Tough Mama

Rock Island

2011-07-24T14:20:00.005-05:00

Over the past very hot two weeks, we have spent time at Rock Island. This little piece of paradise is a treacherous, rocky, and steep climb, but it is extremely short, and well worth the risk.

Festooned with falls, I don't ever take my camera, because we spend the entire time frolicking under the falls.

This weekend was one of the busiest I've ever seen. We went on a Thursday last week, and we had this area completely to ourselves.

On a hot, dry day in July, the mist from the falls is refreshing, and the frigid, crisp water perks you right up.

Special thanks to our good friend Dustin for braving the trail to grab these shots.

Fiery Gizzard

2011-07-07T17:35:00.006-05:00

We finally went for an overnighter and tackled the Fiery Gizzard. We hiked a total of 15 miles with 35 lbs between us in our packs. The batteries on my camera ran out, and I only thought to use my phone about mid-trip, so I only took a few snap shots as I didn't want to keep messing with my phone.

Day one was the short part of the trip, but the map describes this section as "arduous" and I am inclined to agree with that description. The rocks are loose and there are long stretches where on false step, and you could easily end up wounded. This is NOT a trail for our little guys, and I am relieved that we didn't attempt it with them.

We had red beans and rice for dinner, made a fire at Raven Point, and hiked 8+ miles this morning before 11am. My legs ache!

The hike was gorgeous. We were rained on a bit, but the tree canopy kept us from getting soaked, and we were able to make camp, cook, and sit around the fire with no wetness. It WAS muggy, but we were surrounded with water and it really wasn't TOO hot.

Someone left all the workings for a campfire for us! We were too beat to use it, but it felt lucky. The next backpacker will get to enjoy it.

This is the top of Foster Falls. We have camped here before, and swum under the waterfall, but today, we were anxious for something cold to drink and to take our shoes off. We hiked back to the car instead.

The path winds near overlooks, waterfalls, springs, through thick forests, rocky creek beds, cool moss covered rock piles, and Laurel groves. Simply lovely.

Barfield Crescent

2011-07-06T09:07:00.004-05:00

Our kids are out of town this week, and we have decided to take a big hike.
We leave today to hike the Fiery Gizzard and have a little camp out.

Yesterday, after having lived in this area since before Eli could walk, we finally hiked the loop at Barfield Crescent. It was very pleasant. The biggest surprise was how fast we could go without a 5 year old with us. I miss the little boogers, desperately, but I have high hopes that we can cover some ground today without making little feet wear plum out.

Check back soon for a full report of the 13 miles.

Barfield Crescent was covered in this flower though, I don't know what it is.

Savage Falls

2011-07-01T21:02:00.005-05:00

Today we took a lovely hike to Savage Falls. We walked 3.2 miles again. The weather was a cool 80 degrees, spirits were high, and it was an easy walk.

In the woods, I thought I heard rain, but as it turns out, the sound was the pitter-patter of grasshoppers.

Rhododendron in bloom made the air smell like ice-cream according to Eli.

This was such a nice, easy trail, I thought all of these warning signs were funny.

A rhododendron grove. Notice the petals all over the forest floor.

These were the falls. It was shallow enough around the edges to walk under the falls. Eli and I swam as it was deep in the center, but were able to frolic under the water easily.

This fall was right next to the bigger one pictured above.

All from the same seated position (above)..

We could walk side by side most of the hike with trails that look like the picture above. I hike barefooted often times, and the path today was cool and soft.

Sycamore Falls

2011-06-27T18:13:00.012-05:00

On Sunday, we left to go hiking and the sky looked like the picture above. We started on the trail, and turned back after getting drenched.

So today, we drove to one of my very favorite loops in Grundy Forest. We hiked 3.2 miles to Sycamore Falls-pictured above.

We saw rock art..

Tons of mushrooms..
The rain has made the forest moist and humid.

Several wildflowers...

Tick-seed sunflower..

Wild blackberries

Steep sides, roots, and rocks make for a moderate hike for kids.

Tree face

Carp

May-apple flower?

Spectacular swimming spot at Sycamore falls.
Well worth the hike.

Giant old Hawthorne

The ghost of Belle Starr she hands down her wits..

2011-06-24T12:23:00.009-05:00

We spent this week in Oklahoma visiting family. Amongst other activities, we visited a wildlife preserve and museum calles Woolaroc. It was a huge ranch with so much to see and do. It was, for us, the quentessentialOklahoma.

Exact replicas of tee-pees. These, I learned, did not blow over due to their ventilation system. As a camper, I was super impressed with the construction.

The beavers are still trapped and dried on the land.

New trees planted after the dust bowls...

Native American art and artifacts..

Outlaws and buffalo..

Petrified wood and man made waterfalls..

Amanda's Farm

2011-06-16T20:09:00.005-05:00

Our hiking was put on hold this week for much needed rain.
Today was nice, so I baked an apple pie for my good friend, and we went out to check out their awesome homestead.
You can check out their work here, but I couldn't resist snapping a few shots. Shown above, chickens.

Passion Flower abounds on the property.

Avery's favorite spot, a dry creek bed..

We splashed around in the creek, and found many treasures.

Turkey prints and below, Amanda's lovely clover.

The crazy kids. All around in this picture you can see evidence of home building.

The farm is abundant with Queen Anne's Lace, thistle, and wild garlic.
It is a haven of beauty, diligence, and blessings.
Thanks for sharing it with us Amanda.

Greeter Falls, South Cumberland Recreation Area

2011-06-13T21:01:00.004-05:00

Today, instead of coming home hot and sweaty from Bonnaroo, we took the kids to the woods.

Greeter Falls-adjacent to Savage Gulf

Only about a two mile hike, waterfalls were very sparse due to lack of rain, but it wasn't too hot. There were other folks around-another 3 families with kids. This made us feel crowded, but the weather was mild, and we were able to swim.

I would say moderate hiking with lots of rocks and tree turnks sticking out, but not far to the falls.

Look out across the fields, see me returning....

2010-09-29T21:55:00.009-05:00

Hello everyone! I have been in a tornado of change with teaching, and packing lunches, and being away from the home until 5:00 in the evening. We then rush to soccer practice (see below) or dinner with friends and family. Or sleeping.

Or adopting a new doggie.

Or selling hoola-hoops with an awesome mama friend at a music festival.

Or standing in awe of marigolds that are growing taller than the house.

We've been busy making a Just My Mommy and Me book written and illustrated by Eli.

He painted a picture of me. See above. Don't I look happy?

We also attended a fall festival wherein the kids played laser tag (which I HATED, but they loved) and got to put on a Velcro suit and jump up and stick on it in crazy ways..

