Dear DBV:

The syncretic life is an impossible one. I didn't think so at first, but now I am sure. We must choose well at the onset and, then, live consequentially.

I saw you slipped passed the headlights at Christmas. I understand; it is just too much sometimes. I hope to see you next year, anyway. In the meantime, I am trying hard not to envy your freedom.

love,

DBS 

We went to the museum and, man, was it a  blast. Strong Children's Museum, with its recent rennovation and expansion, has moved from a really good museum, to a fabulous, you-really-can't-do-it-in-a-day adventure. I took the littles, and we went with Nolan, and I am glad that I decided to buy a membership.

They head in ... 

There is a Wegmans grocery store inside the museum, with working registers. They loved that and could have stayed in there for hours.

The new section included a mega storybook genre section which was beyond cool. Here is the troll from Three Billy Goats Gruff:

and Zak posing as Sherlock Holmes in the detective hub: 

There was a cool virtual harp, hat tipping to Carolyn:  

and dancing in the streets. 

Of course, we capped it off with a merry go round ride. Too much fun - even given that we didn't make it to the new nature  section. If you come to Rochester, you must check it out.

Today is the first day of our homeschooling year. I like to think I homeschool year round, but inevitably, half way through the summer I lose my children. This year, I lost myself also and failed to use my time wisely. The end result?? I am unprepared and the children unruly.

There are many reasons why I must turn this situation around. First, my babies deserve it. And, second, my husband demands it. 

Although it is fairly discouraging, given that this is my eighth year of homeschooling, I find, I must go back to the beginning. It is discouraging because I have walked backwards along this road many times. I wish I could just stay facing forward.

Therefore since we also are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2.

Last week, when I realized my position on this familiar road (of being behind the eightball), this is what I did. I set a date to begin; today. I accepted that I would not be fully ready. And I began to prepare my heart to restructure the way I live my days. I don't know much, but I have learned that in order to make a change in your life, you first have to render that change in your heart.

So, I read, Lies Homeschooling Mothers Believe again. And I read Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit. Again. Love those books. And I listened to a bunch of great homeschooling encouragement from tapes of conferences past. Jeff Myers always, always encourages me. And, in my next batch of car time, I am going to dig out my Susan Wise Bauer tapes; I haven't listened to those in a good long while. 

I have made some decisions. We need to take better breaks. Because I always feel like there is more to do, I tend away from  days off and that gets monotonous after awhile. No more mediocre efforts working endlessly through the summer; everybody gets too sludgey. We need to be more disciplined during school and we need to better utilize planful breaks for fun. I am thinking July through mid August would be a reasonable summer break for the kids and I really need to use that time for planning. And, for the rest of the year, I think I am going to calendar out some vacations during the year so the children can see them and anticipate them. I really need to get a couple of bulletin boards.

And, I know. I need a schedule. God continually draws my attention to structure and order. First, He reminds me that I am I am an orderly person, by nature, and I know that I need to continue to use that to benefit my family. And, secondly, there is just really no way that you can convince me that it is possible to homeschool 6 children without an orderly mindset. The problem is, I have never (really NEVER) been able to successfully implement a schedule that works for us. I am not sure why it has always so eluded me.

So, I dusted off Managers of Their Homes, and I am going to try again. I am trying differently this time. This time, I have decided to take it real sloowww. I am past the stage where a pretty paper schedule on my fridge will satiate me. Well. If you know me at all, you will know that having a pretty schedule does meet a big need for me.  : )  But, it is no longer enough. Even though I make a  beautiful schedule on paper, if it doesn't work, it is not pretty enough for me or my fridge.

I have two admonitions that have been ringing in my ears. The first rang through as I re-read Teri's books: pray and schedule time with the Lord. And, the second is a refrain that I have been hearing from my husband for the last year and not attending to: "Could you make me breakfast and pack my lunch for me?"

In light of these admonitions, and after prayerfully observing my children for this last week, I have decided to concentrate on the beginning and ending of our days. I think the biggest part of my past scheduling failures occur because I try and do it all at once and it is way overwhelming. The middle will have to wait. We won't be moving forward until our beginnings and endings are a little more under control. We are still beginning with a little school - the basics - but in terms of gaining control, I am focusing on the beginning and the ending of our days.

