Posted in Everyday Life
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I forget how busy having a baby can be. It seems like I'm constantly changing diapers or nursing when I have a free moment. My biggest enemy is a unorganized schedule. Nothing is really set in stone and it's murder on getting anything extra done. I did have a great link emailed to me yesterday from HGTV about organization and since I desperately need more to corral all of the extra stuff that is overtaking me, I'm going attempt to do what it is suggests. It sounds manageable. I'm including the link in case anyone else wants the information. The good news is that this is all driving me closer to Jesus. I'm realizing that I can't just do the "motions" of following Him. I need to seek Him daily and lean on Him for His strength. Having been raised in a Christian home, sometimes I can get in the habit of doing the right thing, but forget about who it's all about. I don't have a whole lot of time so I'm ending here, but I hope you have a wonderful day in Him, with Him and for Him. |
Posted in Everyday Life
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Today we're off to the retail store my husband manages to have my girls "model" Easter dresses. I drove to town west of Madison yesterday to pick up my oldest daughter's bestfriend and to drop off my son so that she could do it also and he wouldn't have to. The girls are all excited about getting to model pretty dresses and be fluffy. I'm lamenting the disaster in my house and the lack of time to clean up the last couple of days. Oh well. Maybe this afternoon. |
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I found a great book that I ordered online from Christianbook.com. The book is called The Family Hand-Me-Down Book: Creating and Preserving Family Traditions and is paperback. It originally was priced at $12.99 and now it's only $.99! I love flipping through this book for ideas. Some things we already do, or have done, but other ideas are neat and help preserve our family heritage. I'd say that if you are even a little bit curious, go check it out. They have a ton of stuff (homeschool games, etc.) on sale. |
Posted in Everyday Life
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I'm back. My husband and I had this crazy idea that we should get rid of the internet to help eliminate some bills. Within a day, we were both lamenting it's passing and finally decided to get back online again. I haven't been able to login at the library (my original plan) so I haven't posted in a couple of weeks. It was so nice to be able to blog today and see all the lovely comments. I've been missing my friends! Hi, Everyone! Our baby is getting big. The midwife came Tuesday and weighed and measured him for his one month checkup and he is now 9 lbs. 8 oz (gained a pound and a half already!) and he is 22 inches (grew an inch and a half). We're still settling into a routine, but it is getting better. We are having the baby and our next to the DD-3 dedicated on Sunday at church. Because of moves and transitions, we never had her dedicated so we thought it would be neat to do it at the same time. Well, it's feeding time again so I'm off... |
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We're slowly getting back into the swing of school now that the baby has arrived. I forget how much time everything regarding a baby can take. He is definitely worth it though. I'm slowly getting more sleep and he's slowly getting used to sleeping without me. I feel like we've been off-track forever. We're slowly finishing up our Ancient Civilizations unit (still need to have an Ancient Egyptian meal) and moving on to the Exodus from Egypt. I'm hoping to actually cover the Passover before Passover comes around. At the pace I"ve been setting, I don't know. The curriculum calls for making a model of the tabernacle. I think we're going to skip that and just talk about the tabernacle and the symbolism behind all of the pieces and parts. ****************** I'm tired of the snow and looking forward to spring and warmer weather. |
Posted in Baby
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Finally, our newest little one has arrived. We had a boy and named him Josiah. He was born today, February 20, 2007 at 2:19 p.m. and he was 8 lbs., 20 1/2 inches long. I am so relieved to have it over and be able to hold him in my arms (as well as giving other people a chance to hold him - 9 months is a long time!) I had an amazing birth experience! My midwives were awesome, Christian women with great senses of humor. When I wasn't in intense pain, we were able to joke and just enjoy the whole experience. I had a water birth and it was so much better than any of my other births. Being on your back during hard labor is insane! I was able to pray and focus on what my body was doing instead of panicky in the midst of the pain. It made such a big difference. When I finally felt it was time to push, it only took 8 or 9 minutes and he was out (of course it felt like an hour!). I got to touch the baby's head as he was coming out and then Rick and one of the midwives grabbed him and pulled him out of the water. My mom, Rick and I are all extremely tired from lack of sleep, but are in good spirits. My kids did great, obeyed and stayed out of the room. I did yell during the pushing and it kind of surprised and scared them, but I had prepared them ahead of time so it wasn't bad. So far he's slept a lot and nursed a bit and seems very alert. I'm blessed! |
