Pinewood Castle

De Smet, SD - Day 1

Ahoy Matey!

Years ago, my Mother's Intuition told me to hold off on the whole world of piracy, at least until the topic was introduced in American history. Cautious mother that I am, it all just seemed a little . . . unwholesome.

As my son approached nine years of age, I examined all of the catalogs that came in the mail for pirate gear. I watched, I waited, then this summer we took the plunge!

Current Read: Swallows & Amazons. The first few chapters were tedious to read aloud, but now we are fully engaged in the adventures of the Walker children as they camp on Wild Cat island by themselves equipped with matches and knives, and no life jackets. So far this is a family-friendly wholesome story. As I read, I try not to feel too guilty that my children's lives are so boring and unadventurous in comparison. This weekend we pitched the tent in the back yard and hope that with a little imagination backyard camping will suffice.

Field Trip: The Real Pirates exhibit at the MN Science Museum was pricey but fun. We saved a little loot by limiting the tour to one parent (me) and the oldest three kids.

The real life story of the Whydah put the glorified practice of piracy into perspective for my crew. Basically, a man who wanted to win the hand of a pretty girl decided to set sail and steal his fortune instead of make one by honest means. Why not? A pirate ship offered unlimited rum, democratic articles, egalatarian division of labor, and the hope of a fifty pound bag of "pieces of eight" if you could avoid being shipwrecked or caught, hung, and displayed in a gibbet for two years or until your flesh rotted off. Worth the risk?

(This exhibit runs through Sept. 3rd)

Road Trip audio book: Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. At the Real Pirate exhibit we learned that this popular novel is partially to blame for the myriad of pirate myths. Treasure chests were not buried and enemies were not made to walk the a plank - unwanted men were simply thrown overboard. But the story was entertaining all the same, especially for my husband and son. I still can't believe he let them listen to a story so full of violence and alcohol, but the CD was paused frequently for plenty of family discussion and parental guidance. But, still, they are likely to belt out "Fifteen men on the dead man's chest--...Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!" in the middle of the grocery store.

Movies: We are sticking to the interactive Playmobile version for now. No Pirates of the Carribean yet, but we have watched Pirates of Penzance and I am looking at the Gene Kelly/Judy Garland DVD of The Pirate.

Birthday party theme: With a little help from google I found 15 Unique Pirate Party Games and pretty much every one we attempted was a hit with our crew of party guests. (I don't want to post pics of other kids without permission - I can only find this one)

(gathering fruit to remedy scurvy)

Black water balloons make great cannonballs, the obstacle course was fun and easy to set up, a treasure hunt is a must, and Capture the Flag was a huge hit. Pirate Booty and Goldfish were perfect to serve for snacks. The Target party supply aisle had a great selection of pirate hats, tablewear, and party favors.

Birthday Gifts: My little seadog is still enjoying his pirate gear:

Playmobile Pirate Ship

Pirate Dress-Up from Nova Naturals

Melissa and Doug Treasure Chest

Picture Books: The only book I bought at the museum gift shop was this DK sticker book. I wrote down the titles of many more, intending to check them out of the library, but lost the list! There are plenty here.

Time to get some grub for my buccaneers!

 

Thoughts at Random

I do have some blog posts in the works: my son's 9th birthday, our 13th anniversary, our trip to De Smet's  L.I.W. sites, and those ever-looming curriculum posts.

In the meantime we have been taking care of so many odds and ends in and out of the house:

:: My dh took the van in for new brakes, got the A/C unit cleaned and tuned up to handle the beastly tropical weather, assembled two bookshelves from IKEA for our bedroom, and is in the process of distributing the 3rd load of mulch/wood chips to refresh certain tired and weedy areas of our backyard. That is, when he is not mowing the yard and spraying deer repellent and mosquito spray.

:: In the house, I've been framing the annual photos of the kids, framing my maternal ancestors, developing photos for little school year books (this year done, six to catch up on), ordering dance gear for the eldest, shipping sold books about every other day (there's still more!), mending my husband's work clothes, laminating the picture of Sunshine that was in the newspaper, washing hot pads, watching the septic system get pumped, and keeping watch over the two fat monarch caterpillars we brought with some milkweed.

