Circus Peanuts in the Freezer

Four years ago we spent our first holiday season without my mother-in-law, Donna.  She was a fantastic grandmother and the best mother-in-law a girl could dream for!  She died from emphysema.  The cruel joke of her generation... that smoking is good for you... promoted as a "healthy" habit for someone prone to anxiety and stress as Donna was.  Whenever my children see someone smoking or even hear the word "cigarette" they think of their grandma and how she died.
Donna was an amazing woman who was very artistic.  She drew, painted, sewed, crocheted, and crafted all kinds of things.  She loved involving her grandkids in anything she was doing and her house was set up so that the kids could rule when they were visiting.  She had games and paints, crayons and lots of extra paper.  She'd purchase craft kits and do them with the kids and then there was her garden.  She'd let the kids water and dig.  Her favorite word with her grankids was "yes!".  They all remember cinnamon toast cut into triangles... standard fare at grandma's house... and to this day cinnamon toast just wouldn't be the same if it isn't cut just so.
Every Halloween she kept the trick-or-treat candy in the freezer with the theory being that if it's frozen it will take longer to eat and perhaps it will last longer!  One of her favorites was Circus Peanuts, which we currently have in our freezer... reminding me whenever I open it about how much I miss her.
She was equally as good to us... her kids.  There was never any such things as "adopted", "step child", or "in-law" with her.  She treated everyone as if they had always belonged to her.  I miss being able to call her up to tell her something funny that the kids did or said and hearing her laugh on the other end of the line.
Two months before she died and one month before I knew she was ill (yep, somehow she managed to keep it from us) I wrote an entry in my journal titled, "Ten things I appreciate about you".  I made a list out for each of my parents and my husband's parents.  It was my intention to print it out and frame it and give it to her for Christmas that year.  She would've loved it but she probably would've kept it in her room as she was never one to want to bring attention to herself.  Maybe this will give you a better idea of who this remarkable woman was...

donna

What I Appreciate About You...

Donna

1. Positive attitude

2. Devotion to her grandchildren

3. Her artistic talent

4. Her ability to forgive

5. The thoughtfulness she puts into every gift

6. The joy she receives from her sons

7. Her giving nature

8. The hard knocks she took in life are lessons for me to help direct and protect my kids

9. Her sharp mind

10. Her ability to see right through me and love me anyway

A Page from my Journal...

Especially when we lived out in Cove, I loved writing an account of our day as a family.  We tended to have days that were very "country" and it always seems that those days were full of peace, family strength and were some of the the most "honest" days of our existence.
Journaling is my way of immortalizing for generations the day to day life that makes up the fabric of who we are.  My hope is that my family will love reading about the "mundane" events in our lives as well as the exciting ones.
"Monday, June 9, 2008
The day is ending in a glorious sunset.  What a strange weather day with clouds, sun, wind and rain...

the orchard

We woke early to start another day... another week.  I prepared Joseph's lunch as he prepared the coffee.  Mom and Dad were going home today.  I made sausage and an egg for Joe and french toast for the rest of us.  We shared the meal with Mom and Dad before they drove off around 730 headed home to the beach, the rest of us quickly slipping into our routine.
Max and I went for our walk while Janie and Mitch got ready for the day and worked on their chores.  We walked by the snow-fed stream that rushes under the road--my favorite part--and eyed the pink cherries that are developing in the orchard across the street.
While Max napped, I braved a load of laundry on the line in spite of the somewhat ominous looking clouds.
Janie and Mitch sat down with me for a snack and our first lesson on Native American culture.  We're doing a unit study this summer.  Every day is a new craft or activity aimed at teaching some aspect of the Native American day-to-day history.  Today we learned about teepees.  We constructed a miniature Indian village and the kids recited to their dad everything they had learned.  (Did you know that the Indian women build and tear down the teepees and that they can disassemble and/or assemble in as little as 3 minutes!?)