Posted in Baby
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I woke up at 12:30 this morning to discover my water had broken. First time for me. I called the midwife and she came out and discovered that the baby's head is down, but not down where it belongs. I'm only dilated to 1 cm and wasn't having any contractions so she started having me take blue cohosh every 1/2 hour. Contractions have started and are slowly getting more intense. She says if the baby hasn't dropped farther down by 6 a.m., I'll have to go to the hospital. Pray that the Lord's will be done, but I'd really like to not have to go if at all possible. Update: She checked me again and the baby had moved into a much better position. She's very encouraged - so am I. Still taking the cohosh. |
Posted in Baby
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I’m still pregnant. Yesterday I was officially a week over my due date. |
Posted in Creative Living
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I’ve never liked the commercial Valentine’s-in-a-box that can be purchased at Target or the nearest grocery store. The lack of imagination and the stupid characters that decorate them irritate me. Consequently, whenever my children have asked for them to be able to give them to friends, it’s always been with a lot of reluctance. I was inspired this year, though, by COmamabear and LindaFay’s posts on Valentines. Being overdue with this baby has made me a little unfocused when it comes to doing a lot of things, but I took the time with my children and mom yesterday to make real Valentines and I had so much fun. Last year we had picked up some Valentine card kits from Target in the Dollar Spot and we still had a couple packages left. We started with these and then moved on to using cardstock, scrapbooking paper, fancy scissors, stickers, and paper punchers. It was relaxing, stimulating, and a fun activity with my children. I made Valentine’s for everyone in my immediate family and my mom. It was neat to be able to pick out paper and font-styles to match each of their personalities. My kids made cards for family members and for their friends at church. My almost three-year old was very decisive on how she wanted to decorate her card for Grampy and Grammy; even down to the where exactly the stickers should go.
My creative juices have been revved up. My children are basking in the red and pink glow coming from the dining room. Now I just need to figure out how to make Valentine cookies without filling the whole house with smoke (yes, the oven needs to be cleaned!) |
Posted in Baby
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No baby news. I guess this little one just likes hanging out in my warm womb vs. coming out to snow and cold temperatures. Can't blame 'em. Hopefully he or she will arrive before my mom leaves on Saturday. If she has to, she can change her ticket to Monday. |
Posted in Baby
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Tomorrow is my due date. We'll see if he or she actually comes. My track record, so far, has been pretty good. The first was induced, so that doesn't count; the second and third were both born a day early; and the fourth was born on her due date. So far this little person hasn't been cooperative. He/she keeps bopping around in there. He will get into the right position and then pop up again. The midwife was here and said that his head was down, but that he had his hands over his face. Makes it hard to slide down any farther. I'm just praying that he makes the transition here soon. My mom is flying out, which is really nice because my dh went back to work on Saturday after a week off of work. I was worried about what to do with the other four, but this will help a lot. She'll be here for 10 days or so, so hopefully during that time period the baby actually comes. It would be disappointing if she came out and totally missed the baby's birth because it decided not to show up for another couple of weeks. The weather has been really cold here lately. With the wind chill, it's been -20 degrees, etc. and hard to keep this house warm. I'm bemoaning the 50 to 70 degree weather in California that I'm missing out on. My kids are going stir-crazy because it has been too cold to let them play outside. I'm restless because of the cold, and the fact that I just want to be done with this pregnancy. It seems like I've been pregnant forever. |
Posted in Housework
