Even if the leaves haven't changed colors yet. Chip's first flag football practice is tomorrow. Our oldest is turning in his posters for StuCo secretary. Bob's art classes start soon. Princess D has been to the "Daisy" orientation for Girl Scouts. The babies are begging to be outside every second of every day, because the weather is wonderful. Maybe this is why September and October fly by so fast.
I'm hoping we're all up for the challenge. The first couple weeks of school have gone okay. Only one child has lost homework, and there haven't been any forgotten lunches, library books, or backpacks yet. They've all been brushing their teeth and wearing clean clothes, and even our first grader has been wearing underwear. I consider all of these signs of success.
Now it's time to take it up a notch, so to speak. Over the next two weeks we'll go from being "scheduled" four evenings a week to six, and that's assuming there are no evening football games. Some nights we'll divide and conquer, but for the most part Mr. M & I like to see each other for a while before bedtime so we'll be putting a few more miles on the van...and spending a little more on paper plates and juice boxes. As long as this weather holds, a good time for all. Some of my favorite kid pics are mud puddles at practices and games. Maybe they bring a toy that week. Maybe they poke sticks in the mud. Occasionally, they'll watch they're sibling play, and nothing means more to the older kids than those toddler voices saying
"Go! Dat's my brud-ter."
And not much means more to me than seeing them all pulling for the same team, supporting each other.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
School library musings.
Today princess D brought home her very first library book of her own. She was soooo excited. I just peeked into her backpack to see what it is. It's Horton Hatches the Egg. Nice choice. We have at least two copies of this story floating around. It doesn't matter. This one is her book.
I have yet to see Chip's first library book. I hope he didn't lose it on the way home.
The older two boys are testing the waters on their library selections. Both of them have gone beyond "approved" reading into territory we'd rather wait until they're older for. I'd worry more about Bob if he was actually reading the books...but he's really just seeing what he can do without us saying anything. He flashes the "forbidden" book and never pulls it out again.
Our oldest child is of the "Trust me" age. He's almost 11. He can ready anything in the library.
So after an evening of reading about death eaters he shows up in our room around 1am.
"Mom, I'm scared."
"Go pray. Read your Bible. Perfect love casts out fear. Goodnight."
"But Mom, I feel like something is watching me."
"Well, you chose to read HP's third book before bed. Ever think there might be a reason we wanted you to wait until you were a little older? You think we don't know when you like to read, and how vividly you can visualize things? We do make rules for a reason. It seems to me this is a consequence of your own actions."
"Ooooh." in the light bulb tone of voice.
"Now get a drink and go back to bed. Think of good things."
"K. G'night mom."
"Goodnight."
I really can't complain. Our kids do enjoy great literature, on their own terms. They even read poetry, voluntarily. I know eventually they'll find what will feed their mind and what will feed the shredder. Like so many other things, it's just a trial and error process. I'm very proud they've made so few errors.
I have yet to see Chip's first library book. I hope he didn't lose it on the way home.
The older two boys are testing the waters on their library selections. Both of them have gone beyond "approved" reading into territory we'd rather wait until they're older for. I'd worry more about Bob if he was actually reading the books...but he's really just seeing what he can do without us saying anything. He flashes the "forbidden" book and never pulls it out again.
Our oldest child is of the "Trust me" age. He's almost 11. He can ready anything in the library.
So after an evening of reading about death eaters he shows up in our room around 1am.
"Mom, I'm scared."
"Go pray. Read your Bible. Perfect love casts out fear. Goodnight."
"But Mom, I feel like something is watching me."
"Well, you chose to read HP's third book before bed. Ever think there might be a reason we wanted you to wait until you were a little older? You think we don't know when you like to read, and how vividly you can visualize things? We do make rules for a reason. It seems to me this is a consequence of your own actions."
"Ooooh." in the light bulb tone of voice.
"Now get a drink and go back to bed. Think of good things."
"K. G'night mom."
"Goodnight."
