Musings and meandorings of a preschoolmommy http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Sat, 25 Aug 2007 14:09:00 -0500 Sat, 25 Aug 2007 14:09:00 -0500 I feel like I've been away for so long!  9 months, I believe. We finally have internet at home again.  We had to turn it off for awhile, b/c it was a luxury, not a necessity.  However, in the crazy world of technolgy, it's quickly becoming a necessity!  My husband was given a promotion at work several months ago, allowing us to be able to get the i-net at home again.  I am very pleased!  I feel like I'm back in the land of the living again.  School is starting back for most; for me, it's a never ending process.  I pretty much do school all year long, 3 to 4 days a week.  Not very traditional, but it works for our family.  I teach at our church 2 days a week, allowing us some extra income...also hindering us from having school on those days, unless I've had a shot of caffeine in the morning and afternoon!  I enjoy it, though, and my kids are up there with me (for free, since I teach).  My son (who starts first grade this year) helps out in my class, while my daughter (who is 3) gets to attend the classroom next door to me!  How blessed we are! I started ABEKA last year...although I've purchased ACE (for Kindergarten).  Never used it...does anyone know how I can sell it or know one who is interested in it for their family.  It's got all it's "stuff", I just found A BEKA easier for our situation...let me know! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/379599/ Sat, 25 Aug 2007 14:09:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/379599/ The last time that I left an entry, it was Easter...now, TODAY in fact, it is Christmas.  WHEW!  What a crazy last few months. For those of you who have asked, my FIL is doing GREAT.  Christmas time was a time of celebration, not only the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, but of the miracles that Jesus has brought.  My FIL's surgery went very well.  He is continuing his radiation/chemo treatments till next month.  He is declared CANCER FREE, but the treatments are for "just in case".  I gave them a cross to hang on their wall (pewter...very beautiful) to hang beside a poem that my MIL found in regards to how cancer affects.  It does not limit our friends, family, nor the resurrection...it was very beautiful and I wish I could post it, but I'm not at home right now.  Another PRAISE is our son, the week after turning 6, asked Jesus into his heart.  It was such an awesome feeling and I was able to lead him in the prayer.  He received his first Lord's Supper on Christmas Eve at my parents church.  It was AWESOME.  I just cried and prayed the entire time. I apologize for it being 7 months since my last post, but I'm sure you've all been as busy as me, if not more.  I started working 2 days a week at the church we joined this summer.  I teach 15 3-year olds at Kid's Day Out.  My kids are attending as well and it's been a real blessing, both mentally and spiritually.  It's also helped SOCIALLY, as well.  My 6 year old is doing 1st grade work, even though he's supposed to be considered in kindergarten.  My 3 year old is loving have a few days to herself with her new friends and my husband and I are enjoying the "extra money"...it's helping us not be so stressed about getting our bills pay each month. That's pretty much all I've got today.  MERRY CHRISTMAS and hope to see you soon! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/259290/ Mon, 25 Dec 2006 21:39:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/259290/ We've been really busy here lately.  I apologize that it's been several SEVERAL weeks since updating.    After Easter, we came home and went full-fledge into our new church.  We started visiting a few weeks before Easter and have had many wonderful times there.  It's been amazing to see God working in our lives.    There really hasn't been too much more than that going on.  We've been really blessed lately and God is continuing to do wonderful things in our lives, through our family,  this church, and our friends.   Please do pray for my FIL.  On May 15th, he will go in for surgery to remove any of the remaining cancer that might be there after his radio and chemo. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/129817/ Fri, 5 May 2006 16:43:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/129817/ I'm soooo sorry that I haven't been around here that much!  It's been crazy here, actually.  This is the first time I've been on-line in what seems like weeks!  Last Thursday, we went to my parents house for 4 days and it took all day on Monday to re-coup.  And yesterday we spent the morning and afternoon at the new church that we've been visiting.  