Non-Pictured Updates for the New Year

Isabella has begun her new season of Shubert Singers. This year they are toying with the idea of having the performance attire sewn. This group has been around for 10-12 years and through the years, the company where they have been purchasing their dresses has slightly changed it over the years. It has created a similar but different ensemble of dresses. IT is starting to look un-uniformed. The idea was put forth to have new dresses made from a pattern with a standard color material. I have had several meeting and emails with the instructors to offer my insight to their predicament. As it stands, they want 27 dresses made from a Vogue pattern. I tearfully told them, without some form of compensation, I just could not take on this kind of project. While I want to support the group, each of these dresses will take me roughly 10 hours to make due to the difficulty of Vogue and the detail needed. The ladies are also trying to get some corporate sponsors to help with the capital needed to get their wishes off the ground. We will see, but I had to tell them I could not do it for free.


I just registered Anton for the next season of soccer. It will begin towards the end of next month.


Both children are continuing their piano. They have had to up their game and are now beginning some more difficult but interesting pieces. Isabella has her nose in a piano book from Phantom Of the Opera. Anton has a much harder book with Lord Of the Rings. It is really challenging his abilities and he must also have patience as he works bar by bar on his pieces.


Schooling wise - we are wrapping up the Civil War studies with a couple more weeks focus on the Reconstruction Period. After that, I will decide to either continue with the Industrial Revolution or do a unit study on Native Americans. I had skipped it when it came up in our course of study feeling as if we had covered them enough since it is difficult to not have some cross over when studying Lewis and Clark, the Pony Express, Pioneers, and The Western Expansion (including a specific study on the Oregon Trail). On the Literature side, we are currently working through Little Women in order to have a comparison of young ladies' views of the war verses young men from reading Across Five Aprils which we finished last week. Last month we were working through Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn to help the understanding of life on the river and slavery from a teen's perspective. For entertainment reading, we have been going through Christpher Paolini's Inheritance Series. Now the children are chomping at the bit for the fourth book which has yet to be released. It should be out before the end of the year. In geography, we are more than 3/4 the way through our study of each of the states. Our science program is almost complete, maybe one more month, so I will need to decide what to do to fill in the rest of the school year. In health, the children are working on their Presidential Physical Fitness Challenge. They are training for their 7 or 10 minute mile they need to be able to run. We have also begun the uncomfortable study of PUBERTY. As much as we want them to remain little and innocent, their bodies are disagreeing! In math, Anton will begin the next book in the series next week, and Isabella will go up the following week. Spelling still seems to be a thorn in their sides. I am being tempted to try a different program for next year, wondering if it is the program or the understanding that they can not be good at everything. On the self efficient studies, something I have noticed many kids are lacking and feel I must help my own children, we are working on cooking skills. My goal is to have them able to plan, purchase, and cook a well balanced meal. They must include the food groups and be able to cook it. Isabella is soaring through this task as she has been part of the cooking club I have been coordinating for the past two years. Anton is actually more interested in making things for dinner or lunch like meatballs.


On the farm - the fort is in the final stages but since it is still winter, things move slow. We have lost three more pine trees to Fire Blight. I have begun the awful task of spraying the remaining trees with fungicide to try to save them. Unfortunately after last years' drought, many of the trees have been tried before they are well established. With the discovery of what has caused the problem, Karl and I are now on the same page of understanding to the care needed for baby trees. It seems they need babying for at least five years to become thoroughly established. SO, we will be spending much time replanting and babying them in the following months. We need these trees to grow as the winter winds are so strong and wind breaks are a must. Every time the house rattles from these winds, we look at each other and say "Grow Trees Grow!" Karl and I are entertaining ideas of chicken coop designs and garden shed dimensions. We have not committed to anything yet, just looking and drawing. Seeds for spring veggies and flowers have been sown in trays to get a start on the upcoming vegetable garden. I am trying to grow broccoli for the first time this year. I am also going to try to get a good showing in peas and spinach before the spring turns into summer and neither crop likes to grow in the heat.


On the other house - we have several strong leads as of late. Now that we have been accepted into a relocation program to help us sell the house, we hope this will be the last year to have it hanging over our heads. This burden seems to zap our reserves of strength to fight the stress of owning two homes. Please continue to pray for this burden to be lifted!


On Simplifying - I have been making good progress in the basement (storage, play space, and crafts) and clothing areas. One of the simplest but most edifying things has been taking all of Isabella's to be grown into and summer clothing from her drawers and put into a tub till the time is right. It has reduced her clothing clutter to the point that her drawers are neater and picking the clothing of the day much quicker. I had not realized how stuffed her drawers had become as we have been receiving bags of "hand me downs" over that past few months.


