Got milk?

I usually don't eat much or anything at work.  Today I drank some protein drinks and ate two yogurts. The result was I made about twice the milk I usually do.  I needed to pump during my shift but I waited till my drive home.  Not too bad....

Lyn colored her hair!!!

Well, it is dark.... let's see how long she likes it.

The kids at church

Elaina and Etta are so lucky to have such an imaginative teacher (other than me ;) ) as their teacher. Elaina had fun playing with balls and playing in an improvised water table at the sink. Evan and Eliot are warming up more to choir practice. They all enjoy their regular classes. I even led the story for all ages upstairs since the topic of the sermon today was Secular Paganism. I was so nervous but several people said I did real well. We then wandered down to the firepit to just look at it since we weren't able to attend the bonfire last Friday. The bane of the working mother.....

Celebrating roots

We visited my great grandmother's grave this week. I took my 5 youngest and my husband. We had a picnic at her grave. We lit the chalice and other candles that hold meaning for me. We collected a flower and herb bundle to place on the grave. A few flowers from the butterfly bush from our yard made it into the small bouquet.  Butterflies came and landed on them. Elaina got a good look. We collected some soil from our yard. Eliot sprinkled it onto Ines' s grave and then collected a little of the soil from the grave back into the glass vial to come home with us. The kids played and ran in the field next to the grave yard. They each collected a stick to be burned at home. We then took a back road to find Graben Rd. and found an earlier graveyard of the first Grabens to come to America.  That was surreal. To see Mary Graben, the Mother of the Grabens in America made me feel so connected to my past. I am eager to learn more.

Monsters in PJs at the Hoover Library

Last Thursday after our big day visiting family graves Eliot and Evan were able to attend the Monster themed PJ party at the library. Stories, food, activities and more.... they had a blast. It was a long day but worth it to spend time with the kids.

Visiting Ines' s grave, Etta is 11 months old and so much more...

My baby is nursing as we had a picnic with my great grandmother. She died the year I was born. Her picture is in the locket around my neck. We took the 5 youngest children and a very pleasant afternoon. The 2 and 4 year old could not quite understand why we don't actually walk on graves. And the 7 and 8 year old were very disturbed by the graves of infants. We also found an older graveyard with my ancestor from Germany, Louis Graben. But it was his wife's grave that sent chills down my spine. 

Not everyone can find their First Mother....

The Golden Flower

The kids got so excited when they spotted this plant with the golden flower. Eliot sang the song from the movie Tangled. Evan claimed the flower glowed when she sang. I had to investigate and I believe we have a squash, pumpkin, or gourd. Hopefully it won't get mowed down and we can see what it produces.

Dragon's Fire sold

This small decorative or ceremonial teapot sold this week from my Etsy store. I made a lava rock and obsidian bead strand to go with it to lend the essence of fire to the object. It is on its way to Australia as I type this.

A day at the park

I took off my second job today to spend some time with the kids. We went to one of the local parks. There was a homeschool group there playing and a mom I knew. Well, sort of, I used to teach her 2 year old. I only took the littles minus Etta who stayed home with Dad. It was great being out side with my own children.

Little baby teaching tiny baby

I had enough of the rude occupational therapist that was coming out for Etta ' s Early Intervention provider. Solution, ask for a special instructor.  I wanted a special instructor in the first place since they are generalists and Etta has global delays. The SI got all the kids involved and was nice and actually provided Early Intervention instead of clinical therapy that made my baby cry. One of the homework activities the kids were given was to teach Etta how to drum. Way to go Elaina!!!!

Fingerpainting

 

Nothing like some new paints to liven up an evening. Fingers are so much easier to clean up than paint brushes.

Fun at the Fall Festival

 

I took the kids to a local daycare that was having a Fall Festival. Eliot won a soda at the ring toss and she and Evan had fun on the blow up slide. Elaina was a bit overwhelmed with the crowd and the noise so was Etta. But in the end we all had a little bit of fun.

Pomegranate anyone?

Before it was too late we cut open our pomegranate from our Fall celebration.  Evan, Eliot, and Elaina joined me in tasting the seeds and tossing them into our wild space. Who knows, maybe we can grow a pomegranate tree in Alabama.

Collecting for and making my Fall wreath

I collected some flowers in a meadow near Lyn's job but most of the herbs and flowers for the wreath came from my yard. The goldenrod I planted last year produced well this year. It is a real easy plant to grow and most people consider it a pesky weed but it is one of my favorite herbs. A field of gold just makes me happy. I added some dried wheat this year. The flowers will fade but the spirit of the season will remain till Yule rolls around and we make a new seasonal wreath.

I decided to hang all the flags from my Wheel of the Year collection up. I think they look rather nice.....

Eliot making a book

Homeschooling rocks...

Etta and her nursing / eating strike

We haven't been able to get Etta to take a bottle, baby food or even nurse more than about 4 times a day. She tends to throw up when she nurses a full meal. She tried a few pretzels today. I am not sure if she ate any though. I broke down and gave her some watered down organic apple juice and the little stinker held the bottle and drank about one ounce. That is a huge deal. I didn't really want her to start the juice habit but she needs something in her. I may try adding some breastmilk to it and make a smoothy. We have some green vegetable juices too. I just don't understand her not wanting milk. It is like food just doesn't have much meaning to her. I hate the puffs and disolvable dry baby foods on the market but that may be what she has to try. At least some of the newer ones have a little nutritional value. My baby is almost 11 months old and she seems like she is more like 5 maybe 6 months old. She is sitting up with a boppy now on the floor. She is gaining some new skills. These fevers she keeps having just don't act like viruses. I think the cysts in her brain may be contributing. A step will be taken when we meet with the geneticist on Monday.

Sweet dreams Etta

It's me Mama

Eliot colored a Samhain picture. Of course she said it was her. Ben enjoyed coloring one too.

Lyn's latest painting

Lyn ran out of canvases so she painted a piece of plywood we had left over. I think it is great....

Lyn's new car

I could  not be more proud!!! My daughter Lyn has been working since she was 12 years old. Recently she started working as a waitress right before her birthday. She bought her new car all on her own!!! It is better than mine :) .

Full Moon with my children

It was an average day with a magical end. I gazed at the moon with my children as it floated through the clouds. The night was mild, neither hot nor cool. I then took a moonlit walk with two of my daughters to pick pumpkins and gourds from a nearby pumpkin patch. Not bad for a Tuesday.

When I came inside my husband had my personal altar shelf lit with a fresh candle. Having a partner that knows and anticipates your desires is worth keeping.....

Happy Sweet 16 to Lyn

My eldest daughter is 16 today. Wow!!!!!