Sunday School Dilemma and Homeschool Challenges

Another Sunday morning and I can't go to church.  Since our van broke down we have been having to take turns in our car.  He usually takes four or I take four of the kids.  Also, Caleb got a bug and his nose just won't clear up so he can't go to nursery.  Nothing major but enough to keep him out of the baby nursery.  The nursery has strict rules but for very good reasons.  I wouldn't want to put my healthy baby in and they constantly get sick from other babies.  Sooo, here I am on Sunday morning with my 3 little ones at home.  

Another complication I have is with Ivy.  Some might remember but back when Ivy was in Kindergarten in a brick and mortar school she wasn't doing well.  However, the teacher didn't enlighten me till February, six months after school started, that Ivy had learned diddly squat and has day dreamed most of the time.  Why, oh, why am I being told so late in the year?  I pulled her as soon as I was shown this and began to homeschool her.  Because we had to start 6 months behind she is that far behind everyone else her age.  That teacher was actually let go at that school.  Anyway, when July came around all the kids at church were put up to the next level in Sunday School without my knowledge so I had no warning.  I figured it wasn't a big deal that Ivy is in a first grade class being that she is only six months behind in her schooling than her classmates.  It's been seven months now and they are telling me they want to switch Ivy back to the Kindergarten Sunday school class since she can't read yet.  What?  Now?  She's made friends in this class, she's almost seven years old.  To go back into where it's five year olds is very embarrassing to her.  No matter how I feel they are going to do it and that's that.  So I have kept Ivy out since she is begging me not to have to go.  She is incredibly embarrassed about it.  I don't blame her so she is home with me today until we can all go to church together and then she'll be sitting with us in the adult's class.

I've already tried talking to the leader.  What do you think?  What would you do?  I asked why being in the first grade class is a problem and they said it's because they want each kid to be able to read one paragraph during the lessons.  I just started homeschooling Ivy for the first grade this past week so she will be learning to read soon.

Kids Tooth Brushing Chart

Whether I'm a mom of two or of six I know that having charts can be very helpful.  Something that makes things a bit easier around here is always welcomed.  :D

Well, I have one for you and it's free! You can print a free chart for your child or for kids in your classroom.  I love anything that promotes positive reinforcement and this definitely works. 

First go to www.loveyourteeth.net and click on "for kids" or "for teachers" if you have a classroom you'd like to use this for.  I did for kids so I typed in my son's name.

Then I printed the chart.  Super easy and I know your kids will love having a visual of their progress!

Living the Life of a Traditional Wife

My dog feels like he should be
included on these food adventures

I was so happy to put Friday behind me that I was even happy to go to bed.  I just drug my tired bones to bed, flopped down, and passed out within 5 minutes.  I woke up remembering that today was free breakfast and coffee at IKEA day.  Free breakfast?  For my whole family?  We are so there.  I met my dad and and we all sat together to eat.  At least they did.  I got up constantly to either take kids potty, get drinks for everyone.  Oh, you need ketchup?  I'll be right back.  Or need napkins.  Someone needed butter and more french toast.  Hmph.  And people wonder how I keep my weight off.    I get it done with quick or I'm taking one bite in between getting up.  As frustrating as that can be sometimes, I had an elder gentlemen approach me at a buffet one time while I was getting the little ones their food.  He said he was watching and loved to see a mom serving her family.  He said it's so rare these days.  Really?  I guess that's true but I've really known no different.

My mom always made dinner for us and she truly served us.  I had no idea how hard she worked because she was always taking care of the house, sewing, or doing projects while we were gone at school.  I just assumed the house kept clean on it's own.  Duh.  My mom was a homemaker and my dad worked.  My mom found ways to make side money at home while my dad mainly supported us financially.  For me, there are no blurred lines.  I tend to see household duties in black and white.  I feel like I'm extremely traditional but I love it and it makes it to where there are no hard feelings.  We each know our roles in the house and that's that.  Basically, my husband makes a living for us, takes care of the vehicles, yard work, and takes out the trash.  I take care of the home and all the kids in it.  :) 

I've never expected my husband to get up in the middle of the night to feed my baby.  I've just always felt so blessed that he would lovingly provide for us.  I could never imagine depriving him of rest before being gone all day.  I've never expected him to change a diaper while I'm home.  If he does, you bet he gets a big hug and kiss from me.  I see those extra acts of kindness as just blessings but never expected.  Life is so simple and wonderful this way because I never feel like the lines are blurred and because of it, there is no hard feelings festering inside.

