Morning With the Masters of Distraction

(It is Monday morning again at the Hoytstead. Today, two boys will go to work as being distracted as never before in our country's history.)

"Stop playing with Legos and eat."

*two minutes*

"I can hear the Legos clinking...finish your breakfast!"

*glances over from kitchen*

"Put the book away and eat."

"You've had how many bagels ?"

*in living room*

"No, you cannot go get the mail...you're not dressed."

"I can get dressed...it's my turn to get the mail!"

"I know you can get dressed, but you're not dressed now. You can get the mail tomorrow. If you're dressed."

*two minutes*

"Mommy...Nolan has been taking pictures with the Lego camera all morning and when I asked him for a turn he just gave me this copy that he made from Legos..."

"I'll take of that..and that. They're both staying on my desk 'til after school."

*one minute*

"hey Mommy...you know that sore finger I had? It wasn't a fingernail that was cut too short. It had pus! And I just cut it away with the fingernail clippers!"

"Oh...OK."

"It's a cavern!"

"Yeah. Better go wash that off under the faucet."

*three minutes*

"Stop talking in there and do your math."

"My mechanical pencil ran out of lead. I can't do school."

"Well, if your mechanical pencil's run out of lead, you'll just have to use a real pencil."

"And 'no,' I am not going to go get you the pencil."

*one minute*

"Trevor...you need to do the dishes after you finish that math problem. It can't wait until after you finish all your math."

*five minutes*

"Mommy? He's doing more math problems. I thought you wanted him to do the dishes after finishing that one problem?"

"But I thought you wanted me to finish all my math, first..."

"Both of you...go get dressed. We're already behind time."

*one minute*

"Mommy? Trevor won't let me into the room...he says he has to get dressed..."

"Trevor? KNOCK IT OFF!"

"Mommy? He still won't let me in...."

"Trevor? Did you hear what I said?"

"I thought you wanted me to get dressed?"
_________________

Don't tell me I'm gonna miss this, some day. 'Cause I'm not.
 

Tweet

Five CD Day

I'd been dreading this day since last week, when I realized the making of applesauce could no longer be neglected.

It began like any other monotonous weekday...a few school lessons and the treadmill. But after that it was all apples.

All day.

All the time.

This year, being short one more body, we implemented a new method of apple dissection: no more halving, just placing the apple large end down, and slicing around the outsides.

Everyone was relatively happy, since they all had the same job. Carolyn, however, also did spot removal.

It went much more quickly, though more apple was left on the core.

A reasonable tradeoff. I couldn't care less that we wasted a bit of fruit.

1. This is not the Great Depression
2. I didn't buy the apples
3. There's much less chance of someone getting a cut
4. Ease and peace of mind are worth more than the 2 or 3 quarts we might have salvaged from painstakingly obsessing over each apple

I washed every single apple myself, and let me tell you, that gets old really quick!

However, the kids did all the cutting and most of the sieving. I was kept busy with the pots on the stove, running back to wash apples, supervising the sugaring and pouring of finished applesauce.

By noon I came to the sudden realization I'd had nary a nibble since breakfast...not one bite of chocolate!

No wonder I was tired and things were getting hazy.

Still, we were able to work right along, making our way through five full CD's to help with morale:
--Glad Acapella Project II
--Big Band
--Cathedrals (acapella)
--The Irish Tenors
--Glad Acapella Hymns

The last apple was washed around 3pm, and the last one cut at 3:20.

Carolyn stuck with me and finished running all the cooked apples through the sieve as I washed up pans and starting collecting a load of laundry from the "drop cloths and dish rags."

When 4:40 rolled in all pots had been cleaned and the floor swept and mopped.

I even got to lie down for 40 minutes :-) Sure, it took 15 minutes for my toes and feet to stop aching enough to snooze, but still....!

My foot is cooling on a back of frozen peas, even as I type, and boy does that feel good.

Soon I'll have to do it up right on the couch. And by that I mean prop my foot up so no weight is on it, tuck in something frozen, and snarf a bowl of ice cream to balance everything out in perfect, cooling harmony.

Here is the finished product...
...yes, that is all the applesauce for this year.

And see that pan with the lighter shade on the bottom right? That is the extent of applesauce from the Red Delicious trees this year.

It would be sad except for the fact that more apples would have meant another day of work and aches.

We'd been looking forward to vegging out in front of the TV for The World Series, but that was postponed by rain, so...
...Trevor and Nolan ladled approximately half the sauce into containers.

