Friday Confessional

Not too shabby this week!!   Good on most things, a little lax on others.  But overall, I feel like it was a very productive and well spent week.  We got a visit from my parents AND Alyssa and Brent on the same night, and it was the highlight of our whole week!  Wish we could make it more regular occurrence! 

1. SMILE AND BE NICE... you laugh, but this is really hard for me these days.


Woo Hoo!!!  Other than kids in obvious trouble who would be confused by a smile, I was pretty good this week!

2. Get through the first week of TOG History/Bible/Geography and stay on track.

I LOVE TOG!  The kids were really engaged and even asked for some extra work!  We did great!


3. Keep up the pace with Anatomy~ it's quite a bit of work and information, but soooo worth it!


We decided that the days we had it scheduled were not quite right, so we'll try new days next week!

4. Get the cabinet in the garage at least halfway done~ I'll post before and after pics when it's done!

Almost there, we had a few surprises in the evenings this week (like my mom and dad coming over for dinner...that was a GREAT surprise)  so I didn't get as far as I would have liked.

5. Really read and meditate on God's words.

Still working on this one... seems like the harder I try, the harder the devil fights me!

6. Put at least 3 meals in the freezer fro this winter.

I got one in!!!  So, not too shabby!

7. Listen to my book on my MP3 player, and possibly get past the first 6 chapters LOL

NOPE!!!  Too busy schooling those darn kids!

8. Exercise in the mornings, I really need the extra energy right now, so I have to start taking care of myself.

See number 5!!

9. Go to the Farmers Market on Saturday

Not there yet, but still planning on it!

10. Keep my cool, don't freak out, find my happy place, whatever it takes to keep ahead of the RADlings! This goes in line with #1!

I am soo proud of myself, I really didn't lose my cool this week!!  Even with both RADlings putting in overtime this week!  GOOOO MOM!!!

Thankful Thursday

I have decided not to focus on the negative today and be thankful for the people and situations in my life.  For example, I used to view homeschooling my herdlings as a chore.  Just something else to do in a day.  It flew in the face of the very reasons I chose to homeschool in the first place, this drudgery.  I have decided to find JOY in the dailyness of our school adventures.  Notice I said decided.  It takes a conscious decision to chose joy over dwelling on the negative.  The negative is so easy to get swallowed up in.  The fights, the whining, the outright defiance.  BUT, if I choose the joy for my focus I see hands happily at work, eyes lighting with a new discovery, hearts softened by spending time in learning with their mom and siblings, and sooo much more.  The more I focus on the joy, it seems to multiply like the loaves and fishes.  It amazes me!  It astounds me!  It breaks my heart that for so long I let the devil steal my joy, while I focused on all the I can'ts and I don't want to's.  So, my new habit is going to be recording the thankfulness every Thursday for all the world to see.  Today I am thankful for JOY in homeschooling my herdlings!  Join me in choosing JOY this week!  May you be blessed into amazement at the multiplication of joy when you choose to dwell in it!

 Lovely L's happy hands at work

 Awesome A2's happy hands at work

 Rockin Writer's happy hands at work

Our crazy mummy apple experiment! Just for grins!

Are you willing to join me in Thankful Thursdays????  Leave a comment about the big or small things you are thankful for this week.  I'd love to praise the Lord with JOY for your blessings this week!

Artsy Fartsy Wednesday

Time for another messy/beautiful art day! Enjoy...

Public School RANT

I have to vent or I'm going to explode!!!! Yet another reason I dislike Public School. Miss P is attending Public Kindergarten this year. For reasons too numerous to mention it was decided by our family and a child psychologist that it would be the best for her. (and mommy too) So I go to pick her up from the bus this afternoon, and there is a substitute driver. Now, don't get me wrong... I LOVE our regular driver. She is awesome and then some! This Sub saw me drop Miss P off this morning, I even waved at him as I kissed my girl goodbye. All the other mothers, nannies, and grandmas picked their children up with out a problem. Then again the children all had similar skin tone to their respective caregivers. My poor little brown baby was stopped and told to point out her momma. Bad enough, but this gets better. I was asked for my licence, which of course I didn't have with me. Who takes their licence to the bus stop??? I told him I did NOT have my licence and yes I was her mother. Every parent, grandparent, and nanny there told the man! Not good enough~ I had to make the trek 4 minute trek home to get my licence while my baby sat on the bus and wondered why in the world SHE was different than all the other kids. I got to the bus, and asked him point blank if I had been black if he would have even bothered to ask. I was informed it is because she is a Kindergartner... seriously, cause the other Kindergartner at our stop got off with his same color mommy without a problem! He then tried to TAKE my licence out of my hand! I told him, that he could read it just fine in my hand, so there was no need. As we walked home, I was furious! I then called the transportation department to complain, only to be told that he has the right to keep her on the bus if I do not have my ID and return her to the school! Rules are rules, but only if you don't look like your child! Poor Miss P is very confused, like her life isn't hard enough as it is! So now, I have to keep my drivers licence with me at the bus stop~ JUST IN CASE we have a sub~ and most likely lose it in the process, cause I'm just wired that way! GRRRRRRR

