Still Summer

A quiet moment in the sun.
Bella is so affectionate and just loves to cuddle Lucy.
Lucy is so proud and happy.

I have to share this recipe for the best soup I have made in a while.

The flavour was awesome and the soup is easy to make.

Martha Stewart does it again.

A must try at this time of year for a yummy bowl of autumn garden goodness.

Butternut Soup

Roast at 450 degrees

2 1/2 lbs butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded and cut into 2 inch pieces.

Combine with 1 onion cut up in quarters, 2 shitake or 3 button mushrooms cleaned and cut up, 1 clove (or more)garlic and place on a rimmed cookie sheet.

Add 2 tsps salt and 1/4 cup olive oil. Toss to coat and spread evenly on sheet.

Roast about 30 minutes, until you can poke with a knife and they are tender.

Transfer roasted veggies to a saucepan over medium heat.

Pour in 2 cups veggie stock and puree with an immersion blender until smooth.

With blender running add 3 more cups stock and again puree till smooth.

Bring soup to a simmer and season with salt and pepper.

For a side snack this afternoon, I used those new tortilla scoops and filled them like mini tacos and baked them.

Such a fun and quick snack.

The kids had fun creating their own little natcho bites.

CHEEZY INFOMERCIAL MOMENT

Are you tired of paying for gadgets that don't work?
Have you tried everything on the market to make your garlic peeling chore easier only to find that they don't work and are a pain to clean?
Well look no further.
Have I found the product for you!!!!

Yes throw out all your useless and unusable garlic apparatuses and replace them with this new tool that will revolutionize the way you think of garlic.
No longer will it be a chore.
No longer will it be a bothersome mess that you wish you didn't have to do.
Even the kids will want to do it.
Yes Folks here it is.

The fantastic, the easy to use, easy to clean , Garlic Zoom.

And yes it really does work.

Dishwasher safe and kid friendly (when closed), garlic is a snap to add to any recipe when you use the Garlic Zoom.

OK enough is enough.

But I am so stoked on this little gem I had to share it with you.

I picked it up in Victoria at some kitchen boutique and am so satisfied.

If you find one, pay the $12 and save yourself any more hassles with the dreaded garlic chore.

Onto the seasonal chore of saving my herbs.

Basil and oregano are 2 of my personal faves.

I picked the garden clean of the basil and chopped it all up.

I put it into ice cube trays and filled with water to cover and froze them overnight.

Once frozen I place into zip lock baggies for year round garden freshness.

Tomorrow is the oregano.

Farewell our Feathered Friends

We have raised turkeys before but this time was so much fun and much easier.
We understood better what it takes to raise them and found it much simpler than the first time.
The girls were also older and had way more fun with them and helped out quite a bit.

We got them as chicks only 2 days old and since the mortality is quite high initially we lost 3 in the first 2 days.
After that one white one sadly one died from over handling ( I can only assume) from a group of 15 kids we had over one day.
Lesson learned there.
Apart from the regular white turkeys that you usually see we got a few bronze breasted birds because we were told that they taste way better and have a darker meat.
But since they grow at a slower rate they were a smaller bird and were sold for their desirable size, so we never even got to try one.
Maybe next year.

Here they are a week old and under the heat lamp in their shed.

Already we could see personalities shining through.

This bronze one was Tasha and she proved to be the funniest and most mischievous of the bunch.

Their feet were so neat and the male birds (Toms) had huge feet by the end.

At about 2 months old they were gangely and awkward.

E right till the end, man handled and picked them all up.

This is the first we saw of a male strutting his stuff.

His first calls were like a prepubescent teen, garbbled and crackly, absolutely hilarious to hear.

The red comb in youth.

The bubbling mass changes colour and size as they grew older, and as they get hot, or cold or angry it changed as well.

SO ugly they are cute.

The girls would always chase and catch them.

It was a fun game and as the turkeys do not peck, the girls were pretty safe, unless they accidentally got clawed by a toe nail.

At this point we figured out we had 3 males and they would compete and strut their stuff all around the yard.

If any noise was heard they would gobble away and protect their ladies.

Yes turkeys, even with their wings clipped, can fly.

Here they are roosting on top of their pen.

We would find Tasha out of the pen daily, and how a dog never got her is beyond me.

Always watching.

Saying a goodbye the night before slaughter as we gathered them into a enclosure for easier catching in the morning.

Their last night.

