Mandy at Home

Purging

2013-02-26T07:34:00.001-05:00

I have been decluttering again. With all of the changes in our lives, it was time to clear out the baggage of our past.

I'm not quite ready to clear out all of the homeschool things. I spent years carefully selecting each book, reference manual, and piece of equipment. It took me a whole year to pick out just the right microscope. Some of it I will hold onto until the kids are all grown up. Some of the books I like so much I might hold onto them forever.

I did start clearing out much of the curricula (This Saturday I'll list it or take it to the consignment store). I threw away the used notebooks that I thought I would hold onto forever as proof that we did "stuff". The crafty junk I was clinging to is gone. Now I only have the things I need for the hobbies I enjoy.

I also cleared my room of all the things that I'd been holding onto because someday I "might" use it or wear it. The things that hold deep sentimental value are being packed away in storage.

It feels good to be able to actually walk into my walk-in closet. The clothes hanging up are clothes that I actually wear. There are shoes on the shelf. I've never had shelf space for shoes before, they usually live under my bed. I have to send the youngest deep sea diving for them.

I still have quite a ways to go. I'm clearing out one room at a time. Gosh, as a homeschool mom I held on to a lot of stuff. I was too afraid to throw something out because I might need it someday. It's a very cleansing feeling, purging all the clutter and unpacking the baggage.

Morning Success

2013-02-25T07:15:00.001-05:00

5:00 -Alarm goes off. I get up and get in some exercise.

5:20 -Jump in the shower. I took the time to shave my legs.

5:45 -I'm showered, dressed and downstairs in the kitchen. A pot of coffee is brewing and I'm making my lunch.

6:00 -I have plenty of time before I need to get to work. I have time to enjoy a magazine (my favorites are Real Simple, Redbook, and Rachel Ray), my morning coffee, a half a bagel, and a boiled egg.

6:30 -My hair is mostly dry so I polish it off with the dryer. I use the cold setting for really straight hair. I apply makeup (I even have time for eyeliner this morning).

6:45 -I am ready for work. I herd the kids around into their morning routine. Mostly, I harass them into eating breakfast and brushing their teeth. I spend the next 20 minutes or so going over hotel room availability, statistic reports, and checking out the rates of my competition.

7:15 -Kids are ready for school, I'm completely ready for work. The husband is thoroughly kissed and after I hit post, I'm out the door.

2 hours and 15 minutes from the time my alarm went off and I have applied a little attention to the things that make my day great. I feel prepared to take on whatever today throws at me.

100%

2013-02-08T22:41:00.001-05:00

This week, I lost two key employees, caught the flu, and worked round the clock. It took my boss sending me home for me to stop and take care of myself. It's not that I am especially insane, I just have a severely strong sense of responsibility. I love my job and feel driven to keep/make my hotel successful.

So the two employees I lost this week worked my night audit. One employee did not give any notice. I could not find coverage for her shift, so I ended up working 24 hours straight. I also came down with the flu at the same time. It was a very long night. Thankfully, another employee cut her vacation short to help me out so I could finally go home and get some rest.

While my week majorly sucked in many ways there were several highlights. I spent sometime with our Franchise Consultant. I learned a lot about being competitive in our market. Ha! I feel like such a grown up looking at reports, comparing numbers, setting rates, and making decisions. I'm really exciting about learning more about my position and work towards advancement.

I was able to surprise a couple of my employees with some appreciation today. There are very few things that feel better than being able to slide some cash in the hands of the people who hold you up.

I was also given praise and encouragement from my own boss. It came with a dose of some constructive criticism, but I feel confident that I'm doing good things with my current position. I'm looking forward to growing with the company. More good things to come!

I took a day off to try to recoup from the flu. I spent some time on the sofa watching old tv shows with my sweet girl. I don't have time to be sick so I didn't give in to it long. I'm still not 100% but I'm definitely getting better.

I still have teenagers who need a lot of checking up on to get school work done. One of them is still being particularly stubborn and needing an extra push in the right direction.

Being a manager is hard. You have to give 100%, 100% of the time to 100% of the people in your life. It's an impossible position because even the small things are a big deal when they matter to someone else. People won't work hard for you if they don't feel like they matter. You have to be available stop, listen, and appreciate. Realistically, you can't be everything to every one, but you have to try without ceasing.

