At Home Journal vol. 7

Outside my window:  Cloudy.  We got a dusting of snow this weekend but the lawn is showing 80% I'd bet.  Kate and I have been noticing lots of robins and I'm hoping one will nest on the ledge by our front door again this year (I cleared it off for them!!).  Our neighbor tapped one of our maple trees last weekend.  The weather hasn't cooperated for the sap to run much yet but we've got 1/3 of the 5 gal. bucket full.  Hope to have more next week as I plan on having a group come check it out!  Field trip to the Snyders!

Around the house:  We're gearing up for some spring cleaning all to be completed before Triduum.  Wish the bug had bit sooner in Lent.  It has been needing to be done.  And now I've got some motivation as Easter and Kate's birthday approach.  It will be nice to have done for hosting company! 

The baby:  He's the sweetest thing.  Pretty much growing cuter by the day and so interactive!  I need to take more pictures of him. He just woke up so we'll see if I can get this finished in one sitting!

The kiddos:  The girls have been really into crafting lately.  Mostly coloring and cutting, pasting if I'll let them, play-doh, markers, stickers and so on.  Kate has been going through this "I don't like any food you feed me" phase.  I hope it's a phase!  Ugh!  And she's been whiny!  I could do without the baby talk.  On the plus, she's all about turning 5 and all the rights and responsibilities that come with it!  Can you believe she'll be 5 soon?  I can't.  Julia still is struggling to master #2 on the toilet.  Ugh, those diapers are the worst.  I've been trying not to obsess over or over think it.  She is nearing the whiny threes and has picked up a few 'lessons' from her big sister, much to my chagrin.  Oh, and I must mention the singing!  Everything can be a song or spoken in "Mother Goose" tongue.  Kurt is VERY amused and eventually annoyed by this.  She gets it from me.  Bedtimes are improving all around.

Bringing me joy: Getting rid of stuff.  This is difficult for me.  As is organizing.  But when I buckle down and do it I find it so satisfying.  Now if only it wouldn't be such a messy process and my kids wouldn't interrupt the action. Hehe!  Some days and weekends filling up in the future- a concert for Katie's birthday gift, family visiting to celebrate, a Brewers game and weekend in Milwaukee, a trip to Green Bay, a family reunion, swimming lessons, the 4th of July etc.  I know, summer seems far off but I'm still excited.

Thinking about:  The disaster that was me at Mass this weekend and how I can prevent  that from happening again.  How the roots of the word Eucharist - Thanksgiving - and the root of the word thank - think.  So when I think of something...I am in a sense thankful for something.  And how do I pray with that in mind.  Holy Week and what's got to get done.

Reading: Just finished Son, the last book in The Giver quartet.  Got a few others I'm looking forward to from the library...we'll see. 

Pictures to share:  These are from last year at this time.  The chicks come soon!  Happy Easter! We're looking forward to their arrival.  On another note-- Interested in chicken?  Place your orders now!

Katie said that when she turns 5 she might hold one! 

7 quick takes (not on Friday)

I haven't done one of these in awhile and it seemingly will fit my needs at the moment as a bit of catch-up here in Kieler.  Since I'm ready before Friday I'll post it now and if I remember link it to Jen's at Conversion Diary on Friday.

1- We've had some company here in Kieler.  My aunt Katie and cousin Heidi paid us a visit in September.  It was fun to have them for the weekend.  We hit Galena to do some window shopping and just enjoyed a visit.  Heidi even stayed to watch the Packers that afternoon! 

2- As you may or may not have been wondering.  I made it to Norway and back.  I returned with some special treats for our Moms Group.  Here are the pictures recording our celebration.  I can't imagine life in Kieler without these ladies from the environs.  They are such blessings to me as friends, sounding boards, support, and comic relief.

3- We harvested our pumpkins a few weeks back.  There were some dandys!  I haven't decided if I am going to process them for pie or just enjoy them for seasonal decoration.  Kurt says according to his favorite t.v. show that pumpkin is the one thing you need not make from scratch for the best taste/most effort. Hmmm.

Isn't she a posing pumpkin?

4- We've been enjoying the fall sports season here in Wisconsin.  The reigning Super Bowl Champs aren't doing so bad, the Badgers had a great win this past weekend and the Brewers- we're not the only ones rooting for them!

Notice Katie's hat?

Root, root, root!!

5- We've as mentioned started our way down the Alphabet Path here at home.  It has been a work in progress for me but that'll have to be a whole post in itself.  Beyond Elizabeth Foss' Serendipity site with all its Alphabet Path links and book recommendations I have been reading her book, Real Learning- Education In the Heart of the Home.   I also must mention that I have found these sites and the work of these folks very helpful and insightful--

On Montessori, Homeschooling, Reading/Literacy, and More-- Heidi's blogs at Work And Play, Day By Day and Work, Play, Read are gems that I continue to return to over and over.

Here's Julia having some sensory play with cornmeal.  She LOVED it!

On all the extras, crafts and fun stuff Catholic as well as great links for Religious Ed--Lacy at Catholic Icing is worth reading.

On trying things out for the first time, Monica and I have found ourselves in similar experiences.  She is full of ideas and as always is keeping it real.

6- We spent some time up north the end of September.  This is the only picture I took. It is my littlest nephew snitching some waffle, that Julia snitched from her cousin Kaylee.  He can't walk yet but was totally cruising on her so he could have a taste or two. 

We came home on Wednesday and brought Kaylee with us!  It was such a treat for the three girls to play together for an extended stay.  They were really well behaved.  We had so much fun!  My folks and family came down for the annual Kieler Parade (have you read about it the past three years?).  The weekend weather was pleasant.  The kiddos just wanted to play and for the most part that was fine by us.  The parade was the best yet in our opinion.  I enjoyed it to the fullest not taking one picture the whole weekend (shame).  Perhaps, this will entice others to come check out this one of Kieler's main events- you'll have to see it for yourself!

7- I found this at The Badger Catholic's blog.  I had to repost it here because nearly half of the people in it are from Kieler (or environs) and/or I know them!  Very fun! 

St. Pauls promo video from Backflip Films on Vimeo.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Many of my friends have been posting garden updates of recent (see, here and here and here and here, oh and I guess this could count, too).  So I thought I, too, would answer the question, "How does your garden grow?"  Ours is growing "like a weed" and that is why we worked so hard weeding it this weekend.   Both Saturday and Sunday we worked in the garden we've planted and are sharing with a couple who have a beef farm in the environs of Kieler.  In years past we've had a garden in our backyard but decided to try something different this year.

Here is a picture of the garden from one end to the other.  You can vaguely see people at the far end, past the rototiller and the stroller.

 Of course, Daddy has been doing most of the work but the girls and I came out to help both days and actually accomplished more than I expected.  Kate is great at the farm.  She's for the most part self entertained.  Tromping here and there to see the cows, kittens, and back to the garden to see the ever fascinating worms.

 Julia and I however are not 'farm girls' at least not yet.  I know we had a garden growing up and I remember Mom taking us there so she could weed and work in it.  But I didn't gleen a green thumb from the experience.  Even my house plants beg for water or death.  And Julia, well, she's just a babe.

 However, as I mentioned we were pleasantly surprised.  Saturday, I brought Julia out in her stroller with bug netting and snacks and she lasted well over an HOUR!  So, I did get some practice weeding.  See the picture above for proof.  Then this morning we drove out again and Julia slept in the car the whole time.

But it was way more fun having the whole family outside and working together.  Oh and the fruits (or vegetables?) they're coming up.  The spinach has been delicious this past week and soon enough the late growers will follow.