I just said goodbye to some very dear friends. The angel Agnes Wickfield and her dear friend David. As well as the Micawbers. And poor little Emily. We have been together for the past 2 weeks, and it is sad to see them go, but I know they are not really gone. They are just waiting for me to pick up the book off the shelf and visit them again. In fact, I have visited them so many times, I can call their words to mind almost anytime.
Only Charles Dickens does this for me.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Life
This is a story that doesn't include pictures. Sorry. I still need to post about Abigail's birthday, and the Christmas decor, and all those things. But I am putting it off to tell you a story, that will tell you a lot about my life lately.
Yesterday at 4:30 I showered to get ready for the evening. I curled my hair, and carefully chose my outfit. A sweater and blouse with khaki pants. This evening was special. The regular option of pink lounge pants, or black yoga pants was out of the questions. I put on my sparkly earrings (the really expensive ones the DH gave me for Christmas last year). While putting my make-up on, I decided that tonight was the night for Strike-a-pose Rose. I have been hoarding my last Mary Kay sample of my favorite shade for a special occasion. This was it! I was pleased with the results, with only a very small sigh for my pre-baby body. Then, I remembered that I forgot to brush my teeth! Dilemma! I had NO MORE lipstick... So, I grabbed a stick of gum.
Then we went to the Ward Christmas Party. I delivered my ham and Mormon Potatoes (I heard a rumor that those have made it into a recent Jewish Cookbook, under that name...) We got all the kids in a pic with Santa, and ate our ham and potatoes and green salad and rolls with much relish. At least I did, and it was great to see the kids polish of their dinner, and realize how many dishes I didn't have to do as a result!
Then came the program! I found out when I got there that they needed me to lead the entire group in Christmas carols. Did that, and then Joe and I sang the closing number, Silent Night. We sang a Capella, and there was one part I always messed up. I hit that square! But, of course, unintentionally rewrote two measures in the third verse. Overall, it went well though. I think it was the lip stick.
We came home, got the kids in bed, and I had to go to the grocery store. Then came home to watch It's a Wonderful Life while I embroidered for Christmas. But, I couldn't even see straight after the store, so we just snuggled up to watch a movie (the first movie night in 2 weeks!)
The End.
Well, until this morning. When I told the girls that we have a baby-sitter coming tonight, they misunderstood. They thought I said we have a baby sister coming tonight. I had to stop their joyful prancing and correct them. Heaven help me! I love babies, but if I had a baby tonight, I think I would have a mental breakdown!
Yesterday at 4:30 I showered to get ready for the evening. I curled my hair, and carefully chose my outfit. A sweater and blouse with khaki pants. This evening was special. The regular option of pink lounge pants, or black yoga pants was out of the questions. I put on my sparkly earrings (the really expensive ones the DH gave me for Christmas last year). While putting my make-up on, I decided that tonight was the night for Strike-a-pose Rose. I have been hoarding my last Mary Kay sample of my favorite shade for a special occasion. This was it! I was pleased with the results, with only a very small sigh for my pre-baby body. Then, I remembered that I forgot to brush my teeth! Dilemma! I had NO MORE lipstick... So, I grabbed a stick of gum.
Then we went to the Ward Christmas Party. I delivered my ham and Mormon Potatoes (I heard a rumor that those have made it into a recent Jewish Cookbook, under that name...) We got all the kids in a pic with Santa, and ate our ham and potatoes and green salad and rolls with much relish. At least I did, and it was great to see the kids polish of their dinner, and realize how many dishes I didn't have to do as a result!
Then came the program! I found out when I got there that they needed me to lead the entire group in Christmas carols. Did that, and then Joe and I sang the closing number, Silent Night. We sang a Capella, and there was one part I always messed up. I hit that square! But, of course, unintentionally rewrote two measures in the third verse. Overall, it went well though. I think it was the lip stick.
We came home, got the kids in bed, and I had to go to the grocery store. Then came home to watch It's a Wonderful Life while I embroidered for Christmas. But, I couldn't even see straight after the store, so we just snuggled up to watch a movie (the first movie night in 2 weeks!)
The End.
Well, until this morning. When I told the girls that we have a baby-sitter coming tonight, they misunderstood. They thought I said we have a baby sister coming tonight. I had to stop their joyful prancing and correct them. Heaven help me! I love babies, but if I had a baby tonight, I think I would have a mental breakdown!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Why I homeschool
I have been asked frequently lately why I have decided to Homeschool. The answer is: I KNOW that it is the right thing for our family. I feel very strongly that I need to homeschool my kids.
