Thinking About a Very Special Lady

From Dad and Mom

Happy Birthday, Mum! I miss you.

Cough, cough

I think we are going for some kind of record. We've managed to all come down with another chest cold. The kids are incredibly restless but I don't want them spreading their germs to the general public. The couch has become a trampoline (much to my dismay and numerous attempts to calm them). Liam and Morgaine CANNOT be in the same room for fear of their safety (they been attacking each other for the last two days). By late afternoon the coughing fits have started up again and Morgaine collapses exhausted on the couch for the evening. We don't get off easily though, as Liam throws an all out temper tantrum when it is his time to go to bed. You don't want to know about our nights.

Please send some prayers (or good vibes, or positive energy) that I am able to stay sane for the next couple days!!

Fit for a King

This year we've hunted with the cavemen and sailed down the River Nile with the Egyptians (Liam's first lapbook to be posted soon). For the past couple weeks we've been defending our castle and learning about the feudal system of the medieval period. We love food so as part of our study we decided to have a poor serf supper one day and then have a meal fit for a king another. Last week, we had pea soup, a hunk of bread and some cheese for supper and it was enjoyed by all. Yesterday it was time for our medieval feast.



It was quite the spread- potage, boiled eggs, meatballs, bone marrow, turkey legs, shrimp, smoked mackerel, sparkling grape juice.

It was an interesting meal...



The kids clinked their glasses, took a sip and declared the sparkling grape juice "not very good".

Morgaine outright refused the potage.





They each grabbed a turkey leg and looked like they were going to devour them. However, like the potage and the sparkling grape juice it didn't win them over.

Morgine refused to try anything else. The sight of all the meat completely turned me so the girls sat and watched the boys eat. Then as I was clearing everything away a little theif came and ate ALL the left over meatballs!

Bright Star

Phase one of our kitchen makeover...



Yes, it sure is bright!

Oh, oh Technical Difficulties.

Nothing like telling an old friend that she can visit your blog because there are tons on pictures of the kids on it only to find that almost ALL your pictures are gone. It seems that now that I've closed the typepad acount all the pictures that were posted while I used that blogging program are gone. Thank goodness that we haven't thrown out our old computer. I should be able to connect to it (eventually) and sloooooooooooowly get everything back in order here. I am so dissapointed as I had no idea that this would happen and I've put lots of hours and my heart into this blog of our journey.

Well, anyways, I am sorry. I had no idea until I decided to go back and take a peak for myself. Sheesh, I was starting to share this blog with more and more people in the homeschooling community as well. Darn. I WILL get it back up to the way it was though!

Friday Favorites: Knitting with Real Wool for Wee Bums

It's not Friday but I was thinking that it might be a nice idea to stay Friday Favorites again. Most likely Friday Favorites are will end up being posted on Saturday or maybe even Sunday so maybe the category needs a new name. Any suggestions?

It has been wonderful moving to an English community and meeting new people. It's lovely meeting like minded Mamas. I'm especially happy to have met one who doesn't mind sharing her babe's cloth diapered bum with me. Nope, no diaper duty here, just a perfect little bummy to knit little wool soakers (and you all know how much I love wool soakers) We are quite content with our little family of two, but little Alice's wide eyes and bright smile make my heart melt and baby fever starts to set it. I am so glad that her Mama has let me knit for her because it makes the fact that we are done having babies easier knowing that I can still make and do for other little ones out of there (and avoid some of those 2, and 3 and 5am feedings!!).

So whenever I have a spare moment you can find me sitting with my needles and some wool, knitting up a storm for the wee bums of the world!

New 1 week (okay 1 month) Challenge

Back in the day when this blog was new I decided that I was going to make my office a sanctuary in one week and for only 20 dollars. Well, I've decided to take on a bigger challenge this time. Our old house had a really amazing kitchen and this house, well, the kitchen is the room that needs the most work. Mike was handy enough to get it functional within a couple weeks of us moving in but it still needs significant cosmetic work. My new goal is to fix up the kitchen in one month (okay, I had thought I could do it in 2 weeks but after a couple days of work with little progress I've decided to give myself a little more time) and not spend more than 150 dollars. It'll mostly be a bit of elbow grease and A LOT of painting.

Here are some before pictures:







I also hope to do as much as I can on my own but I needed someone to help with some heavy lifting so I enlisted Mike's help on the weekend and we moved the deep freeze to the spare bedroom in order to finally have a functional laundry room and pantry.



I couldn't be more thrilled with the results. It even gave me room to unpack a few more boxes. Things are finally coming together and I think the results are going to spectacular!