So, I've actually been busy....for a change!   We had a lovely Easter.  My niece was baptized and we were all there to witness it, all 26 of us!  Even my son and his other cousin (the little sister to the girl being baptized).  It was a nice way to celebrate the day!   I had such a wonderful time at my scrapbooking retreat last weekend.  It actually turned more into a rest & relaxation weekend, than it did a scrapbooking retreat.  None of us were really in the mood to scrap, but we all needed the break.  We did get stuff done, with the exception of one girl.  She spent the two days organizing and cutting out and punching out embellishments.  I was able to get 7 pages done and that was good enough for me, considering at the last retreat (when I had more time), I only got 6 done!  I was able to spend the time in fellowship with my family and friends.  And I even got some "quality" prayer time in.  I went to pick up my best friend Rachel and it was an hour drive.  I spent the time in prayer and really enjoyed that time.  I'm looking forward to all this new church has to offer, in regards to some mommy alone time and some time to renew the spirit and soul.   We took the back roads home on Sunday, while the kids slept.  It set us back an extra hour, but they needed the rest and J and I needed the time together to talk.  It was beautiful country and it is a time I will never forget...just talking and communicating and holding hands, while the children slept peacefully (they were given cold/allergy medicine early in the day, so the sleep was a must, to avoid the conflict of stubborness and a grouch spirit).  We find that the most pleasant and peaceful times b/w the two of us are when we travel and are able to talk, with no distraction.  We've been known to just get in the car at nite and spend hours driving, just talking and enjoying one another's company!   I attended a MOMS meeting yesterday.  It's sorta like MOPS, but your children aren't limited to a certain age.  But, most of us had kids the same age, so it was nice.  There was a small crowd, but it was still sweet and intimate.  We had pizza and were served.  There was a speaker, who spoke on forgiveness and teaching our children how to be respectful and avoiding conflict.  It was nice!  And then we made a little TIPS BOOK FOR MOMS and that was cool.  The kids had fun and had a "picnic" lunch in their classroom.  1B5 had so much fun.  2G2 was a little apprehensive, but they allowed the two kids to stay together and she quickly adapted.   Well, that's my week in a nutshell!  I'm glad to be home and am considering this place more and more "home" the more we get away.  This used to be just the place that we lived and kept our stuff and going to my folks house was HOME, but I'm learning that it's ok to call this home and it doesn't make my mom's house feel any less of "home".  It's nice to call their house home, but it's nice to be home and feel that it is safe!  Today, I just want to spend the day at HOME and remember why it is that I love this place and just relax in the comfort of my own thoughts...   Thank you, Lord, for the place I call home.  Thank you for the chance to get away this weekend, but I'm so glad that you have provided a place for me to feel comfortable and to be at peace at.  Thank you for the safe trip; for the renewel and relaxation.  Thank you for a family who loves and protects and thank you that we could spend this Resurrection Sunday celebrating a new child into the flock. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/120615/ Wed, 19 Apr 2006 11:16:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/120615/ Luke 24 "At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared.  They found the entrance stone rolled back from the tomb, so they walked in.  But once inside, they couldn't find the body of the Master Jesus."  And the angel said to the women, "Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery?  He is not here, but raised up.  Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?" I pray that you all have a blessed Easter weekend and remember the reason we celebrate.  I am also reminded of the loved ones who have gone on before me, who are worshipping and praising at the Saviour's scarred side!  I pray that you all have a blessed Resurrection Sunday!  I know that I will, as I witness my niece's baptism that morning: buried in Christ and rising from the waters!  AMEN AMEN! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/118073/ Fri, 14 Apr 2006 10:01:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/118073/ I read an article the other day about marriage and wanted to post it, but I can't remember where it is from.  Do you ever do that? It drives me nuts.  