They also got crazy hair. Eli pretended this week that he had blue skin, too.

You know that big tree in the backyard with the tire swing? Well, part of it fell and we now have TONS of firewood to burn in the fire pit. What perfect fall timing!

And still, our time is spent at the soccer field with three of my boys playing now, we are at the field full time.

And, I turned 34 with an amazing night of music in our quaint city.

You’ve gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely....

2010-08-29T15:04:00.003-05:00

Well, now, here I am, and please excuse my absence. We are all adjusting to our fall schedules that look the same every day, basically with little new or exciting thing to post. We do LOVE our new rolls, but they do leave me brain dead by the end of the day. I miss my playdates, laundry hanging, bread baking, and back yard schooling. However, I really, really love being a teacher again.

I feel like my experience as a homeschooler has deeply affected my attitude about learning, teaching, and education- for the better. I now have a deep respect for the individual learner, whereas before, that respect was just an idea that I did not know how to activate in the classroom. I have become more lenient and seek intently to discover where the child is in their learning progression and build from there. I realize the idiocy of trying to make sure that every child must know the same thing in the same way to recognize results. I realize that these young people 11-13 year olds are cooped up in a cement building for 8 hours a day with little more than seconds to whisper to friends, run around, or even breath fresh air. I understand, more than just theoretically, that taking away things that their bodies physically needs (friendship, movement, imagination, and fresh air-let alone freedom of choice and ownership) can be devastating to their ability to learn. I am positive that each child I teach has parents that not only know their child best, but also that 99.9% of parents are extremely concerned about what and how their child learns. I know how far a child can soar with one- on- one attention and instruction and the ability to learn at their own pace rather than by Friday at 3 PM. I am learning new lessons every.day. about kids and myself and teaching and learning. This is a journey that I relish, and I am able to approach this year more confidently than I ever have before. I am also more calm, more willing to listen to my students and their parents. I am less likely to freak out when my lesson plan doesn't get executed perfectly. My paradigm has shifted and it is no longer "my" classroom, but theirs, and I am just a steward of the students' classroom. I am there to support and encourage, not to run the show - my way of the highway.

By the way, this approach is not one that I was taught in teacher school. "They" emphasize in teacher school to come out strong and hard, to lay down the rules, and take charge immediately. But this year, I didn't. This year, I started with kindness, fairness, and lots of opportunities for the kids to be themselves. I sprinkled that with fun, games, music, and hid enough Spanish language to allow them to ask for more. The students are kind back, they are asking questions, they have positive attitudes, and so far they are learning and speaking Spanish.

Love it.

With the lunch bucket filled every season...

2010-08-18T19:57:00.003-05:00

First day of first grade.
Wow.
He loves it with all of his nerdy heart. He has lots of friends already, plenty of homework, and a wonderful, smart, warm teacher. He looks big, and so do the marigolds in the background.
Our days of lounging around doing lessons in the backyard on a picnic blanket have been traded for a strict regiment of lunch box packing, school, soccer, and homework. Was last year a dream? Must have been...

If you’re lookin’ to get silly..

2010-08-11T20:58:00.001-05:00

Word of the day: incognito

I'll make the most of one last extra hour...

2010-08-09T06:58:00.002-05:00

Our last hoop-la before school. Washed clean and on to new chapters..

He's a-riding down in Alabama with the rodeo...

2010-08-07T15:13:00.005-05:00

We went to a real rodeo recently at Daddio's..

Bull riding and roping..

And rodeo clowns..

And real cowboys...

And real rodeo horses..

And tired buckaroos..

And a couple of horses rear ends....

You looked for work and money...

2010-08-06T21:33:00.003-05:00

And, on the flip side, the positive side of our upcoming changes.. (I'll be teaching middle school Spanish, Evan will return to MTSU, Ollie will be attending a local magnet school, and Eli will be home with Dad and at Mother's Day Out 10 hours a week.)

1..I will have vacation. As a homeschool mom, I rarely, was "off." A friend mentioned that when they went to the beach, she still cooked, cleaned, did laundry, and really didn't get a break from her routine. So, away from home 40+ hours a week, will allow me to feel relaxed and "off" when home and with the family.

2..I will have quiet alone time daily. I will drive in the car 30 minutes a day by myself each way. I love this time, which for the past two years I have missed. I can listen to my beloved NPR or music of my choice. It will be lovely.

3..I will have less home chores. As a work at home mom, I took on most of the household chores, that Evan will now take more of an active role in. I won't have to unload the dishwasher 3 times a day or have to cut the grass or cook diner EVERY night.

4..I will not be solely responsible for maintaining friendships for my children. They will meet kids at their school and will not have to depend on me to set up time for them to enjoy other people their own age.

5..Everyone needs a routine shake-up. Our routine is about to drastically change, and I think this is a refreshing necessity of life-the changing of the season..

6..We will all have time apart from one another. I will no longer be responsible for every food, drink, poop, clothing, and educational experience. I will enjoy them, relish them when I am able, but they will be less likely to irk me after a day away. I will appreciate the opportunity to care for my children.

7..Ollie and Eli are stoked for the first day of school. The excitement and anticipation is not the same for homeschooling. They got new hair cuts and new clothes and we are counting down the days. It is almost as exciting as Christmas, and I can tell that Ollie is stoked.

8..Ollie will LOVE school. He thrives on routine and predictability. He loves friends, and he loves learning. He said he's most looking forward to doing math. I am not as into routines and math as he is..

9..Ollie and Eli will have time apart. They will have experiences to talk about separate from one another, and I think too, that this will be positive.

10..For the past 2 years, I have owned and operated a business from home leaving me to feel at times scattered and distracted around the home. I always have 10 million things going on and my schedule is a collage of various appointments. I am away most evenings which prohibits lengthy, enjoyable dinners and family bike rides or games of kickball. Now, when I am home, my work will not be here. I will be home in the evenings. With everyone else...

This is going to be fine. This is going to be fine. This is going to be fine....Wash. Rinse. Repeat..

Is just equality in school...

2010-08-05T20:53:00.004-05:00

I know that most of you know both how awesome homeschooling is and how much we love it, but allow me to count the ways that I have fallen in deep, earth shattering love with this way of learning. Actually, I can't count them, but I have thought of 10 reasons.

1..I am a teacher by heart and by nature. I have been able this year to share learning with my children. I have had the privilege that I am so afraid another adult would take for granted to watch my children learn, grow, and explore. I have been able to give them time to speak and to listen and figure things out. And, it has been magical.

2..I have met the most amazing women. My faith in humanity and in myself has been restored this year. I have found kindred spirits and formed friendships that I hope are long lasting. Homeschool moms rock my world. They do so much weighing what in life really IS important. Smart, funny, loving, and kind. I never really liked girls too much until I met them. Now I know, they are out there, and I don't feel so alone or unique.

