The Simple Woman's DayBook

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... It's a weird day.

Raining this morning.
Nice currently.

Back and forth in between.

When it's nice, it really is nice and comfortable out there.

I am thinking... I feel weird, unsettled. 

Restless, bored, tired, not sure exactly. 

I am thankful... For food in our belly and a roof over our head.

From the learning rooms... Preparing for back to school next week!

In the kitchen... Dinner has been started.

Making kinda like a tuna helper kinda meal?

Just throwing things together but that is the desired outcome, lol. 

I am wearing... Black shorts and a white sleeveless t.

I am creating... Lesson plans, new schedules and new chore charts.

I've also just made a clothes limit list for Einstein and need to work on one for the girls. 

I am going... To strive for more organization this year.

I am wondering... Why I feel so blah?

I am reading... 

The Shunning by Beverly Lewis

 
I am hoping... That God provides Good Ole Boy with a better job.

I am looking forward to... Building a chicken coop. 

I am hearing... Sirens, the dogs licking their paws.

Around the house... Always things that need done.
Been working around the living room computer area,

and we've been working outside in the area of THE tree.

The jungle has been hacked down and we have made very good progress! 

Much left to do of course, but it looks nice.

I want a magnolia now for that spot...

I am pondering... Participating - or not - in a 4H workshop the weekend of our anniversary....?

One of my favorite things... The local Civil War Muster!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Work, yard work, Kick off with homeschool group, maybe the beach?, Church, finish getting ready for school.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Isn't it beautiful?!

I SO want one! 

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

COUNTRY GIRL

 

Making a Goat Cart

I made the harness

and I made the halter,

now it's time for Good Ole Boy and Bug to make the cart.

Our first need was supplies.

Since we are all about reusing, recycling and finding things cheaper,

we went to a local garbage company.

We used to go to church with the owners so Bug was fairly comfortable speaking to him.

She explained what she was building and asked if he had any supplies.

He looked around for wheels and axle material but couldn't find anything suitable.

He showed us the wood pile and told her to take whatever she needed - no charge!

They estimated what they would need for the cart and loaded it up.

Ended up with more than enough!

 Good Ole Boy and Bug spent lots of time discussing the cart.

Ultimately she wants a "Dr. Baker buggy".

But this year she needs to start smaller! lol

So they got started building a seat and cart base.

Good Ole Boy was planning yet for the axle and wheels.

Then one day after walking Chip, Good Ole Boy spotted an old wagon he'd forgotten about sitting out under a pine tree.

We dug it out thinking he might be able to modify the axle for her cart.

Always wanting to help...

It was a PERFECT fit! 

Hooking Chip up for the first time.

Bug paints the cart, using paint we had on hand.

Chip pulling the cart at fair.

Cart cost - $5 

(for bolts to attach shafts to cart)

Now, at fair, the judge and goat superintendent were pretty impressed, 

HOWEVER,

they said the seat needs to be lower. 

In fact, they recommended putting the seat right down on the cart base and putting the foot rest even lower.

By lowering the center of gravity this will make it easier on Chip.

Something to think about if you are going to make a goat cart yourself. :)

Does your goat drive a cart or pull a wagon?

Homestead Barn Hop

COUNTRY GIRL

Three Wishes

If you were granted three wishes, 

What would they be? 

Three wishes....

 

I wish I was thin.

Actually, I'd love to look like this - 

O.k., NO, I wouldn't WEAR the 'daisy dukes',

but it'd sure be nice to have the body that COULD!

Second, I'd wish to be financially stable.

I'm NOT talking filthy rich!

It just sure would be nice to be able to pay our bills instead of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

And last,

I wish I didn't have to deal with RAD.

 It is horrible living with this day in and day out.

I wish...

COUNTRY GIRL

Curriculum Lineup 2011

It's that time of year again.

Time to share what we will be using this year in school.

(to see 2010 curriculum click here)

As y'all know, we use the Weaver Curriculum.

We will be picking up  Vol. 5 where we left off in June.

We love Weaver!

I use the Supplement with Sis for upper level learning on the same topics that the Volume covers.

The Day by Day is a daily planner with suggestions for what to teach each day.

I am not a slave to the DBD, I use it as a guide.

We should finish Volume 5 mid year.

At that time, I want to go through 

Genesis One.

To do this, we need a chemistry set.

And since we are studying Chemistry,

AND since the school Sis plans on attending suggests Chemistry is needed,

(Sis plans on attending a local 'beauty' school and getting a cosmetology license)

we will also be doing a year long Chemistry curriculum this year.

It's a new name to me, but I found it searching and it looks fun, yes you read that right, it looks FUN.

This will be a first for us.

Adding an extra full time science course.

Prayers appreciated. :)

(Bug will be doing it too as she is very 'sciencey',

so I will be gearing her remaining school years more heavily in the sciences.)

