Year 2, Day 275: Flexibility, or the Lack Thereof

Ok, I'm the inflexible one right now, and I'm going to try write a positive blog post, but if I slip into some negativity, please bear with me.  This blog is all about the journey, and sometimes, different parts of the journey are tougher than others, and the hikers on that journey have mountains and valleys they go through.  I'm still working through my valley.  So, moving on.

Flexibility.  Thank goodness kids are flexible.  I've decided to tweak our homeschooling schedule AND curriculum. I think this is the first time where I have had the confidence to just up and change something midstream and not worry about the continuity between books.  I'll try to be quick here, but I want to write down our homeschooling journey, too, since our days mostly consist of that.  So, I am splitting up our "together subjects."  I will work with Keturah in the morning while Justin is doing his independent work and/or helping with Abishai.  Then I'll switch and go over Justin's work and Keturah will do some independent things.  Because of her eye sight issue, Keturah's work is taking longer and her penmanship has taken a nosedive.  So, I have to rethink how much writing I can require from her.  I decided to switch Justin's grammar practice to something simpler, and yet effective.  I'm loving the ease of Keturah's "Fix It Grammar" book from IEW, so I purchased book 4 and 5 in the series for Justin.  We'll have to play a bit of catch up in terminology, but that's fine.  I was looking for some hands on activities to do with our human anatomy study that wasn't the typical "let's test our senses" and came across a blog that mentioned a curriculum I actually have!  So, I pulled that out and yes, it's a bit simpler and has the kind of activities I was thinking of, like assembling the layers of the body using printed cut outs, as well as a few fill in the blank sheets.  I will start that tomorrow and set aside the coloring book I was doing with her.  Justin will continue his coloring book which has a ton of great information in it, enough to give him a foundation for high school biology.  So, even a seasoned homeschooler has to totally rethink her plans 35 days into the school year.

So, what else is happening? Well, we've had the fall head cold make it's rounds through our house.  Keturah was sick on Monday and Abishai was sick today.  I've been on the verge of one for a week or so, and Justin had his peaked late last week.  Therefore, Keturah couldn't go to pokemon club on Monday and Grandma took her to gymanstics today, so I could stay home with Abishai.  Justin went along for the ride and to play pokemon with the brothers of the gymnasts, lol.  That allowed me time to make a big list of projects I can break down into 5-15 minute pieces while I wait for kids to finish chores or schoolwork.  One of them was to put away stuff from the bathroom projects.  We still need the final layer flooring in the big bathroom, but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon.  And mess like that stresses me out.  I need to see rotation in the clutter, a purpose, not just stuff sitting there for months on end because something isn't done.  So, I put it all back and moved a box from the fireside room into my bedroom that has my crafting supplies in it.  I also unpacked a box because it had the kids' portable tape player and tapes in it, with a few random photo frames that I just put away in the drawer of my desk for now.  I haven't finished putting up all the pictures yet, but it's kind of a big project because I would like to gather all the frames together, and random pictures, and throw away broken ones or combine pictures, or put some pictures into usable frames, etc.  And part of that project requires the men to put up some mug rack/shelves so I can put some of the frames up there on it.

School did get done, but it was 5pm again before I could take off that "hat."  Then the boys had Bible Bowl, and because of weird transportation, nap schedules, even the school schedule, we all ate at different times, and only 3 of us actually ate what I made tonight (leftover ground beef as sloppy joes).  While the boys were off, Abishai, Keturah and I managed to walk to Grandpa's house and back.  Abishai was tired and indecisive on the way back, so I finally made him walk the rest of the way and carried his bike (the push handle on the back for the adult broke off the back).  I cleaned off the top of the piano for the piano tuner tomorrow, some of us had showers, the rest of the chores got done, and the stove top got cleaned (although, someone turned on the wrong burner for tea and scorched our good frying pan and my cleaning job, whoops!)

Yesterday, we did have to go out to an appointment despite the head colds, so we stopped at Jared's office on the way home.  Abishai refused to go see Grandpa after seeing Daddy.  He wanted to go to the library, but we ran out of time.  Don't worry, this picture was taken while the other kids were inside saying hi to Grandpa.

Abishai said the Mommy and Daddy are talking.

Hers and his.

That's one way to eat a sausage, stick two forks in it!

Cuteness overload!

Cuteness was super tired and fell asleep watching his TV show yesterday.  I was able to get him transferred to his bed ok and he slept another 3 hrs.  I was teaching the middles at the time and all of a sudden I thought, hey, Abishai isn't making a lot of noise, I wonder if he's asleep in the chair!  And he was!

Because the kid never stops moving, I take advantage of when he does.  He's most likely our last baby, so this is the last time we'll have little toddler hands and feet around the house.

Awww, near perfect composition!

Eyelashes!

One advantage of the big boys getting up early while it's still dark is that I get to see the sunrise!

Abishai wanted Keturah to sit next to him.  He will raise his fist in sort of a "Hurrah!" kind of sound when he says, "Turah!"

Gluten free, dairy free pumpkin bread.  Not sugar free (honey and stevia) and not egg free (6 eggs for two loaves).  Pretty basic recipe using almond flour.

Super moist and spongy, probably because of the eggs.  I probably could have cooked it a bit longer, but the knife came out clean when I tested it, so I took the loaves out of the oven.  I split them in half and wrapped two of the halves to put in the freezer so when I do pull it out, we won't get sick of it before the loaf is done.

 

But first, I had to clean out my flours because the mouse got into my flour!  Thankfully, a lot of it is in plastic, but still, I had to throw this away.  And my stuff is 5-6 ft off the ground in the pantry!

Pumpkin spice latte time!  And I came really close this time!

Abishai said, "I sit backwards," and snuggled in with blankie covering his legs, but not his toes.

The mommy and daddy are eating in front of the fireplace.

Cee-ment truck! This toy was probably my brother's toy.

Abishai and I built this castle together!  So, I guess I was successful in playing and resting and doing things I don't normally do, today.

I found it hilarious that I saw a little head peeping out between the table and couch watching his favorite TV show, Blippi!

Go get 'em!  And Abishai is trying to sit cross legged like Daddy does.  It's kind of like "Indian" style, but it doesn't make a nice "x."

Another success: going for a walk!

"Abishai go faster!"  He didn't mind Keturah going faster than him, but I was to just walk and stay behind him.

"I don't know what to do or where to go!"  It's then that I picked up his toy and had him walk home.  And his shoes are on backwards because Keturah was trying to be helpful and put them on the wrong way.

Ready, set, go!

I didn't notice it when I went up the driveway, but coming down I saw that the lawn in from of the house across the street seemed "lighter."  And that's because it looks like they recently took down two big trees!  Say what?!  When did this happen?  It just feels different without the trees!

I think you can see it.  There's a hug frog in the middle of the picture, right next to the rock.  Wow!  I wonder where it came from?  So many creatures!  Some good, some bad, and in between.  "Boing, Boing."

Abishai said, "Go get 'em! Abishai run!"