My Girlz...

This is what happens when your teenager helps to hold up the quilt so you can take a picture of it.



This is what happens when the preteen owner of said quilt sees the afore-mentioned teen goofing off and wants to get in on the action.



One is a drama queen and the other a goofball. Question is... which is which? Somedays it flip-flops so much that I have a hard time telling.

busy...

It was a busy busy day in the neighborhood today. We got the whole lawn mowed for the first time this spring... I cant believe we had to do it already, some of that grass in the back yard was as high as my knees. Well hubby would say it wasnt that bad... that in fact I am a trifle short but we just ignore him *snicker*

Worked a bit more on weeding the garden from heck... when we get a new place I swear im going to put in shrubs, and use lots of landscape fabric... forget the flower gardens that turn into weed gardens.

Maddy was busy today with her schoolwork... we did spelling, nonfiction reading comprehension, A History of US and 3 lovely chapters, 15 minutes of reading a journal about a little boy during the American Revolution and finally an investigation in her Saxon Math book. We have our portfolio review coming up soon so we need to get that thing in order. She recently did an investigation on probability so we are going to make up a poster about that for the portfolio. Its really just a matter of organizing the thing so I can have something to refer to, when I talk to the other parents about what maddy and I covered this year.

Leen went to work, got picked up from work and then we went to Target and filled out a college registry for the child. It was very strange to follow my first child around a store while she picked out things to take when she goes away to college. Its coming along so very fast and i just dont know if i am ready for it lol. Surreal is perhaps the word i was looking for... it was very surreal. Where did 18 years go? How could it have passed so very quickly. Its so very cliche to say but it seems like yesterday that she was learning to walk and so on... but honestly... when did the child... err young woman grow up?

We made peanut butter cookies... and they were so very good.

I made beer soap... and I hope that is so very good... will know tomorrow.

Im tired.. and rather then sleeping I found myself wandering around ebay looking at quilting fabric. Sheesh!

Hope you have a lovely weekend... wishing you peace

~Regi

And so it goes...

Things have been running rather smoothly as of late.

Math everyday began seamlessly, with only one squawk from her,and I let it pass over me. When the Madster saw I was firm on it she buckled down and the math time is happening even more quickly then before. Spectrum Spelling 5th grade is going quite well... and she is rather enjoying the nonfiction reading workbook we began this week. We are enjoying "The History of US", she seems rather excited by the chapters we have read so far... and the sidebars seem to be a big hit with her. We never did pick up the Rosetta Stone Spanish again... It was quite the investment and I know she wants to learn it, so its a matter of finding a spot for it. This week we worked on Owls, Bats and Ants (for science).. she has a ant project to finish up this week.

I really like the oak meadow social studies/english combo... not too sure about the Environmental science aspect of it. I think if we do homeschool next year we will find a different program for her science. Perhaps a more hands on one that has projects and puzzles and worksheets... she really seems to like that. The reason the SS and English is working I think is that we supplement it heavily with the suggested books and readings... and if we find something we enjoy (such as diaries of kids of the time, we devour them as well) I need to make sure we have a week where we do some of the projects for her colonial/revolutionary america section... making butter, embroidery , making candles, and so on.

I am getting tons of good ideas from the Homeschooling forum I joined. I just wish i had found it so long ago. Its called The Denim Jumper

On the job front I put in some more applications and I even got to speak to a manager... I was quite impressed... Hubby continues to look and actively seek jobs as well. Something has to break free one of these days... it just has to.

The upstairs bathroom is in progress finally... not sure if i mentioned it before but its been a bare shell of a room forever now.. in fact its the reason we couldnt refinance last summer. Heck the plumber has already been paid and the fixtures bought... it was a matter of getting it gutted and the floor ripped up etc. the plumber stopped by yesterday at hubbys request and so its begins... I cant wait to get that project done. That will be the last big, big project we do in this house. I so cant wait.

I guess thats all on this front... have been working a bit on my soaps as of late which you can read about in my craft blog which is listed somewhere here... Have a wonderful evening....

~Regi

Update from the homeschooling front...

Well the school year appears to be coming to an end for the known world... but not in ours *smile* We have so much we want to cover yet... well one of us does anyways. The other is grumbling and muttering under her breath as she stomps around the house.

I set the stage a few weeks back when at dinner at her grandparents house I informed the family that we would continue on with schooling till we reached the Civil war... She said no no... school ends when Leenies does... and of course Grammie and Papa were quick to agree with me, so maddy just sighed lol

We are just finishing up the American Revolution (this kid knows more about the american revolution then I did in highschool)... we are working on George Washingon currently...and will soon be onto Ben Franklin. We are also going to continue working in our Saxon math book ( i love love Saxon math)... She seems quite accepting that we have now moved to one lesson a day as opposed to the 3 a week we were doing. Science is rolling along merrily... as is art etc...

