Mocking Bird Blue Jay

We rescued a little Mocking Bird. Or so we originally thought it was a Mocking Bird. It has turned out that the little Mocking Bird is actually a Blue Jay. When I found the baby bird it was dirty and had dog slobber on it. The dog slobber really made the dirt stick to the baby bird. Now that the dog slobber has dried and the dirt is falling off the feathers sure look blue. Sure enough it is a Blue Jay.


It isn't easy raising wild birds. I have tried in the past from little ones that I have found. The success rate is about 50%. I know I sure said a few prayers for this little guy.

Yesterday the boys and I spent all day at the river. Our neighbor was kind enough to bird sit for us. She is a wonderful lady and loves animals just as much as my family does. On the way home we stopped at her house and picked up our little Blue Jay. She had found a bird cage that she is now letting us use for a little while. She was even kind enough to take some pictures of him. She has also given him the name of JayBee.









We have now put a piece of driftwood that we found at the river in the bird cage. I put JayBee on the driftwood and at first he didn't have very good balance. That certainly has changed today. Today he is up on the driftwood begging for something to eat. It is so funny to watch him stretch his wings. The boy's are really enjoying this little guy being in the house.

The Beginning of Summer

The beginning of Summer is officially here for us. We all got through Memorial Day with our thoughts on those that have served in our Armed Services and those that still serve in our Armed Services. A great big THANK YOU from our family!

We saved a little bird on Memorial Day. We thought it was a Mocking Bird but it has turned out to be a Blue Jay. It's really neat and I will post the story and some pictures in my next post.

The river calls to us ever day now for swimming and tubing. That's a story all in it's self and that will come later also.

Have a wonderful summer! I'll be around all summer long, in between teaching the boy's summer school and the river.

Give Me Country Living

What does Country Living mean to you?

To me - Country Living means family. Country Living means growing as a family. Fields planted with vegetables and crops for the cows, sheep, pigs, horses or whatever you have on the farm or even in your back yard. A simple life where it is not ruled by the electronic gadgets of today.

Waking up early and thinking of those aching muscles from the previous days labor. Sitting on the front porch in the morning and listening to the animals all wake up and sing to the glorious day. Walking down to the barn to say good morning to all of the critters. Looking across the pasture and seeing all the green grass that the livestock frolic in. Getting a nuzzle from any of the critters that you so love. The smell of the hay room, feed buckets rattling, the neighs and whinnies, the moo's, baa's, cackles and so many more wonderful sounds. The feel of freedom when the doors are open and everyone runs out to frolic in the grass. Knowing that you have to mow, weed or work on the fence or the tractor. It sure beats the commute in traffic. Knowing that live is simple and not worrying about what might happen, because you take it as it happens and you deal with it.

Smelling the wonderful smells of the house as you walk in the door. Knowing what's for dinner because as soon as you walk in the house you can smell the biscuits baking, the chicken and dumplings cooking and you can feel the warmth of home.

Rocking in a rocking chair with a gentle breeze blowing across your face and you say "Thank you Lord, that breeze feels so nice".

It doesn't matter how big your space, it is what you make of the space you have.

Memorial Day Weekend

"Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service."
Our family will be taking a moment to recognize those in our Armed Services, past and present. Our family is thankful everyday to our Armed Services who protect us as we sleep and play.
If you or your family is interested in learning a little more about Memorial Day, here are several links that you may find interesting.
Memorial Day History
Memorial Day
Memorial Day Event

Also remember - Buckle Up now called Click It or Ticket
Don't Drink and Drive - MADD

Where ever you live, remember those who fought for you. Have a wonderful and safe Holiday Weekend.

Holidays and Term 2

The school holidays (six weeks over christmas and January) came around and the children and myself were glad of the break in routine. We relaxed, had a good time and spent many hours at the beach. After a few weeks I thought we should start school again as the boys were getting bored. Surferboy didnt agree as the girls were still on holidays and he said it wasnt fair for the boys to begin work.

As a result they lost interest and when we stared to do school work again, the initial enthusiasm was gone. Although Dinoboy kept working hard, Gameboy started to misbehave and refuse to do his work. We would end up spending a lot of time at the table doing bookwork and poor Dinoboy was starting to suffer as school became quite boring. I tried many different methods, (including un schooling, which by the way did not work at all for Gameboy as he spent all his time on the internet playing games.

We soldiered on and if it hadn't been for our network group I think I would have given up. As we started Term 3 Gameboy became more an more difficult. What kept me going you may ask? Dinoboy, he embraces learning like a favourite toy or love. Everyday with him has been a joy. I had my dear little boy back, the one I had before school days and I wasn't giving that up for anything, even a stubborn little Gameboy.

This term I approached things much differently, although I plan lessons and activities, I also give them a lot of choice and rewards. We don't do anywhere near as much sitting at the table as we did before. But we still have lots of work to show for it. Everything we learn from everyday life is included in our daily accounts of "school". I worked out that we are eclectic home schoolers. We take whatever works and use it.

Today for the first time in six months, my Gameboy finished all his work before his brother. I was so proud of him, I let him spend the rest of the day on his computer playing games. And do you know what he did? He went fishing with his brother and uncle all afternoon! What an achievement! And do you know what I did? I sewed Dinoboy a pair of Cargo pants. Knitted up the back of a jumper for my nephew and had a lovely afternoon sewing and socializing with my craft group.