new chickens in '08

We all went outside, and while Max ate his snack in his highchair on the deck, Janie, Mitch and I moved the clean straw from the garage to the new chicken coop.  I spread a bale of straw that had gotten wet onto the ground in the scratching yard but Joe wanted the chickens to eat the grass down first.  I guess that means tomorrow I'll be moving it again!
After lunch the boys laid down for a nap and Janie read while I took care of some family business and continued with the laundry.  Eventually the weather caught up with me and I had to move quickly to get the sheets in off the line before they became soaked.
I took some pictures this morning of the garden and some trees that seemed to have died.  I was finally able to send them off to our landlords who are in Malaysia right now.  We'll see what they want us to do with that tree.
Janie cut out the apron pattern she had pinned last week and she and Mitch both practiced the piano.
Joseph and I went down to the garden just before dinner and were surprised again at how quickly it had grown!
We finished the day listening to Joseph read.  I baked bread, rolls and brownies before bed and... I got to rock Max."

I do hope these days paint a memory picture for them some day that brings them joy.

The Oregon Trail...

Since my kids are so far apart in age (17, 9 and 3), we've found unit studies to be the best way to educate all of them at once.  At first I was a little wary of my 17yr old doing crafts or my 9yr old doing tedious time lines and research but it has all worked out so well!  Since the point of school is to LEARN, we'll take that knowledge any way we can get it and the funner, the better!

Just imagine seeing this from your covered wagon!!

Our first unit study of the year was on the Oregon Trail.  I bought the Oregon Trail video game and that became a favorite teacher of just how many "hiccups" you could run into on the trail!  The first thing I learned is to not use your own kids' names members of your party!  It's kinda disturbing when the computer tells you that your baby just died!  Yikes!
Along the way we made a playdough model of the trail so we could get somewhat of a physical sense of rivers, mountains and plains.  We also made hard tack, miniature covered wagons and took two field trips.  We were able to walk parts of the Oregon Trail and see the ruts as well as a grave for a wagon master!  Can you imagine losing your wagon master??  While walking a bit of the trail in the woods you really got a sense of how courageous the emigrants really were!  Out there in the woods could be all manner of animal ready to eat them for a snack and I think I would begin to doubt that anyone knew where they were going!  How quiet and eerie and yet beautiful!  What adventurous souls must've traversed such unforgiving and untamed land in search of something better for their families and as a consequence, created something better for us all!  It was a humbling and awe inspiring experience.

Live oxen at the Oregon Trail Museum in Baker City

We also read books depicting life on the Trail... we did anything to make it real.  Making it real is what allows for learning.
One field trip was to the Oregon Trail Museum and Interpretive Center in Baker City.  There were a lot of hands on displays for the kids and visual displays that were interactive as well.  We were fortunate enough to visit on the day that there were live oxen on display!  These oxen weighed more than 3,000lbs and were about 6ft tall at their back!  They were amazing to look at.  One has to have a good deal of respect for an animal of that size... and a back-up plan or two!!

max painting his covered wagon... and apparently his nose as well... and his hand... and arm...

making hardtack... or beating your brother with a rolling pin... whichever works!

Here are a few pictures of projects that we did.  If you've never done a unit study before, try the book, "Unit Studies Made Easy" by Valerie Bendt to gather ideas and inspiration.  Basically, we pick a subject and find books, art projects, field trips, movies, games, whatever... anything that will help the kids learn about that particular area of study.  We love it!  It really is great fun!

I Believe...

