Pinewood Castle

Spring Cleaning and the Country Bunny

Somewhere along the line our family adopted the tradition of spring cleaning during Holy Week. In our home this typically means we clean the usual areas on the usual day, but more thoroughly than we would on a normal week.

To prepare the mudroom we moved all of the shoes, boots, and coats to the kitchen floor.

Seven people wear this many shoes?

The benches were moved to the garage and wiped off.

They loved the empty space. Hey - if we lived in San Diego maybe our mudroom would be empty and clean?

The runners were rolled up, taken outside, shaken, and beaten with a large stick (the kids loved that part). Floors and baseboards were cleaned, cubbies wiped off, and everything put back neatly.

On kitchen day, the kids were allowed to stand on the center island and dining table to wipe the light fixtures. Select cabinets were emptied and the kids wiped them out. If they could fit inside, all the better!

Today was family room day. We squished all the furniture, books, and toys into the dining area so we could vacuum, roll up the rug, and clean the floor. If you are a mom, you know how kids love an empty room. Hence the dancing to Animaniacs.

After a long break which included a picnic lunch on the floor, the wood furniture pieces were polished and everything moved back, but in a more open arrangement instead of the "hunker down in front of the fireplace" position.

The family room is just barely 13 x 13, so we have to make the most of the space we have.

Many hands make light work, isn't that whay they always say?

Older kids can be a HUGE help with spring cleaning, and having them around to learn practical skills of daily living is a blessing to me and to them (though they don't know it yet). Yet, I found that the kids pushed back when it came to working diligently - unless I let them be wild and crazy and have a ton of fun. If my management style slipped into default mode (a la Miss Hannigan), they would not cooperate one bit and I found myself barking and looking around for my Panic Pete.

To be fair - I'd say my eldest worked the most diligently and seriously. See how she is dusting while the others frolic?

Kids about to turn 13 have outgrown the silly romp around phase. Sad, but true.

Plus, she's old enough to see right through the tactics employed in the authorship of The Country Bunny. She knows why I began the day by reading this book!

Is this not one of your favorite books?

My two favorite parts of this all time favorite Easter classic are:

1) when the Grandfather compliments the bunny mother on the way her children hold up their ears so prettily, and

2) just before she begins to train them in on housework, "Now we are going to have some fun!"

Somehow, Mother Bunny makes housework seem like fun even to my kids, although they say they would gladly take the jobs of singing and dancing and making everything merry while everyone else worked.

The thing is - this bunny mom is amazing. Not only is she wise, kind, and swift, her long rabbit feet magically shrink to fit the golden shoes! The most amazing thing? She trained her children to run the house in her absence. Better than she could do herself.

She reminds me of another amazing mother, Marmie of Little Women, who spent her days volunteering for the war effort, confident that her children were striving to do their best at home in her absence.

Yet another amazing mom comes to mind - St. Gianna. Her heroic story always puts that question smack dab in front of me: what would happen to my children and husband if I died? How would they get on if I chose death to give life to another? I sense that she knew she had relatives she could trust, and finances to hire help, but what would my family do? Could my children run our home in my absence? Although I try not to fear death, or let this fear be the motivating factor in the training of my children, I have to admit that fear is buried deep within. Sort of like Sarah's umbrella post. Now that I have the responsibility of five children, I find it more difficult to take risks and lose control.

Most of the time I just want to be like the Country Bunny - not do anything too risky, just able to make noble contributions outside the home every now and then, as long as my activities do not detract from my primary vocation. And to contribute, not in spite of having so many kids at home, but because the kind of kids I have raised are trustworthy to manage things while I am away.

While marvelling at The Country Bunny's twenty-one children, one more amazing mom came to mind: Michelle Duggar. Is she not the ultimate Country Bunny? We caught a new episode on TV last night and the Country Buuny immediately came to mind. Both have a small army of capable helpers.

All too often, my own five children do not seem like nearly enough help to handle the plethora of tasks I face in a given day. Take this morning when the older kids were cleaning their rooms, I was trying to make eggs and pancakes, but nothing was going right for my little guy. No one could figure out what he wanted. I usually just squat down and hug him, but he was inconsolable.

Times like these I sure wished I had another child or two free to help. Maybe nineteen kids would actually free us up to do more - I mean the Duggars ventured to Asia and we have not even taken our kids out of the central time zone!

