Wordless Wednesday

Why yes, those are my addressed Christmas cards. 

Be jealous!!

Preschool Life

This homeschool stuff isn't nearly as intimidating after dabbling in preschool. Did I just say that?
I'm actually proud of myself for sticking to it and I'm amazed at how excited and interested the ladies have remained. They have made some strides and are starting to read! My babies! How did this happen? Yes I miss their babyhood a little more each passing day.

Side note: I'm slightly worried it will put them ahead when they start school and thus leave them bored.

Scribbling up an inch chart has been a huge hit. They are all about measuring recently. I'm on the look out for a relatively safe, but real, tape measure for them. I'm hoping to start volume after turkey day. I was reminded that we never really did many three dimensional shapes with them when they blanked when asked to find a cylinder during a scavenger hunt last week. Oops! Pretty sure they only know cone and pyramid, maybe cube. 

We will also be starting written addition and then subtraction. We are fantastic with manipulatives, I'm hoping the jump to straight numbers will be easy. 

The handwriting is a work in progress. 

But will you look at this!? They pick, read, and write! They sound out the words they don't know. Sat and ran were new words to them. 

We even sounded out swims! Yes, I'm a proud mama. A proud mama who needs to make up some more word cards...

We are also blowing our way through spanish vocab. If only I had a native speaker on hand! I can tell you that after seven years of it I can barely string together a very, simple sentence. Thank you goog.le translate! To my SA friends, the robot Afrikaans voice kills me and I like to imagine you all speaking as such. :)

If I wasn't worried these ladies would outsmart me by 3rd grade I could easily see myself homeschooling. I can't believe I said that! I really think they might receive a more diverse and complete education, one to really reach them individually and cater to their strengths, needs, and interests. In fact, one of my favorite things about this preschool business is letting them explore their interests. Last week, we looked up volcanoes and now they know about the earth's crust, magna bursting through from pressure to turn to lava, the lava turning to rocks and 'growing' the volcano. It also brought up and helped to reinforce the idea of steam, so hopefully they won't be confusing it with smoke as often!

PPT

So.


Sick.


Of.


Work.


I'm over it!

But when is it enough to just throw in the towel? It's a game I've played for the last five years. How do you know when it's just not worth it? It very much feels like an utter waste of my time, but it's free money. How can you walk away from an overpaid babysitting job? I'm not liking how much I'm depended on, how much I'm used, and more than ever how I'm treated.

They call me PPT, for part, part time. It fits! So why is the woman who works no more than 8 days a MONTH so valuable? Furthermore, if I'm so valuable than why aren't I treated better? I feel that someone who is pulling my time shouldn't be holding major responsibilities. 8 days a month people! We had new equipment installed and it sat unused until I came in to program it. It went another week without being cleaned because no one "knew how" and apparently the manual is only for me... Inspection, my job to clean for.
Inventory, my job to count.

More importantly, no one keeps me up to date on the gossip!


What is holding me back?

And what on earth would I do with myself when the ladies start school??

Embracing Simple

It was my word of the year, although I haven't been as successful at embracing it as the others before it. So today when everything was going wrong, I decided now was a wonderful time to simplify!

I was jumping from project to project; cleaning, caulking, painting, laundry. All of them failing over some missing piece; a lost dust pan, expired caulk, missing brushes, no dryer sheets! So I stopped to think of anything I could do to bust my mood and feel productive, I landed on THE WALL JR!

See the ladies have recently been into art. Sheets and sheets of drawings, letters, coloring book pages, paintings, washi tape play, on and on and on. They have found their way all around the house, both in stashed stacks and taped to random walls at the perfect level for two clumsy dogs to bump into. This leaves them on the floor and then straight to the trash. While I have no problem ditching these freely flowing masterpieces, I do have a problem being the one who picks up/sorts/discards. The ladies need a place to display and be responsible for. The Wall Jr. was born.

But not before The Wall Sr. was retired. See, Sr. has been around for a long time, nearly as long as we've lived here. I decided one day that a magically board would organize my life, and if I hid it behind the kitchen door I would surely stay on top of it. Instead it sat unused, and I attempted again after the ladies were born. Today I took it down, it was last used December of 2009. I know this because written on the board are the ladies' bottle amounts for my mother and my Uncle's calling card. Some other odds and ends have gone up, but this was doing nothing for me.

Neither were these. 

Keys from two cars I haven't owned in years, a security tag for the last car we had, and keys to our LAST HOUSE! Clearly these were important...

So all this was ripped from the wall, the broom without it's dustpan have been banished from the corner. I have no place to hang my reusable bags, but I think I'll survive. 

Disregard the fire extinguisher.

The perfect pick-me-up project.

Made from left over crib frame I'm hoarding, it could use a burst of color but the spray paint I have on hand is white and brass. The side supports will probably go when I paint, and I'm thinking I should jazz up the clothes pins too. The ladies were excited and I'm hopeful that this will keep things under control. If not, it's right next to the recycle bins!

I also have one of the side rails set aside to paint and turn into wall storage for my craft table. 

Everyone squeal with me!

I fear I will hold on to these cribs for years, just waiting for inspiration. 

Now, what does one do with an old fire extinguisher??

PL Nap Time

Oh we are battling colds here. Fall has most definitely arrived and winter is on its way. Here's to jackets, hats, and scarves! 

