Homeschooling Humor

Ok, so this whole list sounds awfully bitter, but hopefully it makes you laugh at least a little. Or maybe you're guilty and it'll make you think. LOL
http://www.familyhack.com/2007/11/09/homeschooler-rant/

Know what I wanted?

Caris just got up from nap and said, "Know what I was trying to have?" I said, "No, what?" She said, "a stream." I said, "a dream?" She said, "yeah, I was trying to have a dream but I couldn't have it."

Just blame Chandra and Alison

So everyone's right: once we tried lapbooking we were HOOKED! If you're not aware, lapbooking is kind of like scrapbooking and schoolwork all rolled into one. The basic idea is to alter a file folder and fill it with all kinds of pictures, mini-booklets and things and turn it into a really cool project all around a theme. Our first lapbooks (one per child) are on Valentine's Day. I'll upload pictures (those pics up top are just random pics from Google) once I can get my camera, usb cable and computer to play nice but until then, if you're intrigued then check out these links:

I told Chandra I was overwhelmed by lapbooking and she said to just jump in. She's right! Here's a link to her blog: http://eaglestaracademy.blogspot.com/

Alison has mentioned lapbooking in the past and turned me on to http://www.handsofachild.com/ where one can purchase all sorts of ready-to-go lapbooking packs. Here's her blog: http://wayzleyacademy.homeschooljournal.net/

And here's the one we're working on now: http://www.handsofachild.com/shop/Valentines-Day-Ebook-P530.aspx

Canaan, 50 weeks

Walking about half the time now. He gets so excited and laughs and walks with his tongue out!
Four molars are on their way (not poking through yet)
When he wants something he yells, "Ma-MA! MOM! MA MA MA!!" LOL
Wearing size 18-24 months, size 5 shoes, Large diapers

LOL-ers Only

Christian Tim Hawkins - really cute bit on what would happen if corporations got ahold of our favorite worship music.

It's over!

HE NURSED!!!!! He nursed! He nursed!! Praise the Lord, he nursed!

53 hours

It's been 53 hours since my son last nursed. I probably sound pathetic to most anyone who might read my blog, and I just don't care. I'm hysterical, I'll admit it. I'm sure my hormones are a little wacky because of the lack of nursing, and I'm just completely irrational at this point. I've read it all and know nursing strikes are fairly common, usually last 2-4 days, etc. I just can't get over this and how much it's upsetting me. Alif made a joke about it this morning and I could have shoved him out a window. Seriously. I'm reading on the LLL website and this girl understands the gravity of how I feel about this:

I didn't know it at the time, but 12 days before this writing, my 11-month-old daughter, Dakota, stopped nursing. I wish I had known she was going to "go on strike," I would have treasured every moment of it. I would have smelled her hair, kissed her forehead, and looked into her big, beautiful eyes, savoring every second of our special time together.

Nursing strike seems like such a simple, self-explaining term. Well, that little term rocked my life and my soul. It felt as if I was mourning the death of a loved one. I was mourning the way that I mothered my child. Mothering through breastfeeding was all that I knew, and without it I felt useless, detached, defeated, and depressed. The experience was life altering.

After 12 days and nights, I woke this morning to my little angel starting to rouse. She tossed and turned and started to root. I lifted my shirt and scooted over to her as I had been doing every morning since the nursing strike began, just to give it a try. Like nothing had ever happened, she latched on. She nursed slowly and drowsily for about three minutes. I don't think I even breathed through the whole thing. I touched her head, looked into her sleepy eyes, and took one big whiff of her feathery-soft hair. With a kiss on her forehead I whispered, "Welcome back, my Angel."

Nursing Strike

As you know, Canaan is sick. He's getting better day by day but he's still congested and cranky. Add another misery to the list: he refuses to nurse. As of this minute, it's been 31 1/2 hours since he last nursed. He cries, he asks for it ("na naaa. . . . ") but as soon as it's out he arches his back and cries. Even the sight of his once-beloved nursies causes this back-arching reaction. He's miserable, I'm miserable, we're all miserable. Please be right, LLL, when you say that it shouldn't last more than 2-4 days.

Canaan's Sick

A Day in the Life

Heart of the Matter is doing a meme on A Day in the Life of a homeschooling family, so here is my contribution. http://heartofthematteronline.com/2008/01/meme-day-in-life.html

First of all, you should know that organization, routine and consistency are not my strong points! I used to have a button when when I was a little girl that I absolutely treasured. It said, "PBPGINFWMY". I guess even then I knew I was a work in progress, and even then it was the cry of my heart: please be patient - God is not finished with me yet! I think I might need a sign in my home stating this! ANYway . . . we do have a basic daily routine, and it goes like this:

Waking - 9 am: everyone gets dressed, eats breakfast, does morning chores, check e-mail

9 - 12: schoolwork, playtime, etc. I work with each of the big kids individually while the others entertain themselves or work on their own

12 - 1: lunchtime, cleanup, play

1 - 3: Quiet time! Kids nap or have quiet time in their rooms, Mom sews, goes online, reads, etc.

3 - 6: afternoon chores - each child helps me work for 30 minutes and we get most of our housework done. Laundry, dinner prep, etc.

6 - 8:30: dinner, cleanup, baths, time with Daddy, bedtime

That's about it! Pretty simple!