Oldest & Youngest: Chore Helper.

J is 9 and Papa has decided that he can stay up later, around until 10:30 and help me with the evening  chores. He fetches this and packs that and makes my job a whole lot easier. 

There are several ways to help Momma with the evening chores.

 Holding and patting a tired baby to sleep is one of them. Bonus: he gets to stay up later, I get to go to bed sooner, he gets to read his book, and I don't have to worry about the baby!!

Easy Peasy Pizza Night!!

Everyone helped! 

Pizza the super easy way! 

Sliced bread

Ketchup 

Italiano seasoning

sausage

cheese

Mushrooms were optional.. :) 

Pineapple would have been fantastic but we don't have any :( 

You could do anything you like though!! 

We get 6 loaves of bread a week in trade and we are getting over run with bread in the freezer so we are looking for ways to use up more bread. 

These are awesome and totally make the list!!

Bonus.. the kids just did it tonight... completely alone... 

And they loved every minute of it :) :) :) :) :) 

G's 2 Yard Dash!

Now that we have a calf right in front of the front porch we've had a couple of interesting moments. The big kids go out several times a day to talk/pet/look at Milton the calf. G is unable to do that by herself. 

G is not allowed in the entrance because of the wood stove and the dangers there of and she can't open the door. There is a black rug between the entrance and the trailer and the edge of the rug is as far as she is allowed to go alone. 

In the spring the wood stove often over produces heat during the last half of the day and as I'm still drying laundry in there I don't mind. I just let it and open some windows and often the doors in the entrance. G likes this. She will stand on the edge of the rug and look outside, but sometimes it's just too much for her. I love watching her. G will be happy on the edge of the rug looking outside and then, when she thinks I'm not looking, she glances around a little (never behind her :) ) and BOLTS for the front door.. the 2 yard dash to FREEDOM and, of course, the calf/cats/dog which she loves. She normally gets about half way there and some alert kid is already letting me know and I catch her just slowing down to very carefully step over the door frame and on to the porch!! She is quite the little sprinter! 

Yup I'm a stinker!! 

Since then we've been teaching her to come to one of us and grab our hands and say CALF (which she can say very well) and then she is allowed to walk to the front porch and have a visit with the animal crew that hangs out on the front porch. 

Wacky Wednesday :)

The title really covers it. Wednesdays are wacky around here. It's Papa's first day back at work..so it's kinda our Monday. This Wednesday was wacky in more ways then normal. This morning we woke up to snow falling. About 2 hours later it turned to rain, then a bit of sunshine, then it POURED rain, and then we had a couple of hours of the sun trying to shine and now it's snowing again. When it started to rain I checked the temp and it was -5C. Seriously! POURING rain and -5. It did get up to 0 later with the weak sunshine.

Today was catch up day. The kids and I spent about an hour outside this afternoon. Them playing, me working on the never ending lathe on the house. They also went out this morning to do chicken chores and firewood. They have been sick for about a week, one or more at a time, and today was catch up day for several things. Firewood, egg washing, outside play. We managed to keep up school work by working for short periods of time through out the day. We are doing a bit extra a week so we can take a couple of weeks off in April. Papa has two weeks off and we don't want to have to do school then.

Wednesdays (and saturdays) are also suppose to be shower/bath night. If it goes smoothly it only takes about 45 minutes. Sometimes when we've already had a long day it's hard to get motivated enough to run the gauntlet, I mean showers and bath marathon.  The boys are a big help. Both the older boys can get the shower water the right temp and run a sink full of bath water and wash their own hair/bodies in the shower. So we normally get the baths started, J3 and G together, and then the boys watch the those two while I shower the girls. (Girls hair! ack!) When the girls are done the boys hop in the shower and I get the little two out of the bath and get them dressed and brush hair. The boys have also been washing the littles hair in the tub but only while I'm helping. They like too...honest!