This friends, is project life. Helper not included. Cutting these corners brings me calm and joy, more importantly a feeling of success. For the first time ever I've been able to successfully record this life. Simplicity is key for me, I only wish I would have discovered that sooner! 

It's also a way to kill a nap time or two each month! 

But now that the end of the year is here, I'm planning for the upcoming year and I'm torn. Do I purchase a different kit for the new binder or continue in Turquoise? Help! 

Outstanding Happenings

**whoopsie, sometimes you just forget to schedule things**

First and foremost, a miracle has occurred. 

Three clothes pins at the top of the chart called for celebration. Delicious, gourmet celebration. And yes, I did share. Of course these are ridiculously over priced cupcakes, but sometimes you just need that. Fancy does, occasionally, taste so much better. 

It's been WARM so far this fall, so I was none to please to be shelling out money to fix the heat. 70 degrees in November makes me think winter may not come.

After shelling out for boiler parts and feel so relieved and ready for winter, BAM! The dryer went up not 4 hours later. Whomp, whomp. Luckily I've ridden this rodeo before and patiently waited for my new parts to arrive. This Mama doesn't like to pay repairmen for things she can plug in herself! I'm really starting to take some pride in that too. It amazes me how afraid people are to just dig into something and try. Cost to me, $25 and a few minutes on a Sunday morning. 

Fast forward a few days, and the warm weather had finally departed to make way for some flurries!

Ham in her flannel jammies! Too perfect. The ladies were overly excited and quickly started to make plans for building snow bunnies and eating snow. Poor HAM was pleading to eat snow. I had to deliver the bad news that there would be no snow play. I'm sure all my talk of ground temperature when over their heads but they left me excited for the next snow fall. Now I can't wait to go build snow bunnies and have my first bite of snow!

What's been outstanding in your world?

Cuddles

Cuddles...

Sometimes you just need them. 

5.5 Hours

Five and a half hours with a plumber will ensure your boiler won't explode, ensure you have functioning heat if winter should ever arrive, and back up your laundry and chores for the day.

Five and a half hours with a plumber will tell you your house wasn't up code, your children can't be trusted with paper and washi tape, and despite approaching six your puppy is still quite the jumper around new folks.

Five and a half hours with a plumber will cost you two months' groceries, give you piece of mind, and ensure that something else in your now repaired home will fail you-immediately.

On to dryer repair, or maybe I should embrace salt rinse and lining drying in winter?! Save myself another repair elsewhere?!

Behavior

Welcome to the new cruelty.

Oh yes I did go there and with one day under my belt I must sing its praises! While it was only really intended for one of the natives, I didn't want to single anyone out. However much to my surprise, the others have taken to it just as well. This morning there was a native eagerly straightening shoes in the closet in her eagerness to make it to the top. Now I just need to get them to fluff and fold or start washing baseboards!! They are to eager to please!

I choose this chart over others because of its simplicity. I knew I wouldn't follow through with stickers and I don't like the idea of having to dole out prizes. I would lose track of long term goals as well. I also didn't want to limit myself to specific criteria. 

I love the all encompassing nature of this one. I also like that they have to ability to make up for any wrong doing throughout the day so there isn't a shadow over the rest of the day if you happen to land yourself in the red by 10 o'clock and lose your snack. There isn't a predetermined privlege or prize so I can make them up along the way to suit the situation. 

So far it has reinforced responsibility, manners, and maturity. It has reminded the ladies that their behavior is their choice. I'm just the enforcer. 

If nothing else, it was an excuse to use up some cardstock and washi tape!6

November Goals

Ooooooooooh my goodness! Did I accomplish all of my October goals?! Ok, so no hair cut, but success none the less. On to bigger things...

November Goals

Family

• Date Night
• Schedule dentist appointments
• 4 year check-ups *blush*

Home

• Get the heat straightened out- can I get a hell yeah for radiators!
• Build and paint bookcase
• Reorganize the entertainment center and straighten out the wires
• Futz with my Ro.ku

Personal

• Order and address Christmas cards
• 75% of my Christmas shopping finished

Short and simple, but certainly enough to fill my plate.

What are you doing this month?

Halloween Festivities

Halloween just might be my new favorite holiday. Simply because there are no expectations or frill. No meals to cook, family to see, or people to please. 

Costumes and candy. 

Cousin bought this and the ladies have asked nearly every day to build it. 

"When are we going to make the spooky house?"

Of course they've also asked to eat it everyday since. I'm sure if given the chance they would devour this cardboard-esk gingerbread, but I just can bring myself to watch the horror happen. 

Claire's face sums up her pumpkin carving experience. A big NO THANKS! Emma was more than happy to dig in of course, but Claire was turned off by the seeds and guts. 

They were overly excited to light her, and she's been lit every night since. Recently we've found things taking up residence inside our dear witch. GROSS! Ants, slugs, and last night a moth was fluttering around inside. 

Just once, for a fraction of a second, do I need everyone to look the same way. Perhaps with a smile even!

#thisisfour

You're looking at the best homemade costumes money could buy! Can you feel the fairy dust falling over you? Can you imagine me cringing at the abundance of pink and purple? I was quite thrilled the weather was so warm. Last year my fingers were going numb through my gloves!

Hope everyone had a great halloween!