It was a bit of a challenge to get the turkeys to the slaughter house without a cage or trailer this time, so J jimmy rigged this netting over the box of his truck.

Off they go.

Let me tell you for 12 bucks each bird it is well worth it to get someone else to do it all. They have all the equiptment and know how, so why would I bother.

I could never do anything like that, ever,

Notice the size of this one. It had trouble walking around. He was actually getting to big for his legs.

Can you believe he weighed in at over 50 lbs...... processed!!!

Here he is bagged and in our freezer.

Now we need an army to feed when we cook that bird up.

Another farming adventure all said and done, and I already miss them and their squawking around the yard.

Good bye turkeys. Thank you for the good times and good food.

Bang Bang Bang

I have always thought it would be so much fun as a kid to be able to bang and clang whenever and where ever.
This idea was spawned from Amanda Soule Blake's first book, ( I think that is where I saw this idea) and I have been trying to get to it for some time.
Finally this week the girls and I hit the local thrift store and scavenged the yard for anything noisy to hang.



The outcome is a splendid gathering of odd shaped tins and metals hung from string or wire.
Each making its own unique sound.
Filling each with rocks, sand or water add more interesting noises for endless fun.



All the kids migrate to this contraption and seem to get the idea instantly as they pick up a metal curtain rod that is used as the hit stick and start clanging away.
E has a better time trying to figure out how to create the loudest noise possible, while K is trying to find the right pitches to create an actual song.
Till then I hope my neighbours are OK with the chaotic sound from their kooky neighbours back yard.


In case you noticed E is wearing K's shoes for a true clown foot effect, she's not a snowshoe rabbit.

HERE WE GO!!!

A couple nights ago K got out of bed while I was madly catching up on a bunch of neglected computer work and requested a pen and paper.

Not thinking that 9:30 was really a great time, I still handed them to her but was a bit curious as to what she was doing.

After a minute or so she handed me this page, gave me a kiss and was off to bed.

Simply stated and it had the intended impact.

Her mind is made up and I will no longer let her feel the terror she feels at the thought of going to school.

I know she loves the school work and is eager to learn, so after the past week, a decision has been made.

We are now in full homeschooling mode.

We have de-registered from the public school and registered with a local distance education center.

In the past week I have had the opportunity to look at many homeschooling formats available to us and I believe we have found a curriculum that is focused and works like we do.

K and I both thrive on organization and structure and am known to be, for use of a better word, particular and had to set up and get us ready for schooling at home.

I spent the day yesterday organizing and refurbishing our space to mimic a school like setting.

I pulled out learning books, games and resources from the girls shelves and brought then to the "school".

I bought gear and supplies, like a real teacher, and am feeling like this is just about the best decision ever.

I spent all alst night sorting through my ideas and writing littl remindr notes and by this morning I was exhausted but satisfied that our little "school" will be wonderful.

I fretted at first about how I was going to organize this into my already busy life and realized the fit was perfect once established properly.

I am delighted to be able to teach and share with our girls and have made the setting suitable to teach them both at their pace, but not in each others hair.

I am sure we will have our difficulties but for today K is so excited and relaxed and that is what this is all about.

I can see so many benefits to homeschooling that I never had considered.

Equally I am sure there will be a few drawbacks as time goes on.

K was adamant about having a calendar chart and wall pockets and I do see that they are defiantly useful.

We have chalk boards and pretty much everything that she would have at school except we have a comfy couch to snuggle and read on.

I believe that soothing quiet music in the background helps maintain calmness and rhythm.

This shelf is a quick collection of books, games and supplies that I am sure will be re-organized a few more times till they find their "spots".

K's desk with a really usefull chalk sticker.

She has her desk filled with all the goodies we just brought back from her other desk at school.

This is my quick filing system for all that we will need for learning at home.

Like I said I work better when things are in their place so we can concentrate on the learning.

She is satisfied that life will be so much better now and keeps asking what we are learning tomorrow.

Yup, this pretty much sums up my girls at this point.

Sassy, happy and sweet.

Homeschooling Hillbillies????

Update:

When we first had kids I always thought that school ways eons away.

When we hit the preschool years I felt fear, joy and relief as my little one confidently forged her way into the world, making decisions and friendship, learning sharing, disappointments and other (all be it sad at times) valuable social skills.

I petitioned her for homeschooling as we approached the kindergarten years and she adamantly refused.

