Fence 'im in!

One of my main worries has been the little amount of outdoor time Liam receives. Since we live on a busy street and our unfenced backyard backs right into our neighbors' yards, sitting out with him is a constant "on your feet" adventure. This worked fine on base when I was in my 20s. But frankly, I don't want to be constantly following Liam around like a sheep redirecting him. I guess that would actually make me the shephard, wouldn't it?
So, today I purchase this:

No Dig Fencing

While it won't be sturdy and secure enough to leave him out there, I really hope this will be enough to keep us old fogies from having to chase Liam all over the place, and he will get some more outdoor time. I can sit on the back porch and knit or read, while Liam gets some fresh air. Hope it works!

We had a 40 foot length across the back of our yard, so I just needed to cover that, which is 7 panels. I didn't get one for the side of the house without a gate just now. I will probably block it with a bike and the trash can or something for now. I will post a pic later if it works out!



I'll be picking it up today, assuming it's available.

Definately going more with Charlotte Mason

To be honest, I don't really like the idea of a "method" of homeschooling. It sounds like a made-up idea from the outside, which is just giving up control to someone else. BUT, I have been reading The Charlotte Mason Companion (after reading through the first couple of Charlotte Mason's very dense books) and I just love it. The writer/mom Karen Andreola just sounds like a lovely lady. I remember reading her reviews in Great Christian Books when Tierney was just a toddler, and I always loved her gentle style.

So what does this actually mean? With a 20 month old, I suppose it means we should be spending more time outside soaking up the world. This is hard. My yard doesn't have a fence, and it is VERY small.

We had been planning on sectioning another area of the basement off to make a bedroom for Caleb, but now...I think I want to move. I hate the hassle, mess, and expense of moving-well, who doesn't?-but the young ones need room to run and play. Plus, they raised our rent from 750 to 800, but they had originally wanted to raise it to 900 (which they will get-in this neighborhood). We are worried it will go up again when the lease is up in the summer. So. I think this summer we will need to move. We will likely only find a 4 bedroom, so the girls will have to share, and the babies. It makes more sense for the girls at 17 and 12 to share, than Caleb and Liam at 15 and well, 2 this summer. Plus we are making sacrifices to be in their school district (we really want a place in the country-I'd even live in a trailer!), so they can make this sacrifice.

So, hopefully sometime this summer, Liam will have a back yard. We can't buy a house as hoped this year, but...that isn't a necessity. AND! I have seen acceptable 4 bedrooms(particularly if I get over the idea of trying to impress my facebook "friends") in the right district for 700 to 750. They are older, but not a craftsman's house (like my current house), but noone ever died from living in a ranch home. Priorities, not pride!

You may wonder how a post about Charlotte Mason turned into a post about money. I think this is one of the distinct struggles with homeschooling. Usually, it requires someone to be home most of the time. I can't teach and be home all day. If my husband (well, he will be my husband tomorrow) had already finished college and had a well-established career this might not be an issue. But not all homeschoolers have college degrees and great jobs. Family and home education have to be a priority, because it's a heck of a lot easier to send them to public school and work fulltime.
I can't say for sure that we will homeschool because Liam isn't even quite two. Who knows what the future will bring?  I can only say this is the path I am on right now, and it feels like a nice one.