Just write something, for crying outloud!

Last week I had about four things I wanted to blog about every single day but absolutely no time to do it. This time I've sat down and started something twice, but chucked it each time....so it goes, I guess. Instead of a real post, here's a familial update and a picture with Sam in it since his grandma is concerned about him getting equal time on the blog with his brothers (even though Tommy is in the background; so much for keeping it even)!

Danny (who isn't pictured this time) cut his first tooth last week and is working on #2 this week. He seems to be doing much better with it this week. That first one always seems to be a real doozy with my boys. He turned 7 months last Friday, so he's two months behind the others with the teeth. However, this nursing mama is certainly not complaining. (TMI?)

On a health note, I finished my first vile (silver) today for my allergy shots. Have I mentioned this yet on the blog? Maybe not. Well, back in December, I got tired of my MD prescribing me antibiotics for my sinus headaches, so I saw an allergist to get tested...probably something I should've done ages ago. Long story short, I'm starting to feel much better--most likely a combination of the shots and my husband understanding my complaints and volunteering to dust and vacuum several times a week until the shots kick in. I notice the day after I get one a change for the better, and the day before I am to get one (I get them once a week for now; every other week by this summer, barring any serious reactions) I start feeling my old "normal" self. I didn't expect so much improvement this soon, so I'm optimistic that they will help tremendously with my overall health. The allergist said I'll be utterly impressed with how much better I'll feel and said he will really have a hard time peeling me off the shots in a few years. I can only imagine how much money these allergists must make...see a patient once or twice, make a good impression, then have them drop in for a shot every other week for the next five years or so. If Brewmaster didn't already have plans for me to go to pharmacy school when the boys are out of the house, I think I'd consider becoming an allergist for my empty-nest years!

I'd also like to comment on my husband's end of the blog...the "rew" of Homeschrewling. I'm glad he finally gave a home brewing update. His first batch was a lot of fun...the first couple tries had him very worried that it didn't turn out (no carbonation), but after learning a little patience we found out just how good his first batch was. Sad to say we wasted too many beers the first couple weeks trying it--a mistake we won't make this next time. I really enjoy watching him stand in the kitchen for so many hours at one time, especially if the end product turns out as well as that first batch. The one thing I've learned from home brewing is that when a batch is gone, the wait for the next one seems to last forever!

That oughta wrap up my update. I have strict orders to practice good sleep hygiene (no, that has nothing to do with being clean--just go to bed at a decent hour and get up at the same time everyday), so it's time sign off. This sleep hygiene stuff is sure bad for my blog output, but my body thanks me for it.

Have a great weekend y'all...oh, and wish Brewmaster a Happy Birthday this Sunday if you run into him!

He's back.....

Sorry I've been gone for so long, guess I haven't had anything to say in a while. Here's an update on the homebrewing.

I just bottled my third batch of beer, an Irish Stout (if you remember my second batch was thrown out before bottling), and I'm ready for kegs! I spent about 3 hours this morning, although you can't call it a waste since the end product is homebrew, but that was about an hours longer than last time. I did have some extra cleaning to do this morning, since I had the beer in my bottling bucket for my secondary fermenter. I normally would secondary in my glass carboy, but I ran out of sanitizing solution and my bottling bucket was sanitized, and there was ice and snow on the ground and I couldn't get to the store to buy bleach, so this morning I had to rack the beer into a sanitized carboy, clean and sanitize my bottling bucket, and then rack again for bottling. What a pain...bottling is not the funnest thing in the world to do.

On another homebrew note, my good friend from Champaign, IL, just informed me that his wife gave him a deluxe homebrew kegging system for Christmas...with 2 kegs, 2 tappers, a CO2 bottle, regulator, etc., man I'm jealous. He already makes good beer, so I can't wait to see how this new addition to the family will improve his brew!

My next batch is going to be a lighter beer, hopefully with a little more hoppiness to it, probably an English Bitter or ESB, not sure yet. I'm sure I'll brew it long before I ever tell the blog, but if any of you want to recommend something for this summer, let me know.

Tag...I'm It

Blogging buddy Tony at Rambling Prophet has four daughters (so far!), so I definitely want to stay on his good side and answer the "tag" questions he put over on his blog...just in case he's footin' the bill for a wedding (or three) someday...

1. What's the most fun work you've ever done, and why?

Definitely playing piano duets with a very old dear friend, Jack Kinder, when I was in high school. He couldn't read a lick of music, but he certainly didn't need to. He was (only!) 64 years older than me, but he always said he'd wait for me!

2) A. Name one thing you did in the past that you no longer do but wish you did? (one sentence max)

Play organ—our present church has no organ.

B. Name one thing you’ve always wanted to do but keep putting it off? (one sentence max)

Get in shape (duh).

