It's hard work.

Homeschooling is hard. Whether you have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more children, it is hard. Anyone who says otherwise is a big, fat liar.

There are days I wistfully watch the schoolbus pulling away with our neighbors children and think, wouldn't it be easy to just let my kiddos join their friends? Yes it would. Then I could have a clean house. I could have everyone's drawers full of clean clothes. I could have time to make homemade bread and each meal from scratch. I know there are homeschool moms who can do all this. I am not one of them. I am not superwoman.

But I also know I don't want my 4th grader knowing about the birds and the bees, not just yet anyway. I don't want my kids coming home with language usually heard at bars. I don't want my children learning information to spit back out for a test only to forget it the next day after they've achieved an "A".

I love being with my kids. They are awesome. The things they come up with, whether it be legos or a drawing of a lion, it's incredible. But it is hard work. And it's the most rewarding work I've ever done or ever will do.

Seriously

It is 8:50 pm and Madison has just finished school today. We started at 10 am.

So over it.

So tired.

So ready for bed.

So don't want to do it again tomorrow.

So need to pray and ask God to forgive me for my rotten heart.

So thankful He will.

Homeschool Song

Sing this to the tune "I Will Survive"...

First I was afraid
I was petrified.
Kept thinking I could never teach
'Cause I'm not certified.
But we spent so many nights
Reteaching homework that was wrong.
I grew strong,
So now I teach my kids at home!

We study math
And outer space.
I just kept on despite the fear
With a big smile across my face.
I bought a set of Base Ten blocks.
I bought books with answer keys.
My parents think we're nuts,
But they don't even bother me.

Come on, let' s go,
Walk out the door.
We're on the road now,
'Cause we're not home much anymore .
My friends would laugh and say we'd be unsocialized.
I heard one mumble
That I'd give up by July.

Oh no, not I!
I will survive!
As long as I know how to read
I know we'll be alright.
I've got all my life to learn.
I've got energy to burn.
And I'll survive.
I will survive.

It took all the strength I had
Not to fall apart.
Decided to attend
A play date at the local park,
And I met oh so many moms
Who offered eagerly to help.
They used to cry.
Now they hold their heads up high,

And so do we!
My kids are cool!
They're not those chained up little people
Stuck inside at school.
So if you feel like dropping by
And just expect us to be free
You'd better call ahead first
'Cause we're probably busy!

Growing Pains

I was crying in the dressing room at Target today. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm not ashamed to admit that I had to control myself so I didn't disolve into a dripping sobbing mess. Or that it took a minute before my eyes were no longer red and I could leave the dressing room and allow other patrons to try on their potential purchases.

I could have been trying on a new pair of pants, a cute shirt, or (gasp) a bathing suit, and been shocked by how tightly my "old" size now fits. I only wish that were true!

Nope. I was crying because my BABY is now wearing a bra. A BRA PEOPLE!!! All you mothers of younger daughters take note. It's a tearful time. And yes, she was SOOO embarressed by me! Thank you very much!

Tell me it ain't so...

...that my daughter is "in love" with a rock star!

We're watching the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds 3D Concert on TV tonight. I'm shocked that she knows the words to EVERY song and is singing at the top of her voice. It's cute. Even if you can't really tell it's 3D with the cheap-o glasses she got free at Wally-Mart tonight with her Daddy.

Then (and this is where the world stands still) the JONAS BROTHERS come out!!! I think I've lost a little bit of my hearing what with her screaming unintelligable sounds of glee. Anyway, she's singing right along with them too, getting EVERY word...she doesn't have any of their music, so how she is able to accomplish this I have no idea. So, she's extremely happy and every so often gives little screams of delight. Then she and Marshall...who also has lost a little bit of his hearing...have this conversation:

Mad: There's Nick...I LOVE HIM!!

Mars: How can you love him? He's like 16.

Mad: He's only like 13.

Mars: Yeah, and you're what, 9?

Mad: So? That's only 4 years older. Daddy's 4 years older than Mommy and they love each other.

Mars: Yeah, but he doesn't know you.

Mad: Well that's a problem. I LOVE HIM!!! He's soooooo cute!!

Mars: (pauses for a moment) And to think you used to love Barney!

She's 9 going on 19...help me! Oh, and did I mention that ANY time she sees him on TV or any picture of him she wants me to confirm that he is TOTALLY CUTE AND ADORABLE?!