To sum up this rambling post: Many hands make light work! Many hands, and cheerful hearts. Even wild and crazy hearted kids who would rather sing and dance and make everything merry while everyone else does the hard work!

 

Have a blessed Holy Week. I promise I'll be quiet now until Monday!

At the End of the Day

Do you do this too? Pick up little choking hazards off the floor throughout the day, empty your pockets at night, and attempt to return all the miniature items to their designated places?

It's one of the many ways we moms tie up the loose ends of one day before another one begins. We go through emails, reply if needed, add events to the family calendar, make out grocery and to-do lists, and prepare for the next day. Sometimes, how we end the day is as important as how we begin it.

But there are other loose ends, less tangible. Angy words spoken, praise unexpressed, hugs and cuddles we were too busy to give. In the winter months we like to have prayer and reading time in the big parental bed so we can cuddle close and tie up the emotional loose ends of the day. Apologize for flipping out over little things, praise them for jobs well done, or little sacrifices noticed. Tell them how precious they are and how glad I am to be their mom. Hug and squeeze them and appreciate who they are right now and the person God is forming them to be. 

Little Pear is a perfect first read-aloud chapter book for many little ones. As I began the first chapter last night with my five year old, this passage jumped out at me:

Little Pear was a mischievous child. His sisters said he was naughty. His father said he was naughty and would cry, "Ay-ah! What a bad boy you are!" But his mother said, "He is very little; when he gets bigger he will be good; you wait and see. It doesn't matter if he is naughty now, sometimes!" And they all loved Little Pear very much.

Young children (and older ones too) will be naughty, or just forgetful and even neglectful. They will lack self-control and make poor choices. They will break things and you will have to spend hundreds of dollars replacing and repairing them. But they are not out to get you. Don't let it break your heart now - rise above it, keep a level head and raise them with love. We must try not to break their hearts with our frustration and disappointment, and {God willing} they will not break our hearts when they grow up.

This is a difficult time of year with cold and snow and gray skies day after day. Try to keep the atmosphere of your home sunny with your disposition, music, and flexibility. Most of all - keep tying up your loose ends at the end of the day - the tangible and intangible - and when your children get bigger they will be good.

In the meantime, love them very much.

He Finally Smiles for the Camera

Brothers and Sisters

An Autumn Afternoon

We took a break from our usual fall festival destination. Berry Hill Farm was a welcome change - less crowded, less expensive, room to roam, beautiful setting, friendly conversation with Farmer Cliff, a tree swing on a giant oak, hay bales to climb, a long and whimsical tractor-pulled wagon ride, a petting zoo, and fields full of pumpkins.

Unexpected Homecoming

Thank you for the condolences, thoughts, and prayers you have sent my way, for my brother and our family. I flew home alone for his funeral, and had time and space to be with my family.

Deeply touched by the outpouring of compassion from our family and friends, I was strengthened and renewed.

Familiar faces and familiar places were a balm to nourish my soul before returning to my Minnesota life so far away from my Oklahoma roots.

So many images come to mind, so many photos I did not take. Not in photographer mode, they are kept in the memory box of my mind and heart.

Lunch with a dear friend and former teaching colleague. The big and beautiful new music building finally erected on the campus of my alma mater. My beloved old music building, Tyrell Hall, the dormitory, and riverside apartments shared with friends.

Woodward Park and the Garden Center where my mother once worked. The Cathedral downtown and parishioners I have known since I was knee-high. My sister, my nieces, and my one year old great-nephew (am I really a Great Aunt?).

My mother and her home - my childhood home, and everything in it so familiar - toys, books, artwork, dishes, everything.

The trees.

My best-elementary-school-friend (whose mother still lives in her childhood home around the corner) and her now grown daughter.

My sister's home and the Happy 50th Birthday poster she made for my brother, still waiting on the hearth.

My oldest brother and our breakfast together at the hotel. Just the two of us.

The funeral home and everyone who came.

The priest (now a  Monseigneur) who officiated the funeral rite, who was the priest at the  church/school where I first taught K-8 music.

The realization that it was the Feast of St. Monica.

The gathering of friends and family afterward. My aunts, uncles, cousins, and nephews. My former sister-in-law, with tears in her eyes. First cousins, second cousins, and once-removed cousins. The slide show my eldest cousin prepared for the memorial service (family & friends - email me if you would like to see it).

Last good-byes, and the flight home. Take-offs that still seem like a miracle every time. The tiny homes and buildings that look like you could pick them up and move them around. The glare of the sun off every single windshield. The ten tiny wheels that land a gigantic plane.

