Wowzers! I must have bored ya'll to tears yesterday with my Lacto-Fermented lecture... sorry about that, I thought I had more on board with me. :) haha
I thought I would tell you tonight about some things we do around our house... some of our habits, of our traditions.  Some so fun they have been adapted to other households we are in contact with.
We like to sit around the table at supper time.  I feel it is important to sit together, this is the heart... the family meal, the time to talk, to listen, to hear what is important to our family.  Around the dinner table we play
High and Low
So here is how tonights High and Low session looked...
Mom: So Abram whats your High/Low?
Abram: My Low (in Abramish) Popa Ronnie took away the excavator. (My Dad parks his equipment in a field beside our house... when he moves it to go to a job Abram is distraught)
My High-the good supper.   (the reason supper was so good for him is that we had applesauce to go with it, the child LOVES applesauce!)
And so we go around the table from youngest to oldest including Moma and Daddy until we share our best and not so best times with each other.
Like I said, it is a contagious thing... our nieces have taken it home and they now do it, a friends children took it and now they do it... and so on.
Another thing we sometimes do is have *Movie Night*
Oh, this is a grand thing.  Moma makes popcorn, the lights all get turned off, the curtains are all pulled and we watch a movie (usually one from our collection). 
We had movie night tonight because we are still recovering from our bought with a stomach bug.  Everyone got comfy and we watched Nim's Island.
Sometimes we even try to get the FULL movie experience by making our own commercials... My Cameo has a now infamous commercial that we all giggle about when it is brought up...
~~~Slim Jim... It's GOOD for you!~~~
Just say that and we all roll. :)
So what about you guys? Do you have some family traditions that you want to share?  Some special things that you do for fun...  If so let me know... I would love to hear from you.
And Dear Marcy and so many others... So sorry it has taken me all week to get this out for you...

Homemade Hamburger Buns
Hamburger buns made with whole grains need to cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing and eating, because whole-grain flours hold moisture longer than white flour.

3 cups all-purpose flour plus additional flour for kneading 2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup toasted wheat germ
2 packages active dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening

Place 1 1/2 cups each all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour, the toasted wheat germ, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, preferably a heavy-duty one with a paddle attachment, briefly mix together the ingredients.

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the shortening. Add the milk and sugar and heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is very warm, but no hotter than 120 or 130 degrees. With the mixer at low speed, slowly pour milk mixture into flour mixture until blended. Increase to medium speed and beat mixture for about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup each white flour and whole wheat flour and beat 2 minutes more. Add 1 cup white flour and beat until dough comes away from sides of bowl.

Knead dough on a lightly floured surface about 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. (Use very little additional flour.) Place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise in a warm place until double in volume, about 1 or 1 1/2 hours.

Gently punch dough down and divide dough into four equal portions. Divide each portion into fourths and allow dough to rest just 5 minutes. Form the small portions into balls and with fingertips fold edges under to form even circles. Place on lightly greased baking sheets, about 2-inches apart and with fingertips flatten each bun to a 3-inch circle. (If you prefer the sides of the buns to remain soft, place them closer together. Then as the buns rise the sides will touch.) Cover with a towel and set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Adjust rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees at least 20 minutes before baking. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and buns sound hollow when tapped lightly. Cool completely on wire rack before slicing. (Or cool and freeze, well-wrapped, for up to 1 week.) Makes 16.

To form hot dog buns: Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, pat or roll out each portion to a rectangle about 14 x 5 inches. Cut about eight 5 x 2 inch strips from each rectangle. Between the palms of your hands, roll each portion into 6-inch long buns. Place buns, about 2-inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover loosely with a cloth towel and set aside in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake as directed for hamburger buns.

Variations
Wheat Berries: Add 1/3 cup wheat berries and a dash of salt to 2 cups boiling water. Cover saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to cool, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Drain and dry them well. With wooden spoon, stir wheat berries into dough before kneading it.

Walnuts: Toast 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts in a 325 degree oven about 10 minutes. Cool and with a wooden spoon stir into dough before kneading it.

Olives: Coarsely chop 1/3 cup pitted, oil- or brine-cured black or green olives. With wooden spoon (or paddle attachment and mixer at low speed) stir olives into dough before kneading it.