Anyway on this wacky Wednesday we are having open faced egg sandwiches, cupcakes and apples for supper while the kids watch a movie in the living room and I'm writing this post! Easy and requested supper, relaxing evening (before shower/bath time) after a wacky weather Wednesday. We did really good for our Monday. School got done, house is clean, chores caught up and we even played outside! Thankfully only the weather was wacky on this particular Wednesday!

A Life Update ~July 28th/12~

Well I haven't sat down and just updated for quite some time so I thought I would take a minute to do so.

The homestead is busy these days, moving chicks(meat birds), and cows around on fresh grass. Feeding critters several times a day. Milking two cows takes a bit longer then one. Checking sows and the one gilt for piglets. Keeping up with the watering and sprinklers, the tall uneaten grass and the raised beds. Playing in the kiddie pool and riding bikes and doing school with the kids. Actually I don't ride a bike, the kids do and I push little Miss G in the stroller. And then there are outings; to town, the beach, church and friends houses. Never mind the sweeping and vacuuming, dishes and meals, bread and cheese. We keep busy and we like it that way.

Then there is the unexpected.

This last week I went out to do chores and check for piglets and found a dead sow. Just laying there it the bush. I thought she was about 600lbs but Papa says no more like 800! Full of piglets, I think there were 7 or 8 inside her, a couple weeks from due as the has no hair and their eyes were still shut. 4 year old purebred Bershire bred sow. Just dead. I called Papa. We brooded a little. It's such a disappointment to find such a animal dead. We raised her from 8 weeks old. The night before she was following Papa around waiting for a scratch, begging really. This would have been her 3rd litter. Papa said there were. Some white barnacle looking things on her liver and that was all he could find that was strange! We cut her up into chunks and froze them. Chip will eat good this winter. Half filled a small freezer. What a waste!

But mostly we are doing good here on the homestead. The kids are back to school part time, homeschooling of course, and they each finished 2 PACES yesterday, their 1st two of the year which was exciting. We also have a new science course that we've started and they LOVE! Apologia science Flying creatures of the 5th day. We found that L and E were starting to forget stuff like how to write letters or numbers and sounds of certain letters after their almost 3 month break so we started some verbal review and now are starting school part time just to keep them learning and remembering and busy :)

Papa is back to hobbling about with a sore leg. Praise God it doesn't seem to be his back this time though his sciatica is still the thing most affected. He is seeing a new chiropractor in town who is also a bit of a physical therapist after our normal chiropractor didn't seem to be helping anymore. The new chiropractor says its in the muscles, not his back like last time, and whatever she's doing it seems to be working. His mobility after just one appointment was better then he'd had in weeks and it lasted until his next appointment and he got more mobility after the second appointment. We are both really hoping and praying that this does not turn into the 4 month painful drugged fall that he had last fall. I will keep you posted.

J spiked in growth again this summer and turned his winter chubby-ness into several more inches and size 5 boys feet! He is gleefully awaiting the day he is taller then me! J has made several new friends in our homechurch and completely enjoys our times with them. They are all homeschoolers to and I think it's good for him.

L got a sketch pad for his birthday and spends hours drawing in it and making up stories to go with his pictures. He tans very nicely and looks very brown with his hair bleached by the sun. L is really enjoying his school work and flys through the pages with precision. Adding is still a strong point along with very neat printing.

E is doing very well. She's been off her puffers for a couple of months and doesn't seem to have any problems with the summer pollen! She is eating like a skinny person and staying skinny much to her dismay. She is trying to gain 5lbs so she can go into a booster seat and sit in the back seat of the truck! I think she might just get there about the time J grows out of it!

R is our bubbly little girl. She got some new school books for her birthday and begs to do school with the others with her little books. I let her for a few pages a day. She and J3 are becoming fast friends again during the school days and I enjoy listening to the communication between them now that J3 is older and talking more.

