Cotton, Wool, and JT

The first batch of caramels of the year were made today.  It was an attempt to lift the melancholy.  I blame it on the funk.  The caramels were only temporarily and mildly successful.  (But oh so good while it lasted.)

I've decided and am ready to declare that I am not interested in either doing what it takes or trying to attain a successful blog.  (Obviously.  Ha!)  It's time to acknowledge that this blog serves no other purpose than to meet the need of my infrequent desire to write things out.  And it's a pretty mixed bag at that.  (But, if for some reason you should feel compelled to stick around, be my guest!)

Due to a first-ever run-in with yeast rash on the baby girl this summer I made the jump to cloth diapers.  I've always loved cotton, it's always been a favorite, and now I love it even more.  These diapers are amazing.  I love cloth diapers.  I have a supply of Thirsties covers and I started out with two woolies.  But shortly in to my experiment I began to favor the wool soakers.  (My love, awe, and respect for wool has grown and now rivals that of the cotton.  It's truly amazing and until you diaper with it.. wow.  I'm a natural fibers type of gal, through and through.)  Since then I've knit two more soakers and added the green longies to the mix, too.  (I unknowingly knit those wool pants for the babe in utero and now they're fitting her and coming in quite handy.)  There are two more pants and one more vanilla about to be in the works.  Good thing I taught myself how to knit three years ago.

I really like the website iusenfp.com.  I appreciate the work of the guys that run 1flesh.org and I am definitely on board with what they are trying to do.  But I cannot stand their slogan:  bring sexy back.  Ugh!  Yuck!  That is not what it's about.  All I can think of when I hear that is Justin Timberlake.  And I can't stand him.  Or his music or his message or anything else about him other than the fact that he was made by God.  Why would they use such a trashy motto?  Ugh.  I get it, I get it.. they're trying to appeal to the young, modern crowd.  They're trying to make it hip and appealing.  Sex sells??  Maybe they really like Justin Timberlake?  I don't know.  Call me old-fashioned.  Call me a grouchy curmudgeon, I just don't like it.  I guess it's good if it is reaching and appealing to the young, target audience, but to me, the message of true love; sacrificial love; real, self-giving married love is just so much more, so much better, so much higher than that.  I can't help but feel they're cheapening it.  But really, if they were going to go that route, couldn't they have at least used a U2 or a DMB song?! 

Speaking of the righteous movement for the masses, I've also really been enjoying the New Wave Feminists For Life.  They're the real deal when it comes to actual feminism.  I like it.  (you can like them on fb if you're into that sort of thing.  same with the two previous sites.)

We've gotten three weeks of lessons under our belts so far.  And this year I have two students!  One in second grade and the other in kindergarten.  In many ways, I've found that having two students is easier than one.  Now there are only two other children to mind while focusing on instruction with the others, instead of three.  And instead of having just one to focus on and wait for, I have two that I can bounce between while doing the instruction.  Quite surprising!  Though it's only been three weeks, mind you....

We planted our garden again this year and had a nice turnout.  There were a few new additions this year:  dry beans (Jacob's cattle.  or something like that..), asparagus, mint, a new heirloom variety (winter density, I think, it's a head lettuce, somewhat of a cross between bibb and romaine--love it.), and limelight hydrangeas added to our yard border.  We don't have a fenced backyard, so I like planting as much as I can to form a natural fence.

Unfortunately we've been struggling to regain health for at least a good month now.  All four of the children have been sick.  Three of them have been on antibiotics and one of them was put on allergy medicine in addition to that.  Thankfully, though, I feel like we've finally turned that corner and have started back in the right direction.  Hopefully we'll have some nice weather and some healthy children with which to enjoy this upcoming fall season.  Here's hoping that you do, too.