Right Wing Mom

Hmmm? I need to keep this short - Momma needs a nap or at least some quite time. So… to be brief (rare for me, I know!) I will share with you why I haven’t been blogging lately:

Teething baby
Cranky Jake
Awesome Jake
Sick Marc
Starting our school year
Having 3 kids to school now
A birthday party for a couple of 10 year olds I know, that was only a month late

But - to be serious, my lack of blogging can be summed up in just a few words:

Nastia, Shawn and Michael

What can I say, I have always been been addicted to the Olympics and this go round is now different! This 1am stuff is killing me though

More words and pics to come later.

Yep - it’s that time of year again - school’s about to start. In my little world this time of year is filled with stress and anxiety, even more so this year!

Why all the stress and worrying? Well, its about this time every year that I start questioning everything. It usually starts with curriculum choices: Is there something bigger and better? Should I really be using this (or that) curriculum. Is this really working?

Then we move to doubting: Oh, man - are my kids learning anything? Am I make them stupid? Should I even be doing this? Why am I doing this?

Then it moves to stress: ACCCK! How far “behind” are we now!?! What are you going to do for (insert subject here) this year!?! Are they learning anything?

This year it got a little worse. Jake is “officially” starting school. Now, let me say, that this is our, ummm… 6th official year of home schooling(that sounds about right.) Which, let me say is really sad, cause I still feel like I have no clue what I’m doing have the time. Anyway.. I digress. The problem here is that We didn’t really find out what worked for us till 1st grade. Poor Kaitie and Mandy went through at least 3 different curriculum choices during Kindergarten - and yet I still taught them to read! (small miracle there.)

So… here I am with a Kindergartner and looking in a few different directions. On a good note I do know 2 curriculums that I will not be using. Abeka (ewwww! sorry if you are an Abeka family) and KONOS (I really wanted to love KONOS - but a unit study Mom, I am not.)

I think we are probably going to wind up with Sonlight (which is what we used for 1st grade with the girls) Its great, its pretty simple, its all there and it has a schedule! I like that.

Interested in what we will be doing this year?

Here’s what’s planned for for Kaitie and Mandy:

History - Story of the World (Great books!) We will be finishing up Volume 2 and hopefully getting all the way through Volume 3

Language Arts - Rod and Staff 4

Latin - Prima Latina We tried doing Latin last year, but the curriculum was just too darn hard and went too fast - so we are giving this one a whirl!

Writing - Institute for Excellence in Writing I have heard such good things about this program and can’t wait to try it out!

Science - Considering God’s Creation. I really love this book. But, sadly science always seems to get out on the back burner. So - hopefully we will finish this book sometime this year!

Math - Math-U-See

And here’s what we are planning on doing with Jake:

Math - Math-U-See

Reading - continuing with learning to read with a combo of Hooked on Phonics, The Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading, and The McGuffey Eclectic Readers.

Language Arts - Language and Thinking for Young Children

Writing - Worksheets for somewhere on the internet Just working on strokes and hand-eye coordination

History - Sonlight ( hopefully)

And lots and lots and lots of reading

I am going to put up a little schedule on the blog somewhere to talk about what we are studying that week and what everyone is reading.

Let me know if you have any questions or any suggestions!

I thought I would take a little time today to catch up a bit. I haven’t really been up for blogging lately. Tiredness, busyness and just general madness and mayhem have taken over.

Edouward is visiting today. It really cracks me up how, still in the wake of Katrina, the local news is just salivating over an impending hurricane. Its just another rainy day here. Just like any other rainy day, but you wouldn’t know that watching the news tis morning. They had an anchor-person, standing in full “hurricane-garb” commenting on the lack of traffic and showing the puddles that had accumulated on the road… yep I said puddles. Is there seriously nothing else to talk about this morning but puddles?

On the kid front

Kaitie and Mandy are gearing up for meet season. We are still not sure they will competing this year. Kaitie is a little closer to getting her skills down, but Mandy is not far behind. They have an “in house” meet this Friday. The coaches will use that to kind of gauge where the girls to see if they are ready.

The girls and I (Marc helped a bit too) built a practice beam this past week! It was super cheap and relatively easy to make. The girls are using it to practice their cartwheels and leaps ans jumps. I am so proud and amazed of what they can accomplish on that 4″ piece of wood!

Jake is doing well. We have been trying some new stuff with him to help him with his food and behavior issus (I hat eto put it that way, but I don’t know how else to put it) and it really seems to be helping! Yesterday, we actually gave him an apple, blueberries and almonds, all foods that in the past, were big no-no’s, He had no problem! Very exciting times!!!

