Flying Houses

We had a field trip today for school. We took the day and spent it at our land watching our new house, which is in four pieces, be set on the foundation with a crane! My sister-in-law and nieces and nephew joined us. It was pretty exciting and got scary once or twice, especially when they were setting the upstairs pieces on top. It was pretty high up in the air at that point!!!

We also found positive evidence that a bear has been visiting the site "after hours," so to speak. I guess we won't be able to put out bird feeders *sigh*.

Also, I finally got to go inside the house for the first time since May, when we looked at it quickly and casually, when all of this was a big "if". I got to see how big rooms are, where the windows are and if there is wallpaper to remove (there is, in two bathrooms, ugh). Even though the house is "second hand" and doesn't have the woodwork or some other features that I would have liked, I can see that it is perfect for us. The size and layout are just what we need. God has His own plans, and He is so gracious to take care of all of our needs.

One of the funniest moments of the day was after the first downstairs box was set. We were sitting in our perch up on the hill behind the house looking at that first box with its old light blue siding which was heavily stained with green algae/mold/mildew. My niece, Tori, took one look at it and said, "Are you going to clean that?" Heeheehee. I told her that I kind of liked the green striped siding.

It was an amazing and scary sight to see those house parts flying through the air. The workers did a great job and we are thrilled that the house is now standing in its/our new home. Now, my work begins: painting, packing, cleaning, flooring, sorting, unpacking, etc. People ask me if I am excited. Honestly, I am too tired and overwhelmed to be enthusiastic, but I do feel very blessed. God is good.

Getting closer...

I realized that I have not posted any pics of the actual house. It has been sitting (in four pieces) in the yard of my husband's business since May. Unfortunately it is all plastic wrapped, so I have not been able to get in and 'imagine' color schemes, decorating ideas, or measure for curtains or furniture, which has been very frustrating. Talk about "So near and yet so far!" Hubby didn't want me to post the pix because the house doesn't look so attractive, but I told him that it would only make the finished product look that much better! So, here in its shabby glory is our new-to-us-but-pre-owned-house.

Here is the back of the house. A mudroom will be built off the near end, taking over the last window (which will become a door into the house)

This is the other downstairs piece
This is one of the upstairs pieces

Here is the other upstairs piece

The house will have new siding and trim. I won't divulge the color yet, to save the surprise for the "after" pictures. There will also be a new roof which will have a higher pitch than the current flatter roof. They will need to put a beam on top of the upstairs walls to accommodate the new roof, so the house will be pretty tall -- a stately colonial! I won't divulge the color of the roof either, mostly because I haven't picked it out yet!

Here is the basement floor slab all prepped for concrete. The concrete floor has been poured and finished, but I haven't gotten current pictures of it...too many soccer games!

More stumps to haul out, but Scott pushed them back to make room for the crane and the trailers carrying the house parts.

The house should be set on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week (depending on the weather)!!! I will be planning only 4 days of schooling next week, so that I can take the kids up to watch the crane lifting the house pieces and putting them in place on the foundation. Sounds exciting and a little scary. I will take lots of pictures.
Have a great weekend.

Uplifting

I saw this on the Catholic Charlotte Mason yahoo group, as a response to a woman who is having problems with a reluctant homeschooling son. I thought it was inspiring.

The Fern and the Bamboo

One day I decided to quit... I quit my job, my relationship, my
Spirituality.

.. I wanted to quit my life.

I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me...

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of
them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the
earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the
bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern
grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo
seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo". He said. "In the third year, there
was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth
year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit." He
said. "Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared
to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just 6 months
later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years
growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to
survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not
handle."

He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been
struggling, you have actually been growing roots. I would not quit on the
bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don't compare yourself to others." He
said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern, yet, they both make
the forest beautiful."

"Your time will come, "God said to me. " You will rise high!"

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned.

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest and brought back this story. I hope these words can help
you see that God will never give up on you.

Never regret a day in your life. Good days give you happiness. Bad days give
you experiences. Both are essential to life. Keep going...

"Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because
we are different that each of us is special."

Appreciate Technology? Too funny

Dancing Suns

OK, it wasn't super exciting, but I had the boys use oil pastels to create their own "Dancing Suns" in honor of the miracle at Fatima on Oct. 13, 1917. I think they came out great!

