Mondorfment

I’d like to introduce Thimble Nimble Feet, a Woodland fairy…

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:10:00 +0000

Technorati Tags: Waldorf,Fairy,Book Review,Thimble Nimble Feet

This lovely creature is Thimble Nimble Feet, a Woodland Fairy, from the Rocky Mountains. Thimble and I met one day and I knew she was very special. You see, Thimble is as tall as a human adult! The girls and I knew when we saw her she must be a kind of dignitary for the fairies. A way to remind children and adults not to forget the magic we carry within ourselves.

Thimble is also a writer! She has created an amazing book called “Thimble the Fairy’s Acorns & Tea". Sebastian Patch, a good friend and local mouse, has drawn all these beautiful illustrations that make the words come to life.

The other day we were leaving to pick up our raw milk when we noticed Mr. Raven had delivered a package! A package from Thimble! She had sent to us an autographed copy of her new book (oh, she also has some more stories and they’re being illustrated by Sebastian, that sweet little mouse! I’ve recommend cucumber in stream water to soothe his poor paws from all the painting he does.

As we opened it up further we discovered acorns to plant, fairy dust, some frozen dew, a smooth pebble from her fairy stream and some fairy birdseed for the window sill! But, she sent one more gift! A cd of HER! It’s amazingly magical hearing her play her fairy flute!

As you listen to it you can catch glimpse’s of your local fairies coming to check it out. A few times the girls went running off after a fairy all excited, forgetting in their exuberance how shy and delicate the fairies are. I think they’re starting to realize they have to listen to Thimble and me and be calm and still as they read aloud.

The poems are beautiful and simple. Perfect to read any time to your little ones. I have read it many times to the girls. The nice thing about having children in multiple ages is how they can read to the younger ones. Rhea is ALWAYS reading ‘Acorns & Tea’ to Sunshine which I am grateful because it allows me to get some cleaning and work done!

I highly recommend you order a copy of ‘Acorns & Tea’ by Thimble the Fairy and be sure to look for more of Thimble’s poems that give us a glimpse of the fairy’s world. By the way, Thimble said she’d be happy to offer a cd just like the one she sent Rhea and Sunshine when you purchase a copy of ‘Acorns & Tea.’ Just be sure to tell her Honey at Mondorfment sent you! You can see a trailer of ‘Acorns & Tea’ by clicking here!

And, as thimble says….

“Wishing you a sparkly and magical day!”

Honey

Would you like a USA 3 part card freebie!?!

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 21:41:00 +0000

Technorati Tags: Montessori,USA,Contient Bin,homeschool,3-6,6-9,9-12,freebies

Here are two card sets I made for the USA. The sets cover; the USA and territories, the flags, when the state or territory was inducted into the Union, each one’s bird, flower, tree and

nickname as well as the postal abbreviation. Then, there is the capitol along with the state. The second set covers the pictures of the state/territories bird, flower, and tree. There is also the addition of each territories postal abbreviation as well as the capitol.

I made the sets into two because I thought it’d be something you could add in as an extension later. After all there are 87 pages of USA set 1 and 85 pages of USA set 2. And that’s a LOT of pages! :)

Now, the question is …how do you get them? I’m curious about who downloads the materials I make since the file site doesn’t require a name so leave your email addy, become a follower of Mondorfment and I’ll email them to you. If you’re already a follower just say so and leave your addy. If you’d prefer to keep email private please email me at Mondorfment@gmail.com. Also, if you’d be kind enough to hop over to facebook and like Mondorfment I’ll send you the second set too. Just don’t forget to leave your email address or email me at Mondorfment@gmail.com and let me know so I can send them to you.

We’re using these cards for more than our continent bins. We have used them as 3pcs but I took the top half and made little books for Sunshine out of them. I then gave her the bottom half so she can cut and paste to her hearts content. I’ve noticed she’s starting to copy the names and such in her own journal. Tyler and Rhea are also taking and creating their own books but they’re adding journaling, answering specific questions and such to it.

I’d love to hear how you plan to use them with your monkeys. Be sure to check out one of my real life bloggy friends Leann at Montessori Tidbits Trekking Across the States and for some more great state ideas.

Sharing the link instead of the download is always appreciated but if you try to sell these cards I’ll put a hex on you that’ll require three 29 year old virgins chanting tongue twisters, while riding a unicorn and eating a bag of 3 year old Snickers to get it removed. And you know how hard it is to find 3 year old Snickers.

Honey

Cha-cha-cha changes!

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:20:00 +0000

Hi guys! Long time no see! Yes, I've been lazy. And, I've glorified in every indulgent moment! But, I miss blogging and sharing in the worlds of others. It's validating and reminds me that we don't have to be rich or give up on what we believe in. We just have to try.

Well, we've had a LOT of changes here recently. Like I almost gave up on all the schooling and was a smidge away from placing the kids into one of those online public school programs. I didn't though...but I have looked into the options of more "prepared" materials/activities and more things that involve organized events.

We've been saving up to be able to buy more of those materials because short of getting a "Time Turner" from Professor McGonagal, taking No Doze 24/7, or waiting at some crossroads I can't put more time in each day. So...saving money and buying some materials or some snazzy equipment to help me make materials. I think I'm growing up and realizing I really can't do it all on my own. I can't diy everything, homeschooler, bake/cook (we're in the process of getting ready for GAPS), clean, sew, finish my degree, be a mom, a wife, make my own soap/deodorant/shampoo/cleaning supplies and not be a complete mental mess.

So, I'm looking at backing down on things that won't make a difference in the long run. I don't have to finish my degree right now. It can wait. I don't have to grow everything especially when the Farmer's Market has organic veggies. I don't have to make our deodorant as Toms makes some great stuff. Check out the Lavender apparently it moisturizes. (did you know armpits need moisturized?)

I'm starting to utilize the resources around me and, I'm really glad. There's a saying that it's darkest just before the sunrise. Well, I can see some rays.

Thanks for being patient.

Honey

We've 300 baby chicks!

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:53:00 +0000

"Shh! baby chicks!" followed by Sunshine putting her hands on her hips and, "Well, I just don't know what to do!" when they wouldn't shush!

We have baby chicks! (yes, I know saying baby is redundant with chick but it just happens everytime I mention them.) We have 300 babies and how sweet they are! Little fuzzy balls on legs that are eating and drinking like champs.

Buff Orpintons

A few weeks ago the girls, my MIL and I ran down to Mt. Healthy Hatchery and picked up our little peeps. The girls were so excited. And, honestly I was too! It's been so long since I had chicks! So, we loaded all 6 boxes into the van. Seeing 6 boxes caused Rhea to go into a tizzy of excitment. I had told the kids each box contained 100 chicks but the hatchery had put 50 in each due to the heat. Rhea missed hearing the part about splitting them up and thought she had gone from 300 to 600 chicks. She was shaking with excitement which dimmed a bit until I showed them all the babies in the boxes and then it came roaring back.

Once everyone was buckled back in, and we convinced Sunshine that they wouldn't be sad missing their mommy and daddy, we took off. They were just peepin' and cheepin' away. It was about an hour and a half drive and they only stopped peeping when I hit a pothole which sent everyone's head around to check on them and Sunshine to actually holler at me to be careful.

First night home. No one wanted to leave them alone!

Rhode Island Reds

While we were gone Ben, Tyler and my FIL were cleaning the garage. In my world cleaning means organizing, sorting, straightening,etc. Apparently to them cleaning the garage meant shoving everything over to the side so there was room. But, they did get the brooder built so...I shushed about it.....but just barely! The brooder is 25ft by 12 or 15ft. I forget which one but there is 375sq ft. All the info about chicks said 1/3 sq. ft per chick. I thought that was too small and we did a square foot for each one and alloted extra space for feeders, waterers and room to do yoga and pilates. They wanted a treadmill but I drew the line at that. We also have heat/brooder lamps over head to keep them nice and warm and have straw, pine pellets and pine flakes down for bedding and odor control.

Buff Orpingtons

Every morning and evening we (I) stick our(my) noses down to just an inch above the bedding and sniff. If there is any ammonia or poo smell we add more bedding. This is called the "deep litter method" and it warms the chicks as it composts/breaks down, provides healthy bacteria and cultures for the chicks and it also provides B Vitamins for them. Granted it's probably not doing that yet as it's only a week old but it will eventually and I can use it in my garden as lovely organic fertilizer.

Buff Brahmas aka "Cowgirls" as they have feathers down their legs.

The brooder is made from boxes we have been collecting from Ben's work as they throw them away. We used lattice/lathe strips (bundle of 25 for almost 13.00 Lowes) to support the sides and we stapled the cardboard to the lathes. We had the staple gun but bought more staples as we were out for 11$ since it was a half empty box...after all I didn't need 5000 staples. The flaps of the cardboard was alternated one in one out to provide a base and then the inside had extra cardboard put down before it was covered with bedding. Total cost for the brooder came to only 24$. Bedding has came to 27$ as we just bought 2 more bales of flakes which will last us 2 weeks for a total of 3. Organic starter is $144.00 for 300lbs which includes minerals. That will last all our chicks for a month plus. I also bought a 50lb bag of oyster shell for $10.00. They only get a wee bit in their food as too much calcium isn't good for their kidneys. Once they're bigger they'll have it as a free choice food instead of just a bit in their food.

Cornish Cross (notice how yellow they are?)

In about 6 weeks our Cornish Cross will be slaughtered and put away in the freezer. Cornish Cross are bred to grow this quick and big within 8 weeks. We're culling them at 7 weeks as many people have wrote about how that last week they're so big they're wheezing so I prefer they have a better quality of life and we won't have them so big.

Barred Rocks

A few weeks after that we will begin camponizing the other roos. That'll be the Rhode Island Reds and the Barred Rocks. We received these birds as a bonus. By camponizing them they'll basically be fixed (did you know a roosters testicles are up by their spine?!) which will prevent the meat from becoming tough and stringy and will still allow for a larger build up of gelatin in the bird for broth and such when we start the GAPS diet this fall.

We're adoring these chicks and I'm amazed as I watch my son that CAN NOT sit still to save his life calm completly and just be. He has SPD or SID and I enjoy watching him watch them. They have this magical power that just settles you as you watch their antics. I'll post next time about how we take care of them and more on how they're taking care of us.

Honey

Remember

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Mon, 30 May 2011 13:44:00 +0000

Image courtesy of Remember

Today is the one day Americans have set forth to honor those who have fought for freedom. We especially honor the men and women who have died to give us that freedom. We also honor the families of those heroes for their sacrifice too.

I and my family thank you. We are quite proud of all of you and grateful to you also.

We live in Ohio and Wright Pat Air Force Base isn't too far from us. Each day a helicopter or a plane goes by. The helicopters fly low enough you can really see them and the whoop whoop of the blades draw your attention. It started when Tyler and Rhea were little and has continued everyday since that I am reminded of our military and the safety they provide.

One hot, summer day as I was hanging laundry they both started screaming. I couldn't see them and two ear piercing screams just scared me to death. I'd dropped the clothes and just burst through the laundry ready to kill whatever was hurting my kids. But, I see the kids running and screaming and whole as they point at something behind me.

Turning I saw 4 helicopters coming in the distance. As the sounds of the world came pouring back in the first thought I had was how many other mothers around the world were grabbing their children and running for cover at the sight or sound of a helicopter or aircraft? How many mothers hear that whoop whoop and pray for protection from guns, bombs, rape and death?

Not even as I sat watching the horror of 9/11 did it truly hit home what our military does for my family. But that moment there brought war to my doorstep in the most gentle of ways. Daily I am reminded and daily I pray for protection for the men and women who protect us.

Blessed be our Protectors for we are grateful to and for them.

Faces Of The Fallen

Honey

Mary, Mary, quite contrary how does your garden grow?

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:16:00 +0000

We're GARDENING!!!! But first...a horrifying nursery rhyme....

"Mary Mary quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockle shells

And pretty maids all in a row."

Well let me say that silver bells and cockle shells sound nice but like every other nursery rhyme...the truth is far from it. Did you know that Mary was actually "Bloody Mary" or "Queen Mary, daughter of Henry the 8th" if you wanted to keep a spot to place your hat. Apparently, Mary was quite a Catholic believer and didn't approve at all of the Protestant faith so she lopped off heads. The garden from the nursery rhyme refers to the graveyards that ...grew. And! If envisioning tombstones wasn't enough silver bells refered to the thumbscrews and the cockle shells referered to torture instruments that were attached to the genitals. Seriously....it's up to you to decide if it's a compliment for someone to say you've warmed their cockles...and I know one husband that had better never say it.

And, now that we've had a brief history lesson we've come full circle back to gardening!!!!

I LOVE to garden. When my hands are deep into the soil I feel grounded. And, not in that 'Man! Mom and Dad grounded me to my room!' way but I feel complete and at one with the Universe. It's theraputic and sends calm through out my body unless I weed into an ant community and then I simply FREAK out 'cause I'm terrified of ants. Yes. Ants scare the CRAP out of me. I will happily grab any toxin banned and known to cause grown men to start ovulating if it meant I'd never have to interact with an ant again. And, that's saying alot 'cause I'm antitoxin....except for about two weeks ago when I learned that cooking meat in an oven means it has to be cleaned up right away or it refuses to budge unless prompted with toxic oven cleaner.

ANYways! So, I'm chatting with Leann (who has an AMAZING post right now about celery btw!) and she says, "You garden right?"