3..The kids got to do so many fun things, so many field trips and co-ops. I have documented them all here, just click on homeschooling. We had a year 100 times better than making my inquisitive child learn how to stand in a straight line and identify the abcs, only because that's what you do in kindergarten..

4..We owned our experience. We owned our day.. No one else.. Now that is freedom. No bells or punch cards, but rather a natural ebb and flow of our own chosen activities. Our year was ours, and we had what we made..

5..Our home was our responsibility, and learning was up to us. We learned that to eat, we had to cook, and grow food, and plan. We found out how to make learning happen. The way we experienced life and learned was our job.

6..We got to demonstrate to our kids that family and home were of utmost importance instead of just paying lip service to our principals and core beliefs. Evan and I got to be THE examples for our children. We got to choose our acquaintances based on folks who saw things pretty close to the way we did.

7.. My kids got to learn at their own pace. We based our lessons and field trips on things they thought were interesting and cool. And, then, they didn't have to learn something by a certain time and date or else. Ollie didn't have to color, unless he wanted to. Eli got to act silly without a parent teacher conference about said silliness. Self-paced, individualized learning is a buzz word in education right now, but that is much easier to do with two kids that you know extremely well.

8...We got to be flexible. We got to travel without "missing" school. We got to sleep late and read on the floor in our pajamas. We got to change plans, get lost driving, or be bummed because something didn't play out as planned. All, very, very important lessons and experiences for adults, too..

9..I had time to be a homemaker. I had time to cook, and clean, and garden, and hang laundry out, and wear my apron. I loved it.

10..(Last one..) We got to buck the system. We got to question the why behind our public education system both in practice and philosophy. We began to ponder the importance of methods and curriculum. We began to evaluate our own lives in light of this discovery that life doesn't have to be a hamster wheel of work, buy, sleep, work, buy, sleep. We can teach our children so much more about life than a school that is preparing them to join the workforce and be a productive citizen. Our goal contridicted school districts that are forced to try to get every kid know the exact same thing and demonstrate that in the exact same way. Our kids didn't have to think about or know the "standard". We can teach them about learning for learning, to pursue dreams and inquisitions, and to ask questions.

Ev’rybody’s building the big ships and the boats...

2010-08-03T21:48:00.004-05:00

A couple of Saturdays ago, we tried out a class at Lowe's, and loved it. The kids got an apron and goggles to keep (Eli wears his EVERYWHERE to protect his eyeballs). They built a UFO using real tools and a little kit. When we first got there, the line was ca-ra-zy, but they started right on time, zipped us through, and everything moved quickly..Fun little Saturday project, and free.

2010-08-02T23:01:00.003-05:00

Remember this day?
Our good friend, Hunter, has been diagnosed with Leukemia.
Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family this week.

Washin’ them dishes, feedin’ them swine...

2010-07-30T07:19:00.003-05:00

We have ditched the dishwashing detergent and with it phosphates, plastic bottles, bleach, other crazy chemiclas, and expense and instead have opted for our own simple concoction of one part borax to one part baking soda and white vinegar in the rinse. We also make sure ther is hot water in the tap before running the washer. One of my friends used this, but wasn't happy with it because of her dishwasher. There are many recipes out there, but this one works well in our dishwasher and is so very simple to make. I know some of you have been doing this for a while, but I am amazed when I go this long without know that I could have been making this all along. I've been duped!

Watch waterfalls of pity roar...

2010-07-29T21:03:00.005-05:00

We finally took a hike that was not ALL sunshine and waterfalls and rainbows. This one was hard. We hiked about 6 miles round trip with the hopes that the falls would be glorious. They were not.

Eli is literally the toughest 4 year old I know.
He hiked pretty much the entire time with high spirits. Pretty much the entire time. But not all of it. We did have a freak out session in a particularly rocky spot that we dubbed "boulder alley" wherein he sat down, had a cry, and proclaimed that he could not, would not, hike any further. We carried him. Cheered him up, slowed down, and will probably pack chocolate next time. We are learning how to hike with a four year old, going a little further each time, so I guess this was inevitable.

Pictured above, a "fall". Another lesson learned about a rainless July..

"Skull mountain"

Nice pants..

O's new quaff compliments of his proud pops who exclaimed, "I should have been a barber."

The top of the falls..

See them a bit more spectacularly here..

I'll plant and I'll harvest what the earth brings forth....

2010-07-26T07:11:00.002-05:00

Made some pickles from out abundant cucumbers..Yummmmm
I used this recipe. Happy harvesting.

I gaze into the doorway..

2010-07-25T21:31:00.005-05:00

Today we continued our exploration of a great park about an hour and a quarter from our home, South Cumberland State park. The pictures from earlier this week were taken at Foster Falls and Grundy Forest. Today we stomped around Greeter Falls and the Stone Door.

Greeter Falls was fun to swim in, but because it hasn't rained much lately, the falls don't look as impressive as they feel when you are swimming on your back looking up at them. All of these shots are of the Stone Door. This hike was partially paved, one mile in and one mile back, and very easy hiking with spectacular vistas and a walkway reportedly used by Native Americans many moons ago.

Somewheres in this universe there’s a place that you can call home....

2010-07-22T20:48:00.003-05:00

I love gardening.
And, somehow I forget over the winter how much I love it. I think that is a good thing, because I get to re-experience the joys every year. I learn something new each season, grow something different, try new ways. I do not have a large garden at all, but rather have my "flower" beds planted with yummy veggies. The eating part is scrumptious (tonight's dinner included homegrown carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes), not to mention the other obvious benefits of saving money and "eating local."

But I also love how gardening is such common ground amongst folks. It makes for such pleasant conversation. You can ask anyone who has even one tomato plant about it in the summer, and their eyes light up. Gardening conversation spans political affiliations, nationalities, income level, religious views, and age. It is a great common denominator. I can ask anyone about what they are growing and learn something or just bask in their description of something they have grown to love and to know as if in a deep intimate relationship.

I also get a kick out of the sharing part of gardening. In my neighborhood, we hand cucumbers over fences, leave squash and peppers on each other's doors, and water when we go out of town. There is a elderly Laotian couple that baby their garden with umbrellas and constant tending and grow beans that I have never seen before and peppers that make you sweat when you look at them. The lady speaks no English, but we've swapped veggies, and she'll gladly take our grass clippings if she sees us out. The above grapes were dangling in our yard from another neighbor and he invited us to pick as many as we can handle. What comraderie amongst neighbors!

