Matt has been gone on his Boston trip now since early Sunday morning, and I am surprised to say that the week has gone by so fast. Every other time he has gone on a business trip without us (not a common occurence, but it has happened a few times)I have completely dreaded it. The kids would cry when he left, and there would always be an outburst or two every day when one of them missed him too much. I would dread the horror of trying to care for an infant, a toddler, a preschooler and a grade schooler alone--bedtime alone was enough to make me cringe.
But I guess we've moved into a new phase in our family. Not that any of us has been happy not to have Matt here, but it's been pretty fun. It's difficult not to have a break, and I've been getting up too early (for me) because Ben and Julia aren't having breakfast with Daddy. No workouts, because I'm completely in charge of bath and bedtime routines. On the other hand, I haven't cooked dinner even once! (Leftovers, take out, and last night--we'd gone to the movies and shared a giant popcorn at 5pm--cheese, crackers and fruit. Surprising that without Matt, it seems pointless to make a big deal of dinner!)
We have had fun outings, dinner with friends, reading and games, movies and tea parties. The time has flown by. Today we're off to the aquarium.
But I have a feeling that tomorrow at 5 pm, we're going to be even happier!
--Jen
A blog about a busy mom who homeschools her four children, juggles activities and housework, and still manages to find quality time to be a family.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Daily Quote
How can anyone govern a nation that has 246 different kinds of cheese?
--Charles de Gaulle
--Charles de Gaulle
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
And The Skylark Sings With Me
We are in the middle of our second week of vacation from school, and I am coming to grips with the fact that I have a lot of lessons to plan! Matt is away in Boston for the week, so the kids and I have been relaxing, enjoying ourselves and not doing much of everything. Our first week of vacation was Thanksgiving, so there was a lot of running around. This week has been full of fun activities, but quieter and with a lot less driving! I am enjoying it thoroughly.
This morning I finally picked up a book I got at the lecture I attended November 4 with some homeschooling friends. The lecture was by David Albert, who is a homeschooling dad, writer, musician, and all around very cool guy. We had a wonderful afternoon and evening of talking, laughing and eating with him, hearing all sorts of stories, and learning new things. I bought several of his books to help me along in our homeschooling journey.
The one I was reading this morning is called "And the Skylark Sings With Me." I had read it long ago, when we first started homeschooling in 1999. I remember liking it and being very impressed, but not very many of the specifics. I had completely forgotten that the title of the book was taken from a poem by William Blake. William Blake? The poet of the late 16th/early 17th century? Yes, that Blake. Here is the poem:
I love to rise in a summer morn
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn.
And the skylark sings with me.
O! What sweet company.
But to go to school on a summer morn
O! It drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn,
The little ones spend the day
In sighing and dismay.
Ah! then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour,
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learning's bower,
Worn thro' with a dreary shower.
How can a bird that is born for joy
Sit in a cage and sing?
How can a child, when fears annoy,
but droop his tender wing,
And forget his youthful spring?
O! Father and Mother, if buds are nip'd
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are strip'd
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care's dismay,
How shall the summer arise in joy,
Or the summer fruits appear?
Or how shall we gather what griefs destroy,
Or bless the mellowing year,
When blasts of winter appear?
Pretty prophetic stuff, back in a time when most people were being homeschooled!
--Jen
This morning I finally picked up a book I got at the lecture I attended November 4 with some homeschooling friends. The lecture was by David Albert, who is a homeschooling dad, writer, musician, and all around very cool guy. We had a wonderful afternoon and evening of talking, laughing and eating with him, hearing all sorts of stories, and learning new things. I bought several of his books to help me along in our homeschooling journey.
The one I was reading this morning is called "And the Skylark Sings With Me." I had read it long ago, when we first started homeschooling in 1999. I remember liking it and being very impressed, but not very many of the specifics. I had completely forgotten that the title of the book was taken from a poem by William Blake. William Blake? The poet of the late 16th/early 17th century? Yes, that Blake. Here is the poem:
I love to rise in a summer morn
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn.
And the skylark sings with me.
O! What sweet company.
But to go to school on a summer morn
O! It drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn,
The little ones spend the day
In sighing and dismay.
Ah! then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour,
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learning's bower,
Worn thro' with a dreary shower.
How can a bird that is born for joy
Sit in a cage and sing?
How can a child, when fears annoy,
but droop his tender wing,
And forget his youthful spring?
O! Father and Mother, if buds are nip'd
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are strip'd
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care's dismay,
How shall the summer arise in joy,
Or the summer fruits appear?
Or how shall we gather what griefs destroy,
Or bless the mellowing year,
When blasts of winter appear?
Pretty prophetic stuff, back in a time when most people were being homeschooled!
--Jen
Daily Quote
One out of four people in this country is mentally unbalanced. Think of your three closest friends; if they seem OK, then you're the one.
--Ann Landers
--Ann Landers
Monday, November 26, 2007
Kid Sandwich
Matt is away this week on business, so here I am all alone with my 4 kids. When this happens, I am sort of a fish out of water, because although I am alone with them all day while he's at work, I am spoiled by the fact that he is a very hands-on dad. I am pretty much free after he comes home and dinner's ready--he and the kids clear the table and do the dishes, he does all bath routines, and he gets them all ready for bed (pjs, stories, teeth brushed, etc.) and gets Julia and Ben to bed while I take care of Emma. Plus my early risers (Julia and Ben) get up early with him in the morning and have breakfast, allowing me to sleep in a bit. Also, he only takes 2 business trips a year--and we usually go with him on this trip to Boston!
