My favorite husband and I found two more lambs last night about 10:30. #13 had a boy and a girl. Brr, it was so cold. We put them in a pen that had a heat lamp over it. You could see the steam coming off of the still-wet lambs. I checked on them about 11:30 and they were up on their feet. This morning they look great!
Katelyn is going to a horse sale today. She has $70 in her purse, but has been warned not to buy a horse as she will have to ride it home.
4/29/2005
4/28/2005
BACK TO THE FARM
Now that I'm not longer going to receive good healthcare if I need to be hospitalized....Wait - let me expound for one more minute on the importance of nurses. Don't have nurses week - don't offer them a day of beauty and an "atta-boy" card (my own special term) - instead, pay them well. My husband is a float nurse and does not receive any additional compensation for his incredible ability to walk onto one of ten different units (sometimes two in a day) and give awesome patient care. Pay those nurses well and they won't be asking for the once-a-year recognition of nurses week/day. Will they?
OK - back to the farm.
Polka Dot had two boys this morning and Mary had two boys this morning as well. That brings the total lamb count to 23 with three sheep left to deliver (if they all "took").
Into the fray.
OK - back to the farm.
Polka Dot had two boys this morning and Mary had two boys this morning as well. That brings the total lamb count to 23 with three sheep left to deliver (if they all "took").
Into the fray.
Nurses Day/Week/Year
OK, I've got to do it. Some kind soul commented re: secretaries day/week/year. He/She is a nurse and loves nurses week. Nurses week is highly over-rated. WAIT - keep reading. My husband is a nurse. I laugh when I think about how he might have fit into the whole nurses week scenario at the hospital where I used to work. Why laughing? Well, the highlight of the week was when nurses were chosen from each unit for "a day of beauty" when one of the education classrooms was transformed into a salon for the day. My six foot something, handsome husband probably wouldn't have been on of the honorees (although quite deserving to be recognized for his skill as a nurse). AND, the secretaries were called upon to serve the mostly delightful nurses (some not so nice) THREE meals. Yes, we ran our little high heels off while serving the nurses breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some ladies could have pulled away from the trough a little sooner - do they make scrubs that big?! (and it didn't hurt some secretaries to keep moving either).
I AM NOT SAYING THAT NURSES ARE NOT IMPORTANT! I live with a nurse - I know how hard he works. My brother is a nurse. I have a sister-in-law who is a nurse. All great care-givers and wonderful people. I also know that without the housekeepers, food service personnel, pharmacists, plant operations staff, telephone operators, yes - even adminstration, the whole place just wouldn't go right. I have to remind my nurse about that occasionally. Because he is the one who does the most patient care sometimes it is hard to remember that they are just a spoke in the big wheel of providing healthcare (a very important spoke - but just one of many).
Now, how many of you are still with me?
I AM NOT SAYING THAT NURSES ARE NOT IMPORTANT! I live with a nurse - I know how hard he works. My brother is a nurse. I have a sister-in-law who is a nurse. All great care-givers and wonderful people. I also know that without the housekeepers, food service personnel, pharmacists, plant operations staff, telephone operators, yes - even adminstration, the whole place just wouldn't go right. I have to remind my nurse about that occasionally. Because he is the one who does the most patient care sometimes it is hard to remember that they are just a spoke in the big wheel of providing healthcare (a very important spoke - but just one of many).
Now, how many of you are still with me?
4/27/2005
More Babies
Diary post:
4/27/05
#23 (one of Polka Dot's daughters) - 2 boys
Mark handled this one alone. Great job honey!
17 babies total thus far. Five more sheep to go.
4/27/05
#23 (one of Polka Dot's daughters) - 2 boys
Mark handled this one alone. Great job honey!
17 babies total thus far. Five more sheep to go.
Secretaries Day/Week
Day/week, whatever. I used to be a secretary (and to be immodest - a darn good one at that) and I never liked secretaries day/administrative assistant's week - or whatever the politically correct term is right now. It was obviously a "hallmark holiday." Whoa - does that sound ungrateful? I don't mean for it to sound that way.
