I am taking it SLOW. For real. As in, we laze and lounge and rest and chill and meander and graze and shamble and lounge. I feel no guilt, only sweet goodness and rightness. It is not because I am so huge yet, or so ill, as I am neither huge or ill. But I am a third trimester Mama who finally gets it, the whole greeting-card stuff about how quickly it all goes, and how the dust bunnies can wait and dont sweat the small stuff, I get it I get it I get it and ooooh is it good.
This is how I am not having crying jags. this is how I am not having swelling, headaches, blood pressure stuff, angry outbursts, fits of stress. This is how I nest, I suppose. Of course I make meals, change diapers, read stories, play games. I am still a bartender, even, and yeah the house doenst look 1/2 bad. Well, yes, it looks just that. Half bad. But not all the way bad. We do our 4 o'clock cleanup and I made a menu and we bought food from it and are following it. Lots of educational tv shows, lots of kids making stuff, lots of canteloupe and popcorn and cheese is your lunch...and everyone seems really chill about it all. I like this. I am not going to change it up. It is working. I cant believe how calm I feel. Really really interesting. We played with our musical instruments and toys this morning from about 8:30 to 11, it was a riot! Hope I can afford a little videocamera soon, Charlie jumping up and down with sunglasses, a diaper, and socks with his eyes closed and a plastic flute halfway down his throat was tru YouTube stuff! Precious babies, I hope the amnesia Fairies take away all their old memories of pregnant Mommy because I used to be such a demon. Poor sweet little kids, I love them so so much.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
A new website for homeschooling..maybe
After our short-lived run last year with Cosmeo, we have been sort of wary of trying to get all into any "learning" websites. Cosmeo could be really cool, but it was always breaking and crashing and it was becoming very frustrating and disappointing for me AND the kids. Maybe it works better now, maybe the glitches are out, but I am not in the mood for the energy it took just to get to a little lesson on fractions or blue whales, it was very confusing to operate.
Many people on one of my homeschooling lists have been talking about a site called Time4Learning. So I checked it out just now and it seems pretty cute. There is a free trial period (essential!!!) and it is like 20 bucks a month, (about the price of NetFlix that we are too tired too ever watch the movies from) so we might do it. It has timers so you can set the lesson time from like 15 minutes onward, and it tracks their progress, etc. It seems friendly and cool. If you have kids who are very comfortable and happy with computers versus paperwork like mine are, this might go down quite easily.
More if we actually try it for real....in the meantime, come on, spring!
Many people on one of my homeschooling lists have been talking about a site called Time4Learning. So I checked it out just now and it seems pretty cute. There is a free trial period (essential!!!) and it is like 20 bucks a month, (about the price of NetFlix that we are too tired too ever watch the movies from) so we might do it. It has timers so you can set the lesson time from like 15 minutes onward, and it tracks their progress, etc. It seems friendly and cool. If you have kids who are very comfortable and happy with computers versus paperwork like mine are, this might go down quite easily.
More if we actually try it for real....in the meantime, come on, spring!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Whats up with bike helmets
Why do bike helmets sit all loose and teeter-y on the tippy top of kids' heads? what is that? Who falls off of their bike in a perfect 180 degree upside-down arc? Does anyone really know the answer to this? Is it because if they were more like motorcycle/football helmets, there would be obstructed vision?
Casey wears a bike helmet all the time in the house lately, don't ask me why, and I just stare at the thing and it confounds me.
Casey wears a bike helmet all the time in the house lately, don't ask me why, and I just stare at the thing and it confounds me.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Scout inspired
As far as homeschool...we are kind of like in "August Mode" now. Except instead of "When we start school" everything is "When Mama is done working". My job has wiped me out now, officially. The day after I work I am almost useless. I cant form thoughts or keep my temper under check at all. I want to eat in bed and thats about it. Of course, I manage and the kids are doing lovely things almost all day long, but its not what I want, you know? I feel like a phony and a blob and I hate it.
anyhow, 3 more weeks and I am a full time Mom again. We have a great new idea: Inspired by Mickey's new Wolf Cub Scout Handbook, and Greta's Junior Girl Scout Handbook, we are going to use the activities in these scouting guides for our days. We have no shortage of workbooks, and the kids are willing to do them, but it is the "Activities" that I have been coming up blank on. Just cute nice activities that dont require massive amounts of money or narrow age groups--thats where the scouting guides come in. These are the dearest nicest old fashioned books I have ever seen in a long time. We can work on real badges right at home, and I guess we should do that, but I dont even care. I just love the lessons and accessibility of these ideas. From sports to nature to math and science, morals, citizenship, and very un-digital life skills that could very well get lost once Grandparents are no longer alive, I really appreciate these books and feel ashamed that I didnt really check them out until last night when Mickey had his first Cub Scout meeting and he was reading the book to me from the backseat. "Look, Mama! Marbles! Knot tying! How to build a door jam! Table Tennis, whats that?! Birds, I know all these birds! How to make a birdfeeder! Bow and Arrows! (gulp) All the flags of all the states! Ultimate Frisbee! Bowling!"
I was impressed and inspired. And I have always wanted to "do" Greta's book with her, but just havent fit it in. So these will be our springboards starting in April. I appreciate all the inspiration in my swollen brain, inspiration has been low and guilt has been high.
Today it is supposed to get to 43 degrees, a virtual heat wave (dead serious) so we are going to go on a small outdoors outing, perhaps a nature center for a little trail walk. We are all probably so out of shape, a 1/2 mile paved trail will be a nice start and hopefully somewhat dry for our feet. Rosy cheeks are the opposite of what this family has right now, and will take many weeks to build up the children to what I consider a healthy amount of vigor.
Like Charlotte Mason and many late 1880's contemporaries, I feel in my truest heart that children belong out of doors for much of their days, all year 'round. You might think it is fractions or Thomas Jefferson that has me feeling homeschool-Mama-deficient but it is not, it is access to the out of doors that I truly lament. I VOW that next year this will regain its priority in our family, like it was at out old house. It was a shoddy, rickety old place, but we had a magnificent yard and we were out there late morning and back out from mid-afternoon until supper and beyond, seriously all year round. EXPLORING.
there is less opportunity for exploring here, and alot of our property is unfenced. Going on walks is much more difficult because even though I live in a very normal suburban area, we have a very "rural" lack of sidewalks and it is weird and hard to push the stroller or get the little bikes all managed when we have to go in the street so much...but oh well. Its no excuse. Karen Andreola, in my favorite book of all time, told of nature walks with her children when they lived in downtown London flats, and so I have no excuse. There are critters and flora here in our back and front yards, as well as 2 parks we can walk to and the rest, well, we may have to drive and thats ok, too.
When I compare our homeschool to what I want it to be, we fall very short. But when I compare our homeschool to SCHOOL, I know that the children are very, very V E R Y lucky and very very blessed to have access to such precious days with me, each other, and their friends. This is what keeps me going and this is what it is right now.
