Maby not...

OK red, maby I was wrong. This thing with blue, I think it was just a fluke, a fling, just temporary. I tried to replace you, but I just couldn't do it. While blue has a new found place in my life, it just can't replace you. Maby, we could just have a, shall we say, open relationship. There's room in my life for both you and blue. What do you say? Can we give it a try? The two of you make a darling combination.

Just another day...

Today was a good day. An uneventful, uninterrupted day. That's what made it a so good. The kiddos are just fully engaged into Legos and Kynex. They spent their morning building while I read to them. Afterwards we did a science experiment outside. We are studying Astronomy this year. We are currently learning about the Sun. Our experiment was to take pieces of chocolate bar and shine light through a magnifying glass at them. We were to concentrate the light into a small circle on one piece and then a bigger circle on another, and still a bigger circle on the last piece. The kids though it was neat to be melting the chocolate and they especially thought it was neat when I was able to get my chocolate bar to catch fire. The best part for the kiddos was eating the experiment! Boy #2's chocolate never made it to the experiment stage, and he never quite understood why we were letting our chocolate just sit on our plates while we looked at them.

The Girl is really enjoying our studies of Ancient Greece. She has been busy building her own version of the city of Athens.



Tonight Awana started up at church again. The kids are totally excited and had so much fun. The Girl gets to go to camp this year. They won't let me chaperon, I asked. What to do? I have until April to prepare. This is hard one-for mom that is.

Weekly Report, Week 3

This was a busy week. It's always rather awkward when you have a holiday during the week. The rest of the week just feels off, at least for us. We had a hard time getting up and about this week, so school started a half hour late every day. Tuesday was a late night for me. It was the my ISP's first monthly meeting. Our family is in a different small group this year. Two of the families in our group are friends from the last couple years. It was a little awkward not knowing so many people in our group.


Wednesday we swam after school. Boy #2 is pure water baby. He jumps in the pool from our highest jumping platform and likes to swim with his face underwater. He's truly remarkable.



Thursday was our errand day and The Engineer's (aka Daddy) birthday. We went to Target so they could get Daddy birthday presents. Daddy got two games for the Wii. After Target we had lunch at home, went to piano lessons, made frosting for the birthday cake, and then went to a very hot park day with another home school support group we belong to. Then it was gifts with Daddy and out for a birthday dinner. I gave Daddy an Amazon.com Kindle, it's an electronic book reader & more. He was excited, not expecting it. It's truly a big kid toy, and he's happy about it.

After wrapping boy #1's gift to Daddy, the girl was frustrated by the wrapping paper. So for her gift to Daddy she wrapped her blankie around it, put her bunny on top like a bow and tied the whole thing together with her bandanna.
Boy #2 liked the wrapping paper. He gathered it all to together and took it to the trash. I hope he's always this tidy.

Friday we ended up not doing our school work. The kids slept in late after staying up late playing the new Wii games with Daddy. Then first thing in the morning we had to run to the probate attorney's office to sign paperwork. We had just a few moments to pack lunch and then it was off to another park day, this one for our church's newly forming home school support group. Saturday was spent around the house and doing Friday's school work. Today we will be off the church and afterwards to a Greek festival near the beach. I found a rather nearby Greek festival going on this weekend that I thought would help supplement our school studies about ancient Greece and the the Greek culture. Other than Baklava I am not sure that my picky eaters will try much food, but will give it a try. Yesterday I also bought a new kitchen dining room table. Our old set was very light wood, we've since gone with darker wood on all our furniture and kitchen cabinets. Our old set also only had four chairs. We now have a family of five and when Grandma comes for a month at a time , we become a family of six. Also, our school room is in what was once our formal dinning room. When guests, or clients came over we would entertain in that room. It was nice having a big formal table that fit six. Since our kitchen dining room is now our only dinning room I wanted a nice big set. I found it, and boy is it big.

It evens opens up 12 inches longer. I love it. Anyone want to come over for dinner?

Not Sure Yet

OK, here goes. I am a republican. Born into the party and glad to be here. I am a conservative Christian. If you don't like that, oh well, too bad so sad. I never talk politics. I keep my affiliation private and I don't talk about it. But this is my place to talk about how I feel. Sarah Palin. I like her. I think she has gusto. However, I'm not quite sure I'm OK with her for VP. I believe that a once a woman has a family, her place is to be taking care of house and home. Raising her children is her responsibility. It kind of bugs me that with four of her children still at home, one of whom is less that six months old, she's not going to be there to raise her kids. Who's going to kiss boo boos, and comfort hut feelings when she's busy in the White House. This is a hard one for me. I like her, I really like her. I just don't want her to be the best VP in history at the cost of her children and family.

