Life Got In the Way

So, it probably doesn't matter if I say that I always intended to start blogging again. I have lots of post titles stored away in the back of my mind. I thought about it all the time. I missed it terribly.

No. None of that matters because it didn't actually get done. And the truth is, I just couldn't fit it in. And then I didn't feel like it. And then I did, but I couldn't fit it in again. In the past few months, so much has happened that it feels like I've been caught up in a big whirlwind. Why is life like that? My life goes through wonderful periods of peace. I'll be going along, have everything in a nice, comfy routine, and BAM! I get smacked upside the head with complete and total life change.

The big news is that I got re-married. I know, right? How did that happen? That came with moving into his house, getting the kids settled and adjusted, schedules changing, etc. Then we went through summer traveling and camps, and well, there just hasn't been a minute to breathe.

Oh, and I'm pregnant again. So if there was a minute, I slept through it.

But now I'm feeling good again. For a while, anyway. I've hit the second-trimester stride and feel back to my old self. Nausea and fatigue are gone, and there's nothing but blue skies. I know that the tiredness will return, and the bustle and go of having a new baby this winter will mean many times that the blog will go unfilled again. But right now, I'm just enjoying each moment.

Honestly, that's another reason I haven't blogged: I've just been living life instead of writing about it. As crazy and hectic and difficult as everything has been, it's been better than ever. I'm so excited about what this season of my life has in store.

So, I guess what happened is that life got in the way.

Hey, that was a song I used to listen to a lot in high school! Remember these guys?



Happy Wednesday!

Things I Love This Week: The Merry Goes 'Round

Ok, I have a confession: I love Jewel. The girls and I are thoroughly enjoying her latest children's album, The Merry Goes 'Round. We're obsessed. I mean, obsessed. And you know what? I would be obsessed with it even if I didn't have kids. My favorite song on the album is Give Me the Rainbow. 





Darling and I cannot stop singing this song as we go about our day! It's infections without being annoying. Our other favorites are Bucky the Bull, And the Green Grass Grew All Around, and Sammy the Spider. There is something about the combination of words with the melody that makes these songs so charming. I'm obsessed, I tell you! Obsessed!

Well, maybe not obsessed. Not like this, anyway:



Happy Thursday!

Karate: Train Your Body

This 1980's video of "Karate Rap" is awesome* on so many levels. It blows my mind!

*and by "awesome" I mean, "pee your pants funny"

Snacktime

Did you know the Barenaked Ladies made a children's album, called Snacktime? I found it at my local library. I love it as much as the kids do. The lyrics are hysterical. Check out their song, 7 8 9.

Happy Friday!

Doctor Hoo or Doctor Hoot?

Who knew that there was a gap in my wardrobe that only a Doctor Who shirt could fill?

And speaking of owls (were we speaking of owls?), check out Brian Regan's insightful comedy about animal noises in children's literature. I mean, have you ever heard an owl say "hoot"?

Walking My Baby Back Home

You know what I consider to be the mark of a great song? When it gets stuck in your head and it doesn't drive you crazy. It just makes you love it more.

What an appropriate song after the weekend.
Happy Monday!

Intimacy in a Song

Have you ever witnessed a moment between two people-- a look, a small gesture, a laugh-- and the depth of tenderness and feeling behind it was so stirring that you had to look away? It will make you blush, even though you have no reason to. Chris Carrabba captured that kind of moment in a song. Some people think it's a sad song, others think it's a happy song. I find it deeply moving either way.

A Video to Prevent Chicken Back-Up

We signed up for a CSA last year through which we could get pastured, whole chickens. My mom went a little overboard and ordered us eight chickens a month. Eight chickens a month. Now, this isn't unreasonable to meet all the monthly chicken needs of six omnivores. The problem is that I was used to just going to the grocery store and buying six individual chicken breasts for dinner. Now if I wanted six breasts, I had to defrost and cut up three whole chickens. And then I had to use six legs, six thighs, six wings and not let the rest of the carcass go to waste. That bird, after all, was a happy free-range bird. She had a job eating bugs and scratching through manure, helping to both prevent parasites and fertilize the soil. She was a successful career chicken, an important member of the farm community. A chicken with a dream. I can't let a chicken with a dream die in vain!

But habits are hard to break, and needless to say, I still went to the grocery store and bought chicken breasts. This led to some serious pastured chicken back-up in my freezer.

