Weekly Update - AAAAAHHHHHHHHH Balance

This week was so balanced and relaxing which is just what was needed around here!

DN was here while CJ was home and things went okay. He and KM worked on the earthworm experiments in Janice VanCleave's Bio Labs. We all learned a lot and had a good time with them. CJ and DN spent some time together and CJ got some things done around the house while I took KM to a teen hangout event Saturday night.

Once the boys were off on their adventures, KM and I had two days of relaxing, getting things done and just lounging around the house and two days running all around town. Monday KM got a lot of her lessons done, while I cleaned out closets and reorganized things. Tuesday we ran errands, went to see The Secret World of Arietty, - which was FABULOUS!!! - ran a few more errands and then found the perfect shoes to go with her dress for the semi-formal. Speaking of the shoes not only were they perfect but they were $59 marked down to $11.99 and we had a $10 off coupon so we got them for $1.99 which means we saved 96.7%!!!!! Wednesday we finally had a wintry day at home! It snowed, I built a fire and we spent the day in the living room - KM working on lessons while I finished up the spring lesson plans and then we caught up on the 3 episodes of Smash we had missed. Then Thursday we went  ice skating, to the grocery store and swung by the library to pick up some thingss we had on hold. We were hoping to make it to the BSU observatory for their special events for the opposition of Mars, but the sky was just not cooperating, maybe we will make it there this weekend. All and all it was a pretty good week and we hope that this balance will continue! 

Some extra pics of the critters around here this week -

Some things we have been thinking about lately...

So you might remember the post from just a week or so ago about KM wanting to be more independent and schedule her own week, well she has decided that she doesn't want that responsibility any longer. Personally, I thought she was doing a decent job, but she was feeling a bit overwhelmed by it and really didn't like that she was doing lessons 6 days a week instead of 4. She has asked if we can go back to the previous setup ~ me giving her the weekly list, which is broken up into four days for her ~ but instead of her doing things right off the bat in the morning, she can do them whenever she wants throughout the day. This is TOTALLY fine with me. However she wants to get her lessons done is up to her. She is starting to really understand that she is in charge of her learning.

A few days ago I was asked by a friend what I would do if KM didn't want to do "lessons" anymore and I was a bit taken aback by this one, as I had no idea what I would do and honestly had never thought of it. There have been programs that she has decided that she doesn't want to complete for whatever reason and that is totally fine. However I don't know, for sure, what I would do if she just flat out didn't want to do any of it.

I think that if she really and truly didn't want to do any lesson work, then I would talk to her and see why she felt that way and/or what her plan would be moving forward. As I also mentioned in previous posts, I truly don't feel like you can force anyone to "learn" anything. You might be able to get them to memorize something or test through something, but in order for them to truly absorb, understand and retain it, they have to be invested and interested. I don't think that my feelings on this will ever change.

Having gone to school and having always done work with me over summers and during vacations, it has just always been the norm for her to do academic studies. She really enjoys the programs that we use. She has a huge hand in the decision making process and makes the final picks on what she will be using, as she is the one that has to do it and why would I want to waste money on something that I would have to fight with her to get done. She is even liking the writing workbook that she has been doing - Spectrum Writing, Grade 8 - which is a huge find! She has goals that she has set for herself and now it is my job to help her get to reach those goals. If for some reason she has a change of heart, I will keep an open-mind and work with her in whatever manner she needs me to. 

Balance...

...it seems to be the one thing that I am on a never-ending quest to obtain! In every aspect of my life, I really need to find more balance. Most importantly I feel that we need to find a good balance in our lessons vs. playtime. I really am having some trouble in this area and I think a lot of it is the huge amount of guilt that I feel about having sent my daughter to PS for over 5 years. I feel like she needs to be given time to get some of what she had taken from her back. At the same time however I have this tape playing in the back of my head - I am sure many of you know the one I speak of - it sounds a bit like this "she should be doing work, she should be writing reports, she should be producing physical evidence of what she is accomplishing, it is the middle of the day how can I let her run around outside" and it goes on and on and on. How do you make that tape stop? How do you truly balance what needs to be done, what could get done and what can wait?

