We're Baaa-aack!

Happy New Year!  I thought it was time to revisit this old blog of mine...I did enjoy the time I spent here!  Our lives have changed in many ways since, uhh.. August 2011????  I will be back to update soon!  Still Homeschooling and thats what its all about!

Wednesday August 31st, 2011 Time for a break

There are 23 days left of summer...how will you spend them?

I will be taking a break, for awhile, i'll be back soon...

Summer is dwindling, foster care is stressful, little babies are leaving me and I need time...

time to heal, and regroup...

time to hold fast to the promise the God keeps his promises

until then, may you be with God's Blessing ALL around you...

and we will meet up again....

Wednesday August 24th, 2011 A long, long time ago..

A long, long time ago....we went to Busch Gardens...and, we took pictures, so I could share them...so, here! I am sharing!

This was a classic! I asked if I could buy this sign! I want it too live permanently on my front porch-a permanent excuse!



There was this little bubble thing that you could stick your head up in the tiger exhibit-we did! And look what was RIGHT THERE

OK...my husband rode this...I DID NOT! Do you really need to ask why? It is called SHEIKRA and it pauses for 30 seconds at the top of this hill before you plummet to the ground...

This was an interactive exhibit-you actually got to feed and pet Red Kangaroos. I thought this was great fun...we don't get a lot of kangaroos home in Cincinnati!

Great exhibits, great park-GREAT WILDLIFE!!! Here was an underwater hippopotamus exhibit-woah, he was right there, right there!

Friday August 19th, 2011

It's here, and I am so happy! It is Friday!

Oh Friday, I have been waiting for you for so many days....

There is yardwork to be done
more furniture to move around
farmers markets to visit
a visit to the library to stock up
books to be read
swimming to be done!

Thank goodness for the weekends!!

Wednesday August 17th, 2011 Back to School

I don't know what it's like in your neck of the woods these days, but we are starting to experience some very early stirrings of fall...very early, very faint, but there...if you look, and lis ten, and smell...

The humidity is waning, the leaves are drying, the air has that certain scent to it. Oh, it'll be awhile, but it's a comin'...and the folklets here declared it was time for school! Really?

I guess I should start by admitting that after some soul searching, I have decided to change things up a bit...I am actually planning activities and organizing them this year. Following their leads of course, but not leaving them entirely on their own...I don't know where that fits in the realm of "unschooling", but it doesn't really matter to me this year. I love having my kids here, I love teaching and guiding them, so, what does it matter what we do or how we do it! There is such peace that comes to you when you have explored, obsessed, and worried over this for SO long, to finally realize what works for you-Relief! Happiness! Joy!

We started at morning nap time, after cleaning and tidying a bit (yes, I came to the realization that I cannot and should not have to do it alone...with 8 others in the house-relief!). We sat at the table and began animal research projects. Haven chose the Commerson's dolphin, Dominic the walrus, and Gretchen the clownfish. We even got Bean in on the action as she colored a sheet about the letter A and then tried to do a craft that really morphed into fingerpainting with glue! Then she and I went out for water play while every one else finished their projects.

There was scrabble, and legos, and reading...Magic Tree House #16 and Thirteen plus one. Now they are wrapping up with playmobil and we are eagerly awaiting Dad's arrival to give our animal presentations to him.

Good enough for today, pizza and salad for dinner...We'll see about tomorrow!

Monday August 15th, 2011 Survival

Did you know that you have a part of your brain that lies at the base of your neck that is basically holds the key to survival? I'm sure it has a very fancy name, but I'm not sure what that is. What I do know is that it is your sort of "primitive" brain that holds your "fight" or "flight" instinct. When things get crazy, or desperate, you just automatically "go there", to that place, to that part of your brain, and you either stay and fight, or you run away. You essentially go primitive to survive. It is shown that a lot of behaviorally challenged children go quickly to this part of the brain when they feel they are in danger, or about to lose control. You really can't reason with someone when they go primitive, because they are just in a survival mode. The other thing is, it's not real good to stay in that "primitive" state for to long....

How do I know these things? Because I "go" there quickly, in fact, it's where I have lived for the past few months.....

On the flip side of the primitive brain, you also have a highly developed pre-frontal cortex that helps with reasoning, understanding, explaining...NOT primitive, NOT where I have been AT ALL!!!

It is taking quite a toll on me to be in this "survival"mode ALL THE TIME-I think it was easy for me to "go there", because I spent a great deal of my childhood there, so I think once I felt the need to go back there, it was, well, quite natural..

I am exhausted. Please understand me, not like ,"oh my, I am so tired" Or, "man, I ran 10 miles today." tired...but exhausted. I feel as if I am swimming upstream with no hopes of spawning my eggs...just swimming upstream with no great event, only the ultimate event, ultimate death. Swimming, swimming, swimming and thats it! I have come to the conclusion, that there is no winner in this foster care system...NOT the children, NOT the foster parents, NOT even the parents if they get their children back (why do you think so many children go into care again?) NO ONE WINS...I am fighting and fighting for NO ONE TO WIN...I am swimming upstream without spawning...

But you know what? I will keep swimming, keep fighting, because there are very important little people in my house that need me to keep swimming, even if I lose, even if they lose, because in the end, what I think matters, is that someone DID swim for you, that someone thought you were IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO SWIM FOR...

So, in my hypothalamus (? correct term?) of fight or flight, which is fight fight fight right now, I will keep "swimming" and not turn and "swim" away. There will be no "flight".

Sunday August 14th, 2011 Party!!!

It's Sunday again...Praise God for Sundays!!!
And, it's a party...a belated (one day) birthday party for a Elmo loving little TWO year old!!!

S-o-o-o

Church, natch, and an announcement "Bean is TWO!" (imagine congregation clapping and exclaiming that they can't believe it!)
Home, to clean, a little-don't need to reveal all my dirty secrets...Pun intended!

Lunch? oh, here, have the fresh whipped cream I just made for the angel food cake...for the Angel, herself. Hee hee hee ..

Oldest son-mow the lawn. Ever notice that it is ALWAYS mow the lawn, and cut the grass? Never cut the lawn or mow the grass...well, at least 'round here.

Fresh cut flowers a MUST. Go traipsing with the party girl herself, wildflowers, of course!

Baking and cutting and slicing and dicing...oh, so exciting! finishing cake number two, with a colossal squid on the counter, and what is that? A Sperm Whale! MUST be reenacting the Kratt Brothers again! NOT in my kitchen today!!! Shoo, I say!

Balloons, and pictures, of: Elmo and Ernie, Abby and Zoe, Big Bird and Oscar...you know the gang!

Naps, reluctant naps...oh ,no nap on my party day....oh yes my love, surprises await!
Now you are 2