The sight of my family, my very own husband and five precious children.

My one day at home to completely change gears and leave for our re-scheduled camping trip. Return, unpack, wash everything, start school.

Gratitude. Mercy, justice, grace.

Requiescat in pace

 

1962 - 2012

Goodbye, my big brother.

Here's a song for you and for everyone gathered to remember you today.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
And let perpetual light shine upon them.

May the souls of the faithful departed,
Through the mercy of God,
Rest in peace.

Amen.

 

 

 

The St. Gertrude Prayer

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood

of Thy Divine Son Jesus,

in union with the Masses said throughout the world today,

for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere,

for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own

home and within my family.

Amen.

Stay-cation: Valley Fair

The last time my husband and I went to Valley Fair was . . . when we were engaged - fifteen years ago! That's a long time to go without a roller coaster ride. Too long. So long that I had serious whiplash pain the next day. But the kids - they loved it of course.

The tricky thing about Valley Fair with a largish family (other than the cost) (even though we saved $80 by purchasing tickets online) is the height requirements for each ride.

The little ones were admitted on most of the rides in Planet Snoopy, and the bigger kids could ride too.

We could not take the 2yo on many rides like the Rocket Express - not even holding him in our lap.

But he was allowed to ride the beetle bugs with his sister.

The best rides for the whole family: the Carousel, Ferris Wheel, and the Rail Road.

Princess M. was a thrill seeker, so Joe went off with her to go on the Wild Thing, Excalibur, Hydroblaster, and Looping Starship. Twelve is a great age for amusement parks.

Princess L. and Prince J. were done with the big rides after the Corkscrew and High Roller, although they did tolerate the Extreme Swing, Wheel of Fortune, and Power Tower.

I think it was the Renegade that did my neck in. Oh, to be young again.

The little ones were sick two days later most likely from all the germs they picked up. There is a surprising lack of hand sanitizing stations at Valley Fair. And the people watching - oh my!

Fun day, no doubt about it. We went home tired and happy.

 

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.

 

Honoring the Yes Dad

For the last two weeks I have been chewing on Rachel's post - becoming a yes mom.

Do you ever do that with blog posts? They get you where it hurts, but in a good way, and you slowly digest and implement an approach to life and parenting with which you struggle. This one did it to me - but it also helped open my eyes to all the little  ways my husband is a Yes Dad, especially with the little ones.

Will you read me a book? Yes.

Can I climb all over you? Yes.

Will you get me my pink bowl and spoon and napkin? Yes.

Find my baby doll, daddy! Ok, let's look for it.

Change my poopy diaper! I'm Diaper Duty Dad!

I threw up! I'll clean it up.

I need to sit in your lap for an hour after my nap. Ok, let's cuddle.

I want to eat half of your breakfast-in-bed on Father's Day! Ok, little buddy!

Sometimes I can't wait for the little ones to grow up so that my husband can pay more attention to the older kids. Play catch with our son, go for a walk with the girls, to finish that read aloud he started with them back in September, take the kids fishing, take them canoeing, or geocaching, or bike riding, or any one of the hundreds of fun things that having little ones makes it difficult or impossible to do.

Sometimes with little ones we have to divide and conquer far too much. It feels like we have two families, and one is much more domineering than the other. Do the older kids get enough attention? I worry that they don't. Do I get enough attention? And is that what's really bothering me? Do I give the the kids enough attention? Do I give my husband enough attention? Am I a Yes Wife?

But this is only a season, and it's not like the older kids complain. I think they see and appreciate what their dad does for the little ones and how much he is there for them too. He attends their concerts, recitals, and games. He is home when they have a birthday or birthday party. He answers all of their questions about math & science. He plays them funny songs, lets them watch Animaniacs, tells them stories about when he was a kid, and jokes about absolutely everything (to balance out Mom's seriousness).

Happy Father's Day, Yes Dad.

Thankful Thursday - Springtime Goodbye

The spring of 2012 was kind to us Minnestoans. The usual forecast includes a few gorgeous days tucked in the midst of rain, cold wind, and even an occasional snowstorm.This year has been splendid.

Summer is now at our doorstep. The leaves, once miniature decorations on the tree branches, are now expanded to capacity. The flower garden is weeded and supplemented with annuals. The square foot vegetable gardens are bursting with promise.

