Six Years!

This past Sunday Lee and I marked our six year wedding anniversary.I was telling a friend that it seems we have been married so long and yet our children have grown so fast.This fall marks another round of birthdays for our young ones,as we,gasp! leave toddlerhood formally with our oldest. Each stage is good. This will be a good season too.
Jess is busy going with me to the cafe for half days every other day which involves two busses and a bit of walking,therefore giving lots of Spanish immersion.He helps us with little things at the cafe and accompanies Lee on errands besides doing lots of painting with watercolors and drawing. He writes pretend music,gets me to let him cook whenever possible(I need to post the cookbook we really like) and is very interested in learning about anatomy. We were fortunate to be given the wonderful book,Blood and Guts soon after he announced he wants to learn more anatomy so we will enjoy that.We also were given the book Drawing with Children by Mona Brooks which promises to be interesting for me as well as the children.I have shelved it until funds become available for the necessary materials but thankfully the resource is there!
Another lovely curriculum piece given to us was Five in A Row,Volume One which should be wonderful for giving a guide to good rabbit trails we can go down. I just recently saw some of the books that go with it in a new,used bookstore I visited near the cafe so I hope to pick some up soon.
I am reading a book on why root canals can be harmful and simultaneously one on the research of dentist Weston Price. Iwas given a couple others on Russian history(Rasputin fascinates me) and Mother Jones which sit on the shelf.The Bible and a few magazines and newspaper articles round out my reading time which is not too much. If I am not too sleepy I can read a bit on the bus.
We got our alarm system installed and are working on getting some nice curtains up and functioning. It sure does help to have your missionary neighbors move back to the States and let you buy up their used stuff! We will look at the curtains and remember them as welll as the pillows,the diaper pail,the rugs etc. etc!! We will also remember their kindness in coming over when we moved in and shortening the bookshelf legs,changing the fridge door around and folding heaps of laundry. When we look at the repaired dresser and the shortened legs on our bar stools we will remember a certain young man fondly and warmly think of the only payment he accepted.....brownies.Goodbye friends!We will miss you greatly!
Alex is also growing up and accompanies me to the cafe as well. We make lots of trips up to the bathroom when boredom hits it seems but all the same we enjoy his company.His imagination is huge and he is a one and only. He is assimilating Bible lessons into daily life as evidenced the other day when he asked me in the morning whether he should turn the lamp off. After he was done asked if he was my special helper in light turning off and when recieving an answer in the affirmative said that he would be like Eve,who was Adam´s special helper.Glad to see him memorizing Bible stories.
Chelsea is our cuddly girl,with mounds of stuffed animal babies as she says scattered in her wake.She sings and speaks more and more as she rapidly approaches her second birthday.We love her so much!
Well,I keep butchering up my words so I think it is time to turn in.We are at the farm in the country along with a houseful of company from the States and it looks to be a busy day tomorrow,Lord willing.
Marcella

Burglarized

Well,yeah,I know my posts must seem few and far between seeings that I said we would have high speed internet in the house,right. We were burglarized soon after moving in and that turned things topsy turvy pretty quick.Lee was quite concerned about our safety and how we would keep the same from happening all over again so we had a time of indecision as we pondered whether to keep unpacking or start packing back up.Many days and much window reinforcing later we are settled in and Lord willing,planning our future in our new home.We learned that thin bars over the windows are not enough.They must be thick. Keep few valuables in your home if you can not afford to replace them. And I am presently working on getting an alarm system installed which will be a big help I hope. Our church friends and also our loving landlady and her husband have come right to our aid to help out which will cover the costs involved with the security system but at this point a new computer will have to wait. My secure feeling in the neighborhood has vanished along with the computer and the knowledge that someone watched closely for a chance when we all left one evening to prowl and steal in our home does not make me feel too happy but we did find tracks some days later that seem to point to a out of hand neighbor boys home. Dear,dear. Well,at least that was the only thing.They could have taken a lot more.
I would really like to do some commenting on the books we have been reading recently but am running out of time. Hope to do some reviews soon.Far more interesting than writing about burglaries... Marcella

