Today

I think I've reached the point of burnout.

Although I'm not quite sure if its that time in my life where I am allowed to say that. Am I saying it too early? Is there a timeline for a quarter life crisis? Is it really a crisis?

I'm contemplating all this constantly. Every waking minute I am attending to my mind and body and asking WHAT? What do you want of me? What can I do to make you happy? At this moment they are in agree  that coffee is the answer.

They also request things like running and hiking and yoga (which I have neglected the last few years), clean food (because extra weight tends to depress one's mind and body), spiritual study (when you are without belief in something other than yourself you are just setting yourself up for unhappiness), and please please just take us out in Nature.

When viewing it from a distance I can see no, its not crisis, its not end all, it is just burnout. Burnout is not so bad. Being burned out means you can take a break, reset, rest your weary mind and body, find a place or some space in your life to take time for you and your needs. And if you can't? Forget that...you can. You must. It's that worn out advice to affix the oxygen mask to yourself before anyone else because you aren't' doing any good flailing around on the floor like a fish out of water. Grabbing your neck because you are drowning on air.

No worries. I'm not drowning anymore.

It's a new season in my house. Yesterday all three of the little darlings were shipped back to school. Yes, homeschooling is over for now. I believe in doing what works for you at the time. Right now this is what is working for us.

And now...time for that coffee.

Wordless Wednesday: Arkansas Is Beautiful

How Do You Homeschool?

When the books began arriving today, I felt the thrill.

New books! New curriculum! New history cycle! 4th grade math!

Okay, I admit I wasn't so excited about that last one.

Today is our last day of school before a one month break. That break is full of camps for each of the kids, but otherwise its just lots and lots of downtime. The only thing I require them to do is read. Everyday. Just for a bit. They get to pick the book. We still visit the library and their choices are entirely up to them.

After our month we launch into new curriculum and a few new ideas and strategies. I feel that you should always change it up. Find something to throw in for a while. Take away what isn't working.

For us the newest thing will be project-based learning. The kids will have free time each week to devote to a project of their choice. I just started this book in order to train myself on how best to facilitate them.

I'll be sure and give you an update once I am through the book. So far its looking like something that will flow well in our home. And funnily enough, Cash and Warren took on a bit of a project this week. They handed me a supply list and asked that I retrieve said items. I did and before I knew it there were numerous mini-crossbows shooting tiny projectiles across my house. Arts and crafts and science and weaponry all in one.

There have been a few articles on the web this week that really spoke to me. I wanted to share them with you outside of my regular Blog It! posts as they pertain to the topic of homeschooling.

First off, this gem from Design Mom. She did an interview with a fascinating homeschooled teenager. Let me just say, this girl and her brother? That's what I'm working towards with my kids.

This article by Rachael Turiel over at Simple Homeschool...well,  I could have written it. This is how I feel about homeschooling. This is what I want to say to people when they ask why I do it, or how do I do it. She is speaking my language. Way to go sister!

And with that, I'm off to rearrange more piles of books (did I mention they are everywhere at this point?), give one last math lesson, and head to the river for a celebratory swim!

Happy First Day of Homeschool 2013-2014

 Welcome to a new school year! I type this as my little darlings are still snuggled in their beds. Okay, well one is in their bed and one is in my bed. I am a true believer in self waking, that is getting up when your body tells you to. And little ones need a lot of sleep to be their best. So for now I will work on this post and get organized for the day.

I had to share these back to homeschool pictures I shot a few days ago. I found this school desk at a roadside flea market and knew it would be a perfect prop.

 

Cash is a big 2nd grader. The flexibility of homeschooling allows him to work grade level on language arts and reading but to work ahead a level in math.

Despite her age, Stella is basically doing 1st grade this year. She flew threw everything Kindergarten in 6 whole months. It would be hard to make a child who can read and write sit through a Kindergarten curriculum when she wants more difficult work.

I am so happy that we began this adventure last year. It was my test to see if I could do it. To see if the kids would thrive. To figure out what approach works best for our family. Things will change and I know we will adjust when they do. For now though, this is what it looks like for us.

Looking For Fall 2012 Edition

It happens like clockwork. Every year, about the time that we as a whole family unit, can not handle one more bit of summer, I start pining for Fall.

 

I can not help it. There is nothing I love more than sharp cold mornings. Frost on the cars, clouds of white in the air everytime you breathe. Big chunky sweaters thrown on so you can drink your coffee on the chilly porch in the stillness that is a Fall morning.

 

Tomorrow is the first day of school. I am excited for the boys. They are entering first grade and fourth grade. They know the routines, what is expected of them, and they are looking forward to seeing their friends. Sugarbaby is starting pre-school. As much as I am ready for a bit of a break during the day, I know I will miss her something fierce. I anticipate it happening along about Day 4 or so. I know I will call for her or turn around to take her hand or just seek her out for a hug and she won't be there. I see it in her face that she is unsure of this new adventure.

 

When I drop them all off at their respective classrooms tomorrow, I will go for a run. Maybe solo or maybe with a friend. I will commit myself back to a regular healthy schedule now that the lawlessness of Summer is over. I will be productive again. I will not stress and just take one day at a time. I will be glad my kids have something to do during the day, but I will miss them like crazy.

 

Fall.....I am so glad you are on your way.



4 Days Later

Life has come down hard upon this head.

So hard that Sunday was our anniversary and neither Warren or I bothered to remember. Funny thing...neither of us minded.