There is so much we could cover... so much we could do... but where do you draw the line. When do you say "enough is enough... lets break for the summer." Do you? Should you? I know after last summer we had the hardest time getting motivated to start again in the fall. On top of that whole scenario...I honestly thought we were going to be moving this summer.. and that Maddy would be going to a new school in a new town to make friends and get involved with activities to gain more friends and so on. My heart had accepted this... it was a done deal. If we moved it would be the best way for her to meet other kids her age.. It would be the only... ONLY reason she would return to public school. I have no doubts whatsoever that we can cover maddys education and do a dang fine job of it. If we are still in this town come September... what do i do then? She has accepted she is going to public school... I had adjusted to the idea... but we took her out of this school system for reasons that havent really changed... and I feel sick putting her back in to that same system. Perhaps it would be different, it would be a different school... different teachers, middle school, hormones... boys and girls... ouch!!! ( My baby is growing up)

I just dont know any more... I need to spend some time really soul searching this and figure out what is best for Maddy... best for the family... and best for me.

~Regi

Chicken tater tot casserole...

One of my girls favorites. I had posted previously the original tatertot casserole... but have since updated it so that the eldest will eat it. She doesnt do beef or pork...

1 pound ground chicken
1 small onion diced
spare peas
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
handful of shredded cheddar cheese
1 scant bag of tater tots

Saute the onion in a bit of olive oil in a pan. When translucent remove and then add the ground chicken, brown. Take a 13x9 inch pan, grease it or use pam. In a bowl, mix the soups, peas (we use frozen) onion and cheese. As soon as the chicken is browned and drained add that to the bowl. Pour this mixture into the prepared pan. Top with tatertots. Now we like to be kind of obsessive about this. We work as a pair and try our darndest to line the tater tots up perfectly. I am sure just dumping them would work as well *smiles* Cover with foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 mins or so. Test the tatertots in the center of the pan... if they are hot, and the casserole is bubbling away, toss a bit more cheese on top and bake till melted. If the tater tots are still cold... then its not done lol... so cook a bit longer.

We like to eat this with a tossed salad and biscuits.

Its not healthy... but dang its comfort food with a capital C.

I think we are having this for dinner tomorrow night.

*smiles*

wonderful wednesday...

Maddy returned home from her amazing adventure with her grandparents. It concluded with a trip to the Shrine Circus with her Mimi, her sister, her aunt Nan and cousins Sophie and Gabe. The circus was the awesomest (is that a word) she had ever seen.

Eileen.. aka Teengirl is spending the day with her Mimi tomorrow. Grammie is coming at 10:30 to get the child/teen/young woman... and who knows what mischief those two will get into. This whole job thing has been incredibly stressful for Ms Eileen. Its her senior year, she is going to prom in a week, graduating in a month, going to college orientation 3 weeks after that and then to college end of August. She doesnt have her license yet... up until this week her job wasnt giving her more then 5 hours a week... and the financial aid package she was offered is $8000 short of covering her costs for school. So anyways... a day away with grammie will do her some good.

We got the news today that Hubby isnt getting the job with the company in central Maine... according to them " they still are interested in bringing him on board" but they are talking months... not weeks. They did mention an opening they currently have... were almost embarrassed to offer it... but heck I dont know... if they can give him a position now... that will lead into a different one say 6 months down the road... its a job. On the other hand if he took it we still wouldnt have health insurance and couldnt afford to buy it on our own... and we would have to sell the house yesterday... move up there tomorrow... cause we couldnt afford to pay for him to commute. I just dont know anymore... I am getting rather discouraged. Heck ... forget that. I am moving past discouraged and onto Angry with the world. So I spent the day slapping primer on purple walls and trim... and muttering. Im not angry with hubby ... not even angry with the company... just sad and depressed and I want it to just all go away.

just call me cranky pants...

~Regi

Went to dinner at Hubby's mom and dads house tonight where the Chef du jour was Miss Madelynne. She prepared a 3 course meal for us including a lovely potato and leek soup starter, a chicken and pasta course featuring greek olives, a tossed green salad and rolls and it was all finished up with a yummy brownie pudding cake that her great great grammie used to make for her Mimi Linda when she was a little girl. Maddy was quite tickled with herself and Mimi Linda was a bit proud as well.

We had a birthday today... Mr Jasper is officially 1 year old now. Woot... Happy Bday Meestah J. Its hard to believe he has been with us for 9 almost 10 months.

We got some more work done on Maddys room today, that purple is being awfully stubborn and we are going through primer very quickly. I cant wait to get that room done so we can move on to the next project *smiles*

Maddy, Grammie and Teengirl are going to the Shrine Circus tomorrow... after that the tired Mimi is dropping the girls off here at the house and then probably going home for a long nap... lol I think Maddy has worn her grandparents out.

Guess thats all from this front...

Peace,
Regi