A trying day...

It started with me waking the girls up at 5:30am. I was already up sewing a button onto John's uniform when I looked over and realized he had left his uniform on the chair (he wears his PT, physical training, uniform in the morning). So, we left the house a short time later in the hopes I could find his car in the sea of cars in the three parking lots where he might be. I was so lucky when I pulled in the first parking lot I was going to look in (actually its the parking lot on the end), I saw a light in a car. It was John! How lucky, right?

Anyway, that is how the day began and honestly I'm not sure that it has gotten much better. Both of the girls coughed all night (I slept little, not sure about John). Chloe's eyes were blood-shot and watery this morning. Both girls say they feel fine and no complaints about aches or pains. And neither one has a fever. I'm debating TKD tonight. I'm not sure they didn't get whatever it may be from TKD. Several people over the past week have come to class when they were clearly not well, but I hate to be like them and give it back or to someone else. So I'll wait until closer. Chloe looks a lot better now, but I'll decide later.

Downhill slide, for John's school...

Well, John officially has all of what he finds to be the difficult parts of school behind him. Yesterday, he completed his Squad Leader role so all that is left for him are written tests. Easy for him. He was in a more relaxed mood last night and this morning, even though it was still 4:30am. I'm relieved. I love him dearly, but when he stays cranky he is very difficult to deal with.

Everything at home is okay. I have to admit my organized house now looks as if a tornado has come through. It just seems like I have no time to do everything. Either we are good with school and the house is a mess or school is behind and the house is clean. But with our new TKD schedule and John's school, neither one is being done well. So, I'm looking forward to this school being over for so many reasons. I know its John's school and it shouldn't effect housework or school, but it does. Its hard to explain. We've had lunch with John a few times, so that takes about 2 hours (or more) out of our day. We still have grocery shopping and the library once a week. But now I have to stop whatever we are doing about 3:30 to make dinner, so we can eat before TKD (yes, its quite early for dinner but if I don't my sugar crashes and the black belt class is last). Honestly, I don't see us adjusting to the new TKD schedule until March when John has been back a work a couple of weeks and we determine a good way to get everything done that has to get done around here. I find adjustments difficult, but when one is permanent and another is temporary I personally find it quite impossible.

What a week...

So, Tuesday we had a bit of snow. Yes, a BIT. The girls were in heaven. We have not had a bit of snow in a few years (since we were in the yellow house, as we call it). Chloe was very young and didn't remember so she was very excited to see it coming down. They went out and attempted both a snowman and snow angels. The snowman was obviously tiny and they made a good attempt on the snow angels.

John's school is going. He is doing well at it, but the lack of sleep for both of us is driving us a bit batty. I'm hoping Sunday will be a good rest day for him, but only time will tell. Just think, only 2 1/2 more weeks to go. YEAH! And the girls are looking forward to seeing their Dad graduate.

Our school, here at the house, has seen better weeks, I believe. Somehow we are just behind. A couple of days where one or two subjects weren't finished because of running errands (seems like errands have multiplied since John's been in school) and BAM we're behind a whole day. Not sure how it happened but it did. We'll get everything caught up but it is rather nerve racking. John is always telling to me to just drop a day and do it later but I'm a little nuts. Once I have it down on "paper" I want to complete it. The girls are with me because they know the more days we put off, the further into June they are going to have to go so they don't mind a Saturday here and there so long as its not a repeat of last year! I cringe at the thought.

On the TKD front...

Chloe is preparing to receive her black belt recommended in a couple of weeks. She has been working very hard, with our shortened class schedule, to learn her new form. She says its hard! lol Master Mike told Ryan, Gabby and me that we MAY actually mid-term this time because we will learn the last few moves of the form this coming Tuesday and he thinks we'll be ready. I, of course, laughed out loud when he told us. I'm sooo not ready for that one! Jesse will not mid-term but doesn't mind. All the 1st degrees and above are up front with Master Mike helping with graduation and she loves it! She is also back helping Miss Amy teach the Little Dragon class, which she also enjoys.

Its January already, really?...

Well, here we go again. For those who don't know, John and I have been hosting a Science Fair for the homeschoolers in the area. This will be our third year. Wow! I still can't believe we've been homeschooling for that long! We have now set the date for the end of February and John started working with the girls on their projects. Somehow, every year I start working with them but John deems me unfit in the realm of science of takes over. Believe me I'm neither complaining nor arguing. I'm hoping for another good turn out and there are usually some very interesting projects. I'll post a couple of pics as they go along and some of the fair itself.

John's back from the woods...

John got back last night from being out on field maneuvers since Monday (3:30am). I know it was just three days but for some reason this trip felt longer - to John too. It was really nice to have him home last night and he was very glad to be back in a heated room to sleep in. He goes in today and then he is off until Monday night at 8. Finally, we'll all get a break. This is the first time he has been able to come home at night while he is in school and I'll tell you there is a HUGE difference! When he was in Columbia and we were in Edgefield he had to do everything for himself. I would come up every few days to get his laundry because honestly they don't give enough time off to sleep, eat and do laundry. Now that he is home and going to school I'm doing two loads of laundry (same articles) every day. Except for this week, I was preparing his lunch every day which usually he took care of himself (if he took it, most of the time not). Its been very different and our schedules have been chaotic to say the least. Our TKD times have changed too so that really has not helped. We are trying to adjust to two different schedules (one temporary and one permanent). Hopefully over the next couple of weeks there will be a vast improvement.