You also have to pace yourself and prioritize. It is a high stress job, where you are on call 24/7. Life becomes a waffle. Each person gets a nook and the syrup is your time and attention. Your family should have the center nooks where you pour the most syrup, but every nook does get the syrup it needs.

When Kids Just Won't Do Their Homework

2013-01-25T07:05:00.001-05:00

There is a big homework epidemic in the school system and it seems to have invaded my home. We got an announcement from the principal about late homework assignments. It seems that the majority of students are not turning in their work. It's gotten so bad that they had to issue a school-wide policy. Teachers are no longer allowed to accept assignments more than 3 days old.

I'm completely for the policy, but I'm amazed by the necessity. Sure, we had our share of slackers, but they weren't the norm. Even the slackers would rush through a homework assignment just before class began so they could turn it in.

One of my boys in particular, seems to be most affected by the pandemic. He's been given a good "kick in the rear" and nothing seems to get through to him. He is very good at looking productive. He's had all extra privileges taken away (no after-school activities, video games, or tv time) until he brings his grades up. Here we are in the 3rd quarter and he still hasn't taken ownership of his education. I don't think he ever will if he is left on his own.

I think the reality is that these kids have so many more pulls on their attention than we ever did. And they lack the skill to prioritize and multi task. Yet, we expect them to do just that. The hard truth is: it boils down to parenting. You can tell your kid to clean his room all day long, but if you don't followup with him you will find at the end of the day that he only "sorta" cleaned his room.

The same applies to homework. If you leave him to it by himself he's only going to "sorta" do his work. You have to have a system and follow through on it as a parent.

My son has great teachers. They have worked with him and given him more opportunities than he deserves. At the end of the day he needs discipline, and more than punishment and consequences. We've already taken away everything he has and holds dear. He needs his parents to check behind him, to apply a standard of accountability.

His science teacher had a great plan. He has a school agenda we bought at the beginning of the year. For each class block he needs to write in his homework assignments and get his teacher's signature. When he comes home I check his agenda for signatures and make sure he completes the assignments. Then his teachers will be looking for my signature the next day. If he fails to get a signature, he looses school privileges.

I know there are some kids who thrive on the challenge of academia. I'm talking about your happy-to-be-average underachievers. The ones who are the most puzzling because the work comes easy, when they actually do it.

I found the same principle applies to managing employees. I am constantly checking up behind my less motivated employees. I would like to break the cycle with my children before they become lifelong character flaws.

Bacon, Potato, Corn Chowder

2013-01-19T19:23:00.001-05:00

This is THE must try recipe of the season.

IngredientsL

Ilb bacon
2 onions - finely chopped
2-4 jalepeno peppers - finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic - minced
Sage
Thyme
4 tbsp flour
6 Cups chicken broth
3 cups of cream (or half & half or milk-whatever)
*about 8 potatoes
*about 4 carrots
2 bags of corn
Salt
Pepper

*All of my numbers are approximate. I cook for a large family with 3 teenagers. I like to enough so that I can pretend there will be leftovers (there never are). You can't mess this one up. This would also be a great recipe for using up any root vegetables in the fridge.

Cook the bacon them remove (leaving the grease in the pan). In the bacon grease cook the onion, garlic, peppers.

When the onions are clear and soft add the herbs and the flour and cook another minute or two.

To get all of the mix out of the pan, I add some of the liquid and whisk. Then I pour it all into a stock pot. I throw in the rest of the ingredients and cook until the vegetables are tender.

We top ours with a little cheddar and serve with salad and dinner rolls. This chowder makes for a very hearty meal that is easy on the budget.

Homemaking?

2013-01-19T14:49:00.001-05:00

How can a working mom still find the time to keep house? I don't know yet, but I always feel like I'm on the brink of discovery...or something like it.

In truth, my house is not nearly as clean as it was when I was home full-time. Instead of giving the kids chores simply to teach them how, I actually depend on them for it. I can't watch over them for quality assurance so it's never up to my standards. It is tolerable.

