Big Plans

As we are approaching the start of a new school year, my mind starts going haywire with ideas and plans.  Big ideas and big plans.  Overly ambitious thoughts.  I know myself pretty well and know that only about half of this will actually be accomplished this school year but it's fun to dream right?  Here's my big ideas for this school year.

With all three--

• Morning devotions including "Hymns for a Kid's Heart" and the 
  "Day by Day" Bible and adding character education using William Bennett's "Book of Virtues."  
• Actually make some entries in our nature journals.  Have Joe start a nature journal.
• Do some watercolor journaling.  See Kirsten's post here.  
• Start and then stick to regular chores for everyone.
• Home Economics Tuesdays--actually learn some cooking this year.  A goal that I've had for years is to teach each kid to make a simple breakfast, lunch, and dinner all on their own (well mostly).
• Susan Wise Bauer's Writing With Ease
• Use all the Usborne Art books I have to have regular art lessons.  
• Study 2 artists.

With the girls--

• Brightlights study about being a wonderful, godly girl.
• Work on some "Keepers at Home" badges
• Finish the quilt they started last year.

With Hannah--

• Finish My Father's World Exploring Countries and Cultures
• My Father's World Creation to Greeks
• First Language Lessons Volume 4
• Critical Thinking's Language Mechanic
• Horizons 5
• Wordly Wise
• Regular spelling lists and tests
• Typing
• Study of Greek and/or Latin roots
• Supplement Science with 4 Evan Moor unit studies
• Home Economics for Homeschoolers Volume 2

With Grace--

• Explode the Code 4 1/2
• Critical Thinking's "Language Smarts"
• First Language Lessons Volume 3 (starting after Christmas)
• Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading
• Spelling lists and tests
• Horizons 2
• Home Economics for Homeschoolers Volume 1

With Joe--

• Scholastic's 100 Words Kids Need to Read by 1st grade
• Explode the Code 2
• First Language Lessons (if I can stand to go through that book a third time!!!)
• Horizons K Book 2 and Horizons 1 Book 1

With Grace and Joe--

• all of the science kits on my shelf
• a lapbook on birds
• a lapbook on reptiles
• Evan Moor's "Life in Plymouth Colony"
• Read through my whole book case of non fiction picture books and delve deeper into any topic that catches their interest.
• a lapbook on kangaroos
• Evan Moor's study of Animals

In addition to all of this schooling and life skills--

• Hannah will do theatre
• I want to put Grace and Joe in some sort of sport--either baseball (softball for Grace) or soccer.
• I will be tutoring

Not to mention maintaining our house, laundry, meal planning and preparing...

I will revisit this post mid school year and see how I'm doing.  :0)

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You Know You Are a Bad Housekeeper When...

you need a bobby pin so you go to the living room and get the one that's been sitting in the middle of the floor for days but no one has bothered to pick up and put away.

Keeping It Real

So, how are you on this HOT, steamy Friday afternoon.  Me?  Let's see...I'm grumpy, arbitrarily angry, seriously craving chocolate and Chick-fil-a, hormonal, and alone (just how I want to be).  Because I am a people pleaser to a tee and super social, having a guest for two weeks is super fun for me and super mentally taxing.  I expected that after Kayla left I would probably be a little stressed and need some time to "come down."  But, I didn't factor in a whopping case of PMS.  I pretty much begged Ollie to either go and take the kids somewhere or send me to a hotel for a few days where I could chill and collect myself.  I haven't wanted to be ALONE like this in a looong time.  Because of a few commitments and because of my top desire being the chance to be in my own home alone, Ollie has taken the kids out for the afternoon and evening and will do the same tomorrow.  Bless my dear husband!!!  I have had a nap and am already feeling a little more normal.  I am seriously battling the temptation to go to Chick-fil-a and use my calendar coupon to buy a value meal and get a kid's meal and eat all of it!  I love Chick-fil-a and have not gone there in well over a month.  I am trying desperately to stay on this diet, eat healthy, yada, yada, yada, yada.  I won this Chick-fil-a battle a couple of days ago and I have pretty much won it today too.  I have however had a piece of toast with "Dark Chocolate Dreams" peanut butter on it and another small spoonful of it.  That stuff is to die for!!!  And, it's halfway healthy.  Healthier than greasy fries at least.  I mean, dark chocolate is and anti-oxidant right?  It fights cancer doesn't it?  There may also be some coconut milk ice cream in my future after I make a short social call (I know, I said I wanted to be alone but it's a birthday thing for a good friend, so I think I can be nice for a little while).  Not healthy but not as bad as some other things I'm craving.  On a positive note, my two hours today was spent going through clothes for the kids.  I had gotten really lazy about this and had been throwing things up on the closet shelf that was winter clothes or too big or too small etc.  I found a bin in the garage full of summer clothes for Joe and Ollie helped him go through what fitted him and what to keep and what to give away.  His tastes have DEFINITELY changed.  He picked three polo style shirts and one button down hawaiian shirt.  A year ago he wouldn't wear any shirt that wasn't a t-shirt.  His love for everything camo hasn't waned at all...

Have a good evening...I am hopeful that mine will be good after a nap and some more alone time with just me and my book.  

Better Day and Here's Why

No expectations. None. That's why I didn't get dressed until 1 pm today. That's why Grace is still not dressed. That's why Joe is in the same clothes he had on last night and then slept in. That's why Hannah has been watching old episodes of Bewitched for the last hour. That's why I haven't screamed at anyone. That's why I haven't thrown a book or anything else yet today. That's why I got to spend an hour on the phone with Marissa. That's why Grace and Joe are eating fluffernutters for lunch (peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwiches). That's why I caved and bought wrapping paper yesterday. That's why I was able to almost finish a fairly large puzzle and then quit a little over halfway through because I didn't want to do the sky or Santa's coat. That's why I could start my favorite Christmas puzzle (while on the phone with Marissa). Much, much, much better day. I should try this more often. I did spend an hour reading to the kids earlier today so it's not a total wash of a day. And they practiced for their Sunday morning performance in a couple of weeks. I really should have days like this more often. It's been good for all of us.

From This Day Forward...

I will be a calmer, happier mom.  I will not throw the book I'm reading when I get interrupted for the umpteenth time.  I will not slam things in the kitchen as I prepare breakfast because the child who pleaded to get to eat did it in a whiny voice.  I will appreciate my kids and their endless chatter.  What if they die today and my last moments with them were moments of frustration, nagging, snarling, grumping?  I will always answer with a kind and gentle voice.  I will look at them when they are talking to me so they will know they are much more important than e-mail and blogs.  I will hug them a lot.  I will read to them and spend more time with them and be more patient and be nicer and not feed them sugar so much.  From this day forward...and this time I'm really sticking to it.  Really.  

This was mostly written tongue in cheek--I always find myself making these sorts of lofty promises and they never last more than an hour... I'm assuming as moms we all do this (not throw books but make lofty promises to ourselves that we cannot keep).  As you can tell, it's been a rough morning...hormones gone wild around here.  Sometimes it's hard being a woman.