If its not one thing its an other!!

Today has been a very good day, even though my day has not gone as planned. Homeschooling was all finished and house picked up by lunch time. I treated the kids to their favorite (Mac n Cheeze) because I was in a very good mood. We had planned to visit friends in Aggieland. We were going to play at a park and visit our old church for mass. I couldn't wait!

But wait I must because when I went to start the van I discovered the battery was dead!!!! All I could do was laugh in a sad sort of way. This has been one of those weeks!!

So I called Blair to cancel our plans. The good news is that she's driving up to see us!! WOOHOOO!

Which Disney Princess Are You?

Take this quiz to find out which princess you are.

I was surprised to find out I'm most like Pocahontas!! I really thought I would be more like Belle.

In fact, I'm going to go retake the quiz. The problem with these type of quizes (and any kind like personality, temperament, etc.) is that I can't decided what is my gut instinct and what is the answer I think I should choose. So I'm going to go back and vote with my gut!!

For a great discussion on Disney princesses and Barbies go visit Danielle Bean.

I'm back from retaking the quiz!!! Even after changing three of my answers I still am most like Pocahontas!!!

This is dedicated to Jennie C.

My washing machine is working. Last night I called a repair guy to schedule a visit for today. I had given him my name, number, address, problem, etc. I told him the problem was that my machine would not fill with water to wash the clothes BUT would do a rinse cycle with water.

He asked me if I had tried using a different temperature setting or different wash mode. I said "YES!!" but actually I don't think I had and was only assuming that Craig had. So when I got home I switched it from hot to cold, tried normal instead of heavy load (I always wash heavy loads) and pushed start. He also had told me to unplug and then plug again.

IT STARTED FILLING WITH WATER!!!!

I called him this morning elated and told him I didn't need his services because his advice worked!! (what bummer for him).

I can't believe I agonized for two days over not having a working washing machine (and almost went and bought a new one) when all I needed to do was reboot my washing machine and change the settings!!!

Business Week article about Homeschooling

Here's an interesting article about homeschooling in Businessweek. What I find most intriguing about this article is the way these parents can do so much more than what a school would offer. I always thought my homeschooling would look VERY different from school.

I guess I'm still waiting for that time when my kids are independant learners. Right now they just seem to want LOTS of independant play. And they're very good at it. They can turn lots of odds and ends into something creative in their play. I'm sure that will translate over into their work when their ready. Don't get me wrong, they have a bizillion notebooks with little odd stories, charts (Belle is REALLY into making charts), and lists. And Anna will sometimes just sit down and start reading. But nobody has figured out the quadratic equation while playing with wooden blocks!!

I DO see how we're different from school though ... where else can you hang out with your siblings and become their best friend. And where else can you skate in the morning before breakfast or jump into bed with mom because she's not ready to get out of bed (and not worry about being late for school).

I'm just wondering when we should start preparing for winning the national spelling bee???

Oops

By mistake I just deleted a post AND comment instead of editing! Sorry to whomever commented! I didn't even get to read it :-(

I need to borrow some ...

.... joy . I seem to have misplaced mine. I just need a little bit. With the machine broken, hubby gone, messy home, and crying kids I'm feeling a little bit overwhelmed. This is when I wish we had bought a little shack near family so I could just go over and visit my mother-in-law, and maybe take some few load of clothes too!!!

I just need a good cry and a long nap!!

Washing Machine broken

Well, I discovered yesterday morning that my washing machine will not load water. It will rinse but not wash!! Of course it was probably broken all weekend but being the slothful mom that I am, I didn't discover it until yesterday. And of course I have a house full of dirty laundry. And Craig is leaving in a few hours for Boston and doesn't return until Friday!! And when I looked up our washing machine on the internet for problem shooting, I discovered there was a class action law suit and our model would have qualified for a reimbursement ($500) HAD WE FILED A YEAR AGO!! I didn't even know about it!! But I have known there was something wrong with it for years now. Its the Maytag Neptune Front Loader.

UUGGGGHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I'm screaming right now in Texas!!!!!)

Now to go be patient with the kids (who have created the piles of dirty laundry) and my hubby (who helped create those kids and is leaving for Boston which is soooooo darn beautiful this time of year!!!)

Anna's Notebook

Yesterday I gave Isabelle and Anna some notebooks (yet again .... they must have a billion) for their new self-made club. It is a writing club on various "topics." As I was picking up their notebooks off the floor (which is why they have a billion, they lose them) I peeked into Anna's and found this:

rossis are reD
vilits ar Blow.
shuGr is Swet anD
so ar you

The enD

How time flies!!

