Been a long time

It has been a long time since I've been here. What prompted me was my garden. Our computer crashed and I remembered I had a few pictures here of last years garden. I have been busy. My cousin graduated May 16Th. We had our first home school graduate this year. She got accepted into John Brown University. So, not to bad...

This year we decided we didn't like the strict schedule of Tapestry of Grace and will return to studying the Bible with Robin Sampson's Adam to the Messiah. The kids begged me to return to it. When your kids beg to learn...you do it. I have much to plan this summer if we are going to do this next year.

Which brings another subject...we need to be less busy next year. I am not sure how we will do it...it seems we have nothing to eliminate that doesn't 'seem' important. How does one family get so busy? And once there how do you reverse that? I am sure the kids will not like some of the choices Todd and i make. But, we are the parents.

I've come to the conclusion that my kids need to learn to help more. Don't get me wrong they do help quite a bit. But, they've grown and gotten older and it is time to introduce more jobs and living skills to them. How do you do that? Nothing against my mother but she only taught me how to clean. She really didn't cook much. Especially bake. And to add to the complexity of it all Michala and I are Celiacs. Michala also can't do diary. So we can't just go buy mixes or something. So, this summer the girls will learn how to cook a few things and clean a few more. Michala is also learning how to sew. Which has been fun for both of us. She took a class at the home school enrichment day. I learned a few things to. I taught myself to sew the non-traditional way. So, the terminology is all new to me as well as some of the procedures. I did much of it the hard way. No wonder I have little time to do it.

If anyone is still listening out there. Let me know. How busy should we be. How many days/nights a week should we be busy? How many Bible studies do you do? (we have a family one and I have one for myself) How do you stay not so busy? What chores do you expect out of your 9 and 11.5 year olds? any help would be great. It would be nice to see how other moms do this.

Also, how do you get them to do it? do you pay an allowance? do you give lists? Do you have a chore board in the hallway? How do you encourage them to do it? What if they don't? And the real question is do any of you have children that just get up and do their stuff without you asking? If so, I really want to hear from you!