haiku tuesday

 -Kids-

new needs and new hurts

they change but stay the same

 individuals

click for Kristen

At the yarn store the other day....

I happened to be nosing around at the yarn store the other day, by myself, and saw this skein of purple wool just begging to be bought. Most of  the fun in shopping at a yarn store is the tactile rewards. Each ball of fluff, sheep rabbit and otherwise holds great potential, but you must feel them first. You never know if a lovely red tweed is steel wool in disguise unless you take the time to squeeze it. I was busy debating between the white and purple when I overheard a few funny comments.

two couples peek in the door and you hear the women say, " Oh it will probably be an hour or so, you can walk around.
Men- An HOUR? How big is this shop, it wouldn't take an hour!
Ladies- Oh just come in with us.
Men-I don't know If I want to stay here that long.
Ladies- Oh, no no no we wont take that long just come in with us....
Men-(loud grousing)

Another elderly man who was dragged in without his consent looked around several times and then whispered something to his wife. She didn't hear what he said and made him repeat it three times. He was saying, "If men knit then why doesn't this shop have anything for men on display?" Her reply I imagine was accompanied with an eye roll. It went like this. "Well, more women knit!"
  I decided on the purple after three more passes. Its my version of hunting. Stalk...wait...look uninterested..then POUNCE! It has been drug off to my cave and cast on my needles, quickly being turned into a short sleeved girls sweater.
What for? I don't even know.  Perhaps a Christmas present or a give away. The finished project should be finished in a week so keep your eyes peeled for a picture!
 

yes, I am still alive

Thanksgiving went off without a hitch. We watched the parade and dog show with my mom and ate a reasonable amount of turkey. We had our family celebration the day before at the Great Wolf Lodge. My parents consented to tagging along. For once Greg and I got to ride down the big slides without the boys. They are non-thrill seekers. The last time we went I avoided the slide with the darkened passage before a giant drop off. This trip I was determined to go for it even if I died in the process.

good news...I didn't die.

We enjoyed the sleepless night that came with a motel room bed and then headed back for home. The kids loved the water even more this year because of swimming lessons with the cousins. I shudder to imagine the craziness that would ensue if they (all six) were at great wolf lodge together! I think we will have to try it! As far as pictures go, we did not take any. Sure, there were those parents with the water proof cameras taking pictures and planning whole scrapbooks around the trip. Obviously, I am not one of those people. I would love to be, but keeping an eye on three kids with selective hearing is all I can take. 

  The early morning snow last week stirred the heart of my youngest to plead his case for camp. He misses frozen precipitation as well as fellow snow mates. Alas that wont be possible until January. 

  I hope your Thanksgiving was restful and fun! 

27days till Christmas.

haiku tuesday

evening brings first snow

school says we don't get it off

Hello, Great Wolf Lodge!

click for Kristen

resurrecting Laurence

 Last month Greg and I helped revive my MIL old car so Dan had something to drive. It had been sitting for seven or eight years in their barn. Greg the "car genius" looked it over and found it to be suitable. From these pictures you would think not.

 The moss was amazing.

  We only found one mouse. Dan looks like he wants to eat it..

 After a wash, inside and out, it was a whole new car!

My MIL watched the kids (thank you thank you) and I got to help. To most of you this is no big deal. To me it is nice to finally be a part of what Greg is doing. I changed the oil, washed and scrubbed as well as ran to the parts store. Fun stuff! (to me ;)

haiku tuesday

Oh the housework throngs

never tidy never clean

this is trivial

click for Kristen

haloween ninja attack!

I think that Iron Man wins for cuteness factor.

fall fun

 Some overdue pictures of cousin fun!

haiku tuesday

counting syllables

one, two three, four, five, six, seven

no time for writing

click for Krister

desks and papers

Its very nice to be back home for one big reason. We have desks. Now, originally I did not think that this would matter so much but the more the school year has passed by I have found having a spacific space for each kid truly matters.
Over the weekend we visited a friend who is newly married. I have to say receptions are much more fun than weddings. There were friends and food and music. Perfect. Afterwords, my brother and I drove to see Amber and Jayson and their family.. I have needed to talk to a long time homeschooling mom to refresh my views of schooling at home. The sacrificing of all my spare time has been getting to me of late. Not my kids, they have been troopers. I just needed a refresher. She has been homeschooling for much longer than I have and has one boy in Jr. high. She let me flip through their books (I do love looking through different school books) and talk about different curriculum. I cant say I am any more  woo hoo about giving up my free time but I do feel like its a worth while endeavor.
  Greg has been gone for the weekend at a board gaming retreat. Not just monopoly folks! All those unshowered men in sweat pants, it IS a miracle that any woman would brave that in search of a man...that is my only assumption of why a single woman would go. *wink*
  I hope your Monday is terrific!

A documentary??? Hot Dog!

Okay so most of you know that this is NOT about me. Documentaries, while they are interesting, are not on my 'for fun' list. Give me sci-fi fantasy or romantic comedy! My middle boy does not approve of my taste. He and his cousin (Kristen's oldest boy) choose things like planet earth and man vs. wild to watch. They could spend hours watching trains in real life. Some of our DVD's have been accidentally lost. *coughthrownout*
  There are those moments where I say, "Hey kids do you want to pick out a movie?" I grasp after the words as they leave my mouth because I have just brought on a household war. Two want fiction! One wants non-fiction! (eye roll) What was I thinking?
Getting books from the library is the same. Someday he will grow up to discover some rare endangered insect...perhaps he will name it after me. The mamagriffith weevil. tarantualis mamagriffithicus.     Right now I am breaking my own TV rule and letting him watch a documentary about colossal squid. His little eyes were practically misting over with tears of joy as he spouted facts back to me right after he heard them on the television. I love that kid.

pen pal

Recently we have acquired a pen pal for my girl. K12 has a parents lounge, which is where I came across the christian parents forum. One of the ladies wanted a pen pal for her daughter. I thought it would be a good idea since my girl needs more practice on her handwriting. We now have a new little friend who lives in Florida. Writing letters to a far away friend is near and dear to my heart.Whatever the case its fun for her to get a letter in the mail from someone her age. Anything new in your homeschooling journey?

haiku tuesday

long road trip to home

wind and rain rush to greet us

nautical nuisance!

click for Kristen

homeschooling

Just wanted to share a great link I found while browsing for printable school pages! It is a sight where you can make and print your own worksheets. Click here let me know what you think...oh did I mention its Free!