Looking forward to spring and not working and boy/girl scout based activities and the new baby and all of it....
MamaJoy
anyhow, 3 more weeks and I am a full time Mom again. We have a great new idea: Inspired by Mickey's new Wolf Cub Scout Handbook, and Greta's Junior Girl Scout Handbook, we are going to use the activities in these scouting guides for our days. We have no shortage of workbooks, and the kids are willing to do them, but it is the "Activities" that I have been coming up blank on. Just cute nice activities that dont require massive amounts of money or narrow age groups--thats where the scouting guides come in. These are the dearest nicest old fashioned books I have ever seen in a long time. We can work on real badges right at home, and I guess we should do that, but I dont even care. I just love the lessons and accessibility of these ideas. From sports to nature to math and science, morals, citizenship, and very un-digital life skills that could very well get lost once Grandparents are no longer alive, I really appreciate these books and feel ashamed that I didnt really check them out until last night when Mickey had his first Cub Scout meeting and he was reading the book to me from the backseat. "Look, Mama! Marbles! Knot tying! How to build a door jam! Table Tennis, whats that?! Birds, I know all these birds! How to make a birdfeeder! Bow and Arrows! (gulp) All the flags of all the states! Ultimate Frisbee! Bowling!"
I was impressed and inspired. And I have always wanted to "do" Greta's book with her, but just havent fit it in. So these will be our springboards starting in April. I appreciate all the inspiration in my swollen brain, inspiration has been low and guilt has been high.
Today it is supposed to get to 43 degrees, a virtual heat wave (dead serious) so we are going to go on a small outdoors outing, perhaps a nature center for a little trail walk. We are all probably so out of shape, a 1/2 mile paved trail will be a nice start and hopefully somewhat dry for our feet. Rosy cheeks are the opposite of what this family has right now, and will take many weeks to build up the children to what I consider a healthy amount of vigor.
Like Charlotte Mason and many late 1880's contemporaries, I feel in my truest heart that children belong out of doors for much of their days, all year 'round. You might think it is fractions or Thomas Jefferson that has me feeling homeschool-Mama-deficient but it is not, it is access to the out of doors that I truly lament. I VOW that next year this will regain its priority in our family, like it was at out old house. It was a shoddy, rickety old place, but we had a magnificent yard and we were out there late morning and back out from mid-afternoon until supper and beyond, seriously all year round. EXPLORING.
there is less opportunity for exploring here, and alot of our property is unfenced. Going on walks is much more difficult because even though I live in a very normal suburban area, we have a very "rural" lack of sidewalks and it is weird and hard to push the stroller or get the little bikes all managed when we have to go in the street so much...but oh well. Its no excuse. Karen Andreola, in my favorite book of all time, told of nature walks with her children when they lived in downtown London flats, and so I have no excuse. There are critters and flora here in our back and front yards, as well as 2 parks we can walk to and the rest, well, we may have to drive and thats ok, too.
When I compare our homeschool to what I want it to be, we fall very short. But when I compare our homeschool to SCHOOL, I know that the children are very, very V E R Y lucky and very very blessed to have access to such precious days with me, each other, and their friends. This is what keeps me going and this is what it is right now.
Looking forward to spring and not working and boy/girl scout based activities and the new baby and all of it....
MamaJoy
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tres Cool new deal
Homeschooling families will more than understand why this is going on this blog and not, say, Hearth and Home....homeschooling is living with children, not from 8 to 3, not a few days a week, but always and forever, and all of us know how much the home life has to do with our days...with no janitorial crew, no recess to speak of, no lunch lady or vacations, the running of the home is a massive part of it all, and that is both normal and good. I am glad my kids are not separated into some strange place where "Somebody" cleans it all for them after hours, "Somebody" gives them food through a little opening in the wall, and "Somebody" chooses everything for them, and they have no idea why or how. Sounds like a recipe for yet another generation of people who don't know how to do anything and have to hire out, order out, etc...
We have finally come up with a wonderful new ritual, or technique, if you will. It is only day three, so I feel a little hasty posting about it already, but I am so proud and excited that I simply must report!
Monday morning I told the kids that we were going to try an experiment. I told them that nobody (meaning, Mommy pretty much) was going to clean or tidy ANYTHING until 4 o'clock. I told them over and over that I expect cheerfulness when 4pm arrives, and if I heard one sigh, huff, or puff, then there would be some loss of privileges, namely no video games. I gave them many many heads-ups during the day, "Three hours till we clean!"...."27 minutes until cleaning time!".......but I must admit, I was getting worried. What if I really just sat and played with and enjoyed my actual children all day, and then it all backfired, and they didn't clean, and they fussed and I screamed and the whole place was a disaster......but we waited it out until 4:00.
Right at 4, with clock-obsessed Mickey chiming in, and me steeling myself with the best faux-confidence ever, I called out "Its 4 o'clock!!! time to clean!!!" We all held hands in a little circle (I am not kidding) and I said "Lets not rush, lets not freak out. If you want a task, then just ask Mama. If you want to just pick up stuff and put it where it goes, then go ahead"......and I went in the kitchen, locked the baby gate behind me, and started in on my dishes.
Some kids wanted a task, and I said stuff like "Put all the garbage in the garbage cans!", "Pick up all the blankets and put them on my bed", "Bring me all the cups".....some kids wanted to just go do their own thing. Casey is an awesome, awesome vacuumer, and he got the floors cleaned with the hose attachment in no time.
I washed the dishes and cleaned the countertops and before I could even sweep the floor, they were telling me they were done. I didn't believe them, so I handed out even a few more rather random chores from behind the gate like "Polish the bathroom faucet with those wipe things" and "Swiffer the windowsills".......then they were done again! I put down my broom to come see the house. It was completely clean, every single room. The time was 4:27, and we had an enormous group-hug! I gushed on and on about what little tornadoes they were--we all were--and what a wonderful new life we could have if Mama could really be with them all day and if Daddy could play with them all night. (seriously impossible before!)
We did it again yesterday, and the house was SO messy from crafts and toys and such that I told them that it was totally ok if it took more than 27 minutes.........but I kid you not, it took 18 minutes this time!
We feel like geniuses, both proud and free. Daddy was ecstatic when he got home, and they did play all night Monday while I was at work, and last night we all had a linger-y dinner and then did a bit of Wii bowling before a very smooth bedtime...Casey at 7:30, Charlie at 7:45, Greta and Mickey at 8, but they get to watch a movie in the "kid's lounge". Tuesday is my night off work and so is like Mama+Dada's date night, really, and so we watched a funny movie of our own, and fell asleep on the couch. Hot date, huh? LOL it was actually really great to be off of my feet, unlike at work, and to lounge my pregnant tired legs up on my left side in comfy clothing, talking to my favorite person in the galaxy.
