Staying Busy and Mary's latest Handiwork

It is that time of year where we are almost overwhelmingly busy. Schooling, sports, activities, fall cleaning and winter preparation. It is hard to stop and take time for photos and writing.

Softball is winding down. Katie's team won the regular season title, and once this rainy period moves off they may be able to begin the tournament.

Katie at bat

Emily's instructional team still have another couple of weekends to play. She has really enjoyed her first experience playing softball and is a good little hitter.

While softball is ending we are entering the heaviest part of Mary's soccer schedule. Her team is doing well so far in the games they have played. They have a 2-1 record, with only two goals scored against them.

At home I am trying to stay ahead of the cleaning and preparation for this winter. Four kids and three kittens make this a real challenge some days.

I have managed to put away 5 qts of chicken stock and 8 pints of beef stock these last couple of weeks to add to our winter stockpile. We have also stopped buying loaf bread at the store. I am attempting to move to more whole foods in an attempt to improve my own health.

I have noticed that the more I stay away from added ingredients in prepared food the better my stomach is and the less tired I feel overall. My mom gave me her bread maker. This has been wonderful, in that I can dump the ingredients and four hours later have a beautiful, healthy loaf of bread. Trying to avoid GMO foods I have developed the following recipe:

3 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tsp (plus a pinch) salt
1 1/2 tsp yeast
3 TBS local honey
1 cup lukewarm water
1/3 cup lukewarm milk (I get mine from a local, free-range dairy that serves our grocery store)
3 TBS Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

We use this bread for sandwiches and the kids all enjoy it. I find myself making loaves 3-4 days per week to keep up with them.

Mary has really taken to sewing this last year. She often helps our friend teach sewing to younger children and has even helped with an adult class. One of the benefits for us is that Mary is also being taught more advance techniques and learn to complete larger projects.

Recently she took on the job of recovering the cushions for my rocker. After 13 years of continuous use, the existing white cushions were nasty. I picked out the material I wanted (something to bring the colors in the kitchen and family room together) and then Mary went to work. It only took her a few hours at the studio to finish:

A wonderful job and I look forward to many hours this winter sitting here crocheting or reading.

Peace,

Amy

Homesteaders

We have had an exciting opportunity come to use over the last months. While we are still living in our neighborhood home and slowly building our backyard "farm", we are also investing our time and know-how into a 4-acre farm that friends have moved to over the summer. 

Our friends were looking for a place to build a small hobby-farm and start a farmer's market business. I was looking for a way to increase our own self-sufficiency beyond what is possible where we live. My dream has been a larger garden, milk goats, bees and an orchard. My friend's  land either has or will have all those things, what they don't have is the extra labor and kitchen know-how. A win-win for both of us!!! 

So, along with the wonderful opportunity it has also been a great summer of building community in our neighborhood. Several other families also 'farm' on other land. Some help at family farms and others are like myself and share land with another. Sometimes it seems like food has been flying back and forth across our neighborhood. Visiting with the neighbors has allowed us to discover different talents within our neighborhood. It has been awesome to discover all of this after 14 years living here.

I've really enjoyed this summer and am very excited about this future journey. The kids are thrilled with the idea of a larger area to farm and the goats we will have. They also love my friend's kids and it is like we are becoming one big family. 

Our homeschooling journey is about to enter a new dimension as we also add farming to our lives. I will hopefully be able to share all the new and interesting things we do.

Peace

Crazy Weather Weekend

The end of the week we kept hearing about the chance of severe weather for Saturday and had heard the reports of tornadoes further west. But, my concern was hoping that we could get our games in this weekend after having so many games cancelled and rescheduled this Spring. North Carolina generally doesn't have widespread, strong tornadoes. Historically, our tornadoes are weak and sporadic.

Saturday evening was very scary for us. The warnings started over the air as I was driving Mary and Robbie home from Mary's soccer game. Shortly after we came home the storm started blowing in and we began hearing reports from nearby towns of massive destruction. Watching the local news we saw live video of the tornado heading into the downtown area of the local city, just before we lost the station over the air.