Just one of the reasons

Yesterday we had one of those moments that reminds me of why we're homeshcooling our children. I was able to infuse God's word into my children's lives. The Girl and Boy #1 had an argument and had both declared, "We're not friends anymore." The Girl had invited Boy #1 into her room to play with her blocks and build towers. When they we're done playing and had been called down to wash dishes Boy #1 would not help pick up the blocks, leaving it all for The Girl to do. She was very upset, "He never helps pick up when he plays with me in my room." The tension was in the air while they washed and dried dishes and continued while we sat down to eat lunch. The Girl kept her mouth shut and was not saying anything further to Boy #1. But Boy #1, he just kept at it. "I don't want sit next to her. I'm not friends with her anymore, never again." The Girl, who is developing hormones and cries at the drop of a hat, ran from the table to her room crying the whole way. I looked at Boy #1 and simply said, "That was pretty mean and cruel of you to say to your sister." That started him on a line of ,"I'm horrible, I'm going to move, I can't live with our family anymore." We have some rules in our home, and Boy #1 broke three of them. I asked him what our house rules were, and he proceeded to tell them to me. Then I asked him which ones he had just broken. Be Kind, Speak only of Good Things, and Treat others how you want to be treated. I asked him if he remembered the scripture verse for Be Kind, "Ephesians 4:32-Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other as in Christ God has forgiven you." I left him to think about what we had just spoken about while I went to comfort The Girl. I consoled her and explained that her brother was wrong in saying mean things to her to intentionally hurt her feelings. However, in the world thats how it goes, people will say mean things to you to hurt your feelings, but you need to be prepared for that and be armed with God's truth to protect yourself. She then declared that Boy #1 didn't love her anymore. I assured her that he did in fact still love her, but however, as they both keep getting older they may grow apart a little because he likes to play with boys doing boy things and she likes to play with girls doing girl things. I then went into to talk with Boy #1 again. We talked about repentance, forgiveness, and how the bible says we are to help one another. The Girl and I went back downstairs so she could finish eating her lunch. While we were downstairs Boy #1 quietly went into her room and picked up the blocks. The Girl went back to her room and saw the blocks picked up and went and hugged her brother and thanked him. He then apologized for sinning against her and asked for forgiveness. I love moments like these, it reminds me why I'm doing this.

Good Bye Red, It's Over

I am sorry to do this to you, red. But it's time we have a little talk. You are so bright and warm, and you just have such a way of Oh, how shall I say it...energizing things and those around you. It's been a great four years, really it has. Your color adorns every room in my home. In the living room you are the main color in my sofa and love seat, there's even a throw blanket gracefully adorning one of the arms of my sofa in a lovely shade of you. There are red hand towels in my powder room. You are the main color in my master bedroom bedding. I even have drapes in a dark shade of you in my bedroom and master bath. Lovely shades of you can be found throughout my kitchen. The window valances, plates, roosters, placemats, you name it and your there. It's been good, you and I. I am sorry red, but it's over between us. It's been quite a year, lots of turmoil and strife. I need tranquility, calmness, peace. I want to relax, I don't need to be energized any longer. When I look at you in all your redness, I only seem to feel anger now a days. I think I have found a new color. Actually, its my old color, we have history together. I know, they say that once you go red you don't go back. But it's not true. I'm going back. I've been seeing blue again. Blue just makes me feel so peaceful and relaxed. It feels so good, me and blue again. Don't tell blue, but I may just leave a few traces of you around though. You know just here and there, for memories sake. No hurt feelings, OK, we can still be friends you know.

An Anniversary

Today is a special day. Special only to me now. 36 years ago, September 2, 1972, my parents were married. Because of that day 36 years ago, I exist, my children exist-we exist because a boy and a girl fell in love and were joined in holy matrimony before The Lord. My mother and father were soul mates, the great loves of each others lives. Their vows were only broken by the fulfillment of the least desired vow they made to one another...till death do we part. After my mothers death my father and I would go to the cemetery together to place flowers on her grave. Always the same bouquet...three red roses, just like her wedding bouquet. I remember vividly going to the cemetery on their anniversary the year my mother had died. I remember sitting on her grave while my father sat on the wall close by, just looking out, pondering. Perhaps he was pondering the "What If's", perhaps he was just trying not to cry. I even remember us quietly sneaking off by ourselves to go to the cemetery, on this day even after he had married my stepmother. It was our day remember, it was special only to us. As time passed and death's sting had softened we stopped going to the cemetery together. However, I always stopped to call my dad on this day. Just to say ,"I'm thinking about you." He would always say, "You know what today is?" as if I didn't know, and I would respond, "Yes Dad, that's why I called. I just wanted to let you know that someone else in this world knows what today is, and understands. Oh yeah, and Dad...I love you." I remember having that conversation with him last year. And we would've had the same conversation again this year, except.... this year my parents are together for their anniversary. I was thinking of the song, We've only just begun by The Carpenters. That song was played at my parent's wedding reception and later in honor of them, it was sang during my wedding ceremony. How true the words to that song are and how well it applies to my parents now. They have only just begun to experience eternity with their savior. What wonders and beauty await them and all of us who are called children of God. We've only just begun.....

