Seven Quick Takes Friday--Volume 104, The Really Quick Edition

One.

I have a doctor's appointment this morning to find out why I have this thrush-like mouth, which is sore, but which tested negative for thrush.  I have had it for going on 5 months, and on a good day, I am merely "aware of my tongue" (do any of you remember the Peanuts cartoon strip on that theme?), and on a bad day, my mouth feels like I scalded it on too-hot pizza cheese.  So here's hoping the specialist can tell me something!

Two.

Bret's mom called the night before last and she is coming tomorrow afternoon.  Because she now lives in Hawaii, and it is a really, really big trip, only makes it out here every couple of years, and stays for three weeks when she does.  Needless to say, we are in upheaval here with the cleaning, for when does a home-schooling mom of six, one of them still a baby, have time to clean?  My house is gross, people.  Thankfully, Stella, my mother-in-law, is very easy to get on with.  When I told her that my bathroom was gross, this well-traveled lady replied, "I've used public restrooms in Iran.  How bad can yours be?"

Three.

Cold snap.  It is 43 degrees right now, and the high is to be 48, with a low of 28 tonight.  Time to put the heat lamp in the chicken coop and the heaters into the stock tanks.

Four.

Daylight savings time starts Sunday.  I know, I know, we gain an extra hour this time, but it only means that for about a week, my kids will be waking at 5 a.m.  I don't care for this nonsense, and it is one of the few things I liked about living in Arizona--no time change!

Five.

We just got Gemma moved out of our room and into the little boys' room over a month ago, and now Dominic is coming into our room every night.  Usually he goes to the bathroom and then pulls his pillow and Pooh Bear into our room.  It is getting a bit annoying, but I am thinking that the best way to handle it is to just let him do it.  Bret is afraid it will become a habit, but that it already is.  I don't think he will be doing it at 13 anymore, do you?

Six.

I hate hanging out laundry in near-freezing weather.  But I am determined not to have the electric bill skyrocket during the winter as it does in Summer.

Seven.

Day of the Dead, isn't it?  Wow, I've been so busy.  I had a little tutorial, but I think it may have to wait for next year!  I guess that was another thing I liked about Arizona, and Tucson in particular:  Mexican Catholicism.  It has a very different flavor.  Piquant...

Gotta go and get myself ready!  Have a great weekend, and visit Jen at Conversion Diary for more Seven Quick Takes!

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 101

One.

Last Friday, without my paying attention, I hit the 1000 Posts mark!  See what can be accomplished when one's verbal blather is put into print!

Two.

I love autumn.  Hanging out the laundry becomes my favorite chore.  Some days I am so busy that it is the only time I get outdoors to enjoy the fine weather.  Spring is lovely, too, but I have terrible hay-fever, which really spoils things (hard to hang laundry when your nose won't stop running!)

Three.

I fell away from my menu plan, and the kids ate oatmeal for dinner one night this week, and sandwiches on another night.  I had better get back on track starting this weekend!  

Four.

Still on the subject of food, we need to get some laying hens here.  Our six older hens are laying only erratically now, and the three younger ones are not yet producing daily.  And our six--count 'em--six roosters aren't laying any eggs at all, naturally.  They are going to market tomorrow if we can make it.  Maybe we can trade four roosters for a couple of hens.  It goes against my grain to live on a farm, own chickens and buy eggs!

Five.

Gemma has entered the shrieking phase full-force.  She shrieks for everything:  when she is happy, when she is angry, when she is impatient, when she wants to be picked up, when she doesn't want to be picked up, and so forth.  I know this will pass--I've been through it five times before.  But one cannot get used to it.  It is like trying to get used to having a knitting needle jabbed into one's temple.

Six.

On a serious note, my nephew, Matthew, who has Asperger's Syndrome and pretty severe OCD has been going through a real rough spot.  It could be that the onset of puberty is making everything worse, but suddenly his meds are not working and he is suffering more than ever from anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and obsessive-compulsive behaviors.  The doctor is changing his medication, but it will take some time to begin working, if it works at all.  His behavior is such that the whole household is turned upside down by it, and my poor sister is very much at the end of her rope.  Please pray for her family, and especially for Matthew.  

Seven.

Today is the feast of the incomparable St. Teresa of Avila.  She is amazing on so many levels, but what I most appreciate in her is her earthy spirituality.  Sounds like a paradox, doesn't it?  But hers is the spirituality that recognizes who and what we are, and how much work on our part and grace on God's part must go into our journey towards perfection.  

Have a great weekend!  You can find more Seven Quick Takes on Jennifer's Conversion Diary.

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 100

One.

We had a nice day for Our Lady of the Rosary.  We did most of our school work outside. I couldn't bear to bring Gemma indoors, as she was having so much fun toddling about and playing with and on Max, who has outgrown his chicken-killing, pulling laundry off the line and jumping up all over us.  He is a good dog. What he hasn't outgrown is bringing home all sorts of "treasures" from his travels:  soda cans, glass jars(!), feed sacks, and cardboard.  If I had to clean up after him, I would probably love him less.  As it stands, we have the kids clean up after him.

Two.

This weaning thing is really hard.  More for me than for Gemma, I think.  With her most likely being the last baby, I really had intended to let her wean herself, but with me needing to find some sort of medication to take care of this case of very resistant thrush, I feel that I have to.  When she wakes in the night and wants to nurse, and throws the pacifier back at me, my heart aches.  I just want to cave in and curl up with her in my bed and nurse her.  During the day, she never seems to want to nurse, but it is different at night.

Three.
You know that school is in session and the weather is gorgeous when the kids don't ask to watch one single VHS or DVD the entire day long.  Before having the kids, Bret and I had no TV for years.  The reason we got one in the first place is that we had a little video camera to make movies of Una with, and we got tired of playing them back on the one-inch screen.  I have a love-hate relationship with the TV.  We get no reception, so it is only used for playing movies.  Our internet in the area is so slow, that we can't watch anything on the computer without it reloading incessantly.  If not for that, I would sell all the bloody tapes and DVDs at a yard sale and toss the TV.  But I like my favorite British historical dramas too well.  And the kids, having already been corrupted by visual media, might just die if they had to go a month without The Lord of the Rings, Narnia, or episodes of Green Acres.

