Well, after all that whining, I had a lovely day after all. My dear sister Charity, wonderful Mother, and dear sister Jojo, came over and cleaned my house! They heard that I was stressed, and they came over, and helped me with the trouble spots of my house. :-)
The biggest help was the encouragement, and motivation that we could actually get some thing done.
The ukko clutter in the hallway turned into 2 nice clean shelves, one with folded laundry, and one with school supplies on them... AHHH I can get through the hallway again! AND a spot for school things... !!! We moved all the kids school clutter out of the Living room, and onto the shelf in the hallway. It was amazing how much better I felt with a place for the school things. I have tried baskets, etc, but there was just too much to have scattered throughout the living room without it looking like trash. The shelves are perfect. :-)
I was stressing about curriculum too, but my wise and very experienced Mother suggested that I simply use the book list from the Tapestry of grace website, and just read through them with the kids in the right order. I think that TOG is worth the $$ but I just don't have the cash right now, and can't find a used copy for less than the new. I'm pretty sure that I can squeak buy just teaching it on my own, and using the tapestry evaluations cd to make sure they are learning what I want. This will give me more time to save up for the whole shebang.
Dad got his tests graded without a hitch, so I must've saved them in the right place on the computer. :-)
The elusive hat turned up at the game, so Levi and Daddy both got to wear their hats!
My sister was enjoying our time together even without the waterpark.
I found a dinner alternative, and Mike didn't even make it to dinner, so no worries!
The birthday party is still pending, and I still need to return the books.
Overall it just goes to show you that list #2 is more accurate. :-)
Monday, June 23, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
life clutter....AKA too many things to do...
Akkk......
Ever overwhelmed by the many things that must be thought about, done, etc during a day. ???
One day is lovely, then all of a sudden you get a whopper. Today I want to:
1. Find a literature based history program for less than 320 including the books we cant get from the library. I had hoped to get Tapestry of Grace, but am having a heck of a time finding it used. I was the first poster on a sale ad, emailed the lady immediately, and checked my email till about 10.30 that night. The next morning after a dentist appointment I checked to see if she had replied and she had! She said that she would sell it to the first person who firmly committed, to buying, so I said yes, I want it, I can pay asap... then she emailed back that since she hadn't heard from me between 6am and noon she had sold it to someone else. I have since been outbid on the same item on ebay, and lost all hope of finding it at an affordable price. I then spent all afternoon yest. trying to find an alternate, cheaper plan. (TOG is insanely expensive, but you can use the same program with all levels of children, from 1st to high school) So then I thought Sonlight might work?? nope, I hate the way their books are mostly fiction, and I just don't like the way they have you skipping around during the year, and not even spending a week on each topic/chunk of history.
I wish that there was a mini tog available, with just the study guides for the level I need, then it might be more affordable for those of a budget. Maybe we'll just end up reading the book list out of the tog and hoping that I can tell if they are getting enough out of it, and trying to come up with geography/art/tests myself. AND I need to make up my mind, cause the used curriculum sale is tomorrow, along with the giant once a year HS conference with all the lovely curriculum vendors onsite.
2. I need to make sure that Dad can find the test scores I was working on at the office. The tests are due back today... Once a week I have been working for as my Dad's assistant, while the kiddos hang with grandma. But this is getting tricky, as I may lose my insurance through the state if I continue to work there, because the income level is close... Stinky huh? We haven't had insurance through an employer for a Loooong time, about 5 years, and we don't make enough $$ to buy our own. I could have a home birth, but I had hoped to use the money for that to buy a minivan. Squishing 2 school agers and a bb in to the back seat isn't' so appealing. That brings me to problem #3
3. Mike and I need to figure out what we should spend our tax rebate $$ on. If I wasn't pregnant I would say spend about 1000 on carpet for all of our bedrooms... (ancient yukko hardwood floor splotched with yukky wall paint from the previous owners) and SAVE the rest. Now, we also have a bit of a tax issue, Mike worked for himself for 3 months this year, and the income looked good, UNTIL you take out 35% for taxes. that left us with about 1/2 of what we needed. I saved the tax money, and now since our income is just squeaking by, we have had to use some of that $$ for necessities. Our oven had to be replaced a month or so ago, so we need to pay for that too. It turns out my handy dandy budget hasn't been setting enough aside for things like schoolbooks and gas. Soo I need to come up with $$ for those things too. (I had hoped to pay for the kids schoolbooks on the 322 from my last paycheck including extra time filling in for the secretary, but this seems about 100 short)
4. My sister wanted to go to the water park with me and the kids, and is unhappy cause I said I didn't know what I was doing today.