We've only just begun to live,
White lace and promises
A kiss for luck and we're on our way.
And yes, We've just begun.

Before the rising sun we fly,
So many roads to choose
We start out walking and learn to run.
And yes, We've just begun.

Sharing horizons that are new to us,
Watching the signs along the way,
Talking it over just the two of us,
Working together day to day
Together.

And when the evening comes we smile,
So much of life ahead
We'll find a place where there's room to grow,
And yes, We've just begun.

Weekly Report, Week 2

This week it was a little harder to stick to a routine. We were all tired, and the phone rang lots of times regarding the sell of my dad's home. It is really hard schooling with toddler. It doesn't help either when your kids are just so different from one another. Boy #1 can't sit still, can't wait to be done with school, and loves to be noisy. The Girl wants to study, can't wait to be read to and needs everything quiet so she can concentrate. Oil and Vinegar. We had several emotional outbursts this week. The Girl can not handle getting anything wrong. We started using Spelling Power with her this week. This spelling program begins with a survey test for placing them where they belong on their spelling lists. The tests are designed for them not to know every word, that's the point it lets you know where your students knowledge ends and they need to be taught. The Girl couldn't quite accept this. She took it as failure...my goodness she is in third grade and scored at a six grade level on the survey test, hardly a failure. After much consolation and explanation she was better but then she missed a problem on her math and she was in tears again. Then she pushing her school desk into the wall and whining while doing her work and then her tantrum escalated. She had to write sentences and had a letter written home to her father. She was better the rest of the day. The next day it was her brothers turn to write sentences. He just couldn't sit still during bible time and could not answer any questions I asked him, Jesus is not the answer to every question-close though. I asked him to sit next to me for the remainder of our reading, that didn't go well. Next, he was asked to put his head down on his desk while he listened to the rest of our reading. Then he started arguing with me about he wasn't doing what I said he was doing, he didn't need to put his head down, etc. I explained that there was no need to argue with me, he had already lost. Then he decided it was time to negotiate for a different discipline. I tell this kid is going to be a lawyer one day-I just know it. Every time he gets in trouble he has to argue his case with you, even after you tell him he has lost he's still arguing his case. Once he realizes he really has lost, that's when the negotiations begin. He starts trying to negotiate a punishment that's more pleasing to him, according to him it's also more pleasing to you also. My nickname for him is "The Negotiator". Fits in with his dad, who has been called "The Dominator" at work, and his mother "The Collector" according to one of our customers. I received a call from one of our customers this week. He wanted to know how much he owed us as he had been out of the country and not received his mail , he wanted my husband to call him back and let him know how much. I told him I would look up his account and let call him back with a total. He didn't know who was because he said, "Just have him call me and let me know how much, I just don't want his wife to call me about payment again." I didn't realize I was such a hard core collector on late accounts, watch out I'm "The Collector". The Girl had a couple more emotional meltdowns later in the week but we survived. So far our new curriculum is working out well for us. Next week will be a full week as we have two park days and I have my ISP meeting on Tuesday. It's nice to be getting back to our life and will nice to be in fellowship with other moms and the kiddos are looking forward to playing with their friends again. Some highlights from our week:

Star Wars is just about the biggest thing in our house this week. It is all the boys talk about and the girl has joined along. Boy #1 and Boy #2 have been making light sabers out of tinker toys and dueling throughout the house. I finally gave in and bought plastic light sabers at Target on Thursday. I never thought I would be yelling at the kids, " No fighting with your light sabers in the house take the force outside!", "Luke, I am your mother...fear me!".

I brought out the record player I brought home from my dad's and played some of his records with the kids. This was like a history lesson for the kids. I explained to them about rpm's and how the record player was different that than a CD player. It was a lot of fun and brought back a lot of memories of being a kid listening to my dad play the same records. The Girl found an album that she liked, Cyndi Laupner-Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun!