Author Archives: Grace Mischenko

Industrious boys…

Posted on by

Today our boys approached us about wanting to start their own car wash.  My 6yods was rather funny, thinking they were going to build a car wash, like the ones in town!  “I wonder how they are going to do that?!!?”  We told them they could practice on OUR vehicles!  They look much better.  Daddy even went down to the hardware store and bought some car wash soap for them.


 


After they were done (it took them quite a while just to do Daddy's commuter car and the minivan), Daddy suggested that instead of a car wash, they put up some posters advertising that they are looking for odd jobs.  Here is the text that my oldest came up with for the flyer:


 


Eager young men looking for odd jobs


 


Mowing, Raking, and other jobs


 


Please call ***-****


 


I really hope they get something out of it.  We try to keep them busy, but there just isn't a lot of work to be done around here.  Besides, we only pay them for the “extra” work that they do.  Once we get moved onto our property, there will be plenty of work for them to do.


 


I also don't want to squelch the entrprenurial spirit in them.  My oldest has wanted his own business since he was 5 years old, and constantly comes up with funny ideas on how to make money.  We don't really live in the kind of place that they can set up a lemonade stand (although they HAVE tried it!), so it is hard coming up with something that they can do.


 


We will see what happens!

Dinner plans

Posted on by

I think I am going to start keeping track of what we have for dinner on my blog so I can refer back to it, so here goes what I can remember for the week:


 


Tuesday: Leftover Spaghetti


Wednesday (town day): Frozen Chicken Enchiladas and rice


Thursday: BLT's, pasta salad, fruit smoothies


Friday: Chicken & Dumplings, garden salad, leftover pasta salad


Saturday: Colorful Kielbasa (rice and meat dish), leftover garden salad


 


Ok, that's as far back as I can remember.  Tomorrow is potluck at church, and I am thinking of taking brownies, mashed potatoes, and some moose hamburger gravy to go with it.  I have to run it by dh though and see if he approves.  My backup plan would be to make another batch of Colorful Kielbasa.  It's always a big hit.


 


On the agenda for next week is (not necessarily in this order):


 


Meatloaf


Taco Salad


Tostadas


Roast


 


That's all I can think of right now.

Postcard exchanging

Posted on by

We just started exchanging postcards with other homeschoolers!  I received emails from people who will be sending us postcards from New Mexico, Texas (this one might be from NASA), South Carolina (She is going to try to send one from NY too), Georgia, North Carolina, Balboa Spain, Japan, and Korea!  We have also emailed someone in France and are hoping to get one of the Eiffel Tower!


 


This is very exciting for the kids, as they will get mail, a picture of different places as well as a stamp!  If anyone wants to exchange from where you live, we would be happy to send you a postcard of Alaska.  We don't mind getting duplicates from states either, as the likelyhood of getting the same postcard is pretty slim.  We are especially hoping for cards of an historical nature, or of something special about each area, for example, a famous landmark, waterfall, mountain, etc.  I will be trying to send pictures of Mt. McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America, unless something else is requested.


 


I am also going to start having dh pick up postcards as he travels, so we should expand our collection pretty quickly at the rate he has been going places!   Too bad I didn't think of this when he went to Boston last month!


 


Anyway, just email me if you would like to do an exchange with us!  We can also probably get Seattle postcards pretty easily, as dh is there just about every month for business.

And yet another mis-adventure

Posted on by

This morning, dh and I were lazing around in bed, and the kids were getting breakfast.  I made these little cakes for A's birthday yesterday, and there were a few left over, so they asked dh if they could each have one for breakfast.  He said sure.  Well, the cakes I made have a fudge sauce in the middle, so in order to make it a “lava” cake, there are directions for reheating them in the microwave.  Well, my oldest didn't read the directions, but just decided that two minutes would be good.  Next thing I hear is a bunch of commotion, and then, “Get Micah out of the smoke!”



Dh and  I run out there to find the whole main room of our house engulfed in smoke, and smoke pouring out of the microwave!  Well, almost two hours later, and all of the windows and the door open, and the fan going, it still has a lingering smell of smoke, especially in the kitchen.  YUCK!!  I think my oldest learned his lesson though, at least I HOPE so!  I have candles burning too, but it is really chilly outside today, so I have closed up most of the windows.


 


One adventure after another….

Another birthday boy!

Posted on by

Happy Birthday to my 2nd born!  He turned 10 today!  I now have two children in double digits.  This son is lovable, a snuggler, high-energy, hard-working, helpful, and great with his baby brother and sister.


