One small step...

We have started. It's scary, even terrifying, but Boy and I have started sitting down together for 15-20 minutes a day to do a lesson from Siegfried Engelmann's book.

Lesson #2 so far, but would you believe I am already enthusiastic about what I am seeing? We sit down, go through the 6 exercises, which includes Boy learning to write the letters, and then he gets a sticker for each of the letters he write perfectly by himself. No tracing, no connect-the-dots.

It might help that I got him a special Star Wars notebook and Superhero pencils that are ONLY for his school lessons *wink* Still...I'm excited.

We have started homeschooling!

Today in the mail, we also got our ID cards. I am "officially" a teacher at "Little Learners Preschool"! *giggles* Boy was very impressed with his student ID card, which has his photo on it and everything.  

FLYing and sickness

I have heard from a lot of people that FlyLady.net is amazing and helpful. I have resisted even checking out the site for months. I gave in yesterday.

I can't honestly say I have a solid opinion based on one day of perusal, but I will say that her Welcome Message made me tear up and nod my head in agreement. I promptly went and cleaned the sink and hung a note above it.

We will see how well this works.  Of course, I grew up with the policy that you don't leave dishes in the sink overnight (as teenagers, my father actually dumped dirty dishes in our beds if we left them for him to find, so we learned the hard but mercifully quick way!), so we have a good starting point.  

I don't think I will completely adopt lesson two, which is to dress to the shoes.  I appreciate the idea behind the shoes, but we try not to wear shoes in the house.  *shrug*  But getting dressed and ready for the day BEFORE entering the kitchen?  Yeah...I can do that. 

Beyond that?  Not much to say.  Boy was put on anitbiotics for bronchitis on 8/13; Beloved was in the doctor's office on Saturday and came home with a Z-pak.  Girl has developed a productive cough this weekend, and this morning I have a sore throat and raspy voice.  Oh joy.

Work continues on the basement...yesterday I dragged Beloved through a box of paperwork we had saved...it had Windows98 documents and sales slips from computers we build in college.  *laughs*  Things that were important once upon a time.  I saved 4 pamphlets for the 4 items we actually still own, but the rest went to the recycling bin.  We also sorted through the sports equipment and ditched the stuff that was no good anymore.  What we are saving needs some TLC...like removing and retaping the handles on the racquetball rackets...but I'm done to just a small pile of gardening stuff that I have to go through.  Then, the back room is empty and we can actually talk about re-parging!

Creative gardening

The other day, Beloved came in from his commute munching on a handful of fresh cherry tomatoes. "I love having a garden I can steal from," he commented. He also reminisced on the year we planted beans.

I love fresh garden food, but I've been a little stuck because we don't have a lot of shade in our yard. Sure, we could plant more out there, but I would have to be better about watering...or...maybe "trick" the kids into doing more watering. That got me thinking!

Next year, I think it might be fun to build/plant some very interactive gardens. Instead of putting in normal garden plots, we could build "teepee" frames.

This frame used large tree branches, which I'm pretty sure we could find for free, but we could also purchase more durable poles and hope to get two seasons out of them. Build one or two of them, depending on the size, and then plant climbing plants around the base. Seeds are cheap and if you plant them in the right time, they should grow no problem!  Or buy starter plants for a couple more bucks.  One side could be beans, another for zucchini or another squash, one for tomatoes...climbing plants, or at least ones that do much better woven upward. Water every day, and see what happens.

I think the kids would enjoy the playspaces created as well as harvesting the veggies. It's worth a serious consideration, I think.  The bigger question is how will it stand up to the neighborhood kids???

Basement tackled me!

I was working on the basement when one of the wobbly shelves collapsed and I caught a crate of silver serving ware with my wrist and a box of "stuff" with my left arm. Beloved rescued me and the stuff, but now my right wrist is in a brace. It hurts like hell, but I can move it and it isn't horribly swollen, so I don't think it's more than a bad sprain. Still. GRRRRRR!

Other news...I found a cute Japanese bridge for the garden and Beloved "haggled" the price down to $50. I'm very excited!

Eventually, I'd like to put in a "stone lake" in the front yard, surrounded by native prairie plants, the bridge crossing the stones, and a sun dial. I have grand ideas...not a lot of cash. So...piece by piece, I'm finding and buying. I'm hoping to do the stone for free via craigslist people who want to get rid of their landscaping stones, but we will see.