 

The urge to clean and re-organize the den overcame me one morning like a freight train, so that's nearly done, just the computer desk to go. Yesterday, I actually blew the dust off my iron and pressed the precious little size 5 church dresses as well as the prairie dresses/aprons/bonnets that I washed when we returned from The Homestead. (Wait until you see how cute they are!) They were in need of washing after three days of 100+ temps on the Dakota prairie.

:: Then there's the endless Dr. appointments, but all good news: none of the kids need eye glasses and Sunshine's eyes miraculously improved to the point where she doesn't need glasses anymore (which is great since she refused to wear them anyway). The best news is that allergy tests show that the Little Princess is no longer allergic to egg! Hip hooray! However, there must be a reason she comes in from playing outside with hands this this but we don't know why. Our allergist no longer tests a broad sampling of common allergens, just the main suspects.

 

:: I still have curriculum to order, plans to make, bookshelves to rearrange, copies to make, and tons of organizing to get ready for a new school year. I am contemplating a purchase of three 10 drawer rolling carts for implementing the Work-box System, but have two bookshelves I don't want to move to make room for them, so there is really nowhere to put these rolling carts. I think I've convinced my husband to take all the kids out of the house for at least two Saturdays in August so I can hunker down in the classroom with some coffee and cookies and get to work.

:: Plans for the fall are taking shape: ballet and violin for #1, piano and theater for #2, cello and _____ for #3 (Swimming? Soccer? We decided to break from karate after he earns his red belt), and beginning ballet for #4. Science class for all and perhaps a parish children's choir for #2 and #3. One or two monthly homeschool mom support groups for me. Plenty of field trips, maybe too many. We are discerning a Catholic homeschool group but praying for the resolve to get out the door by 7:30 am once a month for their First Friday Mass and after-Mass activities.

:: I am researching ways I could earn or save $500 - $1000 each month to help the budget. I don't really want to turn my blog into a billboard and my Saturdays are booked, so we'll see what I can come up with. Suggestions are welcome!

:: Sunshine has one more theater/dance camp on the summer agenda and Dancer will partake in the Ballet Intensive and choreography class. Ball Club comes to a close tonight. Dancer has two more violin lessons this summer and most of the lesson time is being used to select a full-sized violin (she grew!). I am taking some cello lessons to prepare for my little guy's transition. It's harder than it looks! My arms tire quickly.

:: I think my kids need new blog names. Shall I stick with the castle theme or does that sound too pompous?

:: I didn't win the limited edition Peter Rabbit book and pressed rose that Susan Branch garnered at Hilltop Farm  ; (   but was inspired by her generosity to host my own little give-away with a sweet Laura item from De Smet (so stay tuned).

:: Sometime since I last checked, one of my favorite authors of all time started a blog so I am super excited about that: susielloydunedited.

All for now, more later, much more!

East Garden

It's nearing full glory.

The perennials survived the mild winter. Most of the annual seeds planted in May sprouted and bloomed. The phlox will fill out the back when it finally blooms - if the deer don't graze off the buds again.

My entire Mother's Day was spent bringing this area back to life. Weeds were pulled, perennials added, seeds dropped in little holes, annuals planted, and all the empty spaces were mulched.

Balloon flowers pop open. Their star shape stirs my memory of the ones bordering the side walks of Lake Geneva, summer of '97. Morges, Switzerland. (Remember, Marie? The summer of chamber music, walking the countryside, and the fireworks across the lake on Bastille Day?)

Each of our children have a little garden area to call their own, but this one is all mine. I have to save something for myself. This garden is such a microcosm of me and my life.

I allow my children into this garden battlefield, but only on the little path of stepping stones, to protect both them and my flowers.

Challenged by weeds and situation, my little Eden needs some help along the way to fight the enemy intruders. I don leather gloves to pull thorny wild raspberry creeping through the gaps in the fence.