I really can't complain. Our kids do enjoy great literature, on their own terms. They even read poetry, voluntarily. I know eventually they'll find what will feed their mind and what will feed the shredder. Like so many other things, it's just a trial and error process. I'm very proud they've made so few errors.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Ways I know school has started again.
We have to wash socks regularly.
The clog in the vacuum was a pencil gripper.
The t.v. is seldom on before noon.
We're buying juice boxes again.
The boys don't have to be reminded to wear underwear or brush their teeth.
The first words to greet me in the morning are "Mom, where's my...."
The preschoolers find their own clothes and shoes by 10:30, ready to "get D."
New backpacks. New shoes. In my living room.
Paper on the floor.
I'm up by 7 a.m.
I get celebrity practice: daily autographs required.
I can load the kids in the car in less than fifteen minutes during the day.
Emergency wal-mart runs for stuff for "tomorrow."
Our evenings are scheduled six days a week.
T.V. is off at 3:30...until homework is done.
Bedtime is enforced at 8:30, instead of 10.
Everyone's looking forward to Labor Day.
The clog in the vacuum was a pencil gripper.
The t.v. is seldom on before noon.
We're buying juice boxes again.
The boys don't have to be reminded to wear underwear or brush their teeth.
The first words to greet me in the morning are "Mom, where's my...."
The preschoolers find their own clothes and shoes by 10:30, ready to "get D."
New backpacks. New shoes. In my living room.
Paper on the floor.
I'm up by 7 a.m.
I get celebrity practice: daily autographs required.
I can load the kids in the car in less than fifteen minutes during the day.
Emergency wal-mart runs for stuff for "tomorrow."
Our evenings are scheduled six days a week.
T.V. is off at 3:30...until homework is done.
Bedtime is enforced at 8:30, instead of 10.
Everyone's looking forward to Labor Day.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The first week of school
The first week of school is a bad time for mom's computer to be out. So much to say, so few keystrokes to say it in.
The big boys went back on Monday. Chips first day of first grade. First grade is so full of firsts. The first time he gets to walk home with his brothers daily. The first time he takes his lunch to school. The first time he gets a desk of his very own. Wednesday was also his first real full day of school. I got to see another first when I was at the school Thursday afternoon. Up on the bulletin board, was the first thing I've ever seen Chip color neatly. His teacher told me about how she had told him to do his best, and he had just scribbled the first one. She gave him another one and told him SHE knew he could do better....and he did. That orange and blue cow is the best seatwork I've ever seen out of him. It's comforting to realize he has a teacher who "gets" him, and knows he's capable, and willing to take the time to motivate him.
The older boys are in third and fifth grade. We've had Miss S before for third grade, and right away she made Bob feel at home and safe. He's quite content in her class, and excited to be earning his "cursive license" this year.
Fifth grade is uncharted territory for us all. Nervous parents packed the room on back to school night. Teachers tell us us how fifth grade brings on the first year with "real" projects, typed reports, and teachers with a hands off approach. Assignments are written on the board. It will be HIS responsibility to write them down and get them done. Homework is "supposed" to be about an hour a day. School is starting to get serious because middle school is just around the corner. Thanks for the reminder. Let's just get through this year for now.
Then there's kindergarten, and princess D. As our principal put it, "D has been ready for kindergarten for about two years now!" On Wednesday morning she's about to pop with excitement. We unpack her things, and she assesses the loot. She has markers, glue, scissors, a dream world in her five year old mind. "Bye mom!" is all she says. She's good to go. Starting next week, she'll be walking with her brothers in the morning. Four little backpacks, bounding down the sidewalk. She's only half day, so we still have the pleasure of picking her up.
She still gets her own time to rattle off the details of the day.
"Look mom, at my maze!"
"Today we colored this mouse!"
"Mom! Si guy is trying to tear my paper!" Okay, so it's not all quite so perfect.
Here's hoping the excitement of the first week of school can stretch the whole year.