I also just treated the backyard this evening with a weed killer. It did a nice job on the dandelions a few years ago. Now the problem is crab grass and creeping Charlie. *sigh* Here's hoping!

I also found CHEAP shoe hanging storage thingies at Target for $2.50. I bought two of them in black and stapled them into the chest. I'll see if I can get an updated photo soon.

Beloved wryly commented that he could have made dividers out of wood, but my retort was that I would have had to wait on that while I'd already purchased the shoe dividers. *sigh* Our lack of time is a very sore subject right now.

But the projects are marching along, although the pace is slower now that I'm injured.

Tackling the basement...slowly

The basement was a problem.

Over a year ago, Beloved knocked out one of the two walls on the cistern. In May, the second wall got torn apart to provide more stones for the backyard walkway. While that is a great re-purposing of the rock, it left a pile of rubble, dirt, crud, and dust in the southwest corner of the basement. A pile that was being tracked through every time someone went down there. A pile that the cat recently decided was better than the catbox. *grimaces* Not cool!

Last weekend, Beloved spent a day sweeping the mess into a single pile and then covered it with a tarp to keep the cats out. It was a huge improvement! He then walked around and measured the space with thoughts of actually making it a usable play space where we could stay cool.

But that got me looking at the rest of the space. There were boxes of stuff I kept meaning to donate, empty grocery bags from the GoodWill clothes purchases that I'd brought home and washed, but left the bags. Leftover bits from house projects.

This week, I dragged FOUR contractor bags of garbage out to the curb, Freecycled a gigantic box the stuff I'd been intending to donate, and actually swept the corners out. Now, you can almost think the space is organized! WOW!!!

That doesn't include the little back room, however...the room that is "mine". It's in desperate need of sorting, gleaning, donations, re-purposeding, and trashing. Maybe next week?

more on weight

Two weeks ago, I wrote about needing to lose about 12-15 pounds to get under that obesity line. I have NOT stepped on a scale. *wry smile* I'm partly afraid to, but I also don't like focusing on the numbers. I also haven't started an intense workout plan. *smirks* I don't have the energy for that yet, but I'm honest about my "excuse".

So what HAVE I done?

I have been trying to drink one full glass of water every hour that I am awake. On average, that means 14-15 10 oz. glasses...almost one gallon...of water a day every day. Trust me, it's harder than you think! I dare you to try it!

It's kind of amazing that I am seeing small differences. First, I'm not hungry the way I was. The average American generally confuses "thirst" and "hunger". If you are well-hydrated, you won't eat so much. Secondly, my knee isn't hurting as much as it was when going up and down stairs. Third, I am very slowly not having to go to the loo after each glass.

It's not a question of my bladder getting bigger...it is more like my body is able to use the water. Think about when you water a plant: when it is completely bone-dry, the water flows right through, barely even wetting the soil. But if the soils is slightly damp, the water gets absorbed better. Your body is similar. So, if you have been depriving your body of WATER (not soda, coffee, or tea), then chances are you are very dry inside and the water will pass right through you. It has taken about a week, but I'm not desperate for a bathroom all of the time anymore.

Maybe by the end of the month, I'll brave the scale...or maybe the workout...

Picky Eaters, #127

Okay, so I haven't posted 126 ideas for how to deal with picky eaters, but I figure I will never be able to keep track of numbers (I am terrible about balancing the check book!), so I'm just going to start somewhere. heh. How's that for honesty?

Anyway, my thought today is on MEATLOAF.

Truly, I do not understand the general groan that this homely meal invokes. My family loves meatloaf! But, since I know a lot of people have a hard time offering it, I have been pondering this mystery, and I had an idea.

While there are a lot of people who turn their noses up at meatloaf, not many have objections to burgers. Make your meatloaf as you would, but instead of patting it into a loaf, pat it into personal patties. Bake on a cookie sheet (you'll have to figure out timing, but I usually do meatloaf at 350F) and serve up "bunless burgers"!

Serve it with some ketchup and/or steak sauce, maybe a slice of cheese on top, and presto! The kids are happy.

If you don't have a meatloaf recipe that you like, that is a different matter. I've tried a number of different ones, but the one that has converted the most doubters is based with cornbread.