Four.

Adrian wanted to make himself a rosary yesterday for the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.  In the evening, he sat in Bret's lap to pray with us, following along on his own beads.  This was the first time he ever sat through an entire rosary at home.  So naturally, he got a huge piece of the celebratory cake.  And afterwards, a huge tummy-ache to go with it...

Five.
Speaking of cake, we were having some and it was nearly 7:00 p.m. and suddenly, there was no more milk.    Look at that cake.  Can you imagine running out of milk?  Well, Bret went out to his shop and grabbed another gallon out of the fridge there and came in, skimmed it, and we had milk.  The point of this story?  I love having a milk cow!  And Nuala is a high-calorie milk cow.  I'm making three pounds of butter a week taking the cream off the top of the milk. You have my permission to be a little envious.  Just not sinfully envious.

Six.
Today, this afternoon, I will be taking a look at our first month of school and see how we have been doing.  I think that we have kept pretty much on track, although we haven't done much with music, as the CD player is still defunct and we are still trying to get sounds from the recorders I got for the kids without a lot of screeching.  When they can all do that, we will proceed...I think that the area where we need to improve is my own involvement with Una.  She is used to doing her work and correcting it, and I have told her that she needs to come to me for feedback in her writing work, and when the work involves the memorization of a poem or the making of a speech, she needs to come to me.  She hasn't been doing so.  I also need to make better use of Fridays for looking ahead to the following week and preparing.

Seven.
This is going to be one beautiful weekend!  I am hoping that the whole weekend won't be given over to household chores.  I am hoping to finish a hat I am knitting for Gemma and get going on the second of another pair of leg warmers, and I want to finally begin a pullover for someone--I have merino wool for three sweaters, but I don't know whose to knit first!  I am a slow knitter, so there is no way on earth I will get three, or even two of them done by Christmas.

There!  Those were not very quick.  Anyway, here's hoping that you have a great weekend and that you have some beautiful autumn weather wherever you are.

Seven Quick Takes Friday is hosted by the arachnophobic Jennifer at Conversion Diary.

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 99

One.

This has been a pretty good school week, all things considered.  School went off without a hitch, Una is doing well in her algebra, Sebastian actually loves math with Teaching Textbooks, Gabe is working diligently, and the little guys have been enjoying their work as well.  The boys are actually doing some writing this year without a fight.  Writing was like pulling teeth last year.  And Spelling Power actually seems to be helping Sebastian.  He has been doing well in spelling this year. Penmanship is a sore point, and it is my fault.  The boys always fought tooth and nail against it, and I didn't place much importance on it. Now Sebastian is in fourth grade and can't write cursive.  Even his manuscript is appalling. So it seems we have a lot of remedial work to do.  Oh well, Bret's handwriting is pretty dreadful, too, and he has somehow made his way in life.

Two.

The weather has also been pretty near perfect.  Oh, if I could only live in perpetual October!  I'm not sure how the summers actually are up in Maine, but I always imagined that my ideal summer weather would be up there.  But then I think I prefer a Tennessee winter to a Maine winter!  

Three.

Less than ideal has been my sleep.  Gemma does not nurse at all during the day (unless she gets hurt and needs consolation), but she wakes 2-3 times a night and only rarely can I get her back to sleep with just a pacifier.  And she isn't fun to cuddle with at night.  She hates covers and blankets and kicks them off, so I have to lie there freezing beside her.  She flops about, nurses, flops about, and so forth.  Dominic also frequently comes in during the night.  And last night, to top it all off, I had an attack of allergies (rag weed is crazy here right now), and my mouth was sore from the thrush.

Four.

Yes, I still have the oral thrush, and I am going for further blood tests today, since they want to try to figure out why I have it and why it has resisted the first two medications.  The meds didn't even make one bit of difference.  Neither has my regimen of garlic tabs, grapefruit seed extract, yogurt and cider vinegar.  The next med they would use is a Category C, which means I really would have to wean Gemma completely before giving it a try.  I'm pretty sick of this, and am beginning to feel a bit desperate about getting rid of it.

Five.

Do you live in the city and think about how nice and quiet living in the country would be?  Well, it is not always very quiet.  At least it hasn't been around here for the last two days.  Our neighbor had beef cattle, and the day before last, he had a roundup and separated the cows from the older calves, and he has the cows on one side of the road and calves on the other.  For two days and two nights we have had bellowing that is reminiscent of the scene in Red River just before they begin the big cattle drive.  Add to that the fact that we have half a dozen roosters right now and you have a barnyard cacophony.  

Six.

St. Therese today.  When I first came into the Church and read The Story of a Soul, I had a strong urge to toss the book across the room.  My faith was hard-earned, my road to loving God full of pitfalls and hurdles.  The last thing I wanted to read was about someone who had loved God from the get-go and who was surrounded by holiness from her infancy.  I feel differently now.  I recognize how brilliant her "little way" is.  It is simple--but one may not mistake simple for easy.  After all, becoming a saint is simple:  just make your own will subordinate to God's in all things.  Simple, yes.  Easy?  No.

Seven.

ADHD?  I really have always thought of Dominic as such.  He is so much more hyper than any of my other kids.  He cannot sit still for long, and he cannot shut up for long.  He often has difficulty following directions, although his little preschool workbook has been helpful with that.  He hasn't the patience to complete even a 12-piece puzzle.  But Bret had him in his shop the other day at the little boys' "workbench", and he spent an hour and a half diligently sawing through a 2x4 with a not-too-sharp handsaw.  It is nice to know that he can focus when something captures his attention.  He may be on the hyper side, but he can concentrate. 

Now go visit Jennifer's Conversion Diary for more Seven Quick Takes!

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 98

One.

Gemma's over-active bowels have normalized.  I am sticking with rice milk for a few more days, and then I will go back to our raw Jersey milk and see what happens.  I am really uncertain as to whether milk is the problem, as she still eats yogurt, cheese and cottage cheese without a problem.  It is nice to have her back in cloth diapers, as convenient as the others are.  

Two.

