This is what we are up to this week!

Over the weekend, Nickole BEGGED Sam to help her build a clubhouse.
Sam has been watching a lot of survival videos. Together, they started building a wigwam. Sam has, of course, carried the bulk of the work, but has kept Nickole involved as well. This was funny, when at one point, having gathered a pile of slim, supple "weed" trees to the site of the wigwam- Nickole came in and announced she "just needs to relax- Sam can keep working" without her! Hahaha! Nope. This was her project. They worked until dark Sunday night, and have the basic framework of the walls. They ran out of zip-ties, and were at a standstill, when Sam remembered the roll of wire he and Daniel had for making chain mail. Last night after work, Sam sharpened his machete, axe, and hatchet, to be ready for another day's work.
Nickole asked me if she would be allowed to paint the inside of the wigwam. Even after MANY explanations and pictures of what a wigwam looks like, she still can't picture the end result. I told her NO, there isn't going to be anything paintable inside.
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We have gone out on a couple of beautiful, clear nights with the twins' telescope. The first night, we saw Jupiter. We could SEE the wide stripes, and several of Jupiter's moons. A couple of nights ago, despite a blinding bright full moon, we got to see Saturn and her rings. I love "star time"- just sitting outside and looking at the night sky. It makes any problems feel so insignificant.
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Tom and I re-planted green beans and okra for the 4th and 3rd time, respectively. The "invisible fence" I mentioned seems to actually be WORKING! The surviving plants that had been grazed off nightly are trying to make a comeback, without a sign of deer in the garden all week.
We had our first batch of garden salsa. SO GOOD!
I have been trying to center our meals around what we are getting from the garden. I haven't canned anything as of yet.
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Today is the next-to-last day of the Summer Reading Program at the library. The only day we have missed has been when we went to Texas for Camp CowGranny. (Oh and part of the day I got my time wrong!) The drawing for the small telescope is next Tuesday. There are many prizes besides the telescope.
Nickole discovered a book series she absolutely has devoured- The "Stranded" series by Jeff Probst. She has asked me to order the next 3 books in the series, but I am considering I may look at a used book store first. She also loves graphic novels- the sort of book that tells a story in comic book style. The library had a few of these. Nickole asked for more- and they ordered more! Their first of the new ones came in last week, and the librarian put it back for Nickole. She was the first to get to check it out. (Nancy Drew series.)
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I am resorting to a pretty desperate measure on learning the addition/ subtraction facts. As of yesterday, there will be NO use of electronics until such a time as Nickole can complete five worksheet "drills" in a row, PERFECTLY. No mistakes. No little deception attempts (such as writing a number so poorly that it could be either a 13 or a 15.
 "Well CowGranny, what did you think that number WAS? a 13 or a 15?" when she saw I marked it wrong. I explained it didn't matter which of those numbers it was supposed to be- the correct answer was 14.)
I KNOW she has a wonderful memory. She can catalogue every scrape, scratch, bump, and bruise she's had since she was 3 years old, and recount the circumstances of getting them, and how long each took to heal. Sam showed her keyboard notes, with their names ONCE. She can tell him what they are still.
She CAN memorize math facts. The stakes just have to be high enough.
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This past week, I had hoped for a couple of days at home. As it was, we were (and still are) battling the insurance company to get Nickole added. One of their required documents is a Federal Income Tax Return listing Nickole as a dependent. We won't have that until next year. They want it by July 31st, or they won't add her. We have explained (repeatedly) the situation. One person asked for a State ID card, with our address and her name and photo. So Thursday I went and got that. Then I went back to the Social Security office, and was able to get a copy of her Social Security card sent to us. So I have successfully proven to both my State and Federal Government that Nickole is our dependent! I don't know how we can satisfy the Insurance Company if these documents don't work.
Friday was supposed to be the Guardianship hearing. Our lawyer lacked some document, so the hearing is postponed until August 23rd. If you are so inclined, say a prayer for us!

This week is stacking up to be almost as busy as last week. Our grocery shopping / errand day is on Mondays. Yesterday, this included a blood donation from Sam and I. Today is Library, plus picking up missed grocery items. (Being out of peanut butter is enough to start Mr C's day off wrong. He has eaten a piece of peanut butter toast every morning for as long as I have known him.)
Tomorrow afternoon, we are meeting some friends from the Library and Homeschool group, and going to the Amazeum in Bentonville. Once again, I have made no plans for Thursday and Friday!

