Eli can pull himself up into a standing position now. He's been doing that for the past few days now. Such the little man! He's also got quite the attitude. Madelaine might come and take something away from him and he now screeches when that happens. I'm trying to train her to give him another toy in place of the one she wants to take - or to not let her take the toy. It's a trying time right now. I'm glad that spring is here, though. I've got my plants all ready to be potted up and some are ready to go in the garden even though I'm not ready yet! I can kick the kids outside to play so that I can decompress a little. I'm anxious to get my chickens, but of course we still haven't built a coop. *Sigh*
McKenna is doing well with homeschool. She is reading better every day and she's started piano lessons. Madelaine wants to do piano lessons too, and tries to monopolize the piano at practice time. LOL
Here's some pics:

Just a quick post - don't know if I mentioned it, but Eli started to crawl hands and knees a week ago or so - so that makes it crawling in his 7th month. I'd have to go back to see when the girls started crawling. He likes to nurse to sleep and that's something that's different with him. The girls I would put down and they'd go to sleep fairly well (after some adjustment with McKenna). With each child, I've evolved more towards the natural attachment parenting style. I like it. Eli's in his crib next to my bed with the rail down so when he wakes at night he just crawls right over to me and starts nursing. Then when he's done I roll him back over into the crib and back to sleep he goes. Pretty nice!

So, Noel took a Concealed Carry class and got his permit this morning at the DMV - I'll be taking a class, too. Although I really can't see myself toting a gun around in my purse! It would feel strange. I do want to learn to shoot better though. We went out to the gun range and I shot his 9 millimeter and the .38 pistol his dad sent up and I feel that I did pretty well. I scored a bullseye with the 9 mm. We also shot a compound bow that he bought off of Craigslist. That will take some getting used to and is definitely easier to shoot in Oblivion (computer game) than in real life!

We're headed to AZ in the next couple of days to see his Dad and we'll head to Phoenix one of those days to spend a night with my parents. Dad's going in for more surgery tomorrow, but it'll be minor compared to what he just went through on his heart! Noel wants to drive through the night so we make good time. I can understand that with 3 kids. Eli likes to sleep on his tummy though, so we'll see how he does long-term in the car.

I just sent in an application to the city for an Agricultural pet permit for chickens. Having talked to my neighbors and having reviewed our association covenants, I know that it should be granted. Our lot is large enough for the required distance between coop and property lines/neighbors houses. I guess the only reason it might be turned down is if a neighbor changes their mind. It sounds like it'll take a month or so to find out. Then I'm planning to get chicks early June, which gives Noel until mid-July to get the coop built. I'm very excited, but not having the permit yet means I can't jump for joy yet. ;)

Other than that, nothing too new. Kids drive me nuts sometimes, but little breaks away from them now and then always transform me into a better mom. I guess that's true for most people. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and all that jazz! Sometimes it's just a hot bath while Noel watches them, or a quick trip to the library by myself.

Speaking of the library, I'm reading Anne McCaffreys Pern series. I read one of the books as a kid and was hooked. I'm planning to go through all of them and will probably pick up the next installment at the library tomorrow.

Enough for now - love to everyone!

So, what's new in our life? Hmm... just sold our sofa set. I wanted something easier to clean and more durable, so we found a leather sofa on Craigslist for cheap. It's in nice shape, too!

Noel's getting his hunting license and is taking tests and will take another field test in a few weeks. I expect him to come home with an elk or moose his first time out! LOL I'm hoping whoever he teams up with will have some good experience and can help him get something. He just needs a hunting outfit and some other accessories.

We're looking into getting Lasik eye surgery for me. We're hoping for something under $4000. as we have plans for the rest of our tax return. We want to spruce up our backyard. Get the side yard graveled and expand the garden area. I want to have raised beds so I can put in blueberries and move my raspberries to a better bed. I've already started seeds indoors. Broccoli, tomatoes and swiss chard. Also have some marigolds coming up. That should be fun as I've never started annuals before.

We're also looking into getting concealed carry permits for our weapons. Here in Idaho we have "open carry" which means we can wear a gun in a holster on our hip right out there for everyone to see, but honestly peoples reactions would be a bit of a bother so getting the concealed permit would work out better, I believe.

McKenna's doing great with her school. She's doing better with reading everyday and her printing and copy work is improving. We're looking at doing piano lessons and we'll be getting together with a couple other homeschooling families and doing a trip to the Birds of Prey Center in Boise. They have a tour and show and tell with a peregrine falcon and a scavenger hunt, too. It sounds like it'll be a blast for them.