My blood work came back with only signs of mild anemia, so of course they want to investigate that further, since, omigosh, it could be a sign of some greater evil lurking in my body.  I am a bit surprised at the results, as I always thought we ate way too much meat in this family anyway, but on second thought, I cook a lot of meat, but I can't really say that I eat a lot.  Last night, for instance, I served myself one chicken breast, cutting up a bit of it for Gemma.  I took a few bites and then Dominic asked for more chicken, and I gave him the rest of mine.  Time to thaw out some grass-fed beef liver.  No one wants to share that with me!

Three.

Cooler weather is finally expected for this weekend, along with a chance of rain.  I am thrilled about the cooler weather; less so about the rain, although we could use it.  Today will still be around 90 degrees, but it will drop to the 70's. This will be perfect walk-about weather for Harvest Days at the Nashville Zoo this weekend, if the rain holds off.  Today will still be too hot for us, tomorrow Una and Sebastian start a bi-monthly art class at the Allen County Library, and so we will be going on Sunday after Mass.

Four.

My carpets and upholstery are grossing me out.  Eight years and six kids on a farm have done them in.  

 Five.

Big plans to make several loaves of banana bread for the freezer this morning, and I am all out of All Purpose flour.  How did that happen?  Looks like it's blueberry muffins from a mix and yogurt for breakfast...

Six.

Will some accomplished knitter please take a look at this pattern for me?  It's quite simple--other than at the start when one has to start a round from 6 stitches on 3 needles.  But I am obviously getting something wrong: when I knit it up, I end up with the smooth (stockinette) side of the knitting on the inside, requiring me to turn it right-side-out when it comes to where I stuff the ball.  Then were I to continue, I end up with my knitting all backwards and wonky.  I must be doing something wrong at the start...

Seven.

We had B Week this week for the littlest guys, and had great fun with a "B Hunt"!  We borrowed Gemma's little wagon and put a box in it for all the B things.  Of course, Gemma saw her wagon and wanted a ride, which worked out all right, since she is still a baby.  Other items gathered: bottle, ball, bear, blanket, book, Bible, binder, brush, bag, block, boat, bread, bun, bat, balloon, button, boat, bow, boot, bandanna, banana, and brachiosaurus.

More Seven Quick Takes Friday here, at Jennifer's Conversion Diary.

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 97

One.

We have survived the first week of school!  Yes, today is a school day, but I keep a light schedule on Fridays, as do many homeschoolers.  I managed to keep up with the laundry and prepare a decent dinner each night.  And the kids have not yet asked me when their next vacation is!

Two.

In spite of these successes, I am still really fighting to find time in the day after school is done to do things like help Una make costumes (her Christmas presents for her brothers), sew up winter pants for Gemma, work on   my knitting, bake or do other things.  The trouble is that the children's writing, spelling, history, science and religion all require my time.  And the writing and spelling are all separate, as is the bit of time I put aside for Adrian.  Then there is the stuff I must look over for Una (she corrects her own math and grammar work).  With a half hour break for snack and recess, and an hour at lunch, we are still doing school until 2:30, and then use another hour for music or art or read-alouds before I start on dinner (we eat early--about 5:30).  I would have Una do work with Adrian, since she finishes her work first, but he is eager to go first thing and doesn't want to wait until after lunch.  This is why nearly every year we end up dropping all but the core subjects at some point.  I am determined to hang in there this year as best I can!

Three.

Our CD player has bitten the dust.  Only months before Christmas.  Drat.  Without a replacement, there will be no cozy evenings of baroque music, no books on CD and no Christmas music.

Four.

As much as I adore autumn and cooler weather, looming in the back of my mind is the dreaded Changing of the Wardrobe.  I would rather clean my oven AND scrub the bathtub.  Everything is in bins in an attic crawlspace, and I bash my brains out multiple times twice a year trying to get the winter stuff out and the summer stuff put away.  Then there is the trying on:  does this fit so-and-so, or must it be put back in the bins until another child grows into it?  It is a week-long process, and a hateful one.

Five.

Flu season has many people running for shots.  Don't do it: apparently this year's vaccine will have the swine flu vaccine as part of it (hm...are they trying to use up the leftovers from our non-pandemic last year?), and Europe has been seeing some cases of narcolepsy in teens who were vaccinated with it last year.  There are just too many potential problems and not enough study being done with these vaccines.  Instead, eat well, rest well, take your vitamins (especially D-3, but it is best to have your levels tested, since it can be toxic in too-high doses), wash your hands, avoid crowds and trust in God!

Six.

I am off to the lab today to have some blood drawn, to see what is up with this thrush I can't seem to kick.  Say an "Ave" for me.  I feel fine in every other way (tired, yes, but I've been tired since Una was born), but this thing is becoming a bother, and I worry about passing it back to Gemma.  Garlic, vitamin C, GSE, cider vinegar and prayer are apparently not having any effect, so I need to try something in addition to what I am doing.  I am very nervous about the whole thing, as the next medication they would prescribe is a category C, which means I would have to wean Gemma and be very, very careful about pregnancy.  I really do not like putting toxic things into my body.  If I did, I'd go get a flu shot...

Seven.

Gemma has developed the Prima Donna Scream to a high art form.  Whenever any of us do something she doesn't like, or thwart her in her desires, she lets out a single, high-pitched shriek that can send our poultry running for cover.  I certainly don't spoil her at all, but she is used to being indulged by all her doting siblings (except for Dominic, whom she supplanted as Baby of the Family).  She has also discovered what each previous baby and toddler eventually found out: family rosary time is also Baby Comedy Showcase.  She pulls out all the stops and does her cutest, funniest and most irresistible stuff during this time when the bunch of us are all assembled.  She obviously thinks that we gather to watch her perform.  It makes a quiet, recollected rosary an impossibility.

If you would like to read more Seven Quick Takes or join in and add your own, visit Jennifer at Conversion Diary.  

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 96

One.

Dad has left us this morning after having spent only a few days here.  It was so nice, especially for the kids, who, for that time, had a grown-up drawing, sculpting and listening to them in a way I am frequently too busy to do.  We were blessed with lovely weather all week, and even though we spent all our time just hanging out around the house, it was perfect.  

Two.

