Rocking My Domestic Powers

The past few days, the boys have asked me, "Do you have to go to work today?"

I've loved that I've been able to say no! I could really get used to this, but as it is, I'll be missing the paycheck I would have received these past two weeks. Why didn't I buy a lotto ticket at Christmas?

Before heading back to the routine next week, I'm enjoying spending extra time exercising my autodidact.

I have plans to make soap. I've been wanting to do this for awhile now and just never got around to it. For Christmas I received a handmade bar of honey oatmeal soap, and I'm more motivated than ever to start making our own. I have sensitive skin and can feel immediately when I'm exposed to natural versus artificial.

The boys say they will help me in this soap making endeavor. We've collected several books with recipes and today we scored a stick blender at the resale shop for $4. If we make enough soap that we can begin selling it this spring, I will split the profits with them. If we aren't able to set up a home soap business, at least we'll have fun exploring a bit of chemistry.

Bird report - We had swarms hanging out in our bushes and enjoying our feeders, then one day I saw the hawk perched on the deck rail. On the north side of our garden the feathers on the ground prove the hawk has been successfully filling her belly. Now we rarely see the juncos, sparrows and finches hanging around. I suppose once the hawk moves on, the birds will return.

I've also been enjoying being home to cook for my family. Tonight I'm going to try making Giada's parmesan potato pancakes.

I Have A Few Minutes...

The boys are busy enjoying their Christmas gifts.

We're all having a wonderful holiday season. I didn't get full blown sick! My defense of Emergen-C, Echinacea tea, veggies, vitamin D and rest seems to have given me an edge.

Despite what you see in the photo, I could have done better nutritionally. As expected the goodies were everywhere, and even though I kept trying to give them away, they kept ricocheting back into my Sleepyhouse. I've stuck some of it in the freezer, and the gingerbread tin I've told DS16 to keep in his room. I'm setting up to begin 2012 with less temptation laying around in front of me. I'll be trying to keep more veggies like this on hand.

One of my Christmas gifts was a giant herbal book along with seeds to grow herbs, along with herbs to make infusions. Can you guess what's next on my autodidact list?? Actually I've been having garden dreams in my sleep, and these first few days with added daylight have me craving to make garden plans. The fact we have no snow on the ground isn't helping.

I'm basically off from work this week, but I'm trying to take that extra time to complete some projects around the house. I feel so much better when the nest is in order. You could say I've started my spring cleaning early.

For New Year's we'll probably stay put. I know there aren't too many years left we'll have with the boys. There is a concert DH & I would love to go to, but it doesn't feel right beginning the new year not together as a family. I also know I need this week of down time because January's schedule is filling up.

Have I made any New Year's resolutions? Sort of. Its not that I really want to focus on changing anything as much as I want to focus on recognizing my talents and improving upon them. I know I have a pretty good foundation. Its just time to start building that up now. 2012 is not going to be about what I need to change, but rather, embracing my positive attributes and using them wisely. I am going to be who I am and love myself regardless.

I remember last year I told myself I was going to chillaxx in 2011. I know I'm better at doing this than I was before, but I also understand my true self. I am better at not allowing it to become a weakness, and I can choose to use my worry trait differently.

Well, I don't feel like sitting still any longer. I'll check back in when I can.

Today I witnessed my sons' generosity and Christmas spirit and realized how truly blessed I am to have these wonderful young men in my life.

Maybe I Shouldn't Have Kissed Him?

Of course I should have! He warned me he thought he was getting a sore throat, but aren't you suppose to share everything in a marriage?

Needless to say, I'm drinking Echinacia tea, eating plenty of clementines and raw veggies and just trying to relax about it all. It is what it is.

I do seem to spend more Christmases under the weather rather than above it. I think that's just because of the stress of the season and the increased opportunities to run into germies. I just need to focus on not stressing out over it and trust my immune system to do its job.

I woke up and began wrapping presents trying to be more proactive with this task this year. I really don't like wrapping. I usually find myself forced to stay up really late on Christmas Eve because I haven't wrapped anything. One of these years, I want to make decorative draw string bags we can re-use every year, I just haven't gotten around to it.