I spend Saturdays catching up with the kids while Leon works his route job. Together, we go back over bathrooms, bedrooms, and living spaces. We sweep out corners and dust off the bunnies. Today, it's 3:00 and 3 out of 5 of us are still in pajamas rocking out to music but the house smells and looks amazing. The other 2 have set up shop on Main Street to sell Pokemon cards.

I don't really have a direction for this blog anymore. I, myself, am spread thin across too many slices of bread. I want to write more so I think I'll just start out some posts and see where this takes me.

Morning People

2013-01-19T12:32:00.001-05:00

I have joined the ranks in the rat race. Up at 5:30 am off to work at 7am. I love being a morning person. I go to bed at night looking forward to my morning coffee. I like carpool lines and seeing my kids off to school. I like the feeling that comes with being well organized and productive. It feels amazing.

I've always wanted to be a morning person. I gave it a good shot a couple of years ago. I got up every morning at around 6am and enjoyed the peace and quiet. Somewhere along the way I lost my motivation. Probably, I got sick and slept in for a couple of days and just slipped back into my old ways. Getting up at 9 or 10am didn't keep me from getting everything done, so why push myself?

Now my schedule is so full, there isn't time for sleep! So here I am at 6:30 am, fully dressed, hair and make-up done, ready for work. I got up at 4:30 this morning after a call from my staff letting me know there is a leak at my hotel. Thankfully, I was able to resolve the issue over the phone, but there wasn't much point to going back to bed.

I typically start my day at 5:30am. Some days it's still painful to get up so early. Some days I'm not as successful, hit the snooze, and wake up with only 20 minutes to get out the door. I really pay when that happens. I spend the whole day trying to catch up with myself.

Getting up early, I get to enjoy a cup of coffee. I can take my time getting ready. I also get some time to enjoy a book, catch up on facebook, or watch another episode of Buffy with my boys. I also check on statistics and revenue reports for work before I get to work. These small things make a big difference in my day.

Most importantly I get some quality time in with the kids. I'm not rushing, all focused on myself, so that we can get out the door. Instead, I'm paying attention to them, letting them know they are important to me.

What I Do Now

2012-11-24T19:42:00.000-05:00

Lately, all of my time is filled with schedules, inventory, supply orders, revenue, school lunches, car lines, homework assistance, football, soccer, parent-teacher meetings, doctors appointments, housework, and much more. I have very little free time. I thought I was busy as a homeschool mom. It didn't hold a candle to what I do now. Which is ironic considering all of the public school moms I knew used to tell me all the time that they didn't know how I did it.

Instead of having hours at a time to blog, read, knit, garden, and whatever. I only have 15 minutes here and there. I try to make those few minutes count. It's a completely different lifestyle than I did a year ago.

My life revolves mostly around my work now, instead of my home. Although the kids and my husband still have top priority. I just no longer feel like a "home maker". Some days I feel a little sad. I miss my old life.

I get way more accomplished in shorter amounts of time. I have weekends off. When I was working part-time I worked almost every weekend. Having freedom to make plans with my family for the weekends is a definite bonus.

Time moves really fast. I show up for work between 8am and 9am. It seems that I start in on all my tasks, and next thing I know, the day is over and I pack up to head home.

Thankfully, I still have Kelsea at home this year. She is a huge help with housework and getting the youngest from school in the afternoons. She'll be off to college classes this time next year. I don't know what I'll do without her.

The kids seem to be doing well in public school. It's been a big adjustment. The older two are thriving socially. The youngest is having the hardest time. He'd rather be at home.

Like the homeschool decision, we will take all of this year by year.

Garden Progress

2012-05-05T13:55:00.002-04:00

My raised beds are done, filled, and planted. I kept my sandbox/herb planter. The parsley kinda took over though.

So I took some old flower pots and used them for the other herbs we like.

The first bed is going to have watermelon that we just planted this week. Crossing our fingers for juicy yummies this summer!

The second bed has 3 Roma tomato plants, 3 heirlooms, lots of garlic, basil, and marigold seeds. I planted the three marigolds you see from plants. All of these are good companions. The garlic repels bad bugs. Basil helps improve grown and flavor (may also help with pests). The marigolds attract garden friends like butterflies to help pollinate my tomatoes.

