Anothermadhousewife's Xanga

Recent and Up-Coming Goings On

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:50:26 GMT

Hey Xangans! It's been too long to try to back-track, so I'll just let you know what's going on now. I have next week off from my Tuesday classes; it's fall break at Master's. My kids will be doing schoolwork as usual, since they took a little time off, while I was on my cruise. Oh yes, did I mention the cruise? Short version: I went on a cruise for $39. . .on 3 days notice. God bless all the Grandparents, who made it possible by watching my children. Oh look, I back-tracked!

We've had a fun, busy weekend so far -- friends coming and going all day yesterday. Julia and Natalie had a friend from the neighborhood spend the night last night, and Caleb spent the night with her older brother (kid swap). Anna also had Brooklyn spend the night. The house is still relatively quiet. . .just three little girls watching cartoons. Yes, I need to go wake the night-owl 3 yr old.

Next weekend will be exciting with the father/son campout on Friday, Halloween on Saturday, and Caleb's birthday on Sunday. 11yrs old. In case I don't get around to saying it next weekend, he's such a great little guy: kind-hearted, easily-entertained, deeply thoughtful, and wicked smart. I love that kid. Happy Almost Birthday, Buddy! :)

Better than Nothing

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:51:43 GMT

Hi Long Lost Xangans, Will you be offended if I post a "note" from Facebook. I used to do it all the time, but it seems kind of wrong considering how I've been neglecting the 'ole blog. I'm just going to assume you'll get over it. ;)

It was supposed to be a big deal to answer the questions honestly, but none of them seemed like a major revelation to me. So here goes:

1.What was the last thing you put in your mouth?
Water

2.Where was your profile picture taken?
At my in-laws' house

3. Can you play Guitar Hero?
Never tried

4.Name someone who made you laugh today.
Luke and Natalie, playing "pets." Luke said, "Her name is Sawah, and she's my gullfriend."

5.How late did you stay up last night and why?
1:30, I think. Watched some t.v. with Anna early. Then watched a movie and hung out with the husband. . .hard to keep his crazy hours.

6.If you could move somewhere else, would you?
Nope

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks?
Not that I recall

8. Which of your friends lives closest to you?
Angie Stumbo, I think. Several friends on that street, but she's around the corner.

9. Do you believe exes can be friends?
Don't really know

10. How do you feel about Dr. Pepper?
Love it . . .unfortunately

11. When was the last time you cried really hard?
A few weeks ago, I think

12. Who took your profile picture?
My sister-in-law, Angela

13. Who was the last person you took a picture of?
Probably Luke (Anna takes most of the pictures)

14. Was yesterday better than today?
No, Tuesday is my really busy day. Today was pretty good.

15. Can you live a day without TV?
Sure

16. Are you upset about anything?
Not at the moment

17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?
Yep

18. Are you a bad influence?
Not that I know of

19. Night out or night in?
Both are nice.

20. What items could you not go without during the day?
I spend too much time on the computer, but I can quit whenever I want to! ;)

21. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?
Um, probably a friend who had a baby

22. What does the last text message in your inbox say?
I don't text.

23. How do you feel about your life right now?
Pretty good

24. Do you hate anyone?
Nope

25. If we were to look in your facebook inbox, what would we find?
Messages from friends? . . .Am I missing something?

26. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?
Yes

27. Has anyone ever called you perfect before?
Um, don't think so. If they did, they were mistaken.

28. What song is stuck in your head?
This morning I had one called, "Sick of It All," stuck in my head. . .not reflective of my mood.

29. Someone knocks on your window at 2 a.m., who do you want it to be?
No knocking please! All my people are in the house by then.

30.Wanna have grandkids before you’re 50?
Let's see. Anna will be 28, and Caleb will be 26. Sure!

31. Name something you have to do tomorrow?
Take the girls back and forth to Master's (after breakfast, Bible, math, and some work on personal narratives)

32. Do you think too much or too little?
Sometimes I can be unproductively introspective. . . On those occasions, too much.

33. Do you smile a lot?
Yes, I do. :)

*Not tagging anyone. Feel free to copy, and let me know!

And just because I'm more thoughtful on the blog, than I am on silly, inferior facebook, I've decided to change my answer to number 18. I always joke about my kids being complainers, like their Mama. And sometimes it concerns me that I model poor time management and a lack of discipline. I just have faith that, by the grace of God, the influence for good outweighs the bad. ;)

Excercises in Thankfulness

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:06:46 GMT

Rather than talking about a financially frustrating week, I'm going to talk about all the good stuff. ;)

I'm thankful:

That the hot water heater is working again (was broken for almost a week).

