Oh How Time Flies...

I'm starting this post out with a deep sigh.  One of the ones you do when you take that time to really really look at your kids as they are getting older.  You know how you kinda get caught up in your every day regular life stuff...then out of the blue, you look at your child, and it's almost like seeing a whole new person.  It's still them, obviously, but just a little more grown up, a little more mature, a little more of a lot of things...and it really hits you, all at once, in that moment...time is really speeding by.

This evening, we all went to Arlee's Girl Scout Bridging Ceremony.  She crossed over the bridge to become an Ambassador Girl Scout.  We're working toward getting her ready to start working on her Gold Award within the next couple months...and then she will begin working on putting her ideas into motion, and finally making it happen.  This next year will be Arlee's last year in Girl Scouts.  This chapter of her life is coming to a close.  The next time that she will be involved in Girl Scouts will be IF she has a daughter of her own...and I do hope she signs her up!  I know Arlee has really enjoyed her time in Scouts...since 2nd grade. 

Tonight Arlee sang during the ceremony "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield.  If you haven't listened to it before, I suggest you do!  A very inspirational song...and I think it was a wonderful choice for Arlee to sing tonight as her, along with the other Girls, begin a brand new year together.

With Arlee getting ready to turn 17 here in just a couple months...it is REALLY weighing heavy on me.  My little girl is just not so little...hasn't been for some time.  She only has 1 more year of being "officially" a child.  It won't be long before she is ready to move out and start her own life on her own...and she won't be just "down the hall" in her room drawing, listening to music, or watch her tv anymore.  I will have to call her, fb her, or email her when I want to share something with her.   I will have to "schedule" time with her when I want to see her.  What am I going to do when I no longer get to see her every day??  Oh geez.  this is going to be REALLY hard on me.

I had tears in my eyes tonight watching her up there singing her song in front of her friends and their parents.  There she was...my beautiful daughter...all grown up.  And here I sit as I write...with tears welling up again. 

Getting Caught Up

I know exactly why it's so hard for me to keep up with my blog...it's because we are just so darn busy!  And we've even been knocking some things off the calendar to help save a little in our gas budget!  Whew!  Some days...just looking at our calendar can make my head swim.

Sept 4th...Went over to my IL's so Sue could help Arlee make a cape for her costume she made to wear to the Cincy Comic Con that upcoming weekend.  We hung out and chit chatted.  A very nice visit!  And Arlee left with an amazing cape to complete her costume!

She did a great job making her vision of her costume come to life!  See how there is the green sleeves on the red shirt??  She cut those off another shirt, and replaced the red sleeves on that shirt!!  Like her glove??  Those were from that other green shirt, too!  She is just so darn creative!

She even had people stopping HER to get HER picture!  What an awesome compliment for all the hard work she put into this costume!  :)

Sept 5th...This night was our first Girl Scout & Cub Scout meetings for the 2013-14 year!  Whew!  There are SO MANY great families that we get the honor of seeing at these meetings!  I wish I had time to get to catch up with each one...but I sadly don't.  Last year I was a Co-Leader for the "older" Girl Troop...this year, I'm concentrating more on our Cub Scout Pack!  Oh goodness was those boys wired that night!!  They were so excited to be having their meeting...oh my!  They were wild!  None of them were "bad"...just excited and it definitely showed!  I hope they had a good time...and I look forward to a great year of learning together with them!

Sept 6th...Had to get up EARLY this morning so Frost & I could meet up with some other Committee Members from his Boy Scout Troop to complete his & another Scout's Board of Review!  I sat in on the other Scout's one, and Frost had to go in and do his by just talking about the Troop, and what he's done to get to where he is now.  From what I heard, he did a great job...parents are not allowed to sit in, unfortunately...this is why I think they should definitely video them!  Just sayin'!!  So very proud of my boy who is now a Second Class Scout!