Automatic sprinklers add needed moisture, occasional fertilizing does wonders. I weed after soaking rains. I wish away the growing oaks that cast too much shade, wondering why we left them near a flower garden in the first place.

Nettles tempt me to pull them with bare hands, hoping I will forget what they really are.

Camoflouged spiders lie in wait for the next victim.

The hollyhocks envision lining the fence never come up, year after year of trying to get them to grow both from seeds and transplants. Towering hollyhocks would be so perfect here, why is this good desire never granted? Is it not to be? What am I doing wrong?

The amazing electric blue and violet of the delphiniums grow too tall and buckle under the weight of their own blossoms before I have time to stake them and preserve their performance. Their talent is prematurely snuffed out without proper support.

 

The zinnias I have had in past years were quite tall. This year's variety was hidden behind the phlox. We transplanted them to the front and they didn't even slump. Way to be strong, zinnias.

 

A pair of grey catbirds perch on the fence. They guard their nest, hidden in the tangle of weeds and conifers on the opposite side. Their grating call continues all.day.long until the sun sets and darkness pervades the evening sky. Finally, golden silence.

Thorns and blooms alike thrive before the Queen of Heaven. She watches, she waits, she asks her Son to be merciful. Grace.

I reflect on my life, and my garden. The parallels are not unnoticed.

I peer around the fence to search for the catbirds' nest and monitor the wild mess of weeds that threatens to invade this pocket of paradise I attempt to cultivate. 

My otherwise wonderful neighbors do not see this view from their windows, so the weeds do not bother them. They do not know how much comes through the fence, encroaching on my little oasis of color.

My garden (on our side of the fence) is is the view I greet each morning from my second story bathroom window. The sight of it strengthens me and fills my heart with hope and gratitude.

To see color and life each morning gives me inspiration as I attempt to give my own body and soul color and life. I pray to have a better day, to be a better wife and mother, to resist the weeds that invade my space, to do my best where God has planted me - shade or sun, dry or moist, fertilized or depleted, native or not, in weedy or weeded soil.

Be the Gardener of my Soul

Spirit of the living God, be the Gardener of my soul.
For so long I have been waiting, silent and still -
experiencing a winter of the soul.
But now, in the strong name of Jesus Christ, I dare to ask:
Clear away the dead growth of the past,
Break up the hard clods of custom and routine
Stir in the rich compost of vision and challenge.
Bury deep in my soul the implanted Word,
Cultivate and water and tend my heart,
until new life buds and opens and flowers.
Amen.

--Unknown

A Book-a-holic Purges

I mentioned on my last post that I would be purging the bookshelves. I have been pulling off books one by one and listing them on Amazon.

Did you and your spouse have a hobby pre-children? Some couples collect wine, travel, or have art prints custom framed. Clearly, our hobby was collecting religious books with the optimistic hope that we would have time to read them all.

Some are religious, some are popular, and there are a few homeschooling titles in the stacks as well.

Unfortunately for us, but fortunately for you, they must go! If we need them again I am sure they can be re-acquired - on Kindle.

 My cookbook cabinet is packed too, so I have to thin my collection.

I have high hopes of moving all of our FIAR and other picture books ups from the basement if this sale goes well. Plus, we have to make room in the den for cello practicing this fall. More about that later.

If you see anyting here you are interested in purchasing, hop over to my Amazon store and check out there if you please. I usually make it to the post office within a day or two, or three if can't seem to get out of the house without all five kids in tow.

Larger items in boxes I send media rate, the rest go first class in cardboard or padded envelopes. Of course, if you see me IRL you totally save on shipping!

Here's an item I could not seem to list - audio cassettes of talks given by the late Fr. John Hardon. There are eight cassettes and the original price was $25. If you are interested, please leave me a comment with an offer!

Happy shopping!

