Full Overdrive

Day two, and I am so tired! Though, it probably hasn't helped that I have been in front of the computer quite a bit today.

The girls are doing really good - suprisingly, the spats that marks the norm are seemingly ebbing away. Or, maybe that's my rose colored glasses? Either way, they are getting along, and playing quite well together, which always makes a momma's heart proud. My #1 rule is NO NEGATIVE. I don't want attitude, sass, complaining. Period. They are doing pretty good with that, too.

This week, I have had to sort of just find things for them to do - each evening, put together a pack of stuff for them to work on. It isn't impressive, but at least they are disciplining themselves to do it. They are following the no tv, no computer, no wii, and no ds until 5:00pm rule fairly well. Oh, Amanda is now asking Kaitlyn to "play school" LOL! The curriculum is supposed to be here by the end of the week.

I look forward to getting in the swing of things - this getting used to a new schedule is sort of stressful!

Also, this week, we are working on getting the room together - tonight we pick up the hutch!

Home Again!

Got home late last night - worked hard today getting Christmas stuff put away, cleaning house (not that bad since Phil kept up with everything), and moving things around to make way for the school room! Tomorrow is going to be busy with various things re: pulling the kids out of PS, ordering the curriculum (finally) and everything else that comes along.

Things to do...

As a wife and mom, we always have "something" we have to get done. Be it laundry (yuck), housework, cooking, etc. Since I'm a work at home mom, the list is even longer, and now that I'm going to be a homeschooling mom, well, you get the picture.

This next week is going to be spent dealing with the paperwork involved in unenrolling the kids, opening new packages of curriculum, planning out the "classroom" and just getting things in line. It's important to me that the girls are involved in the process (well, except the unenroll part). I want them to own the school, and be proud of it. Their current assignment is to come up with a good name for the school - I think it will be important for them to identify with some organization, plus, it will serve us well to look more professional (i.e. discounts).

In the meantime, we are enjoying our last day in Missouri - sun is shining, weather is decent, and most importantly - there is NO SNOW!

Welcome to 2009

The first day of 2009, and here I am again, with a blog.

So, everyone is talking about New Year's Resolutions... mine? To end 2009 better than I did 2008. Not to say that 2008 was bad - it was... challenging. I want to be better at parenting, better at finances, better at everyone I do, and who I am. A tall order to fill, but there you have it.

So, many new things this year - top of the list is that we are soon to be a homeschooling family. Woo! Now, I'm sure there are a few of you going "oh boy" and truth be told, I wonder a thousand times a day what we are getting into, but it honestly can't be worse than what the girls have had to deal with, namely Kaitlyn. And, for the record - I do not wear denim jumpers, or Keds tennis shoes. My hair isn't in a bun, my kids aren't weird. Nor, will I, or will they be.

Why did we decide to venture into this? Because we were slowly losing our daughter. We have battled for two years now with the school, and things have only gone from bad to worse. If you have a A/B student, that all of a sudden starts to flunk school, is bullied and harassed on a daily basis, and no one will do anything (because, they do not see it happen) then it is time to take things into your own hands. Sure, socialization has a big question mark over it now that we are going to homeschool, but you know what? I just don't see how they are "missing out" on socialization that includes extreme name calling - how can that possibly "build character". Does anyone remember Columbine?

It certainly isn't all the school's fault. We have missed the boat as parents on more than one occasion - who doesn't. But, its time to start focusing on our family - on our children, and who we want them to be, and who we want to be to them. I want my girls to be confident. To be able to love themselves, and to determine who they are by their own standard, not by what someone else says they are. I want my girls to be able to stand up for themselves when called names, not back down and accept what others say they are.

After saying all that, I suppose in a way, this blog is going to represent our family - what we go through in homeschooling, growth as a family, and anything else I feel like!