In the evening, we got to go hang out with some really good, long time friends of ours!  It was just me the the kiddos...Danny was at his Magic Tourney right up the street.  We had some good food, and great company!  I've missed my friend so much!  We used to spend so much more time together...I always enjoyed my time with her...and I miss it a lot.  I got to shoot some pool with her...lots of fun!  Danny did get to swing by after his tournament...so that was really great!

Sept 7th...Cincy ComicCon!!  Danny, Arlee, & Frost went.  We really didn't have the money for this outing...but there was NO way we could break Arlee's heart like that!  She's been looking forward to it for WEEKS!!  Shoot...maybe MONTHS!?!  They had a good time!  Here are some pics from their day there:

Sept 9th...Boy Scout Night!!  Well...it turned out to just be Frost & one other Scout!  :)   It was totally fine though!  Frost and him did some planning for the upcoming year...and Frost helped him to get a requirement signed off by Danny!  I got to talk with his mom.  So I'm calling it a successful night!  :)

Sept 11th...FIRST DAY OF Co-Op!!!!  It was SO nerve wracking BEFORE class!  I was just too nervous AND excited!!  I couldn't get the internet to work with Arlee's lap top, so I wasn't going to be able to show my video.  :/   And then...I had to fill the time TALKING...and time was moving SO SLOW!  LOL!  But...we managed to get thru it!  I hope the kids had a bit of fun at least...I hope they like the book, and I'm looking forward to some great projects that they get inspired to create and bring in next month!

I also gave them a photo & caption from the book, "The Chronicles of Harris Burdick"...this is a great book to inspire a little creative writing!  You show the photo & caption...and the kids are suppose to come up with a story they make up.  There are stories in the book, made up from famous authors.  I also gave them some prompts in case they'd rather use those instead to come up with stories.

My friend Katrina did the AMAZING photography class...that the boys REALLY enjoyed!!   Liam really liked the Science & Art classes that he did as well!  There is a new 4H group forming from our CoOp families...so we are looking into all we can do with that.  We are TOTALLY brand new to 4H...so we are on information overload right now...but it really looks like a great way for the kids to learn lots of new things!  I can't wait until next month when we get to do it again!  There were so many great families who jumped in and made this happen!  A huge THANK YOU to all of them!  I got to catch up with some friends I haven't seen in awhile...and got to meet some families I hadn't met before...which is ALWAYS exciting!!

Sept 12th...Shooting Sports!!  Arlee & Frost have been waiting for this to start back!  The did Archery tonight...and I think did pretty good for not shooting all summer long!  Then there was a meeting afterward.

So, I guess that pretty much catches us up to the NOW.  I really do need to be heading to bed...I need to get up early to drop Frost off with his girlfriend and her family for an outing they are all going on together.

Thanks for dropping in!  :)  Hope to see you again soon!

Flexibility....that is the Key

Last night...while I recounted our day thru my blog...I thought about what I would like to do with the kids the next day.  I was really looking forward to it...and was hoping the kids would enjoy it, too.

9:30am...the phone rings...it's Danny..."I'm at Urgent Care."   Definitely NOT something you want to hear your Husband tell you.  Told me his side and back pain were MUCH worse than last night...that he couldn't take it any longer...and that he's just waiting to be seen by the dr.   "Do you want me to come and be there with you?" I asked him.  "No, it's fine", was his response.   We talked a bit more...then he got REALLY nauseous.  "I'm on my way."  Said our "love you's" and we hung up.

I got dressed as quickly as I could...drove to Urgent Care...he was already in the back, so I told the receptionist that I was there to see my Husband...she said they were in talking with him...so I stood there.  Just a couple minutes later, I really think after she noticed I was NOT going to be sitting down to wait...she had one of the nurses take me back...I was thru the door she opened before she even finished saying my Danny's name.

We waited for what seemed like forever for the dr.  It was horrible because Danny was in so much pain...and I couldn't really do anything for him.  FINALLY the dr came in...he was suspecting a kidney stone, but said that we needed to go to the ER so they could do a CT scan.  They did, however, give Danny a shot of pain meds to help...and it did...thankfully.