Before the crisp and refreshing weather morphs into hot & muggy, I simply must take the time to remember the glories of spring:

:: The noisy crimson cardinals announcing their territory from the tippy-tip-top of our neighborhood pines.

::The force of rebirth - tulips pushing mulch out of the way.

:: Deer repellent.

::The absolutely intoxicating hum of the nectar hungry bess coupled with the fluttering wings of the painted ladies.

::Itsy bitsy baby tree leaves.

:: Dandelion Princesses.

:: Magical bleeding hearts.

:: Lemony daffodils.

:: The fragrance of lilacs - before a late frost stunted their growth.

::That my children are starting to understand for themselves that there's more to the universe than we can see with our eyes alone. An evening at an observatory gave them the opportunity to view planets and their moons. A recent investment in a microscope from the home school store has them marveling at the intricacy of God's creation.

 

And for the family happenings independent of Mother Nature:

:: That my mother and sister travel this far north once or twice a year to visit. These are precious times together.

:: For the five hours spent in the ER comforting my son who had a high fever + awful headache + neck pain, and for all the lab tests that indicated he just had a virus. Any one of those symptoms individually would not cause me to worry, but I am so thankful that the combination of all three was just a virus, nothing more, and I rather enjoyed nursing him back to health.

:: For ER meds that relieved my misery during an acute gall bladder attack several weeks ago and for the rapidly approaching date of Monday June 4th - surgery to remove this failing body part and hopefully the constant dull ache that goes with it.

:: For a busy but fulfilling end to the school year and the recitals, concerts, performances, and travels that culminated another year of study. I love these upper elementary school years. It's like the Country Bunny, when her baby bunnies were older, "Now it's time to have some fun!"

Catching up with these events will be a formidable job in the coming weeks!

(Sunshine performed a selection from The Newsies for theater dance class.)

:: For your overwhelming support and encouragement to continue blogging - however frequent tor infrequently I get around to it. Clearly, you understand the shifting priorities we mother face!

I have taken all of your comments to heart and have pondered your reassuring words.Thank you for helping me realize that there is a place for bloggers of all levels of commitment. Some of my favorite bloggers post something short and sweet every day, others share very long, but infrequent posts - and I love them all equally!

The bottom line (for me) with any sort of discontent or envy or "I wanna do thaaaat!" feeling is to prioritize. If it's a high priority and God helps you with the time, money, and energy to accomplish it, go for it. Otherwise, don't waste your time feeling jealous just because you are not willing to put forth the effort to have what someone else worked for.

A dear reader lovingly reminded me that this blog is a gift, not an obligation, even though I sometimes enslave myself into thinking it so. Most of all it is a gift to my husband and children (since I gave up printing photos for albums long ago and have never even started scrapbooking) and it's a great place to regain sanity by reflecting, appreciating, and sharing the highs and lows of life. Your readership and support is an unexpected, but very much appreciated bonus!

Remember: Comparison is the death of contentment!

AMDG,

Tracy

 

 

Saints in the Making

Happy Feast of All Saints, everyone!

Isn't it amazing to ponder how many saints are in heaven, canonized and uncanonized? I think of family members who have gone before us and am grateful for the gift of faith that has been passed down through generations. I pray for their help in fostering the gift of faith in our own children and hope that we might see them one day in heaven to thank them. Some days this hope is stronger than others - depending on how we are coming along in developing basic virtues. For most of September and October, my hope was pretty low.

After years and years of "laying down the rails" it can be pretty discouraging when our train derails so frequently. My children (one in particular) continue to be challenged with the basic expectations in our family regarding obedience, responsibility, respect, and keeping on task with the rhythm of the day even though we have had daily plans and rules  visibly posted for years. As much as I wish it could all become automatic and habitual, I find that keeping a home (with children in it) and homeschooling takes constant vigilance.

The other night my husband let the kids watch as he unclogged globs of hair and goop from the shower drain. One sister, teasing her brother said, "See, this is what you will have to do if you become a dad!" The brother replied, "Then I'll be a monk instead!" At times like these I think about the future of our children and realize that one of them may very well end up in the religious life - and I panic. Will they be prepared? Do we pray enough? Are they developing virtues? Will they wish we had raised them differently? I guess if God calls them and they follow, everything will work out with His help and grace. I just want them to be prepared for whatever God does call them to do - in religious or married life. This motivates me to learn, to grow, to read and try new ideas that might help me  achieve my goals in raising up saints. Sally Clarkson just discussed this very thing - 

The problem with motherhood and the need for women to build godly estates of godly leaders in their homes, through multiple children that a woman will invest her life into, is that most women had no training, preparation or education of what it would take or how much it would cost them. Most just got married with the hope that someone would love them and take care of them and provide security and affirmation, and then babies came, and overwhelmed them.  They had never been trained for the job, never seen it modeled when they grew up,  never had a vision for how powerful a house (family) for God could be or how much work it would take.

