Random Thoughts and Random Pictures

Today is July first. We usually start our school year the first Monday in July, but this year the first Monday is the 4th and that put together with the fact that my mom is coming to visit today and will be here through next week I have pushed our start date to the 11th.


I guess that is a good thing...since I am not completely ready to start. I'll get there, but I've been distracted by other things and it makes it hard to focus on what needs to be done right now. But I've gotten Cohen's math figured out, about 90% of the language arts we will do this year, most of the history- except the fun stuff- planned. Science is my last major thing to do. I was all set to go in one direction and then I got pulled in another based on what I know they are interested in- so I had to start over on that one.


Annika's 6 months old....why do babies seem to grow so fast? She's got 2 teeth now. Rolls all over the place, is starting to scoot around and is thoroughly enjoying her first fresh peach season. Sleep is the one thing she hasn't quite mastered. I have finally gotten her to fall asleep on her own for the most part...but certain things have to be in order for that to happen.


Such as her song. She has a favorite song- and I have found that she will go to sleep and stay asleep longer if it's on repeat. So now we all know the words to Taylor Swift's Never Grow Up. That and she has to be in my bed. Which might pose a problem once she's mobile and a pillow corral will no longer keep her. I would also like to sleep all night one of these days....

For the first time in almost 3 years we still have living zucchini and squash plants. Usually by mid-June the squash bugs have taken over and all my plants lay wilted on the ground. The bugs are there and a lot have wilted, but I do have a couple left. They are beginning to lose their battle though, a self-planted pumpkin and my 2nd to last zucchini plant wilted yesterday.

Also for the first time in about as long we are getting good cucumbers. The lemon ones are really good, the cucumber beetles are near non existent and I have about 20 or more cukes plus 3 quarts of pickles in my refrigerator right now.


And one more...Eggplant. Usually between the flea beetles and the potato bugs my tiny little egg plant seedlings get eaten up within a couple days of planting. They never have a chance....but this year...

I rearranged our school/playroom last week. I was trying to make room for a couple desks since my older 2 would benefit from not being at a table with everyone else. They need more elbow room and less distractions. I still have a problem area....the fact that our playroom also serves as a barn. We currently have no other good and convenient place to store our animal food- so I have 50lb bags of rabbit, chick, chicken, scratch and goat food in the playroom....


Paul's interning with the TN Farmer's Co-op this summer. He's graduating in December and we've talked a lot over the past year about what that means. We aren't sure where we will end up, but regardless we plan on moving from our current home at some point. Is it bad that I get more excited about a nice barn than a nice house?