No. You Can't Have a Pet Zebra: From the Diaries of a Fruity Homeschool Momma

This week I'm sharing some Real Life Homeschooling. At least, what happened during one week of our homeschool. These posts are not meant to educate. I can't tell you how to do it "right." So I am not even going to begin to try. This is just life. 

Dear Diary,

It's Friday. I spent much of my day helping a family member out. Car troubles all around. It must be catching.

It certainly wasn't part of the plan.

Then again...much of what has happened in my life wasn't part of my "plan."

Think of what I would have missed.

This evening I am sitting quietly by myself. The Muffin and Josiah have gone to swim team practice. I have been working on Easter projects and some secret Birthday plans for my Mom and niece.

I am exhausted. I figured I spend just a minute jotting down something things I must never forget.

1. Remember that Spring Break I neglected to schedule in? Next year we are taking one. I don't care if it is spent in our pajamas watching episodes of Doctor Who and Sherlock on Netflix. In fact,we might as well take a Fall Break. We need time to just "be."

2. Not every minute has to be an educational one. It's okay to go to the park just because we like to hang out there. I don't have to drag around our Nature Study stuff every where we go. Next time we go, maybe we will just swing and swing and swing.

3. I must take a little more time in the mornings to get my day in order. I don't care what order that might be. I'm tired of feeling like I'm playing catch up. I have to take my Quiet Time to be Quiet.

4. Which brings me to my next point. Not every project has to be "pinterest" worthy.

5. Sleep. I need more.

6. I can say "not today". The world and everyone in it will not fall apart because I need to stay home.

7. One can never have too many art supplies.

8. Or books.

9. I can't worry about what certain people in my life think about this whole homeschool thing. They don't walk in our shoes. I also can't get offended when they express their opinions. They haven't been called to this. The Muffin and I are in unity in this. It has made us a better family.

10. I am never going to have to worry about socialization. Is it possible to have too much? (This spoken as a true introvert).

11. Josiah has had to work twice as hard to be able to read what is on a page. I am going to work just as hard to make sure I do my best for him.

12. And on those days I feel like crying? I am going to cry.

13. I am not going to make food, a lifestyle or an educational method my god. I already serve One is Omnipotent.

14. I am going to liberally supply hugs and kisses to my guys. They need them.

15. It is okay to say "No." My son is not going to show up on Dr. Phil one day and tell the world of his sadly neglectful childhood. It is perfectly okay to say no to having a pet zebra.

16. I don't have to know everything. Thank goodness for Google,Pinterest and Youtube.

17. I am not going to be so hard on myself when I neglect to do those things I listed above.

Sweet Dreams...

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Piece of Cake: From the Diaries of a Fruity Homeschool Mama

This week I'm sharing some Real Life Homeschooling. At least, what happened during one week of our homeschool. These posts are not meant to educate. I can't tell you how to do it "right." So I am not even going to begin to try. This is just life. 

Dear Diary,

Thank goodness we only have 3 more weeks of PE this semester. I’m beginning to lose track of my days. I can’t even remember what I did this morning. It obviously wasn’t productive. I didn’t even have my usual cup of tea and Quiet Time.

That never bodes well for the rest of the day.

Wednesday usually look a lot like Mondays…without the mad rush about town for groceries for these people to eat. At least once a week, a well-meaning individual asks Josiah why he isn't in school? I always politely respond. The responses I get in return are always mixed. One time we were at the Y in the morning and a older lady started telling me of some niece who was abusing her children because they weren't in public school. 

Hmm. Listing all of the perceived evils of homeschooling is not the best way to strike up a friendly conversation with someone who just told you they are homeschoolers. I am used to disapproval from a variety sources. Generally, I explain that I do have an education (though it is not necessary) and I know what I'm doing. I try and do it in a light-hearted way so as not to offend. Though why I am worried about offending someone who has been offensive...

A little rant here. I wouldn't dream of walking up to a total stranger and telling them that their educational (or life) choices are ridiculous. It is bad enough when a family member disapproves. Give me a little credit. I didn't just fall off the turnip truck! 

