Learning

I'm a beginner when it comes to knitting.
I've been learning for the last few years.
So this winter, I've made a scarf, a few hats and
now I'm just making dish cloths to add to my stash
in the kitchen.
Seems like Winter is just the best time for knitting.
In the summer, I always want to be outside, but come winter,
I'm all over knitting. What do you like to knit?

We've been studying ancient Egypt this week.
We were talking about King Tut this morning, and decided
to make a pyramid. David made it, Luke tried to eat it, John & Maggie
did sneak sugar off the table, but here's the proof! We
did get it finished! Now how long will this last?
~Rachel

What we are reading

I have come to a  new appreciation for reading in the last few years.
I think that some of this comes from reading to my children. So as I find books that have meat to them, I tend to bookmark to read to my younger children later.
A large part of homeschooling is reading and exposure to as much as possible.
We've been reading Holling's book lately which have good detail and illustrations that keep the kids interested.
I like that I can stop and talk about the sketched pictures with the kids if they are interested in the chapter we are reading.

My boys are in early elementary, but I think this book would be interesting for up to 5th grade.

It's a great way to fill out history.

We also were reading Seabird.

This story was a little over my boys heads, but they got the main picture.

They definitely didn't want me to put it down!

Right now we are reading Minn of the Mississipi.

This one has a few things in there that are good conversation starters about

beliefs, but they boys just keep asking if we can read more.

So that is just a peak at a few good books we've been into.

What are some of your favorite books? I'd be glad to check them out!

~Rachel

Happy Birthday!

I can't believe you are eight!!!

I hope you had a wonderful day!
I love you SO much!
~Mom

New PJs

Where can I find adult PJ's with the feet in them?
Come on...if they can make adult underoos they gotta have adult PJs with feet in them.
It would certainly save me from tracking that floor grit onto the bed sheets.

Baker Boy

David's first loaf from scratch.
Better than I can do :)
He did this flying solo, and Rachel confirmed that he even used the oven by himself.
It is so easy to underestimate what a 7yr old is capable of!
He moved himself up the chore chain to a position of daily bread baking coordinator.
I don't blame him...toilets are a less than desirable gig :-) (now he just needs to train his replacement)

Man...I just love raising children.

Avacados

Anyone grown an avacado plant indoors?
We are giving it a shot. The kids
can't wait to see the roots start to grow.
I'm hoping our house isn't too cold. We will see!

~Rachel

Happy Valentines day!

Happy Valentines day!
~Rachel~

Birthday

Psalm 118:24
This is the Day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

I just want to say thank you to all of my friends
and family for your love and sweet birthday wishes today!
It has been a great day, & I'm feeling very thankful
for all the Lord has done for me!
Jesus is truly SO merciful and gracious to me!

Here's the cake I made today.
My kids helped with the decorating. I can't wait to have a piece!
Here's the recipe (you'll want to hang onto this for special occasions):

Deep Dark Mocha Torte

Thank You Lord for another wonderful year to learn
and grow!
~Rachel~

Cold Winter days...

We brought the trampoline out to burn energy!
I randomly find Matthew doing this around the house.
I always get a kick out of it.

My little Chef...

Here goes! My Mother's recipe...

I like to under bake them a bit. Makes em' nice and chewy.

Mom's Favorite Chocolate Chip cookies:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2/3 cup Shortn.

2/3 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

Cream fats with Sugars and then mix in rest of wet ingredients above.

In a separate bowl combine:

3 cups All Purp Flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet until you get a nice consistancy.

Add 1 pkg choc chips or whatever other extras you like.

Bake @ 375 for 8-10 minutes.

You can freeze dough up to 12 months. Recipe doubles nicely.

~Rachel~

Babies and water

My water lover. I just love this age!!!!

Are you thinking of having kids?

So I'm not one for chain letters, but a friend emailed this to me, and I think it's hilarious. (mostly b/c it sounds absurd, but SO true on many levels) I hope you find it funny too...
Rachel


11 step program for those thinking of having kids 
Lesson 1
 
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.
 
Lesson 2
 
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.
 
Lesson 3
 
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)
 
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.
 
Lesson 4
 
Can you stand the mess children make? T o find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?
 
Lesson 5
 
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
 
Time allowed for this - all morning.
 
Lesson 6
 
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.
Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.
 
Lesson 7
 
Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.
 
Lesson 8
 
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
 
You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.
 
Lesson 9
 
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.
 
Lesson 10
 
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.
 
Lesson 11
 
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.
 
This is all very tongue in cheek; anyone who is parent will say 'it's all worth it!' Share it with your friends, both those who do and don't have kids. I guarantee they'll get a chuckle out of it. Remember, a sense of humor is one of the most important things you'll need when you become a parent!

Cuteness

Can he get any cuter than this? Really?
All of my children go through a phase where they sit in this
little rocking chair at Grandma's.
He has that smile on his face because he is about to pluck an
ornament off Grandma's tree.
(And yes, that little teddy bear gets well loved on too.)

More cakes!

My friend asked me to make her a birthday cake,
so I enjoyed making this for her!
I hope you had a wonderful Birthday Nytazia!

Here's the leftover cake batter. I knew my kids
would like a piece too.
So I decorated as the kids directed. Kinda funny to me since I'm
not exactly an artist. Bill says it's a magnolia tree.
I say...don't ask. I have no idea!
Do you see the sun and the pond? Those were Luke's requests. :)
~Rachel

Sewing

Do you like to watch for particular birds where you live?
In recent years, I've noticed falcons that nest in our area, and have
become interested in watching for birds.
I mention this because once you start watching, they are fun to spot!
Well, we have this beautiful ornamental tree outside one of our windows
that attracts birds thoughout the year. Since I often notice birds there,
that is what inspired these window panels.
They were easy and quick to make.
I mostly sew simple projects like pillow cases, pajama pants, and table cloths.
What are your favorite things to sew?