Pop worked with Branch to extend his chicken pen. Each boy has his own breed of chickens, and Branch really needed a larger place for his.
ChubChub has been working on dressing himself and is growing up far too quickly. He's a rascal, yes, but our lives are so much happier because of him.
Stennes and Josiah both have been harvesting quite a few potatoes. We have really enjoyed their sweet, fresh flavor.
The boys also killed a rattlesnake this past week. Do they always dress up to go hunting? No, they just finished playing in a band concert and spotted the snake on their way home.
Branch made a very willing horse for His Royal Whineness this past week. We're working on a "strife-free environment" in the home, and sometimes they just need to burn extra energy.
Poppins' blueberries are beginning to ripen, and the boys enjoy snacking on them throughout the day. Josiah was kind enough to bring in a bowlful for Mean Ol' Mama.
The Girl spent a few hours drawing on the white board after we finished using it for Poster Art class with Teresa. She's very easy to entertain.
Stennes decided to work on his Algebra while Mean Ol' Mama finished reading a Norwegian book about Frick (thank you, Grandma!). Meanwhile, ChubChub decided to "read" as well.
We went to help some friends prepare their business for a fishing rodeo coming up on Saturday. The gals stuffed goody bags while the fellas cleaned up around the place.
The guys also had to rig up the fishing poles for the kids who don't bring their own. It was a hot day, but we enjoyed being together with these special friends.
We arrived home to find two crates of corn from a Mexican friend. Yummy! The boys and a friend shucked some for supper to eat with our roast with carrots and potatoes, potatoes, potatoes.
Josiah planted more beans to keep a steady supply coming. We've really enjoyed gardening this year, and it's nice to see the boys growing in experience and independence.
The Girl and Branch enjoyed playing with a puzzle of sorts. They're really doing well in English reading in school. Sweet, sweet kids...
The Girl snoozed for a while, but the boys were busy fishing in order to have a fish fry on Friday night. We had a Mexican couple come for supper, and they were very interested in our foods and customs . We had a good time with them and a yummy meal!
The Girl set up a small desk for ChubChub in the school room. He really thinks he's special. And he is, is, is!
Alas, the poor copperhead should not have been in Josiah's bean garden while he and ChubChub were harvesting beans. We kill venemous snakes that are on our property. It's a matter of safety for the little ones and for Mean Ol' Mama's sanity.
Guess who dressed up as a Junior Ranger the other day? Big brother Anders made him a special cap to wear, too.
The boys have been busy helping Pop load/unload many cement blocks, putting up/taking down Pop's huge tent (for a funeral) and doing a lot of work around the homestead.
And just look at what Mean Ol' Mama discovered sitting right in the middle of her kitchen floor! Actually, Anders told her about the visitor, and Mean Ol' Mama remained barricaded in the bedroom until Mr. Sapo was escorted outside. Yep...
I've got jelly in my belly, jelly on my cheeks, jelly makes me happy, jelly keeps me sweet....
Look what the Big Boys did to our darling ChubChub...
Stennes was fiddling around with the lathe, turning a fresh stick of wood. He left it overnight on the counter, and we awakened to discover a tidy mound of sawdust made by a beetle buried within the stick. This piece of wood was also escorted out to join Mr. Sapo. Yep.
Oatmeal and math? The Girl not only couldn't wait to do her math but she also "stole" Branch's book to finish it up for him. He didn't complain in the least.
Chocolate peanut butter on fresh bread...What could be better?
Working hard, hard, hard. It's awfully hot down here in south Georgia, and our schoolroom can be quite "aromatic" some days when the boys pile in to do their work. Sitting between them during Latin class can be quite overwhelming, as well. And not because their imperfect subjunctive verbs are so perfectly parsed, either. [...Ahem...]
A quiet moment for Stennes as he tries to fix Josiah's fishing pole. A boy-to-man moment for Mean Ol' Mama.
Aha, so that's where all that jelly and chocolate peanut butter end up, eh?
Scrubbing the floor is an easy chore when they all work together. Concrete requires little upkeep.
ChubChub was elected to finish up under the table. He had a nice time wiping up the soapy water.
And as a treat...SWIMMING with SUPER-CHUB!!
We had a good week with lots of unexpected activity. We decided to switch back to alternating English and Spanish school because the kids have so much to do in each language that it's difficult to fit it all in daily, plus the other languages they're studying. This past week was English week for bookwork, and there was a definite sigh of relief for us all. We followed this rotation a few years back, and we're glad to be doing it again.