J3, I'm pretty sure, has past R in the weight department and the way he's going will likely be as heavy as E in no time! We started toilet training him 3 days ago just after his 2nd birthday. He's taken to it quite well and only had one Opps yesterday. He loves the animals and we often see him hanging on Chip, who loves him!, or packing a kitty around. He also loves to be doing what everyone else is going and I rack my brain several times a day for little chores for him as he likes to be helpful when we are choring. He goes and does his chore then runs back to me and says 'mom mom' (his version of yes mom) and waits impatiently for the next chore!

Baby G is acting more like a toddler and less like a baby these days! Crawling, climbing, trying to cruise on the couch but it's too high so she cruises on Papa laying on the floor or a box or a kid or whatever she can find. She is eating 3 large meals a day and sleeping about 11 to 12 hour nights with a couple of day time naps. She is still toothless but by the looks of her gums when she gets her teeth she will get a few!

Anyway I've got to go! Papa is up, Baby G is up and it's time to get started on this wonderful day called Saturday :) Have a great day and God bless :)

L and E got their very first Bibles the other day! The Bibles have their names on the front. It was very exciting and Papa taught them how to play the Bible game swords right away. They know their books of the Bible but it was a bit hard to find them in their new Bibles. I have a feeling though that there will be a lot of Swords in our future :) They found Jonah where we had been reading as a family and followed along while Papa read a chapter. It turns out that E's and J's Bibles are the same and L's is the new copyright which is a bit easier to read and so it's a little harder for him to follow along during readings. They will be starting their own devotions in school this year with the ACE program so now was the perfect time to get their own Bibles. They are also bringing them to church to follow along while scripture is read. They even packed up a little pictures kid Bible for R so "she could have a Bible too!" I love that they care for eachother and help eachother. R was quite pleased :)

Planting :)

The kids by our raised beds! We planted peas, carrots, strawberry starts, spinach, lettuce, potatoes and radishes. 

They were so excited to plant the potatoes all by themselves!! 

Great job!! 

J3's New BED!!

Mrs K from Our Peculiar Lives had an extra crib mattress hanging around and she asked if we wanted it. 

We did :) J3 needs a new bed :) 

I decided to cover it with black plastic bags to protect it. Two bags did the job nicely. 

Duct tape sealed it off nicely and with style :) 

Then the kids put a couple of sheets on it.. one on both sides, 

and I used some sheet clips and a couple of baby diaper pins with a length of elastic

 to hold the sheets on. 

I'm not sure why but ALL of the kids have loved to take the sheet off their mattress at this age.

So now I just prepare for it. 

5 Little Monkeys laying on the bed! 

J3 is so far only napping on this mattress.. we drag it out to the living room every nap time and he sleeps happily to his hymns. He's learning the important lesson that he must stay ON the bed. Even if your awake, even if the house is quiet, until Mommy says you can get off.. you stay ON! 

So far he is doing very well. Though I do believe he sleep walks which will likely make things very interesting when he starts to sleep on the mattress at night and probably explains his terrible sleep habits. 

Yesterday I left the mattress in the kids room for naps and he fell asleep quickly and stayed ON the mattress!! YAY!! Soon we will move him on to the mattress for nights 

and 

as R says...

We'll hear the thump thump thump of J3 RUNNING to our bedroom several times a night 

until he realizes that you have to stay ON your bed at night too. 

But until he figures that out at least I'll get some sweet little boy cuddles :) 

Good thing Baby G has started sleeping at night again... 

I thought for a bit there I might actually be getting enough sleep! 

First Fruits 2012~ Rhubarb

J and L cut up the rhubarb they harvested from our plant. We made a rhubarb crisp with it and stuck in in the oven. When Papa went to work in the morning he turned it on and we had a nice hot breakfast to wake up to! We are going to try and do more breakfast prep like this as the house is cool in the morning but not cool enough for a fire and the oven on for an hour or so warms us right up.

Next time though I'm going to remember to put sugar in the rhubarb!! 

Here is what we did.. it was pretty good, but not the best we've made.

Chop rhubarb into fairly small pieces.. too big and they will not cook through. 

We had about 8 to 10 cups of rhubarb.