Honestly if she were younger, I would have no qualms of saying let her play,- in fact you will often hear me state this to lots of moms who start asking about Kindergarten curriculum as soon as their child turns 5,- but all her friends are starting Middle School next year and I am torn between feeling like I should be preparing her more for High School courses and feeling like she should be allowed to be young and truly "PLAY" while she still can or will for that matter.

As I think back to my college experience I remember that many classes started out right from the beginning of things. It was never assumed that you knew anything about the subject - unless of course there were prerequisites for the class. This is to cover any gaps in core information and to ensure that everyone gets an even playing field.

Science is my arch nemesis, but I am also thinking that for the most part the home school science curriculum for high school are pretty intense and cover A LOT! Why do things over and over and over again. So maybe if I do pull back a bit on certain things over the next year and allow a bit more room for interest-led activities and time for play it would be the perfect time to do it! She is young for her grade level and this could be a bit of a break time. Especially with the new baby on the way VERY shortly - just to clarify I mean another niece of course! I think that I will pull the reins back a bit and maybe try to focus on some of the areas that really need some work - such as writing - and let some of the other areas that she is very strong in -such as math- have a bit more of a break.

Shhhh...Craziness has slowed down a bit!

Well things finally feel like they are getting back to an even pace, of course an even pace around here still means we are going at warp speed most days, but hey we will rest when we are dead - right?

KM and the other kids from the coop did an UNBELIEVABLE performance of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" on Monday night! We were all blown away by their performances. Hopefully I will have some pics by the end of the week, as of course I forgot my camera and our camcorder died out about a minute and a half into the performance. There were lots of others taking pics and video though, so we should be able to get a copy soon. The kids were so proud of themselves and had a fabulous time, but it was EXHAUSTING!

The weather has been gorgeous this week and finally feels like spring is here to stay so we will be spending a LOT more time out and about in the warm sunshine!

Well I am going to go enjoy the quiet for a few minutes before we head outside to finish reading The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White.

Be sure to find some time to enjoy the day!

Spontaneous Playdates Lead to...

...LOTS AND LOTS GETTING ACCOMPLISHED!

We got bit by the spring bug this morning and decided we would get some seedlings started and the garden area started - we have about a month until the last frost, but we figured if we get it going we will be on the right track -

We had put these pieces of bark aside when we were splitting wood during the winter and I came across them this morning so once they are dried and ready I will be sure to share our project!


Then KM was out scootering when we had unexpected visitors stop by - she was very excited and this led to a spontaneous playdate - the best kind of course!

This also left me with an afternoon in a quiet house -
so I tackled some things I just hadn't had time to get to lately!!!

First was the front closet -
hey there really is a floor there and I can even SHUT THE DOORS!


We just finished our winter session so I took some time to get the spring lesson plans laid out!
I always feel sooooo much better when I have things outlined and a direction to head in!


Then I headed into the playroom and changed some posters and got some project areas ready!


I got the astrology study mural background up...

Took the dinosaurs off the map and got it ready for first civilizations...

Put up the GCK Homeschool Art Gallery latest features...

I also came across this Grass Headz that we got a few months ago at the MOS and we forgot all about it - KM will be happy to get this started - I will keep you posted on how he turns out!



KM had a great afternoon at her friends and I got a TON done around here which will make our week sooooooo much smoother!

I just love it when things all come together just right!

Homeschooling Mom's Version of OCD -

Obsessive Curriculum Disorder!!!

I truly think I need help with this! I know I am not the only one out there! It is often more a case of the grass is greener syndrome when you hear about some great program that is working wonders for someone else's child, but my book shelves are begging for relief and my computer is overflowing with downloads. I am constantly second guessing myself as to what we are covering and how we are covering it. I want to make sure that I have all the bases covered, no matter what may come up. This has led to a constant nagging and obsessive gathering of information. I can't pass up a Freebie of any sort that MAY come in handy someday - even if it is something that I am pretty sure KM will NEVER be interested in. I also have a TON of cute preschooly things for SC - I know she is only 21 mo. but she will be ready to read and write before you know it and I want to make sure I am prepared! Hmmm.... What to do? What to do?

