Scary Wildlife

We've done some really fun things lately and I never think to put them down here. Last Saturday we had a baseball game for the bigger boys in Point Arena and the beaches on the way down were so incredible.  Here is one. It's hard to get perspective, but it's a *long* way down, and people on the beach would look very tiny.

 And then of course, you have your scary side of nature. I've printed out this picture for each of our flats we are hosting, but the bottom that says "don't crouch down; the lion has seen you long before you saw it" is cut off.  I think it makes it that much edgier with it. 

Read more...

Car Schooling

We have had the busiest schedule in years. Mostly it is very rewarding and we've gotten all kinds of wonderful things out of it. My children are definitely becoming more confident and proficient in different areas and each area of confidence helps with the next thing. But lawsie! I'm about ready to commit some terrible crime whereby the only punishment would include lots of time in solitary confinement. Quiet. Meals served to me. No driving back and forth.  No quibbling in the car. There's not many worse things than hurling down a freeway at a high rate of speed in a tin box with young people fighting and quarreling. 

Hmm. Maybe I should start a prison reform program. The prisoners would be begging for a new start on a crime free life by the end of the week. 

Read more...

More. Because I'm Chatty Like That

The pigs were fascinated by the Joyce Family
Cowboy Tyler and Flat Squirrel
 The emu is around 5' 9" and tried to eat the Flat.  I'm just glad there is a fence.
Lots of beehives and the bees were thick in the air. 

Here are our current flats all over a mossy tree at the coast.

Okay, that's it. It's bedtime and I need to go pick up Tristan from his all day church activities. 

Read more...

A New Month, A New Post

Our Flat from Missouri visiting with the Buffalo

Tiny baby starfish!
Three of my lovelies with all the current Flats, MacKerricher State Park

Here are the Very Friendly Llamas. Only their Very Friendly Owner came out, took my flat and wouldn't give it back and I was almost late for an appointment. Makes me a bit wary of going back there for more pictures. 
      Baseball is going well for all three boys. Here is Jason at yesterday's game. He made a solid hit and did great.  The big boys were at a double header at the coast so I couldn't get their picture this time.                    

Baseball is going well for all three boys.  Things will be a little better after this Tuesday when Awana is officially over because right now there have been scheduling conflicts. 

 It's been a fantastic year in Awana and they all finished their books and did a great job.  Now we can start planning for VBS in July. Last year was so much fun I am definitely getting involved this year. 

Riding lessons continue and we've been enjoying that. Kay is so nice to work with!

The children and I have been having fun with our Flat Stanley project. Right now we are hosting flats from Missouri, Tennessee and Alabama, two from Australia and two from England. We need to send ours out--I'm *way* behind on that.  We've taken the flats to the coast and saw all kinds of neat things in the tidepools, we've gone to the buffalo, Lake Mendocino, tried and failed (twice) to get the emus and llama pictures, and tomorrow we'll do the cowboy stuff and the emu (hopefully. I've stopped counting on success here) and we need to get pictures of the ridge, the table at schooltime, our town sign and the drive through redwoods, which entails an hour trip north. I've gotten postcards and some things to put in with the flats to send home, but I need more buffalo fur and the pressed flowers need more drying time.  It is taking much longer than I had planned.  And here I am saying, I am going to send out all our flats tomorrow on our way back from riding lessons. There. Done. 

Read more...

All Our New Goings On

I started walking early every morning with some wonderful neighbor ladies and I'm so delighted getting getting to know them while getting some exercise. It's an answer to prayer! 

We also started horseback riding lessons in exchange for work on the lady's ranch. We put in a good three hours work and then ride for a while and it's been fantastic. My little guy (twin with Down Syndrome) went from clinging on the fence, to barely sitting in the saddle to trotting with no hands and an English saddle in three weeks. Awesome progress!  

And now we are all involved in Little League for the next 10 weeks. All three boys are on teams so we'll be busy for the duration.  We already have double headers for Tristan and Tyler at Fort Bragg and Point Arena on the coast at the same time Jason has his in Willits. If Jaime had wanted to sign up (and I encouraged her to), what would I have done??? 

We are also planning camps and homeschool conferences and well, it just seems somehow to go a little easier when we get busier for some reason.  Unless we all crash and burn which is still a real possibility.  So, that's what we've been up to.  Any newsworthy bashes or fights will be reported first here. Unless you hear it on Fox News while we are still in custody.

Read more...

We Have A New Mammal

My ten year old daughter wanted to play a game with me tonight. I needed to choose a common mammal like a cat, dog, horse, penguin, etc. 

Penguin??

Apparently so!

Read more...

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

After a comment from one of the Lovely Children about Dad being grumpy when they keep him up past his bedtime, I decided they needed to keep the same hours and then see how they felt about being kept up late.  So we've all been getting up at 5:30a for a couple of weeks now and it has been great. It took about three days for us to be able to go to bed at an earlier time even though they were getting up earlier, but it seems like it has been a good transition for everyone. And nobody is complaining about Dad's hours any more, mostly because now they can complain about their own.  Also, I am putting my coffee maker to good use with the auto start function. It's amazing how enjoyable it is to get up when I know there is a cup of coffee waiting there for me.  

We are all delighted with how much more we are getting done during the day, and how little we seem to miss going to bed earlier.  I jest. Complaints run rampant in some sectors and the 14 year old still needs dynamite to get out of bed every morning. 

Still, it is what we do now and next thing you know, we'll actually be using our time wisely. I'll have to get back to you on that one. 

HoneyHusband's birthday is tomorrow and we are going to go to the beach. Happy Birthday, HH!

Read more...