We found a Snake!

Actually, Daddy saw it when he was driving down the road and stopped and picked up and brought it home. It had been run over,but was still intact, with only a bit of bruising on it's tummy.

Anna had a wonderful time playing with it, pushing it around with a stick. I told Daddy I knew what we should get her for her birthday. lol

It was 22 1/2 inches long, which, according to our field guide, is pretty good size, as they are usually 16-20 inches.

Yesterday we went over to the mountain and hiked all day. We had a really good time...and Oscar got to go, too. He loves that. We let him off the leash and he got to run and play.

Tomorrow the girls are planning to go to a re-enactment with my mom and a pile of cousins. I do hope they'll be safe and not fight with their cousins. Usually when they've been together more than a couple hours they start fighting. Maybe she won't keep them there longer than that. ; )

This Week We've...

gone for a walk (or bike ride) every day. I'm starting to see more results in the weight loss dept. : )

Monday we went up to mom's and the girls got to play with their cousins.

Tuesday we were going to help at the food bank, but Anna didn't want to go, so Daddy went alone and we girls went to the library and waited on him. He was a bit grumpy about us not going, something about he didn't think it was right to give our word that we were going then not show up, even though he said he'd go pick up food today, and cancelled on that. Somehow *he* changing his mind is okay, but not us. Yeah.

Today he had two doctor's appointments...and they went okay. He had blood taken again, and his hand is all swelled, but for the most part he's well. ; ) Emma finished spading up her garden spot and got her flowers and watermelon planted.

We also turned the tadpoles loose today. I checked the tank and there were five dead in the bottom, and I just couldn't keep the rest and hope for better. Seems too cruel. So we let them all go, and buried the dead ones. (That reminds me...I left the tank soaking and should go finish cleaning it.) : P

Anna killed a rat. She's a better ratter than the cats. lol We've had a bit of a rat problem outside...they've been getting into the bird feeder. Last week I told her not to feed the birds for a while, and put poison out (under a table so the birds couldn't get it) and she looked into the table (it's like a box with a removable lid) and there was a rat in there, so she dropped a piece of metal on it's head. She felt awful afterwards, and cried, but I was VERY glad it was dead.

We are apparrently having a rodent explosion around here...there have been mouse droppings in the kitchen and my building...and I just cleaned out the darn building a week or so ago! The cats have been watching the kitchen pretty heavy, and I put poison in my building, and DH's brother has been shooting the rats outside (their nest is over the bank between their house and ours), so hopefully we're winning the battle.

I can take just about any other kind of infestation except rodent. Give me termites any day! lol

I'm reading The Secret, and it has inspired me to think rodent-free thoughts. I've always thought "I don't want mice, I don't want mice." So I'm changing that to visualizing all rodents running away from our property and a shield coming down to prevent them from coming back. Somehow positive words don't come to mind concerning rodents, so I'm not able to come up with a sentence...only an image. lol

Speaking of images...here's one of my first crimson clover blooming! I have several blooming, but it was rainy today and I didn't get out to take pics of them...but I'm SO happy they're blooming. I just LOVE them. : D

My Kids Are Back!!!

They had a great time, but are very tired tonight. : )

They had to get up at 7 this morning...very unusual for them...then it was a long day of work.

Mom showed Emma how to use the cash register, and she got to ring up some people's purchases, they both got to water the plants and dig in the soil bin, they helped Mom dig out a big plant that had rooted itself in the compost pile, they carried purchases to the car for the customers, and they both picked out lots of flowers.

Now we just have to find a place to plant their new flowers. lol

Anna has already gone to bed and is asleep...which is amazing considering Oscar is barking at a toy ambulance Daddy is playing with...and Emma is taking a shower.

I'm SO glad they're home!

Home Alone

The girls are gone to work with Mom, so Daddy and I are home alone today. She works at a greenhouse once or twice a year, and this weekend was it, and she invited the girls to go with her.

We're SO lonely! I LOVE having my kids with me...I don't understand those people who say "I can't wait for school to start." We love having them with us, and they love being with us, so it all works out very well. ; )

We got the fifth season of The Andy Griffith Show yesterday, and Daddy and I are using it to take our minds off missing the girls. ; )

That is helping...and Oscar. He's such a big baby, it's like having another kid. One that has to be walked. lol

Peony

Lookit what I got!!!!! My first peony bloom! I got the plant several years ago for our anniversary, and this is the first time it's bloomed. I'm SO glad it's blooming...I was starting to worry I had planted it too deep or in the wrong place or something.

The Loss of a Tadpole, and a Used Curriculum Sale

We lost the first of our tadpoles Monday night. The girls found it quietly expired in the tank. : ( It was SO tiny, no bigger than a dime, but it had all it's legs, and it's tail was shrinking. We guessed that it may have started developing lungs and didn't know how to get out of the water. There is another one with legs which has climbed up out of the water, and it's still alive.

Last night was the local used curriculum sale. My picture didn't turn out very good, but we got books and craft kits and posters and toys and art supplies...all kinds of good stuff.

