from my backyard

We’re outside today, it being near-spring weatherwise, but without the inconvenience of bugs. Ah! These few weeks each year are among my favorites. The number one attraction in our backyard is the bare earth area under the big tree where everyone goes to Dig in the Dirt. Dirt Digging is a Very Important Endeavor, you see. This year, Gloria is old enough to join the fray and toddles around with a stick and a smile.

Everyone is happy and well! Bede has his yearly check-in with his psychologist next week. I’m looking forward to it. He’s made such great strides in his development this year. He’s gone from the second most dreaded autistic behavior – poop play – numeous times a day, to zero play with poop and well on the way to toilet trained. (The most-dreaded autistic behavior is self-injury, of course, which we have not dealt with here.) He also is learning Arabic (!!) and working on first-grade math.

The other kids are great too. Faith and Abby and I have been doing something academically structured every day, with great results. I worked through a period of Great Navelgazing Angst as I dithered over whether or not I was an unschooler, and gave too much thought as to what you, the internets, would think of me. Then I decided I don’t care what you think, because my kids love it and are thriving and begging for more. So there. Now we’re extremely relaxed Charlotte Mason people.

This is already so long, I don’t think many will read it.

Gilbert and Trixie play together all the time. At 4 and 3 they are delightfully matched and often argue but always make up. Gilbert is very interested in ballroom dancing and airplanes at this time, and Trixie likes teddy bears and Mickey Mouse. They are so cute.

Gloria wants whatever anyone else has, and they tend to give it to her because she’s so darn adorable. Ah, to be the youngest with five doting siblings.

It’s getting a little chilly outside, must be a cold front. Time to head in!

Sean is my Faustine.

Sean and I celebrate Faustine’s Day, February 15, instead of Valentine’s Day. If you celebrate Faustine’s Day you get to take advantage of the fortuitous sales on lovey stuffs.

My favorite gift each year is the love poem Sean writes me. Here’s this year’s offering.

“Faustine’s Day”

Today as lovers and mating pairs
Have finished loving and mating,
And confectioners discount their wares,
‘Midst balloon bouquets deflating,
The world hath pitched its gaudy woo.

Still, in two hearts, love is rife!
I refer to yours and mine.
This day, as ever, I pledge my life,
My love, my dear Faustine,
To thee. I mean, to you.

-Sean

homemade laundry soap directions

I made this recipe because I use 5 ounce bars of soap (Dr. Bronner’s, since you ask) and I had to do the math every time, since the directions I followed used 3 oz.

So here ya go.

5 oz soap
3/4 cup borax
3/4 cup washing soda

3 gal water

Chop soap and put in a big bucket, about 5 gal. Add 1 gal hot water. Let soap dissolve (I usually just let it sit for a day or two). In sep. container add borax and washing soda to 1 gal hot water. (You can do this over the stove if you like.) Stir til it dissolves. Add to soap bucket. Add 1 gal water. Use 1/2 cup per load.

This makes about a hundred loads. Not bad!

ETA: I feel compelled to add that you must use a lid that the kids can’t get off 1. because it would make a terrible mess and 2. because if you use a big bucket, a toddler/baby can drown in it. So, you know, be careful. I keep mine in the garage next to the washer.

pictures gone, sorry

Had a weirdo stalking them, and the easiest thing to do was privatize them all.