Basic Meatloaf
     * 2lbs ground beef
     * 1 egg
     * 1 box of Jiffy Cornbread Mix
     * 1 onion, diced (I put mine through the food processor)
     * 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce (aka, BOB sauce!)
     * 1/2 teaspoon of ground or rubbed sage

Put all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix. Try not to OVER-mix, as the texture of the beef will be lost, but you do want it to all stick together. If it seems dry, add a little more "BOB" sauce. FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, DON'T ADD OTHER VEGGIES! It is called MEATLOAF!!!

I pat this into two loaf shapes and put in a 9X13 pan, but you can easily bake one and freeze the other one. Bake at 350F for about an hour (cut into the middle to make sure it is done...or do it properly with a meat thermometer - should read 160F).

Good luck!

Closet full of cuteness

I have a pout.

Girl is wearing 12-18 month clothes, and she has a whole bunch of super-cute dresses that I was super-excited about dressing her in. Unfortunately, I am putting most of them in a box to pass on.

Why?

crawling + dress = a world of frustration!!!

Her knees get caught up in the dress and she slips, then bangs her nose on the floor, wails, sits up, rubs her face, repeat. *sigh* Besides, when she's dragging the fabric around on the floor, you find out exactly how dirty the floor REALLY is, and I don't need the reminder. So...I'm packing the beautiful dresses away and giving her speed-walking lessons. :-P

Cool floor!

To be perfectly frank, I have lots of house-envy. Whether it's the garden, the unpenned walls, the clean carpets, the cool drapes in the bathroom...I can usually find SOMETHING I envy.

The one I want to share with you today was in the basement of a friend's house. They are working on turning the unfinished basement into a playspace for the kids. It's not big, it's not fancy...lots of shelves for bins, a clothes pole for costumes. The thing that was so awesomely cool was the floor.

I thought it was a hardwood floor (no, that's not their basement...their basement was a swamp of toys and kids gear!), which set off the house-envy because OUR basement takes a little water every time it rains (old fieldstone foundations DO that). Can't put a nice floor down when it gets wet all the time! When I stepped on their floor, though, it was spongy!

Apparently, they get the occasional water, too. The solution: the floor was covered in foam mats that looked like wood. It was really fantastic! On top of it, they are closed cell and do not absorb water so these mats are completely waterproof. These mats are fleshed with herringbone grip on one side to promote "anti-slip" and these are reversible. Score!

I don't know if/when we can afford to redo OUR basement, despite Beloved's making measurements and talking about doing it. But, when we do get around to it, this is definitely one of the ideas I'm going to file in the back of my head!

Neglectful or insightful?

Heat indices have been well over 100F the last couple of days, so the children and I have been escaping to air conditioned places. Yesterday, it was the mall. Since the older kids' climbing tree was removed, there have been a lot of much bigger kids in the tot playyard, and that has led to my being "neglectful".

You see, Girl is crawling, climbing, and learning to use her body in all kinds of ways. I believe this is very important and encourage her by putting her down in places where she has room to crawl and climb...such as the tot playyard at the mall. I sit on the bench or on the floor and watch, often outside of arm's-reach distance as Girl discovers she can crawl through the hollow log or into the car with the steering wheel or struggle to conquer the bridge. I love to see her look around for me and give me the "Look at ME" grin when she spies me.

Yesterday was no different. I was watching from the sidelines as she figured out how to brace her feet and actually climb the bridge. Mind you, the bridge is slippery and steep enough that kids in socks generally can't manage this. She would clamour her way up then flop on her belly and slide down, repeat. I thought this was fantastic!

There were much bigger kids...8-9-10 years old, running and rough-housing in the area. One boy in particular was upset there was a baby in his way, but I just shrugged and told him she had a right to play too. I held my tongue about him being too big for the area's restrictions (I think it's 36" since Boy is just under the kangaroo's arm).

When a toddler ran past, knocking Girl over and startling her to cry, I simply sat quietly, called to Girl. She was perfectly fine, just upset and frustrated. But another woman swooped in, angrily saying I was neglecting and ignoring my child, who, at this point had stopped crying and was back to climbing. Pointing to Girl's dirty knees, this woman scolded me about exposing my child to such dirt, don't I know that she will put her hands in her mouth? I was endangering my child by letting her play alone in a dangerous place with these older kids.