I began feeling this summer that I need to start this school year, even though Abigail will be old enough for kindergarten next year. I wondered how I was going to do it, what I would teach, how I would get them to listen to me...
I was very afraid, because Abigail's natural response to anything I tell her is that she doesn't believe I have the answer. I might be right, I might be wrong... She'll find out herself. Which, in a lot of ways, is a great thing. However, there are some things you just have to trust me on. Like that letters go in a specific order, and must be arranged in lines on a page in order to be words. She didn't take my word for it on that for a long time. How could I homeschool this kind of personality, so different from mine? And yet, I knew that I had to do it.
When August rolled around, I began to ponder about what to do exactly. I had a 2 month old baby, I was in the middle of canning... life is busy! Things just fell into place for me. Phoebe gave me a good 3 weeks of sleeping through the night. I had the mental acuteness to develop a plan and begin writing my curriculum (a favorite part of teaching, I must say). When we started, the girls loved it! Who wouldn't, really? They get 2 hours of my attention, playing games, reading stories, writing letters... And at this age, I am still really cool to them.
The girls still ask me every day what we are learning in school tomorrow, and they look forward to mondays when we are going back to school. It is working out great, and they are learning a lot! I find that every time I know there is a concept I need to teach, but I don't know how to approach it, the answers just come to me as a work with each child individually. I felt that when I taught public school, and I believe all mothers feel that frequently, if not constantly.
While I know that I won't be the coolest person to them forever, and homeschool won't always be as easy as it is now, I know I'm off to a good start. If only there was a way for them to ride the bus AND do homeschool, they would think life was perfect. (They envy all the neighborhood kids who get to ride the bus to school.)
So far, my favorite lessons have been:
I began feeling this summer that I need to start this school year, even though Abigail will be old enough for kindergarten next year. I wondered how I was going to do it, what I would teach, how I would get them to listen to me...
I was very afraid, because Abigail's natural response to anything I tell her is that she doesn't believe I have the answer. I might be right, I might be wrong... She'll find out herself. Which, in a lot of ways, is a great thing. However, there are some things you just have to trust me on. Like that letters go in a specific order, and must be arranged in lines on a page in order to be words. She didn't take my word for it on that for a long time. How could I homeschool this kind of personality, so different from mine? And yet, I knew that I had to do it.
When August rolled around, I began to ponder about what to do exactly. I had a 2 month old baby, I was in the middle of canning... life is busy! Things just fell into place for me. Phoebe gave me a good 3 weeks of sleeping through the night. I had the mental acuteness to develop a plan and begin writing my curriculum (a favorite part of teaching, I must say). When we started, the girls loved it! Who wouldn't, really? They get 2 hours of my attention, playing games, reading stories, writing letters... And at this age, I am still really cool to them.
The girls still ask me every day what we are learning in school tomorrow, and they look forward to mondays when we are going back to school. It is working out great, and they are learning a lot! I find that every time I know there is a concept I need to teach, but I don't know how to approach it, the answers just come to me as a work with each child individually. I felt that when I taught public school, and I believe all mothers feel that frequently, if not constantly.
While I know that I won't be the coolest person to them forever, and homeschool won't always be as easy as it is now, I know I'm off to a good start. If only there was a way for them to ride the bus AND do homeschool, they would think life was perfect. (They envy all the neighborhood kids who get to ride the bus to school.)
So far, my favorite lessons have been:
- The Chicken Polka
- Painting giraffes
- Bean Collage Butterflies
- Insect Hunt
- Heart anatomy and physiology (the best use I've yet found for all those textbooks I didn't sell back)
- Making a kite (well, that's in a few weeks, but I'm so excited!)
Monday, November 16, 2009
Things I am thankful for.
Today I have a full heart, and have been thinking of random things I am thankful for, and thought that I should post.
In no particular order:
In no particular order:
- Laundry baskets. I think I have 15 in my house. They are so useful! Hampers, laundry carriers, toy boxes, toy cars, toy trains, kitty cages, suitcases, random stuff collectors, dirty diaper carriers... I love laundry baskets.
- Polka dots. Zenna has a favorite outfit that is pink with lots of polka dots. In fact, we have two of the same outfit (from two different hand-me-downs). Whenever she puts it on, she says, "Look! I have spots!"
- Machines. Dishwashing machine. Clothes washing machine. Vacuuming machine. Carpet cleaning machine. Clothes drying machine. Sewing machine. What a marvelous modern world we live in!