5. The house needs to be spotless!! I need to do dishes, sweep, make dinner, do 2 loads laundry, fold and put away 5 loads, supervise the cleaning of the kids rooms( this will take a long time) and get my hubby to move the excess 2 bookshelves down to the basement, and take a giant tote of Christmas things to the attic. Oh why today? Well all the bookshelves and the tote are in our tiny hallway, making it very difficult to get through, not to mention an eyesore that is driving me NUTS!! Also DH is not able to relax without things being Martha Stewart. Too bad he married me!! JK :-) I am a bit of a clutter person, and homeschooling with 2 younger kiddos AND NO YARD makes for a slightly chaotic house. I think that a yard would be helpful, then they can have a place to run, and play loudly without Mom and Dad telling them to be quiet all the time. Just think, the house might be quiet for an hour when Daddy get home, and he might be able to RELAX!
6. I need to find a replacement black baseball hat for my son. His bb hat disappeared at the last game, no it wasn't left behind, it left with someone else. He has a game tonight, and cannot play with out the hat. ( had hoped it would turn up at the last practice)
7. Deposit my paycheck? or cash it??
8. Dinner.. It turns out that I didn't get quite enough of the chicken for a salad I was planning on making for dinner, so I have to go buy more. We have no more cereal that I can eat for breakfast, but oatmeal isn't quite cutting it for the preggo lady.
9. Waste time doing a blog post?? Well, it beats crying about it. Yes, it is stupid to cry, but remember, I am pregnant, that means crazy hormone lady till probably around Feb of next year. This listing of things, and venting of frustrations, oddly enough helps to calm my frazzled nerves. THIS IS IMPORTANT!!! If I don't calm down I will get almost nothing done, and cry while I do it.
10. Take back the Library items that are now almost due.. I f I wait till Monday, it won't get done and my DH will be upset about fines... They just increased to .25 per day per item.. YIKES! .10 per day was not that bad If I missed a day, but 1/4 of a precious dollar?? nope, not doing it.
11. Plan birthday party for my 5 year old, and her brother. No they do not have close birthdays, but we skipped L's last fall cause of scheduling chaos... and were hoping to have a picnic at a water playground. I thought that Charlotte wouldn't mind waiting 2 weeks for a party, but she cried herself to sleep on her birthday because there was no cake. Not an awful whining, but rather a soft, gentle sniffling for the cake. Never mind that I took her out for ice cream, and let her pick out fabric for a birthday skirt. THE CAKE!
12. This can wait for another day, but it is hanging over me like a cloud....WE NEED a place to do school work... We have so far been doing school in the living room, at the dining table, and wherever else we end up. But this is no longer practical. The amount of stuff to store is too much for DH in the living room/ dining. We need a real place where the binders, books, and assorted art supplies can rest, fully visible without annoying DH sense of clean. I would like to use the basement for this, but there is no heat down there, and it is colder than the outside usually. Nice in the hot, hot summer, but disgusting most of the time, after all this is OREGON! So I want to, add carpet over the cement floor, put the extra bookshelves down there, paint them arrange the desks, and add some light. It is really gloomy down there and I find myself not wanting to go down, just because of no sunlight. But I'm sure with a few more lamps, nice carpet, pretty bookshelves, and a space heater I'll love it Right?? It would be really nice if the walls were white beadboard instead of cement with crumbling plastery stuff. But that can wait.
Anyway, thats my brain for today... aren't you glad that I unloaded it all on you??? :-D
What's on your to do list?
Hmmmmmmm.............. perhaps my list should be this instead:
1. Trust GOD.... don't worry about most of this, be happy.
2. Realize that I cannot do all the thing that I feel that I should. I am only one person, and simply cannot keep the house Martha Stewart clean, homechool the kids, love the kids, and stay in our budget, and keep sane all at the same time.
