8.30.19 School Project LIving Life

One of the first projects the older 6 had to complete is a story and illustrations or pictures of their life to date. These kind of projects are both highly enlightening and hugely sad. Time goes so fast. The kids spent a lot of time digging through the various picture books and blog posts finding information about themselves and our family. I was thankful to have made the effort to document our family life. This lady is a go getter as is the baby in her arms. 

After a bout of heatstroke this summer our power struggle lessened a bit and we are finding common ground and more peace in our relationship.
This picture is from the end of a summer long ago when the girls financial goal was to earn enough money to take their dad to dinner.

Welcoming baby Millie to our family. Alena had done Addie's hair I was at grandma Corn's house, it was a hot summer!

Mark age 5 working on his homeschool. Missing teeth and all, he was such a cute little boy.

Addie being restrained at aunt Jill's wedding. I made those dresses for the girls. I have sewn very little in the last 3 years I had hoped to sew for all my girls but ran out of steam for the mess and focus it takes to create something besides the life we are living. Oh and the curious impish little Mark peeking behind Anna. How little I knew of them at this point now 10 years later how much I depend on them for their unique characteristics. Life is good!

8.29.19 Days at home

 Cleaning my house all day doesn't do a lot for me personally. Mostly it makes me more prone to anger at night when my kids come home and start living here again. I guess I have utterly failed at training them to be tidy. So instead of setting myself for frustration I decided to do some coloring with the kids that are here. We are going to work on this skill this year. I drew some pictures. They colored some. 

Lia was unusually quiet and not part of the action. I was pretty absorbed in the project so not until some weird sounds started coming where I couldn't see them did it click she was into something. Yes she was happily slip and sliding in freshly cracked egg yolks. Those untidy kids also don't follow through on chores very well and thus the eggs were collected and in the house but not put away. All fun for Lia today who has broke three two this go around and 1 earlier. I didn't realize she was getting them from the bucket until this time. 

Life is good with so many opportunities to learn. I listened to a podcast about children being attached to their families HERE. It was so thought provoking. As I listened to my older kids digest the craziness around them and watch my younger ones different behaviors I realize I have work to do, but it is possible and so worth it. I love these kiddos and am working to speak more with them to pay more attention and to make home a place of refuge. Sometimes we dig in and work, sometimes we talk, sometimes we eat, sometimes we rest... there are many sides to refuge.

The Family is the answer to many of the plagues of our modern world. It's hard and attacked on every angle but so worth the effort. Even the messes and the constant attention to teaching and guiding. As I have saide these three will learn more obedience this year, but I will also work harder to attach them to me, to help them feel loved, and noticed by their mom. And we will do that by reading stories, eating what they want for lunch -- shrimp and macaroni and cheese, and coloring, and watching what they do.

8.29.19 Weekend

I have so many pictures of the older bunch similarly posed but realized I needed one of this younger group also riding with dad. Headed up to Uncle Matt;s Birthday party. 

Took a personal day with my master organizer and cleaned most of my room. I love books but got rid of over twenty and washed them all. Living in the country the dirt can literally bury you if you aren't semi-committed to getting it back outside. I feel good everytime I look at this one organized clean spot in my house. Just one but there is one. 

Anna's high school post forever and ever Amen! Chained to the computer trudging through endless homework.

John taking a turn with little Lia who is so loved she mostly only sleeps when held by someone. Anyone who lives here is ok. I left her with grandma for a while. Grandma had to leave Uncle Jay was left with her, Bruce and Afton. Even though Lia was very tired she would not stay with Jay instead she allowed Afton to snuggle her to sleep. So cute!

And what to do when mom won't make more zucchini bread that day? Zucchini weapons or shields. Life is so abundant on the farm we play with our food.

Harold showing off his best of show buckle from the county fair. He proudly wears this beauty everyday. Fair was very good to our family. 

He too is always at the table doing homework. My kids are striving to be better informed and more industrious. I'm pleased they are able to complete what they start. And my heart is full as is my table whether it be with papers nad books, dishes and food, or just kids coloring or working. Life is good.