Sesame Seeds: After shaping buns, lightly brush top of buns with an egg white lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water. Sprinkle sesame seeds over glaze. Cover lightly with a towel and allow buns to rise before baking
Have a Beautiful Night!!!

This week’s theme is about sharing your 2008-09 homeschool agendas and plans. You’ve been preparing your plans for sometime and you’re ready to go. Or you’re still in the planning-stage and need some inspiration or tips on what to use. Because many use different curriculum and methods there is always something new to be gleaned from other homeschoolers. It’s always fun and interesting to see what other’s are using and the WWWWH as Robin Sampson suggests. So this week I hope you will share what you’re doing this year for your homeschool agenda. Share the different curriculum you’re using. You can also include what age/grade you’re using it for, how long you’ve been using it, and why you like it.

This is my second try at typing this up, I was almost finished when homesteadblogger decided to eat my post.

As far as homeschooling our family is eclectic in nature.  I combine unit studies, classical and Charlotte Mason methods to suit us.  We love notebooking, lapbooking and getting outside for nature time!

Our main curriculum is Five in a Row (FIAR) and Before Five in a Row.  I really can't say enough good things about their programs.  It is an excellent literature based unit study.  Each unit is based on a quality picture book that is read each day.  Then each day you do activities based on it.  They have suggestions for daily subjects or you can do your own. This program covers social studies, literature, art, history, science and applied math.  Adding in your favorite phonics and math program would give you a full and rich curriculum.

Even though FIAR is plenty for learning my girls have lots of different interests.  So I've picked out some other good multi year books to fill their interests.

• Science
• Apologia Botany
• Nature Studies
• We will also be doing smaller units on the human body and weather.

History

• Story of the World Vol. 1 ~ We started this last year and are moving through it slowly.  We should be able to finish it this year.

Social Studies/Geography

• Canada My Country
• Paddle To The Sea
• Continents

Language Arts

• First Language Lessons
• Christian Liberty Press Spelling
• Copy Work (selected from Bible, FIAR books, Poems etc.)
• Christian Liberty Press Nature Reader 1
• Teach Your Child to Read 100 Easy Lessons

Math

• Math U See

We LOVE this program!  It fits very well with visual and hands on learners.  DD6 is almost done Alpha and will start Beta in a few weeks.  DD4 might also start on the Primer this year to. 

French

• Ecoutez! Parlez!  Book/cd 1

Bible Studies

• Leading Little Ones to God
• Five in a Row Christian Supplement

Art/Music
We do a different picture study on an artist each month or so.  And use the Same method for studying composers.

We keep lessons short and do a lot of reading together.  "Extra" subjects beyond the 3 R's and FIAR are done 1 or 2 each day.  This gives us time to fit in everything we enjoy with out the stress of a long day.

A break down grade by grade:

Preschool, 2 year old (3 this fall)

• Before Five in a Row
• Lots of hands on activities and play

PreK, 4 year old

• Before Five in a Row
• Five in a Row
• Leading Little Ones to God
• Nature Studies
• Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons

Grade 1, 6 year old

• Five in a Row
• SOTW
• Canada My country
• Math U See Beta
• Ecoutez! Parlez!  Book/cd 1
• Leading Little Ones to God
• Apologia Botany
• Nature Studies
• First Language Lessons
• Christian Liberty Press Spelling
• Copy Work (selected from Bible, FIAR books, Poems etc.)
• Christian Liberty Press Nature Reader 1

I found these quotes that I'd recorded in September 1998... are they still true, 10 years later?