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Another fun thing I found over at KarenW's blog: 1.Aprons – Y/N? If Y, what does your favorite look like? I have a couple, but one is made of ecru Battenburg lace and I can't imagine making spaghetti in it. The others are little things that tie around the waist that my great-grandmother made in the 60's and not exactly something I want to mess up. I really need an all-purpose, who-cares-if-it-gets-mucky apron. I'd wear it if I ever got around to making one. 2.Baking – Favorite thing to bake: Probably Chocolate Chip Cookies (haven't been in the mood for them in months, though). 3.Clothesline – Y/N? Not exactly. We had one at the last farmhouse we rented, but this one doesn't have one intact. The poles are there, but the line isn't. At the other house we did use it a lot in the spring and summer, especially when our dryer stopped working. 4.Donuts – Have you ever made them? Not by myself. I made them when I was a kid with my mom. 5.Every day – One homemaking thing you do every day: Dishes 6.Freezer – Do you have a separate deep freeze? Nope, but I wish I did. Do you know how much venison I'd have in there if I had a deep freezer? 7.Garbage Disposal – Y/N? Nah. I can live without a garbage disposal, but I'd love to have a dishwasher again! 8.Handbook – What is your favorite homemaking resource? I'm with KarenW. I love my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. I think I got my copy from a garage sale years ago and I use it all the time. The one I have was published the year I was born (and looks like it!) I think it would be fun to get my children (or at least my girls) a copy that published the year each of them were born - unless it's missing some of the better recipes. 9.Ironing – Love it or hate it? Or hate it but love the results? Hate it. Rarely do it unless something is really wrinkled. My husband doesn't mind ironing and actually prefers to do his work clothes himself. In our early years of marriage, I attempted to iron his clothes for him, but after awhile he just started doing it himself. I guess he didn't like having three and four creases in his pants! 10.Junk drawer – Y/N? Where is it? Kitchen. 11.Kitchen – Color and decorating scheme: Red, black, with accents of yellows, browns and greens. Decorating scheme is cherries, black and white checks, tea pots, and things that look like they're from the 50's. 12.Love – What is your favorite part of homemaking? I love decorating, but sometimes feel hindered by the lack of finances to do it the way I really want to do it. I also enjoy organizing things (actually, the feeling after it's done), but I can get overwhelmed trying to figure out where to put it or how to start. 13.Mop – Y/N? Once I start the process it's not so bad. But I need to do it more frequently. I don't like mopping the floor, only to find it messy again after the next meal. 14.Nylons – Wash by hand or in the washing machine? I avoid nylons like the plague - especially during pregnancy, warm weather, really cold weather, humid weather... shall I go on? 15.Oven – Do you use the window or open the oven to check? I open the door because there is no window. 16.Pizza – What do you put on yours? When I make homemade pizza, I usually make one pepperoni and one sausage and pineapple or ham and pineapple. If I was going to go and order a pizza just for me, I would get Combination with pepperoni, ham, sausage, green peppers, onions, olives, and mushrooms. That's my favorite, but no one else in the family likes it. 17.Quiet – What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment? Read, surf the Internet, and (when I'm pregnant) occasionally take a nap. 18.Recipe card box – Y/N? What does it look like? Not at the moment. Just cookbooks, recipes in MS Word, recipes that I've printed out and stuck inside my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, and going online and looking up recipes. My favorite online recipe source is RecipeZaar, ever tried it? 19.Style of house – What style is your house? The actual house itself is an old, drafty farmhouse that was built in the mid to late 1800's. 20.Tablecloths and napkins – Y/N? Occasionally we use tablecloths, lately just placemats. Unless it's a nice meal, we use paper napkins or paper towels. How lovely. Martha Stewart would be impressed. 21.Under the kitchen sink – Organized or toxic wasteland? Not really organized. I hate the space under a kitchen sink. It gives me the creeps. I generally just use it to store plastic grocery bags and large trash bags. 22.Vacuum – How many times per week? When my husband is at home on vacation, he'll sometimes do it every day or every other day. Me? About once a week I'll have my kids do it or I'll do it. We don't have wall to wall carpeting, just area rugs in the living room and in a couple of the bedrooms. 23.Wash – How many loads of laundry do you do per week? I have no idea! It seems like we do at least two a day on most days and then three to six on one day out of the week. So maybe 15 to 17? That seems like a lot, but I am just guessing. All I know is I'm really sorry if I let it pile up. 24.X’s – Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off? Sometimes. 25.Yard – Y/N? Who does what? My husband and I work on the yard together, which usually is just mowing. Neither one of us is into planting stuff yet. 26.Zzz’s – What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed? Turning down the heater, turning off all the lights downstairs, picking up the living room (blankets, cups, toys that were forgotten, etc.) TAG --you're it! Let me know if you play. |
