Minivan Moments

Okay, so i'll just lay it all out on the table here: we have flies.  LOTS of flies.  Someone told me it is because flies, like mosquitoes, flourish in wet conditions so all the standing water we had in May with the flooding encouraged their over-$#@%&*-abundant procreation.  But it's fine; i'm not upset by flies. Here's a little background for you, Dear Reader: when i lived in my first real house in this lovely city in Middle Tennessee, we noticed that there were a lot of flies in July.  I was opposed to rampantly annihilating them just because we're bigger than them, so we humanely left them alone. ( you can stop chuckling now ) Well, as you can probably guess, it wasn't long before i was sweeping in my kitchen and noticed that those "grains of rice" were wiggling!  Ewww!   I'm not ashamed to say that ALL FLIES MUST DIE in the interest that i NEVER stumble across maggots in my home again. So, fast forward 6 years and the fly population bei...

... on all of it. Lately, i have realized how infrequently i feel confident in my job.  As a mother, i fret about lost tempers and overreactions.  As a wife, i worry over doing too little or expecting too much.  As a teacher, i stress about the wrong fit for curriculum, child, activity, grade, attitude, etc.  As a household manager, i panic over the bill that i forgot to pay and wonder at the laundry that piles up when i take a day away from the washer. It seems there is always more to do, a better way to do it, and a feeling of being out of my element.  There is always something i can improve, something i need to stop doing, and something i need to figure out... and generally, these happen simultaneously (not much surprise there!).  All of it leaves me feeling like we are always in upheaval, i am seriously underqualified, and my kids are getting less than they deserve in me. So, trying to get a handle on our household, i have been rearranging furniture ...

... the phone rings and you don't have to even think about getting it. ... the bathroom smells like a cosmetic counter for a few minutes everyday. ... you can tell whether you'll be walking on eggshells for the day by how she acts about breakfast. ... spending the entire day with a friend doesn't appease your daughter's need for a sleepover with said friend. ... you don't have to make your own coffee, wash all the dishes, or change out the laundry, but you still have to remind her to feed the dog. AND FINALLY... ... you are not only often wrong but you're rarely right.  About anything.  Ever.

I want to write on my blog regularly, but i'm often at a loss for words.  Hard to believe, i know. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy while i spend some time with God. We went camping with The Smallish Man-Child 's Best Bud in April.  It was in the low 40s the night before.  In a tent.  Good times. Littlest Drama Princess ... Proud of herself for decorating the dog.  He's not convinced. The Smallish Man-Child plays baseball. The summer reading program at our house...  ...no pictures, please. Mmmm...ice cream is how we bond. Practicing for Puberty.  Oh, my! Final thought: Count your blessings, not your hardships. Think of all God's done for you. Remember good times, grow in sorrow; There is much still left to do.   ~ Angela Varela , 2010

God is in control when babies are born early.... God is in control when a woman develops complications during pregnancy.... God is in control when we wait expectantly for news that everything is going to be okay.... God is in control when we celebrate good news.... God is in control while we worry, fret, cry, panic, and pace... and thankfully, He doesn't relinquish control to our way of handling stress.

For the past few weeks, it has felt like i was transported back to Florida and someone forgot to tell me!!  The humidity and heat have been overkill, for sure.  However, last night, a quick shower brought in some cooler temperatures, and today felt more like the Tennessee weather i have come to know and love! We were able to spend more time outside, and nobody melted or combusted. It was a good day. Tomorrow, i have high hopes for more of the same....

We had a nice weekend... we spent loads of time together with family and friends just kickin' around at home, did up a spectacularly hot baseball game, took a family bike ride, smoked a chicken, cooked up a small vat of laundry soap, and made some peanut butter fudge.  The baseball game was close, the bike ride burned my biscuits, the chicken was paired with sticky rice, the laundry soap will last us months, and the peanut butter fudge was a first - it came out of a cookbook my grandmother sent each of us so we could make her Christmas-time favorites for years to come. Yum. We have been blessed beyond measure. Now, i'm going to fold the mountain of clean laundry on my bed before it begins to multiply like rabbits, gulp some H2O, and head back out to supervise the little bear cubs at play.  Fun times. Have a good one, Y'all!

Today could've been a Monday.  Again. Clearly, i have not been experiencing enough Mondays in my life. However, i have it on good authority that it is Wednesday. Praise. The. Lord. Today, The Littlest Princess had more cavities filled (yep, Mother of the Year , right here) and a space maintainer put on her teeth.  Fun times.  The poor thing talks with a bit of a lisp now.  Her advanced speech is blown, and she has to wear this thing until the adult teeth come in... By the way, they're molars (yep, still got the MotY Crown on). The best thing that happened today was that my eldest child and i spent some quality time together (thank You, God!): we went for a walk and watched the lightning show (what a sight!); we went to the store and shopped (and got some great deals on meat!); and we talked.  About nothing, really.  But.  We talked. All in all, despite a rocky start, it was A Good Day.

Today is a new day. I am no longer a member of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's Homeschool Crew . It is a sad thing to be sure, but i confess that i am also looking forward to settling into some sort of routine with schooling... sticking with something for more than 3 weeks sounds good right now.  Who knows, though? I am staring at the Compose screen, and i am at a loss for something to write!  I am so used to writing several reviews during the week that i have gotten off track with personal posts - just a couple every so many days.... I could tell you about our cookout this past weekend... but that just reminds me that my husband broke his foot, my eldest sprained her ankle, and my youngest got her foot slammed in the door.  Tainted memories. I could talk about my journey down the learning disabilities path and the mounds of books i am currently reading regarding Sensory Processing and labeling children... but that overwhelms me.  Taking a break. I could eve...