Day 6 and still holding strong...

I am fascinated that this is working, in all appearance. After reading Large Family Logistics, I started a Home Management binder. Instead of doing my allotted 2-3 loads of laundry a day, I am now experimenting with a Laundy Day, like the women of old used to do. Monday is laundry day and I laughed at the thought of this working, but a mother of 9(!!! That still sounds like such a huge number for me, lol) said it worked her, so I began my trial period last week. Granted all clothing is washed on Monday...bedding is stripped on Tuesday(if it is dirty) and all dirty coats are washed on Friday - breaking up the laundry into more of a bite-sized piece. All these reminders are written in my Home Management binder which lies open on my table. Why didn't I do this years ago?!?!?!? 

So far, so good. The 4 laundry baskets are holding almost 6 days worth of laundry, and only 2/3 full at that. I actually think we'll make it! The hardest thing for me has been that little alarm that goes off in my head every day telling me to get the laudry going or switch loads! Seriously, it has been haunting. I have noticed the extra time I have each day since laundry has ceased. So, Monday I did all my laundry, but was caught up so it wasn't that big of a deal. This next Monday will be interesting to see how long it takes us to get it done. All ironing and mending(last week was one white button on one dress shirt impatiently ripped off instead of unbuttoned by a certain 8 yr old) gets done on that day as well as the whole day is commited to laundry. I like staying home on Mondays, this works so well for me. I am looking forward to it and my husband is just hoping our septic system alarm doesn't go off, lol!! Truly, this could be an issue ;)

So, This weeks schedule has been as follows...Monday - Laundry Day, Tuesday - Office Day(grocery lists prepared, menu plan for 1 week, errands listed, bills paid, 1 snail mail letter written, taxes started), Wednesday - Town Day(piano lessons, grocery shopping, errands), Thursday - Kitchen Day(sweets baked for the week or month, freezer meals(if I feel like it), deep clean kitchen areas), Friday - Cleaning Day(mopping, dusting, scrubbing, tubs, showers all the stuff I can get away with on only a weekly basis) and Saturday is yet to be determined. She had Gardening Day, but I ain't working in our rain at this time of year...so maybe barn and dog kennel day? Who knows.

Homeschooling has fit in quite nicely in the midst of all this. It is too early to comment on this new *way* but it *seems* to make life easier and give me more time to rock the little ones, read them books and work on hot spots within the home.

The progress that has been made this week is due in part, I think, to the laundry not taking up time. All our dressers are on Craigslist today and Paul is busily building a whole wall of shelving to take the place of dressers in Elijahs room. His bedroom(the boy's old room) is now our family closet housing all the children's clothing and laundry, ironing board and mending supplies. I will take pictures once he finishes.

So see Laura C? The laundry seems to be working so far!

Skating whilst it snows..

    On Monday night, our church had their skating party. It is another highlight of the year. Everyone counts down the days until the skating party much like they do Christmas.

 

I packed up a bookbag full of toys and books, dressed the little ones warm as it is always freezing in there and off we went. A problem arose when we got there and Gracie right away started talking about *skating*. Daddy tried to persuade her to stay and play with Mommy and Elijah, but her heart was already set on skating and nothing was working. He could have just said no and that would have been that, but those blue eyes got to him and she ended up getting her skates. Even though the nuts were tightened to where the wheels couldn’t spin, she was on cloud nine *skating*(more like clomping) with Daddy and brothers and sisters.

 

This was about the best picture I could get of Jessie, she and her friends were pretty much a blur all night.

 

We had a lot of people!  Notice the loooong limbo line in the middle.

 

Danny was a terror on wheels, always flailing arms and legs, but rarely falling.

Micah and Emma limbo’ing. It was a great night full of sweat, friends, bumps and bruises. On the icy drive home it was snowing.

 

The next morning(Tuesday) we all awoke to snow. O.k., reality was I awoke at 6am(!) to the sound of my house dog barking, very out of character for her. I got up and found Jacob and Daniel outside, fully dressed and playing in the snow for crying out loud! They had been out since 5 something. Crazy children I have.

 

They came in, had breakfast and after a proper start to the morning we put off chores so they could go play. After all, the rains were coming.

 

Micah with his ears flipped outside his hat.

 

Elijah dreaming of snowsuits, snowballs and a motivated mother who would dress him…his dream did not come true.

But Jessica made me a snowmushroom. How cute is that? I can even tell it is a Fly Agaric!

Go Sock?

This is the epitome of why I blog.

 

I don’t know whether to think there is something wrong here or to rejoice my children are enjoying their housework.

About five minutes ago I walked into the living room where the children were asked to sort and fold socks. They were playing Go Fish….with socks. And it was working. At the moment Jacob is ahead and Daniel is asking if someone has a “dirty looking clean sock with a blue ring around the top”.