I've never once in 13 years asked Charles to wash the dishes, the clothes, or mop the floors.  He never pressures me to go get a job and I've never heard him ask me once in 13 years.  Often, even several times a week, we express our gratefulness to each other.  Basically, he provides the home and I take care of it.  You can't get any simpler than that!  So many times I've seen couples fight over who does what in the house and I can see why there is resentment.  It's so hard when the lines are blurred and even if couples want that line blurred, it's good to write down what is expected of each other.  Every family is different in how they happily operate and I know my way is considered extreme to some but that's okay.  We are all different.  Thank goodness God gives a free will and we are all not robots.  I do love this life and I know we had discussed this before we even married.  The funny thing is we hardly discussed kids but somehow we ended up with seven.  :)  We figured we'd have two more more but if you told me I would have seven I would've probably fainted.  LOL.

Some call me ULTRA traditional but I just feel ULTRA blessed.  ;)

When a Bad Day Increasingly Gets Worse

I had a really, really, really cruddy morning.  It was NOT okay.  Sigh.



It's Friday again and my kids attend a school for homeschooled kids so we needed to get there by 8:30am.  Well, recently our transmission in our van went out so my dad kindly offered his car.  My husband needs our other vehicle for work.

What I felt like inside

I woke up with plenty of time to get ready but because I had such bad morning sickness I was stuck in the bathroom for half hour.  By the time I got out the kids only had 10 minutes to finish getting ready.  I didn't have time to dress the two little ones because I didn't want to be late and the kids have a field trip today.  I put Caleb in with just his pajamas and Ashley also.  As I'm loading up the car seat for Caleb I realize that the straps are so tight I can't fit Caleb in them.  Since it's a new seat I couldn't find the release button anywhere.  I searched all over and just couldn't find it. By now I knew we were going to be late to school.  I finally put a booster seat in the car for Caleb and I hated doing that because it's more for kids one year older than he is.  All the way to the school Caleb was trying to escape his seat so Kyle had to hold him down. Well, Caleb didn't like that so he was pulling his big brother's hair.  I was on the freeway so there was nowhere to pull over.  

Finally we pull into the school and after I wave goodbye I started to drive off.  One of the kids must've not shut the door all the way because the side door flew open. The lady behind me is hocking like crazy to tell me.  I had already noticed so I immediately flew out of the car to shut and lock the door.  Caleb then realize there is a lot of neat buttons on the door he can unlock and open.  Oh man, how were we gonna get home?  I put my review mirror right where I could see Caleb the whole way home.  As soon as we get driving Caleb escapes out of his seat.  I pull off the freeway and onto a main road to rebuckle Caleb. This time I reposition his seat in the middle and discover this seatbelt locks in place.  Well, as soon as I got driving again he tries to escape so I reach behind me and hold his leg the rest of the way. He's screaming because I'm doing this and Ashley tells me that she's carsick and gonna throw up.  I look down at my nice cup of coffee that is still half full and wonder if I need to give it up so Ashley has something to throw up in.  It's my dad's car and there is no way I want to return it with a throw up smell and a stain.  I give her my cup of coffee just in time because she filled it to the rim.  Then I started to heave so I rolled down my window and drove with my head sticking out.   Ashley's behind me trying to balance the cup so no throw up spills out of it.  As soon as I get to a stop light I opened my door and emptied the cup.

Finally..... FINALLY, I pulled up to my house.  I had made it home.  I felt like crying I was so happy to be home.  Then it dawns on me.... when I left with my dad's keys I had forgotten to grab my own so that means we were locked out of the house.  Sigh.  "Why?  Whyyyyyyyy?!"  Charles usually comes home around that time so I was pleading with God to not let him run lots of errands or anything like that.  Caleb pooped his diaper really bad and in the rush of just getting the kids to school (and thinking we'd be right back) I didn't grab anything.  Ashley starts to dance because she has to pee.  About an hour later of just sitting there I finally just get out and starting thinking about hopping over the fence to at least let the kids play in the backyard.  I didn't want to hurt my pregnant tummy so I began to "build steps" so I could climb over the wall rather than jump.  It had already been an hour and now I needed to potty.  Out of frustration I wiggle the front door and it opens right up?  What?  "AGgggggghhhh!"  First I thought someone broke in but then I remember that the boys had went out the front door to get something and forgot to lock it.  You mean all this time I've been sitting out here I could've just walked in my house?  Oh man, the frustration and joy were all mixed together. As soon as I discover the front door was unlocked my husband comes home.  Sigh.  I walked in and just sat on the couch.  I didn't want to do anything.  Not wash clothes.  Not wash any dishes.  Nothing.  I was just so happy I  made it home.  It was only 10am and I was completely burned out.  I laid the kids down for a nap so I could nap but the phone wouldn't stop ringing.  It rang about every 5 minutes and so the kids only napped for about 15 minutes.  Sigh.

