Summertime!

It's been quite some time since I have posted, mostly because my trusty Cannon ELPH bit the dust. I have just replaced it with a Sony DSC H90 that I got at a good price second hand. I am amazed at the difference a few megapixels can make! I also finally remembered to take along the video camera when we went swimming this last time, so I am including a film of the kiddos having fun at the pool.

Tom is taking a couple of classes at the U this summer, so we are very busy going back and forth to Ft. Smith for that. Also, a new group has opened in the area for Catholic homeschoolers, so we are planning activities, too. We have a picnic on Sunday at the spray park.

I have been trying to get the girls more active in learning how to keep a house, and I think that some may be finally catching on. I have been using the famous "No One Leaves the Kitchen Until It's Clean" rule, and that has made a big difference!

This afternoon I plan to pay everyone in ice cream because I have no money. And no, I don't mean that figuratively. Someone in Vietnam was able to crack our PayPal code and get access to our checking account, so we've had to freeze it while new accounts are created and everything is switched. Until then, we have to show up personally at the bank to get any money. So, I remember to get allowance money, and then remember that Aldi doesn't take credit cards, just debit cards, but my debit card is on a frozen account, so there goes the cash... What a lot of trouble one little theft creates! Our parents were right when they taught us the value of honesty. It is like a stone thrown into a pond. The ripples continue to affect others around us.

We are going to homeschool Bekah and Chyloh next year, hopefully through ARVA and the Lincoln ACE programs respectively. These are both K12 curriculum programs. I love the depth of the K12 stuff, and best of all, it's free. If they don't get in, I will have to regroup and try putting something else together.

Well, it's 3:00 and I need to get the kids their treat before it's too close to dinner, so I will try to blog again with some new pics later. Have a great summer!

HEADACHE

I spent some time on the phone today and was rewarded with a roaring migraine. I am trying to move some plants, and the more I worked, the sicker I got. So I've given up. I'll have to work tomorrow in the rain. More rain. We've had over 10" in the past 2 weeks. Maybe everything will just wash away...

I thought I'd share some pics of the house and garden, tho.

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Super Cool!

Today was a busy one! I was alone with the MIL and the kiddos today whilst DH went to a concealed handgun class with a couple of his buddies. They had a great time, and we cleaned...how does that happen? I was suffering from an early morning trying to get Mariah back to sleep b/c we couldn't locate a pacifier for her, and then the PMS kicked in. Let's just say that I warned them, but they decided not to heed the warning! Well, actually, we did pretty well, and then MIL decided that she NEEDED to get out.

We drove all the way to Ft. Smith to get a SALAD from the nearest BK by the MALL! Let's just say that 25 miles for a salad is a bit much, but we took the kids to the park while she ate, and I was afforded the opportunity to go get dog food from a reasonably priced location instead of our local feed store. I tried to get a basin for my bird bath, but that was not in the cards.

I still have a couple of loads of laundry to finish this evening, but Chyloh and I got the kitchen all cleaned already. BIG HURDLE THERE! Anyway, I decided NOT to plant potatoes in the back garden b/c we are putting a building in back there, and the bed I was going to use has been taken over by Bermuda grass. So, I put potatoes in pots...I mean buckets. We'll see how that works. I hope I can dump the pots and fish out the potatoes. Maybe I can find a pallet bag to dump them on to make soil reclamation easier. Then I finished the weeding out front so that the dirt would come off the weeds. Once it rains, it will be much harder. Anyway, the rain we're expecting is very welcome. I hope it will get my peas and other early plants up and going.

OK, I have some more photos to share. Bekah was in charge of Mariah this evening, and she always seems to find the funniest ways to keep her occupied. So, here's what she did tonight:



Cool, Daddy-O!

Busy family

I guess I should explain that I call this blog The Lone Ranger because my husband was a Ranger qualified Marine, and now he lives in a house with 10 females. Poor guy. You really feel sorry for him, I know. Anyway, I think he feels all alone sometimes.

I wanted to do a quick post with the last couple of birthdays and Rebekah's band concert. Lots of video here!














Well, that ought to have kept you busy!

I'm off to finish a pot pie for dinner and try to find a few minutes for the garden and laundry.

:)

Hello! Welcome to the blog world!

Well, hi there! Welcome to my little blog. I am a part-time teacher/stay-at-home mom with eight "little" girls. My husband and I are pulling our hair out, er, I mean raising these beauties here in lovely Greenwood, AR. We are a minority Catholic family with traditional values. Our children are currently 13 down to 17 months. We have one daughter with Asperger's syndrome, and lots of screams and giggles.

I hope to Blog occassionally to keep my family abreast of our activities. In fact, here's Angelah's piano recital that I couldn't send via email. I'll also try to post a couple of Bekah's band performances once I get them uploaded and edited.




Let me know what you think!

Oh, here's our new puppy!