"If you're not in God's Word, you're not in God's will." Sam Dodd

"Out of relationships, ministry happens." Terry Lang

"The enemy of communication is the illusion of it." Bruce Kesler

"What one does doesn't make something sacred or secular - it is why he does it." A. W. Tozer

"If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself." D. L. Moody

"Try not to become a man of success. Rather, become a man of value." Einstein

"Children become spoiled when we substitute 'presents' for 'presence.'" Dr. Anthony P. Witham

"For many little girls, life with father is a dress rehearsal for love and marriage." Dr. David Jeremiah

"We should be using things and loving people, not vice versa." Unknown

"If I can be intimate with everybody, then I can't really be intimate with anybody." Terry Lang

"A man's children and his garden both reflect the amount of weeding done during the growing season." Unknown

I have a fair amount of friends but not that many homeschooling friends. In May I held an Usborne book show with both homeschooling and non-hs freinds in attendance. We had a wonderful time and that made me realize that I should get together more often with my friends! So one of the things I have done is start a homeschooling group, which I refer to as  my "Let's Talk Homeschooling" group. I only know 3 other homeschooling moms, so the group consists of the 4 of us (and the 11 kids we have between us). We got together once in July and now once in August. Both times I've invited the group over to my house. Next month one of the other gals volunteered to have us over at her house, which will be a fun treat. My house is fairly small to begin with - add in 3 other moms, 9 other children and it will seem extremely small during the colder months when the kids can't enjoy our backyard. Anyway... the group has been such a blessing. In July we mostly chatted about our upcoming plans for the school year. Now at this week's meeting, we were able to talk about how things are going since all of us have started school now. All of us have a child in K or 1st Grade, in addition to younger kids not "in school" yet. One mom sent her daughter to K last year at a public school. And one other mom has homeschooled for 2 years now (K and 1), so she's the "expert."  

We just have a lot of fun together and hope to continue to get together on a monthly basis, to encourage one another and give help where it's needed.

I simply hate the thought of a mom struggling with homeschooling and not having a place to turn for support. I would hate to see her give up because she thinks she can't do it (when anybody CAN), when she thinks she's facing something that nobody else does (SOMEBODY out there has faced whatever we're facing). So in a small way this group is my attempt to encourage some other gals in my sphere of influence as they take on the challenge of homeschooling. And in the process, I am encouraged and blessed as well!

Hmmm...loaded question, I know.

What do I mean -- little land? little food? little money?

All of the above, I guess.

Say you have 2 acres of land, good zoning (meaning you can have animals and do what you wish). On this 2 acre patch you are wanting to set up homesteading. Maybe raise a beef cow or two, have a couple of hogs for processing, certainly chickens and maybe even a handful of rabbits.

You want room for the children and for family entertaining, of course. And there are 7 children in the mix.

So...how do you do it? Can you do it? Will it work?

Here's my thoughts...and they are not overly complete by any stretch...do chime in and give me ideas and share your experience!

Well, 2 acres isn't alot, but I do think it can be done. It all depends on how much you really want it to work. Chickens and rabbits are easy to start with and easiest for housing. Back north I'd build according to winter needs...something we can enclose for more indoor spacing during really cold, snowy, nasty weather. Rabbits are just as easy -- and let's not forget, prolific breeders -- so maybe just adding a room onto the end of the chicken coop to run a couple rows of cages.

Cows and pigs are moving into different territory. We have hogs. Pain in the rump roasts but oh-so delicious afterward. Not sure I'd care to have any more in the future, though. I am not convinced they are truly worth the aggravation yet. Still, pigs and cows can pasture together easily enough, but space? There isn't really alot with 2 acres, so we aren't necessarily looking at keeping them on pasture, so feed over winter...maybe raise them to butcher off before winter each year? Could be do-able, but really...I rather think the variety of animals on such a small space just isn't going to be easily achieved.

Garden and fruit space? Plenty of it, I think. My focus would be an awesome garden with more than enough food to go around, and lining that with fruit trees and bramble fruits. Then I'd look to those chickens and rabbits for our main food source. Maybe barter off some fresh chickens and rabbits for the occasional splurge of beef for dinner.

I just don't see the larger animals on the small space being cost effective. There won't be enough space to adequately rotate pasture areas and allow for regrowth. Dry-lots are doable, but not very animal friendly, and definitely not cost effective.

My personal thought (ya' knew I'd have at least one, right??). It ain't happening. Not such grand scale plans on such small scale land. It's a great size for a beginner homesteader, certainly, but I think it's setting the cart before the horse to plan on diving in head-first on this scale. Maybe I'm totally wrong (yes, it's been known to happen once or twice before...) but I think something on that scale will pretty much turn one off of homesteading. It's just too much, too fast.