Oh well.  What doesn't kill me makes me stronger.  Next time someone asks me where I get so much patience, I'll share this story or one like it with them.  Yeah, you learn patience through experiences.  That's the only way.  :)  We all have some to share!

Learning Bloopers and Homeschool Misconceptions

Oh man, I've had such a fun time schooling at home with the kids.  I have forgotten so much but each day I am learning right along with them.  It's tiring at times but I wouldn't trade all those hours I have with my kids each day for anything.  I used to waver between the homeschooling and wanting my kids to attend a school somewhere.  The behavior change, whether they are going to a school or schooling at home, is so dramatic it's almost like watching a personality change.

Caleb playing with preschool app on iPad

There are funny parts to schooling at home and the kids and I have a good laugh with them. Recently I posted some funny answers my son had written on my blog HERE.  This one below is from my 5th grader and when I went to look at his work in Science, this is the lovely answer he gave.  I read this and laughed so hard.  Then we all started laughing.  I asked my son if I could share it online and he said yes. After we laughed about 15 minutes I made him look for the right answer.  Tee hee......

It really is a challenge every single day to get them disciplined in doing their work.  They would rather do ANYTHING than do what they know comes first every day.  I always tell them that work comes before play.  That's something important in life and it will be like that when they have to get a job someday.  The older ones sit down with their Switched on Schoolhouse and the younger ones work in their workbooks and online work.  Then we go straight to chores and get that over with.  By the time we are finished they happily run off and play but I have to take a break.  I love learning with them but after doing 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th with my kids, my brain feels full and I just want to lay on the couch for a little bit.  Usually we homeschool between 10am-3pm and then chores from 3pm-5pm for me.  They finish theirs in about 30 minutes.  By 5pm I have to start making dinner.  By the time that's done, we eat, then dishes, I'm ready for play about 7pm.  Play for me is reading a book, reading blogs online, or just vegging out with my family.

Yes, it's a full day for my family and I'm tired.  The only thing is many people in my life think that since I'm a homemaker and school my kids at home, I must have tons and tons of time to goof off.  I rarely answer the phone during homeschool time or chores and never during dinner.  I've gotten phone calls where friends or family are offended thinking I'm ignoring them.  I've seriously thought about not having an answering machine just so I don't have to hear all the upset messages.  Sigh.  Another thing is when I have to stop and do a favor for someone, run errands, or go to appointments, that wasn't free time I had, that means I had to replace homeschooling for that day.  That's not always a good thing because one more day we miss is one more day we have to work into the summer.  With baby Juliet coming, I especially want this summer to be free of all the work so I can rest with the new baby.  Rest meaning no homeschool and just chores to worry about.  With homeschooling four kids and next year five, it's a lot of work.  Thank goodness I use different curriculum's because I looooove having it all set up for me each day what we need to work on. I don't really care whether I'm "homeschooling" or "schooling at home", I just care that my kids are home with me.

Do I love to have 6 kids at home and have to work so hard?  YES!  I love it!!!  Even in the most tiring days where I just collapse in exhaustion the end of the day I do not regret it.  I feel like the most blessed woman in the world and there is no job out there that would tempt me to give this all up.  I love waking up each day at the time we want and snuggling my babies who crawled into my bed after daddy went to work.  Sigh. :)

Changing My Attitude Towards Pregnancy

The kids and I were dancing around the living room on Valentines evening to a silly song Ice, Ice Baby.  We were running around in circles, jumping off the couch, dancing, and giggling. It was so fun.  I looked down and remembered that I have a little one growing inside of me.  I'm not worried about the dancing because the doctor says just to be as active as you always are before pregnancy.  At about 10pm we started to settle everyone down and get them to bed.  Charles says I don't know how to settle kids down, only how to make them more hyper.  So true.  When Charles wants the kids to settle down he talks softly to them, reads them a story, or prays with them quietly to help calm them.  Well, when I want to wear the kids down, this is what it looks like.....

