Blog Contest - would love your support!!

Circle of Moms is having a 

contest on the top 

homeschooling idea blogs.

I would love your support and vote.

You can go HERE to vote. 

 

Also, support your local library - take the kids, a big basket and 

load up for these long, hot summer days!!

If you have boys - let them explore!!

Pa-Pa's Place

A part of our farm is fondly referred to as "Pa-Pa's place."  It was I believe it was the home to the third generation of my husband's family to farm this land.  Its a very old house on a beautiful piece of property.  My mother-in-law always joke that if we had a million dollars, we would re-do the house because it has great "bones."  Right now, I'm sure is has tons of asbestosis and is just used for storing random things.  

Anyway, yesterday evening I took the boys over to play with the newly baled hay!  They love this time of year.  My oldest "judges" his growth against them each time we have them baled.  

I love the smell of newly baled hay.  Something about it. 

I love this old barn - I have no idea how old it is, but the wood is gorgeous.

Again, primarily just used to store old stuff.  

My oldest, the scientist, inspecting his latest find!!

I also love dirt roads.....never thought I would ever write those words

considering I grew up in a large city in a neighborhood,

but I'd never move back now. 

Again, my oldest, pausing to soak it all in - 

boy, did the two of them have tons of questions as we walked all around.

I love that - can almost hear their mind clicking away!!

Get them outside to get the imagination going. 

You can play hide-and-seek with the bales - such fun. 

Also, boys need TONS of room to run off all of their energy. 

A season for me as a mother - brothers side by side.  Sniff, sniff......

A very old gas pump - really cool looking. 

Hay throwing is mandatory!!

Hubby gathered this wheat field last week - such a gorgeous shade of golden still 

there with the cut stalks. 

I believe that soybeans will be the next crop to be planted in this 

particular field. 

A shelter with an old rusty roof - somehow very "classic and romantic".  

Rain on a tin roof - now that is a good night's sleep!!

Rakes to gather the hay for baling.  Really cool to watch if you ever get the chance. 

We are so very blessed to live on such a beautiful farm.  

 

For me, summer I especially try to SLOW DOWN.  

No big plans - no binding schedule.

We do so much 

driving during the school year.  It's almost a game to see how many 

days the truck can stay parked in the garage.  

My favorite times are exploring with my kids.  We pack a water bottle,

binoculars and a camera.  

Try it - you won't be disappointed. 

What activities are you doing with your kids this summer???

Small gift for end of school

At the end of the school year, I try to do something special for my sons.

I am definitely NOT the type of parent who pays their kids for grades!

(But that is a whole other soapbox topic for a later date.)

It is usually something small, but meaningful.

Especially with boys - they need a lot of encouragement

a lot of "I'm in your corner."

a lot of "I've got your back"

a lot of "you're going to face a lot of pressure during your school years, but I'm always here for you"

With all of the influences and challenges they face everyday,

they need to be guided and right now my husband and I

are trying very hard on making our relationships with our boys solid.

Now is the easy time to do that, so when they get older and the challenges

become more difficult, they'll feel safe and confident enough to talk honestly 

with us about anything. 

I found this bracelet in a Christian bookstore the week school got out and I gave it to my oldest as he finished second grade.  

Just an "I'm really proud of you - you really did a wonderful job." 

I see so many ways he's becoming a very insightful young man and is 

aware of so many things.  

He really loved it (especially since it was "boy-ish" and not girly.

He had a fun time showing his friends his new "bling" :)

A simple Cross pattern on the front:

On the back is written:

"They are not of the world, even as I'm not of it."

John 17:16

Do you do anything "special" for your kids as they move up in grades???

Would love to hear.  

Wheat Harvest

My love affair with my wheat has ended for the year.

I have watched it grow for months from my rocking chair on my front porch with coffee in hand.

Small and green at first - then, with time, it turned a beautiful golden yellow.

I always think of the movie "The Outsiders"...."Nothing stays golden forever Pony Boy!" 

Anyway.........

here comes hubby with our youngest son - his "helper" / combine companion.

My older son and I sat on the front porch snapping photos and got a great surprise....

two HUGE jackrabbits sprinting out of the wheat when the combine was getting close. 

"Oh, look at the cute bunnies" he exclaimed.

"Honey - they had no "bunny" about them - they were huge.  Bigger than the cats!"

Unloading and off to the grain bin.

The sky was gorgeous that day.  The clouds almost looked fake. 

Good time to sit and be still - and know how blessed we are. 

Marshmellows and Art bucket for summer

If you have followed my blog for a time, you know that I'm not the biggest fan of TV / Wii / video games / computers....I know, I know.....I'm the one who buys them - BUT  for me, it seems easier to limit the boys' time during the school year.

During the summer, the days seem longer and my patience seems less.......tell me a mother who doesn't feel the same way!!

We have the slip and slide / fun sprinklers / playhouse and random outside toys all ready for them in the backyard, but for those "really" hot and muggy days or even rainy days, its nice to have some other fun stuff ready at hand.

Here is some I came up with this week:

Marshmellows (large and small) a bag of each for each boy

box of 500 toothpicks

Dollar store total: $5.00

The projects started out simple, but as the time went on, the more complex they became. 

Boredom = Great Imagination

Tower that eventually was seven stories high, until it came crashing down. 

I don't know......but my four year old had a long explanation of what HE thought is was!

Yes, I'm frugal, and had them take it apart and put everything away into Ziplocs

so they can be used again (and they have several time).  

A little sticky, but it did teach them patience and sorting as well. 

Next up: The Art Bucket which now lives on the kitchen table during "non-meal" time.

I found this silver bucket in the dollar section of Target and pulled out some

favorites from our craft closet.  

stickers

markers

crayons

tape

colored and regular pencils

scissors

ruler

gluesticks

I found several mason jars, cups and an old dog treat jar and filled it up. 

Next, I found this HUGE stack of colored paper at a school supply store for cheap,

cheap, cheap!  

I find the boys stopping by multiple times a day to "create" and display on the fridge. 

Love to see what they come up with.

What projects have you set up for your kids this summer??

If you give a Mom a Muffin

If you have kids, I'm sure you've read the book "If you give a mouse a cookie...." and others in that series.  I heard this poem at a MOPS meeting this year and wanted to share it.  

If You Give Mom a Muffin

Author: Beth Brubaker

If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll pour herself some.
Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she'll find dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her
she has to plan for supper.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook
("101 Things To Do With a Pound of Hamburger").
The cookbook is setting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.
The checkbook is in her purse
that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two-year-old's diaper.
While she is changing the diaper, the phone will ring.
Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.
She'll remember she wants to phone a friend for coffee.
Thinking of coffee will remind her
that she was going to have a cup.
And chances are...If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

We all have days like that!!!  Hope your's is going well today!  

On the eight day, God made a farmer.......

To all of the farming families out there, watch this.

Here is my farmer - my true love and the hardest working man I've ever met. 

Got food?  Thank a farmer!!!