This has been a chilly day so we've just been sitting here trying to stay warm. Getting some book work done. Going through all of the boys extra clothing. Still need to relay the laminate flooring in the boys room and figure out how to fill it in when I don't have any extra. Should be fun.

I have a goal

I am sure that people with think I am a tiny bit crazy, and they may be right. I am going up to the college and taking the placment test, turning in my application, financial aid paper work and will be assigned to an advisor which I do hope to be able to talk to for a bit today.

My plan at this point is to complete my AA in the next year, my BA in the following 2 years. A Master's in the 2-3 years that follow and finally that PhD. It is my ultimate goal to complete all of this within the next 10 years. I know it's not going to be easy, what with teaching my own children, running my household and just life in general. But there are people out there that do it everyday. I just have to pace myself and maintain a good balance with working with the children's school work and my own.

When I am done with all of this what will I use it for? I can't honestly say right now. I just know that this is my goal and I am going to do everything I can to make it happen.

I'm going to do it!!!

I got the ball rolling today and next Wednesday afternoon I will be taking the placement tests needed to enroll at the local community college and finish that AA degree and just keep on going till I feel like I'm done.


I will take the test, be assigned an advisor, turn in my application, unoffical transcripts, my appeal letter for financial aid-I am under probabtion and have to prove myself.

I started this post the other day and had to stop, so now I am going to finish it.

I am going to go back to college and I am excited. I know it might seem silly to sit here and say that I am going to go to school just so that I can go. But honestly that it just what I am going to to.

I can teach my children, do all the things that need to be done here everyday and what??? I am not happy, I need more, I feel like my life is a waste and a joke. You know that part where you are at a party or something and all the other women are talking and then it comes up, that well what do you do? Oh I'm a Mom, and the next you know they all start pulling away from you and you are left standing there wondering what just happened. But the funny thing is, I can't say that this has happened to me or that it would because all of the women I know are just what I am, a mom who stay home and teach their own children. But I need to do this for me, sounds selfish I'm sure. I just feel like at this point in my life, if I don't get this ball going right now I'll never go back. That if I wait till Rachel is done with school-which is another 15 years. That I'll just be to tired and not interested.

I hope to go back and move forward with my higher education and see what happens. Who knows with me going to school and all it might just make my guys move faster and try that much harder. But then again I may find that I get my AA and decide that I just need to wait a bit and go back when they are all a little bit older still. We'll see, but for right now my goal is to get that AA, then BA, then on into a Master's Degree and hopefully a PhD.

But for now I'm off to write my last appeal letter.

Starbucks Pumkin Scones

Starbucks Pumpkin Scones

Here is it as written. I think that I usually use an entire small can of pumpkin so that would be quadrupling it. And I'm still lucky to have any the next day. This is the one that I am currently using. I do have a second one, just need to find it.

2 cups all-purpose flour
7 Tablespoons sugar(this is the way it's written)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (I omit this)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 ground nutmeg
1/4 ground cloves
1/4 ground ginger
6 Tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 Tablespoons half and half (I just use milk)
1 large egg

Sugar Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon powdered sugar (again it's written like this)
2 Tablespoons milk

Spiced Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
1/4 ground cinnamon
1/8 ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves

1. preheat oven to 425 degrees F
2. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper
3. combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large mixing bowl.
4. with a fork, pastry knife, or food processor cut the butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter remain. Set aside.
5. in a seperate mixing bowl wisk pumpkin, half & half, and egg.
6. fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. form the dough into a ball.
7. pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch think rectangle(about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide)
8. use a large knife to slice the dough into three equal portions. Cut diagonally to produce 6 triangular slices of dough.
9. place on prepared baking sheet from step 2
10. Back for 14-16 minutes until scones turn light brown
11 place on wire rack to cool

Sugar Glaze directions
1. mix the powdered sugar 2 Tablespoons milk together until smooth
2. Brush glaze over the top of each cooled scone.

Spiced Glazed
1. make up the sugar glaze and as it firms add in the spices, mix together until smooth
2. use whisk to drizzle over scones.

I have tried the plane glaze it was ok, I might add a touch of vanilla next time. As to getting these into that 9x3 shape and making triangles, nope I'm lucky to get it into what ever shape, use a pizza cutter and we have scones. They are usually ugly but super tasty.

Going to try to write again

I find that when I get on here I tend to babble. I tend to keep my journal the same way. I may start with one topic like school and then the next thing I know I am talking about building a house or what the best recipe for pumpkin scones are. So I really want to try and stay focused on my topic, which means I suppose that I could end up blogging 10 times a day. Or maybe I just write drafts of what I really am talking about and then I just cut and paste what I'm saying.