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P. S. A few things I would like to buy used so let me know if you have any of the following for sale: Life of Fred: Apples - Jelly Beans, hardcover Adventures of Tintin Vol. 2 and up, A Little History of the World by Gombrich, A Child's History of the World by Hillyer, The Bible Timeline: Story of Salvation DVD set, The Inventor's Specials DVD set, The Artist's Specials DVD set, Liberty Kids DVD set, Lynne Truss books, Little Angel Readers, Lucy Micklethwait I Spy art books, Voices of the Alamo hardcover, newer Teaching Textbooks CDs grades 4-7.

 

 

How to Keep a Reasonably Clean House Even Though You Homeschool

I will be the first to admit that our home is not immaculate at all times. Five kids, homeschooling - that's just not a reasonable expectation. I might dream about that, and even ache for my single days when I only vacuumed and dusted once a month. I might look longingly at all of those cool loft condos downtown and wonder what sort of childless people live there and how beautifully clean their rooms must be. I might peruse the pages of a Pottery Barn catalog and loose myself in cleanliness, orderliness, and style.

But - that's not our style. Our style is to be a few steps ahead of utter chaos and to try not to drown in our growing collection of books, toys, and games. Without a ton of elbow room we also have learned to move about the house very carefully, or risk a stubbed toe. (a daily occurrence)

And I honestly try not to waste time on real estate websites drololing over 38oo FQF homes with 4-5 large bedrooms on the second floor, a music room and office and formal dining on the main level, and a large walk-out finished basement for the homeschooling stuff. Plus, I can't imagine how much longer a house that large would take to clean.

Nope, for now we have to make due by cleaning and organizing a very adequate 22oo FQF home with a den, a little homeschooling room (big enough for one desk & 4 tall bookshelves), 4 smallish bedrooms all on one level, 2 1/2 baths and a nice yard. And yes, we are truly thankful for the home we do have. (though I will have to purge gently used books again - soon)

However large or small your space, one must have a plan to keep it clean and organized. If you have children, their help must be enlisted. If you homeschool and a new mess is made every 5 minutes, cleaning times throughout the day and the week are a must.

So are my two lifesavers: The Dial-a-Child Chart and Chore Packs. I've blended these two popular methods into something that works for us.

The Chart:

The dial displays jobs to be done before breakfast, their zone to clean after dinner, and which little one they are assigned to help. Our dial is stuck, by the way. We used to move it once a week, but then they decided they liked a certain set of jobs, so now it's stuck.

A list on the left shows the areas of the house that will be cleaned after breakfast and before school time. A list on the right has the dish washing assignments.

Here a a few rules of thumb that work for us:

1) Everyone has a job before breakfast.

• Child 1 - Brush and feed the cat, scoop the litter box.
• Child 2 - Dust a room, unload the dishwasher.
  
• Child 3 - Bring down the laundry and start it. (we do at least one load a day, pre-sorted in hampers upstairs)

2) Everyone helps clean an area of the house after breakfast:

• Monday - Mudroom Day
• Tuesday - Kitchen Day
• Wednesday - Wastebaskets, Wood Floors, and Windows
• Thursday - Dust and Vacuum Upstairs.
• Friday - Bathroom Cleaning Day
• Saturday - Change sheets, sweep the garage, clean and vacuum the van. 

2a) This is where The Chore Pack method comes in:

I list everything that needs done each day on index cards and put them in name badge holders. I clip one to each child and they may only take it off after I inspect their work.

3) Everyone helps to clear, wipe and vacuum after dinner. Everyone then has a zone to clean and vacuum after dinner and before dessert: mudroom, family room, and classroom & den. These assignments are on the dial chart.

4) Kids help do the dishes after dinner, unless it's way too late, they are sick, or it's their birthday.

5) Everyone helps fold and deliver laundry in the afternoon. Sometimes this goes over better if I read a book out loud as they fold. As long as they fold, I read. If they stop folding, I stop reading.

