Passenger Pigeons

AJ just came to me with a very sad demeanor and said,

"I never even got to see a passenger pigeon. Did you ever get to see one, Mom? The last one died in a zoo just as World War I began. Now they're extinct. Did you get to see a passenger pigeon, Mom? Did you see World War I?"

Stitches in Time

AJ (age 9) announced that she read a book on financial management and has decided to divide her money into thirds: one to give away, one to save, and one to use. DH and I told her that was a great idea.

Of course, the grand total she has to divide up at the moment is something like 27 cents. That's because a few weeks ago she decided to give all her money (including the $25+ she earned in premiums showing her rabbits at the fair and just got a check for recently) to the missionary support drive at AWANA.

M&M (age 8) came to me yesterday afternoon and asked me to sew on a button that came off her sleeve. I taught her how to sew it on instead. She did great with it.

That nearly instant success got her so excited that she wanted to sew something else. So I showed her how to make a backstitch and got her started on making a small decorative pillow. She is loving it, and is so excited that she's almost finished with the stitching and will be ready to stuff it soon.

She keeps saying things like, "Mom, I'm so glad you taught me how to sew! I love sewing!"

Ebee (age 5) wanted to learn, too, so I showed her how to pin the edges of her project together and will help her start the sewing today. AJ already knows how to sew, so she pretty much got herself started. They're all making small decorative pillows.

Ebee no longer seems like a small child. We were at Subway the other day and she said, "I'm going to check and see if my order is up yet." Walked over to the counter, checked, and came back saying "It's not ready yet."

She is constantly making up praise and worship songs and singing them to the Lord, or just making up songs about how happy she is.

We had Ebee in a combination ballet/gymnastics class for little kids, but she decided it wasn't challenging enough and wanted to switch to a higher-level class. She would have preferred ballet (she LOVES it!), but all they had open was gymnastics, so she opted to give up the ballet temporarily in order to have a more challenging class with older kids, and is enjoying the gymnastics.

AJ is still in choir and M&M in gymnastics, and they're both enjoying those and doing well in them.

The girls are very much enjoying school. We're studying the Civil War right now, so they can tell you all about Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln and Henry "Box" Brown. Even Ebee is enamored with Harriet Tubman and keeps asking to have books about Tubman read to her. She is reading simple words, but likes to have the older girls read her the books they're reading for school.

AJ is writing a paper about Abraham Lincoln and one about Henry "Box" Brown.

Here's the start of AJ's report on Abraham Lincoln:

"Abraham Lincoln
Chapter 1

I'm sure you know about Abe Lincoln because practically everyone does. I even bet some of you have been to Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C..

Lincoln was a good man, and we all love him. But some of you don't know all about him. For example, do you know Abe had a dog? Do you know how he got it? Well, I've got it."

M&M is working on a paper about Harriet Tubman, and so far has accomplished a beautiful illustration and a title page written in fancy letters.

It's fun to watch them enjoy learning. Right now AJ is reading to Mira (our dog) all about electricity.

What We Eat

I've had quite a few people ask me what we eat, since I avoid excitotoxins and we don't eat much in the way of dairy products, gluten or processed foods.

I've recently started posting again on my food blog, Restricted Gourmet. When I can remember to pay attention to how much of what ingredients I put into what I cook, I like to post the recipes that turn out well on the blog where I can find them again. I'm going to try posting some entire menu plans, or maybe even entire days' worth of meals, over the next few weeks.

Tonight we had Almond Crusted Tilapia with Garlic and Dill. The fish-lovers in the family pronounced it "absolutely amazing" while even my 5-year-old fish-hater found it edible.

Too bad I didn't actually measure the ingredients. :) I tend to cook on the fly, with "a little of this and a little of that" and seldom measure anything, so putting it into a form that will work on the food blog is a bit of a challenge.

The Answer is Still No

Ebee was trying to convince me that she's old enough (at age 5) to stay home by herself.

I said, "You're not old enough to stay home by yourself yet. What would you do if there was an emergency?"

"I'd call 9-1-1," she said.

"But what if you needed help fast, before 9-1-1 could get here?"

"I'd run out of the house and go to a friend's house."

"What if there was a fire?"

"I'd stop, drop and roll."

"And what would you do if you were choking and couldn't call 9-1-1 or walk?"

"I don't know."

Of course the answer would have been no anyway, but I did manage to come up with a few more scenarios she agreed she wouldn't be able to handle without an adult. :)

So True

AJ said tonight, "You know, Mom . . . it's hard to believe, but when I have kids and tell them the story of my childhood, they'll probably say, 'Wow, that's really old-fashioned!'"

She continued, "Because technology is advancing so fast, and National Geographic for Kids talks about things like Eagle Cars. We may even have things like hover-cars by the year 2020."