We walked through the clean hall to our clean bedroom around 2am, and slept soundly until 6:15 when the alarm and Charlie both called to us that Wednesday was here.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Yes we are alive...
Homeschool is still love, and we are of course, still here! We have suffered some astonishing bouts of sickness as well as a 2 year old who is having a phase to say the least, and well, the excuses of why I haven't blogged could go on for a long time!
We are enjoying Campfire Scouts as well as spending lots of time with our fave family of friends....we haven't gone too many places, because that means I would have to drive Daddy to work to have the car, and Brrrrrr it is cold out there in the dark mornings.......but we are buying a 2nd vehicle soon and this will change our lives significantly, for obvious reasons. Our homeschool will have a new member this June and we will no longer fit in our minivan!
We are doing alot of house rearranging and this has gotten us to realize how many wonderful books we have and how we really do not need to go to the library,( even though we love libraries!) it is so hard right now with 2 year old Charlie's issues, and the slushy parking lots and just the whole ordeal of it-- we are delving into our own books, some seeing themselves becoming newly beloved by little Casey and Charlie, some "hard" books being discovered by Greta and Mickey...its nice.
The days are long and like everyone else with little ones, we are going a bit batty from this all. Normal February stuff, but hard nonetheless. We look forward with great great excitement to parks and museums and bike rides and Nature Centers and continued health and exploration. I hope everyone elses homeschool journeys have been more cozy than stressful, more loving than crabby and more fun than boring. I will be blogging much more in a few weeks when I am done working outside of the home and I get my camera recharged and new batteried!
We are enjoying Campfire Scouts as well as spending lots of time with our fave family of friends....we haven't gone too many places, because that means I would have to drive Daddy to work to have the car, and Brrrrrr it is cold out there in the dark mornings.......but we are buying a 2nd vehicle soon and this will change our lives significantly, for obvious reasons. Our homeschool will have a new member this June and we will no longer fit in our minivan!
We are doing alot of house rearranging and this has gotten us to realize how many wonderful books we have and how we really do not need to go to the library,( even though we love libraries!) it is so hard right now with 2 year old Charlie's issues, and the slushy parking lots and just the whole ordeal of it-- we are delving into our own books, some seeing themselves becoming newly beloved by little Casey and Charlie, some "hard" books being discovered by Greta and Mickey...its nice.
The days are long and like everyone else with little ones, we are going a bit batty from this all. Normal February stuff, but hard nonetheless. We look forward with great great excitement to parks and museums and bike rides and Nature Centers and continued health and exploration. I hope everyone elses homeschool journeys have been more cozy than stressful, more loving than crabby and more fun than boring. I will be blogging much more in a few weeks when I am done working outside of the home and I get my camera recharged and new batteried!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Cookie fun!
My dear friend was kind enough to post about our fun day making cookies, here is the link to some fun and cute pictures of our yummy day!
Monday, January 21, 2008
Memories needed
Do any of you remember "Chinese Jump Rope"??? I am going to be relearning about this game, which consumed my life from 3rd to 5th grade, and to hear who played it, who remembers it and what if any variants you remember, so I can teach it to my own clan! It was the game where you had two people with the "rope" around their ankles, and one jumper in between them. It was a jumping game, not a twirling game. the rope was usually a piece of string, but if you were lucky, you might have an honest to goodness elastic Chinese jump rope. (Everything I can find online today is not how we played it....)
Here is what I remember:
In-out-side by side-on-in-out
I do not remember any of the "levels" besides "broomstick" and "wides"
If any of this is making sense to any of you, no matter what you have to contribute,even just memories please write me back!!!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
January Fun
Happy New School Year to all!
We have decided to start a "co-op" with just one other family, our kids' closest friends and my bestest homeschooling Mama friend ever. Their kids are 12, 7 and 3 and everyone gets along fabulously and we have decided to play for certain, every Tuesday. This is a welcome thing for me, as I am needing things to be very scheduled lately, or else I will just rest. I could give up anything for rest, even food, which always is a bad choice when pregnant. So, if there are plans then it helps me tremendously.
Yesterday we had them over for a meeting of the minds. Me and Trish and all 7 of our kids wrote on the dry-erase board everything that we want this co-op to be. We have readers, non readers, fans of all different types of activities and I was worried that the group would be more divided but everyone was just 100% enthusiastic. the ideas we have so far are roughly divided into "Things we are going to do at the house" and "Field trips"
Here was everything that the kids came up with:
Nature Center
Crafts
Science kit/Chemistry
Sculpey/Femo (oven drying clay)
Cooking
Insects
Experiments
Reading
Making Videos
Science Center
Library
Art Institute
Music
Nature Study
Sports
Another big part of this is the fact that we are starting our own "book club". After some mediocre to abysmal experiences with other book clubs in the past, we decided to do one on our own terms--after all, the spirit of the thing is to motivate kids to read--even ones who already like to read could always use a little boost to read MORE, right? We want something that gets us to the libraries (we want to see lots more of them in our library-loaning system, there are so many!) that gets us spending more time reading to and with the kids, and that gets the older ones to do more independent reading. Stickers, little trinkets, charts, and something "big" at the end like a pizza party or a gift certificate to a bookstore would be the grand prize at the end (June?) We are still thinking about all the details.
The first thing I want to do, that all the kids seemed "into" was a unit about the Wright Brothers and the beginning of aviation. We will start with some biography-style books from the library and then build some little planes and then maybe --hopefully--take a field trip to The Henry Ford museum and see the real deal. A Unit Study! Yay!
Well, the Christmas break from my work helped us get our house ALOT back on track and I am happy about that. We switched around our living room which I like to do when the xmas tree comes down, so it isnt so drastically "bare" and sad. I love the new setup and hope to keep it this way for a long time. The house looks bigger and we are facing the windows and the southern exposure of the sun that comes in here about 2 hours each afternoon...lovely!
Campfire Scouts started back up and the meeting went fairly smoothly I must admit! Trish and I, who are the leaders of the "Little Stars" group (age 6 and under) brought in big frozen bowls of ice and the children got to sprinkle rock salt on the ice and see how the crystals are formed and broken. Then we put food coloring on the melting/crackling ice and the color seeped down and illustrated the intricate ice patterns very well. We cut out some paper snowflakes, ate our snack and were on our way. Cool!
Its Girl Scout cookie time again, and business has been slow indeed. Greta has sold 2 boxes so far and says she wont go back if thats all she sells, so I hope Daddy and I dont have to buy 150 boxes ourselves this year...Steve is going to take the form in to his work, but he doesnt work at the kind of place where a ton of people buy a ton of cookies. But Greta is still in Girl Scouts, and tonight I have a meeting for Mickey's possible new Boy Scout troop! This is a very open and liberal troop and hopefully will work out for him. His best friend is going to be joining it and I think it is time for something disciplined and structured without me for Mickey. Its very cool that it will be on Tuesday nights because that is my ONE night I am free. It stinks though because that was the one night I could have prenatal appointments....although we might be able to do it on the weekends, or maybe late after Boy Scouts. But tonight is a parents meeting so I am anxious to go check it out.