"...um...Yeah." (My garden two summers ago was about 100 by 60 and we took it down based on a realtors opinion that large gardens were not good sellers. I literally cried as we took down all those raised beds and raked all that fertile organic soil throughout the yard.)

"You need to go over to The Homeschool Village and join in on their Garden Challenge! It's this whole thing where you share your gardening process and what you learn with the kids and etc....( I'm paraphrasing of course cause I was trying to find the site, kiss Sunshine's noggin that had just had a camera dropped on it by her older siblings who were acting like twits because their twit mother was trying to find some garden love.)

So! I'm joining along and you should too. There are only a few rules....you have to share pics and well here...
"To participate:
1.Join us and link up once per month March 31st, April 28st, May 26th, and June 30th – sharing a post of your latest garden update . Include: 1 current photo, progress, lessons/resources being used, and homeschooler’s reaction / involvement!

2.Grab the button and put it on your site during the challenge (thanks Jolanthe Relevant Designs)

Winners: will be announced July 7th! 3 random winners (who have participated all 4 months) will be chosen !
First 10 participants to link up March 31st will receive a $15.00 CurrClick Gift Certificate. "

THATS RIGHT!!! It's a contest where you don't have to be successful at gardening...you just have to do it and share a pic of your plant glorious in its death throws (which is what happens when I try to garden indoors) or splendid as it struts its stuff around the square foot beds.

There's also this really cute button.....

let's hope I did it right! I hope to see you putterin' around your garden as I work to locate the mind I lost as I raked the beds out 2 summers ago. And, I'll share a picture with you of our seeds. Some of them are from a few summers ago when I would harvest seed but they're actually 3 years old and I was afraid they wouldn't work so...I bought new seed. (shhhh!!!!! Don't tell Ben but Lowe's had a buy 1 get 1 on their organic seed and I soooo cleaned up!! ;) )

Here's the veggie seeds....

Here are the flowers and herbs....

Here is a mixed bag of wildflowers. I'm so glad I didn't sow these because I'm hoping they'll really take off when I scatter them in about two weeks. (Ben's taking a WHOLE WEEK OFF!!!! Yeah!!! Garden City BABY!!!)

Alright...I'm happy and excited about blogging. Nice to be back and nice to look forward to dirt under my nails instead of playdough. :)

Honey

Courts not protecting a 5 year old from his sexual abuser

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 16:22:00 +0000

Hi guys. My godson has been sexually abused for at least 2.5 years. He first told us of the abuse when he was 3. His father has been forcing him to do things no child should even witness much less have to perform.

We've been in court for the past 2 years fighting to get him protection. They don't believe it's happening. They say since he won't tell strangers (CPS that comes to check the claim) he's lying...and since he only tells his mom, his psychologist/psychiatrist who he told AFTER developing a rapport with, and me that his mom is making these up.

Yesterday we received a decision from the courts and they're giving the dad, the incestuous pedophile, FULL custody of my godson. CPS has previously threatened to bring my friend up on charges because she reports what my godson says to them.

PLEASE...if you know anyone...give them my name and email. We've put a stop on the decision so he'll come home (he's been at the pedophiles home for the past 2 weeks because it was standard visitation Christmas). The new magistrate cited the old magistrates decision in her ruling. The issue with that is he was recused due to ethical reasons and he didn't stand down at the beginning. It took 2 years just to get that fixed and the new magistrate USES his stuff. She never listened to the school counselor, the friends, the dr's that have done court ordered psych evaluations on both of the parents that show the father is an actual threat to children and should not be left unsupervised with a child until all allegations have been dealt with.

Please...pray, send energy, meditate, light a candle....share the story but please....help us protect my Godson. Courts aren't doing anything and while I'm REALLY trying to give the problem to God I keep feeling if I share this with 1 more person...maybe they're that one.

Courts said without physical proof they'll do nothing. We need physical proof or a complete confession. PLEASE. I am begging for each of your prayers,hope and support in anyway you can give it. Pray he starts telling all the strangers (CPS), there's physical proof that doesn't cause irreparable harm to his little body. They said he need to have tearing or a STD for there to be proof. The abuse has to stop. They're sending him to live full time with a pedophile. They told my friend she'll have to undergo psych evaluation as she's sick for destroying the father son bond and will be granted supervised visitation until she can show she's ...I don't know.

I KNOW this sounds....strange...and that she must have done something wrong. But she hasn't, all she's done is provide a stable home where her son is validated. The school counselor and even the CPS couldn't find fault in how secure my Godson is. The court ordered CPS evaluator did say that he's exhibiting signs of abuse but they're ignoring it. But, they threaten to put her in jail for protecting her son by reporting what he tells her.

Please help anyway you can. I've contacted everyone in my phone book to put him on their prayer list at church or to include him in their meditations and thoughts. If you practice reiki send him strength to share with CPS. Loosen his tongue and share the trauma he's been through. His mom has talked with him about how his Daddy has a touching problem and needs to see a doctor to get him some help. ...it's not helping him though...he still wont' tell CPS or the police. Why can no one see that even adult victims find it hard to share their story and they've the ability to reason it out sometimes...a child...doesn't.

Please help.

========================================================================
I had a thought...one of the things we've read is that when a mother is in this situation she needs two things; 1.the best lawyer money can buy and 2. a Private Eye.

My friend has worked finances to where she has the best lawyer but she needs a private eye. We, her friends are all giving money to help with lawyer fees because good is expensive. But we NEED that private eye. If you would be willing to donate anything financial please do so. If you think this is whooy then donate just to get some information for your continent bins. But, please....research has shown that a private eye helps and often is the proof that's needed.

Please make a donation. All funds will go to getting a private eye. Thank you and if you make a donation leave your email addy and I'll send you a thank you gift of 3part cards I made over the spring of the USA and it's territories and possessions.

They have TONS of information...they cover the state, capital,area, when it became a state, location in the US, outline of the state, each states bird,tree,motto,flower...tons of info and cards I believe there are over 180 pages of information. yes...50 cards per state + the extra territories and possessions, 50 + for location, 50 info card for each state, terr & poss, 50+ where it is found in the state card, ...there's seriously a LOT of info good for 3-6 AND 6-9.

Honey

Merry Christmas Everybody!

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 13:20:00 +0000

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve! Odds are you've watched Miracle on 34th Street and visited family, smooched a bit under the mistletoe (thank you Pagans!), and have had your fill of figgy pudding. If not...you better get hopping 'cause you're losing daylight folks. I thought I'd share how we do our wrapping in the hope of pulling more mommas away from the huge mess and waste that comes from gift wrap.

Growing up we unwrapped Christmas on Christmas Eve but Ben....he did it Christmas morning. As a mom I like the fact that I can send the kids off to bed, practically vibrating with excitement and some how they manage to keep theirselves in the bed all in the hopes of making it one.more.night! I'm a wee bit psychotic that way...but I find it funny.

Anyways, we'll have a glass of something...mead for me and a stout lager for my hubby which I do find much nicer scented than beer, and talk a bit about tomorrow/Christmas Day. What we'll do....how early do we have to get up to go to his parents, how much crap will we be bringing back home, and how many toys will Ben's mother buy him? (Yes...his mother purchases toys for a 36 year old man. IT.DRIVES.ME.UP.A.WALL. I SOO have a short fuse around the holidays...it's all that extra family time I think. ;) ) Reminisce about how long we've been married as Christmas is our halfway point in the year and we'll argue about the date we got married was it the 24th or the 25th? I can never remember!

After having a glass we'll notice it's quiet, check on the kids and give a little giggle of excitement (Ben's a lightweight what can I say?! hehe!) that they're asleep and it's now time for Operation: Christmas Wrap 20 10. If we're smart we will have dragged all the bags out (do you recycle gift bags? I don't buy bags anymore and just keep the ones we get from birthdays and such. Eco friendly baby!) and start packing the gifts for friends, family, inlaws and outlaws. Ben tissues and stuffs, I tie,label and curl.

After the racket we make and no one has came out we know we're good to go so we haul out the kids stuff. Under beds, in closets, in cabinets, trunks, garage and yes...I've even stored gifts one year in an empty trash can. I bought the can just for the gifts so it was clean ...and we needed a new one. I've even stored gifts IN their room in the bin that holds their current size clothing (as they outgrow it they toss it in and voila! ready for the next kid after I neatly fold it.).

We don't use gift bags or wrapping paper for our kids. I use fabric. Every year you'll see lots of holiday fabric go on clearance. I don't like the cutsie stuff and I prefer it be a solid color as 1...you never know when you need fabric to make clothes with and a gift bag won't keep you warm. And, 2...it can be used for birthdays, anniversaries, graduation, Fathers Day, whatever! So...I've been buying red, and green but I'm really wanting some other colors. So until I get each of us our own color I just use the flannel and felt and other fabric I have in my fabric stash to wrap.

This lets me have some fun 'cause all my flannels are from when I planned on cloth diapering Sunshine with some AIOs (all in ones are like washable disposable diapers with velcro tabs). We ended up using EC (Elimination Communication ) and didn't need any extra diapers so...I've a LOT of flannel. Since I'm gender neutral I picked out all the fabric I found cute. There's Bad to the Bone, Unicorns, little toadstools, Frogs, Knights with Castles, motorcycles, space, a Supergirl...just lots. I take silky ribbons that I keep every year and after 'wrapping' it like you would with paper I wrap it with the ribbon. Sometimes I'll pull it up and have this poof of fabric with a big bow. That looks nice for the solid colors. I'll take some pictures of ours to share with ya'll and hopefully you can use the idea next year. Remember...after Christmas sells!

You can use fabric for so much stuff! There's nothing to throw away, everyone will help clean up 'cause they don't want to lose their gift wrapping er...um...really Christmas gift. You can pack all your loot in a yard or two and make like a hobo and carry it off to be put away. Then, you can toss it in the washer and dryer and it's ready for the next gift event.

Next year I hope to make some fabric boxes that break down flat because not having something hard does make the stacking of gifts not so neat. Sunshine's first Christmas I ran out of fabric so we just stuffed things unwrapped with just ribbon and a label. The kids were just as excited. We also plan on making next year an entirely handmade Christmas for our extended family too. We'll be alerting them to it and I'm going to share with my MIL stuff I'm making for my nieces and nephews.

Oh yeah...and IF you do have a handmade Christmas...seriously...start after Christmas is OVER. I have 3 unfinished hats that were for my MIL, hopefully future sister in law (my BIL SO got lucky with this girl. She's great with all the kids and she's a lot younger so...she can chase the kids this summer at get togethers! And...she actually speaks nicely which is automatically an upgrade from my last SIL.)

Well...I've plans to share what I've made after the holidays for the girls. We bought them a few things off craigslist that they've always wanted but I would never pay that much for and well...craigslist pricing ROCKS!

I'll share with you gifts I've made for some bloggy friends and I really hope they all like theirs.

Merry Christmas and I hope you have a blessed year where your best of this year is the worst of next year!

Honey

Bits of Goodness Swaps; Wish.Wonder.Suprise. & The Elements

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:19:00 +0000

I'm a member of a yahoo group called Bits of Goodness. I've just started my first swap with them and I wish I had found them YEARS ago "I TELL YOU!" (...anyone know that movie line?)

Please if you're in this swap and want to be surprised...don't peek. Also...my element mommas if you read this...fair warning! ;)

I signed up for the Wish.Wonder.Surprise swap and made 6 sets of Gnome or Fairy sized table with 4 chairs with a confetti type look to them. I also made gifts wrapped in little bows and a cake that just happened to have icing the same color as the bows on the presents at each individual table. You were to send 5 and a hostess gift as a thank you to the hostess for well...hosting! :)

The girls and I painted them after I'd glued them with a non-toxic hot glue. I'm proud to say I never burnt myself! :) (Yes. Burning myself with the glue gun happens a lot. For some reason I'm always getting the molten lava they call glue on my fingers. And, I can attest it's not toxic 'cause any time I hurt my fingers right into my mouth they go. There isn't any ill effects like double vision or double vision or anything. ;) ) Sunshine globbing the paint on is where I got the idea for my little nativity sets shepards hair. I have to say she still did a better job of keeping herself clean than I did. Paint's like a magnet to me. I just get covered in it.

So, they were glued, painted and then I popped pretty little dots of colors on top of the chairs. I didn't put anything on top of the table 'cause when the gifts and the cake were on it I didn't want it to look too busy. Yep..I'm Martha Gnome-rt.

The gifts were wrapped in ribbons and the cake was painted to match. Pretty simple and adorable when put on a plate and set upon the table just waiting for the little ones to make a WISH as they blew out their candles, WONDER if their presents held their wish and be SURPRISEd when they open it and discover what's inside. To me Wish.Wonder.Surprise is a child's birthday celebration.

For the Elements swap I had 2 different partners as I wanted something for Tyler, Rhea and Sunshine. One momma had 2 monkeys so we were each making two different sets. My other momma and I were making only a set each.

For both my mommas families I made;

Earth- A beautiful log we found out hiking with the kids. It was soaked so I brought it in and sat it on top of some towels in front of the fire place. It rolled into this beautiful snail like shape. I had thought it'd make a lovely home for some wee animal for being u shaped but...rolled...oh...they'll be very warm and cozy as they have an air lock now. :) It also really looks like a snail. I cut it on a saw and it has these beautiful striations from where the bark grew..