Got to the ER, and I'm sure you know how that goes...you wait, and wait, and WAIT.  They took some blood, asked questions, finally got the CT scan done, looked over everything, then the dr came in to talk with us.  He verified that Danny did have a kidney stone that was "stuck"...and that his kidney has more it's holding.  :/  Gave us some 'scripts, directions on what to do next, said that Danny could pass it anywhere from a couple hours to a few days.

We had left Danny's work van at the Urgent Care...so we had to go pick it up before heading to Kroger to drop off his 'scripts.  Ran over to Little Caesar's to pick up one of their $5 pizzas {well...$5.50 pizzas since we were at the one in Amelia}...we were STARVED by this point!!  By the time we were picking up his meds, Danny's pain started to come back.  We needed to get him home QUICK!

Once at home...he took his pain meds, and laid down.  I've been keeping water near him since we got home around 5:30pm...urging him to drink as much as he possibly can.  He's been taking it easy all evening.

Did still get to run up to the library before they closed!  That was one of the things I was wanting to do with the kids today.  Picked up a TON of books...about 5 movies for us all to watch.  We watched "Battleship" tonight...ooooooooh....THAT is a good movie!!  VERY highly recommended by the Conn Family!!

Liam had brought along his money...and decided that he wanted a donut from Speedway.  So we stopped in so he could get his donut.  Frost went in with me...with money Arlee had also giving him for a donut of her own.  Frost got himself a Freeze & me a small cappuccino {I love my boy}.  So I scrounged around in my purse to find a $1 so Zach could get something, too.  Ended up...since Frost went first buying Arlee's donut...we were able to get Zach's for free!  YAY!  I got to keep my $1!!! 

Kids are all in bed...which is where I'm about ready to be heading...have to get up early to take Frost & Arlee to work in the morning...they are both going to be tired after staying up late to watch the movie!

I do have this amazing daughter...who I called when we were sitting at the ER...just to update her on how things were going...and she asked me if there was anything I needed her to make sure the boys did today.  So I rattled off a few schooly things the boys could do...and she did the best she could to get the boys to do them.  Liam was being pretty moody today...no big surprise...but I am so thankful that she was so willing to step up and help out where she could since I was unable to be at home today.

When you choose the life of a homeschooling family...you must totally embrace FLEXIBILITY.

Our Labor Day

Hoping that everyone had a fun & relaxing holiday weekend! 

Today was just a typical {I use this word loosely} day around here since Danny had to work.  Other than him having to get up and out the door early this morning...the rest of us {including Frosty's friend that stayed over} came creeping out of bed at some point after noon.  Yep...that's just how we roll. 

We each slowly got some breakfast...none of us really move much faster than a snail's pace when we first get up.  I made oatmeal for Zach, Liam, and myself....Arlee made some Ramen noodles {her breakfast of choice}...and Frost made his friend and himself some scrambled eggs and toast.

I sat and listened to Zach practice his piano.  He has 2 songs & his upcoming Fall Recital piece to work on.  I'm excited, and can't wait for his Wednesday lesson with his teacher because he has been practicing much more than we normally.  For the past almost 2 weeks, he's been doing so great at practicing his music!!  I don't know how many times before I've fought and fussed with him to sit down and work thru his books...Oh goodness...he would end up crying, yelling, and just get so frustrated with himself and me.  So I think we BOTH started to just avoid it all together.  I am so thankful that things have seemed to smooth out for him...which also means for me, too!

At this point, we took our awesome visitor back to his house.  Frost came along with me...so we had some one on one time while we headed back home.  I left Arlee at home with the two younger boys...she worked on getting our kitchen table cleared & cleaned off...and Zach & Liam worked on straightening up our living room.