I ended up spending $7 more than I'd planned. Daddy said he'd *really* like to have a game, then he went outside. The game was $10, and I didn't want to spend that on it, but after awhile, the lady called "Everything half-off!", so I ran over and bought it for $5. When I got out to the van Daddy claimed he'd said, "If *you* think it's something the girls would like you should buy it." Yeah, right. So I spent $5 I probably wouldn't have otherwise there, then Anna REALLY wanted that Aztec book on the far right side of the picture and it was $2, so there went the $7 I hadn't planned on spending. At least that 's my story. ; ) It couldn't have been anything *I* wanted. lol

The game actually looks like it will be fun to play, and has wonderful pieces, which I always love, even if the game stinks. lol

The girls found lots of books...I didn't realize how many until we got home! I was so proud of myself for taking two boxes of books for the free table, until I came home with...4 boxes. Well...in my defense, *I* was the only one picking things out to get rid of, while there were 4 of us picking up new things. ; )

What We's Been Up To...

Friday night we went to DH's nephew's (mine too, I suppose, but I don't really think of him that way) birthday party. He's 2. He's cute as a button...looks just like DH. We think the stork got mixed up on that one. ; )

The girls took their bikes and rode in the parking lot some, then played on the playground and with a little dog which wandered by. Then DH got out his metal detector and sprinkled a few pennies around, and let his other nephew (the birthday boy's older brother) find them. He really thought he had something! : ) Cheap way to entertain kids. ; )

Saturday we all went to the place where I grew up and metal detected in the front yard, at least until the girls and I got bored and rode bikes. (Gosh, my rear isn't used to THAT!!) Daddy ended up finding a silver ring, though, so he was happy.

Today was my baby brother's 16th birthday, and we went to church so we could give him his present. I didn't think I'd get a chance to see him otherwise, because he always spends Sunday running around and is hard to pin down. He's awfully cute, though, at 16. ; )

We've been (well, the girls and Daddy have been) riding about a mile every day on the bikes. Oscar and I walk/run along with them...and try not to get run over. I'm hoping I'll lose weight doing it, but nothing has happened yet. ; )

These Last Few Days...

I'll have to go back and read what I posted last to figure out what I said last...portfolios, I believe, so I'll just start with yesterday.

Yesterday, Daddy had a doctor's appointment scheduled at the ungodly hour of 7am! AND they told him to come 15 minutes early...6:45. Since no one was there and they doors were still locked, we couldn't figure that out. At about 7:05 we followed an office worker in, then waited until they had all their printers and things up and running (and the lights on) before they signed him in. Since it was then about 7:30, why didn't they just tell him to be there at 7:30? I could have slept another half-hour. The test was over before 8, so we went out for breakfast, then to a couple stores and the *far* library. They didn't have the book I was wanting, though. : (

However, at the stores (Goodwill and Salvation Army thrift store) I found lots of wonderful things....two comic books, two coloring books, two Barbie dolls, two bike helmets! (yay!), a volcano-making kit ~opened but not used at all~, a science kit thingey...the science of hauntings or something...it looked cool, a Game of the States, a stuffed Spiderman (for Nicholas, since he LOVES Spidey), and a video rewinder. We'd been looking for a video rewinder, but no one seems to be selling them anymore, so we were especially glad to find one. And for $1!

The girls stayed in bed while Daddy and I went out. In some ways, I like them being older. ; ) I do rather miss having tinies around, but older is easier. : )

I'm going to stop blogging now...Emma is wanting some business cards printed, and I'm not sure I have the stuff loaded up to do that, so I'm going to delve deep into the inner recesses of my computer.

Then, I may play with some of the stuff I bought yesterday. ; )

Things Have Slowed Down...

since last week when I was so busy, but I've still been too busy to blog. ; )

I got Anna's portfolio finished, but I have to get more page protectors for Emma's before I can finish hers.

They're basically scrapbooks, and I try to start and end them in May. There was a thread online about unschoolers not having a "school year", but we do because otherwise I end up with a jumbled mess in their portfolios.

I like to start in June with the next year's things, so I can have all the things about the library's summer reading program...in some years past I was starting *and* ending with that, and it was confusing. lol

Anna has just finished looking at her's...she says she likes it. ; )

I'm thinking that at least this way I'm kind of *forced* to do some scrapbooking...otherwise everything sits in a file cabinet and waits for me to get inspired. lol

Daddy is planning to go to help with the food pantry today, so I guess the girls and I will just stay home. I do need to clean litter boxes and clean off the front porch and work on the wallpaper again.

And look for the broom. HOW do you lose your broom? Emma looked all over for it this morning and couldn't find it. It must be somewhere, though.....but where? lol

Mother's Day

My Mother's Day started with a bang...or at least a chewing noise....Oscar chewed up my crocs sometime during the night. There were little bits of plastic all over the living room floor when I got up. Thankfully, he didn't actually chew up the shoes, just the straps, which I never use, but they just don't look as nice with those cut off...or chewed off. ;)

Daddy gave me truffles and mints, and money...that's always nice. ; ) Anna gave me a flower pin, and Emma gave me fuzzy socks, a Diet Dr. Pepper, and a candle. I also got to go out to eat.