I love reading Sally's blog and her books. She speaks to my heart.

I am also slowly working my way through a stack of very practical and hysterically funny Carol Barnier books such as this one for "highly distractable moms". I say slowly, because every three or four pages she has an idea I want to implement, then I get distracted and it's a week or two before I pick up the book again. See, this book fits me to a T.

One idea I borrowed and adapted is the Dial-a-Child Chart. This is working out rather well for us even though it's basically our old chore chart in a more exciting format. Here's what it looks like hanging on the pantry door:

The dials get turned on Sunday morning. One glance and everyone knows who is supposed to do what.

Another passage from the Barnier books inspired me to fine tune our Family Rules and Consequences. These will look different for every family, of course, but this is what is important enough to our family to post on the wall:

One - We respect God, our Heavenly Father, and the earthly parents He has placed in authority over us.

• We are made to know Him, love Him, and serve Him in this life and be happy with Him in heaven. 
• Obedience, service, reverence, honor, truthfulness. 
• “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Ephesians 6:1

Two - We respect others: parents, our siblings, friends, and guests in our home. 

• Peacefulness, cheerfulness, truthfulness, generosity, sharing, hospitality, helpfulness, forgiving, compassionate, kindness, gentleness, polite table manners.
• “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.” Colossians 3:23-24

Three - We respect property and are good stewards of our belongings and our bodies.

• Clothing, shoes, books, toys, furniture, bathrooms, musical instruments, the van interior, personal hygiene, pets, etc. 
• Orderliness, cleanliness, responsibility, being trustworthy.

Four - We are self-disciplined in our home work, school work, music practice, and commitments to outside activities. 

• Diligence, perseverance, sanctifying and meaningful work.
• “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings.” Proverbs 22:29

(If you have a good quote for #3 let me know - most scripture quotes refer to detaching from our belongings rather than taking good care of them. It's a fine line - not giving stuff too much attention, yet giving them proper care. I tell the kids that you can usually tell a lot about a person by the way they take care of their things.)

We are experimenting with consequences - I suspect I have been at fault by having far too few consequences because they have so few privileges to revoke compared to the average American child. Here's the new routine: when a child is having a problem, I call them over and ask them to tell me which rule they are having trouble with. They get a check mark for each rule violated. For instance, if a certain child (without naming names) leaves dirty socks on the floor they get a check mark for #3. If I ask them to put them in the hamper and 15 minutes later they are still there, they get another check mark under #1.

Two check marks result in allowance reduction and another consequence is added for each additional check mark: an extra job, do dessert, temporary loss of a prized possession, and an 8pm bedtime. No check marks by Saturday = Wii time and some of Mom's birthday chocolate. Plus marks can be earned for extra spectacular behavior like volunteering to take on jobs or being a great example of cheerful service.

Plus mark behavior can also make check marks disappear! Children without any checks and at least one plus mark get to go out for ice cream with Dad Saturday night. Two kids out of four made it this week. We are hoping that at least three kids make it next week, but of course what we are really aiming for is that all five make it to heaven with the rest of the saints we honor today.

We feebly struggle, they in glory shine.

Camping: A Path to Sanctity

Well, for him anyway -

 

My husband added at least a dozen jewels to his heavenly crown this month. You see, because he wants me like camping he was supernaturally helpful and positive. While I packed up in the house, he packed and unpacked the van and the topper and the platform thing on the trailer hitch. With the record high dew points he was drenched in sweat every time. He pitched the tents, made coffee, grilled meat, hauled anything heavy, did all the driving and let me sleep on the bigger air mattress. He did not complain once, although he did admit at times that conditions were miserable. Saintly, this man who married the likes of me.

As for me, any opportunity to be sanctified by camping was utterly wasted due to my complaining, I am ashamed to admit. I did learn a lot about myself - I learned that heat & humidity do terrible things to my disposition, especially combined with rain, a dirty tent floor, millipedes in the shower, mosquitoes that eat my baby, and crying children in the van. I also learned what my hair really looks like without using a round brush and blow dryer (though this was the least of my worries!)

