Laundry "Room"

My laundry room never gets into pictures. If I take a picture down the hallway - I can tell you where they are - but you won't see much of them. But when I took a picture of Kendra outside with the new clothes line - I turned around at the bottom of the steps and had a pretty good picture of my laundry room! Above is a cabinet and a hanging bar.

Clothesline Inventions

Because it is expensive to run the dryer - AND because ours is needing the sand cleaned out (I'm afraid of a fire with all the linty sand build up that I cannot figure out how to get out) - AND because the dryer HEATS the house too much in the summer. We have been trying to hang dry at least part of our laundry. After going through the storage shed that we use at MIL's house, we had some "new" clothes to wash - LOTS of them. Now usually I stay enough on top of the laundry - so the one back of the door hanger and the bar my dad installed over the washer/dryer usually are close to enough room. We use to use the shower rod in the girls bathroom, but it broke after Kendra used it for a trapeze bar one day. (Long time ago)

Today though we had TOO MUCH to hang and I've still got 3 loads to go and Vannan hasn't opened the "missing box" of clothes her size yet. Stored clothes always have such a musty smell to them. I told Kendra we needed a larger clothes line - and this is what she came up with! Smart girl.

BTW, Joel had just spilled grape juice all down his white shirt - he usually has a shirt on, except on the hottest of days. But it was still a balmy 75 outside - hot today. Though the weather has been quite cold at night - approaching freezing one night! Ahhh - Fall.

Preschool Number Clouds

Joel, Matthew, and Bethie are doing Horizon Preschool together this year - guess who is their teacher?

Well, since I've been teaching preschool children for 25 years now - I got elected. I tried to get my sisters to send their children too - .....

Anyway, we are studying the days of creation - and talking about all the great things about AIR and WATER. Today's topic was clouds (though since it is a 5 day a week curriculum and we only can get together 2 days a week, we try to push 3 - 4 lessons a week at least). I decided to combine their math lesson, writing lesson, and art cloud project. So we made number clouds with glue and cotton balls. They loved it.

First we called the big sister brigade (I should get a picture next time). Katie helps Joel, Vannan takes Matthew, and Kendra helps Bethie. I then wrote the numbers really big on the blue paper - gave each of the big girls some cotton balls to tear into little bits of fluff - and traced each number with Elmer's school glue.

They had such a blast forming each of the numbers with their cotton. Matthew said, "This glue is a little bit sticky, Aunt Rachel." And we all cracked up.

What fun!

Project - Fix the Big hole in the bathroom floor

I do not know where the pictures for this post went or why they are not showing up - but the same pictures Plus MORE are up at my picasa link.

http://picasaweb.google.com/MountainLamb/OctoberProjectAndCleaningDay#

There are more pictures on Picasa .... But here's the scoop.

Once upon a time - so long ago that I've almost forgotten - I had a normal although carpeted floor. But for some reason, the tub was not a functional part of the bathroom. Quite by accident one day, I discovered that the water that my aunt said was disconnected did in fact work! Well, at least the hot water worked. So we would fill pans with cold water in the show and pour in for a nice bath.

One day we noticed a growing swamp under the bathroom (it's our only storage and stuff was getting ruined!)

"OH NO!" cried the children.

"Oh dear," sighed a weary mom.

Grandpa was called, but nobody could figure out where the swamp started.

A month went by, and then another. Sometimes the swamp was worse, and sometimes it went a week or more without any evidence.

Then one day, somebody wanted to look under the cupboard - what a mess! Water everywhere!

Here we found a drippy faucet. A bucket was found and every couple of days it was dutifully emptied. But the damage had been done - and there was now a rather large jagged soft spot in the lush (it's a fairy tale remember) brown carpet.

Papa Charming declared that the faucet would have to be fixed. Daddy Charming was sent to the store to "buy something" suitable. He did a really good job of it. Papa crawled back into the hole and waved his magic wand ..... I think he called it a wrench....

And the parts of the old faucet began to fall away - except for one part which had an evil spell on it (rust).

Soon - all that remained was a beautiful sparkling new faucet and a creator in the corner.


Time passed and life happened.

One night, after deciding to go to Nowhere Tonight.

The queen of the house (that's me right?) was preparing for the evening retirement activities (sleep) - when a very loud "POP" was heard throughout the land - followed by a huge GUSH of water.

(Honest - I'm not making this stuff up)

Daddy Charming rushed to the defese of the floor and raced out to the deep and dangerous weeded jungle and TURNED OFF the water.

The next day Papa Charming fixed it.

But now the soft spot was spreading and huge chunks falling out onto the treasures below. (We know this because every time we had to pull out a box there were cumbles all over it.)

Nearly a year went by, and things were again not so good - but could be worse. But a new swamp kept appearing on the floor. All were baffled. The spill mopped up - but wait - there it is again - and again.