But here is the rub. And, honestly, I get stuck on this very early point in the road. My husband leaves for work at 7:00 am. In order to make him breakfast and lunch before he leaves in the morning, I have to be out of the shower and in cooking mode somewhere between 6 and 6:30. Right now, as it is, I tend to shower after him and then he makes me breakfast. It is a nice plan for me, but he resents it and I want to turn things around.

I have to get my little self up and take my shower at 5:30. That puts my morning study time at 5:00. And I really wanted to try and fit a half hour of exercise in. Exercise always evades me and it is probably unrealistic for me to try and include it in these early planning days. But, I put it out there for consideration because I have recently gained 5 pounds of the 25 I had lost over the summer. And, I cannot and will not go back down that road again. I know that I would be able to eat fairly like a normal person if I added half an hour of exercise a day.

Here is what remains and this seems fairly untenable for the long term.

4:30    God time

5:00    exercise

5:30    shower

6:00    Browncare (making the Brownie lunch and breakfast)

Now, I am a morning person. I really am. But it still does not seem manageable for long term. Must I give up a morning bit of exercise? Do other homeschooling moms of many really start their days so early?

Momma and the two big girls got hair cuts. Finally, no more hippy hair. My hair is now, officially shorter than I can ever remember. I did not tell her to cut it that short, but I am okay with it. I couldn't stand the strangled, unhealthy mess it had become. And, I know it will grow back fast. I love the way Nylah's and Samarah's turned out; I think they are both adorable. Next up: Raeah and Hannah!

I wonder: have I ever posted a learning entry with anything other than a celebratory tone??!! We really do do "schoolwork," and someday, I swear, I will post about it. But, first things, first; yesterday was the big boy's birthday.

Sixteen. Sweet. And very hippy in the hair. Just like Jimmy.

Zain and Jimmy are rightfully aghast at the fact that Momma forgot to buy candles. So, we tried to make due with a leftover 9 from the twins, and a two year old 8. Then, at the last minute, Samarah remembered that she had van-stashed away two candles from the Appleby's sundae back from her July birthday and she ran out to retrieve them. 

I know. It makes me look like I don't care, but I do. I really do. I tried to make up for it by marbleizing Zain's frosting, but that went poorly too.

Sorry, Zaino.     

He said it was okay, though. What a good boy. 

And, really. I don't know where he gets that hippy hair from.

: )  

We went to the fair yesterday. It was hot. Really hot. Not my favorite kind of weather.

If you have grown up in and around Rocheser NY the Hemlock Fair is somewhat of an institution. I grew up in a nearby town, so it was a big part of my summer every year. And, recently, I found myself living a couple miles down the road from the fairgrounds, so the fair has been a big part of summer fun for my own children as well.

After 30 years, I still hang out with the same people when I go to the fair. : )  This is Linda, her mom Dolores, and her cousin Reenie.

Dolores was the lunch lady at school. For years, she funded my stomach every single time I forgot my lunch money. Which was often. I loved Dolores before I loved Linda. Dolores has continued to take good care of me over the years.

This is Phil, Linda's brother, and his lovely wife, Robin. 

Phil does not have to work hard to come off burley and tough. Some people might call him downright frightening. But, I love Phil. There is a sweet and smart boy hiding in that manly man even though he works very hard to be burley and tough. I like to think that when I get to see Phil, which is not very often anymore, that I break down a bit of his burley.  : )  He would deny that, of course.

The kids had a fabulous time, despite the heat. This is Kathryn (Reenie's spunky little daughter), Hannah, Alton (Phil's son), Raeah, Nolan (Linda's son) on the fire trucks.

It was the second year running that fair day was near the 95 degree mark. It was brutal. This year, I remembered last year and I worked hard not to repeat my sun negligence. This year, I lathered on the sunscreen and wore a shirt which I thought revealed no skin to burn. I even bought a hat to avoid sunburned scalp. There is nothing in the world more horrible than sunburned scalp. Well. There probably are worse things in the world, but sunburned scalp is pretty bad.

It is ugly and cost me a lousy 12 dollars, but it was worth it. My scalp is not pink. But, I didn't think of everything. Apparently, I missed the back of my neck with the sunscreen. I got pretty burned and, today, one day later, I am feeling that uneasy sunsickness that comes with too much sun.

Did I mention that it was hot??

Nine years old!! It is unbelieveable. My babies.