 


We are having lasagne for dinner, Chocolate Lava Cake and orange sherbet for dessert.  Strange combination, but that's what he wants.


 


He is getting hip waders and water boots too, as well as a Dinosaur Lego set, some poetry books, and a fiction book.  His brothers and sister also picked out a Star Wars Lego set and a little electronic game with a bunch of games on it.


 


My kids are so good about getting things for their siblings that they would really enjoy, and not thinking about what they themselves would like to get.  I find it so sweet.  Oh, he has learned how to make fried eggs, and chocolate chip cookies!  I think his cookies are better than mine!


 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, my handsome young man!!!

Baby update

Posted on by

The baby is doing really well. We are having our 5th boy, and he still
doesn't have a name. 😉 He seems to be really small too. My hips are
doing pretty well this time! Praise God! They are still achy and sore
at times, but don't pop nearly like they did with the last two babies.
He was breech a few weeks ago, but on Wednesday I went in and he has
turned head down. He is still pretty little, so he could move again,
but I am hoping to encourage him to stay that way.

Both of my last two babies came two weeks early, so he may come in the
middle of August. I am planning for him to do so, but not expecting it,
so I will be ready but not too anxious. He is REALLY low (people have
asked if he has dropped already), so I am also planning for a very fast
labor (they usually are pretty fast anyway!). My contractions have
already started, about 5 a day or so. Mine always start 2-4 weeks
before delivery, so when I show up for delivery I am usually at 5cm or
more.

We won't be moving until after the baby is born now. All of *our* plans
have changed. Our church family laughs at us and says we should write a
story about our changes, but we are just trying to figure out our
all-knowing God's plan, so it isn't really our fault! LOL! We are back
to our first plan of moving our house 50 miles onto our own property.
Aren't you excited Janet!!! Don't worry, we will be posting pictures
and maybe even a video clip when it happens! Oh, and as a side note,
one of the bridges that we *have* to go under is only 3 inches taller
than our house will be on one side, and 7 inches taller on the other
side! We will make sure to get that on video!!

Prayer requests would be that we would make the hour drive in time for
delivery, that everything would go smoothly and baby would be healthy,
that the house plans will be finalized soon (dh is hoping to go to the
bank next week to get the construction loan), that all of the
sub-contractors would get their bids back to us soon, and that dh would
be able to be home more often than he has been. (He was gone for four
days this last week, and for most of the month of June.)

I am also a little anxious about this delivery. For some reason, I keep
thinking I should have this one at the hospital. My last three have
been with the midwives at the birthing center with no complications and
I never gave it a second though, but this time I just feel uneasy. My
midwife thinks it is because dh has been gone so much. I just don't
know. I was really looking forward to living in town with this one, and
that won't be happening now, so that may be part of it too. Just please
pray for peace of mind for me.

Our mis-adventure yesterday

Posted on by

You know, what would we do if life was boring and simple?  Having five children, and another one on the way, we don't get any “boring” days.  Yesterday was definitely not boring.


 


We were getting ready to go to the library.  My youngest (18mos.) LOVES to be outside, so I got him all ready, and let him out the door.  The other kids were outside too, so I figured he was fine.  One of the kids got something out of the van and left the door open, so the baby, who *loves* to play in the van, climbed in.  His sister got in with him, and played for a little while, then got tired of it, and got out, closing the door.


 


I'm really not sure how it got locked, but I can only assume that the little imp couldn't keep his hands off of the power lock button.  Of course when I tried to get him to UN-lock it, he would only push the button down, not up.   I did manage to get him to pull on the front door handle, but he can't quite pull it all the way out, so the lock only lifted a little, and I still couldn't open the door.


 


I called a neighbor friend of ours whose husband owns a plumbing and heating business, thinking just maybe he would have a Slim Jim.  Nope.  And none of his employees had one either.  I called the troopers whose station is right around the corner, and he said they weren't issued Slim Jim's anymore.  Why not?!!?  He did come over anyway, just to see what he could do, but he couldn't really do anything.  He mentioned that they have had to break a window to get a child out when it was 85 degrees, but it wasn't nearly that hot yesterday, and one of the back windows was open so the baby was getting fresh air.


