Today was an outside day and thankfully the sun was shining and the temps were cool! I was able to wash and hang out about 6 loads of laundry (maybe that will take the bite out of my air conditioners running constantly!) Jordan was able to re-till a couple of beds that we had prepared earlier for beans and corn. The tomatoes (36 plants in a large bed) are producing, but so were the weeds, so Aaron, Kaelan and I weeded and weeded and weeded some more. Then we covered the entire area with hay. Hope to keep the water in and the weeds down with all that hay. We were also able to get the green beans in the ground. If they actually grow, we should have plenty of beans. My mom always liked to put up one bag or can of each vegetable for each week of the year. I would LOVE to do that, but we'll see. I think I need to make an outdoor kitchen to do some of that as the house gets so hot when we are in the kitchen all day in the summer. Last winter we created a compost bin and added veggie scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, grass clippings, leaves and apparently, last years tomato vines! Jeff put the compost in one of our flower beds and it is producing great looking tomato plants right in the midst of the crepe myrtles and hawthornes. I counted about a dozen there. We should have lots of tomatoes for canning and freezing. I would love to can spaghetti sauce and salsa.
Planning for the next school year is constantly in the back of my mind, but I haven't set aside the time to begin. We have purchased Teaching Textbooks for this next year and Jordan has already begun Algebra 2. We have a few NEW things that we will be trying out and I am eager to see how it goes. We will begin a two year stretch in American History starting with the explorers. I love American history and am eager to get back to it after spending the last 3 years in the ancients through the Reformation period. Maybe later next week I can actually get pencil to paper. I have printed out calendars and assignment sheets and would love to get new notebooks purchased as well. Hope to get some of the actual planning written out next week as there most likely won't be any garden work going on for me. I see the surgeon Tuesday afternoon regarding my gall bladder and I am hopeful that he can schedule me in later in the week. I will be "forced" to sit and read through curriculum and do nothing but plan for the next year..... and nurse Caedmon!
Now off to prepare dinner! Should it be spaghetti with homemade basil bread or country vegetables with cornbread? One child says no to spaghetti but the others say yes... What do I want?
Family
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Of Books, Blogs, Babies and Gall Bladders?
I love books!! We have a good many bookshelves filled with wonderful books, but I need more bookshelves. Actually, I need more house to hold more bookshelves to hold more books. Homeschool conference season is in full swing and I love to look through all of the offerings for books that may or may not be on my LIST of desired books. Yesterday, I took a much belated trip to the library to return a few books and pick up a few others. I always run into the Friends of the Library bookstore to see what they have. In a small box marked 10 cents a book I found the following: The Dolls' House by Rumer Godden illustrated by Tasha Tudor, The Tune is in the Tree by Maud Hart Lovelace, The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse by Thornton W. Burgess and Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry. Kaelan immediately grabbed The Dolls' House and set off to her room for a time of quiet reading.
Blogging just isn't happening on a regular basis right now. We have so many THINGS going on around here that I am not finding the time or the inspiration to blog about much. We do have a garden going, but it's been so wet that we haven't gotten the beans or corn planted yet. It may be getting too late, but I hope it will be dry enough this evening so the older boys can get the tiller out and get the beans and corn planted in the morning. I agreed to blog for The Homeschool Channel's blog last month, but, to be honest, I wound up having my first real case of homeschool burn-out and found it difficult to encourage others about homeschooling when I was discouraged. Am I allowed to have some burn-out after 21 years of homeschooling? I also think I am having some hormone issues which might have something to do with my burn-out issues...Hoping some Happy Cream will take care of that! We did make it to the Mississippi homeschool conference where I received much needed encouragement and made several curriculum purchases for next year. Jeff is now talking to homeschool business owners, curriculum writers, vendors, movie makers, etc on a daily basis and is receiving much encouragement from them in his work on The Homeschool Channel--which is in turn an encouragement to me as we are/will be meeting with many of these people in the next few months.
Babies are growing like weeds around here. Caedmon will soon have 4 teeth, is getting around by almost crawling, and can now put himself in a sitting position. He is also eating some solids, but mostly rice cereal. He turns down applesauce, bananas and carrots. He is a happy baby and I receive many comments about how happy he is. I always reply, "Wouldn't you be happy if you had 7 other people waiting on you hand and foot?" Right now he is being cuddled by his 16 year old brother. Caedmon's face lights up when Jordan picks him up. So sweet! Grandsons Chase and Eli are growing as well. Eli is about the same size that Caedmon was at his age--another chunky boy. Chase will have to watch out as both Caedmon and Eli are within 5 pounds of Chase's weight. Love all these baby boys!!!
Has any one ever had gall bladder surgery? Two times this past month I have had what we now know were gall bladder attacks. EXTREMELY PAINFUL! And I am NOT a wimp! I have delivered some big babies! A sonogram this morning showed many stones in my gall bladder. I have thought about doing a gall bladder cleanse, but I don't want to go through the pain that I had with the attacks. Anybody have any thoughts one way or the other? We are scheduled to go to the Iowa homeschool conference next week, but I don't want to go and risk having an attack away from home. What to do?