But here's the scenario. Unless you wrote it on the calendar, there is one guy/girl in the office remembered to get his/her secretary something (and their spouse reminded them). The other employers look like schmucks if they don't get something so they jump on the phone to the local florist and have something (whatever you have, please) delivered. Boss - "Hey, did you schedule lunch for us?" Secretary - "No, why? Your first available lunch date is sometime next month." Boss - "Schedule a lunch out for us." Secretary - "Oh yeah, I'll get right on that one."
Lest I sound incredibly horrible as I recall the beautiful arrangements/cards/lunches that I received for many years - I want to assure you, my wonderful reader - that I appreciate the sentiment/guilt or whatever compelled the various individuals to acknowledge my daily efforts. However, I especially appreciated the comments that came in July/September or whenever I had done a great job on a complicated project or when I had handled a particularly difficult situation with a customer.
Off the soap box. Did you get the point?!
But here's the scenario. Unless you wrote it on the calendar, there is one guy/girl in the office remembered to get his/her secretary something (and their spouse reminded them). The other employers look like schmucks if they don't get something so they jump on the phone to the local florist and have something (whatever you have, please) delivered. Boss - "Hey, did you schedule lunch for us?" Secretary - "No, why? Your first available lunch date is sometime next month." Boss - "Schedule a lunch out for us." Secretary - "Oh yeah, I'll get right on that one."
Lest I sound incredibly horrible as I recall the beautiful arrangements/cards/lunches that I received for many years - I want to assure you, my wonderful reader - that I appreciate the sentiment/guilt or whatever compelled the various individuals to acknowledge my daily efforts. However, I especially appreciated the comments that came in July/September or whenever I had done a great job on a complicated project or when I had handled a particularly difficult situation with a customer.
Off the soap box. Did you get the point?!
4/26/2005
School Stuff
Have I told you about the cool math program that our 1st grader is doing this year? I'm trying a program recommended by my primary care physician (The only prescription I walked out of the Drs. office with last year was a couple of homeschooling recommendations - part of being a healthy 30-something female. He was raised in South Africa and his wife homeschooled their children.). Dr. H. recommended Singapore Math. It seemed too easy - two small paperback textbooks and two workbooks per year. Wow - great stuff. She is already doing multiplication and division, adding and subtracting two digit numbers. I have told the two oldest kids they better watch out - if their first grade sister is already working on multiplication and division, algebra can't be too far off.
We are studying early American history this year. Our main textbooks have been a series by Joy Hakim - The History of Us. Why weren't my history books like these? I am actually excited about the history program (so are the kids). For example, Ms. Hakim doesn't try to cover every battle of the Civil War, but explains motives, personalities and just makes the subject a whole lot more interesting. Next year we are stepping back into Ancient History. I sure wish I could find an author who has the same style that covers history through the reformation in the same manner.
Matthew's pediatrician is very supportive of homeschooling. Every year at physical time Dr. B. gives Matthew a prescription of books to read. He always asks Matthew about the time period he is interested in or what genre he has been reading lately and makes some excellent suggestions.
I'm a bit lost - mixing Drs. and homeschooling in the same post. Odd how that has come about. Well, we read about Mr. Bowditch today and learned how a self-educated person single-handedly reformed how oceans were navigated. Carry on.
I'm off to give the sheep a before-bed-check. Last night I was surprised with two little boy lambs. I can always tell, when entering the barn (before I can see the sheep) whether a new lamb has arrived. The mother sheep is always "talking" to her baby and the baby is usually replying in a higher pitched voice than the older lambs. OK, enough delay, out into the cold. Good night.