Makes me feel so old sometimes (and before you ask, no, I'm not going to say, just know that I'm older than my kids but younger than my mom!  Still not specific enough?  ok.  OK.  I'm 2 years older than my husband, but younger than my older sister...and that's all that I'm going to tell you!) Growing up, I was one of those that was known to have a photographic memory.  This was a blessing and a curse.  I would know where something was when I flipped to the pages, but would have problems retaining that information.  If we had an open book test, I could find the info quickly and was always the first one through.  But when it came to learning the material, I had the hardest time.  My son has the same problem.  He memorizes.  He remember it for FOREVER, but he doesn't always learn it.  It's frustrating to me as his teacher sometimes.  We spent a solid week on the letter G.  As long as he saw it between F and H, he knew it and could read it.  Take those letters away and it's just another scribble.  If I used the same worksheet, he could tell me exactly, word for word, what it said; but once I changed it up, he was lost and confused... So why can't our children get the best parts of us.  Why can't my kids have my perfect eyes, my husbands perfect hearing and both of our straight teeth.  Instead, I have 1 child who will eventually need braces, 2 kids who will need glasses and neither of them listens the first time!  WHY, OH WHY?! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/116141/ Tue, 11 Apr 2006 10:02:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/116141/ I'm counting down to next week.  Next week at this very day and time, I will be setting up my table for my SCRAPBOOK RETREAT.  This is the 3rd one that we've had.  My mom and my sister coordinate it with the ladies in each of their churches.  It's a lot of fun, to see these women who don't know each other outside of scrapbooking, come together.  It's also the time of year that I get to see my best friend, Rachel.  We have made these retreats our time to get together and see each other face to face!   The following pictures are from the retreat in the fall.  It was our second retreat.  You see, they usually get together once a month and have a scrap-nite, but decided to rent out a lodge at a campground run by my mom's friends.  We each get a room that we share with a friend.  There is a kitchen, where we all bring food to share and spend some time cooking meals together.  We have a room set up with tables, where we work and then another room set up with computers, printers, di-cut machines and shared items like books and resources.  (we decided that once a year was just not enough to spend the weekend together...so we are making a bi-yearly retreat).  I took pictures of the ladies and their best or favorite layout that they worked on.  It was pretty ironic, that in a room full of scrapbooker (around 12 or so), I was the only one to take pictures.  Come on ladies, get it together!  And you call yourselves scrapbookers! Here are some of the pics from the last retreat.  just thought that I'd share them with you, to remind you what it is that we are getting ourselves into! ha     TOP: My mom, with her Princess layout; LEFT: Kathy with frame she made; BOTTOM: Robin with her Goofy and Pluto layout TOP: me, with my BIG BROTHER layout; BOTTOM: Rach, with her wedding layout Me (on 3 hours of sleep, mind you) with a close up of my best layout yet! LEFT: my sis, with her Disney Ice Cream layout; RIGHT: Connie with her "famous" Disney layout...which all the ladies used to pattern after their own TABLE OF CONTENTS.  "Robin, you have to change it to YOUR family's name!" WORKING HARD!   After the retreat next weekend, we will return to my moms, where on Easter Sunday, we are celebrating not only the death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, but also the death of my nieces old life and her resurrection in the baptismal waters.  I am so excited to be a part of this!   **the play, Zastrozzi, is finally over.  Unfortunately, I left my camera in the car the nite I went to the play.  But last nite, before the big finale, they took pictures of the different scenes and the people in costumes (and my husbands bright bald head).  I will post the pics, when I get them! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/114097/ Fri, 7 Apr 2006 10:38:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/114097/ Opening nite is tonite.  Tara and I are going to see it.  J's mom (and sibs) are coming to watch the kids. J came home in his make-up last nite and it was sooo weird.  His nails are painted purple (they are actually red, but under the lights, they will be purple), he has a bar-code "tatoo" on the back of his bald head, a very jagged mustache and beard, and the color of choice for him is black and purple.  