3. Make dinner, clean house to MY satisfaction, do laundry, then take a walk to the library.
4. Not listen when people tell me it isn't good enough.
Thoughts anyone??
Ever overwhelmed by the many things that must be thought about, done, etc during a day. ???
One day is lovely, then all of a sudden you get a whopper. Today I want to:
1. Find a literature based history program for less than 320 including the books we cant get from the library. I had hoped to get Tapestry of Grace, but am having a heck of a time finding it used. I was the first poster on a sale ad, emailed the lady immediately, and checked my email till about 10.30 that night. The next morning after a dentist appointment I checked to see if she had replied and she had! She said that she would sell it to the first person who firmly committed, to buying, so I said yes, I want it, I can pay asap... then she emailed back that since she hadn't heard from me between 6am and noon she had sold it to someone else. I have since been outbid on the same item on ebay, and lost all hope of finding it at an affordable price. I then spent all afternoon yest. trying to find an alternate, cheaper plan. (TOG is insanely expensive, but you can use the same program with all levels of children, from 1st to high school) So then I thought Sonlight might work?? nope, I hate the way their books are mostly fiction, and I just don't like the way they have you skipping around during the year, and not even spending a week on each topic/chunk of history.
I wish that there was a mini tog available, with just the study guides for the level I need, then it might be more affordable for those of a budget. Maybe we'll just end up reading the book list out of the tog and hoping that I can tell if they are getting enough out of it, and trying to come up with geography/art/tests myself. AND I need to make up my mind, cause the used curriculum sale is tomorrow, along with the giant once a year HS conference with all the lovely curriculum vendors onsite.
2. I need to make sure that Dad can find the test scores I was working on at the office. The tests are due back today... Once a week I have been working for as my Dad's assistant, while the kiddos hang with grandma. But this is getting tricky, as I may lose my insurance through the state if I continue to work there, because the income level is close... Stinky huh? We haven't had insurance through an employer for a Loooong time, about 5 years, and we don't make enough $$ to buy our own. I could have a home birth, but I had hoped to use the money for that to buy a minivan. Squishing 2 school agers and a bb in to the back seat isn't' so appealing. That brings me to problem #3
3. Mike and I need to figure out what we should spend our tax rebate $$ on. If I wasn't pregnant I would say spend about 1000 on carpet for all of our bedrooms... (ancient yukko hardwood floor splotched with yukky wall paint from the previous owners) and SAVE the rest. Now, we also have a bit of a tax issue, Mike worked for himself for 3 months this year, and the income looked good, UNTIL you take out 35% for taxes. that left us with about 1/2 of what we needed. I saved the tax money, and now since our income is just squeaking by, we have had to use some of that $$ for necessities. Our oven had to be replaced a month or so ago, so we need to pay for that too. It turns out my handy dandy budget hasn't been setting enough aside for things like schoolbooks and gas. Soo I need to come up with $$ for those things too. (I had hoped to pay for the kids schoolbooks on the 322 from my last paycheck including extra time filling in for the secretary, but this seems about 100 short)
4. My sister wanted to go to the water park with me and the kids, and is unhappy cause I said I didn't know what I was doing today.
5. The house needs to be spotless!! I need to do dishes, sweep, make dinner, do 2 loads laundry, fold and put away 5 loads, supervise the cleaning of the kids rooms( this will take a long time) and get my hubby to move the excess 2 bookshelves down to the basement, and take a giant tote of Christmas things to the attic. Oh why today? Well all the bookshelves and the tote are in our tiny hallway, making it very difficult to get through, not to mention an eyesore that is driving me NUTS!! Also DH is not able to relax without things being Martha Stewart. Too bad he married me!! JK :-) I am a bit of a clutter person, and homeschooling with 2 younger kiddos AND NO YARD makes for a slightly chaotic house. I think that a yard would be helpful, then they can have a place to run, and play loudly without Mom and Dad telling them to be quiet all the time. Just think, the house might be quiet for an hour when Daddy get home, and he might be able to RELAX!