Crazy, wild kids on Valentines day wrestling and
dancing to music.  Chaz is off playing games somewhere.

After I knew they were "settled" I went into my room to pick up.  I talked with a friend on the phone that just got out of surgery.  Her son is staying with us for a few days.  After I hung up the phone I realized how out of breath I was.  My husband was laughing about it.  He knows I go, go, go all day till I drop.  We got into the discussion of pregnancy and how much my thoughts and attitudes have changed towards it.

My first two Ryan and Chaz in 2002

10 years later....

Chaz and Ryan just baptized

My first 4 pregnancies I would tend to rush them on by.  I did a countdown of how many weeks and days left.  I would stare at the calendar in hopes that somehow staring at it hard enough would make them go by faster.  I absolutely loathed the beginning because it was mostly just morning sickness.  The middle felt like we were getting nowhere and then the end felt like the clock was laughing at me.  By 36 weeks I would walk the treadmill hoping to get baby moving and ready by the 38th week.  It was a rough 9 months with that type of attitude.   I often forget I'm even pregnant now because I just take each day as they come and cherish it. I've stopped dwelling on the uncomfortableness of pregnancy and embrace the miracle of it all instead. 

Holding Ivy, our fourth, in 2005

Something started to change when I saw how fast the older ones were growing up.  They weren't mixing up their words and saying "battabies" instead of "batteries".  They would wave goodbye on the school bus and there were no more sticky kisses.  Only clean and fast ones.  Then I was pregnant with my 5th child.  Something started to change in my heart.  I began to appreciate each day a little bit more carrying them inside of me.  Even more with my 6th.  Now, I feel like I'm trying to hold onto water.  Each pregnancy week keeps slipping through my fingers faster and faster.  What happened to my 1st trimester?  My 2nd trimester is almost gone now that I'm 26 weeks pregnant.  The "morning sickness" all day long isn't so bad.  My husband knows that when he offers me coffee in the morning I just need to go throw up first.  It's no problem and just feels like another routine of the day. 

Pregnant with my 7th now

I realize now that by wishing each pregnancy day away to make it to the finish was basically wishing away 9 months of my life.  In those 9 months lots and lots of wonderful things were happening, I was just too focused on hurrying the pregnancy to realize it.  In 9 months my kids outside my tummy were putting on weight, growing teeth, losing teeth, learning to walk, learning to ride a bike, learning to read, learning to add, saying their first words, and so much more.  The baby inside me growing is having her special time too.  She can hear mommy and daddy talk to each other. She is 14 inches long and weighs 1 1/2 lbs.  She may be a mellow one but when I'm laying down at night, she picks up her routine a little bit.  Her little thumps and rolls in my tummy should never be wished away and rushed.  Someday I'll get to hold her but this is the only time I'll get to feel her beautiful movements inside of me.  Nope.  I'm not wasting and wishing the days away anymore.  Each day is a gift and every night I feel that the day just went by way too fast.

Making Valentines Day Special for Everyone

Someone getting ready for Valentines?

Last night I headed off in the early evening to do some "grocery shopping" alone.  I did do some because I wanted to make a special dinner for Valentines day.  My husband has a favorite meal, Chicken Tikka Masala, and I needed to get the ingredients.  I asked where to find sparkling apple cider and they left me looking in the long wine aisle.  I felt very lost and odd standing there because I've never been in that aisle before.  Well, it wasn't there.  Of course.  It was in the regular juice aisle.  I got a Barbie for each daughter and and iTunes gift card for the boys.  Then a Lightening McQueen car for baby Caleb.  After leaving the grocery store I headed over to Ross to hopefully find something for my husband. There clearly was nothing good there and I wasn't gonna settle so I headed to a clothing department store.  It took me two hours before I finally settled on some really nice clothes I knew he would want and love.  By then my husband thought my grocery shopping was taking way too long.  When he called I told him I was Valentines shopping.  Then he reminded me that I already got him a really nice gift for Valentines a couple of days ago.  Oh..... Um... oh well.  Happy Valentines!

