Stack and Whack...

School starts Tuesday and we're trying to savor every minute of unscheduled time.  Today, we stacked wood and whacked our way down to Clark Pond.  We still have a way to go on the wood and on the trail blazing, but we're feeling like we've put a dent in both and we had some WONDERFUL family time.
Lark and Si are growing fast and become more and more independent as the days go on.  Silas, for instance, now has his own pair of loppers and can help with minor shrub trimming.  And Lark, has enough muscle to tear out small trees!  Very impressive.
It's a little strange teaching the same grade that your child's in.  Larkin is now a fourth grader (where did the time go?).  I now find myself asking her, "What did you do in school today," but secretly trying to pry good teaching ideas from her at the same time.  I've also been trying to dump information about New Hampshire into her mind so she'll be ready when her teacher asks her about the state insect, state flower, state fruit, etc.  She was surprised to learn that the pumpkin was nominated by children to be the state fruit.
Silas is a first grader now and LOVES his new teacher!  She's quite dynamic.  I have to tell you, though...I was a very bad parent and didn't do EXACTLY what the teacher wanted us to...
At meet the teacher, Silas's teacher gave him this cute poem and some sprinkles to put under his pillow.  The sprinkles were glitter and jimmies. I'm an OCD keep-my-bed-clean kind of girl.  So instead of sprinkling the ready confetti under his pillow, we kept it in the Ziploc and slipped it under his pillow.  It still worked and his bed remained clean and the confetti is now reusable!  I think I'm  going to need it come Tuesday!

Going on a Bear Hunt

We're going on a bear hunt, gonna catch a big one!  I'm stepping out of the classroom tomorrow to enter my big backyard.  In fact, the whole family is! Lark and Si are taking the day and Jamie is too.  We have a mama bear denned up here and Ben Kilham has invited us along to inspect her and her three yearling cubs.  We are very excited!

Sick Silas

Silas is sick with strep for the third time this winter.  I hope this time he'll kick that bacteria out of his system!  The upside?  I get a day off with my Bee.  Right now he's in his pajamas quietly playing with his hand-me-down Playmobile toys.  He's decided that all the captains and now, "good"  and that there are no bad guys.  Isn't that nice?
I'm home with this little fella and glad for it! Every time one of the kids gets sick, it's always a scramble to figure out who will stay home and IF we'd keep the kid home that was sick.  Sometimes we have to make those hard decisions because things at work rely on us so much that we feel bad when we need to take a day off.  My decision to stay home this morning was based on, "What would I do if I WAS a stay-at-home mom?"  It's obvious! I'd stay home with the sick kid!  I am thankful I have a job that allows for sick days.

Larkin turned nine yesterday.  It's hard to believe it was nine years ago when I was at DHMC having her.  It seems like just yesterday when my Danbury Elementary friends filed into the hospital room to see my sweet baby girl.  Happy birthday to Lady Larkin.

Snow Day

Looks like it's been a while since I last wrote.  It's always lovely when you get a bonus day off and you HAVE to find SOMETHING to do.  Mascoma had a planned two week holiday break.  Lebanon was two days shy of two weeks UNTIL Hercules stepped in bringing over twelve inches of snow and cold temperatures.  The slippery white stuff landed me two snow days.  I know it'll cost me in the end, but having those two extra days off with my kids while they are on break has been delightful!
Yesterday we enjoyed being outside.  We took a short snowshoe through the bridle path and returned to roast marshmallows in the wood stove for s'mores.  YUM!
Today, it is BRUTALLY cold.  We woke up to -2 and are expected to get to -20 tonight.  BRRR!  So, what do you do on a COLD, SNOWY day?  You make snow day cookies!  Here's a recipe I used to make the cookies currently baking in the oven.  The recipe comes from my mom, and boy are they good!

Snow Day Sugar Cookies - no chill required!
Cream together:
1/3 c. unsalted butter
1/3 c. shortening
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 T. milk
1 t. vanilla

Add in:
2 3/4 c. flour
1 t. salt
2 tsp. baking powder

Bake @ 375 degrees F for 4-5 minutes.
Ice with your favorite frosting or icing.

Here's a tip from my mother-in-law: use a ketchup bottle (the kind like they have at restaurants for hot dogs (red with white cap - not a name brand).   Fill the bottle with your frosting and pipe your design on your cookies.

Enjoy!

Summer Vacation is Over!

WAAAA!  Keep up with me in class!  Check out my classroom website to find out all the fun things my class is doing!  http://petuniapolkadotspot.blogspot.com/2013_01_01_archive.html

Back breaking work

I think the Shakers had something when they insisted on Sunday as being a day of rest.  I wish I had opted for that instead of the work I did today.  LOL!
Yesterday I decided to make my perennial garden bigger.  I didn't have anything blooming so I decided I needed more plants.  And when I bought more plants, I needed more room in the garden....you know the story, except there's no mouse involved.
First, I pulled out all of the day lilies. I dug a new garden bed and planted them.  Then I (well actually Jamie did) hauled out purple irises. They are still on the front lawn.  I'm not sure where I am going to tuck them.  I've moved various little plants around, etc.  Aunt Bonnie gave me pink Astilbe and coral bells and I'll plant those tomorrow.  The digging and yanking having me aching all over.
When I haven't been gardening I have been applying coats of paint to the bathroom walls.  Today we installed the toilet, painted the window trim, caulked the shower and cleaned up.
I am also working on another project.  When I was a kid, my dad made me a small, wooden toy box.  Today I trucked it home from Mom and Dad's and I am in the process of re-painting it to use for towels in the upstairs bathroom (at least while we figure out the linen closet).  I might even have to venture into making a cushion...
Yesterday we also went to the Producer's Fair.  What a great time we had!  Yummy food and a few visits with knitting friends.  I love my knitting friends!  Donna, if you are reading this, call me!  I'll help you with your quilting question! My favorites at the fair: VegetaBalls pesto, Walpole Creamery mocha chip ice cream , and the iced coffee (with maple syrup) (I can't remember the vendor)!
That's enough for tonight.  I'm tired.  It's time to rest.

Petunia puts her feet up!

Yeah right!  For those of you who know me all to well, you know I don't sit very easily.  Unless....I have tuckered myself out.  That happened today.  I took a run at mid-day (thanks to two wonderful babysitters) in the heat for 45 minutes.  When I got back I didn't even want to eat lunch!  I was so tired. The sitters took the kids for a walk and I grabbed a glass of iced tea, a magazine and SAT for 10 solid minutes.  I even said, "Ahhhh" aloud.  Then, I realized I was wasting time and scooted upstairs to practice piano and sew!
The bathroom is coming along.  Jamie is working on drywall.  The word on the street is that the vanity will be in at the hardware store on Monday.  YAY!  We're still trying to figure out our countertop and have held off in ordering something until we have the cabinet in place.
School is around the corner.  Hopefully I'll be able to go in to school to set up soon.  I've been scouting out sales and purchasing art supplies.  Staples is doing a funky little thing this year.  You can buy up to 25 things, but you pay full price after the limited quantity and you get that money back in rewards.  Well, let me tell you, that does not FLY with me! I'll be hiring shoppers this year!  LOL!  What is this world coming to?
I got news today that a carving we ordered in PEI is done! Exciting news!  It will be a nice reminder of the island until we get back there.
I'll be posting photos soon. If you are a FB friend, you can see some of the shots that I have uploaded.
Tomorrow we see Joel and Alli!  Super excited to take photographs for their new Dobra Tea business!  Cheers!