Kittens, kittens everywhere!!

I'm horrible at this blogging thing. I just can't seem to keep it going. It's not for lack of things to blog about. With 5 children I have WAY too much to blog about. I think maybe I'm intimidated by my blogger friends who seem to be able to effortlessly blog each and every day...some more than once a day...you know who you are Karen!! ;-)

Anyway, our cat had 5 kittens a few weeks ago and they are the most adorable things!! They are sweet and playful and I could eat up each and every one of them! They're still too little to leave their mama, but 2 are going next door to live (which makes Madison very happy that she can see them whenever she wants!!) and we are keeping 1. That leaves 2 more in need of a home. I've talked to some people and John even tried to give one as a 1st birthday present to Baby Kate. Her mommy...you know who you are Karen!!...said no.

Oh, and here's something almost unbelievable. There are alot of cats in the world, yes? Well, then why is it that 95% of the people I have talked to about getting a kitten say they are allergic? I find that statistically impossible. Some have even said "deathly allergic". I think they'd already be dead if they were truly deathly allergic. Cats are everywhere. And some of these "allergic people" have been in my house and (*gasp*!) touched our cats. Yet they continue to live. And those who didn't say deathly allergic didn't even sniffle or have their eyes water.

Things I Didn't Know Before I Was A Mom

*I didn't know I could "do my business" with the door open...every time.

*I didn't know I could survive on 30 minutes of sleep a night.

*I didn't know I could do 10 loads of laundry a day every day.

*I didn't know poop could be so colorful or a topic of conversation at dinner.

*I didn't know that kids could sleep on top of Hot Wheels and not feel them.

*I didn't know I would never again be able to take a shower in peace.

*I didn't know kids would eat anything if it's covered in either ketchup or ranch dressing.

*I didn't know that a 3 year old child could take up 99% of the room on a king size bed.

*I didn't know a child could produce so much snot in one blow.

*I didn't know a child could hold so much vomit.

*I didn't know a child could hold so much poop.

*I didn't know I could make the 5 mile trip to the hospital in 1 1/2 minutes at 2am.

*I didn't know how good a hug could feel.

*I didn't know I could love 5 little people so much.

Emma's Song

I overheard Emma in her room singing this little song...enjoy!


God loves me.
God loves me.
Even when I'm bad,
God loves me.
When I get dirty and mommy has to cut my fingernails to get the dirt out,
God loves me.
When I forget to pee and I pee in my pants,
God loves me.
I love God.
God loves me.
We are in love,
Oh, yes, we are in love.
I love God.
God loves me.
God, God, God.
Loves, loves, loves,
Me, me, me!

I'm figuring this out!!

Don't know how I'm doing it, but I've figured out how to put a whole bunch of stuff on my blog. As Madison would say, "Yea me!!"

I've been able to link to places I go, I added the little map thingy, and a counter at the bottom. I'm rockin' this tonight! Now if I could just figure out the picture thing, I'd be dangerous!

Good-night. I'm tired after all of this computer stuff.

Soooo, it's been a while!

Well, let's see. It's not that it's been boring around here, because it never is. I just haven't been feeling creative...sigh!

For the past two days we've had 8 children in our house. Some of our close friends were given the opportunity to go to Hawaii for 10 days, basically for free due to a timeshare that was paid for and frequent flyer miles they were able to use! We graciously agreed to help out with their kids while they are gone. I couldn't very well say no, they had helped watch ours while we went to NRB in Nashville, and it's HAWAII PEOPLE!!

It's been a lot of fun, although very hectic this morning as I was letting John sleep in...cause that's just how nice I am...and I was getting them all fed, dressed, shoes on, teeth brushed, and hair bows in 5 heads. By the time I got to Sunday School I was exhausted and hungry seeing as I had forgotten to eat myself...duh!

We went to the park this afternoon at Tribble Mill and had a fun time. I'm counting down the minutes until I can put the last four of them to bed...there's 3 minutes left of a Lego Star Wars video game for Marshall and Hogan and getting American Girl dolls into pj's for Madison and Gabby.

I'm tired.

My house is a WRECK.

Laundry has quadrupled.

There is standing water on the bathroom floor...I'm going to assume it's water.

I'd post some pictures, but I don't remember how and John's not here. He's at Starbucks...again, that's just how nice I am!!