Our very own Little House in the Big Woods

Ever since I was old enough to read the Little House series I have imagined living my life that way in those times.  I remember wishing so much that I was born in a little log cabin in the big woods.  I longed for a simpler way of life.  (yes, even at age 7)  Even now, I often compare our way of living to those of the Ingalls.  We have a small house, we all sleep in one bedroom, we try to make as much of the food we eat from whole ingredients, we're working on growing our own vegetables year round, we have a good ol' Basset named George.......BUT, we also have running water, electricity, sugar (you'll get this one later), natural gas, toilets, etc.   As we embark on our Little House adventures I want to instill within BabyGirl the realization of what really matters.  What it really takes to survive.  We don't *really* NEED much.  There is just too much *stuff* in most people's modern lives.

We started our Prairie Primer on Monday.  We love it.  This time around BabyGirl is fascinated with the way things were made, how they preserved their food, what they did every day.  It's a whole different world than she saw when she was 6.  This week we went through the first 4 chapters.  Here are a few things we've learned about:  Grizzly bears (including making a mini-book and coloring one), learned the history behind the song Yankee Doodle (and learned how to play it on the piano), made our own yellow butter, made ma's sourdough biscuits, learned about guns and gun safety, talked about rust, learned about ravines, studied owls, discussed similes, did an in-depth study on the human lungs & breathing, learned about rabies, discussed jealousy and manners, made molasses candy (YUK!) and found out what gaiters are.  There is so much to study and learn while you read these books!  I am so glad we decided to do this.  She can't wait until next week to move on.  We may even do school over the weekend!!

Little Man is so precious and amazing.  I keep forgetting to write this....you won't believe it!  He has been telling me every time he pees in his diaper, then wanting it changed.  He has also been telling me before he poops!  And, he started that about a month or so ago!  I am buying him a potty this weekend just to see what happens.  He is so smart!  He loves to stand on anything and everything.  In fact, the more dangerous it may be, the more he is drawn to it!  We're talking cars, balls, blocks, cushions, cans, his pop corn popper....and, if there isn't anything down to try, he'll find something, lay it down and give it a go!  He cracks me up!!

Here are some pics of our adventures Joneschooling in the big woods this week.....


Here is the first step in making our own butter.  We grated a carrot up into 1/4 cup whole milk.  We heated it up until it boiled.

Here is my little chef.

 Here is the milk after you strain out the carrot.  It had a beautiful yellow color.

 After shaking a jar filled with 3 cups heavy cream and our yellow milk for about 20 minutes, we got butter!  Here is our butter as we are just starting to wash out the butter milk.  You rinse the butter until the water runs clear.

 Our finished product!!  We had this on Ma's sourdough biscuits with dinner.  So yummy!

 Here is BabyGirl in one of her new jumpers we got at the mall with Mimi.  Thanks, Pappap!!!!

 Here I am in my sassy new tie dye dress from Mimi.  Oh my gosh, I love it soooooo much!  Just look the other way if you see me wearing it every time we get together this summer.  :)

 We started putting some of our plants in the ground this week.  Here is Little Man loving on the peas.  I know they just love it!  Every time he pokes my bread before it goes into the oven, or when I'm kneading it, I get the absolute best rise and taste ever!!

 Here he is helping daddy pat the compost down into the holes.  You can tell by the blur he is patting with all he's got!

 He wanted dad's shovel SO BAD!  I couldn't let him have it.  He called it a "broom".  He calls all long handles tools brooms right now.  :)  So, I told him he could have his own broom to work with in the garden.  We went in, grabbed his broom, and here he is helping to move the dirt around with daddy.  It was just precious.

 We had an art lesson with some of our besties.  We discussed and created abstract art.

 Here she is in deep concentration....

 During the art creating, Little Man played with Tara.  He loved sitting the daddy on her hat!

 Here is BabyGirl's picture.  She has a blue sun, a huge chicken coop with a tiny chicken, a tiny pink bird, a huge orange butterfly, a huge flower, and a tiny Tara with a daddy doll on her hat.  :)

 Here is Little Man in the middle of one of his discoveries!  He pulled out the step stool right where he could reach the keys better and started playing!! Look at how proud he is!

 Here he is making his puppy sound (you'll see it later)  oooo, oooo   I love his little face :)

 Here is the procedure for making candy, which I don't recommend.  Unless, however, you want to teach your kids to appreciate what they have now!  We mixed up 1 cup molasses with 1/2 cup brown sugar.

 We boiled it until it was at 248 degrees.

 We drizzled it over some ice (since we had no snow....thank goodness)

 BabyGirl has ALWAYS been a glass-half-full kind of girl!  She tastes everything with the expectation that she is going to LOVE it!  Here she is right after she put the bite in her mouth.  Look at her eyebrows up like "mmm...this is good!"

