Family Update

I realized we didn't receive our Veritas Press catalog this year so I ordered one and we also received the new Rainbow Resource catalog recently. I spent several nights last week reading the catalogs from cover to cover, planning what we will study next year, checking the online library catalog for what is in our system, and dreaming of our homeschool studies next year. Rainbow Resource catalog is 1388 pages so it really was reading the catalogs! I made up a huge wish list if money wasn't a problem, then compared prices at several online sites. Then I got that huge wish list down to what I thought we could afford to get now from Rainbow Resource. Rainbow Resource is having a sale in June before their new prices take effect in July. We were given some unexpected money in May so I used that to get some materials for next year. They are not necessary for homeschooling, but they will be fun. Many were for our study of the Ancients in history next year. I got some listen to stories/poems and coloring book combinations. A few audiobooks on CDs. A few CDs to make some memory work easier-multiplication tables and states/capitals put to music. A few "toys" of Egyptian people. I spent a lot of time on this last week and I can't wait until the box arrives! Some things will be saved as rewards or Christmas presents. Some will be saved until we begin a new school year in the fall. But some will be put into use right away, as they don't seem like school, they seem like toys. That is the great part about homeschooling, much of school is their learning while they are playing. I'll let you know after we start using some of our new materials what I think.
Ram took Lamb 1 and 2 to VBS this week from Sunday-Thursday. Most nights I stayed home with Lamb 3. The Lambs were a little less afraid to go to VBS in a class of students they didn't know this year as compared to years before. They were in different grade classes, not together. It is at a neighboring church, not one of our tri-parish churches. They knew a few kids, but not most of their class. The last night there was a program for the parents telling what they learned all week and singing songs. Lamb 1 was too shy to go up front for this, but he sat in his seat and sang the songs and Lamb 2 wasn't afraid to go up front. They are going to donate their crafts to the local nursing home to brighten the hallways. They are also going to give out some of the crafts at the town parade this fall to invite people to church. So it was unusual that the Lambs didn't come home with a bunch of crafts, but I liked what they were doing with the crafts.
Since there was no VBS today we ended up with a free day that we didn't expect in our busy June schedule. The Lambs really needed a day free to play at home in the middle of our busy month. Ram stayed home with the Lambs and I went to the town 1 1/2 hours away and did some shopping. We could have made it until July by just shopping local, but I stocked up on some convenience foods for the next couple of weeks. Lamb 1 and 2 have soccer and I plan to pack them a lunch to eat after soccer before swim lessons. Then when we get home I need to make supper quickly and get them to bed on time. By convenience foods, I mean grapes, peanut butter, string cheese, individual applesauce, dried fruit, etc. to make a lunch for them to eat after soccer. I couldn't believe other grocery carts of moms with their kids along today-pop, chips, sugar cereal, cookies, etc.-nothing healthy in the cart. Sometimes I buy a little junk food, but my whole cart is not junk food! I don't know how they afford buying that kind of food nor how they can eat that way-the Lambs would be starving if that was all I fed them. Plus I wonder what they really do fix for supper? Anyway, the drive over there and doing all the shopping by myself (usually I give a list to Ram and we split the shopping up and get through the stores faster) ended up taking all day. It was nice to get away for a little while and even get a treat at Starbucks! Our stocked pantry will make the next couple of weeks a lot easier too.
Our garden is hanging in there even with the crazy weather we have had. I need to get out there and do some serious weeding soon. I bought some more herbs to replace ours that died. We have bought asparagus from our friends with a produce business the last few weeks. I bought more today and plan to freeze some of what I bought today. That is one nice thing about living rural-cheap produce in the summer even if our garden doesn't make it.
I've tried to get laundry on the line in between the rainy days.
My mom's uncle by marriage died. He was the last of my mom's aunts/uncles that I knew well. We are glad that he went the way that we all want to go, during our sleep without any suffering. But it is so sad that that generation is gone. This is a time that I hate living so far from home and missing seeing everyone at the funeral.
My mom has recovered nicely from her pacemaker surgery. She plans to go to the LWML convention in IL.
We had Lamb 2's interview over a glass of grape juice for his baptism birthday. I'll have to blog about that soon.
We are planning a nice Father's Day meal for our family. Grilling out steak for a treat, grilled asparagus, and a special dessert.