T'Mahk

Sun - May 29, 2005

Excited About The Move ...

...I started playing with a new blog, had fun personalizing it, now I can't wait to move!

Maybe I will keep this one as my yard & garden blog ... we'll see how things go. I will say that I contacted Lifli Software (makers of iBlog) about my issues with eaten entries and received a prompt reply, they assured me they will work to figure out the problem, and I am very impressed with that level of customer service, and it would be nice if we can resolve the problem!

But in the meantime, since I just have SO much to say...
I announce the debut of Kim's New Blog: T'Mahk Too !!!!!!!

Please come visit, stay awhile, read the boring test entries, the welcome entry, and enjoy my new feature by leaving some comments!!!!

:)
Kim

p.s. - ACK! It ate another - it ate "The blog eating iBlog strikes again!" I didn't notice until it was too late. WAH!

Posted at 09:26 AM Read More

Sat - May 28, 2005

I'm Afraid to Blog

I have things to say. Things to rant about (like iBlog eating entries, and me never knowing when it might strike) ... books I'm reading. Cute things my children say and do (like LittleD pouring a half-a-box of rice milk on his cereal this morning while Tobi-Wan helpfully alerted us to the problem by screaming, rather than telling anyone WHAT the problem was) ... but I'm afraid to make an entry ...the thought of lost, orphaned entries, marooned in cyberspace, strikes terror in my heart ...

We have another blog possibility, with our ISP we have Moveable Type Personal Publishing System. Dale helped me set up a new blog space last night. But I'm paralyzed. I like Apple provided software. I already know how to use iBlog. And most of my past entries are there. Do I try to move them? Do I start fresh? Will I lose readers (ha ha! One of the five of you?) if I relocate, should I try to move all my old entries, so I don't lose my year and a half of sporadic entries? Or leave them 'out there' in iBlog land, disassociated from the new Blog? Should I wait and see if the iBlog support people give me any helpful advice, before rashly abandoning iBlog?

Alright you 5 or so readers, what's your vote. Give me some direction so I'm not afraid to blog anymore.

Posted at 08:55 AM Read More

Thu - May 26, 2005

A Little Homeschool History?

(This entry comes with my apologies to Dale, for blogging a story he's already heard, but letting him anticipate the new blog entry all night)

• - • - •

We started reading Carry On, Mr. Bowditch today. In the first chapter they mention "The War" in 1775. So I asked my children, "Which war would that be?"

"The Revolutionary War" one answered.

"Who fought that war?" I went on

"The Americans."

"Who were they fighting against?"

long pause from the children ...

another child offers, "El Salvador?"

long pause from me ... "Um, no, it was the English ... Britain."

"I thought that was the Civil War."

"Um ... no. The Civil War we fought against ourselves."

wild laughter from the children.

"No, really. One half of our country fought against the other."

"Really? Why?"

Apparently they're not soaking up as much history just from reading as I hoped. (Although, to be fair, we haven't read any Civil War books ...) At this point one tired mom decides she's running out of happy-baby time, "Let's just finish our reading today, and we can talk about the Civil War later."

note to other homeschoolers: yeah, yeah, I know I probably should've at least explained a little, and gone with their interest at the moment ... but I think I'll wait and check out some library books, maybe finally put up my timelines ... after I laminate them ... in my spare time ... just to make sure **I** don't get the story wrong. Make sure El Salvador wasn't involved.

Posted at 12:04 AM Read More

Tue - May 24, 2005

There is no blog

you are not blog... you are not iblog ...

I could've sworn I wrote a blog. But I don't actually remember what I wrote about, and there's no evidence that I posted one or even worked on one. Maybe it was another clever blog dream. I do write the most clever blogs in my dreams.

I spent the afternoon trying to identify Kelly's flower. I didn't find it yet. But I surfed a lot, trying to find it. And I read some articles about raising godly children ... I read some at the Tomato Staking site ... and my friend sent me the no-longer-locatable Boot Camp article. So I read snippets of both.

Now it's almost 11 pm, and Buzz has been asleep already for almost 2 hours ... he must be tired out from his 3rd week birthday. I guess I better get ready for bed, since he'll wake up and be hungry soon. I should be ready for him so I don't wake him more than necessary.

Well, that's enough rambling. Good night.

I told you there was no blog.