12/22/11
I didn't finish this post yesterday. DS12.11 wanted me to take him Christmas shopping. With his own money he bought gifts for all of us. When it came time to buy mine, he took me to a jewelry counter, had me show him what I liked and then asked me to walk away. :) So cute! I think I know what I'm getting, but my real gift was watching his generosity and Christmas spirit. When we returned home, he wrapped them all by himself.

Today DS16 wants a ride to the mall. I'm sure he was motivated by knowing what his younger brother had just done. The only thing I'd change is next year, I need to explain to these two how shopping earlier means less crowds.

I definitely have a head cold. I slept in really late this morning and my nose is starting to run a little bit more. I hope it doesn't get too bad and I can keep this from getting ugly.

I better get moving. Hope the mall isn't too crazy.

Fat Cat or Bald Cat?

Would you rather have a fat cat or a bald cat?

I know its winter not by the calendar, not by the position of the sun, but by the fact Yumi now is sporting several bald patches on her back. She yanks out her fur this time of year, I think because of dry, itchy skin. She does not have fleas.

I've decided to begin adding fish oil to her kibble once again. I did this last year and it seemed to help

She will not eat wet food, (unless its the expensive smoked salmon I bought for my husband to enjoy.) She prefers to eat dry kibble and due to her previous food allergies, I always try to give her grain free cat food. She's currently eating Taste Of The Wild, but because its a dry kibble food, I don't think it gives her enough fat to keep her skin from drying out this time of year.

She's already over weight. We always measure her food so she doesn't get more than she's suppose to have, but this grain free food is not exactly low calorie. Plus, this time of year she wants more, to keep warm I believe. (We keep our thermostat set to 64 and use lots of blankets.) She's currently being fed 1/4 cup in the morning and 1/4 cup at night.

I hope the added fish oil helps her. She's also been taking hairball treatment fish oil weekly. Her fur is nice and bunny soft, but she does have dry skin dander, especially on her back. I brush her regularly to help oils distribute. I don't know what else to try. Hopefully she'll stop yanking out her fur.

You Have To Watch Out For Tomten

My son's latest video. I'm really hoping he makes more soon! Tomten can be so mischievous, especially if you don't feed them rice pudding!

Want A Cookie?

These are some of the delicious cookies we made yesterday at our weekly homeschool posse hang out. We have double chocolate chip, molasses, date pinwheels and the hearts are the Swedish Pepparkakor I made.

I have to give a big thank you to my friend who hosted, allowing me to use her granite counter-top. It made rolling out the Pepparkakor so much easier!! The secret to good Pepparkakor is rolling them really thin. I have never been able to roll them as thin as my mormor did until yesterday! I can't afford to redo my kitchen, but I think I'll start looking for a scrap piece of marble or granite I can turn into a dough board.

The Cage The Elephant show last night was amazing. Everything just fell into place perfectly. We found free parking and the best seats in the house. My favorite part was when I noticed DH truly relaxing and he put his arm around me.

I'm going to head out today to finish up some Christmas shopping. I hope it goes well, and I can continue to ride this life high into the weekend.

Enjoy your cookie and have a great weekend!

Not Just Lurking, Actually Updating You...

Am I actually taking a few moments to journal what's been going on?

I'm finding it difficult to comprehend there are just two weeks left before we begin a new year. Seems like Thanksgiving was yesterday, literally.

The weather hasn't helped. Its been warmer than usual so we have no snow on the ground. It feels like I should be gardening, but then I look at the calendar and know the snow and ice will come any day now. I don't have any cold frames or a greenhouse so nothing really will grow.

I'm anxiously anticipating date night tonight. DH and I are going to see Cage The Elephant. They always put on a super high energy show. I know its going to be incredible. I'm really hoping it helps DH's mood. I think the stress from work and our days of less sunlight have been bringing him down.