To top it off, my Cameragirl cooked dinner for everyone, the Bookfairy and the Captain did the dishes, I finished my day with a nice glass of wine and hopped on the computer. Life is wonderful. Now maybe, just maybe tomorrow, I might attack the housework. Mmmmm maybe............

Our journey begins

Our first term in Homeschool was fantastic. The boys were so excited and ready to start. We spent each day learning and working together. The work we approached was what I thought was needed for the grade and age for each boy.

It was fun, the boys were happy and I was happy. After about three weeks I started to worry that Gameboy was finding the work too easy. I felt that he was a little bored and was starting to feel a little apprehensive that I had made a mistake. Dinoboy was enjoying his work and I realised that the school had been a little lax in his education. He wasn't up to the standard I had been led to believe. Later in the term I decided to visit the school and collect their books and work so I could see what they had been learning.

Gameboy, the clever little devil had completed more work at home in one term than he had achieved all year in school. I had also taught him long division which I learned was not taught until the following year. I was very excited that he was doing so well and very proud of him and myself. Dinoboy was learning steadily and enjoying everything we did and starting to relax and become himself again.

We were doing English, Maths and Science everyday. Followed by all the other usual subjects depending on what we felt like each day. We worked hard, the housework began to suffer and my social life no longer existed. I stopped doing all my crafts, missed my surferboy and girls and we all began to stress out.

We joined a local support group and attended our very first home school activity. I met many lovely people who shared their beliefs and approaches to Home school and Unschooling. A very interesting comment was made by one mother who noticed a local school marching into the park we were at. "There goes another sausage factory!" I was baffled at first but then she explained how they all look the same, are taught to be the same and have no real opinions of their own. It got me thinking, anyway. and I had to admit, she was right.

I found out that the majority of these families we were meeting, didn't do the same sort of work we were doing at home. They chose one subject a day and were un schooling or child led learning the rest of the day. Other families Un-schooled all the time, others again followed a classical style of learning and some just wanted to teach their kids according to their religion or personal beliefs. They were all happy and the kids were really intelligent and well adjusted.

Maybe, just maybe I was pushing my kids too hard and I began to worry that they would burn out. This proved to be a genuine fact, as I soon learned.

A Little History

When we first started to Home school I found it exciting, daunting, exhilarating and scary but went in for the battle full speed ahead. To understand my determination and my ideals, you will have to understand my experience in the Public school system.

When my girls started school, one by one, my heart broke when I dropped them off. They happily waved goodbye and enjoyed their next step in life. I, however fretted and each time toddler in tow, would end up spending far too much time at school as well. I started to help out in the classroom in various grades and learned how to teach basically as a teacher would, or a teachers aide.

At the first school (in Sydney) I first started to notice the behavior of the children and swore that I would spend as much time at the school as possible to keep an eye on my girls. I was helping in the classrooms four days a week when the Parents and Citizens group approached me to attend my first meeting. I waltzed on in and promptly took over the P & C. I emerged the president and had absolutely no idea what I was doing. (Are we noticing a pattern here?)

I took on the challenge with gusto (as I do) and started organizing everyone to raise money and help out in the classroom etc. I did this for three years until my baby girl started kindy and my first little boy started to make his presence known. Over those years, poor surferboy (who by the way had never surfed at that stage) suggested that the amount of time I spent in school, I could have a real paying job you know. (Yes dear, but I wouldn't be able to keep an eye on the girls now would I?)

As the arrival of Gameboy came closer I decided to stop for a while and hand it on to someone else. After his birth we decided to move away from city life and venture further up the coast of NSW. It was great at first, and the school the girls attended was so much better. I helped out occasionally but not for long as Dinoboy made an appearance just 17 months later.

The boys grew quickly and were soon at school themselves. I started to help out a lot more again (although this time avoiding the P & C). I was taught that children only learned this way or that way, as the school felt fit. And that if they weren't doing all this, they weren't learning anything. How wrong I was, and how annoyed I am now.

Children in school are expected to be like everybody else, act like everybody else, learn like everybody else and God help you if you voice an opinion of your own. (That of course only applied to the academic side of things. It was okay to be disobedient, feral and obnoxious, as the school doesn't have any right to tell us what to do????) (We all know what this effect had on Dinoboy!) And although I had many disagreements on these matters, I still felt that the kids needed to be taught the basics in the same way the schools were doing it, after all it didn't hurt us now did it?

Wrong!!!! As our new homeschooling journey began, I saw and learned so many new things. It was scary..... (and exciting!)

How We Saved Over $200 Yesterday

Yesterday was our 5th wedding anniversary. Can you believe that I forgot it? But my dear husband remembered it. LOL Well that's just another reason I call him Superman.

What did we do? We stayed home and didn't spend any money. I like the not spending part. Actually, we saved over $200. For over a year now our refrigerator has been leaking water inside the top of the refrigerator section. The water was coming from the freezer area. You know - the bottom of the freezer and the top of the refrigerator. We have been keeping a tall cup under it and trying to remember to dump it out every day. Some days we remember and some days we forget. Yesterday we were just hanging around the house and chatting about what we wanted to do. Neither of us wanted to go anywhere or really get too involved in anything.

A couple of days back, Superman had given me a link to a website that has some really wonderful information about doing a little home repair on appliances. I ask him to pull up a chair beside my desk and look up the info on our refrigerator to see if maybe, just maybe we could fix it. So that is what he did. We looked online and read a few things and wa la, we discovered the problem. The defrost drain tube is/was clogged. So off to the refrigerator we headed and started taking everything out of the freezer and pulling the refrigerator out from the wall. Then we started taking the refrigerator apart to find the drain tube. Ah ha - we found it. He worked inside the freezer area and I worked behind the unit. We started pouring hot water into the freezer area and I was poking a small wire up from the bottom of the drain tube. Before we knew it the drain pipe was unclogged.

We reassembled the refrigerator, plugged it up and waited for the dripping water inside. And today we are still waiting for the dripping water. I think we can stop waiting now because we have no water dripping. The refrigerator is worked without soaking everything under where the dripping was.

That is how we spent time together on our anniversary and saved over $200. It wasn't difficult either.

***Update***

I have several request for a link to the website that Superman gave me. Here is the link that I used. Free Repair Help

Here is another great place for help with appliances Appliance Aid

Our decision to Homeschool

The decision to homeschool was not made lightly in our house. You see all of our children had attended the local government schools and although they did well academically they were not really happy in their learning environment. After a year and a half of Dinoboy becoming more and more miserable it all came to a head around September last year.

He had been coming home from about halfway through kindy complaining that he was getting into trouble. I approached his teacher and she assured me that he was fine. He was one of the lovely little boys in her class and she was very happy with his behaviour. I believed her so encouraged him to enjoy his class and new friends. However, a couple of those friends were behaving badly in the playground and as he was with them he was also punished, not by his teacher but by the principal at the time. Unlike the other children he did not get any warnings or small punishments. He was sent straight to detention with all the naughty kids and coincidently was quite traumatised. He started to cry before and after school, he didn't want to go to school anymore, he had had enough.

Thinking it was just a phase we kept sending him to school and hoped things would improve, they did for a while and he went up into year 1 a little bit happier. However, his happiness was soon shattered when not only had all of his friends been put in another class. The class he was placed in was terrible for him. The children were basically uncontrollable. In all my years of helping in the classroom, I had never seen a class so disruptive, rude and violent. And I am talking about 6 and 7 year olds here. The poor teacher could not cope and Dinoboy went into a depression spiral. He made friends with another little boy in the class and they were the only two boys who initially behaved. The behaviour started to spill out into the playground with the boys in his class hurting him and each other on a daily basis. He started to become aggressive as well both at school and at home. I couldn't believe that this was my child, he had a total personality change. After the first term, I started to voice my concerns, first to the teacher, then the infants head and then the principal. The teacher was very understanding and only wanted to help. I asked to have him moved to another class with no hard feelings and she was quite happy, however the principal was not so obliging.

On my approaching him, his first reaction was to pull up my sons grades and the conversation went a little like this. "Well Mrs ....... what seems to be the problem. Your sons grades are fine, he is topping his class.... blah blah blah" "UMMM hellooooo, did I ask about my sons grades? I am here because my 7 year old is depressed, this is not normal, not for a small child, I send him to school everyday and expect him to be happy and safe, instead he is being abused both verbally and physically" His next reaction was "So are you saying your child is being bullyed then?" " Well no I wouldn't call it that, you see for him to be bullyed, that would imply that one or more children were picking on him personally. This was not the case, the children in the class seem to constantly hit/kick/punch each other and this makes him uncomfortable. Have you taught them about personal space?" " Well Mrs....... I feel that he is better off staying in this class, we are hoping to add a teachers aid, please give us a little time and Im sure things will get better." I agreed, but pointed out that I would be taking him out of the school if nothing was sorted out soon. I then encouraged my son to make the most of it for now.

I went home and immediately started to research homeschooling. I didn't know anyone else who did it, it was pretty much unheard of but I was determined that by the end of the year I would pull both boys out of the school. I would give myself the six months to plan and find out what was required and try and sort something out. I found out that in our state it was legally required that you register to homeschool and to do so you needed to come up with a curriculum and then contact the Board of Studies for an interview. I figured this would take me some time, so started researching, I had no idea what I was doing and was quite apprehensive.

About four weeks later, the second last day of school for the term, Dinoboy was taking a bath when I just happened to walk in to ask him a question. I noticed an extremely large bruise on his chest and asked him where it came from. He told me that a boy in his class had thrown him on the ground and then stomped on him several times with his shoes. I was absolutely livid. I sent him and his brother to school the next day and told them to collect all of their belongings because they wouldn't be returning. I rang the board of studies and told them I would not be sending them back and although she told me it takes three months to get an interview, I informed her they would be staying home anyway. She asked me to fax off an application form, which I did and managed to get me an appointment for two weeks time which was the first day back at school. I don't know how I did it but in one day I planned and plotted a whole curriculum and lists of goals etc. to show the inspector. He was duly impressed and prompty gave me my first registration for one year.

Our homeschooling journey began.....

125 Pounds vs 1500 Pounds Times 3

I walk around my little 4 acre farm and I think of things to write about. By the time I finally get sat back down at the computer all of my thoughts are one big blob. LOL Could that be were the word blog came from? A misspelled word like blob. Just a random thought that went through the fog in my head.

I haven't mentioned the name of our children because the internet is not the safest place. I like the way Karisma from Down Under has talked about her family and the names that she uses for them. For my husband I use the word "Superman". Why? Simply because that is what he is to me and our boys. It isn't easy to give our 3 boys names because they are intersted in so much. Their interest include hunting, camo, guns, knives, fishing, 4 wheelers, critters of all sorts, football, baseball, camping, swimming, mother nature, video games, movies and so much more. If I think and pay close enough attention I suppose I could pin point one thing about each one. Now the question is, can I remember them. LOL Guess I better get to thinking and paying attention.