The rest will go to the freezer, tomorrow.

Apples sauced.

No one cut.

Good day (now that it's done).
 

Tweet

'Nuther Wedding

Our lovely niece, Erica Banek, was married this past Friday evening, in Dallas. Wish I could have been there! But we had the family represented with Derek and Melinda, who are in school at LeTourneau, and Sharon, who flew/drove from Indiana.

I've stolen two pictures taken by my extraordinary brother-in-law, Stan Hoyt (hope you don't mind, Stan :-)

These are too excellent not to share.

Presenting, Erica and Stephen Boonzaaijer!



Embarkment


Gotta love that picture.

Congratulations to Stephen and Erica :-D
 

Tweet

Sunday Birds

I was behind the garage, checking out clouds for potential pictures, when I spied a large "V" of birds flying south. Geese are pretty common but I thought, "Eh...might as well get a shot..."

Then when I enlarged it on the computer, I remembered that the wingspans had looked long...

The Pelicans are coming! The Pelicans are coming!

Well, heading to Texas, Mexico or Florida.

Ma is always glad to see the American White Pelican. It does not nest around here but I've managed to see them several times as they travel back and forth.


We've been hearing a curious bird out in the yard for most of a week. I don't know if this is the one, but when I saw it out of the kitchen window...
...I maneuvered to find the very cleanest of my dirty windows, which was in the dining room. So it's not very clear, but I'm calling it an Eastern Phoebe.

I'll try to get a closer shot if I can work up the energy to go outside. I've been immensely tired and one or another of my feet always hurt, so I don't rush to the great outdoors right now.

And then, with school in session---well, not today, of course--I don't have the gumption to do much more than the minimum.

Guess I'll have to give myself a kick in the pants one of these days, just not tonight.
 

Tweet

Game Two of the Series

You probably thought I was talking about baseball but in actuality was referring to "14 Stripes" making another break for freedom (I was going to say "run for freedom" but this is a fat worm we are talking about). Found once again by Trevor, this time near the refrigerator. And from this experience we can deduce three things:

1) Trevor is an excellent caterpillar-finder

2) That tomato hornworm has a sprinkling of wanderlust in its gooey, green blood

3) I am not coming down into the kitchen, barefoot, ever again. At least not until I have some assurance Trevor has completed a perimeter sweep for larva.

Also in the doubles theme, we hit our two librairies this afternoon, which we do every two months.

And this included hitting the two main shopping sites, Wal*Mart and Fareway.

It is not an endeavor for the faint of heart. Particularly since Carolyn drove two legs of the outing. The first was in gusty wind, which she found to be quite exciting (as did we, but for different reasons).

When we got to the library in Iowa Falls, something occurred which we'd never before witnessed. There was quite the group of rowdies in the "teen room." They brought new meaning to the terms "loud," "rude" and "crude." Many of them appeared to be females who were under the mistaken impression they were inordinately amusing and gifted in matters of sheer silliness, inanity and crudeness.

Even Nolan went to the far corner of the library, seeking a quiet seat amongst the magazines to better peruse his large, cut-away Star Wars volume (he probably thought he was getting away with something but I've let them look at the books in-house because policing them about some of that stuff gets really old).

Speaking of police, as we trekked with our books to the front desk for check-out, I spied a policeman come in and head directly back to the "teen room."

Whoa...the librarians had called for back up!

I gave them my most approving grin and was heard to utter, "Hot Doggies!"

When you homeschool in the country, it takes very little to make your day.

The young ladies left shortly, giving their best renditions of "SSSHHHHHhhh!" as they made their inglorious exit.

Nothing could top that thrill, except perhaps the discovery of pizza rolls on sale. Two...count 'em...TWO medium bags for four dollars!

Suddenly, my whole supper menu played out across the shadows of my mind...the backwoods of my memory, so to speak.

And that was the final double of the day.
 

Tweet

I Just Don't Know

Seriously running out of ideas for blog titles. "What I Did Today" is not only unimaginative, but after several years, it starts to reek of self-interest.

Still, if not me, who will tell my story?
______________

Today was another fun-fill extravaganza of getting up, doing some foot exercises, putting on my shoes with their orthopedic inserts as soon as possible and repeating this simple phrase,

"I am not an old geezer...I am not an old geezer."

After boosting my spirits, I proceeded through the usual routine of adjuring certain peoples to start their school, hitting the treadmill, and then returning upstairs to see who was goofing off.

