Peanut turns THREE!

The Birthday Suit for the Birthday

I've been calling this little guy Sweet Pea for a while, but now I'm going to be referring him as my Peanut, and this boy is a little nutty.

Today, Peanut is three.

I am simply in love with this sweet and sassy child. He never fails to amaze us with how quickly he picks up on things. Anxious to keep up with his brothers, and just quick to learn, three will suit him well.


Peanut loves bugs, doesn't mind picking them up and would love to pack every creature he finds around the house ALL day, until it dies.

Water is also a big attraction to Peanut, he'll jump in any good bath or shower running, whether or not it's occupied. This is a great soother for him. Swimming, of course is another favorite. Over last winter he and I took mom and me swim lessons and he spent the entire classes underwater walking around on the bottom of the pool, holding my fingers, eyes wide open.




Peanut loves playing with his brothers, and sometimes getting in their hair. He loves to be in his birthday suit,
or almost there. He likes his sleep, (something new for our boys) is a snacker and happily hikes along with the fam when we're off. He loves reading books, playing alone or with friends and brothers, fits right in on family wrestling matches and hide-and-seek.

If you want a peanut giggle, click here.









Some might think it'd be sad for me, my youngest son is turning three. BUT, this is the woman has had 5 pregnancies, 3 babies, 4 moves (including across the states and back) in 5 years. As of about two weeks ago I have been relieved entirely of "bathroom" duty, and now there are so many ways I'm enjoying have three boys, all on their own legs and dressing themselves. I do miss babies, but this part is just really, really fun.

Happy Birthday Peanut!

Harvest

We've had a fun harvest this year, more fun than ever with the boys so involved, picking whatever whether it's ripe, smelling the garden herbs, sucking the mint and tasting the basil. My littler two run around munching on finger-sized carrots to their hearts' content.

The garden has grown wonderfully, perhaps a bit of a monster now. The vine we were calling a pumpkin (put a pumpkin seed in that whole) is coming up to look more like a squash of some sort. The tomatoes are not turning red, though there are more than 20 out there. The bush beans have been dinner several nights, sweet and yummy. We plan to dry the beans and use them again next year. Our lone asparagus is growing sweet and the broccoli beginning to flower.

My favorite thing, though is just being out there. The fresh smell of the earth, warm sun on my neck, doggy sniffing around me; I gather, smell, bask in my garden.

This all takes me back to that bit in The Shack about the garden and Sarayu....remember?

This year we'll tear down the garden box and next spring we'll dig up some yard to give us a larger space. I think it's key to do a little of a lot of things, I wish for cukes and zuchinni, peppers and more onion. I love to grow stuff, and then using it is so satisfying. I'd have to say the best use of things I get it the herbs, which I'm going to try and grow inside this winter. If you have any experince doing this I'd love to hear your tips!


Happy August!

Big Numbers!

Tonight I ran three miles, pulling me to a big 197 miles in 2008. I know this is no big deal for some, but for the girl that hated running all through school and wouldn't run if my house was up in flames, this is a big deal. I'm really enjoying running and feel great for it. So I'm nearly to 200 miles! Wow! By now, I could have run to....um...Portland (almost). Thinkin' on doing a marathon next year, anyone want to join me?

AND I have 1977 hits on my blog. In exactly one year I've gotten nearly 2,000 hits. Pretty fun. Not that it's progress of any sort or all that interesting to anyone but me....

Here are some much more interesting photos of our end of summer days....

Crisis Management 084 (mommy style)

"You really need to work on your crisis management," says my husband as he walks in to the living room to stomp out the flames that I left behind, hollering "help! honey, help!"

True, true, I didn't handle that one very well. In fact, when the big stuff happens, I don' t handle it very well.

Shortly after we moved into this house, we had a terrible accident. One I don't care to recount. It was a life threatening fall one of my kiddos took, and I had NO presence of mind, what to do? Go to the ER? Call the dr? Was he fine?

You'd think after some 7 years as a lifeguard (I've revived more "Annie's" than I care to recount) I'd have a handle on emergencies. Nope. You see, these are MY children, not a plastic Annie doll that has no arms or legs.

So back to that story, I ended up phoning my husband asking him what to do. We drove to the ER, Little Critter was amazingly okay, I credit God and amazing angels for guiding his fall that day.

Last year, Sweet Pea pulled our bar stool over by mistake, it smashed, and I mean squish-smashed-beyond-recognition his biggest tiny toe. His toe split, nearly in half, in about 5 places. It was, we learned later, also broken. It was horrendous....blood everywhere, even on the walls. Again, I'd no idea what to do. I could only restrain Sweet Pea and keep him from further injuring his toe, couldn't figure out how to get him to the ER. I hollered at Joe to get the phone for me , then my sweet friend, Christin came to the rescue and drove us all to the ER. As soon as I got to the ER the triage nurse wrapped Pea's foot right up to keep that toe from falling off. I hadn't the presence of mind (or experience) to do that at home. Then they loaded him up with Benedryl. That helped immensely, as the dr had give him a hundred locals in order to stitch his toe back together. It was terrible. Now Sweet Pea's toe is healed and has some scarring to show the trauma.

