Blueberries and Bugs (Luna Moth)

It's that time of year!! 

This is the second trip to pick blueberries already! It is shaping to be a much better blueberry than strawberry season. Hooray! 

Yesterday, we caught this guy crossing the road in front of our house. It was identified as a Luna Moth caterpillar, which eats 2-3 leaves a day.  I thought it would be so much fun more the boys to watch. I stuck him in a jar and told the boys how we would build a habitat for him the next day. 

However, the caterpillar had other plans. Around 8pm last night he started spinning his cacoon in his temporary jar home. I jumped up and ran over to my parents for a branch from the host tree (did you know each butterfly and moth has host trees? They will only lay eggs, egg, and build a cacoon on those trees.). 

I stayed up way too late watching the caterpillar pull leaves around himself. I finally went to bed at midnight. I missed the big show where he spins the actual cocoon. Oh well. 

Here is what I found 6 hours later. And in 21 days we should have our own Luna Moth. I'm thinking of mounting it in the schoolroom. I was going to let it go, but then I read that they only live for a week (they don't have a moth or digestive system - so crazy). I can't decide. 

Warren was very disappointed that the caterpillar was gone. It was the first thing he asked about when he woke up this morning. Here's to many more "pets". I'm thinking of calling this one Luni (loony). 

Art, Music, Nature, and Language study

We are prototyping some school things this summer. 

Bible

Our verse is up there on the wall. I'm kind of using fighter verses. 

Art study 

This is our art study. This week is sunflowers. I'm leaving a piece up for a week. As we look at each art piece we will talk about it and describe what we see and try to copy it with different type of mediums (I'm thinking of letting Martin try some acrylic paints this week and maybe a torn paper collage). 

Later this week we will be planting sunflower seeds and watching them grow. I have some books about how seeds germinate. We tried planting them in the yard earlier this spring and the squirrels are them. So, this time we will house them on the porch and transplant them. Should be fun. Martin is always begging to water plants. This will give him his own plants to care for. 

Martin flipped through the Van Gogh book and requested a boat picture next week. Any ideas for expanding that topic? 

Music study

This is the first stages of music study. A music teacher at church wrote down  some classical pieces that the boys might appreciate. We are going to start listening to music as we play sometimes. 

Nature study 

We started a notebook a few weeks ago and try to write down at least one thing we see outside each day. 

Language study 

I am thinking of starting A Spanish word each day with my kids... Any ideas for a curriculum that is young kid friendly? 

Bookshelves in schoolroom

After 

(I'm hoping to get below the chair rail painted blue soon - I've finished the chair rail and the top). 

I just finished sorting my schoolbooks (an we aren't even doing real school yet - where did all these come from?!?):

Math

Science (so many science books)

English 

Geography

Bible

History

Art (okay, I have one art book)

Before (cats, cats, etc.)

Cat carpet

Cat screen door between this room and kitchen

Cat scratched doorframe

The floors in this room were pretty rough. But Jared sanded them an extra pass and went super slow. He managed to get up almost all the cat stains. My dad replaced the baseboard moulding in this room (a favorite toilet of the cats) and the smell is completely gone. 

(Before and after of the floors) 

You can see the shelves pulled up in the schoolroom. We were trying to get all the cat urine from below the shelves too (another favorite toilet area). There was carpet under there which we tore up. That helped a lot. We also sealed under the shelves. 

My sister's father-in-law is a master carpenter. He was over at the house helping my dad with a few things and he offered to fix the shelves. We had hoped to make them look more like built-ins in the future. 

We are so grateful that he was willing to jump in and spend two days making them look better than we could have ever made them look. They are incredible and one of my favorites parts of the house. 

In-process

This is from the day that we moved in. 

Aren't they amazing?!? 

This is a mash-up of the shelves - before and after a few months ago. The walls weren't painted yet. Since then, the older fiction has been moved to the shelves in the fireplace room. These selves are now all children's books and school books. 

More pictures when I get the walls painted. :) 

5 Things

1. Hey hey, floors! You make me happy. It is wonderful when a project turns out as good as you had hoped. 

Oh, and hello pile of boxes that I'm planning on making into things for the boys. So far there are two mailboxes, a house, and a trash truck. 

2. Granddad came over last week and helped the boys install moulding in the last two rooms. Thanks so much! Now I can start unpacking the sewing room and finish the guest room. I am thankful the boys get to spend so much time with my Dad and learn things from him. It is fun to watch them "work". 