I am gearing up for school to begin in earnest next week.  I am determined to make it a joyful, relaxed school year, although I know that it cannot always be so.  Still, I really hope that we will have a good time of it.  I think what can make it so is good meal planning (with lots of quick and/or pre-made frozen meals) and plenty of cooperation from the kids with cleaning.  That'll mean more time for me to spend doing things with them, and hence less time for them to bicker.  

Three.

Of course, there's that marvelous saying:  Want to make God laugh?  Tell Him your plans...

Four.

Still trying to figure out if Gemma has a food allergy.  It is driving me nuts changing diapers all day, and I have given up on cloth diapers for the time being.  She has many, many bowel movements a day, and they are all a bit thin and mucousy (more information than you want, I'm sure), but she seems to suffer absolutely no discomfort.  She is happy as a lark and doing fine in every other respect, and food allergies don't really run in the family.  Anyway, we have eliminated just about all dairy--not something we like to do, since we have Jersey milk cows--and are waiting for a change.  If nothing changes, on we move to wheat products.

Five.

This cooler weather is wonderful.  And not just because my last electric bill nearly put me into Freak-Out Mode.  Autumn is truly my favorite season.  The only thing I don't like about it is that it leads to winter, my least-favorite season.  But cooler days, chilly nights, bread in the oven, soup on the stove, colorful leaves and geese honking overhead all make me feel very cozy.  I am by nature a homebody, and home never feels more cozy to me than in autumn.  Today it is raining for the first time in what seems ages.  The day after I finally watered my basil plants, wouldn't you know...

Six.

Gee whiz, I was hoping to be done with Christmas shopping by the end of October.  I will be lucky if I am done with deciding what I'm giving everyone for Christmas by that time.  I hate it when I fall short of my own expectations...

Seven.

My kids are lately obsessed with dressing up as Narnians or various folks from The Lord of the Rings.  I have a feeling that some of our Christmas presents of the homemade variety will reflect this recent interest.  Here's hoping that the interest lasts more than two months...

If you would like to read more Quick Takes, visit Jennifer's Conversion Diary, and have a great weekend!

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 95

One.

Yes, I am back on the blog regularly after a break.  I wish I could say that I used the time efficiently and got all sorts of wonderful things done, but, as is usual for me, I didn't tackle half of what I had hoped to.  I think I am becoming less organized or at least less driven as I get older.  I think it may be a combination of both--you know, I feel less driven to be organized...

Two.

Gemma is now walking.  She still uses a crawl now and then, but mainly to crawl over to something on which she can pull herself up to standing and then walk some more.  As usual, I feel sort of bittersweet about her milestone.  She is growing fast.  I just went through my online document file and my Ravelry favorites and deleted a bunch of infant clothing patterns I wasn't able to knit for her.

Three.

September is a month dedicated to the Blessed Mother, and it seems so full on our calender.  Today is my mother's birthday and tomorrow is the birthday of one of Bret's three sisters, Monique.  She's the owner of Hawaii's only dairy farm, Naked Cow Dairy.  Mother Teresa of Calcutta has a feast on the 5th. There is Adrian's nameday on the 8th (Mary's birthday), then my friend Cindy's birthday.  Two of my nephews have birthdays this month, too.  My dad will be visiting from North Carolina next week and we will look through our textbooks and do placement tests for spelling, and the week after school will begin in earnest.  On the 23rd is the feast of St. Padre Pio.  The Nashville Zoo will have Harvest Days (an exhibition of old-time trades and crafts) on the 25th and 26th.  I feel like I need a nap already...

Four.

We are missing Nuala, the Queen of Patch O' Dirt Farm.  She has been vacationing at the farm of a friend, where she has been introduced to an eligible young bull.  Apparently they have spent some time together, and now we are waiting for her next heat cycle.  This is our third attempt at getting her bred.  I love her dearly and cannot bring myself to think of her as so much beef in the freezer.  Maybe if we solicit donations we can open up a retirement farm for dairy cows with fertility issues.  They can join the retired laying hens to whom we already cater.

Five.

Speaking of bovines:

Surreal animated bovine choreography.  Is that creepy, or what?

(Thanks, dad--I don't know where you find this stuff...)

Six.

I am hoping we can make a trip into Bowling Green this weekend to do our shopping.  I want to stop at Hobby Lobby and pick up some craft stuff we will be needing for various art/history/science projects for the year.  I want to get some corduroy for Gemma's winter pants, too.  It is a den of temptations for me, so I have to go in with a detailed list and the determination to remain focused.  Since we do not make this trip often (going through the front of the store where there are so many breakables with Dominic the Human Tornado is too, too frightening), I must plan well.  I will be thinking of Christmas crafts as well as I make my lists.

Seven.

I think we are going to do some serious cleaning today.  Dusting, windows, glass and door frames.  I will hold off of floors until Monday morning, as they are always a mess within a day or so of cleaning.  So I had best get started!

Seven Quick Takes Friday is hosted by the delightful Jennifer at Conversion Diary.

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 90

One.

Another week whizzing by like a comet!  I am happy to report that I am 98% done with my curriculum list for the coming school year.  Not having gone to the Homeschool Conference this year made the task so much more daunting, as I hate to order books without the benefit of looking through them.  So much more work to look for reviews and sample pages online!  Thankfully, I have a friend who does loads of research in this area and has saved me a lot of work.  I can ask her things like, "What do you know about this science program?", and she will tell me, "No, no...it is expensive and boring."  Thank you, Marilyn!

Two.

I am looking at the budget for schooling this year with the same trepidation with which I sometimes contemplate what my food bill will look like when my kids are all teenagers.  I thought I would be re-using all of Una's stuff for the boys, but not so.  Una is academically inclined and slogged through years of Saxon Math and Latin.  My boys would mutiny were I to give them Saxon Math, and Latin.  So here I am, selling used curriculum and buying new things for the boys.  I do hope that all four boys will be using the same stuff!

Three.

This is a really neat book.  Una and I are working together to make her a skirt, and the beauty of it is that it allows you to create your own patterns.  We are going to do an A-line skirt with an elastic waist, a three-tiered skirt, and then I am hoping to try an A-line skirt with a zipper at some point, as I have never put in a zipper--button-holes are daunting enough!

Four.

