7 Quick Takes -Spring Break edition

Hello lovelies!  Well, Spring break came and went here at {Home}...way too fast!

~1~

Sky is making a farmhouse table using reclaimed wood.  This table will be longer than our current table, so we can fit more Bible College boys around it.  Right now we have a smaller table pushed against our table to make it longer. The table-top is made of curly-spalted maple wood and was left out in the open, has water-damage, fungus stains and termite holes. It has so much character.

~2~

I put together a web-page for Sky for his woodworking, he is hoping to eventually sell furniture.  It's in the very rough stages still, but it was a lot of fun to help him set it up and share with him my knowledge of working with wordpress, widgets, plugins and blog stuff. [I love talking blogging..love it!]

~3~

Right before we were off for Spring Break, Josie did a report on The Diary of Anne Frank.  She also did a timeline project from the book.  This book had such a profound affect on me when I read it as a girl. It meant a lot to me to share it with her.  We had many discussions and did further research on the internet to help her understand what the times were like for Anne Frank before and after her hiding.  Once again, I grappled with describing absolute evil to my kids - and I struggled with the details I held back.  Some things I just can't tell me kids about, yet.

~4~

We continued art lessons during Spring Break.  Amie and Teddy worked on charcoal tea-pot drawings. Here is Amie's finished work - love it!  Art class is ending after next week.  I am kind of relieved because gas prices are starting to take a huge toll on our budget. (I will, however, really miss my secret outings for a chocolate chip bagel & diet coke while they are at class!)

~5~

Meg was hired to exercise some horses five days a week.  She is so excited, working with horses is her dream job.  It was a little tricky the first week, I had to drive her back and forth.  I was really glad it was Spring Break because the driving would have added chaos to our day.

~6~

Relief has arrived, though.  Meg just passed her driver's license test.  She can now drive herself to her job.  I am equal parts relieved and terrified.  I'm having a hard time with letting her drive off alone.  I keep telling myself we were all new teen drivers and survived without incident. >Rinse and repeat...

~7~

Here in Orange County we had dramatic weather shifts from beautiful sunny days to thunderstorms and rain. This messed with any beach plans.  The girls fit in a few horse riding/care days at our friend's house.  My sister drove up and we spent an afternoon at the Orange Circle instead of the beach.  Whew, this vacation week just flew by!!

Did you have Spring Break? How was it?

7 Quick Takes Friday is hosted over at Conversion Diary every week.

asthma time warp

[Yes] we are in a time warp here: This is a 1960's asthma nebulizer machine.  It belongs to Sky's mother, known around here as the lovely and gracious Queen Mum.

We are in the midst of some asthma drama;  our nebulizer machine broke a while ago, now that only 2 of the kids seem to be suffering with asthma and considering their ages, we decided not to get a new one but just rely on inhalers.

[wrong answer] !!  You lose a turn.

It seems congress, and California in particular, keep conspiring against us as asthma parents.  Not being able to order a reasonably priced nebulizer machine in California is old news to us, been there, done that hassle...but a new law passed against our tried and true albuterol inhalers- and then, Sky's employer changed prescription plans on us.  I went to pick up inhalers at the pharmacy and found out that the $6 albuterol inhalers were now $40, and the steroid inhaler was $105.

• Yeah, fun times for mom as she decides how badly her children need to breathe..... {insert sarcastic smiley here}

We made do with two older inhalers I found in the house...yes, it was sad, my kids were sharing inhalers... and then I was telling The Queen Mum about the hassle, and she said, brightly and helpfully..."would you like to borrow my old nebulizer?"  and I said "yes!" and she went to go get it.   I waited for her to bring it out, fully expecting her to walk out with an early 1990's model, like our first one (1990 was the time I remember her asthma being really bad and she was hospitalized quite often)  She walked out, instead with what has to be a 1950's or I'm guessing a 1960's model.

I instantly thought of Sky's dad, who believed in buying the best.  I looked doubtfully at the old tubing attached, but was optimistic that the machine itself would outlast any new machine we buy- and I knew Sky could rig up some kind of solution for the tubing.  The pressure gauge threw me a bit...

Sky was able to rig up our new tubing and mask.  So, why yes, we have kids breathing again at our house!  It is really, really, loud. Emma-the-wonder-labradoodle heads to my room when I turn it on.  It gets hot, too- so I cannot do back-to-back treatments for the kids on it, but have to let it cool down a bit.  I am in constant fear that we will be the ones to finally break the Queen Mum's museum quality machine.

Good news, the Dr. brother found us a nice, newer, quieter, faster used machine...it arrives tomorrow, I hope :)

It's never dull around here for long...

{Home} at large: Homeschool Winter Formal edition

Meg attended Winter Formal, a homeschool version.  It was hosted at a local hotel ballroom and they had dinner, a DJ and dancing, and photos even.

