"You never read, Mama."

This is what my daughter told me one day.  I failed to ask her what her definition of "never" and "read" were.  Do recipes count?  Recipe magazines?  Recipe blogs?  How about school books, read-aloud books, picture books, board books?  How about the Bible and my Bible study?  How about street signs and directions?  Does my book have to look like a novel?  Does it have to look like it is for an adult?

Well, today I reserved, for my reading pleasure 3 cookbooks from the library.  Maybe that will do the trick.  Maybe I will have to read it on the couch instead of at the kitchen island... 

Domestic School Day

Ahh, what a day we had together.  Right now as 2 are in bed and Kevin and Kj are still out at a Bible study, I am smelling the final product of a days long work.  Mmm, the sourdough bread is in it's last stage--the oven!

The kids and I had a very domestic school day today.  The girls had been gone for the weekend, the second in a row without parents and without a lot of free time at home.  So, we took a day to read, play, craft and cook.  Last week, I began a fresh sourdough starter.  This one is water and flour alone, no yeast, no sugar.  Today, was the day that I could finally bake some bread.  It is far more work than my last bread machine version of sourdough.  I fed the starter this morning and removed a bit for the bread sponge.  I then added water and flour, let rise, added more flour, let rise, divided it in 2, let rise, and put it in the oven.  It was an all day affair!

In between all of that, we:  read books, made twice baked potatoes and meatloaf, ate a leftover lunch, ran an errand, filled friendship bags (to hand out the night of October 31st--haven't settled on a name yet), played, read books, packaged individual portions of the food items for Grandma's birthday gift, vacuumed, biked to a friends house to make a delivery, read books, played...  I'd say that was a successful school day for all of us! 

P.S. Hope you don't mind, but I refrained from taking pictures of the girls working with the raw hamburger for meatloaf.

A Good Day

In the background, the girls are sorting clothes.  Mn is enjoying one of my long sleeved shirts.  He has it wrapped around his shoulders and is running through the house playing peek-a-boo with whomever will react.  I am cooking a new soup recipe, snitching brownie bites and typing about the day.

Today, L and I got kindergarten done before I finished breakfast.  The activity of the day was to make turtles out of our fruit at snack time.  T is the letter of the week.  Second grade is scattered in between our chore of the day (laundry) and meals.  In history they are learning about the Pilgrims.  They are currently in Holland seeking religious freedom and work to sustain them at a time when King James was forcing the people to attend the church of England or not worship at all.  The Hollanders had a "scrubbing day" and so the teacher's guide suggested we pick something to scrub today.  So, a few more windows got washed before winter.  Kj wanted to go next door and help them with their windows, but we have a whole floor left to do here...

It has been a good day.  Mid-morning I found myself singing, "Change my heart, oh God, make it ever true, change my heart oh God, may I be like you."  I was not in this current "good day" disposition.  God really did answer my prayer, thank you!!

The turtles:  L upside down, holding the legs up, Kj right side up.  L was smiling right before I snapped the picture.  
 

A New Year!

I have arrived at a fresh year of life.  I am halfway to 70!!  I have decided not to grieve my age as some do, but to enjoy it!  Honestly, if you ask me anytime after this week how old I am, I will probably have to think and calculate for a while.  Maybe, just maybe, with the halfway to 70 comment, I will remember my age this year??  

Last week, Kevin's dad had an anniversary at the farm he has been working at and his mom decided to hire a photographer for some extended family pictures.  The timing was right and so were the backdrops!!  We haven't done it since L was just a bump! 

Here is me and my sweets on a combine that I mislabeled as a tractor.  I just thought all the big green vehicles on the farm were tractors...  I guess I am neither a city nor a country girl!  Since I have never ridden in a tractor (or a combine), Kevin's dad said that we could come up one day this fall to ride in one.  I'm excited for that, now I just have to follow through!  There are so many experiences available if you just have the follow-through!  I'll be working on that this coming year.  I don't know how long I'll be homeschooling or how long this flexibility will be in our lives, but for now, I want to do what I can. 

Also, happy 9th anniversary to us!!

L was reminiscing about my last birthday.  She reminded me that I had been sick and daddy had stayed home from work and made macaroni and cheese for lunch.  That was fun!  ...for her...

Lunch Game and Mn Science

No, we don't play games all day.  I am just realizing that games and puzzles are important and can teach things.  For instance, in the game of Sorry, 7 can be split between two game pieces.  So, we reviewed the addition sentences for 7. 

We played during lunch because Mn was occupied and L had an additional reason to stick to the game (she had to be at the table for lunch anyways).  L appeared to be winning midway through the game, but as the game progressed, the rest of us did some catching up.  L, with some firm coaching (No, you may not quit now!), persevered to the end and did win the game.  

When Mn was done eating, I gave him some magnets to play with.  They stuck to his chair and the cover of the game container and so he continued to test to see if they stuck other places.  He tried his eye (closed) and his forehead.  Nope, they didn't stick there, oh, well, back to the chair.

School Extras

We went outside for math today, working with chalk and rocks.  Adding without thinking and subracting and writing out the "sentences".  Then a bit of biking and back in for some puzzle time.  I turned on a cd and they went to work.  

L voiced her uncertainty about being able to do such a difficult puzzle (25 piece for Kindergartener - was just a guess).  But, after telling her that I would gladly switch washing dishes for her puzzle, she decided that it would be ok.  I told her that I was taught to find the edge pieces, put those together first and then work inward, she proceeded to do it her way...from the inside out!  Why did I not expect her to do the opposite?  ;) 

I tested Kj out on a little bit more difficult puzzle (100 piece for a 2nd grader).  She started at it as she was taught, edges first and inside afterwards. 

They both conquered their puzzles and went on to other puzzles that had been stowed away for a while.  I am hoping to have more such afternoons with the girls. 

Flash Flood

We "enjoyed" a little flash flood adventure on the way home from the library tonight. Before we left to go to the library, Kevin said, "20% chance of rain." L didn't want to wear her rain jacket and I told her she'd get soaked, but it was up to her. Kevin said, "Not soaked!" We all got a bit wet on the way into the library and the rains came down harder and harder.  By the time we were heading out the door it was pouring, flash flood sort of pouring.  Oh, yes, she and we all got soaked even with the jacket.  

We prayed our way home!  I was the voice wanting to say, "Turn back.  The library is safe."  But then kept reminding myself that I trusted my husband!!  I did, and he got us here.  We wondered if this was similar a hurricane (only of course without so much wind).

Kj takes these things as sort of adventure.  "Can I check the basement?"  L on the other hand gets a bit "freaked out".  "I'm not getting out of the van until the garage door is closed."  Mn just falls asleep, it was bedtime.  

I was getting the kids in bed, and sopping up the water that had come in their windows while we were gone and Kevin inspected the basement further.  In the laundry room, we had a nice little "fountain*" coming in the window and some constant dripping coming around and out of the electrical box.  Kevin and I did some investigating and deduced the probable cause of the trickle: 
full rain barrel and in general too much water, so it started coming in where the communication line comes in.  We disconnected the rain barrel and made a plug for it.

Well, the "rush" is over.  Our emergency candles and flashlights are gathered to be put away, the power is on.  Here I am trying to remember all the details. 

*fountain - think nice little fountain that you find at a florist shop.  Just a nice flow of water over bricks...so mesmerizing...

P.S.  We just found out that we were in the middle of the flood zone!!  I hope the librarians are safe where they are!