Why the teacher is always learning too..

I'll tell ya, this homeschooling thing isn't as bad as I thought it was (last year).

Yes, I gave up on K5 last year. I hated to admit it. But I did. And now, I am so thrilled that I did. I had a newborn, a family crisis and too much invested in what my peers where doing.

Granted, all the HS'ing veterans tried to warn me: "don't become a slave to the curriculum," or "don't beat yourself up about having to do it a certain way," and my favorite one to ignore, "You don't have to go out and buy all the fancy curriculum to teach them what they need to know. It's kindergarten."

Well I totally failed. I went and bought the fancy curriculum and tried to put so much on my poor child that it burnt us both out. It wasn't fun. It wasn't sinking in for him and on top of that I had to put Eva in MDO because I couldn't even focus through one session.

So fast forward to today. I have all the kids at home and am able to successfully get through a 1st grade school day (which lasts about an hour for Reading, Bible and Math). And I feel much better about it and actually LOVE it and so does Jorge. We are into week two and he is still waking up in the mornings saying, "Mommy, we are going to do school today, right?"

(he has also said while doing math, "mommy can you get a pillow for my head, this is making me tired.").

So what changed in a year?

1. I no longer put stock in what my peers are doing. If you got something that you love, I'd love to hear about how great it's working for you. But if you sell it to me as, "your kid has got to get this _________ (curriculum, concept, etc)" I immediately tune you out. I am all too easily swayed to peer pressure. And not the kind that involves drugs. But the comparison dance. The one where I go back and forth in my head about all the ways someone else is doing it better than me. Well I hate that dance, and I no longer buy the music. I try to recognize the song when it comes on and turn it off. This has helped me so much in paying attention to: the learning style of the kid I'm teaching, what he/she likes to do, and their own rate of learning. If we spend a week on one Bob book and two days on the next.. that is JOY to my heart and I'm not worried that your kid just read the entire set in one sitting. Hello, Freedom! Goodbye, Pressure.

2. I am honing in on the art of distraction. Homeschooling is the easy part. It's the younger siblings that can make a momma loose her ever.loving.mind. So I have to spend equal time figuring out how to get the younger three occupied (if they are deciding they don't want to do school with me and Jorge) with something entertaining or fun for them. So far Eva and Alex want to "do school" which includes a modified version of whatever we are doing, whilst they are coloring or playing with counting cubes. And Isaac, he either wanders around destroying the house or in his pack n play contained with toys. For me, I had to realize that it takes creativity to include the younger ones or even to keep them busy. And some days this works better than others.

3. I've learned the difference between routine and schedule. I LOVE a good routine. A schedule, is of the devil. (I jest, sort of). There can be so much more grace with a routine. And flexibility too. It also frees us up to do fun things. I used to be a stickler for the clock. Now I can tell what time it is by what we are doing.. and not stressed that it's 30 minutes later than when we did it the day before. My kids get dressed on their own after breakfast, because that's the routine. but there isn't a mandatory time that that is supposed to happen by.

4. I stop when the fun stops. This is huge for me. Obviously, in learning there are times where it isn't our favorite thing to do, so we persevere. But when mommy starts getting frustrated that little Jorge's 3's look like a number of evil (I don't know what that means exactly) we take a break. Mommy needs to move on. Mommy needs to remember that little Jorge is just now learning this stuff and he won't go to college writing his 3's like an alien. "Mommy move on." That's what I keep saying in my head.

I tell ya.. the growth has to happen in me. I hear people say all the time, "I could never teach my kids." And I won't pretend I don't know what you are talking about. It is definitely hard work. The patience that has to come is painstaking. But the joy I get when I see the hard work pay off, it's unreal. It's not all, bake days and fun outside. It's hard. It's long hours and lots of worrying, "will they ever write their 3's so we can recognize it?" And the answer is yes. And the process of what I am learning is just as priceless as seeing them persevere too.

I'm looking forward to growing more and more each year and becoming a better teacher than I was the year before.

The Absentminded Professor, but without the Professor.

So, I guess that just makes me "absentminded."

I tell ya, sometimes I truly don't get it. How is it that I was once a very bright, intelligent person?

Now, my brain is mush.

Yesterday, while on the phone, I was exiting my car and about to walk into the grocery store. I realized that my keyless entry alarm was not locking the van doors. I turned around to notice that my door (not the kids') was wide open. As in, I walked out of my drivers seat and left the door wide open. Good grief.

this is me back in the day.. when I had a brain.