Lovely L's Precious Sight

I often miss the small details in life. You know, the extra load of laundry, the dust motes floating through my house, the spider webs in the corners. I just don't see them. I'm way too focused on the big stuff like how to manage our lives, homeschool, and basic stuff like remembering to feed my family. Yesterday Lovely L reminded me of the beauty found in the little things I so rarely see anymore, so I thought I'd share her little things with you. She found beauty and peace in such tiny little details that I just never see. She took the camera and went on one of her nature walks on our street. I was amazed at the detail and quality of the images she captured. All this without my guidance or encouragement. I am humbled by her insight and proud of her accomplishment.

Thank you daughter for reminding me of the simple beauty in the little details of our CRAZY life!

Manic Monday

Last week went ok... looking to really get 'er done this week. It may be a stretch, seems like my RADlings are really focused on making things hard this week already. So... on with the show!

1. SMILE AND BE NICE... you laugh, but this is really hard for me these days.

2. Get through the first week of TOG History/Bible/Geography and stay on track.

3. Keep up the pace with Anatomy~ it's quite a bit of work and information, but soooo worth it!

4. Get the cabinet in the garage at least halfway done~ I'll post before and after pics when it's done!

5. Really read and meditate on God's words.

6. Put at least 3 meals in the freezer fro this winter.

7. Listen to my book on my MP3 player, and possibly get past the first 6 chapters LOL

8. Exercise in the mornings, I really need the extra energy right now, so I have to start taking care of myself.

9. Go to the Farmers Market on Saturday

10. Keep my cool, don't freak out, find my happy place, whatever it takes to keep ahead of the RADlings! This goes in line with #1!


Looking forward to a full week!

Friday Confessional

Time to check and see how we did this week! Not too bad!

1. Most Important EVER... Keep a lid on my temper this week (I'm really working on finding my sillly)

I did pretty well on this one is I must say so myself! Used my brain for some serious therapeutic parenting techniques yesterday when Miss P came home from school with a note from her teacher~ she landed on RED for trying to deceive both myself and the teacher! Whew! I kept my cool and gave her an opportunity to make it right (she chose not to) and she actually told me she was angry with me! BIG stuff for her, she is usually scared to admit anger towards me!

2. Remember to go to my first ever booby squeeze (I'm trying really hard not to freak out!)

Got rescheduled due to Josh's need for yet MORE Birthday Golf

3. Get Patience's form for NOT getting her Chicken Pox vaccine from her Dr./the state.

I dropped the ball here- gotta get this done by the 20th, or be forced to give her the vaccine

4. Once again get on track for school... last week threw us for a loop!

YEA ME! (and the kids too) We are getting in the groove!

5. Start science on Thursday and Friday.

We started Science yesterday, plan on finishing it this afternoon.

6. Do art (Pastels with Nana) on Wednesday... shouldn't be a problem, the kids are begging for it!

Well, if you've been reading this week, you know we did art and then some!

7. Request the needed books from the Library on Friday

Done and Done~ picked up the books after Co-op

8. Cook dinner every night this week and put at least 2 dinners in the freezer

I did it, I did it, I did it!!! I have spaghetti and Taco Soup in the freezer too! So Proud! LOL

9. Smile more, especially at the children!

Tried hard, not so sure I did as well as I could have, but it's a start!

10. Celebrate my honey's birthday on Thursday!!! Happy Birthday Big Daddy!!

Been celebrating all week, or at least HE has! He got the most hilarious dinner last night...

Yep, that's right... a meat patty, mashed potatoes with brown gravy (yuk!), and green beans, all made to look like a birthday cake! Made him smile sooooo big! Made me smile too!