Details to follow! How have you all been?
MamaJoy
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Apologies and clarifications
Beloved Readers, both folks and people alike;
I broke my own rule, and, for the first time ever, wrote a blog post that mentioned my mother. I wrote about some negative things that happened at the Christmas Day gathering at her house and I didn't write about anything nice and it upset her. I think she reads and hopes that I will mention her and I never do and then the one time I ever did, it was to relate some frustrations I had over the electronic gifts we got our kids this year and nothing else positive was said.
I am not sure if this will be considered too little, too late but we did have fun over there. The kids were happy to see everyone, the house looked splendid as usual, the lights display was the best in the neighborhood, and the present exchange went really well, very smoothly, and we had tasty snacks. Their entire basement has been redone by my step father and it is a playworld of fun and a lovely room to be in, built in fish tank and working kitchen and everything, even a train track you can really ride on. We even got to see her amazing beautiful cat, who usually hides when kids come around, but showed her face for the Holiday, much to the delight of all 7 grandkids who have never ever seen such a fancy kitty.
My sister did ask me about my pregnancy and it was great to see her little 3 month old baby girl who is growing so fast, as well as her 2 other sweet children who I wanted to sneak into my van and take home, I miss them so much.
I am writing this entry to not only clarify that good times were had at Mom's, but for a more important clarification, one that will hopefully mean a lot to straighten out lots of misunderstandings for my mom, and for anyone else who may wonder, so here goes:
When I say "Folks", "People", or "My friends and Family", I do not mean my mother. Repeat: When I say things about "Folks", "People", or "My friends and Family", I do not mean my mother.
I have a pretty good sized bunch of friends in my life, some gone, some here to stay. I also have a decent sized family, with a Mother, a Step-Father, a Mother-in-Law, a Father-In-Law, a Grandmother, 1 uncle, 2 Aunts, and several Aunts and Uncles-in-law, a sister and brother in law, and a brother and sister in law---so the one time last spring that I referred to "My Family" on the Breast and Belly blog, it was this extended group to whom I was referring, not Mom.
I will continue to blog in '08 and I hope that many people can get something out of what it is that I have to say and that I choose to share. I made the decision on pretty much my 2nd blog entry ever to make this be so much more than just a little update-y diary of what we have been up to lately, as I find those sort of boring to read and more importantly, just not what lit my fire. Sure, there will be lots of entries about field trips or sick days, but in the vein of HipMama, Bust, Home Education Magazine, Ready Made, Etsy.com, Mothering, and so many more publications that inspire and enlighten me, I try to put out a product that will resonate with folks much more than a dry "report" or Newsletter would.
The best writers will have the most critics, and I have never shied away from criticism or disagreement--but I also never mean to go too far and hurt or attack anyone personally. Thats not cool and I would not appreciate it if it were done to me. That being said, I do not live in a void, I live in a world of people, I come from a family, I have friends, and (hopefully!) daily interactions with human beings from whom my experience is gleaned and my path continues on as a result of these relationships. So when I refer to my life and its experiences, FOLKS and PEOPLE will come up, probably alot. It is not some secret code for "mom", it truly is not.
I do not see my mother very often, and it has been this way for a long time. So the vast majority of my adult experiences do not involve her. Most of my stories, even the ones that include "family" are not about her. I now know that she was hurt by what I wrote, and that is why I am writing this. I forget who reads and I tried to put my frustrating Christmas experience out there, imagining, as I always do, that other moms, other readers, other homeschoolers, homebirthers, homemakers, DIY-ers out there might understand, might see their own experiences through mine, might not feel so alone. I was not trying to shame her or the Christmas party that she threw for us.
Working towards a wonderful new year of blogging!
Thank you for reading!
Mama Joy
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Toy Land Joy
Do you love it, do you love it, do you love it???? On the day after birthday, Christmas, Hanukkah, anything, it feels so great. All the pressure is past, and all the memories and new toys are here, signaling in ideas of a whole new life, a whole new start. Perfect timing if you ask me-- as we are in for 4 to 5 months of a loong Michigan winter followed by 2 months of mud and then a new baby--and playing with the angry cat and the broken crayons was getting extremely sad and boring.
I moved around 2 rooms already since 8pm last night and have big plans for more changes. I love to move furniture, I love it I love I love it. We really got such winning stuff this year, we really put alot of thought into what will be FUN and for the first time ever we bought stuff well ahead of time, and I have a job, and my Grandma sent us a very unexpected check. What do we want to be cooped up with all winter, homeschoolers with "no car" and a pregnant mom? Well now, we have GeoTrax for the kids to build, all new playdoh soft and fresh, electronic handheld thingies that we got amazing secret deals on through Ebay and friends of friends and resale shops, crafty stuff and building stuff and Eyeclops and books and ummm did I fail to mention that Santa Claus brought us a ROLLER COASTER and a Nintendo Wii? I am not kidding and I couldn't be more happy about this. Our house really was boring and now it really is fun. I can't wait to have friends over as soon as I tidy up some!!!
The kids have been running and jumping and rolling and boxing and bowling and sweating and asking me for "more water!" all morning while I slowly, slowly begin the process of being a wife and mother again, putting this pit sty of a house back together after 3 months of working and being pregnant and a semi-broken washer (you have to be there to switch each "mode" but we just figured out how to "rig" it 2 days ago so it has been one busy washer!) I am off work all this week and only work one night next week, so I am gonna be a full time Mom and Wife and person and all hopes are quite high for "getting it together", my absolute favorite and yet very unobtainable lately goal.
We have people to invite over and things to do and places to go and I am really trying hard to overcome the lingering nausea and tiredness because as good as it feels to lay in the couch, it is starting to feel even better to be a person and not a zombie. (I recently saw a TShirt that came in toddler sizes up to Mens XXL that said "I survived the first trimester" and I so, so understood)
So, here's to a great Christmas, here's to getting this sty back together for New Years and here's to feeling super happy about STUFF, THINGS, and MATERIAL POSSESSIONS. It really is okay to have great fun toys and to enjoy them! Off to go see if I can beat Casey at Wii-Boxing, he is undefeated in our family and it really gets my heartrate up (although lately, so does walking, sitting up, making another sandwich....)
Monday, December 24, 2007
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
From our family to yours, we wish you the very happiest and healthiest holiday season, and an enthusiastically wonder-filled New Year!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
How will you "handle" FIVE kids?
Yawn.
After a certain amount of experience with living with many children, this question goes from right-on, to vaguely insulting, to totally irrelevant. I have lived with 4 children since 2002, when The kids in my daily care were Greta (5), Mickey (2), A (4) and G (1). Four little kids, two mine and two I babysat fulltime 5 days a week from prebreakfast until dinnertime.