Tomorrow Bret is taking Sebastian and Gabe to see their first baseball game!  Yep, we are homeschoolers living in the sticks, and we don't get out much.  Una and I will be home with the little guys, but we are not lamenting.  The plan is to put on a video in the little boys' room for them, open up a half gallon of mint-chip ice cream, get cozy and watch Northanger Abbey...

Five.

This heatwave is supposed to break a bit next Wednesday, and I will be so very glad for a break, no matter how brief.  The heat index is at about 105, and the kids only go out in the morning until about 9 a.m.  After that, they have to be in the kiddie pool or under the sprinkler to be out.  Which means they are in most of the time, begging to watch videos or go on the computer.  I have a couple of craft ideas ready, but everything needs to be done when Gemma is napping...

Six. 

After two nights of Gemma getting through the night without nursing, I was relieved that she wanted to nurse in the middle of the night last night.  Relieved, mind you.  I guess I am not handling this baby's milestones all that well.  She is on the cusp of walking unaided, and I am less than thrilled.  She is still sleeping in a Pack n' Play in our bedroom, because I am reluctant to have her sleep in the crib in the little boys' room.  

Seven.

With the curriculum list out of the way, I now have to make a holiday gift list.  Since we are trying to cut costs as much as possible, we are looking at things we can sew, knit, or make.  This requires less money, but a lot more time, and I don't know if five months will be enough.  A good place for ideas, I find, are the Etsy shops. There are wonderful ideas there, and since Bret and I are fairly handy, we are often able to make our own version of something we see.  Gemma's birthday cart is an example.  Nova Naturals wants $119 for this one here.  Bret said that if he could find a good source for the wheels, he would sell them for $65 (um, if you happen to know of a good source, let us know!).  But the one he made Gemma was made from salvaged wheels and scrap material from his shop.

Well, that's it for now.  On to the pancakes for breakfast. 

For more Seven Quick Takes Friday, visit Jennifer at Conversion Diary.  And enjoy your weekend!

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 89

One.

Well, I missed my Small Successes post yesterday, but for once it wasn't because I had nothing to post--I just didn't get around to posting.  My successes this week were indeed small, but I managed to finish Gemma's birthday sun top at 10:30 the night before her birthday, I made a cake that turned out quite well, and I have started the process of cleaning my workroom and the school room.  I am trying to be ruthless in cleaning, but darnit, we need those scores of toilet paper rolls to make a pixillator!  And so it is with most of the garbage in my workroom...

Two.

Bret picked up tomato plants from the Mennonites this year, but we had no idea what varieties they were.  I have no idea what the red ones are, but they seem to be succumbing to blossom-end rot.  They taste alright, but the skins are a little tough.  The other variety took me by surprise.  I think they are heirloom Cherokee Purple Tomatoes.  They taste wonderful, but every time I cut into one, I feel like I'm performing an autopsy.

Three.

Watched a really good documentary last night from Netflix.  It is called, My Flesh and Blood, and it is about a woman named Susan Tom, a single mom who adopted 11 kids with special needs.  Talk about total self-negation.  She has given 100% of herself to taking care of these kids.  I give maybe about 90-95% and really resent at times the fact that I don't have more time for me.  It was really good, with one caveat:  one of the boys has some anger issues and uses bad language.  Not for young kids to watch.  

Four.

It's so hot.  I really don't blame the kids for not wanting to be outside unless the sprinkler is on or the pool filled.  It feels like a sauna outside after 10:00 a.m.  I don't feel like cooking at all, but unfortunately others feel like eating and I feel obligated to feed them.  It's in the job description.  

Five.

I live in a media void (my thinking is, that if something big is happening, say, a war or the second coming of our Lord, or the plague, or a presidential impeachment, the news will come to me in time), and so when I do get a bit of new--none of it is ever good--it tends to bug me all day long.  Today I accidentally stumbled on one of those kids-neglected-and-malnourished-and-living-in-filth-and-feces stories.  Parents like that obviously need help--AA or drug rehab or psychiatric care and meds.  But even if I am willing to forgive the parents and pray for them, my heart aches for the kids.  I have to fight back tears reading stuff like that.

Six.

I am getting panic attacks over the enormous number of photos accumulating on the PC.  I try to remove these to a memory stick now and then and then I get the best of them printed up.  But they are piling up fast with this baby girl...and I am feeling snowed under.

Seven.

I love this book.  Well, not really.  But I love the fact that my 9 year-old reluctant reader loves it enough to read it without being ordered to do so.  It is the first time ever he has taken the initiative.  And for that I am eternally grateful.  

And there you have it.  For more Seven Quick Takes Friday, visit Jennifer at Conversion Diary.  And have a great weekend!

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 88

One.

Here is what I did between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 this morning:  Nursed Gemma at 11:30 and 1:45; was awakened by Adrian at 3:40 because he felt nauseated.  Administered anti-nausea medicine at 3:45, 4:05, 4:20 and 4:40.  Nursed Gemma again at 4:45 right after my alarm went off.  Woke Bret at 4:50 because I was nursing and Adrian was calling me.  Put Gemma back in her bed at 5:00.  At 5:10 I was cleaning vomit off the floor, bed and Adrian.  I threw a load of diapers into the washer at 5:20 or so, along with the yucky bed pad and T-shirt and I killed a really big Brown Recluse in the bathtub.  At 5:35 I poured a cup of coffee and said my prayers, which were pithier than usual:  "Dear Lord, help me to get through this day and please don't let anyone else throw up..." 

Two.

Just looked over the list of things I wanted to get done this week, and here it is, Friday, and I still haven't done what I wanted to do.  Do I have an excuse?  Well, no, other than the fact that I seem to be unable to organize my time these days.  The fact is, I have lived most of my life with schedules and lists, and I seem to be in a state of rebellion the past few months.  I just can't seem to stick to a plan.  I had better get over it and get on the ball, as I am not an "unschooling" type, and I can only use the excuse of summertime lethargy for another two months.

Three.

The heat is appalling and my comfort zone is narrowing with age.  I now declare that I am comfortable when the temperature is between 65 and 75 degrees.  A decade from now it'll be something like, "I'm comfortable when the temperature is between 70 and 72 degrees."  Unfortunately, there are only a few weeks per year when the highs fall between those numbers.  Thank God for iced coffee and air conditioning.  I just wish our thermostat wasn't broken, as I have to turn the AC on and off throughout the day to keep things comfortable and not frigid.  But I'm not complaining!