6. I need to find a replacement black baseball hat for my son. His bb hat disappeared at the last game, no it wasn't left behind, it left with someone else. He has a game tonight, and cannot play with out the hat. ( had hoped it would turn up at the last practice)
7. Deposit my paycheck? or cash it??
8. Dinner.. It turns out that I didn't get quite enough of the chicken for a salad I was planning on making for dinner, so I have to go buy more. We have no more cereal that I can eat for breakfast, but oatmeal isn't quite cutting it for the preggo lady.
9. Waste time doing a blog post?? Well, it beats crying about it. Yes, it is stupid to cry, but remember, I am pregnant, that means crazy hormone lady till probably around Feb of next year. This listing of things, and venting of frustrations, oddly enough helps to calm my frazzled nerves. THIS IS IMPORTANT!!! If I don't calm down I will get almost nothing done, and cry while I do it.
10. Take back the Library items that are now almost due.. I f I wait till Monday, it won't get done and my DH will be upset about fines... They just increased to .25 per day per item.. YIKES! .10 per day was not that bad If I missed a day, but 1/4 of a precious dollar?? nope, not doing it.
11. Plan birthday party for my 5 year old, and her brother. No they do not have close birthdays, but we skipped L's last fall cause of scheduling chaos... and were hoping to have a picnic at a water playground. I thought that Charlotte wouldn't mind waiting 2 weeks for a party, but she cried herself to sleep on her birthday because there was no cake. Not an awful whining, but rather a soft, gentle sniffling for the cake. Never mind that I took her out for ice cream, and let her pick out fabric for a birthday skirt. THE CAKE!
12. This can wait for another day, but it is hanging over me like a cloud....WE NEED a place to do school work... We have so far been doing school in the living room, at the dining table, and wherever else we end up. But this is no longer practical. The amount of stuff to store is too much for DH in the living room/ dining. We need a real place where the binders, books, and assorted art supplies can rest, fully visible without annoying DH sense of clean. I would like to use the basement for this, but there is no heat down there, and it is colder than the outside usually. Nice in the hot, hot summer, but disgusting most of the time, after all this is OREGON! So I want to, add carpet over the cement floor, put the extra bookshelves down there, paint them arrange the desks, and add some light. It is really gloomy down there and I find myself not wanting to go down, just because of no sunlight. But I'm sure with a few more lamps, nice carpet, pretty bookshelves, and a space heater I'll love it Right?? It would be really nice if the walls were white beadboard instead of cement with crumbling plastery stuff. But that can wait.
Anyway, thats my brain for today... aren't you glad that I unloaded it all on you??? :-D
What's on your to do list?
Hmmmmmmm.............. perhaps my list should be this instead:
1. Trust GOD.... don't worry about most of this, be happy.
2. Realize that I cannot do all the thing that I feel that I should. I am only one person, and simply cannot keep the house Martha Stewart clean, homechool the kids, love the kids, and stay in our budget, and keep sane all at the same time.
3. Make dinner, clean house to MY satisfaction, do laundry, then take a walk to the library.
4. Not listen when people tell me it isn't good enough.
Thoughts anyone??
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
We're Baaaccckkk......
Home again, home again....
We returned from our church's annual Family Camp last Saturday. A good time was had by all, despite the nasty cough cold fever thing that Levi and I came down with halfway through camp.
Both of the kiddos were off with their friends most of the time, so I had only relaxing to do! Very Nice! I took full advantage of this, since next year I will be running around with a 7month old on my hip... :-)
My dear Hubby came to camp this year for more than his usual single night... SOOO WONDERFUL!! Someone else to help get kiddos dressed, fed, entertained, etc. I really hope that next year he can come for the whole time. He really seemed to enjoy all the fellowship too.
Now, to get back into the whole homeschooling , housekeeping thing... and catch up on all that laundry!
We returned from our church's annual Family Camp last Saturday. A good time was had by all, despite the nasty cough cold fever thing that Levi and I came down with halfway through camp.
Both of the kiddos were off with their friends most of the time, so I had only relaxing to do! Very Nice! I took full advantage of this, since next year I will be running around with a 7month old on my hip... :-)
My dear Hubby came to camp this year for more than his usual single night... SOOO WONDERFUL!! Someone else to help get kiddos dressed, fed, entertained, etc. I really hope that next year he can come for the whole time. He really seemed to enjoy all the fellowship too.
Now, to get back into the whole homeschooling , housekeeping thing... and catch up on all that laundry!
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