I also get so excited to grow something new. Here is my first watermelon. Isn't it precious? We only have the one, but the vine that we grew from seed, transplanted, loved on, watered, talked to, babied, has sprouted and has several flowers. I have found great recipes that involve the mint (harvested today and drying) and watermelon together. Yum!

And, lastly, I stand in awe that things grow that we can eat and that this binds us a human race. I can't wait to make pickles and salsa, and ask you about your garden, and hand you a tomato. I am grateful that even if you have been a gardener for decades, you can appreciate my oohs and aahs for my first watermelon and tiny carrots.
All pictures and thoughts captured today from the garden.

Though you might call it ‘Paradise'....

2010-07-21T20:12:00.008-05:00

We went hiking again, but this time we camped, too! This friendly guy we met on the way back to our primitive sight. Elijah said with confidence that he was a non-venomous, black rat snake. I am frequently impressed with their outdoor knowledge.

Our campsite was about 1/2 mile hike back.

Lessons learned included but not limited to:
how to build a campfire, how to tell stories, what life sounds like in the woods, and much, much more.

One of our first views this morning before 7am..

A hike down a mountain after a breakfast...

Looking closely you can see a swinging bridge over a stream down a rocky path..

Which led to this haven..

There is no way to capture the cool mist blowing in from the fall, or the sound of the rushing water, or the mesmerizing effect of the water reflecting on the stone, or the relaxation of floating on your back looking up at the waterfall, or the enchantment of having a place like this to your self. Words like magic, paradise, and tranquil do not begin to touch these moments that we share with our children..

As the day progressed, we hiked by several other waterfalls as we meandered through the forest near the streams and rivers. Our kids are great hikers and are becoming quite adept at swimming as well.
I love Tennessee hiking so very much.
We explored this state park, but it is so large we did not have enough time to see all of it. We will surely return afer giving our legs a few days of rest.

Sat upon my grandpa's knee, And what do you think he said to me?...

2010-07-19T21:46:00.004-05:00

So this weekend, we cleaned out the shed and found this.
Evan's grandpa Boggs gave it to him when he was a wee lad,
and Evan has now passed it to Ollie.
It is a working tool set.
I can't wait to see what they build.
First on the agenda: a bat house!

by the edge of the creek....

2010-07-18T22:48:00.008-05:00

Fall Creek Falls.
Annual tradition,
but this year,
Eli walked the entire time!
Click here for last year, and here for the year before that.

Yesterday’s gone but the past lives on...

2010-07-18T08:53:00.003-05:00

Part two of yesterday's adventure included a "time tunnel" that was a black light tunnel with historical information. The boys LOVED it even though Evan kept popping out of nowhere trying to startle us.

The center of the above photo represents the ceremonial ground that we walked around on our hike.

Inside the time tunnel...

Materials traded by native americans across the US...

I can see through your walls......

2010-07-17T16:33:00.007-05:00

Today we found a great state park...

With a plethora of water spilling over cliffs..

The park happens to surround an ancient Native-American ceremonial ground.

And the sight of more recent mills..

Today's hike was in overcast weather, which made for a pleasant breeze and whispers of more hiking when the children reach an age wherein they can carry their own packs..I can't wait. Maybe we'll go here or maybe even here, but we'll definately return to this park. Tomorrow, I'll post pictures of the museum inside.

People carry roses Make promises by the hours...

2010-07-16T18:23:00.006-05:00

From the yard: mint, mums, and marigolds taller than the children..

Sunflowers and roses..

And a couple of gladiolas..

Bring the whole family....

2010-07-13T07:38:00.006-05:00

Last week grandparents and cousins came to visit. Hannah Kay was born the day after Eli, and they are two peas.. We spent time making art, eating homemade popsicles, romping in the backyard, swimming, and laughing. Family is such a blessing that truly enriches our lives. Thanks for coming y'all.

Danced a jig with the bumbley bee, Uh-huh....

2010-07-12T21:18:00.003-05:00

Unprompted response to questions about music at our local kids museum..

Pumps on the dance floor and posing, well, jamming out in front of Jerry and the boys.

you know the sparks begin to fly....

2010-07-11T08:34:00.001-05:00

Backyard, summer fun with Dad and Papaw..

Don't send you money to Washington To fight a war that's never done....

2010-07-10T10:46:00.004-05:00

I know I haven't posted in a while, but we have been waist deep in summer time fun from sparklers and grandparents, to peach cobbler, creeks, and summer camps.
I lead the best life and sometimes our wonderful routine strikes me as surreal.
Today, we went down to our Saturday farmers market as we do every Saturday, and happened upon a motor- less parade complete with one of our favorite all time guitar pickers.
I snapped a picture on accident at the exact right time.
Norman Blake!
We'll hear him play later tonight at a local festival, but this made our day.
Here are the kids at the festival yesterday (scroll to picture 47 to see the cutest kids in the world) with the Uncle himself.

He’s getting ready for the show...

2010-06-30T18:29:00.003-05:00

Taking the week off for Phish shows.
The kids are experiencing a right of passage: a summer week with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. They are swimming and eating hot dogs and macaroni and cheese.
We are listening to NPR and dropping swear words at need without shame.
We are sleeping late and eating late.
We are paying the teenager next door to water our tomatoes
and missing morning giggles and kisses and the ruffling of blond hair.

in the theater of divine comedy...

2010-06-27T08:29:00.003-05:00

This past week, Ollie and Eli participated in a fantastically funny drama camp wherein they worked all week on a comedy. I have a few clips of the final product, but the lovely hosts, parents of three boys, also had lots of outdoor toys for the kids to enjoy, including this zip line. Ollie was a ham and Eli was pouty and nervous, but the highlight for the whole week as this thing.

I can see the day coming when even your home garden Is gonna be against the law...

2010-06-22T15:17:00.004-05:00

Every year I get braver around my tiny garden area and plant a little more. It brings me such joy! Above, my most abundant crop, marigolds!

Broccoli and new to the plot, cucumbers.

Couple of maters...

And, my absolute favorite, snow peas! These are so yummy and crisp.

Carrots!

An onion, that, by the way I had no idea would bloom so beautifully..

A bloomed marigold and corn, heirloom from the mobi Indians..

She was thinkin’ ’bout her father, who she very rarely saw....

2010-06-17T11:23:00.003-05:00

I did sew more.
This week was VBS which I did not help out with at all!
I have felt a smidgen of guilt a couple of times, but in truth and defense, I did have to work a bit during that time, and as my mom reminded me, I can work VBS another year when I am not already with me kids 24/ 7. So as a self indulgent treat, I made gifts.

I made a few capes for two little boys celebrating birthdays this week, and arm-chair caddy's for our daddies.

Cheesy, maybe, but I have such a hard time figuring out crafty things to make for dads. Girls are easy..I whip up some jewelry or something knit, but what do you make for guys?