This afternoon I'm bringing Pepparkakor cookie dough over to a friend's house with the hope she can help me roll out the cookies very thin. I haven't enjoyed good Pepparkakor cookies since my grandmother had made them. The store bought version doesn't compare.

I decided not to do much baking this Christmas knowing there will be plenty of goodies around. Its always a challenge to get through this season without over doing the sugar quota. I'm focusing on raw veggie appetizers I can bring to the parties we'll attend instead. I will probably bake a batch of soft gingerbread reindeer cookies for the boys.

I got my haircut and now its not growing. She cut it too short. I warn them every time, as soon as you snip my longer hair, it will spring up and appear much shorter. I wanted shoulder length and ended up with chin length. I'm getting used to it and people tell me it looks cute, but I really hate not being able to pull it back into a pony. I swear it just looks shorter everyday too. It doesn't seem to be growing out.

After almost 4 years, I took the boys in for a wellness checkup. I couldn't believe it had really been 4 years, but honestly, they've never been sick in all that time and with all of the changes in our health insurance coverage, I never scheduled wellness checkups. As luck would have it, our current insurance meant the boys could see their original physician, which they were happy about. It went better than I had expected.

Our doctor hasn't always been homeschooling friendly. I've tried over the years to educate and enlighten him. I was surprised he didn't make an issue out of it this time, and I actually found a homeschooling magazine in his waiting room!!

I was also surprised they didn't fight me at all when I asked they NOT give the boys the flu and HPV shots. These are two I definitely think they can do without.

Of course after visiting the office, I'm in full out germaphobe mode. I always feel like we get sick AFTER we visit a clinic for the obvious reasons. I did try to schedule earlier morning appointments hoping our exposure would be less. It would be more healthy if doctors still made house calls don't you think?

My parents will be here this weekend and we'll celebrate at my sister's house. Next weekend there's another party at my sister's with more of my family attending. I like being able to celebrate in smaller gatherings. Its less overwhelming and you actually get to spend time visiting with people rather than touching base for a few minutes.

Christmas Day we'll be home, in the nest. I plan to wear yoga pants all day.

I most likely will not have to drive in to work much the next two weeks. I have projects to work on from home, but we'll have no lessons now until after the new year. Another perk to my job, semester breaks!

I'm going to try filming customer service videos with my son, who's really taken an interest in film making. I've told him it would be good practice experience to help me write, film and edit these clips for my workplace. Maybe someday he'll make a living doing what he loves to do!

I didn't get any Christmas cards written, and I won't have all the perfect gifts for everyone, but I do feel like I'm managing to not become overwhelmed. As they say, "Martha Stewart doesn't live here and that is a good thing!"  I'm having enough of a challenge trying to maintain healthy habits.

Sleep has been difficult, but I think that's midlife hormones. I can go to bed at 11:30pm and wake up wide awake at 5:00am. Of course the crash comes later!! Some nights, I just can't fall asleep no matter how hard I try. I seem to go two days without sleep and then be able to sleep one or two nights. I'm trying not to stress over it. I think it will all balance out eventually. Unfortunately, I'm always ready for a nap when I have to leave for work!

From desperation to inspiration ~ today's unschooling included overcoming the virus attacking DS's computer and learning everything is fixable as long as you don't give up. Every stressful event is an opportunity to learn and grow as long as you keep rolling with the changes.

Day 30 ~ I was so very grateful to come home, after a semi-stressful work evening, to a loving family who saved Chinese take out for me!

Throw Cans At Me

Today I was privileged to assist my son work on a film project. He has found a mentor, a film maker who has offered free film school lessons online. For his first project he needed to film a short, one take, stationary shot that was "compelling." This is what he came up with.




My part was to simply push the record button on the camera. DS16 set up the shot and came up with the idea. The part I find hilarious is he asked his soon to be 13 year old brother to throw cans at him. Is that not a dream come true for a little brother??!!! An invitation to throw something at your big brother??!!

I'm excited DS16 has found this learning opportunity and I hope he enjoys the process. I know DS12.10 had fun!!!