Random Thoughts

I'd really like to write about the many things going on in our life right now, but this is a public blog--and I'm conscious of who might read this. So, until the dust settles, here's the surface level stuff:

Homeschooling is going great! Yeah, sure, we have our days, but for the most part it's awesome. I shake my head every time I meet a mom who says something like, "You homeschool? Wow. I could never do that." I respond the same everytime, "You can--if you wanted to." Honestly, I think most of them don't want to--either because they have unrealistic expectations or they don't have any desire to be that role in their kids lives. Totally not judging either stance. You really shouldn't homeschool unless you want to. It would be a chore and not a great experience for you or your kids. However, if you do want to--YOU CAN.

We switched history programs (because I can do that). What we had wasn't working. It was just not the right fit for me. The kids were indifferent. I went to my back up plan: "The Story of the World" by Susan Wise Bauer. We've been using the Wise/Bauer books for English and LOVE them, so this fit well into what we're doing already.

I can't stress enough how much I love how homeschooling fits our life, rather than working around a public school's schedule. More than that, we can fit school around our needs. Case in point--we had a cold last week. Still able to do school. We would have missed school had we been in public or even private school. We just did it in our jammies, and took more breaks.

I've started eating gluten-free, dairy free, and sugar-free. I'm blogging about that on www.lovelandfoodjournal.com. So far, so good. Just an experiment. We'll see where it goes.

We started a winter farmers' market. It's going well, so far--growing steadily. I'm praying we'll at least break even, but it would be great if it provided a bit for Christmas this year. Honestly, that will be the only way we can buy any gifts.

The last few days I've made a real effort to focus on being mom. I've prioritized homeschooling, housecleaning, and cooking. It's wonderful. Surprisingly so. I started today with both my sweet babes cuddled up next to me in bed. It's amazing how just a few minutes of cuddling can make the day go better.

E's 5th birthday is this weekend. I am aching over this. My baby is turning 5. How did that happen? She, on the other hand, is ecstatic. She has a count down going, she can't wait to open gifts, and she's got plans for the party. I've also noticed that with turning 5 we're also getting attitude. Eye-rolling, frustrated sighs, and exasperated tones. I was not expecting that at all, and the first few times I just stared at her like a space alien had arrived and taken over her body. I didn't even respond. I think I was in shock. Well, today we started nipping that in the bud.

Speaking of nipping in the bud--Who out there is watching Duck Dynasty? Oh my word, this show is hilarious.

I read through several previous posts, and I've noticed a total lack in photos. I shal remedy that soon. Once I fix my camera. :( Which, unfortunately, means a drive to either Denver or Boulder.