This is a list of my first steps to try to break this wretched condition!

First - I decided to reorganize things so that I could really see what we have! I have weeded through my files I was saving on the main computer, as it was getting VERY difficult to even find something we wanted to do, never mind trying to save some more info in the right spots. I also reorganized the closet shelves where I keep things that we plan to use in the future. I put a LOT of books, mostly on grammar and writing, that I KNOW we will NEVER use on Paperback Swap and they were snatched up in minutes - yeah more credits!!!

Second - I decided to make some sort of list so that I have an idea of what I have for each subject area. I began by writing out all the core subjects that I have accumulated information, texts and other materials on and then I listed electives in the same way. I believe I have everything for middle school completely covered, except for the Teaching Textbooks for Math - which I will purchase after reselling each previous edition.

Third - I WILL CONSCIOUSLY MAKE AN EFFORT TO NOT PURCHASE ANYMORE SCHOOL ITEMS!!! I should have come to this conclusion way before this point, but better late than never!

Fourth - I will not download any free packets, unless we will be using them during this term! With the exception of the weekly downloads from Currclick, because really how can you pass those up!!! Otherwise I will save the sites and get the information when we are ready for it!

Fifth - I will realize that my daughter is doing EXCEPTIONALLY well with what I have been putting together. She really enjoys the programs that we are using and until SHE has a problem or complaint with the things we are using, I need to just let things BE!


How do you handle Homeschool OCD? Please share your tips and tricks, so that maybe I can get this awful condition under control!

Utterly Exhausted -

There is no other way to describe how I feel right now! I awoke at 1:30a to complete blackness in my room, no idea why I woke up, but there I was laying there wide awake. Suddenly there was a huge flash of green light - honestly I thought I was dreaming that they aliens had arrived - then there were three power surges and another HUGE flash of light. The transformer blew three houses down and the power was out for our grid of the neighborhood.

Normally most people wouldn't have a problem with a power outage in the middle of the night, but you see it was 23 degrees out and we noticed that it was still snowing - it was suppose to stop that hours ago - We look out in the driveway and their is a good 4 more inches on the driveway that CJ had plowed before he dropped himself into bed last night - he had been plowing all day -

Of course the first thing I thought of was I am hungry - don't ask, I am always starving when I wake up in the middle of the night - so I go out to the kitchen and I hear this faint humming noise coming from KM's room, she had also woken up and was listening to her MP3 player with her battery powered speaker. She jumped right out of bed when she heard me in the kitchen - she gets that hunger trait from me - so I made her, CJ and I PB&J sandwiches, we lit some candles and had a picnic in our bedroom.

As we were sitting their, CJ's phone rang and he was off again to plow some more. He decided to get a fire going as we had been without power now for a little over an hour. He also got the generator ready before he left in case I needed to hook up the oil burner to it. Our oil tank is outside and exposed to the elements so he gets very nervous about the line coming into the house freezing. So I sat down in front of the fire with the Brian Jacques book I have been reading - Mossflower, the sequel to Redwall - and made sure it stayed going.

140 pages later, I realized I should probably close my eyes for a bit. So I put the book down, but within minutes - OF COURSE - the lights came back on. Now there were multiple things beeping and going off around the house that I needed to fix. I finally got everything quieted and made sure the heat was working properly, before I headed to bed.

So now I am sitting here, drinking coffee, waiting for SC to come...hopefully I will get to take a nice long nap with her this afternoon!

Busy, Busy Days...or Not?

