Saturday Ventures

Eeek! It's Saturday night already!

Well, we did some serious gardening. I used PREEN for the first time today. A friend highly suggested it. And yeah I know, I'm anti chemical in my food too. But I just haven't been able to make adequate time to weed properly, so... I'm cheating. Sue me.

I put in a sweet potato starter in the garden that was given to me today. So great to have friends! So I had quite a bit of work building up a mound, though I doubt it's high enough. The baby was crying for me, so I stopped and put it in the ground as quickly as possible. I have a few other sweet potato starts in the house to add as soon as they get bigger. So neat.

After that I did the Preen thing... then rushed off to care for the baby and do lunch and good grief if I didn't have to stop in the middle of stuff I can't imagine how much I'd get done.

My friend also gave me other starts. Let's see a rhododendron - some variegated and some regular and Wandering Jew (I'll post pics soon, I think it's beautiful).

Aside from the gardening I made a roast, enough to have for tomorrow, rice, salad, 2 pineapple upside down cakes, 2 pans of sweet bars, AND a batch of HEALTHY raisin oatmeal cookies. The oatmeal cookies are for me mostly. So I can have a sweet treat once in a while that isn't loaded with bad carbs and sugars. I tossed them in the freezer. I'm trying to stay away from chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and good heavens all those snacks I make for the kids that I shouldn't eat. I'm doing pretty well though. When I need something before my blood sugar crashes I've been reaching for a granola bar instead of the the "ah ah ahhhhhh. No no" snacks.

Gardening

Well, spent the morning in the garden, as much as one can with these small kids. Planted some things that were gifted to me. Is that a word? Anyway, dear friends gave is two peppers, some tomatoes, a green bean (I think), some basil, and a couple of tiny baby thyme. So they're all out there in the dirt, we weeded too. I've got some weed killer that a friends recommended (aren't friends great?) but the info packet is missing! SO until I have a little time to look it up online, I'm holding back on it. I don't want to use it improperly, ya know?

Our pea plants are a little yellow towards the bottom as are the older tomato plants. Not sure what to do about this- going to look for advice from experienced gardeners.

So things are just movin' right along, diggadum diggadum. Who doesn't like Kermit? Enjoy the day! ! !

Whew- It's Monday.

Boy, it's noon and already hot and muggy. We have done so much already today. We went through the girls' room. Cleaned out the toy boxes and closet, under the beds, the room is CLEAN! The girls worked so hard! Well done. For some reason the boys take take nearly as much effort, but there's only 2 of them and four girls.

Stripped the beds, got diapers and other laundry on the line, laundry waiting to be folded, lunch needs to be made, and a baby potty training this week as much as possible. Oh, my, am I busy or what. But it's great. Lunch? Something VERY light!

Now I keep cringing at the bathroom. Ewwww. I HATE cleaning bathrooms. I usually let hubby do it, but he's been so busy with work and callings lately. If I want it done before the second coming, then I probably need to get to it. Hmmmm. Maybe I can put it off for another 2 days? I could talk myself into to doing it Wednesday, right? *sigh*

Getting out swimsuits, and the kiddie pool. Thank goodness for our (shallow) well next to the house, and an inventive hubby. Loverboy hooked up a pump and whatnot, so getting the water into the pool is a cinch.

Enough sitting gotta go go go! Then maybe I'll sneak in a break? Enjoy the day, everyone!

Spring! ...

Cleaning!!! Okay we've started to revamp the school room. But I was waiting for a morning at home, with nice weather to kick everyone so I could scrub and wax our kitchen/dining/family room floor. And I can happily say it is DONE!! YAY!

Now before lunch it has to dry and we have to put ALL the furniture and junk back. *sigh* The lawnmower wouldn't start! Grrrrrrr! And now I need another nice morning at home to scrub and wax the art room floor (part of the school room). It's much smaller, but still in need of serious attention after this winter! But one itsy bitsy baby step at a time, folks.

Gotta go feed some goats! Check out that pic! The kids are the same size at that soccer ball! So cute. Have a nice day, ya'll!

So much to do

Doctors, optometrists, dentists, etc appointments galore. Taking the kids all over creation as soon as I can so we can enjoy the summertime vacation. If you really think that moms can get a vacation. I mean we can and do, but my golly it takes a LOT of effort, planning, and juggling.

Our peas are coming up, our maters are looking better, I'm hoping even my lilac comes back. So things are looking pretty good. Just gotta juggle all of that with everything else:) I love my job! Now to find a way to get paid for it... hmmmm.