We are studying early American history this year. Our main textbooks have been a series by Joy Hakim - The History of Us. Why weren't my history books like these? I am actually excited about the history program (so are the kids). For example, Ms. Hakim doesn't try to cover every battle of the Civil War, but explains motives, personalities and just makes the subject a whole lot more interesting. Next year we are stepping back into Ancient History. I sure wish I could find an author who has the same style that covers history through the reformation in the same manner.
Matthew's pediatrician is very supportive of homeschooling. Every year at physical time Dr. B. gives Matthew a prescription of books to read. He always asks Matthew about the time period he is interested in or what genre he has been reading lately and makes some excellent suggestions.
I'm a bit lost - mixing Drs. and homeschooling in the same post. Odd how that has come about. Well, we read about Mr. Bowditch today and learned how a self-educated person single-handedly reformed how oceans were navigated. Carry on.
I'm off to give the sheep a before-bed-check. Last night I was surprised with two little boy lambs. I can always tell, when entering the barn (before I can see the sheep) whether a new lamb has arrived. The mother sheep is always "talking" to her baby and the baby is usually replying in a higher pitched voice than the older lambs. OK, enough delay, out into the cold. Good night.
Sheep/lamb update
Yes, I'm tired. Yes, I realize it's been 10 days since I've written. I've probably lost all of you that were reading, but I just write to write anyway. I'll check through my sheep log book and give you the up to the minute scoop.
The night of 4/15/05 - Jezebel (#16) chose to stay outside - not sure where as I checked the pasture several times, although in the dark with a flashlight. The next morning I found her standing outside the barn with THREE babies. One looked so very cold, lambs hunch up trying to conserve heat. I tucked the littlest one inside my coat (she was no bigger than a large house cat) and took the other two, with Jezebel following close behind, to the barn. The little one was brought to the house and laid in a box on the oven door. Katelyn went outside and with her dad and brother holding the sheep, managed to milk some colostrum for #3 baby. What to do with the baby as we were heading to church? Well, she came too with a container of Mom's milk and some lamb milk replacer. Sophie was promptly named and was the big hit. She was photographed, held and bathed in the sunshine.
We invited 15 (or so) friends to come out to the farm to enjoy the lovely afternoon. Everyone came and we had a great time. Two little boys chased the chickens - and actually caught one. The chickens just started laying again (two days ago) after the trauma. Rides were given on the pony, lambs were caught, woodticks crawled - a good time was had by all.
Also born overnight on 4/15 - Annie (#11) had a very large boy lamb - promptly named Goliath.
4/17 - #22 had three lambs, 2 girls and a boy. Katelyn's friend Katherine was visiting so she got to name them. Sara, Hagar and Abraham.
#8 also had a baby girl that day. She needed her udder sheared so Mark, Matthew and I held her in quite an undignified position while shearing. Baby is doing well.
We tried to graft Sophie back on her mother, who had forgotten that she had 3 lambs. Lovely. We tried every trick in the sheep book, but no luck. Well, we got Jezebel to the point where she was no longer knocking Sophie over. At least she could sleep in the barn.
On 4/21 we tagged, docked tails and castrated the boy lambs. Roll call is/was:
#11 (Annie) - #24 boy (Goliath)
#22 - #25 girl (Hagar), #26 boy (Abraham), #27 girl (Sara)
#15 - #28 boy, #29 girl
#8 - #30 girl
#16 (Jezebel) - #31 girl (Samatha), #32 boy (Samson), Sophie - no tag because her ears are too small
#20 - #33 girl, #35 boy
4/24
#9 - 2 girls
#1 (Vashti) - 1 girl
#5 appeared to be in labor, but nothing resulted
4/25
#12 - 2 boys
Sophie is stealing milk from the other mothers in addition to getting a bottle 4x a day. She shares her bottle with Abraham (the smallest from the other set of triplets).
The sheep are outside on a new pasture with lots of grass, but it is so very cold here. In the morning the temps are not above the freezing point. We are keeping a very close eye on the sheep as a baby born outside on a day like today would not do well for very long.