Rant over. At least until next week. 

You know when you are a homeschool parent when even a few words drawn in the dust on the back of a truck is a teachable moment.

Are those complete sentences? Who is the subject? How would you change this sentence?

Bet the Dude who did this little bit of writing in the dirt doesn’t know he provided a little “car schooling” experience.

There was dancing to be done at PE again today. I know the picture is blurry. This is an example of "I know my momma is taking my picture so I am going to casually look at my fingernail and pretend I'm not dancing." 

This. Is the Cha Cha Cha. 

So they tell me.

This might be a good time, Dearest Diary, to record this bit of information into history. I occasionally catch Josiah dancing to New Direction on the Just Dance video game. Maybe he's in training for next year's Dance Unit at PE. 

After PE I drove Josiah home and ran to Hobby Lobby.

Or as I like to call it. “The Happiest Place on Earth.”

Feel the calming breezes of the craft supplies wafting through the sweet fabric scented air.

I went to get some sort of art eraser. I think Josiah has been using ours as chewing gum.

I also picked up a small pad of scrapbook paper for a project for Easter. So many plans. So little time!

I need more Tuesdays. 

Our school day was relatively smooth. Thank goodness for that! 

There was oddness going on with his math program on the computer. Josiah was THRILLED!

“Yay! It’s not working! I guess this means more time for Xbox!”

Oh to be young and so delusional. 

Wednesday Evenings include Diving Practice at the Y. 

We loaded up about an hour early and stopped by the Library that is also just a few minutes from my house. Not to be confused with the library I visited on Monday.

I will tell you, Dear Diary, that I could probably do homeschool for absolutely no cost with the exception of an internet connect and a constant supply of printer ink.

Why is it that the Printer Ink runs out at the most inopportune times? 

So I had to stop by the Library. Make a few copies, pick up a book and check out these seed packets.

Isn’t this the coolest? Our library had an heirloom seed program this year. All patrons got to check out seeds to plant. I, of course, will not be planting anything. I got them for my Dad. He will get a kick out them. And I got things I was interested in eating.

When we left the Library we still had a good 45 minutes before Swim Team Practice. I decided to stop by a cupcake store. Isn’t it just madness to stop at a cupcake shop before going the Y?

Why, yes. It is. I can’t explain myself.

This is a Coconut Dream Cupcake. It did have little jelly beans on top of it (just in time for Easter). It was heavenly. 

Anyhoo. Something wonderful happened at the cupcake store. Josiah and I won tickets to see a Theatrical performance of The Wizard of Oz! 

The best part is that I only one 2 tickets. When they found out I needed 3 they gave me another one!

So I won tickets to see a musical and I got to enjoy 1,000 calorie cupcake.And I got to share a minute with this guy. 

When I called The Muffin to tell him about the tickets I made no mention of the Cupcake. I figured that was on a need to know basis.

Dive Practice. There is not much more entertaining than seeing children hurl themselves off a diving block. 

I’m easily entertained.

I did read a book. Sometime of the time.

I didn’t even workout…It seems that I walked out of the house with my flip flops on! Which are not great exercising footwear.

Here is what I have to tell myself.

Did my son get to his activity on time?  Yes. Does he have the appropriate equipment (swim trunks, googles)? Yes. Did he learn? Yes. Did he enjoy myself? Is tomorrow another day? Why, yes,…Miss Scarlett…It is.

Good enough.

I did put in some “Office Hours” when we got home that evening. I worked efficiently and quickly. I rocked it.

If I do say so myself.

That Right!

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Only 24 Hours in a Day? From the Diaries of a Fruity Homeschool Momma

This week I'm sharing some Real Life Homeschooling. At least, what happened during one week of our homeschool. These posts are not meant to educate. I can't tell you how to do it "right." So I am not even going to begin to try. This is just life. 

Dear Diary,

It’s Tuesday. Tuesday. I really love Tuesdays. On Tuesdays we have no place we have to be. On Tuesdays I can get finish unfinished projects. I can tackle the laundry pile. The chances of needing to serve my family cold cereal and Ramen is greatly diminished.

