Woah! 2 months!

I had not realized that it had been SO long since I've posted anything on here.  Time just gets away from me these days.  BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!!! 

This year is 4th and 8th grades.  A step up in expectation for the boys as well as myself.  And sometimes I think it is going to do me in.  I know they've had some choice thoughts about it as well.

I keep telling myself to be calm and wait for the 'groove'.  So...I'm still waiting...and this is the start of week 4.  We'll see how it goes.

This year, Joshua and Erik are doing 3 courses via the computer (Bible, History, Spanish).  They like the independence but are challenged to figure out how to 'work the system'.  I think it is good that they are encountering some other way of doing school than just my way.  For English, we have switched to Rod and Staff, Level 7.  This is a much more rigorous program than the Shurley Grammar.  It is about to kick all of our collective rearends.  But, WE WILL PREVAIL.   Math-u-see is still our choice for math and they are studying Pre-Algebra this year.  Science is Apologia General Science.  Very interesting information, but rigorous as well.  We are just MUCH more busy this year than in previous years, but I knew we would be.  I keep telling them, 'Eighth grade is the springboard into Highschool.'  Other than that, we are doing spelling, art, music, P.E., health, and typing and math drills.

Isaac and Seth are doing well in their course of study which is more than they are used to, but not by a lot.  We are using A Well-Trained Mind English program this year and will probably go into Rod and Staff eventually.  Science is a junior Apologia course, the Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day.  Math-u-see Division.  History is a combo of History Pockets (hands on, craft oriented) and Story of the World.  (In middle school, we'll move into the Mystery of History books.)  They have the other subjects listed at the end of the last paragraph + penmanship.

In addition to this, I am trying to keep them on their chores, as well as take care of my business.  Shopping has become a little disorganized.  I have had to go to the store more times this month than I can remember ever doing before simply because I do not have the brain power to make adequate lists and always find out after I get home and start through the week that I did not do a thorough job.  Oh well.  I'll get the hang of it soon.

Well, I have to go now.  The school day is beginning...

Garden Progress

Well, everything has been grow, grow, growing!

The onions have been harvested!

The cherry tomato plant has gone wild 

and has had to be hog-tied.

The squash plants are finally getting their growth 

and starting to put forth some fruit.

This particular squash must have grown

from a dropped seed.

It is growing between

2 layers of fence!

A determined plant, I'd say!!!

Now that the peas have finished their glory, 

the green beans are pouring forth multitudes of pods.

 The okra are starting to grow and have

sturdy stalks to stand firmly on.

Note to self:  transplanting okra is NOT good.

Not only that, but the asparagus bed is coming along nicely!

The apricots will be coming off the tree,

probably next week.

Yum!  Apricot Jam, here we come!

More Summer Growth and Fun

The Plants are growing!

Yellow Squash, Zucchini, Okra

Green Beans and Okra

Cherry Tomato going wild!

We're getting to the last of the peas, but...

Now the Green Beans are starting up!

Blue-Eyes

Trampoline fun!

Isaac's Peas

I know you already saw the 1st picture, 

but I need to put the other picture in proper context.

This is our second batch,

and there are many more left on the plants!

"Around" the House

Well, here at Lindsey Land, the outdoors is a full and busy place.  Full of growth and fun and chaos.  As any boys' yard should be!  So, I went all around the outside of our house (as well as venturing into the garage a little) to show what things look like around here.  It's just a fun memory log for me.  But I hope you will enjoy it as well.  :)

I'll start in the east yard, the side of the house you would see when approaching our house from California Street.

Here we have the BRAND NEW fencing that Robert

and the boys put in over Memorial Day weekend.

BRAVO!  BRAVO!

Isn't it GRAND???

Here is the flower bed we reworked last year:

On this end, we have hostas (gleaned from the front bed) and coleus

to add a little extra color with a few sprigs of sage thrown in.

Then, a variegated euonymus:

Then come the hydrangeas:

 One without flowers,

and one with flowers

Next comes the black raspberry patch we've started:

Yes, right now, it just looks like a stick!

Look to the right from there and you will see our mulberry tree,

replete with mulberries.

This is our sad, little, half-dead maple tree.

Robert leaves it alone because it is the boys'

favorite climbing tree.  What a great dad!!!

This is our magnificent, HUGE oak tree 

with great branches for swings

and climbing ropes.

This is Robert's fine garage art,

a Pontiac indian chief tile.

Now, to the south yard, where you would approach our house pulling into the drive:

This is the fine, dependable truck our friends the Willhites sold to us.

This is the 'usual' look in front of our east garage door.

Oh no!  Look, Mom made a mess and left it out!

The basketball goal came from the PSU auction for $30.

The slide was a garage sale find many moons ago.

Yes, this is the treatment most of the boys' possessions receive.

Here is the south flower bed, which is finally growing

with wild abandon.  The rocks came from said flower

bed, having been hand dug and sifted by Lezlie.

Yea!  The rose bush is putting on new growth!

Robert's spearmint from which he likes to make delicious mint ice tea.

W.I.P. (work in progress)

And on around the corner to the west yard (where thankfully, no one except the apartment dwellers to our west can see!):

Our apricot tree.

The 'zip-line' tower:

Typical random possessions scattered on the ground!

The brick pile Robert intends to do 'something' with.  

Old boards from the fence that was just repaired:

Robert was going to use the old boards that were still good

to patch holes in other places in the fence, but alas, the Karate Kid

got to the boards before Robert did.

This is the shed that our friend, Andy Miller, gave to us for 

the price of hauling it away from his property.

Robert and the boys built a new base for it and painted the roof.

Good job, Lindsey Men!!!

Here we have little trees that Robert received from the

Arbor Day Foundation,

and a compost pile in the making.

And finally, into the north yard (which is our fenced in backyard):

 Robert put this fort in the year after we moved here.

 Isaac just bought this trampoline.
He saved all his birthday and 

Christmas money for the past 3 years.
That's a great accomplishment

for someone who doesn't even
turn 10 until the end of June!!!

 The fort from the other side.

 This is our dog, Jake.

Here he is again, standing proudly by his newest accomplishment,

a freshly dug hole. 

 He is a proliferous digger and is constantly at work.

As my husband so eloquently says,

"Dumb dog!"

And now, on to the GARDEN!

 Asparagus.

 Square-Foot Garden

 Isaac's amazing, out-of-control peas!

 Radishes, okra, summersquash.

 Green beans, okra, onions, cherry tomato.

 Green beans and okra.

 Cherry tomato.

And last, but not least in the Land of Boyhood, the garage:

A full arsenal of weaponry.

And there is more inside the house.

And the tools of the garden trade,
used with liberality in Lindsey Land.

THE END