• I believe that I can do it all
• I believe that school is where my children share germs with others, are socially ridiculed and learn bad manners
• I believe that even though I can do it all, I should have help
• I believe I should spend time every day exercising
• I believe I should nap every day... naps are a gift from God
• I believe that everyone should have at least four children
• I believe that families should live near each other but everyone should live in the one place that their soul feels at rest
• I believe I should be joyful all the time
• I believe I am forgiven so others deserve my forgiveness as well
• I believe in baking cookies with my kids
• I believe in smiling even when the world is falling apart
• I believe medication is a necessary evil
• I believe laundry belongs in drawers not in piles on the couch... like mine often is
• I believe beds should be made every day and sheets should always be crisp, clean and lovely smelling
• I believe everyone should have one friend that they can call on who will always be there
• I believe that bathrooms should always be meticulously clean... even tho mine rarely is
• I believe in family dinners around the table
• I believe in getting up before the children so I can experience the peace of early morning
• I believe in bettering myself
• I believe children should be read to by their Daddy every evening
• I believe children should be bathed every night before crawling into their crisp, clean and lovely smelling sheets
• I believe Daddy should pray with all of his children before bed every night
• I believe my house should be clean but not at the sacrifice of my children, family fun time, normal family living or my sanity
• I believe that parents set the tone for the holidays... either we're stressed or excited
• I believe traditions are an amazing gift that we give to our children
• I believe that parents should leave their children a family home that is filled with amazing memories... not expensive "stuff"
• I believe grandchildren are going to be amazing
• I believe in dates with my husband
• I believe that people connect over a strong cup of coffee
• I KNOW that life is short
• I KNOW that God loves me and cares about the success and happiness of my family and me
• I believe that as long as I exercise a little every day, eat healthy and drink plenty of water, it doesn't matter what size my jeans are
• I believe in taking care of myself, body, mind and spirit so that I can live a fulfilled life
• I believe in learning something new every day
• I believe aprons are pretty as well as functional
• I believe in seeing the beauty around me... and trying to capture it with my camera to share with others
• I believe that one can never have enough beer, chocolate, tortilla chips and kitchen towels
• I believe my children are the personification of what is the best of me and the worst of me
• I believe everyone should have fluffy pajamas and new socks
• I believe in adopting others into my family
• I believe my husband has potential :-D
• I believe that I should not be afraid of people
• I believe that mamas should craft with their children at least once a week
• I believe that homeschooling is an amazing way to build a family
• I believe the most important thing you can teach your children is to have a heart full of service and compassion for others
• I believe the length of my hair and how distressed my jeans are is a representative of my personality, not my age
• I believe the man should arrange for, ask for an dpay for the date
• I believe that wearing granny panties, makes you granny panties
• I believe I am a work in progress until the day I die
• I KNOW I want it all
• I believe that parents are and always will be the greatest influence on their children
• I believe that people need someone to listen to them more than they need someone to listen to
• I believe God has great plans for me... not mediocre ones

Life Update

Everything has happened so fast I figure I should start with an update...We purchased a home in town in May of this year.  It's a small farmhouse style home with three bedrooms and only a single bathroom!  We moved in shortly after June 1st after we refinished the floors and painted and did other small repairs.  The house is within walking distance to the library, the park, the store and the ice cream shop!  The back yard is large and fenced which is a relief to me.  It's such a cozy little spot and I truly love it.  This is a picture of our dining room.  We do most of our homeschooling in this room.  It's comfortable and feels very homey to me.
In July I surprised everyone (again) by going into labor on my own and having my baby quickly... something I have never done!  i was only in labor for a total of seven hours and was only in the hospital for about 4 1/2 before our baby bo arrived!

Joseph Boaz

Joseph Boaz was born six days early on July 16th shortly after 9am.  He was 8 pounds, 5 ounces and 21 inches long.  He did great from the start and is continuing to grow in leaps and bounds.  At two months he had already gained about five and a half pounds and grown four inches!  He's happy and smiley and he fits in really well with the rest of the rowdies that live here!
I am homeschooling all of the children full time this year and, I have to say, for my family this is the only way to go!  Mine and Mitchell's relationship has really grown and God provided us with a schedule that has been beneficial to us all.  We are really involved with other families doing co-ops and we're involved with the local homeschool group, too.  Janie sees a friend once a week to learn Spanish and my friend Jackie teaches her Geology while I do a craft and playdate with her kids.  Tomorrow my friend Jenni starts a cooking class that my kids will attend.  There are once a week field trips with the homeschool group and we're trying to wrap up our second unit study of the year!
The trial for my friend Lisa's murder will be held this month... 14 months after her death.  Jury selection starts next week and trial is scheduled for November 15-19th.  We'll see if it happens in that time frame.  It would be good to put this part of the trauma behind us so I'm praying that everything will happen swiftly.