Four.

We live in a rural area, so we pay a private company for our trash pick-up.  We are on our third company in seven years, as the two previous owners have retired from the trash pick-up business.  The garbage trucks can be pretty amusing, from converted U-Hauls to DIY contraptions on the backs of pickup trucks.  Right now we have a garbage lady rather than a garbage man.  We didn't know this at first.  The kids thought that it was a young man picking up the trash, decked out in a baseball cap and muscle shirt, hurling large, black trash bags into the back of the truck.  Then one morning I was looking out the window at the time of the pick-up and I noticed...breasts.

Five.

I am thinking of beginning our summer break a week early.  Everyone is hot and muddle-brained.  I figure that if we keep up with a daily math drill and reading (me to them and them to me), and I do some letter and number work with the little guys, we can take the extra time to catch up on some of the art and craft stuff I never got around to during the year.  Una is delighted that I am letting her drop the last 15 lessons of Saxon 7/6.  After all, she just turned 11 in April and will be starting Pre-Algebra at the end of August.  Don't you think she needs a break?

Six.
As much as I hate spending time on the computer doing anything other than looking at blogs, blogging and checking out recipes and knitting patterns, I have to go shopping.  I hate internet shopping less than actual "drag-myself-and-six-kids-around" shopping, but only slightly less.  But I need to shop around for used curricula, for something for Dominic's birthday next month, and for a good deal on a laptop.  I don't want to do this.  I want to knit and sew and make fruit smoothies and make things with the kids.  My kids don't believe me, but I keep telling them that being a grown-up kinda stinks sometimes.

Seven.
I'm all tapped out.  It's hot and I'm sleep-deprived.  I think I am going to whip up a mocha frappé or something in the blender.

Now go on over to Jennifer's Conversion Diary for more Seven Quick Takes Friday.

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 87

One.

We are enjoying some absolutely perfect weather right now.  The humidity must be way down, and the mornings are downright chilly.  I love it!  I have allowed the kids to pretty much goof off from school (we are only two weeks from vacation anyway) so that they can go outside and enjoy not sweating.  We really don't get this kind of weather until late September, so it must be enjoyed while it lasts.  Carpe diem!

Two.

The children took the opportunity of having the day off yesterday and spent just about the entire day writing and rehearsing a short musical, which they performed in the afternoon.  My kids have never had the benefit of music lessons, but they did quite an admirable job with the songs.  And I'll tell you, Gabe looks kinda cute in drag (hey, we have only one girl old enough to sing and dance in this house...).  

Three.

I am going to compose a list this weekend of things to do during our vacation that cost little or nothing.  We are on a really tight budget right now--I am even putting off ordering the coming year's curriculum--but I don't want vacation to be without a few real highlights.  We have the creek for some wet fun, but I really want to get a couple of tents on craigslist so that we can camp out--even if only on our own property.  We do have a zoo membership, which will pay for itself after a second trip to the zoo.  But the internet is such a wonderful resource for ideas, and I figure that if I list a few dozen indoor and outdoor activities, some that require supervision and some that do not, we ought to have less of a problem with boredom and the inevitable whining for videos.  We will, however, keep up with practicing our reading and doing a daily 5-minute Calculadder drill, just so that no one gets too rusty...

Four.

Gemma will be a year old on the 14th, and she is thwarting my plans already.  I had planned to make this cute bib for her birthday, but she refused to wear bibs.  And so much for taking photos of her wearing any sort of birthday crown.  She refuses to wear anything on her head as well.  Drat.

Five.

We have rescued a mole this morning from Max, who is mightily offended at having his nice little furry plaything taken from him.  The mole is confused and terrified, but unhurt, and I think he'll be fine once he can get down deep enough to avoid the dog.  I can't look at a mole without thinking of The Wind in the Willows.  I love the mole in that...

Six.

For three nights in a row, Gemma has nursed only once at night.  This is down from two to three times per night.  It's really nice, but it also makes me sad, as it is a reminder that my baby is getting older and I will most likely not pass this way again.  With all the anxieties, frustrations, exhaustion and guilt that come with motherhood, I really love it, and it has come to define who I am.  All things must pass, and with me turning 47 this year, and Bret turning 51, we have hung on to the "making babies" phase of life a lot longer than most people.  I feel blessed to have had three babies between 35 and 40, and three more between 40 and 45.  But  honestly, were I turning 40 this year instead of 47, and were our financial situation a bit different, I would think about having another baby...or two.  

Seven.

On that rather melancholy note, and on this strikingly beautiful morning I leave you.  If I do not make it back here this weekend, have a happy and safe Fourth of July.

Head on over to Jennifer's Conversion Diary for more Seven Quick Takes Friday

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 85

One.

This week has been very busy, which is not to say that it has been very productive.  I did make a little headway on some crafts, got some weeding done and made time to read to the boys.  I did a lot of laundry and made butter.  I have my cut list for our steer ready to call in to the butcher.  But my eye has a tendency to fall on that which didn't get done.  Like my windows.  And my bathrooms.  Yuck.

Two.

I am trying to make decisions about the next school year, and it is not something I like to do.  I am haunted by past failures, by all the books that were ordered with the best of intentions and then abandoned halfway through the year, or never used at all.  I am trying to scale back and not put more on the plan than I have to, and at the same time make sure I am covering all my bases.  I am investing the bulk of the school budget in math and writing programs, and trying to use what I have on hand--or can get from the internet or our really tiny public library--for the non-core subjects.  

Three.

My sister is venturing into simple wine-making.  We are not talking about fancy stuff with special grape concentrates and champagne yeast.  We are talking "convert grape juice to wine on your kitchen counter" stuff, and I, for one, am all for it.  I drink my cheap wine highly adulterated anyway (ice and cran-raspberry juice are often additives, so the taste really only has to suggest wine).  Many moons ago, in my love of all things medieval, I made mead in my kitchen in Tucson, Arizona.  It was easy enough, but the results were often inconsistent.  Anyone have some good kitchen wine recipes?

Four.