Blogging just isn't happening on a regular basis right now. We have so many THINGS going on around here that I am not finding the time or the inspiration to blog about much. We do have a garden going, but it's been so wet that we haven't gotten the beans or corn planted yet. It may be getting too late, but I hope it will be dry enough this evening so the older boys can get the tiller out and get the beans and corn planted in the morning. I agreed to blog for The Homeschool Channel's blog last month, but, to be honest, I wound up having my first real case of homeschool burn-out and found it difficult to encourage others about homeschooling when I was discouraged. Am I allowed to have some burn-out after 21 years of homeschooling? I also think I am having some hormone issues which might have something to do with my burn-out issues...Hoping some Happy Cream will take care of that! We did make it to the Mississippi homeschool conference where I received much needed encouragement and made several curriculum purchases for next year. Jeff is now talking to homeschool business owners, curriculum writers, vendors, movie makers, etc on a daily basis and is receiving much encouragement from them in his work on The Homeschool Channel--which is in turn an encouragement to me as we are/will be meeting with many of these people in the next few months.
Babies are growing like weeds around here. Caedmon will soon have 4 teeth, is getting around by almost crawling, and can now put himself in a sitting position. He is also eating some solids, but mostly rice cereal. He turns down applesauce, bananas and carrots. He is a happy baby and I receive many comments about how happy he is. I always reply, "Wouldn't you be happy if you had 7 other people waiting on you hand and foot?" Right now he is being cuddled by his 16 year old brother. Caedmon's face lights up when Jordan picks him up. So sweet! Grandsons Chase and Eli are growing as well. Eli is about the same size that Caedmon was at his age--another chunky boy. Chase will have to watch out as both Caedmon and Eli are within 5 pounds of Chase's weight. Love all these baby boys!!!
Has any one ever had gall bladder surgery? Two times this past month I have had what we now know were gall bladder attacks. EXTREMELY PAINFUL! And I am NOT a wimp! I have delivered some big babies! A sonogram this morning showed many stones in my gall bladder. I have thought about doing a gall bladder cleanse, but I don't want to go through the pain that I had with the attacks. Anybody have any thoughts one way or the other? We are scheduled to go to the Iowa homeschool conference next week, but I don't want to go and risk having an attack away from home. What to do?
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Today
Yesterday we had 25 people (that's not including the nine that were already here) for a birthday party for Kaelan. We had a great time fellowshipping with friends!! We haven't been as involved in extracurricular activities this past year, so we really soaked up the time with others. Jeff and Jordan left way before daylight to head down to the Orlando homeschool conference which begins tonight. I just called to check on them and they are breakfasting with Bob and Tina Farewell at the Chalet. I am green with envy!! OK, not really. I chose to stay at home with the children because we have so many other things going on this week as well. Next year, I will be there.
So today, we are cleaning things up from yesterday and getting ready for my mom and her husband to arrive mid-afternoon. This evening Aaron and Kaelan are playing in their piano recital. I think my sister is in town and will be joining us there are well.
Devin is playing violin in her first wedding this weekend and will have a rehearsal tomorrow night and provide some background music for the dinner. She has another wedding (much bigger) in a couple of weeks and will be meeting with the accompanists a couple of times to work on things with them.
Mom is bringing shrimp, so tomorrow we will have a grand dinner! A family get-together is almost incomplete without shrimp, whether it be in gumbo, fried or boiled! Yummy!
Continue to keep Jessica Hulcy in your prayers! Jessica is an amazing woman and has an incredible family. Read the lastest update at www.caringbridge.org/visit/jessicahulcy/journal. Good news from yesterday!
Back to the laundry and the mopping and the sweeping and the dusting and the.....nevermind! I just need to get busy!
So today, we are cleaning things up from yesterday and getting ready for my mom and her husband to arrive mid-afternoon. This evening Aaron and Kaelan are playing in their piano recital. I think my sister is in town and will be joining us there are well.
Devin is playing violin in her first wedding this weekend and will have a rehearsal tomorrow night and provide some background music for the dinner. She has another wedding (much bigger) in a couple of weeks and will be meeting with the accompanists a couple of times to work on things with them.
Mom is bringing shrimp, so tomorrow we will have a grand dinner! A family get-together is almost incomplete without shrimp, whether it be in gumbo, fried or boiled! Yummy!
Continue to keep Jessica Hulcy in your prayers! Jessica is an amazing woman and has an incredible family. Read the lastest update at www.caringbridge.org/visit/jessicahulcy/journal. Good news from yesterday!
Back to the laundry and the mopping and the sweeping and the dusting and the.....nevermind! I just need to get busy!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Kaelan
Yesterday was Kaelan's tenth birthday. I no longer have any little girls here in the house....just little boys (this week we have 4 boys 4 and under). Kaelan requested chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. Lunch was sandwiches and chips. Dinner was her traditional birthday date with her dad at a favorite Mexican restaurant. She requested chocolate chess pie for dessert here at home with the rest of us and opened presents after blowing out her candles. Gifts included sunglasses, candy, scented lotions, handbag, Mad Libs, fusion beads and a new digital camera. My camera has not been replaced yet and Devin's wasn't charged...so no pictures. :(
Kaelan has vowed to become more lady-like in her second ten years. I know that will happen as she has two older sisters who evolved from silly little girls to beautiful young ladies. I think it is harder for her being so much younger than the older girls and right in the middle of four boys. She is determined, though, and I hope to help her reach her goal. ; ) They grow so very quickly!!