6) The little ones are assigned a big kid helper. Often, but not always, helpers are responsible for helping bathe, dress, and brush the teeth of the little ones. They help them go potty (or change a diaper), wash their hands, put shoes on, and get in the van. Sometimes they read bedtime stories or take them for a walk in the stroller. Often they take them outside at recess and keep an eye on them. However, sometimes the little ones just want mom or dad. Sometimes mom & dad just want to be the ones to do these tasks and cuddle with their little ones. But, if needed, it sure is a great thing to be able to call out for a helper and have a trusted sibling take over.

I also have a few rules of thumb for myself that I have gleaned from several home management books:

1) Make sure your children realize how much you still do around the house even though you have promoted yourself to management, lest they accuse you of making them do all the work. They really don't realize how much more mental work you do as they get older.

2) Take some time to train your children in on these tasks. Demonstrate what you what done, how to do it, and how to put away supplies afterwards. Then let your children work under your supervision. Take a week or two off from school if you have to.

3) At some point, you might be able to leave them to their work and come back to inspect. This might look like, "If you can handle the cleaning today it will give mommy a chance to plan our vacation (or your summer day camps or fall activities, or your birthday party, etc.) and then I will inspect your work when you are done." Usually, the cleaning jobs work best when you put on some fun music and work alongside of them. I try to do this at least 80% of the time. If I sneak off to check email or blog, havoc quickly ensues. It's always best if I can work along with them.

4) Rewards: We give weekly allowance ($1 to save, $1 to give, $1 to spend). We also do things like earning tickets towards a fun outing. But sometimes it's okay to tell your children that the greatest reward is being taught how to work together and be good stewards of your home.

Most likely, you have a cleaning routine that works for your family. Sometimes the novelty of your latest system wears off and you have to switch things up. Whatever works for you, just take comfort that with some training and regular a routine, you too can keep a reasonably clean house, even though you homeschool!

Virtual Vacation

In case you have a few spare hours this summer Sunday afternoon, why not take a virtual vacation with author/illustrator Susan Branch to merry old England? She recently sailed on the Queen Mary II to the enchanted land of Beatrix Potter, Jane Austen, the Lake District, and the village where Cranford was filmed (be still my heart). Bring along some tea and scones, and catch up in case you have not been following along.

{I owe a huge debt of gratitude to By Sun and Candlelight for the reminder to tune in!}

And while the name of Susan Branch is being mentioned, I want to thank Mary Ann Yedlick (wherever you are) for giving me my very first Susan Branch cookbook. Mary Ann was the librarian at the school where I last taught. She and I spent many hours conversing between bookshelves and this book given as a wedding gift sparked an awakening - a glimpse into a world in which domestic life was beautiful, cozy, colorful, and full of cherished seasonal traditions, a world I wanted to create with my fiance and future children. In the preface, Susan dedicates the book to her multi-talented mom of eight. I doubt that I will ever live such a charmed life as this famous lady, living on Martha's Vineyard, honing a talent, and traveling the world, but I am inspired to create my own little pockets of beauty, to make a beautiful home for my family, and to be a better mom right where I am.

 

 

Family Fourth at Home

With temps over 100 degrees, dew point in the 70's we defied the heat by staying indoors, doing crafts and making no-bake food in our comfortable 75 degree air conditioned home. We watched a National Geographic show about the 4th and read the Declaration of Independence. It was such a long day we even finished watching Soul Surfer.

One would think that spending the first twenty three years of my life in Oklahoma would prepare me for any sort of crazy heat, but now I am a total wimp when it comes to heat and humidity.

Joe braved the tropical climate this evening and took the kids to see the local fireworks. I put the baby to bed, did the dishes, and watched A Capitol Fourth. If I remember correctly, I was actually there on the capitol lawn twenty years ago as an intern at The Kennedy Center. So much has happened since then, so many different directions my life could have gone, but did not.

God had other plans for me. I am eternally thankful to share my life with my husband and children, and to tell them of the summer I celebrated the 4th in the nation's capitol.

 

Thoughts for the 4th

Wrapping Up the Year

Did you see Sarah's year-end portfolios?

Gorgeous.