Two months into this gig, I got pregnant with Casey! I would throw up everytime I changed the almost non-stop diapers, I was sicker than a dog, and yet the show went on. Lets realize that, VERY unlike my life now, this was a time of Four kids who used sippy cups, took naps, used diapers or needed bathroom assitance. Four kids who couldnt always "use their words"or hold a crayon right, in a small cluttered house with a Daddy who didnt get home until 7pm (9pm on Thursdays). If there was anytime to ask me "how do you do it" it would have been then.
But now, my kids are alot older. I have a much bigger house and daytime friends. I have one in diapers and all the rest deal with their business. I dunno. I just dont feel the freak-out whatsoever this time as far as fear of the new baby or whatever.
Going from one child to two REALLY was a mind blowing change, and going from 2 to 3 children was when we felt like we had "alot of little ones". It was hard when Charlie was born because I had a very very extended postpartum recovery time, but four kids was something I was used to by then.
The funny thing is, for me, it is the pregnancy that is so hard. Not the babies. It is the mothering while very incapacitated that is so frustrating and exhausting and discouraging and disheartening, not the other stuff, not the messes, the crying, the stages, the teething--because when I am a strong and healthy Mom, I can handle that stuff, plus usually keep appointments, commitments, a nice house and have 3 hot meals on the table, too.
I remember once when Steve and I met up with his parents for a day at the zoo, and I was about 6 or 7 months pregnant with Casey. We only had 5 year old Greta and 2 year old Mickey, and everything was going fine, when one of them whined a tiny bit about something and my father in law said "What're you gonna do with THREE of em?" I looked right at him and said "I wont be pregnant! It will be fantastic! Plus I have four of them all day as it is". He had forgotten that I was doing the fulltime daycare, I guess. He had never experienced walking around a zoo with a lead boulder crushing out your entire innards, I guess. He was just trying to say those 'clever' things people say on TV when they dont really feel comfortable talking to you, I guess. Thats the way alot of people speak to each other all the time. He just chuckled and looked nervous that I might say the word pregnant again. He's pretty old-school and I try to respect that.
So, when my dear baby joins the Maplelawn Home Academy, there will be much rejoicing. For all the obvious reasons, and for Mommy isnt pregnant anymore, too. I know there is sleep deprivation with a new baby, and I would be insane to downplay the seriousness of that, but pregnancy is not exactly a good-sleepin time for me, never has been. Between violent calf cramps/spasms, back and hip pain, lack of air, nausea, outlandish dreams, restless leg syndrome, extreme heartburn, and the incessant peeing, I just dont get when the sleeping can really occur. I will leave out the pregnancies when I still have a night nursing tot or a little one who likes to get up at 5 am.
Except during the daytime, then oh God do I wanna sleep. I want to sleep in the library, I want to sleep in the grocery store, I want to sleep at work (and did once! LOL) I want to sleep at red lights (so bad) Then I bet, if given the golden opportunity for daytime sleep, ooooh I could sleep 14 hours straight. Oh yeah, except for the every two hours peeing part. Ok, never mind.
After a certain amount of experience with living with many children, this question goes from right-on, to vaguely insulting, to totally irrelevant. I have lived with 4 children since 2002, when The kids in my daily care were Greta (5), Mickey (2), A (4) and G (1). Four little kids, two mine and two I babysat fulltime 5 days a week from prebreakfast until dinnertime.
Two months into this gig, I got pregnant with Casey! I would throw up everytime I changed the almost non-stop diapers, I was sicker than a dog, and yet the show went on. Lets realize that, VERY unlike my life now, this was a time of Four kids who used sippy cups, took naps, used diapers or needed bathroom assitance. Four kids who couldnt always "use their words"or hold a crayon right, in a small cluttered house with a Daddy who didnt get home until 7pm (9pm on Thursdays). If there was anytime to ask me "how do you do it" it would have been then.
But now, my kids are alot older. I have a much bigger house and daytime friends. I have one in diapers and all the rest deal with their business. I dunno. I just dont feel the freak-out whatsoever this time as far as fear of the new baby or whatever.
Going from one child to two REALLY was a mind blowing change, and going from 2 to 3 children was when we felt like we had "alot of little ones". It was hard when Charlie was born because I had a very very extended postpartum recovery time, but four kids was something I was used to by then.
The funny thing is, for me, it is the pregnancy that is so hard. Not the babies. It is the mothering while very incapacitated that is so frustrating and exhausting and discouraging and disheartening, not the other stuff, not the messes, the crying, the stages, the teething--because when I am a strong and healthy Mom, I can handle that stuff, plus usually keep appointments, commitments, a nice house and have 3 hot meals on the table, too.
I remember once when Steve and I met up with his parents for a day at the zoo, and I was about 6 or 7 months pregnant with Casey. We only had 5 year old Greta and 2 year old Mickey, and everything was going fine, when one of them whined a tiny bit about something and my father in law said "What're you gonna do with THREE of em?" I looked right at him and said "I wont be pregnant! It will be fantastic! Plus I have four of them all day as it is". He had forgotten that I was doing the fulltime daycare, I guess. He had never experienced walking around a zoo with a lead boulder crushing out your entire innards, I guess. He was just trying to say those 'clever' things people say on TV when they dont really feel comfortable talking to you, I guess. Thats the way alot of people speak to each other all the time. He just chuckled and looked nervous that I might say the word pregnant again. He's pretty old-school and I try to respect that.
So, when my dear baby joins the Maplelawn Home Academy, there will be much rejoicing. For all the obvious reasons, and for Mommy isnt pregnant anymore, too. I know there is sleep deprivation with a new baby, and I would be insane to downplay the seriousness of that, but pregnancy is not exactly a good-sleepin time for me, never has been. Between violent calf cramps/spasms, back and hip pain, lack of air, nausea, outlandish dreams, restless leg syndrome, extreme heartburn, and the incessant peeing, I just dont get when the sleeping can really occur. I will leave out the pregnancies when I still have a night nursing tot or a little one who likes to get up at 5 am.
Except during the daytime, then oh God do I wanna sleep. I want to sleep in the library, I want to sleep in the grocery store, I want to sleep at work (and did once! LOL) I want to sleep at red lights (so bad) Then I bet, if given the golden opportunity for daytime sleep, ooooh I could sleep 14 hours straight. Oh yeah, except for the every two hours peeing part. Ok, never mind.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Monday December 10th
Working on cards
Greta sewed a hat for Kitty!
Charlie uses glue when we sew.
Mickey sewing a shirt for his toy monkey.So, I am "out" with the pregnancy news now, and hope you can now fill in the blanks as to why I haven't been blogging. Between work and scraping myself together for the children. sitting down to write has been way down on this list. As i enter the 2nd trimester, I feel myself becoming alot more my old self and that is very very welcome.
