Spring is in the Air: Getting Dirty in the Kitchen.

I wish it was beginning to feel like Spring...today was actually bone-chilling cold. Although temps and wind-chills were both above zero so who am I to complain?

Despite the cold temps, last weekend we took a trip to the local gardening and landscape center.  We didn't go for plants but seeds.  We are actually thinking about our garden before May 1 this year (yeah us!), and we're hoping that starting a few tomatoes and bell peppers from seed will be fun, educational and money-saving.  

We got three different seed packets: Red sweet bell peppers, cherry tomatoes (sweeties),  bush tomatoes (ace). 

 

It would perhaps be nice to have more variety, but then it becomes less of a money saver.  Especially for us since we only have space for 6-8 tomato plants and we don't eat a lot of peppers (2-4 plants is plenty).  If you had a large garden then obviously you could buy a bigger selection.  

The most important for me was the full-size tomato since I can can or freeze those.  It also was a priority that all the seeds were heirloom.  Heirloom means that we can save some seed from this year's crop to plant for next year.  Ideally everything we plant will be heirloom and if we are successful, we'll never have to buy seeds again (bwa-ha-ha...that's my evil laugh)!

To start our seeds Matt purchased a greenhouse kit from Menards.  There are 16 cells, so each kid can plant and take care of four.  The cells in this kind that he bought are made of something from a coconut so that we can just plant the whole thing and not worry about upsetting any roots.

He also purchased some organic seed-starting soil and a plant light.  The plant light was the most expensive item purchased at around $5.  Perhaps it will last more than one season though.  Total on everything we spent around $18, but we leftover dirt and seeds.

The process was very simple, but there was something exciting about getting a little dirty and planting some tiny seeds!  There was a bit of a Spring buzz in the air!

 Evelyn planted 4 red pepper plants, Addie planted 3 cherry tomato and 1 regular tomato plant, and Nathan and Ella each planted 4 tomato plants.

Matt was involved so everything was done very carefully.  He made a hole the correct depth for each seed, covered the seeds back with dirt, and then tamped it down a little (with a plastic spoon).  

(I would have just pushed it in with my finger and called it good.)

 

Once planted, we watered the seeds.  We used a water bottle so that it would be more gentle, but I'm sure there are other methods that work well too.  We put the plastic cover over the top, so the greenhouse effect could take place.  We made sure to put them near a window, but there's not a perfect place for them.  So far they've just sat on our kitchen table.  Once they all sprout, they can move to the basement and they'll have the plant light.  Although our basement is a little chilly, so we may have to rig something up down there or come up with a secondary location.

Upon entering the kitchen later, I found that Aerial and Cindy were on duty protecting our newly planted seeds.  Having them face different directions is good strategy...

So, if anyone has experience or knowledge in this department, we are always open to advice.  Like most everything we do, we're learning as we go!

update:  We planted the seeds on Sunday 2/08/15.  One week later on 2/15/15 we have 8 sprouts!

Labor of Love.

 So, as a homeschooler I sometimes have felt like my kids are missing out on some aspects of public school.  One such being class parties.  But now that I have a kid in public school, I'm surprisingly apathetic towards them.  They don't really seem that valuable to me...however, the kids enjoy them and nobody's going to end school parties because of my apathy, so carry on.

This Tuesday was Nathan Valentine's party.  This was our first party that required at home effort: creating "the box".

He was told he could bring it Monday or Tuesday, but all weekend long no one even thought about it.  It was not high on my priority list, and apparently not on Nathan's either.

Then, of course, Sunday evening comes.  Nathan declares he's been thinking about his box and he thinks he would like it to look like Gandalf (from Lord of the Rings).

Alrighty I say.  I'm not going to stress about it.  But, I do realize that I also volunteered to bring some candy to the Valentine's party and Nathan doesn't actually have any Valentines to pass out yet.  So, Monday we picked up Nathan, stopped at Target for said Valentine's "necessities" and headed home about 4:00.

This gave Nathan two hours to create his Gandalf box before dinner.  After which he had Bible study and wouldn't be home until 9:00.

