QOTD Updates...

I know a lot of you have seen these on facebook, but, for those of you who haven't, here you go!


QOTD:
D: Dad, what do you call that swing?
N: I don't know if it has a name. [it's a rope with a disk at the end]
D: Do you want to know what we call it? We call it the Nut Pincher.
N: Hmm. Okay.

D: We call it that because if you jump onto it wrong it will pinch your nut between the rope and your leg.
N: Yeah, I sorta guessed that.


QOTD: Deacon, "we are playing 'running away from home'. We were on a boat and everything was going great until the Pirates showed up".


QOTD: R: "can we have a donut along with our piece of candy? They are a classic combination!" (feeling like a disaster of a mom today...)

QOTD:
D: "Mom, when you and dad were kids, trains were still the main form of transportation, weren't they?"


QOTD: D: "Berean is getting to that stage that our cousin is in. They both give us a lot of information that we never asked for." 

QOTD: With N and three boys crammed into a small Super America bathroom.
D: Dad, did you lock the door?
N: Yes, I locked it.
D: You know, there's a sign that says the employees have a key to that door.
N: True, but they're not going to just barge in here without a good reason, like an emergency.
L: You mean like if someone gets their head stuck in the toilet?
N: Yes, I suppose that would qualify.

File under Truth is Stranger than Fiction: Today, Berean managed to accidently pee in the silverware drawer.

QOTD: Deacon is learning about trade, resources, importing and exporting. (Settlers of Catan is very helpful for teaching this). I asked him what some of our local natural resources are. He looked out the window and said, "trees...and...well...weeds. We sure have a lot of those". If only weeds were as great a natural resource as trees! 

QOTD #2: This morning we were reviewing the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I mentioned that our house couldn't just be searched at the whim of the police. Roman looks up from his legos and says, "right. They would need to get a search warrant first." 

QOTD #3: Finally we moved on to a brief discussion of amendments. Deacon asked me for an example and I mentioned women getting to vote and prohibition. Deacon said, "yes. They started prohibition but then there was a lot of bootlegging. After that they decided to allow it again, and leave it up to each person to decide if they are going to drink or not." (he has been listening!) 

QOTD: After Noah and Deacon made a duct tape wallet for D.
D: Dad, for Christmas, can you get me one of those Visa cards where you put the money on it for me so I can put it in my wallet?
N: I don't think you're ready to start the credit card thing. Let's stick with a library card.
D: Okay. How about maybe just a gift card then?
N: Maybe we could do something like that. 

Today, while learning about the French Revolution, my kids compared the Storming of the Bastille to a certain "scene" in Skylanders. Don't know whether to be proud or horrified. 

QOTD: D calling N at work.
D: "Is it okay for Ever to have pumpkin pie?"
N: "I suppose that's okay for her to have some. I trust Grandma [Pam]."
D: "That's good, because Grandma already gave her some. But she said not the crust."
N: "That's fine, I trust her." 

(he is also the one who cautioned Grandma to make sure to check the bath water, so she wouldn't burn the baby)

QOTD: me: "it will take like 2 seconds" R (very suspiciously): "Dad said it would take 3 seconds." 

QOTD: Noah was reading a Dora book to Berean and said, "Who do we ask for help when we don't know which way to go?" B answered, "He-sus". Yep, I guess Gma Pam has been commentating on the Dora books again...

What Would It Be?

I was driving home the other night, thing about what ifs.

What would have happened if Noah had joined the military like he wanted to back in college?

What would have happened if he picked a different major?  Would he be a college professor, working an odd assortment of office hours and class times?

What about me?  I don't regret becoming a nurse.  9 days out of 10 I would probably say that nursing is still the career I would choose.  That other 1 out of 10?  I would probably say I wish I had become a Medical Examiner.

If I were to go back to school to advance my education, I would go back to get a certification in palliative care.  Possibly to become a Clinical Nurse Specialist, maybe to become a Nurse Practitioner.  Never to be a Nurse Anesthetist.

What about you?  Do you like the career path that you have chosen?  What is it that you would answer if it was a 1 out of 10 day instead of one of the other 9.

What would you really like to  be?

Change of Plans

Shutterfly has a free 8x8 book deal that ends today.  I was planning to stay up late and finish one of mine, but I don't think I will.  I need some time to just relax, blog and maybe read a little.

Considering that it is almost 10, though, I am guessing I will mostly just blog and sleep.