My husband opened his gift at 5:30am and immediately put his new clothes on.  He loved it!  Ivy came in to tell her daddy Happy Valentines Day and that she loved him so much.  When he came back home later that morning of course he had his roses, card, and balloons waiting for me.  He's so traditionally cute and it's so sweet every time.  I tell him that I never feel like he has to go overboard on Valentines because he makes me feel special all year long.  Yeah, don't worry, I never take that for granted.

Ashley with her rose from daddy
and Barbie from mommy

Charles also had a single rose for each of his daughters and a pink sparkle donut.  They were surprised! I thought that was amazingly sweet.  Wow, what a dad!  Then the kids all opened their gifts.  This year we really all wanted to go to dinner for Valentines but since our van is broken down we are stuck at home.  So I'll be making the secret dinner and desert tonight with candles and flowers on the table.  So excited to make Valentines special for all the loves in my life!

What If My Husband Doesn't Fit Into My Mold?

This picture made me scratch my head....

Till I read this...

The night before the burial of her husband 2nd Lt. James Cathey of the United States Marine Corps, killed in Iraq, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of him, and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. "I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it" she said. "I think that's what he would have wanted".
-Not sure what is more honorable: Being married to this faithful wife to the end or the Marine standing next to the casket watching over them both.

Gosh, this picture breaks my heart.  I can't imagine what that would be like, the pain... What would it be like thinking that there is another day to say goodbye, another day to say I Love You?  Yet, that next day never came for her.  

******************

One of my favorite pictures of all time

With Valentines coming up I've been thinking a lot about unconditional love.  What is love?  Is love wishing my spouse would change habits that drive me crazy?  Dumb ones that don't matter a whole lot?  I look back and my expectations of my husband were of a fairy tale sort the first years of our marriage.  I figured I could tweak a few things that I didn't like eventually and would just worry about it later.  As time went on, I started to wonder what was taking him so long to change those things.  Then came annoyance, frustration, anger, hostility...  Till a year ago I realize that those annoying things may never go away.  Can I love him anyway?  Could I stay quiet about it and just let it go INCLUDING not harboring bad feelings about it?  Yep.  Because I'm pretty sure (100% sure) I have plenty of annoying things that he just lets slip on by.  Even if he didn't...  I'm learning LOVE is loving someone regardless if they never fit into the mold we want them in.  I married him just as he was.  I didn't marry Gumby who I could shape into whatever I wanted.  Women are so funny that way.  So what if he walks out of the house in an outfit we think isn't so nice?  If he likes it, isn't that what matters?  I'm learning all those little dumb battles aren't so worth fighting and I've let them go loooong ago.  Instead, I count the good.... and there are lots.  

Men marry thinking their pretty little (sweet) brides will never change and women marry figuring they'll change the guy.  Ha.  

heh heh.... this cracks me up

When Life Happens and Exhaustion Hits

Fridays are normally a great day for me but today has been completely exhausting. Well, it started last night with having to get up out of bed so many times.  First, one of my sons who has Aspergers Syndrome was doing his poking routine where he just can't seem to leave anyone alone to let them rest.  He already has difficulty falling asleep at night and his way of getting close to another kid or trying to relate is different and comes off as annoying to others.  We go through this a lot with him and he just does better having his own bed or a seat further away from kids in the van.  Generally, the other kids are pretty patient but sometimes they just get tired of it.  Plus, when he can't sleep I generally can't.  I have to make sure he's not wandering around in the dark and that he is letting the other kids sleep.

This happens to me all the time

I must have gotten so many times last night I lost count.  Another reason is I'm always worried about my dog peeing on the carpet so if I hear his nails clacking down the hallway, I'll just out of bed and go let him outside.  I had to wait awhile for him so once I laid back in bed I couldn't fall back asleep for an hour. If I have to get up in the middle of the night I always have a hard time falling back to sleep. 

No matter how bad my day is, this picture always cracks me up

Well, I had an extra kid last night and he was spending the night with my son since he was going to be going to their school for the first time.  He wanted to go with someone he knew.  I had Charles set my alarm extra early this morning so I had extra time for bad bouts of morning sickness once I wake up.  I dragged the 7 kids out of bed, helped them dress their tired bodies, and feed breakfast, and we finally headed out for school.  I wave goodbye from the van and put my van in reverse to leave.  Well, we weren't moving.  The van would NOT back up.  I revved and revved but got nothing.  Sigh.  I sat there for a half hour not knowing what to do.  My daughter had to potty really bad and we were stuck.  I finally pulled out the emergency kid toilet from the bed, layered it with half a diaper on the bottom and let her go. Right then my son pooped his diaper and for some reason I happened to forget the wipes this morning.  After I change him I look down and see a huge foot print right on my newly cleaned shirt.  How...?  It couldn't of been from my little kids.  Then I remembered that earlier my son had put his foot up on my lap so I could double knot it.  Now I have this nice big designer print on my pregnant belly.