Math needs to be added to Weaver.

We will again be using Switched on Schoolhouse for the older two girls.

And Hunny will still be using AOP Lifepacs.

(which I still didn't photograph!)

Sis and Hunny went through alot of "Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons" last year.

This year I plan on focusing more with Hunny in this area.

I will let Sis continue with the lessons from the book, 

but I hope to spend time specifically working on reading a few times a week with Hunny. 

I am also planning more time with Bug and her reading issues.

Actually her reading is progressing quite nicely, but her spelling....

(Bug, while not officially dx'd has many dyslexia symptoms that we are working on)

Sis will be continuing the lit program from last year.

She will also be doing more writing this year.

We will be continuing in Hebrew.

Which is what I personally am struggling with.

The symbols confuse me and to assist my brother in teaching her, I need to know what is going on.

So I *hope* to make progress for her in this area.

We will also be continuing Latin.

We need to finish up Level A

then hopefully move on to Level B.

Bug has talked for years about wanting to learn Ancient Egyptian.

I found this

for her!

It'll be a mostly for fun thing, but will be a step towards her goal.

(and If anyone knows of a curriculum for learning this, 

please comment!!)

And of course,

I still have these for grade guidelines.

So that is our curriculum run down.

We will have extra curriculars too.

Bug and Hunny will be playing soccer this fall.

I hope to take part in gym class and karate.

We are still active in 4H.

We stay busy and learn alot every year.

COUNTRY GIRL

Photo Challenge - Your Front Door

What's on my front door?

Nothing.

The doors we have aren't really something you could put a nail into.

Or something you'd want to anyways.

So except for Christmas when I have an over the door hanger for my wreath, the door is empty. 

Mostly.

Occasionally I find a drawing taped there from one of the kids.

In fact, on the screen door (it's only screen on the top half) there is currently Bug's future "tattoo" design (lol) of the Cross with the robe hanging over it.

Because of this challenge though,

I enlisted Good Ole Boys straight eye and stronger, steadier arm to install hooks 

to hang this lighthouse that I've had 

....since moving here five years ago.....

where it's just been resting in the kitchen.....

waiting.......

BLUSH

 

So I'm really late posting this challenge, 

but make sure you head back to

Creative 2 X Mom

to see her door! 

COUNTRY GIRL

 

Fair Week 2011 - part 3

Well today I *hope* to share the rest of our week!

Wednesday was a later day.

We got to sleep in some - yeah!

We got to look around some of the other barns

(until now, we really hadn't left the small animal barn).

This turned out to be Hunny's FAVORITE barn!

Huh, who knew?

Luckily it is right next to the small animal barn since after this trip we HAD to go through it at least four times a day! 

She now wants a pig - to live in her bedroom....

This was the sweetest cow!

Almost makes me want one...

 Goat hand milking contest.

Bug was able to borrow a milker - 

she got 4 oz in 60 secs.

Not bad for not having a dairy goat! 

Bug again (she did this last year too)

shocked the audience by grabbing the bucket after it was weighed and guzzling the fresh milk.

Yep. We GOTTA get dairy goats! lol.

 I hadn't signed Hunny up for the milking contest since I didn't think she'd want to touch the udder....

I was wrong and she was MAD at me!

Here she is just for fun - and guess what?!

She got milk too!

After all that milking fun, the barn needed cleaned up and made ready for the night's small animal auction.

Since Wiz didn't make weight, and neither of the Silver Foxes actually had meat pen liters, the girls were out of the auction, BUT we hoped to pick up a wether for eating and/or some pullets.

Bug helps some friends show their chickens during the auction.

We didn't end up buying anything since it all went higher than we wanted to pay during resale.

Bug was REALLY bummed!

Thursday we had our shift in the 4H food stand.

I must admit that this is my LEAST favorite part of fair.

We did have a little excitement as the grill caught fire and we had to be evacuated for a few minutes, but that happened pretty early in our shift and the rest of it d.r.a.g.g.e.d. out forever!

Someone gave these two a buck for a tip and they had to spend it right away, lol.

Friday was pretty slow - just fun with the chores.

Saturday we got to finish looking around.

 Then the kids - human and caprine - got to play on the obstacle course.

They had a BLAST! 

(Emmett really did too - just HE wanted to be loose and not following Hunny)

 The two littles participated in the pedal pull.

Then time to clean up our barn again and get ready for the 4H awards program.

Sis got three awards.

A trophy for baskets and cats, 

and a certificate with medallion for her feed records. 

After the awards we went and picked up everything that was in the still exhibit barn.

Sunday morning was tear down of the small animal barn.

Such a bittersweet time.

Fair is long, but I hate to see it end.

Goodbye Fairgrounds,

Until next year....

Homestead Barn Hop

COUNTRY GIRL