What?!

First, she wasn't "alone" - I was watching the whole time.
Second, the area is MADE for the little ones.
Third, Kids are supposed to get dirty. That's how their immune system develops.
Fourth, it wasn't the bigger kids that were a problem.
Fifth, Girl was obviously okay.
Sixth, who the hell is she to make accusations?

Oh, right...she's the one with the child strapped in the stroller who is drinking milk and looking a touch over the "fat baby" look. *sigh* I feel sorry for the child, really. She's probably never been sick, never bruised a knee, never played in the mud. She's probably up-to-date on all the vaccines, has cushy foam on every surface in the house, and is strapped in the stroller because she doesn't yet know how to walk without falling on the dirty floor.

There are viewpoints, pros and cons to both sides, but I really believe my insight into old fashioned parenting is better for my kids in the long run.

I don't like August

People often as what your favorite time of year is. I generally avoid the question because I like most seasons. I don't like August, though.

Stubbornly, we do not have any air conditioning in the house, so the hot, humid, sticky of the "dog days" month really make an impact. It's also the end of summer, so the kids are bored of the activities you've been doing.

Since the homeschooling expo, I have tried to buckle down and read some of the intros to the educational books. I finally got through the reading intro and then made up little notebooks with the first lesson in them so we could start today.

*sigh* What is it about good intentions paving the road to hell?

Girl work up cranky and has only gotten worse. Boy started out okay, but has bulked at just about every attempt to do anything. The heat indices are reporting 98 and moving up. All I want to do is curl up and take a siesta. Maybe it will be better this evening. I hope so!

Storage solution

We have light color carpets, so we generally ask people to take off their shoes when they come in...not everyone follows it, but enough DO that there is an untidy pile of shoes at the front door when we have a bunch of people over.

We also have a nice storage bench in the foyer now. It is currently empty, but I've been thinking...

Instead of hanging those shoe storage cubbies up, why can't I put them inside the bench? That way, people can slip their shoes into a cubby, there isn't a jumble of mixed up shoes to sort through when you want to leave, and it's all nicely "hidden" in the bench so no one trips over them!

Or take the same idea further...use it to keep mittens and scarves in the winter so things are paired up. Or maybe use a couple of small boxes/cubbies to keep small dress-up accessories accessible.  All the sudden, these jumbled toy boxes become fun to use!

I just tried it out with the fabric shoe pocket we've had hanging by the back door.  Obviously, I just tossed it in there.  It looks like there is room for 12-14 pockets in my bench if I double up the rows.  It is longer than the bench, so I'll have to cut it to fit.  I will probably staple it in for additional support, but I'm a cheapskate.  You could probably buy slightly more sturdy versions.  What do you think?

For anything worth having....

For anything worth having one must pay the price; and the price is always work, patience, love, self-sacrifice... ~ John Burroughs

Unfortunately, Mr. Burroughs is all too correct. I feel like a woman obsessed or addicted; every where I look, there is MORE CRAP and I want it GONE. Piles of books that I want to read someday or might use as reference someday. Drawers of clothing that I might wear someday when I {lose weight, don't have technicolored hair, need to dress up}. Boxes of recycling stuff that we may someday use for craft projects. Bins of things that caught my eye for gifts to give *somebody* someday. I'm working...slowly, painfully, FRUSTRATINGLY working towards parring down, organizing, sorting.

The headache is there is good reason and good intention behind all of it. If I have it when I need it, I won't have to go out and spend a ton of money for that moment. In theory. If I can find it. If I remember I have it. *sigh*

I've spent the last couple of days wandering from "project space" to "project space", gleaning through the stuff, making piles...but then I get distracted by {the kids, meal needs, the phone, sleep} and the space is left midway, looking far worse than when I started.

GAH!!! Patience has never been a strong suit for me. I guess it's part of being the "instant gratification generation". I didn't put in a garden for years because I couldn't afford big beautiful plants, and I finally bit the bullet and put in the tiny plugs I could afford this year. Next year, they will fill out, flower, and I'll have something that looks like a garden that I can add more plugs to. The house is like that. A little bit now, a little tomorrow, a little the next day, and everything will have a place.

