I wish I was...

Even- keeled (in all areas of my life).

and would it be asking to much if it was even-keeled on a high level?

Sigh... I am still working on this happy stuff.

Term A, Week 4

Last week was more exciting- thankfully!

The typing program, (Typing Instructor for Kids) is going well, the kids "save it" for the last thing they do at school, as a treat. I think the voices are annoying, but the kids seem to not mind.
In the program, you are trying to find all the treasures on Typer Island, so that you can be the ruler. They take you through lessons, and then games that reinforce the lessons to win the treasures. It seems pretty fun.

We started a new reward program where if the children complete their work without having to be reminded to stay on task, they get a sticker for the day. When their chart is filled, they get to buy a book from the Half- Price bookstore. (Which is an awesome place.) This has helped with the motivation part of things, and I haven't had to remind/ask/beg/cajole/badger for them to get their work done.

This was our "art and craft" for the week. Although we did have a formal lesson in art about outlines and shapes, here is the other project we did- leaf rubbings with pastel chalks:
We read the Mad Hatter Tea Party chapter in Alice's Adventures this week. I decided to forgo a tea party, as I just put one on for Princess in the Spring, but we did make these fun Mad Hatter hats. On Friday, we decided to go camping, so I abbreviated school that day. I had the kids help me make a list of things we needed to camping. We went through each "activity" that we would do and made our list that way. I wrote most of the list, but I should have had the kids write it, as it would have been a great spelling/writing lesson. Oh well. I'll do better next time.
I also had the kids look at a few websites that explain how and why leaves change color in the fall. They can explain the process fairly well now and even have a few new stellar vocab words.

While camping, we collected leaves and a bunch of hickory nuts. The nuts are on the deck drying and I am hoping to use them in some fun recipe this week.

Term A, Week 3

This week seemed to be one that we just got through. We did have school everyday, which is great. We accomplished much. I did realize that we will need a little change-up now and then, as I already feel bored with the same system we have been using for a while.
A few successes: Princess loves reading Half Magic and Mr. Man is reading Dinosaur Hunters. They are both doing well and often read past the point that they are required because they like it so much.
Alice's Adventures is going well, also. We are taking an accelerated pace with it, so we can start Little House in the Big Woods before Christmas.

Mr. Man is writing so much better this year. We have started doing daily journal entries. He is still working on lots of things, but it is much improved. He loves that in his journal he doesn't have to worry about spelling.

Next week we will start a typing program.

Addictated

After watching Dumbo, my kids wanted to know how Dumbo made a square bubble. I told them that he didn't really, but that he had consumed alcohol, which had mistakenly fallen into his water trough. So he only thought he was blowing square bubbles and seeing psychotic pachyderms. Anyway, a discussion ensued in which we talked about the effects of drugs and alcohol on the body, including nicotine, illegal drugs, caffeine, and alcohol. We talked why people would do that even if it detrimental to your body (I told them because it makes people feel different, ostensibly "better"). Later on in the day Aleah revisited the subject and said "Why would anyone want to be addictated to something?"
I thought the word was apropos. When we are addicted, we are enslaved and, as such, "dictated" in our actions. Who do I call at Oxford's?

Term A, week 2 mulligan

School went well this week. Some things I did to make it go more smoothly for me:

-We started each morning by going for a run or walk. We're training for a 5K in Nov.
-Started the school day with devotional- I am using the new nursery manual. It's simple, to the point, and teaches basic gospel doctrines.

-Mr. Man and Princess take turns playing with Noodle while I work one on one with the other child. This not only engages Noodle, but gives me specific time with each child for school. This really was a big deal this week, Noodle loved it, and we got so much more done!

-Workboxes were planned each morning. There was no waiting for me to fix them up.

I was really pleased with how well things went. I like the Math-U-See curriculum, but Mr. Man sometimes gets distracted with the blocks. I also discovered I was giving him too many problems at once. He could do them all, but it would take him FOREVER! - I think he was overwhelmed. So we started giving fewer at a time. It seems to be better.

We are doing Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the kids made a crocodile with shining scales this week. It was fun, but I am not sure I really like the book. (I have never read it before.)

Trigger Happy

So this is my first week of "being happy." I have to say, it is going well. I know it has only been four days, but that is a good start. I know that actually changing who I am is going to be a long process, and there are many, many steps along the way. I know that there will be not happy days. But I am happy for these past four days, that really, have gone well. I have noticed that there are some things that are INCREDIBLY HARD for me not to be angry/upset/sad/furious about. I call them my "triggers." Admittedly, I probably have more than I should. Some of them I feel fairly justified in (as much as you can justify anger). Anyway, when those triggers happen, man, I have to work HARD to not let them ruin my day. It is one of those steps to being happy, for sure.

If you wanna be Happy

I have been thinking lately about being happy. That is something that I would like to be more often. I know that some people are happy all the time- it just seems to be part of them, their personality. I, however, seem to be or see myself as not that kind of a person. I seem to be more serious and stern. Being happy and carefree is not an easy thing for me. I often fear ( and rightly so) that I am just an old stick in the mud who has forgotten to have fun. What a sad thing- as life is wonderful!
For me, when I wake up in the morning, it will have to be a conscious choice to be happy. I know that things are going to go wrong in a day. I know I'll have to change stinky diapers, I know there will be messes, tears, and ugliness. So why not accept it, laugh about it, and move forward to make the best of the day? If I make the choice to be happy, perhaps those things won't be such a big deal anyway- right? Hopefully, if I make that choice often enough, it will become habit and part of who I am. I want my kids to remember growing up with a happy, loving, and most of the time- fun, mom and home.
Awhile ago I had a post about perfectionism, and I think that not being happy is part of expecting perfection in all things. I get so caught up in doing things (or my children doing things) right, or well, or perfectly that I lose the joy of doing anything. Don't get me wrong, it is great to want to do things well, but not great to expect perfection always- we are all learning. I know to that some days will be hard, but I can still choose to look on the bright side of things.
So this is my choice I am going to choose happiness!