We are a family of 5- Me, the Hubby, JD 6/01, Lilly 3/03, and Max 1/05. We live on a beautiful piece of land in the woods in the shadow of Mt. Wachusett.
We are vegetarians, and I am predominantly raw vegan. We do not vaccinate, treat holistically, and live as naturally as we are able. We are eclectic homeschoolers, in that we do not use a specific curriculum, but rather tailor our schooling to the individual child.
JD is the oldest boy and was born an adult. He was diagnosed with Autistic Disorder which (in simple terms) is a combination of Autism and Aspergers. He has traits from both disorders, but not enough of either to be classified as one or the other. He has some challenges, and is very challenging at times but we have chosen to keep him out of any formal *therapy* at this time as we do not want to change who he is, but help him to function and grow as the person he is supposed to be. He LOVES math and all things mechanical and is very good at both. He also is currently very passionate about cycling having participated in his first duathalon this year (and was hooked) He hopes to participate in more races this fall, as well as a few trail running races, which he also enjoys.
Lilly is our only girl...and she is a tomboy :) She is incredibly creative, and sensitive. She loves to sing, draw, craft, and is a mini-mom. She is always looking after her little brother and is very connected to him. She is very in tune with nature and animals, often making homes for wayward moths, butterflies, toads and the like. She has a dramatic side, but overall is incredibly sweet.
Max is the youngest and he is our monkey-boy. He is ALL BOY. He loves to run, ride his bike, jump, climb...anything active. He is also the snuggliest of the three which makes his mother very happy :) He is also very sensitive and loves animals. Max is very smart and I think I will have my work cut out for me with him! He is just as happy playing rough and tumble, as he is playing dolls with Lilly. He is totally well rounded! He loves his sister very much and is typically very happy-go-lucky.
The Hubby is an awesome dad and hubby. He is incredibly supportive of all of us, and often sacrifices his own wants/needs to make sure we are all happy. He is simply super. He is fixer of all things, answerer of all questions and taker to all places. He always includes the kids in whatever he is doing (if it is safe, of course) and they love it. He is also the world's best Crew Cheif for my ultra races.
Me, the domestic goddess and writer of this blog. I am eclectic, emotional, spiritual and prone to fits of obsession. I love all things nature, my family and things of a crafty and spiritual nature. I am a raw food coach, Holistic Counselor, and household manager.
Other players:
Becky, our greyhound shephard cross. She is the Greatest Dog in the World. Truly. She puts up with the kids, chickens AND cats. We love her so.
Cats- Jasmine, older than dirt, Frisky & Roxie, our 2 sister-kittens. We got them last fall when a)I figured Jasmine was going to cross over, and b) I thought if JD had something to take care of he would be able to learn some empathy, something kids with ASD struggle with. Well, Jasmine is STILL around and the kittens are now cats and hilarious with very different personalities. Frisky (JD's cat) is friendly, lets you pick her up, but will often throw herself at your feet to be petted. Roxie is more aloof, prefers me, and hides mostly except at night when she will jump into bed with me demanding to be petted.
Domino the rabbit. She lives on our deck, quite happily. We tried to make her a house rabbit and failed miserably. She loves it outside, and is thrilled to be out there. She is not much of a people rabbit but will tolerate being petted occasionally and Lilly can hold her.
The Chickens. We have 12 chickens and one rooster. Our chickens are: Sam(rooster), Angel Cookie, Buddy, Pickle, Seraphina, Mary-Margaret, Finny, Mary-Grace, Snow White, Mystery, Rosco, Sweetie, and Yolkahauntus. I like to take pics of them and post them...more than I take pics of my kids. Its a problem, really... ;) The chickens are all bantams, so they are smaller. They free range in our yard, and are pretty hilarious to watch. I have really enjoyed having them in our world.
We also have a turtle, Sammy, but he doesn't get much mention...and assorted fish now and again(but you know how it is with fish...)
Welcome to our world!