Here are some views of our yard and even a morel mushroom we found on our last excursion. This is our home. I'm very pleased with it. It's grand to take nature walks with the children, see geese in our pond in the morning, and watch our spot in the world rediscover each season in its turn. We can see the stars out here wonderfully, which one doesn't fully appreciate until one lives in a place where the stars are hidden.

Well, off to our appointments and errands for the day. Some days I feel like I hit the ground running out of bed and just don't stop till I drop like so much dead meat into bed. But I love it. If I had less to do I'd be bored and searching for more to occupy myself with.

Birthday Cake Adventures.

Our eldest turned 12 this week. He has been reading nonstop about pirates, sailing, etc. He especially loved Treasure Island, we started listening to the audio cd as a family in the car, then he got tired of waiting for the next travel day, so he borrowed the book as well. Even the little guys enjoy listening to it. So Here's his cake- Auuurgggggghhh, Matey. I had a lot of fun making it. The kids helped with the decorations. I cannot claim it to be my idea. I get a lot of bday cake ideas from Howdini.com.

My husband thinks I get way too into the cakes, but his mom always got him and his brothers ice cream cakes... which to this day he remembers with much licking of lips. So I don't feel guilty at all for looking for ways to make our bday cakes special. Beside I think it's turning into a hobby, as we have so many bdays in a year.

Old things are new again...

Thanks to our Alpine dairy goat, Sparkles (which was a gift), we finally have enough milk to make some yogurt this morning. With 6 children, I do not go to this trouble for anything less than 1 gallon a batch.

How do you make yogurt? Apparently this is becoming a lost art. I'll confess I learned it from an Amish friend, whom I used to buy raw milk from. The recipe is available upon request.

The next thing we'll make, if she gives enough milk after her babies wean, is cottage cheese. MMMmmmmmm. Then, ice cream. The cottage cheese I also learned from this Amish friend, but the ice cream I got from an old old recipe book I found. These recipes are also available if anyone is interested, as I do not wish to hoard them. But like the sewing skills I have picked up during the last 3 years, it may take a practice round or two in order to get it just right for your tastes.

Anyway, the children are very excited at the prospect of yogurt for breakfast tomorrow.

Today's projects aside from the yogurt and general Monday cleaning? 1- Laundry- The Never eEnding Battle 2- Begin reorganizing the school room in preparation for this fall

WHOOOOOO! I'm stoked! Let's get to it ya'll!

This weekend

Added a few flowers to the garden, checked on our maters and strawberry plant. I think they're doing okay. Our herbs are thriving as are our peas. So garden is going pretty well so far. Oh, and we planted my peach tree! And something is getting through the fencing and munching my beloved Lilac baby! GRRRRRRR!

Our past two weeks raced by like nobody's business. I don't even know what all we did. We did do the play with our co-op group though. Hardly anyone came, but the play went really well anyway. Marvolla wants to do it again. Fairy was outstanding. G-miester did King Darius really well. Humvee was a great singer!! And little Lulu was a very convincing shouter. They all did terrifically. Leelu was only in the way a couple of times, which was very different from the practices. It was wonderful!

G's bday was carried off fairly well. And I am looking at the next week whew...

Bad Weather

A friend called me up and told me about a frost coming. So I followed her advice and covered our tomatoes and strawberry plants with whatever I could find. Two days later I have not uncovered them. Hail, frost, wind, and rain. Plants stills thriving!

Thank you, to all of my friends who are thinking of me and helping me take care of our garden!!!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day everyone! I have to say that my family has become really good at picking out presents for Mom. I got a step counter, batteries for my Walkman, AND a PEACH TREE!!!! A peach tree!! Oh my goodness! I have been thrilled all day. It's a tiny thing, about 3-4 feet tall. But it is something we will get to enjoy for YEARS!

I have also been given a number of flowering little plants. I think plants have become about my favorite thing lately, as I really get into the gardening thing. I am looking forward to putting them all in the ground!! whoohoooo.

So, hoping you all are having a wonderful day, those of you who are moms, aunts, sisters, grandmas, teachers, and anyone else who cares for a child of any age. Happy Mommies Day!

After the rain!

We have PEAS!!!! We have pea plants growing in our garden! I'm delighted! We also have a strawberry plant and some tomatoes! In our yard we have a baby lilac tree, or is it a bush? Whatever, it seems to be doing well. My lambs ear looks like it's dying though :( I transplanted and separated some aloe plants, they are much happier now.

The point is : We have a garden now!!! It's even fenced in and safe from our goats!!! Looks grand too. Very excited! WHoOoo HoooOhoooo!

"The Prophet said to plant a garden!"- Now let's see if we can keep it alive too ;)