Field Trips

One of the things I wanted to do when I started homeschooling was to take the kids on lots and lots of field trips.  Well, there have not been many at all.  We are a busy bunch and carving out the 3-4 hours to do something can be hard sometimes.  So today we went to the zoo.  Jackson had a small assignment while we were there.  He took his creative writing journal and wrote down the animals that he saw and either a characteristic of that animal or what the animal was doing, ie: The lion was sleeping.  Here are some pics!

Jackson looking at a giant green eel.

 Char loved the meerkats.

Ellie and a huge turtle.

This was the best we could do.  It was the end of the day and Char had had enough!

This past weekend was very busy and relaxing all at the same time.  It started really on Monday when I was racing to get all of my Tot2Tot stuff registered.  Stressful but I am sure rewarding.  Running around all week buying hangers and safety pins was not the most fun, but not too bad either.  Then by Friday I was really getting tired. 

Oh and I forgot to mention that on Wednesday I hurt my back (pulling up my pants! I know weird!).  I actually pulled a muscle and pinched a nerve at the same time.  I went and saw my awesome massage therapist but I had to wait until Friday.  So by Friday I had a ton planned and my parents were also on their way (Yeah!).  I had my massage after my parents arrived.  Troy worked late, the steaks I had put out for dinner were still frozen solid, and so we had Taco Cabana, always a favorite at the Brown's. 

Saturday Jackson had a flag football game and he kicked hiney!  I was so proud.  He grabbed 6 flags (which is a tackle) and scored a touchdown.  He actually ran it right up the middle through the other team and scored.  It was so awesome I was so proud.  He totally redeemed himself from last week.  He was not paying attention and did poorly.  Then I got to NAP!  It was so nice, Mom and Dad were more then happy to pick up the slack for me.  Saturday night we went to my cousin CJ's wedding.  It was really nice to see family. 

Sunday I attempted church but my guy, Riley, was not there so I just came back home.  Char had a fever and although I knew my mom was capable, I wanted to be home with her.  We had our traditional lunch at Jason's Deli before Mom and Dad left and that was it....Very busy but relaxing at the same time!

*while I was typing this I heard an awful sound and Charlotte crying.  Yep, she did it!  She puked.  Oh joy!  I am glad I made that doctor appt!

Always changing

That is how I would describe my mind.  It is always changing.  In my newest revelation I have thought about homeschooling Ellie too.  I would wait until she started Kinder.  I really think that she will have a blast at CEC.  Then when she is in Kinder, I can put Char in CEC.  It is still not what I had originally planned but it will do for now.  Ha!  The key words...for now.  I am sure between now and August I will have rethought homeschooling Jackson, and for sure about homeschooling Ellie.  I am a planner.  Sure, I like to be in control.  But mostly I just like to plan.  I love lists, lesson plans, and the like.  I have so much fun seeing what needs to be done and when it will be accomplished.  That is why this whole homeschool, charter school, private school, or public school has been so hard on me.  I can't really plan.  I have to have faith.  I am admittedly a self-proclaimed work-in-progress. 

On another note.  I have decided on a new curriculum for next year.  It is Five in a Row or FIAR.  I am really excited and will keep you all posted.

Conversations:

Yesterday morning it was gloomy and rainy.  Jackson had a football game that was delayed, and then we ended up playing in the drizzle that was left over from the storm.  When we got home the sun decided to peek it's little head out from behind the clouds.  Jackson came running into the kitchen to tell me.

J: Mom!  The sun is out!
M: I know.
J: Can you believe that God can do that? 
M: Yes son, I can. 

What sweet and precious innocence.

I love homeschooling Jackson.  I really do.  But in my plans all of my children will be in public school and I will be teaching.  This does not seem to be the plan that is happening at the moment.  At the moment I am still homeschooling my first grader, Ellie is enrolled in CEC, and Char is on the wait list.  I know that Char is still very little for CEC but I just wanted to have a break a couple days a week.  Especially if Jackson was still going to be home.  We are making great strides and I want him to be able to be independent and succeed.  I just don't think he is there yet, unfortunately.  I don't want to rush him.  But where do I start seeing more progress?  Are my expectations so unbelievably high?  I am a self proclaimed control freak, and these decisions are completely out of my control!  I can traipse down to the school and register them where I want them to go but it doesn't mean they will get in.  I could call Faith West, but I have no idea who is going to pay them.  These are all decisions that honestly I know don't need to be made now. I am just so over this waiting and not knowing.  I talk to other mom's (homeschool and not) and they all have their own opinions (none of which match each other!).  I digress.  I am spending thousands of dollars on my own education and have even started questioning this decision.  Although I strongly feel like it was God-led, I am still wondering if I should have been so ambitious.  I have to admit it would be easier if I didn't have to worry about my assignments every week.  Oh well.....

Just a quick note

I have been thinking about my spiritual walk a lot lately.  I feel that it is stagnant.  I love the Lord and I LOVE to worship.  Actually I do that almost all day long.  Songs pop into my head and I catch myself standing in the middle of the room I happen to be in with my hands raised and my voice booming.  But I don't spend enough personal time with Him.  I need to get crackin'! 

I am hoping to get a prayer group going.  The logistics are still unknown but I feel as though a group of women together lifting up their voices in unison to the Lord is something that not only does He delight in, I delight in.  I have missed that and I am praying that all the details will work out! 

In the mood

To start blogging again, on a regular basis.  I used to be so good at keeping up.  I have another blogging account and although I don't use it anymore; it is nice to look back at it.  I can see where I have grown and were I still need too! 

I have found myself answering the "How are you?" with "Good, but really busy".  This is something that can be construed as both good and bad.  I could be bored, which means that I am not doing anything, which means my house is a mess, my kids are dirty and unfed, I am failing my classes, oh and most importantly I am not teaching Jackson.  There are also the ballet lessons, football games and practices, PE classes, and don't forget the never-ending list of church activities that we are involved in.  And then the social life.  It is important to be around other people that don't share your last name every once in a while.  And although all these things are important to me; I have to ask, are they really that important? 

I have to look at what we are doing as a family.  Are Troy and I teaching our children what we think that God wants us to?  Is this why He made us a family; to be busy all of the time and EXHAUSTED most of the time?  I don't think so.  But what do we give up?  Where is the balance?  I am not sure of the answer to that question.  What I am sure of is that we are called, as parents, to teach the Word to our children.  I think that if I can get that, I am doing something right.  I love the teachable "God moments"  that we get.  And they seem to come more and more these days. 

All of this to say that although I am busy and I truly have a lot on my plate, I need to etch out more time for my God, my family, and those "God moments" with them.  One day they will be grown up.  They will have their own families.  They will answer "Busy but good" to the "How are you's?".  It is then the fruits of my labor and the answers to prayer will be truly seen.  Not that I am ready for them to grow up, I am just excited to see the godly man and women they become!