wanted 3 plants, but, as usual, I now have 9. Hopefully I can find a place for them all in my miniscule Dublin garden. I am really feeling the pain of the restrictions put on our yard. We are considering buying some land so that we can do a larger scale farm, but that's something that won't happen for this growing season.

Tomorrow, I am hoping to have some nice weather to put everything in the ground, including my seeds for this year. My family (so far) is much more tolerant of my yard work this year, and Sarah is getting interested in the garden. Yeah! After the planting, I will have a time of rest for a month before I have to start preserving anything. Better get those curtains done!

Birth Control

2008-04-30T04:40:00.001-07:00

Who needs it? Not me. Steve and I have been lamenting that we are not able to have another baby. We would have one if we could, but today, I was reminded of the reason that we were certain enough to have this taken care of surgically.

Danny had the mother of all temper tantrums. He was so tired he could barely stand up, but he was able to throw quite a fit when Steve tried to get him to sit on the couch. Afterward, he fell asleep for 3 hours. Of course, then he woke up at 8pm and wanted to eat and play. Didn't go back to sleep until 11:30....in my bed. Sigh.

Nope, no birth control needed.

Anti Procrastination

2008-04-23T17:55:00.000-07:00

I have had an unusually productive week so far. Steve and I ordered some soil, and made a new bed in our backyard, as well as filled in some low spots around the house. It's amazing how the ground around here just seems to sink, especially since they stripped it of anything resembling topsoil before planting grass. I have completed half of the mulching as well, and I have completed surrounding the beds in front with boulders of various shapes and sizes.

As if that weren't enough, I am making some progress on my curtains...finally! I am one seam away from being able to hang a curtain from the rod. (It is a double rod curtain, but I will be trying it out before I sew the bottom.) This must be what people who don't procrastinate feel like all the time!

Rocks

2008-04-15T11:24:00.000-07:00

One of my all time favorite things to do is hunt for cool rocks. I still have my rock collection that I had as a child, and I have an ever growing collection of rocks in my yard. Thankfully, I can disguise my obession (not very well) with the need for landscaping in my yard.

While we were hunting for "landscape" rocks in a field near our house, we came upon a WAY cool discovery. There are two veins of rock that are just teeming with seashell fossils. Enough that my 2 year old noticed them. Needless to say, I will be getting very little spring cleaning and housework done between my fossil discovery and my gardening. Oh well. On my death bed, I most likely will not be lamenting about my house not being clean!!!

Old Lady

2008-04-08T14:46:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! I just found out that I won 2 tickets to the Yes concert in July at Nationwide Arena, courtesy of 610 WTVN. I always knew that something good would come of my hours spent listening to talk radio! Steve asked if he could wear earplugs...

Spring Fever

2008-04-08T10:28:00.001-07:00

It has been beautiful these past few days. Temperatures in the 60s, and today, it should be about 72 for the high. Needless to say, the kids can't think of any excuse that will keep us inside, except for right now, when I'm hoping that I can get Danny to take a short nap. We had a busy morning of looking for more rocks for our landscape. I love to raid the fields around here for those beautiful pieces of granite that have been cast aside by others. Why do people pay for this stuff????

I was also able to dig the compost and manure into my raised bed, and get a good start on the new area where I will attempt to plant tomatoes. Actually, I'm sure that I will plant them, it's whether or not they will produce there. We'll see! The early lettuce is planted in a container, and hopefully by the end of the day, the herbs will be planted in their respective pots as well.

Please, whoever might be unfortunate enough to encounter me at the end of the week, when it's 40-50 and raining, remind me about these great days.

A Trip to the Vet

2008-04-04T11:48:00.000-07:00

It was annual check up day for our 10 year old yellow lab, Zubin. He has growths everywhere, hip dysplasia, and other maladies that I won't talk about. He's a really great guy, just getting old. We are at that point where we're deciding whether the recommendation for the "senior" vet exam every 6 months is really necessary...and should we really remove any more growths? The pre-op exam they are recommending is more than what they do for some people!!

At any rate, Dan came with us, of course. They were really accomodating. A coloring book, a little vet kit with a pet, and an extra trash bag for the toxic waste we created while we were there.

The pic above is Danny "helping" the pet breathe...by cutting it's ear off! God help us all.

Danny the Little Man

2008-04-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

Today I took Danny out to lunch at Bob Evans, because Sarah had a field trip to a restaurant that he was really sad to miss. He is such a little man. He said please and thank you without prompting, sat nicely, ate his food, and peed in the potty. Why can't this be every day????

When we came home, he didn't want to take a nap. (I know, SSDD) He said "Nap not help me breeb" (breathe) "I do nap 5 minute. I can't do my homework. I don't want be late!" Poor guy. I'm certain that he has no clue what he's talking about, but he knows that being late is BAD! Wonder where he got that?

Spring Break sum-up

2008-04-01T18:38:00.001-07:00

What a whirlwind of a week! Sarah is now back to school, so I feel like I can breathe again. It's so different having 2 kids home all day long...especially when it's raining and cold most days!

That said, we did have a great week. We did some really fun things. Of course, we made the obligatory trip to Chuck E. Cheese. What vacation would be complete without it? (And the stomach virus that follows about 24 hours afterward?) We did a few parks around the city in between rainstorms as well, and attended a birthday party for some good friends that have 4 kids and Sarah's dream house. (A giant room downstairs with a huge TV, art supplies, and dress up stuff that is completely out of sight of those upstairs)

The highlight was definitely our visit to Ohio Caverns. It's a privately held cavern that has some really amazing formations. The tour is an hour long, which was just about perfect for the kids. They do some history, some science, and leave some time for pictures and gawking. Sarah was completely taken with the experience, and this solidified her future career as an archaeologist...only now she wants to do it in caves. I would be SO excited if she actually chose that as a career!!!

Steve topped it off with an ER trip on Sunday night. He decided that it would be a good idea to cut a watermelon with my recently sharpened chef's knife after drinking some wine. He did okay cutting it, actually. Served it to all of us, had is plate ready, but it all went wrong when he tried to cut up ALL of the rinds to place them in the disposal. He sliced through the top of his finger lengthwise, through the fingernail, and to the bone. Thankfully, he only needed stitches.

Never a dull moment!