- Homeschool. Must confess that every day it is not so so fun to prepare and execute an hour or two of lessons, but I am grateful for the chance it gives me to be the mom I want to be.
- Toothless grins. Phoebe's smile makes me happy, and even more happy is the fact that she still has no teeth!
- little thank-you's. Olivia is very good at thanking me specifically for small things. Like today: "Thank you for cleaning my room mommy... I love to have a clean room!"
- Big Girl Birthdays. Abigail is turning 5 tomorrow. We have discovered that this gives us a lot of leverage: 5-year olds don't carry around ratty blankets, or whine, or leave food on their plate, or refuse to clean up their rooms. Abigail has been preparing herself for this very important day. (She is the one who came up all these things that 5-year-olds don't do.)
- Help. My MIL came over today to help me get my house back in order. It is wonderful!
- My Animal Diversity Professor. He taught us all about Toxoplasmosis and its dangers. He made us all promise that we women would never change a cat litter box while in our childbearing years, and made the men promise they would never let their wives change a cat box. This is a threat we take very seriously at our house. ;) thanks Joe!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Because you just never know.
I just had to share a funny experience that I had today. I have been very very tired, and pretty emotional the last few days. I have also had a very keen nose, and these are things that in combination send me running. To the drug store.
I stopped by Walgreens on my way home today. I unloaded all the kids, and put Phoebe in the sling, and held the hands of two, and one was trailing behind. I dashed to the Pregnancy tests, grabbed the cheapest one, and headed to the counter. The cashier looked at me, looked at all my girls, looked at the test and back at me. She just shook her head and said, "Oh no!"
It was negative, of course. I hope I am not the only one who keeps the industry in business with all these unnecessary purchases, but you just never know. And if a girl can know for sure, she should!
I stopped by Walgreens on my way home today. I unloaded all the kids, and put Phoebe in the sling, and held the hands of two, and one was trailing behind. I dashed to the Pregnancy tests, grabbed the cheapest one, and headed to the counter. The cashier looked at me, looked at all my girls, looked at the test and back at me. She just shook her head and said, "Oh no!"
It was negative, of course. I hope I am not the only one who keeps the industry in business with all these unnecessary purchases, but you just never know. And if a girl can know for sure, she should!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Let your soul delight in fatness.
My soul certainly delights in this fatness! Mommy's got the good stuff apparently. Weighing in at about 18 pounds at 4 months, this girl is chubby! But we love our chubby bubby! They are so fun that way.
I just can't help but smooch this baby all day! She is such a happy baby. She is very patient with her sisters. They love to hold her and talk to her, and sit on her... She smiles and giggles and coos. She has the cutest little pink tongue that she spends a lot of time exploring. She loves to such her thumb, but will suck any finger she can get. In fact, I can tell how hungry she is by the number of fingers in her mouth. 4 fingers is very hungry--mommy better feed me NOW! Just the thumb, and she could take it or leave it (of course she always takes whenever food is offered).
If only Zenna would learn to be gentle with the baby... She can't wait for Phoebe to grow up so she can have a playmate to boss.
We love baby Phoebe. Can't believe she's 4 months, but at the same time, can't believe she hasn't been here forever!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Daddy, will you play Star Wars?
Lately, the girls have been very intrigued by Joe's Lego Star Wars game. It's like a movie for them, only they don't have to wait until Friday. Zenna loves Darth Vador. She calls him "Darfa Fader" and on her birthday, asked if she was getting darfa fader for her birthday. All day she reminds me that when dad gets home, she will ask him to play star wars. And when Joe walks in the door, he is greeted with squeals of delight, loves and kisses, and requests that he play Lego Star Wars so they can watch.
Luckily, though he has not been blessed with sons, he has been blessed with girls who are receptive to Star Wars.
Tonight, Abigail wanted to play with him. This was the scene:
This was the dialog:
Joe: Over here! Not THAT way!
Abigail: Giggle
Joe: NO! Follow ME!
Abigail: Giggle giggle.
Joe: The OTHER way... turn around!
Abigail: Rolling on the floor with laughter.
She plays like her mom.
Luckily, though he has not been blessed with sons, he has been blessed with girls who are receptive to Star Wars.
Tonight, Abigail wanted to play with him. This was the scene:
This was the dialog:Joe: Over here! Not THAT way!
Abigail: Giggle
Joe: NO! Follow ME!
Abigail: Giggle giggle.
Joe: The OTHER way... turn around!
Abigail: Rolling on the floor with laughter.
She plays like her mom.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