This morning as the boys went off to school, I decided to turn the horses out early. I put up the barrier (survey tape) across our dead end road, opened the gates so that the horses could go from our property to our neighbors property. I come back inside to get the laundry out of the drier and do a few other things inside. I hear our little beagle barking and stick my head out the door to check on her. I take a closer look and see that our horses have past the barrier and are now in another neighbors yard enjoying their beautiful grass. Oppsss. I call and I call and the horses just lift up their heads with a mouth full of grass and kinda grin at me. Silly little things they are. Little really isn't the right word for a 1500 pound horse. But it will work for now. Ok - what to do? Go to the barn and call and call. Didn't work. Grab the carrot stick and head over to the neighbors house. Aha - I got in front of them and headed them out the gate. Good deal! Nope - they go the wrong way down our dead end road. Of course they do, there is always greener grass on the other side. Now I have to cut through the neighbors yard and get in front of them again. I did it! They trotted back in the right direction, kicking their heals as they go. Oh they are taunting me. LOL Now that I have them on the correct side of the barrier, I put the barrier back up and start back to the house. And they taunt me some more. Our little filly just has to walk right up to the barrier and touch it with her chest. Then she keeps walking into it and stretching it and waiting for it to just break so that they can be free again. I head back toward her and she turns with the bright orange survey tape down her side and across her back end. Trots off kicking her heals and tossing her head. Taunting me again. My turn now! I encourage them to go onto the correct property and then I close the gate. No more getting out today. Hmmm...I certainly hope the neighbors front gate is closed. LOL Maybe I should check that out.

Now to finish hanging out the clothes and get started on all the other things that either need to be done or that I want to do. Oh yeah - the gate...gotta go...see ya!

Sending your Kids to Summer Camp

Sending your Kids to Summer Camp: How to Choose the Best Option

Parents used to dread the summer months. Kids had too much time on their hands and not enough to do. Sending your kids to summer camp is an option that could develop into a winning situation for both parent and child.

There are day camps that run from six in the morning to about six in the evening. This gives kids the chance to experience life away from home, but with the safety of knowing that their parents will take them home in the evening. Kids who aren’t ready for a night or a week away from home would enjoy this option.

Overnight camps are designed for children of all ages. Camp counselors are trained to deal with homesickness, fears, and night waking. They know that going to camp for the first time can be daunting for a child especially if they don’t know anyone there.

Kids with special needs are not left out of the summer camp craze. Camps exist for weight loss, ADD, terminal illness, autism, severe handicaps, and more. The professionals that staff these camps have a gift for working with special children and meeting their needs.

When choosing a summer camp for your child, let them help in the process. Gather as much information as you can online. Day camps are cheaper than overnight camps and usually run throughout the summer. Overnight camps run a week or two at a time. It may be more economical to do a brief stint at an overnight camp and finish out the summer at a day camp.

Take your child with you when you visit the facility. Let them get a feel for where they will be spending their time. Your child may feel more comfortable if a friend attends with them. Check with a relative or a schoolmate to see if their family will be sending them to camp during the summer. If so, sending them both to the same camp could benefit the kids.

If your child attends an overnight camp, send them as much mail as you can. Kids love to get packages and letters from home while they are away. If the package will take a couple of days to arrive at the camp, consider mailing some things the day before camp starts. By the second day, your child will be getting their first bit of mail.

Summer camp is great for parents, but can be a hurdle for kids. Letting them help with the camp decisions will increase their comfort level. They may cry at first, but rest assured, they will be making friends and having fun in no time.

For more help raising happy and healthy kids, be sure to claim your free subscription of Kid’s Health & Fun tips.

Spring Allergy Symptoms in Children

Spring Allergy Symptoms in Children and What to Do About It

Spring has sprung and so has the pollen. Seasonal allergies affect millions of children each year. Find out the symptoms and what you can do to relieve them.

The substances that cause allergies are called allergens. Allergens can be anything from pollen to molds and fungi to dust. These allergens are carried through the air until they land on your child. Pollen is the reproductive spores of plants. Allergy symptoms can occur from the pollen of weeds, grasses, trees, and mold.

Sensitivity to these allergies is what brings on the histamine response. This is the body’s reaction to the allergens being present in the child’s system. Allergens enter the body through the mouth, the eyes, and the nasal passages. Your child may experience: sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, nasal congestion, chest congestion, coughing, and/or sore throat. A child suffering from allergies may display one or more of these symptoms at a time.

Allergies are often confused with colds and therefore misdiagnosed. Cold symptoms usually include fatigue, fever, and body aches. If any of these symptoms are also present, then your child is probably not suffering from seasonal allergies.

Pediatricians can run tests to find out the exact type of allergen your child is allergic to. Blood work can be done to ferret out the offending allergen. More commonly a skin-prick test is performed.

The spin-prick test is not painful to the child. It involves lightly scratching the skin with different types of allergens. This test is usually done on the back. If the skin becomes red and swollen in certain areas, the doctor can determine what allergen is attacking your child.

Once the allergen is identified, the doctor will come up with a course of treatment. Prescribing medication such as Singulair, Allegra, and Advair, will block the reactions in the body that cause allergy symptoms. It will take a week or two for the medications to fully circulate throughout the body.

