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Homeschooling in Illinois
Oct. 3, 2008
Chainsaw
This is the third time I am trying to write this post. The first time, I hit the wrong button and everything disappeared. The second time I was interrupted by my cat chewing on something on my bed. I thought it was a hairball. Upon further inspection, I realized it was a baby mouse! I my bed! EEK! I'm not so sure about this country life anymore....
Anyway, here are some pics of what we did with a chainsaw. I don't think I need to explain. Except I will say that we did it because we are lazy. 
  
That trellis will go in the opening to make it look purty. (Don't you love where we keep the gas cans? Don't worry. They aren't there anymore. )
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Oct. 3, 2008
Frugal Tip - Laundry Soap
I was a laundry detergent snob. I only used Tide. It was the only thing that got my clothes clean. Until I discovered Borax. And then I could use cheap detergent. Borax is awesome!
Although I could now use cheap detergent, I knew that making my own, would still be way cheaper. Especially since homemade detergent is made partly out of Borax. If I made my own, I wouldn't have to add the extra Borax.
So after months of the recipe sitting in my notebook, I finally took the plunge and made the detergent.
It was fun! Especially when you have a future homemaker helping you:
I doubled the recipe so I wouldn't have to make it again right away.
HERE is the recipe. Go try it. I dare you. Don't be scared. It's really very easy.
I found Fels Naptha and washing soda at my local grocery store. Walmart doesn't carry them.
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Sep. 30, 2008
Wienie Roast
For dinner on Saturday, I decided to have a wienie roast. It was a blast! We normally eat around 5, but due to pirate bugs, we had to wait until they went to bed before we could eat.
Our first wienie roast was at our neighbor's house. They had safe hotdog forks that were bent backwards so if you are a kid running with one you won't poke someone's eye out. So when we went to Big R - which by the way is such a cool store - we of course had to pick some up.
We built a fire in our driveway. Our driveway! I love the country. Except of course, for the bugs.
The secret to a perfectly roasted wiener is sticking it deep into the fire. It gets nice and black and oh so yummy.
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Sep. 29, 2008
Frugal Tips Coming
I love saving money. Who doesn't? It has come fairly easy to me since I am a... um... I don't know the right word for it... scrooge? I used to love hearing about frugal tips until I realized, they were all the same tips, and I already did them. Like, don't wash laundry until you have a full load. Same with the dishwasher. Umm... with a large family, is it possible to have small loads?
With hubby driving 3 hours, at least twice a week, I either have to get really frugal, or start selling children. I do have a lot of children... but, I don't really feel like going through nine months of... well... I've been getting creative and doing things that I swore I would never do.
I like the Grocery Cart Challenge blog. She feeds her family on $60 a week. While I am not willing to do some of the things she does, she is inspiring. (For one thing, I can't go to multiple stores to shop. There aren't multiple stores around!)
So, I hope to post here and there about the different things I do to save a buck or two. So, keep checking. I know you're excited! HA!
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Sep. 28, 2008
We're Trapped
Today's post is brought to you by the letter P - for pirate bug. And the number bazillion - for the amount of pirate bugs I have.
Ever hear of a pirate bug? Have you ever been bitten by a tiny black bug and it HURT? That's a pirate bug. They are swarming out of the corn fields and attacking us. I can't wait for frost. Did I just say that? I did not just say that. Yes, I did. We are trapped inside! We were outside a few days ago, and we all ended up running back into the house yelling. Seriously. Today, we were able to stay outside. They only semi-attacked. But they were all over our screens. We had to close the windows of our house so they wouldn't get in. And now, as I sit here, they are coming to my computer screen. Help me...
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Sep. 23, 2008
Fun Meme
6 random things about me.
Gayle had a clever idea. It was too clever to pass up. Read my 6 random things for clues as to whom the 6 people I tagged are. If I'm talking about you, you're it!