His mom dropped them off, I picked them up- at late o'clock.... Her lovely and loving cousin did her hair (I am so grateful, I am not skilled in the fancy hair department!!) and then the moms took the kids to Bower's Museum for some photos.  Kind of exhausting.  I congratulated his mom on having two boys.  I have 3 girls, and many dances to look forward to...

***

Did I mention that Sky is an artist with wood?  He made a horse-shaped jewelry box for Meg last year.  I've been encouraging to make a few more and open an Etsy store..so he did.  Here's a look.  The middle part is a drawer, and there are two more drawers on the side.  He's pretty amazing.

Meg drew the outline of the horse, Josie had the idea for a Wolf-profile jewelry box, so she drew this outline.  I think it will be a work of beauty when it is done.

***

This weekend we did a bit of Spring cleaning (though of course not as much as I had envisioned) and a ton of laundry.  I had planned on finally cleaning out and organizing my homeschool closet, but so far, haven't attempted it.  It's almost dinner time here on Monday, so it is looking less likely that I will do it.

I am making Chicken tortellini soup right now.  (I cook the chicken thighs in the crock-pot first) -and pumpkin bread in the oven is making the house smell nice.

I just finished reading "What a girl wants" by Kristin Billerbeck.  It is  Christian chick-lit, and I really enjoyed it.  I love a happy, girl finally gets guy sort of ending.  I picked up the sequel at the library, and dived right in...but the first page the character mentioned her future s-i-l and the last name was a different last name then the guy of the last book. {Spoilers! - I guess}  Now I have to see if there is a book I missed, because I seem to be lost...

***

Josie and Demi-Sky have been sick with asthma, Josie has been under the weather for a few weeks with some kind of mystery virus.  She is going to try to go to fencing tonight for the first time in 3 weeks.

After fencing, I am going to get the kids' homeschool work set out for the week.

It's been a nice holiday weekend.  How about you?

Two-gether is better at Knott's

Last weekend we were invited to experience a very special day at Knott's Berry Farm.  The whole family enjoyed finding out how "Two-gether is better at Knott's"!  During the entire month of February, Knott's is offering special online discount pricing, celebrating the season of love!  *Twogether is Better online special here Also, of special note is Knott's special Leap Year pricing of $29.00  for park entrance on February 29th!

We started the morning enjoying a sweetheart breakfast at Mrs. Knott's Chicken dinner restaurant with Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Special heart-shaped pancakes covered with boysenberry syrup were the hands-down favorite!  Eggs, sausage, coffee... all very good.

After breakfast, we were treated to a special showing of "Love is in the air, Charlie Brown!" -a musical at the Camp Snoopy Theatre. One little boy was invited up to dance, it took a few minutes, but then he got thoroughly into it <adorable!> A call went out to the rest of the kids, and they all got to dance on stage.  Amie had a blast :)

Camp Snoopy was decorated for Valentine's Day - it's an extra-special month, with special Valentine's crafts and activities for the kids.  There is a cupid's corner for red-themed craft creating and valentine making. ~Lucy was not manning the psychiatrist booth, but there was a Hugs booth. {Hugs are free!} In ghost-town we found chocolate-dipped strawberries, bananas and my very favorite >>> Chocolate-dipped rice krispie treats.

the kids thoroughly enjoyed:

• the stage coach {Meg talked horses, of course}
• the Jaguar roller-coaster (no lines, rode several times)
• the Silver Bullet roller-coaster....after 4 trips, Demi finally worked up the courage to ride, he loved it, of course.  I was so proud that he conquered his fear.
• the Ferris Wheel in Camp Snoopy
• the log ride - of course!!
• funnel cake ~ of course!!

February is a perfect time to enjoy Knott's Berry Farm, the weather is mild but sunny and the park is not crowded. Your little ones will love Camp Snoopy- there is something for everyone at Knott's! <3  Season pass-holders can get a friend in this month at a discount, and don't forget the leap-day special!

*disclaimer: blogger was not compensated for this post, but entry to the park was provided to facilitate a review of this event.

7 Quick Takes -birthday edition

~1~

We celebrated Josie's 15th birthday.  I can't believe she is 15!! (and why yes, I shot this with my new 35mm 2.0 lens!)

~2~

Yes, this is a birthday-pie.  Josie requested Chocolate Satin pie for her birthday.  This did not seem odd to me, because when I was a little, I often asked for banana cream pie instead of birthday cake.  This must run along maternal lines. The chocolate crust with chocolate filling?

-she must get that from me, too. :)

~3~

Josie is very into art, and mostly that art is all about dragons.  She received these two books as gifts.

