Celebration!!!

I know I haven't blogged in awhile, but we have been busy & well today we have other things going on.








So one day I will blog about all the wonderful things in our lives. But today we are having a little celebration.

Working . . .

We have been working . . . a lot lately. One of the great blessings of life. Anyways  we have been working as a family, out of town.  In that time we have spent some hours in this facility. I loved looking around & walking down & through  it, so I had to take a few pictures. Just to remember it by. 

This cute sign is hanging in one of the barns. One day I might have to get one of these. 

I would have loved to see this ranch at it's full capacity. 

I can only imagine each jug full of a mamma & her new lamb. Or even better, twins. 

Beautiful sunset, looking into the drop pens. 

And of course, like all good mothers, my baby hangs our right along side of me in the barn.  Isn't he getting so big, so fast.  I wish I could stop it. Oh well.  It was great to check out someone else barns & to work our guts out as a family. I know more days like these are coming. 

Homeschooling Conversations

  I have been talking with several people about homeschooling, life, & motherhood.  It has been fun & I do enjoy homeschooling. I love visiting with other homeschooling moms. It always helps give me new perspective, ideas & remind me that we love this.  We really do.  As I have had homeschooling on my mind, I have noticed conversations with my kids, that I am guessing don't happen in a regular  households. Then again, they might, I really don't know, I only know what happens at our house.
    

  This was my conversation tonight with this guy: Keep in mind he is 4, well 4 1/2.

      Me: "Little Dude, what are you still doing up, you need to get to bed."
    Little Dude : " No I don't I am doing math." 
      Me: " You don't need to be doing math at 9:00 at night, you were supposed to be asleep by now."
      Little Dude: " Yes, I do! Everyone else is better at math than me, & I don't like it. Now let me do math."
     Me: (Here is my moral debate, do I tell him math isn't important right now & force him to bed? Or do I realize that 15 more minutes won't matter much more to me, but they will to him. Math wins.  
    Me: "Okay, you can do math for 15 more minutes, but then you need to go to bed."
    Little Dude: "Okay, now leave me alone, I need to practice."
 
                                                       *                     *                    *      

This next conversation occurred while driving home from the local feed store. Where we had picked up more feed for a certain little boys "Pig Business."  

  So also keep in mind we have recently acquired a new animal that has never been at our home before. It has become a necessity for our new founded professions & so we have a horse. 

Here is the debate between the monkey & once again, with the son (above)  getting into: They are fighting over who "gets" the horse. The monkey (my middle sons that has a "Pig Business") just said he gets the horse.  To which my little dude replies:

   "No you don't get the horse. I get the horse. You already have a business. I am already 4 years old (making it sound more like he is closer to 400 years old than 4) & I don't even have a business. You don't need anymore animals. I need a business, & I am almost 5 (he is getting older as we go along). Yeah 5, & I don't have a business yet, so I get the horse. Then she can be my business."  To which he firmly folds his arms,  & nods his head, as if you say,  that is the end of the discussion.

  Then there are daily conversations with things similar to this:

   Boys:  "Mom we need some eggs."
     Me:    "Why do you need eggs?"
  The boys:    "We are doing science & want to try an experiment, so we need eggs." (They usually ask for various household items, almost daily) & they always give me a look as if  to say:  "I can't believe you asked me why, couldn't it be more obvious."   
    Me: "Oh, of course."
     And to be honest, I usually give in, because honestly what is a few eggs in the sake of science. :0) 

Blooming

I am supposed to be picking my peas & beans right now. However, I found a snake in my garden. I hate snakes, if truth be known, I am quite terrified of snakes. So I did what any good mother would do, I called my 3 oldest boys to come, search the garden, find it & kill it.  I give big rewards at this house for anyone that kills a snake. BIG rewards.  So while my boys are off being my heroes I thought I would do another quick post. Since I have been slacking oh, so much lately. My sunflowers are in bloom, this variety is Autumn Blaze. I love it.  .  

It has been nice to actually have flowers in my flower beds this year. I have plans to add more next year.

 My mind has been on so many things home school related & I am creating posts in my head, which I plan to share, but until then you might as well take the time to stop & smell   & enjoy the flowers.

I love . . .

Do remember that old song that went something like this:

  I love little baby ducks, old pickup trucks,

  Slow moving trains & rain.

 And I love you too .  . .

 Do you know that song? Do you at least remember part of that song. Well either way it has a lot of truth in it & let me to you something: I love little baby ducks.

Remember how I told you a week or so ago that our momma duck "Brownie" as the boys call her, hatched her along awaited ducklings. Well I am still oh so in love with them, but come on can you blame me? Look at them.

  Honestly right now I "water" the yard & pasture a little more than it needs just so I can get a little closer to them. 

The momma is usually close by.

And when she calls them come waddling & follow her. All naturally following into a straight line.  Yes, oh yes, I am in love.

And of course anytime we observe nature, we need a few reading materials to go along with it, here are a few we have read & enjoyed.

 

    

Mail . . .

  I love getting mail, especially when it is something other than bills. I got a package & I am so excited I can hardly contain my excitement.
 
     

It is a book I heard about at my quilt group.  It is meant to help with my large boxes of scrap fabrics I can't seem to part with yet.  So I am very excited!!  I love a good quilt book, & just reading it makes me want to get into my scraps & start making a system of organizing them!
 