There are practical things that you can do at home to safeguard against allergies. Keep windows closed. A good breeze will fill your home with pollen from the outside. Use the air conditioning in the spring and summer if it gets warm inside.

Take a bath at night during allergy season. The water will wash off any pollen spores and other allergens accumulated during the day. Also make sure to use allergen proof covers on mattresses and pillows.

Allergies are a nuisance, but they don’t have to ruin your life. Follow a few guidelines to keep your home safe from offending allergens. Take your child to the doctor to properly diagnose his/her allergy condition and receive treatment options.

For more help raising happy and healthy kids, be sure to claim your free subscription of Kid’s Health & Fun tips.

Karisma from Down Under

Welcome aboard Karisma. You can read more about Karisma in her
introduction. She has joined Love Country Living and we are so glad to have her. Karisma is from Australia. I love the way it is called Down Under. Karisma homeschools and crafts. I am very thankful to have her with us.

Broken Glass

On my first day of posting, I was having a lovely day. We arose this morning and started the day with a our lessons, followed by some tie dying using pebbles and elastic bands. Gameboy and Dinoboy were being so good I decided to take them to the beach for a nice walk. It was very relaxing and we were happy and amused to find a sheepish looking Ninjaboy waiting on the doorstep when we got home.

He was home for lunch from college and had forgotten his key. We all went inside and went about our business for a while when he came out, head down and informed me he had broken a window. You see he hadn't actually waited patiently out the front, he had tried to break in through the back bathroom window (which I might add is quite high). He was quite proud of his genius when he pulled the trampoline over climbed up, managed to open the VERY SMALL window and get himself halfway in. At which time he elbowed the window and smashed it. He promptly went back out the way he came and feeling sorry for himself waited out the front for our return.

Why would he do such a thing you may ask? Its quite simple really, this was typical logic for a teenage boy. "I am locked out of the house so I must find a way in." It's the manly thing to do after all.

If it had been one of the girls, firstly they would have called one of our mobiles to see where we were. Or perhaps they would have gone round the corner to Nana's house or Aunty's house in the next street. But that did not even cross his mind. When I asked him why he didn't tell me straight away, he said he was scared he would get into trouble. I just shook my head and went to another room and had a good laugh (He looked so forlorn). I was grateful that he confessed and that he didn't hurt himself. After all it could have been worse, he could have cut himself. (After inspecting the window, I was amazed that he didn't.) It was only a small window and can be replaced, so I am not angry.

I am thankful that he didn't hurt himself. I am thankful for my lovely day. I am thankful for my walk on the beach. And I am thankful for such wonderful children. I will be even more thankful if the kids wash the dishes tonight as my dishwasher is broken which is much sadder than the window.

Introducing Myself

Hi everyone, My name is Karisma and Alta has kindly invited me to start posting on Love Country Living. I thought I would start by introducing myself and tell you a little about me.

I am almost 38, married to Surferboy (39), who I have been with for 24 years now. He is a computer programmer and likes to surf in his spare time (in the ocean, that is). We have six kids living with us. Cameragirl is 18 and her partner Ninjaboy (also 18) lives with us too. Cameragirl if you haven't guessed loves photography and is persuing a career in that field. Ninjaboy wants to be a teacher and is at college (He also dreams of being a Ninja). Next we have the Bookfairy (16), she is in her last year at High school and also would like to be a teacher or a librarian. Then comes the Captain (14) aka Captain Germa to her friends, she is in year 9 at school and wants to go into animation when she grows up. Next we have Gameboy (9 1/2), he is addicted to the computer/internet and any video games you can think of, you name it, he has it and he is still never satisfied. Lastly we have our baby Dinoboy (8) who loves dinosaurs, surfing, gaming with his brother and practically anything thats happening at the time is interesting to him.

As you can imagine they keep us extremely busy and entertained. Our house is a large, happy home and it isn't unusual to find an extra kid or ten here on the weekends. I started homeschooling Gameboy and Dinoboy about nine months ago and although its been quite a challenge we are really enjoying the flexibility and the learning experience together.

We live in Australia and enjoy the beach, the sunshine and spending time with our loved ones. I enjoy crafting, knitting, cross stitch, sewing, reading, the beach and reading my favourite blogs.

I hope you enjoy my posts.

The Tooth Fairy

The first night that the tooth was pulled my little one completely forgot to put his tooth under his pillow. Yes, I know I was supposed to remind him. But it was so exciting and funny to actually get the tooth pulled that I forgot. Last night I finally remembered to remind him to put the tooth under his pillow. He was so concerned that she may not find the tooth. And I assured him that the "Tooth Fairy" was getting a signal at that very moment. And he looked at me and said "It's you, isn't it". Of course it isn't me, I don't have time to visit every little boy or girl that puts their tooth under their pillow. He just giggled and was at ease with my answer. Off to sleep he goes, dreaming about a little fairy coming to get his tooth and leave him money.

This morning he made his bed and then he came running into the dining room and announced that he found a dollar under his pillow. I said "Of course you did, it's from the tooth fairy". His reply was "Oh yeah" and smiled! My middle son then said, "Let me put it this way, there is no Tooth Fairy". I called his name and he knew that I meant to be quiet about the subject. He is the one with a loose tooth now. Hmmm...No "Tooth Fairy". When his tooth comes out I think he will believe again.

Oh to be so young and innocent and believe.