Air- a small ring with silky netting of smokes and blues tied about it. I find it funny 'cause depending on if you have it in the air or on the ground it looks like either air or water. I thought it'd be great as when I was a kid those ribbons on sticks were used to dance with. (I had an album that allowed you to dance and exercise with it. I enjoyed the ribbon and would often use it dance and to lasso my little brother. I kept this in mind and made the ribbons short! ;) ) I used a metal ring chromed so it'd be smooth to the touch. I'm so glad I used the metal ones because when set on a fan they make these really neat seaweed ocean floor thing and the fire one...really looks like a fire snapping and crackling in the air. Rhea figured this out but I have to do some checking with Ben to see if it's safe to put a fan on it's back so up it came as I worried about a REAL fire.

Fire- I made hemmed backgrounds out of a burgundy that glints like a ruby in the sun. The girls have used theirs to make flames come up out of their wood, as a backdrop for the 'Land of Setting Sun' where the harvest is always brought in and you can gather 'round the hearth to sip cider or doze while listening to stories and the creak of the rocking chair. Land of Setting Sun is my favorite story creation as its all about fall, brisk breezes, warm socks, crisp apples, warm stew and tangy sourdough bread slathered in raw butter (which is simply amazing). Their room is in the back of the house so in the evening the sun comes pouring into our bedrooms.

Water- a mobile made of snowflakes, beads from crystals to pearlized navy to hang in the window. It's absolutely beautiful if I say so myself. The kids worked with me on it for the first one. But soon everyone but Rhea lost interest as it was tedious to follow the pattern we'd set out. We had painted the wooden snowflakes in white and a baby blue and along the edges I added silver for a little bling! Using my dremel I drilled teeny, tiny holes just big enough for the fishing line to fit through so there's no ugly holes. The beads were pearlized as I think it gives an extra sparkle at night like real snow does when you're out at night with a flashlight (never done it...it's a definite have to do it thing...and go by yourself at least once...you'll thank me.). They each have a crystal to bring chi energy into the room and disperse it to all. There are also 9 snowflakes. 9 is heavens number and accomplishment. 5 (the first row) is about change and resourcefulness. 3 (the second row) is family and creativity. 1(the bottom row) is new beginnings and unobstructed energy. The colors blue and white stand for knowledge and creativity. Silver supports the water cycle (knowledge) and I did the pattern in a triangle which is fire. In feng shui adding a bit of fire to water can make it steamy. Basically upping the juju factor on the knowledge, creativity and family/children. It's all kinds of goodness for the kids. But, it IS a mobile..it's not to play with 'cause it does have little beads that can choke a kid so...hang it up in the window.

For my momma with two I also made for her family

Earth-little bundles of wood. Rhea said that every home needed their own stash of wood to heat with so we made wood. I originally planned to do a cording of wood section like where wood dries out but she said no...it needed to be made so a small bunch wouldn't be an eyesore in the forest. "It looks like some man made it Honey. Fairies would never be obvious about where they gather their wood." I stand corrected and will do as the expert says, so...it was added to the Lincoln Logs and I made little bunches of wood the fairies can pick up and carry easily. I think of earth as what grows from it but Ben said the wood would be fire....so if you think fire too....well....you've got an extra set of fire! And I'm glad these were interpretations.

Air- a yellow sunny sky backdrop. The girls have used theirs as the sun and a roof for their tree house as well as veils, a sling for Sun baby, and skirts (there is nothing cuter than a 2 year old naked with a (scarf) skirt wrapped around her waist and a wee little butt poking out the back.) I also remember a serious conversation about how energy efficient it'd be over their felted leaves this summer. It's stretchy too so it really handles being a beautiful addition to a child's imagination. It was also serged as I noticed Sunshine could find the edges easier to hang it with.

Fire-A ribbon set like the air one but this one has deep reds and yellows and it REALLY looks like a fire as the ribbons tangle and set upon each other. Rhea sat her fan back and put it on it and it looked really neat but I was worried about an actual fire so she stopped. As I went trying to make the ribbons I tried out felt, cotton and some silk that was from Sunshine's birthing blankets (they were tie dyed a rainbow color so all the different colors would lend her what she needed when she needed.). None of them would fall back on their self and make a fire and nothing mixed and moved like it. I found it in the bridal aisle. It also doesn't ravel but I do recommend serging or sewing it for the backgrounds..

**And, don't take it to a seamstress. It must roll on them or something because it cost $20 for the 3 backgrounds to be serged! They were also a lot smaller when I got them back. But, they still looked nice and I know the way my girls are with theirs so I hope they like them too.

Water- I ran out of ideas for water so I decided to make a table set that represents all the elements; earth, air, fire, water and ether. The table is ether and each of the four chairs represent earth, air, fire and water. I certainly hope that's okay with my swappin' momma!

I've made sets of everything for my children too to add to their handmade Christmas gifts. Unfortunately, they've seen them so...they have them now to play with. But, I must say our nature table has been looking REALLY sharp these past two weeks.

I highly recommend you join Bits of Goodness if you're into handmade items and check out the flickr group too. I've enjoyed making the items and I've enjoyed the fun time that we've had crafting for others. I wonder what we'll get, when the next swap will be and who will host! If you want to see more detailed pics you can check them out at Wish.Wonder.Surprise or Element Swap.

Honey

Laboring woman turned away

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 05:46:00 +0000

I have a newsletter subscription to Waldorf Teacher and I enjoy it every time it arrives in my email box. I save them as there's always a wonderful verse and poem and some information about Waldorf teachers and schools. They also always have some of the most amazing art. I think all you Montes out there can truly appreciate the wonderful art that is made and featured by Walies's out there if you're not for the spiritual side of it. So, I think you'd do well to check it out.

Like I was saying...every newsletter has amazing verses and this time I wasn't let down...

In the Town

Old French Dialogue Carol

JOSEPH:
Take heart, the journey’s ended:
I see the twinkling lights,
Where we shall be befriended
On this night of nights.

MARY:
Now praise the Lord that led us
So safe into the town,
Where men will feed and bed us,
And I can lay me down.

JOSEPH:
And how then shall we praise him?
Alas, my heart is sore
That we no gifts can raise him,
We are so very poor.

MARY:
We have as much as any
That on the earth do live,
Although we have no penny,
We have ourselves to give.

JOSEPH:
Look yonder, wife, look yonder!
A hostelry I see,
Where travelers that wander
Will very welcome be.

MARY:
The house is tall and stately,
The door stands open thus;
Yet husband, I fear greatly
That inn is not for us.

JOSEPH:
God save you, gentle master!
Your littlest room indeed
With plainest walls of plaster
Tonight will serve our need.

HOST:
For lordlings and for ladies
I’ve lodgings and to spare;
For you and yonder maid is
No closet anywhere.

JOSEPH:
Take heart, take heart, sweet Mary,
Another inn I spy,
Whose host will not be chary
To let us easy lie.

MARY:
Oh, aid me, I am ailing,
My strength is nearly gone;
I feel my limbs are failing,
And yet we must go on.

JOSEPH:
God save you, Hostess, kindly!
I pray you, house my wife,
Who bears beside me blindly
The burden of her life.

HOSTESS:
My guests are rich men’s daughters,
And sons, I’d have you know!
Seek out the poorer quarters,
Where ragged people go.

JOSEPH:
Good sir, my wife’s in labor,
Some corner let us keep.

HOST:
Not I: knock on my neighbor’s door,
And as for me, I’ll sleep.

MARY:
In all the lighted city
Where rich men welcome win,
Will not one house for pity
Take two poor strangers in?

JOSEPH:
Good woman, I implore you,
Afford my wife a bed.

HOSTESS:
Nay, nay, I’ve nothing for you
Except the cattle shed.

MARY:
Then gladly in the manger
Our bodies we will house,
Since men tonight are stranger
Than donkeys, sheep and cows.

JOSEPH:
Take heart, take heart, sweet Mary,
The cattle are our friends.
Lie down, lie down, sweet Mary,
For here our journey ends.

MARY:
Now praise the Lord that found me
This shelter in the town,
Where I with friends around me
May lay my burden down.

As I read this I thought about how hard it must have been to be in labor...and no where to lie down and birth your babe. I envisioned myself as when I labor I want to be supported. I thought how cruel is our world to turn a laboring woman away as the Universe makes room for another soul.

I hear some mention this never happens...ahh...but you're wrong. Many women are turned away from our hospitals when in active labor because they don't 'act' like it. I've doula'd for a woman who had labored only a few hours before she KNEW (she was also dilated at a 7 at home and she wasn't interested in a homebirth!) and they wanted to turn her away! All because she was very calm. Luckily, she climbed up on the bed and flashed them some black hair. She was a blonde. They jumped to.

Other women are denied the right to birth the way they wish...VBACs are not encouraged despite multiple studies proving they are a safe option for nearly all women. Others are forced into accepting drugs or interventions or even denied drugs they ask for for pain relief. No matter what a woman chooses be it a med free vaginal birth, a vbac, freebirth/unassisted birth or even if she honestly feels and has made a FULLY informed decision to have a cesarean...that is HER right.

In honor of Christmas I ask you to make a donation to one of the many birthing groups out there that support women during their pregnancies, births and postpartum. Just imagine as you labored if you had been turned away to birth your baby in a stable. Granted, I'm sure Joseph tried to rake out some poo and pull down some fresh straw but....even my preference for natural is icked out to give birth next to some cow dung. I doubt Mary cared at that point except to wonder if she could get the mules to apply some pressure on her sacrum. Or wondered where the rebozo was! All that donkey riding had to be annoying especially if Jesus wasn't turning!

If you're pregnant be sure to read for yourself. Don't make a decision because your OB/GYN, Midwife, Doula, Sister, Mother, Stranger, Best friend whatever told you to or it happened to her or ...read, learn, decide for yourself. Why is it people read more about the contract on their cars warranty than medications and procedures that can affect their and their childs life. A car is no where near as valuable as your child.

Imagine...there's no room for you and your soon to be born babe....

For lots of amazing information and to donate to a great birthing cause click on any of the links...

http://motherfriendly.org/

http://www.marchofdimes.com/

http://childbirthconnection.com/

http://ican-online.org/

http://www.mothering.com/

http://www.midwiferytoday.com/

http://www.waterbirth.org/

If you've lost a babe

http://www.nationalshare.org/

Merry Christmas and I hope your births are blessed and all you hoped they'd be!

Blessed Be,

Honey

Teach your children well...but first...teach yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 02:47:00 +0000

Holy Metal Batman! I have packages...and that's not good.

Today Ben came back from mailing some Christmas packages with ...packages...for me! He said the one was kinda old because he had forgotten to give me the sign for it slip. I gave him a look and said...see..this is why I don't like you picking the mail up and going to work with it!

I was excited as I had received everything I'd ordered and just KNEW the bits of bits of goodness swaps I participated in were back! Well...yippie for me!

I tear into the first box while I let the kids open the other one. The girls just start squealing with joy! (I'm thinking ohhh...it must be good!

I get mine open and....it looks familiar. Holy CRAP! Ok...this giveaway is simply cursed! It's the Arctic Giveaway I sent out to the winner. (Nope...not telling...she knows but you have to wait for pics of the kids playing with the polar bear. Hey...it'll make a good blog post ok?! ;) )

I don't know how or why but it came back to the post office....and to me.

I look over as I'm coming out of my "OH GOOD GRIEF! CAN ANYTHING ELSE GO WRONG WITH THIS GIVEAWAY?!?" grief to see....My Wish.Wonder.Suprise Swap....in the girls hands. Rhea goes..."these look just like what you made us!" Obviously my child is quite good with the obvious. It looks like I had switched the labels.

I'm so aggravated. I don't know what to do. Now I know why the gal emailed me asking about the swap. I just thought it was taking a bit more time.

Well....ok...I'm hoping ...well...I'm actually begging that I can bribe my way into getting to send these in. I'm going to send in an extra something for each swapper if I can still participate.

So...mommas...my lesson learned....teach yourself before the kids. I apparently lost my mind somewhere as I was labeling that box. I don't know WHAT happened to the giveaway. The labels were right. I live in hick ville so maybe I need to have literally write TO: and FROM:

And, just to double check....From goes in the top left corner right?......

Momma Giveaway Winner...I swear someday you'll receive it. I'm going to stick something extra in after I have the thing blessed so it can get to you without further issue. And, I'm not kidding about the blessing. I'm so saying a prayer over that thing.

Honey

Handmade Nativity

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 21:08:00 +0000

The other day I was reading through Karen's blog, Little Acorns, and I have to say how much I ADORE it! It's so natural and I'm starting to realize that I want to replace my favorite Monte teacher blogger that I could so stalk with Karen. (Yes...she feels very safe :) )

**I just went to double check the addy link was correct and dude...you HAVE to check out her felted dragon. I call DIBS! :) ** (This was written up a few days ago but my laptops broke and I'm using Ben's so look through for the dragon and the felted leaf girl. They're TOOOO cute!...)

Well, anyways, the other night she'd made a nativity set outta the wooden people. I have tons of the wooden people 'cause the warehouse that sells them is just a 20 minute drive away and boy do I get in trouble over there. I loved what she had did and decided that Sunshine needed a colorful set too. We have a set hand carved out of olive wood from Israel and it's beautiful but a bit limiting as it has a few animals and Mary, Joseph and Jesus but no one else. So, I grabbed my paints and my little wooden figures and started painting.