Generally, I am really bad at following patterns and directions because I have never taken a class and feel lost when technical terms pop-up, but I did okay with these two endeavors. The cape, I just made up and the caddies, I had written instructions for. The material is all leftovers from previous projects. What are you making for father's day?

Two big bags...(well, 3, but that's how Bobby D sings it)

2010-06-10T08:34:00.002-05:00

So, I can sew..
While Ollie was at soccer camp this week, I made bags! I had such fun doing them, as I haven't sewn in too long.

The material I've kept for ages with the intention of someday using, and it is always a joy to dip through my bin reminiscing about old fabric from dresses or curtains or even furniture that I have loved. These fabrics feel like old friends and I am pleased to bring them out of the closet.

What has he done to wear so many scars?...

2010-06-07T16:51:00.004-05:00

Because I thought you should know, Eli called me a craw-mommy this week on our hike this weekend(which is similar to a crawdaddy). We frolicked under water falls and swam in the cool, cool water. Ollie also slipped and put a good gash in his shin. I'll spare you the photos of it, but he's still wearing a good bandage. Waterfalls are worth the pain, he thinks...

That place where the bones of life are piled....

2010-06-06T08:35:00.004-05:00

Okay, a few more from Dad's.
Ollie wanted to collect every bone he found so that he could reconstruct it for our museum.

Horses, mules, martins, and barn swallows. We also saw an owl! Nature in the country.

On a hot summer day, hot summer lawn....

2010-06-05T08:40:00.003-05:00

Celebrating Pump-o's big 4th birthday with 18 of our closest friends and their families means summer is really here.

Watermelons, tire swing, kiddie pool, slip-n-slide, water balloons, and FUN!

Oh, yes, art and the new sandbox!

scattered in the wild wind....

2010-06-02T08:03:00.001-05:00

Wild plums, blackberries not quite ripe, and black-eyed susans..Flora from Bama...

There’s frogs inside my socks.....

2010-06-01T07:39:00.005-05:00

My dad recently moved to Alabama, his place of birth, and it is hands down, one of the best places for Grandpa to live. I took many good pictures of flora and fauna, and am going to break them up over the next few days. We stayed outside the entire time we were there exploring and pretending to be farm hands.

On a quick trip to the gas station to check our email (dad's doesn't have service) we picked up a hitchhiker of sorts.

He probably lived here.

In this bog full of lily pads and teeming with life...

especially dragon flies and birds.
We saw a whooping crane elegantly pass overhead, but I didn't capture him.

At night, the chorus of frogs and toads permeated the air. The sound was deafeningly loud. I have never heard so many frogs in one place. You can't see them here, but you can hear them. We sat under the stars in open mouth amazement at their rhythm.

When we were made of dreams....

2010-05-31T08:28:00.004-05:00

Allow me to take you on a photo journey around my grandparents' home in Mississippi. I spent many a hot summer day here in my childhood. My grandmother, Sunny, died of ALS about 4 years ago. We visited this week, and I was able to share some of these sights with my own children.

Fire Ants

Let the smell of wildflowers flow free through my blood......

2010-05-21T21:26:00.003-05:00

Eastern Box Turtle spotted moments before our family was caught in torrential rains during a 2.5 mile hike at a state park (I didn't take more pictures because I was WET!)

Nature sightings from this past week....

Sits with Utopian hermit monks....

2010-05-20T08:52:00.003-05:00

So, I just canceled plans with wonderful friend.
For no reason. Wellll, it was for a reason. A very simple one. Overbooking.
We run our tails off as homeschoolers, and every once in a while we have to stop and take a few deep breaths. When planning our week, I generally separate our time into blocks of AM/ Afternoon/ and PM. Generally every evening Monday - Thursday is full of soccer or Spanish classes. Morning activities range from co-ops and field trips to play dates, volunteering, or lessons. ALL of our activities are valuable and fun. All of them bring us great pleasure and help us learn. I don't put them on the books if they don't. So it is both painful and with regret that I strike one of them from the books. Not to mention that I realize that our friends also maintain a delicate balance with their schedules and likewise make a point to include us in their daily routine. So canceling is not something I take lightly. I know what you give up, when you say you are going to meet us out. Just this week, another mom friend and I had to go back and forth about four times before finally squeezing in an hour and 1/2 nature hike together. Well worth the effort and time, but crazy that we have so much going on...I say this because I love all of our friends and obligations so much. They are a blessing and we would feel isolated and devastated with out each person in our lives, but we do have to cancel sometimes for our own sanity. Sometimes, once every week or so, we have to stay in our pjs, be home to air the laundry and bake, and lounge around and read. And truth be told, we LOVE our family time and our home. We yearn to be together when we are away. Our home is a haven for us, and on the weekends we cling to one another. My favorite moments are spent on a quilt in the backyard with all four of us engrossed in a novel. And, my favorite friends are those that understand and respect that, the ones that are still there when it it time to have others around us, the ones that take no offense to our hermit-like tendencies. Thank you for understanding.

passion rules the arrow that flies...

2010-05-14T20:17:00.004-05:00

For awhile, a long time ago, we had magnetic poetry on the fridge.
I imagine this was probably long enough ago that we actually had time to linger around the fridge coming up with haikus and witty word play. I have kept them in a junk drawer all these years, and have just pulled them out to use in our reading lessons. I divided them into parts of speech, and Ollie is making sentences with them, exploring reading and nouns, verbs, and adjectives. This sounded like a quaint little homeschool activity until I realized that we also had an adult version of magnetic poetry. I'll spare you the most explicit words, and just let you know that I had to sift through a few things that I didn't want them sounding out..I did however leave the pile of unmentionables sitting on a book in the living room. My bad, because inevitably I found words like bra, pubic, tremble, and nude spread across the living room floor and also stuck to the bottom of my feet. I will be passing these along, if any of you need them. Maybe this could be my version of a giveaway. What would you do with a magnetic version of passion and luscious? On second thought, I don't need to know what you would do them..

Little red bike

2010-05-13T16:16:00.005-05:00

Attention world, Ollie can now ride a bike! We are working on starting and stopping, but hard work and patience has prevailed!

It's gonna be the meanest flood....

2010-05-12T08:51:00.001-05:00

After the rain, there is life.

And giant slugs.

When the roses fade....

2010-05-11T08:51:00.002-05:00

My roses bloomed

Handy Dandy, he got a stick

2010-05-10T23:12:00.002-05:00

Watch out world, Evan gave Ollie a pocket knife and he is now aiming to become a world class widdler.

Camping power!

