Day 203 Ov-er-whelm-ing

That's the word for today (actually yesterday, I was so overwhelmed I couldn't even blog).  You can blame the new school's schedule or request for parental involvement.  Maybe it's a normal load, but to this stay at home hermit mama, it's a really big adjustment.  Homeshoolers covet their freedom from a school schedule, so it will take me a bit to understand and grasp this new concept.  Plus teen drama.  Plus normal drama of 4 kids.  Yup, overwhelming.  We did have some great moments, too.  And Jared is doing ok in Austria.  Jared's allergies are really flaring though.  But he's enjoying himself none the less.  Love that guy!

Let's review some pictures to remember what happened yesterday:

Justin's art using the cooking spray.  Sidenote: Jared keeps telling me to get rid of this pan because it's warped, but it was my parents' frying fan and perfectly fits 4 hamburgers or 4 pancakes.  Nostalgia wins...for now. 

Benaiah had one of his best friends over today and can you guess what they did? Lego, talked Minecraft, and goofed off.  I'm proud of Justin because he bought this particular set as a late birthday present for his friend out of his own money.  Could we have helped him buy it? Sure.  But it was his choice.  And it wasn't a small set either.  Justin is a very generous giver of affection and gifts.

10 guesses as to what Keturah is watching, and the first 9 don't count! Punky Brewster Season 2.  We found it at the library.  I think I have seen all the episodes multiple times.  And I still think Punky is ultra cool.  I even call Abishai Punky Brewster because he's so funny!

A little Star Wars chess.  But they actually played with the figures too.

They were going up and down the hallway pretending to be Pokemon.

Abishai was all set for the pool but insisted he bring the white shoes with him.  I found a box of 12 month boys' clothes that I had a feeling I had been missing, and in it, were Benaiah's first shoes! I'm glad Abishai likes them and they do fit.  So now I'm desparately having Abishai the rest of the 12 months clothes at least once so I can get pics of him in them.  Yes, I'm that kind of nostalgic mom.

I find it so interesting that when we come to the park, there is so much diversity.  And yet, we are all just moms and dads and kids having a good time.  Justin and his friend played with the black kid in orange shorts most of the hr that we were there.  They would even embrace like for a hug so that they could all get splashed with the same water from that red bucket you see.  You see, all lives matter.  Period. 

Abishai slid down this slide all by himself!  Sometimes feet first on his tummy, sometimes on his back, and sometimes with his head first!

Silly times with Grandpa while Mom and Benaiah went to their school meeting.

Oh that hair!

Please note that I am extremely careful with cords and the kids.  I watched a video a couple months ago about how a kid got tangled up in the string of a mini window blind.  It scares me a ton.  So, they are always supervised and we never let the fun go for more than a couple of minutes.  But he does love wrapping cords around his neck, especially from headphones.

We got home super late at 10pm, so Keturah and Justin were asleep soon after we got home.  Abishai on the other hand, rolled around for another 1/2 hr.  What a goof!  And he's the best snuggler ever!  By the way, Keturah chooses to sleep on the floor next to Abishai just because she can.  She also uses her loft bed as her private space to read and color and doesn't want to take all that down every day.  Again, each to their own.