He is starting to read now too. He has learned his “at” words and his “an” words. The bad thing is: he wants to learn too fast! I am having to pull back the reins with him. He gets some words down then he’s like “ok, what next?” There is a part of me that wants to let him go and start pouring it in, but the other part really, really wants to make sure that everything is soolid before moving on. Hmmm, what to do?

Emma is cute as always and getting so big! She surprised me the other day, I went to go get her out of her crib, and there she was… standing up. Little stinker. She’s still not digging on the food that much. Some days she eats ok, but most days she is just really content drinking up the breastmilk. Again - what a stinker!

Thats all the updating for now, I guess. I will try to get back in gear with blogging and get some new pictures up for ya’ll!

My bloggy friend Andrea is so enjoyable to read. She is super cute and has 3 beautiful kiddos! I love reading her blog! She keeps me inspired

One of the things she has been ding this summer is Dinner for Dessert. Now, of all the things I would take from her… do I really need something that is going to make my butt even bigger? Probably not! But I have been in a “hanging out in the kitchen” kind of mood - so I had to take advantage!

I went with a recipe I had been drooling over and man… it did not disappoint! So much so, that Marc and I ended up redoing the recipe for Kaitie and Mandy’s breakfast in bed for their birthday.

I give you Chocolate Waffles!

Oh so yummy chocolate goodness with bananas, strawberries and homemade vanilla whipped creme! Wow. It was good… very, very good.

But it is… My babies, my girls, my chickies, my “girlfriends”, my firstborn… they turn 10 today. And as I type that, I cry. Not Boo-hooing, bawling type of cry. But, my eyes are swollen with tears and I feel a bit of sadness.

You know, when Marc and I first got married, I was even sure I wanted kids. It’s not that I was totally against it, but really, I could have done without kids… or so I thought.

When Marc and I found out we were pregnant - I was excited. Sure, a little scared, but mostly excited. The thought of having a child grew on me. It made me happy. Then just a few weeks later, we found out the really big news. I was not pregnant with “a” baby… nope - I was pregnant with “babies!” Umm, ’scuse me? Two? Really? I was so freaked out, I think I just stared at the wall for a week, every now and then I would say “twins?” quietly to myself and get all kinds of freaked out.

I don’t know what I was worried about. God knew what he was doing, and wow! He did a really good thing! He gave me two of the most perfect creatures ever put on the earth. They have changed me in so many ways. They are truly incredible! I know how could gush about them all day long, but I will spare you.

Let me just say this - they are awesome! Loving, caring, thoughtful, smart, sweet, beautiful, little girls… that aren’t so little anymore. Which brings me back to square one… sadness. I guess its not really sadness, but more bittersweet. I see them growing into these awesome young ladies and it make me so happy and proud, but it also brings the realization that each day that passes is one day closer to my girls, my babies, growing up, getting married and well, not being my babies anymore.

Want to take a look back with me?

Amanda Rose, born 7/24/98 at 9:01pm, weighing 4lbs 7 oz

Kaitlin Mae, born 7/24/98 at 8:55pm, weighing 4lbs 13oz

Those pictures prove a mother’s love is blind… those two look like aliens!

2 years old. Their Grandma bought these outfits for them so they could cheer their Uncle Dave playing football.

Their first year in gymnastics

Halloween, age 5

Getting their ears pierced at age 6

Their 7th birthday

Pensacola Beach, age 8

Homeschool - age 9

ok… I think I am going to curl up in a ball and cry a bit. Or - I can fix lunch and take my ladies shopping!!! Hmm, tough choice!

Nothing like a 4 year old to keep it real and tell you where you really stand in life.

(after watching Sesame Street together)

Jake: I just LOVE Sesame Street! Don’t you Mommy?

Me: I sure do, I love it.

Jake: I love it more than I love you.

Me: WHAT!?! You love Sesame Street more?

Jake: No, No, No… I still love you, I just love Sesame Street more.

Me: Really?

Jake: Yes. But I still love you.

Well, I guess it’s a good thing he “Still” loves me. (sniff, sniff) He took back his marriage proposal too when Dave and Haley were here. Yep - he told Haley he wanted to marry her instead. Hmm, that boy is going to be a little heartbreaker - I can see it now.

I read a book

I used to love reading, like seriously love it! I was a voracious reader! But, sometimes it is just so hard to find time to sit and read. Sure, I read the paper (sometimes) and magazines, I have a lot of Dr Seuss memorized and I love History of the World. I am talking about a “grown-up” book. Purely for entertainment kind of book. No home school book, no bible study book, no parenting book - just something rather “fluffy” and fun.

