Thank-You Vets

Last Sunday coming home from church Superstar, my son, seen a sign that said "Thank-You Vets". In response to the sign he asked us "On what day do we honor veterinarians?". That made us chuckle. We explained to him that's NOT the type of VET the sign was talking about.  We explained who the vets are and shared with him that Daddy, my husband, is a vet.

In honor of my husband we did not have school work today.  Speaking of my husband my daughter, Web-princess, has a bit of my hubby's humor. Before leaving the house my hubby always tells the DOG to be good, no parties, don't eat the garbage, no girls can be over, etc. Well he does this only if everyone is leaving.

So this week while hubby was at work the kids and I were setting off to leave. My daughter told the DOG to be good, no parties, and no girls can be over especially POODLES!! I had the biggest belly laugh when she said that. I asked her why especially poodles. Her response was that they are especially "dangerous" with their fancy hair cuts, and "poofy" ankles.  I guess they are a temptation that male dog can't resist?

Happy Veteran's Day!

First Day Of 'School'

Well our first day went fairly well. We got up this morning, went to Mass (church), then out to breakfast. Well the breakfast part was because the store I wanted to go to wasn't open yet and I needed 10 minutes to kill, so we went to the McD right next door.

After breakfast we went to the grocery store, came home put groceries away.  Now putting groceries away at our house is a GAME!!! We shop at Aldi and I don't spend the extra money on bags (nor do I bring bags) everything has to be brought in a few items at a time by hand. The kids generally bring them in the front door, put it on the table, and then run out through the back door...the cycle goes on and on.

Here is a video I made back on April 2011.  I made the video for my sister, who is STILL in Iraq, that is why at the end of the video WP said "I love you!"  Also seeing the video was for Auntie they hammed it up bit for the camera.

After the grocery game the kids asked if they could go outside for a bit and play blind tiger. I agreed and off they went. Blind tiger is a game they play on the yard trampoline. I'm not sure of all the rules, because I think it was a game they made up, but one person is blind tiger (pulls their hat over their eyes so they can't see) and the others try to stay away from the blind tiger. The blind tiger CRAWLS while the others are free to walk, hop, crawl around. I think they play this on the trampoline, because it keeps the area the blind tiger has to hunt in "small". Especially seeing we have an 1/2 acre yard.

When that was done they came in and did the 3 subjects I had plan today. Math, World History, and Science. Would you believe it if I told you all of this took place BEFORE noon! Mass this morning was at 8 am, the store didn't open up till 9 am. It was 10:30 by the time we got home this morning and I think quarter to 11 when they decided to go out and play blind tiger. I'm not sure but I think they were back in the house by 11 to do the school work. So it took just about an hour to do those 3 subjects.  Yes a light day, but we are just starting out this year. It will get longer and 'harder' as the year moves on.

The end of March! Already?

Wow! Where has the month gone. Little Man has been with us all of March and will be with us all of April. At the end of April he will go back to my mom's for 2 months and then we'll get him back in July.

It's been good having him here, but it also has been an adjustment. I good adjustment, but at times trying. My sister calls (skype) nearly every day and that's AWESOME, but the times she can do that aren't always the best time for us. I have to roll with, because with her being in Iraq-Army it's not like she can just call us when it's best for us.

For example, yesterday, I'm working with the kids on their math. My sister calls on the phone. Minutes are very expensive so when she calls on the phone it's almost always to say "hey why aren't you on the computer". Seeing I figured that's why she is calling I ignored the call and went on helping the kids. The phone then rang again; it was her.  I ignored the call and went on helping the kids. The phone rings again. This time I ignore the call, went to the computer to tell her give me 10 minutes to finish helping the kids and I'll chat with her.  However she wasn't on the computer...OOPS! So when the phone rang again I took the call and apologized to her. Thankfully, she was NOT upset with me.

I told her right away I was helping the kids with their math and I figured you were calling to say get on the computer. So I just ignored it thinking I could get on the computer in about 5-10 minutes and you be there and it be all cool. That wasn't the case yesterday. The only way she could talk to her son yesterday was via phone. She said I figured you were busy and if I kept calling you would get it and answer.

Homeschooling is homeschooling. It's that time of year I think and we just plugging away with it. So there really isn't anything to report. Although I will say the kids are enjoying time at our homeschool group. They especially love the art class. My mom decided to come and teach art at the co-op. It's awesome and all the kids are enjoying it. (Especially all 3 of her grandchildren).

The only other note would be I want warm weather here to stay. We get a day or two w/temps in 60's only to then have several days in the 30s WITH snow! April is just days away and it sucks to have temps in the 30s. Although today is almost 50, but I doubt it will stay. (Yesterday it was in the 30s).

Why haven't I been blogging? That is the question for the ages!!

So recently my husband out of the blue said to me "February 16th; February 16th what a shame!" or something along those lines. Confused I said to him, "What are you talking about?" He cheekily replied that's the last time you blogged I'm very disappointed!  Yes it's been nearly a month since I've blogged last.