Posted at 10:58 PM Read More

Sat - May 21, 2005

The Limited Adventures of Fun Mom

I'm probably the only mom who groans when the children want a backyard picnic. It doesn't really make much more work, if any ... if I make sandwiches and cut up fruit and veggies, why should it matter to me if it's served around the table or on a blanket out back? And if it is so very exciting for the children, why not say yes? And yet, for whatever reason, I usually say, "not today..." -- not a flat no, that would be too Mean Mom ... an ambiguous "Not Today" at least keeps the door open a crack for Fun Mom. But eventually mom realizes that her "not todays" rarely turn in to "yes, today" ... and worse yet, the children figure that out. So yesterday Mean Mom swallowed her anti-picnic bias and let Fun Mom out for a bit. And then photographed it, for proof.

LittleD, Leia, Emidala, and Tobi-Wan, all squinting in the too-bright evening sun, having a glorious Pizza Picnic on the deck. Gark was out on his "date" with Dad, and Buzz was inside, resting. Fun Mom ate her pizza, the leftover remnants after the fun ended, in front of the computer... (there is no photographic record of that).

Posted at 02:55 PM Read More

It's Begun ...

I will start by saying this isn't meant to be complaining - I have nothing to complain about, since the fact that Buzz has been sleeping well at night since day 1 is an unexpected surprise to begin with. And I knew with an AndFam baby that it couldn't last forever. I guess It's Begun. Last night was our first 'fussy night'. I think perhaps his little bowels needed some activity, but his brain was telling him to wait until morning, for Mommy's sake? But Buzz was fussier, squirming and grunting and starting to cry instead of nursing nicely. Or nursing off to sleep but waking just a few minutes later. All very mild, really, compared to past nights with other newborns. But after a previous night of little sleep (staying up to fold laundry!) and a bad headache yesterday, I wouldn't have minded a little more sleep.

What I'd really like to do is show you a picture of how cute he is at 2.5 weeks. After the 1-week pictures, I got a lot of comments about how chunky he looked. I think it was just the outfit squunched up (surely squunch is a word?) around him. Oh, I think he's healthy and gaining well, but to me he's still got that skinny-limbed newborn look to him. I'd like to get a picture of him stretched out on a blankie so you can see. He's got big inquisitive eyes that he frowns around ... and makes that sweet little tiny-O mouth face that I love so much. I'm not sure I can capture it all in a picture.

But we did get a new digital video camera, since our old one is pretty close to dead, so maybe I can capture it on video for you, this afternoon.

To tide you over, here's a not-great picture of Emidala (love the crazy hair!) holding an about-to-cry Buzz (love the clothes that match the kitchen!)

This morning I get to take him to a discussion group and show him off. I didn't even do the reading, between not having time/mental energy/two hands to hold the big book. I'm just going to show him off. Shameless!

Posted at 07:54 AM Read More

Thu - May 19, 2005

Overheard - the Sound of Silence

One of those times when NOT hearing things sends chills down a mother's spine ...

Mom: LittleD? Snack time!

no answer, no LittleD.

Mom: LittleD! Cookies!

no answer, no LittleD.

Mom: (walking around the house looking for LittleD) LittleD? Did you want a cookie?

hears tapping from the front bathroom ...

finds LittleD with a toy bowl and toy spoon, both full of water, set on the toilet as a table. LittleD is about to cheerfully spoon what can only be toilet water into his mouth. Mom decides to tell herself that this was the *first* spoonful and was intercepted in time. Please don't try to tell her otherwise.

Posted at 08:06 PM Read More

Overheard - Boat Trips

completely out of the blue:

"We never catch mermaids because we never go on a boat."

-Tobi-Wan, age 4

Posted at 09:06 AM Read More

Wed - May 18, 2005

Things I Don't Know

just a few of the things I've learned I don't know (or didn't know) while surfing blogs ... of course, I haven't really tracked where I've been, so I'm not sure I can re-find the right links for these things ... and I suppose this entry needs a disclaimer: I don't necessarily endorse or agree with the opinions and links found on the following links ...

I stumbled across a series of blogs all referring to their "blog daughter" or "blog mother" or "blog grandfather" ... I don't really know what those blog family terms mean.

A Carnival of Recipes ... I don't really know how it works. I was very intrigued and looked at most of the recipes, but sadly my cupboards are bare and rarely stock all the things suggested in any of the recipes. Planning ahead to cook interesting things is rarely my style. So ... it was a nifty new discovery that won't change my life much. But I still wonder how it works.

TOK - chatting with TOKers? I first saw it here (and I must say all those red-headed boys are SO cute!) Turns out (after much investigating and several false starts) it stands for "Tons of Kids" ... by definition of one message board "LOTS of kids" is 4 or more, so we qualify. I resisted the urge to post on the message board.

What a frizzen is.

There were more, but apparently I also don't know how to keep thoughts in my head for long, they've all drained away.