After Frost and I got back home...I got Zach working on his Study Ladder stuff {www.studyladder.com}.  He got introduced to counting from 1 to 10 in French...along with a few other French words/phrases.  He also did some fun art lesson thing on there.  Along with a couple games.   Liam worked on his Reading Eggs {readingeggs.com} which he really enjoys doing!  Arlee worked on some writing, reading, and math today.  And Frost read out of a book I picked him up from the library:  "Cryptid Hunters".  I was hoping he would be able to get into it...he loves cryptozoology.  He's saying it's not very good.  I told him he HAS to get to at least chapter 3 before he can abandon it.

Arlee put together a spur of the moment art project for them all to do.  Liam got the play doh out for them all to sculpt something...then they had to draw it.

This was Liam's monster that he created.

 Arlee's creature & little doggie thing.

Frosty's demon-like guy & dragon

Sadly, Zachary did make a whale kind of creation, but he destroyed it before we got a picture of it.

They all worked on this for about 45 mins or so at the kitchen table together...no fighting, no teasing, no picking at each other...they were just together...peacefully.  I was loving it!  

When Zach was all finished {when his ADD wouldn't let him continue to sit at the table any longer}, I got him to read some more of his book that he's been working on:  "Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Capture".  It's the first book of an impressive series.  Now...Zach can read very very well.  He sounds things out.  Has always been able to read words well beyond what he should at his age.  But the comprehension is what trips him up every time.  I'm not sure if it's his ADD working against him or what.  I get him the books on cd, and the book itself for him to follow along with...then afterward I ask him to tell me what he remembers from what he just read/listened to...and he struggles to tell me.  This is something I really need to work on with him, but not sure where to start.  Something I need to definitely research and look into.

As the kids are working on their things...I'm taking advantage of some time to work on a knitting project and get some reading in myself!!  I've been reading "A Midsummer Night's Scream" by R.L. Stine.  I remember reading his books in school...always loved the Fear Street & Goosebump books! 

When Liam finished up with his art stuff, I got him to come over and read with me out of these one books we have that are for beginning readers.  Our plan it to read and re-read over and over and over and over again.  Well...sometimes that plan doesn't work well for Liam.  I try my best to be patient with him.  We had just read the first story of the 2nd book earlier, so he didn't want to read it again like I wanted him to do.  So he got mad, and ran off to his room.  I told him that when he was ready to read it, to just let me know...and then we had a new thing to try out after.

After Zach finished his reading...he was ready for a nap.  His Strattera really takes it out of him.  I'm hoping it will balance out soon so he won't be so tired in the middle of the day.  I read some more.  Frost was working on looking up something he wants to buy on amazon.  Arlee was working on stuff in her room.  Liam was still pouting, but wanted to watch some tv.

Since the tv was on...I headed to my room to read some more...ended up after a bit, I just could not keep my eyes open...so I slid down and sneaked in a cat nap.  Liam came in after I was starting to wake up to let me know he was ready to read with me.  So we snuggled up on my bed, and he read thru his book.  He's doing a great job.  I just introduced these books to him last week, and he's picking up the words really quickly.  I know some may "be concerned" about him being 7 years old, and just now beginning to read...but I'm NOT concerned at all...especially not after this week.  He, at this point, is WANTING to learn...he wasn't before...and let me tell you...that makes ALL the difference!!  Just allowing him to come to me when he's ready makes the whole process so much easier!!  We read along...and I explain some grammar/spelling rules along the way...he sounds things out...it's been great so far!  I can't wait to just keep working with him, and watching his reading ability grow!

Oh...and the "new" little thing we did together...I have these magnet letters and blends that I pulled out.  Him and I put a bunch of them on the fridge.  He put the lower case letters in alphabetical order, I did the upper case letters.  Then we played around with 'at' words...and I explained word families to him...we spelled out some of the words he's been working on in his books.  He was sitting there really paying attention, and really listening to what I was saying and doing with the letters.  Then he went and read his book to Danny.  And after that...now mind you, this was around MIDNIGHT tonight...he wanted to hop back on his Reading Eggs so he could finish up a quiz he had to do to unlock his next map!  And he did amazing on it...only missed one...but he did it all on his own!  I'm so very proud of him!

