Monday

• mac 'n cheese pizza
• virtual roller coasters
• giant rocking horses
• the Incas
• Guitar Center
• Goodwill
• 3 illegal u-turns
• homeschool moms sometimes give me a headache
• librarians always make me smile
• Grilled Salmon with fresh asparagus
• marguarite

These are the high points of my day. It has been fun and exhausting. The time change has thoroughly kicked my butt. Early bedtime tonight.

However, the highlight of my day has been that HULA GIRL rocks. Read her inspiring posts!! To even attempt to run 14 miles blows me away...did she finish?? NEXT POST... Did she ALMOST finish? Be sure to read in the link order and be encouraging in her comments!! Did her family support her no matter what?? Read it and weep!!

Dressing

And I don't mean the kind served with turkey. Or the putting on of clothing. I mean the kind that involves assorted cremes, ointments and gauze bandaging. This weeekend I gave my oldest sister a break from being the dressing girl. The two in the middle "just can't". I understand, there are things that I feel that way about and the wound care really doesn't bother me too bad. I'm not sure if I ever mentioned it on here before, but I made it over halfway through nursing school. I loved the anatomy and physiology part. I loved learning about the body and how it works. Our bodies are the most complex machines ever!! I did not enjoy nursing. It required a type of thinking that I could not, at 19, manage. I could do it now since having children. I don't want to, but I could. I DO regret not finishing college-the second major was communication, which would have been perfect for me! I DO NOT regret not finishing nursing school. I enjoy caring for loved ones. Usually. I did not enjoy caring for total strangers. It was always awkward for me. I have to bridge the gap. I have to get to know them and then comes the attachment. The attachment that keeps you from being efficient. It is a tough little dance to dance, being caring enough to be helpful and sincere but also being detached enough to be efficient. I have alot of trouble with detached, even in line at Walmart.

This morning I went to my mom's intent on changing the dressing quickly and getting back to church missing only Sunday school. I quickly let that die when I realized how tired and low on energy Mom was. She was not up yet. She had to get up and do her morning routine before the dressing. Even the dressing part was harder today than yesterday as it was...let's just leave it at it was harder today. I made it for about the last 10 minutes of church. Still thinking about Mom. I should have just spent the morning with her. I just don't like to miss church.

And we will miss another service as we are having a bit of a break this week. We have unplugged from the world a little. A much needed break. I hope to come back rejuvenated at least a little bit. I'll still be blogging though. It's therapeutic. And it helps me.

(These are not my actual dumplings- I only made 8. Click on the picture for a recipe for delicious dumplings. I don't use anywhere near that much sugar or butter and mine are still yummy!)

Snow=Calm

Several things which were happening today are not any longer. One of those things was my husband's final day of training people in E'ville(pronounced evil) to be safe drivers. He got home today about 11AM and has been hanging out with us ever since. Our keepers club meeting was today and it was rescheduled. I was planning to visit my stepfather and also check in on my mom. Then came the snow and it keeps on coming. While I am so sad my hero will have to run in the snow tomorrow, I am excited to sneak in some "snowed in" time with the family. We have gotten a whole day off from the world. We did all load up in the car and head to the corner store to stock up on all manner of bad food. Now, we are a snuggling, movie watching, bad food eating, game playing family.

As soon as the apple dumplings come out of the oven, I'll eat one in your honor, hula. I salute you runner girl!

I miss calm. A whole lot.

Co-op

I made the decision some time ago that I would not return to co-op. This after having stated that I would ALWAYS be in a co-op. Not the first words I've ever eaten. Today they had a planning meeting at lunch. It hit me. I'm not coming back. To this beautiful group of ladies who have mentored me with their organization and preparation. They mentored me in a you-don't-have-to-do-it-perfect-but-you-have-to-plan-and-organize way. It was just what the doctor ordered. It has been fun, frustrating, challenging, and everything in-between. I have learned so many things and when you compound that with what my kids have learned-it has quite simply been a good thing. SOOOO-why leave?

The reasons for that are as varied as the reason to homeschool. Reason number one is that this co-op functions in the Classical Christian arena. Very heavy on history, writing and literature-especially in the upper grades. As my most reluctant reader/writer will begin 7th grade next year, that would mean big time changes for her. Changes she simply can't make. Add to that the fact that I prefer an education more in line with what public schools used to teach (before they taught feelings, sex-ed, global warming and our country sucks), it is just not the right thing for us now.

So now, I face lots of new and exciting decisions. I homeschooled for 2 years before co-op so it isn't as though I am a rookie. However, teaching cooperatively does eliminate the decision making in many subject areas. Since I very seldom talk about the specifics of homeschool, I thought I would throw out some of the directions we will be heading in next year.

Math: Teaching Textbooks-I am trusting my friend Sandy on this one. She has five kids and they have tried alot of math through the years. She and I share the "work independently" requirement so I feel like if it meets her needs it will probably meet mine.

History/Social Studies/Geography/Political Science: My friend Stephanie recommends this series for a wonderful United States history. I will also continue on with lots of ecclectic things to pull in Geography, government and many things I have on hand such as state and continent studies along with U.S. Presidents.

