I'm here! I'm here!

Busy busy first few weeks of school.  Getting back into the swing of things proved harder than I thought.  The big girls volunteer one day a week at our church's free after school program and American Heritage Girls is in full swing.  Plus, the girls have riding lessons one day a week until the end of October.  Last week was their rodeo and it was so much fun!  Thankfully TL drives now so I don't have to run him to taekwondo or Boy Scouts.  He's had a nasty corn on the bottom of his foot from standing at work so much so he hasn't gone to taekwondo the last few weeks.  It is too painful.

We've only done four days of school each week.  That may be the norm from now on in September.  Its still canning season and trying to get it all done is proving difficult.  Last week I canned 10.5 quarts of spaghetti sauce, 6 more quarts of chili, and 20 quarts of applesauce.  I still have 5 more bags of apples to process.  I hope to get 16 quarts of apple pie filling and the rest in more applesauce.

Once the canning is done I need to clean out the barns and garage for winter.  It shouldn't take long but it keeps me very busy. 

I'll see ya'll on the flip side!  Have a wonderful weekend!

First day done!!

I didn't take any fun first day photos.  I should have but didn't.  I had a blazing headache all day long today.  This afternoon it was even worse.  I imagined that I was a pressure canner and just wished I could release the pressure in my head.  Thank goodness its finally gone!

We have quite a successful day today.  Got everything done without grumbling, complaints, and even finished early. 

I need to call the doctor first thing tomorrow thought for TL who has a corn on his foot that is very painful.  We've tried the corn things but it isn't gone and since he stands all day long on his feet at work, it needs to go.  I haven't put our schedule together for tomorrow yet since I don't know when or if I will be able to get him in.  I tried calling this afternoon just to book an appointment but six weeks from now is not realistic.  If I can't get him in I may end up in urgent care and who knows if they will even remove it there.

I was very excited to find Reading Rainbow on Netflix for my littles.  Who doesn't love Reading Rainbow right?  I still loved it in sixth grade when we went every week to the tv room to watch that and some boring science show.  Apparently, Princess Daisy hates it.....it's not filled with enough action.  Princess Buttercup and Bug-a-Bug were entertained though so I guess its not ALL bad.  lol 

Take care everyone and have a wonderful week!

On the homestead:

I'll be finishing up lesson plans tomorrow. I'm excited for this year but I've been really busy with the animals and garden.  Our pigs head off to be butchered this week.  I'll be really glad to have a full freezer again (and very thankful for more bacon!)  The chickens are growing well and we should be getting eggs from them in another six to eight weeks.  I'm happy about that.  I've been buying eggs for the first time in three years and not enjoying these egg prices at all.  The cow should be ready to butcher sometime in April/May.

This week I've accomplished a lot of canning.  I'm glad that the tomatoes are finally coming in because I can a lot of spaghetti sauce and chili to get us through those cold months.  I use green peppers and onions from the garden.  Only the oregano, basil, and garlic are bought to season the sauce.

This week I've canned:

• 8 half-pints of spiced pear jam
• 10 quarts of corn (I didn't have anymore room in the freezer)
• 4 quarts of green beans
• 9 quarts of chili
• 7 quarts of spaghetti sauce
• 6 half-pints of raspberry plum jam

I've added more zucchini to the freezer.   This week I will be pulling up all the onions and carrots.  I have a few more green beans which we will just eat for dinner.  I also grabbed the broccoli before it flowered and we will have it for dinner tomorrow.  We've been also picking a bowl of raspberries off the vines every day this week and just snacking on those.  Too little to can; well probably not but the kids eat them to fast.

On the homeschool front

Last week we did math and literature every day, with some days being more successful than others.  I wanted the kids to have a little under their belts before we jumped in feet first on Tuesday.

I just realized that I didn't post what curriculum we are using this year.

I will do that tomorrow or later this week as time permits.  I'm too tired right now and hot from standing in that really hot kitchen.  Thank goodness we have air conditioning because its been close to 90 everyday with 90% humidity. 

Have a wonderful Labor Day and blessed week!