The Homeschool Mother's Journey...v1

I'm becoming slightly addicted to the blogging world of link-ups and memes (pronounced like dreams).  I love that they give me a place to start when it comes to writing.  Although, I'm pretty good at spitting out enough words (notice I didn't say good words) to fill a blog space, I'm horrible when it comes to thinking of fresh ideas. 

I came across The Homeschool Mother's Journey meme on one of the 5 billion homeschool blogs I follow.  And since "real" school has officially ended, I've decided to start calling myself a homeschooling mommy.  It's my school and I can call myself what I want to!  :)   In my defense, we have been doing some schoolwork, so I am technically teaching!

If you want to join in on this meme, head over to The Homeschool Chick for The Homeschool Mother's Journey.  She's provided some fun questions to answer each week!

 

In my life this week…

We're trying to settle into a summer groove.  This week has been a bad example of how weeks to come will go.  Tuesday was truly the only uneventful day we had.  The rest of the week we had some friends come over to play, I was finally able to take Bright Eyes to have his speech evaluated (he passed!), and then we had family in town for an evening.  I'm truly hoping that next week is more of a "normal" week, and we'll be able to get on schedule.

In our homeschool this week…

We're focusing this summer on math and reading...especially on reading.  If you know me even a little, you know that I'm ridiculous when it comes to planning.  The summer schedule is a pretty crazy example of that.  It's color coded and time stamped!  I'm insane, I know!  But so far, so good!  The boys alternated between working with me on their bookwork and doing their lessons on the computer.  And our sweet Sunshine was very sweet to us and slept until 9 each morning allowing us lots of time to finish things!

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

This question stinks!!  Today, I should be lounging poolside with my best friend enjoying her husband's famous mojitos.  But, I'm too chicken to be too far from the hospital in case Bright Eyes has a relapse, so here I sit...on my couch!  I guess it turned out okay, because Sunshine has come down with some sort of illness and keeps spiking a fever.  That would have been zero fun at the beach.  We did have some special visitors yesterday and today...Gramma, Bop-Bop, and Aunt C!

My favorite thing this week was…

Ultreya!  Without question....have YOU thought about going on a Cursillo weekend?????

What’s working/not working for us…

I'm absolutely loving Saxon math.  The meeting is wonderful!  I was surprised to find that Zep really didn't understand the whole month/year/date thing.  The rest of the lesson is incredibly easy, so I'm really glad we're beginning it early.  Hopefully, by the time we start learning new material it'll be just about time to kick-off the new school year.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Poor Bop-Bop thought he was going out to enjoy some quiet time with his newspaper and coffee!!  Two little boys thought it would be fun to follow suit! 

Small Successes v1

In the past, Faith and Family Live has hosted a link-up each Thursday called Small Successes.  Recently, Sherry, over at Chocolate For Your Brain, has taken on the hosting roll!  I've been stalking several bloggers who regularly take part in this link-up, and have loved the concept and loved reading the things they've shared. 

In the busy world of mommy hood, rarely do we take time to pat ourselves on the back for things that we have been able to accomplish.  These especially include...the little things.  I don't know about you girls, but sometimes the only success I feel in a day is that I've managed to wipe the kitchen counters clean, about 50 times!

I, too often, spend all my time hashing over the things I screwed up each day...and believe me, there's a whole lot of hashing to do on that subject!!  But, I really think it's more important to reflect back on our week and see what good we were able to do.  This can include extra time spent with the kids, fitting an extra decade of the rosary into the day, finishing a great book, or just finally getting to bed at a reasonable hour.  This is what Small Successes is all about.  Simply three things you've succeeded at!