One non-blog thing I've learned ... if I send my 5- and 4- year olds upstairs to do their jobs and they are bickering, they will never naturally stop on their own. The bickering will just continue on and on and on and on.

One non-blog thing I don't want to know ... how and why someone's nose was bleeding, and how that child came to bleed on the baby. Sometimes it's a blessing that you can't really hear much through the bathroom door with the shower running. When I came out of the shower, things had been mostly cleaned up (although why someone would think used, bloody kitchen napkins belong on the counter, not in the trash, is another mystery) and the baby was changed and happy with his sister. I also don't know how one child can use many napkins and several tissues, each with just one drop of blood on them, but somehow manage to get blood all over his overalls and the toilet. Chalk it up to having an amazing child.

And how fast the time can fly when you're following links from blog to blog to blog ... and lastly, to give credit where credit is due, many of the blog-trails started with links from The Big Yellow House's links.

Posted at 11:42 AM Read More

Tue - May 17, 2005

Tuesday Rambles, Sick Children and the Wide Web World ...

I've been meaning to do another 'May in my Garden' blog ... maybe now would be a good time, the sun is shining so I could go take those pictures, and the baby is ... uh ... WAS sleeping. Maybe I'll wait, do it this afternoon. Today is a day of do-nothing. Tobi-Wan and LittleD were sick yesterday afternoon, the lovely throwing-up kind. Today no one has thrown up, but they are still obviously under the weather. Tobi-Wan fell asleep on the beanbag after breakfast, and LittleD fell asleep curled up on his blanket on the floor. Now he's up, but glassy, pink cheeked, and not willing to smile for the camera, and Tobi-Wan has fallen asleep, curled up awkwardly, on Dale's chair ...

Both are warmer than usual and just not themselves. So far everyone else is healthy, but since we're not sure where or when we picked up this bug, we're not sure how long to wait to declare an all-clear. Although since it hasn't even been 24 hours since it started, we're certainly not to the all-clear yet anyway.

I let the older children do minimal chores and then watch videos, in honor of the sick children and tired mom. I've spent the morning skipping from blog to blog to blog ... wondering whether some of these bloggers all know each other, or whether they just all link to each other out of some trendy popularity thing, or some mutual reciprocity pact? But wandering from blog to blog I get out of my own little bubble, quick, and realize the web is a bigger, stranger place than I usually think of ... Most of my web time is either going to a few select boards or checking local places like the library and the weather, or shopping for things I'm interested in. I forget that there is a greater community out there, very diverse. Bitter discussions on religion, sarcastic and biting blogs, unhappy people. It's weirdest of all to stumble across the bitter people mocking Christians for being happy ... and seeing comment after comment after comment, all agreeing with the original post. Feeling like I'm a fly on the wall, observing a room full of people I don't know, who don't know me, who wouldn't care to hear my comments if I did post them, and feeling fairly inarticulate and sort of flustered in the face of their blasting. Eventually growing weary of the comments and slinking away feeling down. I wonder why the joy in Christ is something to be mocked? Does it seem unreal to those outside of it? Do people not believe that *I* truly have joy in my walk of faith? Do others see me the way these bitter bloggers see Christians? How does Christ's love shine through us? That's something I've never really understood, anyway, I can only cling to by faith ...

Well, one of my sick children wants to snuggle, and another is waking up, frowning his little 2 week old brow in his fitful doze, so I guess I better wrap up this ramble ... or just trail off ...

Posted at 11:47 AM Read More

Fri - May 13, 2005

Overheard - the Planets

the scene opens to Emidala (nearly 6), Tobi-Wan (4) and LittleD (2) all playing with a set of balls labeled with planet names and facts. Emidala and Tobi-Wan are arguing about the yellow one with hot pink rings around it. Emidala claims it's Venus, Tobi-Wan is unconvinced. Emidala appeals to me for help.

"I think they say their names," I call across the room, "read me the letters."

Emidala looks hard at the ball and exclaims "Saturn! It says Saturn!"

She picks up another one, greenish, "V... V... Venus! This one is Venus!"

And a third, orange ... "Jup ... Jupter ... "

"Jupiter" I suggest.

"Jupiter!" she says, triumphantly, setting the three into the hollow of a bean bag chair, "Okay, Saturn, Venus, and Jupiter need to take their bath now."