Alright already.

I am sorry.. life is crazy and I have no time to blog about it.

We started school this week (1st grade with Jorge, K5 with Alex) and the younger two are making that a little difficult to do.

I did have a great time in Boston (thanks for asking)

and I still hope to put up the rest of my conference notes on my birth blog.

Well, I promise as soon as I come up for air I will let you know how crazy it's been. (but with 9 clients from now until January.. don't hold yer breath!).

North Bound!

So Im heading to Boston tomorrow morning.. 6 a.m flight (ouch). I know that I will definitely be updating my birth blog (since this is a doula related adventure).. So if you don't catch me here.. you can get updates (all things birth related) there.

Can you remind me again..

Can you remind me again that the kids aren't out to get me?

WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING:

If you are a person who:

a) lives in a bubble and your kids are little drops of sunshine all day long, everyday or..

b) does not talk about the times in motherhood where you really start to question why you opted for children at all and you certainly wouldn't like to talk about that publicly..

This post WILL OFFEND you.

(Just thought you should be prepared).

Lets' start with this:

That's Eva, my 2 year old, in a cast.

Sunday (as in 5 days ago), while at a church we were visiting, she got her finger shut in the nursery door. It was a freak accident (Eva was behind the worker who was letting out another girl to her mommy). GROSS ALERT: We had to rush to the ER. I saw flesh.. and lots of blood. Eva was hysterical. Mommy was trying not to be. They had to remove her fingernail AND she got 8 stitches (thus the amount of blood I freaked about). She was a trooper. She watched the surgeon as he stitched her up and didn't even cry when they gave her the local block (shot) to numb up her hand. She was super strong. That night she did wake up every four hours for pain medication but by Tuesday, she didn't need anything.

On Tuesday we went back to Children's to get the cast put on so that the wound could heal. It looked nasty, even all stitched up. But that's just mommy. Daddy said they did a good job. He should know.

So fast forward to today, Thursday. After a few days of Alabama heat, where it's too hot to be outside longer than 15 minutes without some kind of water activity.. things in my house are starting to get crazy. And we can't do water because Eva's cast can't get wet.

Then it just started going downhill.

-I went to pick up two towels on the floor in my living room only to realize that Alex brought his cup of milk over from breakfast (I have NO idea why, never done that before) and set it under the towels. So of course the milk spilled. Thankfully towels were handy.

-Eva had a near miss on a HUGE glass of water spilling over her cast, which I was warned not to let get wet... they put the fear of God in me. Apparently my daughter has a Gremlin cast and one drop will suck her arm into a wormhole and we won't ever be able to get it out. Never mind that they make waterproof casts. But I'm seeing that a lot of doctors don't like to let you in on all the options available for your treatment plan, they only suggest the option that's easiest for them.. because you are their last patient of the day and they just want to get home. Never mind that you just spent two hours waiting in a small little room waiting for them.

-I send the kids outside to play for that 15 minutes allowable by the heat index and then Eva comes in crying with blood because she put her ONE GOOD HAND inside the fan. Yes. IN the fan. Thankfully it was only a small flesh wound. No stitches necessary.

-Mommy needs a Valium at this point.

-The boys are fighting. Normal, but at this point, I'm done.

I decide to get out of the house and give them a new view and head to visit my SIL and her new baby. I thought it would be nice for the kids to play and I can fold some laundry for my SIL while she sits and cuddles her baby.

-After 15 minutes of being there I hear Jorge "MOMMMY, you need to come here quick!" I walk in to the playroom to see Eva sitting on her cousins (Kevin, 3) potty. No biggie, right? Well, except that she has taken off her underwear and shorts, which have poop in them and all over them, poop on her shoes, poop on the carpet, poop (in the shape of a toddler rear) on the red elmo chair, poop on her leg, and so much poop on her foot I think she actually stepped in the poop.

-I have to spend 30 minutes bathing my daughter and, what seems, most of the belongings in my SIL's house.

- Oh, and how do you get poop off of a cast you aren't supposed to get wet?

-I decide that it's probably best if we just head back home. As soon I get in the driveway, Eva falls down and gashes her knee.

I promise I'm not kidding.

I know my kids aren't out to get me. None of this was done to me. But I can assure you the thought has crossed my mind: "Now, tell me again why I wanted to do this?" oh and: "can we fast forward three years?" (and don't tell me I will want that time back. I get that. But it's hard while I'm in it).

