Each day for the last week I’ve planned to “take” some types of learning tests about my kids & I.  I haven’t tried this since they were too little to really answer for.  I figured I’d like to see how the curriculum I’m planning to make use of fits {or not} before starting.

Well, you learn really interesting things when you check some of those things out —  I’ve always known I had to see it, hear it, & do it in order to “get it”.  So what did I learn?  I learned we are all visual learners; Christine and I were really close with Kinesthetic & Visual and Auditory was no where close. {her: strongest in Visual; me: strongest in Kinesthetic} Vince was so strong in Visual that it was 19 points to Auditory for him, and almost no Kinesthetic.  Interesting.  I love this kind of thing.  What will I do with the info?  I.have.no.idea.  However, I do have a little more understanding of what those three terms mean now. 😀

For example:  I know now why I frustrated Vince soooo much when he was in Kindergarten {uh, yes that was 10 years ago!}, oh bless our contact teacher’s heart for stopping me.  She did it so lovingly I didn’t even know I was the problem.  She blessed our family with the gift of continuing homeschooling because she encouraged me to let him be.  Let him learn by what he is interested in.  I was “doing” Thomas Jefferson education before it was the popular way of doing things.  Much to the dismay & speculation of many around me.  I’m here at the other end to tell you – IT WORKS!  Because I restrained myself, he doesn’t hate school.  Because I didn’t force what he “had” to learn, he wants to learn.  Christine isn’t quite to the wanting to learn stage, she’d still draw and listen to stories.all day.every day.  However, she doesn’t have a ton of self-discipline…so we’re working on character building.  Some days, that just looks like — “is this the best use of time?”  Also, I’m super excited to use Well-Planned Day’s software this year.  I anticipate a whole lot less of my asking, “did you finish…?” – because they’ll have the power to pre-answer me by finishing & checking it off……oh, I love lists. 😀

So….a little bit of update since I wrote the above.  Vince is totally into his education this year. It is awesome! We have a new member of the family {more on this later}. The schedule for the school year includes 3 music lessons, 2 youth groups, 1 math class, 1 science class, 1 gymnastics class, and I’m in a Bible Study this fall. We are running. A lot. {Even with 2 piano lessons & the science class here at the house.} This is way more than I like for us being scheduled, but that is the time of life we’re in I guess.  We’ll see what next semester will hold – I believe we’ll be down the extra math class.  We’ll still be out 2 nights/week and everything other week is 3 nights out. I’m a serious home body, this has been an adjustment for me.

These are good pics of each of “my” kiddos this year. I love them so much. So much it hurts. I know there are not such great days, but in the grand scheme of life – do all those petty issues really matter? I am reminded again, how very fortunate we are.

We have a warm house.

We have food on the table/in the fridge/pantry.

I have a reliable van, and gas in the van.

We have our family.

Yes, we have so very much to be thankful for. There are so many things in the wings I can’t wait to share, but I have to wait for the right time….

I can say I have decided to drop the idea of having a web design business – I HATE the technical side. I just want to do the design part. I broke down & just bought a theme, rather than trying to figure out how to edit the original one I bought {that I really didn’t like, but thought I’d be able to edit}. I’m still doing lots of messing around with the looks {why are there double headings?!!!!} & cleaning up all the posts converted over from Blogger — that whole category vs tag thing, what a mess!

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I have been reading up on all the Back-to-School ideas and organization goings on – I have to admit, it makes my fingers & brain itchy with the want to get going.  However, we are going to wait until Sept 4th to even consider starting {especially since I haven’t actually planned out the year yet}.  For our local school district, school starts on Thursday (as in day after tomorrow, the 16th).  We are waiting until AFTER the campaign is over {as of this writing: 13days 20hrs 45min 30sec’s until the polls close on August 28th, thank-you-very-much-for-asking}; then my son will go moose hunting; then we’ll start school.  Good thing too,  I have a few things to figure out first, though…such as, how I’m going to rearrange the living room to accommodate growing bodies, changing desires, and comforts?  So they don’t have to look at each other. feel each other. smell each other. hear each other breathe. Ack!