After investigating - we found a huge pool of water in the holding box for supplies.

UGH - here we go again.

Tiny drippy leak up at the faucets. Easy fix.

But the carpet is SOAKED. Drying is hopeless. Days go by.

Then the Queen of a neighboring kingdom arrived and declared that "The carpet must go!" And out she took it.

Later Sir Mr. E, rode up on his white horse and offered to make the hole at least look better and fix it so we quit loosing our children down the hole (Vannan kept falling into it. The board would tip down and well.... you get the idea.)

See what a nice job he had done. And that brings us to TODAY.

First a board was cut to cover the hole, and scrap linolium laid down to level things up. OK! Hey - they could have stopped there and I would have celebrated. I'm not picky these days.

But next they removed the toilet and fixed the floor there. Then fixed the toilet seat. WOW.

Soon the whole floor was amazing.

It's not finished - we have to do a second waterseal coat. AND we really OUGHT to put a flooring over the top. But that will have to wait until another day.

Demographic Winter

I tripped on a blog called "Generatin Cedar" a few weeks ago. She and some friends has watched a Documentory movie called "Demographic Winter".

Very interesting. I was spellbound. Depressing to some - Librals are calling it a trick of conservatives. But maybe it explains a few things going on in the world.

So check out these links.

http://generationcedar.blogspot.com/2008/10/demographic-winter-turns-out-god-is_13.html

http://www.demographicwinter.com/index.html

http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/392695729.html

Go Diego Go Alex

A new face knocked at my door tonight.

Why! IT's Diego and his Animal Rescue Pack!

Isn't Alex adorable?

Wonder if Cowboy Avery will show up tonight.

And I think I caught a glimpse of a Valarie Kitten.

Maybe Rhoda will be so kind as to just send a nice family picture?

Mr. Anthony Policeman

Anthony came to my house today dressed like a policeman. Isn't he cute? Seems there is going to be trick or treating on the county square tonight. Hope they have fun!

Bedtime Reading

Supposedly - every night at 8pm, my bed is suppose to fill with kids reading their library books for the week.

Now isn't is just the sweetest thing? Sisters side by side - totally absorbed - and matching poses! Had to share.

Joel Cool

Am I cool?

Daddy thinks so!

Joel and Fred

Fred has been in the family for quite some time now. A friend of Grandpa's carved Fred, and he and Joel are good buddies.

Fred holds onto some of Grandpa's neatest finds. Like totally cool glasses. Trinkets, balls, rubber bands, and other odds and ends.

Joel just wanted you to meet his friend.

Grandpa's House and the Missing Smile

Our last destination tonight was Grandma and Grandpa's house for a YUMMY supper.

Grandpa likes to walk - and he collects lost items - like totally cool glasses to dress up and act goofy in. And sometimes you can get other people to act goofy with you.

Joel LOVES this bucket of cool glasses. He tries them on, jumps into the middle of the floor and tries to elicit lots of giggles. The only other non-glasses wearer in the family is Vannan though. So ......

Vannan does play along - there is still too much "youngest baby" in her to not still think she's the cutest thing ever. BUT she doesn't like getting her picture taken. .... Actually, I think she does. I think she thinks she is just being silly cute to frown at the camera.

Maybe if people ask for a smile - she might do it?

Homework in the car

We had to travel quite a bit today in the car.

So how do you keep up with homework when you are on the go?

Kendra listens to reading assignments whenever possible on her MP3 player. Today she was listening to the Bible on tape. I'm not sure where we got the KJV version she is listening to - but there is another great one put out by Thru the Bible Ministries along with all of J. Vernon McGee Thru the Bible Sermons. She was listening to Deut. and Vannan listened to Judges. I'm actually teaching Joshua right now.

The main website is down today for update and repairs, but I have used this link for downloading McGee items in the past. http://www.mp3bible.ca/ Then I burned it all to a couple of DVD's for storage so we can put them on the MP3 players as we need to.

Since we are on a slow dial-up connection (though Tim says that they put a cable in for higher speeds finally! - so the only thing stopping us is now lack of income!) a friend downloads the bigger files for me and I burn them all to DVD. The girls love picking and choosing what to put on their MP3 players.

Joel at School

Many bloggers do what is called a Wordless Wednesday - it's HUGE. So thought I would try my hand at it. This is Joel on my bed doing his version of school.

Joel Types

Joel wanted to write a letter.

"Joel do it! Peas?"

So, well, I let him, right there in the middle of the email.

And ever so carefully he typed. Sounding out each letter as if he actually had a plan - even stuck his name in it. "QWE1" he would say as he hit each letter. It took a while before he realized and didn't like that the letters repeated themselves if he pushed too long/too hard. BUT then I showed him the backspace. And with great pride, he typed his name and was done.