Ours aren't that fancy, but we adapted her idea to our own tradition. We buy portfolio boxes from Paper Scissors Stone to store the blank books for poetry, history, and saint reports. Art work and other keepsakes go in these as well. I usually let them decorate the boxes with markers however they like, but this year I wrote the exit interviews on the front of the box, with room on the right for decoration.

There's a corner of our basement where all the boxes go and I just pray it never floods. Fortunately we live on very sandy high ground, four whole miles from the Mississippi.

I used to keep all their certificates and recital programs in a file, but this year I put them in report covers. The whole report folder goes into the box as well. Maybe next year I will do the interview as a cover sheet.

There are four mini photo albums in this picture too. Sarah's post also inspired me to make a School Year folder in PIcassa. I am slowly going through my photos, moving school related photos into that folder. Sometime this summer I will order prints and give each of the kids a little year book. I've always meant to have a photo book printed, but this seems easier for me, for now.

To prepare for next year I start putting the books I acquire into plastic dish tubs for each grade. I add to it over the summer - some from the home school conference, some from used book sales, some from storage bins. I am trying to hold off until August to buy the rest so I will have some receipts to turn in to the school district for the little bitty reimbursement.

I still have some final decisions to make about math and writing programs, so curriclum picks will be another post. Once again, I will need to clear more bookshelf space for next year, so stay tuned - a gently used book sale is coming up after the 4th!

 

One Mom, Two Day Camps, all in Three Weeks

I normally don't say yes to overlapping day camps. One child in theater camp from 10:00 - 2:00, twenty minutes away. Another child in orchestra camp from 9:00 - 2:00 an hour away. Somehow, it all worked out beautifully, thanks to creative carpooling for which I am eternally grateful!

I forgot to bring my camera to the final orchestra concert, and wasn't sitting in a seat to capture a worthy photo with my phone, but I did save a program.

(she was in the Orchestra)

My violin girl had the time of her life hitching a ride to the city with Dad every morning for two weeks, making new friends, and playing in a full orchestra with winds for the first time (as opposed to a string orchestra). She learned to be patient with the brass and woodwinds (after realizing that they do not begin their studies at the age of five like Suzuki kids do), how to make new friends to eat lunch with, how to tell musician jokes, and how to climb six flights of stairs in order to avoid a certain violist who pressed every single button on the elevator.

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My Sunshine girl landed the role of Amaryllis in The Music Man, Jr. As the piano student of Marion the Librarian, she learned how to sing and dance with the big kids, tolerate stage make-up, be a "secret encourager" to a teenage boy, and convincingly fake a piano part that she really could play (if the piano had been in tune with the recorded soundtrack).

In just twelve four hour rehearsals, the amazing directors and support staff of Front Porch Musical Theater put together an energetic, entertaining, and beautifully costumed patriotic show.

 

The last three weeks I learned what it might like for my kids to be in school (quieter, but more work with the little ones), how to get lunches packed before 7:30 am, how to express gratitude in words as well as these amazing cookies, how to gather up and fund things artistic kids suddenly need on a daily basis (a violin mute, character dance shoes, a toy rifle, stage make-up, etc.).

We also learned a few fun facts about Meredith Willson, the composer of The Music Man:

• He really was from Mason City, IA.
• His mother was a piano teacher, but not a librarian.
• If you go to Mason City, you can visit Music Man Square.
• He attended the Julliard School of Music before it was named "Julliard".
• He played flute and piccolo in the John Phillip Sousa Band (no wonder he knew how to write a good march).
• He also played in the New York Philharmonic.
• After relocating to California he composed two symphonies, as well as Miracle on 34th Street and The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
• He also wrote a musical, 1491, about Columbus. This was his least popular.
• He also wrote "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas".
• In 1962 he returned to Mason City for the premiere of the movie and led the stars of the show in a parade down Main Street.
• A "shipoopi" is a girl who waits until the third date to kiss.

 

(photos by Keith Rosedahl Photography, used with permission)

 

(except this one - my husband took this photo during The Wells Fargo Wagon)

The last three weeks were busy, but so rewarding, and the girls already look forward to doing it all again next summer!