**Inserting Ranting and Raving aka personal opinion**

One thing that drives me up a wall is how so many (nearly all) nativity sets portray a white Holy family....not even a 'just got back from Cabo' white family but the 'get yourself to the Mystic tanning booth and get some color on those legs you're blinding people' white family. Folks....Jesus was Jewish....and he was probably the Jewish that is more deep Brazilian tan than a touch of color of my Jewish American friends. Bluntly...Jesus WASN'T white! Stop making him WHITE! Seriously white Jesus is a pet peeve of mine. It's like saying Martin Luther King Jr. was white and Abraham Lincoln was black. I just find it disrespectful to ignore a persons ethnicity. Anyways, I think I'm the only white girl in Ohio that doesn't have a nativity of white Jesus. (Although I'd do a white Jesus if there was an Asian, Latin, Indian, etc. Jesus to go along with it.).

And, I'm back from my rant.

So, Karen made her nativity to look realistic. And, she did a beautiful job. It got me to thinking...I should make my own too so Sunshine can play and we could really reenact the Christmas Story.

With paints in hand I created this;

An Angel all in silver and gold. She's some white highlights in her curls and a halo of gold...

Mary with her purple scarf to keep her hair covered as she's more than a fist full...

Joseph with his thick curls (I blobbed the paint, inspired by Sunshine's painting of some tables, on him and the shepards to give them some curls. I did it to the angel too although the black and silver haired folk didn't show too well unless pics were taken at an angle.)...

Baby Jesus in his little muslin wraps

He and Mary and baby Jesus all three shared the same skin tone as I thought they all came from the same village. I think I might be wrong about that now...but they're painted now.

The three shepards all have different skin tones, hair colors and clothes as I envision the angel appearing to the 'corners' of the area to share the good news rather than just one family/tribe/group of men.

I also added a little drummer boy. I know he's not a part of the nativity but I think he's a beautiful example of giving with what we have and it being perfect. I think that is something that applies to all of us no matter our beliefs giving with our hearts is much more important than a big expensive gift. And so the little drummer boy is there too. He has a wee little drum that sits in front of him but I didn't get a pic of it.

Then there are the wise men. At Karen's blog she wrote about an Asian fellow she'd made and it kinda shocked me at my limited thinking. I had NEVER considered anyone coming past the Mediterranean area. I always envisioned someone from Africa, someone from maybe Greece and someone from Persia but...I'd never thought as far east as the Orient. My wise men are from Africa, India and China. I made each to look as identifiable by his country of origin as I could and still be able to paint a simple wooden figure.

African King, Indian Maharajah, and Chinese Emperor

My Indian Maharajah wears an 'embroidered' in gold kurta of deep blue and a turban with gold and black. He also shows he is not to looked upon sexually with his bindi of deep red. He also wears a goatee. I don't know what a goatee is called in India but I've seen lots of our married Indian men friends with goatees...so he has a goatee.

My African King wears a purple dashiki with gold embroidery, a purple robe with edging in orange and gold on a cream background and an orange with gold 'embroidery' kufi hat. He has no facial hair because I've never seen any image of African royalty with facial hair and I know no one who is African royalty so he's clean shaven.

My Chinese Emperor wears a red zhaoshan with a golden dragon edged in black to represent vigor and wisdom. Under his long robe is his Yi or top and his Ku or pants. I did not research anything to make it true to the time as I wanted the kids and especially Sunshine to recognize the different peoples. ( And if I remember right...the outfit I've chosen is basically the equivalent of a coat with tails over jeans and tshirt...oops :)~ ...so don't quote me! ) He is also sporting a fu manchu moustache. I just know that all the 'emperor' pics I've ever seen is of a guy with a little hat and a fu manchu. I actually was also going to put a wee hat on him but I worried about Sunshine popping it off as it was so tiny and I didn't think the wood glue would really hold on for her play.

I also made a stable and manger from wood glue and sticks I sent the kids out to get for me. (Hey...it's cold and they have snow suits!) I think it looks really neat and we'll be able to use it the rest of the year either on the nature table or in their play. Not bad for the cost of a few glue sticks! I don't have a pic of it though...sorry!

I love the nativity set I painted. I feel it represents our beliefs and I actually saw Ben moving them around on the nature table so they appeal to the young and young at heart. :)

Sitting on the window sill above the nature table.

~~I'm TRYING to put an album link so you can see pics of the backs/more detail. Hopefully, you'll see it on the sides. If not...anyone have a tut?~~

UPDATE: I figured out how to upload to both flickr and photobucket! Click here to see the back details.

Honey

The family of vegans disappear.....

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 01:19:00 +0000

Sniff! Sniff! A moment of silence for The Family of Vegans.

After 10 years of being a vegan (someone who avoids all things animal be it dairy,egg,meat, fish...etc.) family we can no longer claim to be vegan. Yes...we have come to the dark side. The side of flesh...(well...charred or well boiled in my case)...and chicken embryos and breastmilk of the cow....and we're ok with it all. :) Before those 10 years I had been an official vegetarian (I titled why I didn't eat meat) since high school but had always HATED eating meats although I tolerated chicken when forced to eat it. My entire life has been basically meat free....until now.

We became vegan overnight because I had done a lot of research over cancer and since Ben and I basically have a family tree where the oddity is the 1 without a form of cancer I figured we needed all the help we could get. So...while Ben had became a vegetarian (he had been a hunter when we married) only 2ish years before that he agreed with the research I had discovered. After becoming vegan Ben's sinus issues cleared up, he lost 20lbs in 1 month! (snot head), and we noticed Rhea's dark circles under her eyes went away and she seemed so much more energetic. Later an allergy test would confirm she was allergic to dairy and a host of other things.

The years passed fine and dandy until I became pregnant with Sunshine. I became allergic to soy. I couldn't tolerate even a wee little bit. It wasn't a pretty sight at all. After Sunshine was born I thought yeah! tofu! (I missed my tofu steaks!) but within minutes....oh boy. I thought...ok...soy milk though! But nope...it was also going through my milk and bothering Sunshine...derh! I became allergic DURING her pregnancy....makes sense.

So...after 2.5 years of doing lots of nut butters and getting SO SICK of them we decided something had to change. So I looked into adding raw milk as I'd read how folks with dairy allergies could handle raw but not the pasteurized stuff. Surprisingly...not one of us had a reaction. None of the normal "oops...I used cows butter not soy in your mashed potatoes!" reactions of headache,nausea,vomiting, and other ickiness happened. I was surprised and kinda happy as it doesn't taste bad but is nice and VERY filling!

Normally our family of 5 orders 2 veggie pizzas with all the veggies but no cheese and it'd be GONE along with the bread sticks...but with cheese on a pizza?! We can't eat a whole large now! A medium with bread sticks is plenty! (Lot cheaper too!)

So...drinking dairy...then...I started to worry what if we became allergic to the raw dairy? There wasn't much more food...but.... there was chicken.

We talked it over...agreed with our allergy rates we need more protein sources. So, I bought a chicken. It was organic and free range and expensive as HELL! I brought it home and looked up in GNOWFGLINS and some other natural food/whole food sites chicken. Boiling a whole chicken seemed the easiest and less messy thing. So...in the crock pot it went after I washed it off (There wasn't any directions saying to do this but it seemed like something you should do. Does anyone else do that?) and popped it in the crockpot early in the morning on high with some rosemary.

All the directions said the meat should fall off the bone and it'd be done. So...I boiled that chicken for almost 2 days straight until I spoke with one of the Weston A. Price food meetup people. (PS. they need a vegan guide to becoming a meat eater 'cause that whole 'Nourishing Traditions' textbook they call an easy simple cookbook are full of crap!) She LOST it giggling! ;) Apparently, the meat will fall off the bone when you pick it UP...no one mentions that! I have a feeling my chicken story will provide LOTS of giggles because our raw milk farmer thought it was hilarious when answered how it was going with the new way of eating.)

So...into the kitchen I ran after she assured me that 38 hours was more than enough for the chicken to be done. That sucker was HOT! She'd said to pick the meat off the bones (dude...it was HOT!!!) and normally you would then make a broth out of the bones by boiling them again but as long as they had gone...that probably wouldn't happen. I thought about putting it in the fridge to cool but didn't know if that meant bacteria would grow quickly or what so I dealt with the heat. Luckily, I know I'll never be fingered as a jewel thief by my finger prints because they were all burnt off. (I'm researching the Hope Diamond now to start my life of crime and mayham!)

After picking it apart...and dude...what's up with the brown/grey long bulby like thing that I think is a heart as it was around the lung area..?! I thought...ok...now what? They don't address this in any of the books. They leave you just sitting there burning your fingerprints off. But, I remembered mom would take and pop dumplings in her chicken broth with the meat and she'd make chicken N dumplings. Dumplings...fine...I've made Unchicken N dumplings that were DELICIOUS! No problems!....Chicken and Dumplings....whole other matter.

I know you carnies think tofu is like cardboard but OH MY GOSH! There wasn't even much rosemary scent! It was horrible and tasteless and BLAND!!!! I added a bunch of salt to our dinner but BLAH! I ate a bowl only because I refused to have 15 bucks wasted but I felt so bad for the kids. Tyler liked it but I think he was excited to just be eating meat. (I'm worried about the cats....he's mentioned setting traps for things!) Rhea tried to eat but Sunshine...the girl said...uh... no. No exclamation...a fact..a statement. No.

Also...what's up with all the fat? I thought chickens were LOW in fat...that's their whole claim in why they're better than pork and beef right? Holy crap if that's tons LESS it's no wonder the American world is as round as a plate!

So the chicken was nasty and I had also bought a turkey as I want to give the kids a 'traditional' Thanksgiving like what my mom would have made but....shesh...I experimented with the chicken and yeah...we know where that journey ended.

So! Despite drinking raw milk and trying the chicken oh and we've tried eggs too I'm pluggin' along determined to make it. I SO love eggs! I made devil eggs and they were good. I have to say that I miss my veganaise (vegan mayo). Miracle whip...hello...try the sugar bowl and mayonnaise...supposedly there's a difference between the two? What is it 'cause they both taste like sugar and even more sugar. But, I REALLY need some serious help.

My plea to you....

Help a southern gal get some southern recipes. Mommy died when I was 12 weeks pregnant with Tyler so I can't ask her. My dad has her recipe book and while he's 'willing to make me copies' he hasn't and it was hard for him to even offer to make copies despite me asking to take it to make copies. (Am I out of line here or should a daughter have her mother's recipes? I originally had it but after he got married his new wife wanted a good recipe to make the cake dad liked....I gave him the book believing he'd give it back after copying the recipe. He's had it ever since.) I have been craving some pecan pie and now that I have added in eggs and milk...I want my mommas food for the kids.

If ya'll be willing to share great recipes and even if you know of a fool proof way to cook a turkey or hey...wanna make a vlog so a newbie can follow along? I'd appreciate it and I'm sure my children would too. :)

I'd share pictures of the chicken and the chicken n dumplings I made but...for some reason there's a green tinge to the pictures and they look really nasty! ;) ...that and for some reason I can't get them off my phone.

And if you're interested check out GNOWFGLINS for ways to cook whole foods and other things. She also has e courses like the "sourdough ecourse". It's really cool too in the fact it's a pay what you can course. Every month Wardeh has a thank you video of something after you've made a donation. Last month...crock pot soap. It's AMAZING and super dupper easy.

How I wish one of you out there would come and be my teacher! Any takers?

So please! please! don't forget to share your turkey cookin' know how, recipes for pecan pie and other thanksgiving and southern food recipes. I'll share how successful....or not...I am. :) I'm making a practice run Sunday morning for Thanksgiving...here's hoping.

Honey

Thanksgiving 3 part card FREEBIE!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:57:00 +0000

Gobble! Gobble! It's getting to be Thanksgiving time! A time when families gather around the table, yell "pass the 'taters!" and "hey...why's the gravy lumpy?!", kids and unpopular relatives are left to the 'kiddy' table (this is also where the single vegetarian/vegans go as I once was one...) and you wonder how much booze it'll take for you to forget and come back again for Christmas. ;)

On that note of togetherness ;) I thought I'd share all the stuff we've been making and doing so your monkeys can make up some stuff that decorates for the last bit of fall, reminds you of what you're thankful for or what your blessings are and it gives you a few minutes to eat a piece of sweet potato pie you've got stashed on top of the fridge. Hey...at my house if it's not pecan pie it's sweet potato pie and they like it too!

So! Rhea's been reading to Sunshine Sarah Morton's Day by Kate Waters. It's about a little girls life in 1627. Tyler's reading the boy's version called Samuel Eaton's Day by Kate Waters. Sunshine walks us through all the pictures and retells what she heard. And we've all started reading 'Squanto Friend of the Pilgrims' by Clyde Robert Bulla

They have enjoyed these stories every year. This year I realized how much they have grown because last year they could all cuddle beside and on me, although it was REALLY tight, on the loveseat. Now with Sunshine being really involved with her learning (she talks with her hands and has to hold the books) we need a couch for family reading. I wonder how many years or months we'll have family reading....

We made some amazing crafts courtesy of Craft Gossip. I'd share our pics but well...let's just say Sunshine decided that the Mayflowers should float while I was running the bath water. **Note to self....take some pics DURING and immediatly following creations.** The tub looked more like the start to a man made coral reef.... I swear that kid has her brother and sister wrapped firmly around her little pinky.