Today I saw the "Tooth Fairy". She was on the counter at the dentist office. She was beautiful. I had to tell the boys when they got home from school and they had all kinds of questions. What did she look like? What was she wearing? What was she doing? She is beautiful, she was wearing a georgous purple dress and she was napping.

Pulling Teeth

I had to pull my first tooth. No, not mine. Our youngest son has had a tooth loose for a few days now. Last night we finally got a piece of thread, hooked it to the tooth and....

Ok - pulling teeth really isn't funny. My husband said that he just couldn't do it. LOL Let the boys break an arm and he is right there to keep things calm and do what needs to be done. Let a little tooth need to be pulled and it just isn't his cup of tea.

One small bathroom, 1 adult, 3 boys, a cat and a piece of thread. I had to try 4 times to get the thread on the tooth. This is what I heard - "Blood is gonna squirt out", "This is really gonna hurt", "When mom pulls, I'm gonna run". It isn't easy to lasso a wiggly tooth and giggle at the same time. Finally, the tooth is in the lasso. Ok now to just pull. Yeah, right! One of the boys hides behind the shower curtain and one runs out of the bathroom and peeks through the crack in the door. "Is it out yet?" Not yet. He pulls the thread, and he pulls and he pulls. The thread goes 4 inches slack and he pulls 3 inches. It is so funny to watch his face and the others in their position of protecting themselves from the attack of the loose tooth.
The thread falls out of his mouth and wa la, he rolls the tooth out into his hand. What a beautiful sight. My husband steps around the corner wanting to know if the tooth is out yet. I put my hands up in the air like I just scored the worlds first touch down. "My first tooth!" Now the huddle around the tooth. Wow! We did it! And no one got attacked by the loose tooth.

Now our middle son says that he has a loose tooth. Yippee! We get to do this again.

Oh yeah, the cat. She just layed by the sink on the counter top and looked at us as if we were aliens from another planet.

My First Mother's Day

Today was my day! Mother's Day! Today was every Mother's Day!

With this being my very first official Mother's Day, I thought that I would tell you a little bit about how it went.

I got to sleep in, I didn't get out of bed until 9:30 am. Yes, it was nice. Once I got out of bed I could hear all the chatting with the kids. It was a sweet sound for my ears. This was the first time in my life that I have ever heard this sound on Mother's Day.

I started my morning task of brushing my teeth and getting dressed. I walked out of the bedroom and told everyone good morning. No one mentioned Mother's Day. The boys were doing their breakfast thing and going about their morning routine. I checked a few emails and then my dear Superman was starting to get out of bed and move around. After about 30 minutes I had to go and turn the horses out. I thought that I would just kinda piddle around the barn and in the yard, so that is what I did for about another 30 minutes. As I walked around the barn area and the yard, I was smiling and for some reason I felt happy in my heart. A happiness that I never remember feeling before. It felt really good.
When I walked in the house the kids were in their rooms doing something that their dad had them doing. Of course I knew that they were all up to something. LOL

My husband ask me to sit down and then he called in the boys. He huttled with them a second or two and then they ran off just a giggling. Then they all came back and presented me with the most adorable hand written cards. The youngest had made a gift in art class for me. They presented me with all the cards, a white paper bag and a little box.

I read the cards from each of the boys and cherished every word that was written, no matter how it was spelled. Then I opened the little white paper bag and inside was beautiful blue tissue paper. I teased them and ask if there was anything in there that would bite me. They giggled. Then I ask if I had to feed or water it. And they giggled even more. Finally I opened the little white paper bag and pulled out the beautiful blue tissue paper. I opened the tissue paper and wrapped inside was a beautiful little lady bug pin. Oh boy - now the eyes begin to swell with tears. Knowing that lady bugs are a sign of good luck and that the lady bug is used as the symbol for adoption, I knew that everything was coming together. I opened the box from my husband and the boys and inside was my gift card to my favorite store - Barnes & Noble Book Store. Loving the feeling of being a mom and loving what Mother's Day meant. All of the boys ended up in my lap with hugs and kisses and giggles.

Later in the day we all took a ride to the ocean. On the way to the ocean, we rode through the woods and looked at dear tracks. We talked with the kids and showed them how to spot a dear track. They loved it. My husband loved it. And, I loved it.

What a simple, joyous, wonderful day today was. My first Mother's Day.

Five Day Weekend

The kids are off to school and as usual, I turn on the radio with my favorite station and begin my daily routine. I start the laundry, let the dogs out, straighten up the house a little, wash a few dishes, make the homemade fabric softener, hang some clothes out, start another load of laundry, feed the dogs, turn out the horses, read a few emails, all while listening to the radio. Dang it - now I'm tired. LOL

On the radio I hear something about a 5 day weekend and a website that someone has created to support the idea. In my mind I am thinking, now how in the world will this ever work? There is no way that I can imagine it working. Well, maybe in a perfect world it could work. Then I think...hmmm...in a perfect world we wouldn't need the 5 day weekend movement. I am really starting to think that this is something that someone just dreamed up to get donations, sell a few shirts and basically earn a living promoting this idea.

Problems I see with the 5 day weekend are...
1. What about Law Enforcement?
2. What about shopping if there is a 5 day weekend? I mean, if the stores are closed during those 5 days, how does one shop. Even buy gas for their vehicles.
3. 911 - my goodness, this really scares me.
4. Child services such as the Department of Children and Families. If there is a child abuse case during the 5 day weekend and no one is working, do we (society) leave the child in the home until they are beat to death?
5. What about doctors, hospitals, Fire Fighters, Emergency Services and others?
6. What about teachers?
7. Public transportation?
8. Public services?

