No field trips this week!

I can't believe I am so excited to not have a field trip. I love field trips. We were so far ahead on school days that I did not mind the "running" days. Now we are not so much ahead, still on track but no longer with lots of days to play with. I love the flexibility of homeschool, but I have to be very diligent or I will get way too loose with my days and record keeping. So far this year I am far exceededing past years in record keeping and course work in general. [Except the first six months that I homeschooled when we really completed six grades because I overworked my kids and myself like performance dogs and made us all really hate school.(except Kayla)] (Still recovering from that. Kayla wishes we could go back to it.)

Anyway, it is a calmer week so our cars have decided to break down. This should keep it all nice and chaotic. We are trying to prioritize all the things gone wrong. We have decided the slowly bursting radiator must take precedence over the slowly going out starter on the van. Also, the failing water pump on the jeep gets to cut in line in front of the failing transmission. Also, the jeep transmission gets to cut in line in front of the van transmission. We have been saving for these repairs for a while, so hopefully the money thing will all work out. (Please Heavenly FATHER!! Stretch our money!) No car payment does equal headaches because the cars are always older...but I will still choose the headaches. Hubby though has had his fill. If I caved, he would so be trading in for a new impala, or an old impala, or an extended cab truck, or a beetle. Or a 55 chevy. Or a 59 chevy. I guess you get it that hubby loves cars. Almost all cars. In fact, if it has wheels and a motor- he would buy it. Well, not a Ford or foreign car-except mustangs, beetles, mercedes. Oh never mind, he's an auto junkie. Oh wait, he loves boats too, so I guess it just needs a motor and movement.

I am off to try to catch up from the weekend!! AND there is scouts tonight after a two-week break. This means I am very prepared for the meeting. I would certainly not have a two week break and then wait until the last minute to prepare for a meeting.

Ten thousand things I should be doing

...but instead I read blogs and blog. I must put some sort of limit on myself. TV time is now spent bloglanding(reading or writing of blogs). While the giving up TV part is good, I don't think this is quite the route I should go with my new-found time.

So much to post about so I will do the good old random and odd method.

*I introduced my children to another one of my "nieces" today. They are thoroughly confused by the fact that I have nieces and nephews my age and older. This is due to the fact that my stepfather is 20 years older than my mom. He also has 9 children. Some of these children are older than my mom. They were all grown when he and my mom married. I was six. These are my "brothers and sisters". I very rarely see any of them. Their children, my nieces and nephews, are grown with children both older and younger than mine. When I think of my family tree it makes me feel a little loopy (What about the two women my dad divorced and those step-siblings??) I guess it seems really simple to some of the family trees growing now-a-days!! Anyway we had a nice visit with Kelly, who is divorced and remarried to an older man with grown children...the cycle repeats!!

*I cannot believe I did not post about our field trip to the jail!! Actually it was to the courthouse, but the kids only were excited about the jail. I mean, really, is it possible to make the circuit court clerk or PVA office interesting-no offense. Anyway, they loved it. It was so scary/safe/scary. I hope none of my children ever see it from a non-tour vantage. Thanks to all law-enforcement type people!!

*Lilly spent the night with my mom last night and we used the opportunity to take the older two to Judgement House. It was really neat. It is a peek into the "lives" of a group of teenagers. It is just a series of skits, but designed to really make you think. It shows a tragedy and then the afterlife. It really impacted Erika, who is ten. It really focused on salvation and making the decision to accept Christ. It had a great impact on Kayla to, just not the same. It will be interesting to see what develops in the next few days/weeks. I am not a great fan of fire and brimstone scare tactics, but there is a promise of hell to those who don't accept Christ. This is not to be taken lightly.

*Mount Washmore is once again a full fledged mountain. I must go now and chip away!

God is blessing Texas...

AGAIN with one of my good friends. I hate it and love it for them. She and I have bonded in a way that I cannot even describe except to say it is "iron sharpening iron".

Please pray for Stephanie & Chad. This is a good thing for them but it is hard to move with four kids even in the best of circumstances. She is such an example to me of truly being a helpmeet to your husband and also being a submissive wife. Some of us talk the talk-she walks the walk(or maybe drives the drive is a better way to put it!).

Abilene is where they are headed. All of you Abileneans are very lucky to be getting such an awesome family back (they left you to come here). This does kind of clench it for us that we will have to visit Texas in the near future. We just have too many connections there not to. On the plus side is the fact that Texas is so small we can see each of them easily: Houston, Dallas, Beaumont, Abilene-all so close in proximity!!...hee hee.

Despite the nervous breakdown,

It was a great day. I loved everything that we did and having so many great conversations with Jennifer. We both love nature and field trips so it was much fun. We went to the BIG SANDY unit of the Tennessee Wildlife Refuge in Paris, TN. We took a hike through the woods with 31 kids and adults. We, of course, saw very little wildlife. I think they heard us coming. A. MILE. AWAY! We did see a little garter snake and I uttered words I never dreamed I would say. "Protect the snake from the children." I did not think I could feel so sorry for a reptile. Yes, my children were totally involved in the scaring of the snake. It took every ounce of self-control in Lilly(and Erika) to leave without picking that snake up. Amazing thing #2-my friend Shaun got a call on her cell phone in the middle of the woods-PERFECT RECEPTION! I wanted to make calls too, just for the wonder of it but I did not bring it. The kids did a scavenger hunt through the woods as well and really enjoyed finding stuff. We also saw a turtle that was picked up before we could say, "Don't".

