so very proud...

These two! They homeschooled for FIVE YEARS. Five years of bliss for mama. We went on excursions and trips...Florida, Washington state (Seattle, Mt. Rainier!), Virginia, Washington DC, Florida a few times, Georgia, and of course, Norway this past summer. We had picnics and shopping trips, and too much lazing around the house solving the worlds' problems. We had cozy schoolwork in front of the little space heater, we had baking days, and room renovation days.

They went back to "real" school this year, 7th and 8th grade. And as I wrote before, I was a teeny tiny bit apprehensive..., okay, sometimes downright FRIGHTENED that they weren't prepared to go back! I would lie awake at night, picturing them not keeping up at all. They wouldn't fit in, they couldn't keep up...but, guess what? They HAVE kept up. High Honor Roll for both of them!!!!

They get up every morning all by themselves, I get up too, but they wake themselves up. They arrive in the kitchen all dressed (and I might add that they both do their own laundry and take care of their own clothes). They remember their gym clothes, keep them washed and clean, Camille remembers her instrument (she plays the clarinet in band), and they get their lunches packed every night. I help if they want some brekky, Char usually declines, but Cam is always up for some toast, a bagel, or if I make French toast, Char will have some too. They go out that door every morning, haven't missed a day yet!

So I am thankful. I'm thankful that their years at home didn't do them any harm, they learned more than they thought they did. They learned responsibility and I think they are quite self confident.

So our minivan is back in the shop. The appointment the other day was a diagnosis, to order the parts. Today is the actual fixing day, power steering fluid leak. Five hundred dollars. ouch. That old van, ugh.

Paul and Jonathan are out in the woods hunting, and Anne is coming over soon. I have a store list for next week, I want to get things before the stores become absolute-before-Thanksgiving ZOOS. Our youth girls from church, including some of my girls, are baking pies for a fundraiser for their youth trips, and guess who has to get the supplies?

I also have to get some things for the turkey dinner on Thursday, Thanksgiving!!!! I am so sorry I have to miss it. 13 of the 16 kids will be there, all the grandkids...and some of our friends, too. It's going to be at Ben's huge house.

But alas, Jonathan and I will be getting on a plane, and heading out to Oregon, to be with Kathryn and Darius when they are having their baby. Believe me, I am happy about that! Sometimes you have to miss one thing to be there for another, I suppose!

These two were here yesterday, Lydia and Anne:

Anne was playing with purple play dough, making "muddy puddles" for her toy dog to jump in.


And these two, just because: cuteness! Suri just gazing out the window. I do wish they were never allowed on the couches, but Paul was so smitten with Suri when she was just a sweet little Lab puppy, he encouraged her to always sit with him. They are cuddles, but they are also hairy couch hogs. I have to wash those covers a few times a week!


Anne...she loves being read to. She will bring a stack, then when I read them all, five or six books, she wants to start over again. Little kids do love repetition, but for me, ugh. I love the cuddle part though, and it's a good measure of selfishness, being with a small child all day:). It is SO good for me!!! And, of course, I love her to pieces.


...because Kettler is cute too. She was purring and cuddling, because her kitty food dish was OH HEAVENS, empty. I always give the kitties a small dash of cream when I get my coffee, so both of them will come a-running when they hear the kettle. Cats are too smart.

So you know you're a rural hick when you have to make sure to pick up the deer leg from the deck, and throw it over the side into the garbage can before anyone comes over. Sunny must have taken it out of the can in the first place. She's whining to go out, and get into that can. ugh. It is so disgusting. I mean, I was born and raised in the suburbs, for goodness sakes. My father went deer hunting a few times, but he didn't actually shoot anything! Jon has gotten two this year, and there's nothing like that deer hanging in the tree in the front yard to cure. I really wanted to put a red light on it's nose. It's gone now, Jonathan butchered it yesterday. It's a very long process, and he did it all by himself, at the kitchen table. We use disposable tablecloths and lots of cutting boards, I didn't help him, because sorry, I am too squeamish. It makes me feel bad, all the work he puts into it, but it's his thing, I guess.

I think it might be a good day to make cookies. I can't go anywhere since the van is in the shop, and I have already decorated for Christmas, and wrapped most of the gifts I've already bought...