The Secret of Moonacre

I checked out this movie at the library for my kids to watch called  The Secret of Moonacre. It's based on a book called  The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge. I hadn't heard of the movie or the book and watched it before letting my kids.( I always watch the live action ones before I let my kids especially. You have to make sure they aren't too stupid. There are so many stupid kids movies out there!) Anyway, I was very pleasantly surprised and very interested in the book. It is a classic fairy tale type story and quite fun. It has some cheesiness and such but was a nice solid story. It has really fun costumes too.

My November

So I got a bit behind on blogging and thought I'd give you a little update.

 I am very mad at Blogger right now and if I could "defriend" him I would. Blogger won't let me post anymore pictures on this blog for some stupid reason I have yet to figure out. Since it is a computer problem I have deferred to my hubby who is easily distracted and has yet to get it straightened out for me. This is why I have no pictures up.

I had fun pictures of a Medieval Feast we had here to post. The favorite part of the feast for the kids was the cardboard "stocks". They got to throw a wet sponge at whomever was in the stocks. This was Joffre's idea and I thought it would end in tears or problems but it was a big hit . Everyone wanted a wet sponge thrown at their face. Who knew?

Then my mom and dad came for a nice visit. My mom has gotten really into soap making. She and Renata made a lemony smelling batch together and  I have some cute pictures of that I can't post (grumble grumble Blogger). Renata and I made a batch of lavender mint soap after she left and it came out well too. It was really fun and we have enough soap to last us at least half of the year.

Lastly I come to the "Catastrophe of November". I spilled water on my nice computer and killed it. It all happened so fast I am still reeling. Dead as a doornail. Now I have to share with the hub =(. The thing that kills me is that Joffre's computer often has gunk on it because he eats and drinks at his computer all the time. I was very careful with my eating and drinking near the computer. Who winds up spilling on her computer? Me. aargh.

Postpartum Necessities

So I am 29 weeks and starting to think about labor a bit more. As I was thinking about the baby coming I decided to write a list of things I should get before he shows up on the scene. "Things for the baby?",you might ask. Nope. Things for moi. So here is my list so far:

1. Pinot Grigio- this might seems like a given but right after the birth I especially like to enjoy a glass. Last time I had to drink it from a sippy cup because I was too exhausted to sit up.

2. Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner- I am usually all frugal about bathroom cleaner. I put in a little Bon Ami or Comet and scrub away, but after and right before birth I love using this cleaner. It is so hard to bend over the stupid bathtub and it is so fast and easy.

3. Pomegranate Mango bubble bath. I just like how it smells.

4. York Peppermint patties- You have to eat them straight out of the freezer. So good.

5. P.G. Wodehouse novels- While I am nursing I get bored and love to try to do a little reading. Usually my brain is so sleep deprived I keep it pretty light and Wodehouse helps me stay cheerful.

6. Iceberg Lettuce- we never buy it to eat but when you are engorged it feels great to shove a cold leaf in your bra.

That's what I've got so far. I am sure the list will grow.

Dad's Trick

George just sat down at the breakfast table and and turned to Joffre Jr.

George: "Dad showed me a trick...you know those holes in your underwear..."
Joffre: "GEORGE! Shush!" He turns to look at Renata and I in horror.
Me: " Why don't you tell Joffre about Dad's trick when you are in private."

The Boys

Joffre's Dad is here visiting from Australia. So we all got some new T-shirts that have some rugby team from Australia on them. So the boys had to try them on right away and here they are.

A Zoo Trip

Renata's Birthday

My little girl turned 9. You can kinda see in the second picture that she has a glint on her ear. That is because she got her ears pierced. She also got a bike in orange and blue (Go gators!) .

Sewing Projects

 I made this diaper bag for my sister-in-law. It came out well but was a little hard to make. I would link to the pattern if I could find it again. But as you an see by the upside down picture I am in a lazy mood so I will look for the pattern another time. I got the black fabric at IKEA.

I tried to make my little niece a matching purse but it didn't come out as well as I wanted. So I am going to try again when I am feeling better.  

I also made myself a nursing cover because I've been wanting one for the new baby.

Gap Tooth

Garden Planning from the Ground Up

So no updates on the garden for now because it's a wreck. I have been very nauseous with this baby and it's been debilitating. So I let the garden go. With the heat I just couldn't get myself out there. Anyway I still am planning it and thinking about it.

I came across this post from one of my favorite garden bloggers, Nancy Ondra. If you are interested in planning a garden this is a great series of posts about how she started her gardens and how she fills them. The pictures will make you want to garden for sure. She writes gardening books too so you can check out her books also. She's amazing at combining foliage colors and textures.

Snuggle Time

Ward loves to randomly come into our room and jump on our bed yelling "snuggle time" and ...yeah....snuggle with us.  I don't know how much longer it's going to last but I'll be sorry when it's gone.

Top Ten Mommy Tips

My cousin just had a baby 8 weeks early and her sister sent out an email asking for ten mommy tips for her. It was fun and a good reminder for me of what I need to be thinking about. I thought I'd throw them up her and try to get back into blogging. ( I was mostly thinking about babies.)


Top Ten Mommy Tips 

I cheated and put 5 in one on a few of these but, hey, I have a ridiculous overflow of advice. 