Danny came home not feeling well today.  It was a "grab what you can" kinda night for dinner {I had the veggie soup that Frost made last night...with some extra jalapenos added in....oooooh...so yummy!}...and now here we are at 2:11am...Danny's been in bed for a while...I'm typing up my blog entry...Arlee is in bed because she's not feeling too good either...Frost is playing Minecraft on the Xbox...Zach is watching Frost play...and Liam JUST dozed off.  :)

Well...this post turned out MUCH longer than I had originally planned!  But there is a little peek into our day.  :)

Welcome September

Here we are at the beginning of September!  Wow.  Really.  How did that happen??  Didn't summer JUST start??  How can it be ALMOST autumn already??  Not that I'm complaining too much.  I LOVE FALL!

Well...all those EXCEPT for the football games!  I'm not a huge fan!



So here I am again attempting this blogging thing.  I really do love it...but just finding the time to really sit down and put the time into I would like to...well...that's the trick isn't it??


Today was much of a "lazy-like" day.  I worked on homeschool group/Boy Scout/Cub Scout stuff on the computer for the majority of the day...why do I do that!?!  I *REALLY* need to set like some business hours for myself or something.  Arlee, after picking her up after a birthday sleepover, slept for a good part of the day because she was just so tired.   Frost had a friend over, and played on Xbox for most of the day.  Zach & Liam were right there with the older boys watching them play.  Not a whole lot got done around the house today...which I do feel really bad about.  Wasn't really the day I had planned out in my head last night...but I will give it another go tomorrow.  :)

I've been trying to run thru my head my upcoming Cub Scout Pack meeting this week.  With it being majority homeschoolers, we are a multi-level Pack...not enough boys to actually make dens.  So we function solely as a Pack.  I came across a great website that has a whole 2 years planned out just for a Pack like ours!!   What a find!!  I love the internet!! 

Another great planning endeavor that I'm working on is our CoOp that will be staring NEXT week.  I signed up to do the Tween/Teen Book Club...which I have lovingly named, "Words & Stuff".  I've picked out our first book, which is "The Invention of Hugo Cabret".  We've seen the movie...and really liked it.  Then, recently, when I started researching the book...there was all kinds of great reviews for it!  So I had to check it out myself.  It's great!  It is this HUGE book...but it is equally done with words & illustrations!  I'm also going to be sharing some stuff about atomatons {one of my favorite words...love the way it sounds}.  Very much looking forward to our first get together!

This year, for our homeschooling, I'm not even sure what you can call it...maybe "unschooling"...maybe "eclectic" ...maybe it's more summed up like: "from a non-linier, non subjective point of view it is more like a big ball of wibbily wobbly timey wimey...stuff".  Whatever we call it, I'm excited about the year ahead.  Did you know what I just figured out the other day??  I'm 1 year away from being at my 1/2 way mark for my homeschooling career with my children!  How awesome is that!?!  This year is our 8th year...obviously, next year will be our 9th...if all goes well, and Liam graduates "on time"...I will have been homeschooling our children for 18 years!!

So, yeah, back to what we'll be doing this year...my "plans"...for the younger two...I'm going to pull in "the basics"...reading/writing/math...along with art/music...everything else will be 'as it comes along'.  I'm definitely NOT good at writing out school lessons or schedules...so things will be pretty much "by the seat of our pants".  We will work on things that resemble "lessons"...sorta, but not really.  There probably won't be much rhyme or reason for what we do each day.  I know this kinda thing makes my Hubby VERY nervous about the whole idea of homeschooling.  But, I believe, in the end...it will all work out OK.  :)

For the older two...as soon as I can pull the funds together for it...I will be signing them up for an online High School Course.  When they finish, they will have their diplomas/transcripts.  It is all online...they will give them 1 subject at a time...no due dates, turn in things when you can.  I think Hubby is on board with this one...and I love the flexibility that it comes with.  Ahhhh...the sweet sound of compromise!  :)

So there is my short & sweet update...hopefully with many more to follow!  :)   Thank you much for dropping by!  I appreciate you visiting!