1. I will never let my children own a hamster. Although, fluffy and puffy are very cute names.
2. I am somewhat obsessed by spiders. In the I can't believe there are more! kind of way.
3. If we had a windstorm, I would totally turn it into a school lesson. I mean, once I came up out of our basement.
4. I HATE airplanes. I would never go to Greece.
5. All of my read alouds are the read-it-together-but-independently-then-chat-about-it kind.
6. I am so in love with my baby girl and can't believe she is 4 weeks months old!
So, who am I talking about?
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Sep. 22, 2008
Catching Up
Well, hubby is gone and we are trying to get back to normal. Trying to do some school, catch up on blogging... man am I behind... I still need to finish digging up my garden
clearing weeds, diapers to hang
and still try and take care of these guys:
 That's them riding around in our new poly cart. Buttercup looks like she's having a good time, but really she's very nervous and soon jumped out and ran over to my mom for protection.
We brought those wood containers with us from the old house. They held chives, basil, cilantro, 2 pepper plants, and merigolds. I had one and a half bags of dirt that I laid on the ground, cut the top off the bags, and poked holes in the bottom of the bag. I planted cucumbers and beans. I was hoping to get a good crop before frost. We have already picked 3 cukes, which makes it worth it to me. :-) I love fresh food. The beans are finally growing and we should have some in a week or so.
The part we have dug up so far, we spread some manure on from my fil's horses. Way in the back, behind the green cart, is my compost bin. We used the stakes from our survey and the wire fencing that we found in the barn, so it was free. We are throwing in all of are food scraps, mowed grass, leaves, dirt and manure. And everytime we find a worm, we throw that in, too. On the far left side of the picture is my blueberry bush.
Here is where I had my tomoto plants. They only produced a handfull of tomatoes. The plants have dropped their blossoms, looked diseased, and had giant tomato hornworms. The world was against them.
And now I need to shower and walk the lil' princess around. She has been getting very demanding lately. She likes to be walked around in her stoller.
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Sep. 18, 2008
3 Month Pictures
Sep. 16, 2008
Busy, Busy, Dreadfully Busy
When I put off blogging, I end up with too much I want to post about. And when I end up with too much to post about, I put off blogging.
Hubby was home all of last week and we have been busy. He is home next week and we already have a lot of plans.
We put a screen door on our back door. I am so proud of us for that one. It took us all. day. long. But it was so worth it. It lets a nice breeze into our kitchen.
We also weed whacked all the weeds next to our garage, put down weed cloth, and put in a weed barrier thingie. I should really know the names of these things....
I planted the plant that I got from my mil for my birthday. I also bought and planted a Black Eyed Susan plant. And I would like to get a rose bush there.
We planted a blueberry bush and a peach tree.
I have to find a cherry tree or two to plant. In the spring we will plant a different variety of peach and blueberry to give them good pollination. And a different apple tree. It seems as though our apple tree is a red delicious. I'm not too found of those.
Hubby rented Indiana Jones Lego Playstation game. So we all have been taking turns playing that. And since we were in the Indian Jones mood, me, hubby, and my mom watched the movies, too.
I think I'll end my post right now. It's already taken me three days just to write this little bit. Hopefully I will have some more time soon.
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Sep. 6, 2008
History
We went to our neighbors house for a weeny roast. I had never been to one before, and now I want some sticks so we can have our own. And often. Weeny roasts are great! I love the country, outdoors, fire, and hotdogs. Put them all together and you have great memories.
Anyway, that's not the point of this post. As we sat and chatted we got to hear some history of our house. The neighbors have lived there for some 30 or 40 years, so they knew a lot. And then, Jim's family have always been in the area so he really knows a lot. One of Jim's boys, now a grown man, was telling us that he used to be best friends with one of the boys who lived in our house. He told us a story of a big lean-to that they built. And he also mentioned a platform they built in a tree.
Yup, that's the platform. It's 20-some years old. Not in the best shape. Pretty rotted. But still there. Pretty cool, huh?
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