Tomorrow is Wednesday school. The theme is James and Dolley Madison. A group photo is to be taken first thing in the morning (before clothes are dirty and hair is mussed).
On Sunday, Mark and Matthew did the brakes on my car. Mark is test driving it today.
The kids are doing school work. I need to jump back in and read some history to them.
Hapy day to each of you!
The night of 4/15/05 - Jezebel (#16) chose to stay outside - not sure where as I checked the pasture several times, although in the dark with a flashlight. The next morning I found her standing outside the barn with THREE babies. One looked so very cold, lambs hunch up trying to conserve heat. I tucked the littlest one inside my coat (she was no bigger than a large house cat) and took the other two, with Jezebel following close behind, to the barn. The little one was brought to the house and laid in a box on the oven door. Katelyn went outside and with her dad and brother holding the sheep, managed to milk some colostrum for #3 baby. What to do with the baby as we were heading to church? Well, she came too with a container of Mom's milk and some lamb milk replacer. Sophie was promptly named and was the big hit. She was photographed, held and bathed in the sunshine.
We invited 15 (or so) friends to come out to the farm to enjoy the lovely afternoon. Everyone came and we had a great time. Two little boys chased the chickens - and actually caught one. The chickens just started laying again (two days ago) after the trauma. Rides were given on the pony, lambs were caught, woodticks crawled - a good time was had by all.
Also born overnight on 4/15 - Annie (#11) had a very large boy lamb - promptly named Goliath.
4/17 - #22 had three lambs, 2 girls and a boy. Katelyn's friend Katherine was visiting so she got to name them. Sara, Hagar and Abraham.
#8 also had a baby girl that day. She needed her udder sheared so Mark, Matthew and I held her in quite an undignified position while shearing. Baby is doing well.
We tried to graft Sophie back on her mother, who had forgotten that she had 3 lambs. Lovely. We tried every trick in the sheep book, but no luck. Well, we got Jezebel to the point where she was no longer knocking Sophie over. At least she could sleep in the barn.
On 4/21 we tagged, docked tails and castrated the boy lambs. Roll call is/was:
#11 (Annie) - #24 boy (Goliath)
#22 - #25 girl (Hagar), #26 boy (Abraham), #27 girl (Sara)
#15 - #28 boy, #29 girl
#8 - #30 girl
#16 (Jezebel) - #31 girl (Samatha), #32 boy (Samson), Sophie - no tag because her ears are too small
#20 - #33 girl, #35 boy
4/24
#9 - 2 girls
#1 (Vashti) - 1 girl
#5 appeared to be in labor, but nothing resulted
4/25
#12 - 2 boys
Sophie is stealing milk from the other mothers in addition to getting a bottle 4x a day. She shares her bottle with Abraham (the smallest from the other set of triplets).
The sheep are outside on a new pasture with lots of grass, but it is so very cold here. In the morning the temps are not above the freezing point. We are keeping a very close eye on the sheep as a baby born outside on a day like today would not do well for very long.
Tomorrow is Wednesday school. The theme is James and Dolley Madison. A group photo is to be taken first thing in the morning (before clothes are dirty and hair is mussed).
On Sunday, Mark and Matthew did the brakes on my car. Mark is test driving it today.
The kids are doing school work. I need to jump back in and read some history to them.
Hapy day to each of you!
4/15/2005
Due Date
No, I'm actually not referring to income taxes. I sent off our state return today- we owed a little bit of $ and I was going to keep it in the account until the last moment!! BUT, the due date I am writing about is the sheep due date. According to the calendar, today should be the first day of the birthing season. Obviously #20 didn't read the calendar. Neither did #15. She had two lambs, a boy and girl on Tuesday night. We found her and her babies when we went out to check on #10 and her prolapse.
It's a good thing Mark came out to assist as I hadn't tied #10 up quite tight enough so Mark, Matthew and I worked on the harness until about midnight. Mission accomplished. There haven't been any more problems.
