#homeschooling.....

Does sliding down the stairs in sleeping bags count as gym class? How about rollerskating in the living room? It's a good thing it's nice out today, because I had enough of the noise and sent them outside to swing. They brought Jon's light saber out, and had some fights, pretend ones that usually end up with one child crying, and that one child is usually Camille.

The thing is, when they do crazy things, it's just a matter of time before they get hurt. The longer they go wild, the bigger the chance, so I try to let them go for a bit, the stop them while everyone is still fine and whole.

Laundry, cleaning out the drawers of the 'fridge, doing laundry. blah. I took my walk today, though, and it was really nice. I also made a homemade chocolate cake....oh yum, a flour less cake....

melt six tablespoons of butter with 8 ounces of dark chocolate. I used some Ghiardelli chips, and some dark chocolate from Aldi, estimating, of course.

separate six eggs. put the whites in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites with the mixer until small peaks form, then add:

1/2 cup of sugar, slowly....until stiffer peaks form.

when the chocolate butter mixture cools a bit, add the egg yolks, whisk it up.

Now add 1/4 or so of the egg white mixture, whisk it into that egg/chocolate mixture....then fold in the rest...pour into a well buttered springform pan. I used a 9'by13' rectangle pan, just to see if this would be an okay recipe for larger quantities made in sheet cake pans....(Emily is doing the food for 170+ people, couples weekend at church, and needs dessert...we were thinking chocolate cake with rasberries, and perhaps some apple crisp with whipped cream....)

Anyway, bake this for 40 minutes or so, longer if you use the springform pan. It came out so yummy and good, you won't even miss the flour. At 325 degrees.

Anyway, it is too good, and I have to stay out of it. The little girls don't care much for dark chocolate, so they aren't helping me eat it. blah.

I have a beef stew simmering on the stove, so I feel so accomplished. There's nothing like actually knowing what's for dinner.

The little girls have been playing baby dolls/American Girls type dolls/house lately. Cam wanted to buy doll clothes at Target, but I said No Way. I can make those. So now they want me to make some. I don't have much of a supply of fabric anymore, but I was thinking to use clothes they have grown out of...then I can use the hems that are already there, ect. I would love to make them some winter coats, too...

Charlotte Claire is out in the kitchen, on rollerskates, giving whipped cream to the dog. Suri knows the sound of that squirty whipped cream can, and comes running. It IS cute, but don't waste it all on the dog. Some of us like it on frozen rasberries, in coffee, and on sugar free yogurt.

I walked today, and swam yesterday. I need to keep moving everyday, stay out of the sugar, and out of the cake, which Char DOES like....I had some chocolate last night, but nothing from McDonalds, which I somehow took five kids to yesterday afternoon. We went to the library....

Then to Target. We only got a few things, a backpack Sonja picked out for 70% off, which I put away for Christmas. We got Camille a dress for $4.48, and a matching scarf for $3.00, then a shirt for Char, a shirt for Paul, and that's about it.

To the grocery store quick for some apples and milk...I got some hot sausage that was on special, a bag of DunkinDonuts Pumpkin spice coffee, orange juice, and some marked down Halloween candy, which I put away for a rainy day. Most of it. I opened the Hershey bars, and had a few...

On the way to the van at the grocery store, I wanted to take a picture of five of my daughters walking in front of me...Suzanne holding Cam's hand, Kathryn, Charlotte Claire, Sonja....they just looked sweet...I felt in my pocket, and no phone. Sonja had left it in the library, we deduced, and we hoped it was still there. phew, it was. I don't know who was more relieved. By the time we arrived at the library, I realized trials are not always easy, and if my phone wasn't there, I would have to deal with it, and not be angry or mad at Sonja. This was after I told her she had better save her money if it was gone, unfortunately. I find that when it comes time for a testing of my faith, it always seems like whatever is happening should be an exception to the rules, that this is too much, I can't possibly remain patient NOW. But of course it is precisely at these very times that I can choose to trust God, and battle against anger and irritation.

Life is good.

Suzanne is so bored. Camille is singing a song, all wrapped in a towel and wet from her shower that Sonja gave her because she put lipstick in her hair. I need to switch over the laundry, and give the stew a stir.