projects

Mini-blinds my mom made into roman shades.

This is my laundry room window.  The plan is to paint the window frame white and the walls the bluish color of those bluish flowers in the shade.  But now that I'm pregnant, I don't know when that will happen.  Some people say you shouldn't paint at all when your pregnant, other people say you can if the ventilation is good.  Can't really ventilate in MI in January without getting frostbite, so this project will have to wait.

As you can see, I'm kinda fond of this fabric.  This is the shoulder bag/diaper bag I made yesterday.

what's going on

Damon is into coin collecting.  If you have any wheat pennies or mercury dimes you're not attached to, send them his way.  He (and I) would really like a metal detector so we could search for old coins.  Jake says no way--we're not going to waste what little vacation we have coin hunting.  He and Damon had just watched a youtube video about some guy who spent 3 days with a metal detector in someone's back yard.  He found a dime worth $10.  "But some people make a living off of it!" Damon said.  Jake was unmoved.  I don't know how he can stand being so practical.  It's a real drag having your feet so firmly on the ground.

Claire had a great day yesterday at school.  "In gym I thought it was the best day of my life.  We played hockey.  Haley D, Haley F and [some other little girl, can't remember her name now] were on my team, and we made a plan--not to cheat, to win...I don't remember if we won or lost, but it was so fun because of the girls on my team and our plan."  This is a breakthrough, people.  She's never enjoyed a game in her life unless it was a make-believe game she made up herself.  I wish I could have seen it.  But she might have been pacing and flapping and repeating "not to cheat, to win" over and over, so it's maybe best I didn't.  Then for dinner I made green chile enchiladas, the most disgusting abomination to ever come out of an oven--just ask my kids.  And Claire's day was totally ruined.  She cried and lamented until bedtime.

Anne started tennis lessons at the YMCA.  Can your almost-6-year-old bounce a ball and catch it?  Mine can't.  How about focus on tennis for a whole hour?  Mine can't.  Either we've really neglected her physical development, or she's not the athlete we hoped she was.  Well, she's having fun, and now we have something special just she and I do together (namely, practice tennis), so I guess it's worth it.

the home school debate

I think about home schooling every day now that Christmas break is over.  I felt so sad sending the kids back to school.  Of course, during the times they were all home and fighting like cats and dogs, I wished they were in school again.  But, they are my kids, and it seems wrong to have people I hardly know taking charge of most of their waking hours.  Then again, I really liked school and would hate for them to miss out on the friendships and the good teachers that are out there.  On the other hand, the world is a different place than it was when I was growing up.  Sure, there was the kid in 7th grade who wouldn't stop slapping my behind until I kicked him in the shins so hard he thought I was going to kill him.  But now I read such horrific stories in the newspaper ABOUT KINDERGARTNERS I can't even repeat them.  I want to vomit every time I think about the story I read the other week about an elementary school a few miles south of here.  There are some pretty crummy parents out there, and it seems a crime for my children to have to interact with their disturbed children.  Yeah, yeah, Scottfunkel: someday my kids will be on their own and if they haven't learned to deal with the miscreants with my help, how will they know what to do when I'm not around.  That argument doesn't comfort me lately.  And if you'd read what I'd read, it wouldn't comfort you, either.  Every day in my prayers I plead, "Don't take them out of the world, but keep them from the evil."  Messed up kids aside, though, I don't know that I could handle being my kids' teacher.  I couldn't be one of those home school moms who let their child decide what to learn all the time.  I'd have to have a curriculum, and I'd have to test my kids periodically to make sure they were holding their own with their peers.  But what curriculum would I use?  When I google home school curriculum, I get a bunch of religious stuff developed by women who don't even have math or science degrees.  That doesn't impress me much.  And BYU only has middle and high school courses.  On top of not knowing what to teach, I'm afraid I'd be a pretty ornery teacher, and ornery teachers don't really inspire a love of learning.  Could someone just tell me what to do?!  Heaven, give me a sign!  But not a sign that involves one of my kids having to deal with a 5-yr-old criminal, please.

Ah, I've just had my fix

Love that Downton Abbey.  Not that impressed with Mary's wedding dress.  Her evening gowns are much prettier.  She should have worn one of them.  I'm just glad Edith is finally going to get Lord Anthony, if he doesn't die first.

school observation, again

Just got back from spying on Claire.  She did all right, especially considering she has a cold.  Yesterday she did great, so maybe I won't have to give her support in class.  Her teacher was doing a very good job, too.  Of course, she knew I was watching.  But back when I watched without the teacher knowing (that's a long awkward story I don't want to relate), she did a good job, too.  We're so fortunate the kids have always had good teachers so far (knock on wood).

Good luck, kids!

Oh, boy.  I read through some more of Damon's social studies worksheets this morning.  I think Howard Zinn wrote the curriculum.  I wouldn't complain if he wrote half, and then someone with different opinions wrote the other half.  Then there could be a debate going on at school, and maybe even thinking.  "Don't believe everything you learn at school, Damon!"  "Okay, Mom."

Claire didn't do so hot on her goals last week.  If she doesn't reach her goals 4/5 days this week, she won't earn the gecko cage before Christmas break, which means loss of momentum and progress.  She probably needs more in-class support.  But, I have to have the permission of the principal to be that in-class support, and unfortunately, our school district superintendent, the guy who had my corner last year and helped me get Claire's aide in the classroom, is on paid leave and about to be fired, so if I have to go head-to-head with the principal again, it's going to be long (she avoids me like the plague) and probably ugly.  Going to the superintendent last year was effective, but it wasn't a good way to make friends, if you know what I mean.

But Anne's doing well.  Almost every day she gets of the school bus and says, "Today was a GREAT day!"  Although most mornings she begs to be home schooled...

(un)kindness begins with me

When Claire got up this morning Anne told her, "Your hair looks funny." 

I braced for a meltdown.  Claire doesn't deal well with comments like that.  But instead she replied, "Not as funny as your face."

I almost cheered!  This is a real breakthrough for her!  But then an hour later Damon was saying her name wrong to make her mad and she started crying.  I told her not to cry, but to say his name wrong back.

I hope the Lord will forgive me for teaching an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  I do plan to teach the higher law someday.  I just don't think we're ready for it yet.