Wednesday school was about spies. The kids had fun (and learned as well). They baked notes in cornbread, Matthew gave his report on Francis Marion (aka the Swamp Fox), did more learning (I'm not sure what as I was on kitchen clean-up and hanging out with other mothers), played outside and went to gymnastics.
This weekend is supposed to be beautiful. The weather guys are saying something about 80 degrees on Sunday - YES!
Well, happy weekend to each of you. I will write more as more babies appear.
It's a good thing Mark came out to assist as I hadn't tied #10 up quite tight enough so Mark, Matthew and I worked on the harness until about midnight. Mission accomplished. There haven't been any more problems.
Wednesday school was about spies. The kids had fun (and learned as well). They baked notes in cornbread, Matthew gave his report on Francis Marion (aka the Swamp Fox), did more learning (I'm not sure what as I was on kitchen clean-up and hanging out with other mothers), played outside and went to gymnastics.
This weekend is supposed to be beautiful. The weather guys are saying something about 80 degrees on Sunday - YES!
Well, happy weekend to each of you. I will write more as more babies appear.
4/12/2005
Baby update
Well, no baby - but we just fixed (I hope it is fixed) a prolapsed uterus on #10. She was looking uncomfortable yesterday, but we were hoping she was in the 1st stage of labor. No go. The kids came running to tell me she was prolapsing. To make it even more exciting - it has been raining for two days (the farmers are so excited). Remember the wet wool? Try stinky wet woolly sheep. How did we fix it?? Well, you start with a really long piece of twine. Center it behind the neck, cross over underneath on the chest, into the "armpits" of the front legs, cross over the back again, into the "armpits" on the back legs, straight up either side of the behind and tie off to the cross on the back. Now you need some shorter pieces of twine to basically truss the sheep up like a turkey, without using a needle. That is an option too, but I'm just not willing to try that. I need to see it done first.
OK, now you know the technique. It's not quite that easy. FIRST you need to replace the organ that is protruding. Well, actually first you need to clean off her insides that are sticking out. Warm water poured over, clean rag to gently rub as needed. Elevate the hindquarters - on a straw bale or two. Replace the organ - truss the sheep up and viola! Oh, that sounds so easy - not so. It took all 3 kids and me to get this done (the nurse husband is at work - he did it last year). Time lapsed - about an hour. The sheep didn't understand that we wanted to help her (I don't blame her - it sure didn't seem like it) so she was not very helpful. Matthew and Katelyn held her and assisted with manipulation of the hindquarters. Alyssa was the assistant who held the flashlight, twine, scissors, warm water, rubber gloves. I worked on the business end. I won't share all gory details with you, but I think you get the picture.
We have all bathed/scrubbed/disinfected and Matthew just came in from checking her - all is still well. NOW we have to be HOME when she lambs to cut the twine. I hear a sheep can lamb between the twine, but I closed her up pretty good - Mark may need to adjust my work when he gets home.
More later.
OK, now you know the technique. It's not quite that easy. FIRST you need to replace the organ that is protruding. Well, actually first you need to clean off her insides that are sticking out. Warm water poured over, clean rag to gently rub as needed. Elevate the hindquarters - on a straw bale or two. Replace the organ - truss the sheep up and viola! Oh, that sounds so easy - not so. It took all 3 kids and me to get this done (the nurse husband is at work - he did it last year). Time lapsed - about an hour. The sheep didn't understand that we wanted to help her (I don't blame her - it sure didn't seem like it) so she was not very helpful. Matthew and Katelyn held her and assisted with manipulation of the hindquarters. Alyssa was the assistant who held the flashlight, twine, scissors, warm water, rubber gloves. I worked on the business end. I won't share all gory details with you, but I think you get the picture.
We have all bathed/scrubbed/disinfected and Matthew just came in from checking her - all is still well. NOW we have to be HOME when she lambs to cut the twine. I hear a sheep can lamb between the twine, but I closed her up pretty good - Mark may need to adjust my work when he gets home.
