So the UPS man arrived with my box from Rainbow Resource last night. I love the UPS man and I love Rainbow Resource, so it's too bad I was stressed out over Clair de lune, and I'll just say right now that I don't care if I never hear Clair de lune again in my life. But as I was saying, new homeschool books! Fresh, shiny books that beg to be filled with scholarly observations, expanded vocabulary and pristine handwriting. Ha. Anyway, my Rainbow box also included a new Student Assignment Notebook.
Child #4, Benjamin, came up to me a couple of months ago and explained, "Mom, I need a book to write my homework in so I can see what I have to do each day." My first thought was, "Whose child are you, anyway?" This is the child who is diligent about his school work, who does his math every day without being told, and who sheds tears over the (rare) forgotten assignment. John and I contemplated this phenomenon one night, and we wondered if perhaps he was switched at birth and we just never caught on. Perhaps there is some quiet, studious family out there who spends their evenings reading The Great Books and whose dinner time conversation involves thoughtful debate over something other than who can burp the loudest. Maybe this family is wondering where they got this one rogue child who bowls over laughing every time he hears the word "Uranus." Anyway, I am thankful for sweet, studious Ben who wants to write out all his assignments at the beginning of the week. It was such a good idea that now I make the other brothers do the same thing, but they are not at all pleased about this innovation.
And speaking of homeschool curriculum, our co-op moms had a very fun excursion to Nashville to the curriculum fair last weekend. The fair wasn't as big as previous years, so next year we might investigate some other cities. We stayed at the Residence Inn, ate yummy food at the Macaroni Grill, talked late into the night on Friday night, slept late on Saturday morning (!), and then headed off to Opry Mills. We came dragging home again Saturday evening, and I had the whole, entire house to myself for twelve whole hours because John had taken the boys camping for the weekend and Becca was with my mom. The silence, it was golden.
Today, the guys are taking Daddy D's boat out to the slip, so hopefully some barbequing, boating, fishing and a good book or two are in store for the long holiday weekend. Life is good.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Recital Day and the Pit of Dread
May 22. Recital Day is finally here. I woke up yesterday feeling the Pit of Dread in my middle parts, along with the accompanying stomach problems. Last summer, I began working on Debussy's Clair de lune, and even after my lessons stopped when school started again, I kept working on it. Although I had lessons off and on (more off than on) during my childhood and college years, I had never tackled a piece of this caliber. Hands-down, it's the hardest thing I've ever played, and Kim, our piano teacher, never tried to dissuade me from attempting it, though I can only imagine what she must have been thinking. I managed to work up the entire piece over the winter, and even though my accuracy with the left-hand runs isn't quite at 100%, I know it is recital-ready. Problem is, over the past 15 years or so, I've developed a debilitating case of stage fright.
It's perplexing because I performed for so many years throughout high school and college without blinking an eye. There were times I should have died of embarrassment, but I just grinned and kept on going. But now, 17 years later, sometimes I can't even make it through my piano lessons without my hands shaking badly enough to make playing impossible. Add a few new faces to the audience, and my legs start shaking too. Very, very frustrating!
After I played Clair de lune for Kim again this spring, she began talking about me playing it at the spring recital. I told her I just didn't know if I'd be able to do it. But the more I thought about it, the more I became determined that this would not be one more time in my life when I sit on the sidelines, watching everyone else and wishing I could do it too. And so I'm doing it. Who knows what the audience will be thinking: We didn't come to see a MOM play... who is this crazy woman? It's some comfort that my buddy Marcia will also be playing, even though she's doing a duet, because otherwise I might not have the courage to make a fool of myself. Misery and fools love company.
In a sick twist of scheduling, I found out that the entire family's dentist appointments, which are scheduled many months in advance, are this afternoon. The dentist is not something to be rescheduled when you have as many teeth as we have in our family. I discovered that my hair color appointment- also scheduled months in advance- was also this morning. I called my hairstylist and explained that I could not handle the stress of new hair, the dentist and a recital all on the same day, but she was not very sympathetic. She couldn't work me in again until after John and I get back from our vacation in June. Oh, the sacrifices. So... Tonight. 6:30. Me and Clair de lune. Wish me luck!
It's perplexing because I performed for so many years throughout high school and college without blinking an eye. There were times I should have died of embarrassment, but I just grinned and kept on going. But now, 17 years later, sometimes I can't even make it through my piano lessons without my hands shaking badly enough to make playing impossible. Add a few new faces to the audience, and my legs start shaking too. Very, very frustrating!