8.28.19 A family that prays together stays together

Did you know that was an advertising slogan in the 30's and 40's? Maybe earlier maybe later but on a radio show called the family story hour that was the beginning and end comment. One day we got a text asking for prayers as the forecast called for large violent hail. All the wheat was not combined and this was a big concern for our grandparents. We huddled the troops and said a prayer or two. 

We also went and picked a lot of corn. Harvest unfortunately coincided with fair this year but we got done what we could and will just make the best of what we did. I know from years past the Lord blesses our meager efforts.

LEgos! The bain of my walking. They are everywhere in my house but will entertain boys and girls for so many hours, wait so would doing what mom asked.... the quiet hiding is a problem but bonding is good. Ah the tug and pull or responsibility vs. learning. Sometimes we work and sometimes we play.

A favorite use for zucchini. Chocolate zucchini bread. I can't make enough of this stuff. It disappears in a flash. Healthy food I'm sure whole wheat and vegetables perfect summer food. REed is inhaling waiting for it to cool a little before eating it all.

The crew left at home second day of school. So few yet so busy and messy. Last night Lia and Bruce had a ball playing in the sugar bucket while I canned peaches. My hands were too sticky to take a picture but they had a great time pouring and tasting.

One of the benefits of earning your own way is getting what you want. Aliza loves water bottles so she got a new one.

John loves smelly stuff so he got body wash.

And we had a nice outing to the orchard to pick peaches and eat peaches and then to eat blackberries.

We saw and watched other kids htere who were riding or waiting on their parents. I am so thankful and insistent that my kids help with their food. They are pretty good little workers and I for sure could never do it alone. Life is good with a fresh sun ripened peach dripping from your hands and promise of juicy sweet blackberries with no thorns dancing in your head. Sweet sweet summer adventures!

8.22.19 Good intentions

I worked and worked to get the last of the peaches done that we had picked last week. After finally bottling a measly 17 bottles I was sad to see that some had not sealed. I did not want to waste all that hard work so I cleaned the lids and rings and put them in again to process. It worked and all 17 sealed! After cooling for a day it was time to bring jars in. My little helpers love to haul things in trucks and it was my idea to have them haul jars to me. I didn't get to give them that instruction before I heard the trucks rolling and was smiling as one full sticky jar flew off the back of the truck and splintered everywhere. See the blood? Afton sustained two cuts on her feet and I had a mess to clean up. 

Ahh good intention that turned into a big mess. That seems to be the theme for the day. What seemed like a good idea has become problems and a lot of extra work. Trying to breathe deep and take a step back.
 I asked a friend how to be an interesting adult because my kids are gone and I don't want to helicopter, lawn mower parent them so maybe  I need some other interests? She suggested I was looking to find myself. I told her no not really just looking for some hobbies. Maybe it's the same thing?
As I've pondered that question over the past week I've come to some conclusions. I love being a mom, this transition back to school is always rough because of the long day of separation and the many worries and work requirements on them and me. This is a busy time of year, our family cans and thrives on working together... I have come to admit who I am in the last year that I really do enjoy this motherhood experience it's not just a responsibility or a commandment but a real joy in my life.
I really love reasons to just sit and snuggle my big little lady in a blanket in the morning. I love her insistence to be near me and the cute very advanced, albeit demanding, little person she is.

I love this funny guy. He quietly raids his brother's secret stashes of boy stuff. Knives, lego parts, cash reserves, candy, cars he is happy to be free to explore and has learned to use a key in a lock so that's not safe anymore. He was eating his shrimp for lunch sitting on a box of eggs. I asked if he was practicing being a chicken? He is also super responsible repacking the eggs in cartons of twelve Lia was not a good helper with this and broke several eggs.

But I love this time. It is stressful, lonely, and overwhelming and it is fun, and loving, and so fulfilling. So with the bad comes the good. The broken jars and eggs and the preserved sweetness and jobs well done. Life is good the secret is to just keep going. 

