Know Your Farmer

We have a new farmers market in town this summer...the offerings are from local farmers...so all around the market you will see signs that read "Know Your Farmer".

A couple of weeks ago the kids and I got that chance.  We visited some "farmer friends" to get a kitten and ended up getting to experience a day on the farm!

We visited All One Farms in Rineyville.  All One Farms boasts a lovely flock of Shetland sheep--complete with playful spring lambs, two beautiful dogs (they make you feel like family right away), three proud roosters, countless felines--by the way there are three litters of new kittens if anyone would like a kitten or two or three.  Oh yeah...there are also the resident farmers: Aunt Luna and Uncle Alan.  Maybe you are familiar with Luna and Alan from the yarn and wool boutique in Elizabethtown-- Blueball Mountain Spindle and Needleworks but here is what life is like after the shop is closed...imagine this with cool refreshments on the lush lawn.

Aunt Luna gives the tour of their magical yard complete with its own apple tree tunnel!

 Uncle  Alan gives a riding tour of the farm...funny he got to be the rider :-P

 A botany lesson?!  Maybe I should record this as a field trip?  A lovely grand pecan tree shades the front lawn and there is so much to learn about nature from our farm friends.

Day 2!!

My favorite part today?  hmmmmmmmmmm.....maybe that Eli slept until 11 and we schooled about 3 1/2 without him? :-)

I guess I better say Writing.  Handwriting is an area that I have miserably failed the boys.  But this year I wanted to grab that bull by the horns and straighten it out.  So back in June I went to the CHEK homeschool conference in Louisville and met Iris Hatfield.  She has written New American Cursive  Penmanship Program published by Memoria Press.  Actually I had purchased the books before I met her...but once I met her and she gently talked me through the program...I felt empowered.  Thanks Iris!  It is our second day and the boys are loving it and begging for more than 10 minutes on writing :-)

She also introduced me to Twist 'n Write pencils...so we are off to a fun start on our writing.

Day 1 of School!!

Our Latin lesson for the day:

to one of you: Salve!

to all of you:  Salvete!

"Hello"

It was a lovely day of school!  I over slept.  And the boys woke up so they purposely let me sleep in...how quick they learn. :-)

 None the less...we got started and had a successful day.  Ben started his third grade studies, Nate first grade and Eli is following along with the boys Science, History, Christian Studies, and Latin...but for him we will still do Montessori activities along with follow the Highlands Latin Schools 2 day a week Jr. Kindergarten.  In a short while we will begin learning the memory work for Classical Conversations and attending the Friday school.

Here is a picture of Nate starting his History notebook for Story of the World Vol.One....I am sooooo excited about a history that has hands on projects all along.  This is going to be a fun year.  I feel a little guilty about getting to learn along and enjoy the experiences with the boys.

chickens? Chickens!

Back in early spring I asked someone what they suggested I do about the bugs eating my peaches every year before I got a chance to pick them. {{disclaimer:  I knew this person might be able to give me a chemical free solution}}  And so they suggested chickens.  Easy enough we got some chickens.  And let them out of the cage to see what they would do...

 I have yet to figure out the getting them back in the coop for the night....but these past three evenings I have managed after chasing them around ....which feels as silly as...

this!  Glad no one has videoed the nightly chicken bedtime struggle!!

Montessori #4!!!!!!!!

Friends this is endless!  And I am searching around on the web I am finding so many more ideas!!  Please note:
~~yes do use the little trays...the confined area is part of the whole space
~~this is work and lessons--not play
~~lessons should be rotated out and in about every couple of weeks...and objects can be mixed around into a new lesson

Most of all--HAVE FUN!!!!


This is one of the awesome kits that I purchased from Debbie Fox of   The Bottom Shelf

BUBBLES!!!

Gather...

plastic bowl

couple of straws

a wire wisk

egg beater

mix a small solution of 1/3 dishwashing liquid to 2/3 water

pour into bowl

blow through straw to see how the straw creates bubbles

next work with the wisk

then the egg beater.

loads of fun and the bubbles will be different with each.

Get Over The Hump

Wednesday is often referred to as "Hump Day"...here is a little boost to help you over the hump!

Montessori #3!!

Sorting!!

This one is a winner!!  Right now these divided trays are everywhere!!  I picked this one up a the Dollar General for $1.  

Again this idea was from the workshop with Debbie Fox from The Bottom Shelf.  If you ever get a chance to attend one of her workshops do...her knowledge is so workable. { She even shared the basics of dinner swap clubs!}  There is info on her site on how to book her as a workshop speaker.

 Word of caution...I picked up beads from the Dollar Tree...I plan to use them in another lesson also...but pick 

items that is safe for your childs age.  Other sorting objects could be...dried beans, buttons, colored marshmellos...just look around...see what is available!  Enjoy!!

