"Have I now become your enemy
by telling you the truth?"
Galatians 4:16

Archive of ‘Homemaking’

Helping Daddy

My new camera dumps pictures in files by date, so I don’t always notice all of them unless they were taken on the day I transfer them.

Here are C6 and L3 helping Derek wash the car earlier in the spring.

Young Carpenters

I found another picture I forgot to post. Here are the children helping me construct the new bookcases (here and here.)  I mentioned before that they helped me stain them as well.

Monday

  • Check email (I am behind with three overdue responses - sorry)
  • Make eggs for breakfast
  • Varnish last bookcase, doors, and shelves
  • Attach four doors to two of the finished bookcases
  • Correct B9’s math
  • Write down the titles of the last several books the children read (I will be posting their complete lists when they are finished school.)
  • Make plan for B9’s summer subjects (He will be doing one review math test and one new page of music once a week during the summer. Those are the only subjects which he would forget and thus have to do a lot of backtracking in the fall.)
  • Figure out if N14 can have Calculus done by Christmas. (Only if he works over the summer, which he doesn’t seem to mind TOO much.)
  • Make muffins
  • Combine June and July calendars
  • Try to prop up the rest of our pine trees that the hard winter pretty much destroyed
  • Label last three movies on DVD
  • Check another lesson of math
  • Get laundry going
  • Tidy rooms
  • Make sure children follow through with chores
  • Read to L3 (and C6)
  • etc.

If You Came To Our House. . .

I was tagged by TulipGirl with this meme. Read her answers here:
http://www.tulipgirl.com/index.php/2008/05/if-you-came-to-our-house/

I wasn’t sure whether to do this because I didn’t feel like my answers would be classy enough, but here it goes anyway. There is a big difference in whether I know you are coming or not… and whether you have children or not… so I will assume I know you are coming with your children.

“People who visit us get a taste of who we are, what we’re into, and what we’re like. I notice that my kids tend to show new visitors the same computer things they like, or play music for them that they love that our guests have probably never heard, and offer the same snacks.

Since there are lots of people I know via the internet who may never get the chance to visit us, I thought I’d offer a virtual glimpse of a visit to our house.”

If you came to our house. . .

You would see:
Well, first, you would HEAR our big mouth dog, and you might hesitate about getting out of your vehicle because she is so intimidating, but if you make it in the door, you would see my younger children peeking around corners… then you would see your children disappear upstairs with mine to play with all the toys… You would see my buffet cabinets with my Hummel collection, the fireplace Grandpa made, the huge painting Derek made, my antique pump organ…

We’d probably feed you:
Supper: Lasagna, Caesar salad, and garlic fingers
Dessert: Chocolate fountain with éclairs, strawberries, pineapple, etc.

And offer you this to drink:

Real juice punch

We’d undoubtedly ask if you’d read:
I doubt I’d ask this. I doubt you read the books I read. I might tell you about what I have been studying regarding health and past traumas.

We’d want to play this music for you:
Classical background music
Oldies that are good for dancing (if you were good sports)

We’d want to tell you the latest about:
The expectant mothers in the family
How advanced the children are in homeschool while you roll your eyes LOL

We’d probably suggest a game of:
Actionary

We might show off:
Our school library, my great-grandmother’s cream/sugar/teapot that I received in 1978 and its picture in Victoria magazine

We might get on the computer and show you:
I doubt I’d do this

If it was a long enough visit, we might watch:
All the kids play the Wii

What would a visit to your house be like?

I am only tagging a few people, so if your name isn’t here and you feel like answering in the comments or on your blog, please go ahead!

~ Mica http://thechildspaper.blogspot.com
Posted with PICTURES: http://thechildspaper.blogspot.com/2008/05/if-you-came-to-our-house.html

~ Cara (Matt answered in the comments.)

~ Edith (answer in the comments?)

~ Leann http://academy252.blogspot.com
Posted: http://academy252.blogspot.com/2008/05/if-you-came-to-my-house.html

Edited to add: Folks were so cooperative and made such lovely posts, I wish I had asked more people.

Wonder How I’m Feeling?

Higglety, pigglety, Pop!
The dog has eaten the mop.
The pig’s in a hurry,
The cat’s in a flurry,
Higglety, pigglety, Pop!

Gift from Germany

My friend, Andrea, recently visited Germany. She described her adventures here: http://alynnmusic.blogspot.com/

Andrea knew of my German connections and my dollhouse collection, so when she saw this little table with a lamp, she thought of me. I was so surprised to receive this gift in the mail! Can you see the book, letter, and eye glasses on the table?

My great-great-grandfather was born in Germany and was raised in an orphanage by nuns.

My great-great-grandmother was from Switzerland.  She was a wonderful cook, especially of German food. She could also yodel very well.

They met at Ellis Island.

My great-great-grandfather mysteriously disappeared in New York City nearing the end of World War II. We suspect something happened to him because he was German. His daughter, my great-grandmother (born in 1895), searched for him for years.