I called my husband to tell him I was stuck.  A lady gets out of her van next to me and offers help.  I already had help coming so we just talked.  Being this is a school just for homeschooled kids I had a fun time talking with her since we had something in common.  It was so great meeting you, Jennifer!  The tow truck wasn't gonna come for a bit so Charles and I went in his car to a restaurant.  The service was terrible and we could never find our waitress.  It took 45 minutes to get the food so we had little time to eat.  Phooey, just a nice little topper to the stress.

Following the tow truck

Turns out our transmission locked up and that's why I couldn't reverse and my husband couldn't even pushed it.  I'm finally home now and utterly exhausted.  Our van is towed home and safe and sound.  This will complicate things but thankfully I don't have to drive my van very often.  I really don't have any energy for cleaning of any sort and just want to crash.  Fridays are such a great day for me to either run errands or clean but this is just not one of those days.  

What Sunday Mornings Are Like for Large Families Going to Church

Well, I was really excited about revival week at church and especially because I really love the evangelist that came in.  His preaching and teaching really ministers and is always right on the money.  (We have hardly been able to make it this week because everyone came down with a bad cold and I can't put my baby in the nursery.)  I don't know about you but even though others think church 3 times a week is excessive, I need it.  My vessel empties quickly and I look forward to those times.  I always leave church with a bounce in my step but if you saw me walking in... well, I barely make it sometimes.

I stare at this picture often to remember that the 6.5 kids I have is nothing in comparison.  Heh heh.

It is NOT easy to get a large family ready and looking decent for every church service.  It's such a different dynamic in the level of energy it takes to get there.  No joke.  It take much more time and careful coordinating.  I almost always underestimate the time I need to get so many ready in the morning.  For me it starts the day before getting everything prepared and ready.  By Sunday morning (for example), just getting up early enough to feed everyone, pull the blankets off the kids, sing the song "Rise and Shine" a few hundred times while opening the shades, reminding the kids over and over to get in the bathroom and brush their teeth.  

They usually shower the night before but there are always a few that didn't get the hot water so they had to wait till morning.  It always takes showing them proof they stink and need a shower to get boys in there. Pulling them out of that nice hot stream of water, finding a towel that someone forgot to put back the night before, is a challenge.  I turn on the steamer to get all the wrinkles out of everyone's clothes while longingly looking over at my coffee maker.  Hopefully I'll get a cup.

If my boys could get away with this 

they would go out like this all the time.

As soon as I finally get the girls ready and send the boys on a shoe hunt, I'll take them over to the bathroom to do their hair.  Oh man, Charles just hopped in the shower.  The girls will have to wait on their hair getting done.  Then I check the boys over to make sure they didn't put on something weird or try to wear white socks with their black pants and black shoes.  I send them off to comb and gel their hair.  Since they think the only part of their hair that needs to get done is the very top and front, I usually end up taking over and showing them how to do it.  The ones that hadn't brush their teeth yet insist their breath smells fabulous and so I convince them to just be obedience and to please not try to do the Dragon Breath Test on mommy to prove it.  Just brush your teeth!  Once Charles finally gets out of shower I gather up my girls to do their hair and put some pretty bows in.  I look over at the clock, we have 15 minutes till we leave and I still am in my pajamas.  Argh.  Trying to look fabulous in 15 minutes I'm sure takes super hero work.  As I'm putting on the final desperate touches, Charles yells out we have to go.  We all run to the van while one of us searches for the missing kid who didn't hear the call and we load up. Just as we pull out I remember I never got that cup of coffee and the dog needed to be let out to potty.

Why didn't I just wake up earlier to have more time?  Usually with getting preparations done the night before I'll be falling into bed pretty late.  Then once I wake up I'm majorly battling morning sickness.  Partiers might hug the toilet because they drank too much the night before but pregnant mommies have their reason too.  It's not because of alcohol, we're brewing a baby.