The big boys went back on Monday. Chips first day of first grade. First grade is so full of firsts. The first time he gets to walk home with his brothers daily. The first time he takes his lunch to school. The first time he gets a desk of his very own. Wednesday was also his first real full day of school. I got to see another first when I was at the school Thursday afternoon. Up on the bulletin board, was the first thing I've ever seen Chip color neatly. His teacher told me about how she had told him to do his best, and he had just scribbled the first one. She gave him another one and told him SHE knew he could do better....and he did. That orange and blue cow is the best seatwork I've ever seen out of him. It's comforting to realize he has a teacher who "gets" him, and knows he's capable, and willing to take the time to motivate him.
The older boys are in third and fifth grade. We've had Miss S before for third grade, and right away she made Bob feel at home and safe. He's quite content in her class, and excited to be earning his "cursive license" this year.
Fifth grade is uncharted territory for us all. Nervous parents packed the room on back to school night. Teachers tell us us how fifth grade brings on the first year with "real" projects, typed reports, and teachers with a hands off approach. Assignments are written on the board. It will be HIS responsibility to write them down and get them done. Homework is "supposed" to be about an hour a day. School is starting to get serious because middle school is just around the corner. Thanks for the reminder. Let's just get through this year for now.
Then there's kindergarten, and princess D. As our principal put it, "D has been ready for kindergarten for about two years now!" On Wednesday morning she's about to pop with excitement. We unpack her things, and she assesses the loot. She has markers, glue, scissors, a dream world in her five year old mind. "Bye mom!" is all she says. She's good to go. Starting next week, she'll be walking with her brothers in the morning. Four little backpacks, bounding down the sidewalk. She's only half day, so we still have the pleasure of picking her up.
She still gets her own time to rattle off the details of the day.
"Look mom, at my maze!"
"Today we colored this mouse!"
"Mom! Si guy is trying to tear my paper!" Okay, so it's not all quite so perfect.
Here's hoping the excitement of the first week of school can stretch the whole year.
Friday, August 14, 2009
The ultimate challenge.
Today's battle starts in the mind. In one corner, the current reigning peace in my household this morning. My quiet time at the computer while the kids are all being occupied happily by each other and PBS morning line up.
In the other corner...payday, and the last one before school starts at that. I should be buying those last few back to school clothing items and the few straggling supplies off the list. AND get the grocery shopping done. Mr. M hates shopping. My Friday day shopping shows him how much I love him. Especially when all six kids are home.
Maybe I'll start by sorting and labeling what I've already bought. Then I could just make a short list of things to pick up while I'm already in store W or T or K....
Maybe I'll start by planning all our meals for the next two weeks.
Or maybe I'll just hide on FB and play Bejeweled Blast for the next hour, throw all the kids in the car, drive thru Wendy's or BK for lunch, buy what I think we'll need and pray there's some money left over for gas.
Probably the answer lies in a combination of options one and three. I know better than to plan meals around here. Something always "happens" like a 3pm meeting for dh or Si Guy raiding the dinner ingredients out the fridge, or the older kids deciding the taco shells are snack chips.
Thus I just keep a general stock of foods we usually eat and an extensive spice shelf. It seems to work out okay.
Right now, I think I just need to go blow up some jewels. Good practice for what our finances will look like by the end of the day.
In the other corner...payday, and the last one before school starts at that. I should be buying those last few back to school clothing items and the few straggling supplies off the list. AND get the grocery shopping done. Mr. M hates shopping. My Friday day shopping shows him how much I love him. Especially when all six kids are home.
Maybe I'll start by sorting and labeling what I've already bought. Then I could just make a short list of things to pick up while I'm already in store W or T or K....
Maybe I'll start by planning all our meals for the next two weeks.
Or maybe I'll just hide on FB and play Bejeweled Blast for the next hour, throw all the kids in the car, drive thru Wendy's or BK for lunch, buy what I think we'll need and pray there's some money left over for gas.