Did I mention lack of sleep? Falling asleep and waking up on sheets that felt misted,the  baby waking at 2am, a trip to the buggy bathroom at 3am, the birds chirping at 5am and the baby again at 6am.

Exhausting. But worth it? Yes. I can say that now that's it's all over. Over for now anyway.

{I hope you are not too scandalized - I did thank and praise my husband (and children) as often as I could muster, which was when I was comfortably riding in an air conditioned van.}

  

I learned a lot about our children too - that the kids LOVE camping. My eldest girl loved to help pitch the tents, my son became addicted to the fire pit, my middle daughter fashioned a game of mancala on the ground and the four year old learned to play tic-tac-toe in the dirt with a stick.

 

Hands-on experience with insects provided a fantastic learning experience too. We captured this beautiful katydid and witnessed firsthand how the wings rub when it chirps. Several insect specimens were added to this summer's bug collection.

We also continued to learn about Sunshine's talent with paper and scissors - she created this doggy set for her little sister to play with in the van!

Best of all, we learned to travel on a shoestring budget. Compared with two rooms at a hotel, we stayed five nights for the price of one!

Now do you want to know where we went on our second camping attempt?

First stop - The Little House in the Big Woods. Though no longer surrounded by big woods but by cornfields, it was still endearing to see the replica log cabin along the road into Pepin. There's not much else there besides a small museum in town, but it was a nice place to have a picnic lunch and use the restroom.

 

 

Fortunately, there was plenty more to do in the Lake Pepin area -

The National Eagle Center was a worthy stop on a rainy day.

Lark Toys has got to be the most amazing toy store ever. It's like all my favorite kids' catalogs combined into one brick & mortar store. To top it off there is a hand carved wooden carousel could have been designed by Jan Brett - imaginative, detailed and richly colored. My photos do not do justice to the details. I can't believe they actually let kids ride these works of art!

Views of the Mississippi from Buena Vista Park - the drive up the bluff and down a winding farm road that seemed to lead to nowhere was worth the effort.

Here's more scenery of the Mississippi river valley from 500' on top of Brady's Bluff -

Maiden Rock is also in the area - you know that bluff mentioned in Minn of the Mississippi where Princess Winona jumped to her death? We passed it by in a hurry trying to get to our campsite before dark, so no photo.

That was the first leg of the trip.

Part Two:

On the way to Walnut Grove we stopped at the Pickwick Mill c.1850s. They turn the water wheel on for visitors.

Our second campsite was actually 40 minutes away from Walnut Grove at a city park in Redwood Falls, right by a rushing river. Pretty, but humid. We would have hiked all over this park if the dew point had not been near 80.

This also happens to be where my husband proposed thirteen years ago! Last time we were there it was just the two of us!

The dugout site in Walnut Grove has collapsed, but a sign marks the spot.

{Plum Creek was rather deep and muddy for wading.}

The farmers who now own the land graciously let people drive in to see the dug out site and Plum Creek, for a small fee.

The museum in town has a replica of a dugout house as well as a settler's home (like the "wonderful house"), a church, a school, and "Grandma's House". The gift shop and restrooms here deserve an A+.

Everything was refreshingly hands-on, even the pump organ!

Two or three weekends in July they host a family festival in the park complete with food, music, crafts, Civil War demonstrations and the Laura-Nellie Look Alike Contest. And you already know who won that!

{Too bad there was not a Baby Carrie contest too!}

The excitement of our daughter winning made it all worth it - those were longest hottest and MOST HUMID hours I have ever endured, and in Minnesota - go figure. 

See that smile? She is still glowing from this special day. She and the Nellie winner were even in the Walnut Grove newspaper.

Three weekends in July the Outdoor Wilder Pageant is presented by dedicated local volunteers, It doesn't start until 9pm and runs two hours. We were going to skip it, but the contest winners are invited to participate for the night and received a gift certificate for the gift shop on the pageant grounds.

(she's on the front bench on the left - she was thrilled)

More fun in the area - the pageant suppers served up by local community groups in a refreshingly cold community center (with clean bathrooms) before the show begins.

East of Walnut Grove the Sod Houses in a farmer's backyard makes an interesting stop -

These are really quite nice on the inside - the larger one had a wooden floor, the smaller one did not.