I did learn something new, however. Did you know you can get two blisters on top of each other? I didn't. But at least it's on my "good" foot (this is the one that was "bad" earlier in the year. But now it doesn't hurt as much as the other one, so that makes it "good").

The usual catching up on news in front of the computer, interspersed with diplomatic negotiations concerning who does the dishes and gets the mail and plays with what tractor...oh wait, aren't you supposed to be doing school?

Lunch was late because we had a slight interruption when "14 Stripe" (the tomato hornworm) was found missing from his box of dirt, with only the barest of tomato leaf stem left as a goodbye note.

We decided he had burrowed into the dirt overnight, like his friend.

Until Trevor found him on the floor by the dishwasher, still intact.

THAT was close.

We made it through another day, however, partially sustained with the knowledge that tonight would be the first game of The World Series. Ethan dug out one of his old "Cardinal" shirts for Trevor to wear, and then Trevor and Nolan proceeded to spend the first half of the game drawing up rally posters for their respective teams (Nolan - Texas Rangers).

However, by the end of the game (Cardinals won, 3-2) Nolan's allegiance had swung to the Cardinals.

I'll get back to you on his status if the Rangers take the lead in games.

Tomorrow will be a ginormous day (wow...the spell-check didn't even blink at "ginormous") with trips to two libraries and several stores for the weekly shopping. Ethan gets new socks AND new shoes (or used, if Goodwill produces), so I'm telling him it's his birthday present. Just not right away.

Other than that, things are pretty much the same...oh wait, Ethan found two long-lost bratwurst in the freezer...we had meat for supper! (remember, tomorrow is shopping day). Who said miracles don't happen any more?

Also finished my David McCullough book, The Greater Journey, about Americans who studied/spent time in Paris during the 19th century. Extremely interesting. Now I need to go back to an art museum and look at the pictures, again.

I always enjoy Mr. McCullough's books. Not only is he a superb writer of the history genre, but if you're racing to get done before the book is due, it's so nice to glance at the back and see those 70 pages of source notes and think, "Dude! I am going to finish after all!

Thank you, Mr. M.
 

Tweet

The Bard, Bugs, and How They Relate to Star Trek Figures

Mr. Frey arrived with his auger and semis, this morning.

And just that quickly, Ethan was reading Shakespeare by the north window.

"Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved the bins more".

On the garden front, this has been the weirdest summer for tomatoes, ever.

To forestall the chance of blight, I did something different this year and set a few tomato plants in large pots, up by the house. They were not near dirt which harbors fungal blight, but settled atop bark mulch that was atop cardboard that was atop grass.

Seriously, that should work...right?

And it did, blight-wise. But for some reason, they never performed their ripening duties until just recently. The middle of October and the tomatoes are finally doing what tomatoes are suppose to do: be easy to grow and give bountiful fruits during the summer.

As I realized they were finally red, I went out to pick a couple of days ago and then discovered those large, green caterpillars chomping away.

I guess they were late, too.

After disposing of several and enlisting the boys for squishing duty, Nolan asked if he could keep one in a jar. I told him this was not going to be a pretty butterfly, but hey...he was moderately excited and I thought it might be interesting.

After we looked up the Hawkmoth (tomato hornworm) in our guidebook I mentioned to Nolan, "I think you might want to get some dirt for it to overwinter in."

Thus a new and larger habitat...

As well as a companion.

Nolan decided to give the "old worm" to Trevor, and take possession of the newer and greener model, which he has named, "14 Stripe."

Trevor's new charge immediately began burrowing into the dirt...
...a rather interesting process. And Trevor's sharp eyes caught the circulatory flow down the back of the hornworm. It pulsed in dark-green coolness.

So I learned a couple of things:

1) That kid is pretty observant

2) Hawkmoth caterpillars must be related to Vulcans since they both have green blood.

Who knew?
 

Tweet

 

 

Tweet

Waiting for Vegetables

It's a calm, fall Saturday evening on the ol' Hoytstead. A lone pork steak simmers in the crock pot and vegetables bubble on the stove.

And while it may sound homey and benign, an evil surprise awaits the Hoyt children, come suppertime.

Of the two vegetables, one is acceptable, one is not. Nestled amongst the innocent-looking carrots are pieces of cut up cauliflower.

Oh cruel fate!

It's a protest waiting to happen, except, Ma will quickly crush any uprising with threats of missing the playoff game.