We lived about 10 miles west of the track of one of the tornadoes, but throughout the storm we heard debris hitting the house and found insulation and shingles that do not belong to us scattered around the yard and on our roof. We spent most of the evening calling and checking in with family and friends. Everyone was safe, thankfully and did not suffer major damage.

I've just been trying to absorb the scope of the destruction. Never have I experienced anything as widespread and destructive as this...and I've lived through several hurricanes here in NC. DH went to work late this morning, not sure what he was going to see as he drove into a town particularly hard hit.

Amazingly, we got all the games in this weekend. Two soccer games and one softball game. I had to miss Katie's softball game as Mary had a soccer game at the same time in a different town. After Easter I will finally be able to see Katie play and am definitely looking forward to it. Randy told me the Katie and her team did really well. Katie played first base for part of the game (her most difficult position) and caught everything. She hit the ball well and had a lot of fun.

Mary's team had a game against one of the top teams in the league. Their game started just about the same time as a rain shower moved in and played in the rain for most of the first half. It was a messy, slippery half. The second half the rain stopped and the wind started blowing.

Opposing teams are starting to pick up the Mary is one of the bigger threats with her ability to move the ball. Which means that often she finds herself being covered by one of the bigger, stronger girls on the other team. And, I do mean covered.

Mary had a good game and worked very hard, but the team went down 4-0.

Sunday, Mary's game was late in the day. DH used the morning to replace the brake pads on the van. Robbie was very interested in helping his daddy.

Mary taught him how to tighten the lug nuts on the wheel. DH did go around and finish the job, but Robbie was very proud of being able to work with Daddy on the car.

We had a beautiful afternoon for soccer on Sunday. Our first game without gusty, strong winds all season. The girls had a good game, coming out and being energetic from the go for a change.

Mary played okay considering they had her covered from the beginning and after she scored two goals figured that the only way to stop her was to just keep knocking her down.

Now it is Monday morning. Time to get organized and pack for our visit to the beach for a few days. A chance for us to get away from everything for a little while and take a break.

Peace

Fun with the kids

Spending a day with my kids is very interesting. One is never quite sure what they will come up with from day to day.

Katie created her own weight system. She wants to get stronger so she can "throw the ball across the field" at softball. Emily and Robbie thought it was fun to play with too.
Here is Robbie in his "little boy" haircut. Daddy took him out for the haircut at a real place, not at home like his normal cuts. Daddy thinks I leave his hair too long, but I do LOVE those curls.

That is green gum he is showing off in his mouth. Nice looking, huh? I just could not get him to let me take a picture without sticking out that gum.

Today we worked on our batiking project to go along with Emily's Asia study. I found a way to batik without using hot wax, hot irons or dye baths (all things I like to avoid as much as possible with my little ones). Instead it used glue, watered-down acrylic paints and lukewarm water baths.

Once all of them are done I'm going to make each of them into small pillows for the kids to remember the project. I think they had a lot of fun.

For a "Mudpies & Paint" blog it has been awhile since I have had one of my 'mud' pictures. Thanks to Emily and Robbie I have a new picture.

They managed to find a couple of mudholes near the soccer fields during Mary's practice tonight. Before I knew what was happening they were doing "cannonballs" into the mudholes.
It did keep them entertained for the whole 1 1/2 hour practice, and luckily for me the facility had showers I could rinse them off in before coming home.

I just love how my kids enjoy life so much each and every day.

Peace

Trying this again

It has been a long, hard winter and I am so glad that Spring is here. Even if the weather today is more like February than nearly April. The truth is we've been busy, busy, busy and trying to share one laptop between four computer users has been a bit difficult. My time to get on and keep the blog updated was severally hampered. Recently we finally picked up another laptop, which is making things much easier. I'm hoping to keep this site fairly updated, especially for my family to keep up with the kids.

Yeah, keeping up with the kids. That is the trick lately.

Mary is still playing soccer and still LOVING it. She had a pretty good Fall season, played a great indoor season and has started off the Spring going crazy scoring three goals in three games.

In addition to playing soccer, Mary has also begun her own business along with Katie doing pet sitting in our neighborhood. They have several clients and are busy just about every weekend. She also completed her Red Cross Babysitting class in January and is looking for some "Mother's Helper" clients.