I was just looking at my sleeping beauty as I was getting ready to retire and just couldn't resist!! This first picture was taken when Catherine was about 6 months old.

















Here with Anna she is about 10 mos. old.





She's almost 1 yo in the high chair. This is how Catherine prefers to take her naps! She will scream if you lay her on the bed or sofa. But put her in the high chair and she just zones out. After she's asleep I recline her chair. I used to feel guilty but she takes solid 2 hour naps. I've gotten over the guilt!! I now think of it as a baby recliner. Her dad likes to sleep in recliners too!!




This is a RARE shot of Catherine sleeping on the sofa. VERY RARE!! Look how long she's getting!! They grow up sooooo fast. I'm glad she sleeps with us (as did all the kiddos). They're so precious when they're asleep!

Day in the Life of ......

Well, yesterday was an interesting day! The kids and I are were needing some change to our routine since we're getting so close to the weekend. Homeschooling isn't nearly as fun with the weekend looming ahead. So yesterday I tried to spice it up a bit. Since the weather is starting to get cooler (it is still a little muggy) we started out our morning eating breakfast and homeschooling outside.








We then headed inside (after the mosquitos started attacking) to continue our work but ran into a train crossing!!! I had told myself that I was going to spend some one on one time with Kolbe. We started playing with his trains and soon the girls joined in!! I should probably had told Isabelle to resume her studies but I didn't. We played for about 30 mins. That was recess!!





The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Isabelle is studying the Quakers in American history. We have been doing lots of great read alouds which inspired her to dress up like a pioneer. At lunch time she and the girls showed up for lunch wearing their "Little House" dresses. I tried to play along and wrapped their sandwiches in paper and wore a bonnet and skirt but those pics aren't flattering!!!

Deep Thought

I have been meaning to blog for days now. I have so many "Deep Thoughts" that never seem to make it here for lack of time.

Yesterday started as a typical Mopey Monday. I didn't think we would get all our school work done and had already decided we would have to skip Taekwondo (perhaps for all Mondays??).

As we were driving home from piano lessons I told Isabelle we still had work to finish and so we wouldn't be going to TKO. My brilliant child then said, "Could we go to the park to finish my work?? I know I could work quickly there!"

Being the skeptic that I am, I agreed WITH the condition that she not change her mind once we got there. I was afraid she would want to play and ditch TKO.

Well ..... I was WRONG!!!!

Not only did she finish her work, she had 30 mins. to play at the park before going to TKO. She remarked that she could think better under the trees and sunlight.

So as they were playing I had my "Deep Thought." Here it goes ... (its probably not that deep for some of you wonderful moms but for me it was a lightbulb moment)

I sometimes worry that I will ruin my children with my negativity, anger and impatience. I DON'T smile as often as I know I should. And I'm much quicker to give out criticisms than compliments. Now I've read a TON of parenting books and have quite reading them because it all comes down to ME. There's nothing wrong with them. They are happy, normal, playful, laughing, loud messy children. Its ME that needs work. And God in His infinite wisdom has seen fit to change me through my children.

I think I understood a little more yesterday.

They were playing, laughing and enjoying the outdoors .... all despite me!! Despite my personality they smile and laugh and love and play because they outnumber me. They have each other. And they've banded together to change me. This is their master plan (Divinely inspired so I don't have a chance) ...........

They have sworn to each other to be silly whenever possible (even behind my back when I'm in a foul mood). They have sworn to always have a smile or a laugh. They have banded together to change me .....

And I think its working. I'm learning to be more like them. I thought parenting was all about imparting my knowledge and habits on them ONLY. However, they're teaching me to be more joyful, spontaneous, and happy with the simple things. They're also ridding me of some of my bad habits!!! They're teaching me that dying to myself will make me happier!! HOW?

When I worry only about myself and my time, my house, my things, I spend too much time fretting that they are infringing on my time, my house, my things. When I just throw my hands up in the air and give up and die to myself, I find that I enjoy spending MY time with them, MY house with them, MY things with them.

And so, I don't get on the internet as much as I would like because I'm dying to myself. I gave up my beautiful but never-used dining room for a much needed and much used play room. And I don't keep anything I'm not willing to see broken or lost!! And because I'm dying to myself I'm actually happier!! Because I'm not angry with them.

All this at the park!!!

Like I said, this was a "Deep Thought" that is probably not revolutionary for others but REALLY helped me to understand the scripture I picked for my blog.

"I will be saved through motherhood."

Praise God for my children!!! With God's help they have a fighting chance of changing me!! Now I understand how my vocation is making me holy, why its called a Mother's Rule of Life. Because the rules by which I must live to become holy are not the same as those of a nun or an executive career woman or the regular school mom (not that they can't be holy too!!).