Wheels Across the Prairie, a railroad and local history museum in Tracy is the home to this giant engine and several old-time buildings furnished with artifacts from the era.

Jeffer's Petroglyphs is a destination that has been on my list of places to see for some time. See the carving of the Thunderbird sideways in the middle?

Their visitor's center was also a fantastic place for travelers seeking cold a/c, clean restrooms, hands-on exhibits and friendly staff.

The Harkin Store - an 1870's general store/post office where much of the original inventory remained on the shelves after closing.

Here we are enjoying a refreshing wade in the creek at Ft. Ridgely State Park's picnic grounds -we could have stayed here forever! This is what we were hoping Plum Creek would be like.

That wraps it up! Many, many thanks to my saintly husband who accommodates the plans I dream up and to the families who loaned us prairie dresses. I think we will be getting our own before we make it out to De Smet. After we returned Joe discovered that his boss's boss specializes in sewing prairie dresses. I sense she is jumping at the chance to make some for us!

{If you ever go, keep in mind that the gift shops have aprons and bonnets for sale, most likely made by local ladies, so you don't have to have them ahead of time.}

I am not sure when we will go to De Smet if it remains too hot to camp and the hotels are full, but I hear it's the best site out of the three. Maybe next summer?

Our Pioneer Girl

Guess who won the Laura Look Alike Contest in Walnut Grove, MN this weekend?

 

More about our adventures later - after I cool off, rest up, and tackle the laundry!

"The Best Dad in the World"

That's what our eldest thanked God for at the close of Sunday night prayer time. I have to say I agree with her. I married a very good man to be the father of my children and I am always edified to witness the my children's growing appreciation of him as they get older.

We have developed a full-fledged routine for these celebrations. There's always the Procession of Gifts -

 

The Presentation and Gift Opening -

The Gardening Dad

A Paper Car (Sunshine can make almost anything with paper and tape)

A card with all his interests represented: fishing, baseball, coffee and Angry Birds!

The special breakfast made while Dad relaxed upstairs -

(cheesy potatoes with sausage and onion)

 
(Pioneer Woman's Marmalade Muffins)

 - all followed by Mass and an outing. This year the weather was cool and cloudy so instead of a family outing we (well, the kids and dad) went to pick out a new grill on sale.Then we played badminton in the backyard, had grilled hamburgers and Neapolitan ice cream (for the Feast of the Trinity), and played Apples to Apples Bible Edition.

Here is the poem Sunshine wrote for the card (she tried not to make it silly):

Dear Dad,

You are so handy to the family

we should give you candy.

You do not get sad or mad

but you are always glad

so you are the World's Best Dad.

You sure take the prize

for being wise

and telling no lies.

If you can afford to go abroad

on a boat for Knapford

you should plant a gourd.

 

 

How the Washing of Feet Went Over With a Toddler in the House

Simon Peter saith to Him: Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.

 

Thankful Thursday

eating lunch on the sunny back steps

itsy bitsy spiders

chocolately faces

putting away snow pants and woolies

taking our babies for an afternoon walk

little bouts of the blues that are lifted

the springtime chorus of frogs coming from the ponds and marshes

feeling like a bear coming out of hibernation

French pressed coffee on the table every morning, lovingly made by my husband

the new sofa (and chair)

grand kids spending time with grandparents and great grandparents

 

a child's amazing capacity to memorize long poems like Paul Revere's Ride

baby's first time walking in the grass

family field trips after Sunday Mass

Catholic missionaries in Minnesota history whose stories are told in paintings hanging in the Governor's reception room

(Fr. Hennepin naming the these falls in the Mississippi River "St. Anthony". They were later used to power Minneapolis flour and lumber mills)

learning that our state motto is in French, not Latin: L’etoile du Nord (translation: “Star of the North”)

Family Life Today podcasts

these talks by Victoria Botkin

a refresher on how to be a cheerful servant (and how to encourage my children to help cheerfully too) in Large Family Logistics

 and this exquisite collection of Folk Songs of the British Isles arranged by Benjamin Britten and performed by vocalist Maria Jette and harpist Judith Kogan

Have a wonderful week filled with gratitude, everyone!

Introducing . . .

Our new sofa!

It feels like we have a new member of the family!

You gotta admit, a sofa is a pivotal piece of furniture in the life of a family, especially a homeschooling family. Just ask the kids - we have been without one since early February. Fortunately there were two chairs left for Joe and I, but the kids spent a lot of time on the floor reading, cross stitching and doing cartwheels. They actually liked being able to practice cartwheels inside, but I suspect they like sitting on a comfy sofa even more, especially now that the snow has melted and they can tumble outside.

