First day of school!

This picture was after I asked Simeon to go brush his teeth before starting school. After getting Naomi dressed, I went to check on Simeon and the picture is what I found. His explanation: I need to shave before school. I don't think he would have gone so far as to use a real razor, ( since he has a plastic one)but I can't be sure and I'm glad that I walked in when I did!


Monday was the first day of our homeschool year. Simeon is in first grade. I was really a little nervous about it. Last year was a real struggle to get him to do the work some days, and all summer he talked about not liking school . I prayed about it and just got ready for a struggle, but much to my surprise there wasn't any. I was greeted by Simeon coming to my bedroom early Monday morning, telling me how excited he was to start! Yeah for having a good attitude!

This year we are studying the "Cowboy and Indian" era of American history. We have made a diorama, 3d map and played a Native American children's game. I think we are both enjoying the projects. We are also doing a science journal this year, following a formal art curriculum, and beginning our French curriculum. Our days are definitely full, though school only usually takes up about 1/2 a day. As for sports, Simeon is taking Saturday soccer, will be starting a boys dance class which includes tap, hip hop and jazz and will probably be doing gymnastics at the recreation center in town. Nothing like keeping busy!

Seems like...

Pictures are : Naomi sucking her toes on the back porch.
Simeon before his beach themed dance class
Naomi's birthday doll- from scratch!
I only get to posting every month or so. Summer has been busy around here. The garden is not doing as well as I had hoped, then again, the weather has been wonky, we have been able to eat some fresh zucchini, parsley and potatoes. The tomatoes, both cherry and regular size are starting to ripen. Hopefully the end of the summer will make up for the lack of growth earlier this season.

Naomi is growing leaps and bounds. She is starting to stand more and more on her own and is walking while holding onto someones hand. I was just telling Rich the other day that she is going to be our dare devil. I have found her on more than one occasion trying to climb. I'm a little fearful of what walking ( or running) will do for our lives in the near future. It's hard to believe that in less than two weeks she will be one. Time sure does fly. We are so thankful for her presence in our lives. She brings lots of smiles and laughter.

Simeon is growing as well. We went to the ped's last week, and found that he has grown 3 inches in the past year. He is tall and lean. He took dance this summer and now is thinking of whether he wants to take formal dance ( boys class being tap, jazz and hip hop) or gymnastics. Either way, he has dance director and gymnastics coach asking for him. I think he'll excel at whatever he chooses. We will be starting school on Aug. 31st. Simeon isn't too keen on that, but I'm looking forward to a great school year. We will be doing American Story I by Winter Promise, which is a history based program on the Cowboy and Indian Era of American history. I'm looking forward to building teepees, Conestoga wagons and all kinds of other neat projects. We will also be tackling our first formal year of French and art.

Trisha is doing well. She has her driver's license now, which means she is constantly asking for the car. She is also single once again. School starts for her again next week, and I think she is dreading going back to earlier bed times and early mornings. Alas, such is life!

Rich and I are doing well, though tired and run down lately. We got away for a few days in July at a wonderful inn in the New Hampshire Mountains. We went on some long walks and enjoyed being kid free. It wasn't long enough though. It seems that we are pulled in so many directions that a couple of days is simply a drop in the bucket.

On the Move!

Sorry the lighting is so poor, but I didn't want to lose the moment!

Where does time go?

I've kept meaning to blog, and yet days slip by with no blogging. The past week has been kept busy. I have planted 3 of my planned 6 vegetable and herb gardens. So far I have bush beans, slicing cucumbers, pickling cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash, carrots, and broccoli planted. I also planted some chives around my rosebush.

I have also been baking. I've made some homemade pita bread, whole wheat crunchy chocolate chip cookies, whole wheat brownies and more cookies since they were so popular.

Last night, I had my girl's night out. I'm thinking this is going to become a monthly thing! It's so nice to get away and talk and just enjoy each other's company. As mentioned in my previous blog, I made a spa recipe from the book I bought. I changed around the recipe to match what I had, so I'll share it here.

Lemon Lime Rosemary Foot Scrub

1/4 C Epsom salts
1/2 C Sea Salt
2 Oz ( give or take) of extra light olive oil
zest of 1/2-1 lemon
Zest of 1 lime
torn leaves of 1 sprig rosemary

If scrubbing your feet, during a pedicure, they recommend if you have time to wrap your feet in plastic wrap and then placing your feet in a folded towel. Your body heat then creates a mini oven effect, and helps allow your skin to soak in the oil. Finish off your foot scrub with a nice thick lotion to keep your feet nice and smooth and soft.

If you try the recipe and would like to comment, please do. I'd love to hear your reactions whether good or bad.

As for the kids, Simeon is turning 6 Next Weekend. I can't believe my baby is growing up so fast. He has really grabbed a hold of reading and is reading everything. It's fun to be in stores and hear/see him reading the signs.He is gaining such confidence. It's fun!

Naomi is on the move. She has decided that staying in one spot is not for her. Her crawl looks like a cross between an army crawl and an inch worm. She must be motivated however. Simeon's toys or a cat will motivate her to move. She is pretty quick at that. Time to go over the house with a fine tooth comb and see what needs to be moved to make this place more baby proof.