What would I do, newbie from the city let's say, I've just bought my 2 acres and I'm getting itchy feet for homesteading? Garden and fruits, chickens and rabbits. Forget the cow and pigs for now. Plug every available penny into the 'land fund' kitty and pray for another few acres adjoining to open up. Or, start honing my skills now and save for that greener pasture down yonder road in a few years. I'd be learning all I could about canning, drying and preserving everything from that awesome garden and homestead orchard. I'd be changing my lifestyle to accommodate more chicken and rabbit, less burger and chops. I'd be starting on that homestead path of make if from scratch.


That would become the family creed. Everything homemade from scratch, natural and moving in large strides toward self-sufficiency and complete God-reliance.

Then, one day, when I was no longer that newbie from the city with big plans I'd venture off to my real, true, forever patch of God's Green Earth. Fully armed with my homesteading skills and prepared to learn more skills...like raising the family beef cow and the mini herd of piggies (hmmm...would a group of pigs be a herd?). Maybe at that point I'd be ready to even raise some of my own grains for feed, too, or a bit of hay for winter storage.

What do you think?

I was reminded again today of the importance of having a monthly budget (and sticking to it)! A budget has been extremely important for our family finances for the last few years. On the first day of each month, DH and I sit down together and look at the previous month's budget (to make sure we stuck to it) and then set the new month's budget (I set the preliminary figures ahead of time, using Excel). This way we both are on the same page, even though I am the one who pays the bills and generally handles the checkbook. He knows what is going on too and could pick it up at any time, if need be. Generally our "discretionary funds" are used for paying down our school loan debt or saving.

So, this afternoon I need to spend some time wrapping up the August figures and projecting the September ones in time for our Budget Committee Meeting this weekend.

Homeschooling goes on...

Ever had one of those mornings where school just sort of starts rather on its own?

I over-slept. Not that I've never slept beyond children rising and getting busy, but once in a while, it does happen.

I think I'm more 'thoughtful' of my husband's leaving this weekend for his new job than I care to admit.

He will be gone a good 12-18 months. He'll only be 6 hours away, but still...we've never really been apart for any serious length of time. He has gone to help on jobsites where he might be there 7-10 days...but 12-18 months??

I'm not really worried -- LOL, we're stout country folk here. No, let me rephrase myself -- we are stout backwoods, mountain-living, rural folk.


Think some sort of combination of Caroline Ingalls meets Olivia Walton meets Ma Kettle.

That would be us. The Ingalls-Walton-Kettle family. We are just the other side of rural out here on our mountain, but we have enough civilization around us to be comfortable. Town is about 13 miles down the mountain and over the highway. hey -- we're big time now -- we just got a Super Wal-Mart here.

But, I just haven't had a sound sleep all of this week now and today, it sort of caught up with me I guess. The children have morning tasks done aside from barn chores, and some are doing school without me.

Our schooling looks like this...on a good day...Rod & Staff books scattered along the harvest table we have. There is math, English, several Pathway Readers, the large KJV Bible and the big green Webster's Dictionary. The white board is ready with Bible verses for copy and memory work. Someone might be over in the living room, listening to a CD from Homeschool Radio Shows to give us a narrative later on. And the littles are coloring. That's their main contribution to a school day most of the time. They grab their ABC series and the crayons (ok, they are crayons only in the loosest of sense....how do you keep proper, intact crayons with so many oungers around?) and they begin creating masterpieces of school work for the day.

We have several read-aloud times during the day. Could be Considering God's Creation, or Mystery of History, our Heroes of History books, or some of our family reading time books...Little House on the Prairie series, Dear America or My America series, or any of our Rod & Staff story books we've been collecting.

Later today someone will have started a Daniel Boone DVD and most will be sitting in the living room. They might pick Christy, but usually they go for Daniel Boone...or one of the original Adventures of Robin Hood. We like that old time television stuff 'round here.

But...as I sit here, school is going on...crayons are all over, and one of the middles is reading a Pathway Reader while the youngers work on their math workbooks...one complaining because another is getting farther ahead.