Montessori #2!!

Hammering!!

Eli loves this!!

This kit I purchased from Debbie Fox ~~the Bottom Shelf~~

It has ten wooden golf tees

a lobster wooden mallet

non drying clay

and a plastic bowl.

yes he did hammer his fingers a few times...but he did catch on and played quietly hammering, hammering, hammering!!

Tips from Debbie:

~~these lessons are only available to him during lesson time

~~ he must put the lesson kit back neatly on the shelf

~~lessons are rotated to keep them fun and fresh

~~assign each of the older schooling children a 30 minute time to spend "working" with the preschooler.  {I used that idea the day after the workshop and all three boys enjoyed "Eli time".}

Homeschool Montessori #1 (or how to get a 30-45 minute break!!)

Our homeschooling year has closed.  But at the end I came across a HUGE secret for success that somewhere along the way everyone had forgotten to share with me :-(  Montessori--Tot Boxes what ever you want to call it...hands on skills play.  

Our homeschool co-op FAITH sponsored a speaker to do a workshop on what to do with that preschooler while you are schooling your other children.  Of course work with them too...but sometimes they have got to get constructively busy.

So Debbie Fox from The Bottom Shelf came and shared with us how to make these montessori lessons, use them, organize our time, our life,and she offered some kits that she had already made!  I will be sharing those also.  But for now I am sharing one that I made!--her idea :-) Thanks Debbie!!

Pouring and Funneling

Kit:

tray walmart $1.98

funnels dollar tree $1

measuring spoons and cups dollar tree $1

small bowls my kitchen

rice

Eli played with this at least an hour..totally mesmerized.  He only gets to play with the kits during lesson time.

word strips

The school year is winding down but I wanted to share this really inexpensive and fun phonics tool.

Paint chips!!
{{{thanks Walmart!!}}}

Easter 2012

A little late...

but I still wanted to share

it was a wonderful Easter.

All of the family came to our home for dinner.  Dinner

was simple and the celebration was traditional.

Vinegar dyed eggs (as well as plastic ones)

Rabbit "peeps" dipped in chocolate by my creative

Sister-In-Law

Nanny totally stole the show with her bug catchers for all

of the little egg hunters

Bugs nor frogs were safe with all of the bug catchers!!

Eli turns Four!!!

Where has time gone?

I have completely lost track of my blogging...so I am just starting back where I am now.

Special Days

Special Days...actually any day is best marked with festive pancakes!

Strong Enough

A friend shared this with me...and it says all in my heart.

Word Worm!!

Just wanted to share Nates word worm!  When he masters new words me make a body part...it has really helped him want to work on his reading...and the worm is growing wildly!!

FAITH: Spelling Bee

Our home school co-op FAITH {Families Acquiring Instruction Through Homeschooling} had their spelling bee yesterday.  This was Bens' first spelling bee...but he did great and I was so proud of him :-)

I don't know why this  post seems to be the hardest to write.
Maybe because there just aren't the right words to describe how I feel.

I blogged last week about  my visit to my neurologist. It was hopeless.  And negative.
Later that week I went in for a MRI that was supposed to be 45 minutes from arrival to departure.  Three and a half hours later I left.  Feeling scared.  The staff were perfect--at least how they are supposed to be.  Accommodating.  But emotionless.  Professional.  But un-informative.

Yesterday Bryan and I went to my results.  We were early.  The doctor was late.  My 9am appointment started at 9:45.  During those 45 minutes I updated Twitter.  Searched patterns for knitting on Ravelry.  And tried not to age ten years.

Finally the doctor steps in and says " I will be another moment--but lets clear the air--the report is good!"  I could have left at that point. I breathed again.

I wish I could get my MRI to post...I keep trying.
But the big news is:
--no new lesions
--one new lesion found is an old one missed before
--no negative activity showing.
--my Neuro visits are cut from every 3 months to once a year!!
--and he is no longer suggesting that  I start the shot therapy

Question of the Day:
Did I tell him about the StemCell treatment?
no
Why?
because it changes nothing for him.

What happens now?
Everyday...and every time it crosses my mind--which is often...I thank God.
for:
--helping me through these last 7 months
--for all of the big and small prayers answered during that time
--for all of my support during that time...my family and friends
--for guiding me to treatment and the right doctor
--and for allowing the treatment to work
--and for each of you that believed along with me...I tried to stay away from anyone who accepted my diagnosis as final.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention!

Yesterday Eli and I went to Target to get some totes...and what should we find but some molds to make blocks for snow forts!  So far we haven't had snow for forts...but while we wait Eli has found another use for these!