I need a plan of attack...something better than what I have been doing. I love collecting stuff, and that has been my own undoing. Now I have to swallow my pride and sacrifice stuff that still has Goodwill stickers on it because it hasn't been used in the year(s) since I bought it. It's HARD. *wry smile* It sounds so stupid to put it so honestly, but there it is.

*deep breath* This too will be conquered the way you climb a mountain. One step, one day at a time.

Chicago Homeschooling Expo

The Chicago Homeschooling Expo ran August 5-7, and I managed to snag enough childcare options to attend on Thursday and Friday . I dressed in suit attire on both days, which resulting in some double-takes; green hair + suit = what? *grins*

Thursday was a day "set aside" for newbies, either parents like me who have young kids or parents who are pulling their kids out of The System for whatever reason. Friday was workshops and the exhibit hall. There are so many things I could talk about, but I'm just going to highlight a few.

*What is my REAL goal?
I want to raise responsible, helpful, well-rounded adults who enjoy learning. To that end, I need to demonstrate responsibility, helpfulness, and a variety of interests myself. A quote that was offered was "Better to build a child right than to rebuild an adult." Interesting thought...not exactly perfect since i think adults need to continue to be flexible and learn and relearn, but for the BASICS? Yeah, I totally agree!

*What is homeschooling REALLY about?
It isn't about the academics. The academics is just one of the many tools to use in life. The important thing is to learn to be an independent thinker. I have long been frustrated by how many people don't live deliberately - they just drift through the least amount of resistance. The school institution doesn't teach you how to think; they teach you what to think!

Example: If a standardized test asks "Who discovered America?" most of us automatically think of Christopher Columbus. That is what we were taught in school. But he DIDN'T discover America. Firstly, there were the Native Americans, the Chinese, and the Vikings. Secondly, Columbus explored the areas of the Bahamas, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, among others. We all know that, too...but it is secondary. It's a "oh, yeah...that too..." thought. That is just the point.

*Get discipline in order.
You cannot teach when the kids pitch a fit when they don't get their own way. But another issue is obedience postponed is still DIS-obedience. With Boy, we have seen him learn that as long as he does what we ask by "THREE", it's okay. And we have let him get away with that. Our bad, and our disservice to him. Something Beloved and I need to work on as parents.

*Stay flexible.
What works one day may not work the next, and vice versa. Kids get bored with the same toys, activities, etc. Sometimes, you need to switch it up. I'm wonderfully guilty of having tight schedules, too. I don't like spending much time at home because I don't know how to utilize it well, but being on the run to squeeze five trips into a single day isn't necessary.

*When paying money for online programs, download them to a thumb drive.
On the off chance that something happens to the computer, or you want to save the program for the next child, or whatever, you want to have backups of the things you've paid for. Otherwise, you might end up shelling out more than once. Keep a list of any running subscriptions and check every month to make sure you are using them. You can easily forget that you signed up for ABC, but they will continue to charge you the $9.95/month until the end of time if you don't cancel. Also, consider getting a credit card with a minimal credit line ($500) to use for online subscriptions. That way, if the information gets hijacked, you don't have a huge risk.



Some questions that came to mind...

Why aren't more people homeschooling? Why are religious people in particular drawn to homeschooling? I mean, I get the whole argument about religion not being supported in public schools, but why is that the group of families most often found in homeschooling groups? Can I find a group that isn't going to be horrified that I'm not interested in biblical teaching?

Me, personally, it's about the quality of education. I'm concerned about the BEGINNING...basic reading skills is my numeral uno phobia. I don't want to mess that up. But once the kids are reading? Oh my goodness, there is sooooo much out there! So many better approaches, so many opportunities! I really do think that the 7-hour, 5-day week is a disservice to our kids, especially when we are afraid to pull them out of school to give them a different learning opportunity.

What are the record-keeping systems? I heard from a couple of out-of-state homeschoolers that said Illinois is blessed with "no homeschool law" in that our law doesn't require reporting. However, there are needs for record-keeping, in case we decide later on to enter the system, at whatever point (grade school, high school, college). I don't have a good grasp of what is important or how to prove we covered the material...especially since I was so frustrated at the university level not accepting credits from other institutions!