Thoughts I am pondering: At one of my favorite blogs, the author has noted "the bible does not command us to hurry up but to stay awake!" How often do I hurry to get things done and become blind or asleep to the things around me? Yesterday I saw the first bunny of the season and heard the honking of the geese looking for their mates. As the world around me thaws from winter's rest, what other signs of new life are waking up around me? The arrival of spring is such an invigorating force.

Jui Jitzu - Anton is striped!

I feel bad that I did not have a picture of Isabella's striping a while back. But, here is Anton's first stripe. Isabella is a little bit ahead of Anton in their classes, but he is catching up quickly. I think one of the things they like is Mr. Mike letting them wrestle each other at times. He finds it interesting to see how neither will give up and he has to call the time for them to move on.

Oh, sibling love!

Blue and Gold

After a race from Jui Jitzu and showers, we arrived in time for Anton's Blue and Gold Banquet.

Anton received an award for his creative Pine Wood Derby car. He was the most creative for his den and second for the pack. Karl thinks Anton likes the creative award more than the fasted car.

Isabella got second fasted car in the sibling group.

Anton received his Arrow of Light Award. Actually all of Karl's den received the award. The plaques were hand made by Karl, the other Web 2 leader and the Boy Scout Master where most of the boys will be rising up to next month. It took then several weeks to get them completed. I only added another coat of polyurethane for Karl while he was at work this time. No I did not have to stay up late painting arrows gold like I did last time.

After the awards and meal, the assembly was entertained by a Magician. At one point he had Anton and Isabella on stage for one of his tricks. Karl and I laughed so hard we had tears in our eyes as the magician incorporated jokes and music into the tricks.

Blogging and Life

Sorry I seem to get lost in everything going on around me and forget to let you in on what it is we are doing. I will be working on getting you caught up to our doings in the next few weeks.

Please keep our other house in your prayers. I think we might have a real buyer this time as they are working on paperwork to begin dealings. They were just browsing options while toying with the idea of moving to better accommodate their life needs when they, according to our realtor, they fell in love with ours. They don't even have a realtor, so they asked ours if she could handle all the paper work for them so they do not have to waste time. Oh, please!!! We so want to put this house behind us!

Making a Snowman with Daddy!

It was not much snow, but they somehow managed to find enough to construct their Snowman.

He is starting to look a bit like a hiker or maybe it is a lookout?

Either way, they had fun. Katie just took it all in. Maybe this time she will not bark at it for days as she has done every time the kiddos build a snowman. She's such a vicious guard dog.

OK, maybe not vicious, but she is definitely in her teen years as she looks at me like I am insane when I call for her to come inside as we are expecting visitors soon and she will terrify the little ones if she decided to charge up to the vehicle, even if it is just to invite them to play.

Last Cub Scout Pine Wood Derby

This years' car was a canoe complete with Lego Men fishing in scouting colors!

As usual, Karl has to make the boys who have scooted the boundary lines closer and closer to the running track to "Back Away From the Track Boys!"

Isabella mans her post as the snack counter just as she has done for the past three years. She is really going to miss Anton being in Cub Scouts. She has been lamenting it since Anton and Karl went on their first Boys Only Camp Out last fall.

And they're off! The one in the middle is Isabella's car, the pink and blue shoe.


After a few riveting hours of watching cars run down tracks, it is time to go home. Karl thanks all the boys and parents for helping out. He encourages the boys tho think of next years' cars and we all go home.

Isabella's 4-H Officer Installment

At 4-H in January, Isabella was installed as the Recreation Officer for 2011. 4-H runs it's years January through December with a break during the Summer before the Fair in September.

Mrs. Bailey instructs the officers in their duties and the club lines up.

Greg is first as he is president. He has been president since we first joined when Isabella was just a clover. Children ages 5 - 8 by January 1 of that year are clovers not full 4-H members.

Isabella is the Recreation Officer, but seeing a new girl present and wanting to befriend her, Isabella asks if she would like to help her run the office with her. She is so outgoing and wants to get everyone involved. You have to love her spirit and enthusiasm.

The Wonderings of Isabella

"Mommy, Why do adults live by themselves?"

At the current moment I am taking the children to their Jui Jitzu classes and we always pass by a very large "Adult Only" neighborhood on our way.

"Well, they need to live somewhere and I think it makes them happy."

This begins a discussion about what makes one happy.

"It does seem like a big house to hold their stuff. They must have a lot of stuff. When I get older, if I don't have any children, I am going to adopt. I bet the people in those houses are very lonely."

Sometimes I am so amazed by what comes from her mouth, mostly because of her straightforward, naive truth as she tried to figure out the world. At other times, I just wonder how she comes up with this as I find myself laughing at her comments, the delivery, or both.