This holiday season brings about commitments and traditions that need to be done which can generally bring about lots of stress and very little downtime. Make sure that you are taking time for yourself and your family. Sometimes you need to look at the things on your plate and decide if they really are benefiting your family, if you are really enjoying what you are doing or if you are doing these things just because it is what you have always done? Over the last few years we have revamped our holiday traditions, to only include the things that we really enjoy doing. I hear so many stories of parents doing things because the kids like it or even vice versa - my grandmother and her sisters used to make all the pies from scratch and while all the cousins enjoyed eating them, the girls were forced to help make those pies, while the boys got to play outside or watch TV, I loved my grandmother and have some of my favorite memories baking with her, but I ~ and a few of my female cousins ~ have so many memories of despising those baking days! We wanted to play, we wanted to have snowball fights, we wanted to sit and watch TV, but the tradition was that the girls bake those pies while the boys could do, well, whatever they wanted to. While I know that these days most parents would have the boys in the kitchen with them as well as the girls or would be out buying the pies, it is more the point that sometimes we impress antiquated traditions on our kids that they just really have no interest in. SO remember to take time to discuss your family traditions, be sure that you are really enjoying what you are doing and each other so that you can all have a truly Happy Holidays!!!

pro·duc·tiv·i·ty

Noun
Definition:

1. rate of production: the rate at which a company produces goods or services, in relation to the amount of materials and number of employees needed
2. ability to produce: the ability to be productive

This is a word that has been being discussed a LOT lately around here. From the kitchen remodeling, to the chaotic situations that have put our "normal" life on a hold a bit, to the economics coop class that KM is take to prepare herself for another visit to Exchange City.
This word was mentioned again today, by a father who just does not want to grasp the concept of natural consequences for his child. He has been working around the house for the past week and I think the cabin fever is beginning to get to him already.

Here was the situation:
KM took an EXTREMELY long time getting herself together this morning, she couldn't make a decision on which cereal to eat, she was allowing SC to distract her every chance she got, was picking out "just the right outfit" for a day when we were not planning on leaving the house and just generally dawdling about her business as most 11 year old girls tend to do from time to time.

Things like this don't really bother me on days when I know that we don't have anywhere to be, but for some reason CJ just can not stand this dilly dally behavior. He just kept prodding her along until I finally pulled him aside and had to explain to him again that no matter how long it takes her to do her work, she will get all of the work done today.

There are days that she gets everything done in under an hour - generally on days there is something SHE wants to do planned - then there are days when it takes her four hours to get the exact same amount of work done - these are generally days when we HAVE to be somewhere that I need to be. Regardless of the amount of time she will get all of the assigned work completed.

I am always with in earshot of her and if she needs help I jump right in there to point her in the direction she needs to go in, but I do not stand over her. She wants to be independent, she wants to learn most of these things on her own, so that is how her morning work is done - I give her the morning daily assignments and she does them as I go about playing with SC or getting my daily cleaning, baking, work and what not stuff done.

When she has completed her morning things she has free time to go on the computer, play with SC, work on an afternoon assignment or just do whatever until after lunch. Then in the afternoon we work on one or more of the following topics - either Literature, Science, Social Studies/History or an elective - art, music, Spanish, current events, etc - together. I try to keep the lighter fun things for when SC is there as she really likes to participate with us for art, music and Spanish. History and Science is saved for two of the three afternoons that we don't have SC so that we can really focus on what we are studying and can get engulfed in it. When we are done with that KM is done for the day.

Therefore if KM chooses to not focus and get her work done, she does not have as much free time. This is the natural consequence for the behavior. As I was explaining all this to CJ, KM came by and handed me her completed work and said "See Daddy if my productivity drops, I don't get to have the benefit of a friend coming over this afternoon. Since there is no Public School today, I can probably have a whole afternoon visit!"

CJ was shocked. In the amount of time it had taken me to explain to him how this all works, KM had finished her entire math reading and practice assignment. She was totally done for the day.

She also told us that when she was putting the date in her daily notebook she remembered that it was Veteran's Day and her neighborhood friends would be home - see there was a benefit for her to be productive! I know for sure know she FINALLY understands the concept and I think he may be getting it as well!

Almost there -

Things have finally gotten back to a bit of a more normal rhythm around here, so I should be back to more of the usual "homeschooly" postings that are normally around here.

We will be using a lot of the leftover and extra construction materials and packaging for some really cool art and science projects so I will be sure to share those as they happen!

Thanks to all who have been patiently stopping by during this slow blogging, but chaotic family time!!!

I am SOOOOO tired!!!

