A little random Friday bloggin'

If I were to have a conversation on the phone with my sis tonight {oops, fell asleep and didn't get it posted}, this is probably some of the stuff I'd tell her, minus the pictures.

First, some Pictures via Instagram, with captions, to explain what the heck they are!

BLTE season!  The tomatoes in the garden are finally ripe!

The little nuts enjoying their lunch with Daddy in the hunting trailer:

Also from the garden...

Sweet little baby girl's foot in my hand; her babyhood is going by so fast.  I want to soak in all the moments, like how her foot fits so perfectly in my hand.

My prayer and heart's cry is to rely on Jesus more and more to give me inspiration as a wife, Mom, ETC.!  He is SO faithful to hear us and give wisdom!
The picture below is a note and favorite snack for my awesome helper:

I had a wonderful "aha moment" in figuring out how to motivate this little man to want to really dig into his school work.  He is only three {almost four}, so I am not expecting a lot, but I also don't want it to be a battle.  He is incredibly smart and meticulous, so it is just a matter of lighting a fire for learning.  I have been tying his learning into being smart like his Daddy and being able to do farming things; he has made significant progress!

Miss O starting taking piano lessons with her Auntie Deb this summer:

Our beautiful view from the front yard:

An adorable outfit for baby boy:

Now, for some random things that I am thankful to have learned and have to tell Leah!  The first two are courtesy of my Mom.  First, I have observed over the years, how my Mom has done an incredible amount of laundry, yet, never seems to be bogged down by it.  Well, I know her secret now.  She doesn't let it pile up!  She is constantly pulling something out of the dryer and pressing it on her pull down ironing board  {I am going to have one someday :-)}.  I have been doing this the last few months and it works like a charm!  I hardly notice I am washing, ironing, or putting clothes away because it is just part of the day and it isn't a staggering amount.

I keep these two bins on my dryer for clothes to put away, and clothes to iron, and since they aren't very large, I couldn't let it pile up if I wanted to.

Second, my Mom told me she uses a disposable razor on her callouses on her feet in the shower and I don't know why she didn't tell me this 10 years ago.  Seriously, it works so well!

Finally, I am sure I am the last person to know this, but it really does pay to call your phone provider.  I called to see about getting caller id before school commences, and they gave me a cheaper rate on our Internet just for calling!  We now have long-distance, call waiting, and caller id, and for only $.40 more a month than what we were paying!  What?!  He did say that it will go up $5 after one year, but if I call, I can see what promotions they are running next year.

Happy Friday, friends!  Thanks for listening to my pointless babbling like only a good sister does! :-)

A job...

As Nanny says, "A job well begun is half completed." 

I am taking this to heart with one of the last things I want to do for the boy's room!  I picked out my pallets tonight, so that counts as a start, right?!  :-)

I am hoping to make these.  They look so easy and won't cost anything as pallets are plentiful on the farm.  Can you believe all the things you can make with pallets?

I finished up this little project for their room. 

Cardboard letters covered in fabric and hung from a branch.

Barn Time

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Love Summer

I love and look forward to summer: the sun and fresh air and different activities it brings.  I also love the exciting season it is on the farm.  Just stop to look at the trail dust behind a tractor, the towers of straw bales stacked neatly in fields, tractors working in unison- it is all so beautiful.  While I'm not involved on a full-time basis working on the farm, I still love the satisfaction of helping out: filling blueberry orders, and helping prepare meals for the guys working long hours.  The last month or so has not been normal with being down with my eye for a week, then my ankle, and most recently, our whole family had the stomach flu.  Crazy stuff!  We have enjoyed summer, but I'm ready to get back to enjoying it again before it is gone.

Sweet Girl was helping me with some blueberry orders and I thought it was time she learned to drive.  After all, she is six now!

What a pro!

P-man has spent hours working with his Daddy and is becoming a wealth of knowledge about all things farm.  You would think a three-year-old would have a limit to how many hours he could ride in a tractor, but the little man does not tire of it.  He insists on getting the field finished and comes back from 'work' beaming!

Hauling peas with Grampy

Peter Pippin of Great Britain, Olga Bolga of the Ukraine, and Analee of the U.S. at the Olympics this year:

Buck bringing the dock in for us: 

Jules is getting so grownup, but I am savoring these last few months of her as the baby.

As you can see, she is quite independent, helping herself to blueberries, putting on her own shoes, and learning to be a little mommy with cousin Josiah.