So if you see a Mom of Many rushing into church at any time and maybe even a few minutes late, don't comment on her lateness, just say, "I'm glad you made it!" with a smile.  I will always say back.... "Me too!"  (Flowers and a congratulations card is even better).  Every single time I happily sit in my chair at church so grateful we really did make it.  No kids were even left behind.  I think.

You know how everyone is all excited for Fridays?  My favorite day of the week is Monday.  Weekends represent busyness, rushing, coordinating, organizing, and going here and there.   It's not too bad with a few kids but start adding to the numbers and it gets a little bit tougher.  Imagine a mama duck trying to get all of her ducklings across the road.  I'm sure the Duggar mama would need a stop light for her ducklings to get across.  Mondays represent a normalcy in a routine and calmness.  Back to our scheduled daily chores, homeschooling, and reliable routines.  Weird, I know.  I just know there are moms out there who understand.

Raising My Very Own Calvin and Hobbes

Caleb crashing the
girls' bath party

Caleb is 2 1/2 and BOY does he act like it.  He's the first one to wake up and he always, always poops right when he wakes up.  A really bad one. Then he walks up to my bed, climbs up, and sits right next to my face.  He makes sure to bring all his cars, the ones that make very loud noises, and plays cars on my body.  Do I need an alarm clock?  Noooooo...... I don't get to wake up to Folgers in my cup, instead, I wake up to poop smells in my face an loud firetruck engine sounds.  He talks and talks at the same time. Finally, I'll pull my tired, pregnant body out of the bed and shuffle in to the kitchen to get coffee.  Almost always I never make it and have to get sick in the toilet.  I look at my coffee maker that I have a love and hate relationship with, then I look at Caleb.  I love my coffee but just thinking the word "coffee" aggravates my morning sickness and changing Caleb does the same.  Sigh.  Then I wonder if Charles is going to be home soon because often he'll rescue me and take care of Caleb so I can have my coffee.  This morning he didn't come home early enough so I gathered the courage to change his toxic smelling diaper and somehow made it through with getting sick.

Charles thinks its funny
when I have to do this to
avoid smells

I then shuffled my tired body over to my coffee maker and was happy to not get sick just trying to make it.  It's not the smell of coffee that makes me sick, it's the word "coffee" that does.  When I'm pregnant, sometimes smells make me sick but so do word associations.  When I was pregnant with Ashley I couldn't say the word "IKEA" and I didn't step foot in that store till I gave birth.  Actually, this only happens when I'm pregnant with girls. 

 Growing up my favorite cartoon has always been Calvin and Hobbes.  Does this look familiar?

Calvin and Hobbes?

He is constantly getting into everything, climbing, escaping, is just as hyper, and is getting into my purse as I am writing this.  Better go....

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

I now have five computers in the house!  My two older boys do their schooling on laptops but my other two only do half of their schooling online, the other half is book work.  Sharing two computers with one of them always going bad was just really difficult.  I had really long days and sometimes I couldn't fit everyone in.  Well, it's no longer a problem.  However, I tend to have to sit with my older kids during their work because it's getting so much more complicated.  The best part of helping them is with the math.  Math has always been my favorite subject.  Isn't it weird how much we forget from when we were in school?  I remember only the basics.  I've heard of that show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader and I can see why it's a challenge.  When you try to go back and remember all that stuff, it's not so easy.  My son is in fifth now and I'm really enjoying learning right along with him.  He thinks it's weird that I get so excited about it.  I'll read something and then want to expound on it or research it more online.  Ashley will be joining us next school season so it'll be great to get just one more laptop.  Five kids schooling at home and two babies.  Whooooaa.... I better step up my game.

Right now Chaz and Ryan are learning about fractions and this is how I was feeling for awhile.

The kids praising Jesus during bible study time

My days have never, ever been busier than they are now.  Often I'll go an entire day with only a lunch break and finally getting some cleaning in towards the afternoon.  I rarely ever answer my phone during this time because I can't take distractions.  My children's education comes absolutely first.  Sometimes people get really offended because they think since I'm home all day I have plenty of time to talk.  I even get upset messages and I really don't know how to deal with that.  I'll keep thinking, "I will call them as soon as I'm done homeschooling...well, maybe once I wash these dishes, oh, maybe once dinner is done, or maybe once I lay the kids down, but ohhhh, it's way too late to call."  Sigh.  I hate those guilty feelings and don't want to seem like an insensitive friend or relative.  I wish more people understood the life of a large homeschooling family.