Fashion 411

Mom: Flutter Nutter you aren't wearing swim trunks today.
FN: Don't worry mom, I have underwear on under them. So that means they aren't really swim trunks. They are shorts.
Mom: What kind of underwear? (thinking of the white mesh lining...)
FN: The 4T underwear. The white ones.
FN: See I don't need to change.
Mom: You still need to change. (FYI: He hasn't changed yet.)

Running...

Running is for some a true love. They can't wait to hit the pavement.
I love the image that my mind creates. I imagine myself running. Long strides, loving it, looking forward to the next run. Alas, it is just my imagination.
Running is hard and in the summer, it is HOT !
I don't like to "glow"....it isn't even a glow I get, it is full fledge soaking sweaty. YUCK !
But I do like running with Gus. I HAVE to keep up. He gets my momentum up, and I go so that means he gets he needs to be redirected or dragged if he starts to sniff. It also means the run/workout ends a lot faster than say walking or yoga or pilates. I can say 1 mile or 1.5 or 2 miles.... then I am done.
Done I say, and I have accomplished something in less time than it takes Fun Mom to shower. I walk a little taller. I gain a little more respect from my children, because their mom accomplished something they thought she couldn't. The stress is beaten out of my neck and shoulders for a few minutes.
I am so glad to have Gus.
He motivates me to get up and out.
He drags, oh I mean, challenges me to go faster than I normally would.
And, I sleep ever so good afterwards... gotta love those early morning naps after a run...or the hard fast sleep after a late night run.

Wrapping up Week Four...

So we have been back at school about a month now and it hits, the feelings of inadequacy. I don't know if we have made it further into this year than years past or if it is coming sooner than normal. But come it does. When life collides into the homeschooling/family schedule and routine. In years past, a new baby, a sick baby, a sick momma, an ailing grandma, a business trip that we jump in the car and tagalong, a toddler that so quickly grows into new abilities (the kind you can't ever take your eyes off and you feel like your job is clean up after a demolition ball), whatever it is, it happens. It feels like the schedule is thrown out the window. This time it is the hubby. What he did to his back, we have no idea. But he did it. I have been living like he is on a business trip now for 3 weeks. Coaxing myself along. Coaxing the children along. Routine has gone out the window this week cause Momma is tired. She sleeps through the alarms...believe me there are quite a few of them in the household. The noisiest being Flutter Nutter. She struggles to stay awake at 6:00 p.m. Pepsi is the kids' new friend. They ration it out to the Momma...too much makes a grumpy momma. Maybe that is what happened this morning/afternoon. I drank a whole one by 10 am.
The feelings of inadequacy take over along with the ifs. If the children would go to bed easier... if I hadn't overslept... if Flutter Nutter wasn't 4.... if you would only do what I said the first time.... Why can't I seem to conform these children into the perfect picture of homeschooling children? The kind who are awake early and cheerfully. The kind who sit quietly and still with ears and eyes open and mouths closed while the momma reads aloud. I have showed them the pictures. I have told them what I want them to do. I have the routine mapped out, charts, graphs, the whole nine yards. (Well not this year, so much...I kinda learned and gave up 99% of the whole chart/graph business). So why is it they are acting like normal children? Why is it they only have questions when the other 4 have questions or need me? It is like being a press conference and all the reporters are speaking at once asking their questions. Don't they realize mom ears really don't work that way? We HEAR things...but we don't make sense of cacophony. A friend once said being a mother is sometimes like being pecked to death by chickens. That sums up this week. Horrible picture isn't it. But just the incessant mom, mom,mom, no, mine, no this, that, leave me a lone..... moooooom, mom, MOM MOM MOM.
Children they are, chickens they aren't, that is a wonderful and beautiful thing. God humbles me and brings me to my knees, because I so want to model for them Jesus' love and grace.
Routines, shmutines, life happens.... He reminds me once again, my days are His days. Blessedly, my children are quick to forgive me when I lose it. They are quick to hug this momma who seems to not be able to hold it together when her routine is disrupted and she has forgotten WHO is in charge around here. My Heavenly Father reminds me plans are good, but He gets to reschedule them as He sees fit. He keeps me dependent on Him, less I get to full of myself, my routines and order. He afterall sees the BIG picture and knows the plans He has for us....

But I am ever so grateful He humored me for the first 3 weeks and let things go according to "plan". I do so like those harmonious, "perfect" homeschooling days. Off to go see what else needs to be conquered or restored after being destroyed and to hug my kiddos.

Exploration Place Fun

While Hockey Player and Little Princess were off at Church Camp, the other 3 kiddos and this Momma set to having our own fun.
Not knowing that Grossology was at Exploration Place, we headed to the museum for some fun in air conditioning. The boys were thrilled by shooting ping pong balls into a giant nose, climbing into a mouth and sliding down an esophagus. Fun Mom was, well, grossed out. The castle was fun as always.
Lots of stories to share with HP and LP when they returned and a second trip planned.