Noel and I are also stocking up on food, water, water purifiers, seeds and other necessities in case our dear dollar dies. Dear ole "Dad" at the federal reserve doesn't have a clue. I won't get started. Needless to say, we're investing in silver, commodities and oil for starters.

Eli calls, so that's it for now.

Today we went to the Homeschool Legislative Day at the State Capital building. We were able to meet other homeschooled kids who were there to show off their accomplishments. There were musicians, a congressional award winner, exhibits ranging from an example of a daily school schedule to one on a prehistoric lake that use to cover much of Idaho. McKenna was able to see a mammoth tooth! Here are some pics from our day. The flash wasn't working, so most of them are a little blurry. You can also see more pics at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/sarita.noel?sk=photos under "Homeschool Legislative Day" - what an exciting day!

Did a little chemistry in the kitchen with the kids today. They loved the volcano. This video was our 3rd go-round.

Some Korean Kimchi (sauerkraut) that I made up today. The jar on top is to hold the veggies below the brine. It'll sit on my counter for a week and then we'll see what it tastes like. I'm new to fermenting things, so this will get tested out by me before the kids try it. Although, they may not like it. It'll be spicy! There's carrots, onions, garlic, ginger, radishes, bok choi, and spicy red peppers in there. I also have Kombucha, a fermented iced tea drink going and am trying my hand at regular sauerkraut as well. Might be too cold for the kombucha - but we'll see. I'll keep everyone posted!

Just got back from Arizona. Was there since last Wednesday. My Dad was going in for heart surgery to replace his aortic valve and I wanted to see him beforehand. The surgery was considered high risk, especially due to his age - 80 next year. He got to see Eli which was great - I had to leave Noel and the girls at home in Idaho. I stayed with Mom and got to see Sherri.
We saw dad into the hospital and then we all stayed in the waiting room for it to be over. The surgery took about 5 hours all told. 2 hours just to get him open and on the bypass machine, and another 3 for the operation. He's lucky he didn't end up needing the other bypass or valve replacement that they had talked about.
He came out of the surgery and we got to see him before heading home. He was on the ventilator right after and was sleeping so we couldn't talk to him. The next morning we found that he was awake but wasn't speaking - just saying "Mm-hm" if you asked him anything. He also couldn't move his eyes past mid-line to the left. Let's just say it was pretty scary. Stoke was foremost in our minds, but the doctors felt sure it was just a drug interaction with the anesthesia. (He was on lots of meds prior to surgery). The 2nd day he would say a couple words or a short phrase here and there but couldn't hold a conversation. He'd act like he was about to answer you or say something and then he would just trail off and look at the tv or something. He could read though - I was helping feed him at one point and he said "Stryker" and I looked around and saw that it was the name of the over-the-bed table they have. We were really scared because he was having trouble with certain words, it seemed. He wouldn't say our names. That was bothering my sister in particular. When you asked who we were he would look at you like he was thinking 'of course I know who you are!' but it wasn't until the 3rd day that he finally could say, 'that's my daughter' or 'that's Sherri', etc... But by then we knew it was a drug interaction for sure - they had done CT's of his head - and we knew he was going to be okay.

So, he has to do his physical therapy and as long as he keeps up with it, he should regain his health and energy within 4 to 6 weeks. It'll be a long haul though. Mom's going to have to help him with a lap belt, which goes around him and just gives her some leverage in case he falls. He has to hold a pillow to his chest - in lieu of a cast - for support.

So, big relief. Other than that, I had a good time with Mom and Sherri and getting to see my brother, sister-in-law and their kids. We put puzzles together and played a dice game called "Zilch". The TV wasn't on once which was pure bliss for me. The only TV I saw was when dad was watching it on day 2 post-op and it was all about the congresswoman and several other people plus a child who were shot in the head by some wacko. Evidently happened at a Safeway where there was a rally or get-together or some such thing. Pretty awful.

That's it for now. More later!

Yikes! It's not even 8:30 yet in the morning and I'm exhausted! We were jolted awake this morning because a line on our toilet busted. I've never seen my husband move so fast! He turned off the water and wiped up the water on the floor and we were just getting settled back to sleep when the smoke detectors went off. Now we're up and he's getting the girls out of bed and I grab Eli - the whole time thinking, "I don't smell smoke"... until he goes downstairs and finds that water has leaked through the ceiling into the wiring of the alarm system, causing it to go off.

