Planning for Spring

We've talked a lot about having a garden but we never actually started one. There was always an excuse. We didn't have time. We didn't really know what we wanted to plant. One after the other...a reason to not do something that we knew would be not only beneficial to us, but something that could be a fun AND educational family project.

Well to hell with excuses. ;)

The hubs and the boys started planning, then planting, an array of seeds for our first garden. We saved milk cartons and other containers, and dumped out old, dead plants to recycle some planters. Trying to use what we already had and save a little dough. 

Now. Just to clarify. When I say "we," I really mean "they." They all have my utmost support in this endeavor. I even volunteered to learn how to can/jar what they grow. But I don't have the mad gardening skills. To be honest, what I know, they probably teach in first grade science. I got nothing. :/

Anyway, here are some of our little seedlings. It's really incredible to see how much everything grows, just in one day. The boys are loving learning about what veggies and herbs need to be planted in what time of year. Bailey is already planning recipes around what he is going to be able to go out and pick. Cool, yeah? :)

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Spinach

I'm really hoping we remember to document the different stages of everything as it grows...you know us and cameras...it's hit or miss, lol. 

Alrighty. Logging off now. Looking forward to Sunday with my guys. Hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend! :D

More Snow!

Seriously...we only get snow about once every three/four years. To get a second winter blast of snow here is highly unusual, but it happened this past week. Snowmageddon, part deux. :D

It was forecasted to roll in on Tuesday, and after the fiasco from a couple of weeks ago, the officials took it seriously and took preemptive measures. Schools were closed BEFORE the snow moved in. Businesses and government offices were closed early. And grocery stores ran out of milk and bread.

Always cracks me up. Milk and bread. MILK AND BREAD! Not me. Whenever the threat of nasty weather moves in, I make sure we have enough ice cream and wine. It's all about priorities... ;)

Anyhoo. I enjoyed the extra couple of days with the boys. They had fun. Snowmen, snow angels and lots and lots and lots of laundry. Lol. Every time they went out and came in to dry out, they changed clothes. But it's all worth it, to see them have SO much fun, with something that we don't get to see too often.

The great thing about homeschooling, is we can take some time to go play in the snow, then we can take breaks and get in some schoolin'. The boys have really been working on their handwriting, doing copy work from the books they are reading. Sounds mundane, and it is, but it's necessary.

This upcoming week should hopefully go smoothly. I am finally cutting back my hours at the tax office, and may even see a day off on Thursday to do my Athens thing with the boys. That would be great! Bailey has a costume fitting for his Master's play on Tuesday morning, and only has a few more weeks to get ready for his 4-H DPA.

Braeden is on his third Harry Potter book. Yep, third! We are so proud of him! He's plugging right along, and it just proves that whole "it's not that they can't read, it's just that they are reading the wrong books" thing. :) He is getting better with staying focused on his school when he's working as well, even though I find him going back through past things like the kindergarten science curriculum, rather than his current 4th grade science, lol.

Tonight, I'm enjoying a movie night with my guys (Catching Fire and Percy Jackson!). Tomorrow we have a birthday party we are so looking forward to attending, then back home for a little more down time. And laundry. Always. With. The. Laundry. *sigh

Hope everyone has a great week!

Six More Weeks of Winter...

Image credit: Washington Post - Groundhog Day 2014

That's what Punxsutawney Phil told us. I actually don't mind winter, but I really would like Mother Nature to make up her mind. After we had the snowmageddon last week, we enjoyed almost spring like temps over the following few days. This week has been back and forth, between warmer and colder, and now the forecast is calling for more snow/ice this upcoming week. Sheesh. 

With the whole groundhog day thing, the boys enjoyed learning more about the history of the day, as well as learning more about groundhogs. Of course, they both have my superpower (distraction), so googling "facts about groundhogs" led to googling a more general "facts about animals." Which then led to a gazillion texts (I was at work) of them sharing all of those neat little facts with me. :) 

This week was my worst longest at the tax office, and I ended up with 60 hours. I'm exhausted and honestly...have no plans whatsoever for this week. Bad homeschooling mama, I know. The boys each have projects they are working on, outside of their school stuff. Bailey is practicing his 4-H DPA project (a healthy sesame chicken with broccoli over jasmine rice) and both he and Braeden are working on making some claymation videos. Fun! 

It's a good thing that our homeschool is so flexible, and that we all appreciate and enjoy the online resources/programs that we rely on. 

Hope you all have a great week!

This week I'm linking up with the LHSHS High School Homeschool Blog Hop. Feel free to browse the other blog hoppers, and link up your own post! :)

Snowmageddon!

If you live in the north, I'm sure you mock us southerners when it snows. In these here parts, we don't see much of the stuff. The stores run out of bread and milk (because...apparently...in a snow storm, you're going to make soggy bread/milk sandwiches?), the state shuts down and the interstates and roadways become death traps. :/

You have no doubt seen the news coverage of what I labeled "snowmageddon" this week. When it started snowing Tuesday, all of the schools and businesses collectively closed at the same time. What happened next?

Madness.

People were driving for 4, 5, 7...even 12 hours to get home (a normal commute, mind you). People slept in cars, kids were stranded overnight in schools...it was just insane. Fortunately, the area we are in got hit less with MUCH less snow and ice compared to other parts of Atlanta and the surrounding areas. I made it home from the office, and the hubs and the boys were safely at home to begin with.

And we had plenty of bread and milk.

Crisis averted for us. :)

The boys had fun playing in the snow that we did get. Snowball fights, mostly. 'Cause that's what boys do, I was told.

Mother Nature still hasn't made up her mind about what season she wants us to feel like we're in. According to the boys, she's the one that needs a weather lesson, not them, lol.  Today was nice, and tomorrow the high is supposed to be 65! It's no wonder my sinuses are in a nasty state of rebellion.

I have what I call the tax brain now. It hurts. So I'm logging off to get some sleep and to look forward to my one day off tomorrow with my guys. I'm leaving you with a shameless (SHAMELESS!) plug for one of the homeschool resources we use. Science4Us is an online, interactive program that teaches science for elementary school aged kiddos. Interested in seeing what they offer? Go here:

:D