More later.
4/11/2005
And so it goes...
First - if you live in a rural area (both of you), don't you just despise the internet access? Ours was down for nearly a week. I was in the midst of a very fascinating description for you of our week when, poof, the whole thing went down. I won't bother to recreate the amazing information that was lost. I'll start from here.
Spring has come to our house! The snow is nearly all gone, it's been 70 degrees and today it is raining. Our first lambs were born yesterday. #20 had a boy and a girl. She had them out in the pasture without any assistance. When Mark found them they (the babies) were both on their feet and nursing. I checked the sheep early this morning and no one mentioned being in early labor. Hopefully they won't have them outside in the rain - although sheep are quite dumb that way.
Alyssa attended a lovely birthday party yesterday. She is feeling a bit superior to the honorees - a five year old boy and a four year old girl. Some things were a bit "babyish" (the ultimate put down at our house!). Overall she had a good time, but maturity seems to be affecting her.
The week ahead includes orthodontist and dental appointments for the kids. That is always my big opportunity to catch up on magazine reading. Fortunately both offices do a good job of keeping their subscriptions current - it's the little things that count for me! All trips that use gasoline are being rationed at our house. Trips to "town" are scheduled with military-like precision - mapped out make the best use of time and gasoline. If I didn't like my car so much I would consider heading back to horse and buggy days. Grass is free and the cracked corn is $5 for a 50 lb. bag.
Matthew is scheduled to present an essay on Francis Marion to "Wednesday school." Katelyn dressed up like, and presented information on, Martha Washington last week. Matthew and Katelyn also attended a church-sponsored choral music camp for 3 days last week. They had a great time. The remainder of the family went down to Hutchinson (MN) for the concert. The kids did an outstanding job presenting the music they had learned.
Let's see - exciting news. I saw a moose next to 94 last Sunday morning! I was shocked and tried to record the moment with the camera in my cell phone - she was standing in a brown field and I wasn't foolish enough to get out of the car to get closer so the picture was a brown blob on a field of brown. Everyone at home had to take my word for it.
I need to go and let the sheep out. I know they will want to stand outside in the rain. I hate the smell of wet sheep (think about your favorite wool garment when wet!) - well, I guess they need to eat.
Spring has come to our house! The snow is nearly all gone, it's been 70 degrees and today it is raining. Our first lambs were born yesterday. #20 had a boy and a girl. She had them out in the pasture without any assistance. When Mark found them they (the babies) were both on their feet and nursing. I checked the sheep early this morning and no one mentioned being in early labor. Hopefully they won't have them outside in the rain - although sheep are quite dumb that way.
Alyssa attended a lovely birthday party yesterday. She is feeling a bit superior to the honorees - a five year old boy and a four year old girl. Some things were a bit "babyish" (the ultimate put down at our house!). Overall she had a good time, but maturity seems to be affecting her.
The week ahead includes orthodontist and dental appointments for the kids. That is always my big opportunity to catch up on magazine reading. Fortunately both offices do a good job of keeping their subscriptions current - it's the little things that count for me! All trips that use gasoline are being rationed at our house. Trips to "town" are scheduled with military-like precision - mapped out make the best use of time and gasoline. If I didn't like my car so much I would consider heading back to horse and buggy days. Grass is free and the cracked corn is $5 for a 50 lb. bag.
Matthew is scheduled to present an essay on Francis Marion to "Wednesday school." Katelyn dressed up like, and presented information on, Martha Washington last week. Matthew and Katelyn also attended a church-sponsored choral music camp for 3 days last week. They had a great time. The remainder of the family went down to Hutchinson (MN) for the concert. The kids did an outstanding job presenting the music they had learned.
Let's see - exciting news. I saw a moose next to 94 last Sunday morning! I was shocked and tried to record the moment with the camera in my cell phone - she was standing in a brown field and I wasn't foolish enough to get out of the car to get closer so the picture was a brown blob on a field of brown. Everyone at home had to take my word for it.