So, while my brain & fingers itch to get started, there are a few logistics that have to happen first, at least to some degree.  Maybe not totally finished, but at least an idea.  Please?!  These days are going way too quickly and are just too full to tear into my house and not be able to move around.  I have piles and piles and piles of paper stuff all around me — all of it is vertically filed on horizontal surfaces {yes, that is plural – my desk, the console table to the left of my desk, the top of the back of the couch on the right of my desk, and the floor behind the couch, under the console table & directly behind me}!  As long as no one touches anything {the concern here is my mother & 2.5 yr old niece! :-D}, I can pretty much put my hands on what I’m looking for nearly instantaneously….

Just. don’t. mess. with. my. system – ‘cuz then it might be an hour or more!

So, what are we planning for our school room?  We do school in the living room.  In this living room we do homeschool, it is my office for working, and we eat in here {more on this later}.  So – we do a lot of living in our 15’x15′ living room.

So far for the upcoming year, I have my Well-Planned Day purchased {not figured out or filled in yet, but I’m good, I still have 3 wks…..}; I need to figure out where Vince & Christine will be doing school & keep stuff put away in a manor we all enjoy looking at and is easily accessible – all day, every day, in the living room.  I know neither will be using the same set up as last year.  The chair Vince sat in last year won’t work, he had the nerve to grow too tall to use it.  {now, where is it going to go?  It’s too cute [shh-don’t tell him] to get rid of}.  Christine never actually sat at the roll-top desk I made room for in my living room…little things like that :-D. Christine has a new, cute chair towards this solution – do you see the pretty blue & green flowers?  It is a chair she can fold up and it can slide behind our bedroom door, or she can sit in the bedroom & use it if she needs a change of scenery {which she needs frequently}.  See that bookshelf with.all.the.stuff.on top?!…there are two end-to-end under the window & they are full of books.  Those aren’t even the “school” books, just the reference & reader type of books.  Our school stuff is in the closet in the bedroom.

Disclaimer:  Yes, I’m using an old photo from an old post…while it is still kind of like this, right now I can’t walk to the end of this closet – there is no way I’m taking a current picture! 😀 {just keeping it honest}….

Up until just a couple days ago, I was gearing up to move everything out of the closet because Christine is really wanting her own room.  Honestly, I was dreading the idea-she would have had no space even though I was going to build her something, but it wouldn’t have been more than a bench – she was thrilled with the idea.  The next night, after a particularly crushing evening, she decided maybe she was fine with sharing a room with me after all.  She was concerned she wouldn’t like sleeping in her own room.  I love my girl.  So glad that was her decision, but I still would like to figure out a way for her to have more of her own space. {sigh}

In spite of all my sarcastic remarks, I want to state something very clearly – I am so very blessed.  I just can’t say it enough.  I’m so thankful to have a roof over our heads, warmth for the upcoming winter, and the “issues” I’ve listed are so petty in the grand scheme of life.  I have two children who want to homeschool (in 7th & 9th grades) and who want to spend time with me, and who I want to spend time with.  Can it get any better than that?

Thanks for reading – go check out the “Not” Back-to-School Blog Hop at iHomeschool Network.  I know this is a site I’ll be checking in again.

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Five Minute Friday: Change

Start

Wow!  Change is the word for this week.  I can actually really relate to this word – this is a week of huge CHANGE for us.  I have been managing a political campaign this summer.  It has sucked the summer away.  I don’t particularly enjoy politics, but it was for my dad.  Of course, when I agreed to be the Campaign Manager we thought he’d be unopposed.  We weren’t.  24 hours from the cut off someone signed up. on the same ticket.  This meant we had an opponent and it was all or nothing, to be over on the 28th of this month.  Phew!  So many changes & lessons learned.  Primary is over. We won.  Campaign is essentially done.  Now the real change starts.  I have started Twitter, Instagram, and Google + in the last month.  I have left everyone hanging.  I actually hate change.  Even though our schedule has been insane, it became comfortable.  Now we start school. Start my business for real.  Continue the 2 new jobs I started on top of the managing in the last month.  Yes, change is on my horizon.  Not in the distance any longer, but now.