I could stay in bed for a week curled up as comfy as this:

Whom ever thinks that homeschooled children are not socialized should come and visit us this week!

We haven't stopped, it is only Wed and tomorrow is the only day this week that we don't "have" to be somewhere! I am sooo tired!

I have many "guru" types in my life, for various aspects and my very favorite ~all knowing~ homeschool guru mentioned one time having "Go Days" and "Stay Days" and sticking to them. On Go Days you have classes, do errands, have appointments, etc. On Stay days you stay at home all day - for the most part, a quick trip to the store for milk is permissible, but not much else - there really isn't anywhere that you "HAVE" to be. She tries to plan and schedule things around those days so that the kids know what to expect, she can get things done around the house and no one gets burnt out!

My new strategy ~ once I get through the rest of this jam packed week ~ I am going to try to have three out of seven days be stay days each week. Not that we will have full GO days four days, but we need to have three days that we are home. One day for laundry and cleaning, one day for baking and pre-cooking, and one day for mom to not loose that wonderful sanity I have been gaining.

I will say that KM has been incredibly receptive and cooperative this week on the go schedule - far better than she ever has been before! I however feel like I could keel over at any second and sleep for a month.

How does your family juggle the hustle and bustle that homeschooling and life can bring!
I will let you know how this system works out for us after we have tried it out a bit! Please share any tips, strategies or rules that your family lives and learns by!

Slowing Down

Things have been quiet around here lately - KNOCK ON WOOD! Not too much going on, so I have been kinda quiet on my blog as well! It does not get like this very often and therefore I feel that I must treasure it even more! We have been reading a lot!


I have caught up on lots of magazine reading - I have a tendency to mark off articles when the magazine arrives that I HAVE to read and then take months to get to them! I have Yoga Journals going back to March that I have barely looked at!


I am halfway through Remember Me? by my favorite contemporary author - Sophie Kinsella! Every story she has ever had published ROCKS!!! They are just really feel good, make you chuckle, real life funny kinda stories. I have trouble with these books because I tend to not want to put them down. I have to really set aside time to read them when I can enjoy them, so that time tends to be during the summer. Sit by the pool while the kids are going crazy and read.


KM & I are waiting for Sea Monsters by Rick Riordan (Book 2 in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series) to arrive so that we can continue reading this awesome series. It is amazing how it has sparked this HUGE interest in greek mythology for KM - so much so that I have been thinking about restructuring our history plans for the fall. I am thinking of focusing on the ancient civilizations and the different religions, stories, myths and such from each time period and how people would react to them today. There is a lot out there and I think this would be a good point to start ancient civilizations with as it was such a huge part of every aspect of their lives.

This leads me to think about how I am starting to grasp the concept of unschooling and child-led learning more. I am not ready to go there at this point, but I do want to focus on what KM is actually interested in for Science, Social Studies & Reading. I want to tailor the learning and subjects that get covered within these broad areas to increase her interest, willingness and drive to want to learn! She is starting to get back the understanding that she used to have that learning is not a punishment - it is a privilege that needs to be appreciated.

Card time again -

I was spoken to earlier this week about making sure that I am doing Reiki as often I can. The more you use it, the more comfortable you feel with it. The more you use it, the more others become more comfortable with it. The more you use it, the more you help to heal the earth.

This evening at the end of yoga I picked a card from the deck and got one that reiterated the positive effect of energy and light on healing the world. Guess I should be listening!!!

I found this poem that I think very eloquently and simply explains what Reiki is for those who are unaware. ~ Maybe me spreading the awareness will make up, at least a little bit, for not having used it as much as I should as of late.

Losing Interest

I realized last night ~ when I choose to fold the laundry while listening to my MP3 player ~ that television has not been holding my interest AT ALL! Even when I have it on lately I am not really paying attention to it, it is just on for the noise. I have been watching some movies here and there, but the shows that I LOVED last season, just aren't holding my attention. I have rekindled my attraction to all things Jane Austen as PBS has had her movies on lately. Really it is an infatuation with all things British. CJ hates it, but of course he has been working a lot lately so maybe that is why I have been headed back in that direction. I also have been "DVRing" ~ I know it is not a word, but what else do you call it ~ a lot of the Independent Lens documentaries. They are always on at really strange times like 3am, ~ does anyone really watch them then? ~ but they are usually really good! So anyway I was just wondering if it was just me or if anyone else has been feeling this way. Is there a show that has kept your interest?