Jared hung up most of the pictures this weekend. Yay, for more boxes out of my schoolroom. 

3. Last week at ESL a storm started when we did. It was gorgeous and impressive and reminder of how awesome (and terrifying) God is. 

4. I haven't taken any pictures this week or cooked impressive meals or sewed anything. But I am reading a book and catching up on Bible reading. I'm still trying to finish the whole Bible in 6 months (which means I have 30 days), but I've fallen woefully behind with the move and being sick (I've been sleeping in instead of getting up early before the boys). However, after over a month of coughing fits, I think a nurse friend has figured out my problem and I've slept through the night three nights this week and have gotten up early every day this week. 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 Loving my quiet time and tea in the morning. 

5. Looking at school curriculum is OVERWHELMING!! More on that another time. 

1916 Table Refinish

I have other before and after pictures. But when you flip the leaves over and compare the old finish next to the new finish... Wow! 

This is our new old school table (and Lego table and puzzle table and keep stuff away from the baby table). 

This table was given to my father's next door neighbor as a wedding present in 1916. Her name was Althaea. She was born in 1901. 

It has been in his garage for many years now. He offered it to us when we moved and I love reusing old stuff and making it lovely again. There is something special about an 100 year old table.  Plus, it is solid wood! 

I spent about three weeks sanding the table. Or maybe I should say that I took a three week break between sanding sessions. 

(Hello, built in bookshelves!) 

After about 30 minutes of sanding, on Saturday night, it was finished. Jared sealed the top for me. The left leaf is the only one not stained in this picture.  Then  7 coats of poly and two coats of paint on the bottom. 

(Sealed and not sealed wood) 

We thought about painting it a different color than the kitchen table, but we had more of this paint. So blue it was. 

I'm in love with the top. It is even prettier in person and it matches the floors. :) There are several gashes and dents that didn't come out when it was sanded, but it gives the table more character. 

The boys were quick to test it out with some Legos, puzzles, flash cards, and school work. 

It is perfect for the space. I love it when you envision something and it turned out like you had hoped! We will use it for many many projects and for lots of schoolwork. It will probably be featured a lot the background of pictures in the future. 

Cost

•Table - free!

•Sandpaper - leftover from floor refinishing, free!

•Sealer (Bona, Amber) - leftover, free!

•Poly (Bona Mega) - leftover, free! 

•Paint - found in garage from former owner, added in some of my own acrylic paints, free! 

Time

Sanding - 3 hours

Poly, finish - 30ish minutes spread out over two days

Paint - two 30 minute coats

Doll and Dress

(Side note: Those wood floors!! Love love love - also, wood floors in a sewing room are the best! It is so much easier to sweep up threads.)

I have been wanting to make this dress and doll for a while. It suddenly dawned on me that I have a niece and I could make her them. Plus, she is about to be a big sister and I thought she might like her own "baby". 

This is a fabric that I have been hoarding for a while. I love it. It is one of my favorites. 

The dress is lined. I adore it. And it makes me want to make labels for gthfaith. That would be so cute on clothes and stuff animals. I've thought about it for years, but never actually done it. 

This is the first attempt at her eyes. I didn't like them. Also, I could never get the nose right. So, she remained noseless. 

The flower is attached by a snap. I made a hat that snaps and plan to make several other things as accessories for her in the future. 

Here are the eyes I settled on. Still not perfect. But I wanted to give her to my niece before her new baby brother or sister comes. 

Dear Red, it was always going to be you.

Back when I first saw this room, I told Jared, I want to paint the walls white, take the doors off the bookshelves, and paint the back of them red for a pop of color. But then I thought maybe I should opening myself to new possibilities and try some other colors (I love some reds and blues). 

However, when I found a sample of red in the garage Saturday it was all over. 

Hello, red!! I don't know where you came from and why you were in a box in my garage, but you were perfect! 8 oz of paint is just enough to cover the back of the shelves. 

More pictures once I unpack some more boxes, fill the shelves, and hang artwork. 

Happy rainy Monday! 

Yellow or Red

Okay... Should I leave the bookshelves yellow or paint them red? Maybe I'll photoshop red in and see if I like it. 

Also, those white walls are so amazing! I love them. The trim isn't finished, but the walls are!!!! 

Book Map

This will show up again sometime in the future after it fills up more. Today we started something I've wanted to do for a while. We are marking where each book we read takes place by placing a little circle with a picture from the story colored on it. 