So, as soon as we entered the house it was game time.  I told Nathan he needed a plan. 

[By the way, I could find nothing on the internet for Gandalf Valentine's box, not even on Pinterest...shocking!]

This is what he came up with:

(I'm not sure if they were helpful or not)

I then told him find a box or two.  So, he brought up ten.  I helped him get started, but I had to work on dinner.  He was on his own, and I didn't have a whole lot of expectations for what Gandalf was going to look like when completed.

When he left for Bible study, he had a good start.  However, the hat wasn't quite finished and he hadn't started his beard.  Personally I felt like these were the two distinguishing characteristics, and so must be completed.  Nathan's idea was that I finished his box while he went to Bible study...right.

Obviously, I didn't do that.  

But, when Nathan got home at 9:00 he wrote out his Valentines cards to his classmates while I shredded paper.  Then Matt and I hot glued the paper on for his beard and hot glued the top of his hat to the brim.  It wasn't perfect, but it was finished...and Nathan headed to bed at 10:00.

Nathan was actually so pleased with the final result that he spontaneously gave me a hug and kiss and told me thank you.  It made every hot glue burn worth it!

So, here's Nathan and Gandalf, all ready to leave for school the next morning.

He thought he was going to win the prize for "coolest Valentine's box", but some kid came in late with an even cooler box and won that prize.  I guess there was also some confusion as some kids thought it was the wizard from Harry Potter.  But Nathan was still glad.  He told me there were even 5th graders that wanted to see his box.  I'm guessing the custodial staff was not as pleased since Gandalf was also a bit of a shedder...

I was able to volunteer an help with the party.  It seemed it was a success...kids exchanged cards, played games, and ate too much sugar.  Nathan did however describe it as "the worst party he's ever been to".  I can't win with this kid!

With all the cardboard lying around, Ella also decided to whip up a Valentine's box Monday afternoon.  

 

It's a unicorn!

She had plans too, though I couldn't find them to take a picture.  She worked very independently and finished it before dinner Monday evening.  I love it.

It Is Well?

I have another wall project in the works.  

I'm hoping that between my diy canvas and wall gallery(ish), our home will look cute and charming and not just cheap.  Though perhaps it is the triple threat.  

My new project is barely started, but I need the letters to spell "It is Well with My Soul."  However, Michaels apparently only likes to carry one two-inch wooden  "w" at a time, so I left with just the letters for "it is well".  

I left the letters on the counter, and this is what I found Sunday afternoon:

 

Life with my 8 year-old boy, it is not for the faint of heart.

Sweet Evelyn.

 I get comments a lot lately about how 'big' Evelyn is getting.  It's true.  In a few short months my baby will be three.  She's really not a baby all...sigh.

She's enjoying exerting her independence more and more lately.  I'm enjoying watching her personality come out as we get to continually learn more about her.  It's so fun (and often funny) to finally hear her speak and discover what is going through her mind.  She has a very gentle and fun personality.  I'm totally in love with her. 

However...packaged with this independence and sweetness is a streak of naughtiness.  She has definitely been testing the boundaries more and more.

I got this shot of her earlier this week:

She selected her outfit and her shoes.  Yes it's February, so when it was time to go get Nathan I slipped some leggings and a sweater on her (and some boots).

She looks totally studious and lady-like here...never mind the blue plastic snake under her chair.  However, when she is drawing with markers (here she has a dry erase marker and board) the rule is she needs to be at.the.table.  

(side note: This rule has come about as a result of negative marker experiences...if you have young kids you should also have this rule!) 

We had already had a battle over the fore mentioned rule once this day (and several other times on other days).  So, she is feeling quite pleased with herself right now.  Like perhaps this is acceptable because she is sitting in the correct chair, or maybe if she crosses her legs it's okay because she'll get some cuteness points.

Sadly, it may have worked a little.  After all, she is the baby.  

Hopefully I don't have a photo next week of marker all over our furniture...

[Addie wanted to be in the photo, so she is posing in the background.  Ella is doing some spelling.  I see she is flirting with the rules too!]