I was eager to find like minded people and form a co-operative of sorts with many kids learning in a loving comfortable manner from many people in many aspects of life.

K wanted no part of that idea.

As she went to kindergarten she dismissed me and brushed me off from day one, and I took that as a good sign of her confidence and eagerness for school.

We often laughed that she was resistant to me teaching her and she agreed starting that moms are moms and teachers are teachers.

That was then.....

Over the weekend, being removed from the situation at home, we were able to relax and gain a grasp at the task before us.

This left me with so many questions and a long list of pros and cons.

I believe in the virtues of homeschooling, unschoolingand/or deschooling, however you'd like to call it, but is it the right move right now?

What does this do for K's ability to overcome life's' situations that are challenging and stressful?Does this allow her to negate her responsibilities and throw up her hands easily?

Isn't it our job to be sure that she makes the best decisions in life?

She is just 6 and I wonder if she has that capability of knowing the full ramifications of such a decision, both positive and negative.

That is why as parents we are desperately trying to answer these pressing questions in order to make some peace around here with a solid plan and strong forward determination whichever way we proceed.

So the pros of such a life changing idea?

-As I see it there are many but the togetherness and wholesomeness is the biggest factor.

What else in life can create a well rounded, confident, curious and strong minded children as love and nurturing in all applications that homeschooling allows?

-more one on one

-teaching both kids together

-getting to know a whole new community within our community

-planning events and trips without the restrictions of a school schedule

-teaching her in a style that suits her best, knowing how she learns and working with it

-teaching her about so many new things and learning in the process with fun

-playing to learn, guilt free, and knowing it is building a strong bond, encouraging her strengths

-allowing rest when needed and being at our pace for structure and learning

-reading endlessly at night without worrying about getting up at 6:30 (7:30 is just fine)

....just to name a few.

But as devils advocate, J's primary roll in this at this point

Some of the cons in this matter, and my fears

-she'll think home is for fun only

-she won't take my instruction

-how can she learn to sit and have structure if she isn't used to doing it, in the real world

-her sister will hamper the process for her through distraction in our small space

-losing many of her friends and acquaintances at school

-not getting the curriculum necessary

-not having music and P.E.

-it all hangs on me, especially since J is in camp

-afraid it may not get done right

-how do I know what to teach, what is right, what is proper?

-having less "me" time

I know many of these are easily rectified and quickly resolved but my head is spinning around with so many thoughts.

Oddly though, I am quite at peace with the idea.

I know I can do it, I know I want to.

I believe that in life you will always get what you want, not always when you thought but none the less it will come to you.

I think this has happened for a reason.

When I heard K screaming in her sleep that she doesn't want to go to school and crying and moaning as we cuddles her, I knew that deep down she is hurting and as a parent you strive to take away the hurt.

This is the answer we see best at this time.

So we have opened the door and are starting the process to homeschooling, with the understanding that public schooling will always be an option.

Welcome to my new role as a homeschooling Hill Billy Jilly.

No School

Just when you think things are going smoothly in life, something happens that throws you for a loop.
My precious little lady K has declared, amongst screams and furry, that she is never going to school again.
She has has horrendous tantrums and fits getting ready and in the van for school.

It has been such a challenge.
This started on Monday and it has been a roller coaster of emotions for us all since.

I ended it yesterday when I saw her in her class room.

I had to leave for a moment to make a call to J to let him know I was going to stay for a bit longer.
I had agreed to stay and get her comfortable so she would try to stay for the day.

She clung to me like glue and I could feel the tenseness as she cuddled with me at circle time so I knew that staying by herself wasn't going to happen but I still wanted her to be there.

I had left through one door and by the time I had got to the other door, I peeked in and saw her curled up in a fetal position banging her head and stomping her feet in sheer hysterics.
She didn't know I could see her.
The teacher let her be and the kids shocked at first just turned their heads as she went on.

My heart sank and I decided that this is serious.
Not just a little case of anxiety about school.

I opened the door and told her gently to grab her stuff.
She calmed down after I held her for a while and hand in hand we went to the car for the ride home.

Upon arriving home I put her to bed to rest and regroup and I went to the bathroom to close the door and cried.
It was horrible to see the terror in her eyes.
To hear that primal scream.
A decision had to be made.

We have talked to the teachers and the principle decided to go do counselling through the school next week, to see if we can make it a safe and comfortable place for her to want to go to.
I hope this will work to ease her stress.