~4~

My high-school students had to take semester final exams in their core subjects for the charter school we homeschool through.  This was in addition to the finals they take in their Biola Star classes -over the material they have actually studied.  I think this is going to be a future post, where I can go into my thoughts more deeply...but, Meg's Biology test given by the charter was over material she will study next semester.  I spent a week dragging her through new material so she could take this test.  I understand (sort of) why they are doing this, but I don't agree with what they are doing. More later. I do have to say that my ES is fabulous and worked to make this as painless as she could. I think the Charter school tried to help, too, by giving study guides...but I really was not a happy camper with this.

~5~

Josie is back to fencing.  We had to take a break, the financial aspects had to be sorted out- it can get a bit crazy, having 4 kids who have such varied interests.  We are trying out a new fencing academy.  She is really glad to be back at it.

~6~

I mentioned in an earlier post that Amie- age 9 had finally turned the corner into ravenous reading.  We are a family of book lovers.  After Amie began devouring whole books on her own, Demi-Sky was the last remaining hold-out.  He continued to love the comic book genre a bit too deeply, and to slog through books tandem-reading with me.  For New Year's, his sisters gave him this book:  The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.  I discovered him in his room that night, late, devouring this book.  I sang with happiness inside, and let him stay up another half-hour.  He is now telling me all about it.  I like to think that every time a passionate reader is born, a new star in born in the universe <3

~7~

I volunteered this week at Meg's Biology class.  She is taking High School Biology through the Biola Star Program.  I cannot praise this homeschool academic program highly enough.  On this day, the class was given a topic and then props and then the students had to build a model of the topic, explain the topic in front of the class and show it in motion.  Meg made a model of Y antibodies and then had to show them in action, devouring bacteria.  The bacteria in question was represented by a playdough unicorn.  Um, yeah...highschoolers.... :)

I was sitting in the back, whispering "Charlie, Chaarlie, we found a map to candy island!"  I'm not the only one who thinks like this, am I?

Charlie the Unicorn on Youtube -

*7 Quick Takes is hosted on Fridays at Conversion Diary

Notes from Home

• Sometimes it is the little things that make your day. This soap, they had me with the word "chai"

• those anemia headaches (iron-deficiency) headaches I mention now and again? ...turns out they were migraines.  Turning the page on a new chapter, it seems.  At least there is medicine that works (hopefully) for this.

• Pinterest continues to be a greatest love=time-suck.  Have you ever actually done anything you've pinned?  I am a step closer, I went out and bought an apple corer and gluten-free pancake mix to make these neat apple rings I have pinned...but, haven't actually made them yet. I'll keep you posted.

• the reality of homeschooling 5 kids, two of them being highschoolers, the normal busyness of family life and my migraines have really kicked my rear lately...feeling a bit overwhelmed.

• it rained today here in the OC!  Yay!  It seems like most of our rare rain happens at night. I got to wear my snow boots today (:  I bought them last year in Washington, they make good rain boots, too.

• currently I have chickent tortilla soup in the crock-pot, and I am about to go mix up some blueberry corn muffins right this minute.

• Hope your week is off to a happy start! <3

7 Quick Takes Friday, Life of Fred edition

~1~

This is Oliver snoozing with Demi-Sky.  He actually likes to curl up with the girls in their loft, but because we had company for the Bible Conference, he was locked out of the girls' room.  He fussed quite a bit, and then reconciled himself to cozying-up  in Demi's room.

~2~

Demi Sky's room is in need of a make-over. Can you see the wall-paper border on the wall? It has these cute cartoon-y spiders.  Demi was fascinated by spiders when he was little, not usually something you would think to decorate a room with, but these spiders are cute and friendly looking. But* he is 12 now and needs a more grown-up look.  His room is next on my decorating to-do list.

~3~

I am going through The Life of Fred elementary series with the 3 youngest.  Life of Fred is a Math storybook series. Yes, a storybook.  I resisted the siren call of Fred for many moons...I am not a Math person, so the concept of a Math storybook just seems unappealing.  I've heard so many great things about it though, that I finally ordered one.  I have to admit, I love Fred now.

~4~

We started at the beginning, with Life of Fred -Apples.  So far the concepts are easy for the kids, but we are still enjoying it.  The other day, one of the questions after the story asked which day of the week did we think was the most difficult for most people to spell.  I had the kids give their own opinion.  Teddy voted for Thursday, Amie voted Wednesday, Demi thought Thursday was the most difficult.  The answer was Wednesday and also Saturday, for many people.  I really <3 this kind of learning. :)

~5~

Meg and Josie are working on a song from the movie Tangled - as a duet for an upcoming recital.  Josie is playing the piano part and Meg will be playing the violin.  It's a sweet song, I really enjoy listening to them play it together.

