Birthday Fun

My birthday surprise was to take the family on an overnight campout!

We borrowed some woods and a tent from some good friends.

Fun, fun, fun!!!!

And, ouch about sleeping on the ground.

And, itch about the poison ivy...

The Last Egg

We have given away our feathered stewardship. And I have collected our last egg. It fulfilled the purpose of its creation in a zucchini bread. Yummy!

Dear Abby ( I don't have your email...)

Dear Abby,

My best friend in first grade was named Abby. She had an older brother named Caleb. She looked nothing like you, though. She was thick-boned, with short, thick dark brown hair. Not pretty at all, but my friend anyway.

About your question on Homeschooling. I'm not sure what you'd like to know.

I am only homeschooling temporarily. I know we will be moving within 5 weeks, and I don't want Grace to be in a totally new environment for only 5 weeks. After we move, I plan to enroll Grace in whatever public school we fall into.

Now, I was homeschooled from Grade 7 to graduation (at age 15).

What questions did you have? I am surely not a good resource for you, but I will tell you what I can.

Your cousin in law,
Elizabeth

My Weakness for Books

Well, I got my first spending money the first of June (which I wrote about a little back in May). And then the first of July, and then the 1st of August.

And, what have I done with it? Mostly I bought Books I have wanted, or books that looked good, or books on topics I need to learn right now. I'm making it a goal right now to post a list of all the amazing books I've bought since May. (Here it comes...)

I am now the proud owner of 2 books by W. Edwards Deming! (One was free!) (He was a quality expert who taught the Japanese about Quality after WWII. I love his business philosophies.)

I am learning Bonnie Prudden's Myotherapy, and I have 2 more of her books to read when I finish that one!

I've read 2 more of Jorge Cruise's recent books: 3 hour Diet and 12 Second Sequence.

I've read Miserly Moms and own Frugal Families by Jonni McCoy.

I've read the More with Less Cookbook compiled by Dorothy Janzen Longacre, and some of The Amazing Legume by Alice Jenner.

I've received a reading program I'm using in our homeschool called Reading Reflex: Phono Graphix program for intuitive reading.

I've received and reread the Sidetracked Home Executives.

I just got my latest from paperbackswap, but I'm saving it to open on my Birthday. Its called: "Brand You 50" by Tom Peters. It is a wonderful how-to book, although with some expletive language.

Finally, I've joined a website where I can share what I think about the books I read. Its called Goodreads.com, and any of you who would like to connect with me there, just email me! It is really fun to see what my friends are reading.

Betchdoubles

"Honey, would you like some raisins?" said Mom to Sienna.

"Oh, yes! Those are my favorite betchdouble in the whole world! Those are my favorite betchdouble."

My Birthday Present-s- to Myself

Yes, it is good to be me! I married an incredibly great guy who adores me.

And, I'm having another birthday soon.

What else is there?

So, I'm taking a weekend off! That's right! Royal is letting me go for a whole weekend to visit my Mom without the kids, except I'll probably take Jimmy anyway.

So, pray for him, Folks! That he can have a good time. I know he will be okay, but I don't know if he will enjoy this opportunity to meet the unending needs of my darling daughters for 72 hours!

And, after I get back, I'm taking the family for a surprise one-night getaway. That is my other birthday present. I'll try to let you all know what it was if I have time when we get back. Hint: It is something I've been wanting to do since finishing the book 3 Steps to a Stronger Family by the Eyres.

Free, Like Me

"Mom, wanna know what my favorite candy in da whole world is?"

(Mom waits silently.)

"Yellow bubblegum, Mom. Yellow bubblegum is my favorite in da whole world."

"Honey, you've never had yellow bubblegum."

"But, I'm free now, Mom! I'm free. I'm still free. Are you free like me, Mom?"

"No, honey. I'm twenty five."

"Oh. Well, I'm free."

Zucchini Out the Wazoo

Last week we had so much stuff to do, we let the garden go to weeds. And the Zucchini inflated to caveman-club size. We had so much it completely filled our kitchen sink. And I picked four more pretty large squashes yesterday. I'm thinking we'll go with only two zucchini plants next year. Five is a bit much.

Anyone need some zucchini?

The Number 4

This week we learned about numbers in our Meservy Family Homeschool.

We became number detectives, looking for hidden numbers all around us. We found a one represented by the lone lawnmower sitting in the barbershop's yard. Grace found a two represented by 2 ripe yellow squash. Our hidden three was represented by the three of us (Sienna, Grace, and myself) until Grace pointed out that we actually represented four people- I was holding Jimmy! We found five weed flowers (quite pretty, too.) and six pumpkin leaves.
We estimated that there were thousands and thousands of leaves on our giant oak tree. And, thousands and thousands of grass blades were found in our yard.

I just asked Grace, "What number do all the toys on your floor represent?"

"A hundred."

;-) Fun in homeschool, but chaos around the house. Hey, you can't have everything.

"Center"

This is from 3 weeks ago.

Sometimes I feel calm.

But, most of the time, I can't figure out how to slow myself down enough to think about one subject at a time.

This week is one of those off-center times. I desire to complain a lot and sleep.

Our upcoming move (still no interview, but we feel certain Royal will get the job) is exhilarating, but also adding quite a bit of stress to life.

I haven't posted much lately because I don't have much free time.

I am homeschooling Grace (very fun so far, but does take time!), tending a garden, packing my home, planning a major vacation, and mothering 3 kids full time. Royal finally quit throwing pizzas yesterday. It's my fault, too. I just asked him to stop until we are settled somewhere else.