Stop

Yea, it’s time for Five Minute Friday and I get to participate!!  I get to participate because of all the CHANGE happening in our lives right now. It is poorly written & I’m sure doesn’t make much sense, but I’m getting to participate – because of CHANGE.  I did it though, I left all my editing mistakes – {man is that hard!}  However, I want to go back & highlight a couple things I wrote…

I hate change.                                                                                                                                {you have no idea how much this is a struggle for me}

Campaign for the Primary Election is over!                                                                {this is such a relief, as in mind numbing thankfulness to not be 150% focused on what had to be done yesterday! There were a few times I tried to make a list of all accomplished tasks for the day, it depressed/distracted me so much about half way through, I had to quit.  I couldn’t stomach seeing it all written in one place.}

We won said Primary!!!                                                                                                             {we did it [squeal!!!]  We were to the point we were all individually content with whatever God’s best plan was for our family.  We knew win or lose He is in control, we were mightily relieved by this fact.  But, we are soooo relieved it is over!}

We are going to start homeschooling soon.                                                                       {but I just ordered the kids’ math today.  I have most everything else already, just need to get the paperwork portion down. and learn My Well Planned Day. and get everything input into it.}

I have two new jobs                                                                                                                {one proofreading, one design related – totally excited about them both}

Life has been insanely busy & I’m ready for the change of slowing down.     {I’m so excited to start doing more here with the blog & designing, getting homeschool & our “real” schedule under way, sewing, reading, and going to bed before 1:30AM!}

I am linking up to Five Minute Friday at Lisa-Jo Baker, tales from a Gypsy Mama, come join the fun!

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I’m feeling the urge to explain my header photo…  Several summers ago (July 2009), my cousins were here for a wedding.  We went hiking in the mountains/valley nearby; we were eighteen bodies and five carloads to get there (I think, if I remember right).  We were not quiet as we walked.  It was a summer that allergies were really reeking havoc on my body.  The dirt trail was killing my feet.  As we walked we came upon this sight.  When I saw how it was a rough path with a smooth spot, then rough again, and how I couldn’t see around the corner; it immediately made me think of how when we’ve chosen Christ to be Lord of our lives, He promises He will always direct our paths, and He will protect us every step of the way.  He will never fail us.  At the time I had no idea what lay ahead.  None.  {It’s a really good thing too!  I could not have handled the knowledge.  He is so faithful.}

Interestingly, just over a year ago I wrote a “post“.  This post was on balance, I was feeling very off-kilter.  In looking back over the last year – it.has.been.AMAZING!  A year like no other, a year I could have never imagined, one probably not soon (or ever?) to be repeated.

That post was written at a time of reflection after having put my kids “into” school.  (In August 2010 I enrolled them into a local charter school.)  It was one of the hardest things I had ever done.  I felt nearly crushed to pieces, hard to breathe type of crushing, every morning I dropped them off. {I did not let them know this – I would hold it together with LOTS of prayer until they got out of the car.  Then I’d bawl my eyes out as I drove home.}  Right after Christmas break, we (the kids & I) decided for them to come back home.  While I do not regret having had them “in school” for those five months, there are at times still issues that come up as a direct result of things learned I would have chosen to protect my children from.

When I wrote the post in February, we were still trying to find our balance; the changes were still relatively recent.  A year later, many adventures later, much family time later, more mistakes later – and when I read that post, it is still as true as if I’d just written it. {sigh} At this point, I’m choosing to turn to the Father and say, “Lord, You’re reasoning is perfect.  I don’t understand why, but it isn’t important for me to understand why.  It is important for me to trust You.  So I am going to.”

I’m in the midst of way too many decisions.  Some big.  Some small.  I’m fighting fear over circumstances – which brings me back to just a couple days ago and “the faith to not have fear“.  All of these circumstances can tempt me to get sidetracked wondering – did I not learn anything over this last year?  As I prepared a recent Captivating post, I was reminded of this truth:

“An intimate relationship with Jesus is not only for other women, for women who seem to have their acts together, who appear godly and whose nails are nicely shaped.  It is for each and every one of us.  God wants intimacy with you.  In order to have it, you, too, must offer it to him. (page 122,Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge)

Oh, how this makes me thankful.  No matter how many mistakes I make, God, my Heavenly Father, wants simple, intimate relationship with me.  It’s isn’t only for those look like they have it all together.