So, excuse me now while I toot my own horn a bit!  :)

•  Last year the boys and I decided to do a wildflower garden just outside our back porch.  We threw down some seeds, covered the area with dirt, and watered it when the thought crossed our minds.  The window beyond the kitchen table soon became my favorite place to sit.  I was able to admire our garden from there.  Every day dozens of butterflies would visit our garden as well as several hummingbirds.  I promised the boys that we'd plant another garden this year.  This week we finally did!  I loaded up the kids and made the trip to Home Depot.  Hopefully, in a couple weeks we'll have an assortment of beautiful flowers growing once again!
• About five years ago, my neighbor introduced me to the concept of once a month cooking.  It intrigued me but never enough for me to try it.  I think with our first year of homeschooling creeping up on us, I'm desperate to make things as simple as possible around here.  So, I borrowed my neighbors book and went to work creating my first once a month cooking shopping list.  I finished purchasing everything today.  This weekend will be a marathon of cooking as I attempt to cook and freeze 27 meals!  I'm praying this works well.  Do you know how wonderful it would be to not have to cook a meal every single evening????
• And lastly, I managed to make it through Zep's graduation ceremony without a COMPLETE breakdown.  There was definitely a breakdown, it just wasn't completely horrible!  I can't believe he's big enough to be in 1st grade now.  Plus I had the added emotion of saying goodbye to teachers (especially the pre-K ones) and knowing that this would be the last time I would share these sort of memories with my best friends.

If you'd like to toot your horn a bit too, join the link-up over at Chocolate For Your Brain!!

A Wednesday Morning Blessing...

I've had a rough couple of days.  My emotions are all over the place.  Thankfully, I was able to call a good friend to just sit with me on Monday.  And then yesterday, I totally lost my cool and went on a rampage.  Thankfully, again, I was able to attend our monthly Ultreya last evening.  The peace that all my wonderful Cursillo sisters and brothers provide me is unmeasurable! 

I wish I could put my feelings into words.  I'm overwhelmed.  I look at my son, and from the surface, he looks fine.  But I know that inside that beautiful little boy is a heart that is damaged.  I'm constantly searching every inch of his body for rashes or signs that the disease has returned.  The poor kid!  I'm sure if I ask to look at his bottom or stick out his tongue one more time he's going to start screaming at me.  Thankfully, we'll be able to see his cardiologist next week to see if the condition of his left coronary artery has changed any.  We're praying that all has returned to normal.  If so, I think we can move on with our lives with just the precaution of a heart healthy diet and a watchful eye of arthritic pain.  It's obviously not the life you want for any of your children, but we'll take whatever we can get.

God gave me a special blessing this morning when I turned on the radio.  I needed to hear this today.  I needed to be reminded that it's okay to be sad and upset.

When listening to the song it also reminded me of a fellow mommy friend of mine who is also going through some tough stuff with her own son who was recently diagnosed with Type I diabetes.  So, YankeeBelle, this is for you too!

Chronicles of a soon-to-be homeschooling mom...v3

Tomorrow Zep will take his walk down the aisle of the church and "officially" graduate from Kindergarten.  I've been anxiously awaiting this day for the last several months.  The day when I'm no longer rushing to school in the morning, rushing home in the evening, and trying somewhere in there to connect with my kids.  And now the day is upon me...and I'm scared &*"#*$&#!!! 

I've watched the Facebooks posts: 

What am I going to do with my kids home ALL summer!
I can't believe my preschooler will be gone all week next year!
We're so excited for the break during the summer!

I'm not much of a status Facebooker; I much prefer to stalk other's status' instead.  If I were to type up a status today it would read something like...

Starting tomorrow what in the world am I going to do with my children until they go to college??  They're really going to be with me EVERY SINGLE DAY??!!!  Will I ever get a break again??

Scared = Me!!  I've heard that the first year is the hardest.  Sticking through that year will be the determining factor on how well this will work for me.  I'm getting rid of all the uniforms, and I've already spent an arm and a leg at IKEA, so we have no choice but to make homeschooling work.  Plus, all those wonderful ladies at the convention pretty much made me feel guilty to ever want to part with my children again!!!  Not to mention the books I've read in support of homeschooling.  I feel like the apostles after first seeing Jesus resurrected..suddenly my eyes were opened!  I know that this is for the long haul.  We previously thought we'd think about high school when we got there.  But even now, I kinda think they'll stay home then as well.  Heck, if we've made it that far...why not continue!!

Besides being scared, I'm excited!!  I can't wait to watch my children learn.  Zep has gotten into this reading kick lately.  All he wants to do is sit in my lap and read to me.  And not to brag or anything (okay, maybe I'm bragging a little), but he's pretty dang good!  It makes my heart sing to hear him read.  I'm excited to become a part of the wonderful Catholic homeschooling group in our area.  I've already met some incredibly faithful women.  I can't wait to learn from them and feed off their Jesus vibes!