After I played Clair de lune for Kim again this spring, she began talking about me playing it at the spring recital. I told her I just didn't know if I'd be able to do it. But the more I thought about it, the more I became determined that this would not be one more time in my life when I sit on the sidelines, watching everyone else and wishing I could do it too. And so I'm doing it. Who knows what the audience will be thinking: We didn't come to see a MOM play... who is this crazy woman? It's some comfort that my buddy Marcia will also be playing, even though she's doing a duet, because otherwise I might not have the courage to make a fool of myself. Misery and fools love company.
In a sick twist of scheduling, I found out that the entire family's dentist appointments, which are scheduled many months in advance, are this afternoon. The dentist is not something to be rescheduled when you have as many teeth as we have in our family. I discovered that my hair color appointment- also scheduled months in advance- was also this morning. I called my hairstylist and explained that I could not handle the stress of new hair, the dentist and a recital all on the same day, but she was not very sympathetic. She couldn't work me in again until after John and I get back from our vacation in June. Oh, the sacrifices. So... Tonight. 6:30. Me and Clair de lune. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Spring
I've had to be careful naming my posts because it seems that there are an awful lot of p0*n stars named "Sandy." So I've had to delete post titles with names like "sweet" and "summer," and there may even be others that I haven't caught yet. Sigh. I'm taking a chance with "Spring" because I'm totally not clever and can't think of anything better. If I could, I'd be winning big bucks in Pioneer Woman's photo-captioning contests, and her prizes are worth taxing the brain cells! But, here we are: no clever captions, but some wonderful signs of spring:
John's hard work in training the Clematis on the mailbox has finally paid off. The mailbox area is a work in progress. I'm going to have to move the lilies or daffodils or whatever is going on at the bottom because they can never decide whether they want to bloom, and although those pink flowering things are perennial and impossible to kill, they are only pretty like this for about two months out of the year. The rest of the time it looks like scrub grass. But you know, there's a lo
t to be said for perennial and impossible to kill! Our street address sign finally fell off, even though this is a new-ish mailbox, but I suppose it was for the best. It was a prime bird-pooping perch, and it frustrated the daylights out of John to have bird poop all over his pretty new mailbox. It's a lot cleaner now, and I'm sure our mail lady is thanking us.
Two nests of brand new baby birds in the ferns hanging on our front porch. 
They are House Finches and the adult males have pretty red heads and breasts: 
The first peony of the season:
John's hard work in training the Clematis on the mailbox has finally paid off. The mailbox area is a work in progress. I'm going to have to move the lilies or daffodils or whatever is going on at the bottom because they can never decide whether they want to bloom, and although those pink flowering things are perennial and impossible to kill, they are only pretty like this for about two months out of the year. The rest of the time it looks like scrub grass. But you know, there's a lot to be said for perennial and impossible to kill! Our street address sign finally fell off, even though this is a new-ish mailbox, but I suppose it was for the best. It was a prime bird-pooping perch, and it frustrated the daylights out of John to have bird poop all over his pretty new mailbox. It's a lot cleaner now, and I'm sure our mail lady is thanking us.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Mother's Day '08
I had such a fabulous Mother's Day! It actually started on Saturday when John took me and the little boys out to breakfast at IHOP and then shopping... at the jewelry stores! I am really not much into jewelry because I am too casual to wear the stuff that really catches my eye. But John decided a while back that he was going to get me a mother's ring with each of our children's birthstones. At the fifth store, we finally found and ordered the perfect ring. John Mark and Nathanael cost the most money because their birthdays are in April, which means diamonds! But I didn't choose the ring with the big settings- my ring is simple and pretty. John almost never purchases me jewelry, so when he does, it's a really special thing.