Posted in Everyday Life
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I found this at KarenW's blog and decided to do it since it is 4:00 a.m. and I'm having trouble sleeping. 1. YOUR REAL NAME: Marla - my dad must have found this when he named me. He took the Mar from Marlene and the la from Nola and got Marla. 2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first three letters of your name, plus izzle) Marizzle - if I ever (like that would happen) joined a gang and told them my name was Marizzle, they'd beat me to a bloody pulp! 3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three of your last) MSch - somehow I think this lost something in the translation. 4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (fav color and fav animal) Red Dog - Okay, once again something has been lost. As a mother of small children, this just reminds me of Clifford! I'll have to think of something a little more lithe sounding, like Crimson Panther or ... okay, I'm struggling here! 5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, Street you live on): Ann Morgan - I've always like the name Morgan, but I don't like my middle name very much. I'm with Anne of Green Gables, I prefer Anne with an E. 6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name, first 3 letters of mom’s maiden name) Schmaeas - huh??? Maybe if all the characters were German or Jewish! Sounds more like Smeagle (Gollum) from The Lord of the Rings. "My Precious!" 7. SUPERHERO NAME: (favorite color, favorite drink) I don't have a clue what my favorite drink is. I enjoy Cranberry Juice, Lemonade, Earl Grey Tea, Chamomile Tea, Mocha Frappachinos... Hey! I'll be the Crimson Frappachino! Saving innocent bystanders from caffeine withdrawal one headache at a time! 8. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother & father’s middle name) RoseAnn Wayne – I don't think so. Anyway, on to more important things, like sleep! |
Posted in Baby
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I'm rather annoyed with my body. I went to bed with my back hurting and it was so bad in the middle of the night that it kept me awake for a couple of hours. I finally got up at 3:30 a.m. with my husband. I started having contractions and eventually they got to be four minutes a part and fairly strong. My dh finished his vacation yesterday and today is first day back, but I didn't want him to stay home if they weren't going to turn into anything. I called the midwife, he left for work, and about an hour and a half later the midwife came. By that time, my contractions had lessened in strength and were a lot farther apart. When she checked me I was still only dilated to one centimeter, the baby had moved farther up (not even in the birth canal), and she didn't want to give me blue and black cohosh to help things along because I just wasn't far enough along. I was just glad I had sent my husband to work and not kept him home, but I felt bad for getting Chris and her daughter (and apprentice) out of bed for nothing. I keep thinking, I've done this four times (not including miscarriages). You'd think my body and my brain would know when it's time. It sure felt like it. I guess my body is just pushing the baby into position. I guess when I see the baby's head crowning, I'll know it's time! |
Posted in Baby
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Well, I've been having some contractions. I called the midwife and talked to her for a bit and we decided I should lie down and rest and drink some water to see if that would stop them. She's still concerned that it might be in the wrong position and because my stomach was upset today and I didn't have enough water, she thinks I am probably dehydrated and would rather have me be safe than in labor. The contractions did stop, but I still have a lot of pressure down there and in my back. As it stands now, unless the contractions get stronger tonight, she'll stop by tomorrow to see if the baby's head is in the right spot. My appointment wasn't supposed to be until Tuesday, but she and I just want to make sure. On another note, my 5 year old son has been especially sweet. He is a typical boy - filled with energy, loud noises, and occasionally too rough with his sisters, but he does have a precious heart. Yesterday he asked if he could pray for me. Of course I said, "yes". He then proceeded to pray that the baby would come out safely, that I would be safe, that the baby wouldn't hurt me by kicking me, and that it would turn the right way. I was so touched by how much thought he put into what he prayed and the fact that it was out of the blue. It wasn't family devotion time - he just stopped in the middle of playing