The rules my homeschooled children are helping me to discover include ....

1. Going to bed early so I can wake up with enough energy to make pancakes.
2. Staying off the internet so I can read aloud an hour or more every day.
3. SMILE, SMILE, SMILE (no screaming please)
4. Lots of family prayer time so they can ask wonderful questions and develop a relationship with God.
5. Lots of park outings so I can have deep thoughts while they can run and scream with abandon.

There are probably more rules I have yet to incorporate but with their help I'll learn them quickly!!!

Gotta go!! My Rule also includes Daddy Time!!! ;-)

Smith Movie Recommendation

Last weekend while the grandparents were here we rented a movie that was just hilarious!! We watched RV with Robin Williams and couldn't stop laughing. Even my dad (who doesn't care for comedies) was chuckling. If you're in the market for a funny movie to watch with the whole family go get RV. There's even a homeschool family featured!! Its rating is PG. If you see it tell me what you think!!

Piano Recital Pictures

Isabelle and Anna performed wonderfully last week at their piano recital. Here are Isabelle and Anna playing their "Ode to Joy" duet. This was Anna's 1st recital ever!!! I was so proud of them .... no mistakes! I would have been proud even if they had butchered the piece but couldn't help grinning when they played it perfectly. Their hard work paid off!!



Isabelle and Anna taking their bows.

AARGH Matey

Kolbe is in LOVE with Pirates so he was delighted when Craig bought him this Pirate outfit.

Catherine had a wonderful birthday!! Here are some of my favorite pictures .....

At first Catherine wasn't sure what to do. Was she allowed to touch it? She soon finds out ...




Here Catherine is enjoying her first mouthful of yummy chocolate cake!





At this point Catherine stops to take a breather and in her own way gives me a look that says, "Thank You!"



She then starts DIGGING IN!! This is where the fun (and mess) begins!





Catherine enjoyed having unlimited amounts of cake and finally said, "Enough is enough!"



"What's next?"



Bath time of course!!!



With all of my kiddos I've never thrown big 1st birthday parties. Rather, grandparents come over and the baby enjoys her (his) cake as well as presents.



Abuello (my dad) is holding Catherine.

New computer?!!!?

Craig doesn't think my computer can be salvaged!!! My pictures!!!!

At first I thought I was getting a new computer ..... BUT ....... being married to the saavy, technical hubby that he is, HE'S going to get himself a new small notebook laptop and give me his.

Actually, I'm very excited because its wireless and outfitted with Excel andMicrosoft. I haven't had those since college!! I'm mostly excited about being able to go wireless. Our house is like Starbucks (minus the yummy scones) and I was always a little jealous of Craig working in his comfy recliner in the living room while I was stuck at the computer station. Now, I'll have to fight the king for his chair!!!

I'm still praying he can get my pictures. Please go back up your pics right now!!! GO!!

Happy Birthday Catherine

This past weekend my family visited for Catherine's bday. We enjoyed watching her destroy a chocolate cake and tear into presents. Isabelle and Anna also had a piano duet recital. Isabelle played Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" with Anna and Bizet's "March of the Toreadors " from Carmen. In addition to playing with Isabelle, Anna played a Yankee Doodle variation for her 2nd duet. I was SOOOOOOOOOO proud of them. I was especially pleased with the duet they played with each other. Even their teacher said Beethoven would have been pleased. Now that this recital is out of the way we have to start preparing for the Suzuki Ribbon Festival in November.

I'm still without a computer. :-(

SOOOO, I'm borrowing Craig's laptop whenever I get a chance. Pictures of Catherine's bday and the piano recital are forthcoming.

Done with the towels!!

I've been away for quite some time. The reason for my absence is that my computer is broken! Craig is getting ready to go on a trip so I've stolen his laptop while he packs for his trip. He hopes to work on my computer this weekend. It stopped working 1 1/2 weeks ago. The fan turns on when the computer is turned on but nothing else happens.

We went to visit famliy over Labor Day weekend and I tried to catch up on email and blogs ..... what is Beta Blogger??? My FIL's computer is not as quick as what I'm used to so I had to stop. ;-)

When Craig returns I hope to catch up. But I'm okay. Actually, I've been very productive thanks to my broken computer. Blessing in disguise???

Actually, I miss everyone terribly!!! Part of my life is missing when my computer is down. What really has me worried is that ALL my pics are on the hard drive and they weren't backed up :-0

Gotta go!! Laptop is needed back!!

Love,
Lillian