Reading/Literature/Writing: Hello library. We already see you about twice a week to fuel our reading habits-do we dare visit more? We know the librarians by name. They inquire about our health if we go too long between visits. I am going to attempt to read with more purposeful objectives, covering some of the same sort of things they have studied this year and also work into some research type writing.

Bible Study: I have decided to use my church library's vast collection of Bible study materials to do one with my children. If they could start really delving into the word like I have through the Bible studies I have done-it will be an early start to some really positive things!

Science: Apologia, you had me at hello. I really like this series of books. My kids do too and that is a big factor when studying science!!

Spelling/Phonics: Spell to Write and Read served us well when we were doing it. We will return to it and see if it still works for us. It accomplishes so much with such a small time investment!! We may also look into spelling time to make things a bit more fun for Lilly. I believe spelling is a highly under-rated skill!!

Lastly, I will also begin to incorporate keyboarding, logic, sequencing, computer languages, etc into our school as well. This will be learning time for all of us. They are very interested in these things by nature so it will just be a matter of making it fun and interesting.

I do know I will plan out my year before it begins. I will have planning and organizing done before we crack open even one book. In fact, I am already doing some planning because the most important thing co-op has taught me??? If you plan it ahead of time, you will follow through on the days when you really don't feel like doing anything. And let's face it, we all have those days. Some times a whole bunch of them all smacked together in a row.

Perhaps, in our spare time, we might pursue a friendship or two.

Call Me Crazy...

...and I will answer to it 'cause I am. I have been too tired and overwhelmed for too long. Many things have eased up, but many things have not. I do pretty good when there is actual physical work to be done. I am very poor though when facing the unknown and being unsure what will be required of me. Friday, mom will get to go home. Red letter day, right? Not really. It hit me today while I was having my rehab family training day-mom is no longer independent. She will work towards it. She will get stronger everyday. Her upper body strength will develop in a way that compensates for the lower body. However, this has not happened yet. But she will still be coming home on Friday. There are four of us daughters and we are all about 15 minutes away. In theory, we will just slice it all up in an even bit of scheduling and all will be good in the land. In theory, that will be just wonderful. In theory, there will be worksharing and all will bear the load. In reality though, it won't exactly look like that. In reality, it could potentially be very unpretty. Now I don't like to borrow trouble-each day having enough trouble of it's own and all-but I am worried about the days to come and I think I am right to be worried. So I am doing what I usually do when I worry and overthink. I am giving it to God and refusing to take it back. At least until tomorrow after co-op.

Ketch-Up
****edited to say: We did not actually move my mom and stepdad, just their stuff. Their house is ready for them but they will not be out of the hospital until Friday, if all goes well, later than that if it does not. My apologies for being unclear!!****

• We moved my mom and stepfather this weekend. Their new house looks great. I am very excited to have them there. It is all hard surfaces which is critical since they will both be in wheelchairs at least at first. We had to really give things alot of thought as far as placement to allow maximum room to roll around. 3 of four sisters were involved in the move and before it was over all of our husbands and children were there as well. It was quite a lot of people. My neighbor also helped and since he arrived before 2 of the husbands, he literally took moving the "big" stuff off of my sister and I. Have I mentioned that I really hate moving?? It is not fun at all but we help anytime we can because honestly, does anyone enjoy moving? I think not.
• No one asked me to buy girl scout cookies this year. I was not upset a bit. Doing girl scout cookies for so long really makes me count my blessings for not having to deal with them at all this year. Yesterday, a couple of girls were at the corner grocery selling so I bought 4 boxes from them. (Resistance is futile!) As I brought them to the car my husband said, "Is it wrong that I am so glad not to have to mess with those this year?" No honey, it is really really right. We have been selling anywhere from 5-600 of those cookies every year for the last 6 years between two girls. Moving boxes, picking up boxes, working booth sales, keeping up with change and sales reports. Calling and scheduling workers, driving all over creation making deliveries. Retirement is a good good thing, right Hula?! The cookies taste better this year than they ever have.
• We had a guest at our care group meeting yesterday. Two of the fellas in our church are going around polling the entire church on what we should do to enable our church to grow bigger. We have outgrown our current building and everyone wants to make wise decisions as we plan for the future. 2 guys are the liaisons between membership and church leadership. I feel for them. It is a huge job they are doing. I am so grateful for their willingness to serve our body in such a meaningful way. I know they are hearing alot of groaning and grumbling. They will have to gather all the data and then compile it into some sort of decision that reflects the views of everyone. Our church is the most diverse group I have ever been a part of so I will be praying for them daily!! Did I mention both of these guys have five children?? I guess compiling group thoughts and making group decisions is something they have experience with!!
• I seriously thought yesterday that I was coming down with some sort of stomach virus. However, I bundled up in the bed and slept much, woke up- felt better, went to bed early, slept even more and today I feel fine.
• We are right on track with our school work. I can hardly believe it but it is true. This has never happened before when we have had this kind of busy week. IT is very nice for a change.
• Now, my housework is quite another story so I am off to make everything look real purty.
  

Since laundry was such an impossible frog, we moved Mom instead. Busy weekend. Ketch-up soon.