School is going well.  Better then I expected.  I am exhausted at the end of the day, but the days are good.  We've been starting school at 9am and it has been taking about 4 1/2 hours (including lunch) to finish.  3 afternoons a week we have gym class at the Y and one morning a week the kids have classes at our co-op.  It is a busy thing, but having those deadlines of going places keeps the boys on task in the mornings.  They know that if there is stuff left to do in the afternoons, they won't be able to go out and play until it is done.

I like the fact that most days I can get my workouts done during the day- thanks to the Y classes.

Last week I was trying to workout with Noah in the evenings, but I had to quit that.  I simply don't get enough other stuff done if I am exercising for an hour in the evening.  In some ways I miss the days when the kids were in bed by 7 and we had all evening to be "off duty".  I am actually considering picking one evening a week in which they have to be in their rooms by 7, lights out by 8.  It may be hard to implement that though, because we often don't even eat supper until 6:30.  I wish the schedule could be shifted a little with supper coming earlier, but I don't forsee that happening anytime soon.

After school ends or we get home from the Y, we wrap things up, the baby naps and I work on housework. I have been very diligent about doing "only school" during school time.  Of course I feed the baby, and monitor Berean but I don't do internet stuff or field time consuming phone calls during that time.  The housework I do get done is pretty basic maintenance, so I depend on the evenings to take care of other projects and all the little things and deadlines that crop up.  And of course Awana and work take up some of my evenings.

have I ever told you about our computer situation?  We currently have an old laptop (complete with missing keys) hooked up to a usable keyboard and a bigger monitor.  It is in our room, where the baby naps twice a day.  Two of the boys use it for math, and it is time to fix our PC and get a usable laptop for school use.

Quite frankly, we just need more space. It would be nice to have a place for the baby that is not right next to the heavily used computer.  I don't think it would be as bad if we weren't here all day, but the boys are getting bigger and all the schooling and stuff that goes on here...well, it is feeling really crowded.

Honestly, I do feel a little overwhelmed.  Mostly because I feel like I have to be totally on the ball and on task at all times.  If I don't stay on top of things, they fall apart very quickly.  It is kind of hard to be "on" all of the time.  I can give Noah and the kids stuff to do, but ultimately I feel so much responsibility for everything- and ultimately I am the one that has to make sure that all the stuff that needs to get done, gets done.

I look outside, and I see a huge yard in a dozen stages of "remodel."  I look around the house, in constant stages of decluttering and reorganizing for better space management.

I want to spend my time on the things that matter to me.  But there are other things that have to get done.  Where is the balance?

What do I love?

I love to let my children build with legos while I read  history to them.  I love to hear them come up with words like "bootlegging" and "search warrants" as they connect dots throughout history.  I love to discuss habitats with them while they search for the perfect piece for their ship.  I love to watch them play in the backyard and hear their plans for a zipline.  I love to watch them score soccer goals, run barefoot and hang out with their friends.  I love to discuss the Bible with them, morals and values and life lessons.

How can I get more of that and less of the monotonous housework?

I know I am easily frustrated with myself and easily frustrated with other people. I want to do things that matter.  I think about adults from my childhood.  I think about how I remember them.  How do I want my kid's friends to remember me?  Do I want them to remember me as the mom that wouldn't let them play in the house because they might get it dirty?  Do I want to be remembered as the parent that overspiritualizes everything?  Do I want to be known as the overprotective mom?  Do I want to be the mom that can never do anything fun because the list of household chores takes precedence?  Do I want to be person that is too overwhelmed to do anything outside of absolute basics?   Do I want to be known as the person that is always too busy to help? Do I want to be always sleeping or always on my phone or computer?

No!  I don't want those labels.  I want to be the mom that is open and friendly.  I want to be the mom that is creative and resourceful.  I want to be a listening ear and a friendly face for my kids and their friends.  I want the boy's friends  to see Jesus in me.  I want to be known as someone who is willing to help out, even if my bathroom doesn't get cleaned or I miss a tv show.  I want to have time for my kids and to enjoy them.  I want to have fun with them and teach them things.  I want them to see that I make time for the things that matter to me- important things, even if it is not always fun.  I want them to see me volunteering my time for the greater good- church programs that point people to Jesus, activities that help the poor.  I want them to see me spending my money wisely, making healthy choices for my life and my body.

I am hoping that this year I can keep the bigger goals ahead of me as I continue to press on...

Ah, Summer...

First

It was our first day of homeschool today.

Deacon is a third grader, Roman in first.

Lincoln is a Kindergartner,

And Berean must do it all.

I had to work last night, so my mom managed most of school this morning.

I don't have any pictures of my kids on their first day.

No little signs with their ages, no chalkwork stating their new grades.

But I did make them put shirts on before we started,

that is something, right?