Probably the answer lies in a combination of options one and three. I know better than to plan meals around here. Something always "happens" like a 3pm meeting for dh or Si Guy raiding the dinner ingredients out the fridge, or the older kids deciding the taco shells are snack chips.
Thus I just keep a general stock of foods we usually eat and an extensive spice shelf. It seems to work out okay.
Right now, I think I just need to go blow up some jewels. Good practice for what our finances will look like by the end of the day.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Housework: The ultimate exercise is futility.
Today I started the day inspired. Mr. M had banned t.v. for the older kids and decreed they have extra chores. Today we would clean the house!
It started well. Oldest child was very cooperative.
Middle two boys grumbly.
Preschoolers not being overly destructive....That's just because they were waiting for us to be done.
By lunch, I had a shiny sparkling bathroom I had cleaned myself, laundry sorted, two baskets folded and put away by boys, the front living room picked up, AND under the dining room table cleared out and ready to vacuum. Oldest boy had loaded an run the dishwasher once.I vacuumed happily while they ate. After they ate our oldest unloaded and loaded the dishwasher again. What a great morning of accomplishment!
15 minutes later there's teff bread w/ sunbutter crumbled on the freshly vacuumed carpet. Another 20 minutes go by and it looks like it's snowed kleenex. By the end of the afternoon Si Guy has stripped everything including pull-up, and left a trail accordingly......And this is what Mr. M came home to.
Mom fried on the computer, and when he asks a simple question like, "What's for dinner?"
my reply is "I don't know. My give a damn is broken."
Breakfast for dinner is a wonderful thing. There goes the kitchen.
Hey, at least we start at the same place every morning.
It started well. Oldest child was very cooperative.
Middle two boys grumbly.
Preschoolers not being overly destructive....That's just because they were waiting for us to be done.
By lunch, I had a shiny sparkling bathroom I had cleaned myself, laundry sorted, two baskets folded and put away by boys, the front living room picked up, AND under the dining room table cleared out and ready to vacuum. Oldest boy had loaded an run the dishwasher once.I vacuumed happily while they ate. After they ate our oldest unloaded and loaded the dishwasher again. What a great morning of accomplishment!
15 minutes later there's teff bread w/ sunbutter crumbled on the freshly vacuumed carpet. Another 20 minutes go by and it looks like it's snowed kleenex. By the end of the afternoon Si Guy has stripped everything including pull-up, and left a trail accordingly......And this is what Mr. M came home to.
Mom fried on the computer, and when he asks a simple question like, "What's for dinner?"
my reply is "I don't know. My give a damn is broken."
Breakfast for dinner is a wonderful thing. There goes the kitchen.
Hey, at least we start at the same place every morning.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Media madness
Our oldest: "Why are you crying mom?"
"Sniff. Because. Beth died."
"UH, in the movie?"
"M-hmm." The boy was confused. Why would I cry about a movie? Shrugs it off as a girl thing. Smart boy.
Grinning mischievously..."Oh. Look what I found! Change. Ha. Ha. It's mine." He closes his hand around it again. " And mom...."
"Uh. Honey. This is a movie based on my favorite book-ever. Do you think this is a good time to interrupt me?"
"It is?" The look of incredulousness on his face was priceless. Why on earth would I like something that makes me cry?
"Oh, ok. mom." He retreats up to his room with his brothers, where I still hear them now, squealing over video games......
Some day he'll see the link. Really.
"Sniff. Because. Beth died."
"UH, in the movie?"
"M-hmm." The boy was confused. Why would I cry about a movie? Shrugs it off as a girl thing. Smart boy.
Grinning mischievously..."Oh. Look what I found! Change. Ha. Ha. It's mine." He closes his hand around it again. " And mom...."
"Uh. Honey. This is a movie based on my favorite book-ever. Do you think this is a good time to interrupt me?"
"It is?" The look of incredulousness on his face was priceless. Why on earth would I like something that makes me cry?
"Oh, ok. mom." He retreats up to his room with his brothers, where I still hear them now, squealing over video games......
Some day he'll see the link. Really.
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