The Homestead Journal ~ Week 52~ Its Been A Year!

Homestead Happenings

  It was one year ago I started writing the Homestead Journal! I can't believe it has been a year already. So much as happened. I have tried to index all of the posts but I am a bit behind. I will work on organizing the blog in the next few weeks. I am still trying to decide if I want to move over to Wordpress, or stay here at Blogger. I do not want to do all the work then decide to move it. 

I have been quite busy at work. I leave about 7:45 in the am and return home between 5:30 and 6 pm. I am not use to this long schedule. I have a 35 min (average) commute to work, and I use that opportunity to listen to podcasts, You Tube videos or NetFlix documentaries. I am getting use to the new routine, but I am not sure I will ever be comfortable with it. I long to have more time at home with my family. I much prefer working as a commission groomer. Its more my style and allows for me to have time to "be a mom."

Joe and the boys have been picking up and loading wood for the wood stove. We have a nice little pile stacked neatly on the porch. I love the smell and feel of a wood stove! 

As some of you know, I have been searching for a new sewing machine for a few months now. It turned into quite the mission. Either the machine is on sale, or I have cash. I am still awaiting the reimbursement from the generator repair. Last Friday I was at Walmart and they had one sewing machine left from the Super Saturday Sale. I grabbed, then negotiated with myself about my lack of funds vs passing up a good deal. I set the machine down and walked away, quite sad and very frustrated with the reimbursement issue. The check was promised a month ago, then I was told it hadn't even been mailed yet. The next morning I was venting on Facebook, and my Aunt C, felt prompted to buy me a sewing machine for Christmas. I went back into Walmart, having a feeling the last machine was already sold. And it was. I left again, feeling discouraged. On Sunday I told a friend who works in that dept. about my situation. I asked her to keep me informed if a sale priced machine came through. Tuesday my husband got a call, there was a machine that was returned and put on hold for me. I got a new sewing machine!  Thank You so very much to my Aunt C!!

So with my machine I made a new head cover and some diapers for the babies! Nice comfy fleecy diapers for winter! The diapers are not straight or even, the children were excited to help. Their favorite part is pushing the foot pedal!

A few months ago Abigail and Zachary were arguing over the bulletin at Church. I asked what was going on and Abigail said she needed it to see the hymn numbers. I told her they were also posted on the wall. She then informed me that she could not read far away, that it was blurry. Instead of telling me, she just made adjustments. I asked her how long it had been that way and she said "for a while". 

Over the past few months I have been observing  her to see if it was something temporary and waiting for the opportunity to take her to get an eye exam. This week a co-worker informed me of a sale a local place was having.. $1 exams and sales on eye glasses. They do this every December. Abigail is severely near sighted. I asked if this was genetic or caused by her reading habits. I also asked if the glasses will correct her sight. What she has is genetic, but since both my husband and I have excellent vision, its more likely to be a random mutation. He also said that her vision will get worse with age, the glasses will only serve as a tool to help her see better along the way. She will get her new glasses next week. I will also try to plan an eye exam for the others, just to be safe. The good news is she can still keep her nose in a book all day and her glasses will greatly improve her eyesight.

Our Adventures 

Sunday we had our Fast and Testimony meeting at Church. Members fast for two meals on the first Sunday of the month, in solidarity. The money they would have spent on food is given in fast offerings, donations used to provide food for others in need. We also have the opportunity to share our testimonies. I always enjoy hearing the testimonies of others.  

Joe and the boys helped a very sweet lady from church move this week. They have so much fun doing stuff like that. I wish we could do more of it! I went over after work on Saturday and helped with some unpacking. I realized one reason I have very few things, its so much work to move stuff! 


Home School Notes
Jacob has been working on his insect study/ computer merit badge. He is doing a Powerpoint slide show of the insects he has been studying.  Its a pretty big job but its coming out nicely. Isaac has completed every achievement in his Wolf Cub book. He will be a Bear Cub Scout next month. He is also working on his goal to earn every cub scout merit badge. Abigail pretty much has her nose in books for most of the day. She is zipping through the Nancy Drew series.  Zachary has been reading all week. He does very well, and he just skips the words he doesn't know. I asked him to read me a few paragraphs the other day and he did a great job. Dad also has Zachary reading to him. Olivia is wanting to learn to read, but she would still rather play with her baby dolls, maybe I can get her to read them a story! 

Challenges and Accomplishments

Last week, the lady from the groom shop I worked for all summer, asked if I wanted to pick up a few appts. I agreed to see how it went. Things went well so I decided to set up another Saturday. At first I was only scheduled one appointment, so I made additional plans. I got a call that morning saying I now had 3 dogs. I got to work at 10 and the groomer/owner had not showed. This is the behavior pattern I had dealt with all summer. I went from having the three appointments, to four, to five, and ended up with six. This of course was a blessing as I can very much use the work. I was use to the owner/groomer not coming, not even informing us she was not coming in,  and leaving the mother to work for free and me having to rush and pick up the slack.. This is a highly destructive behavior pattern, but the mother allows is. It is one reason I left.I figured if i at least just  I groomed the dogs and keep to myself, it would be fine one day a week. However, when it was time to be paid this week, I realized it was short. I asked why and I was told I will now be making 10% less than I was paid before. This was not agreed upon, rather it was deceptive and it was the final straw. The dishonesty, the high stress environment and the potential for more verbal abuse, I again, quit. I cannot be part of that environment. To top it off, one of my dogs, my first dog that day was a terrible biter and bit me pretty good on my hands while I tried to clean up his face. I love grooming, and I enjoy rehabilitating behavior problem dogs, but this is just getting old. 17 years of bitten fingers, I need to be better compensated for stuff like this. 

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