History, sometimes a mother's worst nightmare

We use Mystery of History. We love it. Something the kids look forward to doing as much as possible. We, also, listen to Story of the World on CD in the car when driving. A fun, relaxed auditory way to learning about history. However, I don't recommend the segments on Athens and Spartans. Especially, the chapters explaining the differences. The characteristics of Spartans were quickly this mother's worst nightmare. The children found them immensely humorous.
Spartan boys were often sent away to military school by the age of seven.
That raised some eyebrows, especially the girls', since Daddy's Buddy is fast approaching his seventh birthday.
The narrator continues on and then explains mothers were expected to encourage their sons fighting abilities, to praise them for fighting. To which I completely responded very loudly with, "We are not Spartans!"
Later, I texted the Dad who texted back with, "We are cupidians, we love, not fight!"

A few days later, we are listening to the bits on the Olympics. Completely harmless, right? Daddy's Buddy is caught acting out Ancient Grecian Olympics with a butter knife. Big-O-Daddy-O caught the action and exclaimed, "What on earth do you think you are doing?"
DB: "I am throwing the javelin."
As quickly as I want to say, "Where did he get the idea? ?" I remember Story of the World.... History... We are suppose to learn from it so we don't repeat past mistakes. This momma, is starting to wonder if learning about history is really not a good idea.

Daddy's Buddy ~ First Grade

Hard at work. First two weeks DB was indignant about starting school 2 weeks before the public school. Declaring it was suppose to be still "Summer Break". But he has settled in and learning all sorts of new things. Who knows, maybe with the temperatures dropping below 100 for a change, a few park days just might change his mind about doing school when the thermometers are at triple digits.

Gus and the girls

Gus has wiggled and followed his way into our hearts. "His Girls" spend their school day with him and he loves every moment of it.
Fun Mom runs and/or walks Gus every day. Part of her PE. He is her protector and partner. He's her motivation for hitting the pavement everyday.



Little Princess likes to sit on the porch swing to read and work on her assignments. Her ever faithful companion and buddy is Gus.

First Week of School for Flutter Nutter

Flutter Nutter is 4. He is impatient to "do" school too.
This year, he is the only one who has free time all day!
He asks every night if we can invite a friend over...Jacob. Jacob is in kindergarten.
He can't come. Flutter Nutter is completely disappointed. He put some thought into this situation and asked if we could invite Jacob's sister Brylee over. Brylee is his friend he has offered to buy a purple house for, if she will let him kiss her. "Can we call Brylee and her mom....The girls (referring to the mom too) could come and play"
Unfortunately, I knew their plans for that particular day and it was not apossibility. Poor guy. So this year, I am trying to get out more with him in the yard, find more special things to do and give him some one on one. So on day 2 of school this is what he got all excited about...
please notice the backpack... :)

After all that fun and learning...

Sunday Conversations...oops

So I am going to try and do some catching up. Life has been a little chaotic this month with the start of school and more. But I want to do this first post in hopes, that those who read, may not make back up far enough to read it. Confessions may be good for the soul, however they can be far more humbling than we would like. Why post it then, cause this is my way of keeping track of the many crazy memories in my life, that I want to look back on laugh with my family over.

So this past Sunday, was Little Princess' birthday. Her party was right after church at Grandpa's house. A dear friend was driving the birthday girl and her friends, while I drove the rest of my kids and stuff. She was following me.
When someone follows you, it is important to keep an eye on them and make sure you don't leave them behind. It is also important to seize those moments to chat with your kids and sometimes while driving is perfect!

So we are driving and the subject of the Sunday sermon came up. I missed the sermon and caught just the last minute. Was curious about what I heard. Fun Mom was no help... Flutter Nutter was entertaining her and she missed that part. But she did get some of the other stuff. Obedience, following the rules.... Good stuff. Important stuff. The kind of stuff that makes you want to elbow your children or husband while listening. So we are chatting about obedience. About meditating on God's word. How when we follow God and are in obedience to Him....
Then I look up at the stop light and... "was the light yellow?"
"No Mom it was Red!"
No it couldn't have been.
But I have left my friend behind at the light.
Quick call on the cell, was the light red?
"IT was ORANGE"
Oh,no... what kind of example am I setting?
Then I get silly. Giggly silly. I start imagining what the conversation would be like if a police officer had been there and pulling me over.
"Ma'am, do you know why I pulled you over? "
"Yes, I ran the red light while discussing the importance of obeying God and the law/rules with my children" Humbling, humiliating....so grateful God spared me, 'ause I just could not imagine trying to explain how I could have just been in church and discussing such things with my children and then run an orange light.
Grace, ever so grateful for grace.
Grateful for the opportunity to share with my children.
Grateful for a forgiving and understanding friend.