Happy Birthday!

So, today is our Lisa's birthday!  We called an impromptu holiday and everyone stayed home.  Lisa had a bicycle that she loved to ride and she loved to walk or run on the beach.  This morning the kids went for a bike ride then we came home to watch The Sound of Music... her all-time favorite show with a bowl full of popcorn.  Mitchell has been working all day to make some sort of sculpture out of play dough in her honor. :)  I baked an apple pie.  I admit that I don't know her favorite choice for dessert but I know she liked apple pie so that's what I've done.  It turned out great and we ate it for dinner!  She had a magnet on her fridge saying something about pie actually being fruit so it seemed appropriate for tonight! :)
It is a family tradition to have a "singing candle" for every birthday.  On her last birthday I gave her one of her own since her ex-husband seemed to have gotten the other one in the divorce!

It was a challenge to keep our chin up today but she loved her birthday so much that being sad today, of all days just wasn't an option.  We miss her so but are so grateful for the love that she gave to us while she was with us.  We have so many great memories of birthday's past that they have definitely sustained us today!  Making it special for her was the best part.  The line she put under her photo on Facebook is now widely used among her friends and reads like this: live, laugh, love, life is too short for anything less.
Make it a great day!

Living the Life... Again!

What a long journey I've been on these past few months!  To say they've been trying would be an understatement!  Life is for living, tho, and so here I am putting my effort forward on the things that matter most to me.
I am 19 weeks pregnant now and morning sickness is finally over!  Everyone says our baby is most certainly a girl with all of the nausea I've had this time around.  We are hoping so but will not find out for sure until the doctor schedules an ultrasound.  I'm guessing we still have a couple of weeks before we do that.
                  Joe, working hard :)

Joseph is working out of town now.  He leaves on Sunday and returns on Thursday to spend the weekend with us.  We miss him but I like this schedule much better than "compressed halves"  where he works for 8 days and then is home for seven.  Hopefully his gang will move closer to home soon so our family schedule will be more normal and our expenses will be lighter.

Janie is such a blessing to me!  Where would I be without her?  She has been there helping out when I'm exhausted or sick to help with Max and housework and still manages to work on her schooling.  She attends afternoon classes at the high school and is a "straight A" student there.  Her artwork is improving and she is making a head and foot board for a bed in metal shop.  She finds that her favorite medium is chalk.  She takes a very hands on but short computer class and then spends time one-on-one with her computer lab teacher.

Mitchell started second grade full time last month.  It was a really difficult and painful decision but he is glad to be so occupied during the day.  It has taught me a lot.  We are working on his behavior now from a different angle.  Mitchell seems to require lots of attention... this we've known for a long time... and he will get it any way that he can.  I find that I need to "beat him to the punch", so to speak, and give him the opportunity to receive positive attention before he creates havoc and only gets negative attention.  Negative attention is exhausting for all of us!  We started with chores and small expectations.  Since he normally throws a fit about doing his chores, I've given him a daily deadline to complete them and if he completes them by this deadline for two days then he gets some special time with just me.  He finished his first two days today and we went to the library together.  I'm hoping that the extra attention and the reward for good behavior vs. consequences for poor behavior will make a difference for him and for our relationship.  I'll keep you posted on our progress.

Max is becoming a potty-trained little boy!  Hooray!  I always fuss about potty-training with every child only to realize in the end that they will train themselves when they are ready.  As long as he's wearing underwear instead of a diaper he will ask to use the bathroom almost every time.  He's such a cutie and a huge blessing to me.  I am really grateful for his loving and snuggly self on days when life gets hard.  His new thing is to pat his belly and say, "See my baby?"  Crazy boy! :)
All in all, life is getting back on track.  We are grateful for Spring and that it reminds us that life is full of new beginnings and there is hope in that.  Hoping for you and yours that your Spring brings the opportunity for your own budding and blooming and reminds you of the only hope that is everlasting... the hope that comes from God.