Today a few friends are coming over for a birthday party. Jeff and Jordan are on their way to the homeschool conference in Orlando. Tomorrow Aaron and Kaelan have their piano recital and my mom and her husband are coming. Busy times as usual! I keep thinking a break will come soon, but that hasn't happened in a looong time.
Kaelan has vowed to become more lady-like in her second ten years. I know that will happen as she has two older sisters who evolved from silly little girls to beautiful young ladies. I think it is harder for her being so much younger than the older girls and right in the middle of four boys. She is determined, though, and I hope to help her reach her goal. ; ) They grow so very quickly!!
Today a few friends are coming over for a birthday party. Jeff and Jordan are on their way to the homeschool conference in Orlando. Tomorrow Aaron and Kaelan have their piano recital and my mom and her husband are coming. Busy times as usual! I keep thinking a break will come soon, but that hasn't happened in a looong time.
Jessica
To keep updated about Jessica's condition check out www.caringbridge.org/visit/jessicahulcy/journal. It seems that they haven't finished assessing the damage from her accident. Recovery will be a very long process. Jessica was being a tremendous help to Jeff in getting The Homeschool Channel started. We will miss her input and are praying that she will have full healing. She is truly an amazing woman!!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
News about Jessica Hulcy
This is a mass email from the oldest Hulcy son late last night. Continue to remember Jessica and her family in your prayers please.
Dear family and friends,
Jessica’s Ford Explorer was broadsided in Melissa, TX about 11:30 on Monday morning. We think she was hit by a volunteer fire truck responding to an accident. After a 25 minute extrication process she was Life Flighted as a level 1 (the most severe) trauma case to Parkland Hospital in Dallas.
She is still in critical condition. Here is what we know so far:
1. She is still unconscious but is moving all four limbs and attempting to pull the tubes out of her throat which is encouraging to the doctors.
2. Major Lung trauma, punctures to both lungs. Both were collapsed. One is now working well and they are still draining the other. Doctors are checking for possible damage to wind pipe and trachea.
3. Head trauma. Medium amounts of blood on the brain. Closely monitoring this to see if it improves. Surgery not necessary now, but possible to come.
4. As of now multiple broken ribs on both sides, broken left wrist, broken left arm in 2 places. Will require surgery. Possible broken left leg and right wrist. She has undergone 4 hrs of X-rays, over 1000 X-rays taken so far. They are working the broken bones in the order of most life threatening so there is a possibility of more discovery of broken bones.
We will be sending out another email as soon as we know more. Thank-you for your prayers.
Jason Hulcy
Dear family and friends,
Jessica’s Ford Explorer was broadsided in Melissa, TX about 11:30 on Monday morning. We think she was hit by a volunteer fire truck responding to an accident. After a 25 minute extrication process she was Life Flighted as a level 1 (the most severe) trauma case to Parkland Hospital in Dallas.
She is still in critical condition. Here is what we know so far:
1. She is still unconscious but is moving all four limbs and attempting to pull the tubes out of her throat which is encouraging to the doctors.
2. Major Lung trauma, punctures to both lungs. Both were collapsed. One is now working well and they are still draining the other. Doctors are checking for possible damage to wind pipe and trachea.
3. Head trauma. Medium amounts of blood on the brain. Closely monitoring this to see if it improves. Surgery not necessary now, but possible to come.
4. As of now multiple broken ribs on both sides, broken left wrist, broken left arm in 2 places. Will require surgery. Possible broken left leg and right wrist. She has undergone 4 hrs of X-rays, over 1000 X-rays taken so far. They are working the broken bones in the order of most life threatening so there is a possibility of more discovery of broken bones.
We will be sending out another email as soon as we know more. Thank-you for your prayers.
Jason Hulcy
Monday, May 18, 2009
Prayers for KONOS author, Jessica Hulcy!
Please be in prayer for my dear friend, mentor and homeschooling pioneer, Jessica Hulcy. She was broadsided by a fire truck earlier today and is in critical condition. Both lungs are collapsed, some ribs are broken and an arm is also broken. There is brain trauma and she may also have broken legs. This is serious. She was supposed to speak at the Orlando homeschool conference this weekend. Their youngest son, Jared, is scheduled to be married at the Hulcy home next weekend. Please be in prayer for Jessica, husband Wade, sons Jason, Jordan, Rhett and Jared and all the medical team who is taking care of her. Jessica is a precious woman who is full of life. I am so very thankful for the time that I had as a KONOS representative traveling with Jessica and learning from her. She has done a tremendous work for all homeschoolers over the past 25 years or so and is involved with my husband, Jeff, in his latest project, The Homeschool Channel. We are praying for a very speedy recovery!!
Friday, May 1, 2009
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