Thursday, April 16, 2015

Weekly Wrap-up: Week 28 - Roll With It

Go figure! A flat tire! After meeting my Mom's friend, who drove the kids most of the way here from their grandparent's house, my tire went "pop" 25 miles from home. We waited 45 minutes for AAA to arrive, but it took the poor mechanic an hour to put on the spare. One challenge after another! We were close to VIP, the only place opened on a Sunday, and a few minutes later I had 2 spankin' new tires. AAA is such a great investment in piece of mind!

It was an important lesson in patience for all of us: Some days you just need to roll with it!

My kids were on the road 7 hours before we got home. But the weather was warm and sunny. Soaking up some rays from the side of the road wasn't such a bad way to spend almost 2 hours. And we took a walk from VIP to get some lunch near by while the tires were being put on. Not exactly the best way to spend an afternoon, but there have been worse ones. A reminder to take life's challenges in stride.

With nothing else to do while we waited, I read and crocheted. I bring a basket with my current book, my bible, my planner and pen case, and my latest crochet project wherever I go. You never know when you'll have time to read or create, especially to pass time waiting.

And that includes learning! Cati has wrapped up most of her studies this year. She's continuing to read Story of the World, studying the middle ages, and is researching and writing her Maine Studies paper. She's also working towards reading books that have a connection to every U.S. state to earn a book bag from the library, and of course she still has Concert and Jazz Bands at the public school. Otherwise, her dedicated (early morning) work has paid off! School days will be short-and-sweet for her.

Sam wishes that he was finishing up HIS curriculum. With his SPD, there are challenges with remembering information as he focuses mostly on PHYSICALLY reading information rather than what the words mean. It's something he'll always struggle with to some degree, so he's learning tactics to help him along. His learning is slow due to frequent review, but I'm confident he knows what we've studied thus far. Soon, he'll be unschooling rather than school-at-home (which is mostly my method right now). 


But he was excited to pick up a small hand saw on Tuesday to begin sawing up down limbs for our firepit. He's spent hours sawing up small sections, creating 2 piles of different size pieces. Now...if the weather will stay dry we can celebrate spring with S'mores!

As always, special thanks to these bloggers for their weekly wrap-ups:
 photo 337a3ef2-b881-48f4-8a2c-9c69e457cb5b_zps8b6152cf.pngHomegrown LearnersWeird Unsocialized HomeschoolersHip Homeschool Moms

Happy Homeschooling!

Monday, April 13, 2015

Tuesday Coffee Chat: I'm Lovin' It


This week at Time Out for Mom, Leslie's asking what we're loving right now. What's your favorite things? Blog about it and share over at Tuesday Coffee Chat!

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Oh, spring has FINALLY arrived here in Maine. Praise God! Just look at these predicted temperatures this week:



There's not one night below freezing! Do you know how many months it's been that we've had a week stretch with above freezing temperatures? Way too many! I am SO loving the warmth and sun! C'mon Vitamin D!

I turned the heat off Sunday afternoon. I have been longing for the day when I could do so, saving the rest of the heating oil I had delivered a month or so ago. Heating oil has been a huge cost this winter with 2 months of mostly frigid temperatures. I am loving not having to budget in more heating oil until about October!


And look! The windows are open! We're flushing out the stale, dry winter air and welcoming in cool, fresh spring air. I don't even care that my seasonal allergies are kicking in...

The snow is disappearing quick. Sure, it means MORE MUD, but with that sun shining it won't be long before we're dried out. And there's nothing PRETTY about dirty, early spring snow. I've loving that soon we'll have green grass again!


Before long we'll be preparing the veggie garden for another season. Perhaps I should order seeds!

Time out for Mom

Let's Chat!

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Memory Monday: Mom & Dad


Retired Not Tired Memory MondayEvery week Retired Not Tired hosts the Memory Monday blog hop. This week's prompt is My ParentsLet's hear about your Mom and Dad! Blog about it and share your memories!
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I affectionately refer to my parents as Nannie and Grandpa Lobster here on my blog. Isn't it cute? 

My Mom and Dad will celebrate 44 years of marriage at the end of this year. 44 years! Not many couples can say that! They met when my Mom was just 14 years old, and married when she was 17. And through all the ups-and-downs of life, they're still completely devoted to each other. They're still goofy with each other! "Teens" these days!

My Dad started off doing some golf caddying as a child then as a mechanic as a teen, but soon was working as a sternman for a lobsterman. He bought his own boat soon after and hauled traps for over 40 years before retiring a few years ago and driving a school bus.

My Mom worked a variety of jobs when we were growing up, crab meat picker, motel room cleaner and home day care provider, but mostly she was a stay-at-home Mom. And now? She also drives a school bus!

Grandpa Lobster loves his TV, golf and boxing, old westerns. And Nannie Lobster crochets and knits and has her chicken flock. They live a simple, quiet life on the island.  At least until they do the one thing that they love more than anything: Have ALL 5 of their grandkids over!

