Weekend Adventures

This past Friday we went to Indianapolis. John's dad recently had a heart attack, so John wanted to see him (he's doing well) and I also got to spend an afternoon shopping at the IAHE homeschool convention. The IAHE convention is definitely one of the best for shopping, so I was able to find much of what I needed. Mike and Laurie, John's brother and sister-in-law, took the kids to play putt-putt golf while John visited his parents. That evening, everyone ate dinner at Mike and Laurie's and Mike and John stayed up most of the night playing chess. On Saturday morning, John, Philip and Ben went to get fitted for tuxes for Dave's wedding and I got to make a brief foray into the Goodwill store. (Indianapolis has the best Goodwill stores anywhere- really nice stuff!) We stopped in to see John's grandparents before we left Indy. We arrived home Saturday afternoon just in time to drop John Mark off at Kevin's birthday party and watch LSU make it into the Final Four. Geaux Tigers!!
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I am certain I'm losing my mind, and the kids would agree with me. When we were getting ready to leave on Friday, I rushed into the kitchen and demanded of the two boys at the table, "Where are Philip and Ben??" Philip, who was sitting at the table, replied, "I'm right here!" "I know where you are!" I retorted. "Where are Philip and Ben??" The boys looked at each other in confusion before I realized my mistake. "Where are Ben and Nathanael?" Poor guys... it's only going to get worse.
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After church on Sunday, we went to eat lunch out at the lake, one of the kids' favorite places to eat. We had Praise Team rehearsal and potluck that evening. After we were all home again and the kids were getting ready for bed, Nathanael came to John and explained that he was too scared to sleep in his own bed. In an amazing show of patience, John turned off the TV and asked, "If I read you that book, will that give you something to think about so you won't be scared?" Nathanael solemnly nodded his head and climbed into John's lap. I'm sure John never expected Nathanael's book to be entitled, "My First Channukah", but he went with it and they read all about menorahs and dreidels.
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Yesterday while the older kids were at 4-H Variety Show rehearsal, I took the three younger ones to the library. They played computer games while I got ahead on planning for next year's school. I've found the only way to keep the kids on target in math is to pre-date each of their assignments in their book. I have that rare "I am a wonderful mother who has it all together" sense of accomplishment, however brief!

I took Becca to the 4-H sewing orientation last night. John Mark desperately wants to do the sewing workshop too (I'm not quite sure why... maybe he just doesn't want Becca to do anything he can't do too), but he's having such a time keeping up with his schoolwork that I don't see how he can do it. I might use it as a "carrot" for him to get his work completed this week. I've learned to dread April because of the sewing workshop, the variety show rehearsals, the end-of-semester planning in co-op, and all the other end-of-the-schoolyear activities, but these are some of the kids' favorite things about homeschooling, so here we go!
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Last night was one of those nights that parents dread... Nathanael woke up in the middle of the night throwing up. I am so thankful for my carpet cleaner and front loading washing machine! Just collect all comforters, pillows, blankets and stuffed animals, throw it in under "sanitary" and next morning- good as new! Nathanael doesn't appear any worse for the wear today and ate some cereal this morning.
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Today, prepare for Awanas tonight, co-op tomorrow and frantically try to get all the other things done from my "to-do" list that didn't get accomplished over the break. Watch my "wonderful-mother-who-has-it-all-together" sense of accomplishment slowly evaporate. Be thankful that my kids' ultimate success in life does not depend on their mother having it all together.