I'm not sure why other then I don't think there is much to blog about lately. Homeschooling is homeschooling nothing new really going on, nothing exciting. Of course my kids have witty things to say and I'm sure some of my reader miss reading those witty things, but I just haven't been drawn to blog about it.

My nephew is here now and that's really not and excuse for not blogging. He's been here only for a week. My lack of blogging has been much longer then that. My nephew, little man, is a real gem! I'm thrilled to have him here! Although, I am not thrilled with the reasons he's here! Prayers for my sister. I can't share much about what's going on with her deployment other then it's pretty scary for her. We have been able to do video chat via skype so not only do I get to talk to to her, but I get to see her and you can see she's stressed out from the environment. I worry about what post-war will be like for her.  For the last 2 months Little Man has been at my Mom's, and after 2 months here he'll go back to my Moms. We are going to rotate homes every 2 months until my sister's 1 year deployment is done.

On a personal front I've decided to tackle my weight and other health issues again! This time I'm using sparkpeople.com as a means to track my nutrition, fitness, etc. If you are on sparkpeople.com you can find me. My screen name is the same there as it is here: SAHMinIL

I don't really have much to say other then I hope I'm finally out of this blogging funk and will star blogging again more regularly.

New Bunk bed - Waiting Longer

Well we bought a new bunk bed for SS room. The owner of the store delivered it personally last night, in his personal car, on his personal time so we could have it sooner. So hubby and I put the bottom bunk together and called it a night. Seeing the bed didn't arrive until about 8:30 pm last night.

We then went to put the top bed of the bunk bed together, this morning, only to see that the side rail was split.

-sad- We call the furniture store explained to them what's wrong. They asked us to email them pictures. We did! They called us back this evening to saying that it will be another 2 weeks before they can get the replacement part in. It's a bummer that the side rail had this defect, but we are getting a new one.

I would have like to have the bed already, seeing we'll need it for my nephew. (He's staying with us while my sister is serving our country in Iraq. Well 1/2 of the time the other 1/2 of the time he stays at my Mom's house). Speaking of nephew I figured that many of you would like to see a picture of "Little Man". (That one of the many nick names that my sister calls him. I thought it was fitting for a blog name). So the children in the house are my son Superstar, my daughter Web-Princess, and my nephew Little Man.

These pictures were taken right before my sister left for Iraq. :) We took the kids to an indoor play world and ice skating rink. She ice skated with my kids for while and I took Little Man into the play world. After they were done skating they joined us in the play world. The other one is at my house later that night.

It's 2011 Already?!?! Where has the time gone?

I know many of my faithful readers must think I've dropped of the face of the earth seeing my blogging is very little these days. I will try to be more consistent now that the holidays are done and things are more settle here.

For the last several months I have been working on the homeschool co-op's site, busy promoting it, thus my blogging time has suffered. We are finally at a point to start offering classes....thankfully!!!

Superstar and Web-princess have both seen their doctors recently. The surgeon told us that Superstar does NOT need new braces (AFOS) and can remain brace free for the next 6 months for sure. We won't see him again until June. The urologist told us we have to keep up with Web-princess re-potty training (having her go at certain times during the day). We don't have to go back and see the urologist unless something changes or we want to talk to him.  The re-potty training, having her go at x time throughout the day, will last as long as needed to retrain her body to go on a more regular schedule.

What else is new? My sister is in Iraq. (Army). She also is a single parent, thus needs someone to care for her son while she's deployed for the next year. My mom and I are both taking care of him now. He'll be living at my mom's house 1/2 the time and my house 1/2 the time. It going to be on a 2 month rotation, because that is what my sister wanted.

Right now he's staying with Mom, but come the end of February he'll be staying here. Although I have had him for a night once already, and have him again tonight for the night.  We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the bunk-bed we bought for SS's bedroom. The boys my son, Superstar, and my nephew, Little Man will be sharing a room seeing we only have 3 bedrooms here.

Little Man is 3! So I'm trying to figure out how to do schooling and what activities I can give him during school time! I really would like the help, ideas, and tips from my more seasoned readers that homeschool with preschoolers at home too! Please help!!!!

Thankful Blessings

Thank-you Judy for hosting this Meme: Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings.

1) I'm thankful that my DS's MRI went well. We still are waiting for the results, but he did really really, well. The MRI did cause us a bit of a headache, but it's done and he did extremely well. The hospital staff told us they never seen a child do so well!

2) That I have opportunity knocking on my door. I've been approached (via email) by a software company to do a review of their product. (More info on that yet to come). They asked me to do the review because they came across my blog: Catholic Christian Homeschooling! I'm NOT being paid for it, but I'm still thankful because it is an opportunity to do something that I like to do!

3) That I have the opportunity to go to TX with my sister. She is back from Afghanistan. She did a 14 month tour of Afghanistan. She's home now and will be station in TX for at least the next 12 months. She's here in IL to get her 20 month old son, and later today we leave with her and her son to TX. We are driving down and then on Monday, my kids and I are flying back to IL. My sister and her son will be staying in TX. So I will be gone for the rest of the week...