Ethan's picture w/Blessed Mother

Sam's picture -- notice the Rosary and cross

Annie's and my attempt

More Progress

It was a busy weekend at our land. First the foundation walls were poured, so we spent the weekend waterproofing, insulating and backfilling. Poor hubby with his cracked ribs was still hurting, but kept working (too) hard. Luckily, there was a lot of machine work, so he got to stay in the excavator quite a bit. I got to shovel a little, tar the foundation walls a little, and install the styrofoam insulation on the outside walls of the foundation.
Again, my father-in-law couldn't be persuaded to take a day off, but insisted on helping us. We are so grateful for his help!
Our teenaged son was a big help, also. The little kids just played:)


When I first knew we were going to be building a house, I had an idea. I had a collection of broken rosaries, scapulars, statues and other religious items that needed to be disposed of properly. Burying them was a legitimate option, so I decided to collect them and bury them around our house! Well, on Saturday, I buried all of the items I collected on the inside wall of our walkout basement, so they will end up under the concrete basement floor! We also sprinkled a ring of blessed salt around the perimeter of the property, and used a whole jug of holy water to bless the place! In addition, I buried blessed St. Benedict medals around the house and Miraculous Medals at the corners. It is a spiritual fortress!!!! Of course, after the house is built, we will have a priest come to bless the house and probably do an enthronement of the Sacred and Immaculate hearts. I was excited to have the opportunity to have blessed objects buried around my house.

On Monday, our well was drilled. We found water at 320' down and the well man drilled down to 400' to give us extra storage. We are getting 3 gallons per minute, and with 400' of water storage, we should have plenty of water for our family. For some odd reason, I felt a great deal of relief when they found water...don't really know why, but, I am glad it is done.

Big and VERY noisy truck!

Next up is pouring the basement floor, building the walk-out wall and then the house can be set! They are expecting to set the house on the foundation next week!

Small successes-October 8

"It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph."

1.
I hate science. OK, maybe hate is a strong word, but I never liked science in school and have not been very good about teaching it to my kids. (Yikes, what a terrible admission coming from a veteran homeschooler!) Anyway, this year I got inspired and, with the help of my sister-in-law, wrote our own science curricula based on the Magic School Bus books. They are so informative and make learning effortless. Well, I am really pleased with how the lessons are turning out! We are studying weather right now, and today we made a homemade barometer! I am so proud of the kids (and myself!) Nature (read:God) even cooperated by giving us some changeable weather and we saw the barometer rise steadily throughout the day. Here's a pic:



UPDATE!!
Our barometer really works!! Here are some pictures of it this morning (I wrote the original post last night). Can you see the line we made where the stick was pointing yesterday? Definitely higher pressure today and better weather. How cool is this?!?!

2.
Also along the school theme, the boys (10 & 7) had to write in their science notebooks about an experiment we had done. It wasn't a formal science "lab" report, but I wanted them to describe what they had done and learned. Well, since morphing my curriculum 3 years ago to a more Charlotte Mason-based, art-based, and literature-based learning style, my kids' self-expression has improved dramatically. I was surprised to see in both their notebooks, not only a description of what we did and what they learned, but both of them drew a diagram of the experiment!! I never asked them for artwork, but this is now part of the learning process for them, which has benefited them so much!!! I have to thank the ladies at Serendipity for the inspiration and ideas for the 4 squares and narrations!

3.
I researched and ordered my appliances for the new house, and got the best deals I could find. I was kind of surprised at the differences in prices for the same appliance at different stores. In the end, Sears turned out to have the cheapest prices, although I did not order one Kenmore appliance. I am still smoldering about a problem I had with a brand new Kenmore refrigerator a few years ago, that involved a very rude customer service rep. So, I avoided the Kenmore brand, but got a Whirlpool dishwasher, a GE gas range and a Maytag front loading washer and matching dryer all at very good prices. The washer and dryer set was 36% off!!!!

4.
OK this isn't a success, but it was so cute I am gratuitously adding it! My 4 year old daughter kept asking me all morning to watch a movie. She couldn't quite get the name right, and when I figured it out, I laughed out loud. She kept calling it, "Elvis and the Chicken monks." :)


Check out Faith and Family Live! for more Small Successes

Crack...

No, this post is not about drugs. It is an update on my dear hubby's health status. Yesterday morning, he was working on a catch basin (the hole in the street with the grate on top into which all the rainwater runs). Anyway, he was using an asphalt saw to cut around the catch basin when he stepped back and one leg went down into the open hole! Since he had the saw in his hands, he could not cushion or break his fall. His right side took the entire brunt of the fall. He was in a LOT of pain, to say the least.
Somehow, he managed to finish his work that day (he had to because he had an open hole and couldn't leave it that way....ummmm....dangerous....obviously.)
Luckily, today was rainy and he was able to stay home and rest. I took him to the doctor who confirmed that he has some seriously bruised and probably cracked ribs, but no serious damage. Thank goodness!! I was worried about internal damage, but the doc said everything else checked out OK.
His pain is still pretty severe, but time will heal that.
Time and patience.
We could be in a little trouble there;)

Daybook - Peak foliage edition

FOR TODAY October 5, 2009

Outside my window...
I am writing this at night, so it is dark. It was a rainy weekend. Sunday was sunnier than Saturday (no pun intended) and as we drove home Sunday evening, the rain had stopped, the foliage was at its peak and fog and mist were rolling into the low lying fields....breathtaking!!