J and I have had many discussions in the past few days and many more with her, trying to figure out the reason for this 180 about school.
Is it the teacher?
The new split classroom with many new students?
The longer days?
Did someone say or do something to her?
What????

She says she hates the long days and is bored.
But I sense something more.
I know she feels left out, that she may be missing out on things as J, E and I are doing the daily things without her.
And I get that, and we have saved the fun stuff to do with her after school but that hasn't worked.

We have tried a half day but after one we realize that won't be working any time soon either.
I simply cannot stay in the class all day and with E that throws a big cramp in that plan.
We/she are all fortunate that I am an at home mom, otherwise this would be more of a challenge to say the least.

Her teacher called home and we had a lengthy discussion and at one point she recommended that maybe I should just drop her off and there would be support from the councilor and principle.
They would "just hold her and keep her safe until she calmed down and joined the class. In My experience it usually takes 45 minutes or so".
Are you kidding me?
Okay what kind of parent would that make me?
Do you really think she would have a productive day after that.?
What would that make her feel about school and worse me?
She wouldn't trust any of us and rightfully so.
I do not believe in this sort of tough love.
To just leave her is not something I could ever do.
There is no need.
Could you imagine the humiliation and exhaustion that she would endure.
There would be no coming back from that.


So do I have a candidate for home schooling?
We have decided to take this approach for the time being with the understanding it is only on a trail basis.
We will still be part of the school daily to get her homework and do some library time.
All this to keep her up to date, in the loop and around her friends as well as getting her comfortable again with the environment and her teacher.

I must have missed some cues and I admit looking back I should have know something was up.
I know it is not my fault and that she has all my numbers to know what triggers will make me blow but she hasn't hit any of them ...yet .
She has been quite cuddly and kissy as of late but we were secretly enjoying it and thought nothing of it.
I have been soaking up the cuddles and her letting me hold her and carry(all 49lbs) of her.
There has been no other emotional, sleep or dietary changes to have triggered any concerns on our end.

Although the request for a cell phone was an odd one.
Maybe I should have questioned that more, but explained that it wasn't really something we were willing to do quite yet.

So after a week of chaos here I am in Chilliwack on the lobby computer spilling my guts.
I can hear the others in the pool and having fun.'
That sound is all i need to hear for now and the rest will make its way the way it needs to.
I will not push for the time being because in the scope of life a month in grade one is nothing more than a hiccup.

Crafts This Week

It has been hectic around here and I realised that I haven't posted for a week.

Somehow I always manage to find the time to craft and read, but at days end, lately sleep has been a priority to blogging.

Usually it is the other way around.

I have finished 2 books in 10 days and am now on the look out for my next read.

Got any good suggestions?

As for sewing, my sister is expecting her first baby soon and I am thrilled to be an auntie, finally.

I have been busy making sweet little things for the tender angel.

I made this sling first and I love how the pattern turned out.

I had put together a quick napkin quilt a while back and now it is completed and ready to cozy up the babe.

I even tried out stippling on the new machine and I love how it works.

Here is a little quilt pillow I had started and now that it is finished it may be hard to part with.

I really like the fresh springy colors and pattern.

I saw on a website about this craft called a chalkdot using chalkboard fabric that I just loved. http://oilclothaddict.blogspot.com/2009/08/back-to-school-tutorial-series-desk.html

I went one step further and made it a tote style dot with a chalk pocket on the back.

It hangs on a hook or drawer nicely and is always ready to use.

The kids have had so much fun with this.

Now that I have found this fabulous product I am itching with ideas for its use.

I am certain this will not be the last you see of it.

How sweet is my husband?

He has been gone for over 2 weeks and it is so wonderful to have him home.

When he got home he brought me a massive bouquet of gorgeous roses and a lovely bottle of wine.

I can safely say that I generally scoff at getting or giving store bought flowers because of the sheer cost of them, but let me tell you, you feel like a queen and it is truly so romantic.

You get to enjoy and indulge when you receive them and you know someone was thinking about you.

I feel the love.

The girls got the coolest thing from daddy when he got home.

A venus fly trap.

They are amazed by it and think dad is the most awesome guy in the universe, which he is.
Here is the plant, which is yet to be named, digesting an ant.

Okay. Here is an idea that I took from a DIY necklace I saw online.

I took the idea a step further and made it into a shirt.

Cheap shirt, some scissors, lots of roughly cut circles, a few cute buttons and a 1/2 hour later.....

