Pioneer Woman at Heart

Here is a photo of Bluebell Island, Grand Rapids, Ohio on January 5, 2003. Currently it is undergoing renovations. Here is were my husband married, however it wasn't covered with snow at the time. When the renovations are completed I will add an "after" picture.

The kids are enjoying the summer reading program at the library. During the time they are in their program I am able to have 60 minutes to myself. I can crochet, read, write, browse - all without interruption. Woo hoo! The programs are free. Right now our family is getting the most from our libraries, especially during a financial time where money and jobs are extremely limited. Our libraries are currently being threatened by another state funding cut . If this goes through, there will be more jobs taken from Ohio residents, and the wonderful resources the libraries provide will no longer be available. How will school students complete homework assignments? How will I be able to review books? How will we survive without their important and much needed resources to Ohio residents? It's sad for most Ohio residents right now. Hopefully they will find other areas where funding can be cut from anywhere but out libraries. I was thrilled to be able to crochet the set of W...

I never thought I'd see the little guy again but I did. I first saw him/her last week while hanging my laundry on the line. At first when I saw a brown animal streak through the corner of the mowed grass and the tall grass, I thought it was a bunny. But after getting a better look, it was a fawn, complete with white spots. Just prior to seeing the fawn we heard a car horn from the 2-lane highway. Our first thoughts were that it was a deer, raccoon, cat, or someone's dog. Then I saw it just minutes later. The funny thing is that I am the only one who has seen it. And then yesterday morning as I took the dogs out, there it was again. However, it was right next to the garden which we have yet to fence in. So far we have not seen any adult deer with it, or even in on the property. We are praying that the Mom finds him/her soon, or that an another adult deer adopts it and moves on. There is so much activity here in the country. Even though the house sits along a busy 2-la...

Words from a 7 year-old girl: "Mom, why can dogs leave their toys everywhere and we can't?"

The younger girls are being "moms" to the kittens. You can see that the "goldie" in the top photo is fast asleep and very comfortable. That picture was taken while our 7 year old daughter rocked him in a rocking chair (ha, ha, ha!). Rain has arrived and the humidity is pretty thick. We are a bit uncomfortable but entertaining ourselves. Older teens are exercising, reading, and drawing. Younger kids are putting newly printed photos in family and kids albums and giggling at old photos. I'm reviewing children's picture books and Dad is busy at work I slept in until 10:00am this morning. I could not believe it! I never do that. My body must have needed it, because it sure felt good. My bed is not made and the house work has not even been started. Some times the daily routine needs to not be a routine. Yeah for slipper days!

I have been practicing my crochet abilities and made this

This is a flower dishcloth pattern I found on

Today is Saturday and hubby has to work. It's the first Saturday he's had to work with his new job. So today I asked the kids to make sure the house is completely cleaned and looking clutter free when he gets home. Inside Kids Activities today: toys, playing with kittens, modeling clay, 9 year old cooking "eggs in a nest" (coordinated with the egg cooking movie from the day before), teaching 7 year old to sort and fold socks, teaching 9 year old how to properly sweep the porch/patio Outside Kids Activities today: water painting, play parachute, reading, squirt guns and bathing suits Inside Mom Activities: writing, reading, crocheting Outside Mom Activities: gardening, reading Inside Teen Activities: Computer movie making program, reading Outside Teen Activities: animal care, yard work, running (exercise) Family activity: visiting the library, hanging out on the porch/patio together ...........and of course all of the daily housecleaning and upkeep that's don...

Today is the official day in which all of the kids are out of school. With so many ages in the house, it now becomes a challenge to keep computer time and video game time to a minimum, especially for the teenagers (who haven't found a job yet). For the younger ones (9 and 7), our indoor activities are modeling clay, and reading. Outside activities are a 10 foot parachute, putting up a tent to read and play in, and for the evening a movie called "Kids Get Cooking", The Egg (for ages 5-12). The library is full of ideas. Kids Get Cooking: The Egg , Goldhil Learning Series, DVD, Endorsed by the National Education Association.

This is a compiled list to help parents with frugal resources for teaching kids how to cook: APPLES: Printable Nutrition Facts , New York State Apple Country Kids Cooking Activities, Apples Recipes for Kids CHEESE: Printable Cheese Activities How to Make Homemade Goat Cheese EGGS: Kids and Family Section , Kid Friendly Recipes, American Egg Board Eggs 101 How to : Cooking School, American Egg Board Kids Pages , Georgia Eggs POTATOES: Kids Are Cooking Potatoes , Washington State Potato Commission (pdf) The Amazing Washington Potato , 14-page printable activity book (pdf)