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I took my son to get his driving permit.  He wanted to get it while he was still 14.  He had been studying faithfully, but I didn’t know his desire until last weekend.  The morning was insane, we didn’t get out of the house to head to the DMV until 1pm.  I was concerned because history has proven the later in the day you go, the longer you wait in line.  However, God was so good! {of course!}  We got our ticket and only had to wait for 4 people in front of us.  We went in, he took his test {passed!}, got the permit and walked out within 30 minutes.  Thank you Lord!

The next day he turned 15…..wait.what!  My boy is 15!1. We started the day making a radio ad for my dad. {remember that campaign thing I told you about? ya, it doesn’t care what the date is…}  2. Vince’s desire for his birthday was to go shooting & fishing. Right after making the radio ad we went to the archery range where Vince & Christine got to shoot for an hour.  3. Vince showing Christine how to hold a larger bow.  Her bow was too small & he’d brought two.  4. See that angled piece of 2×4?  Ya, guess who forgot the spatula to flip the burgers…  5. Vince getting to use his waders & fish in a creek.  6. See Vince’s fly rod?  He made that!  In Feb. 2011 he took a class and made it.  He was the only kid in the class, but he still loved every moment of making is own 1st fly rod.  7. My horribly ugly attempt at making an angry birds cake.  I hated this year’s busyness & lack of being about to do better.  First Christine made a gluten-free carrot cake, Vince wasn’t sure he was impressed :-D.  So, I bought a carrot cake, we pulled the frosting carrots off, and “decorated” it.  Not pretty, but it got the point across.  We had angry bird plates to eat dinner & smaller ones for cake.  8. This would be the path we drove into our picnic spot.  See that “dip-up”, ya – with my minivan.  I followed the step van in – not sure my dad realized how much lower my van was.  But, we still made it in – 4by’ing isn’t a normal activity for me, especially NOT in my van. 😀  9. The stream I crossed with my van….  10. Fireweed.  Let me tell you a few things about fireweed. First, it is our state flower.  Second, {fact/myth/reality} it is said, as the summer progresses, the fireweed blooms upward.  When it gets to the top, our summer is over.  uhhh, this one had less than an inch to go.  This is not encouraging; I believe you could count our sunny days on less than the fingers on both hands.  Third, I am allergic to it & this means I need to start taking allergy preventing stuff. Already.  11. The view on our drive home.  Look how the sun shines through the clouds over the mountains.  So pretty!  We are so blessed to live in such a beautiful state!!!! 

Another day Vince & I went to high school orientation.  Did you {hear} that?!  How on earth did we get to high school??????!!!!!!  I am super excited Vince wants to home school AND he has an interest in the classes he’ll take and mapping out his high school years.  I don’t mean this to sound prideful, but I am so thankful he is such a good kid.  I know it is only by the grace of God.  I also know that because God gave us freewill it can change at any moment.  Vince is thoughtful towards and kind to others.  He enjoys politics – the political system – the process of campaigning, elections, state government, and federal government.  It will be interesting to see what comes of this interest.

Another day was 19 hours long!  It included three trips into town, with one trip out being 12.5 hours long.  {My goal most days is to not leave the house, and if I do – only once for a couple hours.}  It was a day of campaign, life, friendships, and design work.  It was long, but good.  I even got a couple hours at a bookstore, all by myself.

My brain has been in denial ALL week – driving permit, 15, and high school orientation.  All in the same week!  Isn’t there supposed to be some kind of break between such huge milestones?  {UGH}  Is it any wonder I am exhausted at this end of the week?  I am still hanging onto the following verses.  I have emphasized for what they mean to me.  I am so comforted to know He already has a plan for each of us – and that plan is for our best.  Also, that He listens when we call on Him and pray.  And – the best.  He promises when we seek Him with all our heart, we will find Him.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29:11-13

Today has been spent working to figure out more WordPress, and taking in a campaign picnic – in the dumping rain.  So, there you go – that is a surface level recap of my last week.  I am tired, but He has a plan!

**I have to add I am horrified with the events in Aurora, Colorado.  I’m not trying to ignore what has happened; there just isn’t anything more to say.  My heart aches for the families whose lives have been forever changed.  I hope & pray this tragedy will be what it takes to put many on their knees before Christ.  That those who haven’t before bowed their knee or accepted Christ as their personal Savior, will see the fragility of life and chose to turn to Christ.  I have to cling to and believe what I know that I know – He has a plan, He will be glorified.  Even when it doesn’t make sense in my mind.  **

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