the cat: totally deserved it

I struggle with myself sometimes about how much to share on the ole' blawg.  Some stories involve other people.  

I am unsure of how much to reveal, how would they feel if I expose their weaknesses? Would they laugh along with us- as I poke fun at them..or would they feel laughed at? is it fair?

My nemesis: the cat:  Totally open season, I've decided.

You can read about our dance of anger here* Dear Family
(I'll wait till you click back..) 

 In a nutshell, if you resisted clicking-we have this routine, the cat & I- of his relentless begging for food all evening>me intending to throw him out when I finally go to bed, and then> I go to turn out the lights and get detoured from putting the cat out, because he will certainly be found curled up in angelic, cozy pose.  I relent, and do not toss him out.

exactly 40 minutes after my head hits my pillow, the cat will begin meowing for me to either let him out or to -yes...feed him [again].

Monday morning- at about 4 a.m. all of Orange County was awakened by crazy/heavy rain and thunder.  Now, we don't get much weather here, so a thunder storm- beside being a novelty, is also a treat.

Sky and I, the dog, and 1 or 2 children rushed to our huge front living room window (I love this window, my favorite thing about my house)  We opened the blinds to watch the huge storm,

and saw this: 

There stood our cat, Oliver- pressed against the glass, trying not to get wet..with a terrified look on his face that seemed to say:  "Let me in!!!!!"

Totally deserved it.

He had done his meowing thing again, after I had gone to bed- and I escorted him out and then locked the dog door.  Sky came up with that- it's very logical.  And linear.

I let him in.  After we all laughed at him.

 Here is Oliver, on his cat tree, in front of the same big picture window.

Wet cats shouldn't meow loudly. er, he who meows last will weep wetly...

something like that.

Mom wins
The End.

walk, not run

and it only feels worse when i stay in one place, so i am always pacing or walking away

I walk for exercise almost everyday.  My route is about a mile and a half.  I go at a good pace, but I don't run.  I don't run, even though I ordered some cool running shoes a year ago. (they were on sale, I can't resist a good sale..)  Most days I set out, telling myself that today I will pick up the pace and run.  Running would probably burn more calories, which is really what I am after.  I walk a bit to warm up, and then I think about running..but I just don't want to.  I nix it and walk.

Part of me would like to start running and get all fit and maybe even run a 1/2 marathon or something worthy of a bucket list-thing.  And yet...I don't want to.  I don't like to run.  I don't like stuff bouncing and the feeling of not being able to breathe.  I used to run quite a bit in high school, but even then, I didn't really enjoy it.

I can't decide if I should push myself or not.  Remember my Irish dance class adventure? -go ahead and click over, I'll wait... Well, I did go back to the class for several more months.  Sky was just so impressed I was in it, and so encouraging of me doing a new thing, that I tried to stick it out.  I even competed at a feis.  Shudder.  Yeah, Irish dance mom on stage.  I try not to remember.

My point, well- at one point I just realized that I felt like Mr. Collins at the ball..."the other way, Mr. Collins!..." and I decided that I am to many years to have to put up with things that stress me out, or things that are more pain than enjoyment.  So I gave myself permission to quit.  I realized I am more yoga-mom than clogging mom.

So, is running in the same category?  Have I earned the right to decide I just would rather not?

How about you, what do you do for exercise?

In which I discover I am a perfectionist...stop laughing...now...

I've mentioned before that I love research.  I love the hunt.  The hunt for the best art materials, the best History/ Phonics / Math curriculum, the best way to make a smoothie.  I love the hunt, but I get lost in the execution.  I like to call it "being a creative person", or "my inner Bridget Jones" Sky calls it "scattered".  One day, my BFF called it "Perfectionist avoidance".

I had my doubts.
I don't live in the same zip code with the word "Perfectionist"...
I'm more familiar with the term "make do".  But, I deferred to Gracefulmom's analysis, since she is more educated than I.  And, she doesn't ramble.  You lose some credibility when you tend to ramble on...

Hello?

Back to my story- So, Gracefulmom put forth the idea that we (we are both very alike in many ways, hence the BFF part) tend to plan/dream up really spectacular ideas and then sensing that we will not follow through in a spectacular way, we give up and avoid/procrastinate.  She could be onto something, but again, the perfectionist label was a hard sell.