After years of putting up with our battered leather sofa with a broken frame and bent legs, we finally had the financial means to purchase a replacement. Anticipating a weekend shopping trip and quick delivery, we sold the old one on Craig's List for $40 in just five minutes.

Our first stop was a rather large furniture store up the highway. We announced our requirements to the saleslady: a sofa that will hold up to five kids, two cats, several hours a day of use, a southern exposure and close proximity to a wood burning fireplace. She sent us to the liquidation center and almost talked us into buying this little red sofa, suggesting we wait until the kids grow up to buy a quality piece.

I quickly emailed this photo to friends for opinions.

Uncertain, we traveled in the opposite direction to another large furniture store, entered, and announced the same requirements. The sales guy didn't even blink. "Just have a look around," he said. Evidently he was confident about the quality of the furniture he sold. And btw, after showing him the photo of the red sofa we were considering, he told us that he had only sold one red sofa in twenty years!

It did not take us long to find something with firm support and a classic look. We had to check out some fabric samples before deciding on a coordinating fabric. The hard part was waiting six weeks for our order, but knowing that American workers were making it for an American company helped the time go by. We tried our best not to complain and counted the wait and the lack of sofa as a Lenten sacrifice.

So here we are, reading and nursing and crafting and doing school on a sofa again. We think it's a keeper, and from all accounts, this brand wears like iron. People tell us that it will last so long we will get sick of the sofa but it will still be in such great shape that we won't be able to justify getting rid of it!

A Good Thaw

I made a mistake.

I had asked my husband to take the older three snow tubing last week on our week "off" but forgot to check the hours. Snow tubing did not open until 3:00 pm - the same time as the girls' ballet class. Oops.

Daddy took a precious day off work and now we had to get over the disappointment and make the best of it.

Quickly, we made a Plan B, C, and D.

B) Go ice skating. But rinks opened later in the day as well.

C) See the IMAX Hubble Telescope movie at the zoo.

D) Go to Como Park Conservatory.

You see, I had chickened out about driving to Como after dentist appointments on Tuesday. We received a foot of snow the day before and, well, they do plow in Minnesota but not that well. At least not on Twin Cities side streets.

The kids chose Plan D.

It was a wise choice.

Warm + sunny + humid = tropical. Rain forest Habitat, Fern Room, Palm Dome, Sunken Garden: each one provided a bit of unbelievable refreshment to our vitamin D deprived family.

It was a bitter cold day in the single digits. My husband is a native Minnesotan. That's why his coat is unzipped. The children and I were bundled up like sensible people.

 
I forgot the real camera - all of these were taken with an iPhone. Sorry.

My girls in braided pigtails.

My son and I.

That furry thing above our heads is indeed a sloth. Good thing he only poops once a week.

Every type of palm imaginable resides here.

Learned from a docent: an orchid does not have five petals. It has three sepals, two petals and a modified petal. Now we know.

We were feeling downright steamy at this point.

But not too sweaty to enjoy the bursts of color.

We have a few weeks yet to work in snow tubing. We will still go. But I am kind of glad we went to Como instead!

Every Six Months

Today we made the the bi-annual trek to the dentist. We drive into the cities to be able to see someone specialized in holistic dentistry (no mercury fillings). With the weekday morning traffic this trip typically takes over an hour. This morning was no different - each interstate we tried was tied up with accidents due to yesterday's 12+" snowfall.

My husband is on his own appointment schedule but I schedule my appointment on the same day as the children's. Luckily, my husband has always worked more or less close to this dentist's location and usually comes along to watch the littles while the rest of us get scraped and polished and then we all go out to lunch. The older girls are just not quite old enough to be left in the waiting room with the baby and a 3yo.

On the up side, we were cavity-free for the first time in a long time and we do not have to go back for another six months! (Must be because I actually flossed a few times!) We decided to buy this Vitality electric toothbrush for the children with four interchangeable heads and try to keep up the good work. We got to see Dad all morning and lunch at the Neapolitan pizza place was tasty as usual.

On the down side, over the years it gets harder for Joe to get away from his increasing responsibilities at work. I feel guilty about taking up his whole morning and asking him to help me out. How does a homeschooling mom of many (without parents or in-laws nearby to babysit) get to the dentist any other way? What do you do?