Bret survived his colonoscopy yesterday.  Two days of a clear liquid diet followed by over a gallon of yucky stuff to drink, followed by being knocked out for a rather invasive procedure.  Judging by the photos he came home with, his colon is now cleaner than my windows--which probably isn't saying a whole lot.

Five.

I like our dog, Max, and I am glad he survived his recent scrape with whatever it was that took his brother Shiloh.  But I am not a "dog person", and I find it really hard to like dog behavior.  How can I embrace a creature who will eat his own vomit--or anyone else's, for that matter?  I know, I know: they are loyal to a fault.  The darned dog likes me better than anyone in the house, and I can't step out the door without tripping all over him.  I'm just saying.   I think I will retain my preference for cats.  

Six.

Father's Day this weekend.  Beef is apparently not on the menu, as I forgot about the hanging time!  Oh well...I guess it will be on the menu for the Fourth of July.  

Seven.

The boys are totally over the top this morning.  Since breakfast, which was not artificially colored and flavored Sugar Nuggets and corn syrup, they have been engaging in wild games that involve a lot of running up and down the hall and screaming. Just think of monkeys when they get really keyed up about something.  Now, imagine those same monkeys on amphetamines.  I am about to lose my mind.  I think it is time to restore order with a timed math drill...

Now...those were not as quick as I'd intended!

Head on over to Jennifer's Conversion Diary for more Seven Quick Takes Friday.  Have a blessed weekend!

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 84

I'm leaving in a few hours, so I'll try make these Seven Really Quick Takes.  

One.

I am hoping and praying that Gemma will be a good sport this weekend and not be too much of a pain.  The Sister Servants are lovely and seem to be very fond of babies, but it is a little hard to relax when one is completely focused on keeping a baby contented and quiet!

Two.

I am also hoping and praying that the little guys don't drive Bret too nuts.  I would love for his weekend to be relaxing, too, and it could be if he concerned himself only with feeding the boys and not trying to get much done.  I never feel stressed or overwhelmed on days when I have no agenda.

Three.

If Gemma can behave herself, the ride down will be my favorite part of the weekend!  I haven't had a long drive with my friend Cindy since this time last year!  It's a great time to catch up.  And I promise to post photos next week of little Madeline Therese, who is doing very well.

Four.

Steak is on the menu for Father's Day!  On Monday we have a steer and a hog going to the butcher.  Nothing makes one feel as rich as a few hundred pounds of meat in the freezers.  

Five.

Basil!  I need basil!  My seedlings all dampened off and now I have no basil in my garden, which will mean no pesto!!!  All my favorite recipes have pesto in them, and so I feel desperate!  I need half a dozen healthy plants, and I am willing to pay for them!  [This is on my mind because this week I made our favorite Penne with Italian Sausage, and it just didn't taste the same without the pesto.]

Six.

Just noting how a beauty regime changes with age.  At 25, I considered mascara and an eyeliner pencil my most necessary beauty items.  Nowadays it is a concealer stick, tweezers and a magnifying mirror.  TMI?

Seven.

Okay, I'm outta here.  If you hear thunder this weekend, and there's not a cloud in the sky, it just might be Bret telling the boys to settle down!  Hope to see you back here on Monday.  Have a blessed weekend--I'm pretty sure I will.

Now head over to Jennifer's Conversion Diary for more Seven Quick Takes...

Seven Quick Takes Friday--Volume 83)

One.

This hasn't been a banner week, but then, it hasn't been the worst of all weeks, either.  You may note that I did not participate in the Small Successes hosted by Faith & Family Live this week.  I really couldn't find three things to list.  Pathetic, eh?  

Two.

I've been on an emotional roller-coaster all week because of Max, our dog.  His brother Shiloh had to be buried on Saturday, and Max has been up and down all week.  At first we thought it might be loneliness that caused the decreased appetite, but now he has refused all but a tiny bit of sustenance for days, and he is completely listless.  We are making sure he is drinking plenty of water and praying that he will get over whatever it is he has.  I am hoping for the best, while preparing for the worst.

Three.

Not only did we have to bury a puppy, but our two oldest hens both dropped dead this week as well.  They were 5 or 6 years old.  The Light Brahma hen (the one Gabe is holding in a photo in my header) was affectionately known by me as "Aunt Bea", and was a favorite with the kids because she was slow and easy to catch.  Poor Aunt Bea went places hens were never meant to go--in wagons, on swings, down slides...she led one heck of a life...

Four.

We don't get TV reception, and I have never watched a single episode of Lost, so I don't know why so many people seem to be grieving over the end of it.  I do know that it is quite likely that I wouldn't  have liked the show.  The shows I liked when we had a TV were always the ones that were cancelled after a single season...

Five.

I need a 36-hour day.  I only sleep about 6 or 7 hours, but I just don't have the time I want for the many things I long to do!  I want to sew clothes, knit, draw, do lots and lots of crafts with the kids, read to the boys, go outside and take photographs, and still get my housework done.  The creative urge is nearly as strong as the desire to eat in me, and I am a happier person when I can play with my craft items each day.  But then there is the guilt:  Shouldn't we be doing geography today?  I ought to read to the boys. What about all that ironing piling up?  And what am I going to do about dinner?

Six.

In one week, Una, Gemma and I will be heading down to Alabama for the second year in a row (last year Gemma was still in utero) for a Mother-Daughter retreat at Casa Maria, the home of the Sister Servants of the Eternal Word.  Fr. Ben Cameron of the Fathers of Mercy will be giving the retreat.  This means a little extra planning this week, not just for the trip (and there is no packing light with a baby), but for Bret and the boys in our absence.  Easy food and stuff for snacks and lunches, and Sunday's church clothes all put together on hangers for each of the boys.  I also have to make the list of "Don't Forgets", which I am certain is never even glanced at once I walk out the door.  For me, the best part of the trip is that I go down with my friend Cindy, so that we have a good ten hours' worth of girl-talk round-trip.  I also get a lot of knitting done.  And I don't have to cook or wash a dish for three days.

Oh yes, there are other spiritual benefits as well!

Seven.

Last week I missed the second anniversary of this blog.  I wish I could afford to have the blog made into a set of books, as this company does, but that would break the bank.  It isn't always easy to be myself and to be honest before all the world, but I want to feel that my kids can read this and see me, and not some image I've chosen to project to the world.