The poor little boys were bored out of their minds during our day-long trek however, but they endured it with only minor complaints. On Sunday, we had a wonderful church service which proved that our guys are basically big softies under those rough-and-tough exteriors. Each man who talked about his wife or mom had a hard time holding it together. If I didn't love our preacher so much, I would tease him about almost ruining my day with his Proverbs 31 sermon, otherwise known as The Guilt Chapter. After church, we ate at my favorite buffet downtown, and we all went back home where GranMartha and I opened gifts. GranMartha had taken the kids to the mall earlier in the week to shop for me, and they purchased a denim vest and a tee shirt at my favorite clothing store, as well as an array of gifts from Bath & Body Works. They did such a good job! Becca, Nathanael, Ben and Philip made me cards, and Philip added sweet poetry. I teased my oh-so-rational engineer husband, "This is what a love note sounds like!" GranMartha asked John Mark if he was going to make me a card too and he huffed, "Don't you think I'm old enough to purchase a card now??" So he did. Enjoy those sweet hand-made cards while you can! In his card, he wished me a "Happy 15th Mother's Day." Tempus fugit. I read all my cards out loud to the kids, and finally I came to John's card. After I read it, Ben exclaimed, "We shopped all day for THAT???" He thought that's all we had purchased the day before, and it was totally not worth it! Too funny.
John sent me and my mom out shopping while the rest of the family cooked and cleaned and mowed for CARE group. That was a huge gift, but I think it nearly overwhelmed John because he seemed slightly panicked by the time we returned. During Bible study that night, the guys redeemed the Proverbs 31 Guilt Lesson by sharing things they love about their wives as mothers. It was so sweet, and afterward, my mom joked, "I am so glad this day is over- no more crying men!" They love us. I am blessed.
The poor little boys were bored out of their minds during our day-long trek however, but they endured it with only minor complaints. On Sunday, we had a wonderful church service which proved that our guys are basically big softies under those rough-and-tough exteriors. Each man who talked about his wife or mom had a hard time holding it together. If I didn't love our preacher so much, I would tease him about almost ruining my day with his Proverbs 31 sermon, otherwise known as The Guilt Chapter. After church, we ate at my favorite buffet downtown, and we all went back home where GranMartha and I opened gifts. GranMartha had taken the kids to the mall earlier in the week to shop for me, and they purchased a denim vest and a tee shirt at my favorite clothing store, as well as an array of gifts from Bath & Body Works. They did such a good job! Becca, Nathanael, Ben and Philip made me cards, and Philip added sweet poetry. I teased my oh-so-rational engineer husband, "This is what a love note sounds like!" GranMartha asked John Mark if he was going to make me a card too and he huffed, "Don't you think I'm old enough to purchase a card now??" So he did. Enjoy those sweet hand-made cards while you can! In his card, he wished me a "Happy 15th Mother's Day." Tempus fugit. I read all my cards out loud to the kids, and finally I came to John's card. After I read it, Ben exclaimed, "We shopped all day for THAT???" He thought that's all we had purchased the day before, and it was totally not worth it! Too funny.
John sent me and my mom out shopping while the rest of the family cooked and cleaned and mowed for CARE group. That was a huge gift, but I think it nearly overwhelmed John because he seemed slightly panicked by the time we returned. During Bible study that night, the guys redeemed the Proverbs 31 Guilt Lesson by sharing things they love about their wives as mothers. It was so sweet, and afterward, my mom joked, "I am so glad this day is over- no more crying men!" They love us. I am blessed.
Friday, May 09, 2008
Two Things I've Learned This Week
1. Do not hold a tube of toothpaste when engaged in a heated "discussion" with your spouse.
2. If a brand new bottle of Tide should fall off the washer and empty onto your laundry room floor, it's gonna take a really, really long time to clean it up.
Just in case you ever wondered.
2. If a brand new bottle of Tide should fall off the washer and empty onto your laundry room floor, it's gonna take a really, really long time to clean it up.
Just in case you ever wondered.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Whew!
I am so happy May is here! Co-op is over, the children's chorus concert is over (it was fabuloso!) and testing is over, so we are free to enjoy the beautiful weather. We'll be doing math and other miscellaneous things through the end of May, but no one is complaining about the lighter schedule- in fact, the kids seem to prefer having the structure of at least a *little* schoolwork.
It took me two full days to recover from post co-op stress last week, and I got nothing of value accomplished. But on Saturday, my mom and I got up early, loaded up the unwilling kids who had to be at choir practice at 9:30, and hit two neighborhood yard sales. After a full morning of yard-saling (and a stop at Kohl's), she found a few things, but I was pretty discouraged until I found this:
an almost-new tiller for John! Our very generous friends have graciously let us borrow their tiller for the past three years, but now John can till at will, and he is most pleased. His pleasure over the new tiller mitigated his displeasure over the call he received when my van lost power steering that afternoon in the K-Mart parking lot, which he had to come and repair (fortunately, it was a fast and inexpensive fix). After we got back home, my mom and I decided to stop back by a moving sale we had visited earlier. An interior designer was moving into a new home and selling the furniture she wouldn't be needing any longer, so here is my find of the day: a new sofa! It was still sitting in her garage, and she was ready to drop the price.