Every House Has A Secret

And mine has a loom.  Actually more than one loom.  But this one is the one that you probably wont see.  It is usually not in the living room...but away from little hands that pass by.  Anyway it isn't really a secret but I do get asked questions about it...so I thought I would introduce you to my loom.  And if sometime you are at my home and ask to see it...I will show it to you--maybe even let you weave a little :-)

This is a 32" 4 harness Ashford Table Loom with the tredle kit stand.  She was made in New Zealand from Silver Beechwood. 

The project below is a scarf I am weaving...the warp is Lion Brand 1878 a fine American wool yarn available in yarn shops like Blueball Mountain here in Elizabethtown.  The weft is Wollemeise a german hand-dyed yarn.  If you are not a yarnie you dont get the importance of the Wollemeise.  Wollemeise is so hard to get that you have to be on line logged in at 5am EST on Friday mornings grab the first yarn you see available and put it in your "shopping basket" and by the time you enter your credit card number half of it will be sold and out of stock.   CRAZINESS!!  And the company owner Claudia...if she catches you selling it on eBay or Ravelry for an inflated price...she will block your Wollemeise account!  Lovely yarn indeed..but there are many other lovely yarns too :-)

Maybe I will weave you something...just ask me...I love a reason to create!  Want to try to learn to weave?  Or just want to give it a try to see if you like it?  Come over and after you are addicted...I will take you shopping to find the perfect loom for you.

Proud Mommy Momemt

This happened a few weeks ago...but I never want to forget it.  And if something happens to me I want someone to share the story with Nate.

Before Christmas Nate decided he wanted to go Christmas shopping. This was a big surprize.  Because Nate had been only worried about getting for himself for Christmas.  Ben had worked hard and earned money then got a shopping day with Mommy.  Let me take a moment here to explain something about the generous Ben...he went and bought two nice Lego sets "for his brothers"<---which he planned "to help" them build.  Then he went on to the Dollar Tree to find treasures for the other important people in his life :-)

 Now Nate suddenly decided he needed to do Christmas shopping.  We started and ended at the Dollar Tree--I have learned that my money is really easy to spend!  He started his Christmas shopping with a few things for himself ;-P then took alot of time picking out the gifts for others.

As we left he had the biggest winning smile on his face and he said " Mom...this has been the greatest day of my life!  You did the money and I did the shopping!"

I know honey...it was one of the greatest days of my life too!  I love you Nate.

100 DAYS of School!!!

When Ben was in Kindergarten he went to a public school and on the 100th day they had a celebration.  I made Ben a special shirt to wear to school that day.  Nate fell in love with the shirt!  He called it the "party shirt" and wore it proudly every time he could find it in the closet.  So with Nates' 100 day of Kindergarten nearing I made him a a special shirt!  {{and one for each of the other two boys :-)}}

WOW it is 2012

Wow it is 2012! And I have been gone..well actually here...just not blogging :-)

what happened? Yeah sometimes I wake up at night and I think...is this real? Was it just a nightmare?

No..it is really real...it did happen.

June 2011 I became ill. I found out about a month later that I had MS. I have two holes in the brain blood blanket. I was offered treatment with no hope. I could take shots that MIGHT slow down the episodes by 20%. Twenty percent is not good. It is not enough.

So I searched for an alternative treatment. I chose to have a stemcell treatment. My mother, aunt and I flew to Miami in October where I had the procedure done. 4.5 oz of fat was removed from my tummy. The stemcells were removed from the fat and injected back into my bloodstream. Three months later I feel amazing. I have all feeling back in my face, teethe,and tongue. I have not fallen since that time.

I have not told my neurosurgeon about the procedure yet. Monday I went to see him. I told him how well I am doing. He got to eye level with me and said "You need to understand that you have an incurable disease. The damage to your brain is permanent. The lesions will always be there. And will continue to happen because you are not on a treatment."

So tomorrow I have an MRI to measure the lesions and look for new ones.

The Psalmist David said " I am fearfully and wonderfully made." I believe that when God created our bodies He made them to take care of themselves--with us taking care of them soon.

For me the stemcell therapy was the right choice. It was the only choice with hope.

Here is what happens during the stemcell therapy ( I couldn't find the English version ;-( ...but it is out there!)




Frequently Asked Questions:
How much did it cost?
$13,900
Did insurance pay for it?
no... it is not a FDA approved procedure
Is it legal?
Yes...it has the same exemption as bone marrow transplants stated in CFR 1271.15.b.
What are the follow up meds?
three days of antibiotics and 30 days of mega vitamins to boost the immune system.
Did it hurt?
about as much as anything else when you take Valium :-)
How long is the procedure?
I was at the clinic about six hours total.
Would you do it again?
ABSOLUTELY!!