Our School Day becomes "let's do everything that I have pinned on pinterest last week" (within reason).  We create a page for the State Notebook. We do art. We discuss lofty and important things. Such as; world peace, limited government and the cool battle scenes in the newest Hobbit movie.  

I can rest in the fact I won’t have to step my Big Toe out of front door unless we (a) choose to see a cheap movie at the Dollar Movie or (b) we have an alien invasion from outer space (which in that case I’m getting out of the neighborhood ASAP. I think there has to be a few in my neighborhood anyway.

This morning started with breakfast. As it does every morning. I also grabbed something out of the freezer for supper and made up an assignment sheet.

Don’t remind me that I had neglected doing that the night before. I was too busy living it up with the Duggars and recovering from my crazy day out.

http://chargeforwhining.blogspot.com/2015/04/are-we-there-yet-from-diaries-of-fruity.html

I meant to scrub my kitchen down a little bit this morning, but wound up lounging in my bed with The Muffin and Josiah. We had a devotion and then guys looked up Michael Phelps doing The Butterfly on Youtube.  Josiah is struggling to keep his form across the pool. I told him that perhaps laying off a Peanut Butter Cup before practice might help. He looked at me like I had lost my mind. I guess athletes need carbs? I even look at said Peanut Cup and start gaining weight.

Today we had fun working with Pastels. Our Cartoon Cats were waaay cute. 

If I do say so myself. This cat actually resembles one we had when I was a teenager. I recognize that look.

Math was a little more frustrating today. Why is that the boy can only remember his math facts if they are connected to a NFL football game? We just keep plugging along. One of these days he's going to appreciate I made him do math (though I can't even believe I am saying that!)

Every Spring Josiah wants to study storms. I suppose it’s natural. We do live in Tornado Alley and he has become quite our young weatherman. Some of his library books this week dealt with storms. He also watched some of one of his favorite storm documentaries on Netflix. This year I am requiring him to do a presentation on what he has learned. I think he can do it. If it’s more than “these storms are dangerous” I’ll be satisfied. Today he came up with the brilliant plan of doing a bit of weather chasing this spring. Huh. Not on my watch. 

Last week he had to complete a report on the North American Bison. He wound up writing his favorite football teams around the border of the report. I'm saving all of these precious bits and pieces to torment him when he becomes a father, himself.

Josiah also made a pan of brownies this afternoon. Every so often I try and buy a mix to keep under the cabinet. It is not my favorite form of nutrition, but Josiah can create them all on his own. He also could eat it all on his own if I let him.  I tried to ignore them. Don't tell anybody, Dearest Diary, but I think I might actually could have snuck just a little piece. Maybe. Kinda. Sorta. 

Dear Diary. It is now time for me to admit my big “OOPSie.” This week the author, Lois Lowry, is visiting our fair city for a book signing. I was sure it was tonight. I even laid out my “book signing outfit” as opposed to the stretchy pants I was sporting.

I’m sure glad I rechecked the time. The book signing is actually Thursday night.

Big stink.

Maybe I need to pay a little more attention to my calendar.

I always have so much hope for Tuesdays. I didn’t even crack the surface of my Tuesday list.  Every Tuesday I am reminded that I really need a few more Tuesdays in my week. 

Until tomorrow.

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Are We There Yet? From the Diaries of a Fruity Homeschool Momma

This week I'm sharing some Real Life Homeschooling. At least, what happened during one week of our homeschool. These posts are not meant to educate. I can't tell you how to do it "right." So I am not even going to begin to try. This is just life. 

Dear Diary,

It’s Monday. I’ve been trying to pretend it’s not Monday all day, but so far all of my pretending is for naught.  All the errands and activities still continue whether I try and convince myself it is a day like, for example, Thursday. Thursday is a harmless day. There is no expectation for Thursday.  

My morning started with a trip to my brother’s house. I had left my phone charger there the day before. No matter that we have at least 4 cords that can charge my phone. I couldn’t find any of them. I think we must have a phone cord monster in the house. Along with a sock monster and a spoon monster.