 

The socks are almost sorted so I guess I can’t complain. This game was Jessie’s brainchild one day when she had laundry basket FULL of socks and manipulated her siblings into playing her *game* I LOVE it!

My Favorite Book of 2011

 

O.k., so it is a little early to make a claim like that, but really, I think this book will be my favorite. It is fresh off the press and It has been on my want list since the day I heard about it. So, what is this book I am raving about? Large Family Logistics written by Kim Brenneman.

The book is written by a down to earth, easily relatable wife and mother. There is hope for a large family to have a clean house…the laundry done an orderly home…a happy home.

This book was written with the tired, mother of many, often pregnant mamma as the audience. Some chapter titles are Teaching a new chore, Life with Littles, Baby Balance, Your Home Management Book, Laundry Day(Day? DAY? I can’t wait to see how she pulls this one off)Town Day, Cleaning Day, Deep Cleaning Day, Tea party Day, Meal Time Routines, Quiet Time, Bathroom Management, The Children’s Hour, Homeschooling the Large Family, Meal Planning, Feast Night,Read Aloud Time, Pregnancy and Preparing for the Newborn, The Buddy System…there are 47 easy reading chapters total.

Just browsing through different topics makes me wish I had this book years ago, anyone of any size family can benefit from her wisdom.

You can find it HERE and if you so choose to buy it, I have a free shipping coupon to VF you may use, just email me.

New Year Ramblings

Like I'm sure everyone can say, the time since Christmas has been a blur. A good blur, but a blur. The children won and we took aaaaall last week off school, it was quite a nice break to just get the house back in shape, organize stuff and enjoy the lackadaisical week. Paul and I agreed that since we are not sharing half our living space with a Christmas tree this year, we'd keep it up for an extra week. Well, Monday came around and that is as long as I could stand it. We had everything down, vacuum and dusted by the time Daddy came home from work. Good riddance.

We were all very excited for another New Year's Eve hymn sing and fellowship with Hope Family Fellowship church, a dear sweet body of believers we just cherish. It was so much fun to eat, watch children and adults alike perform music, singing or readings. The poems were my favorite. Then we sang the old wonderful hymns until late. I treasure the fellowship and encouragement I receive while there. ;)

Our good friends the P's, who live on Camano Island, came home at midnight with us to spend the night at our home. All 11 of them, what adventurous parents! It was SUCH a hoot! The next day we were excited to be invited to a New Year's Day dance and celebration down in their neck of the woods, but two of our children came down with fevers. By the next day, New Year's, we had 4 down with fevers. By the next day all 7 had come down with it! Needless to say our plans were scrapped, but the worst part is I think my eldest daughter was contagious at the HFF New Year's Eve party. Sorry to all her friends out there, you'd know by now if you caught it. ;) I am quietly waiting to hear from the P's to see if any of their children came down with it.

Sunday was filled with sick children and tending to their little needs, charting tylenol doses for those with high fevers and making sure everyone drank 1 full glass of water every two hours. I am the Water Nazi.

Monday was much better. Only Emma and Jess were down still. I got the privilege of doing Jessica's chores by caring for the goats. While I was out there I am sure I saw babies kicking inside the doe's tummies ;)

I went to my midwife appointment at two. She commended me for being able to wait until this appointment to hear the heartbeat! I laid down and...nothing. I was getting nervous now. I asked her if I could skootch down flat on my back as I felt that was the problem and sure enough, as soon as I did that we found a strong heartbeat. I teared up. She got the idea and we listened to that quick thump-thump for a good long time. :) It was music to my soul. Ann commented on the fact baby had a *growth spurt* and asked if I usually measure large. I have a couple times in the past, but the last couple pregnancies have been quite normal. Oh, it is fun to dream of twins, isn't it? I wish.

Oh, and last night Paul and I finally found a guinea pig for Jessica on Craigslist. He is a male smooth-haired Dalmation Black. He is happily feasting on fresh hay and a plethora of veggies. I have missed pigs, they are some of the best pets. ;)

There is a bunch of useless information and if you make it this far, you deserve an award.  Love from the J's

Christmas Day

Christmas Day started at 7:30am, much too early for me. There was no fancy breakfast like we usually make as there was so much company this weekend, Mamma took the morning off. We lit our last Advent candle and finished our advent readings. We found a wonderful Advent devotional online that we all enjoyed greatly this year.

   

Before stockings were open, I made the remark that we needed Christmas music and so Daniel pulled out his fiddle and serenaded us with Jingle Bells, Adeste Fideles and The First Noel. Thank you Danny!

 

After stockings, which are usually one small gift and some fruit and candy, Jessica handed out gifts one at a time to the children. Elijah was a bear. His overstimulation from the night before reared it’s ugly head and he was mad at the world, lol! Like I said in yesterdays post, he was only up for about an hour and a half.