We're having Thanksgiving with friends and while the kids are playing games, watching the Macy's Day Parade and I'm cooking I thought it'd be cute to have some snacks and decorations that'd keep them out of the kitchen. Paper Glitter, a printable decoration site, has a REALLY cute freebie for Thanksgiving decorations. (Side note...she also had a Halloween!!!! one and she'll pop stuff up every now and then. Check her out on facebook 'cause that's where I ALWAYS see the freebies first.) I'm using the place cards as a way to write what each of the snacks are and the banner and the toppers. I thought they'd be cute to make a little 'take home' thank you. I'm making little apple muffins with a cider icing and sticking the little circle tags on a stick as a cupcake topper.

Another thing we do every year is a thankful tree. Normally we've drawn a tree and added cut out leaves but this year I wanted to do something 'fancier' and I wanted to keep it to add to it every year. Early this year I saw some blog posts where moms had made fabric leaves and decorated trees they had permanently drawn on their walls, paper leaves with blessings and they were taped to branches in a jar on a table where they were read during the meal. So...I mixed those ideas and voila! Fabric and felt leaves where the kids add their blessings and thankfuls and they get added to the tree. Now...the tree will be made fuller and bigger each year and we're able to track the kids and their joys. Here are some leaf patterns you can download and cut out from LollyChops. (Check the remnant section for fabrics especially when Christmas stuff goes on sell is a good time for me to find 90% off fabrics.)

I've JUST found this gal and wow....hello! handmade Christmas things. She's got a bird pattern that I'm making for the girls room for Christmas. Rhea LOVES all things birds...little glass figures, statues, drawings, softies....even cement birdy yard ornaments are worthy of adoration. And...I'm back on track.

We do poems in the pocket chart...make handprint and thumbprint turkeys...create a pilgrim village...create pilgrim and native american outfits...read books like 'Turkey's Gift to the People' (so beautiful and I'd tell you the author but it's downstairs in the learning room!)...match up nuts to their trees...

The toy maker has some foldable pilgrim and native americans for your village.

This year we've watched on the History Channel some Thanksgiving specials. I'm popping some clips here so you can watch too. They're REALLY informative and so appealing to our visual and auditory learning styles.

http://www.history.com/videos/the-mayflower Is a snazzy catchy song and overview of the whole pilgrim thing. Warning...it may hold an odd appeal for your son who will sing it over and over and over and over and over and over until you threaten to duct tape his mouth shut. It's times like these I wish my kids believed my threats and wouldn't giggle at me. One of these days they're going to wake up in Timbucttoo!

http://www.history.com/videos/deconstructed-mayflower Is a very cool video of the Mayflower and its spot in the journey

If you have a copy of America the Story of Us be sure to rewatch Rebels. It's FULL of info. We have this and it's AWESOME!!!!! There is also downloadable guides for every section.

http://www.besd61.k12.il.us/webquests/sewest/pilgrim/pilgrimsprogressstudent.html is a theme unit for some additional ideas and in case you are in a more traditional school setting.

Don't forget Heidi at http://www.amonco.org/fall99.html. She's TONS of ideas and there is new ones every fall newsletter.

Jocelyn Scotty has a Montessori Gratitude Jar.

Motherwell made an AWESOME Thanksgiving download for noun sorting. I love these. I like when you involve the holidays. She also has some other nice downloads too.
And my beautiful friend Karen at Little Acorns wrote a great post about what she does with her kids. Oh...and not to like BRAG! or anything but...I was with her when she came up with the boat idea. As we stood watching the kids (who were dropping like flies!) at their knighting ceremony with St. George and the Dragon but I forget the festival name....I've never seen so many children fainting. But that's another story. But, it's all quiet and Karen's looking around and picks up this little nut and goes, "Doesn't that look like a boat? A boat with little people sailing down the river (you should also see the river she made and the gigantic racoon.).... She's Irish and seriously when you look in her eyes you can see a twinkle doin' a heel stompin' jig and almost hear the music....then again that could be because she dragged us to listen to music at the festival. ;) Word to the wise...don't mention riverdance....shhhh! ;) heheh! (I'm teasing you Karen!)

Anyways, she's some seriously amazing pics and you should sign up with her as she's ALWAYS coming up with some really great and amazing things.

Oh yeah...and I made some Thanksgiving 3 Part Card downloads for you. Hope you like them. There is lots of pics and simpler cards for the younger ones and some more complicated for the older children. You can get them here. Links to the post are always appreciated.

Well, it's time for Sunshine's Chestal by Childrens. She's a sore throat and between it and the popsicles she's doing pretty good but she's not sleeping well at all. I gave her some Ibuprofen about an hour ago and she's out here next to me...humm...I think I'll let her sleep. Have a good night and I hope ya'll enjoy the links and download. Be sure to check 'em all out 'cause they're seriously some amazing links and you'll LOVE using them with the kids.

Honey
...pardon the typos and spelling errors. My spell check isn't working for some reason and as it's 1 in the morning...I'm off to bed. Nighty!

Couples Therapy Session 3 but it's really 4.

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 13:15:00 +0000

We had another session and this one was enlightening for me. At our last session there was a lot of talk about Ben and how tired he was. After all the man works 12 hours a day from 3pm till 3am and works 7 days a week...why would he be tired?! ;)

Anyways, while there we talked about how I don't like to hear him complain about his quality of sleep when he won't lock the bedroom door (Sunshine LOVES to go in and stage whisper...'Dhahdy! Dhahdy!' and Tyler always thinks he's going to find something he's lost in our room.) AND he won't turn on the fan which acts as white noise. Angela our therapist wanted to know why I won't just turn on the fan and lock the door when I leave. Simple question yes? But it really made me think.

Why don't I turn on the fan and lock the door as I leave? After all....how easy would it be to do? Why have I refused to turn it on when by simply doing that he'd be able to get a better quality of sleep which would mean I wouldn't hear remarks and he'd move out of the bed quicker. My Ben can not operate on 4-5ish hours of sleep. And, at best will stumble around on 7-8 hours.

So...why not?

I thought it over while we drove home and through the next few weeks. I think I figured it out.

Right now Ben and I see each other for only 3 hours a day. Now, I'm not counting the time I'm lying asleep next to him because the minute I hear the car pull in I'm out and I sleep like the dead until the kids start stirring. By then he's out and doesn't even know I'm leaving the room. Shoot, I've fell on him and he hasn't even broken a snore and I'm no where near a light weight. So...he's out too. Around 11:10ish his alarm goes off. I've been trying to 'give him more time' and not attack/bombard him the minute his eyes open but I'm starting to feel he's abusing this 'limited amount of patience' I have and is just being a weenie. ...note for therapy...

So...From 11ish until 2ish when he leaves the house the kids see him, talk, play, share, complain, sing, read to, listen to, dance with Ben. During those same 3 hours we are trying to find time to be a couple. I try to find time to be a wife and a husband as I'm always Mommy and he's always Electrician. During that small window of time we also need to be ourselves.

Long story short...I realized I was seeing the fan and the door and all as a "mommy" job. Shutting the door and waking him up those are all things I do for the kids and my mom did for me. I have 3 hours a day to combine my mommy role with wife role and I don't want to mix the two where it concerns him.

But, I had to realize that even though I cook meals for him and do laundry for him those are 'mom' jobs but they're also 'wife' or 'husband' jobs (I have him do laundry sometimes while I'm doing something else.). I had to find a way to pull my mind away from Mommy to this is just caring and loving him. There's nothing maternal about it...it's simply nurturing. Now, I don't want to be nurturing with him as I'd like to be seen as a sexual being by/with him so I had to just snap out of it and know there's nothing Oedipal here.

I shared all this the other day with the therapist because she commented on how fidgety Ben was (the man can't set without vibrating a leg. It's so bad he's gotten the pew to vibrating before.) and seemed more 'lively'. I agreed and he said it's better sleep. He's sleeping better despite not taking the Valerian root and he's finally off the caffeine too. (Remember caffeine takes 13 hours to be broken down by the liver.) Ben never understood why I'd become aggravated to hear how he'd taken a caffeine pill before driving home. It'd be kicking in AS he's trying to go to sleep. DERH! Sometimes the man is about as dumb as a box of rocks.

We talked some more, shared my ah-ha's! And she wanted to know how I kept the mommy outta the wife and I told her I sashayed outta the room. We all laughed but she thought it was a good idea. Dude...at 7 or 8 in the morning I'm falling/tripping over the covers...I'm not able to be coordinated enough to sashay.

I thought that after we left HOW am I going to keep the wife fed? Mommas so well fed she needs a pryin' board to get off the couch but Wife? She's been starved like a kid at fat camp. I came to realize that in 13 years of marriage I've left it up to Ben to make me feel attractive and sexy. Why is it that we all know we're responsible for our own anger, happiness, sadness but sexiness or attractiveness is given up and released to the partners keeping? Why had I done that? That like anger and joy was my responsibility.

So! I've taken it back. I've bought conditioner and shampoo that's geared toward curly hair. I thought I'd lost my good hair after I had Rhea. But I didn't....it was just REALLY dry. I'm starting to hints of good hair...it's just got SO much more silver in it now. yes, I'm 32 and I've grey/silver in probably 80% of my hair since I was about 16. I don't color it (well sometimes I will with Henna) and I actually think it's very cool. Shades of Rogue and Storm (cartoon Storm not the movie Storm) baby! I've also been using scented lotion every day. And, not my coconut oil...good ol' store bought with urea in the ingredients. I'd never allow the girls to use this but...I smell like cinnamon and something else...(I bought it pre-boycott at the ~~Devil~~ er..Walmarts.) and it's so nice and soft! I'm using face stuff and doing a whole soap and lotion regime where the soap is actually made for your face not your hair or your ass. (oh and it has a buncha' chemicals in it too. Annoying ...yes...but...Locking the bathroom door and ignoring all but cuts that can be proven as needing moms attention by displaying a bloody appendage under the door has seriously done some wonders for myself.... It too was bought at the ~~Devils~~ er...Walmarts.)

Side note- does anyone know of an organic face regime that actually makes your skin feel soft and you don't have to mix it up yourself?

Am I being lazy?! Hell yes! But it's nice and nurturing to myself. I never had time to do those things for myself and that's why my hair's as dry as straw and I've ashy elbows. So...When buying a 4$ bottle of lotion with urine in it and some highly packaged purple bottle of conditioner that does magic in 3 minutes means a higher quality of life....do it. After all there's a place for everything and right now intensive wrinkle treatment and 3 minute miracle conditioner and the time to be alone with myself each day has done some great things. After all....we all know it's not the conditioner or the lotion...it's the nurturing I'm finally giving to myself and it's spilling out amongst my family.

Here's to production as it gives me permission to take a few wonderfully selfish minutes for myself.

Oh yeah...and I have to say that I also snuck out all the kids good dark chocolate candy and hid them and I've had 1-2 pieces a day! Hey...they're the sample sizes...easy. ;)

Honey

Got any salt? ...I'm eating crow

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 05:15:00 +0000

In an effort to be honest and it well share the absolute halarity that is my life I have to share that I forgot the number one thing I buy at Wally World 'cause they're the ONLY ones that carry them. I have a latex allergy. Despite wanting another baby...I'm in no position to HAVE another baby. Sex is my only stress reliever. Walmart is the only store around us that sells condoms that are not made of latex.

I had to make a purchase this evening and as I walked by those freakin' trees with their massive red and gold balls and twinkling lights I swear I heard .....

I know...I was confused at first but the laugh cleared it all up. :)

Eatin' crow but not pregnant!,
Honey

Where? oh where has Thanksgiving Day gone? Oh where? oh where can it be?

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 04:22:00 +0000

I'm irritated. During the summer I saw advertisements for Christmas stuff in Joann's add...but chalked it up to the need for time with handmade items. Then...I saw before HALLOWEEN Joann's had a WHOLE aisle plus for Christmas. I walked into the ~~Devils' shop~~ Walmart to buy some more packing peanuts and they had a FULLY DECORATED CHRISTMAS TREE!!!!!!!!!

WHERE IS THANKSGIVING?!?!?

I stopped and looked around...and thought for a minute...after all I've had a HUGE uproar in my life here lately and I've been foggy and just existing but I thought.... no... Have you ever had to pull your phone out to check the date 'cause you seriously are so lost you think you've missed weeks?!? Ok...maybe that's just me but '...I'm sorry. I use to be a strong man...' ( come on! It's from the Wedding Singer! ) Anyways! I actually said out loud (cause someone answered me! ) "What the HELL happened to Thanksgiving?" The voice answered, "It wasn't making them enough money." The voice belonged to a person but the voice was wearing a hoodie and chubby and gave you hints of Pat. ( Saturday Night Live?!? Tell me someone is getting these and I'm NOT the only person that plays this game. )

I kinda giggled in acknowledgment and the voice pointed to the Halloween clearance and said there was some fall looking stuff in the Halloween. So...over I went. "Thanksgiving/Fall" was clearanced out! 3ish weeks to go till Thanksgiving and it's clearanced out! Oh...but where was the Christmas stuff?!?!

Displayed, hung up, ticketed, bright and shiny, tinseled, foiled, dangling with cheer. Now, I'm no bah humbugger but COME ON!!!!!! We celebrate HOLIDAYS not A holiday! (Don't get me started on Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. I think my local stores are confused by my yearly requests for these things as I have something Christmassy in hand and am white. By the way, does anyone else set up a menorah and kinara for their children to learn about them despite not being Jewish or African American? ) Why is Thanksgiving (and other holidays) not being acknowledged?