Katie has been busy this past winter with her drama class and girl scouts.

She sold a BUNCH of GS cookies this year. Was very responsible managing all the money and deliveries.

This past weekend she performed in our town's talent show singing a solo of Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me". She did a very good job, even if I felt that the song was not right for her voice. She sung to the music only and did not forget a lyric. I have a video of the performance but cannot get it to upload. She enjoyed it so much that she is already planning for next year and has asked to take the group singing lessons after drama class is finished this year.

If singing and drama wasn't enough she has become refocused on learning the flute (now that her fingers have lengthened a little). Everyday she spends time watching video lessons and using her beginning flute book. We really need to get her over to the church on Sunday night for some of their free intro music lessons.

Katie's Brownie troop has been great this year. Very service oriented, while still having fun. Right now the troop is completing activities necessary for bridging to Juniors later this Spring. This week the troop provided and served food for a Family Homeless shelter group. Each week a local faith organization houses & feeds homeless families, this week the church Katie's leader belongs to was hosting. Katie volunteered her Daddy's 'super-secret' pasta dish, so she and Mary and Randy spent Tuesday preparing enough to feed 18+ persons. It was a big hit, but even more importantly Katie had a great time visiting and being with the children in these families.

She and Mary were invited to come back out tonight, Thursday, to help serve and visit with the families again. Both of the girls are really looking forward to the opportunity.

Katie has begun practices for Spring Softball and is looking forward to playing for her third season. This season DH is one of the assistant coaches for the team and is having a lot of fun working with the girls.

Emily has been enjoying her art classes this winter and enjoying having a dedicated art space in the house for her. Art has been very relaxing for her larger-than-life emotions. She loves books and loves learning, as long as it is on her own terms.

We are still working through The Continents unit study. The very same one we started back in October. We are having a lot of fun exploring different places around the world and I see no reason to rush it.

Robbie is finishing his first year of preschool and has really enjoyed it this year. His speech has improved so much, maybe because he is using it sooo much. I thought that only girls were talkers. He loves letters & words and is already putting the two together. We've definitely learned to keep screwdrivers away from him, as just about every toy he has gotten for Christmas has already been dismantled.

Here is the danger of living in the same house with three big sisters. He becomes their living doll.

His activity and interest in life keeps me on my toys throughout most days.

School-wise we have a few different unit studies we are working through, but generally have stayed focused a a child-led, creative path.

Visting Grossology exhibit in November

Bowling for Mary's and Emily's Birthday

Mary running in the 1-mile Turkey Trot. Has led to an interest in cross-country running.

The kids' creative/homemade costumes at Halloween. And, yes I allowed them to dress me up too.

The mini & maxi snowmen with their creators.

Mary's favorite part of the Museum of Life & Sciences.

Life is busy, but fulfilling in many different ways.

Peace

Biweekly Update

*****


The Fall weather has been drawing us out in the evening for fun by the firepit. It has been nice to take a breath for a little while and catch up with everyone. The big girls have been sharing the campfire songs they learned at camp this year.

We've been busy these last couple of weeks. Emily finished her weather study and selected Continent & Cultures study. Today we put together her world map and colored in the continent of Africa. The first stop on our 'journey'.

Katie has finished up her study on Vikings and spent most of today putting together her "Viking Village" as her finished project for the unit.

Mary provided a little creative direction/suggestions to Katie's project.

Mary's project today was to make a 3D representation of a Slave Ship from Story of the World Vol. 3 (Eventually we will finish vol 3 and move on to vol 4).

We are all having a lot of fun with our unit studies. It has been a really good addition/change to our school.

Katie finished up her softball season this past weekend. She loves playing softball!!

Katie really likes playing catcher! We'll see if she continues to like this position in a couple of seasons when she starts playing in the kid-pitch league.

Mary also had a soccer game on Saturday. Each week her team is getting better and better. Last weekend they had a tie against the Wilmington team. This week they got their first win 3-1, and Mary finally broke through for her first goal of the season. It has taken her so long to get into the swing this season with her knee injury at the very beginning.

This coming weekend we have a rare weekend off from any activities. Still not sure what our plans are. Maybe do nothing but nothing for a change.

Peace,

Amy