We are standing on the edge of what appears to be a whirlwind of activity. School starts in two weeks. The Monster's birthday is Thursday. Training new employees at work. Our secretary resigned. Which means a metric ton more work for me. Football practice? Already? I registered for college classes. Yes, yes I did. Another employee put in their notice. Must hire more. Soccer starts soon. Piano lessons continue on. Yoga, oh my sweet sweet yoga I will make time for you. All the while still eating healthy. Back to packing lunches 5 days a week. Back to driving 60+ miles 5 days a week. Running two businesses. Still finding time to run. Just barely. Can you count a mile on the treadmill as a run, when you used to only count anything over 5m?

Exhaustion. You are becoming my middle name.

I am happy to say that although life is beating me up with all its...."stuff", I have not eaten wheat in a week. Crazy. Not sure how I feel. Cause really I have just felt crappy and run down. I read somewhere that the first week was the hardest, almost withdrawal like. So maybe next week I will feel better?

On another note, I had the most vivid dream about my Bloggy BFF last night. She moved to my town. She was fabulous and funny and we forgot to pick up all the kids from school. Plus she was living in a super stylish townhouse (which we don't have where I live in the sticks) that was decorated for Christmas. About the time we are cracking up over two or three bottles of wine, our respective husbands walk in the door looking very pissed, hauling all our children behind them. Then they begin demolition and remodeling all around us.

Weird....

But...she does have an amazing cookie recipe on her blog today. So you should go visit.

Maybe I just need some cookies to feel better.

Sweetness

From the start of school till summer vacation I bake goodies. I have a hard time staying away from said goodies.

Do you think that just shy of a pound of sugar cookies will make you gain a pound? I'm just curious, ya know.

This Post Brought To You By Adverse Weather Conditions

So...as much as we need rain in our drought stricken area of the country, I am none to happy at this moment that my morning run got cancelled by a thunderstorm. Rain is okay to run in. Lighting...not so much.

Not to mention I've been up since 4:30am when my phone rang. Phone calls at that hour are either a) an emergency or b) some idiot drunk. This was option b. No, I'm not Josh and I bet Josh wouldn't appreciate it if you had actually gotten his number right. That is unless it was an emergency for him. But I'm betting not.

Random beach picture thrown in for good measure. This is me and my absolute best forever childhood friend, Lindsay. We spent a good 7 years attached at the hip. We literally lived together for about a year at one point in time. Meaning, her and her mother shared a house with me and my mother. She is my sister, one of my all time favorite people, and isn't she just the cutest thing? We stayed at her MIL's condo on our Florida trip, because lucky Lindsay lives in Gulf Breeze. Must be hard being her.

The point of this photo is to illustrate that I am officially 14lbs heavier than I was this time last year. Something has to be done. In fact something is being done. I am down 4 of those pesky pounds from last week already. It's not that I stopped working out, although I did become a lazy ass runner, it's that I was out eating my workouts. Did you know that is possible? Yes. Yes it is. You can go to the gym 4 days a week and spend an hour there each time and gain weight. I know some of it was muscle but way way too much of it is not fitting in my jeans right. Luckily I know how to fix it. I've ramped up my running and cut back my eating.

******

School started last Tuesday and if you have read this blog ever in your life before this post you know that second only to Christmas and Thanksgiving, it is my favorite day of the year. This is how excited I was last year. 

And here is the obligatory first day photo.

I should have lined them up under the house numbers. But...whatever. I now officially have a Kindergartener, a Third Grader, and a Sugarbaby. She was all set up to start her first of two years of preschool, but at some point over the summer her father and I decided to send her back to her beloved Miss Christy. Preschool is not ready for Sugarbaby. She is rotten. Bad to the bone. Hell on wheels. She defines the phrase "payin for your raising."

Two cups of coffee down and the house is still asleep. I'm going to whip up a batch of homemade cinnamon rolls and score major points with the family. Maybe enough that they will let me take a nap.

Glimpse

It's been a busy week.

This one turns five whole years old on Sunday. This is his second birthday cake. He had another one last weekend, then took pumpkin cupcakes to school today, and he'll have yet another cake on the actual day of his birth. That....is a lot of cake.

In a rare moment of solidarity, the boys attempt to play with a new birthday present. Cue fighting in 5,4,3,2....1.

******

Army Uncle Mike was in on leave and he spent a whole evening hanging with all the kids. I think we might have traumatized him with the complete and utter chaos that is a night at home doing the most routine mundane things. Who knew dinner, bath and bed could be so dramatic and heartbreaking?

I captured him and the birthday boy in a moment of teamwork as they concentrated on building a very special Lego firetruck. Legos reign supreme in my house.

******

Last Sunday, mini-disaster struck in the form of defrosting food and funny smells. My precious retro avocado green fridge bit the dust. We endured for about 5 days, making due with the beer cooler in the garage and an icechest for the frozen stuff. Finally SUMS gave in and bought me a beautiful brand new model. I am in love. LOVE!

The Monster is none too pleased about having homework every night. It only takes him about 20-30 minutes to finish but oh mi gah MOOOOM! Second grade is like...so hard!

The newest trick to rewarding him though is so cheap and so addictive. Yep, those damn Silly Bands have invaded my house. He covets them, trades them, and talks about them constantly. What a silly trend. Silly. Silly. Silly.

******

I've been seeing all these girls, women, Moms and such with cute cute cutie short haircuts. It always looks so easy to manage and I find myself wanting to cut my hair short. But...I'm no dummy and I've been down that road before. I can not do short hair. Nope. No way. So whenever I get that urge I just cut half my hair instead of all of it.

Bangs! So exciting right? That is how absolutely normal and routine my life is. Bangs make me happy.

It's been a rough week though, I tell ya. I've been making this face way more often than not. This is my, "I'm stressed and need to go run far far away, but instead I'll make a silly face and maybe everyone will laugh instead of cry."

It only works 35% of the time.

Sorry, I couldn't help adding just one more photo of my new darling.