with his cars and asked. I love my little guy. Update: The midwife came today and checked me. Thankfully, God answered our prayers and the baby is head down now and in the right position. After she left, I did have some contractions. I figured I could walk them (typically what I do to get labor really going) or I could have a good night's sleep and hope I go into labor tomorrow. With my last one, I went to the hospital at 8:30 p.m. and didn't have her until about 7 a.m. the next morning. I never got any decent sleep for a couple of days after that. I'd rather - if given the choice - start this one so I don't labor all night. I really want this one to be born tomorrow. All of my kids have been born on a day divisible by 5 (5,10, 15, 20). The 25 came and went, but tomorrow is the 30th and I can always hope. I like patterns. |
Posted in Baby
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The ultrasound showed that the baby is heading, kind of down, but still a bit tilted. I have a lot of amniotic fluid which is causing the floatiness of the baby. They seemed optimistic that the baby would be able to move head down and not get lodged in the transverse position. The midwife is supposed to come and try to move the baby into the right position now that she knows how it is positioned. I was a bit discouraged yesterday, but the Lord is the sustainer of us all. Please pray for the baby to turn and position itself correctly. Also pray for GiffordBabyJournal, cptwentworth, and LivingByDailyGrace. Christi at GiffordBabyJournal is due on Feb. 8 also, but the baby was in the breech position and they were talking about doing a C-section. I haven't heard if she's had it yet. Karen at LivingByDailyGrace is, unless she's had it since the 22nd, overdue and would love to go into labor, of course. Her husband is UnderDog. FYI, he's had a couple of funny posts regarding pregnancy and the baby the last few days. Cptwentworth, I believe, is due on the 10th. She was having some health challenges and experiencing the "fun" of barely able to function because she was so pregnant and tired. In Him, Marla |
Posted in Baby
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I had an appointment with my midwife yesterday. Two weeks ago the baby was head down. Now the baby seems to be sideways. This is my fifth full-term pregnancy and I've never had a baby be sideways at almost 38 weeks. After looking through my trusty, What to Expect When You're Expecting book, I can't find anything in there about a baby being sideways at this point - just head down or breech. My midwife told me to put my head down on the floor and stick my bottom up in the air to help encourage the baby into the right position. I'm also going in for an ultrasound on Thursday to determine exactly how the baby is positioned. Any advice about how to get the baby into the right position and then keep it there? Any ideas why a baby would pop back out again? |
Posted in Baby
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Last Wednesday, on the way to church, I had a lot of back pain and Braxton Hicks. On top of that, it started to snow a little. As I mentioned before, we live an hour from church...and I have a midwife...who's going to deliver this baby at my home. On top of that, I had just dropped off my husband at his work, so the complete circuit from church to his work to our home is an 1 1/2 hours. At that point, I realized I didn't want to be that far from home if I actually went into labor and started having contractions. I visualized myself stopping on the side of the freeway every 5 minutes to have a contraction and trying to explain to a very helpful - yet inquisitive - police officer why I couldn't just go to the nearest hospital to deliver. "I'm fine, Officer. I'm just in labor." "I'll escort you to the hospital." "No, thank you, sir," I'd say. "I need to go home." "Excuse me, ma'am, but didn't you just say were in labor? Don't most people want to leave their home at this point?" Anyway, I decided that even though my due date is 18 days away, I don't want to head that far without another adult until I have this baby, so I missed church today. A friend of mine offered to come get us and drive us in. Keep in mind that she lives almost an hour away and she would have to do that round trip twice. It was very sweet of her to offer, but that's a lot of driving. Plus we would have had to leave at 8:00 a.m. after all of us picked up my dh last night at 10:30 p.m. Groggy, cranky kids. Fat, pregnant mommy. I didn't even think to ask what kind of vehicle my friend drives since she is single. I don't know if we could have all squeezed in anyway. Consequently, I've been in my pajamas all day (true confessions). It's my birthday and that's how I'm celebrating. My husband is off tomorrow and he and the kids are going to make me a cake and I'll make a nice dinner (versus the mac n' cheese, hot dog, corn and salad extravaganza of this evening!) and pretend that tomorrow is my b-day instead. Not that it really matters. I just like celebrating it with my hubby and kids. |
