I'll take potpourri for $10...

I can't really claim anything intellectual or spiritual sounding like a blogging break, the truth of the matter is more like a brain-numb-stupor... I've basically spent the last week announcing that I am going to work on catching up with my homeschool records, then aimlessly sorting and piling papers next to the computer. If I am brave, maybe I will post a picture. Maybe.
I did get my son's work all entered and up to date, but it is a small victory when you consider that out of the 3 students I have, the 1st grader generates the least amount of paperwork.
My goal next month is to have all 3 entered and up to date. I will throw some kind of serious party if I achieve this. Heck, Gracefulmom will probably throw me a party (she is the person who reports on all my ahem..record keeping). Hey Gracefulmom, next month it will be you and me at cheesecake factory to celebrate my end of rambling and disorderly conduct. There is a godiva cheesecake there with our name on it. I will triumph just in time for summer break...

Changing the subject, it's meme time! Joyful days tagged me last week for this meme:
a 7 Things About Me meme. I'm supposed to write seven random facts or habits about myself and then tag 7 other people to do the same, here goes:

7 random things about me
1) I couldn't pronounce 'discernment' until way past adulthood. I actually know lots of big words from my endless reading, but I am usually afraid to use them in a discussion for fear I will mispronounce them...like my misadventure with 'discernment'. (DH still teases me about that one)

2) I have diet coke for breakfast

3) darling husband takes me out on a date night once a week, forever- since our oldest child was a few months old. Smart man, I get this wild look in my eyes if he doesn't take me out somewhere.

4) Tonight was date night and DH treated me to a bacon cheddar cheeseburger at TGIF's and to a movie to see the new Spiderman movie. (it was awesome, if you like Spiderman!) we rarely go see a movie...the last one we saw at the theatre was Narnia...

5) We like the Spiderman movies, and I have read several of the Spiderman books. They were surprisingly good...(my engineer-husband turned me on to them, it's in the bylaws...all engineer majors must love Star-trek and Spiderman)

6) I won a prize at my sister's baby shower this weekend. We had to list names of baby animals, I was the only one to know that a baby swan is called a cygnet (not that I could be sure of how to pronounce that..but no one else knew how to either...) and that a baby owl is called an owlet.

7) I love bagels. I could live on bagels. I am dying for a chocolate chip bagel with strawberry cream cheese right this very minute. And a diet coke. of course.

Now the hard part...I have to tag 7 people...
I will tag: An OC Sitcom, Lindsey, Susanne, Cyndi, Jeana, Melissa, and Heather

Last thought;

Our son Demi-Sky has been into dragons lately. He has put aside his goal of growing up to be Spiderman (at least for now) and has announced that he plans to be a dragon hunter when he grows up. He has asked me to teach him how to read maps, a very important skill to have-to be hunting dragons...and apparently little sister Amie is to be his sidekick. She reminded Demi today in the van, out of the blue, that they needed to remember to bring plates for dinner when they go dragon hunting. As a homeschool mom, I am trying to jump all over this teachable, delight-driven moment. I need to dig out or buy a new map reading skills books, and Demi has me reading this book: Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher- to him every chance he can catch me. I am planning on reading "My father's dragon" to him next. Anyone else have any good suggestions?

standardized testing, homeschool style

We homeschool through a charter school, and the one big hoop we have to jump through to be part of their program is the yearly standardized testing. They try to make it painless and fun, (and quick!)...so here is a photo of the kids swimming at the hotel-test-site, after the test.
Demi is on the left, Meg center, Josie (with goggles) and Amie far right.

This was where you would find us on both Tuesday and Wednesday. It was warm and beautiful, I sat with a book and a diet coke. ....I could really dig this.

Saturday morning orchestra concert


Saturday was the last performance of the year for the Prelude Strings Orchestra. This was Meg's first year performing in the orchestra, and it was a really good year for her-musically. Pictured are: **Meg before the concert. **Guest conductor Richard Meyer with the orchestra. (Meg is seated bottom right)

Mr. Meyer wrote the piece "Do-Si-Do" performed that day, he was so kind to come to one of the rehearsals and work with the kids to prepare them for the concert, and to conduct the piece on the day of the concert. He was so personable, funny, and it was very interesting to have him explain the music to the audience.