Me Time!

Two months ago I received my initiation in the First Degree of the Usui System of Reiki Natural. Since then I have tried several times to sit and go through the paperwork and books to prepare myself for the Second Degree training, but it seemed that every time something happened ~ the phone rang, SC woke up, KM needed help with something, the dryer buzzed - you know the inevitable something that causes every parent to not take time for themselves. This evening - after my sister called 5 seconds after I sat down with my books - I shut the ringer off, blocked out all other things and went over my notes.

I did not get anywhere near as much done as I would have liked, but it felt good to really engulf myself even for a few minutes in something other than next year's curriculum, pre-revolutionary America, 5th grade math or board books. It is often difficult to find time for oneself, but you have to or you are no good to anyone.

You must create a sanctuary for yourself, even if it is just a corner of your room, where you can recharge your own energy. Now this often means different things to different people ~ reading "girl" magazines, doing spa-at-home treatments, scrapbooking, meditating, listening to an audiobook, getting outside and being in the sunshine ~ but whatever your "thing" is, do it!

I have a meditation area in my room that is about 6 by 4 and nothing else is done in that area, but the thing is that I have not done any more than step through the area to grab a book in months! I must get back to my practice to balance things out again. I have bumped my yoga up to two classes a week, I am getting back to my regular daily yoga routine as well and I have scheduled my first shamantic-angelic-reiki session.

I am trying to remind myself on a daily basis that a burnt out mom - leads to a burnt out family!

There was also a quote within my notes that I felt compelled to share:
"Energy can only ground on the one who sends it out, and your job now, each one of you, is to measure carefully your own choices in interaction and step away from those who continue to participate in the darkness and negativity. Love, honesty, and kindness may now need to be tempered with a sense of finality when those in your life do not behave with honor, or choose to stay locked in negative behavior patterns. Justice is taken care of in the flow of energy itself, and will leave you free to move on to better days and wonderful new relationships when you make the choice to walk towards greater peace that you claim for yourself. Like attracts like." - Elaine Read-Cole

Feel free to share your ideas on how to recharge by leaving a comment!

Toxic or Not?

This is totally not my normal blog entry, but I have been thinking lately about friendship, grief and the number of different ways that people deal with it. Some people act as though nothing has happened and move on. Others fall to pieces and cannot function. Some try to drag every other person down with them into their misery. Most lie on a spectrum somewhere in between. It is hard to know whom will fall in one area, while another far from it. I firmly believe that people who have been through a situation should stand and help those who are encountering a similar situation, but to what degree? When is enough, enough? How do you decide whether one more try should be given on a friendship or it is time to end it? How many mistakes is one allowed?

Some of you may be thinking ~ "What in the world made her think of this?" ~while some of you know exactly what led me here.

I came across an article the other day that got me thinking and related it to my life. Here are some excerpts:

“A friendship is between two peers,” says Florence Isaacs, author of Toxic Friends/True Friends. “There has to be balance in a friendship for it to be healthy -- not one person whose needs get met and another whose needs are overlooked.”

This makes sense - I think it a good definition that really hits the mark on the head.

“Toxic friends stress you out, use you, are unreliable, are overly demanding, and don’t give anything back,” Isaacs tells WebMD.

While a toxic friend doesn’t have to lay claim to all of these charming characteristics, they do seem to bring on their nasty behavior on a consistent basis, as opposed to those of us who just have a bad day once in a while and take it out on some of the people we care about the most -- our friends.

“The phrase ‘toxic friend’ is pop psychology,” says Jenn Berman, PhD, a psychologist in private practice in Beverly Hills, Calif. “I would say it’s someone who, after spending time with them, makes you feel bad about yourself instead of good; someone who tends to be critical of you -- sometimes in a subtle way and sometimes not so subtle; a friend who drains you emotionally, financially, or mentally, and they’re not very good for you.”

