After such warm temps, it really feels cold out now! Of course, it is! It’s in the upper 30’s on our back porch. (I don’t remember what it said, and don’t feel like getting up to go check again. LOL) Being almost 70 one day and in the 30’s the next, is quite shocking to the body!

Not too much going on today. Oh, I did fix the vacuum. *I am woman, hear me roar!* Our poor, poor vacuum is held together with duct tape. Literally! But this is the best one we’ve had in a few years. The motors on previous vacuums gave out. But this one’s motor is still working great. Which is saying alot, with all the crud I make it pick up! But the plastic is falling apart, hence the duct tape. The plastic on the handle cracked where it screws in, so it’s duct taped on. Today I had to cover the hose on the bottom of the vac with duct tape, as it had cracks in it. Which meant when you vacuumed, half the stuff went out the holes. But not now! Someday, when I can afford it, I’ll buy another one. But I really do hate to give up one whose motor works regardless of what I vacuum up!

D is going out tonight with a guy from work. He has race horses. They kind that pull the buggy and rider behind them. Don’t know what they’re called. He’s been asking D to go for months now, so he finally said yes. The horses are actually in Michigan, I think. But they go to the race track in our state, and watch the races on a monitor. So I’m not sure what time he’ll be home, but I hope not too late.

Speaking of my dear, dear husband. He comes here and reads sometimes. I guess to make sure I’m staying out of trouble. LOL Anyway, he was reading it the other day, before going to work. I saw him reading it and said to him “Why are you reading my blog? Why don’t you just talk to me, then you’ll know everything without reading it on there. Well, If you want to read my blog, I’ll give you something to read about!” All said with a sweet smile on my face, and we both laughed. So, dear dear husband, here’s something to read! LOL I did tell him I was going to blog this. LOL Watch, now he won’t come here for a while. Guess I won’t be able to update until he does come and read it! LOL

This afternoon, we have schoolwork and more housework (don’t we ALWAYS!) Then were going to the video rental store to get some movies. We’re going to have a pizza and movie night while D’s out. I’m sure whatever he has for supper tonight, won’t compare to my homemade pizza! LOL

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Uncle D and the guy from the electric company came a few mintues after 10 this morning. They were able to replace the metal part in the back of the box, that the breaker snaps onto, replaced. They didn’t have to change out the whole box, which would have been a MAJOR project! The electric came back on, and everything is fine! We had a different electric company guy than yesterday, but everything went so fast, there wasn’t time for any lessons. hahahaha The kids didn’t have any more questions either. So no big recap like yesterday. For which I’m sure your thankful! lol

The electric company FINALLY came yesterday. Uncle D had gone home, so I had to call him back when they finally showed up. So the guy from the electric co. started taking everything apart. The kids were fascinated by the burnt marks on the breaker. I was thankful that it stopped at the breaker, and didn’t go into the house! So Uncle D got here, and the 2 worked on putting the new breaker in. Well, it wouldn’t fit! So Uncle D had me call an electrical supply co. to see if they had one, and they did, so he left to go pick it up. The electric co. guy worked on the box for a few minutes, then went to sit in his truck. So I came in the house and got a book on electricity and went back outside to read to the kids. The electric co guy didn’t ask why all these kids were out in the yard, and why weren’t they in school. So anyway, I was reading to the kids, and were were discussing circuits, and currents and lots of stuff related to electricity. So he comes back to the pole before we finished. The pole is right next to the swing set, were the kids were sitting. So He had his back to me, and I couldn’t see his face. So we continuted reading and discussing. Talking about making circuits with batteries and lights, so we got the a section about making a door bell. So I asked “How does a doorbell work?” So you know, I’m expecting the circuit answer. Well, that’s not what I got. lol Abigail says “You press the button, and it goes ding dong!” LOL Mel said the guy was cracking up! ROFLOL We started discussing the experiments we were going to do when we came in. I said well, we’re down with the book, but I skipped a couple of parts that are outdated. Well, the kids were not happy about that. So I had to read it all. lol So we read a chapter on fuses, so Hannah proceeds to say that she wishes that we still had fuses that she thinks they are better. ROFLOL So we discussed fuses versus breakers. Hannah refused to believe that breakers are better, and still wants fuses. LOL I hope I sounded like I knew what I was talking about. LOL The poor electric guy got a little more than he bargained for when he came to our house! LOL