The third bed has snow peas, bush beans, and cantaloupe.

My broccoli is not doing so well. I've changed jobs so I haven't had the time to devote to pest control. I might let them go and try again this fall.

Monkey Butter

2012-04-30T13:22:00.000-04:00

Monkey Butter Ingredients

5 medium, perfectly ripe bananas (no brown spots), peeled and sliced
1/2 of a ripe pineapple
1/4 cup ground coconut
3tbsp lemon juice
3 cups organic white sugar

I chopped the pineapple and crushed it with the flat side of my knife.

Peel and slice the bananas and add it to the sugar, coconut, and lemon juice in a heavy pot.

Then I scraped the pineapple, juice and all, into the pot with the rest of the ingredients.

Bring it all to a boil and cook it until the bananas dissolve and the jam thickens.

Towards the end the Monkey Butter was as thick as I wanted it but the bananas were still chunky, so I used a potato masher to help them along.

Fill your jars leaving 1/4-1/2 inch headspace (sorry for blurry picture but you get the idea).

Process the jars in a waterbath for 15 minutes.

Monkey butter is delicious spread over whole wheat toast in the morning, mixed in with yogurt for an afternoon snack, or served on top of ice cream.

It's a very simple recipe that is great to practice your canning skills.

Strawberry Jam

2012-04-24T22:37:00.000-04:00

Spring came early and the strawberries are perfectly ripe.

It's always more fun to pick with friends.

We picked around 60lbs of berries between the 3 families.

We went back to my place and set up to make jam all day. We set the campstove out on the front porch to give us more burners. This picture was taken after we were done. We did the water bath canning on the stove in the house and cooked the jam on the campstove.

Three people can make a lot of jam. The work was easier and there was only one mess to clean up.

Marriage Ammendment

2012-04-19T22:31:00.000-04:00

In a few weeks I will be voting against the same-sex marriage amendment that will read:

"Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State. This section does not prohibit a private party from entering into contracts with another private party; nor does this section prohibit courts from adjudicating the rights of private parties pursuant to such contracts."

This is where I steer left of my Libertarian friends. Since marriage is legally binding and ministers who perform ceremonies have to be licensed by the state, it should be governed by the state. How can we tell the government to "get out of the marriage business" when we hand the dissolution of it over to the courts to sort out? For legal purposes though, it should be called a "legal partnership" across the board. Religious ceremonies should be left up to the church you attend.

The state should not be in the business of making lifestyle or morality choices for it's citizens. This would rank us on level with Shari'a Law. Is there property damage? Does gay marriage infringe on the rights of others? Is there physical or emotional damage if we allow homosexual marriage to be recognized by the state? Of course not! Thus limits the power the state has over deciding who gets married to whom. We shouldn't add personal opinion or preference to either the State or Federal Constitution.

I'd rather fight against the freedom of "no fault" divorce. It's far more damaging to family dynamics and the security of our children, making marriage a temporary status until you get bored, unhappy, or find someone new.

Gay marriage is already illegal in the state of North Carolina. Adding this amendment to our state constitution is simply unneccessary and goes against the purpose of having a Constitution which is to protect the citizens from an overreaching government.

Raised Beds

2012-03-21T02:50:00.000-04:00

I have been working really hard on my garden. My husband and I made these raised beds out of reclaimed pallet wood. The hardest part was taking the pallets apart without damaging the boards. Some of the pallets were in better condition.

I'm not quite sure how many raised beds I want. I might stop with the 5 above. I still have my bucket for my carrots and my sandbox herb bed.

I filled the two smaller boxes with a soil/compost blend. I'm growing broccoli. I wasn't successful with my broccoli last year, but I'm eager to try again.

Homeschool "Trip" to Ireland

2012-03-17T07:51:00.003-04:00

Taking a make-believe trip with our local homeschool friends is one of my favorite group activities. We've been to Greece, India, and Egypt together. This time we are headed to Ireland.

Each of the kids helped out with presentations on Irish facts, folklore, and celebrations.

The moms helped enrich the experience by having an Irish lunch.

Stew on the left. On the plate going clockwise: potatoes, Latke, apple cake w/ cream, soda bread with Irish butter, a slice of Irish cheese.