That the computer is working again (was down for days).

That I don't have anywhere that I have to be on this rainy Friday.

That I have five healthy, bright, beautiful children.

That I have a husband who loves me. . .well. :)

That nothing can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.

Goofy Picture Day

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 03:36:35 GMT

Anothermad Blogs (All Over the Place)

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:34:03 GMT

Maybe I should try doing a weekly blog check-in on Wednesdays. There is always a sense of relief, when I survive Tuesday. Eventhough the lesson plans for my language arts classes have been written for me, there's a lot to prepare -- deciphering the lesson plans, making sure I know what was assigned the previous week (that I need to collect), and what is assigned for the following week (that I need to make sure I cover so that they know HOW to do their homework). . . Not to mention making sure I've read (and remember!) all the reading for the lit. classes and have prepared something for the Bible/worldview class. Whew, I'm tired. ;)

I'm also teaching our church's Thursday night women's Bible study. . .because I'm crazy like that. I'm actually really excited about the Bible study, and I'm only teaching until December, when the real teacher takes over. She's helping to plan her daughter's December wedding, so she'll take over in the new year.

I'm in love with my kids' computer math program, and for the first time ever, math is a high priority in our home school day.

K, I'm back now. Where was I, you ask? Snacks for youthgroup. Youthgroup drop-off. Youth group pick up. A late dinner of grilled cheese, and now I'm too tuckered to blog. . .again. Luke is also currently harassing me, because he fell asleep on the way to youthgroup, and then proceeded to "nap," until almost 8. I'll try again another day. Happy Wednesday to all!

Xanga Neglect

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:47:56 GMT

Oh Xangans! Have I left you forever? Don't think so, but I can't blog now. I have to go do Bible with the kids (and math and language arts and history). We actually have a really fun day planned today. I'll be around soon. . .hopefully. :)

Random Assortment

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 02:37:07 GMT

You know, I just feel skinnier, when I excercise. I'm pretty sure I'm the same size I was this morning, but I swam during two "adult swims." I feel like I look stronger. The mind is powerful.

My hair grows too fast. I remember now why I don't keep it short. I don't have the money to get it cut every 6 weeks. It's been a little over 2 months, and it was a shaggy mess yesterday. I had to trim it. . .again. ;) Where do you buy thinning shears?

All music should be as relaxing as Norah Jones. I know there was a time when I enjoyed other genres, but in recent years it has become necessary for my entertainment to be soothing. I have no current use for scary or suspenseful movies. Sweet is good. Thoughtful or profound is nice. But do not stress me out. I have enough stress in my life.

Speaking of stress, money is a thorn in my side right now. I explained to J.J. yesterday, that I just don't really want for God to have to take care of us anymore. I want for us to be able to take care of ourselves. He laughed a little. I told him I wasn't saying it was right. . . Just telling him how I felt at that moment. He loves me despite my rebellion.

The pool ended up being closed for almost a week. The previous week there had been a lot of rain, so the kids were climbing the walls by this weekend. I may or may not have let them watch a good portion of a "Tom and Jerry" marathon on Thursday, while I stocked and organized a new bookshelf, rearranged an old bookshelf, cleaned out and organized a kitchen cabinet with medicine/first aid, and cleared out and organized 2 junk drawers. J. J. said, "You aren't pregnant, are you?!?"

Yesterday, the organizational binge continued with the toys, my least favorite things to organize. It's one of those situations that has to get much, much worse before it gets better. I inevitably regret the project when all the receptacles have been emptied on my den floor, and things start getting carried away. I am happy to report that the overhaul was a success, and we are down to one toybox, one dress-up box, and one [large] barbie bin. There are some stuffed animals on the bottom of the new shelf. There are some play animals that need a smaller storage box. I would like to start putting some things in the storage room and trade out. We'll see if I ever reach that level of organizational sophistication.

Anna had a friend spend the night last night (helps with the cabin fever), and we all went to the pool right after lunch today for about 3 hours. I don't think I can adequately express how much the pool enriches our lives. The kids play hard, get along well (for the most part), eat hardily, and sleep soundly. . .Can't ask for more than that. Hope y'all have a lovely Lord's Day tomorrow, E :)

August Already!

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:42:58 GMT

I should stay off the computer EVERY day, until late afternoon. . .or all day, for that matter. I was out the door at 10am (I know, I know-- really not that early), running errands that I'd been putting off. I also hit the dollar store and Walmart. The fridge and pantry are stocked, and I scored a great, school calendar for the little girls at the dollar store. It came in 3 pieces -- oversized calendar, months of the year, and numbers and holidays. 3 dollars! Oh, I also found weekly planners for the 3 oldest kids. These sorts of things are sold in cirriculum catalogues for WAY more money.