This is me now; we are getting close.  Baby boy is due in October.

I made some bow ties for him and his older brother last week.

I'll end this quickly with some random shots.

Olivia's clothes line she made with her jump rope.

 A tired girl

My hardworking, adorable Mama

hardworking, adorable son

Olivia making kimchi with Aunt Holly

 Excuse me, I must finish getting down with the laminator for homeschool prep before getting OUTSIDE!

Nuts and Bolts

Nuts and Bolts of the 2012 - 2013 School Year

I've been contemplating the upcoming school year and trying to evaluate what we did well last year and what we could improve.  This year will be different with a new baby, a preschooler, and a first grader.  Julia took a nap every morning during school last year, so that was easy, but she has since dropped her morning nap.  P either played or did light school work.  Kindergarten wasn't too challenging, with the exception of learning how to read, and just getting used to being in school.  We certainly need a good game plan this year.   

Here are a few things I've been contemplating {they may seem a bit comical or absurd when compared to a public school setting- he, he}:

• How to keep up morale/motivation, which will be different for a boy/preschool age student vs. a girl/first grader 
• Starting on time every day
• Activities for Julia {baby boy should be fairly easy as he will be sleeping a lot}
• on my list is to organize the toy kitchen next to the homeschool room and perhaps even buy a few new things for added interest

What We Need To Do:

• Our showers have to be taken at night, they just do, there isn't time for them in the morning.
•  I must continue to get up early.  This isn't a big struggle, especially with David's early work schedule, but having a newborn will make that a little more challenging.
• A new rule: no play time in the morning before school.  Perhaps I sound really strict or perhaps you're thinking, "duh", but this is something new we'll be implementing.  There is a lot that happens in the mornings: devotions, beds, teeth, hair, getting dressed, breakfast, cleaning up from breakfast, chores, breakfast/lunch for Daddy, ETC.  I have found that after the major morning rush is over, I want a breather, and thus the kids have a little play time.  Yet, as I was thinking about this, it dawned on me, what school kids get play time before school if they have to get out the door?  If we are going to get done in a timely manner every day, I think it would be highly motivating for them, and for me, if we don't have playtime/recess until after school. 
• I think it would be smart to get caller id.  We don't have it due to the extra expense, but it would certainly be helpful during school hours.  
•  Make the homeschool room cozy
• candle to burn on dreary days
• fires as soon as the weather turns
• healthy/yummy snacks

What I Still Need to Work Out:

• How prizes will be earned- talk to my Uncle Ladd and/or Carrie K.
• Put the prizes on display in our home school room.  Last year they were in a cupboard, but it just makes sense for them to be visible.
• Should prizes be small or big or both?  I am leaning towards both.

Our Curriculum

First Grade Curriculum: My Father's World

Student Workbook for phonics
Student Sheets with hands-on phonics activities, handwriting, timeline figures, and math and reading charts
Bible Reader with simplified Bible stories that the student reads for himself
Bible Notebook that the student writes and illustrates after reading the stories
Things Outdoors
Science with Water, Science with Plants
Honey for a Child's Heart
Drawing with Children
Come Look with Me: Enjoying Art with Children
Come Look with Me: Enjoying Landscape Art with Children
Introduction to the Orchestra
The Complete Book of Math
Wooden Pattern Blocks
Pattern Animals: Puzzles for Pattern Blocks

Preschool Curriculum: Rod and Staff Books

Bible Stories to Read
Bible Pictures to Color
Adventures with Books workbook
Counting with Numbers workbook
Do It Carefully workbook
Everywhere We Go workbook
Finding the Answers workbook
Going On Eagerly workbook
Hearing and Helping workbook 
Inside and Outside workbook

The homeschool room is cleaned out and organized. 
I'm sure I'll be adding and tweaking a few things before school actually starts.

I am setting these goals and rules for ourselves, but we will not die by them.  I view them like I view the Baby Wise schedule.  The principles are wonderful and effective, but you also have to make adjustments and be realistic.  We will be flexible, and yet structured!  I am planning the best I know how, but I'm sure we will have to make changes.  I might start with these books for Peyton instead of the ones above, and so forth.  I have tested some of what I'm hoping to implement by having the kids spend about 10 minutes each day doing workbook activities before getting on with our day.  I thought it would also help with the transition from summer to school next month.  Eek... next month!  Better go enjoy some more summer first!