The crazy thing is that I did not read one book. Nope! I just finished my 3rd this week I am so proud of myself and feel so happy that I have kind of rediscovered reading.

So - what did I read?

Well, a confession first. A few years ago I discovered a weird, sub-category of fiction. Culinary Mystery. Ok, yeah it sounds a little weird, but I love them!!!! Up till this week I had only read from one author - Diane Mott Davidson. Abut 8 years ago, Marc and I used to drive from Louisiana to Texas (about 7hrs each way) every other week to see his “little” brother play football. It was his Senior year and we had been in Japan for the previous 3 years - so we had to do it!

Anyway, (me get off track?) Marc and I started getting audiobooks from Cracker Barrel to help pass the time. Well, we got her first book “Catering to Nobody.” I was hooked! I loved it!!!

This week I read one of her latest (she has one newer one that I don’t have yet) Dark Torte. It was fun, it was light and fluffy - I loved every bit of it!

The second book I read was another journey into a culinary mystery: “Two Cooks A-Killing” by Joanne Pence. It wasn’t as good, I think, as Diane Mott Davidsons books, but that could be a little biased there. I did enjoy it though, and will be more than likely picking up some other books by the author.

Last, but certainly not least, a non-fuffy book - lest you think all I read is fluff. Pride ad Prejudice. Oh how I love the story. I have seen just about every version of the movie made. I have seen the one made in 1940, the latest one (with Keira Knightly), the A&E version, the Bollywood version (Andrea S. Have you seen this?), even the Mormon version! But, sadly I had yet to read the book. (so day, I know)

I bought the book a few months ago and started it, but put it down and forgot about it. That all changed this week! I picked it up yesterday and tore right through it!

Verdict? Oh man! I loved it!!! It was, as almost always the case, better than the movie. Like way better! I really enjoyed it.

So - do you ready fluffy books? Not-so-fluffy books? Do you read at all? Any good recommendations?

I was thinking the other day - reflecting really, about how much I have changed and how weird I have gotten. Now, this is mostly relating to food and such, so I don’t want to her any feedback about how weird ya’ll knew I was the moment you met me ( or read a post if we have yet to meet IRL) OK?

I think it all began when I was pregnant with Kaitie and Mandy. Marc brought up breast feeding and mentioned that he really thought I should do it. Umm me? Breast feeding? You’re joking right? I mean, I guess I knew what those things on my chest were for, I had plenty to go around, it was free.. oh alright, I’ll give it a shot. A funny thing happened. I don’t know weather I had to prove something to myself, or to those people that looked at me like I was INSANE to nurse twins but I did it. Rather successfully too I might add. Oh, we had our trouble - the (seemingly) never ending case of thrush, supply issues, a (semi) hostile work environment, but we did it, for 10 months. Weird.

Then came the baby food thing. What in the world possessed me to want to make our own baby food? I am going to go with temporary insanity. It had to be! No, in all seriousness, it was guilt. Yep, former-Catholic, young Mamma guilt - a classic case. I worked 12-13 hour days, Marc worked 12-13 hour days, my girls were so itty-bitty and in day care so many hours a day. So I decided to give it a whirl. You know what I found out? It was simple! And cheap! I felt like I was finally doing something Mom like for my girls (oh yes, tons of guilt back then - darn Marine Corps!)

Then came home schooling? That (nI thought back then) was REALLY weird. I didn’t even know anyone at that time that home schooled. All my friends thought I was weird. I guess they were right.

Ok, at this point I stopped increasing my weirdness for awhile. But then… oh then I started going off the deep end. I got on an Organic kick. It started with milk. I had seen some reports about early onset puberty being linked with milk. Hmm - 8 year old and periods? Not my idea of a good time. We did soy milk for few months, then went to organic. Slightly weird now, weirder 7 years ago.

There have been more steps to weirdness the past few years. One thing I have noticed is that I have bumped my weirdness factor up significantly the past two years or so. A quick rundown on the 1-10 weirdness scale (totally made -up of course (does that make me weird?))

Midwife birth (4)
wanting a home birth (8)
Unmedicated birth (6)
Breast feeding (2)
Drinking raw milk (9)
Drinking raw kefir (9)
Drinking green smoothies (7)
Going “green” on my cleaners (5)

hmmm - I am sure there is more. But, it is getting late and it is time to get my weird self to bed.

So, on the Alicia’s weirdness scale - how weird are you? And what do you think would constitute a 10? Hmm… how weird can one get?