I'm a little wiser now, having learned how to plan a little better. One way that I'm making things a bit easier is by picking up batches of whole chickens fresh on the farm the day of processing. I can then cut them up and freeze individual pieces, so it's more like going to the grocery store. I think there will be less waste this way, of both chickens and money. Here's hoping!

Even if you just go to the grocery store, you can save a lot of money by buying a whole bird and butchering it yourself. Here's the video that I watched countless times, my laptop on the counter as I stood next to my cooler full of chickens on ice, pushing the spacebar with my elbow to pause every now and then as I followed along. It's by far the best one I've found at explaining where to put the knife and it's pretty clear to see how she does everything in the video. And I think that it's awesome how she gives you homework at the end. I feel like writing and telling her that we cut up ten chickens, so could I have some extra credit? I know, I'm a total over-achiever. ;)

I hope you're having a great week!

The Hidden Hazards of Crafting and the Beatles

No one ever warned me that crafting can be dangerous!

No, it really didn't hurt going in. Yes, it hurt like crap coming out, although it doesn't hurt at all now. The spot where I got a fresh tetanus shot, however, is still aching. And yes, it was my own damn fault for not putting the needle away immediately after I used it. After hearing  horror stories from ladies in the waiting room, the nurse, and the doctor about sharp objects lodged in flesh, I have no immediate plans to milk this incident for pity. There are far worse things to step on, and it's the grace of God that I stepped on it, and not a precious baby.

On a side note, I am thankful that I had someone very special to hold my hand while I had "surgery". He was wonderful, and barely gave me a hard time about it. Although he wanted to be very clear that I did not have to skewer my little toe in order to see him. A simple phone call would have sufficed. Good to know, baby. I'll try to avoid self-mutilation the next time I want to hold your hand.

Happy Thursday!

Up Where the Air Is Clear

I saw this video a while ago, but I still think it's cool. A father and son attached an iPhone to a weather balloon and released it with the video rolling. Once it descended, they located it with the GPS in the iPhone. Awesome. We are learning about gravity this week, and so it came to mind. Enjoy!

Question Asking and Answer Seeking

I have to admit it: the more we go into our homeschool, the less structured it is. In this early stage of learning, though, I'm not sure that's a bad thing. Instead, we go outside and observe, do science experiments, get paint and glue on nearly everything, and ask tons and tons of question then attempt to find the answers (sometimes asking questions takes a little guidance from Mommy). I hope that by nurturing this curiosity and teaching them how to seek out information that they will have a solid foundation for research later on.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago Darling wanted to know what sound a giraffe makes, and our search for the answer turned up this video from the Blank Park Zoo in Iowa. I thought the answer was pretty interesting, and wanted to share.






We've watched a few more videos from the Blank Park Zoo, and really enjoyed them. I wish our zoo did something like this. Enjoy!

Printer Made Out of Legos

 For your Friday enjoyment, a bit of fun! This guy made a real, working printer out of Legos and a felt-tipped pen:

We Love Pocoyo!

Pocoyo is an adorable children's animated tv show, although you're probably not familiar with it here in the U.S. Pocoyo is produced in Spain (in Barcelona, I think), but it is also dubbed in English. It's just that it is only broadcast in Europe. However, you can order the DVDs online.

Pocoyo is an absolute favorite of both my girls, and me, too! It's one of the few videos that I actually let them watch (do not even get me started on the crappy American cartoons they broadcast here. And the only thing worse than the quality of Dora the Explorer are the commercials they broadcast. Ok, rant over). I find Pocoyo to be the highest quality. There are actually valuable lessons being taught, like in the episode I posted here, Don't Touch! It is done in a way that is very approachable to kids, and despite all the silliness, it's not silly. Nothing is "dumbed down". Stephen Fry is an excellent narrator, and I love the way the narrator explains things so clearly, but not in a belittling way. I can't really think of  a single complaint I have about this show. I feel that its simplicity is what makes it so special.

Heartwarming Story of an Elephant and Her Dog

Here's a story we saw on CBS Sunday Morning- one of our favorite shows! There is always something interesting. Of course, my little elephant lover went nuts over this, so we recorded it on the DVR and watch it a of couple times a week. Our favorite part is where Tara the elephant throws dirt on Bella's back...Something elephants do protect their delicate skin from sunburn. Such a sweet gesture of friendship!