After the hike, we went to Fort Donelson in Dover, TN. We ate our lunch first and then watched a movie about the battle that happened there. Then we learned about cannons and toured the park. The kids loved this park as much as I. It is just full of so much history along with natural beauty. I think I will organize another full day field trip to this place because we barely scratched the surface of the learning we could do there! We then went to the cemetary of the soldiers and the Dover hotel where the surrender was made.

We ended our day as all days should end-junk food from Sonic. I caved and got kids meals and then after throwing away food and arguing over toys-remembered why we don't get them. It was a cool toy though- a learning wheel that taught things I did not know such as, when you are born you have over 350 bones but after they fuse you are left with a mere 206. I have even learned those bones but did not know that fact.

I give this field trip an A-.

I lost my sanity...have you seen it?

Turns out, being with six kids all day makes me pretty edgy. It is one thing to be with my own(I am edgy then too depending on the day!), quite another to add 3 more to the mix. I am not as easy going as I try to delude myself into thinking. I have to really work to love kids and usually really like their parents alot too. Some kids are exceptions-most 1-3 year olds are exceptions. They are so funny even when they are bad that I love'em. All the more if they are not mine.

AND one-on-one almost all kids are very enjoyable.

Boys in groups though, wear me out. I don't have any experience to draw on. I can't tell the normal behaviour from the bad. I do know, they are out to be noticed. Like birds, they puff up their feathers and try to stand out in a group. The testosterone makes me a little crazy. God knew this about me, this is why I have girls.

Normally, I can handle all of this in a group setting because there is a refuge-my own vehicle. I need a refuge and yesterday I was without one. It is possible to threaten my children into blissful silence for a few minutes to recharge. I do not have this control over other children lacking any of my DNA.

No more carpool for me. I'm just not easy-going enough. I will try to break this to my friend Jennifer who loves to ride together. I love her and her kids. I just don't want to take trips with six kids together. EVER. AGAIN. Nor anyone else. EVER. AGAIN. It is a little sad too, because I think my kids totally enjoyed seeing mom pluck her hair out strand by strand. They have also enjoyed watching all of the twitches in my face that won't stop.

Perfect in every way...

I apologize for being such a bad blogger. I am enjoying me some fine weather!! Sunday afternoon, we did much needed yard work and then came in and caught up on some housework so we could play on Monday(federal holiday). We went to Garden of the Gods and then to Rim Rock. These are parks in Southern Illinois that are GORGEOUS!! It takes a while for us to get there but they are totally worth it. Erik walked us like we were his dogs!! He is so fit from delivering mail. At one point I was huffing and puffing like a choo-choo. There are about 600 steps at rim rock and they are all steep...very steep. Lilly was so tired!! Erika and Kayla were too but they are old enough to trudge on. Lilly still thinks about someone packing her...maybe...no one else was thinking that. She was very grouchy and sound asleep before we got home.

Yesterday was my homemakers meeting and then home to do school and then drop kids off at Memaw and Pepaws so mom can get another haircut-last one was in May. I was much overdue! Then I returned some clothes to Elder-Beerman bought for me by the bestest in-laws in the world. They did not fit. I bought 5 new shirts on sale and a new pair of capris. I spen $29.47. All Alfred Dunner. I love sales!! Then I changed in the van...hee hee...I can do this with great skill, no one would notice. Not sure when I picked up this skill but I have it. Then I went to my homeschool support meeting at Olive Garden. It was a great time of fellowshipping. I love these ladies!! I can't imagine going through the rigors of homeschooling without other people to pray for and to pray over me. We got new prayer partners. Mostly though we talked and laughed and ate too much pasta.

Today is supposed to be Erik's day off but he is working. The post office is very shorthanded. Our family is going to Tennessee today to see some wildlife and then to a civil war battlefield park. These are places I learned about at my teacher workshop. I am so excited and I must go dress and pack and be gone!! Like southern IL, it is almost a couple hour drive but totally worth it. My friend Jennifer and I are carpooling...SIX kids. I hope I am still sane when we get there!!

Fall, glorious fall!

I can't believe it has been a whole year. I have missed you soooo much. I even did extra school days in summer so my family could totally enjoy you. Welcome, welcome and please don't rain so much we can't enjoy you fully. Give us a few days of glorious sweatshirt weather and gorgeous leaves to look at and then rake up and play in.

Take your time, pull up a chair. Don't pay any attention to the cold that follows you, in fact let's just skip that. Let's just have fall until spring, okay maybe a big snow on Christmas Eve night that is all melted away on the 26th.

I love you fall! Don't ever change. You are going far!! LYLAS. BFF.

Top ten signs I listen to Bill O'Reilly too much...

10. I interrupt with "Hey, Hey, Whoa, Whoa" until I get to talk again.

9. I only see black and white no matter the issue.

8. I can no longer watch the Today show and feel good about it.

7. I can't see Clinton(Hillary)anywhere without mumbling under my breath.

6. I see the media biases in movie reviews.

5. I've never laid eyes on Nancy Palossi(or her name) but when I hear it I hope she isn't re- elected.

4. I often phrase questions, "What say you?".

3. I postpone making supper to 5PM so I can catch the show.

2. I hold up my hand and say, "No spin zone!" when I think my kids are lying.

1. My kids know what a "no spin zone" is.

I'm not his biggest fan, but I do think he's looking out for America and I appreciate it. Maybe he will comment on my blog. I doubt it but it sure would be cool.