The group for the 5 day weekend mention that with our technology that this can work. With technology come electircity and the internet. Who would repair any power outages? Who would work to repair any internet errors? Maybe I am missing something. But I still don't know how this can work. The only thing I can figure out is that it has to be rotated, work in shifts maybe.

The more I look at their website and the more I think about it, I really only see that this really is someones idea to earn a living. To do exactly what they are protesting against and that is to work more and make more money. Remember that is just my opinion and of course you are intitled to yours.

I won't put a link to the website here because I do not support their ideas. You can go to any search engine and type in 5 day weekend and you will be able to pull up the website. One pointer - it is a .org not a .com.

The Lady I Call Mom

With the approaching of Mother's Day, I thought that I would give some random thoughts about my mom. First I have to say that we just celebrated her 71st birthday. My husband grilled his delicious hamburgers and I had baked a cake for her. As we sat around the table holding hands to bless our meal, I gave the honor of saying grace to my mom. She gave grace like only a mom can do and as she usually does. After her Amen - with my eyes closed I said that I had something to add to the prayer. I thanked God for giving me one more year to spend with her. And of course she and I cried and hugged after my Amen.

You have to remember that this will be my first Mother's Day. For some reason this day is really starting to seem special to me. Hmmm - I wonder why? LOL

My mom has always been a very simple lady. I may have heard her cuss once. And that is a big maybe. She always had a way of getting to us when we were children. I think it was "Just wait until your dad gets home". Yep - I think that may have been it. LOL I know it sure would set me straight.

My mom didn't learn how to drive until I was either in my senior year or I may have just graduated. My dad could never teach her to drive because he just didn't have the patience. The teaching was left up to my first husband. He was a saint with her. To this day she still drives. I kinda limit as to where she can drive, and the big city is out of the question. Her reactions are just not quick enough and I am more concerned that someone would run over her than her running over them.

My mom was born in a small town. The building that she was born in is now a restaurant. She has lived within 10 miles of where she was born for her entire 71 years. If I remember correctly her family only lived in 2 places. One of them was on the farm where her father worked. He rented the house from his employer. His earnings per week were enough for them to somehow buy a 120 acre farm. His earnings then for the week would not buy a loaf of bread in today's times. On this 120 acre farm was a tiny little house. If you remember the house from the TV series Little House on the Prairie, then you know what the house looked like. Yes, she did her homework by lamp light. Sometime in the 1940's and something to do with the war, the government built her family a concrete block house. Can you believe that both houses still stand today? Her father used the old house for a storage shed for corn and hay for the cows. It became the corn crib or so that is what they called it.

My mom lived in a house that had no insulation and no air conditioning. That is how she grew up. Her mom cooked on a wood stove until she passed away. I can remember the smells of that house and how I miss them. Like I said, both houses are still standing today. About 4 years ago the concrete block house was set on fire. It was damaged more by smoke than anything else. The fire damaged the old wiring and some damage the roof and rafters. My cousin now lives in the house. She renovated it and kept the same floor plans. Pretty much the only changes were to the ceiling to include insulation.

My mom met my dad at a church gathering. They courted and then they married. My dad was the world to my mom and of course my mom was the world to my dad. They were married for 43 wonderful years. My dad passed away in 2004.

My mom was always home for us. She was always there to give us hugs and kisses. She was always there after school. She has always been there for us. I know that one day she will go to be with God and my dad. I do not welcome that day.

My mom is a wonderful lady! I cherish my mom with all of my heart! I am thankful for my mom! I love my mom and I know she loves me!

Thank you for reading about the wonderful lady that I call mom.

Join Our Family

I would like to have one or two more writters for this blog. If you are interested in writting on "A simplier life. Made in the USA. Ramblings from a Country family and the country life. Crafts, critters, cooking and more..." Then you are invited to write for this blog. If your speciality is crafts then write about crafts. If you love cooking and sharing your recipes or tips then join us. There are many things that you can write about. Be creative, have fun and share with us all how you do it.

Imagine Yourself in the Story

There is a family that one day decided to go on a boating trip. They had a wonderful time fishing and swimming in the ocean. The water was crystal clear and you could see for miles. The sky was the most brillant blue and the clouds looked like big puffy marshmellows just hanging around enjoying watching the family swim, play, fish and enjoy themselves and each other.

The dad was diving off the side of the boat with everyone and showing how funny he could do a belly flop. Mom laughed so hard that she thought her sides would never stop hurting. All 3 of the children were rolling on the floor of the boat holding their sides and laughing so hard that their jaw muscles hurt.

All of the chores and the routine of the outside world were completly forgotten. Homework was long gone. Driving to work in the heavy traffic was yesterday. There was not a bad thought in any of the families head. No cussing, no fussing. Only laughing and playing and hugging.

The sky starts to get cloudy with dark, dark, angry clouds. In the distance there is rain that can be seen across the ocean. Every once in awhile the parents see lightening strikes and they start to get a little concerned for the safety of the family. They tell the children know that they may have to head to shore where they will be safe. The children are having so much fun that they protest and say they don't want to go to shore. They want to stay and have fun and play and laugh more. But of course the parents try their best to explain the situation and how dangerous things can become. They explain to the children that it is the parents job to make sure that the children are safe.