Make memories,

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Follow Friday Four Fill-in Fun: Garbled

I'm joining Hilary and her co-host at Feeling Beachie for Follow Friday Four Fill In Fun. Why not fill in this week's 4 statements with your own creative twists and link up?

Statements
1. I ___ the feeling of ___ a new ___.
2. After ___ I ___.
3. I once tried to text/email ___ , but it came out ___ instead.
4. The last thing I want to do when I feel ___ is ___.

My Fun Fill-ins
1. I love the feeling of staying in bed with a new set of just washed sheets.
2. After easing into my morning, I have a bowl of Cheerios.
3. I once tried to text/email a friend, but it came out garbled instead.
4. The last t hing I want to when I feel groggy from sleep is frustrated with auto-correct.

Feeling Beachie

Have fun!

Six Word Saturday: A Surprising Return


(Our indoor cat was let out outside by a repair man a month ago. She never returned...until Wednesday morning. We thought we would never see her again. We're happy to have her back home!)

Join Cate at Show My Face for Six Word Saturday.

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Weekly Wrap-up: Week 27 - Home Alone...Mostly

With Cate and Sam off visiting Grandpa and Nannie Lobster and Jake at school days and "chilling" in his bedroom evenings, this Mama had some time on her hands. How did I spend my week mostly alone?

Well, I relaxed with Tom at his place, taking over his TV and comfy chair. I watched The Cooking Channel and TVLand. (Did you know you can still catch reruns of The Brady Bunch?) I read In a Perfect World and started The Killing Tree. I crocheted. We ate Chinese for dinner. And we took a brisk walk in the bright sun along the dam holding hands.


I whipped up some crocheted head bands out of leftover yarn. I'm always looking for ways to use the last bits of yarn from other projects. But I've decided on my biggest project yet...

I made my first ever lemon meringue pie. The crust needs some work, but the tangy filling and sweet meringue were awesome (if I do say so myself). And with the leftover egg yolks from the meringue, I made a Challah bread for dinner one night.


Spring cleaning was on my list of To Dos, but I only finished a few things. I moved from one area to another as I saw something else that needed doing, not quite finishing up the previous task. (Cleaning ADHD?) I washed down the diningroom and livingroom walls, decluttered and organized the container cupboard and continued cleaning up the utility room. I removed cobwebs from ceilings, gave the entire house a thorough vacuum (even the corners), tidied up blankets and towels, and got a MOUNTAIN of trash to the Transfer Station.

But then on Wednesday morning, I was surprised to find Stripe in the shed after missing for a month! Our beloved cat has returned, skin-and-bones, but content to be home after whatever adventures she had. We thought surely with the siting of a lynx in the back yard and the frigid night-time temperatures that she had succumbed to nature, but we have one smart kitty!


I grocery shopped, leisurely. What a treat!

What I didn't have time for was Facebook or Blogger. Cati took her laptop with her (and HISTORY to read) and Jake had his with him days for school, so I just had my cell phone. And social media on a cell phone is just way too frustrating for me. What about you? 

As always, special thanks to these bloggers for their weekly wrap-ups:
 photo 337a3ef2-b881-48f4-8a2c-9c69e457cb5b_zps8b6152cf.pngHomegrown LearnersWeird Unsocialized HomeschoolersHip Homeschool Moms

Happy Homeschooling!

Friday, April 3, 2015

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Weekly Wrap-up: Week 26 - The One with An Evening Walk

Photo Source
IT'S ALMOST HERE
Is it really APRIL already? My wedding is less than 6 weeks away! But we could get married anytime now...We have our license. And a pastor. And our witnesses. And the rings. And a place. Everything is falling into place! I'm super giddy about starting my forever with Tom. Now, if only I could find a dress...

STEP-BY-STEP
With sunset happening later and later, I've started walking with Rosie and Winnie, our dogs, after dinner, and sometimes Sam bikes with us. It's my favorite time to walk, to help me relax before settling down for the night after my busy days. The road is a muddy ol' mess right now, but my walks have been refreshing, and it's so nice to get out again after a looonnngg winter!


SCHOOL IS WINDING DOWN
It's definitely a wrap-up week for Cate! She has completed Grammar and Writing, Earth Science, Ancient History AND Pre-algebra for the year! What's left? She'll be working on her Maine Studies and reading the 2nd volume of Story of the World (Middle Ages), all of which she's already got a GREAT start on. She's had an amazingly focused year!


Sam's science this week was making Lego RC boats and cars using Lego Technic motors. He spent a lot of time trying out different designs, testing the boats in the bathtub and the cars on the carpet and linoleum. Unfortunately, I think he burned out one of the motors...


HOME ALONE
It's just me and my oldest son this coming week. Cati and Sam are spending time with Grandpa and Nannie Lobster, cousins Noodle and Nugget, and their doting aunties. Being 16, Jake will be off to school days and doing his "stuff" evenings. What will I do?


As always, special thanks to these bloggers for their weekly wrap-ups:
 photo 337a3ef2-b881-48f4-8a2c-9c69e457cb5b_zps8b6152cf.pngHomegrown LearnersWeird Unsocialized HomeschoolersHip Homeschool Moms

Happy Homeschooling!