New Leaf, New Direction, Big Changes!

So I quit my job... This has NOT been easy for me... But it has been GOOD!

(I will add pictures to this later!)

We have a garden in this year! We did lady bugs, and butterflies, and are anxiously awaiting our praying mantises hatching. The front garden is getting the attention it needs. I am taking a more hands on approach for my kids schooling - which they need! There is a LOT less "screen time" around here. (Like getting closer and closer to none!)

Then Robert get's a kidney stone... OH NO!!! 3 ER trips, trip to doctor, 2 trips to specialist... Stone gone! (yeah!!!) Medical bills coming in... We are currently up to $1800+. Add Belle needing oral surgery and my parents were in a motorcycle accident... YIKES! Everyone kept asking what I wanted for my birthday and I kept saying NO MORE ER OR DOCTOR TRIPS! (And I was serious!!!) I had been to the ER, surgery center, or doctor appointment 8 times in 10 days - not including our weekly chiropractic appointments. I was DONE!

My house is cleaner than it has been in YEARS! We are doing school almost all orally or project based and the kids are excelling. I got a quilt done and 2 more almost done, as well as an afghan almost done too. I am starting to learn to knit, and needle felt, and picking up my crochet and cross-stitch again.

We went to the Medieval Faire in Norman again (like we have almost every year, for me for about 20 years). We got connected with the SCA group again. After discussing it with Robert we decided to go ahead and join up. Of course with Robert and myself, if we decide to do something we DO it! The kids are joining right in too. We have already been to a day event and a weekend event (camping for the first time ever as a family!). The older two kids have been doing chivalric (combat) practice. (Kat was in the finals after 2 practices! We are so proud of her.) Robert sung at the Torchlight fights. Lilly tried to join the fire dancers!

We are staying home this weekend and what are we doing? Robert is out making me and Kat inkle looms for weaving and I am in researching and starting to get things ready for making tunics and dresses! Linen is ordered, and I will probably go get a little more from JoAnn's since it is on sale and I only need some off white type colors (that is really all they have!).

We are all wanting to get into archery, Robert wants to do siege weapons, I want to do blackwork, and Robert and I are interesting in scribal, and the list goes on and on... These are things that we kept saying we wanted to do or learn. And now as a family we are working on it! Teaching history in a more hands on way in the process as well some practical skills (sewing, woodworking, ...).