Six Things...

We went for a walk this evening, it was beautiful out, and the sunset worth watching. I never got around to buying a double stroller, but the kids don't seem to mind this method. Maybe they're warmer this way. heehee.









Jen tagged me to put six things about myself that you might not know...here goes:

1. I hate using cheese graters. I'm always scared I'm going to grate my knuckles, and yesterday, I did. Ouch.
2. I enjoy the site Pandora.com. On it you can enter the artist, song or type of music you want to listen to, and it plays similar songs. Lately, it's been all Christmas songs around here! A free way to enjoy great music.
   
3. I just got a batch of Young Living Essential Oils, and am excited to start using them. So far around here, they've gotten rid of skin rashes, dandruff and helped constipation...
4. This was the first fall that I didn't go back to school since I started kindergarten. I must say, I really enjoyed it and look forward to many more!
5. I ran Grandma's Marathon once, and plan on running more...the problem is, both times I started thinking about training for one, I ended up pregnant.
   
6. My nose is still wrinkled about the toilet water thing. They seem no worse for it, however.

There you have it. Six things about me. And now I have no secrets left.


Would you look at that, Oliver just fell asleep on the couch for the first time ever. And Elsa's sleeping too. Looks like a nice, quiet evening in store. GRIN. Maybe I'll go make more of this yummy mulled apple cider.

Oh, for....disgusting.

Ever tried toilet water? How about drinking it out of large-sized lego blocks? Not appetizing? Hmmm, you mean I should STOP those kids?

Um, yeah. The house grew strangely quiet as I was transferring my newly made laundry detergent into jugs. And I soon discovered why. Yuck. My nose is still wrinkled.

On the laundry detergent thing-I just made a batch of soap that Jan had linked from her blog, and although it has about the consistency of, well, snot, it seems to work as well as the store bought kind. Yay! What I'm really loving is the cost: about 70 cents for two gallons of detergent! (and you still only use 1/2 cup, same as the store kind.)

Things to do

Oliver: Dad have a BIG horsie.. me have a little horsie to ride.
A few moments of contemplation...
Mom have a cow.
Gee, thanks.

This came while Oliver and Eric were looking at Mother Earth News. Have you ever read that magazine? Eric brought one home, and I really enjoyed it; it's given me the itch to be very ambitious both now and next spring. Things to do that came from that magazine:

• Get that chicken coop done and get some chickens. Not only will we have our own free range eggs, but hopefully it'll cut way down on tics and maybe (?) mosquitoes.
• Plant a decent size garden, maybe with 'heirloom' seeds, then save our own seeds for next year.
• Get over to Gramma R's and learn how to make those awesome wool braided rugs she makes. Then make some for our house.
• Learn the art of making good compost.
• Make more of that awesome refrigerator 5-minute a day artisan bread I've been making, but try the whole wheat version they have in this issue.
• subscribe to this...but then I might have more on my list than humanly possible...

I realized the other day that with being done with school, I have no real 'deadlines' anymore. I go to work, do my thing and come home. Even at work, deadlines don't exist, as there are no ongoing projects or anything. This is great! It leads me to think I'm actually gonna get a chance to do some of those things on that list. Not to mention that life is much more relaxing. Sometimes. Today wasn't 'relaxing' so much, (it was really one of those days, I don't know how many times I heard "Hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me") but at least there were no deadlines to deal with!

It would be nice...

You know what I'd love? A camera that takes the picture the moment you wanted, not the goofy looking moment after. With these two, quick reflexes and lots of anticipation is what it takes to get a good photo...and even then, you miss all those 'cute looks' you wanted...ah, well, someday.

A masterpiece.

Last night:

Oliver, scribbling with a black marker...
Me: "What does that say?"
O: "Dad took me for a tractor ride."
Me: "How bout that one?"
O:"Dad read a book...a TRACTOR book."
Picks up a purple marker.
O:..."dad working on the payloader..."
now green... a mark here, a dash there, a circle here...
O: "Arms...body...mouth...eye...legs."
Me: "What's that?"
O: "DAD!"

This morning, Me: You wanna go tell dad happy birthday?
O: Yeah! Eyes bright, off he scampers, finds the present and card, unwraps them for Eric: Here, DAD!! Happy birt-day! Points at my doodle on the card: A TRACTOR!

Now, that's a masterpiece.

Leave me your thoughts...

Being the curious me that I am, I installed a counter on this page (look to the left..). I was wondering if anyone actually stopped by...and apparently, a few do. So, now, I know you're there! Leave your thoughts-let me know who you lurkers are! And thanks for stopping by!~

Simple Gifts

Ah! Something that made me say "my thoughts exactly!" I was just reading Better Homes and Gardens (turns out we're getting one decent magazine for free) and came across an article about kids' toys. Turns out they actually do enjoy those simple, boring, non talking/flashing/beeping toys more! I've always thought this, and now the 'rest of the world' has discovered the simple truth. I had to chuckle at the little girl in the article who left her fancy doll at a friend's house, and said, 'that's ok, mom. That doll talks to much.' I guess it's more fun when you can tell your doll what to do, rather than the other way around.

This made me think of something we talked about at ECFE one day last year. It stemmed from a MPR report about the decreasing ability of kids to 'self regulate.' A study done since I don't remember when has measured the length of time kids of different ages are able to stand still, without moving. Today's 7 year olds are preforming at the level of the 3 year olds of 50 years ago. (I might be off a little on the age...but you get the drift. They fidget.)

Why is this? It's being attributed to the increase in structured play and elimination of free playing time, along with stricter limits. Back in the day, the area kids were aloud to roam covered many city blocks. In a recent Reader's Digest article on the same sort of thing, a dad 'let' his 12 year old daughter play in the driveway by herself. Gimme a break.

I see a corrolation with increasing ADD/ADHD...do you?

So...my conclusion? Yes! Not only are the blocks or other simple toys my kid-o's will probably get for Christmas cheaper and less annoying-they're making them smarter!! And then, when they start to drive me nuts with their antics, I can send them, (or right now, mostly Oliver) outside by himself and consider it at least one parenting job well done.