Process versus Outcome

Here is a new thought I have been trying to assimilate recently- my children enjoy doing things like painting more for the joy in the process rather than looking at it from the standpoint of where is the outcome, the finished product in this. At least at this stage of the growing up process.Jess is moving rapidly into the Outcome stage now as he is bound and determined to teach himself to not only write but write in a coherent fashion with real words. He seems to be slowly and surely achieving his goal. But the other two are so into the Process right now and really is not that really the essence of childhood-the process of growing up,becoming a person... Cant find the punctuation marks on this internet cafe computer!!!!!
On a really happy note,with the generous help of friends we are now moved into our beautiful new home with wonderful neighbors! And it should be a matter of days until we have high speed internet In The House! I am stunned.And we have a telephone,Real and Functioning in the house also! Very Good! Yes,I am abusing the Caps today. My sister arrived back in town after a few months long trip and came to help me out for a few days. So I am taking the chance to help Lee out at the cafe,which means going to work very early. I imagine I will get through my day with sheer force of will. Hasta Luego! Marcella

Interesting Day

Today has been interesting so far. You know, I think self-discipline is one of the most wonderful secrets for having success in this life. I always feel better about myself and the day. I think I´m finally learning....
We had a pass through guest here this morning(now that we live in the city we have guests at least once or twice a week if not more) who provided us with stimulating conversation over breakfast. Some people are so ready to jump in and do,try things,take risks they put me to shame at my own unambition tendencies(paraphrase for lazy). She was a thoughtful houseguest too,with books and Belgian chocolate for her hosts. We talked about Rudolph Steiner,good tea,sheep cheese,knitting as math,Japanese nightlights,where to sleep at the beach etc. I always think learning from those around you is so much more interesting and stimulating then studying something out of a book.
I got details down for our move into a Real House soon which I hope to go into more detail later.I even went to the supermarket and dragged home boxes to pack into.
Shopping was done,including a surprise for the small fry-a toy doctor kit that they have been wishing for,for ever so long.I will be interested in what kind of anatomy lessons will come out of that....
I even planned dinner well ahead of time. Well,TTFN, I have packing to do! Marcella

Root Canals

Well,yeah,That is boring I´ll grant you. Well,we are keeping busy and a root canal happens to be one of the things going on. We´re really looking at a cute little two story apartment with a walled in backyard and a TELEPHONE! And it´s near English speaking neighbors! My heart really says grab it. I´m trying to think logically right now!

We lunched with some dear friends yesterday and had a wonderful, leisurely Sunday afternoon. Lasagna,applesauce,sweet tea,veggies and topped off with chocolate chip cookies,jello salad and whipped topping. Hmmnnn,it has been a really,really long time since we´ve had such an uplifting,relaxing afternoom! Lovely! Lee and I are trying to plan our Sundays to have time to relax and have people over or go visiting.It is so lovely to have him relaxing and seeing the wonder of having time to reach out and touch other lives!
A mighty strange tummy virus seems to have attacked the boys,coming and going very quickly but bringing violent vomiting. So I feel sleepy now afterv a disturbed night and think I will sign off! Marcella

Another sandwich

Yes,my life is soooo uninteresting when I am just a busy cafe running mama that I have resorted to writing about sandwiches. Not to worry,I forsee a return to the wonderful world of stay'at'home mommydom before long. Yes,I enjoy serving people and making good food.But I enjoy being an old fashioned keeper at home much,much,much more!
So back to that sandwich..... hmmmnnn,how do I explain it.....ok,make a ham and cheese sandwich or a cheese and hamburger sandwich,fire up your waffle iron and stick the sandwich in. As soon as it is waffled,which would mean marked and the cheese melted and the butter seeping it is a waffle sandwich! I think you could add and subtract a number of ingredients and it would still come out scrumptious but personally I would not subtract the cheese........!
Well,I can not think of more tantalizing things to tell you at the moment and anyway this is mostly an eclectic homeschooling blog so I am not sure what sandwiches have to do with this.I am off to enjoy a day of vacation! Marcella

A Real Good Sandwich

I have now decided on a favorite sandwich-Gouda cheese,lettuce,onions,ham,tomatoes and mayo on fresh homemade bread. I am in the process of thinking up a name for this sandwich so I can sell it at the cafe.Any thoughts?
Our display case boasts brownies,cinnamon rolls,large and miniature loaves of bread,frosted cutout cookies,carrot cake with cream cheese frosting,lightly frosted white cake and "ayote"macadamia bread.I know this doesn´t sound like a big selection but believe me it took all I had to make and store all this stuff! Whew!
The small fry-all three of them- have gone on a wee vacation at Grandma´s. I don´t feel quite whole. I suppose that´s normal. I love them so much and I´m always learning more about them,especially Jess who always tries new,more mature things first. Guess what he asked for when we went shopping the other day? A feather duster! Let´s hope he puts it to use!
Marcella