8.22.19 Back to school

There were only two parents I spoke with prior to school starting that were not excited about back to school. Both are ranch families. There's a lot of agriculture happening right now and school is a long day of missed opportunity. Couples with all the responsibilities that go with those days and long hours of transportation it's not a fun occurrence. Yet several of these kiddos were SUPER excited to go to school! You may be able to pick them out based on the huge smiles. 

Three days in and we are not settled yet. As I wander or rush through my quiet house accompanied by the chorus of cries, or sounds of crashing, or finding new spills of food I miss my big kids, they are my friends and companions. The younger group is set to learn some more independence and chore ability, we are going to read stories and learn to obey. We take life a little slower and work on different projects together.

Like canning peaches. Afton was a stalwart. She is a good little worker and mostly just gets frustrated that I don't trust her to do more of the steps. She and Bruce are having to learn to work with each other.

They are both pretty determined to have what they want and are going to learn to stop biting when they don't get what they want. Life is good, we read some stories yesterday it's been a long time since that happened. And I'm getting to know my husband again via phone calls. Our entire relationship has been 90% long distance or phone conversations. Thank goodness for that means of communication. I'm always so thankful I still really like him when we reconnect. The busyness of trying to keep all 9 going and growing was a constant battle, so to only have 3 to keep track of -the worries and concerns of school not withstanding, is a hard brake to my brain. Life is good I'm thankful for all the motion of the people in my home. I just hope and pray the crying and fighting of these three still here will calm down soon.

8.21.19 Love at home

The prophet Russel M. Nelson gave this promise and blessing

"I promise that as your efforts to worship Heavenly Father in your home will sanctify your home, providing the protection from the adversary that is intended in 'home-centered, church supported' instruction." 

We make every effort to have a weekly family meeting. This is what it looks like. casual, together, full. 

After  the rousing time together we move on in our day, generally rubbing shoulders working together on dinner, dishes, and chores. We mostly are slower and spend a little more time visiting and listening to each other. Reed's garden bounty, not the water melon yet but several are coming along nicely.

He was sharing his pet chicken with Lia. This poor baby is the only survivor of its family, so Reed is enjoying having it as a pet. Thank you fair 2019 chickens can be pets.

Reed may just lose an eye in this process. We admonished him to never put the chicken close to his eyes again.

While sitting playing with the chicken we could here a general singing noise. Unsure we figured the little girls must be walking home. As the noise got louder we went to investigate and found a crew and a calf. The girls were providing distraction to the leery calf being brought up to greener pastures to try to get some meat on it's bones. IT's a little heifer part of twin pair who has failed to thrive due to it's small size and lack of feed capacity at the farm. The younger kids love to go to the arm with their dad. You never know what adventure awaits when off with dad.

We had missed some pickings of zucchini and I harvested this abundance to let more grow. We love chocolate zucchini bread so this is a mouthwatering problem.

Life is good and we are thankful for prophets who continue to guide and share protective counsel and wisdom. As we take the counsel and adapt it to our family we are blessed with unity and cherished memories.

8.21.19 The LIttles

Summer is tucked away and I have a bit more time with all the big kids gone so I will try to catch up blogging. This lady is having a hard time adjusting to no entertainment crew. She loves her perch atop Reed's head. She has great balance and he is a quick ride anywhere. He is sweet with her and makes sure is in the thick of the action. 

Brucey doesn't see life from above much any more but he is busy at the dirt level having a great time being a kid.

Lia also mastered standing and is walking atleast 6 steps at a time now.

While she hasn't mastered running wiht a dump truck yet she was not about to just sit and watch all the activity. She bear crawled along with the best and happily got covered in dirt.

Some days she is happily covered in water. Between LIvy and Reed the kids had an old fashioned summer of dirt water and imagining. It's nice to be back on a schedule, not nice to deal with all the emotions and homework of each day and very lonely here at home.

I never know where I will find Lia, this was taken the day after fair. Harold loves his time with Lia, and she loves him.