School we are behind, really behind. There is a lot of attitude, laziness, and just "I don't want to do that so I'm not" going on here. And I'll be honest they out number me and I give in to them instead of fighting. When I know this is the fight I need to be willing to fall onto my sword for.

Organization-well it's a slow process here. I think I want to do this, but then that seems like a better idea. Take clothing for instance I have 6 boys=lots of clothing. LOTS of clothing. So much so that I really shouldn't need to buy any thing for anyone except maybe for under things. Well I do need to add to this mountain of stuff for Thomas as he is the oldest and all, but the others shouldn't ever need anything. But then again there is a problem I have a healthy solidly built boy(I do not consider him to be husky), then I have a reed thin, very slim boy, another healthy normal body style, back to that thin very slim, then another normal, and the last normal within age/size ranges. How do I keep clothing for these guys? I buy for Thomas-the oldest, Aric the first slim, Matthew second slim and yet Aric's hand me downs are usually too big. It's a mess. So right now I am at a loss as to save? pass on to others outside of our family, or just buy when they each need stuff. And then of course there is Rachel, being the only girl we have to shop for her as she has nothing and with my sister in Germany it isn't that easy to for her to pass down. I am going to send her a huge box of stuff for her son though.

This is really dumb, no one wants to know about my life or what I am about. BLAH BLAH BLAH. wall flowers are meant to be ignored.

well time sure flies

Nothing to add on the schooling front, as of what we've done, other than to say we've been on vacation for a while, and will be on one for atleast another two weeks or so.

I am planning to start back with Math on 12 July and slowly add in all of our other subjects.

We are currently planning a week long visit to family in FL, go to the beach and a few education field trips. I am so excited myself to walk on the beach again that I can't stand it. When you live close to the beach you just don't go, but once you're away from it it's all you think about doing.

A preview of what our school you will look like is this:
T-will be working on Sonlight Core 6 Intro to World History in depth part 1,
A & N-will be working on Sonlight Core 3 Intro to American History part 1,
M & J-will be working on Sonlight K which at the moment what we study I'm drawing a blank on. Which is sad because I've gone through it several times.
C & R-will be doing Sonlight 3/4 and Before Five in a Row, which is a lot of good picture books and a lot of fun.

That is just a base over view of what we will be doing because there is also Science, English, Math, Typing, Piano, Artistic Pursuits, French and P.E. going on here too. I am also planning on doing at least two big field trips a month.

In my about me box I mentioned that we are looking to relocate over to Georgia and that is true. As much as I love it here as far as the openness, the space and the quiet-no trains, little traffic, no planes. There just isn't anything here for us as far as homeschooling. We don't have any close friends, because there aren't any children around us. I thought we had found a church but we haven't. We are far from everything and honestly I am tried of giving my money to Wal-mart only to go back the next trip and not find what I need, that they had the last time I was there. And that is just part of why we are moving.

I am going to try to update more often and a good bit while we are on our trip. Should be fun from my phone but I'll get into a routine.

Updated the photos on here

I was sitting here looking at my blog thinking I needed to finish the post from Sat and begin todays, when I realized that the photos are really old.

So I went through everything I have and changed most up them. I really need a new one of myself, but I really love the one that is there. I also have a great one that my sister took when she was up from FL that I want to get on here, I'll try to put it somewhere on here later.

I'll try to see if I can get one of the boys to take a new picture of me tomorrow if it's nice out.

Today was a wash out

Thomas has his eye exam, I had my nails done-yes I know it's the only thing I do FOR ME. I dont even get to take a shower without little people coming into the bathroom to talk to me.

So anyway after the hour for his appointment, run him back to my Mom's eat some lunch, then to my appointment, get back to my Mom's. I bought a McDonald's Frappe for me because I had a headache-still do too. Talked to Mom and my Grandma for a bit, then loaded everyone up. Well that Frappe, was helping but I was full so I handed it to Thomas and said to pass it around. Well Noah went to give it to Matthew and he dropped it all over the floor in front of him in the van. Had to go find a carpet cleaner thing, so I could scrub it out. A milk based drink in the van in this weather would be nasty by tomorrow. Then we had to go through the car wash to get the yuck off the van, my poor van's paint is pealing all over it and I'm trying to keep it looking nice till next year when hopefully we can get a bigger van.

Ran to the post office in Hamilton only to find that because it's Wed, they closed at noon. Never mind my post office is still open till 4. I got there and mailed Mom's letter, and came the rest of the way home.

