Off the cuff...

No, this isn't a post about hemming pants.
though, being short, I probably could talk about that -- but I won't.

I've not posted in a while because I was writing something fictional. Which surprised me and turned out to be way more fun than writing about real life. Because well -- real life involved fractured elbows.

So I'm here to remind you that I'm alive and slowly making the rounds of my bloggy friends to catch up on what you're doing. AND trying to catch up on laundry.

I've figured something out over this last week -- or so. However long it took me to download my story from my brain. So -- to catch up, I thought I'd share.

What I figured out - I am totally dependent on BOTH of The Professor's elbows.
Because BOTH of his hands are necessary for this house to run smooothly when I'm in writing mode.

Snort. Who am I kidding?

They're needed ALL THE TIME.
To the women who have to do it all -- I'm really, really sorry.
I've had to do all the dishes. All the laundry. Even all the food cutting for dinner time.
Not to mention the OTHER stuff that .... well... involves cats. Buttons. Shoe laces.
The Professor's elbow is much better (thank you for asking) but it's still on a carefree - no stress restriction.

So after coming out of the writing mode... (Which included telling my invisible friends goodbye)
 .... looking around the house....my first reaction was, "Wow. This is an unholy mess of a mess."

It didn't help that the laundry baskets had been used to nap on by a creative Bubbles.
Or that,  well, I'll be honest here. If the dog or a sibling drops something on the floor, no other sibling will pick it up.

Though, some sweet moments have come from The Professor's elbow issues.
Mini-Me has stepped up to be very helpful.
G-man had some tough days at first. He was actually WORRIED about The Professor and acted out. Telling my mom "no" in rebellion.
The other kids ask about it - but don't go very deep.

We'll all be glad when the elbow released back to active duty.

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We had to have the toilet replaced.
The kids liked the plumber. He answered their questions.
ALL of their questions.

J-man announced to me "Mom! I was nice to our new potty. It's cute."
He's right - but other than slamming the toilet seat down - I don't remember him being mean to the other one.

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Mini-Me got put out with her brothers because they weren't playing with her. They were busy putting poppers on the counter and watching them spring up. We were at the doctor's office today for Bubble's four- year check up.

So to help make life better for her. I gave her my little MP3 player to listen to. It's a Sansa Clip. Little thing. Filled with random music. I found the Beatles' Help album and turned it on for her. She listened and has decided she wanted an MP3 player.

Her birthday isn't for some time yet.

And while I like the Clip...it's small and can't be expanded (There's no card slot). So being selfish, I went looking for an upgrade for ME. I found one in the Sansa Fuze. So I ordered it, letting MIni-Me know she could have the Clip.  AFTER my new one came.

Mini-Me asked if we could add more music to the MP3 player that is destined for her. Sure!! Why not.
So we loaded some songs for her. We loaded Sandra Boynton's Philadelphia Chickens and Blue Moo. Then She asked... SHE ASKED for Project's Winter in June to be added.

Be Still my heart.

And this collection of Indian music we found at Barnes and Noble.

At times... I just adore my kids more than other times. Like those times when I merely tolerate them.
Like Saturday when there was break from the bickering or bossing or b.....you get the idea.

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I love friends who are willing to go on experiments with you. (Like reading stuff you've written)
(Which makes you all rocking - just for reading THIS!)

and awesome friends who tell you things that you need to hear.

Like the time I told someone: I'm becoming a cat person.
and my friend said "you already were"


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I'll get off the cuff now.
I'm taking the Professor on a date tomorrow night.
Gotta find some place elbow friendly to take him.

School is never dull...

Except when it is.

I wish I could find that groove that I've been wanting since we began the school year.
It's one of the areas of life that seems to be constantly brought to my mind's eye with the accusation that I'm failing. The professor has been quite steady through it all.

"We'll get there."

I've had day-mares that we've had to send the kids to school and they didn't know anything about anything. And i failed them. It's not a pretty day-mare at all.

Sometimes they just outnumber me. Their needs, wants, whines, bickerings...add to that the house issues of dishes, plumbing, laundry, potty issues, attitudes... Yeah. I get to feeling outnumbered.

Then there are the times when they get it.

They might get it in an odd sort of way - but they get it.

"Mom. The spartans were barbarians." Says a very indignant Mini-Me. "The Penguins of Madagascar would fit right in, though. Since they think 'a friend is an enemy that hasn't attacked you yet'."

I'm still struggling with the whole "write a report" thing in a homeschool setting. Our curriculum schedules them in. I never liked them when I was doing this - never saw the point. Still don't. It didn't stop me from "getting it" when I was taking classes in college. So I'm debating whether or not I should push the whole report thing with the kids. Especially since most formal writing is met with great gnashing of teeth.

Mini-Me's report subject?? Captain Edward J. Smith. Captain of the Titanic.

How many books does our library have on the doomed captain?? NONE.

"Hey, mom" - says G-man, "I read in my health book about manners. I'm not supposed to eat with my fingers." 

I'm raising esoteric and random children.

I guess that should count for something. :-)

Mini-me is learning the states and capitals.

Never Know what the day will bring....

 

I never know who's coming to school. 

Big Kid Now

 

J-man lost his first tooth. (He'll be six in April)

Another one is quite Wiggly. REALLY REALLY wiggly ... but he's not ready to pull it. 

He would wiggle it and then come back for me to tug on it.

We finally got it out. He was very brave and determined.

He was given the tooth bounty. 

(The tooth fairy doesn't visit us - because I'm short and we had/have bunk beds)

What I wasn't expecting was the rite of passage loosing his first tooth would be.

I was talking to the eldest two kids, "I want you big kids to unload the dishwasher."

J-man looked at me, "Are you talking to me, too?"

Yup. He's a big kid now.