 Ummm... yeah...not so much!  The smile is fading!  LOL

Here is one last little thing to enjoy.  There's video of Little Man playing with the puppy Auntie Jane got him for Christmas.  You'll see him smile, dance and woof.  Then, there is one of him standing on his new invention playing piano.  Enjoy!! xo

Spring is in the air!

I'm so happy to see leaves unfolding on all of our trees.  I love to look out the window the second I wake up each morning.  The sun, the leaves, the sounds, the smells.  Each morning looks more and more like spring.  And I love it!  Just like the new things that come with spring, I am expecting new and wonderful things for us.  Not only with school, but in all aspects of our lives.  I look forward to embarking on a journey of self-discovery and healing.  Joneschooling has some fun and exciting activities planned.  Vacation is on the horizon.  Concert season is almost here.  Little Man is growing and learning so much each and every day.  This will be a wonderful spring, indeed!

In Joneschool we are wrapping up our Polar Husky journey.  It has been a great learning experience for BabyGirl and myself!  We learned so much about the native Inuit culture, erosion, environment, respect for nature, marine resources, natural resources (renewable and non-renewable)...the list goes on and on. She has truly enjoyed the experiments and reading that has gone along with this. 

Following the idea that we are going to pursue passion in our work, we've decided to start the Prairie Primer next week.  It is a curriculum guide to the Little House series.  It will include history, geography, literature, vocabulary, spelling, science and cooking!  Since we have a visit to the Rose Hill Pioneer School planned for May 23rd, this will be perfect timing.  She hasn't read the series since she was 6, so I'm interested to see what she notices this time that she didn't the first time around.

Our math has been going so well.  There is no more fighting or tears.  She loves to see what we will learn and do with each lesson!  I'm so thankful to have started this program.  This week we have been doing Roman Numerals. She cannot get enough of them!  In fact, she started a Roman Numeral poster.  (her idea) Listing all the ones she can write starting with I.  I am so proud of her!

She has been doing a lot of reading and writing lately.  She got tons of fairy and horse books from Nanny for her birthday.  She is just flying through them!  We've been using her Write-Away book for writing assignments.  In the past month she has written a research paper on Balto, constructed a picture dictionary on horses, written a funny circle story, and is finishing up an add-on story today.  She certainly has a talent for writing!  Here is her circle story....

If  You Give A Horse A Carrot

If you give a horse a carrot, she'll want to gallop after that.

Then, you'll have to go to the well to get some water for her to drink.

After that, she'll beg you to put down some fresh hay for her to take a small nap.

Then, she'll wake up wanting a carrot.

And, chances are, she'll want to gallop after that.

The End!

Music school has been going beautifully.  The other day when we walked into the building she took a deep breath and said "aaaahhh.  I just love this place."   She has just blossomed in so many ways since starting the program.  It was a wonderful decision. She is so excited for her upcoming concerts!  Just wait until you hear her new pieces!!!

Little Man is as cute as ever!  He only has one more stubborn 1 year molar to come in.  He got his very first hair cut!  He cried the entire time, but didn't try to fight or get away.  In the end, he got his very first sucker.  He is running like crazy.  He can get across the house just as fast as any of us!  He loves to swing and will sit on your lap forever just humming a tune and feeling the breeze.  He cannot wait to play outside every day!  If Sis or Dad go out, you will not get a moment's rest until he is out there, too!

Here are some pictures from this update...(in no particular order)  :)

This is an experiment showing the disappearance of the land bridge.  Here is the beginning....

 Here it is again towards the end....

 This is the book BabyGirl is currently enjoying :)

 A sample of the Roman Numeral poster...

 A witty "guitar chart" she made dad.  (so he can remember to practice each day)  I LOVE the pic of him!!

 Here is Little Man in the middle of his hair cut :(

 Here are some pics of Sesame Street Live I never posted.  Here is how Little Man spent most of the show.  I think he actually saw 4 songs.  :)

 Here is BabyGirl ready to go in!

 Posing with Elmo.

 Watching the show.

 The stage.  (a bit blurry)

 Here is another Polar Husky experiment. This one was making a snow flake.  Here is the pipe cleaner base going into a solution of Borax and warm water.

Here is our snow flake the next day!!  Beautiful!

In the next month we will have so many exciting updates!!  Some will include spring concerts, Bub's graduation, Branson vacation (yay!!!!!!!!!!), Pioneer School, zoo trip....we are so looking forward to everything!  Until next time.....

My BabyGirl turns 8 years old....