Uncle D finally got back with the new part, and they worked together to get in in. We all stood around and watched, and talked about it, and pointed out stuff we had learned in the book. They had to cut a couple inches off the main wires to have them fit in the breaker better, so we watched that, and got to get the pieces they cut off, the kids thought that was cool. So they got it all in, and turned back on. I heard the outside fridge come on, and Zach had turned on the kitchen light so he could tell when the electric came back on. LOL So we could see that. So Uncle D, and the electric guy left thinking everything worked. We came in, and the kids each picked a heating vent to lay on while flipped the breakers in the house, and turned the heat on. Only the heat wouldn’t come on. The phone rang then, and it was D checking to see if everything was on. I got him up to speed, and he said go try it again. Nothing. He had me try the stove. nothing. So he said I’ll be right home.

He got home and tried everything. nothing. Uncle D was next door so D went over to talk to him. Uncle D went to the electrical supply company to see if we could buy just the piece of metal in the back of the box. But you can’t, you have to buy the whole box. So he got one of those, and I have to start all over this morning calling the electric com. then have Uncle D come back over and replace the box. Wonder if we’ll get the same guy? LOL But it’s always fun to get someone new. I love to watch repair men’s faces when they see us. LOL When they come here to work, they don’t expect to get a women and a bunch of kids standing around watching, and discussing what their doing. ROFLOL It’s like a field trip without leaving home! LOL

After D came home last night to check on the electric, he had to go back to work to paint a van. When he got home at 8, he brought a kerosone heater that his boss had. So he fired that thing up (I HATE THOSE!) He had it up to 72 in the living area when I went to bed. It was down to 68 when we got up this morning. so it’s staying pretty warm. D asked if this house holds heat this well, why does the furnace come on so much? Good question! We keep the thermostat set on 68. But the thermometer in the living room always says 72. But it went up to 64 in here during the day yesterday, and stayed there all day, until D turn the little heater on. So don’t feel too sorry for us, it’s not that cold in here!

This morning I was awaked by the phone at 5:45. Betty Sue calling collect from the hospital. Kenn was there with a bad case of bronchotis and they need a ride home. So D went to get them. He offered to turn the heater on before he left (I HATE THOSE!) I said no, because I don’t know how to turn it off. D’s on the way home now, but they has to turn around and go to work. I’m not sure how Kenn ended up at a hospital an hour away, well, ok, it’s not an hour away from his house. But this is the second time! So going to have to tell him to use the hospital closer to us if he wants rides that early in the morning! Last time he wanted a ride around midnight. Why can’t he be sick during the day?! LOL Does that sound mean? I don’t mean to be mean. But we are paying for the gas, so shouldn’t we have some say in how much gas we use? And we have to pay an arm and a leg for the collect call! There I go, sounding mean again. sigh. I’m not trying to be. sigh.

Well, I better get off. The kids are waking up. I’ve been typing this for 40 minutes! but now it’s time to get dressed and start calling the electric company! Wish me luck! LOL