The parents begin to start packing the boat to make the journey safely to shore. The ask the children to pitch in and help so that they can get to shore faster before the storm over takes the boat. One of the children helps out and tries to get the other two children to pitch in and help. The smallest child does his best to help, but is limited to things that he can do to help. The other child complains that he/she doesn't care if they go in that he/she wants to stay and play. Of course none of the children want to go to shore. They don't want to go to safety because they do not understand. Understanding comes in later years from experience.

The rain starts and the sky becomes so dark that it appears to be night. The parents have everything and everyone ready to head back to shore. The boat is heaving with the winds and the waves. The parents are so concerned that they may not make it to shore.

A horrible wave over takes the boat and the boat capsizes. Now all of the family are out of the boat and looking and calling for each other. Everyone knows how to swim, everyone knows what to do in an emergency. It all hit so fast that confussion took over. Panic, everywhere! Where are the children? The parents can hear them calling. Both parents remain calm because they know what to do, they know how to deal with emergencies. They know because they have experience. The children have been told over and over again and again what to do and how to act. How to think calm and react in a productive and positive way. A way that everyone will benefit from their actions and reactions. The parents are trying to reach the children and finally they reach all three of them.

The whole family feels so much better now that they are together. They have not made it to safety yet but they felt safer being together. As the storm continued to rage and the family remained together, one of the children started to fight and say that he/she was tired. The child continued to struggle with the parents that tried to keep the child calm. The parents tried so hard, they thought of everything that they could possibly think of. The other children were starting to get dragged under by the child that was struggling and fighting that now there safety was a concern. After everyone had been pulled under several times something had to be done. What does a parent do to save their children? In an ocean that is wild and vast, how does a parent make a decision? Are you thinking what I am thinking?

When you are in an ocean with your children and one of the children is close to drowning you and the other children, what do you do? You do everything that you can to save everyone. Once you see that there is no hope and that your children are all about to drown, you cut the one loose that is drowning your other children. You have to save the ones that you can save!

What would you do?
Do not ask about life jackets because in life there are no life jackets.

Rain

One quarter of an inch! We finally got a little rain! We bless every drop! We even bless the clouds because they help what moisture that we have not evaporate. I have not read (maybe I need to) about why some areas don't get much rain, while other areas get lots of rain. I know that water evaporates and is stored in the clouds and that rain comes from rain clouds. But if there is no water to evaporate then how could it rain. In other words - if one square mile is dry and has no moisture to evaporate - then how could that area get rain again? If all of the lakes, rivers and creeks are dry there is nothing to evaporate and nothing for the clouds to store to use later.
When I was a child we had rain. We didn't irrigate or put sprinklers on our gardens, yards, fields or crops because it rained. The population had not exploded and the water table stayed at a normal level. As I got older we had to water our garden about once a week. The farmers started irrigating their crops. A sprinkler became a common sight in most yards. What happened? Is is part of the global warming? Is it because the population exploded and more people used more water? Is it because companies started to bottle water to be used elsewhere? Why? Something has happened to the rain. Something has happened to Mother Nature. What is happening to our planet?

Crafts and You

Are you a craft lover? I am! I love to do all kinds of crafts. I crochet, knit, sew, paint and so many more. Right now I am working on making a chalkboard. I have taken about a quarter sheet of plywood and chalkboard paint and created a chalkboard. It has taken me about 3 days to sand the plywood, paint it and do a little more painting and sanding.
What I wished that I would have done. I used spray paint. Krylon makes a special chalkboard paint. Also, Rustoleum makes chalkboard paint. I just cured my chalkboard by rubbing chalk over the whole surface and then erasing it. Because of the texture of the wood, I wish I would have used a paint brush instead of the spray paint. I will have to try that next. I had a scrap piece of metal that I could have used, but my dear sweet husband likes metal and he preferred that I use the wood. But really - I like the wood chalkboard. I like it for several reasons - I made it - it will help my children and chalkboards are a thing of the past now that there are dry erase boards.

Rain Rain Rain

Where is the rain? For some reason we didn't get any April Showers. The fires that I see in the news every day are horrible. We are getting smoke from the fires in Georgia and now there are fires in Florida. It is hard to breath outside and the ground is so extremely dry. I think I have been running the sprinkler every day for about 2 weeks now. I have one sprinkler on the yard and one on the pasture. I worry about our well going dry because the aquafier being so low.

Global Warming - Yes, I believe in it. I think that it is happening right before our eyes. I have lived within 15 miles of where I was born all my life (45 years) and I see the change in the weather and the seasons. It is rare for us to have a Winter that actually can be called Winter. Our Summers seem to last longer and longer every year. Our family does a few things to help the planet. There are a lot of ways to help the planet and I am sure that every family can fit at least one into their lifestyles. We recycle aluminum cans. Did you know that the price for aluminum cans now is between 45 cents and 65 cents? Not only are you helping the planet but you are putting cash in your pockets. With gas prices so darn high and going higher the extra cash comes in handy. We also reuse items such as tin cans, cardboard boxes and other containers. We use them to plant vegetables in. The kids love container gardening. One or two little seeds in a tin can will produce a great surprise for the kids. This morning our oldest looked out the window and called me with great excitement in his voice. He had spotted the beans that have seemed to spring up overnight. Wait until we get to pick the beans and then eat them. He will really be amazed then.