It was VERY CUTE.

Here is what he wrote

ertyhgvvb nmmmmmmmjjooooooelllllllllllllllllllllllb
qwee1d3ddffffghhhmn6ttttygggggggggggggggmmmmmmmmm
mn8k9l0,lkkjooooooooooookkkkkkkkkkkkkkyuiojjjhhhhhhggggggggggggggggg
joel

Trip to the fair

It's the county fair week-end and Super Science Saturday this morning. So we left Joely Polie with my parents and took the big girls to the library. They learned about waves. Hmmm...

If I didn't have a head in my cold, I might could think of something clever to say about that.

Anyway, then Tim took the girls to the fair to go through the Expo building and animals and listen to the Gospel Music Stage. My parents had already gone down to the fair to watch the morning parade. It didn't take long before I was sent this picture - they had found Joel!

Joel actually got home around 2 hours before the rest of them and had a great time watching Magic School Bus and eating anything he could get his hands on! He loves to eat. Recently he decided that he liked brocolli. So Tim is again the odd man out.

Race Car Potato

Anthony is going to the fair to enter his RACE CAR POTATO. It's a catagory for younger kids - decorate a potato.

Well, I think it's pretty cute.

I found out today that he got a "participation" ribbon. First prize was a purse.

Abc

re

Time is late afternoon - Mid September.

The whole day has gone wrong and now we are sitting and doing schoolwork at the house that my mom use to babysit at for years... well, the people living there - the house has only been there a couple of years now.

Anyway, Mom is filling in for my sister who is running errands. Joel is into everything. So I handed him his alphabet cards and showed him how to lay them out..A B C D.... Ok, now you do it.

30 minutes later he was proudly showing off his handiwork (and I only helped twice! Once to turn over a few cards - the other to straighten the cards because he was running out of room.)

Cool, huh?

Fixing the vacuum

It is amazing to me to watch...

"Turn that off!" I yelled, over the squeal and motor of the vacuum. Ugh.. what a smell.

"Huh?"

"You're burning rubber. Can't you smell it?"

"Uh, oh, is that what I smell?"

Shaking head in dismay... "Yes, the belt is burning. Probably has hair or something stuck in it."

"Oh?"

"Yes, it will have to be cleaned. I'll do it tomorrow when there is light and I can see."

Fifteen minutes later I look downstairs and see my new vacuum in pieces all over the floor around Kendra.

"Um.... uh.... what are you doing?"

"Oh, you were right! There is a ton of hair around this thing!"

"You do remember how to put it back together?" Mom is really worried here.

"Yeah, I DID read the directions when we got it you know."

"You did?" (That was like, Christmas time? wasn't it?)

Ok, so we have at least one talented person in the family. Amazing.

Pudding

Joel is helping Kendra make kefir pudding. Very yummy.

Actually... I think he just couldn't wait to get a big bowl full to eat it all down!

Kendra wanted vanilla, and Joel wanted chocolate.

"Toclit! Toclit!" he yelled at her.

"How about swirls?"

"Oh tay!"

I put mine in the tiny ice cream maker and chilled it - only good for one serving. So we take turns. Yummy.

Joel helps organize

We are trying to get a handle on the livingroom now - the girl's room is **mostly** organized. Ok, Maybe they still have a LONG way to go....

But I needed to do something about the piles of books - Kendra reads them, gets caught, shoves onto a random shelf... and pretty soon I've got gaping holes and books crammed all over the place.... oh, Kendra was suppose to be doing something else - school or chore - when she got caught. Both Tim and I are readers ... guess she comes by it naturally.

ANYWAY... I cleared off the smallest of the bookshelves and had set it in front of Joel's desk - he saw opportunity and started putting his stuffed dolls on the shelves. I pulled them all off, had Vannan dust and clean it really good and put the shelf in the corner of his room. Then we went to find books to put on the shelves - kid books that Joel could read. He LOVES books. When we returned, he had a bunch of dolls on again. Top shelf is Boris the duck (Boris is Joe's duck on Blue's Clues) and Amy Armadillo (from the Pat Sargent books). Next down is Dora. Then his current can't be without toy.. Dog the dog. He was named Dog because Joel just learned to spell it. And at the bottom is Elly the Elephant. His bed gets pretty crowded at night.

I snapped this with my cell phone, and now that I know how to send them to my blog - pictures might be more forthcoming! Too cool.

I just hope somebody out there is enjoying these.

Stopping some Paper Clutter

https://www.catalogchoice.org/signup

Flylady suggested this. If you have signed up for catalogues and now just can't seem to stop getting it time after time - or just don't know how you got on it in the first place, this is a great place to start. And they say if you don't see the catalogue that you are trying to stop, let them know and they will try to add it!

Now isn't that way cool!