Dear Sweet BabyGirl,

8 years ago my life went from ordinary and uninteresting to the most unimaginable bliss I could ever dream of.  I was blessed with the gift of you becoming my daughter.  You were so perfect and beautiful.  You had the most gorgeous strawberry blond hair, slate gray eyes, glorious pink skin and a presence about you that was undeniable.  I became a mommy.  My life became worth while for the first time ever.  I finally realized what I was put on this Earth to do.  I was meant to love you, teach you, raise you to change the world.  But, most of all I realized, you were sent to save me.

When I look at the spectacular young woman you are becoming I am inspired.  You were born into this life with some amazing traits.  You posses such patience, innocence, imagination and magic.  You dare to live your dreams every single day.  Everything that I see within you I desire to be myself.  You are teaching me to become patient, to never let go of childhood innocence, to let my imagination soar to the greatest heights and to always believe in magic.  You inspire me to become the best mommy I can possibly be, and I could never thank you enough for that.  I see so many things within you that I can't even explain, I just know.  My journey has just begun.  I just want you to know that I will strive every minute to give you everything that you deserve.  You will always have all of me.  To the core.  I would do absolutely anything for you.  I will be here for you in any way, shape or form for the rest of your life.  Forever.

You are the best big sister a little brother could ever ask for.  Your natural ability to nurture and teach Levi never fails to amaze me.  You are so patient, kind and generous.  He is truly the most blessed baby boy in the world to have you in his life.  He will treasure these moments for the rest of his life.

You have grown up so much in the past year.  Not only have you gotten so much taller, but you have also grown up emotionally and mentally as well.  You always try your hardest in school (even when it seems difficult for you, or even when mommy is having a hard day), you continue to evolve into a wonderful pianist (even learning the pedal 8 months after you start!), you write and draw the most imaginative and beautiful works of art, I could just go on and on!  Your hair is getting longer and longer, you have lost all your fears this past year, you can say your "r" 's like you always wanted to, your adult teeth are starting to come in like crazy, you can do so many things on your own now (like play outside, wash your hair, sleep in the dark, go places by yourself) and it just seems like yesterday I was helping you walk around outside like I am Levi.  I hope you understand how unbelievably proud of you I am, Aubrey.  You could reach the moon and stars if you just set your mind to it....

One of my main wishes for you in the next year is to NEVER CHANGE WHO YOU ARE FOR ANYONE.  You are perfect just the way you are, and don't ever think otherwise.  You have the most beautiful soul and spirit and are a shining example to those around you.  Your honesty, generosity and courage are something to be proud of.  Heck, even mommy is striving to be more like you!  :)

Happy Birthday, BabyGirl.  You make my life worth living.  I love you more than anything in the entire universe.  More than anything in existence.  I hope number eight brings you many surprises, happiness, love and everything you could ever dream of wanting.

Love, Your Mommy.


Here are some pictures highlighting your exciting entry to number eight! Enjoy!!

Here is your balloons and "princess" banner in front of the living room window...

 Here is the dining room table with more balloons, purple table ware, and horse/fairy/Eskimo banner...

 Here is your castle shaped pound cake made by mommy....

 Here are some fairy wings, masks and Harry Potter goodie bags....

 Here are you and all your friends running to collect fairy treasures!!

 Here is Grandpa J telling you how to use a fairy magic wand :)

 Here you are opening Elizabeth....

 Here are you and your friend Naiya reading a card....

 Here you are with your friends admiring the beautiful black horse from Chloe and Naiya...

 Here you are opening Felicity's tea dress.....

 Here you are with a dress-up cowgirl hat from Auntie Candace...

 Here you are opening a gift with all your friends and family surrounding you...

 Here is your birthday cake with the swirly candles you picked out on it...

 Here you are as we all sing to you ( I believe you are coming up with your wish )   :)

 Here you are blowing out your candles...May all your wishes come true...

 Here is Felicity in her new tea dress and hat....

 Here is Elizabeth with her accessories....

 Here you are with Levi playing horse....

 Here you are with your beautiful dolls...

 Here is my sweet birthday princess....

 Here are your beautiful Tinkerbell earrings from Nanny....

 Here is your "actual birthday" breakfast...a home made sour dough biscuit with egg and cheese, and a yummy strawberry cupcake to wish upon!

 You get two wishes!!

 The balloons you picked out....

 You sharing a Cherry Berry treat with Deegan for your birthday surprise!!

 You guys had a blast!!

 I could not get this one to turn right-side-up!  But, here you are posing with the cowgirl boots and belt from Auntie Candace!  You are adorable!!!!!!!! 

 Here you are being the best big sis ever...showing Levi the TV set you made him from a box.  You even put Elmo and friends on the front along with some pretend buttons he could push (so he would leave the real TV set alone!)  You didn't want him to keep getting in trouble  :)

I hope you enjoyed!  Can't wait to spend the next forever with you!  I love you!!!!!!!!!!  xo xo xo