This is a good morning. It's these days, when Mom might not be doing her part as she should and school just flows along regardless, that I sit back and get that warm, fuzzy, homeschool-y kind of feeling. Right now, public school would be nothing but arguments and paper fights and mayhem.

Don't get me wrong -- we have mayhem here too. Quite often.

That's why we live just on the other side of rural. That's where the Kettle side of the family comes into the mix!

Okay, so you have heard me going on about making things from scratch, from your own kitchen, with your own hands.  So here is something else. 
I have shared with you about making my own Salsa, I have blogged about it a few times.  This, however, is a bit different.  I am not cooking any of the ingredients.  It is all raw, fermented, yummy goodness.
We had quite a picking of peppers and tomatoes out of the garden this weekend and so I got on the bandwagon and made up some of this highly nutritious salsa. 
What is Lacto-Fermented you ask?
Well, it is...

Studies repeatedly have shown that daily consumption of lacto-fermented vegetables helps in reestablishment and maintenance of beneficial intestinal flora, and aids immune function.  These raw fermented vegetables aid digestion, relieve constipation and are associated with decreased allergies and infections. Fermented cabbage is an excellent source of a protective factor called DIM, which is lost by standard cooking methods.  Raw unfermented cabbage and its relatives depress thyroid function.

You can read a little more about it here and here.
The second site says...
  Lacto-fermented foods have been around for a very long time.  Common in Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and North and Central European cuisine, fermentation has been used to enhance the flavor of food, create food, and help food having a longer shelf life.  Fermented foods are delicious and nutritious.  These traditional foods are key to our health.

Fermentation allows the bacteria, yeasts and molds to "predigest" and therefore break down the carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to create "Probiotics" which offer friendly bacteria into our digestive tract.  This helps keep our immune system strong and supports our overall digestive health. 

Probiotics are particularly important when we are sick and are taking antibiotics.  Antibiotics kill off all the bacteria, the bad that are making you sick and also the good bacteria.  That's why many people get yeast infections when they take antibiotics.  Probiotics reintroduce good helpful bacteria into our digestive tract so that while the bad bug is being fought by the antibiotics, we won't get other sickness on top of that.  Acidophilus pills are a Probiotic which many of us take when we are taking antibiotics.  Look for pills that have billions of live flora.  Look for pills that must be refrigerated.  Jarrow is a good brand.  They make some just for kids too that taste good and are cute shapes.

Fermented foods are enzyme rich foods that are alive with micro-organisms.  These foods allow beneficial microflora to "colonize" in our intestines (and for moms-to-be, also in the birth canal) to keep us healthy.  Our "inner ecosystem" helps support our health and fight infection.   A healthy gastrointestinal tract (GI) is critical to a strong immune system.  Diets rich in fermented foods, as well as fruits and vegetables, are best for us to in order to maintain a strong healthy body.

Fermented foods aid in digestion, promote healthy flora in our digestive tract, produce beneficial enzymes, offer us better nutrition and allow our bodies to absorb vitamins (in particular C, and B12), minerals, nutritional value and omega 3s more effectively from foods.  They regulate the level of acidity in the digestive tract and act as anti-oxidants.  Fermented foods contain the same isothiocyanates found in cruciferous vegetables and therefore fight and prevent cancer. 

Many fermented foods on the market today are not true fermented foods because they are created to maximize profits and shelf life instead of our health.  They are not as beneficial.  It's important that we eat foods that are fermented with "Active" or "Live" Cultures.  Pasteurization kills off the living bacteria so look for unpasteurized and fresh fermented foods (in the grocery refrigerator section).  Since fermentation is a way to keep the living enzymes alive, it goes against the theory to use pasteurized (or dead) milk, for example, but you can make yogurt and kefir with pasteurized milk, it just won't be as robust and beneficial.

 

So here are 2 of my beautiful 5 quarts of Lacto-Fermented Salsa

These type of foods are going to be so beneficial to our family right, being that we have passed our sicknesses back and forth to one another for way too long...
Between this, our wonderful daily dose of CLO (cod liver oil) and ACV (Organic Apple Cider Vinegar) and our weekly trip to our favorite Chiropractor,  we should be fit as fiddles again in no time. 