Give me Grace

There are some things that just HAVE to be done. As much as I want to throw up my hands, smack something, or just scream until I am hoarse... I have to persevere.
One thing is educating a reluctant learner. For the second summer, we are working on simple math facts.
We have worked these past 10 days on 7+6=13 . 6+7=13.
Flash cards. Drills. Physical exercise/ riding a bike and reciting with each push of the pedal :Seven. Plus. Six. Equals. Thirteen.
We have done sitting on our hands while using flash cards. Allowing to finger count.
Today I did several timed drills. Marked the spot where the timer went off, and then had her finish the sheet.  ALL the mistakes are after the timer went off, or on untimed drills. She misses 6+7 / 7+6 as often as she gets it right. (And several others, but we have concentrated on 6+7 for more than a week.)
I am having her copy the sums down 25X each when she misses one.
There is wailing and gnashing of teeth.
(Hers too.)
We need to move on with other items to bring her up to grade level. But we are staying with the sums until she gets them down.
I need ideas. How do we overcome this... mental block.... or whatever it is.
There are some things she can be shown once, and remember forever.
And then there is 6+7=13.
We are not heading into 5th grade unable to do first grade math. We just are not.

Foraging for Jelly, and other canning adventures

This year's blackberry crop has been amazing! Nickole and I have walked and driven the back roads around us, and gathered not only wild raspberries and blackberries, but discovered wild black cherries.
I have made a batch of plain blackberry jelly, one of blackberry basil, one of blackberry + wild black cherry. I bought Bing cherries on markdown, and spent a fun couple of hours pitting them. Then I made a "foolproof" Bing Cherry jam recipe. Apparently, I am a better grade of fool... because I followed the recipe exactly, and made a fabulous cherry sauce. It is fabulous, even if it didn't jell.
Peaches were also on sale... and I put up three quarts of gingered peaches.

The batch of Blackberry Basil jelly was an accident. I had intended to make Blackberry Sage jelly. At the fatal moment of stirring the herb into the jelly, I realized I'd gathered basil and not sage! However, it was wonderful as a glaze on grilled pork chops.

As for the regular garden, the deer have been eating quite well. We have replanted green beans three times already, with nary a single bean to reward our efforts. The okra and cucumbers are eaten to nubs as quickly as they can put up shoots.

Sam and Mr C saw an idea of an "invisible fence", and we are trying it. It is relatively inexpensive. We surrounded the garden perimeter with fence posts, then strung 30 lb. test fishing line between them. Our roll had enough line to make three strands. The premise is, the deer are sensitive to the touch of the fishing line, but unable to see it. They cannot tell how high this barrier goes, so don't try to jump over it. They don't realize how easily it breaks.

At least that is the idea.

We already had the fence posts, and a spool of line was less than $3. We shall see how this works out!

Shopping is sooo fu-uh-uh-uhn

It's a well know fact of Tammy- I hate shoe shopping. Probably surprising to people who know that I detest bare feet- and 'flip flops' are the same as bare feet.
Over the weekend, Mr C needed new shoes. While he was shopping at a store that sells well made (PRICEY) shoes, I used their measuring tool on Nickole. It said she needs a 3.5 or 4 in "big kid" shoes. Her beloved rain boots were a 13, and the "galaxy" sneakers she has been wearing were 11.5. She does have a size 2.5 that are her 'least favorite'... but nothing larger.
We can't be spending $120+ on a pair of shoes she's going to out grow before they get broke in. So I took her shoe shopping today. This was the pair she begged for:




Her second choice:
Neither pair good for running and playing. Neither good for every day, nor even dressy occasions. Maybe for PLAYING DRESS UP?
But, no. I am not paying more than $40 for clown shoes.
She tried to throw a fit in the store.  Same store Alana tried the same tactic in about 8 years ago! Same result.

I said put your old shoes back on and let's go.

I don't think she believed that I would leave without buying her what she wanted.

"SERIOUSLY? SERIOUSLY? But we came here to buy me SHOES! YOU said I need shoes."
The whining and shouting got louder as I said "Seriously. You can pick a more practical pair of shoes that we can BOTH agree on, or we can go home."
I headed to the exit.
She suddenly decided she would rather look at other shoes than leave without any.

This is what she finally settled on, after a hard fought debate with herself on "Memory Foam Vs. light Up".

I'm still twitching.