1. Constantly remind yourself that the difficult stages only last a few months at a time. It helps you endure them. ( Some of the sweet stuff only last for a few months at a time too. So savor those things.) The lack of sleep is really tough but try to let it go for awhile because you will get it back. 

2. I learned the "5 S's" from a book called, Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp. It's pretty common sense just put in a pattern. This method really worked for all my kids. It is a way to calm your baby and stop them from crying. You are supposed to do them in order.

1. Swaddle- don't be afraid to make a nice tight swaddle they can't move their legs and arms in. They like it. Really.

2. Side- Turn them on their side or stomach in your arms. 

3. Swing- I think of it more as a "jiggle" than a swing.

4. Sound- turn on some sort of white noise (static from radio or vacuum) or make  a "shhsh" sound yourself. (Yes, you will feel silly but the relief is worth it.) 

5. Suck- let them suck on your finger or a pacifier

3.Sleep when the baby sleeps. Ignore messes and get the sleep when you can.

4. Cold iceberg lettuce leaves feel great shoved in you bra when you are engorged.

5. 5 Great toys:

1. wooden or metal spoon (little babies love them.)And when they are older if you can stand the noise add a pot. 

2. a small ball (8 months) They will roll a ball back and forth with you for hours.

3. stacking blocks (6-8 mos) they love stacking and knocking them over again and again

4. sunglass (12 mos) Cutest thing ever.

5. Legos  (4yrs +) Boys love them so much it's weird.

6. Keep an extra outfit for you and the baby in your car. Especially a shirt. Spit up is gross.

7. Burp your baby really well after every feeding. Any leftover gas will equal torture (in the form of a super fussy baby) for you later.

8. Make a habit of putting your baby on the floor (on a blanket) a lot. Let them fuss some. Turn them on their bellies then back on their backs. The more they get used to being on the ground the more time you have to get things done and the faster they learn to crawl and walk but you have to teach them by making it a habit. 

9. Moby wraps or similar are terrific. They give you free hands and are easy on your back. www.mobywrap.com

10. Moms love to give advice. Accept it all graciously and glean what you like to use for yourself. Don't let it offend you when people think they know best because a lot of people think they know best when it comes to kids. Just remember, you know best for your baby. 

# 5

I am pregnant with number 5!

And if one more person makes a hint that I don't understand birth control or that this was an accident I will lose it. ( Only a couple of people have done this it just irritates me to no end that people think you couldn't possibly want 5 children on purpose.)

We are hoping for a girl.

I am a bit sick with the nausea but not nearly as bad as most of them. Yea for low level nausea instead of high level nausea!!! Whoo hoo. This is why blogging isn't happening much lately.

Yea for baby #5.

New Stuff

I got some fun new things from Pottery Barn while my mom was here. (She works there.)

Plant Stand 

New library bin

Wicker lamp shade

Garden Update

 Harvesting beets and turnips

 The peaches are making my tree bend like crazy. 

 Time to replant. 

artichoke and cucumber

I have been letting my chickens roam the yard more but they are eating as many peaches as they can reach, begonias and my cabbage. Hoping to make them a bigger yard.

"The paralyzing effect of nuance, its exploitation as a warrant for passivity, is a kind of decadence." -Leo 


Found this quote via my former pastor, Toby Sumpter, and really liked it.  

Renata's Plot

Renata has been begging me to have her own plot or area of the garden. I tried a couple of things but ....ahem...I had a hard time letting go and letting her really take over a part of the garden. She kept asking for her own plot and I decided it was time to give her one.  I had a perfect place for it and a friend gave some fun wood with a tiny bit of decorative wavy trim on it . I thought it finished it off nicely. She wanted to plant flowers and we got her a bunch of annuals. Now I just have to figure out what to do about all the other kids who now also want their own plots. 

The Grumpy Gardener

I have a new favorite Garden blog, The Grumpy Gardener. Hilarious and informative. I highly recommend. He even has a contest for who sends in the best picture of a badly pruned ("murdered") crape myrtle every year. Garden humor, gotta love it.

Kitten Love

 Well not all of us love the new kitten.

 This is what I look up on when at my desk.

 This sleeping spot charms us all. 

 So cute and little.

Nothing like homeschooling with a kitten on your lap.

We are now pretty sure Pepper is a boy not a girl but we are keeping the name Pepper.

Painting My New Office Space

 I finished painting as much as I could reach in my new office nook and stair wall. I chose a high gloss white.

 Clean white wall. I know this is not exciting for you to see but it was so dirty and gross on this wall I am jumping for joy at it's cleanness. I decided to only use high gloss paint for my house. It is so much easier to clean.

This corner is still a bit of a mess.

Flowers

 Hibiscus and begonias on the porch.

nasturtiums

My flower bed. I have a very sophisticated way of planning my flower beds. I go to Lowes and pick out plants on clearance with no tags and no blooms and plant them. Usually in the fall. Then in spring I try to figure out what I have planted. I also pick out things I really love (knock out roses and butterfly bush) and put them in praying they will look ok to together. I seriously do pray that things will make sense later and i can move things as they don't work . So far God has blessed me . I like how it's coming along. I do tend to pack the plants in because I want as few weeds as possible.  

 Knock out roses, sedum, mum, aster

 anise hyssop?, phlox

 This is the unfinished side of the flower plot. I planted a few veggies till I figure out what to put in it. 

lemon balm, celosia , knock out roses

I like nasturtiums.