Look, Mom, no hands!

The Look

This week you are given $1000 PRETEND online spending money! The rules are simple for this assignment. Using ANY online store…write out a shopping list of what you would buy! You can even post pictures of the items you're buying, if you want, it's not required. These things should be things for YOURself ONLY! List the name of the website with a link and include product item # and cost…you must use all your $1000 without going over!





My first thought was that I have no idea what I would do with $1000 to spend on just myself. I do need some clothes but not that many. Then I remembered what I really wanted but will never get to do unless I actually do get that $1000 just for myself. I would sign up for this Nutritional Consultant Course. But, of course, the total cost is $1,475, meaning I would fail this assignment, which is really bad since it is my first one. So, I wracked my brain some more and a list of slowly forming. More to come soon . . .

Nothing like a friendly game of front yard hockey.

We found a size 7 pair of ice skates for dd12 on Freecycle that are being picked up today. So dd11 really was wanting a pair too. In talking to our neighbor (she believes in the ask and ye shall receive philosophy), she discovered they had a pair her size that they never use and that she can borrow. She is trying them out on our ice rink of a parking lot. I wonder how many bumps and bruises she will have tomorrow. (The knee pads were the neighbor boy's idea.)

Helping Grammy and Auntie Brenda with presents.

What a fine mess I've made!

What are you doing down there?

Attack!

Who needs enemies when you have a brother?

What did I do? I'm a perfect angel!

Our resident mascot

After much fussing, we finally discovered what he wanted! To help with dishes, of course.

What more do you need besides kids, snow, and a dog?

But I wasn't aware you could climb trees in the winter.

The weather finally warmed up enough that all 3 girls could go outside and play. It has been too cold for dd4 to be out for the past 2 weeks.

Poor little brother! All he can do is stand at the window and watch.

State History Study

Dd12 is finding her state history study to be a bit more work than she had counted on. But I think it will be good in the end. Here is what we are doing. (Letters on schedule below correspond to this outline.)

State Study Schedule

Week 1
Research Geography (A)
Write Geography rough draft

Week 2
Research Explorers (B1)
Write Explorers rough draft

Week 3
Research Cultures (B2)
Write Cultures rough draft

Week 4
Research Statehood (C)
Write Statehood rough draft

Week 5
Research Transportation / Economic Development – Statehood to current (D1-2)
Write Transportation / Economic Development rough draft

Week 6
Research Religious / Political Development – Statehood to current (D3-4)
Write Religious / Political Development rough draft

Week 7
Research State Symbols (E) (1 day)
Write Symbols rough draft
Produce visual illustrations
State Map (1 day)
Put rough drafts together (2 day)
Introduction paragraph (1 day)
Concluding paragraph (Student Summary) (1 day)
Add transitional sentences (1 day)

Week 8
Edit for flow (3 days)
Edit for mechanics (3 days)
Second draft (1 days)

Week 9
Final edit (3 days)
Final draft (2 days)
Title page / Bibliography (1 day)

Ravioli . . . Sort of

I threw this together for dinner the other night and it actually tasted pretty good.

1-1/2 cups cheese tortellini (cooked)

1 lb hamburger, fried
Celery, diced
Onion, diced

SAUCE (Make like a white sauce):
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 can tomato sauce
1 can chicken broth


Mix all together and serve with bread and a green salad.

Finally, ds will eat his Rice Os without choking!

I was so happy to find my Happy Baby grinder in our belonging. I thought I had left it. It makes dinner time much easier. All I have to do is take what we are eating and grind it up. Of course, some things don't grind well so we skip those.

Just an update from here. I didn't get through any boxes this week which was very discouraging. Life just seemed to take up all the time. I did get the office and craft supplies all put away. We were able to get a shelving unit and an office storage cabinet so that helped tremendously. I organized the clothes in our room another day. Now we just need drawers to put them in. We found a kitchen table for a very good price so we at least have that. Now all we need (for furniture) are a bunk bed, some kitchen chairs, a couch, a chair, and some area rugs. (The floors aren't carpeted and it makes the house very loud.) I think the rugs will also help make it cozier. I am anxious to put up my pictures so I take that as a good sign. There is a little hesitation to put my decorations up because it is so much work to pack them all up again. However, I am determined to settle into this place, go through all my things, and decide what I want to keep for my home and what can go to someone else. We have kept unknown boxes in storage for way too long. Things are slowly coming together in the kitchen. The pots and pans we received through Freecycle are nice. We are borrowing plates and silverware for the time being. I was able to make bread and cookies this week so that has helped things start to become more normal. It is amazing, though, how not having little things like a cutting board can make life more complicated. I improvised by using one of my casserole dishes. But I found a glass cutting board at the Treasure Loft yesterday so that will help.

School is going okay. This was our first week using Christian Light Math Level 500. I really like what I see so far. I also decided on a low cost curriculum plan for next year since it won't be too many months before I need to order it.

That's all for now. I want to put dinner together before everyone gets up so I don't have to do it this afternoon.

MOVE UPDATE - THE BAD AND THE GOOD

BAD NEWS: We somehow ended up not bringing the boxes with our kitchen essentials. So we are without plates, bowls, silverware, cutting boards, kettles, cooking utensils, and my grain mill.

GOOD NEWS: I had some casserole dishes in storage and I brought my stoneware, skillets, glasses, and can opener with me. I found some pots and pans on Freecycle.

BAD NEWS: It is -20 degrees here today and we don' t have block heaters on the vehicles.

GOOD NEWS: It is gorgeous and we don't HAVE to go anywhere today.


Here are some more pictures:

It was okay when he was by the window.
But the one by the full glass door was a little too scary.
I didn't get a picture of that one as I decided we better head upstairs.

What else can I get into?

That's where that toy went!

If I'm not online much, here's why.