nice day

You can take the teacher out of the classroom, but you'll never take the classroom out of the teacher.  That's even more true for us homeschooling families.  

Everyday is a learning day.  Every part of life--laundry, bread-making, Scripture reading, multiplication, gardening--fosters learning.  

Today we planted forget-me-not and morning glory seeds to start indoors. The seed packets recommend starting most flowers indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost. They'll flower earlier.

The seed packets were a dollar, the biodegradable pots shown here--you put them right into the ground at planting time--were $2.00 at Walmart (36 cups).  Cheap gardening!  

Paul's front teeth are slowing coming in.  His monster grin will be gone soon, and I'll miss it.  Maybe the th sound will miraculously come in then, too?

Today I'm forty-five and although I'm unhappy with the combination of acne scars mixed with wrinkles, I decided today that to completely avoid cameras now, at 45, means that when I'm 55, or even 60, my kids won't have any pictures of me looking younger.  I've avoided the camera for the most part for the last ten years--only taking a few pictures a year.  When I'm 65, 45 will look fabulous to me.  So...no more avoiding cameras.  I need a younger face to look back on when I'm completely shrivelled, to remind me that I had my time....I had my youth.  Time to pass the baton of youth cheerfully. Everyone gets their turn.  

I highly recommend Wildlife Gardening, by Martyn Cox, 2009.  Peter's had it in hand for most of the last week.  He's fascinated by every page, much like he was fascinated by the Backyard Birdfeeders Bible, for several weeks.  Below are some neat pages from the book.  It's full of ideas to attract many different species of animals, including insects, amphibians, and birds.

Yesterday's beautiful snow melted already.  March snow never stays around for long.  The yard is a marsh and the children are already feeling cabin fever. We're limited to just bike rides until the flooding dries up.

The first money that came in the mail for Momma's birthday went to the boys' new math curriculum.  It arrives Monday and we are all super excited (Teaching Textbooks).  The second check that came, I spent at the thrift store today.  Two and a half hours of fun!  By myself!  

I found more classic literature for our home library.  Over the last two years I've collected many, many classics for about $.50 each.

We really needed a pencil holder and all of these Webster resources.  Momma would have done the happy dance right there in the Goodwill, but thankfully......she calmed down in time to avoid embarrassment.

My closet sported three pairs of threadbare jeans--and one remaining nice pair--so I also scored two pairs of famous-maker jeans, like new, and a Talbot petite top for spring, and two flouncy blouses for church, to go with black slacks or my black skirt.  While I don't particularly like wearing polyester, I do see the value in owning it for outings and church.  It doesn't fade, it machine washes, and it doesn't require ironing.  Most people take it off as soon as they get home and don their cottons--me included--but nevertheless, these pieces make sense for busy moms on a budget.

I don't mind cooking at all these days.  I enjoy it in fact, unless my two year old is out of control while I'm busy in the kitchen.  I involve her as much as possible, and that does work wonders.  Anyhow, Daddy thought I shouldn't be cooking on my birthday, so he took the kids to get hot and ready Little Ceasars pizza.  The kids brought home helium balloons offered by the nice staff, and they had a ball playing with them. 

Daddy would have cooked, but he still works 7 days a week.

I wasn't exactly queen for the day, though, in case you're wondering.  The sweeping, dishes and laundry don't go away ever.

For several days seven-year-old Paul kept reminding that I was turning 45 on Saturday.  I kept pleading, "Oh, don't remind me!"  

Finally, after he went on for three days about my impending doom, I taught him this, instead: "Mommy!  You're going to be 29 on Saturday!"

I have so much to be thankful for!  Praise the Lord for family and home!

And for:

- strong husbands

- sweet kids

- friendly storekeepers 

- giggling kids

- thrift stores

- books for a quarter from Amazon

- cameras to capture home and love and learning

- a lot of wrinkles and a bit of wisdom

- impending spring

- flowers

- tiny brown seeds that become beauty

- floors to sweep that aren't earthen

- clean water

- clean clothes

- warm beds

- new jeans

- yummy frozen fruit

- frozen, steam-in-the-bag veggies

- the chocolate cake that I didn't have time to make, but will make tomorrow

- Mary learning her letters and sounds with joy

- Beth learning along with sister