I need to go and let the sheep out. I know they will want to stand outside in the rain. I hate the smell of wet sheep (think about your favorite wool garment when wet!) - well, I guess they need to eat.
4/01/2005
HAPPY APRIL!
It's been a crazy week here (do all of my posts start that way?). First of all, the sheep didn't come over last Sunday (for Easter). Our fences needed more than a bit of attention so the girls are waiting. This Sunday is the target date - they are great with child/lamb so they need to be moved very soon. I need to get an electric fence charger as I want to run a single strand of electric fence around the top of the fence. Ginger, the guard pony, likes to bend the fence down while stretching for that grass that is, of course, greener on the other side. She was single-handedly (or four hoofedly) responsible for the rapid deterioration of the fence last summer.
Several chickens have joined us - thus far they are sharing 3 eggs a day - awesome! Dad didn't bring Mark's rooster - aka his nemesis. Last summer, one rooster was determined to wake Mark up by crowing under our window - at 3AM. Obviously the rooster had an identity crisis as it tried to be nocturnal.
The weather has been great. I have to keep myself from grumbling over it ONLY being 40 degrees some days. Repeat to myself - 40 was warm two weeks ago, 40 was warm two weeks ago....I have hung laundry on the clothesline so it definitely warming. Nothing smells as good as sheets straight off the line, warm with sunshine.
On Monday the kids and I went on a great field homeschool field trip at NDSU in Fargo. The subject of the study was the circulatory system. Here is a fairly good overview of what we did:
1)We had gross anatomy. The girls were cutting up pigs hearts and poking about on cows lungs. Matthew stood back and didn't really want to touch anything (even with gloves on, of course!).
2)We studied the microcirculatory system by looking at the capillary exchange on drugged frogs under the microscope. The skin is so thin at one point on the frog we could see the exchange taking place. We also looked at the heart beating in a fertilized egg (cracked open and under the microscope) that was only 3 days into incubation.
3)Then we made blood slides in hematology and looked at red and white blood cells of sheep and cows.
4)We studied immunology next and learned about blood typing - but I wasn't listening very closely during this part :)
5)The kids learned how to take blood pressure.
6)We then reviewed blood chemistry.
Doesn't that make you tired just listening? I was exhausted when we were done - it went from 10A-3P.
Mark and Matthew took a quick run (and I mean quick) to Michigan. They were picking up a car that my brother Richard and his wife, Cindy, are giving to Matthew - could his smile be any bigger?? The guys took the train on Tuesday, stayed for the morning on Wednesday in MI and went on to IL to see Mark's family. The visit was short and the men got home at 2AM this morning. It is apparent that Matthew was overtired as I found him sleepwalking around 3AM. He was crashing around in the girls room and woke them up. He then proceeded downstairs and was sick. I think he had some caffeine on the way home - and is totally unaccustomed to that.
The kids studied Valley Forge on Wednesday at K4K (Matthew missed it). The teacher was trying to get them to realize how much the soldiers went through the first winter there so she had them take off their shoes and walk outside, around the building, through the snow and then sit around a campfire trying to warm themselves (don't worry, no one is sick). Then they went inside, dipped their feet into red paint and walked across newspaper leaving "bloody" footprints. The mothers then washed the kids feet. The gang then made hardtack and went on to an art project. Lunch was delayed by 30 minutes so the kids were REALLY hungry and actually ate some of the hardtack while they waited for their food. The afternoon was time for more cerebral learning, but they still went outside and learned to march with "Baron Von Stueben" counting out the cadence in German. We finished up with gymnastics. Wow! Next week Katelyn makes an appearance as Martha Washington.
I picked up some work reviewing and revising policies and procedures for an organization in Fargo/Moorhead. Mostly it's typing, but it does require some thought. I appreciate the chance to put some $ in the bank account.
