Pepper Paints

We Are Still Under Construction!!

Things are moving along–slow and steady! Let’s start at the back door. From here you can see the old back door has been removed and now the old hallway is open to the new entryway.The tile floor should be installed soon and I still need to paint that door going into the garage.

Today the baseboards in Molly’s room are being installed. All she needs is her rod in her closet and remove the tape from her ceiling and she is good start moving in!

Our bedroom is just about finished too. That carpet is like a terry cloth towel under my bare feet!! Apparently carpet on trucks involved in a wreck are super cheap—-awesome!! Really expensive, really soft carpet for super cheap–I like!!!

Here is my closet/dressing room. I am excited to make this my girly spot! ( Note the rosewater colored walls with the green carpet. Makes me think 70′s girls room!) I ordered a clothes rack and my Mom has a vanity for me too. My mind is spinning with possibilities for my very own space!

Teetery construction steps are gone and replaced with safe and sturdy stairway!

Here are the heartpine floors we ordered off of ebay! Another great deal!! I love them! So much grain!!

We have been painting our arms off! Here is a shot of the appliance wall just waiting for the cupboards that will be arriving this week–finally!!!

The painting has really sucked! It is so hard to pick out paint in a totally new, wide open space that has nothing in it!! Some walls have been painted several times because of last minute color changes (sorry honey!) I am still not totally satisfied but don’t think I will be able  to really choose the right colors until we are actually living and using this space. It was just way easier to paint pre floors and trim.

I do still love this color–but it needs a third coat—ughhhh

This weekend Joe and Jake tore out the walls between the kitchen and the family room.

It was a huge, dusty mess!! Now that it is all cleaned up and the plastic has been removed…Helloooooo long, open house!!!

Here is were the walls used to be–steps and electric to be removed next.

We were really hoping taking that wall out was going to make our family room bigger–but right now it just seems longer! I am hoping to find a lower sitting couch to put under the window seat wall. When we have some money to buy furniture that is!

So as you can see things are moving along. So many details take so much time!!

The Seven Year Itch

I have always dreamed of putting an addition on our house. All the little things I loved about this house to make us buy it–I eventually came to hate. The chopped up rooms and tiny door ways, nooks and crannies. If you know me in real life, you know that my husband and I have talked about “the addition” for years-to the point where I am  sure our friends and family were sick of hearing it. We mention it almost every night at dinner when four of us eat around our table shoved against the wall and the fifth person sits alone at a different small table. And when we have extra dinner guests–which is more often than not—there is nowhere to sit. People always tend to gather in the kitchen-but if you are in my kitchen there is no doubt that you are just in the way. For years we have put off fixing things because of “the addition.” ” We are just going to remodel anyways”

Over the last few months we have met with our architect many times until the drawings were just what we wanted. We met with our builder several times so he knows just what we want. And….Well…. after seven and 11/12 years in our house finally “the addition” is underway!!!

We have the most awesome labor! First Jake dug part of the 50 foot trench where the bobcat won’t be able to fit so that we can bury our electrical lines. Did you hear him mention that our soil is mostly clay and full of tree roots.

Next thing on the list was taking our stone patio wall down. This involved swinging a sledge hammer and and busting stuff up. A boys dream!!

The girls helped with the relocation of all of the rocks (so we can re use them). This was not a parent approved part of the process. I looked out the kitchen window to see  them filling up a cart with the rocks, attaching it to the back of my car with a chain and Molly (who was more than happy to help!!) driving my car into the back yard with Jake making sure the cart didn’t ram my car.  My 12 year old driving around my back yard made me a little nervous I must add!

Early Sunday morning to my neighbors dismay the jack hammer arrived.

Actually my neighbors didn’t care at all (not yet anyways!). Word spread that we had a jack hammer and teens and men needed to try their hands at  the ultra, manly power tool. They got to play and we got a little help-win -win!

Four to six inches of concrete is hard to bust up and heavy to move! Here is a flat on the trailer. But have no fear—more manly toys and tools!