Thanksgiving is a celebration of life. After all, if the Wampanoag tribe hadn't been so generous and gave food to the Pilgrims they would have starved. Thanksgiving is a celebration about how man can be civil and empathise. It's not about religion or God although I personally believe that we honor God by our treatment to others and thank God for the food upon our table. It's not about gifts or expensive doings. It's about simplicity, being grateful for those within reach of our arms and hands, it's about sharing what we have and others sharing what they have. Thanksgiving ISN'T about decorations or what some fat guy left or didn't leave behind. It's not about Wise Men (which is a miracle in itself for WISE men to be found...) or a specific group of people or even a specific date...

Canada, the Netherlands, America, Spain...all have a Thanksgiving Day. Officially the Spanish celebrated North America's first "European" Thanksgiving in Florida in the 15something or others. The Native Americans celebrated Thanksgiving with feasts regularly. So why...when there is an event that brings people be they white, black ,atheist ,believer ,young, old, rich or poor is it NOT celebrated or at least given a few weeks to stand proud?

There's a movement going through the 'net. Folks are boycotting stores that have Christmas decorations up already. I've complained to my local stores. I've called Walmart TWICE...somehow I'm never connected with someone. I'm REALLY thinking about writing a letter to the editor of our local paper. If you are tired of big business making celebrations out to be about the 'ol mighty dollar let your stores know you will not be frequenting them as long as they have decorations for a holiday that's TWO MONTHS AWAY! And has other holidays BEFORE IT!!!!

AND!!!!! Until our Jewish friends moved away I struggled to find cards or decorations or household items for Hanukkah. At least I don't HAVE to send them a handmade card now 'cause I can pick one of the TWO that's offered as well as the ONE gift bag with a menorah on it. I swear...if I was Jewish...I'd be one ticked off momma. There is a synagogue in our town...how about a little SOMETHING for them. How do you Jewish mommas not boycott it all? Doesn't the inequality or lack of representation bother you?

Wally World aka Walmart, Meijers, and Joann's (oh...how that one's going to hurt!) ...until you stop with the decorating I'll be forced to spend my funds else where. And, despite my calling and firmly believing Walmart is the Devil, I do spend a LOT of money there.... (It too, like my love of techno music, is a secret shame.) Did you know that Walmart removed a shirt with Lucy from Snoopy that said "Someday a women will be President" because it DIDN'T REPRESENT FAMILY VALUES?!?! (I'd make another comment but I have to say I do believe women kind dodged a bullet this past election. And what's up with TLC?!? ...And...we're back from the tangent!) But....ignoring the whole generations of family and friends gathered about the table, eating, being grateful and thankful together isn't....

So...from this moment on...crap...I should have hit some of that clearanced fall decorations for Thanksgiving...I WILL NOT be shopping at Walmart, Meijers, Joann's or any other store or restaurant that has Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving Day. I'd like to say stores have to wait until November 1st to put up Hanukkah stuff but...seriously...we live in Hill Jack country where they'd think you were frugal for not lighting the rest of the candles. The card aisle is about as festive as you're gonna get. Joanns did have a whole freestanding rack though... And Kwanzaa?....there's still KKK rallies.

See why we're SO wanting to move? Our "Patchouli stink"....(yeah...that's another one....who knows it?!) just doesn't fit in amongst the 'High Karate Cologne' and 'imposter fragrances.' (Good grief but I sound all uppity/broom stuck up the butt there! ;) )

Bye Bye stores and restaurants that celebrate A holiday. Please share stores and restaurants that honor the HOLIDAYS. I also seriously need a platter for Thanksgiving...know where I can find a nice one?

Honey

Make a Skeleton Bread and free mothering digi subscription

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 02:36:00 +0000

Natural Kids: Make a Skeleton Bread (A Video Tutorial): "A video tutorial for a spooOOOooooky kid-friendly project by Eve! This delicious and funny Skeleton Bread is just the thing for a Halloween..."

LOVE this!

Also...get a free mothering magazine digital subscription for one year with code CDGIM

Look...Christmas and Halloween in one post. If you're needing Thanksgiving make the Autumn wreath she has Juuust under the skeleton bread post.

Oh...this would be great for All Saints Day....which is ALSO my birthday....no...All Saints Day wasn't named for me...I can see how you'd be confused and think that though! ;)

Honey

It's a Big World ...and my contient bin of it!

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 04:32:00 +0000

Hey you peepin' Toms and Leann's (Leann wants to see everyone's contient bins with her blog hop so check it out)! ;) Quit sneaking around and just pull the bin out already! ;) I'm not too sure how to share our world bin as it's pretty standard. So...I snapped some pics...and I'll add some captions! We don't have a lot of the "Montessori" stuff but my kids have been able to find everything despite that so I think we're doing ok! ;)

A BUNCH of maps. Santa brought the kids some maps one year and this is an amazing compilation from the depths of the oceans to the outer reaches of space. If you ever come across National Geographic maps but don't want them...send them to me. One day I'm going to laminate all my maps so they stay in good condition and usable. I just haven't found a way to fold laminated things up like well...NOT-laminated stuff so they stay neatly contained in their lovely box. You know National Geographic...if you ever wanted someone to review for you just HOLLER! ;)

Seriously, National Geographic is THE magazine for education. I LOVE it and MISS it since we've been simplifying and downsizing everything. I didn't give up my maps though!

These were bought at Borders. If I'm not at Half Price I'm at Borders (both also offer a Homeschoolers discount but you need proof and the kids with you during the day and stacks of educational books aren't considered enough proof...just FYI). Ever since 1/2 moved to Beavercreek Borders has enjoyed our dollars and we've gotten less books but...drive an hour up and then back with an irritated toddler or pay a bit more and buy less?...hum.....pay more and buy less. :)

Ahh...the box of maps and a WONDERFUL book of all kinda places on Earth to color. It's great for art projects and also makes it easier for me when I can't come up with a project for something obscure...go to the coloring book! It even has pics of how the real places look so you don't have to hunt it up. I paid less than 10 for it. I also bought one of the world flora, one of Birds of the world and we will be using them for a bird study as well as a plant study.

Beautiful pictures. I'm REALLY considering cutting them out to place into frames when we're working on a place but...I think I'll just have to make a big book stand to hold it open. The other one is a book that will play the song a bird sings. It's lovely and divided up by locations. There are full color and page representations and information about the bird. HIGHLY recommend it. I recommend it SO much I bought two....wonder what I'll do with the second one? ;)

Some other lovelies I've bought from Pass It On Kids in Yellow Springs, as well as Half Price and Borders. Although the Animals of the World came from Santa and Karen gave me The Rosetta Stone.

BLURRY!!! But, they're books of Places, People and Nature of the World. I bought a mess of these about 7 years ago from Half Price. Every other year I pull a new one out and we'll learn about everything. It's really cool 'cause as they grow they learn new things...or something will catch their attention that they never saw before. They have stickers and I also have one that's over the flags of the world with this HUGE 5*4 poster that you match up the sticker flag with it's country. It's really intense and every few years we (although it's normally me) will do one. This is our last one and I'll laminate it this year. I wish I'd bought the others so Sunshine could get all the edugoodies too.

A puzzle book of the continents and then a large floor puzzle of the world. Sunshine can do both of these and I'm REALLY needing to get the 'montessori' style maps so they can trace and learn the ACTUAL shapes of the different countries and such.

A fun game about the world. It's great for sharing the world with your kids on a cold blustery day! ;) This is another game we've had for YEARS! It was bought at Aunt Sally's (Salvation Army). I REALLY miss Aunt Sally and Uncle Will (Goodwill). We haven't been visiting (thrifting) since this whole bedbug epidemic has swept Ohio.

The COOOOOLEST thing at Target is this world map shower curtain. We unfold it and do everything from locate countries, put animals in their country, we've shown migrations, played 'find the country', sailed ships passages, followed the ocean currents, checked out locations of wars, natural disasters, landmarks, 7 wonders...TONS of stuff. For less than 20 bucks you can't get any better usage.

Just a bunch of maps and games for the Geosafari. You can also use a dry erase pen or Chinese marker and match up stuff. I will do that for when I'm wanting to go beyond or not in line with what the game has set up. These are great and you should check them out on ebay or at your local United Art and Education. We got our cards at from their clearanced area. I only paid 10 dollars a bag full. They don't have that option any more though.... But! I've also bought them on sale and ALWAYS used my coupon of 5 of 20$ that I get about 5 times a year.

Ignore the upside downness by twisting your laptop around.

I also have some globes (hit the summer clearance cause I bought my big globes for 3 or 5 bucks each. Nice deal when they're normally 18-20.00) that I painted to be all Montessori like. I use to have a little world (target dollar section) that showed land/ocean but I was watching Sunshine this summer and she just seemed to struggle a bit making the connection that the big globe was the world but also that this little one was too. I thought how Maria would always have only one difference between the materials so the children could focus on THAT thing. So...I'm starting to paint my big globes. I sent the little ones to a friend for her preschool class and I'm painting mine. I am really starting to wish I'd kept them and just waited everything out but...I think when they ask well...it's time to share and answer exactly what they ask. This way they see land/water, continents (by color too), and then the world. They'll all be the same size and I think that's easier and more in line with Maria's work than a small world and a big world.

Oh...and since this is about the World you have to check out Renee and Jeremy's It's a Big World. I LOVE them. I play their cd ALL THE TIME. They also have another cd called C'Mon. It's great too and they also have some videos of their songs made up. I'll pull them up and let Sunshine watch them on my phone while we shop. It's a nice diversion and I ROCK OUT!!!!!

And, in the words of Renee and Jer (...yeah...we're that close.. ;) ) don't worry about a thing cause every little thing gonna be all right.

Honey

AFRICA continent blog hop

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 03:33:00 +0000

Ok....I know...I'm LATE!...but, well...better late than never! ;) Who ever said organizing enables you to be more well...organized...never factored in being a goober! So...I'm adding all my posts again and hoping it connects up with Leann's Continent Bin Blog Hop at Montessori Tidbits. Or at least simply posts this time! ;) Some of it's...well redundant, but I'm too lazy to edit a lot as I've already spent tons of time putting it together that first night. So...here it is along with the links to Leann's posts! ;)

Well, while I ran away for the weekend with Karen and Leann for some child free fun we talked about (wow...how sad is this tidbit..but...) the kids, montessori and waldorf, the swaps and some blog hops. Leann thought of doing a continent bin hop. I was on it like white on rice and super excited. Basically it starts Sunday with the world, Monday Africa, Tuesday Europe, Wednesday Asia, Thursday Australia, Friday Antarctica (be sure to check out that amazing Mondorfment girls polar bear. It's simply adorable and she's so clever! :) hehe), Saturday South America and ends Sunday with North America. Be sure to check it all out.

While you wait for the rest of them, here's my bin of stuff for Africa....and don't forget links are so appreciated, but don't use my pics without my permission. Say no to blogerism!

I have no idea why they're upside down. I actually turned them and even added a mondorfment thingy but....they're upside down and w/o a preventative.... All I have to say is Picassa sucks when you don't know what you're doing!.

But, obviously here's some of our books from ABCs to fold out books like The Nile (suppppper duper awesome as it unfolds and follows the Nile down...very cool. We've floated everything from egyptian boats to baby Moses when Tyler and Rhea were little. Egypt is a 3d pop up book for bigger kids and then there is Ancient Egypt. Tyler loves this book. He's had a favorite like this every year but last year and this year it's Egypt. I'm glad that Kristie at Earthschooling has some Egyptian stuff for 5th grade so we're adding Egypt to our America studies this year for Tyler. (By the way Kristie's giving away some of her lessons as freebies if you'd like to check out some Waldorf inspired stuff.) I also have some Zoo books and a bunch of other books too. I've bought them at Half Price Books or at the Library Sell. I'm banned from both places for a good year unless I thin out some more books. Moving sucks as you have to get rid of great books!

I know...still upside down.... sorry! Just look at it as a way to practice your yoga poses. ;)

This is a really cute puzzle of Africa I bought for Sunshine when she was a few months old. I purchased a few others like North America, Farm, ...3 others that are number inspired...from our teacher supply store called United Art and Education which has amazing clearance. Sadly, these weren't on clearance but I remember them being only 15 and they're very detailed. She's been able to do it since she was about 13-14 months. Now I have the kids trace them and punch/cut them out. It's murder for Tyler and Sunshine is a bit too scary to give a pointy sharp thing right now so she uses safety scissors. The puzzle on the right is a jigsaw puzzle of a bunch of African stuff. Tyler enjoyed this as he's always enjoyed puzzles. I bought it at Borders? for less than 10 a few years ago.

This was also bought at Borders and is a game called Africa Wild. Basically there's a bunch of plastic animals you move, answer a bunch of questions and win the game. It's interesting and the kids have enjoyed it. Sunshine made off with the animals and I don't know where she went and honestly, she's playing in yonder and I'm not messing with the quiet I've got going on here so...envision little animals.