We blended a few Irish American traditions into our lesson plan.

Then the kids all marched around the library in a St. Patrick's Day "Parade"

Planets Align

2012-03-17T02:56:00.000-04:00

Spring Butterfly

2012-03-11T03:29:00.000-04:00

Last spring we were inundated with caterpillars. Sometime in the fall we found a caterpillar and brought it inside. It immediately set it's chrysalis. We waited a few weeks past the time we thought it should have hatched. There were a few times that I looked at that old dried out sack and thought about tossing it. My friend, Tammy, said to hold on to it. That it might hatch in the spring.

Ta-da!!!

BIG GARDENING NEWS

2012-03-04T07:13:00.000-05:00

I'm ditching most of my containers and building some raised beds. I live in a townhome so this is kinda a big deal commitment for us. We'll be spending a bit of money on dirt to fill my boxes. I can probably take the boxes I'm building with me when I move, but I don't think I'll be able to take the dirt. Or if I do, certainly not all of it.

My backyard will be much prettier for it, I'm sure. The buckets were becoming an eyesore (they started to breed like rabbits and we were being overrun with them).

I'm writing up my plans now. I'm definitely planting summer squash and pumpkin. I think I'll skip the cucumbers this year. They were fun, but we don't eat enough pickles to make it worth preserving them.

I'd like to grow watermelon for the kids as a summer treat. Last year we got some gorgeous vines but no melons. This year I'm going to try a little harder.

I'd like to do broccoli and green beans. And of course I'll do lots of tomatoes and herbs. I'm moving most of my herbs to pots on the front porch. I might try growing some garlic in my sandbox, won't that be fun?

Back to my boxes, we are going to build them out of pallets using our friend Dave's plans. We'll get started today if the weather cooperates (it's currently rainy and nasty).

So container gardening has been fun but not so very fruitful. I'm moving on to the greener side of the fence...I hope. :)

Ribbon in the Sky

2012-03-02T05:39:00.000-05:00

I love this song. This would be number one on my "Top Ten Songs of All Time" chart. No matter what mood I'm in, whenever I hear it, my heart stops in it's tracks and I have to close my eyes and just listen. This would be one of the very rare songs that I don't feel compelled to sing along to. It's the mesmerizing piano and the words that are so beautiful you could cry (beautiful for their simplicity). Truly a timeless masterpiece that won my heart over many years ago.

Admittedly the video is full of 80's cheese, but nevertheless Stevie knows his stuff.

Oh so long for this night I prayed
That a star would guide you my way
To share with me this special day
Where a ribbon's in the sky for our love

If allowed may I touch your hand
And if pleased may I once again
So that you too will understand
There's a ribbon in the sky for our love

This is not a coincidence
And far more than a lucky chance
But what is that was always meant
Is our ribbon in the sky for our love, love

We can't lose with God on our side
We'll find strength in each tear we cry
From now on it will be you and I
And our ribbon in the sky
Ribbon in the sky
A ribbon in the sky for our love

I'm curious. Do you have a song that moves you in the same way?

Rainy School Day

2012-02-29T20:57:00.002-05:00

Today was one of those dark, dreary, rainy days. Normally it would be a day that we take slow, work on our daily lessons, and maybe have an afternoon nap. Not today. Today we were too busy.

We worked on our new history curriculum from Heritage History. We are focusing on Ireland for the next two weeks. We also read some Irish folk tales.

The kids have been taking turns reading aloud from Michael Vey: Prisoner of Cell 25. It's a very fun read about a kid with mutant powers.

My friend, Donna, sent me a message to let me know my baby was read for adoption. I told the kids I was off to pick up a baby scoby and left them to ponder the mystery of it all.

When I pulled into the driveway the kids met me outside. Jeremiah asked me, "So, where's the leach?" Leach? Ishmael said, "Yeah, that gel-looking thing." HUH? "That slimy thing in liquid."

My attempt to surprise (read: shock and awe) my kids appeared to have been squashed by a google search.

I had dinner ready by 3:00pm and made a very large batch of granola. I decided at the last minute to bake a Hershey's chocolate cake from scratch.