The new TV (The Precious) began all this, because it required a new entertainment cabinet which required a new sofa which required new lamps which require new drapes which require new recliners. I'm up to the drapes now. Of course, John's list goes something like this: the new TV which required the new PS3 which required the new controllers which required the new games and Blu-ray movies which require the new surround sound speakers. He's up to the speakers, but he has agreed to wait until after the recliners, whenever that may be (but thank-you-very-much, President Bush, for trying). Anyway, I love my new-used sofa, even though my living room is beginning to look like Kirkland's, which I find a little disturbing because, while Kirkland's has very pretty things, it really isn't me. But since the real me would make an interior designer throw up her hands in despair, I guess I'll just enjoy my pretty new things and keep shopping for drapes.
SO, the yard sales did the trick: I am refreshed and renewed and have undertaken the many projects which have been piling up around here: redistributing school books to their proper off-season shelving, cleaning bathrooms long neglected, washing mountains of laundry, and shopping for next year's curricula (I found John Mark's math on ebay- glory, glory!)
In other news, Daddy D (my stepdad) has planted the garden, John grilled spare ribs tonight (mmmm!), Copper the Dog is officially ours because she has been to the vet and I have spent money on her, and tomorrow, JM and Becca are going to Tennessee with GranMartha and Daddy D to see Daddy D's family for Mother's Day. It's been a lot of fun having my parents around. It's going to be a good summer.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
We Have Run the Race
Co-op is over for the year, and there was much rejoicing! Final exams were yesterday and we celebrated last night with a Pizza Party instead of the usual big co-op production. I think we might be down to one large production a year now, unless someone with a penchant for productions moves in, because by the time April rolls around, I am worn out! But we have definitely run the race this year and finished well.
In spite of all the frustrations involved in co-operative teaching, it is very satisfying to look at a school year and see such tremendous progress with each child. It's good to step back and look at the big picture again because it's so easy to get caught up in the week-to-week chaos and conflict. But the big picture looks really good and overall, I am very pleased with the results of this school year. We still have another month of school, including standardized testing this coming week. This will be the first year in the history of our homeschool that all five children will have met their math goals for the year- no "math guilt" this summer! We have worked hard, and so help me, it better show on their standardized scores! :-)
We are spending the day in "recovery", and the kids are having piano lessons upstairs as I type. I am sorting through papers and notebooks to decide what to toss and what to keep for their yearly portfolios, and I hope to get all the textbooks put up on their proper shelves again. Paper piles seem to be a way of life around here, but at least this will make room for whatever new ones the summer brings. I also have to alter the length of the Philip's tuxedo pants for chorus pictures tonight- ugh- but this is the last week of rehearsals for that too. Just a little wh
ile longer- summer's almost here!
****************
In other news, the six-year-old is no longer six; he is now a proud seven-year-old! We had a cookout at GranMartha's new place to celebrate, and then we brought cupcakes to co-op to share with his buddies. My baby is getting big.
In spite of all the frustrations involved in co-operative teaching, it is very satisfying to look at a school year and see such tremendous progress with each child. It's good to step back and look at the big picture again because it's so easy to get caught up in the week-to-week chaos and conflict. But the big picture looks really good and overall, I am very pleased with the results of this school year. We still have another month of school, including standardized testing this coming week. This will be the first year in the history of our homeschool that all five children will have met their math goals for the year- no "math guilt" this summer! We have worked hard, and so help me, it better show on their standardized scores! :-)
We are spending the day in "recovery", and the kids are having piano lessons upstairs as I type. I am sorting through papers and notebooks to decide what to toss and what to keep for their yearly portfolios, and I hope to get all the textbooks put up on their proper shelves again. Paper piles seem to be a way of life around here, but at least this will make room for whatever new ones the summer brings. I also have to alter the length of the Philip's tuxedo pants for chorus pictures tonight- ugh- but this is the last week of rehearsals for that too. Just a little wh
ile longer- summer's almost here!****************
In other news, the six-year-old is no longer six; he is now a proud seven-year-old! We had a cookout at GranMartha's new place to celebrate, and then we brought cupcakes to co-op to share with his buddies. My baby is getting big.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)