I've been working on the bills since, and not sure where it all goes so quickly. The boys have 4H Archery competetion on Sat in Anniston and they all really want to eat at Sonny's BBQ which is a place that we used to eat at in Florida probably three times a month. Not sure yet but I'm thinking about it. Rachel and Caleb both got their naps in on that ride home, which is always a good thing.

I just wish that I would stop getting these headaches.

Tomorrow is a new day, I am going to Tupelo tomorrow for free Starbucks coffee, some much needed supplies from Sam's and boxes from Uhaul. My plan of attack is to tackle one room until it's done. I'll probably start in this room, there are two bookcases, a couch, a closet full of who knows what at this point, the cedar chest, and a good bit of school stuff(which is really in every room) and the filling cabinet. I plan on making this my temporary bedroom. I still plan on redoing my bedroom, but really need it empty to do what needs to be done properly.

Plus somewhere in there they will get at least one math lesson done each and some reading. That is my plan for tomorrow. I'll let you know how it all works out.

Sitting here tonight working plans

and future plans and that dreded four year plan for the oldest. I know he's go a couple years yet before we actually get there but it's better to plan ahead than to hit that wall without a clue as to what's going to happen.
I know what we are going to do for most of it all, it's just the getting him to do it. It seems like for me that we get going on school work and things are going great and then something happens and we stop the daily routine and then it's weeks before we get back to it. This has got to stop. We are not going to be getting ahead in life if we can't do a normal month of school without falling off the wagon.
So starting tomorrow we are going to make sure and post at least one photo of what we did in our school day.
We are going to be working though Sonlight Cores 3/4, K, 3 and 5 with LA for K, 3 & 5, Science for all of them plus atleast 4 different maths-I think, might only be three.
Then the biggest thing I have is how to work this, littles first on up or get them going on different things so that I can spend time with the littlest two and keep them close at hand? You would think that with 7 children and homeschooling since the beginning I'd have this all figured out by now but I don't. I'm still working on it, I'll get it hopefully before Thomas graduates.

Off to bed for now, with a new post and a photo of tomorrows, well todays activities.

I suppose I'm not really good at this blogging thing

I haven't posted in a while been pretty busy doing not really sure what.

Richard was home for his R&R and we did this and that and it was time to send him back. He should be home sometime soon.

Thomas got his braces on, well the top ones, we should be going in and getting the bottom teeth on the 12th. Pray for our Orthodontist, he fell two weeks ago and is still suffering from a concusion.

We should be, as long as everything goes ok be getting a new to us vehicle this week or early next week. There is a probably with the Air and they are supposed to be fixing it.

I've been looking at other houses to buy and well we just honestly don't have the money to move and all that so instead my idea is to add on rought 525 sq ft on to the front of the house. This will make the two front bedrooms larger and enlarge the livingroom. In that I am seriously hoping to be able fit a bathroom to one of the rooms to make it a master suite and if possible make a jack and jill bath for the children. I'd love to make three rooms down the one side of the house with the bath, but I think I would just end up with really small rooms and not sure I'm wanting to do that. So tomorrow a guy is coming out to give me an price for the concrete footing, the older boys and I will do all the prep work. I did get the price and amount of concrete blocks and mortar mix I'll need for the foundation wall. Just need to double check the height for matching the house and the porch. Since we are going to be doing this ourselves and as the money is available it will be long project but worth it in the end. And hey at the end I should be a bit slimmer. LOL!!

Still looking for a second mower or a nice used riding one. I am also in the planning and works stage of moving lots of rooms around so that we have a better flow to the house. Lots of people in a tiny house on a full time basis is getting rough on me. I feel like there are days when I can't turn around without a little person right behind me. I know that these days are precious and will be gone much too soon, but can't I go to the bathroom for two seconds alone. I love my children!!!!

So I am hoping to get up a few pictures in the next few days and then keep a photo and written journal of what I am doing and how it's going.

Off to go sit outside for a bit to see if there are lighting bugs out yet. It's been so warm the past couple of days they just might be.

Debi

Haven't posed in a very long time

Have had some illness going on and with a large family it takes a while to get rid of things.

Noah got his hand broken when his brother Matthew jumped on him, we'll see about getting the cast off on Tues.

Thomas goes for a consult with the Orthodontist on Wed, we tried to do this same appointment two weeks ago. We live over an hour away we left early got into the town where the Dr is and I get a phone call saying that the Dr wasn't going to be in today as he'd been sick for the past three days, what I say but I'm already here in town! Well she said he just called as he doesn't start seeing patient until 9:30, uggg I was so upset, but hopefully it will be worth it this week, as Thomas will more than likely be the beginning of a beautiful relationship with the Dr as I've got a really strong feeling that I've got many more that will be needing braces.

