I cleared out my sewing machine! Woohoo! I found a jumper for Abby that I cut out in January. I wonder if it will still fit her...

All the summer clothes have been unpacked and most have been washed and dried. I think somehow this year we have skipped Spring.

We have been slacking on school lately. Too much real life getting in the way. Not that the children haven't been learning things. Abby has been baking. Nathalie has been dog training. Hannah has been hand sewing all my little mending projects.

The meeting at the school: went better than I had anticipated. I hate it when I think of what I should say long after the opportunity to say it has passed! So I'll say it here: If the child were to be retained, the first few weeks of 2nd grade would be tough. But once she got into the routine she would adjust. Better a little adjustment for a few weeks than spending the entire 3rd grade year struggling to keep up and knowing you are slower than every kid, in every subject.

We have decided this year to let are garden go fallow. Besides the cost of the seedlings (which the van's alternator used up), the garden is just too small to really supply our family what it needs. Last year, before the drought killed our well and we had to stop watering the garden, we picked enough green peas for one meal, anough green beans for 3 meals, and 50 radishes. Our tomatoes and cucumbers succumbed to the drought before giving us any benefits. We'll support our local farmers this year.