We had a fun time. Sky, I, and the kids attended, along with Sky's mother and grandmother, and my mom, step-dad and grandparents. ( I am a little bit glad I can sleep in on Saturday mornings now!..shh...)

Cat watercolor and poem

Josie painted this picture. I really love it, it is not a life-like painting, but more geometrical-and the simplicity and brightness cheer me.
Being mom, of course I think almost anything they produce is brilliant-

Our Cat

The cat goes out
And the cat comes back
And no one can follow
Upon her track.
She knows where she's going,
She knows where she's been,
And all we can do
Is to let her in.

-Mercette Chute

he threw-off my groove...


Last night I was making girl-cheese sandwiches for the kids for dinner. Yeah, that is what we call them, because that is what I thought they were called until about Jr. high age. And yeah, it was a really uncool moment of revelation...

Anyways, I was grilling up some sandwiches, doing the multi-tasking mom thing...sandwiches sizzling, pouring drinks and cutting up pears to go with it-when I realized I had forgotten the sandwiches a little too long. Couldn't interrupt my pace, so I flipped them over and continued with the pears.

Hubby came over and observed they were burnt, one more-so than the others. As I turned around answering that I was aware of the problem, I watched in horror as he quickly scooped up the sandwich and flipped it into the garbage can-in an engineering/efficient sort of way.

"Nooooo!" I screeched, "I was going to fix that...it is all under control!" He was pretty amused, "how so?" he asked. "I gently coax the piece of bread from the melted cheese and get out a fresh slice of bread..good as new!"
"So you do this often, do you?" Hubby asked, in that highly amused voice. "Yes, I have a system. I almost always burn them, as did my mother before me! ...It is tradition!!" -the last part said in my best EverAfter imitation. He is laughing now over this sad truth that I am my mother in so many ways. Now I am muttering and clucking because he moved the order of sandwiches on the griddle, the lower right sandwich was all cheddar-'cause that is what Josie likes. I mock-glare at hubby and complain that he mixed them all up.

"You threw off my groove!" I throw out in my best Emperor's new grove way. Hubby is retreating from the kitchen, chuckling over my hopeless DNA. From the safety of the dining room he asks, "did she really always burn them?"

"yes", I answer,"almost every time...and she didn't get out new bread, if we were lucky she scraped some of the burnt parts into the garbage. I would eat dinner thinking "this would be really good if it wasn't so burnt...I can almost taste how good it is.." Hubby is now howling.

Dinner and a show! I aim to please, after all.

around the house

We hosted our girl's book-club tea on Friday. We finished up "Ella Enchanted" Our discussion ranged from *what part of the story was their favorite? *Did Ella have a good relationship with her father? and give an example that reveals the state of their relationship. * Why didn't Mandy like to reveal that she was a fairy? *And what was the effect on others when Ella attempted to communicate to them in their own language? -Is this something we have experienced ourselves?

This next photo is the state of my kitchen Saturday night after having friends over for dinner. We had a wonderful time fellow-shipping with an old high school friend of Sky's and his beautiful family. We really had a sweet time of fellowship and enjoyed the Lord together. I wish they didn't live so far away!!

The next night we had the bible college brothers over, and my kitchen looked pretty much the same in the aftermath. This picture is of the guys cleaning up, a sight of beauty to behold indeed! Darling Hubby is 2nd on left in brown shirt.


This last picture is of the guys hanging out, playing a game with Meg.

It's been a little quiet here at our blog...I have been pretty sick, and on top of that I have been hit with a bout of insomnia. Last night I was trying to pull a late night working on homeschool records...figured might as well since I cannot sleep anyways... I went to bed sometime after 3 a.m. because I was getting dizzy, and I could not believe it, but I laid there awake for two hours.It was an ugly morning, I must tell you. I took a nap after lunch time, which I am sure will help continue my round of sleepless nights. I really do not know what to do at this point. I have tried tylenol p.m, on top of my heavy duty cold medicine while sick...nothing.
We will see how tonight goes... see you all around the internet my bloggy friends. If you see a comment in the wee small hours, it is probably me, roaming sleepless...