Wednesdays… not far enough into the week to feel relief yet, but close enough to the end to see the light. We’re snacking around on leftovers from lunch, doing laundry, and watching Untamed and Uncut, from Animal Planet. No, we didn’t get cable, just got the live stream disc so we can watch Netflix movies and shows on the Wii. LOVE Netflix! There are raw nuts soaking on the stove, which will go into the dehydrator tonight, and the wind is blowing fiercely outside. The sun is shining beautifully, but the wind is howling and blowing the trees angrily, as if in warning. It reminds me of Jonah, proclaiming destruction to the Ninevites, but this wind is only warning of rain… hopefully. We NEED the rain. My garden is dry, regardless of how much I water it, so we need a good soaking rain to do the job. Caterpillars have cleaned out what little bit of late lettuce we had, so we are waiting for our summer crops to start producing. One of these days, I’ll learn the trick to the cold-weather veggies, and we’ll actually get some lettuce, onions, garlic, and the like. Our potatoes and corn are looking great, and the okra should be coming up in the next few days, if it hasn’t yet. The tomatoes and peppers are growing slowly, but steadily, so we water and wait.
The last couple weeks have been full to the brim with activity, leaving no time for me to actually sit down and write. What bothers me about that is the neglect of the small details of life that I treasure when I go back and read these blogs. They began, four years ago, not as entertainment for others, but as a record of life for us, because memories fade so quickly, and our babies will be gone before we know it. I love to go back and read the blogs from several years ago, and read all the cute stuff the boys did. When I go two or three weeks between entries, I spend my time trying to cover all the major events, and have already forgotten the funny, cute, intricate details that filled each day. But, such is life.
We spent several days in East Texas for my grandfather’s funeral, which went well. The boys and I even took one morning to visit the fish hatchery and have a little fun. Of course, they enjoyed being in the hotel and watching television, mostly Animal Planet, but we needed some outside time, too. They fished, and each caught several little catfish, so it was a fun morning – the perfect tribute to Granddad.
When we got home, I had just one week to prepare for the Mother’s Day Tea, which made for a really, really busy few days. The boys also had two baseball games during the week, so we were constantly moving! The Tea Party was a great success due to the combined efforts of several amazing women in our congregation, and we had a nice time. We even got cleaned up and home with a full Saturday afternoon left, so Craig mowed the grass, we worked outside, and cleaned up the house a little. The boys had a game Saturday morning that I didn’t get to attend, but Craig was raving about it. Luke hasn’t intentionally hit a ball at bat all season, but after Craig spending several hours practicing with him, he hit twice and got to second base both times. He was pumped. Levi has also been catching some fly balls in the field, and he hits almost every time he’s up to bat, so he’s improving a lot. If we can just get them to stop watching the ball after they hit it and RUN, they’ll make it to first!
Mother’s Day was very nice, and I got a new video camera that I’d been asking for. I tried to use it at the boys’ game last night, but Craig was helping the coaches out and I was keeping score, so it was a little difficult to video, too. The best part was the Mother’s Day massage I got Sunday night. Ah, I needed it! So much stress for so many weeks can really tire you out, and I’ve been feeling the aftershock all week. The first day I was achey, second I had a stomach ache most of the day, and the third, I’ve had a headache all day! I think I’ve covered the gamut now, without having fever or spots, lol. I think the stress, physical fatigue, and the 20-30 white scones (that were terribly delicious) I consumed over the weekend just finally won the battle. I’ve tried to rest more this week, eat better, and drink my fiber. I told Craig I probably have a huge mass of white bread slime in my gut, since I haven’t eaten that much white bread in one week in years, lol.
Friday, it’s bookfair time. I get to go, ALONE, and explore different curriculums and attend workshops on homeschooling to get me motivated. I need that now, for sure! Motivation is something I’ve been lacking the past couple months. Paired with over-busyness, homeschooling has not been thriving as it should. Bookfairs always light my fire, though. Maybe they should have about FOUR a year, spread out over the seasons!
Oh, here’s a new subject! In my house, we are joining the ‘no-poo’ movement. Now, I just told you I took my fiber, so I’m not retracting my belief in frequent bowel movements for good health. I am talking about no-poo as in SHAMpoo. Hair products are expensive, and chock FULL of harmful ingredients (like sodium lauryl sulfate, propylene glycol, and about a hundred others) that cause all sorts of bodily damage, including cancer. We have been using more natural shampoos the past few months, but they are expensive and drying. Then you have to use conditioner, styling product, etc, to manage it. There is a lot of good information online regarding the no-poo movement, including this GREAT article that is stuffed with information, as well as recipes for other hair products. (Other parts of this site have some objectionable language, so please visit with caution.) I have been doing it about two weeks now, with good results, and still don’t feel like I’ve seen the best of it yet. The basis of the routine is using a baking soda and water mixture first, leaving on your hair for a few minutes, rinsing with water, then rinsing with diluted apple cider vinegar (infused with vanilla, cinnamon, and whatever herbs you choose). These ingredients will not only clean your hair, but restore the proper pH to your scalp, and let your body control the moisture. Here is another, shorter article, that has the basic routine, without all the supporting information, that might be best to read first. The first few days were a bit rough, because the baking soda is hard to work into the hair, and there are no suds, but it has gotten much better. Since my hair is so long and dry, I already only wash it every other day, but with this method, it should be even less. Just think of the liberation… $5 will buy months worth of baking soda and vinegar. Compare that to the hundreds we spend now! Plus, no more harmful chemicals, and beautiful, clean, NON-greasy hair. Woo-hoo! We’ll see… Think YOU can do it?
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