By continuing a toxic friendship, you’re allowing your friend to hurt you, but you’re also hurting yourself. “You have to take some degree of responsibility for the situation,” says Figley, a spokesman for the American Psychological Association. “It’s a pleaser personality -- you want people to like you, you want to get along, and it’s hard to say no. But you can pay the price in one way by having toxic friends.” So even though we want to help our friends and have them rely on us in troubling times, take responsibility for toxic friendships and how they make you feel.

I would only add that negativity draws negativity - positive things happen to positive people.

This is the case that defies scientific explanation of opposites attract. When you jinx yourself by saying "Hey, I made an extra $200!" - you will get a flat tire that costs $225 to repair. You can get crazy mad and depressed or you could look at it as if you hadn't made that $200 you would have to choose between fixing the tire or groceries for the week.

Do all that you can to surround yourself in positive light and love. You will see a difference in yourself and your environment!

Just some things to think about - if you are interested in reading the full article click on the title of this blog and it will take you there.

Sooo Much To Do - So Much Got Done

You would think by all my blogs the last two days that I did nothing, but sit at the computer all weekend long!


But the reality is we really got a ton of stuff done!

• cleaned back porch
• cleaned front porch
• switched all storms for screens
• vacuumed all sills
• vacuumed all rugs
• swept the floors
• managed to get SC to take a nap ~ yippee
• raked the front flower beds
• played with the neighbors kids
• fixed the pop out door
• KM took LOTS of Pics
• Played catch ~ we used SC on her little rider toy ~ she had a blast!
• played some video games in the sun
• emptied the dishwasher twice
• made some tough decisions about plants
• listed stuff on freecycle
• took down the CHRISTMAS lights ~ yes CJ is one of those guys, we actually have a bush out front that we can't take the net lights off of because he left them on there one year and the branches grew through it ~
• total kitchen wash down
• picked up dinner, milk and got gas ~ nearly had a heart attack at the pump $3.44
• got to have dinner with CJ ~ can you believe it!!!
• washed pots and pans
• made grocery list for the monthly trip ~ debating on doing delivery again with the ridiculous gas prices it may end up being cheaper
• swapped winter clothes for summer clothes
• watched "Becoming Jane" - it is one of my new favorites!
• thoroughly cleaned ALL coffee maker parts ~ we have one of those "grind right before it brews it" makers and you have to take 90 different pieces apart to get all the grinds out
• discussed a multitude of earth day issues and had some great ideas for the upcoming Environmental Club Meet & Greet ~ more about that later
• helped difuse a hostile situation
• calmed a rather distressed father on the phone ~ won't go into that now either
• listed more stuff on freecycle
• talked with one of my dearest pals ~ hoping she is feeling better
• trip to the hardware store to hopefully revive some cauliflower and rescue some eggplants
• seeded some new plants
• got lesson plans together for the week
• got the PLANTS OUTSIDE!!!
• spoke with DD - she is wonderful!!!
• baked lots of goodies for the week
• repacked cooler and got lunches ready for tomorrow's hike
• GOT MY READING CORNER BACK!

Sometimes it is good to really see what you have accomplished!

*I just wanted to note that I started this list on saturday afternoon and finished the post on sunday - I CANNOT BELIEVE that we really got all that done in two days - I often look around and wonder what did I do all weekend? So I decided to track what I was doing and really see what I got done. Try it sometime it really gives you a feeling of accomplishment - even more than crossing things of the list. - Now imagine what i could have gotten done if I hadn't stopped every once in a while to track what I was doing - hmmm!

Thought to live by!

I am not really a "Thought for the day" type of person, but I am on a group where we get them each morning and todays really shouted at me:

Do not compare yourself with others. You may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. . .
Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the
grass. . .-Excerpts from 'Desiderata'

So many people are always trying to live up to "the Jones" without getting a clear look at what they really go through!

To me this is a thought to live by rather than a thought for just one day!