I took some time to put away most of the snowpants and extra mittens/hats/scarves. Mark says it will be my fault if we get an April blizzard!
Next week we send the two oldest children off for a music camp - Weds-Sat. Alyssa will be bored silly without someone to hang out with so I have booked her for a field trip to learn about spinning wool and a haircut. We can spend some good mother/daughter time together.
That's all for now! Happy weekend to you. Don't forget to change your clocks.
Several chickens have joined us - thus far they are sharing 3 eggs a day - awesome! Dad didn't bring Mark's rooster - aka his nemesis. Last summer, one rooster was determined to wake Mark up by crowing under our window - at 3AM. Obviously the rooster had an identity crisis as it tried to be nocturnal.
The weather has been great. I have to keep myself from grumbling over it ONLY being 40 degrees some days. Repeat to myself - 40 was warm two weeks ago, 40 was warm two weeks ago....I have hung laundry on the clothesline so it definitely warming. Nothing smells as good as sheets straight off the line, warm with sunshine.
On Monday the kids and I went on a great field homeschool field trip at NDSU in Fargo. The subject of the study was the circulatory system. Here is a fairly good overview of what we did:
1)We had gross anatomy. The girls were cutting up pigs hearts and poking about on cows lungs. Matthew stood back and didn't really want to touch anything (even with gloves on, of course!).
2)We studied the microcirculatory system by looking at the capillary exchange on drugged frogs under the microscope. The skin is so thin at one point on the frog we could see the exchange taking place. We also looked at the heart beating in a fertilized egg (cracked open and under the microscope) that was only 3 days into incubation.
3)Then we made blood slides in hematology and looked at red and white blood cells of sheep and cows.
4)We studied immunology next and learned about blood typing - but I wasn't listening very closely during this part :)
5)The kids learned how to take blood pressure.
6)We then reviewed blood chemistry.
Doesn't that make you tired just listening? I was exhausted when we were done - it went from 10A-3P.
Mark and Matthew took a quick run (and I mean quick) to Michigan. They were picking up a car that my brother Richard and his wife, Cindy, are giving to Matthew - could his smile be any bigger?? The guys took the train on Tuesday, stayed for the morning on Wednesday in MI and went on to IL to see Mark's family. The visit was short and the men got home at 2AM this morning. It is apparent that Matthew was overtired as I found him sleepwalking around 3AM. He was crashing around in the girls room and woke them up. He then proceeded downstairs and was sick. I think he had some caffeine on the way home - and is totally unaccustomed to that.
The kids studied Valley Forge on Wednesday at K4K (Matthew missed it). The teacher was trying to get them to realize how much the soldiers went through the first winter there so she had them take off their shoes and walk outside, around the building, through the snow and then sit around a campfire trying to warm themselves (don't worry, no one is sick). Then they went inside, dipped their feet into red paint and walked across newspaper leaving "bloody" footprints. The mothers then washed the kids feet. The gang then made hardtack and went on to an art project. Lunch was delayed by 30 minutes so the kids were REALLY hungry and actually ate some of the hardtack while they waited for their food. The afternoon was time for more cerebral learning, but they still went outside and learned to march with "Baron Von Stueben" counting out the cadence in German. We finished up with gymnastics. Wow! Next week Katelyn makes an appearance as Martha Washington.
I picked up some work reviewing and revising policies and procedures for an organization in Fargo/Moorhead. Mostly it's typing, but it does require some thought. I appreciate the chance to put some $ in the bank account.
I took some time to put away most of the snowpants and extra mittens/hats/scarves. Mark says it will be my fault if we get an April blizzard!
Next week we send the two oldest children off for a music camp - Weds-Sat. Alyssa will be bored silly without someone to hang out with so I have booked her for a field trip to learn about spinning wool and a haircut. We can spend some good mother/daughter time together.
That's all for now! Happy weekend to you. Don't forget to change your clocks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)