Okay, this one is not to show off some wonderful things we've accomplished but to give a sense of reality to this blog and maybe check my sanity. Have you ever done this?
Yesterday we went to JoAnn's to check out patterns for our upcoming (in less than two weeks) medieval feast we are attending for our history co-op. Well, they are on sale this week for .99 cents so we went a little crazy. Of course my youngest daughter wants the beautiful princess dress that I might add is not one of those "EZ patterns". My second oldest wasn’t sure what she wanted so I was able to steer her to a simpler full skirt and bodice.
At first glance I thought that would be easier but the bodice is laced and so is the back of the dress for my youngest. It calls for eyelets. If anyone has any advice on this or has done this please share!!! I did a roman soldier costume for my son before that was laced but it was on a fake leather so I just punched the holes with my scrapbook eyelet tool.
We went to Wal-Mart (the home of $1 a yard fabric) and found what we needed and then they had this beautiful thick, nice fabric that matched the skirt and bodice my daughter Ariel picked out. When we had been at Joann’s she looked at the cloak patterns but I said a dress was enough (figuring enough in dollars and time) but when we saw this fabric... Needless to say we're hoping to do a hooded cloak too for only $7!
Okay, so here's the reality check. What am I thinking? We are in our final push to finish school. You know where you count what you've got left and figure out when you can get done. Our aim was core subjects by May 9th and some odds and ends we've been neglecting from then until the end of May doing about an hour each morning. Plus soccer season has started which means practices and games for one son and my older son is refereeing this year (means I'm the taxi!) And as some of you know for me it's convention season which means I'm busier with my business.
So a little insight on my crazy thoughts, they are online researching their costumes and what they are doing for the feast. My oldest was searching to find medieval music to learn and play on a recorder. Taylor, my 12 year old needs to research if monks wore crosses or not and wants to find out about prayer in medieval times so he can offer the blessing. Ariel my 10 year old is making her own costume so she can enter at least part of it in the fair. We're having a little trouble with that because apparently only 12 year olds do costumes or heritage for home ec so we'll have to enter it as a skirt and shirt. And my youngest...well she's fairly glowing at the thought of her dress! Seeing her face wearing it will be enough on that one.
Sometimes we (I mean me) can get so caught up in "getting done" that we miss some of the education that they will really remember. They won't remember that we didn't get done by May 9th but they will remember this medieval feast I'm quite sure.
So what do you think? How do you find that balance? Please comment below and share your thoughts. Oh, and if you have any advice on the eyelets please share that too!
Gina | 