Of course, homeschool is happening, learning is happening, our math curriculum is a big success, and we always spend alot of December with various scouting Christmas parties, working on handmade gifts, and baking. I will be honest and say we haven't really baked lately as the kitchen is a scary place that has all sorts of smells and imagery that keeps pregnant Mama at bay...but we did have a one big cookie day with our homeschooling friends a couple of weeks ago and it was really fun!
We have family gatherings, birthday parties, skating rink trip, Girl Scout party and somehow, shopping all to do. Like everyone else. Except we share a car and work 'round the clock and I am starting to panic just a smidge about how this is all gonna happen this year with the one car and me working. Sundays? Oh well. Once January comes, it will be 4+ months of cold cold cold and school school school and so it all balances out.
Monday, December 3, 2007
If you're a homeschooler, you will really, really get this!
An oldie but a goodie: (from my homeschool yahoo group this morning)
(tune of "THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS") The 14 Days ofHomeschooling
On the first day of homeschool my neighbor said to me,"Can you homeschool legally?"
On the second day of homeschool my neighbor said to me,"Are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the third day of homeschool my neighbor said to me,"Do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the fourth day of home school my neighbor said to me,"What about P.E., do you give them tests, are theysocialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the fifth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "YOU ARE SO STRANGE! What about P.E., do you givethem tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the Sixth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "How long will you homeschool, YOU 'RE SO STRANGE,what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the seventh day of home school my neighbor said to me, "Look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"
On the eighth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "Why do you do this, look at what they're missing,how long will you home school, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are theysocialized, do you homeschool legally?"
On the ninth day of home school my neighbor said to me,"They'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look atwhat they're missing, how long will you home school,YOU 'RE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"
On the tenth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "What about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you home school, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!,what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the eleventh day of home school my neighbor said tome, "I could never do that, what about graduation,they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look atwhat they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the twelfth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can they go to college, I could never do that,what about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the thirteenth day of homeschool I thoughtfully replied:"They can go to college, yes you can do this, and they can graduate, we don't need the prom, we do it cuz we like it, they aren't missing anything, we'll homeschool forever, WE'RE NOT STRANGE!, We give them P.E., life it self's a test, they are socialized, AND WE HOMESCHOOL LEGALLY!
On the fourteenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "How can I get started, why didn't you tell me,where do I buy curriculum, when is the next conference, WILL PEOPLE THINK WE'RE STRANGE? I think w ecan do this, if you will help us, can we join P.E. and we'll homeschool legally.
(tune of "THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS") The 14 Days ofHomeschooling
On the first day of homeschool my neighbor said to me,"Can you homeschool legally?"
On the second day of homeschool my neighbor said to me,"Are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the third day of homeschool my neighbor said to me,"Do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the fourth day of home school my neighbor said to me,"What about P.E., do you give them tests, are theysocialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the fifth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "YOU ARE SO STRANGE! What about P.E., do you givethem tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the Sixth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "How long will you homeschool, YOU 'RE SO STRANGE,what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the seventh day of home school my neighbor said to me, "Look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"
On the eighth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "Why do you do this, look at what they're missing,how long will you home school, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are theysocialized, do you homeschool legally?"
On the ninth day of home school my neighbor said to me,"They'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look atwhat they're missing, how long will you home school,YOU 'RE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"
On the tenth day of home school my neighbor said to me, "What about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you home school, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!,what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the eleventh day of home school my neighbor said tome, "I could never do that, what about graduation,they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look atwhat they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the twelfth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can they go to college, I could never do that,what about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"
On the thirteenth day of homeschool I thoughtfully replied:"They can go to college, yes you can do this, and they can graduate, we don't need the prom, we do it cuz we like it, they aren't missing anything, we'll homeschool forever, WE'RE NOT STRANGE!, We give them P.E., life it self's a test, they are socialized, AND WE HOMESCHOOL LEGALLY!
On the fourteenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "How can I get started, why didn't you tell me,where do I buy curriculum, when is the next conference, WILL PEOPLE THINK WE'RE STRANGE? I think w ecan do this, if you will help us, can we join P.E. and we'll homeschool legally.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Living with children.
Oh, my poor, dear, sweet Homeschool Blog-- do you still remember me?
Jeez I am so bad at writing anymore. I feel like I had a contingent of readers and surely they must have given up on me by now.
The kids are well, and learning is always taking place. As for the big shot stuff I wrote in August, do I do a disservice to my fellow homechooling Mamas and pretend like we are doing all of that, or do I come out with the reassuring truths that we are not doing any of that right now? How many Mamas had an "impressive" blog the first week of September and then dropped off the face of the Earth besides a few cute Halloween pics? I know I am not the only one.
A lot has changed in my life since late summer, but here we are. The kids are not only surviving, the are BLOSSOMING. New skills are appearing at lightning speed, and new competencies. On the days when it feels like we "didn't do very much", and I think it is time to start reminding myself of the hundreds of days of my life that were spent under the evil tutelage of a "SUB" (substitute teachers, about 20 years old, possibly sober) and their never ending time-fillers, it turns out that the kids had the best day ever and I am still, after 7 years of official homeschooling, having to remind and remind and re remind myself that the majority of all human learning cannot be measured by time spent against ones will filling out paperwork to tape to fridge doors.
Remember "Subs"? The best of them let us play "Win, Lose or Draw" on the blackboard, or told us dirty jokes or let us just hang out. the worst of them came armed with stacks and stacks of "Dittos", everyone knows what a ditto is, right? Some kind of reproduced, often with purplish ink, worksheet or crossword or word search of some kind, which you had to do, but if you finished it they were all mad at you and told you to do another one or to be quiet. These were invariably 5 grade levels too easy and super blurry and horrid. The nice subs let you work with a partner but you still had to be quiet. they might as well have told us to color.
But this is the reality of school, and this is the stuff that children are experiencing and no one gets all freaked out about it--so when we have cozy days where the only thing that can appear to the untrained closed mind that was accomplished that was "Schooly" was reading together or watching Animal Planet or cooking, my guilt is finally becoming less and less.
Do I want our Home-School to be different? Yes. But that is all a part of parenting, and I am working right now on the whole courage to changes the things we can, accepting the things we cant and wisdom to know the difference proverb thingy. I am re-reading The Mother Trip by Ariel Gore, and really getting it about Chaos Theory. I ask myself if my kids would be better off "somehwere else" and I can say NO for sure. Somedays, many days, homeschool can be just living with and raising your children. Making breakfast, cleaning breakfast. Dressing and brushing teeth. Writing a story. Having a race. Doing experiements with one cat, 5 blankets, a big cardborad box, and 55 magnets. Making lunch and cleaning lunch. Nursey and diaper change before naptime. Reading books. Cleaning up toys. Messing around on YouTube. Cutting out papersnowflakes. Watching a show. Recieving a phone call. Giving a bath or 4. Making and cleaning dinner. Laughing and playing. Getting ready for bed. Putting the house back together.