Yesterday, some of our appliances started freaking out, including the computers. Turns out,it was an electrical problem. So we called the electric company, and they sent a guy out. He tested, and we were getting only half power to the house. The main breaker is going bad. Why does this stuff ALWAYS happen on Sundays, or nights, when nothing is open???? Since we were getting half power, we had the guy leave the electric on. So we can run some lights, the tvs, computers, fridges. But we have no heat, no hot water, and the stove doesn’t work. We had to move the plugs for the fridge and microwave. We haven’t had heat since yesterday morning. When I got up this morning, it was 62 in here, and 52 outside. So I’m THANKFUL it is warm outside. If is was colder, we wouldn’t have been able to stay here. It still feels cold in here, and my hands are FREEZING!! But we have much to be thankful for: no fire was caused by out electrical problems, we still have some power to the house, it’s warm out so we are able to stay here, we are all safe, and healthy. This is nothing but a big inconvenience. So this morning, D went and got the part. Something else to be thankful for, we had the money to buy the part. The water bill is going to be late, though, but if I had mailed the check Saturday, like I was going to, we wouldn’t have had the money to buy the part. The eclectrician was here, Uncle D, and left because the electric company is taking so long to come turn the power off. So when the electric company FINALLY comes to cut the power, I have to call Uncle D, back to replace the breaker. Hopefully, the electric co. guy will stay for a few minutes while it’s being replaced. If not, then we’ll have to wait hours again for them to come back and turn the power on. But I’m NOT complaining, see above for the things I’m thankful for. Something else to be thankful for, is that my mother lives across the street, and my inlaws are next door. So we have TWO places we could go if we had to. But we’d prefer to stay here, even though my hands are FREEZING! lol

There are goats in my house!!!!!!! 

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We were supposed to go back to school yesterday, but I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t ready in any way, shape or form! So I declared yesterday a School Room Clean Up Day. So we did some rearranging of furniture, books on the shelves, pulled their junk out of all their hiding places, and made the room cleaner and a little easier to work in. We didn’t quite finish, though, as Kenn called and wanted a ride to the store. So We’ll finish up this morning, and then get back to the books.

I’m really an unschooler at heart. But my head can’t go along all the time. So I always feel like I’m being pulled in 2 different directions. The kids do learn when we take time off from the book work. They keep learning, asking questions,reading and doing. So why can’t I just let them go? Well, because I don’t feel there is enough math in our day to day lives. That really is the only subject I’m concerned about with the 4 younger ones. None of this applies to Melissa, by the way. Math is really the only “paper schoolwork” they have. The rest of the subjects we cover during our read aloud time. We really only use science and history textbooks as a reference. So while not a true homeschooler, I don’t wait for them to ask to learn everything, we’re not very structured, either. But I can’t just sit back and totally unschool. But I won’t go back to all “paper schoolwork” either. I learned my lesson with forcing Kenn to do his work. Knowing what I know now, he would have benefitted from less structured learning. But I didn’t know that then! What’s funny is, I told myself I wouldn’t do that to the younger ones, and now Calen and Hannah ASK for paper schoolwork. By the way, “paper schoolwork” is their term. lol

Ok, guess I’ve bored you enough. It’s time for me to get to work anyway. If you haven’t run screaming from my boring blog, leave a comment, and come back again!

Happy New Year!

I didn’t stay awake till midnight. But did get awakened by the neighbors fireworks at midnight. But promptly went back to sleep. lol Did anyone do anything more exciting that that? Wouldn’t take much! lol

As you can see, I changed the graphics. Why do I put myself through that?! It’s such a PAIN! Oh, yeah, I like it. lol Did I tell you what I did about a month ago? Brilliant me (hahahahaha) thought “Why get graphics from someone else?! I’ll make my own!” That’s when my brilliancy left me! So my fingers ran off to download another free trial of psp, and got right to work. Welllllllll, someone who can not draw a straight line has NO business trying to draw graphics! lol So my fingers then ran screaming for their lives to linkwareland! Where they are going to live. Until someday they can move to purchasewareland. I felt so dumb. What made me think I could do this??!! What I really should have down was get D or Mel to draw them for me. ahhhh, see, my brilliancy is returning! But I doubt if I could get them to do it for me. I started suggested around the 1st of December that I needed a Christmas picture to hang in the living room. All I, the loving wife and mother, asked for was a drawing of the Nativity. Do I have one? Nope, sure don’t! That’s ok, D & Mel, I’ll make my own! I may not be able to draw, but I can crossstitch and embroider! So there! I’ll have a Nativity Scene picture for MY wall next year! All that to say I got new graphics, which I didn’t need to say, as you can see them! LOL

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