10.30.18 Pumpkin Carving

We needed to do an educational activity for our service club as I scrambled around the internet looking for a worthwhile enlightening idea. I came up with nothing which looked like it would work with new baby, busy family, diverse ages. Until I came across a few really cool pumpkins and remembered a kind friend who is a master carver. A quick phone call and check of the weather and she agreed to teach us how to master carve pumpkins. 

The kids were excited to get this instruction, we worked as a team and got the chores done in advance and dinner pulled together so we could take it and share with grandma. 

A finished project. these are truly back breaking work. Bending over pumpkins for an hour or so is tedious but the results are pretty cool. Coupled with tools that are so superior to the old standby kitchen knives this was an enjoyable experience.

Our patient teacher in the middle. She helped us make pictures when we lacked the patience and skill to make the cuts fine enough. See that wheel barrow full of pumpkin guts? pig food! Greg was so excited he's always on the lookout for animal feed. These guts also secured and cushioned the finished pumpkins on the ride home. As our van is full of people these days we used a trailer to haul the pumpkin masterpieces.

Each pattern is transferred via dotting the pumpkin shell. This takes a while especially intricate patterns like Harold selected.

Some just watched and snuggled. The weather man was wrong, although we didn't get rained on it was blustery and cool.

To preserve the carving plastic is applied and secured with hot glue to preserve the faces for a few days,

 Aliza's unicorn

 Addie did Belle

Reed a lego man

Unicorn- Aliza, Lego- Reed, Owl- Mark, 2 horses- Harold

Anna's

Afton did a little pumpkin which she has been carrying around keeping it safe within her eye sight.

All lit up

Millie's pumpkin. Those small hand saws made curving smiles a cinch. Our teacher also had shapes with the bumpy edges to make perfect face patterns so every shape was uniform. NICE!

Livy's toothy smile and John's grim reaper pumpkin

My husband swears the right tools make jobs much easier this was surely proved carving 10 plus pumpkins in about an hour. A good time was had by all thanks to our teachers the Hopmans. We moved on to dinner at Grandma's house. We filled the house with lots of bodies. The kids were patient and good. It was a nice evening together. I learned that by planning ahead we have the Sundays' I hope for just heading into Sunday without a plan leaves us wide open to nice but not necessary side roads or maybe I just need to roll with the inevitable life happens on the farm sometimes and be grateful it's not every Sunday that things are chaos.

10.29.18 These Days

Next story. WE received a mystery pacakge from target. I don't shop target hardly ever so I was sure I was loosing my marbles when these blocks showed up. I have done quite a bit of online looking while sitting for hours on end nursing and loving Alia but I rarely purchase. Nonetheless new blocks arrived at our house the kids were thrilled. 

Last weekend we had quite a time getting the newly arrived grazing cows to settle in and graze. They had recently been taken from their calves and the neighbor showed up later that night with freshly weaned calves. Hence the mama cows had to go make sure those weren't there calves and thus went for a neighborhood walkabout. Around 20 black cows wandering the neighbors fields and farms was not good news on Monday mornign as the sun came up. Especially since a large portion of Sunday had been spent working with those same cows. 

So Bruce was playing the cows are out. 

Above: Cows are in. He's opening the fence so the cows will get out. NOt what we usually do here.

 Moving the cows out.

All the cows are moving out. Notice the horses standing ready to help. Too bad we don't ride horses here. Just four wheelers.

 Cows are back in apparently one died see it's legs kicked up. That's what happens when cows are naughty they get dead.

Afton has been allowed to hold Alia. She loves this and is always willing to sit and cuddle.

Last rose of the year with my happy Millie.

Building the picture of the castle on the box with HArold's help yay! Moments before the reason we build castles to knock them down. Boo. Obviously prayers were of second importance to this important ritual.

And Livy's art for the week. They learned about ghosts. WE hadn't talked about them much here.

10.26.18 Making a Sword

A few stories now. This kid fell in love with welding last year. He did very well in a some welding competitions and was very eager to increase his skill this year. however the required classes got in the way and he has not had much time in the welding shop. he occasionally finds a way to get some time in but mostly he is just in the books and working with dad. One of the tradeoffs for shop time was an advanced English class. He has not been in advanced English ever and has rarely put forth much effort in the writing department as it's just fluffy stuff. The less said the better in his opinion. 

His teacher this year is a Ph.d. of english or history. She expects and has done more than we have seen before. The most recent assignment was a research paper on a topic from the Book The Princess Bride. This son was excited to research sword making. That got him kicked out of the school library because swords are weapons and there's a no weapons policy in effect at school. He finished his research at home. Which I might add was very interesting. Part of the fun of lots of kids is learning about lots of different items. I personally would not have taken much time to learn about sword making but have been amazed as we have worked on this project. 

Harold took a day off work after spending some evenings on research and proceeded to craft teh paper. He willingly accepted the many edits and revisions of his multiple readers. From younger sisters and brothers to grandmothers and aunts and mom we combed through his thoughts and words. IT was laborious and it was hard. Harold is not averse to work and or critiques so he fared the days well. The finished paper was 9 pages long, he siad his peers did about 3. 