Trisha's taking driver's ed and is constantly wanting to drive. She is also working at a pizza place close to our house. She seems to like it for now. I think she's looking forward to school being out.

As for me, well, I'm reading a book called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. So far so good! Will post more as I find/make the time!

Mom Spa: 75 Relaxing Ways to Pamper a Mother's Mind, Body, and Soul

I just bought this book at TJ Maxx for $3. It looked like it had some great "Spa" ideas and recipes for skin and hair. I'm looking forward to trying them in the months to come. Last month, I had a girls night out. Everyone had fun, and so I'm organizing another one. I'm thinking of making these once a month nights special and treating me and the ladies to a little something to take the time to pamper ourselves in the weeks before the next get together. I'll let you know how it goes, and may share some of these "secrets".

What are you all doing to pamper yourselves, and get away from everyday stress?

I'm being challenged.

I've been doing a 90 day Beth Moore devotional on the apostle John. It has been highly interesting and challenging. A few thoughts have been floating around in my head. Do I face poverty, whether it be spiritual, emotional, physical, face on, or do I try to skirt away from it? Jesus faced poverty head on. He didn't look, down, he didn't avoid it, he looked it straight in the face. Why do I have such a hard time doing that? Why, is it, that I have a hard time looking in the eyes of someone who doesn't believe, or live the same way I do?

So, as I've been thinking about this, I'm trying to live my life unashamedly. Jesus loves these people, I need to get past my discomfort and treat them with respect and friendship. It's not like I'm disrespecting these people, rather, I'm just sort of skirting around them, rather than including them in my life. For example, a couple of weeks ago a family was walking on the sidewalk in front of my home. I know them, they used to attend my church. I also know that they are on welfare, and are not "well seen" by the other people in the neighborhood. I know that they are no longer attending the church we used to mutually attend, and have decided to be Jehovah Witnesses. They stopped to talk to me as I was inspecting some flowers that somehow appeared in the middle of my lawn. I just couldn't wait for them to move. I had a hard time looking them in the eye. I was uncomfortable. I was so thankful for Rich coming home for lunch right then and needing to go in. Yet afterwards, I felt horrible. My discomfort came from not knowing what to say. I just needed to listen. By looking them in the eye, taking the time to listen and maybe even engaging a little, I could have given them a small glimpse of Jesus. Ugh...a good thing God is patient and is forgiving! I need another opportunity to look them in the eye.

Another such circumstance came at goodwill when I was waiting in line. A person was buying some clothing, and obviously had a lifestyle much different than my own. I was embarrassed for them. It was like a train wreck waiting to happen, I was watching and yet trying not to watch as I patiently waited to pay for my items. As a second register opened, and I moved up to pay, the person apologized for taking so long. I quickly, with my head down, said, "No problem." Why didn't I look at this person in the eye? Smile? Say, " Not a problem, have a nice day?" Isn't that what Jesus would have done?

All this to say, I'm being challenged to take the time to love on people. To treat them with the same care Jesus treats me! Not easy in this world. But I'm hoping to reach out, one smile, one word, one eye to eye look on. They are worthy, they are created by God, and though God may not agree with their lives, lifestyle He sure does love them...loves them enough to die for them. If He can do that, I should be able to look them face to face!

I'm back!

I hope...I've had a few post ideas float through my mind, but then I get busy and don't type them out. So, I'm going to try to put blogging on my todo list and see if that helps. It has helped me be so much more fruitful and productive during my days as of late.

What have I been up to? Gardening and baking. Spring has brought with it lots of fun in the garden. My bleeding hearts are blooming. I have the prettiest little blue flowers in my shady garden. My wild rose bush is finally looking healthy after being moved two years in a row. My neighbor gave me some hostas to plant, they were a BEAR to split, but are thriving in all 3 places I planted them. I also was given some daylilies that also took right to their new home. My delphiniums, lavendar and another perennial that I forget the name have survived the winter and are looking like they are coming back to life! I LOVE gardening. Today, I plan on getting some Jacob's ladder from another neighbor and maybe starting the new plot for our vegetable garden. It's amazing how much my gardens have grown in the past 2-3 years. I never thought I would enjoy gardening the way I do. I'm hoping to get some sweetpeas to grow for me this year.

As for baking. Well, in an attempt to regain my health and good habits, Rich bought me a whole wheat bread baking book. So far I have made 2 of the recipes and we have been pleased. I have a recipe for making my own sourdough starter, I just don't feel like I'm in the right frame of mind yet to try it. In the days to come. I have all the ingredients, I just need to decided THE DAY! You know, I've realized just what an art and science breadmaking is and I love that. While yes, it nourishes both my family and me, it allows me to use my brain in ways a little more advanced that kindergarten science and math. LOL

I've also been on a recent sewing kick! I've made both Simeon and I mei tai carriers. As well as a soft crib sheet for Naomi. I'm also planning on hopefully making her a couple of pillow case dresses, and Simeon a superhero cape and a couple of masks. When? I'm not sure with all the gardening and weeding I have to do, but hopefully in time for his 6th birthday at the end of the month.

I guess I'll end here. The sun is shining after a couple of days of rain, I want to get school and chores done ASAP so that I can go and play in the dirt!