Today, we clean!

Dishwasher started. Check.
Clothes washing in the washer. Check.
Kid sweeping. Check.
Kid dusting. Check.
Kid cleaning bathroom. Check.
Mommy loading Goodwill stuff...eventually. I'm resting!

Almost over the edge of the sofa...

School's Out Forevah!

As for the God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. Psalm 18:30

Today was the last day of traditional schooling for Punka and Goldilocks. Tomorrow is the first day of this family's homeschooling life. We are super excited and some of us are a little overwhelmed. That person has to keep reminding herself that we don't have to do everything. We are homeschooling for several reasons. One of which is to have a somewhat relaxing year after the crazy few years we have had. I keep telling myself, "make it fun while covering what they need" and "chill out on the subjects covered". My biggest thing is to stop drawing the little boxes that I need to check when that task is done. I look at all the boxes and start to sweat! Crazy how that happens. Oh. And we have declared the next 365 days to be non-uniform days!

Out of uniform and over the edge!

I'd love to be a consistent blogger...

So it seems as though I have not blogged in a year and a half? Well, even then it wasn't great. I wish I was consistent. My hopes in writing was for my memory sake. I guess the last 1 1/2 years are a blur. I got a job and worked for 14 months. It was the best of times, but mostly it was the worst of times. It was very challenging to be everything for every one. It seemed as though the people I loved the most were moved down my priority list. Work was put first. My stress level was very high. I was happy and felt guilty about everything to everyone.

I resigned and have been home for almost 3 weeks. I slept a lot the first week it seemed like I just couldn't get enough rest. I have cleaned. I have baked. I have visited friends. I have planned the summer. I have planned school for next year. But, most importantly, I have lost track of the days several times while relaxing with my family. On the eve of their last night in traditional schooling, I am very excited about what God has for us in the upcoming year. Hottie starts a new career, the older kids are homeschooling and Gigi will be in pre-k. They are growing and changing right before my eyes and I WILL NOT miss any more of it. Thank you, God! I am so grateful for all He has taught me these last 14 months.

Blissfully living over the edge...

Punka!

Punka has been hilarious this week!



Earlier in the week, 2 hours after we had put her to bed, she came into the den and told me she couldn't go to sleep because their was poop in the toilet and it wouldn't let her close her eyes. I thought she had gotten up, gone potty and for some reson couldn't flust the toilet. So, I walked her back to her bed and went into the bathroom. There wasn't anything in the toilet except water. She was dreaming! I told her there wasn't anything in the toilet and she had been dreaming. She just giggled and went back to sleep!

Tonight she did something similar. She came in and told me she had been thinking of all the things that are in her body and falling asleep wasn't working for her. I said, "What?" She repeated herself and then I think she realized she had been dreaming. Hottie walked her back to bed!

At dinner, we were talking about Goldilocks's favorite show Phineas and Ferb. It's Hottie's as well. Punka informed us that she really did not like that show and it would be ok with her if it wasn't on. So, Hottie continued telling us about the episode he and Goldilocks watched today and it was pretty funny. Goldilocks told us about his favorite part. This went on for about 10 minutes. Then Punka piped up. She said, "You wanna know what my favorite show is? Well, that is if I had a favorite." Hottie and I lost it! She got so tickled. Hottie is still laughing about it. That and the Phineas and Ferb episode he saw today!

Well, this is me and my life over the edge! Laughing all the way over the edge!

My Obsevations.

Sooo.
The worm isn't worth all the early birds say.
Night owls have the most fun.
You can't be a night owl and an eary bird.
It is difficult to be a night owl in an early bird's world.
I know this from experience.
You may have thought I flew the coop, but I didn't and that's for chickens anyway.
I think I felt like doing that though.
This morning thing is tough stuff!

It takes me a little while to wake up in the mornings. Usually, I'm functioning at 70% by 7:15. Yes, in the morning. But, my family likes the whole early morning thing. They LOVE to sing. That's good...praising the LORD in the wee hours of the morning. They need to solve the world's problems before 7am. And they want my help. I tell them if the world would stay in bed until 7:30 the problems would be solved. Hottie likes to discuss his Patho class and politics. Great nasty disease. First thing I like waking to in the morning. And my favorite....our morning concert. Yes. The children love to practice the piano. LOUD. I think this explains a little about why my life is a life over the edge.