My mother was a tailor, she sowed these new blue jeans

2010-05-09T16:51:00.002-05:00

Please go here:

http://www.penniesandprayersparade.blogspot.com/

In awe of my Mamas and mothers and women and my mom and all....

With a Phish head an’ a harpoon...

2010-05-07T21:10:00.005-05:00

PHISH 3D - IN THEATERS APRIL 30TH from Phish on Vimeo.

We believe in showing our children how to have fun and enjoy life. This is one way to do it. Last weekend we drug them to the movie theater not to see some new redundancy from Disney, but to jam out. Its all about education! The best part wast that we had been there! We went to California last October to enjoy the show. The kids saw part of it, too. Remember?

Mama wants you t’ come back in the house and bring them clothes.....

2010-05-06T09:39:00.003-05:00

Solar Power.
My husband finally broke down, and helped me upgrade my clothes line situation
(see tye- dye post from earlier wherein the wires are not in the sun..)
I post this reluctantly because my friends, neighbors, and family are prohibited from even washing clothes this week due to flood induced water shortages in Nashville. My thoughts and prayers are with you Music City.

All the tired horses in the sun ....

2010-05-05T08:09:00.003-05:00

Class today took place at a friend's home learning about horses!

How to care for them and..

How to ride them!

Ollie's favorite part was a sugar free homemade lemonade being sold by a nine year old, on sight. He bought four glasses with his own money.

High water everywhere.....

2010-05-01T20:59:00.005-05:00

For our once a week co-op this Thursday (and at show-and-tell--- thanks for the idea girls!) we read a story about Diego Rivera, on of my favorite Mexican Artists.

I then took a copy of this full mural, Water, the origin of life, and cut it into a grid shape of 8 equal parts. Each of us painted a portion of it and then put it back together to form our own "mural."

I accidentally cut off the bottom two portions, but believe me, they were awesome.
Look closely at the top right to see a tiny girl foot print :)
Our water theme is appropriate giving our historical Spring showers today.

like bats out of hell...

2010-04-29T09:28:00.004-05:00

So, coming out of the library this week, a strange man stopped us and said, "Hey wanna see a bat." So, of course I said sure. He took us across the street into the underbelly of a building. (I began to question my decision to follow the man, of course..)BUT, low and behold, he wasn't a crazy killer, but just some dude that took time out of his day to point out something cool.
He touched it! A Bat! This has lead us to much research and discovery about these peaceful, helpful, flying mammals...

Other than this, our week so far has looked just like last week. Creeks and outdoors and reading. I am basking in our routine, though I am afraid, it hasn't felt very interesting to the outside world.

Don’t ya tell Henry....

2010-04-25T20:23:00.003-05:00

Yes, they are IN that tree. It was completely hollow!

Let the hiking season begin!
We love the parks and hiking around middle Tennessee, and during the summer we are in the habit of having weekend adventures. This year Eli, now 3, can actually hike quite a bit. Today we all did about 3 miles, which is fantastic for little ones on the first hike out, I think. Last year, Eli spent many a hike in the Maya wrap.
These were pics from Henry Horton State Park, which, I might add is a lovely Sunday drive from the 'Boro. I give the park itself 2 1/2 gold stars comparatively speaking, but 5 stars as starter for more exciting adventures to come.

was in the backyard hanging clothes,...

2010-04-23T19:52:00.002-05:00

Look what we made!

Well, let the caterpillars spin....

2010-04-22T21:59:00.002-05:00

"MAMA!" "MAMA!" (Heard coming from the woods)
"I'm coming, baby!" (Me, running.)
"MAMA! MAMA!"
"What is it?"(Imagining foot stuck in a log or something crazier.)
"LOOK! A CATERPILLAR!"
"Awesome, buddy!"

Happy Earth Day!

That pirate ship away.....

2010-04-22T07:58:00.004-05:00

We found a great spot last year, and finally made it back there this season. We splashed and explored with friends. We saw two blue herons, two snakes, and two dead crawfish.

My camera is focused on the wrong spot, but one of the herons is in the background of this picture.

Hugging trees..

Feathers..

Alligators...

Wheat for baking bread...

And, a pirate ship with cannon and gold.

Sign on the porch...

2010-04-21T07:59:00.000-05:00

Front porch designs, collections, and observations.

Something about that movie though, well I just can’t get it out of my head

2010-04-20T22:03:00.000-05:00

Ollie and Eli made a movie. I helped with no part of this except the duck tape and the filming, for which I was directed. Enjoy. They are concerned that it is not on the real TV. I've assured them that I would put it out there for the general public to enjoy.

Starlight by the edge of the creek..

2010-04-15T21:34:00.000-05:00

A day spent in two different creeks,
an insect class,
and pot luck with fellow homeschoolers and friends that included
hide-n-seek, ice-cream, and bubbles.
Is it summer already?

I can see the day coming when even your home garden

2010-04-14T22:14:00.000-05:00

We planted peppers, tomatoes, marigolds, cucumbers, basil, and cilantro today. I didn't snap any photos because, well, it still looks like dirt, but trust me, we spent all morning outside, then walked down to a friends house to pal around. The longer I live in my neighborhood, the more I love it. Here's what I'm taking to a pot luck at the park tomorrow evening with friends:

Cucumber Alfalfa Wraps:
Mix goat cheese and avocado in the food processor. Spread on tortillas (you could make your own, but I'm not going to tomorrow.) Fill tortillas with the following "salsa" made with: cucumber, red onion, dill, and sprouts. You could add lime. Cool and enjoy. A summer hit at our home. What could I change to make it more yummy? Ideas?

When the cities are on fire..

2010-04-14T07:32:00.000-05:00

I should just rename this blog: Following my children around on their adventures.
Outside yesterday.

there in the meadow where the creek used to rise

2010-04-12T20:39:00.000-05:00

Today after Spanish class, lunch at home, and work at the food bank, we hiked deep in to the woods (well a mile or so) to meet friends.

There we waded and chatted and played.

Our classroom..

The kids were extremely industrious and hardworking..

Making art for a "rock museum"

Then home for dinner with daddy, fresh, raw wraps for a hot day.
Recipe tomorrow.

I ran right outside...

2010-04-11T20:19:00.000-05:00

Our outside table and the lettuce patch

Beyond the horizon, in the Springtime

2010-04-10T20:22:00.000-05:00

The culmination of an outside kinda day with family.
Viva Spring.

to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns

2010-04-08T18:50:00.000-05:00

Our outside shot for the day, a costumed birthday party with friends.
My little clown.
This fits him so well in so many ways.

A teacup of water is enough to drown

2010-04-07T08:13:00.000-05:00

Outside everyday...dogwood in bloom..

Morning watering of veggies..

And fighting over the hose..

lookin’ so dandy and so fine.