I'm taking my camera tonite and will hopefully have pics up sometime tomorrow or Thursday. I got invited by the children's minister at the church we visited to join her on Wed. nite to meet the pastor at a MEET & GREET.  Supper and childcare provided.  I'm really looking forward to it.  I also received a phone call after she and I exchanged several e-mails from a man in the church, asking if we had any questions.  Haven't had this much interaction with a church before joining in so long (not that we've made that decision yet, but you know what I mean).  Not even in LR.  It was really wonderful!  I'm so looking forward to going back on Sunday...if I can!   **I was wanting to set up my RSS and wondered if I did it right.  I went in and changed it to YES when it asked if I wanted it set up.  Is there anything else that I need to do?  If anyone knows the answer to this, please let me know! thanks And by the way, what are "trackbacks" and do I want them after each entry?  I'm still learning this "new" fangled thing called the internet! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/112297/ Tue, 4 Apr 2006 17:46:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/112297/ Tara and I visted a church yesterday, while J was working and at rehearsal.  I really enjoyed it.  We, as a family, feel called to go somewhere, other than where we are serving at right now.  I have every intention of following God's lead, as he has revealed his Will to us.  We have planned to homeschool for the last 5 years and it is finally upon us.  But in doing so, we need to find a place for the kids to be social and learn, out of the home.  And I'm ready for something new.  I need to be ministered to for awhile.  I need to feel that I am growing and need to be taught.  Currently, I feel a bit stagnent.  I don't mind doing biblestudies on my own.  In fact, I'm about to start a Beth Moore study, but I like being taught something I've never been taught before.  So please be in prayer for us, as we make these changes in our lives. Another change that is about to occur is the play.  The play will FINALLY be over Thursday nite...Friday, morning, actually...about midnite.  These long days of J being gone have been hard and I'm not getting a whole lot down.  Well, ok, I am, b/c I have nothing better to do, but I'm so tired afterwards.  I really need a break (only 1 more week and 4 days till I head to LR to see my family! yee haw). We are also nearly out of our loan money.  We're gonna hafta start paying our bills again and saving up for rent and such.  This is not so bad, b/c school is almost out and J will be working 40 hours a week soon...but it's just gonna take some getting used to, after 4 months of living off of his loan & income tax checks. J has a shaved head now, not sure if I mentioned it before.  It's not that bad.  2G2 loves to rub his head and he has shaved his face in such a way, that he looks almost like a biker dude!  It's very interesting.  Not sure for how long he'll keep it, but I can live with it for now.  Besides, if you put lotion on it and stand him next to a window, you can see a rainbow on his head.  Another fun homeschooling project! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/111289/ Mon, 3 Apr 2006 13:03:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/111289/ My in-laws ended up not staying the nite.  They locked their keys in the car at the gas station, right as they were getting on the road.  They did make it in time for breakfast though on Thursday.  My MIL called me on Wednesday, to apologize for her daughter calling and inviting herself over.  She was really embarassed.  She told me that they would take us all out to dinner on Thursday, to make up for it.   We headed to my MIL/FIL house at 4.  As I walked in the house, it was windy.  The first words outta SILs mouth is "we may need to stay with you tonite...if that's ok?"  I was like, "how dare you" but didn't say anything.  Then she made a comment about the weather and storms.  I thought, "not if you leave now.  If you leave now, you won't have any problems"...but again, I kept my mouth shut.    So we eat and have a nice dinner.  So as we are leaving the restaurant, it's even windier and his parents are telling SIL/BIL to stay over.  They were really pushing it.  I kept thinking, "don't push it.  It's my house.  NOT YOURS that they would be staying at"   We didn't get to bed till 1:30 the nite before, so the kids were also a bit cranky by the time supper came.  To give you a picture, at one point during the day, 2G2 hair was outta control, so I gave her Pebbles Flintstone hair and stuck a pony tail on the top of her head.  It was really cute and funny, too.  But 1B5, in his big brother voice, says, "Your hair looks weird!"  