I had to move back my usual grocery shopping routine before running Josiah to his PE class. I tried to switch grocery shopping to another day but it was impossible. Generally, the only things in the fridge about Sunday evening are homemade jellies and an odd assortment of salad dressings.

Aldi’s was crazy! We usually shop at a different Aldi across town. This one was on the way to PE. I try and make our grocery shopping trips educational, but I wasn’t having any of that today. “Get those Poptarts out of the cart” was all I could manage.

We were 10 minutes late to PE class. I managed to hit every red light in town. Thank goodness for books on CD. We listened to Diary of the Wimpy Kid twice last week. This week I have The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbitt in the car. I figured out that Josiah wasn’t listening too closely when he asked me if it was normal to be able to see the sides of your nose.

We have been attending this particular PE class for 4 years now. I wish I could have had a class like this when I was studying to be a teacher. Basically, Josiah is a guinea pig. Physical Education majors try out lesson plans and test their teaching chops every semester on a group of willing homeschoolers.

This week, by far, is my favorite week ever. It’s Dance. It is the most entertainment I have had in a while. I really think they should have a Dance class just for the parents. We could show these kids how it’s done. None of this “I can only shuffle my feet because I’m too cool to really have fun.”

After PE, I dropped Josiah off at home so I could run to the pharmacy. I told Josiah he could have a few minutes on the X-Box while I ran my errand. We were starting our homeschool lessons at 1:00p. On. The. Dot.  In truth what I really wanted was about 30 minutes to myself. I didn’t care if it was spent standing in line at the Wal-mart pharmacy counter. It was bliss.

I realize that a good portion of the civilized world think that homeschoolers either (a) sit around and play video games all day or (b) win National Spelling Bees and grow, harvest and mill their own wheat.

Does it count that we have made our own butter?

Thank goodness School Days on Mondays are light. It took me years to figure out that I could lighten our load on busy days.

About 3:45 I sat down on the couch and contemplated taking a nap. Instead I surfed Facebook and poked a little around Pinterest. About 4:30 I realized I needed to get my act together and rushed Josiah around for Swim Team practice and our weekly trip to the Library. Not necessarily in that order.

I have found that I have had to give Josiah an assignment at the library. Otherwise he checks out unlimited Scooby Doo movies. That, Dearest Diary, is a waste of a good library trip.

It was on my way out of library that I realized that I had neglected to pack our preswim/preworkout snack. What? It was now 5:30 and my blood sugar was bottoming out.

This does not excuse the caramel Sundae I ordered. The apples, oranges and turkey I had intended to bring was much healthier. I shoved half a burger down my son and shewed him into the Y. I sat in the car and ate my sundae.

I literally brought the visors down on both sides and tried to nonchalantly eat the sundae while healthy people came in and out of the Y.

Eventually, I decided I needed to face the music and went inside. If I do say so myself I had a really good workout. Even though I frequently forget parts of the necessary wardrobe. 

After my workout, I went down to the pool and watched Josiah complete his practice. Would you believe that he came out of the pool starving? Note to self: This is why I always pack food when we go to the Y.  Josiah also reminded me that I had neglected to pick up bread.

One trip to the Dollar Tree later and we finally limped home. No really. I was limping by this time.

It was 8:00pm. I usually give myself some time for “office hours” in the evening. Blog posts, writing jobs, lesson planning and Pinterest surfing. Tonight, well, after taking a bath I shut off the lights and watched the latest 19 Kids and Counting Episode on Youtube.

Dear Diary. I’m Such a Slacker! If Michelle Duggar can manage 19 kids surely I can manage grocery and errand day with 1!

I will say that I am even proud I made it anywhere today without breaking down in Bertha the Buick.

 Remember these faces? These were the faces of a momma and her boy who broke down during Errand Monday. And then managed to break down again the following Errand Monday. Maybe Bertha just doesn't like Mondays. She's in good company.

Tomorrow is a new day!

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