Horrible confessions, or good wholesome human stuff? So there--I said it. And I mean it. Go ahead and freak out, call the cops. Tell 'em you found a family who is just living and having days together, several days a week. I don't feel bad about it anymore. Because we do lots of stuff that is schooly and we do lots of stuff that isnt, and by doing this, we are doing everything we can to see to it that our children are growing up well. Live and Learn.
How is everyone else's fall going?
Jeez I am so bad at writing anymore. I feel like I had a contingent of readers and surely they must have given up on me by now.
The kids are well, and learning is always taking place. As for the big shot stuff I wrote in August, do I do a disservice to my fellow homechooling Mamas and pretend like we are doing all of that, or do I come out with the reassuring truths that we are not doing any of that right now? How many Mamas had an "impressive" blog the first week of September and then dropped off the face of the Earth besides a few cute Halloween pics? I know I am not the only one.
A lot has changed in my life since late summer, but here we are. The kids are not only surviving, the are BLOSSOMING. New skills are appearing at lightning speed, and new competencies. On the days when it feels like we "didn't do very much", and I think it is time to start reminding myself of the hundreds of days of my life that were spent under the evil tutelage of a "SUB" (substitute teachers, about 20 years old, possibly sober) and their never ending time-fillers, it turns out that the kids had the best day ever and I am still, after 7 years of official homeschooling, having to remind and remind and re remind myself that the majority of all human learning cannot be measured by time spent against ones will filling out paperwork to tape to fridge doors.
Remember "Subs"? The best of them let us play "Win, Lose or Draw" on the blackboard, or told us dirty jokes or let us just hang out. the worst of them came armed with stacks and stacks of "Dittos", everyone knows what a ditto is, right? Some kind of reproduced, often with purplish ink, worksheet or crossword or word search of some kind, which you had to do, but if you finished it they were all mad at you and told you to do another one or to be quiet. These were invariably 5 grade levels too easy and super blurry and horrid. The nice subs let you work with a partner but you still had to be quiet. they might as well have told us to color.
But this is the reality of school, and this is the stuff that children are experiencing and no one gets all freaked out about it--so when we have cozy days where the only thing that can appear to the untrained closed mind that was accomplished that was "Schooly" was reading together or watching Animal Planet or cooking, my guilt is finally becoming less and less.
Do I want our Home-School to be different? Yes. But that is all a part of parenting, and I am working right now on the whole courage to changes the things we can, accepting the things we cant and wisdom to know the difference proverb thingy. I am re-reading The Mother Trip by Ariel Gore, and really getting it about Chaos Theory. I ask myself if my kids would be better off "somehwere else" and I can say NO for sure. Somedays, many days, homeschool can be just living with and raising your children. Making breakfast, cleaning breakfast. Dressing and brushing teeth. Writing a story. Having a race. Doing experiements with one cat, 5 blankets, a big cardborad box, and 55 magnets. Making lunch and cleaning lunch. Nursey and diaper change before naptime. Reading books. Cleaning up toys. Messing around on YouTube. Cutting out papersnowflakes. Watching a show. Recieving a phone call. Giving a bath or 4. Making and cleaning dinner. Laughing and playing. Getting ready for bed. Putting the house back together.
Horrible confessions, or good wholesome human stuff? So there--I said it. And I mean it. Go ahead and freak out, call the cops. Tell 'em you found a family who is just living and having days together, several days a week. I don't feel bad about it anymore. Because we do lots of stuff that is schooly and we do lots of stuff that isnt, and by doing this, we are doing everything we can to see to it that our children are growing up well. Live and Learn.
How is everyone else's fall going?
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Thursday updates
http://www.besthomeschooling.org/articles/elaine_edwards.html
Here is a really nice article, tell me what you think! I am babysitting today and have been busy busy busy--sorry I haven't posted in a while, we are in a sort of transition right now. We went to Waldorf Co-Op yesterday, Campfire scouts Monday, and the children are happy and well. Charlie slept through the night last night and the night before, which was a good treat for all of us affected by my exhaustion levels. I like my job and we had fun on Halloween, even if our neighborhood was kind of scanty on the number of houses handing out candy. I have been looking at new houses when I get the chance in the evenings, but so far they are all gross with stinky cigarette carpeting and general grossness and creeps-ville vibes, so I rush home thinking we have the best house in the world, even if it is too big and we cant afford to spend $400 a month to heat it this winter, or the rent. Of course it is cool and pretty and big, that's why we moved here in the first place.
Daddy doesn't ride his bike too much to work anymore, since it has been so cold or drizzly, but this leaves us without the van. Somedays he takes it to work in the morning, then when he comes home for lunch, we can all drive him back and then have a vehicle for the rest of the day.
I still hold strong to my fantasies of more outings and more happy sidewalk cafes with the kids, eating bagels out of town, going to museums and nature centers, new libraries and new adventures, but it hasn't happened too much lately. This is a huge reason we want to move, to be able to afford the things we really enjoy--outings and doing things other than just paying bills and telling the kids "we cant afford" EVERYTHING in this universe.
My children don't care too much about square footage and copper pipes. They care about swim lessons and family trips, art class and camping, ice skating and new paints and brushes, baking cookies and pies, COSI and the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum, having clothes that fit and snowpants and boots that actually keep out cold and water. We are not poor, but we do need to move. For alot of reasons. It would be nice to get into a place where the landlord cared if you had a working cold water faucet in your bathtub or if your 2nd dryer broke or if you needed a copy of the lease to apply for scholarships and financial aid and health insurances.
I haven't gotten a check from my new job yet, I do in a week or so. This will make all my long hours seem like they are actually FOR something, and it will give us a better idea of where we are at for the next few months. But I still say we need to move. We have no car payment, no credit cards, just this big house and its big energy bills, and we know there is a better way.
Very lovely surprise: it is SNOWING! I hope it sticks.
Here is a really nice article, tell me what you think! I am babysitting today and have been busy busy busy--sorry I haven't posted in a while, we are in a sort of transition right now. We went to Waldorf Co-Op yesterday, Campfire scouts Monday, and the children are happy and well. Charlie slept through the night last night and the night before, which was a good treat for all of us affected by my exhaustion levels. I like my job and we had fun on Halloween, even if our neighborhood was kind of scanty on the number of houses handing out candy. I have been looking at new houses when I get the chance in the evenings, but so far they are all gross with stinky cigarette carpeting and general grossness and creeps-ville vibes, so I rush home thinking we have the best house in the world, even if it is too big and we cant afford to spend $400 a month to heat it this winter, or the rent. Of course it is cool and pretty and big, that's why we moved here in the first place.
Daddy doesn't ride his bike too much to work anymore, since it has been so cold or drizzly, but this leaves us without the van. Somedays he takes it to work in the morning, then when he comes home for lunch, we can all drive him back and then have a vehicle for the rest of the day.
