Happy New Year!!!

In a few hours it will be 2010. I probably will see it in. I am up that late most nights. I don't want to be, it just happens. There is so much to do, and I really want some time to myself or with my husband that I end up going to bed at 12:30 or later. Maybe I should make a New Years resolution to get to bed earlier. Yea, right. There are so many other things that I need to improve on that that is at the bottom of the list. Maybe it would be a result of another behavior change, like for instance being more organized and scheduled would make me get my nightly chores done quicker and then the kids to bed sooner and then I would have time to myself sooner. Could work. But like Scarlet O'Hara always said, "I'll think about that later."
I do usually try and make a resolution at the new year. I always update my date book, and look at my schedule and try and find a way to make it all work better. I never quite do it though. Maybe I am not that different than most moms. Sometimes I spend a lot of time figuring out just how to improve my day, make things go more smoothly and it lasts for about a week or two. Something always happens to get me off track. I am not blaming anyone or thing, it is my fault, but it is always an event of some kind. For example someone will get sick. Or, one of the cars will break down and it will mess up my schedule because I will have to drive my husband in until the car is fixed. Does this happen to everyone? I just have a really hard time getting back on track. So that should be my New Years Resolution. Stay on track, and if I get off track get back on quickly.
I wanted to stay on track on this blog. I did start it at a bad time, holidays and all. I am making a resolution to enter a new post every week. I won't go as far as to say how many times a week, because I know how I am. Everyone is busy, and we all make time for what we really want to do. So I am just going to say I will enter a new post weekly.
I do have some goals for the new year. I want to sew more. Quilt more. I want to plant some raspberries this spring. I hope to get some chicks with my hens and rooster. I will continue to spend many hours with my family laughing, talking, and probably a little fighting too.
Have a Happy New Year.

Chickens=Eggs

I raise Rhode Island Red chickens. I have for the past 12 years. We also raise meat birds but that is another post. Right now they are in the freezer.
My girls (thats what I call them) are now laying. We are getting 6 or 7 eggs a day. The eggs are so much better than in the grocery store. They are better than the ones that are free range, organic in the grocery store. In fact I think a fresh egg is no older than a week. The yolk is more orange, the white more intact. The taste is so much different. I made my husband eggs for breakfast this past week and he said, "Mmmm it is so nice to have fresh eggs again". A couple of the boys had a big plate of scrambled eggs the other night. Eggs for snack!! Can't beat that.
The girls, my daughters, love to go out and check for eggs. One time we waited ten minutes for one that looked like she was going to lay and then she just came out and started eating. I guess she was modest. I would like my daughters to see an egg being layed. It would be even better if I got it on video.

Passions

We all need passions. I first learned this from one of my sons. Two of them were into reading books and blogs on personal development. I have many passions. One of them is my family. I live for my family. Some may say that is not healthy. At this point in my life, this is what keeps me going.

My husband works at a 40+ a week job. He sells for the building industry. It pays just enough. We are far from rich in the money way, but we have all the necessities in life. He works hard at his job and again when he gets home. As soon as he changes his clothes he is in the kitchen helping me or he is checking on the kids and playing and talking with them. On the weekends he is hard at work also. There is wood to cut, outside as well as inside projects to do and he does a fair amount of playing with the kids. Not to mention the driving to the many activities our kids have. I know I am very lucky.
We met while I was in college. I ended up not finishing. Not because of him, I wouldn't have anyway. I really wasn't into it. I still can not imagine myself in college. I am not that kind of smart. Anyway, we met when I was working in a convenience store. We lived together for a while, started a family and then married. Not the conventional way but it worked for us. My husband makes me laugh, loves me, and puts up with my moods. There is more to us but that is another post. He is one of my passions. I try and make him happy because I love him.

Our first son was born 19 years ago. He attends Swarthmore College in PA. We miss him a lot. It was hard having him leave. We are used to his absence but he is missed. He loves to read, and learn new things. He would love to travel. He spent his past summer in Alaska working. He and a friend went together. They kept a blog. http://whileinalaska.com/

Our second son is 18. (They were born 18 months apart.) He is a senior in High school and is applying to colleges right now. He is a great writer even though he says he doesn't like it. He loves the outdoors and is a health and fitness guru. He would love to spend his summer in the western US working.

Our third son is 14. He does not attend school. He is not sure he will go to high school. Right now he wants to concentrate on music. Nervous me wants him to also do math and biology and language arts in case he wants to go to school. It is one of my inner battles right now. He is very good at music. Plays several instruments and is in pep, jazz bands, and takes lessons in flute. I love having him at home since he is a big help. If I could change one thing about our home school experience it would be to have more kids around for him to meet up with. Living a rural part of this state makes it hard to make friends. I am pretty sure that was the reason the other two boys went to high school.

Our first daughter is 6 now. She is a ball of energy. She is a born artist and will draw for hours. She also loves dinousaurs, playmobile, and polly pockets. She makes the most intricate set ups with all her people. She loves to go outside and ride her bike or play in the playhouse. She is starting to learn how to sew with the machine. I want her to learn to hand sew or embroider, but she is set on the machine for now. She is very smart and is already reading. She is a great big sister.

Our second daughter, and last child is 2 1/2. She is very strong willed. I guess she has to be in a big family. I was the oldest child in my family, so I can't really understand what it is like to be the youngest but I see how she is always being told what to do and how to do it. She loves to read stories with dad and me. She loves princesses and fairies and ballet right now. Her most favorite thing to do is nurse. She also loves going for walks down the road to see the horses and cows.

So there are the seven cheeses for now. I am hoping to enter a new post at least once a week. For me that is a big goal.

First blog

This is my first blog and first entry. This is a picture of our house. It is small for seven people but it is cozy. In this house live a mom, dad, three boys and two girls. One of the boys actually lives in his dorm in college, but he used to live here and still comes home.
I don't have big plans for this blog yet. My youngest children want me to blog and I am curious about it too. I want to record some of the fun things we do or have done.
I am a stay at home mom. The children homeschool. They homeschooled since day one and the first two boys chose to go to high school. They did very well. The first one is graduated and off to college and the second is a senior and will be off to college next fall. The third boy is not choosing to go to highschool right now. His interests are different than the other two and he wants to stay home for now. The first girl is home and starting to read and do some math. The youngest loves stories and nursies. We mostly have let the kids lead the way. It has worked for the most part.
We practice attatchment parenting and are on the laid back side of things. Some think too layed back, but again for the most part it works for us.
My husband works full time to enable me to stay home with the kids. Money is very tight, but it always has been and we are used to it. We are very frugal, and we all do without a lot of things that are commonplace in a lot of families. We eat well, play some, and most always enjoy each others company.
My hobbies are my family, sewing, quilting, reading, cooking and gardening (when I have time).
One of my hopes is that this blog will get me back into some of my hobbies. My youngest child is 2 1/2 and life has been very busy. I am constantly saying 'I need to get back on track'. I would say this is my biggest hurdle right now. I have made lots of schedules and plans but they don't work out or I am not disiplined enough.
Wish me luck on the blog and I welcome any suggestions.