Pour about a cup of sugar? (this is the part I forgot!) over the rhubarb evenly.

Mix together 

 1/2 cup flour, 

1/2 cup of sugar,

About a cup of melted butter,

1tsp salt,

2 cups and a bit :) oatmeal,

1 tsp cinnamon 

until well mixed..
I used my new mixer with the whisks.

Dump this over the chopped rhubarb in the baking dish.. we used a roaster :) 

Make sure you cover all the rhubarb.

Bake at 350F for about an hour.

 ENJOY!! 

We love rhubarb crisp with cream or milk on top for breakfast, lunch or dinner :) Or dessert :) 

Or all 4 :) 

ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz!! Nap Time :)

J3 asleep on the couch. 

Several people have asked me how I get my kids to sleep everywhere and 

I thought I'd put a little blip on here. 

We practice, we learn to lay still and mostly we learn obedience from a early age. 

He was only about 14 months old when he decided he'd had enough with naps. 

I disagreed. He was a cranky little person and still would fall asleep at 4pm if he missed his 2pm nap. 

Did I mention kids that need naps who don't want to nap make ME cranky?

They do.

VERY!!

When J was this age we battled.

 Actually he was about 9 months old and refusing to sleep during church when it started. 

I won.

He slept.

He started to sleep with me in the room.

Then with me out of the room.

He still naps sometimes and still will sleep at nap time! 

It's simple.

You WIN the battles you choose. 

I choose to win, I planned my battles, my steps, my days

and then I won them. 

Step by step.

Step 1. Decide when nap time is for your training week. It helps the 1st week if nap time is always at the same time. After the 1st week they should be able to nap any time and everywhere.

Step 2. Clear your life for a week at nap time. (This is not hard for me normally but with Baby G it made things a bit harder which is why J3 still naps on the couch.. where I can see him.)

Step 3. Find a good book. 

Step 4. Talk to the child... tell them "It is nap time. Nap time is when you sleep, you are going to sleep. You will lay still and you will not move and you will go to sleep." My kids have to lay on their sides and face the wall.. something my mother did with us as kids.. walls are generally boring. 

Step 5. Mean what you said in step 4. Enforce it.

Step 6. Sit beside your child's bed, or in my case the couch, and read your book. If said child moves/talks /gets up or anything besides laying quiet and still, remind them of step 4 and discipline as often as needed. BE CONSISTENT!! 

Step 7. Spend the next 3 or 4 days doing this at every nap time. DO not leave the child's side until they are asleep unless the house catches fire..or in my case Baby G wakes up :) 

Hints and Tricks.

It really helps to have a fan or music going while you are 'in' training. I still keep music going in the living room while J3 sleeps. He almost always falls asleep to All Hail The Power of Jesus Name, the second song on the list. I keep the music on because the rest of us don't always remember to be quiet while he's sleeping and it muffles the sounds we make while he sleeps. 

Don't get such a good book that you forget what your doing : S

BE CONSISTENT!!! The more consistent you are the faster it will work. 

If the phone rings on day 3 and you answer it and chat for 39 minutes in the other room while forgetting your child was ALMOST asleep.. you'll likely have to start on day one the next day. Not always.. but quite likely. 

Kids have a knack for kicking a habit before it hits 3 days.

 Some kids need 4 days in a row.. some only need two.. shoot for 4 and save yourself the trouble of doing it again in a week. 

J3 will now sleep anywhere.. the first day you take the child out somewhere at nap time make sure where ever you take them is kid friendly enough to handle it if you have to use some discipline. I often just put him on the couch beside me for the first few times while we are out and about and often people don't even know he's there. I can nap my child without missing out on visiting or having to run home for naps. I can nap them, and have, at the beach, church, grandma's house, long car rides, the mall (in the cart!), on the lawn, pretty much anywhere!  This frees us up amazingly. We can spend a day at the beach with a happy napped kid, or spend a day shopping or whatever, wherever we want and the child who needs to nap gets one :)