2010-04-05T22:22:00.000-05:00

Like most of you, we are digging the outdoors.
We get out a plenty, and indeed one of my favorite parts of homeschooling is our ability to go outside whenever the flip we choose.
Notice how cute my little family is.
My brother in law is wearing his 6 month old on a walk to the park.
I love baby wearing dads..

I also love wildflowers found in my backyard. And dandelions.

Eli is hiding behind this tree..

And here is one of my favorite spots to read.
My nephew is pictured learning about bubbles.

Electric light still struck like arrows, fired but for the ones

2010-03-25T21:40:00.000-05:00

Science at the museum ..
Perfect for a rainy Spring day..

Studying the solar system..

Can you see Ollie's reflection in the picture above? Studying rotation..

And relative size..

And body parts, health, and the medical profession.

Bones..

Experiencing anti-gravity..

Science, once again, proven to rock..

And in her right hand, a silver dagger

2010-03-23T07:50:00.000-05:00

Our studies have led us to Rome. Ollie decided to be a Roman foot soldier-a legionary. Of course, with a stockpile of cardboard, aluminum foil, and a hot-glue gun, what can't I do?

The helmet is complete with the "new" addition of face guards. Also, as exciting as armour: two spears, a dagger, and a sword. All equipment equals 80 pounds with which the Roman soldier had to march 20 miles per day. Next, on to aqueducts...

You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread,

2010-03-22T08:03:00.000-05:00

Sourdough - My version
The above critter was found rolled up in my cheesecloth. I could see a dark splotch as I used the cloth and as I unrolled it, I discovered the source.

2 cups of water to 1 cup of flour. Cover with cheesecloth (lady bug free) and let sit for several days. I let mine sit for 3 or 4 days. It starts to stink. Like puke. Don't stir or touch.

Then, it looks like this. Bubbly and gooey and stinky. Mix with bread ingredients of choice. I did very simple: flour, salt, olive oil, water, and about a cup of starter. Mix, knead for at least 10 minutes, let rise for several hours, then bake with a pan of water in the bottom of the oven.

, This is a thick, hearty bread that will last only a day or two.
I've found, the more you knead, the better the consistency.

I am also trying to use up all my yarn that I currently have instead of buying new.
I end up with the dregs..Soon to try re-knitting..

And rest yourself ’neath the strength of strings

2010-03-21T08:20:00.000-05:00

We are striving very hard in our home to institute a day of rest. It sounds silly to have to TRY to rest, but it is hard to sort of schedule in a chore-less, errand-less day. We have done this twice, and I have found myself looking forward to it during the week as a light at the end of the tunnel. To know that there will be one day set aside to lounge around in the sun on a blanket and read-all day, to rejuvenate, and talk and hug has helped me breathe deeper during the week. We took our day of rest yesterday as it was sunny and warm; today is to be filled with rain, laundry, and baking..

Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop

2010-03-19T08:36:00.000-05:00

Eli on a sunny day (outfit of his choosing..)

But rather give myself to science..

2010-03-18T08:05:00.000-05:00

When I first began homeschooling, I was a reluctant science teacher. Reading books or doing math problems is SO much easier. BUT, my children's enthusiasm has begun to rub off on me. They love science experiments. I often use them as a reward for completing other tasks. "If you clean your room, we can do a Science experiment!"
These two books are a hit in our home right now. The top one, is cohesive, and each experiment uses prior knowledge to build on new concepts. It uses real scientific terms but requires materials that I tend to already have around the house. It is a winner.

We've only done one so far out of the above book, but it was a bag bomb. Yes, a bomb. The kids were playing something to do with Star Wars (blah, blah, blah), and I whipped up some bombs to include in their play. The experiment involved the ever popular baking soda and vinegar concoction in a zip lock baggie, but we got to discuss things like liquids, gasses, solids and carbon dioxide. Very fun.

Our science experiment involved a cabbage wash to test ph balance.

Acid, base, or neutral..

Changing the liquids color to report ph balance..

Hypothesis, writing, reading, scientific method..
(Sorry, Mom, we used that Diet Coke you were saving here for our science experiment :))

Seen a shooting star tonight

2010-03-17T09:13:00.000-05:00

My post yesterday about peace, and today about war.
Du, du, du, du, du, du, du, du, du, du..

Behold, an assortment of capes, in Eli's words, that are a "tiny bit bigger than germs." Cut from felt and using a hole puncher to elicit squeals of glee, change the men into a plethora of different characters, and keep the boys occupied deep in imagination for hours.

Let me walk down the highway with my brother in peace

2010-03-16T19:45:00.000-05:00

This week, we participated with Bridge Builders at the Nashville Peace and Justice Center in planting seeds. The sprouts will be sold at a Mother's Day Parade. Proceeds from the sale will be used to buy more seeds to send to Haiti. Can you guess the lessons I was able to incorporate with this activity?

You'll find God in the church of your choice

2010-03-15T21:12:00.000-05:00

We had the honor to visit a Greek Orthodox church last week as a field trip, and it was beautiful. I am unaccustomed to this type of architecture, art, and attention to detail in places of worship in this country. Here are a few glimpses of what we were enchanted by..

The ornate baptismal

Murals

Mosaics

Icons reflecting the light from the ceiling

Incense burner

And an exquisite devotion to symbolism and artistic purpose

But best of all, of course, we were able to spend a few precious moment with treasured friends..

“Are birds free from the chains of the skyway?”

2010-03-10T21:23:00.000-06:00

Spring is in the air!
Finally!
Ollie bought his brother ice-cream from the ice-cream man from his saved allowance.

We hung our feeders and are anxiously watching.

Wish us birds!

For the day bein' pleasant and charmin'.

2010-03-09T07:37:00.000-06:00

At the dentist..

In his gi..

A day in the life of the O-Ray..

All the tired horses in the sun

2010-03-08T08:24:00.000-06:00

Okay, last post about our study of Ancient Greece. Ollie made a mask to play a part in a play. The kids were imitating the Greek drama and discussing democracy as they gave each other awards..

He is most like Polyphemus, the one-eyed giant according to a 5 question quiz.