~6~

Sky was not home for dinner tonight, so I made meatloaf.  I make a mean meatloaf, but Sky does not have the culinary refinement to appreciate this delight.  (I use the Quaker oats recipe-the one with just tomato sauce, not ketchup)  Every once in a while, I really have a hankering for it.  I have to eat it with corn and rice (mixed together- the corn and rice, that is- not mixed with the meatloaf!) because that is how I would eat it when I was a kid.  It's funny, but certain things I have to eat with certain other things, like grilled cheese- it has to be eaten with fruit cocktail.  Tuna fish sandwiches have to be eaten with Fritos.

Do you have food traditions from your childhood?

~7~

Amie has been really into dog books lately.  She is currently reading through this Waggit series (Waggit's tale, Waggit forever) and others like it.  At the library the other day, I picked up this dog book - Sheep by Valerie Hobbs (it's about a sheepdog)  anyways, it was a bit of a higher reading level than the other books, so I decided I would read it out loud to her.  She saw it lying around, picked it up, and read it in one day.  Yay!  She has turned the corner and has become a book-devourer.  Only Demi is on the outside, looking in on this - he is only interested in comic books.  I keep hoping and trying to tempt his book appetite

...someday, I hope, he will join us all in our book love.

*7 Quick Takes Friday is hosted over at Conversion Diary, click over and join up!

days like these...

well, it's a new year- time to kick it up with new resolve, right?  Back to homeschool, back to eating healthy, time to get my house all clean after having lots of guests.... and....

I'm sick.

Fun times.  I spent Tuesday mostly in bed, and today either sleeping or going to the Dr.'s or getting ready to go to the Dr.'s.  Wednesday's are my "light" days, I'm really put-out that I spent it sleeping. :(

Well, around here, we are trying to get back to normal after having a boat-load of people here for our week-long Bible conference.

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Sky bought me a new lens for my birthday.  It is a 35mm 2.0 lens, PW says it is her favorite, I asked for it on her recommend. (because I still don't really know what I am doing, photography-wise...this will be the year I really learn!)  I love my lens, it takes better photos in low-light, but I have to actually use my feet to zoom-in, my only other lens had some zoom to it...it's hard to remember I have to actually move in!  I am hoping it has some wide-lens properties, but so far I haven't noticed.

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I totally went off my low-wheat and no-dairy (ok mostly) diet and have suffered my just punishment.  I'm going to go back on the wagon with healthier eating tomorrow.  I am thinking that some of the paleo diet books and websites might have some yummy ideas that would be wheat-free...so I am starting to browse around. Not that I am going to go totally that route, but it has possibilities to widen my food choices. Anybody have some favorite gluten-free or Paleo diet websites/blogs?  Do share~

I Just found this one on pinterest, looks like it will be useful:  Everyday Paleo recipes for life.

Margarete is a blogger I am friendly with, and she has been sharing some of her tried and true gluten-free and diary-free recipes on her blog.  I haven't tried them yet, but I plan on it.  It's nice to find recipes others have already experimented with and refined...

True Blessings Homeschool gluten-free and diary-free recipes 

Here are a few other goodies I have pinned at pinterest:

Apple Nachos from Manifest vegan  um, yes please!  they look easy, too.  I like easy, I'm lazy.

Baby Breakfast Quiches 

Breakfast cookies, no wheat, no eggs, no sugar from Blueberry Girl

not particularly healthy, but I am intrigued... Frozen coconut limeade from Chef in Training

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We have not yet managed to get together with my sister's family and my mom & stepdad for a holiday gathering.  Looks like we will make it this weekend.  I was on the phone discussing with sister, when she admitted she hadn't done any shopping for my family. I admitted the same- I've had lots of company and then I've been sick.  Sky has been bugging me to see if we can quit exchanging gifts for Christmas, we have a new budget that budgets everything down to the last $20 and it's a bit of a stretch in December.  Plus, we don't actually celebrate Christmas in our home- the celebrating is done for our family's benefit.  so, we are always a bit conflicted with this.

Soo, I was afraid to broach this with sister, because I think her love language is gifts.  She picks out awesome/individualized gifts for everyone.  Not usually expensive, but always very, very thoughtful and just what the person would love.  I was afraid not exchanging gifts would be a total downer to her, but I took her confession, ran with it and suggested we skip gifts this year.  And... And, she was totally relieved.  She's got 3 little ones now, I'm sure her December budget as well as her time- are stretched thin right now.  We decided that all our kids would be pretty ecstatic with a small gift bag with candy inside...so that is what we are going to do!  Whew.

We do give our kids 3 gifts each around New Year's.  However, the Bible conference moves around a bit and we still had guests, so we will be doing our family New Year's celebration this weekend, my kids are really looking forward to this.

So, how were your holidays?  Good, and full of family and love, I hope.