She ran away.  I calmly turned to him and said, "Son, that was not very sweet.  We don't say things like that.  You could hurt her feelings".  He immediately began to cry.  He is such a sweet little boy, that when he realized he hurt her, he was so upset.  They both sat in my lap, telling EACH OTHER that they were sorry and hugging.  They spent the next 2 hours in my lap, just cuddling and watching the game.   We all went to their house after supper (minus J, who was at rehearsal).  We practically watched the weather all nite and BIL and SIL decided to stay over (by the way, at this point, no body had even talked to me about it!).  So, we are all in the living room, watching the news and my SIL gets up from the couch.  Next thing I know, I hear her YELLING.  She has her teacher voice on.  I hear her YELLING some more about how "you are not a nice little girl.  That is not how nice little girls behave.  you don't act like that.  you have to be nice.  that is so mean" and she just keeps going on and on.  I sit up and look across the room and 2G2 has this look on her face.  She, I kid you not, has this look of "save me, mommy" on her face.  She started to cry.  Not just whine or scream, but literally cry like she has been so hurt.  Not a pain hurt, but hurt.  No way to describe it.  I was so upset.  I have never seen my baby look like that before.  It was worse than the cry Sean gave me earlier.  Same look, but more pain.  So before I can get up, my MIL runs over there and scoops 2G2up, trying to calm her down.  All the while, SIL is still yelling at MY child...at my BABY!  She was talking to her like she's one of her 3rd grader in the classroom...SHE IS 2!!!!!  So I call 1B5 to me and ask what was happening.  He said that his sister was sitting on him.  But that they were playing.  They do that all the time.  She wasn't hitting him or hurting him or even crushing him.  She had just plopped down on his butt and he was playing.  I said, "you know if you don't like that, you can get up, right?"  He said, "yes.  she was fine!"  I WAS MAD!   1/2 hour passes and MIL comes to me and says, "I don't think you hafta worry about them staying tonite."  FIL says, "why?  what did we do now?"  She said, "SIL is mad at me, cause I stepped in with 2G2.  She said that she wasn't done talking to her."  I said, "Oh YES SHE WAS!"  Then I said, "2G2 isn't used to being talked to like that.  She's 2."  She was being really harsh with 2G2 and had no right to!   Ok, I usually don't mind it when people get on to my kids.  My best bud is with my kids more than anyone I know.  More than my parents, more than J's folks, more than J sometimes, but she doesn't yell at my kids!  When we lived in LR there was a group of us, 5 couples, that hung out all the time.  We were with each other about 4 times a week.  We took care of each others kids, telling them to calm down, telling them to stop fighting, telling them that we loved them.  That is ok with me.  We were all taking care of each others kids, cause we saw them all the time...   But my kids don't know their Aunt.  They see her once a year and she was bossing MY kids!  But for her to not even BE FINISHED made me mad.  What else was she going to say?  That 2G2 was a bad kid.  She's 2, for Pete's sake!  I immediately had 1B5 get his over shirt on.  I was finished.  For the next 30 minutes, SIL was crying and all puffy faced when she came back out.  She was so mad at MIL and MIL said she didn't care.  So then when SIL comes out and tells her "I don't know what's wrong with me.  I don't know why I get so emotional", MIL just laughed it off and said she was sorry.  Then they talked about how 2G2 wasn't listening and turning her back on SIL...DUH!  You were yelling at her and you are a stranger!  So then she talks about school and how her kids should fear her.  I nearly lost it.  We left shortly after.   On the way home, I didn't talk.  I did say to FIL as we were pulling out of the drive way and it was pouring huge drops on us, "are they staying or not?"  He said he didn't know.  I said, "I guess I don't mind, since it is storming, I"d just like to know."  That was all that was said.  I came home and just cried.  I will not get that look outta my mind for as long as I live.  My baby looked so sad and so hurt!  It brought me pain.   So that's my evening.  Today I'm still irritated.  Maybe I should be. Maybe I shouldn't.  Not sure yet!  I do know that I love my children and it's time for them to take a break from family for awhile...thanks for letting me vent and thanks for sticking around to read this. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/109979/ Fri, 31 Mar 2006 16:17:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/preschoolmommy2/109979/