We just got a very cool new Young Women's president. I'm still teaching the Mia Maids.

I hope I can calm down soon.

Flat Head

I'm sitting here at 10:45 PM, holding a piece of ice for Jim to suck on while Daddy runs to the gas station for orajel. (Shannon, thank you so much for those cool baby-food netted thingies! I have wanted one for years.)

It all started this afternoon when I put a sock on his Right hand.

Our lovely son sucks his 2 middle fingers on his right hand. This has seemingly caused a seriously lopsided head shape.

Now, I don't want him to have to have the helmet. So, we've tried a padded wedge (thank you, Laura!). He wriggled himself into the bottom, and turned his head to the right.

So, we tried a bag of rice in a sock. (heavier wedge.) He wiggled off it in a few minutes.

So, now, Mommy feels determined to take away those beloved right handed fingers. And, at 5:30 this evening, the first sock went on the hand.

He did very well, only crying for 20 minutes before substituting with left hand. Until tonight!

He has been crying for 45 minutes. He never cries, so this is upsetting his Daddy royally. (wink, wink)

Daddy tried troubleshooting first: Does he need to burp? Does he have gas? Does he need a diaper change? Does he cry even with the light on? Does he cry when in the swing? (what a good Daddy!!!) Finally, R agreed to wear earplugs if I would comfort Jim.

Now Jim was crying with left fingers in mouth! So I put some pressure on his gums, and he stopped crying. Remove pressure, and he cried immediately. So, now, he is quietly sucking on ice, and waiting for orajel. First piece of ice just finished melting. What a good boy!

Birthday Fun

Sienna hosted a very fun Tea Party. We had a tea shaped chocolate cake, and blue koolaid! Plus Peanut butter and Orange marmalade sandwiches. We played don't eat pete!

Grace, Royal, Sienna, and I all helped make the coolest cake ever!

Winds of Change are Blowing

Royal has officially put in his application for a job in Missouri. The job is one that would suit his personality better, pay better, have better medical benefits, and be from a better company. We expect to move soon.

Suddenly I find myself packing! It is good.

While we love where we live so much that we would retire here, I expect to love the new area as much. Also, we will probably be closer to a temple.

Our garden is producing tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, and has unripened red cabbage, watermelons, cantaloupes, and butternut squash.

I am teaching the Mia Maids (14-15 yrs old) on Sundays. I enjoy myself and I get at least one week off per month.

I got 3 hours completely to myself today! It was wonderful. I got my car fixed, got a new prepaid cell phone for Missouri, and saw a friend. I feel normal again. It is a hard job, being a full-time mom. It improves with a little vacation, though.

8 Weeks are up!

My 8 Week Challenge is technically over! Yea! I did it!

What I mean I did looks like this:

I started the habit of eating a good breakfast (with at least some protein and some produce.)

I did 2 workouts a week of extremely slow weight lifting.

I lost about 9 pounds (forgot to take my weight this morning.)

I nursed a baby (15 pounds now!)

I also try to eat a full meal (450 plus calories) every 3 hours. (4/day or so plus 1 snack)


Now, what did I do perfectly? Well, I did actually get 16 full workouts in, although they were not all on the scheduled day. That's it!

Now, onto more improvements in personal eating habits. I will continue my 20 minute workouts on Monday and Thursday. I'm also really trying to do a little (5 minutes) of trampoline "jogging" or walking per day. I've done it 4 times over the past 8 weeks! Baby steps, right?

I'm curious who will be laughing at me about this post.

I have realized an astonishing (perhaps to myself only) fact about myself: I don't take criticism or correction well unless I have requested it.

Now, I realize, rather abashedly, that many of you might be smiling and rolling your eyes about now, since this fact may have been more obvious to you than to myself.

Nevertheless, I am surprised. And sad. And hoping I remember this long enough to seek out and get a thorough change of heart on the matter.

Mrs. Farmer, our landlady, mentioned that our water bill has gone up rather drastically lately. (We share a water meter with her barbershop, so they pay the water bill, and water is included in our rent.) I thought about all the possible reasons for the increase... Some are that Sienna has potty trained, we have an additional baby (we have more laundry, including some cloth diapers), I'm drinking more since I'm nursing, our toilet has been running now and then, and we were hand washing our dishes for a few weeks, which I believe actually used more water than the dishwasher.

Yesterday, she mentioned the matter again, stating that the bill was $15 more than usual and would I please refrain from watering my garden when rain is expected. She also said she found the water left on so long last tuesday, that it ran out of the garden and down the driveway! I felt ashamed and assured her that I have only watered minimally (once a week on average), and I would be more careful to not leave the water on. I have been very careful about not leaving it on all summer, in fact. But, I missed it once, apparently...

This morning I realized that, with my plants beginning to wilt and me never even hearing what the weather will be, that our verbal agreement would not meet my needs at all. I need to come to an arrangement with her that allows me to water my garden as I need to and her and her husband to feel that we are paying a fair amount on the water bill.

Now, for the criticism part.

Today, when I approached her about the matter, she was very appreciative and kind, except for a few details. One, her garden 1/2 a mile away is doing great without any watering. Two, our weeds sure absorb a lot of moisture!

And, this allowed me to gain the useful realization that I am sensitive to criticism. I assured her that, with my squash plants turning brown around the edges, my garden is not okay without watering. And I accepted her criticism of our amount of weeds. But it sure didn't feel good. ;-) I am glad to find out where my pride has been lurking. Now its time to pull that weed.
We shall see how I do.