Quick Note

I had a wonderful dinner out with LP last night. I love spending time with her! She is such an amazing woman and a lot of what she does reminds me of Noni. I feel so blessed to have her in my life! We have a difficult time finding time to spend with each other as our schedules are both soooo crazy. This note however is about what happened when I got home.
As I was leaving the restaurant I called home to see if CJ wanted me to pick up anything at Dunkin Donuts for him. (I have a serious hot chocolate addiction lately.) He said no and that was that until I got home. When I came in I brought in some bags from shopping I did prior to dinner and put those away and then went in to tuck KM in. I walked into her bedroom and she was sobbing. I asked her what was wrong and she replied "I was worried you wouldn't tuck me in when you got home!" ---Hmmm, she has never done this before. She does sleepovers with no problem, the only time she had a real problem was once when she was suppose to spend the weekend with her friends in Maine, but that was a few years ago. So of course I started thinking and freaking out - am I doing something wrong? Is she reverting back and losing her independence now that she is homeschooling?
Then I took a deep breathe and said - "What's up? Are you nervous or scared about something?" She replied, "No, but Dad wouldn't let me call you, because you had just called and said that you were on your way home, but I was afraid I would fall asleep before you got home and I sleep better when you tuck me in!" -ooohhh
Well I am not sure what is going on, but I am not going to freak out about it. I will reluctantly admit that it kinda made me feel good. One of the things that I was really worried about when I was thinking about homeschooling was that she would get sick of being with me so much - Guess I can wipe that worry off my list!

Saved from a relapse of insanity!

So Friday night I began having a slight meltdown, nothing to horrible, but I KNEW it was only going to get worse. In the last week or two CJ's business went from ridiculously slow to OMG HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS busy! Which in construction is very common. First signs of spring everyone calls for estimates and believe me I am not complaining about it, but the first few weeks of transition get a bit crazy around here. Scheduling issues come up, KM feels like she never sees dad and I of course get the dread of he is going to be working 40 hours a week at the job he took because business was slow and now nights and weekends with all the sidework he is getting calls for! Mind you this happens every year, but we haven't been homeschooling every year!

Insecurities creep into the brain about choices we have made, my new found sanity begins to wander away and I begin to go into panic mood. This has not happened to me in a VERY long time. At the time CJ was at an estimate and there was no way I was going to interupt that, so I raced through my support system in my head and of course the one at the top of the list can't be called upon - not physically anyway. These are the times when I miss her SOOOO much it feels like it was only yesterday that she passed. When Noni was here I could call her day or night and she had just the words to bring me back to earth again. So on the verge of total mental breakdown I sat down in my room and closed my eyes to breathe through it for a second. When I opened my eyes and lifted my head there in front of me was the answer.

I hadn't realized, when I stopped to sit, that I sat down in front of the picture of the two most important women in my life - Noni and DD.

I immediately knew what to do - I picked up the phone and called DD. I did not know what I needed from her but I knew at that second I needed to hear her voice. We made plans for her to bring SR over Saturday afternoon so that she could be with KM and DD could be with me.

An unbelievable feeling of calm came over me and I had recaptured my sanity!

Saturday morning I got up and had my yearning for spring cleaning come back again so I decided to go with it. KM and CJ helped out here and there I went through a lot of excess stuff that has been collecting around the house to get ready for a donation run. DD called and said everything still looked good and they would be over later in the afternoon. I continued to wade through the piles and a few hours later I got a second call from DD, SR was not feeling well and didn't think she could make the ride, so DD was coming alone. Well, now I have to break this news to KM. She got a bit upset and clingy for a few minutes then a light went off. I called CJ (who was out picking up something from craig's list for a science project we have to start this week) and shared my new thought up plan with him. His reply was "What every you need me to do!" He is SOOOO wonderful.

So DD arrived and her and I went out to dinner, while KM and CJ went out to dinner and a movie.

That was exactly what I needed. Dinner with DD. I love her so much! I don't know if she knows how much that short amount of time really recharged me. I thoroughly enjoy spending time with her. It doesn't matter if we go out to eat, sit and watch a movie or play card games on the computer, I completely enjoy the time that I spend with her. I am so blessed to have her in my life. Thank you, thank you , thank you!