We got new living room furniture from my great aunt's estate that I'm really excited about. Will post image soon; thinking about painting all the wood white. Finally finished painting trim in dining room after starting at least a month ago. Painting windows is really boring. Have set a goal to finish my three big house projects before new art classes start in my dining room: bathroom plaster, wallpaper, floor tiles, and homemade curtains; paint living room trim and furniture white; and finish laying mulch on half the yard. Bought hairy vetch, oats, and oilseed radish to cover crop the area and just planted a patch of lettuce and sweet peas. Found a source of aged horse manure free but feeling overwhelmed about how many trips have to be made to cover the area. Wish I had a pick-up truck. What seats like a mini-van, hauls like a pick-up, and looks like an old bronco? Oh, and super fuel efficient? A unicorn?

Girls have been consistent with latest schedule: one does a dishwasher load, one does a load of laundry, one page of math, spelling/handwriting practice or quiz, journal entry, and 15 " novel reading of choice before lunch. It's an hour's worth of work asked for in a four hour window, in any order they want, that seems to be teaching them something about work before play, even if that play is invaluable unschooling. Besides, they love to read, and Charlotte enjoys making wonderful, illustrated journal entries. We are also still taking notes once a week on Story of the World and have set up a weekly meeting with one family for science projects and our new neighbor friends for weekly crafts. Charlotte is in ballet and this week her teacher made them all sit facing the wall instead of playing freeze dance at the end because two of the girls were goofing off. Charlotte says he's no fun but I'm pleased he's taking it seriously and already weeding out dancers from players. Eleanor is finishing archery, which she lights up about when asked, and starts horse back riding next week. They're the cheapest lessons I've found but at 25 a pop - which covers almost 2 hours of riding and grooming, she won't be doing anything else and won't be able to go every month. She's so thrilled about it though; I had been looking for something she would love as much as Charlotte loves ballet. Eleanor is a warrior.

I love my dog, Ramona Quimby. She keeps going in the house but that's my fault for not crating her consistently enough. Other than that, she's perfect. She lays at our feet when we're on the couch and has never run away. We let her loose in the woods this week and she never strays from us. She mostly lay under our picnic table. I love her velvet puppy ears; there's a little trim paint on one now.

Oh, PS, the bird has already found a new home.