3) A. What two things would you most like to learn or be better at, and why? (two sentences max)

Gardening and canning—because it’s something I grew up with and feel the need to do.

B. If you could take a class/workshop/apprentice from anyone in the world living or dead, who would it be and what would you hope to learn? (two more sentences, max)

That’s easy: Bach…not only would I love to hear and learn from the master himself, but I’d really love to watch someone with that much faith AND genius compose.

4) A. What three words might your best friends or family use to describe you?

Practical, patient (so my husband says), perceptive

B. Now list two more words you wish described you…

Energetic, romantic

5) What are your top three passions? (can be current or past, work, hobbies, or causes– three sentences max)

Faith, family & music

6) Write–and answer–one more question that YOU would ask someone (with answer in three sentences max)

Q: If you ran for political office, what would be your number one campaign issue? A: Tax breaks for homebrewers and homeschoolers!

[Bonus: What is one question you wish people would ask themselves?]

Is it really that important for me to spend money on little crap in my house that just collects dust and I can’t take with me when I die anyway?

By the way, if you've never ventured to Tony's blog before it's definitely worth the visit...and put in a good word for my boys while you're there!

Rational Thinking or Procrastinating?

I’m up to my neck in homeschooling research these days…mostly curriculum browsing, but still tweaking my general goals and philosophy. We know our main goals of homeschooling (Christ-centered education in a family that will grow and learn together), but I keep going in circles with methods, styles, etc. The flavor of the week: Charlotte Mason. I remember reading a very small bit about her philosophy in my earliest research days, but this past year I tend to forget about one particular method when I learn about a new one that intrigues me. One week I like Classical, the next unit studies, or some days I think I will put together my very own curriculum…one never knows which way I’m leaning in any given week. Last week I actually told a friend that I think I’m going to “breeze through kindergarten” with Sammy this semester. I certainly could if I wanted to, but should I really do that with a four-year-old just because I know he could do it?

After some prayer (I wish I could say “much prayer”, but I need to do a lot more praying before I can make that claim!) and much thinking (that’s accurate) on how to start out with Sam, I think I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t need to rush him or myself. I think this next year (or at least ½ year) would be better served if I continue to educate myself and continue praying about my plan of action, as well as focus on getting well and enjoy motherhood with three young boys. It would be so easy for me to stress myself out and push the two younger ones aside while I turn Sam into some little genius who could go on local TV shows and name every volcano in the world, or something like that. But what would that really accomplish? Would that fit in with our overall goals? Is that something that would really bring glory and honor to God? By not filling Sam’s smart little brain with all the facts it could possibly hold, am I severely short-changing him in some way? It’s hard having such a bright child and not wanting to miss every possible opportunity for developing his mind to its fullest potential, at least by society’s career/socioeconomic-driven standards.

But, in the end, I know that God is leading my efforts these days. He’s showing me things in Sam that I haven’t paid much attention to before, probably because I was reveling in my own glory of having such a little smarty on my hands. My ego was soaring from all the accolades I receive from friends and strangers alike who compliment him and praise me for spending so much time with him. I “humbly” (heh, heh…who am I kidding) tell them that we’re just trying to keep up with him, even though my memory immediately flashes back to our days of only having one child and all the time we were able to devote solely to him. It was certainly a joint effort; we spent an enormous amount of time working with him, but he made teaching him easy with how well he remembers everything.

These days I recognize his need for developing his creativity and giving him time to be bored now and then (thanks, relievedebtor, for your outstanding post echoing my thoughts on this!), as well as learning how to set a good example for his younger brothers by taking time out of his busy play-schedule to sit down and be silly with them, sing with them, tell them stories, etc. It’s nice to finally realize how much more joy and pride I feel seeing Sam play peek-a-boo with Danny or superheroes with Tommy than showing his smarts off to others!

So I think I can have it both ways: I can still find ways to challenge him academically (that sounds so weird saying that about a four-year-old!) while relaxing a bit as I enjoy watching him be the superhero of his choice (it changes daily) and build “Space Shuttle Discovery F-15 Rocket Ships” out of Megablocks. Not to mention all the attention I can give his younger brothers while he’s off in his own little world content with an “inter-battery robot” (that would be the Energizer charger for rechargeable AA/AAA batteries) or a whisk and spatula fashioned together to make a special sword. Well, there’s that Cinderella book he got from his great-grandma for Christmas that he’s able to read on his own…perhaps I should rethink letting that one go.

I think the Charlotte Mason bit is so attractive to me right now because she didn’t advocate formal schooling for kids under six, wanting those early years to be spent playing, exploring (under mom’s strict supervision, of course), and forming good habits, especially on paying attention and focusing on the subject at hand. I’m excited to get my hands on more books about her method and see how it would work with our family. My first thoughts are that it would be a very good fit!