Miss Lucy

This is Lucy, our miniature schnauzer. Is she not the cutest??

I'm Just Sayin'

1st off, I relented and let Nina start her own blog. It's awesome, of course, and you can access it from the right side of my blog, under "my blog list." Check it out, she's posted more of her pics.

I named this "I'm Just Sayin'" because I just read that some magazine is paying Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt something like 11 MILLION DOLLARS for the 1st pictures of their twins! Am I the only one who finds this outrageous?! 1st of all, what have these kids done to warrant this kind of money for just simply being born? And what have Brad and Angie done that warrants this kind of attention? They're good actors, but come on. Now, in their defense, the article did say that they would donate the money to charity, so kudos to them, but does this magazine realize that people are suffering and dying from cancer everyday, families are hungry and homeless and there are just more important things to spend millions on then pictures of newborns? It aggravates me, that's all . . . .

On a lighter note, I also read that Nicole Kidman stepped out to lunch just days after giving birth and that she looked radiant. I'm sure she did, but all I could think of was that I haven't "stepped out" to lunch in 12 years, and when people describe me, I don't think radiant comes to mind!

I'm just sayin' . . .

We went to the park this morning to fly a kite. Aly really flew the kite, Nina chased the dog, Jim supervised and I relaxed. Ooh, Charlotte will love that!

Please comment back and let me know what you think about the millions. And please keep your comments kind and relevant (Charlotte).

And just to clarify, I'm not jealous, Matthew McConaughey's baby only got 3 million, and I'm sure all those babies will be beautiful!

Happy Noodles

These are Happy Noodles!!Yea! They're lo-mein to the rest of the world, but to my family, they're happy noodles. Why you ask? 'Cause your mouth is just so darn happy when you eat them! We even use chop-sticks, although at the end, one of my kids "cheats" and uses her fork *cough* Aly.
The recipe is very simple. I use whole-wheat spaghetti and while that boils, I saute about 2 sliced onions and green peppers. To that I add some baby corn, water chestnuts and shredded cabbage. Then I throw in about 2 handfuls of frozen sugar snap peas. When this is all nice and brown, I add a can of vegetable broth and simmer gently. Then I add the spaghetti with about 1 cup of the cooking water. I usually add a little salt and pepper and then some cayenne pepper. It adds a nice kick. Then soy sauce and this time I also melted in some apricot jam - that went very nicely with the cayenne pepper. It's a very forgiving recipe. That's it folks. Easy and so good. So make this sometime soon for your family - trust me, your mouth will thank you!

Random picture

I just love the detail in this picture. What an eye!! You really must click on it to enlarge it to see it better.

I'm having so much fun!!

o.k., I think I'm enjoying this blog way too much!! I'm having fun with the pictures, even if I haven't taken any of them! Yep, they're all Nina's! Can't take the credit, though I wish I could. The picture of the sun setting that is behind my header (that's my blog title for those of you who don't know) is actually our road. Yea, it's really dirt, and we fight those powers-that-be who want to pave it. Why? you ask? Well, if I have to explain it, you probably won't get it.

I understand that some of my sister's friends who she works with read my blog now, so I would like to welcome all of my new readers - all 2 of you! Enjoy - and I'm sure we could spend some time sharing some things about Charlotte. We'd need a bottle of wine tho.

And I just had to mention that I heard from a very good friend of mine today who I don't talk to often enough, but I think about her all the time. She has 6 kids (that is not a typo) and she was my 1st homeschooling friend. No matter how long we go between talking, we always jump right in where we left off, laughing and sharing. I guess that's how you know it's a good friend, right?!

And finally, this picture is the one that won Nina 2nd place in the photography contest. I love it.

We're off to eat Happy Noodles now. Don't worry, I'll post a picture and my recipe for them next!

Until then, enjoy . . . .

What Do You Do All Day?

This Is What We Do All Day

OK, I wanted to write this with the pictures, but apparently I can't! Still learning this blog stuff. Nina took these - she takes great pictures. I have tons of them, I'll add more later. She won 2nd place in a photography contest with her on-line school. I love the one she took of Aly - I love how close it is and how she really captured her smile! But her best pictures (in my opinion) are of nature. She took this one at Grassy Waters Park near our house.
So why did I title this blog "This Is What We Do All Day?" Well, it occurred to me that I get asked that question often. Sometimes it comes from a new homeschool mom who is looking for guidance and reassurance that she is doing the right thing. Sometimes it comes from someone who is genuinely interested. And sadly, sometimes it comes from people who have no idea what it is like to be with your children, to live and learn with them, next to them, every day. How sad for them.
So, we watch movies, eat way too much popcorn, play games, read, wash the dog, swim, exercise - well you get the picture. We live and laugh together. Every Day. That's what we do all day.

My girls and our dog!

For my 2nd post, I will introduce my beautiful girls! My oldest daughter, Nina, is 12 going on 20! She's been homeschooled all her life, despite early objections from well-meaning family, friends, some not so well-meaning family, friends and, well the postman . . .
But I digress! Despite all the fore-mentioned objections, she is happy, healthy, and very well socialized. Maybe too much! Nina is my serious, everything is black and white, "but-why???" child. That doesn't mean she doesn't have fun, cause she does. Lots of it. And she's also now begging me to start her own blog. Just what she needs, to be on the computer more.
My youngest daughter, Aly, is this close to turning 10. Aly reminds us to have fun and to laugh. She is constantly planning family fun days, inventing games for us to play and telling jokes. She also has obviously been homeschooled all of her precious life - though she learns much differently than Nina. Nina loves workbooks and sharpened pencils in her hand, Aly loves to read and make things. So that's how they both learn - their own way. Nina currently does all of her schoolwork on FLVS, Florida's on-line school and Aly, well Aly does what I said above! Lots of it. And yes they are both smart, love to learn, and very respectful of themselves and others. And getting back to Aly, she is also very happy, healthy and socialized. So there to my well-meaning family members, friends (you know who you are) and to the postman! The not so well-meaning people -well you probably know how I feel about you and your kids too!
Lastly, our doggy Lucy. We "rescued" her last year from the pound, although I think she kinda rescued us too! She's a little neurotic, maybe semi-blind, but loads of fun and we love her! I was anti-dog, and now can't imagine not having her. And it's a plus that she loves car rides and camping, and us too.

My 1st post

Well, this is my 1st foray into blogging! What fun! What will I talk about? Well, mostly homeschooling my beautiful girls, being a stay-at-home-mom, starting a business and life on a sunny, sometimes soppy dirt road!