There are times when convenience is so alluring, times when you are just too tired to do things right, some times when you don't plan like you (I) should.  When money is tight and you forgo the things that are the most beneficial for you.  And then you get sick and realize what you have done.  I am resolved, to not let our family go under-nourished again.  My family has never went underfed, but we have been under-nourished and it is time this Moma steps up to the plate and changes that. :)

Let's not be slaves to this overpriced and unhealthy food that is out there tempting you with time saving convenience... What good is time saving when we are doing nothing but damaging our families... Let's take control of our lives and start really feeding our families body and soul.

So, if you don't have the copy of NT... really it is an EXCELLENT purchase!! You can check here to buy your own copy.

Here is the recipe

Salsa the Nourishing Traditions Way

Makes 1 quart

• 4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
• 2 small onions, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup chopped chile pepper, hot or mild
• 6-8 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped (optional... but not really)
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Juice of two lemons
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons of whey (if not available use and additional 1 tablespoon salt)
• 1/4 cup filtered water

Mix all ingredients and place in a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jar.  Press down lightly with a wooden pounder or a meat hammer, adding more water if necessary to cover the veggies.  The top of the vegetables should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar.  Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 2 days before transferring to cold storage.

That's it... easy peasy.  You are now on your way to some incredible goodness for your family.  My friend Katie noted that she had some she left in her fridge for a month and found it, ate it that day and it was delicious. 

Have a great day, and Marcy, I haven't forgotten you on the hamburger buns, it is coming... really! :)

Last weekend my mom and two sisters-in-law from Wisconsin came to northern Indiana for our annual women's outing. We had a wonderful time! We took a horse carriage ride (a long-time dream of Mom's). We enjoyed the waterpark at our hotel (Splash Universe). My sis-in-law M had planned a special time of footwashing and prayer on Friday night, which was very meaningful and a great way to kick-off the weekend. On Saturday, we took a free tour of the South Bend Chocolate Company (SB Chocolate Company) and partook of their free samples. Then off for a quick stroll through a beautiful river park area in Mishawaka and to Vogue Beauty College for facials! Because there were so many Amish around the area and we had lots of questions about the Amish and Mennonite way of life, we visited the MennoHof which is an information center and museum dedicated to the Amish/Mennonites. We learned a lot there during their hour long tour. Then we strolled through some Amish shops in Shipshewana and enjoyed supper at The Blue Gate Restaurant which was excellent! That evening we did a craft back at the hotel and once again enjoyed the lazy river at the waterpark. Sunday morning they dropped me off at my church while they headed back home to Wisconsin. We had a wonderful time just enjoying spending time each other and making memories.  

Dewey will be heading over to Arkansas this weekend to get started on the new job.  We are all excited about the prospects this job will offer, though the time away isn't top on our favorite list.  We have plans, though.  Plans for visits alot...and plans for a living history study this year

Do keep us lifted in prayer if we come to mind.  Dewey for peace while gone from home where his heart is deeply embedded, and for safety while traveling and living there.  And for us, who will miss him terribly, but want this all to work for the best for the family.  So, we will be cheerful and trust that The Lord is working all of this for our benefit.  He has been guiding us in this since it first came up and we each have peace over the decision.  Still, being apart is hard for the flesh to be happy about.

The other notebook computer here is off on the FedEx truck.  It had an accident and needs repair or replacement.  Thank you Lord for great warranties!  This notebook is next to head out.  I thought I'd try waiting for the other to return, but it will be a minimum of 10 working days.  Our warranty coverage is up the end of September and if they aren't working properly after walking through everything they keep trying, I want them repaired or replaced.  That's what I paid for.  We bought the big warranty...it covers everything under the sun that could ever possibly happen to these things...if Wild Child takes them to the barn and the piggies play with them -- it's covered!  If they end up in the driveway and get run over -- it's covered.  If someone spills their bowl of cereal or glass of tea over the keyboard and it turns pretty blue and green colors in little lightening flashes -- it's covered.  With this family, we thought ahead and wanted to be prepared, kwim?

Well, I need to gather some items for Dewey's paperwork and get back to the chores of the day here.  I might be missing in action for a couple of weeks if both computers head off for repair.  Need to close some group mails until then!  See you when I get back online!