These are just today's books with the two chapter books we've read this year. Hopefully, each day we will add a few more.   

I'm already aware that we need to find some books that take place in Asia, Africa, and South America. Most books take place in America or Europe. So, if you have any suggestions let me know! 

Also, I have a separate sheet of paper above the map for books that don't specify a town, but could be anywhere (i.e. mike mulligan) and books that are purely imanginary (aka Dr. Suess).

 

This is going to be fun. 

ESL update

SAMs club to buy ESL party food. We almost made it through the store without fighting in this cart. 

People sometimes ask if they are twins... 

ESL dinner.  Not really good for you food. But so good.  

We had to move our picnic inside this year, but it was still fun. Thanks to my wonderful staff that turns on a dime and is so flexible when at 3pm and pouring outside and we decide to move the location inside. 

More of my ESL staff is moving away this year and it hurts. In my limited mind I fight against being annoyed at God's plan for ESL. Why do good teachers keep moving away and won't be able to teach again next year? I like the security of knowing that teachers are connecting well with students and teaching well thought out lessons and will be coming back next year. That is easy. It makes sense. I can do that. 

I fight for contentment with constantly having to recruit and train new staff. It is exhausting. But it is right where I need to be. I need to be resting in God's strength and not my own to organize ESL. 

And guess what? He does things beyond my wildest imagination. Next year we have six different churches attending training? And in the fall most of those churches will be helping with ESL. That is so amazing. It is not anything that I could have done. 

Plus, how do I even get a person to agree to come out 24 different nights during the year and plan lesson for a bunch of people from other countries that they don't even know?!? That is crazy. The fact that anyone signs up to help out is crazy. It is totally God working. I can't do that. 

I just keep doing the next thing. God is providing and keeping the ministry staffed. It is neat to watch how He does it.  

Oh, at the meal there were about 80 people. It was fun to visit with our students and their families outside of class. I am looking forward to year three!! 

This is the only picture I have taken the last three days. 

Monday was a normal catch up on groceries and cleaning day. 

Yesterday we went hiking with granddad, went strawberry picking, and then to visit GC. Jared was traveling for work (but now he is home!!!). We try to stay really busy while he is away so we don't lose our minds. 

Today is more catching up, but mostly relaxing from all the busyness. We've already done a lot of Legos, read some books, made granola and bread, and cleaned. 

Firsts and painting update (I added more pictures)

Two things happened for the first time in our new house. 

1. We baked a yeast bread (I know, how have I gone three months without baking bread!?!). Because it was so good, we made another two loaves the next day. :) Another batch might be in works right now. We love homemade bread. 

2. I sewed something!!!!! 

(I was running late for the shower and quickly snapped this picture - the baby is a boy, but I don't like to make covers too boyish or girlish because then they can't be reused for other babies. I tried to match the color scheme of the registry items. The handles and light blue are leftover from Michelle's quilt.)

I had not realized how much I missed sewing until I unpacked my machine and started. Hello, old friend!! Hello, fabric scissors! Hello, cutting board. *happy sigh*

The sewing room is still a disaster because I'm keeping all my fabric, patterns, and thread in boxes into I get the baseboard moulding installed. Maybe next week... It took a while to find everything, but once I was started it felt so good to be back to sewing. I even pulled out two patterns to start today. 

My mom took care of the older boys for a few hours so I could finish some baby shower gifts. 

This is the inside of the car seat cover. It is a fabric I bought for Martin when I was pregnant with him. I loved it so much and made a few things out of it (bibs and curtains for his room) and saved the rest for something neat...but now he is too old for it. Better to use it then just let it sit around gathering dust (I realized when we moved that I have way too much fabric and just need to use it up and stop hoarding it). It seemed like such a great fabric to be interesting to a baby.

 I used my snap tool for the handles. :) Yay, snap tool!! 

And matching bibs and a burp cloth.

Update on painting the fireplace room

I finished cutting in three times. I did two cutting in while Jared watched a movie that I wasn't interested in. I just have to roll the top coat, maybe twice. The paneling is showing through, more then I thought, as the paint dries. 

And I had some leftover primer and painted the laundry room doors ... And the bathroom door... And the counter edge...and a couple cupboard doors (as a prototype). 😬 Hope Jared doesn't mind. I got a little carried away painting things last night... 

White>>wood paneling 

Keeping it real with all the junk on the counters. :) The paint brightens the kitchen so much!! See where I started painting the cabinets? Yay. 

