When it is hard to homeschool

• When you have 6 loads of laundry heaped like hay stacks in the family room.
• When the pots and pans from the night before are not yet washed and you forgot to run a full dishwasher.
• When the baby woke you up three times and another kid woke you up an additional time from a nightmare.
• When it is raining and gloomy outside for the 6th day in a row.
• When the dog came in from being let outside and obviously rolled in something so disgusting that a bath is required.
• When you are out of peanut butter, bread, and apples.

When all these apply on a Monday? Forget it. These are the days where I either see it as an opportunity to develop perseverence, or a day to scrap most of the day and do laundry and play risk. Making that decision is not taken lightly, as I do not want to still have school days and things to be learned into June. I compromised: We did everything but history and science, we went to the grocery store over lunch hour, I took a nap during baby's nap and kid's independent work, the dog spent lots of time outside and I had a dose of caffine.

If Audrey was a captain of a pirate ship

This would be her Pirate Code:

1. No outside food allowed in the captain's room

2. Never go overboard

3. Never go to battle without the captain

4. Don't fight the crew

5. No girl friends

6. Never bring a girl on the ship

Here lies the code of conduct as laid out by Audrey. This document she created after our studies this afternoon regarding piracy during the time of exploration~

Old toys can make the rainy week a little sunnier.

A week ago Chloe went in the basement and brought up her old fisher price big doll house.
She cleaned it up and it is now in the living room serving as a hotel for all of the 63 or so pet shop toys. It has been a rainy week, but hardly noticed by Audrey (and Chloe and even Jackson -- what a brother!) who have all had some "fun" playing pet shops. Even Benjamin likes to take the bunny out of the mini van and turn it over and spin the wheels. Yeah for Chloe for making old toys feel like new again!
13 and 11 year olds put quite a creative spin on the game with their interesting imagination...but Audrey outdoes them all with her zany-ness and we all have to sit back, laugh and wonder where she got it from......

Halloweeen Fun!

Baby scarecrow

Fairy Godmother

Super girl

what?!?

Oh. Garbage Bag Super Hero

buddies

Jackson and Audrey were playing hockey outside on the driveway this morning. They came in and got some tape to fix the "go cart" he built out of a sled, some wood, and an old skateboard. They packed a lunch box with 4 juice boxes, halloween candy and pretzels. "This will be fun!" Jackson said as they gathered their supplies. Their plan: Jackson will pull Audrey in the "go kart" to the park down the street, swing a while and eat their goodies on the top of the playground. Audrey replied, "Yeah! This is gonna be great!" I told Audrey she was lucky to have a big brother. Jackson said, "Yeah, Audrey. If I wasn't here, we wouldn't be doing this fun stuff."

They are such good buddies. Warms my heart, it does.

A toaster is not a toy.

I was trying to get Benjamin down for his nap this afternoon when I smelled a strong, smokey scent. I was in my bedroom which is upstairs, way down the hallway. The smell was so strong, and along with the hazy smoke in the air I believed that something was indeed on fire. I interrupted Benjamin who was nearly asleep and ran to the hallway, "What is on fire?!?" I asked as a million thoughts flew through my mind. "Nothing. Jackson is burning toast on purpose," said Chloe.

True, Jackson was re-entering a piece of bread over and over again to see how burnt he could make it. The entire house was filled with smoke and the smell was intense. He was opening all the windows and had a pretty smelling candle lit trying to freshen the air. I wasn't happy. Benjamin wasn't happy. Jackson had a good talkin' to and was given a crabby baby to play with and entertain for his punishment. I thought it fit the crime well.