So there we all are, trying to get settled back into bed (this all happened between 5:30 and 6am) and I know we're not going to get back to sleep. Eli does, of course, but he seems to be hard-wired that way! So, by 7am we're all up and getting breakfast. So I get to start my day off with dripping towels and one non-functioning toilet and a 6-year-old who's confused about why water makes fire alarms go off. More explanations in order. *Sigh* Anyone want to come over and take charge of the rest of my day? LOL

Today was good. Took the kids outside to ride their bikes. It was 40 degrees. Came back in for hot cocoa and let me tell you I got a major spurt of energy! I'm sure it was the cold that did it. Sure got me off my keister - the house is looking decent!

Kids are using their glitter glue that they got for Christmas and cutting up Christmas cards to glue to their projects. I new I'd find a use for Christmas cards. I'm just not one of those people that saves every card and takes it out to look at down the road. I look - say "Aw, how cute!" and chuck it in the trash! LOL

Split pea with leftover Christmas ham and homemade rolls for dinner. Thank God for my crock pot!

:D

Christmas was a blast! The kids received lots of nice stuff. The biggest hits were a baby stroller for Madelaine and a tea set for McKenna. They also got lots of pj's, clothes, some games, etc...

Noel got me some herb books and a book called Wild Fermentation. One of the best books was on stories and recipes from the Great Depression. I'd been eyeballing that one on Amazon for awhile!
Besides a new phone and his AK-12 and computer hardware, Noel got a couple of new shirts and another gift that he'd be embarrassed for me to mention. Let me just say that they are in bathrooms all over the UK.

I'll get some pictures loaded up!

I sold my baby swing today and so with the extra money I went to Target and picked up two comforter sets for the girls for Christmas. Madelaine doesn't have one and McKenna has a used one I got off of freecycle. I'm glad to have something nice now for them - and they are designs the girls can grow into - nothing baby-ish.

Woo! Just sold the co-sleeper for $70. I've been anxious to get it out of my living room! Now I feel like I've got some more space. Now I just need to get rid of the Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers and the baby swing and I'll feel better. And I'll have a little more money to spend on the kids and hubby!

Have I mentioned I'm reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand? Excellent book!

Our new chant for Eli is "Peter, peter punkin eater, Peek-a-Boo BAY-bee!!

LOL

Just got back from his 4 month shots - we selectively vaccinate - and our ears are freezing. The kids insisted on a walk around the block when we got back. Hot chocolate is imminent!!

The Christmas trees is up and decorated! We went out yesterday to pick one up. The girls had a great time, too. We all worked at getting it up and going. Girls and I did the lights and ornaments. I like it's placement, too. I'll post a pic of it. I've decided that the girls and I need to make our own homemade ornaments. I still have some that I did as a kid with my mom. We seem to have some that have broken or lost their strings.

In the pic, you'll see a treadmill. Noel picked one up for me as in the winter we don't take as many walks. The kids have been ALL over it! I need it just to feel as though I'm staying in shape. I've never had issues with keeping weight off, but I always feel better after I've taken a nice long walk - longer than the kids will do too, sometimes!

Our day has started off well today. McKenna did letter practice and some shape recognition. She's really good at it, but I needed to follow the letter tracing with something fun, so we did that. This afternoon, we'll do some telling time and some alphaphonics. She's great at reading so far, but isn't very motivated to do it. I've done some treasure hunts with clues she had to read and I've found some readers that are more interesting than the lesson book. I'm very proud of her so far. Madelaine likes to work alongside McKenna. I usually have some coloring for her. Eli is usually taking a nap during the morning school session.

Well, that's it for now. :)

I finally got around to transferring my herbs out of their plastic bags and into some mason jars. Found some nice old ones with hinged lids out in the shed that I put to use! This weekend I think we'll be doing some Christmas shopping for the kids and getting our tree put up. It's about time already! LOL Here's a pic of my china cabinet, which I'm using as an apothecary cabinet of sorts.

I'm finally getting a chance to sit down! I've chopped and peeled and cored apples most of this morning and later this afternoon finished canning them. I have a photo of my 6 jars of applesauce. That's basically 3 big bags of apples, one of Honeycrisp and two of Fuji. The Honeycrisp did better with my apple corer. Which was amazing! The kids helped and it went pretty fast.
Also did 3 quarts of fire cider. Noel's bringing home sub sandwiches since I didn't get around to making dinner. :( Ah well, here are the pics!