A little before. 

Notice I painted that nasty counter edge where the trim had fallen off and it was brown in some spots (and on the other side, which you can't see, some of the trim was still on, it was so patchy. I hit it with white paint and made it all uniform.

And so it begins at last...

I couldn't sleep after our last ESL class on Thursday and I cut in the whole room. Today I started to roll. 

I'm going to have to cut in with the primer a second time, but I think the rolled part will be okay with one coat. 

I'm so excited!! 

Outside

We just love him. He loves being outside.  

He's not sure if he loves all of us. Sometimes he likes being left alone. 

He makes the best faces. 

Ps. This is the quit I made when I was 16 and finally finished a few years ago. It is normally our car quilt for picnics and such, but it has been being used in the yard for The baby recently. 

We have been soaking up the last few days outside because it is supposed to rain for the next three days. 

Yesterday, we caught a snake. 

And the boys begged and begged to touch him. So, the first thing Jared did when he came home from work was to hold it with them. Then they ate dinner and begged to hold the snake again.   Boys and snake and frogs ... Why? 

5 things

1.  I picked (and ate) the First strawberry of the season!! Strawberries are my favorite fruit! 

2. I have already made 5 strawberry pies this year. 

3. The boys have colds. All of them. They are more whiney than normal. 

4. Discipline takes longer and is more involved when they are sick. Why do children misbehave while you are on the phone or nursing? It takes so much effort to put the baby down and deal with a situation. 

5. Throwing toys when we are angry has gotten way out of control in our house. I realized that I have been repeating myself over and over and over again, "don't throw your toys. Stop throwing your toys. Don't drop that book on the floor." 

And there is a balance between reminding children of the house rules and disciplining for an issue. I'm not an expect. I probably should have cracked down on this issue a few weeks ago, but I just realized that I am talking and NOBODY is listening to me. Before I get angry and frustrated, this needs to be dealt with the right way. :) So, the boys will be spending lots of time in the timeout chair this week. And I will be spending lots of time explaining obedience and why it is important. This parenting thing is so time consuming. 

No bananas (and weakness)

**Sing**

Yes, we have no bananas!! 

We have no bananas today. 

**end singing**

Ps. Those are organic bananas at the right of the picture. 

This is the problem getting to the grocery store early (8:30ish), things aren't stocked. If we come later they are stocked, but there are more people and more of a chance the boys will bang one of their little carts into those people. 

We fluctuate between the two options because I can't decide which is worse. I love shopping when the store is empty. It is more peaceful. The boys are happier earlier (i.e.  Not close to lunch and quiet time). They obey better. But food isn't stocked... 

I don't have an answer. 

James is just happy to go grocery shopping or do anything. He's pretty much the most jolly baby. We should have named him Mark Taply (from Martin Cuzzlewit). 

Postings will probably be pretty random this week. I'm going on day 10 of little to no sleep. I've had this annoying cough for the past 10 days. It gets worse when I lie down. I wake up in the middle of the night several times coughing and can't breath. It is weird. Jared insisted that I call the doctor this week, but they can't see me until Thursday. 

Anyhow, my brain isn't working well on so little sleep. But you know what I'm learning? In my weakness God is strong. Weakness makes me depend on Him all the more. With a exhausting third pregnancy, a new baby, mono, and now this weird cough, He is strong. God gives strength to do what He has called you to do. And seeing your weakness is a good thing. It quenches my pride. It makes me pray more, for myself and others. To Him be all the glory. 

Shelves in kitchen update

Look. Now we can watch rabbits out our back window too. The cedar chest is prototyping a window seat for us.  

Also, what can I store in the cedar chest? I don't want anything to smell like it.

Shelves in the kitchen...

Happy thought indeed. 

The kitchen needed some plants. The plants needed to be divided. I recycled a shelving unit from one of the bathrooms to hold my baby plants. Don't worry, I cleaned the shelves off really well. 

Eventually, when the kitchen is gutted and remodeled, this will probably be a window seat with shelves on both sides. I'm a big fan of prototypes to see if the idea fits the space. 

For now these plants are making this space so cheerful. 

Also, I probably won't post again this week or weekend. It is crazy busy. Three more weeks d ESL and then we move on to planning for next year! Next year is so exciting. We will be partnering with two or three churches in our area to grow the ministry. I am so thankful for these people that challenge me. God is teaching me much about His grace and how his plans are so much bigger than our plans.