What I Do Instead of Blogging {7 Quick Takes}

--1--

The thing is, every time I get the itch to blog in the middle of the day, it's the middle of the day and everybody's awake. Naps don't coincide anymore, and if I DO get anyone napping, there's so much other stuff to be done that blogging takes the back seat!

Like yesterday... I plopped Peter in his high chair and laughed at the fact that I was throwing goldfish at him so that I could make French Onion Soup for a dinner party that evening - homemade stock for us, Costco crackers for him!

And cooking is one of my default things I do when I have a free minute - I automatically think, "What can I bake?" or "What can I get started for dinner?"

Which is probably why this week I baked 4 loaves of bread, made a couple gallons of chicken stock, and canned several quarts of applesauce. But blog posts?

Nada.

--2--

Meanwhile when I'm trying to cook all the things, I turn a blind eye when the twins dump the crumbs from a bag of goldfish on the floor so they can have a "goldfish picnic" because hey, at least they were including the baby!

--3--

Also, every time I have a minute free I mostly have to dedicate it to doing actual homeschooling with John Paul - we've gotten into a pretty good rhythm and it no longer takes him all day to work up the energy to do a single workbook page. But it's still more energy that I have to spend on him that I used to be able to use to clean or do laundry or something like that... 

Meanwhile he spends every second he has running back outside to ride his scooter or play with the dog or check out the tools in the barn.

--4--

What's growing at the homestead? I knew you were wondering!

My mom planted all our blueberry  bushes because she's awesome. Also her raspberries and lilacs and a bunch of bulbs along the front walk.

And she and the kids and I planted a ton of garlic and shallots in the raised beds by her house - those are floating row covers weighed down by bricks, since the dog likes to dig in the beds and we kind of WANT the garlic to grow!

--5--

My mom has been taking the kids on tons of nature walks lately, too - it's adorable and I think everybody's stamina has gotten way better because they've been walking pretty far!

And they always have all sorts of observations to share with me when they get back. Like whether or not they saw "Turtly" and his friend "Shelly" in the pond.

Apparently this one is Turtly.

--6--

Meanwhile, Peter and I hang out at home in his favorite cabinet, the one with the plastic containers he likes to pull out so he can climb in it.

--7--

I got John Paul this clay last week in an attempt to channel his sensory-seeking behavior into something non-destructive, and he's been working hard making all sorts of bowls and ash trays and even a jewelry box (that he says will be for me, and he's planning to paint it black!). His plan is to cut down some trees, and build a log cabin gift shop in our woods. Realistic? Of course!

Then today he found some stencils and decided to get to work planning his restaurant menu, because now he's going to be building a log cabin restaurant next to his gift shop! So if you're interested in $.25 burgers or $3 pie, you're in luck!

Then Cecilia decided to copy him completely and we realized she doesn't actually know how to write numbers...

He tells me tomorrow's special is banana pie. And it's free! Come on down to the log cabin restaurant, y'all!

Linking up with Kelly for 7 Quick Takes!