I'm kind of in that place again, wanting to make some changes to our homeschool life- getting more of a rhythm/order to our day, adding back in more crafts, and dare I say it out loud?  ..adding in some baking with the kids, and healthier snacks.  I've done some research, read a few books, looked at a few websites..and then stalled.  The holidays, having company, my messy house.  Yes, it has all stalled.

I stumbled onto this blog post today,

Two Mamas

...Imagine for a moment Two Mamas on their way to Waldorf Homeschooling Land. One Mama rolls up her sleeves, plans the trip, and gets going. The other Mama wants everything to be PERFECT first...

go over to A Little Garden Flower bog to read the rest of a really enlightening parable, even if you are not into Waldorf homeschooling, or any homeschooling, I think this could apply to many of us.

So, how do you get unstuck?  Any inspirational advice from moving to planning to doing?  Or is your house as messy as mine is right now, and you just want to commiserate?  
Spill, I'm listening :) 

7 Quick Takes Friday, January 14

~1~
We finally took Demi-Sky and Teddy (my bonus student) to try out a martial arts class. They loved it, and I loved how hard the instructor worked them!  He had them running/jumpin/ducking and doing push-ups.  This is going to be really good for them :)
~2~
Amie has been very close this year to a little girl here from Holland while her parents attended Bible College.  After a 2 year stay, they went home this week.  We had dinner with them one last time.  I am so sad for my little girl, Amie bonded very quickly & deeply with Cathelyne. 

~3~
We've had some wonderful Fall-ish- crisp days here in So. California.  We took advantage of the beautiful weather and went to the park.  The kids played dog relay (good exercise for them and for Emma the wonder Labradoodle!) and then tag on the playground.  
P.E. - homeschool style :)

~4~
We also hit the skateboard park this week.  This is p.e. for the 3 youngest.  Here is Teddy getting his gear on. I love my iphone, I love being able to capture the everyday- even when I do not have my 
big camera with me.

~5~
I've joined up with the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge. Here is my
1st of 52 book review for the challenge. You can go to the 52 books in 52 weeks website to join up! You can join up at any point.

~6~
We had a sudden change in weather & temperature today.  It's been pretty chilly lately, and during Christmas it was rainy.  Today, we had the Santa Ana winds run through- and they bring warm, dry temperatures with them.  Today it hit 83 degrees, whoo-hoo!  The wind knocked down hundreds of these ping-pong sized spiky balls from our sweet gum tree.  They are a hazard to step on, they can roll under your foot, and the spikes are painful to the dog and hens. I love the tree though, despite the prickly balls...it is very beautiful in the Fall and Spring.
~7~
Our Sweet gum problem was the perfect opportunity for "more work, and plenty of it!" -this is good for the building up of a boy.  I sent Demi & Teddy out to rake and sweep them up.  I've said it before, I love having minions!   Kidding aside, I do think productive work that benefits the family - is a good thing for boys...get them out doing physical labor that they can feel good about.  
I hope your week was wonderful, bloggy friends! 

*7 Quick Takes Friday is hosted over at Conversion Diary

trying

Life has been really crazy-busy for me this school year.  It reflects mightily here on the blog, my posting has been pretty scattered.

My scattered days are leaving me a bit frazzled, and also leaves all the duties and cares in my life undone, half-done, forgotten, late and/or messy.

And yet, or maybe because of all this, I find myself yearning for a change in our homeschooling, back to our more Charlotte Mason/ art-centered learning.  I yearn for more order, more rhythm, more purpose.

A few years ago, searching for the how of rhythm -to- my day- (yes it's a re-occurring theme for me) I looked a bit into Waldorf homeschooling, but could only find books that seemed to center on young children- and also there are some parts of Waldorf that I don't feel are compatible with my faith-another post, perhaps.

So, here I am a few years later, on the same restless search for order/rhythm...and I found some really wonderful/beautiful/inspiring Waldorf blogs.  The wheels in my brain are already turning with lesson ideas, art ideas... Here's the thing though:  So many of my days are crazy/busy that I don't have time to plan, don't have time to gather craft supplies.  
The paradox: I want to make some changes in our learning days..but I don't have time to plan changes in our learning day.

The next few weeks on this blog will hopefully follow changes we make- changes I will try to make...I am reminded of a quote from The Karate Kid: "there is no try, there is only do".