This is a tin that came with chocolates back when Tyler was a baby and we were only vegetarian. Yes, we've been unschooling since he was born. The colorful thingys are little acrylic monkeys, camels, donkeys , a few other things but we've used these for years with our math works, as place holders, games, sorting, matching, etc. I can't remember where I bought the little thingys...but I paid less than a dollar for them. I really think I bought them at Card and Party Shop when they were Half Price Card Shop. (yes, I have a preference for half price ;) )

some stuff from Ally in swap 1, books and wooden animals, a zebra maze, my moms necklace courtesy of the '80's!, coins, some Egyptian toob symbols, a scarab carved rock, a lion bell, and the coolest (bought it off of Karen(my 2-6 album diva guru at http://www.montessorimarketplace.com/ ) is a giraffe puzzle with 4 little balls you have to get into the divits. LOVE it. Sunshine will play it for about 10 minutes, bring it to me to do, then take it back and try to do it. I LOVE her attention span and attitude with this thing!

Pictures from Amanda in Mondorfment Swap 2. They're amazing, but as a sling wearin' momma...I LOVE this one!!! That sweet babe being popped about by his older sibling. LOVE it! And, I love the fabric.

Animal cards with info on the back. Rhea and Tyler have been playing with these with Sunshine. I love how they just pick something up and 'teach' her. Tyler's reading is taking off in leaps and bounds and it's all because he is reading to Sunshine. I love seeing the two of them cuddled up and reading. Rhea reads her a story every night as they share a bed now. It's so cute but I must say I miss that spot...but it's good for the two of them and I just read during the day now... :) I REALLY love this box. I've put all the stamps and coins and tiny things in it. It's so colorful and I really want to snatch it for my room but...I have to be a big girl and share with the class... ;)

Here's some of Amanda's stuff. Oh and Ally sent the African stuff with the boy and girl and the Egyptian toob thingys. The Egyptian jasmine smells niiiiice. The Egyptian map is ours (Tyler's favorite section of history!) and it's from our National Geographic subscription that was FULL of learning and amazing things. I really wish we still had a subscription but you want to keep everyone of them and after 5 years of stuff...they were sent to Goodwill and we didn't renew. I miss you National Geographic. Your maps and inserts alone are worth the subscription. You REALLY need to get an e version and just mail the maps. I'd be SOOO down with that and wouldn't mean lots of trees and space used! ;) The cloth,mask and box with mummy wrapping inside is also Amanda but the stamps (bought from Karen too) and the puzzle came from Target and their dollar section which is a spot where I can spend an easy 30-40. I swear they have some kind of chemical piped in that area to make you buy.

Schleigh (spelling) and other resin like animals. This summer I hit the mother load at Michaels and bought a TON of animals on clearance. I bought one of everything they had marked down. Went back the next day to buy some for Sandra...they were GONE! HoLo's (Hobby Lobby) has some marked down occasionally too as does Joann's if you look in the clearance section and even through the aisles. I've found animals popped in the middle of baskets before and they were for a quarter-2.00 each. Yes, I bought them all. Anyone wish to trade some animals?! :) The right is some scenes. They look like they were a set the scene yourself but have since been laminated. I'm using these as writing prompts and to help with art ideas.

Pictures bought from Karen

This is a scrapbook stack full of safari paper which screams Africa. I use it to make covers for the kids books, and also as great backgrounds when I display art they've drawn. I bought it at Joanns for 9/10 bucks. The fabric I've had FOREVER! It was bought at Hancocks I believe. I used this to make some books for the kids when they were babies. A really great way to introduce more culture to your babes when you live in a community that's a sea of white is with fabric. I made cloth picture books out of all these great prints. Now I use the left over for a table cloth at the display table, dress up, etc. Sunshine loves the fabric on the right and wraps her babies on her back with it. I'm always finding it in her baby doll bin and we'll be ok until it's time for our Africa studies...then I'm going to have to bribe her with perhaps some sari fabric. Oh wait...she's got that already too...hummmm...maybe Santa REALLY needs to bring her her own sling or wrap this year! ;)

These are from my Geo Safari. It's an electronic game that you match up the answer by picking and it's simply amazing. I bought about $500.00 worth of cards when United Art and Education had their 10.00 a bag clearance. Basically, you got a brown bag, filled it up and paid 10bucks. There wasn't a limit to the number of bags you could purchase...I paid a total of 130.00 and we added it up and I had purchased ON clearance prices over 2500.00 worth of product. I know if it'd been retail I'da had an easy 7grand. It was really cool and so used up because at the time I ran a preschool out of my house. UA&E doesn't do the bag anymore....I wonder why? :) But hey...I followed their rules and the workers were even helping me bag up! I think the powers that be never considered anyone running an in home preschool :). My girlfriend who worked with me spent about 80 and she bought some of the most AMAZING puppets. She was supposed to share ...she didn't....and moving on!

And here is my FAVORITE!!! This little giraffe goes on our peace table. He's a reminder to always use Giraffe language. I actually will carry him around with me when I'm feeling the jackals creeping about. Boy that has so many interpretations to it! But, check out Marshal Rosenburgs Nonviolent Communication as it'll help make your peace table become a peace home or classroom! I hope you enjoyed a peek at most of my Africa bin. I hope you liked it and it helps you add to your own. Also, if you get a chance...the movie 'Babies' gives a beautiful look at the life of a Nigerian baby if you'd like to see how different cultures live. We enjoyed it a lot and I took the kids to see it. Naked little bums and nursin' babies all over the place it was perfect and will be added to our bin (Asia too) once it comes out for sell.

Honey

And, yeah...I just realized that the first post is supposed to be the world. So...blewth! I'm outta sequence. I'll fix it! ;) It's confusing to post ahead of time.

Montessori Print Shop

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 03:27:00 +0000

Recently we had some massive confusion with my swap. During the purchasing of some materials not enough was purchased for the amount of people in the swap. This mistake could have had some serious consiquences but Montessori Print Shop said that a sincere apology was enough even when my swapper offered to purchase the additional sets! They were quick with answering questions and were very, very nice and gave some really great materials.

With folks that can be as sweet as honey when you've made a mistake I can only imagine how great they'd be when there isn't one! The next time you've got to purchase some printable materials go and check them out. They have a LOT of materials. AND!!!! A LOT OF FREEBIES!!!!

So, check 'em out, see all they have to offer, remember their materials are single person/teacher/home use only, and know that they're really good people.

Oh! And, did you know they have these deluxe cds with all their materials for like 75% savings? (Lord let my math be true! ;) ) I've just ordered their peace makers cards for our peace corner. But I have to say... I think my Antarctica cards are much better....but I may be biased! ;)

So swappers and mommas be sure to keep 'em in mind the next time you need to purchase some new works.

Honey

Couples Therapy Session 2

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 09:08:00 +0000

Monday we had our second talk with Angela. It was good. (How blase is that?!) It was comforting in the fact that she addressed some worries I had kept to myself. Apparently she's not into giving ideas but guides you as you discover the answer. Look...if I could come up with the answer I wouldn't be here! ;)

Ben says we deal with stress and crap by adding more stress and crap. Basically, we deal with the lack of support by being too overwhelmed to realize it? I'm not sure but I think that's what he meant. I think we're starting to have birth defects in our energy babies. Basically we've been inbreeding our energy. It's just cycled between the two of us and we haven't had any fresh energy coming in. It's time for the energy tree to have some fresh blood.

I've been thinking and...well...I kinda just begged and perhaps slightly ordered my girlfriend to have a party. Let me start at the beginning. She's in the PTO in the school district we're moving to....some day...soon...this summer. I've wanted to attend the meetings so I can start 'networking' so to speak....but I knew better than to expect the kids to sit still that long. But, when she mentioned there was an OLDER kid Lego club I said she should start a lego club for the younger kids so my godson could attend. Also, since there is always an issue with childcare at the meetings..if it was during the PTO meetings....children are engaged and parents are engaged in the process and going ons with the meeting. She did! She made the club.

I'm making a container that unzips for the legos as a bribe so no one kicks out the weird homeschooling mom that isn't even in the same county yet! ;) But...in the immortal words of Mary Poppins..."a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go dowwwwnn, medicine go down, medicine go down! Just a spoonful of sug"...well...you get the idea. So, I get to learn about the school system, the kids are entertained in a safe environment, and !!!! I get to be around PEOPLE!!!!!...who aren't in a grocery store!!!!! Talk about exciting!! ;)

So I asked her...how odd is it? She said she didn't think it odd since I'm interested in the school system and how they are. But, I can hear you saying...PTO? huh?! You homeschool... Yellow Springs actually does what they're supposed to do and has the homeschoolers in for whatever they are needing/wanting to do. Plus if something ever happened to where I couldn't homeschool we want to be in a system that's good. A system that values the children, their growth emotionally, physically, and intellectually. I also SUCK at the whole music/singing thing, think cat in heat caterwauling, and there Rhea could be in music class as she's my little singer and interested in music. Tyler could join gym and they'd all come back home. We also will allow them to choose if they still wish to be home schooled or if they'd like to try/do public school once there.

This means I'm heading off to the October meeting here soon. We're also going to start taking Sunshine to a playgroup up there so she can make some friends and we're hoping to meet some other homeschoolers.

Now...to the party. I talked her into a Halloween party so we could meet some folks and I could throw a Halloween party. Halloween is my FAVORITE holiday and out here in bufu we don't have trick or treaters and no one decorates and well...it's depressing. I did notice my neighbor hung up a ghost flag thingy and put out some fodder shocks so maybe the one year I don't decorate 'causes them to all decorate....hummmm

We weren't decorating as we're trying to sell the house, but...I've realized while writing this post how much I LOVE and derive pleasure from the whole holiday shebang that starts with October first and doesn't end until mid January. I think I'll decorate after all. Better late than never huh?

Now how does a PTO meeting, a Halloween party and decorating the house connect with marriage counseling? Simple....we need to bring in more joy and fun and allow all the stagnant energy to become active again. Poor Ben can't do it but he is going to see about getting Sunday the 31st off so he can be at the party at least and then we can go trick or treating later on that night. I'll have my yearly chat with the Halloween Fairy but that's another post. (She trades out candy for children with allergies who go trick or treating and swaps it around so kids get stuff they can have.) I'm trying to think of ideas to get us out and a way to get some adult time.

Oh...and ~~I've~~ we have also decided that we're going to have a Daddy Day! I realized my perfect me thing would be being home, alone, getting my list all checked off and completed, house cleaned, materials made, laundry cleaned AND put away. (Did you know that the dresser drawers were made for holding laundry? I know! Ingenious concept! ;) ) So every week Ben's taking the kids and THEY are leaving! I'm staying! Can't wait! Ben gets more time with the kids, they get time with him, I get time alone and the kids get time away from me. It's all a win win in my opinion.

...now we only have to find a way to get some couple time. Anyone have a magic potion to make one of the kids older so they can babysit? Where's Harry Potter when you need him?!

Honey

Mondorfment Continent Swap Hop and Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 05:49:00 +0000

Well mamma's...it's FINALLY done!! All the swaps have arrived and nearly all have been mailed out. This swap was my first Montessori swap and let me say that craft swaps where it's just an items for each person is SO different than a bag and box of bunches of stuffs! :)

There were two groups. Two because well...I HATE coming in on a blog and it's full and no one makes room....no room for Rory! So, when there was more...I had to open a second. I took the Arctic and Antarctic with both groups as I'm lazy and it's easier to make the same thing over again! ;) It was actually the last picked from group 1 as I had a first come first pick yo' own continent...or area. I divided Central America and Canada and even divided Eastern and Western Europe up into their own areas as there's such a big difference in my opinion concerning the culture, animals, people, and language. So...they were all divided up even more.

So, group 1 consisted of....

me with the Arctic/Antarctica
Sara H. had Canada
Leann at Montessori Tidbits had USA
Annie H. had Central America
Melanie has South America
Aly at Power of Two had Africa
Colleen at Sunrise Learning Lab had Asia
Sandra M. had Eastern Europe
Karen of Little Acrons had Western Europe
Tommie K. had Australia

Group 2 had...

me again with the Arctic/Antarctica goodies
Leann at Montessori Tidbits covered all of North America (itdn't she sweet?)
Marina covered South America
Elly at Child and Me
Amanda H took care of Africa
Kerryanne of Earth Friendly Mama handled Asia
Jendra C was down under with Australia and Oceania

Now for this blog hop everyone that participated (dude...ya'll need to start bloggin! The blogs are a bit thin up there!!!!) would post about THEIR contribution. So...I'm going to share what I did. :)

Basically, we all sent a bunch of electronic materials. Before an almond butter cracker or sandwich or some such met with my burner I would have burnt a cd of the materials I created and included that with the swap. But, welllllll...the cd is on hold while we look into buying a new home computer. I made TONS of 3 part cards of the arctic and antarctic, the flora and fauna, trivia, explorers, clothing, calls and sounds, maps, games, etc. There are also some REALLY cool links and paper piecing projects too.

Now to the fun picture stuff! :) By the way...these are my pics and works. Unless you have gained permission from me you may not use them. Link backs are super cool otherwise and I won't hunt you down. Remember...Say No To Blogerism!

Here on the left is the Gentoo penguin egg, along with the felted polar bear and the ice that is used for sorting, pouring or decorations for your nature table. The pic on the right is of a wooden penguin for your initial sounds and such. I also use the little wooden pieces in my felt board since they'll stick. I create stories based on what the kids pick out. We also now have them create stories based on what we each pull out.