Posted at 05:03 PM Read More

The Cost of Fame

Ahhh, sweet fame. We should've known it would come at such a cost. With the end of Star Trek: Enterprise, tonight, we mark the end of almost 20 years of current Star Trek. For us, not only does the end bring disappointment, a void in our little entertainment bubble, but also hometown fame. That's right, our local newspaper ran a story on the End of Enterprise ... and since Dale's Trekkieness is well-known, he was called and interviewed ... the next day it was decided a picture of the family who named all their children Star Trek Names was just the thing to go with the story. Our nerdly underbelly exposed to the community, our cover blown, there in print for the whole county to see, and on the internet for the rest of the world ... Not that I really regret being known as a nerd, it's been a proud pillar of our family from the day Dale and I married. And I can understand the difficulty in getting a good picture of 8 people, including 6 children, one of whom is only 8 days old ... It's just too bad we had to LOOK so goofy. Note to self: Next time try Calvin's trick with the ping-pong eyeballs.

Posted at 02:04 PM Read More

Tue - May 10, 2005

It ate it AGAIN!

Alright, this is too much. I spend all this time writing a new blog entry, and just before publishing I look and find that the one I put up *yesterday* -- to replace the one I wrote Tuesday, the one that was *eaten* -- is gone again. Now what? I guess I copy and paste it up before I publish. I don't want to keep losing entries! This is very upsetting to me!

Once MORE -- here is My one-week-after-Buzz-birth blog: -- From Tuesday, May 10, 2005

ONE WEEK LATER
One week ago I was at the very end of labor. Feeling pushy, wishing I was done.

Not long after I was holding this amazing, slimy, squirmy little baby, not even knowing yet if it was a boy or girl, feeling amazed and relieved and exhausted.

What a difference a week makes! At this moment I am snuggling a dozing little Buzz. Little pink wiggly feet and hands, curious eyes and a sweet squeaky cry ... Little half-smiles when he's half asleep, and lots of attention from his older siblings.

Here he is, just one week after his birth:

And here's one of his admirers, who likes to appear whenever the camera is out. LittleD has the cutest way of leaning over his sleeping brother and gently cooing some unintelligible baby talk ...

It's been a good week. :)

Posted at 02:08 PM Read More

Mon - May 9, 2005

Hormones are Scary

... at least I think it's the hormones. Maybe it's sleep deprivation. Or some kind of Alien invasion? Like that time that those aliens put that invisible thing on Janeway's head to give her a headache and see how far they could *push* her ... I think maybe those aliens are here now. Can anyone remind me how they noticed them and made them stop? I think I need a binary star system or something.

Anyway ... I don't want to complain, but to comment on how scary things like hormones and sleep deprivation can be. I have NOT felt myself the last two days ... sometimes I feel fine, but when things bother me it's like they mushroom out of control inside me, like a giant raging monster that grew from a speck to colossal in just a few moments. I think I wrote a little vignette about it, once ... oh, I guess it's not on my blog anywhere, so I won't try to link to it. Probably better anyway.

So I'm living with this monster stuffed down under my skin. Sometimes if I open my mouth, you can see it and hear it. By God's grace I haven't totally let it OUT, but what you see just from my too-big mouth is ugly enough. It is a good exercise in humility, I guess, to have to ask forgiveness for the glimpses that have been visible. And an exercise in thankfulness that the whole thing has stayed mostly-stuffed.

So what am I doing about it? Trying to remember to pray and ask for God's help, especially when I don't feel like it. Trying to eat healthy. Drinking that icky Red Raspberry Leaf Tea that's supposed to help. Maybe I'll work some flax into my diet, those Omega-3's are supposed to help, too ... and I'm going to make sure I get some kind of nap this afternoon ...

It does make for a long day, though.

Posted at 11:55 AM Read More

Sat - May 7, 2005

Early May Blooms

I lost an entry today! iBlog wigged out, went away, and now it's gone. This is it's replacement.

Things are blooming at the AndFam house, and not JUST flowers ...

First of all, Buzz's eyes -- he's peeking out at us occasionally -- more and more often each day

And yesterday Leia helped Emidala learn to ride a two wheeler! With no training wheels!

And Tobi-Wan, picking blue flowers for me:

And then there's the things blooming in my yard ... excuse the sloppy formatting and labeling, I'll try to label them in order, anyway ... there's a daffodil narcissus thing, one of my new baby lilacs has buds on it, anemone blanda from Kelly, grape hyacinth, some kind of wild cherry something bush, white-and-blue violets and purple violets, vinca, red tulips with black eyes, strawberry blossoms, one pink tulip, and my lovely leeks!

And then there's the surprise - from the bulbs Kelly gave me, there's something I *thought* was going to be the Frittilary snake head plant, but when I looked it up, I think it's a Hoop Petticoat Daffodil - Narcissus bulbocodium -- what do you think, Kel?