I am thinking...
We need new bedtime routines!!! I am hoping that moving into the new house will give us the "fresh start" we need to establish new habits

I am thankful for...
The gift of the Eucharist and the grace available to us in the Sacraments. God is so good and merciful to us.

From the learning rooms...
School has gone fairly smoothly this year. I am still seeing where I would like to add more "fun". With so much soccer, I find it difficult to do the lovely things that strengthen the family bond...tea time, liturgical baking, read alouds, crafts, games...we don't have enough of this happening now

From the kitchen...
It was a very well-received chili for dinner tonight. I think the kids would also like to see more homemade applesauce, apple crisp, apple pie, etc....

I am creating...
Hmmm...not much creative going on right now...lesson plans, and doing some art work along with the kids...watercolor pencils are fun!

I am going...
to bed, ASAP

I am reading...
Lord of the Rings and You Can Become a Saint with my 12th grader.

I am hoping...
to get to Confession this week

I am hearing...
The humidifier humming (colds and sniffles for most of us, already!)

Around the house...
Ugh, boxes, dust, toys...more packing that needs to be done

One of my favorite things...
Watching my boys play soccer and my little girl dance. I also love watching my eldest daughter act, but she's away at college and I don't get to see her performances too often these days.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Soccer, soccer, soccer. Big high school game on Thursday: Bernard Cup Trophy game versus rival Fall Mtn. Ballet class for Annie, orthodontist for Isaac, backfilling the foundation for the new house, schoolwork, phone calls, Confession!


Be sure to visit Peggy for more daybooks

7 Quick Takes -- Concrete and apples edition

**1**

House progress is moving along quite nicely, I think. We have concrete in the ground!! It's just the footings, right now, but next week we should have the foundation walls poured. We are having a walk-out basement, so the cellar hole and footings look strange to me now, but I am certain it will turn out right, since my hubby is the "site guy" and he is very good (read: picky) at what he does. He's also getting impatient trying to explain to me why the foundation looks like it does and where the retaining walls are going to be, etc. He does this every day....I'm a newbie. Just because I have been married to an excavating contractor for 22 years, doesn't mean that I know how to do his job. Although, disturbingly enough, I do know a great deal about septic systems...
**2**

We have been inspired by so many great homeschooling blogs to try new art media. This week and last week we tried our hand at watercolors using real watercolor paper (what a difference that makes!!) and watercolor pencils, along with our regular crayola watercolors. I did look at "high end" watercolors, but wasn't sure how to use them and was reluctant to spend the money and then mess it all up. The kids pictures turned out great!! Here are the watercolors:

Ethan's version of the Annunciation

Sam's version of the Annunciation

**3**

And here is a great new medium we were excited to try: wool roving on flannel board. I purchased the wool roving in several (beautiful!) colors and all we do is pull off pieces and arrange them on the flannel board in a picture. I then took photos for them to cut out and glue into their main lesson books. It is a really neat medium and requires some "out of the box" type thinking. Here is Ethan's picture of a coyote chasing a prairie dog for his history narration:)

This is Sam's depiction of a dog chasing the Town Mouse and the Country Mouse (Aesop's fable)

**4**
Summer was exceedingly short here in New Hampshire. It showed up late and left early. I would say we are probably 2 weeks ahead of schedule, as far as the fall foliage goes. It is more spotty this year than I remember it being. Some spots are almost at peak, while others have plenty of green left. Fall is a glorious time of year, especially in New England. The colors and scenery are phenomenal. I just wish winter didn't follow autumn.

**5**
One of the best things about Fall is Apple picking time!! We made a "spur of the moment" trip to the apple orchard with a couple of friends on Monday. It is always great. I love, love, love that first bite of a crisp, juicy McIntosh seconds after it has been plucked from the tree. Mmmmmm.... It was rather windy and stormy the day we chose to go, but we managed to pick a bushel and a half of apples before the rain came. The kids even got to visit the petting zoo for a few minutes. We look forward to this time of year and our annual apple picking outing.

**6**We took these lovely, healthy snacks and look what we did with them!! For Shame!!!

**7**

When college girl goes off to Ohio and gets busy with studies and theatre and, of course, her social life, we tend to not hear from her much. I have devised a clever way to stay connected with her. Since she was a little girl, she has been able to memorize, almost word for word, any movie she has seen. She even was able to tell us, as a young girl, what the characters were doing in the movie during the instrumental pieces. She would listen to the sound track and say, "Oh, this part (of the instrumental piece!!) is when Uncle Scar did such and such." It was obvious, from a young age, that her gifts were for music and theatre. And, that is just what she is studying. Anyway, I have begun sending her a movie quote and asking her what movie it is from and who said it. It's been fun so far, and I have even stumped her!! I think I might institute it here, also. Feel free to leave your answers in the comment box. Here's your quote:

"Stop crying. There's no crying in baseball!"
What movie? What character?

Visit Jen at Converstion Diary for more Quick Takes