So, tomorrow...I'll probably cry.  A lot of the friends I've made at our school will become distant memories.  With four weekend Masses, we're very likely to miss one another.  The dreams that I once had for my children have changed.  Their friends will change, as will mine.  Although scared and excited, I'm ready.  I'm ready for the new adventure..the one that waits beyond the Kindergarten graduation!

Intro to Weightloss Wednesday

A blogger "friend" of mine has decided to start up a weight loss "support group" through the blogging world.  Since, I'm already a huge fan of her blog and read it daily, I thought, "what the heck!"  I've been struggling with my weight since college.  I clearly remember being determined to be below 130 for my wedding day.  I'm pretty sure I didn't make that.  Oh, how I'd give now to be anywhere near the 130s.

After three babies and complete laziness, it's time to get my rear in gear.  About 3 years ago, I had managed to get to a very, very low 117.  My methods were completely unorthodox and should have landed me in a clinic.  I have no desire to be that low again, but anything in the 120s would be fab!! 

Before our Kawasaki's showdown, I had managed to take off about 10 pounds, but then put it all back on (plus some) with crummy hospital food and all the wonderful goodies left by friends. 

Today was a new start.  I made it up in time to get 30 minutes on the elliptical in, and I've yet to eat any of the sugary goodness piled in my the house!!   We'll see how it goes!  If you'd like to play along, visit my friend over at A Mother's Heritage to link up!

Part of the Weightloss Wednesday Linkup

We're getting in the limo...

I was just reminded that, unless you can read my Facebook page, you probably have no idea that WE'RE HOME!!!!  The rest of the next 5 weeks will be about healing our little boy.  He'll need to gain his strength back and take an aspirin regimen to reduce the swollen artery in his heart.  Hubby and I both feel great about where Bright Eyes health is at this moment.

So, for now folks, we're moving on....

I've put together a weekly schedule for our summer, and we're going to start homeschooling officially tomorrow!  Yes, we will be one of those crazy families that continues to school though out the summer break.  Don't judge me yet though!!!  We'll JUST be doing some basic phonics and math work.  Tops...an hour a day! 

We're ready to put this last couple weeks behind us, rejoice in all of God's graces, and move on to the wonderful life that is ahead of us!

As we walked out of the hospital today, a beautiful little girl was being pushed out in wheelchair.  She had lost all of her hair, so I'm sure she had been suffering from cancer.  Awaiting her in the driveway was a white stretch limousine.  From the people talking, I gathered that she was finally in remission and this was her congratulatory drive home.  That limo was the beginning of her new life, without illness.

The Heart of the Home limo takes off tonight!!!  Thanks again to EVERYONE for EVERYTHING!  I would send out thank you cards, but I'm sure I would forget someone.  Please know that hubby and I have been so incredibly humbled by all the love we have received.  We can only pray that we have the opportunity to pass it on to the next person/persons in need!  Love you all!

Just another day at the hospital...

I'm starting to really figure out my new "home away from home."  I've got most of the rules down, and can find all the necessary places in the hospital.  This really is the greatest hospital.  They have so many activities for the kids, and (overall) the staff is pretty incredible!

But...regardless of how wonderful it is...I WANT TO GO HOME!!!  And it looks like that may happen tomorrow at some point.  The doctors came in at lunch and verified that all of his symptoms were either gone or almost gone.  His ECHO from yesterday showed no additional damage to his heart (Praise God!).  The only symptom that really seems to be hanging around is his inability to walk around very much.  His little legs just hurt.  So, he's been riding in a wagon through the halls.  We visited the game room, where I finally kicked his booty in air hockey, and we stopped by the activity room and painted a few pictures.  We even had a lunch date in the cafeteria.

As long as things remain the same, we'll be released tomorrow.  And then we'll pray that the symptoms don't return again at home.  If they do, the doctors said something about doing yada, yada, yada or maybe blah, blah, blah.  Yeah, I think I just didn't hear all the "ifs."  I'll worry about the "ifs" IF the need arises!

Bright Eyes wants to send a shout-out to all his homies in PreK!  He hopes that the Mass and celebration were fun today, and he misses everyone very much!!