This is just the start of the demo that we are doing before the real project starts. Which is scheduled to happen in just a few weeks. I am way overwhelmed with all of a sudden the need to pick out windows and siding and get everything out of the garage and order the dumpster……One would think in the almost 8 years that I have been thinking about this I would know what I want.  So many choices! That I will have to live with forever! Doh! No pressure there!

I will update frequently on the progress so stay tuned! If you have remodeled or put an addition on your house and have any need to know advice-please pass it on!

Unschooling And Absolute, Profound Trust

Hello out there. It’s been a while since I have posted. I have had sick kids for what seems like the entire month of Jan! But things are finally looking up!

My local unschooling group has been entertaining the idea of starting a co-op. There has been much discussion on our list. I have been doing a lot of reading and writing about unschooling the past few weeks (it must be Feb.)– I thought I would give my local group a break from my long winded posts and listen to myself over here for a change!

I was listening to a podcast the other day and loved what the lady (who is heading up a free school in Pa) had to say so much I kept rewinding and replaying the interview so I could write it all down:

**Trust is the most important part-Fundamental trust between parent and child. Trust that kids direct their own learning and activities and parents have no agenda or “shoulds”. We are all born curious and if you give support to build on that curiosity tremendous amounts of learning happens in a short amount of time.We trust that kids have that instinct and they will run with it.   Our goal is to  nurture that instinct it and get out of the way.

I remember watching the Astra Taylor video and hearing her talk about how much trust her parents had in her. She used phrases like this to describe her unschooling childhood:

The trust was absolute, Interests were respected. She viewed her parents as- fundamentally encouraging and facilitating . The trust needs to be profound.

Absolute, profound trust. That is huge. Each time I read those words they fill me. I love applying those 3 words to my family– absolute, profound trust. It is scary and liberating and difficult and comforting. They go against everything we are taught.

As for the idea of unschooling being a continuum and where we all fit on that line—that line isn’t always straight, it isn’t always forward moving and it is ever changing. There is no end or finish line. We will never arrive. That is the difference between unschooling and the rest of the world. So for me–re reading the importance of trust always hits right where I need it. My kids age span puts one still sleeping in my bed, another in tweendom and another out driving around in cars with friends. Trust is what I often cling to.

**This is not word for word–I tried-but I think it is pretty close!!

If anyone is/has been part of an unschooling co-op or resource center please leave me a comment. I would love to talk to you more about your experience!

Thursday’s Recipe … Mini Fruited Cheesecake Bites

Last weekend I had a family brunch at our house. The girls and I made these mini frozen fruited cheesecakes. The vanilla wafer crusts were supposed to fit neatly inside a mini muffin liner but that wasn’t the case at all. Maybe it had something to do with the Whole Foods brand vanilla wafers I bought as opposed to the vanilla wafer brand.

Anyways, other than being a little buried in a large paper liner, these little bites were a perfect addition to our brunch.

Place 12 vanilla wafers in the bottom of your muffin liners, flat side up

Whisk together 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt ( Seven Stars Maple YUM!), 1/2 cup  softened cream cheese, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon honey

Plop a spoonful on each wafer

At this point you could top with fruit or put the mini’s straight into the freezer for 1 to 1 1/2  hours then remove and top with fruit. (depending on how cold you want your fruit) Let them sit out about 15-25 minutes before serving–but not longer they need to be a little frozen to stay firm.

We used some very mini chocolate chips on ours too. Any leftovers we popped right back in the freezer for later.

I linked to Seven Stars above. I LOVE this yogurt. If I am not making my own this is what I am eating! Next week I will tell you all about a keifer and yogurt making workshop I attended this week with Warren Taylor of Snowville Creamery—oooh ahhh!! Very exciting stuff!

Thursday’s Recipe … Overnight Coffee Cake

Years ago I followed a “large family blog”. Not that my family is all that large but she posted hints and tips and recipes. I used to half this recipe but with 2 working teen aged boys in my home these days–plus a zillion friends that seem to be here eating several days a week, a double recipe worked out just fine.