Where on earth do you get the organization and discipline to DO this? It was interesting to hear the adamant stance that homeschooling is a LIFESTYLE, not an education style. I can understand that better, but I'm drifting through the house and trying not to feel overwhelmed. I suppose part of the answer is right in that statement: Don't drift - focus; Par down on the clutter. I worked with Boy to clean up the bedroom, did a few minor organizational changes. I think I have some ideas for how to move forward. It's not going to happen over one day, or even one week, but I think making more purpose in my parring and cleaning will help.


*wry smile* Is that enough to think about? I have PAGES more of notes, thoughts, ideas from the conference, not to mention a pile of papers to sort through and glean tidbits from. It was a good experience, and although I'm definitely a bit overwhelmed, I'm also heartened by the direction.

Wise beyond years

Beloved left for GenCon at about 2:40am. He's catching a ride with some friends and I think he is going to have a great time, if he lets himself. Poor man is so stressed out with the upheaval at work.

Anyhow, I saw him off, and just as I was climbing back into bed, the kids woke up. Both of them. So I got Girl changed and a warm bottle, gave Boy my "Momma kitty" (yes, I still sleep with my own stuffed animal...most nights...), but by that point, I was up...I start putzing and that is deadly. I *know* better, but I wanted to tell you about Day 1 at my conference! Thankfully, Boy is smarter than me.

He got up and called for me, but he was back in bed by the time I got to his room.

"What's up, Buddy?"
"Dada, Momma....schiss-swashma."
"What's wrong?"
"You two should go to bed."

He's a good kid. I'm off to catch the few more hours of sleep allotted to me.

Things that make ya go "Awwwwww"

Highlight of my day? Grocery shopping.

I know...crazy...but I braved the store with two kids in tow. We were in the produce section, and Boy saw the flowers display.

"I want to get flowers for you, Momma!"

*melts* You really made my day, kiddo!

Why weight?

I don't remember the show, but I was 12-13 when a sitcom involving a bigger girl had the comment, "I'd rather be a happy Crayola marker than a skinny pencil." That was more than 20 years ago, but I remember it! I guess it made an impression.

The thing is, I don't know a single woman who is HAPPY with her weight. *shrug* The image is that if you are anything less that 5'6" and a size 6, you're fat. It's sad.

I've also been extremely frustrated because according to "them charts", a healthy weight for me is 133 pounds. Seriously? At that weight, my ribs stick out! So, out of frustration and denial, I've shrugged it off and not tried all that hard to lose weight.

A small happy dance happened when I was reading the Chicago Tribune today, though. "Under the formula, a 5-foot-4 woman is obese if she weighs 174 pounds or more, a 5-foot-10 man fits that description if he weighs at least 209 pounds."

Maybe not exactly a HAPPY DANCE, but losing 12-15 pounds to get under that obesity line is very doable. I think. er...yeah. *wry smile* If I just got a boob-job, I'd probably lose that much just in my chest.

But at least it is a reasonable goal...not like trying to lose the 55+ pounds to get to my "target" weight. While that might be a looooooooong term goal, it's demoralizing to plateau with an additional 40 pounds to go!

It's the little things...

I think I embarrassed my sister the other night. The kids and I had gone to her house because the Great Chicago Flood had prevented her from attending Girl's 1st birthday party.

Anyhow, I was still spotting and I'd used my last panty liner, so I begged one from her. I followed her upstairs, carrying Girl. She pulled out the package, handed me one. I put Girl down and started to drop trou... It wasn't until I noticed the look on her face that I even realized what I was doing.

*sigh* Parenting two kids has led me to completely forget what it's like to use the bathroom alone. I have no modesty around the kids...or anyone else who happens to be in the bathroom with me, apparently.

Ya'll been warned!

You're just full of great ideas today...

You should start a blog.  I'd subscribe to it.  That's what my friend Tina said.

Since I always do what my friends tell me to, here I am.  Actually, I'm a bit more of a free-thinker.  I rebel against the status quo by doing strange things to my hair, relishing breaking the rules, and striving to find a balance between ME and MOM.

There are the usual clichés about parenthood. While they are often very correct, I much prefer Edward Lueders thoughts:

            Try
                untried
                      circuitry,
                new
                     fuses.
            Tell it like it never really was,
            man,
            and maybe we can see it
            like it is.