We have been trying to stay warm this year and boy it's hard, it has been so cold here and wet. I almost wish that we at least had some snow to show for it, but we don't barely got any when they did say that we were going to get some.

I've been in prayer over some concerns that I've had for a while now and I feel that I am starting to hear or see answers from him.

Coconut Cake

Saw this today on Mennonite Girls Can Cook and well it just looks wonderful. So I bought all the ingredients I didn't already have here and plan to make it tomorrow for our supper tomorrow night.
We briefly attended a little local church and there is a wonderful lady that makes a cake that looks very much like this one. I can't wait to find out if it is like her's.

I will post my own pictures once it is done.

A quilting blog that is what dreams are made of

So I found this great blog on a forum that I frequent. I don't know that I will ever have a craft room that looks as good as her's but goodness it sure makes one dream and plan and dream a bit more.

I also have to say that I still haven't made it to the bottom of the page that I've linked too. But I'm getting there. There is just so much to read and look at.

Enjoy!!!!

Thought I'd share a cookie recipe

If you read Country Living this is in the newest edition.

This is called Tea Cookie Dough and with this one recipe they give you four cookies that you can make.

I made the one called Roly Polys and they are very good. I didn't have any hazelnuts but will be trying them again with pecans.

So here is the basic recipe:

1 stick of softened unsalted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/4 flour

beat the butter until fluffy then add in the sugar, vanilla and salt. Then gradually add in the flour.

Now to make the Roly Polys

Preheat the oven to 325.
you need to mix in 2/3 cup finely chopped hazelnts once the flour has been incorporated.
Roll the dough by the tablespoons into balls and place 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
Bake until cookies are firm and just beginning to brown. about 20 minutes. Let cool about 2 minutes. Place 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a bowl, then gently toss the warm cookies to coat. Place them on a cooling rack to cool completely. Toss in powdered sugar one more time to coat thoroughly.
This will make 24 cookies.

A few notes on what I did. I used blue bonnet butter, I don't add salt to anything I cook. I also used fresh ground whole wheat flour. As I mentioned I didn't have any nuts so we just left them out, this time. I also doubled this. Yummy.

Went shopping for winter coats today

What an adventure that was, I have been watching a really cute one at Old Navy.com but by the time I went order it they were out of it.

So today we went into Old Navy and I found a really cute one for Rachel and a handsome one (only the one I bought isn't a wool blend)for Caleb. And then I found this one (not sure if the one in the store was a wool blend, but I will be calling tomorrow) for all of the older boys that I am hoping Grandma will get them for Christmas as they need nice coats for town and church. They've got a ton of play coats/fleece things to wear here for playing and getting dirty, but nothing that is decent enough really for church.

I also found out that the only line store is not the same as the in person store, meaning what they have on line you may not be able to find in the store if at all.

I would love to find a really good coat pattern that I can use over and over, but until then I suppose I'm going to have to buy ready made things. The wool ones would be wonderful, except for the fact that they have to be dry cleaned. Wool is a wonderful fabric and I know it was the only thing that was used for coats, pants, underthings and socks but how did they clean it so that they were still able to wear it when they needed it?

I suppose I'll just have to wait until tomorrow when I can call the store to find out what the fabric is of the peacoat there.

The funny thing is the whole reason I went in there in the first place was to look at some tops for myself. My sister Julia had lent me a shirt while we were in FL and I really liked it. But I didn't really see anything that I liked. That is when I decided to go see what they might have in the coats for Rachel as she only has a heavy sweater, and since they keep saying it's going to be a cold winter I figured I'd better get her something warmer.

I'd love a new coat, that is a tad bit shorter, I have a beautiful red trench coat that Mom & Dad bought me when we first got to Germany, it is wool and we bought it in a German department store, it still fits and looks pretty good. If you don't count the burn mark on the one elbow. Some friends and I had gone to the local club one night and had to move all the coats, so we could all sit at our table, I didn't know there was a light bulb in the planter thing and my coat sat on it for a good while. When I went to put it on I noticed it, cause it was hot, OUCH, I was so upset, but so great full that the whole thing didn't go up in smoke. I was and am still so very careful with it now, learned my lesson there.

She's two!!!

Yesterday my baby girl turned two! How did that happen? This was taken by my sister Julia when she and our brother were up from FL on the 1st.
She is getting so big.

Happy Birthday baby!!!!