 

Here is Elijah in all his glory that morning, poor thing.

 

Waiting patiently for a gift. The older children all gave gifts to each other that they either made or bought at the dollar store.

 

We gift practically!

 

Grumpy little boy bringing a gift for Mamma to help him open.

 

The aftermath

 

Grandpa bought the boys Winchester knife sets. These boys have more knives in their room than I have in my kitchen. 

 

Michael’s gift cards, once again, good idea Grandpa!

 

Pockets!

Christmas Evening was another dinner with family. Paul’s brother, two nieces, mother & father joined us for dinner. We feasted on baked ham, broccoli casserole, sweet potatoes, fruit salad and buns. I have heard for 17+ years about his mothers sweet potatoes, never could I come close to duplicating them. Well, we had them last night and he was right, they were to die for. She also made the broccoli casserole and after having that before, it will become a regular around here.

My favorite gift.

My son Daniel spent an afternoon hand-making this candle holder on his father’s lathe…just for me ;)

And to add to the blessings of the day, as I was resting in the big chair, the baby, for the first time, made his presence known as I felt his wriggles for several minutes.

Merry Christmas!

“Then the eyes of the blind will be opened

And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.

Then the lame will leap like a deer,

And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy.

For waters will break forth in the wilderness

And streams in the Arabah.

The scorched land will become a pool

And the thirsty ground springs of water;

In the haunt of jackals, its resting place,

Grass becomes reeds and rushes.” Is 35:5-7

Christmas Eve

 

Every year the children get up and ask to open just *one* gift on Christmas Eve. Daddy always says no and the bribing and pestering begins.

 

Daddy was given a blanket to warm himself and then he asked for a shoulder massage….then coffee….then BREAKFAST…then a FOOT rub. And the worst part is they DID it all! That stinker!

 

 

The children all rejoiced when they *won* and opened a  gift…I think Daddy won…not them.

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Christmas Eve Night

Christmas Eve night my side of the family came over. We only do white elephant gifts(good ones) and play the game with the children then the adults. We stopped drawing names for each other as the cost was just not do-able. Dad and Mom still bring gifts for all us children and their grandchildren.

       

Our family photo on my camera. I am hoping my siblings may have a couple better ones!

 

This year we tried something new. We had a baked potato feed, salads, cheesy bread and veggies. I think it went quite well and clean up was a cinch.

 

Emily and Ali played another beautiful carol for us, Jessica played O Holy Night, Jacob Carol of the Bells and Danny played O Come All Ye Faithful with Emily.

 

 

 

 

Micah received a headlamp that morning and never took it off all day, it was so cute. Now he can go out in the dark woodshed to help the big boys fetch wood.

  

Gracie got a Bitty Baby from Grandma. It has two arms! Her old dolly has been one armed for months ;)

    

This was the neatest gift. Ali, Jessie’s cousin and best friend, built a jump with her Daddy for Angel and Jessica to work with. Jess has used everything from sticks and small logs to jump over and now she has the real thing! Christmas Eve came to a close around 9:30pm and the house was cleaned and children tucked in by 10:30. It is SO much easier when it is at our home!!  Elijah is pretty over stimulated. After waking this morning all he could do was whine and cry so we fed him breaky and put him right back to bed. He slept until 12:30! He is a much more enjoyable boy now. ;)

Here we go a caroling..

Tuesday night- Every year our little neighborhood celebrates Christmas by gathering at Mrs. F’s home, singing carols then eating our hearts out, it is always a hoot.  

We all visited for a while then gathered around, passed out the song sheets and all sang carols. Mrs. VB and Gracie accompanied us on the piano.

 

We have the sweet blessing of all our close neighbors are fellow believers in Christ, so we all celebrate Christmas rejoicing in the birth of Christ.

 

After the singing comes the food. I took this picture after everyone had eaten, we had a plethora of food, Mrs. F and Mrs. VB are of Dutch decent ;) and boy can they put out a spread! Hot chocolate, brewed apple cider, bars, dips, veggies, deviled eggs, cupcakes, breads, meat stuffed buns….yum.

 

We stayed until 10:30 then packed it up and drove a half a block home. Thank you everyone for all the memories!! We missed you Johnstons!

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Wednesday – Affordable fresh green veggies are hard to find in the winter and I try to not spend over $2lb. The Green Barn had fresh brussels sprouts for sale for 1.09lb the last two weeks.  Our family is weird, we looooove brussels sprouts. I told Dave(the Green Barn guy) that I was going to come back and get about 20lb to put in the freezer. He said if I bought a 25lb box I could have them for .58lb!

 

So we trimmed, blanched and froze 6 full ziploc bags full and I’d like to do one more box ;)