Well, I'm working on Christmas cards today. No Christmas letter. Honestly, I hate doing that! I feel as though I blog and email and post enough on facebook that everyone knows what's up. I'm having Noel pick up some horseradish root on the way home and I'll have all the ingredients for my fire cider. I'll be canning applesauce tomorrow and will be picking up some castille soap this weekend for making herbal creations. That should be enough to get going on Christmas gifts for neighbors and friends.

I actually feel like I'm on top of things this year! :D

Well, I thought I was going to get lucky. But, I'm sick. The girls are drying up but Madelaines still hanging onto her cold. It would have been nice to be sick for the weekend with the girls with Noel able to help out, but ah well. I made up sandwiches and snacks for the girls tomorrow in case I feel REALLY crummy, so that I don't have to do any preparation. When I'm sick, the last thing I want is to be on my feet much.

We got about 8 inches of snow a few days ago and the kids played in it once before getting sick enough they had to stay inside. They're hoping to be well enough to play in it tomorrow but I think I'll wait until Tuesday. That's the day McKenna has a PE class and I'll know by then if she's well enough to go. A few houses down someone built a snowman that is one story high. Looks pretty awesome. Noel is wondering how long it will take to melt.

Nothing much too new. We got new phones and my new one is much better. It has bigger numbers that I can actually fit my finger on and it also has a 911 button that the kids can hit if need be. Although McKenna knows how to dial 911 anyway. Noel calls it the granny phone. But seriously, I don't need a mini computer/camera/gps doodad. All I need is a freaking phone. I must be getting old! Or maybe just sensible? Practical? LOL

We had a great Thanksgiving holiday! Richard and Audie were over and we also had another family over. Noel works with Ryan and they didn't want to risk the bad weather conditions to Utah so we invited them over. We ended up with 6 adults and 4 children that I cooked for and it came together really well. Noel deep fried the turkey and I made the standard mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, bread, green bean casserole, stuffing and relish. We ended up with 3 apple pies and 1 pecan pie. No pumpkin. I thought Richard was getting a pumpkin pie to bring, but was wrong. Not a biggie - I can always make one for Christmas dinner.

I had a great chat with Robin about the LDS canneries. We're interested in going to one to get some food dry-packed, like potato flakes, dried milk, wheat berries, oats, beans, stuff like that. I'm getting really antsy about food prices. I have this awful feeling that our dollar is going to crash and burn and I really want to be prepared with food and water supplies. Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but I'd rather be prepared. I want to get soaps and toiletries as well. In fact, a friend of mine makes soap and she's asked me if I want her extra lye as she's taken a break from soap-making for awhile. I might take her up on it and just work with it when the kids are doing quiet time. Lye is extremely caustic, I believe. But knowing how to make things, basic things, is a goal of mine. Things like toothpaste. I now have a recipe for tooth powder. Laundry soap I know how to make. Herbal shampoos I can do - and of course my medicines. Noel rolls his eyes at me sometimes, but I bet he'd be happy to have a wife that knows how to make soap if the store aisles empty during some catastrophe!

Anyway, having a husband who knows how to fix and make things comes in handy, too. I feel very secure having him as a helpmate. I know that he would be able to defend us (he should with all of the guns he has!) and put food on the table since I know he's shot small game before. He's strong and always healthy. Hardly ever sick! He knows a lot about fixing cars, computers, any type of machine really. He can make bullets from excess metal he has laying around. His tools come in handy and already neighbors come to him for help or to borrow things. I'm sure if we ever needed to do a lot of bartering we'd be in good shape with him knowing all the technical stuff and me knowing how to make things that people need health-wise. I'm not trying to toot our horns here, but just to say what a sense of well-being this brings to me. I'm really a very positive person and just thinking about things going wrong really rubs me the wrong way. It makes me feel better to know we're in a good position if things do go wrong.

If the time comes when we can move to a small farm, that would be icing on the cake. Room for a large garden, a shop for Noel, a basement or root cellar for canned goods, space for chickens and a family cow. Guess it's a good thing I know how to milk a cow (thanks Uncle John!) and make butter.

Okay, I'm going to wrap this up. I've got some FarmTown to play while the kids are gone/sleeping!