• Feb. 7, 2008
Long time no write
I thought that maybe blogging wasn't for me...but I've decided that today I will write. I am currently waiting on the phone to talk to an IRS rep about whether or not a homebirth and cord blood banking will count as medical expenses on our tax return. I sure hope so...they were expensive! I really want to get this tax thing out of the way...and we really need that refund! No huge purchases in our future, just want to get caught up on late bills! Yes! They both count as medical expenses! Yay for Mr. Gillmore at the IRS!
As far as homeschooling goes, we have had a low key year thus far. I was happy that Cassidy studied her times tables yesterday and is getting pretty efficient at them. She has also been studying for the spelling bee that's coming up in 2 weeks, and she's been pretty good about practicing her violin. I'm really excited that she's still enjoying it, and she loves all the compliments about how quickly she's learning. I love hearing her play! It's only been a few months, but I sure hope she stays with it. On another note, Hubby has started "Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons" with Senny and Mabel. Although they are only on lesson 5, they seem to be doing well and I hope Ben follows it through to the end to see the true results. We had to miss 5 days of lessons last week because we had to go to Pennsylvania for a funeral.
Ben's grandmother Jean died last Wednesday at her home with hospice and her 5 daughters. The wake and funeral were very sad but also enjoyable on many levels. That's the weird thing about funerals. We know that grandma is in heaven (she gave a detailed account of what it looked like and that she was being called home before she died) and that she is no longer suffering. She also lived a full life and left behind many people who loved her and innumerable memories. We also found out that she used to model and got to see some pictures that we had never seen before of her as a beautiful young woman. My children left notes and pictures with her in her casket...and I believe seeing her so much in this state was actually beneficial for the grieving process. Senny just said last night that Grandma's body is in the ground, but she isn't really in that body any more because she's in heaven with Jesus...and very lucky to be! I don't want death to scare them...we're only passing through. I thought that it would make me think about my own mother and how I will lose her one day...but I was surprised that it didn't. I felt a real kinship to Jean...not only because I have her engagement diamond on my hand or because I have a little Mabel Jean (who we often call Jean or Jeanie) who carries on her name, but most notably because I relate to the raising of a house full of girls. Listening to her 5 daughters talk about their close friendship to their mother and their unwavering dedication to her and all the wonderful memories of the woman who cared for them their whole lives...I hope my girls love me half as much when they're grown. And I hope I can spend the amount of time with them that Jean did with her own girls. It was truly an amazing relationship that I hope to experience with my own 4 (or more?) daughters. The sight of midlife women crying over their mother no different than as if they were 10...it truly touched me and inspired me. I'm more important to my girls than I will ever fully understand.
"Your mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop. She's the place you came from, your first home; and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love and your first heart break, and nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space, not even death..."
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• Oct. 10, 2007
22 days since my last visit! Whoops!
It's been such a long time since I've written...this is only my 3rd entry! A lot has happened in that time. Cass and Mabel started school at Prince of Peace homeschool co-op. It's 2 days a week for core classes, and Cass also does some electives on Fridays. She seems to really enjoy it so far, except for the American History class! I might have to drop that one. I'm not sure that Mabel is getting out of it what I was hoping for. The classes are extremely crowded and chaotic, and the boys in the class take up so much of the teachers time. They cannot sit still or be quiet! I had my first day of helping out in the classroom (to help offset the costs) and I'm already thinking that I've bitten off more than I can chew! I'm very worried about having to put the baby in the nursery while I teach because the nursery room is just too small and under-staffed and houses the nursery AND preschool! I think it's a good fit for Cassidy right now to take a few classes, but the rest is leaving me stressed out about what to do!
Anyway, a lot more has happened since my last entry. I'm now officially 30, and according to one of my birthday cards: "You're 30! You're Mature! You're Responsible! (Open Card) And according to teenagers everywhere, You're OLD! " The back of the card also adds, "Red Rover, Red Rover, Your young years are OVER!" I guess that about sums it up. 30 with 4 kids...but with my life expectancy shortened after each child, I think i'm actually about due for a midlife crisis. Too bad I can't afford one.
In the last 4 weeks we also had a visit from my father-in-law, a new baby in the family (welcome to new neice Abigail!) a surprise 40th anniversary party for my parents, a surprise 30th birhday party for me, visitors from France (my brother's family), a quick trip to Cape Cod, lots of shopping excursions, a few interesting dining experiences (most notably at the Texas Roadhouse...they're trying to single-handedly bring back the popularity of the unshelled peanut!), a wonderful hotel stay at Ogunquit Beach, and lots of fun with little cousin Vita! Oh, and a very relaxing park day with PD and her kids yesterday...thanks for listening to me carry on about the above mentioned!
Here's a picture of the 'rents on their wedding day, September 23, 1967. Happy 40th!
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• Sep. 17, 2007
Not off to a good start...