On the left is a work I made courtesy of lovely wiki. Basically, it's the life cycle of the Emperor Penguin. You can download it here. It's pretty straight forward in matching up the month with the 'activity/topic'. There is also a control card for the kids to check their works. On the right is a puzzle of either a penguin or a polar bear. Some of those who sent extra materials received both. Behind the puzzles you see a brown round thingy...it's a cork board for punching activities. Granted it's not an arctic thing but just something extra.

This is the magical stone that holds the aurora borealis. Legend has it that a warrior came upon it one day and broke some of the rock releasing it to the heavens. Unfortunately he was not able to release it all and it waits, trapped, wishing to be free. When you look at it you can see the colors shimmering and moving.

The left shows a small picture frame with card to display along with the current continent. I use mine as a label like thing. In the center you see a white bag and what looks to be a piece of paper with penguins on it. The bag is instant snow. That bag makes a nice big amount and is simply a blast. You keep it misted and you always have snow. Done with it? Well, you simply let it sit and evaporate leaving behind your crystals to reuse again! And, the penguin paper is Antarctica money! It's SOOOO cool! And, on the right is the really cool Antarctica bags from Subway. We are using ours to hold the animals as they like to spill about the bin. It lets me just grab them out for when they want to use them on the large map or when Sunshine wants to play with them on her playmat.

I hope you enjoyed being in the swap if you were and I hope you'll join us next time. I have to say I have the WORLD'S BEST SWAPPERS so...nener nener neeee ner! (Yep! I put on my big girl pants this morning! ;) )

I did 2 contests within the swaps also. The first one was being the first swap in got you a gift. I played fair by checking the mailed by date. Also, at the end of the swap everyone but me voted on the best/most enjoyable swap. I'll let you know who won the gift certificates to Amazon after all the votes come in.

There were a few private swaps going on amongst the group swaps and so far...everyone has gotten their things. Except for Sandra...I owe her a ram, sheep and a bull as well as some coins since I gave them to someone else on accident. AND! I divided up the erasers amongst everyone when they were actually only for Colleen. I just found that I messed the erasers up this weekend when I was away with Leann and Karen for the weekend. I'm still hunting for exact replacements but I have found some larger sized ones...

All in all it was a great swap...boxes were hard to come buy when you have enthusiastic swappers who go above and beyond, but, luckily Ben works at a factory and he stole all their glue boxes. I've had him stockpile a bunch for me for future swaps.

Be sure to grab the code to join in the Mondorfment Continent Swap Blog hop. Also, Leann's hosting a blog hop about what's in your continent bin so don't forget to check that out. If you'd like to receive what my fellow swapmates received from me (minus the cork board and the penguins might be different but with all the extra files) please grab Mondorfment's button over there on the right for your blog, subscribe to the blog or blog about the giveaway. Leave a comment for each thingy you do to be entered and kindly leave your addy or link. Good luck!

Honey

Couples Therapy Session 1

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 00:04:00 +0000

We went to couple's therapy today. Our therapist, Angela, is tall and willowy and I hate her office chairs (they're fabric and they were wingbacks that were seperated by a table...and then some space). I hate the chairs because instead of moving people together...they seemed to keep this definite and obvious division between a couple. I hated the fabric 'cause Ohio is considered the bed bug capitol of the country and I'm anal about making sure we aren't going to pick something up somewhere. It simply grosses and really freaks me out!

So I just perched there on the end of my chair. I'm sure my body language said 'SO don't wanna be here!' but it was because of bedbug fears. Ben just snuggles down in the chair like there's no worries. (Have I mentioned I'm anal and he ISN'T!?! ;) ) So...she wants to know about our first year of marriage events/issues and how we met. And, we tell her...

Eloped (but hid the marriage) Mom was looking forward to it & I was grounded for 2 weeks for falling asleep at my husbands house!
Had a second wedding
Ben's aunt harrassed my mom and made her cry because she wasn't paying for the wedding despite being in the hosptial AND having cancer
Pregnant and highrisk
I had to quit working as turning green and nearly throwing up on a bride and her groom didn't go over well. (I was an assistant manager aka glorified sales clerk at Skeffinton's Formal Wear.)
Moms DR. said the suprise of the pregnancy would be too much for her so we shouldn't tell her so it was kept hidden and I was hyperemic. (I had a horrible case of food poisoning! ;) )
Mom died of cancer 6 week after our 2nd wedding.
Dad remarried 6 months after she died to a woman he met after mom died
Ben had been laid off from GM
They called him back to start work the Monday after we were married
Moved into apartment
Bought my dad's house
My brother and cousin (who both ran up huge phone bills with 900 numbers and then we had to pay almost 1000.) lived in the house and were supposed to pay rent but didn't.
Ben's brother stayed in our apartment until the lease ran out. We were also blessed with his cable bill and his movies pay per view

She said oh...I just meant the first year...yeah...that was the first year. But that was a good year... :)

She asked about our support system...us.
Family...they cause problems or the nicer ones just don't call/see us.
Friends...what's that?
Work- Can he change to first shift or not work the overtime?...Um...hello...apparently you've never had to work for the man. When he says you're working or I'll get another to fill your shoes...you work.
Church?

And...wow...here was an issue I really wasn't aware of. We stopped attending the church I grew up in because of my dad. I couldn't deal with the hypocracy as he's such a great grandpa/dad to other people...but yet he hasn't talked to or seen my kids, his grandkids, (except when we ran into him at Lowe's) in 8-9 months now?

I started tearing up and I was made to realize how much I miss that community. That feeling of welcome and coming home. It just really underlined to me how we need community and moving to Yellow Springs really is the right thing for us to do. I wish we could go back but...instead of feeding me spiritually I feel more taken from me and it's just not good.

She wanted to know about my down time. I actually laughed. She smiled so I think she understood but she said to Ben how even he gets time alone every day to eat alone if he wants, to tell people to go away (am I NOT supposed to say that to the kids?! oops! ;) ), to use the bathroom alone. Things I have said to him but he's always countered with that's not alone that's at work. Look the man on the deserted island doesn't complain about a garbage barge rescuing him...he just smells that sweet stink and rejoices. She clarified that point and laid it out how it makes one a better parent to have time alone.

Sounds great! Tell me how to get that. She said I know you're thinking how great that sounds and you want to know how you can have that...(does she have espn?!) and we'll get to that. Woohoo! She knows how to get you to come back! ;) She also talked about how it seems that our issue is we don't have a support system, I've never time alone and we don't get time together. She said she's glad we came in and she thinks it'll all be worked out.

I feel like we didn't talk much about us...but about what and who surrounds us. Ben thought it was good and we both left feeling positive and I guess that's what is important. We both knew something needed to happen, we're doing it and we've some professional help.

Our problem...we're not telling his parents 'where' we are. I had a 'dr's' appointment today. Perhaps we can have Ben go to the doctor next.... :)

Oh yeah...she was excited to hear I'm meeting Sandra and Leann next week. I've been SOOOO wanting to back out as I've never left the kids. My Sunshine! I'm about to bring the little monkey with me but that'd be counter productive! :) But, when Ben, the therapist (who said I had to...), that voice in my head that's drowned out a lot of the time by the ocd say You're going...well....I've gotta go. So I'm gonna be there girls. I promise!!!! Ben'll push me out the door so...I think it'll be a lot more fun than staring at the front door!

We meet with Angela again after I meet the girls and I'm looking forward to all of it. We agreed to 5 sessions to see how it's going and go from there. So...1 down...4 to go.

Also! Tomorrow's my driver's test. Wish me luck!

Honey

Working to keep Mommy and Daddy a family.

noreply@blogger.com (Honey) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 03:32:00 +0000

Boy are there changes going on here....
1. We're going to couples' counselling. Our first visit will be the 13th. We're taking the kids to Ben's parents....(please! pray they keep the kids safe and home.)
2. We're leaving little heart shaped post it notes every morning with something new that we love, appreciate, or enjoy about the other one.
3. We're really going out of the way to be positive and give the other one the benefit of the doubt.
4. We're creating lists of our goals, our needs/wants, when/what order the house will be done, who will take on what job, a time line, when/what is due, where we are in our savings goal and where we are in our purchasing materials goal and basically totally meeting my OCD need of full disclosure.
5. We're...well, I am.... keeping in mind I am obsessive, it's getting worse as I get older (Ben says so and I'm going to have to take his word for it. ;) ), and as the child of a father who was obsessive (apparently if you can hear something as you're running the sweeper it's not clean yet. dude...carpets are just filthy on their own...go wood. I'd stand there going back and forth over a 3 foot section for 3-4 minutes at a time and then he'd go over it.) I know how annoying we OCD's can be and I'm trying to remember and keep the kids and Ben in mind.

We've also been looking into a more whole foods life. Oh my but you'll never believe what we did today....what we ate today. I have to leave it there 'cause I'm still shocked and amazed. But, if this works...we're hoping it'll help with our weight issues (I'm 220lbs. Yes. I've shared my REAL weight with the world) , fix my PCOS (no more Metformin), give the kids more of a "normal" life, and make food fun again.

I've also given the kids more jobs. And, we're paying them. Rhea's earned 45.00. Tyler's earned 3.00. I can see which of my children are motivated financially and I was SO suprised.

We're creating a room in the basement that is for learning. It's taking up half of the basement and is just lovely and large. We've also decided to add Tyler's room to the basement. We're taking the laundry room which is probably a 1/4 of the basement and holds the fuel tank, the furnace, water heater and we're adding the pantry to it. We're also adding Ben's Papal's old big desk to use as a folding table AND a craft/sewing area so I'm not taking over the dining room table for anything now. We're looking into buying another sewing machine since my tension just won't work for some reason. I'm not buying any more craft projects (even clearanced) and had stopped that for probably a year until all my UFO's or never even started projects are done or given away.

Ben will follow my organizing ways since he doesn't care as long as it's clean and I am not staying in the same room while he cleans as it drives me up a wall 'cause there is no way another person can see in your head. Plus, as long as the job is done who cares how it gets done? Well...an OCD'er does so...I'm leaving the room. And, guess what?! The basement is getting done! I will do all the final organizing but he's tossed out anything damaged from the flood and stuff that I have forgotten about and have talked about not needing but struggle to get rid of. (We think I'm having some hoarding issues here with the kids stuff/activities/schooling.) I can toss/throw/burn/chuck my things, Ben's things, toys but if it's arty/crafty/school....wow...it's SOOO hard. Ben doesn't have these issues with those things and so... he is in charge of these things. Suprisingly...this is all working and I feel better about it all. But, in the end...I get to organize what's left and that's all I need.

I've been looking inward and I realize I've set this situation up. I set the first domino with my need to do it all. By excluding Ben with my...'Never mind, I'll do it' from the start of our marriage to recently when I asked for his help and he asked me ..'What do you want me to do?'....It's honestly no wonder he asked me because I've fully controlled the situation in our cleaning...and then I get frustrated because he doesn't 'know' what to do. That's like smacking Pavlov's dog for slobbering at the sound of the bell. THAT's what you've trained the poor guy to do!

So! I've been trying to grow up, see what I have done to cause the situation and I'm also looking more into my needs and what I need to be a healthy person. Also...I've actually been taking some extra time and conditioning my hair in the shower. And, guess what? Do you know that conditioner turns frizz into nice curls? I just may take my friz fro and turn it into something nice. It's still in a pony tail or clip...don't get crazy now :) but I look a little more put together, it's not all fruffy with makeup or hair drying/straightening and yet...I feel nicer.

So, we see the therapist (who was so nice to work us in for a morning appointment) Tuesday, Wednesday I can take the driving portion of my expired drivers' licence and the kids and I will celebrate (hopefully) my passing with a trip to the Auboretium or the zoo on "Field Trip Friday"

So! A friend told me that we had an earthquake. Garbage and crap was spilled out all over the place and it's going to be some time and effort to clean up but it will be cleaned up as long as we do the work. Sandra, you were so right. Things are already getting better and we haven't even gotten to the professional help! I also appreciate all the private messages and comments. They've been so helpful and supportive. It was really kinda funny 'cause every time I'd start to lose it...support popped up in the email. It was really neat because we just got our new phones in so now...it's connected to email and it'll trill whenever something comes in. It'd trill and voila! Knowledge that we're not the only ones dealing with this.

I recommend looking into Nonviolent Communication. It's great for your kids, dealing with MIL's ;) , husbands...even yourself. It helps with the negitive talk that goes on inside your head, helps you recognize your needs, the needs of others, how to actually stop judging 'cause I've discovered I do that, and how to keep yourself from becoming enmeshed into things. I'm learning and I think we're doing much better with only a wee bit of work.

Oh crap who the hell am I kidding? It's been hard work. We've gone to bed mentally and emotionally sore but feeling good for all we've gotten done. But it's not easy and I'm sure that this therapist is going to point out even more trash we're either ignoring or too blind thttp://www.cnvc.org/o see. Here's hoping and praying!

For more Nonviolent Communication information check out ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonviolent_Communication

http://www.wikihow.com/Practice-Nonviolent-Communication

http://www.cnvc.org/

http://www.nonviolentcommunication.com/freeresources/resources.htm (sign up for the weekly newsletter which sends you tips that go in order each week. They also have a teacher version and it helps with homeschooling. I've been signed up for them a couple of months ago and they are really great...so sign up.)

I hope if you're having issues these links help. I hope you look inside yourself and see what you're doing to cause the situation and/or how you can help change the situation to something positive and moving in the direction you want to be moving in.

Honey