Thursday

So, I've blogged for seventeen consecutive days. I really enjoy blogging and the social media craze has not deterred my enjoyment of blogging. 

As s young girl I always wanted to write, be a librarian or photographer. I am not a gifted writer, I do not have stories and characters come to me. I enjoy putting words down, and of course I love writing about my family. I am creating a journal of our lives. Maybe someday I will be able to afford to order a book of the old blog out as a print momento for my crew. When I began on October first, I just wanted to challenge myself to blog everyday for one month, without announcing or getting on board with a 30 day challenge deal.

Now, on to our day. I have fallen back into my stay up later and sleep a bit later. Must change that this weekend.

Benjamin built this at piano.

We stopped at the library after piano. Benjamin is working on puzzles while the girls

look for books.

One of the quilts hanging in the children's room. This is North Pole, dontcha know?

The turtle quilt, why turtle? Keep reading.

Levi reading a magazine

This is the library turtle, Hawkeye. He lost an eye in a fight before coming to live at the library. 

The logo or mascot or some thing for our library.

The large stuffed animals that live at the library, they gross me out as they must harbor germs and viruses. 

Dinner was easy peasy, precooked and frozen taco meat, frozen refried beans, chips, cheese, sour cream, salsa, lettuce and tomatoes. Yep, I had taco salad. 

I read a book today, all 319 pages. Tonight was swimming so I had an hour of uninterrupted reading time. 

Good night from the Pole.

Not so many pictures today

I made pretzels today and didn't taste a bite or take a picture of the finished product.

Benjamin bonked his head this afternoon so he sat with an ice pack during tv time.

We had salmon Wednesday, rice and green beans for dinner and I made a chocolate sheet cake for dessert. 

I went to a swim team parent meeting and picked up the crew and went to church.

The Tuesday After the Fever

Benjamin woke up feeling much better than yesterday. Full of energy and ready to go. 

He asked for school and wrote an E on the dry erase board along with a few other letters. He is ready to write and we work on letters every day.

Benjamin rode his bike while I walked the dog so she could take care of her necessary business. The leaves have fallen.:'(

I made Pioneer Woman's Marlboro Man sandwiches, with moose meat, of course. Hoagie rolls were needed for the sandwiches, yummy!

Pool time equals time for Mom to read.

A Daddy Home Day

Daddy and Benjamin shot the bow while the rest began school.

Daddy worked with Benjamin on some school work. Poor Daddy, he's a table guy and Benjamin and I work a lot on the couch.

When Benjamin woke up I could tell that he did not feel well. He developed a fever as the day went on, although a fever has been his only symptom. 

Daddy, Levi and Elisabeth went out for a little duck hunting after dinner and Benjamin was determined to go with them until the time to go came. He stayed home with me and watched a show and then we played a couple of games to pass the time.

Animal Yatzi

Hi-Ho-Cherry-o, I loved this game when I was a child.

Hope your Columbus Day was a good one.

Sunday

I am a day behind. We are having warmer then normal temperatures here this week. Usually this is the week we get our sticking snow. Ya know, when the snow comes and stays until April.

The bones are moose ribs from Levi's moose. The bird is a gray jay, aka camp robber. Later in the afternoon a woodpecker dined here.

I broke down and finally donned the dreaded hosiery, knee highs, I am slowiy working my way back.

A not so great picture of the Alaska Range.

Judith snapped this pic of me later Sunday night while I was prepping for the week. She calls them my old lady glasses.

Weekend

I have just realized that pics with great backgrounds and my attempt at capturing everyday life do not mix.

Here we are after breakfast, watching the duck hunting videos

that the duck hunters took yesterday.

I was asked what I will make with the duck. My main go to duck recipe is duck bog, which is something between a gumbo and a stew. 

I picked up this digital recording lab from the local home school store yesterday. Daddy is explaining this to the girls.

Carrots found their way into canning jars today along with some moose stock.

Daddy took Benjamin out duck hunting this afternoon.

A slow day

Half of the family went duck hunting today the rest of us stayed home. Today did not yield as many pictures as previous days.

Benjamin enjoyed cartoons during breakfast, he was happy.

I did take advantage of some of the time and made some lunch foods for the freezer. Pizza turnovers and ham and cheese turnovers.

Levi and Elisabeth with ducks.

Thursday at home

Pretty much always my first one awake. He and George helped make breakfast.

Big yawn

Working together, finally. These guys are finally learning how to work a little more diligently and figuring out that helping each other helps them as well. School has been happening a little more swiftly this week and I pray this continues.

Playtime after math today.

Fire burning to keep us warm

Judith took a picture of us couch sitters.

Benjamin's n, all by himself

Not as many pictures today. I spent the afternoon in and out of the kitchen. 

Beginning with Last Night

And, last night around 7:30pm, we were almost dark. The daylight hours are dwindling daily, around 7ish minutes a day.

Breakfast today was Pancake muffins. I think I will make a triple batch for the freezer.

Elisabeth at work

My breakfast

Levi is this much taller than me, this can not be!

We had popcorn, a friend's child was here and she questioned my making popcorn in the daytime. Cute!

Mr. Peanut Butter face

More work

My vacuum for hard flooring. We tried a couple other options and this one was the best. I have had this quiet series shop vac for over four years. Quiet series is the key to using a shop vac indoors.

Rules, every house has their own. Ours is no television until after school and chores. Benjamin waits all day for a little tv time. He knows that after the big Blessings get their family room chores done he can start watching. He is waiting on me to finish vacuuming.

After his show he colored, amazing, he has never really enjoyed coloring or even sitting still.

Salmon, rice, green beans and green salad for dinner and off to Wednesday night prayer and Bible study and kids club.