I've spent shockingly little money on school supplies this year. Single subject spirals were 15 cents at Walmart, so I bought about 12. Paper for the year: check. Although they are as cheap as I've ever seen them, no one needs a back pack this year. The only place we'll be taking books is to Nana's or Gandy's house every now and then. It has been really liberating that I don't have any class supply lists to buy, with all of them reporting only to me this year. I'm also streamlining cirriculum. Anna and Caleb will work out of the same math book, and Julia and Natalie will as well. Anna and Caleb will read all the same books for literature, and all of the kids will hear the same history lesson (with supplemental reading for Anna and Caleb).

I'm more excited about starting school than I can remember being in years. . .maybe ever. It seems like I've always tried to homeschool, "on the side," while wrangling many babies and toddlers. Hopefully, this year schooling will feel more like the main event, with lots of playdough and other hands-on stuff for Luke. He has started playing really well on his own. His favorite things are Magnetix, Mr. Potato Head, cars. . .which I absolutely consider "school" for a 3 year old. ;) Oh, he also has a strange obsession with tiny, hair clippies, but I'm getting off topic. I still have about $65 worth of books that I need to order (workbooks to texts that I already own). I think that's the least I've ever spent on books for the school year. $60 bucks and a library card for 5 kids -- I'm thinking I should be a consultant to the govt, who's averaging 10 thousand a kid and not necessarily getting the job done. . . I kid. I know some children are getting a fine education in public schools, but I'm excited to be doing the job myself this year. ;)

Hmm, I didn't mean to bore you with so many school details, but that looks like enough of a blog for now. Happy Monday! Anothermad =)

White House Update (or Levi Visits Camp Crazy)

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:50:01 GMT

Levi is ready to go home now. Technically, he was ready, when he got up on Tuesday morning, and said, "I want to go home now." But today I took him with me to run a few errands, and he said, "These are the saddest days of my life."

Luke is sort of wondering what the deal is with another "youngest" in the house (at his home, Levi's the youngest of 3). Luke threw a little fit at the pool, and we decided to call it a day after only an hour. Luke was definitely needier than usual, while swimming, because, you know, if someone is hanging on your Mom, there's nothing to do but one-up them by being needier.

Overall, Levi has really been a trooper. I keep thinking, "What in the world would Nat (also 5) be like at someone else's house for 5 days?" I can't say exactly, but let me tell you, it would NOT be pretty.

Yesterday, we went to a dollar movie instead of the pool. We saw "Night at the Museum 2." MIRACULOUSLY, everyone sat through the whole movie. There was a moment there, when it was just starting, and Luke and Nat both climbed on top of me, holding their ears and looking like they might be getting scared (images of them screaming like crazy people, during a 4d movie at the Coke museum were flashing in my mind). And I thought, "Dear Lord, what have I done. . ."

But I said, "This movie has not even started yet. Y'all need to sit down and be quiet." And they did. It was like a Christmas miracle. You know, a Christmas-in-July miracle. It ended up being very entertaining (for kids and Mom alike) and not scary. Thank goodness. Ben Stiller is hilarious, by the way.

Oh, also Caleb is sick. He woke up at 5:30 in the morning, hot and with legs aching. He's #5 to have some version of the fever, headache, achy-legs thing. Clearly, it's contagious. Sorry in advance, Levi.

Levi Survives Day 1 in the White-house

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:45:11 GMT

. . .And says some hilarious stuff along the way. When Levi got here at about 7:45 this morning, all my kids were in bed. He kept saying, things like, "I've never seen your house." And, "Do you have an upstairs?" No, there's no upstairs. We have one floor of really well-used space. So basically there was just the one room (great room, which connects to galley kitchen). All the other places had sleeping people in them. So he watched a little bit of PBS.

He cracked me up, saying that he was five years old, just like Natalie. His exact words were, "Five years old plus five years old equals FRIENDS!"

At lunch he told me that he was allowed to talk during meals at his house. I said, "Yeah, we're allowed to talk over here too." While I was going off on a mental tangent about how goofy it seems that so many schools are resorting to the "silent lunch," I realized that he was implying that he couldn't get a word in edge-wise. The girls had a friend over, so he was sitting at a table of 7 kids!

He uses the phrase, "you know," a lot at the end of a sentence. For example, in the car he told me, "I pick my nose, you know."

We went to the park in the morning and to the pool in the afternoon. I had all 6 of them in bed (with books) by 8:30. Maybe we should have overnight company more often.