Daddy cooked me a wonderful supper this evening, also. I feel SO loved today. : )

Movies

The girls asked me this morning what the first movie ever made was. I looked it up, and it was interesting…thought I’d share…

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/461209/the_first_movie_ever_made_a_history.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Muybridge_race_horse_animated.gif

It's Late, and I Should Be In Bed, But Instead I'm Listening to NPR online

It's interesting, though, in my defense. lol

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90225967

It was sent through one of the unschooling groups the other day, and I'm just getting around to listening to it. I'd like to read the book, but haven't gotten over to the "far" library to get it yet.

We took today *off* for the most part. Daddy delivered a couch to the food pantry, and that's really about it today.

It rained, but the girls still wanted to go on our walk, so we walked in the rain...well, I walked and they rode their bikes. I had an umberella, so I didn't get *too* wet, but Oscar did. He absolutely LOVES to be dried off. We have these big white hospital-type blankets I use to dry him with, and he really enjoys rolling around in them. lol

I haven't papered any more since the other day...yesterday we worked all day getting all the things moved, and today I cleaned in my bedroom. It looks SO good! Daddy let me use the new shelf he got (THANK YOU, DADDY!!!) and I moved out all my tote boxes of out-of-season and to-grow-into clothes to my building. My side of the bedroom looks really nice now, and I can actually move around. lol

I kept getting rid of things....clothes, shoes, books, purses....like four bags of things. And I was thinking I had already gotten rid of everything I needed to. ha ha ha

I also went through the games and things I had in the living room for the girls. A few things are going to the used curriculum sale's free table, and lots more went into the bedroom and there are a few things left in the living room. I took some books to the bedroom shelf and made room in the living room shelf for the girl's coloring books.

I did start something new today...oil pulling. It was mentioned on a group, too, and sounded interesting, so I'm trying it. No word yet on how it's working...just my first day and all...but it I start feeling better and my allergies clear up, I'll be sure to post about it. lol

Working SO Hard!!

We've been working our little bums off this week!

The new storage building is up, all the girl's stuff is moved out of my building and they're moved in their own building.

They ended up trading buildings with Daddy, because the new one had a higher roof, so today he moved all his stuff out and they cleaned and moved their stuff in his old building.

We had a building warming party tonight when everything had been moved...all the girl's stuff isn't put away yet, but still it's SO nice. ; )I painted the greenish yellow cabinet for them, and helped carpet the floor. The girls did all the rest themselves.

We had a light snack...and a cake, but I forgot it until after I took pictures. It didn't look all that good, anyway...my whipped topping melted. lol

I've been papering the living room, and carpeted the living room and the girl's room, and helped them clean their room and have been washing lots of laundry and doing a bit of gardening, and cleaned my building up when they got their things out of it, and helped Daddy move his things, and had to wash Oscar because he dug in smelly dirt while we were outside, and painted the trim in the living room...and I'm BUSHED!!

I'm going to walk Oscar one last time, and go to bed...as soon as I get off the computer. lol

May 3

Today would have been my brother's 34th birthday. Instead, it's the fourth one we've spent without him.

We always have a cookout in his honour on his day, though, and miss him dreadfully.

The girls had a good time, playing with their cousins...mostly. Except for the fights, anyway. lol

I'm tired. Daddy has been going to home improvment stores the last two days, and it's wearing me out! Something about walking through one of those stores just makes me SO tired...but I can walk through a mall for hours. Go figure. lol

A Funeral and Tadpoles

We buried the scarlet tananger today. It had a lovely funeral...which was better than being found by cats and eaten. Emma donated a gum box for it's coffin, and we all helped on the hole.
I also took a picture of the tadpoles...aren't they the cutest things ever!?! lol They're actually quite interesting to watch. I like them. : )

Cool Things...

Yesterday Anna and I went for a long walk and discovered tadpoles! They were beside the railroad, and the water was drying up, so Anna wanted to rescue then. When Daddy and Emma got back (they had gone to the food pantry to help unload the truck, because there were only old ladies there and they couldn't do it, because the man who was there had to leave because his son broke his arm, then they (Daddy and Emma went to pick up new bikes...NICE!) anyway, when Daddy and Emma got home Emma and Anna went over and *rescued* some. We dug out an old fish tank and read up on how to take care of them, and now have a wonderful bunch of little long-tailed squirmeys. They're in the kitchen, on the counter in front of the microwave, and we're not sure where to put them, because they can't stay in front of the microwave. ; )

Today we went shopping, then to Mom's when we came home, except for Daddy who has a dreadful stomachache and stayed in bed. Anyway, at Mom's the girls climbed the mountain with Oren, Justus, Nick and Rachel. Emma found more mushrooms, and they found a scarlet tananger dead and brought it home for a proper burial. It's SO beautiful.

Mom brought home a bit more things, and among them is a very lovely fur stole. I think it may be beaver, but I would need to check it against some to make sure. It's SO decadant...I can just imagine a lady wearing it with a bustle skirt....Rather 1880's looking. I think Adelaide Adams wears one like it in Calamity Jane (movie with Doris Day)...I'll have to watch it again and see.