The next step he informed me after we finished that step was an in class prsentation complete with some visible part of what you wrote about. Knowing full well swords, as weapons, were not allowed on school property. WE decided he had the skill level especaiily after watching youtube to begin crafting a sword. So he skipped seminary again to being making a sword. Anna was the photographer. 

HEating the metal the forge was out of propane so he had to use the rosebud tip. This was slower but maybe better as slower means you have time to correct mistakes before they are complete.

THe pounding and shaping was a lot more difficult than he anticipated. HE said it was like a squishy sandwich trying to keep the metal in place and moving as desired. Not to mention this would be incredibly tiring to do all day to get the desired length and width of a sword. 

A cross section . He welding three pieces of flat iron together trying to get the desired thickness, and to do some welding.

This complete project took a lot of time. However, so much was learned and there was mostly only complatining from parents wondering when he would be done. Yet as I reflect on past experiences trying to get him to write this was much easier because he was engaged. I wrote the teacher a few times how much I appreciated her challenge and how exciting it was to see my son grow. She has no idea how big of a jump in thinking, writing, and learning this was for him. 

When asked about the presentations by his peers it sounded fascinating and funny. One kid made his own poison from pineapple leaves. Another talked about arranged marriages complete with cheesecake wedding cakes. Another demonstrated fencing using old fishing poles. Some talked about kidnapping, others about swords- whom knew significantly less than Harold as he corrected their errors in sword construction- in a polite way he reported. 

We are thankful for growth. We are so pleased with maturity as it comes. As we begin the growing up middle school journey with another I am anxious for the metamorphosis to happen and wishful all the painful stretching for us both won't have to repeat. But it will. There is no growth with out lots of trial and stretching, and correcting, and time. 

10.29.18 Dishwasher Dilema

The prime motivator for Livy to remain in school is the terrible chore of the dishwasher. Every night the girls talk and as Livy is lamenting going to school for yet another day Millie will retort "Well you could stay home and have to clean the dishwasher!" I chuckle while I listen to their conversation as I think it is funny what the WORST job ever is to them. 

I decided I better document this torture for their future memories which will probably forget how bad they had it at 5 & 6 years old. 

Millie very sad that she has to do it again. It is terrible we eat so often here. 

Funning for the camera I guess the torture isn't too intense or they are just not completing the task so they can smile.

I guess we will sink to whatever low is necessary to ensure each of our children gets and education and stays in school. I for one really like the dishwasher and I like that it's a reliable chore for the young ones. Hope you have a good day with clean dishes.

10.26.18 Johns Birthday

While we are thankful for each person in our home though we aren't the biggest partiers. Maybe goes back to that what is fun pondering. However, we have tried to atleast have each kids favorite food and a dessert of their choice on their actual birthday. John gave me the instructions a few days before. He lucked out having spaghetti and lasagna on the same day which was happy news for him. 

Harold made him this dodge ram metal cutout. I love the sibling generosity and thoughtfulness that randomly pops up here.

And Reed loving Alia so I can get a few things done that evening. 

Keeping up is impossible these days but I strive to get one or two most important things done. Whether it be a load of laundry so I have some clean clothes to wear. Holding kids who need it, proof-reading one of the never ending papers being written here, or doing flash cards with another I'm just striving to be present. There's plenty of melt-downs and frustration but we are slowly adjusting and finding some footing. It was reassuring to learn Alia had gained 6 oz in 4 days so I'm not starving her and our cross between bottles and nursing is working. Were still eating meals on clean plates and mostly everyone has access to clean clothes. If they choose to wear them is another story. Hugs are given, activities are still attended and life is good. We have had many helpers and errands run by others. Thank you! We truly appreciate all the service given. We need to do better being there for others in these times of change. As always we learn and try to remember to be better. 

10.25.18 Around home

Millie was pretty proud of doing her hair by herself at church. 3 ponies nonetheless. I told her her grandma had a picture of her hair similarly done she was happy to share the tri-tail beauty style with her loved grandma.

The kids have been pretty patient while I have sat and worked with Alia to learn how to nurse. They are often sitting on or beside me. They were not this close to me in days prior to her arrival. It's hard not to tell them all to just go away. I know they are just working to establish their new spot in the family. We have been plugging into youtube and gospel library apps a lot these days. Mr Rogers and story books read online have been lifesavers to pass the time.

I could hardly believe this dress now fits Livy. It was special made by Aunt Brenda years ago for Aliza. Wow how time flies. Livy was delighted to find a Halloween costume that so fits her wishes.

Bruce put my pumping supplies to good use as feeders for his his cows. I am constantly washing and rewashing things trying to keep his cold from Alia I don't think I've succeeded.

A happy Millie with more pumpkins. We have a gathered, drawn on, rolled, and hauled them in the tonka trucks for days. Who knew pumpkins were such a versatile fun distraction. Currently one is my footrest they are handy gourds to have around!