The Hoover at work!

Luckily there was still this pan full for the rest of us!

Overnight Coffee Cake

Beat the following until fluffy–

4 eggs, 2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups coconut oil, 2 t vanilla  (I used 1/2 coconut oil and 1/2 butter)

Mix with a whisk–

6 cups pastry flour, 8 t baking powder, 2 t salt  ( I also added cinnamon)

Add dry alternately with 2 cups of milk or buttermilk (I used plain yogurt)

Pour into 2 oiled 9x 13 pans  (I used 1 9x 13 and 1 deep dish pie pan)

Lay fruit on top ( I used a  frozen berry mixture)

Topping– 1 1/2 c sugar, 1 1/3 c flour, 2t cinnamon, cut in enough butter to make it crumbly)

Put in fridge overnight

Bake 350 for 40 minutes

Thursday’s Recipe … A Bread Wreath

The basic dough recipe makes 4 loaves

It is a sweet  and tasty dough

In a large bowl mix the following together:

2 cups luke warm water

1 1/2 T yeast

3 eggs

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup melted butter or oil

Add:

6 cups all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

Cover loosely and let rise about 2 hrs

At this point divide dough into 4 balls—freeze (up to 1 month) or refrigerate (up to 5 days) unused portions

Cloak dough and form a ball. Poke hole in center with thumbs and stretch about an 8 inch circle in center

Place on parchment on cookie sheet, cover loosely about 25 mins.

Heat oven to 350

With scissors, cut slightly angled, horizontal cuts almost all the way through the bread. Spread pieces out. You can brush the top with an egg wash and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.

Bake about 35 minutes.

I have three more loaves I turn into tasty bread wreaths —- I might just use them to impress my family and friends with on my Thanksgiving table!!

This was yet another idea/recipe from Family Fun!

Thursday’s Recipe – Witches Brew (homemade rootbeer + dry ice)

oooooohhhhhh

Growing up my family had many traditions…things we we looked forward to doing over and over again. It is the same with my kids now.

Halloween included—most years. This started when Jake was 4. He had a Halloween party for several of his preschool friends and it sort of became an annual thing for us. But  because now we always travel in October, it is hard to fit in our family Halloween party every year. We always manage a night of pumpkin carving and seed roasting and some years we include a few games and surprises!

This year we had a few of our traditional games we play:

Bobbing for apples

Catching a doughnut on a string

GHOST (bingo)

But this year we added something new!

Dry ice and homemade root beer. I found this idea in The Hungry Scientist. They don’t call it witches brew–they call it Uber-Bubbly Root Beer –I had to make it a little more festive! They have a recipe for lemonade too. As well as a good scientific explanation of what is happening.

1 gallon of hot water and a bucket or pitcher to put it in–note glass or plastic bottles can break from the stress of extreme temp changes–so no shaking or using irreplaceable containers. That’s why we used the popcorn bucket!

2 cups sugar

2 Tbs root beer extract (ours came from The Winemakers Shop up the street)

1 to 2 lbs dry ice (we got our at Grater’s Ice Cream)

Add sugar to the hot water and stir to dissolve. Add the root beer extract—stir

Using a long handled wooden spoon–to avoid frostbite- stir in 1 to 2 lbs of dry ice —–oooooooohhhhhhhh and prepare to be amazed!!

A thick cloud of water vapor will form over the bucket

You will need to stir it every once in a while to keep it from freezing

The majority of the fog will stop after about 15 minutes and then you can drink it!

If you dare!

Success!! It tasted good!

************** This was super fun and a little dangerous! So SAFETY DISCLAIMER INCLUDED!!!! *************************

Don’t touch the dry ice with your bare hands–watch your eyes if you chip it up—-don’t eat or drink any dry ice even if it is a small chip!! These are just a few good ideas—I am sure this doesn’t cover all the mishaps that could happen–Don’t say I didn’t warn you–be careful!

Or 50 slaps by the bloody hand!