I love the postseason! It gives me extra options as an enforcer.

Of course, Ma does not mind cauliflower. She will not suffer. And if Ma does not suffer, indeed, does anyone suffer?

I'll contemplate it as I nibble on my newest Dorito find, Salsa Verda chips.

Yummo! These babies are the muy-ist of buenos :-) Most surprising since I think they snuck cilantro into the seasoning. I don't normally like cilantro, but somehow this works.

Well, lest you think all I do is sit around eating or thinking of food, I wish to report that earlier today I raked up 3 additional bags of pine needles and then mowed for nearly an hour. All the more significant since certain blades of grass had reached a foot in length.

This is what happens when you postpone mowing for several weeks, heh, heh.

As if that were not enough, the afternoon also saw haircuts for four males. Not to be sniffed at since two heads required mostly scissors cut instead of a buzzover with the clippers.

But enough bragging. The kids are vegging out with the Stattler Brothers, hopefully becoming sufficiently anesthetized to leap the horrible hurdle of cauliflower in a relatively painless manner.
 

Tweet

What Hath Abner Doubleday Wrought?

"It's popcorny-time again, in America. Today more men and women will watch the playoffs than ever before in our country's history. With interest in the nation's pastime at a record high since...well...since a long time, (!) lotsa people--maybe as many as 2000--will buy baseball memorabilia, more than any time in the past four years."

(at this point it becomes tedious to keep inserting baseball lingo into the 1984 political ad)

Today we only watched the playoffs for 4 hours, as opposed to yesterday when the kids hit the jackpot of 6+ hours thanks to a rain delay.

However, it finished by 7pm which means we got to eat supper around the dining room table for a change.

We don't let the post-season interfere with our lives, no sir.

The reason I didn't go out and do an hour of mowing this afternoon had nothing to do with the game, but everything to do with the wind. At 25mph, grass clippings become a dangerous weapon. I have to consider my family. Not only might I induce hardship on the household if I were hospitalized with grass in my eyes, but if those same clippings cut up and scarred my face, I could be putting a lucrative fat-old-lady modeling career in jeopardy.

Mostly though, I just don't like to mow in the wind.

One more day of school, this week...always something worthy of rejoicing!

Oooo...I forgot to write out their assignments for tomorrow, which means...

this

post

is

done.
 

Tweet

Later Next Week...

Didn't realize so much time had passed, but maybe I should stop apologizing and just get on with the post.

We had a good time on Monday night, celebrating John Currier's 50th birthday at Famous Dave's.

If he looks less than happy, it is probably because:
a) he is very, very hungry
b) just found out FD's is out of chicken, or
c) that annoying Hoyt woman is taking pictures, again

We were seated in a terrifically narrow porch room so I wasn't exactly dancing around the table, snapping pictures.

As usual, the food was scrumptious! Ma got a Cajun Chicken sandwich for the sole reason that it came with a hellfire pickle. It was good, but more zesty than diabolical. No flames coming out of my mouth, in other words.

And don't start judgin' on me, 'cause other people from our group were making cracks about the Devil's Spit BBQ sauce.
_____________________

In other news, Carolyn took the PSAT today, so I'm sure she's glad that's over. Carolyn took three practice tests over the past week and probably needs to rest her brain, a bit.
_____________________

The kids are wrapped up in the playoffs, so that means several suppers in front of the TV. Today's game had a rain delay, and when I returned home from shopping they were still glued hopefully in front of the TV. Two and a half hours after the scheduled start time, the game commenced. At least no one got in trouble while I was gone.

They should have playoffs more often.
_____________________

Other than that, it's the usual routine: School in the morning, meal planning/preparation (minimal, as the family can attest), writing up the boys' school for the morrow , slicing off a section of mowing every so often, throwing in a nap here and there, checking on my vast array of pseudo close friendships via computer, and three different stints on the treadmill.

Which reminds me...time to go treadin'
 

Tweet

Swimming With Piranhas

We received word earlier today that Loren's brother, Mark, has been moved up in status from 1b to 1a on the heart transplant list.

We are very thankful, as this increases the chances of remedying his dangerous situation even sooner.

Much more trivial, but in the spirit of newsiness, I was able to schedule a mammogram just before my appointment for suture removed. So that was helpful for the sake of not having to drive back again on another day.

The stitches came out fine, as far as I could tell. Just a bit of stinging and tugging. She said everything looked good.