A post

The children and I went up to KY last Thurs to see Mary and her girls. We got in around supper time, we all ate chili and rice that she had for us, which was very good. Then the children watched a movie while we ran to Walmart. She helped me pick out a new skirt and two new tops. See I have lost a bit of weight this year and some of my clothes are becoming sloppy because they are too big. Deanna is also currently working on a new dress for me, which I will get tomorrow.
Friday we all, I mean all 12 of us just spent the day lounging at Mary's in our jammies. It was great. Because I know I relaxed and that Mary did too.
Then around 7 or so we ran Ashlee up to church for teen night, it was cold outside. We went back to the house and talked and looked over the school stuff Mary's using this year with the girls. Around 11 we had to go pick up Ashlee.
Saturday the day just flew by, before we knew it it was time for her and the girls to go to a 50th wedding anniversary party. We quickly ran across the street to the bulk store where I got my 50lbs of oatmeal, some cookies, recipe cards and some spices. Then we got back to the house and said our goodbyes.
The children and I made lunch, ate, then packed the van and tidied up a bit. Still feel like I left her with a mess. I'm sorry, and I love you!.
We then headed over to Marion, KY to the Amish community to get everyone winter shoes. They all have wonderful new black boots. Unfortunately because I was rushing a bit, I think Jadon may have ended up with a size that is too small, meaning not a lot of growing room. So we will probably be heading back up there the middle of November to get him the proper size and this pair will more than likely go to Deanna, as they are only a half size larger than what Caleb got. I could save them for Rachel but I think that they do have shoes that look a little bit more girlish.
We left there and drove home, got in around 10pm. Not bad and I also did it on half a tank of gas.
Now to see how well the gas mileage this week on our trip to FL. We leave Thursday morning I'm shooting for 4.30ish as it is a 12 hour drive and I really want to get down there in time for the children to be able to run around a bit before having to put them all back to bed. We are going down for my Grandmother's 90th birthday.

Thursday 1 Oct

Today I had my routine Dr's apt everything went well, my numbers were all very good. I've even lost 11lb since 1 June. I am working on loosing even more by the time I go in in Jan.

Then we went over to Mom's to visit with Robert and Julia who are up from Florida for a couple more days. Julia took school pictures of the children, several different shots for a family photo, lets be honest in total I think she said that she took over 600!!!! I should think that something in there will be worth using as a Christmas card.

Then Noah and Matthew marched in the Homecoming Parade with their Cub Scout troop, only I ended up marching with them!!!! I havne't walked a parade since high school. My legs are a tiny bit sore, oh well it'll help with that weight lose goal of mine.

Once that was over we still had to go to their soccer game, they lost by one point. But honestly the only team was NOT playing fair. But our referees were not calling anything, so what can you do.

We came home and everyone was in bed rather early for such a full and busy day. I do believe that they are all done.

Today's happenings

I am really trying to post more often. Monday I think I started a post but then had to stop to do this or that and it now sits in my drafts.

So today I got up, we all ate fresh peaches. Mowed the front yard, I still have the back, the back back, in front of the barn, the orchard, and then we have to rake it all and do it probably once more to make it nice until Spring. Yipppeee!!!

The boys had a soccer game tonight on the one field in our area that doesn't have lights so we had to be there for a 5:30 game, it takes a hour to get there from my house. We went they played really good the boys are getting more aggressive towards that ball. Noah took one in the face from a teammate. I am sitting on the other side of the field and I could see the red splotch on the side of his face. Coach got him to calm down and then once he went back into the game, Noah got kicked in the leg trying to get the ball from the other team. He was having a really rough time. Sadly they lost this game.
The ref that was there was talking to coach after the game and I am not sure but I think one of them was talking about possibly getting some type of Soccer league going if we can pull together enough children to play. Might be something we will be looking into.

Tomorrow we have a trip to Columbus Air Force base & the Library, a run to see Deanna in Tupelo to get some clothes from her that Emily has out grown and a new dress she just made for Rachel. Then we have church tomorrow night.

Thursday I have a very early Dr's apt, then we will probably spend some time with Robert & Julia(my little bro & sis) who are visiting from FL. Then Noah's Cub scout troop is marching in the Homecoming Parade at 5, then another Soccer game at 7. ok I am tired now just writing all that out.

Friday we have a new Co-Op from either 9am or 10am till 2. Then hopefully get to spend a little bit more time with Robert & Julia.

Saturday the older three boys have 4H Archery practice from 12-2, yippee I get sun burnt during that time. but they need the practice. We will do this only until it gets too cold to practice then pick it up again in probably Jan or Feb.

Next week shouldn't be so busy, I hope.

First night of Awana!

There is excitement abound as we are getting ready to head out for our first night of Awana. All 6 of the boys will participating so it should be a lot of fun helping everyone with their different verses each week.

I will post an update on how things went when I get back home.