Harvest Lane Cottage

Thank you all for your kind words and suggestions. Anne, I'll be over to look at your links. I want to make sure I include you, also. Sue, the journal idea is great. Emily loves to write stories. Tammy, I do wish we still ran in the same circles. I miss your wisdom and encouragement each month at CHEC. Nearly all the faces are new except mine and Leslie Cole's. I'd love you to come visit. I love comments. I always visit my visitors. Want to get acquainted? Just leave me a note! Blessings to you all, Laura

I am miserable! I just accidentally deleted my favorite blog list! AAAAHHHH! I haven't even got my favorites bookmarked! I have to start all over. I'm really bummed. I have spent the last two years collecting favorites. Boo hoo! Unhappy but Blessed, Laura

Tomorrow is the beginning of Birthday Season at Harvest Lane Cottage. We kick it off with little Amy's birthday. She'll be nine this year. The big wish is for Littlest Pet Shop animals. I'm going to fulfill that in a big way with animals that I've bought from McDonald's for her. I bought her a couple last week. Tonight, I asked the manager if I could look through their box of toys that are left over from previous weeks. She gave me eleven, yes, eleven pets for just $5 plus tax! I almost cried for joy. Amy will be so happy. Next up will be Michael. He'll be eleven on the 3oth. He's very into Hot Wheels and castle Legos. I don't know what God will put in my way for him yet. I'll be yard saling treasure hunting tomorrow morning with Amy for him. Last in the lineup is Emily. She'll be thirteen on September 12, a young lady. I'm still thinking about something special to do for her this year. Have any great ideas to share? After Birthday Season, br...

Did you see the Fall Counter? Just 36 days! I absolutely cannot wait. In fact, I know I won't. I already bought an apple cinnamon candle to burn while I work in the kitchen. I haven't turned on the a/c in our bedroom for 2 days! It was cool enough yesterday that I actually wanted to bake. Hubby came home to a couple of dozen whole wheat and flax seed rolls and four loaves of bread! Supper was a little late; so, he got busy with me and prepared chicken breasts with garlic pepper. We ate them on the rolls with real butter. Yummmmmmmmm! I've got to try that one again. I am so in the mood to make a pot of soup tonight to go with the bread. Hmmm... What shall I make? Crockpot Mistake? Ham and Beans? Chicken and Dumplings? Potato Soup? Cream of Broccoli Soup? Ah, so many choices. All yummy. Look at my favorites in my sidebar. Blessings to you! Laura

In Missouri, the official school year runs from July 1 to June 30. Many homeschool families find that it is easier to either school year round or to start school earlier in the summer. This allows maximum flexibity for field trips, holidays, days off, or different scheduling options. For instance, after talking it over with my husband and children, we've decided to start earlier and have a four day school schedule each week. Usually, that will mean Fridays off. If we don't finish our work during the week for some reason, Fridays will be "homework" days. We're going to try the four day schedule for the first quarter; then, I'll evaluate our success and determine our course for the next quarter. I hope that explains our early start.

It's the second week. We started school last week and had many interruptions. We're going to keep plugging away. As others start their school year, it will be easier to be consistent. The critters we were fighting seem to have lost. I'm still putting everything back together. In fact, that's what I'm going to work on right now. Blessings to you! Laura