Posted in Everyday Life
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Because we go to church an hour away from our home and we usually don't leave until 1:30 p.m., I've been trying to think of things to serve for lunch to avoid having to run to fast food places. Personally, I was sick of PB and J after the second time and was staring longingly at the Mexican restaurants on the way through Madison. Today, I happened to find some suggestions on FamilyFun for foods to eat on family trips in the car that looked good, creative, and appetizing. Here are the suggestions: SNACKS & NIBBLES It's not just the car that needs fuel. Here are some tide-overs contributed by parents who learned from experience. A number of folks recommended the new flat plastic insulated bags with handles (a bit like closable shopping bags) that can be found at warehouse stores like Sam's Club or Costco or supermarkets. They can be used for both hot and cold items and are very handy. 1. HEALTHY SNACKS Chex mix, without nuts, Nutri-Grain bars, crackers (Cheez-Its, Sesame Twigs, Triscuits, etc.), raisins, grapes, Sun Chips, Gorilla Munch (an organic cereal similar to Kix), celery sticks w/peanut butter and raisins for protein to combat sluggishness from riding in the car, and bananas, popcorn; cut up whole-wheat flour pita bread into pieces. Brush on olive oil, bake for about 12-15 minutes, remove and sprinkle with garlic powder and shredded cheese. Continue baking until crispy. 2. FREEZE 'EM FIRST Make mini banana-nut bread loaves, freeze, then thaw in morning and slice for snack; great with peanut butter and slice of banana on top ... Mix fruit or jam into yogurt and freeze in small, snack-sized Ziploc bags for frozen yogurt on the go. Cut a hole in the end of the bag for easy access/eating.... Make a batch of pudding and add coconut, nuts, marshmallows, crushed cookies, or sprinkles. Pour into molds. Freeze several hours until firm (stays nice as it thaws!) -- nickel76nicky 3. PITA POCKETS Stuff them with things not normally in a sandwich -- pizza-type cheese and pepperoni, thick chili and cheese, veggies, hot dogs -- and heat. Also, tortilla roll-ups may be fixed ahead and kept warm. If the fillings are messy, wrap in waxed or parchment paper. Then put them them in your warm cooler. -- BAlieceHall 4. SALAD (YES, SALAD!) I either put it in a small bowl and the kids can put dressing on it, or in a to-go cup so they have "shaker salad." I bought little Tupperware-type containers from WalMart that are square with a small round center, with its own lid. I'll put veggies and dip in one and cheese and crackers in the other. The kids really like it. -- photomomof2 5. HEARTIER FINGER FOOD Homemade sweet potato fries, chicken tenders, fish sticks, corn dogs on a wooden skewer, hashbrown patties from the store, wrapped in wax paper. A favorite: mini meatloaves stuffed with mashed potatoes -- it's not hard to do in a muffin pan. -- nickel76nicky 6. CUT-UP APPLES A little orange juice will keep them from turning brown. --mom2curty 7. DON'T FORGET THE DRINKS Take plenty of water! Fill plastic water bottles 2/3 up and freeze; then put in a small cooler instead of ice to keep foods cool. When they melt, you have nice cold water on hand. Juice boxes also freeze up well; just pack in anything that needs to stay chilled around them. -- nickel76nicky Hopefully these ideas will be good for some of you too! |
Posted in Homeschooling
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As I am entering this new year with only four weeks left of pregnancy, I'm having a hard time not doubting myself and my ability to homeschool my kids. This is the time of year that I begin to panic and think, "can I do it?" and "Should I put them in a regular school?" I'm not going to give in to that fear this year and do what I've done in the past -sticking them in a private or public school and regretting it a week later. I'm accessing my walk with God, my homeschool techniques, my need for more organization to stay on track , and a multitude of other things. Of course, New Year's Resolutions have stemmed from these musings and the fear that I won't accomplish all (or any) of them, but, unlike other years, my husband is behind me in homeschooling the kids and isn't wanting to put them back into school. It's making a big difference and I appreciate it so much. He has even managed to not say anything the last week about the state of the house (kitchen hasn't been totally free of dirty dishes in about a week (I miss having a dishwasher); our bedroom is in a mild state of disarray; floors are sometimes swept and mopped - mostly not; the house is screaming out to be organized; but, on the positive side, most of the toys have been picked up by the time he comes home; I am on top of the laundry; and the kids have kept their rooms pretty decent - yeah!) My energy level isn't what it could be and I'm still waiting for that nesting instinct to kick in. I think it happened - once - for about ten minutes while I was sleeping... such is life. |