Differences in learning...

It amazes me how similar my children are to each other. But their differences sometimes really surprise me.

Chloe has started Science this month. Let me rephrase, she started doing Science the classical way, doing narrations (a summary for what she has read). We sit together and she reads the pages (or two) then I ask her to give me three sentences about what she just read. Usually, within five or six minutes she has finished telling me and I've finished writing it out. I started this same process with Jesse at the same point in Kindergarten, but it was very different. For some reason it took Jesse forever to tell me three sentences. Sometimes we would even read it twice. Jesse has improved a lot over the past two years and now does narrations quite quickly. Now, I wonder if Chloe is going to slow down over the next couple of years. lol

Chloe also had her first test in her new Mathematics 1 book. She made a 100! I knew she would. Jesse also had her second test with pre-algebra problems today. So far she has gotten them all correct. She is really proud after having such a hard time in the beginning with the pre-algebra problems.

John's school...

John was excited today. He marked off his first full week of school! He even taught his class (they choose topics to teach and his lecture was today). So far he has passed all of his tests (including is PT test), gave his lecture and they will go out to the field soon, so that will be done too. He said after that, it will be easy...all the hard stuff behind him.

He is very tired. He's been leaving home between 3:30-5:30 am depending on when he has to report, then doesn't get home until 6:30-7:30 pm. It wouldn't be so bad but then he spends the rest of the night preparing for class, PT and tests. He has tomorrow off so I'm hoping he'll get to sleep in. I'm looking forward to when his class is over so the alarm clock will stop going off so early in the morning.

One thing while we're on the subject of school. I posted a week or so ago Chloe was going to start spelling in January. Well, she had her first test the other day and made a 108. I gave Jesse extra credit words, so I'm using her old notebook and giving Chloe the same words (Jesse got a 108 on that test also). Chloe was so proud of herself. I just hope the rest of the semester goes as well.

Finally, a couple of Christmas pics...

Chloe's pride and joy, her Lego pirate ship. Of course, Dad had to help!

Jesse loved her Barbie house and I like it too...it folds up all nice and neat.

I also have to say they loved their gifts from Grandpa and Grandma. Chloe got the guitar she's been wanting for the last two years and Jesse has a nice new keyboard. They both love them and have been practicing a lot but I have failed to take a pic so far.

As for my wanting to have the entire house organized by the new year, I have failed. I posted earlier with John home I get nothing done and its so true. We did give the classroom a new look (I don't remember if I said this already so bare with me please). John painted our old filing cabinet black, to match both our desks, and it looks awesome! He moved his desk against the wall and we both went through our paperwork and threw things out like crazy. The classroom is organized!

Yesterday, I finally finished reorganizing the kitchen. I've redone all the cabinets and the items sitting on the counter tops (I hate clutter, but my house is full of it). I've even found a solution for my wet kitchen towels. The kitchen is now organized!

Today, I spent my time on our bedroom. Honestly, our bedroom is probably the best room in the house, but it had a couple of things to work on...namely, the bookcases. So, today I went through all the junk that had piled up and put everything where it belonged. Our bedroom is now organized!

I have to tell you this. I've been feeling kind of crappy for months now. I knew the house was a wreck but honestly didn't know where to start, nor did I want to start. Finally seeing immaculate rooms has put me in a better spirit. I knew I'd feel better when it was done but honestly every time I go into a really clean room I smile. Now, I just have to finish the girls' rooms (we started when John was off at Christmas but they still need a bit of work), our closet, the laundry room and the living room (not much needed there either). I can't wait for it to all be done.

Happy 2009...

Yes, its the 5th of January and I'm finally blogging. Its been a crazy week-and-a-half. John has been home since Christmas Eve and I never seem to get much done when he's home. I don't know why but that is the way its been since we've known each other. I guess he just does something to me. ;)

Today was John's first day of school and if it could go wrong it did. It was a bad day for him and crazy for us. We didn't finish our last subject until 8:30pm! Unreal! I'm hoping tomorrow will be better but we start our new TKD schedule so I'm not sure. I'm keeping my fingers crossed though.

I still have not posted Christmas pics but I will. I'm hoping tomorrow...again, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I do have a funny story to share about school today. Chloe was so excited to start her "big science book, not the little ones". We are studying animals with the Kingfisher Encyclopedia of Animals. She was looking at the two pages we were going to read and asked "...do I have to read the mammogram too?" I'm sure I looked very confused and I asked her to repeat the question. It was the same question, I told her it was "migration". I couldn't help but giggle a bit. I know she's heard that word a lot in our home but I didn't realize she was paying that much attention.