Goldilocks wants to officially change his name to TANK. Whatever. Could you see that on campaign signs. His opponents would love it. "Tank TANK. Vote Jonhson for President!" I told him no. Then he told me it was a good thing we had water squirters on the car with windshield wipers that wind shield wipe. I asked him why and he replied, "So if a mean kid throws his ice cream on the window, you can clean it." Hummm. Never thought of that. But good to know. I wasn't sure if he was thinking ahead to the campaign trail or if was just the next subject that was important for him to cover. Oh. And he really wants to have a sleep over.

Punka is doing great in school. Super loves her teacher. She says Mrs. W is great because she gives out blue points in which you can earn Jolly Ranchers. A teacher after my child's heart. She received her Kindle yesterday and has already been reading it. I downloaded her school books and a few free ones. She was excited to see Alice and Wonderland and Treasure Island. She is definately my reader. Punka also loves her Littlest Pet Shop collection. She saves up her money to go buy a new one every once and a while. She has quite a few of them. Oh. And she wants to have a sleepover too.

Gigi started in the pre-school program at our church yesterday. She was reluctant to leave me but really wanted to check out her "cool". Her teachers are really great ladies and we look forward to getting to know them more this year. She has had a successful run of potty training. A few accidents, but nothing too bad. She Loves her "mousey" panties. She does not like to get them ewet. That is a good thing. We are no longer using the M&M's as motivation to go to the potty. She has forgotten about that now. It did what it was supposed to do. Oh. And she wants a sleepover too.

I don't know what to do about the whole sleepover thing. If I had all of them at the same time it would definately send me over the edge if I weren't already there. Make sense? No? That's ok. I know what I'm talking about.

Well, I need to go review state abbreviations, Latin verbs, spelling words and how to form the letter G. I'll see you soon.

Over the edge in homework.

School started today!

School started today.
It was a good day after many tears!
I couldn't believe the kids cried.

Punka was nervous, anxious and did not want to go to school. We talked alot about what she was afraid of and how God can take her fears away and turn them into joy and excitement. We prayed alot and this morning she went into class happy to see all of her friends. She has a great teacher at a great school. We are praying that 4th grade is a great year. Here are a few pictures we took yesterday before the halls were filled with students.


















Goldilocks cried for the 3 nights between orientation and school. He found out at orientation that he would not have Mrs. F for school again. It was really sad. He said, "But I love Mrs. F. I don't want to go to Kindergarten." We discussed how each year he gets to have a new teacher so she/he can teach him new things that maybe the other teachers don't know. I told him that God puts different people in our lives to teach us how to be more like Him. He seemed satisfied with that. He obviously didn't let the fact that he had a new teacher bother him. He spoke freely and frequently today resulting in getting moved to yellow on the discipline chart. I think it will be a long year with him. But isn't he cute!

















Hottie had a good first week. He will be studying alot this semester. He told me tonight that he was going to bed early and everyone in his lab today said the same thing. I know he will do well. We just have to hang in there and trust that God knows His plan and will provide for us while His plan is fulfilled.

Gigi can't wait to go to school. She will start at our church preschool in about 2 weeks. It is a great school. Her class will meet 3 days a week for half a day. They play alot, work on letters, colors, shapes and numbers daily along with a new unit study each week. Punka and Goldilocks went to the same preschool and loved it. I know she will too. If we could just get there! And I will probably cry.

Oh, well. Such is life, as my mother says.

I'm signing off. I'm over the edge looking forward to a few free mornings. Night.

When I am the President...

Hottie got home in time to go with us to the kids martial arts class today. Goldilocks has amazing focus during class. He knew the pledge after hearing it only 4 or 5 times. Just crazy for a kid that has to be told 9 times to put his shoes away! So, after class we went to Cracker Barrel (I know, you don't have to say anything) for dinner. This was our night out for the week so we ate extra biscuits.

Anyway, while we were eating, Goldilocks said, "When I am President, I am going to make some new rules."

"Oh, really? Like what?"

"Well, the first one is going to be that kids can slurp."
(Apparently, this is very important for a kid 'cause Punka announced that kids can do that in China.)

"Huh."

"And kids can take their shoes off in resturaunts."

"But your feet would get dirty."

"Not if they cleaned the floor."

No response.

"AND (lots of emphasis here)all the spankers would have to be DESTROYED! There would never be anymore spankers ever. Never, ever. And kids wouldn't have sore bottoms."

And Goldilocks would get his Guaps and Grams vote on that platform alone.

So, folks, I now have introduced to you your future President. Please forward this post to all the children you know under 10. Hopefully they will remember Goldilocks and his "rules to change the world" because these surely will.

Over the edge and loving my Goldilocks!