 


The baby also handed me a water bottle that I was able to open for him, and we could hand him crackers too.  He never got scared or worried; I think he just didn't understand why we were all standing around the car talking to him.  Oh, and he found my cell phone and called my SIL!  I could see through the window who the call had gone to, so as soon as he closed the phone, I called her on my home phone and explained the situation.  She said that if we had to break a window, we should make sure to call a glass repair shop and get an estimate on which window would be cheapest to replace.  She said that most people break one that is more expensive to replace.  She would know; her father is the manager at a Speedy Glass shop, and she used to work for him!  Interesting to know.


 


Anyway, the trooper suggested we call a tow truck driver, and the closest one was up in Trapper Creek, about 14 miles up the highway.  We live out in the boonies, so there are no taxi drivers available, who I have been told are a lot cheaper.  I called the tow truck driver who said he would be on his way.  In the meantime, the trooper left, since there wasn't anything he could do.  He said it had happened to him before too.  He was really nice about it.


 


I called my MIL at work, and she said she knew of a couple of guys in town who had Slim Jims so she tried to get ahold of them, but they were 14 miles away from us a different direction.  Finally, the tow truck driver showed up, whipped his Slim Jim together, used some rubber wedges to wedge the door open a crack, put what looked like a blood pressure cuff in the small opening, pumped it up a little to widen the gap, stuck his Slim Jim in the door, pulled the latch up, opened the door, turned to me and said, “That will be $60,” and walked to his truck to put his Slim Jim away.  Ouch!  I wonder how much a Slim Jim costs….


 


So, an hour after we had planned to leave for the library, we were finally on our way.  That was our little adventure for the day yesterday.  The boys thought learning about Slim Jims was pretty neat though!

Change of our plans…again…

Posted on by

Well, the Lord appears to be closing windows and doors that we thought were wide open, and re-opening a door that we thought was closed.  We will probably not be moving to Palmer next month like we thought.  It just isn't going to work financially now that these other doors appear to be closing.  Like how I am qualifying all of these statements?!?


 


Proverbs 16:9 says, A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.


 


We can plan our lives all that we want, but the LORD is ultimately in control, and if we truly listen to Him, and not forge ahead with what we think or feel should be done, we will be better off for it.


 


Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.


 


Proverbs 3:5-6 says, Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.


 


What more can I do?  Nothing.  I can only pray and ask Him to give me the strength to follow His leading and be content with His plans.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY B!!!

Posted on by

Today is my oldest's birthday.  He is now 11 years old.  He is so smart.  He has been reading since he was 5 years old, and I don't just mean reading every once in a while, I mean he has been literally reading since he was 5 years old!  I have to restrict him from reading as punishment sometimes!  He reads on a high school or maybe college level.  The latest series of books he is devouring is C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy!  He is on That Hideous Strength now.  He is finding it harder to slug through, as most adults do, but he is keeping at it.  I think I gave up.  I don't think I finished it.  I had him read a biography of C.S. Lewis, and he really enjoyed that too.


 


He has so may aspirations.  He wants to be an author foremost.  He always has.  One of his books that he wrote when he was 5 he titled The Difference Between Pagans and Christians.  It was a really interesting 5yo view of it.  I may post it here if I can find the file without too much effort.  He has written several children's books, and is constantly coming up with ideas for new books.  I have a hard time keeping him on task to actually finish one before he starts another though.  I don't want to discourage his imagination, but I don't want him to create a bad habit either.


 


He is getting chest waders, a box of Knex, and books for his birthday.  He requested the next two books in the Redwall series, and I also bought him Boyhood and Beyond, and Thoughts for Young Men from Vision Forum.  His brothers bought him a fanny pack tackle box too.  He should be ecstatic about the chest waders, as he requested hip waders, but I couldn't find his size (it's seriously fishing season up here right now!  The shelves were pretty picked through!) and the chest waders were not much more than the hip boots anyway.  Besides, we have lots of kids that will be able to use them once he outgrows them!


 


Well, I better get my grocery list together for dh for him to pick up on his way home, as I didn't go to town this week like I thought I would be.  Dh blocked out his afternoon so he could be sure to leave work early enough to make it home for dinner.  (He has a two hour drive home.)  I also need to get the cake baked and frosted, and the house straightened up again.  Dh's mom and brother are coming over tonight to celebrate with us.  My folks already gave him a gift card to a bookstore.  They know the way to his heart!  LOL!

Proud of myself!

Posted on by

I have been dealing with my anger much better lately.  I have to remember how I used to be when the kids were little too.  I am SO much better now than I was then.  I have to realize that I am God's work in progress.  I am not going to be perfect immediately.  He is faithful to help me be the woman, wife, and mother that He wants me to be.  Thanks for all of your comments and prayers.