*I have to take a moment to brag on this cake. It was THE best chocolate cake I have ever had. Perfectly moist and rich in chocolate. Very sweet, but it was perfectly cut with some vanilla ice cream. It was very easy to make.

After we were done in the kitchen we pulled out the microscope and completed some labs for fun.

Today did not go as planned, I wanted to work on my garden. It was amazingly productive just the same. We spent the last part of our day watching Courageous together. I wish every other day could be like today.

Science

2012-02-29T20:26:00.003-05:00

The boys finished their science books too fast. They didn't even last one semester. So I've been going back and forth between two great books that I happened to pick up on consignment.

The Microscope Book by Shar Levine & Leslie Johnstone has been one of our favorites. The labs are very easy to understand and the illustrations are clear. I appreciate the step by step instructions.

Today we did two of the labs from this book. Did you know there were fossils in toothpaste? We saw them today. Kelsea was a little wigged out.

We also followed the directions to prepare a slides to view onion cells. Most of the lessons teach a new skill. We learned how to make a wet mount by and how to pull a stain. Ironically we did not have any iodine as the lab called for, but we did have methylene blue. The onion cells were very clear. We looked at them in low and high power. Very amazing.

Elements and the Periodic Table: What Things Are Made Of

We've been working our way through this study guide. We haven't taken on the Periodic Table yet and this guide is pretty in depth. I like that we can move at our own pace.

The kids made a giant-size Periodic Table. They illustrated each element with a possible use, except for the rare element with no known use.

My goal is to do a science experiment or special project each week. Between these two books, there is plenty to choose from. The Periodic Table book is filled with worksheets for semi-daily study.

SOMEONE IS AS TALL AS I AM

2012-02-26T06:47:00.000-05:00

He is also officially a teenager. I don't know how either are possible.

The Dreaded Teenager Stage

2012-02-25T01:29:00.000-05:00

So many people dread the teenager stage and I just don't get it. I was a teen from hell at the best of times, but I think my mom and I had enough healthy bonding times to make it all worth while. We were able to connect on levels we never could before. Sure, some days we were at each others throats and had our share of screaming matches...but the years were over faster than they started and we are better friends today for it all.

I hear so many times, "Just wait until they're teenagers! Then you'll really have your hands full with all those boys!" I'm sure I will, but hopefully in a good way. People wailing and gnashing their teeth about the dreaded "teen years" are only adding fuel to their spitfire of a kid who just wants to know who he should be and what his purpose in life is.

DON'T TAKE IT PERSONAL

This pearl of wisdom was shared by a dear friend. Don't take their offenses personal, especially when dolling out punishment. This is still the hardest lesson for me; one I'm still learning. When we take their offenses personal we respond out of fear and emotion. Not a good combination for rational thinking.

You see, children will challenge authority. It IS going to happen. They are trying to establish their independence. This is a good thing and happens more frequently as they become young adults. Once you accept it as inevitable (like potty training and learning to read), it's easier to channel into something productive.

If a situation is spiraling out of control you need to step back. Put some distance between yourself and your kid. Give yourself a chance to think about what you need to do next. Sometimes the worst of situations even need a day or two to come up with the solution. At this stage you don't need immediate action, they won't forget what they did wrong, they also won't forget where you went wrong. Keep your kid close in that time. I've even disconnected my kids from the web, video games, and activities while we think about what the course of action should be. And remember to be quick to make amends for your wrongs as well. You lead by example and there's nothing a teenager hates worse than a hypocrite.

NATURAL CONSEQUENCES; OTHERWISE KNOWN AS: FAILURE

If you want them to act like adults, you have to treat them like adults. They need to be given the chance to prove themselves capable and learn from failure.

Chances are, you'll find out that a whole week went by and they didn't get any school work done. There are consequences. For my teens that means that the week was taken from their vacation time (spring break or summer doesn't matter). They are only delaying the inevitable and the work will still be there. I have occasionally had to invoke some harder lessons (loss of outside activities or being disconnected from electronics). I focus on them as consequences rather than punishment. It makes more of a difference in how I respond to it rather than how my teen feels about it.

There are, of course, more serious consequences for more serious offenses.