And, lastly, the Trojan horse :)

She’s a junkyard angel and she always gives me bread

2010-03-07T09:09:00.000-06:00

Mmmmmm, the basics.
Bread and butter.
This week we had a scrumptious treat. I bought cream at out local dairy, let it sit out over night in a mason jar, and then during our lessons, shook the cream for about 15 minutes. When I could feel it start to thicken, I opened the jar, and strained the remaning liquid off. Voila, yummy, all natural, local, handmade, butter. This was so easy that we will be doing it again and again.
I also made a loaf of french bread using the following method. The combo was heavenly.
Combine 2 -3 tsp. of yeast and 1/2 cup of warm water. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir.
Combine 3 cups of sifted flour and 1/2 tsp salt with the yeast mixture and 1/2 to 3/4 cup warm water. Mix until you have a workable dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Put in oiled bowl, cover with a clean dishcloth, put in a warm place for an hour.
Punch down, cover again for 45 minutes.
Punch down again and roll out a baguette. Put on baking sheet, dust with cornmeal, cover and let rise once more for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven at 400 degrees with a pan of water in the oven. Score the top of the bread. Spray the sides of the oven every 5 minutes for the 1st 15 minutes of baking. Bake for a total of 30 minutes. Enjoy.
Basic ingredients and really easy.

Then the Greek appears...

2010-03-04T21:03:00.000-06:00

As we continue our study of Ancient Greece, today we visited the Frist with friends. We've been reading The Odyssey which Ollie LOVES, so he got a kick out of finding out that he is most like Polyphemus.

At home, we also built a catapult.

Exploring columns, geometry, architecture, history, art..

We continue our study tomorrow with a co-op.

And a pair of old Greek shoes.

2010-02-26T19:32:00.000-06:00

We approached the week with green hair.

And moved on with our study of ancient Greece. This statue of Athena is the largest indoor statue in North America, and it is, well, big. It is hideous, in my opinion, but something to see, none the less. The Parthenon itself IS impressive, and we experienced the architecture and myths to the fullest.

We have a fantastic and diverse group of homeschoolers in our co-op, and we are lucky to have hooked up with them. I dare not show you pictures of their faces, but they are beautiful, smart, and inquisitive.

Huge doors- movable by design be even to the littlest Rayburn.

Handsome boys

They also have a replica of this machine, but asked that I not photo it..

Happy sunshine and swinging afterward.

Where my friends and I spent many an afternoon,

2010-02-23T20:11:00.000-06:00

Homeschool wrap up for the past week: We've included plenty of science (density pictured above) and started our new science journal.

A fantastic activity led at co-op by a friend wherein each child said why they liked each other.
So kind.

And, Homeschool show and tell at the library. The hit: A bow and handmade arrows that a unschooled 9 year old let everyone shoot.

We've done tons more great things, like study Purim and geocentrism, but I've been a slacker picture taker.

But even the president of the United States Sometimes must have To stand naked.

2010-02-17T08:47:00.000-06:00

So, for President's Day, we read these books that I highly recommend. My children are fascinated with such things, and the books were great reads.

The Kid who Ran for President
The US Presidency
Vice President

Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop

2010-02-14T16:07:00.000-06:00

So, now, all of a sudden we live with a six year old.
We are blessed with great friends.
We had a party on Thursday, and were surrounded with love and fun.
Ollie's best bud, made a shirt for him, pictured above.

He also received a hand-made hula hoop, art kits, a handmade robot necklace, airplane kits, science books, and he was just generally showered with wonderful, personal, handmade thoughtfulness.
Thank you, friends.

Vegan-from scratch cupcakes were a hit!

His new books and favorite crown of royal colors

We spent Wednesday at the Symphony, bowling, and taking the boy to dinner..Thursday partying with friends, and Friday- Sunday letting the Rayburns love on him in Indiana.

So serious and mature....

she violently knits

2010-02-11T10:08:00.000-06:00

So, I am slowly, slowly knitting myself a set of dishcloths and they are both beautiful (to me) and useful. I like them more than any dishcloth that I have ever used before.
If I make a mistake, it's okay because it is for me..

Meat shakin' on your bones

2010-02-09T20:00:00.000-06:00

So, back to my 10 week plan for a better me.

I have been keeping up with all of my goals, except jogging or bike riding.

I hate this weather. It is bringing me down, man, and I've used that as an excuse..

Last week, the goal was to buy no meat unless it came from a great local source. Due to price and availability, this cuts our meat consumption considerably. We normally only eat it once or twice a week tops, and during our co-op were able to eat local easily. During the winter, we bought Laura's and "natural" chicken. But, I realize that we could easily do more. So for now, we are vegetarians. I am looking for local meat that is in our budget, and when we find some, it will be our special treat-which will be much healthier for us anyway.

We are also working on outreach. I found a great volunteer opportunity for myself and the children. We are working at our church's food bank, and the kids absolutely love it. They get to shelve food, load grocery bags, and enjoy people. It has really been a blessing to us.

This week I have made an attempt to cut our dairy intake by half. This has been the toughest so far. I love cheese so very much, and without meat, I use it as an easy part of lunches and dinners. We use our local dairy for milk and I often substitute soy milk in recipes. We long ago quit buying creamy condiments. Likewise, I can fool the family with recipes that require eggs, but the cheese! My beloved cheese. I tried to simply skip it at the grocery store, and made a trip back to the store for some today - it is only Tuesday.

I guess the nice thing about making your own goals, is that they are yours to repeat, retry, be reminded of, and generally just own. I will continue to try on this cheese thing or at least seek healthier, more sustainable options.

My spiritual goal for the week puts an emphasis on church attendance. I find so much comfort and value in being part of a community of love and kindness ---this family of God's that accepts everyone and binds together to discuss eternity and outreach and love. I surround myself socially with like minded individuals, and my church attendance helps remind me that we are all so very different, but often can have the same heart, the same hurts, concerns, and joys.

I put all of these goals here, for no other reason than to help keep me accountable. I will eat meat and cheese if I come to your home and you are cooking it up. For any of our lifestyle choices here at home, I never, never want to make a host feel uncomfortable. We like the taste after all, but are rather taking small steps here to lead healthier lives and be more responsible consumers.

See the craters and the canyons where the waterfalls run

2010-02-06T18:39:00.000-06:00

This week in a gray cloud of winter blahs, we went to the Opryland Hotel to revel in horticulture. Ollie was also transfixed by architecture. We loved seeing our friends and the energy of all of the life around us WAS rejuvenating.

Look closely above. That is a woodpecker in our tree out front.

Heeeeee-hawwwww

And plenty of time for quiet contemplation by man made waterfalls..

He said, "Let's set up a fort..

2010-01-31T10:15:00.000-06:00

Our snow day..

Snow fort..

And, best neighbor award for bringing the kids hot chocolate at the end of our hard labor.

Winter would have no spring

2010-01-30T10:36:00.000-06:00

At the start of the week, I could sense Spring.
I remembered what warmth and sun felt like.

School..

Hints from the garden..

And, we started at Flat Eli and Flat Ollie exchange program. We are hostessing a lovely young lady from Nebraska. If you would like to host one of these fabulously polite young men, please let us know. They are free for adventures.

And, then SNOW!

And, therefor, board games with the family.