I had good intentions of writing on a daily, or every-other-day kind of basis....but it's been 4 days since my last entry! But at lease I'm back for another dose, and I'll have to ease my way into the world of continuous blogging. Since the last entry I've had many exhausting nights and blurry days. Last Thursday night was the worst, so Friday I was a ZOMBIE. Little miss Juju (my baby Juliette) has been cutting her top teeth for awhile now...they're just taking their time. They started to break through about 2 weeks ago and they're still not both in all the way! So baby is uncomfortable and wants to chew on EVERYTHING! Her bottom teeth came in very quickly and with no discomfort, so this has thrown me for a loop. My usually happy baby (who NEVER cries) will not let me put her down. My arms are achey, my patience is short, and thank God I have my 10 year old around to help out.
On Friday, Seneca got on the bus for school and the rest of us ran around trying to get ready for the days activities. Cassidy went to homeschool Swim and Gym at the YMCA and Mabel went to the preschool "Wee Sing and Paint" time at Get Fired Up!, the make your own pottery studio. Both had a great time. Ben was kept at work (CMP) because a tractor trailer hit a pole on Rt 111 and they had to replace it...but first they had to the get truck out of the ditch! He wasn't home until 10:30 pm so I didn't get to go to a Weston Price Potluck I had wantet to attend. I was supposed to carpool with two nutritionally like-minded friends, David F and David P, but they had to go without me. They did come over, however,and I helped to make some sort of coconut pudding. David F was a little scary trying to break open his coconuts with a machete and then using a power drill to shred the coconut meat from inside the shell! You need to invest in a food processor!
Saturday was a rainy morning, so I was surprised that Cassidy still had her field hockey game. Seneca was supposed to have a soccer game and team pictures but those were both cancelled. After getting drenched at Cass' game we went to the Sanfod/Springvale historical museum right down the road from us. It was a spur of the moment decision as we drove by. I've been wanting to check it out for while since they renovated the old town hall and put the visitors sign out a few months back. It was wonderful! I really enjoyed looking at the history of the area. There are many historic buildings that have been destroyed by fire or torn down by the town, so It was so interesting to see what the town USED to look like before it became so depressing! (Did I just say that out loud?)
Anyway, we found out lots of interesting history and found our house on a map from 100 years ago (it was originally the barn for the house next to it, circa 1870). The old women who volunteer there were so nice and let the girls do a little dancing up on the stage. They also let us pick up an old civil war musket to see how heavy they really are and get a feel for what those soldiers had to march long distances with! Sort of like the way I feel after carrying my baby all day long? Ben found a tiny baby snapping turtle in the road as we were driving (his hawk eyes always amaze me) and brought it to the pond so it wouldn't get hit by a car. It made us feel all warm and fuzzy, and the girls loved holding a baby sanpper that wouldn't try to bite us (unlike the large adult mommy one we found last year at the park trying to bury her eggs under the swingset at the park!)
We decided we were craving a Pu-Pu platter from Fi-Wood Chinese restaurant. Ben and I thought we'd live on the edge a little before I turn 30 in a few weeks and order a Scorpion Bowl. We shared the deliciously fruity alchohol drink with 2 of the the longest straws I've ever seen! We must have looked ridiculous! They made the drink strong, so we appreciated that after a long week. The day ended as we snuggled on the couch and began watching the second season of Curb Your Enthusiasm that I got from the library. We think it's rather hilarious.
On Sunday, we signed the girls up for CCD (we went to the one across town only to realize that sign ups were at the church 3 doors down from us). Then we went to a Halloween/Harvest Festival in Alfred. I bought Cass a hand knit hat and we all shared a jumbo bowl of fries on the grass. It was rather relaxing...and what a beautiful day! The weather couldn't have been better, so we decided to go apple picking. There's a new place in Waterboro that's certified organic and it was wonderful! We had yummy iced mocha cappacinos, apple cinnemon rolls, and came home with 28 pounds of apples! I thoroughly enjoyed talking with the owners about their orchard...it's my dream to have one of my own some day! Here's Juju enjoying a mac!
After all the fun at the orchard, we went to Portsmouth, Kittery Trading Post, and a scenic drive home up the coast on Route 1. We stopped in York at a playground right on the beach. I stayed in the car to fill out some forms since the baby was asleep. Apparently Ben thinks that a mom was hitting on him in the park (no wife in sight gives the green light?) This has been happening a lot lately...teenagers girls yellling professions of love, women making eyes at him, and last summer he even got some flashers when he was working construction! Ha! He's going to get a fat head. And yet, I like that I've got a cute little hubby...you can look but NEVER TOUCH the goods! 
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• Sep. 13, 2007
Welcome Me to the world of blogging! Do I belong?
Okay, I'm finally doing it..creating a blog...and a homeschooling blog at that! Although I'll try to talk about our homeschooling activities, I'll most likely also use this space as my personal journal entry and therapy session. Thanks, PD, for encouraging me to start one of my own. I cannot live vicariously through your blog forever, right?. I don't mind using real names, but since you are private in your own blog about names I will respect your privacy and refer to you as PD (not to be confused with Police Department and you are certainly not Physically Disabled). PD, you are my homeschooling, breastfeeding, home birthing, and birthday buddy and I appreciate your inspiration. And, PD, you are probably the only one that will be reading this for awhile.
I'll write more tomorrow when I have more time...or will I?