Someone said we may need a padded room for Eva. I think I am the one that needs that room.

I'm hoping that tomorrow. . will be much better. IF I can make it through tonight.

from photo to paint...

My very talented friend, Teresa, did something pretty cool. And I just want to brag on her. Because she is cool like that.

I took this picture while out on a Girls Night Out (said friend was there too). Granted I don't know any of the people in it.. but I just loved the colors and the string lights (that was my favorite).

When Teresa saw the picture I posted (on facebook) she, in all her talent, painted it.

I just think that is so amazing. I love her own take on it (she didn't want random people in it, hehe) and of course I love the string lights!

Great Job Teresa! She is also a professional photographer and you can check out her great stuff here.

Inspiration is back..

turns out that a photographer (or a novice, in my case) can gain tons of inspiration when given a new lens to try out..

so here I have a new love.. bokeh.

stunning.. (in my humble opinion). Nevermind that she put on her little brother's pj's.

I love that the subject "pops" out in front of that blurred backgroud (bokeh). It's gorgeous. (adorable nephew here).

my goofy son and his pal, cousin Asher.

Livia (niece) enjoying the zip line.

handsome Levi (nephew).

and then the lens captures the yumminess of the Pineapple-mango salsa my sister made..

and the delicious pasta I made..

and also the baby.. who was upset his daddy put him down..

all in all.. Im pretty sure I won't be using my other lens for a long time..

but she said it's okay. She likes it.

Motherhood: it's all about survival.

Sure, motherhood is about making a difference in lives. Helping little ones learn the difference between right and wrong and helping them understand life.

In between those moments.. there are the "how do I survive this?" moments.


Take for instance, laundry. What's the point, really? (Jorge at 1)

cleaning the house? What does it matter. (yes, that'd be coffee grounds). Alex @ 18 months

(isaac @ <1)

And as a mother.. you live for daily heart attacks, right? (jorge @ 2)

and then clean kids? Psh.. it's overrated.

I'm telling you friends.. it's all about survival.

The Creek is cold.. and fun.

After my last post about our 4th of July family tradition, I got to thinkin' about another "tradition" of sorts.

The creek.

We inducted Isaac this past weekend and then that meant that I needed to find old pictures of the other kids when they were first introduced to the Creek. Even in July, it is still very cold.

So we can start, as usual, with the first child to experience it.

the boots were kinda pointless at that point.. ha!

Alex as wee babe.. splashing..

Alex enjoying it from a distance..

Turns out that I don't have a picture of the diva as a baby.. in the creek. Mainly because mommy said it was too cold for the "girl" to get in. Oy.

This was this past weekend. the boys have certainly gotten older..

and now Eva enjoys the creek and is fearless.

Isaac on the other hand..

not so much..

He prefers not to have cold water on his person at all.

there was so much fretting over that water..

that it wore him "slap" out.

Yup.. that's some kinda tired right there..

a tour of July 4th.. through the years.

Welcome to a tour of our family tradition.

Back in 2002.. my (then) boyfriend proposed to me on the soccer field of an elementary school right before the fireworks exploded. It was July 4th 2002. He picked that location because two years before that is where he had invited me (with another friend of mine) to watch the fireworks with his family. Jorge and I had been friends up until that point, but it was at that family gathering that I said (in my head): this guy is amazing and I would love to marry him.

Granted, we weren't even dating.. but I knew he was high quality. So when we started dating I told him that story.. and it meant a great deal to him. So much so, that he picked that exact spot to propose.

Thus we return every year.. with an extra kid in tow just about every year. ha!

July 4th, 2005. This was our first time taking a baby.. our firstborn.. He was almost 3 weeks old. And he was less than thrilled with the fireworks.

July 4th, 2006: i was pregnant and we didn't go. We opted to watch the fireworks at home.

July 4th, 2007: Date night. Had a sitter (because we were convinced the kids would not enjoy it.. ehem.. or we wouldn't) and did a double date with some friends.

July 4th, 2008: Very pregnant with our third child (born in August).

July 4th, 2009: we celebrated with friends in Georgia. And wouldn't you know, I don't have one family picture of that. Just like me. sigh.

July 4th, 2010: Family of six. Baby Isaac is a 2 months old. I love Jorge's expression.
And finally: July 4th, 2011. Alex does not want to look at the camera and my hubby has a light on his head (all the kids had one to be able to see in the dark, duh).

I love to see these pics.. brings back great memories.

Hope you all had a great Fourth!