I am very pleased with the outcome.

I know what I'll be wearing next date night.

Next inspiration to shareis an idea I got from one of those remodeling on a dime kind of books.

It was a shabby chic sort of thing that I thought would work well in our rustic little log home.

You take an old dresser and use a drawer as a shelf by turning it on it's side and putting a shelf into it.

It was very quick and simple, especially since I just happened to have an old dresser outside.

I brad nailed in a shelf and although it is nicely painted in the book, I opted for a more natural/simple approach and left it as is.

I didn't paint but it looks not so bad.

We'll call it rustic or lazy.

Whichever,.... it works.

And since the weather has started to cool down our poor Molly has been walking around chattering her teeth.

You can her her in the morning and it is kind of sad and funny at the same time.

Lucy snuggles with her all night and it is quite something to see two 120lbs dogs nestled into a dog bed together.

I took an old wool blanket and made a fall coat for Molly.

Not quite as labour intensive as the winter ones I make for her, but a bit of warmth for her.

Hopefully Lucy doesn't tear it off her too quickly.

Well that sums up most of the week.

Maybe tomorrow I'll post about the craziness, sickness and death with our flocks.

K Takes on Grade One

K loves school.

She doesn't like weekends because there is no school and she was borderline depressed at the start of summer with the knowledge of more than 2 months without school.

That was quickly replaced by the sheer amount of fun she had.

The last week of summer holidays were absolutely awful.

She was completely unreasonable and intolerant.

She was getting angry and frustrated with everything and everyone.

She was so ready to hit the books.

Honestly, we all were.

At the end of the first week the household has fallen back into a decently happy mood and a routine is once again established, much to the benefit of us all.

I had some strange emotions as this week has progressed.

Initially I was full of anxiety about my baby going to grade one.

Then once she was settled in, by day 2, I had my first real taste of a day with only one...might I add still napping, child.

Things are a tad bit easier getting done with one.

I do find I miss her though.

But the adjustment for her has been horrible.

She feels abandoned and hates hearing she's not old enough yet to go to school.

I have had to adjust to a new routine with the times of school, naps, dinner and the general getting things done in some order for the day.

Today K eagerly stepped out and took her first bus to school, which is an odyssey I will share at another time.

The smile on her face was truly worth any troubles the bus company and school board are going to be.

I am so proud of our girl and how wonderful she is.

Today in our World

Can't tell if this is too grandma'ish or really nice.
I have yet to find it's "place" but think it will be perfect when it is found.

Many times I have walked past buskers or been at a park and heard people relaxing rhythmically to the playing of their drums.

Sharing with the world their passion and skills.

I am always drawn to the sound and the beat makes my soul nod with appreciation and joy.

Often I catch my feet tapping, my hips swaying.

There is something primal and simple about drumming.

The beat, the rhythm, the sounds.

Unfortunately I have never been all that musically inclined.

Mind you I have never really invested the time either.

When I saw this drum the other day I knew it was meant for me.

My hands patted it , my eyes instantly closed and I felt solice in its sound.

I am trying hard to learn, to teach myself the basics.

I would love to take a class, or 100.

Maybe join a drum circle and feel my beat harmonizing with like minded people.

The kids love it too and it will be a joyful part of our household for years to come.

Until I become really good, enough to share with the masses the girls and I are jamming with these new instruments and are having plenty of fun ourselves.

Forget the sheet music.

Okay, What do you think about this guy?

I love his '70's charm and cheapness.

He is the epitome of tackiness and I boldly and proudly placed him on the dining room table.

I know he will attract a lot of humorous attention.

But nobody dis him.....he is mine.

Did I mention he is a napkin holder as well.

Oh Yeah!!!

Our new neighbours (the tenants in our trailer) are fabulous and the kids have taken on like siblings.

The boys wanted a few of the lavender/chamomile eye pillows that they saw we had, so they picked out some fabric and were delighted to give one of them to their mom.

Nice boys to think of their mom.

We also made bath salts and came up with a smart idea of sewing some reusable baggies.

This way the lavender and herbs won't clog the tub and there is no waste.

Smart and fabulous.

I found this little sign and couldn't resist it.

Words sometimes say it all.

A sure sign that fall is under way.

This morning out came the toques (this one lovingly made by B) and the scarves I just made them last week.

We spent hours doing fall clean up in the garden and enjoying the coolness of the day.