 Also, right now we are trying to finish gathering our items for home school. I have our basic curriculum outlined & one day will actually share it with you.  Some subjects we won't officially start until after Labor Day Weekend, because I won't pick items up until then, but others I will be ordering this week. One thing this year we are going to do is these:


 So we are getting excited for things at this house.  We are doing daily journaling right now. Last year doing this was like pulling teeth, (so I never pushed it really hard) but this year the boys are excited to do it. So we as a family are trying to make it a daily habit. Me included. So far they have been writing more & more. My motto for this year when it comes to homeschooling : Inspire, not Require.
 


 What fun things have you been getting in the mail?

Menu Monday - 8/20 & Menu Board

First of all I have been eyeing cute ways of displaying your weekly menu's on pinterest for quite sometime. Here are a few: MENU Boards,. just to give you an idea.   It has been on my make list for a while, but with so many things going on around here, I haven't been able to make it happen. That was until about 2 weeks ago, when I went to a family reunion.   I was thrilled to find out we would be making one, and all I had to do was bring my scrap booking supplies & magnets.

 I haven't put all my recipes in it yet, but it has been fun to have!  Okay onto this week:

This Week's Menu     
   As you know, we have been taking a few more Road Trips.  Also we are working out a of town a lot this week &  weeks to come. So you will be seeing a few more crockpot recipes, just because I can have dinner cooking & still be working. & as almost always there will be a few repeats for meals this week.  

Monday:
        B- Cream of Wheat/Oatmeal
        L - Leftover Chicken & Mashed Potatoes
        D- Creamed Potatoes & Peas

Tuesday: 
         B- German Pancakes 
         L- Undecided
         D - Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken from Chef in Training

Wednesday:  
          B-  Waffles
          L - Macroni Casserole
          D- Crock pot Beef Noodles 

Thursday:
      B-     Cream egg on Toast
      L -    Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
      D -  Barbecue Blue Cheese Pork Chops from The Fit Cook

Friday: 
     B-  Sausage & Eggs
     L - Pork Fajitas
     D-  Beef & Broccoli (I am going to try this in the slow cooker & see how it works)

Saturday: 
        B. Cream Egg Toast
        L- Enchiladas
        D.-  Community Dinner 

Sunday:  
        B- Pancakes   
        D - Herb Roasted Chicken w/ Steamed Veggies 

Baking:  Homemade Wheat Bread,  Cookies for Mutal on Tuesday, & Sunday Treats 


As always I am linking up to Organizing Junkie. 
 

   

Finishing up . . .

I know today is menu Monday, but I am busily working on this





A quilt. I am trying to get it done by tonight, before quilt group tomorrow. I will show it to you once I finish the getting at least the top pieced. Now I better get back to work while the baby is sleeping.

My poor hubby

My poor hubby is out of town, & instead of weeding my garden which is knee deep in weeds; instead I am mixing paint colors.




In my defense, I am trying to use 3 old paint cans that are only a 1/4 full, in colors a no one wants to make at least a half a gallon of. Useable paint to a color I could live with. So techically I am not spending any of his $$$. I am rearranging a room we never use to make a school/guest room.

Here is what I have mixed so far:



What do you think, personally my hubby won't be in love with either. His favorite wall color is white. Mine, not so much. So I need a second opinion which one would you go with?

Hurry & help me decide. He will be home in 2 days, my poor hubby won't know what hit him. Besides i need to hurry & decide so I have time to paint & let it dry. Oh yeah & weed the garden like I was supposed to do!

Baby Ducklings

The long awaited day arrived yesterday. Our duck has been sitting & finally hatched her eggs. Yea!!







The boys are so excited they can hardly stand it. I must admit I am too! There is no better way to learn about nature at a young age, then daily observations!!! I love it.

Menu Monday - 8/6

This Week's Menu     
   Wow, what a crazy week last week was. We had a great time on our trip but after 5 days of being gone I am ready to be home. At least for a few days. : 0 ) . Also we tried a few new recipes like the Sunday  Chicken it was pretty good. Not something I would make every week, but definitely add to the rotation for every couple of months or so. I also found this great blog about once a month mom & she has a ton o f freeze meals on her blog, I want to try sometime this week or next. Anyways for this week here we go:

Monday:
        B- Waffles
        L - Tilipia with Rice & Veggies
        D- Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo


Tuesday: 
         B- Eggs & Sausage
         L- Sandwiches
         D - Crockpot Lasagna

Wednesday:  
          B- French Toast
          L - Chefs Salad
          D- My sister's famous Quiche

Thursday:
      B-     Cream of Wheat/Oatmeal
      L -  Baked Chipotle Beef  Taquitos from Our Best Bites
      D -  Chicken Roll ups w/ Rice


Friday: 
       B - Pancakes
       L  - Leftovers
       D -  Tin Foil Dinners

Saturday: 
        B - Cream of Wheat/Oatmeal
        L - Hawiian Haystacks
        D - Apple & Maple Porkchops


Sunday:  
        B-  Sticky Rolls & Fruit
        L- Taco Salad
        D - Roasted Chicken w/ Garlic Rub  & Mashed Potatoes

Baking:  Homemade Wheat Bread,  No Bake Cookies

As always I am linking up to Organizing Junkie. 

This Week's TO DO

• Continue Weeding flower beds & Garden (This will be on my to do list, all summer long!)
• Laundry, laundry, & laundry (after a week out of town, for 5 people, working hard. There is lots!)
• Thank you cards written & mailed.
• Order Homeschooing Supplies & Register for Local Co-op
• Make & Freeze Hashbrowns, 
• Make & Can Refried Beans