I also stopped over at "Got You Covered" and had a good yak-an-hour with Deb Currier. Definitely the highlight of my day :-)

Things went slightly downhill from there, as I returned home and had to deal with another issue concerning He-who-shall-not-be-named. A fairly regular occurrence that got old a long, long time ago. It's a different kind of danger.

Did get in a wee nap, though I remember now that I was aware of some soreness, rolling over in bed. And I mention this because later, while fixing supper, there was a definite stinging sensation so I reached around with my hand to my back--not the easiest of maneuvers, and discovered the sewn-together-and-supposedly-healed-parts had separated. Time to scrounge up a few band-aids!

Nevermind. It doesn't really matter that instead of a semi-smooth place there will be a semi-cavern.

I'll just tell people I went swimming with piranhas.
 

Tweet

Harvest Day!

Keeping in mind this occurred last week and I'm just getting around to posting :-D

Was it Monday, or Tuesday...who can tell? Time seems to stand still when the machines start rollin' in...


First came two semis

Ahhh, things are moving, now!



The two younger boys still display excitement...
...while Ethan has graduated to the cool, outwardly detached manner of one who has seen it all.


Always good to keep ahead of the combine, so one can get a good look at the bean head workin' it's magic.


There are reasons for not as many cool pictures, this time around. Some of harvest took place while I was walking on the treadmill.

And then there were significant delays when a stone got caught in the combine and they had to run off for a replacement part.

Something else went wrong and the bean head was taken off and the combine driven away for a while. The whole process spanned several days.

Also in there, I was gone to my doctor appointment for a couple hours on one of the busy afternoons.

Then too, I'm more reluctant to run out and make a fool of myself snapping pictures right and left. Partly because I'm tired, my feet hurt, and also I figure Mr. Frey knows we've seen the harvest "several years" and he probably wonders, "Why is that crazy woman still taking pictures...doesn't she know what happens?"

Anyway, that's harvest for 2011.

I'll have to get a photo of the bike track the boys have made, though so far they are still working on it and not actually using it as a raceway.

I wonder when Mr. Frey will plow....?
 

Tweet

The Mark Hoyt Report

But first, a brief recap of some family-type cardio events.

1995 - Loren's cardiac arrest, fitted with ICD and sent home after 6-week hospital stay

1999 - Loren gets first shock from ICD. Multiple shocks in years that follow.

2003 - Loren's younger brother, Galen, dies suddenly from heart attack

2004 - (early) Loren's other younger brother, Mark, is tested and subsequently fitted with ICD

2004 - (early) Loren evaluated and put on transplant list

2004 - (late) Loren's heart transplant

2008 - (I think) Mark gets first shock from ICD. Multiple shocks follow in later years.

2010 - Mark considered for transplant list. Ablative procedures preceded and followed this occurrence.

2010 - (Oct) Andrew Hoyt, son of Galen, receives ICD.

2010 - (Oct) Derek Hoyt, our son, receives pacemaker.

2011 - (fall) Mark put on transplant list after up and down year and EP test in which his ICD failed to bring him out of ventricular rhythm.

And then there was today, when Mark underwent another EP test before a planned procedure to add an "array" to his setup, hopefully boosting his ICD protection and possibly allowing him to go home to await transplant.

However, after 8 tries from his ICD, the doctors had to defibrillate Mark externally and now they are consulting to see what to do. The array is on hold, for the moment. Approximately a week ago Mark had been stepped up from 2 to 1b designation on the transplant waiting list.

We would appreciate prayers for Mark and his family during this time.
 

Tweet

I should really post

pictures of the harvest, shouldn't I?

Feelin' lazy, I guess. I have to process them in one program and import them to another to put frames on....I'll get around to it one of these days.

The weather's been beautiful so the boys are out in the cleared field, every day, as often as possible.

Aside from the usual forts (Nolan and Trevor), Ethan has planned a large race track for the bikes. It is almost finished, with enthusiastic help from Nolan and Trevor.

I also heard something about a possible ball diamond and a stadium wall.

Dreaming big runs in the family.

Speaking of Ethan, he is chowing down over at the DeFords after spending the afternoon cleaning out Caleb's "new" truck.

Almost hate to tell him it's his turn to do dishes and that his laundry needs to be folded.

Life zips by when so many people need your slave labor.

Speaking of slaves, I go now to do my nightly tread on the mill.

There, wasn't that exciting?
 

Tweet