Do any of you struggle with being inspired to try something new, explore a new learning philosophy but find yourself too busy to research and plan?  Frustrating?  Yes.

Here's to a new week of doing...

What new things are you exploring lately?

Simply Woman's Daybook, December 7

FOR TODAY... from My Daybook

Outside my window... I see the 3 youngest kids playing outside. Today was a beautiful, beautiful day here in So. Ca-in the high 70's.

I am thinking... about planning I need to do for the rest of the week, and about craft materials I need to pick up, if we are actually going to make crafts.  I am determined that busyness will not stop us this year from making winter crafts.

I am thankful for... my husband

I am wearing... jeans, a long sleeve shirt and a long gray cardigan.

I am remembering... things I need to do still.

I am going... to dance class after dinner

I am hearing...Josie practicing the piano, Sky using his saw in the garage.

I am reading... "The Life Study of Isaiah" and I just finished "The art of racing in the rain"- one of the best books I have read, and yet it captured me a little too much, I'm taking a break before I start new fiction.

I am hoping... that the washing machine repairman will arrive tomorrow with the right part this time. (the washer broke an hour before we left on our trip to Spokane...!)

From the learning rooms...the dining room is cluttered with our notebooks and math books from our learning time this morning.  Meg is at the table finishing her work.

A few plans for the rest of this week... to start a winter craft, Science and History in a big way for school, an Irish feis this weekend.

Pondering these words...

"I don't look back, but I know he's there.  I bark twice because I want him to hear, I want him to know.  I feel his eyes on me but I don't turn back.  Off into the field, into the vastness of the universe ahead, I run.

"You can go," he calls to me.

Faster, the wind presses against my face as I run, faster, I feel my heart beating wildly and I bark twice to tell him, to tell everyone in the world, to say, faster!"

                                                  -The art of racing in the rain by Garth Stein

the ending and beginning of this book are some of the best writing I have read.

From the kitchen... baking chicken for dinner.  I coated chicken in a mix of flour, pepper, onion powder and diced fresh rosemary, then put in a dish with chicken and rice soup.  It's super easy and Sky likes it.

Around the house... Sky just finished painting our bathroom, it is now brown, with one wall having stripes.  It was a little scary going for it, but it looks great. :)

One of my favorite things~ sliced apples with cinnamon. 

From my picture journal

new spelling notebooks for my 3 youngest students

Homeschooling through the gray days

 Most days are not amazing homeschool days.  I have those, but most days are not those days.  And, some days are gray days- we work through our daily work like Math, reading, handwriting...
and my house is a wreck, the laundry pile is slowly over-taking my bedroom.  
We finish our school day, and the kids scatter.
I leave for one of two or three trips for various lessons/classes.
I come home, just in time to make dinner- and see
this.
My house is a wreck, dishes scattered around the kitchen because child A didn't do them...
the laundry pile in my room, I swear is getting bigger and following me...
and the dining table looks like this.  Books scattered everywhere, waiting for someone (mom) to put them away on the learning shelves.
And yet,
I wouldn't choose an alternate reality.
I hear happy kids' voices coming from the backyard.  My teen is curled up on the sofa reading Little Women.
My dining table is full of school books, workbooks and crayons because it has been a full, successful learning day.  Contractions were conquered, the area of a triangle memorized and explained, division steps done over and over, someone cried over Father's letter home in Little Women (mom's tears) and a castle was painted.
I am blessed
overflowing and running down.

days like that

You know when you have a day when everything seems to come together, everything seems to run smoothly, you get where you need to be with no rush?  Today was like that.

I've not had many days like that in several months.  It felt really good.  The key, I have to admit, was getting up really early and getting ready to hit the day at a good clip.  Sky is a firm believer in this, but me- non morning person that I am- find it hard to believe.

Meg had her outside science and composition/Lit class...Teddy's tutor came for an hour and a half...Did some descent homeschooling before/during and after the tutor's session... picked up Meg, did the lunch thing, broke out HP 7 to re-read before the movie opens...took the kids to the library, violin shop and then to the yogurt shop for a treat...checked out a martial arts place nearby.  It was a really, good-productive and yet mellow day.

Oh, how I need more of these!

I hope you had a good day, too, internet-friends!