Monday DayLook: March 28, 2011

Looking out from my back porch... it’s still snowy white, but the wind bites today.  It is bright and sunny outside, which only makes it colder!

I am thankful for...everyone being on the mend .. health-wise. 

I am reading…currently in-between books.  I have a large stack to choose from, though.

I am hearing...Dash playing piano.

I am wearing…a purple long-sleeved shirt, grey sweater, jeans, and tennies.

I am thinking about … Lent.  We talked about what we would do as a family and as individuals during Lent.  TV is something we give up as a family; that will not change.  The kids give up all computer time outside of school; that will not change.  We will be hanging our Stations of the Cross again this year.  Still thinking about the rest…

From the sewing/craft room (aka. laundry room!)…there is still a pile of mending and alterations to be completed.  The laundry is manageable.

From the school room... Zeke finished up his Language of God workbook and is almost done with his handwriting workbook.  Dash is VERY  interested in Computer Science, so we invested in Pure and Simple: Book 1 for Homeschoolers created by Motherboard Books.  Dash has completed the first couple lessons and Angelina started the course today.  Although she’s not as interested, I think it’s important to know word processing and a bit of programming.

From the kitchen... my cookie cake flopped this weekend.  I was sure I used the ‘whole’ chocolate chip cookie recipe last time.  I was mistaken.  We ate it anyway.

A successful moment… I made it outside to visit my chickens!  Those silly Wyandotte’s are still bare backed because they peck the feathers off each other before they can grow in  -  I might just invest in Hen Savers to see if their feathers will grow.

A few plans for the rest of the week…
Monday: Dance for Angelina, Eric leave for FL

Tuesday: Dance for Angelina

Wednesday: 4-H officer meeting for Dash

Thursday:   Meetings in Fargo for me

Friday:  Angelina and Dash compete in State 4-H Crop Judging contest at the ValleyCity Winter Show.

Saturday/Sunday:   Dance rehearsal and recital for Angelina (yes! her dance year is done on Sunday – awesome!  While fun, I’m glad to be done running to this every week.)

8/52

Joining Barbara in commemorating the year in once a week posts … just whatever is going on in your life: the mundane, the crazy, the normal, the everyday.

Is watching crayons melt anything like watching paint  dry??  You’d think this would get old.  Zeke received the Crayola Crayon Maker for his birthday … everyone was crowding around … even me!

Can’t resist taking pics of Louis!

Yep, it’s a skunk.  In the window well right below the kitchen window.  We’ve had all kinds of animals in the window wells, this is the first skunk.  He/she found some food (hubby admitting leaving it outside the garage door) and stayed for a few days.  Thank goodness the skunk could walk out of the window well on the bank of snow.  Eric was gone last week during all the skunk visits.  The rascal hasn’t been back to the house in a couple days, but we still have tracks around the farm. 

Louis just had to go outside.  He made it about five feet into the snow, fell down, sat for a while, then turned around and came back inside.  Happy as a clam, though!

DayLook: Monday, February 21, 2011

Looking out from my back porch... it’s snowing again.  Guess the positive way to look at this is that the crusty, yucky looking snow is being covered up. 

I am thankful for... a day at home, the ability to order online, meeting new couples (from our 1st CCL class last night) who are excited about their faith and living it.

I am reading… Dead or Alive by Tom Clancy.  I’ve been on a thriller/mystery kick the last couple weeks.

I am hearing... Graham playing with toys, Dash writing on paper and making clicking noises … why do kids make random annoying noises??  To make their mothers work on patience!

I am wearing… an old sweatshirt (remember I don’t need to go anywhere today), jeans, and tennies.

From the sewing/craft room (aka. laundry room!)… Angelina’s dance costume needs adjusting.

From the school room... the plans for next year are coming together and the supplies lists are well on their way to being filled, too.  I’ve started to use a few more computer resources in the last few weeks.  Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing has be wonderful for Dash & Angelina!  I also downloaded the current version of Math Facts Now! for Zeke, who needs a bit of practice on the multiplication tables.

From the kitchen… this weekend, I made a huge (as in 18 cups of oatmeal … HUGE) batch of monster cookies.  I baked half and froze half the dough in balls for baking later. 

From the farmyard… the chicks are ordered!  5 Buff Orpington females, 5 Barred Rock females, and 35 Cornish Rock Cross slow broilers (straight run for butchering in early August) should arrive as chicks the first week in May.  The first 10 we’ll add to the current laying flock.

Barred Rock, above, and Buff Orpington, below.

A successful moment… FINALLY, all the composition papers are corrected.  I’d been two weeks behind for what seems like forever. 

A few plans for the rest of the week…
Monday: Eric leaves tonight for a meeting in MN.

Tuesday: Angelina has a haircut tonight before her dance class.  She and I are going to a Lia Sophia jewelry party tonight, too.

Wednesday: Stay home

Thursday:   Real Presence Radio Banquet – Archbishop Chaput from Denver is the speaker.

Friday: National Quiet Day – I’ve been dreaming of this all month…that’s how long I’ve known that there IS a National Quiet Day. 

Saturday/Sunday:   Crop Judging for Angelina and Dash.  Niece – Miss E. – 1st Birthday Party on Sunday.

A picture memory... This is our county 4-H Crop Judging team.  They placed first at the Oakes Contest.  Angelina won High Individual in Oakes.  Not to be outdone, Dash (on the right) won High Individual this past week in Kindred.  They go back and forth … competition is good. 

7/52

 

Joining Barbara in commemorating the year in once a week posts … just whatever is going on in your life: the mundane, the crazy, the normal, the everyday.

Homemade Pirate-themed Birthday cake for 8 year old Zeke.  He loved it!

 

Raspberry Syrup – uses up the last of the frozen raspberries and we needed syrup!

4-H project books … time to get going on those projects kids.  We need to start reading up on animal projects and planning out when we’ll get everything done.

 

We hadn’t had the carpets cleaned (except with a spot-bot type machine – by me!) since we moved in almost three years ago.  It was time!  The cleaners left industrial strength fans to help everything dry; I was thankful, as it really made a difference.  I am feeling great about having clean carpets and all the rooms were cleaned and cleared in preparation, too.

When one plays, they all watch.  What is it about my boys and the electronics? 

 

Happy Birthday, Zeke!

 

He’s 8 years old on February 18th!  He could hardly wait, but now he’s 8.  Life is great when you are 8. 

Big sister is willing to read the cards – cuz she’s quicker.

Now that Louis knows what gifts ARE, it’s a little hard to stay away!

The headgear apparently let you ‘see’ how a fire ant sees the world.  Really kinda cool.

 

Grandma & Grandpa Green Acres came for supper and cake.

The pirate pose for Zeke and memories of an 8 year old … Argghhhh! … and the ‘nice’ pose for perfectistic mom.

Six tries to blow out all those candles!

Art ‘shake-up’

 

 

We’ve enjoyed using Childsize Art Masterpieces (Levels 1-8) and ‘How to Use Child-size Masterpieces for Art Appreciation’ since starting to homeschool, but it was time to ‘shake’ it up a bit for Zeke.  A recent e-newsletter mentioned ‘Spot the Differences’ and after checking it out, I tacked it onto a recent book order.

All the kids have had fun! 

Some of the changes to the pictures are easy enough for three and four year-olds to spot, so the book is geared for all ages.  In addition, there is an answer key in the back.