I go back and forth in my mind as to whether to continue to blog.  There are better things, I am sure, to do with my time (like all that reading, sewing and knitting!), but I also have this need to journal my life, and this electronic journal/scrapbook makes it so much easier to do.  So I guess I'll go on...  

To read more Seven Quick Takes, visit Jennifer at Conversion Diary.  Have a blessed weekend!

Seven Quick Takes Friday--Volume 82 (late and short a take edition)

One.

I began reading from In Conversation With God on Monday as part of my spiritual reading.  

Funny story goes with that.  It was recommended to me by a very orthodox and holy priest in the confessional.  He mentioned it twice by name.  I had never heard of it, but I thought I would look it up.  Well, the next day I got on the internet and typed into the Google search box, conversations with God.  Usually, if you are close enough to the title, Google will come up with a Do you mean...? and then have the title you are looking for.  But in this case, there was an actual book entitled, Conversations with God.  So I looked at it and found that it was the most horrendous New Age garbage!  I went into a panic, and then a depression.  I figured the smoke of Satan had infiltrated one of the last little sanctuaries of holiness the region. I contacted another priest, and thank God, he put me on the track of the right book.  I was so elated that I was thanking God for the rest of the day.  

Two.

All but one haircut accomplished this week!  Just Gabriel left to do.  I even managed to give Bret a trim.  This is very good, as we are attending an Ordination Mass at the Chapel of Divine Mercy tomorrow.  Deacon Joseph Aytona, CPM, will be ordained to the holy priesthood.  Very special for us, as we have watched him from his Novitiate, as a homesick, culture-shocked young man from southern California.  The church will also receive two new temporary Deacons, one of them being Deacon Joseph's younger brother.  You can see them break-dancing in this old video.

Three.

The ant invasion reached a crescendo this week, and I think we may have killed a couple hundred one day.  I finally asked God to take control of these beastly things he created.  I told Him that I have no problem with them outside, but that in my house they are making me crazy.  Well, since that day I only seem to be killing a couple dozen a day.  Next on the prayer agenda:  asking God to take control of our summer Brown Recluse problem...

Four.

Still on the topic of creepy little things that invade your home, it is fruit fly season.  Take a pretty cup or dish, add about 1/3 cup of cider vinegar, 1/3 cup of water and a few drops of Lemon Joy dish washing detergent.  This will draw the little critters to their deaths.

Five.

Oh good grief.  I cut the cloth for skirt of the dress I'm making Una the wrong way.  What a dumb thing to do.  Now I have to hope Walmart still has the same fabric, or the pattern will run upside down on the skirt.  Gee, and I was doing so well...bummer...

Six.

After a trip into town to go to Aldi, Walmart (not the one with the fabric, mind you) and the liquor store to get my cheap red wine (gotta love drive-through liquor stores--what an American innovation!), we got back here, did baths, Gabe's haircut (yeah! that makes 5 this week!) and dinner, I have to shower.  So I will cut this short by a take.  Have a great weekend!

And don't forget to visit Jennifer at Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes.

Seven Quick Takes on Friday--volume 81

One.

This must qualify as one of the fastest weeks this year for me.  Where did it go?  I woke up this morning with the realization that I didn't get around to most of the things that were on Monday's "To Do" list.  I haven't spoken to my mother all week, either.  I can't even account for the week past.  It's as though I've awakened from a coma to find myself at the end of a week I thought I had just begun.  If only I could gather up all the minutes, hours and days that have slipped through my fingers, I could add many years to my life!

Two.

Okay, I surrender.  The ants win.  I really thought that Bret had gotten the message through that they are not wanted and henceforth banished from this house, but this morning they are back...they have found the dishwasher.  

No, Honey...there's no pepper in the egg salad...

Three.

I don't know about you, but I find this really, really creepy. The human race is in BIG trouble...

Four.

This is promising to be a really busy summer.  Already the next four weekends are pretty well filled with one thing or another, and there are things on my normally blank calender for the next three months.  I need to do some serious planning, or my week-long coma (see #1, above) will become a three-month coma.  I really like lots and lots of empty space on my calenders.

Five.

My friend Cindy's second-born is celebrating her 18th birthday and graduation from homeschooling tomorrow with a party.  Pray for good weather or it may be standing-room-only at their home!  Not to mention the fact that a bonfire is planned as part of the festivities...

Six.

One of the highlights of the week?  A phone call from one of my favorite Catholic homeschooling mama's, met through the blogosphere.  Marilyn and I have a lot of things in common (a first-born daughter and baby daughter with four boys sandwiched in between, and growing up in Europe among them) and we usually don't have the time for much more than brief emails back and forth.  But last week she vowed to call, and call she did.  It was a hectic call, with both of us trying to squeeze a million topics and comments into a limited time, with the constant threat of some catastrophe that would demand our immediate attention and put an end to the conversation quickly.  But it was a fine boost to morale, and I think I may survive this bout of "Homeschool-Burnout" after all.  I've been feeling like I can't do this thing which I must do (believe me--public school here is not an option!), which happens to me a couple of times a year.  Usually in February after the kids have been all cooped up all winter, then again around the end of the school year.

Seven.

Thanks to the internet--and I say that with a certain sardonic tone--I have my first book restoration job in several years, and I really didn't want one.  A client for whom I restored a book back in 1996 in Charlotte, NC, managed to find me and has asked me to do some work for him.  I mentioned that I have had six children since 1999, and that the last time I did any book work, it took me a year to finish, what with never having time to work without interruption, and some aspects of bookbinding do not permit you to drop everything on the spur of the moment.  Well, it sounds like a minor job, and he was quite insistent.  So, I guess I need to locate my equipment beneath the rubble of my workroom (formerly known as "the bindery") and brush the dust from my presses.  My work room is the "catch-all" room for the entire family.  Broken toys in need of repair, stuff going to Goodwill, things to go up into the attic space, half-finished crafts, sewing projects in progress, boxes to go to the burn-pile, bins of kids clothing--if we don't know what to do with it at the moment and need to get it out of our way, it goes in the work room.

Visit Jennifer's Conversion Diary for more Seven Quick Takes!  And have a wonderful weekend.