KEEP THEM BUSY

Teenagers need to be kept busy, especially homeschooled teens. Bored teenagers become sullen and frustrated when they should be spending these precious years developing their interests and talents. Get them involved early (12-13 at the latest) in an organized group or two: sports, dance, scouts, 4-H, whatever.

They need hobbies and enough work to fill their day. Give them real chores to do. Chores that your family depends on. My oldest teen is in charge of the kitchen. She keeps it organized, washes dishes, and cleans it from top to bottom. Our family can't function without her! She helps make us a well oiled machine. The same goes for my teen son. He's in charge of laundry. We count on him to do his job and do it well.

They both love to read. My daughter loves to create with colors, writing, and music. My son likes to work with his hands. We have lots of plans to build outdoor furniture. We stay very busy.

INVEST THE MOST TIME/MONEY INTO THE OLDEST...

...as they will be the first out the door. The rest trickle down as the years go by and eventually even out. This is more sage advice from a very dear friend. She has 7 kids and they are all wonderfully talented people.

So with that in mind:

My oldest gets dibs on supplies she needs for her interests/talents (art, music, photography, etc).

She gets where she needs to be first. (there are exceptions when someone has something special going on, but for regular meetings/events she gets first priority).

This part is just common sense practiced by most homeschool families, but we give her the lion's share of school book money. After all, we'll reuse them for the younger kids as they come up.

The other kids are hardly neglected (HA! My bank account would prove it!). I'm there for each of them. We love giving to our kids, they are the reason my husband and I work so hard.

CONNECT WITH THEM

My last reminder to make the teen years more enjoyable. Spend real time together.

Talk to them. Ask them real questions. Not: "How was class?" or "Did you have fun?" You'll only get yes or no answers from those questions. Be specific, be involved. "Did you get to work on that dance move?" or "What did you do at the meeting tonight?" Follow up with interested questions. Most teens really do love to talk. However, they don't offer information up on a platter. They like to make you work for it.

If your teen is washing dishes, grab a dish towel and jump in with drying. I know it's their responsibility and I made a big deal about it. Once in a while it's great to stop what you are doing and help them along with their chores so they have a little extra time to do what pleases them. Remember to smile. Don't nit pick at their work. Just be there...working along side them peacefully.

Take the time to play video games (even if you'll only make a fool of yourself). Have them pop their ipod into the player when everyone is cleaning house. Find a way to connect with YOUR kid.

It's not all sunshine and roses at my house, but it's not the dreaded nightmare some expect it to be, either. My post is simple, humble advice. It's not a fool proof plan, but it works for us. There are some rare teens that defy all the norms. Don't make them the poster child for what you expect out of your own kid.

Spring Plans

2012-02-24T02:11:00.001-05:00

I've been so busy blogging over at the Zombie site that I've not had it in me to keep up with my own personal blog.

I'm at work tonight. I'm writing out lists of all the things I want to do around the house and outside. Spring is coming!

I want to get started with some of my early planting. I think I'll make some milk jug greenhouses like this one from The Baker's Garden.

I'm going to do lots of tomatoes! I plan to can can can.

I just finished building this table out of used pallets. I'm so pleased with it, that I'm ready to try more projects using wood pallets.

I think I might build a planter like this one from Life on the Balcony. It will liven up my front porch.

And I think my cat will have a hard time napping it to death, like he did my poor strawberry plants (yes that punk eventually killed the one in the other planter too).

This bench looks super easy. I bet I can get my mom to help make a few pillows. Maybe she'll barter for some knit goods (hint hint Mom!). A few of these will look great on the back deck.

One for the Money

2012-02-05T06:50:00.000-05:00

My girlfriends and I went to see One for the Money. It's the movie based on the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. I love the series and thought the movie was hilarious. I was concerned about how casting choices would play out, but I felt they did a good job.

However, I don't think the movie was great on it's own. If you have not read the books then many of the jokes and references would not be as nostalgic. I hope enough fans go to see it, so that there could be a sequel.

Meet Zayla

2012-01-23T04:42:00.000-05:00

Meet my newest granddaughter, Zayla.

Isn't she a doll?

She's a teeny tiny lil' thing.

I am so in love, I can hardly stand it.