I still hold strong to my fantasies of more outings and more happy sidewalk cafes with the kids, eating bagels out of town, going to museums and nature centers, new libraries and new adventures, but it hasn't happened too much lately. This is a huge reason we want to move, to be able to afford the things we really enjoy--outings and doing things other than just paying bills and telling the kids "we cant afford" EVERYTHING in this universe.
My children don't care too much about square footage and copper pipes. They care about swim lessons and family trips, art class and camping, ice skating and new paints and brushes, baking cookies and pies, COSI and the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum, having clothes that fit and snowpants and boots that actually keep out cold and water. We are not poor, but we do need to move. For alot of reasons. It would be nice to get into a place where the landlord cared if you had a working cold water faucet in your bathtub or if your 2nd dryer broke or if you needed a copy of the lease to apply for scholarships and financial aid and health insurances.
I haven't gotten a check from my new job yet, I do in a week or so. This will make all my long hours seem like they are actually FOR something, and it will give us a better idea of where we are at for the next few months. But I still say we need to move. We have no car payment, no credit cards, just this big house and its big energy bills, and we know there is a better way.
Very lovely surprise: it is SNOWING! I hope it sticks.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Cozy Friday
So crazy...whereas yesterday morning, before we got out and met our friends, just being here was torturous and bad, today there couldn't be a cozier, sweeter home filled with mild and kind little children on this world. Even Kitty is sweet and cozy today.
We read some stories, the kids did their sizable chore lists without as much as a huff or puff, we had a nice little lunch with Daddy, Charlie took his nap, Casey helped me hang clothes out to dry, Greta and Mickey are working on a big story together at the school table, the leaves are sparkling as they tumble down in the wind.....maybe the name of this blog should be the schizophrenic/multiple personality homeschool.
But that's just it. Life is ever changing. We have seasons of our lives and they have nothing to do with the calendar. Sometimes we even have seasons of our weeks, I know we do here at MapleLawn Home Academy. All of our activities have this thing where at the end of the month, there is a week or two off and there hasn't been Girl Scouts, Campfire, Waldorf Co-Op since the middle of October, it seems. So things have felt a little "off", but I don't mind one bit. I just started a new job, one that keeps me away from the family quite a bit, and it was perfect timing for all of this to happen when it did.
Two afternoons, we went on outings at around 3:30, after Charlie's nap. We went on a far walk to a park, and just played and played, when suddenly, thank goodness, Mickey, the keeper of the time, the wearer of the waterproof (to 160 feet!) digital watch, randomly proclaimed "It is 4:58" I was like "We have to go, guys!! We have to go home, I have to be to work at 6!!!!"
I am not used to this at all! What does 3:30 have to do with my job, which I think of as my "night job"? Apparently budgeting for time will have to start around lunchtime! Sheesh!
I made it to work at 6 on the dot, but missed out on supper. Thankfully it was Monday night and the people who are there Monday night bring in lots of treats, so I got vegetables and chips and salsa and donuts. A lovely dinner, haha.
So we are really enjoying today. Just being in our sunny home. I work tonight at 7 so I think I will go hang out with the kids and see how their project is coming along before Charlie wakes up. Have a great weekend!
We read some stories, the kids did their sizable chore lists without as much as a huff or puff, we had a nice little lunch with Daddy, Charlie took his nap, Casey helped me hang clothes out to dry, Greta and Mickey are working on a big story together at the school table, the leaves are sparkling as they tumble down in the wind.....maybe the name of this blog should be the schizophrenic/multiple personality homeschool.
But that's just it. Life is ever changing. We have seasons of our lives and they have nothing to do with the calendar. Sometimes we even have seasons of our weeks, I know we do here at MapleLawn Home Academy. All of our activities have this thing where at the end of the month, there is a week or two off and there hasn't been Girl Scouts, Campfire, Waldorf Co-Op since the middle of October, it seems. So things have felt a little "off", but I don't mind one bit. I just started a new job, one that keeps me away from the family quite a bit, and it was perfect timing for all of this to happen when it did.
Two afternoons, we went on outings at around 3:30, after Charlie's nap. We went on a far walk to a park, and just played and played, when suddenly, thank goodness, Mickey, the keeper of the time, the wearer of the waterproof (to 160 feet!) digital watch, randomly proclaimed "It is 4:58" I was like "We have to go, guys!! We have to go home, I have to be to work at 6!!!!"
I am not used to this at all! What does 3:30 have to do with my job, which I think of as my "night job"? Apparently budgeting for time will have to start around lunchtime! Sheesh!
I made it to work at 6 on the dot, but missed out on supper. Thankfully it was Monday night and the people who are there Monday night bring in lots of treats, so I got vegetables and chips and salsa and donuts. A lovely dinner, haha.
So we are really enjoying today. Just being in our sunny home. I work tonight at 7 so I think I will go hang out with the kids and see how their project is coming along before Charlie wakes up. Have a great weekend!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Thursday, November 1
We had a great day today, once we got the heck out of here. After a fussy morning and me chasing after a horrible mystery smell (it was pumpkin seeds, still in the pumpkin gloop, sitting in a little bowl, looking as mild and harmless as can be, stanking of death and fish and sewage!!!! who knew?) unsuccessfully and deciding that I never wanted to be back in this house ever again, we got out and things got better almost immediately.
We met up with our fave family at a beautiful local park and played for hours. It was cold in the shade but warm in the sun and the kids truly did FROLIC, as Greta likes to joke. They rolled down the hills and ran and climbed and screamed and shouted and threw rocks and sticks and we didn't have to feel like we were "gonna get in trouble" like we did at the metro park, haha. I got 5 people, 3 bikes and a stroller into my smallish minivan and i am proud of that, everyone got to ride and play. They got to see a ton of mallard ducks up close, and Charlie "fed" them litle wood chips for over a half hour.
As I mentioned on my B+B blog, today is Charlie's birthday, and, for the first time in...well, let me do the math....10+7+4+2=23........twenty three birthdays of my children, not a single card or phone call was made to us or the dear baby. I wiped away stinging tears when I checked the mailbox in front of my friend, after seeing that only pizza coupons and a phone bill had come, and that no-one besides Dada was on the caller ID today. I wonder what mass oversight occurred and most importantly, why.
It was a really nice day, and we had our friends back to the house for dinner. It was so completely adorable to see the seven kids sitting around the table all together--and me and my friend got to/had to go eat in the living room and listen to them practicing their best table manners (LOL) while we snuck in a few adult stories together, if only for 10 minutes.
The day that started out so badly, ended up incredibly fun and as always, fresh air, getting out, and spending time with people who you truly enjoy is always the cure for whatever ails me. (and getting those haunting pumpkin seeds out of the house! PEW!)
If I didnt say it enough times, Happy Birthday , dear Lindey-bean. We love you more than you will ever know.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