I am a mother of three boys, so far be it from me to tell them to "get down from there" any more than I have to. I LIKE for these boys to climb, jump, run, swing, hang...so long as they aren't damaging the house. I let them do most anything they feel they can do. When they fall at the playground or on a hike, it's no surprise to me and I run to them and wrap them in all the comfort & kisses I can offer. It's the unexpected.

That time you don't think that anything bad could possibly happen- aren't even thinking about it. I do that uuuuuhh-- thing. The suck-your-breath-in noise, that backward sigh. You know, the mom thing. My mom did it,I'm not far behind.

I do it. Kiddo falls down while running down the street.... uuuuuuhh---. Of course, I'm just feeling the pain and adrenaline all at once. It's the mom thing, I think we're supposed to do it. This IS my crisis management. My body kicks it into help-my-son mode and I go to work. I just need a second.

That's why I run around the kitchen after the matches fell on the floor and my carpet is going up in flames hollering "Help! Honey! Help!" I just need a second....

PS~ A new beautiful lush red rug will cover up the burn marks, I'm sure. ;)

A perspective of experience...

I was so encouraged to read this blog today, encouraged to remember just what homeschooling is about. Check it out if you like, written by the voice of an experienced Mom, and one of my regular blog reads;

"In a life-giving atmosphere, odds are, if you learn, the children will learn. Read, and the children will read. Write, and the children will write. Think, and the children will think. Wonder, and the children will wonder. Explore, and the children will explore. Be curious, and the children will be curious.

Because, besides prayer, the three most powerful tools in a homeschooling parent's toolkit are:

1. Example
2. Example
3. Example"

Read it all here from High Desert Home.

Meanwhile...

Whilst many mom's are busy preparing their little ones for a new year at school, I'm hustling...getting my stuff together for another year of Home-In-Stead. My brain has been a flurry of non-stop thoughts.... schedule science crafts Critter Science Charlotte Mason Math Sweet Pea Housework(?) Hobbies Spelling History buy books! Geography sports boys Legoboy Play Dates Field Trips

You get the idea. #574 wonderful thing about schooling at home is that this, however we mom's all make it out to be, does NOT all have to be set in a teacher's planning book, as is would if you were a teacher. However, I have to get the whole ball rolling, as it goes we'll gather some new and drop out some unwanted (don't worry, not the important stuff!) and evolve. So I really need not sweat getting my lesson plans past week 2. By then, I'll know that things have to change for sure in certain areas and my expectation and goals are probably too lofty yet.

I do intend to create a side bar for those (relatives) interested in just what we're doing for these 36-some weeks. I'll do my best to keep you up with what's happening here- big progress. This year Little Critter is showing big interest in Science, which is no stranger in this house, and Lego boy is reading up a storm & Sweet Pea just wants to keep up with the rest. I'm looking forward to getting the year started and learning alongside my boys. YeeeeeHaw!

My favorite Moment today (so far)

The wind is howling through the open window, grey clouds whiten the light in my room. The curtins blow around a peaceful party. The clock ticks on my wall, Sweet Pea and I snuggle up in the clean sheets of an unmade bed. He so sleepy and still smelling of this morning's bath and backyard play and popscicles. I lay with him, snugged up to me and listened to his breathing, smelling his two-year-old self. Perfect moment as he drifts off to sleep.

August 13 &14 , 2008 (The BoatLoad)

Off to CA for a hike and picnic.


Kiddos and sineage


Enter, the Redwoods














The kids tried to reach around this tree, unsuccessfully. The trees, well, you know- they're huge!


A family photo, Eli was just woken up by mean ol' mosquitos.


My dear friend Kristin and I. What a fun friend to vacation with. It's always nice to vacation with another mom...they help out w/ all the mom stuff. :)


I love the twisty trees

















Kristin and her sweet daughters. Beauties, all three!


Little Wild Critters scamper dancing through the forest too.


We were all hunting a four leaf clover when my sweet pea brought me this: "Look mom, I found a heart flower for you!" These boys, they have my heart.


















Ralph made his yummy pizza for dinner on the last evening. Worked out much better than sandy beach hot dogs...

He're my sweet pea in the sunset, one last trip to the beach for us.


Kids and toes in the surf


BRRR!


Run, Sea Pea


All four of us, still smilin' over a wonderful vacation, hope we'll be back next year!


How on earth could I cut these wonderful curls?





On the way home, we stopped off for a bit to visit my Grandparents. My Grandma's sister was visiting with her daughter. The boys got fudgescicles.


My grandma and her sister, myself and "aunt" Cindy.


My grandma and her sister. Are they cute or what?

My Grandpa Dean and I.

A wonderful vacation, thank you Michael and Kristin. Like I said, let's plan it again next year!

Summer Desert

I run at the speed of color.

Fast enough all I hear is the swish of my breathing, the pad pad of my shoes on pavement too hot to stand on.

The gold of the tall grasses reaches far above all squatting shrubs
crouched green with lime tips not to be overlooked.
Rocks clothed in rust and bright green line the walls of my canyon
my quiet running place.

Weeds line this trail of mine, in purple and green.
The sky, dark and grey threatens rain..
Juniper reach their old arms to their maker in the darkest green I've seen-
the earth below tan and dry.

My running partner jets back and forth digging in the dirt with his black nose
a black streak he is.
A quiet, glad streak I am.

Tuesday August 12, 2008