WELL. He left at 8 am yesterday, and the day went very well. We did some chores--laundry, filling bird feeders, straightening up. We played a massive game of Monopoly, watched a movie, we went to Target, where as I promised them a few weeks ago they could each get a small toy to make up for not keeping to our yearly tradition. Had an early dinner, and the three little ones took a really long bath together, playing in the bubbles. I decided to vacuum while they were in it. When Emma got out of the tub, she promptly went into her room and shut the door--she hates the vacuum.
About 15 minutes later, was done except for her room, so I went to open her door to let her know her room would just take a few minutes, and she could get back to her game. To my surprise, she was all tucked into bed, sound asleep! And it was only 7:15. So I read Ben and Julia some "Prince Caspian," we called Matt for them to say goodnight, and I took them up to bed. Rachel and I watched some TV together, and Matt and I were talking on the phone late when Emma came downstairs to find me.
Sigh. I tried to put her in her own bed a few times. Didn't work. So I put her in my bed, cursing to myself that the one benefit of being husbandless this week is having the entire bed to stretch out in. I had just fallen asleep (you know, that state where you're totally still and you now you're drifting off, but you're still aware of what's happening?) when I heard a kid go into the bathroom. Naturally, it wasn't one of the girls, who would have gone back to bed. It was Ben.
No, he didn't have to go to the bathroom. He was looking for Daddy. I reminded him Daddy's away, but I'd take him up and tuck him in again. Nope. He could sleep in Emma's bed; her room is next to ours, so that's better than upstairs, right? Nope.
"Mama," he said seriously, "I don't want to sleep alone."
Sigh. Again.
I let him into bed with us. These two kids don't take up as much room as Matt, it'd be fine. Hmmm. It would have been fine, except my restless little bean was diagonal in the bed, with her feet planted against my legs. When I pulled Ben in, I was completely locked in. Couldn't move at all. One good thing is that Ben is, no question, the best snuggler in the entire world. My girls are all over the place when they sleep, always have been. Ben just scooches into your body and stays that way. And he's warm. And his hair smells so nice.
But still. I would have given that up in a heartbeat if I could have moved a bit! Add the dog at the foot of the bed, 2 kittens in the crook of my knees, and a cranky but sweet old cat sitting on my hip....let's just say I woke up this morning feeling about a hundred years old!
Four more nights.
WELL. He left at 8 am yesterday, and the day went very well. We did some chores--laundry, filling bird feeders, straightening up. We played a massive game of Monopoly, watched a movie, we went to Target, where as I promised them a few weeks ago they could each get a small toy to make up for not keeping to our yearly tradition. Had an early dinner, and the three little ones took a really long bath together, playing in the bubbles. I decided to vacuum while they were in it. When Emma got out of the tub, she promptly went into her room and shut the door--she hates the vacuum.
About 15 minutes later, was done except for her room, so I went to open her door to let her know her room would just take a few minutes, and she could get back to her game. To my surprise, she was all tucked into bed, sound asleep! And it was only 7:15. So I read Ben and Julia some "Prince Caspian," we called Matt for them to say goodnight, and I took them up to bed. Rachel and I watched some TV together, and Matt and I were talking on the phone late when Emma came downstairs to find me.
Sigh. I tried to put her in her own bed a few times. Didn't work. So I put her in my bed, cursing to myself that the one benefit of being husbandless this week is having the entire bed to stretch out in. I had just fallen asleep (you know, that state where you're totally still and you now you're drifting off, but you're still aware of what's happening?) when I heard a kid go into the bathroom. Naturally, it wasn't one of the girls, who would have gone back to bed. It was Ben.
No, he didn't have to go to the bathroom. He was looking for Daddy. I reminded him Daddy's away, but I'd take him up and tuck him in again. Nope. He could sleep in Emma's bed; her room is next to ours, so that's better than upstairs, right? Nope.
"Mama," he said seriously, "I don't want to sleep alone."
Sigh. Again.
I let him into bed with us. These two kids don't take up as much room as Matt, it'd be fine. Hmmm. It would have been fine, except my restless little bean was diagonal in the bed, with her feet planted against my legs. When I pulled Ben in, I was completely locked in. Couldn't move at all. One good thing is that Ben is, no question, the best snuggler in the entire world. My girls are all over the place when they sleep, always have been. Ben just scooches into your body and stays that way. And he's warm. And his hair smells so nice.
But still. I would have given that up in a heartbeat if I could have moved a bit! Add the dog at the foot of the bed, 2 kittens in the crook of my knees, and a cranky but sweet old cat sitting on my hip....let's just say I woke up this morning feeling about a hundred years old!
Four more nights.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Crazy Night
We've been away for Thanksgiving, which is why I haven't posted. We had a wonderful day in Somerville, NJ with almost the whole family (Amy, Roger & Chloe are, of course, in Vienna--you were missed!) and some friends, too. This year we went back to the church hall, which in the past few years had fallen out of favor, but since we were 36 strong this year, it was wisely decided that there would be more room at the hall than in David and Donna's house. The main benefits of the hall are: a restaurant kitchen in which to prepare the giant feast, a gym-like atmosphere for the children to run around like mad things without breaking anything (they even played basketball while the adults enjoyed coffee and talk!)and, for Poppy, the fact of the full bar gives him a job! He loves nothing more than to play bartender to all. People gathered round the bar to talk and laugh, and Julia was doing her "vibrating eyes" trick, which she said was "entertaining the bar folk!"
For the first time EVER, we took a route back to Mom and Dad's house in Brooklyn that allowed us to avoid all traffic. This is a major miracle, for those of you not familiar with holiday traffic patterns in the NY metro area. Susan and Sean have been saying for years that they never hit any traffic on the way back to Brooklyn, and we finally decided to go their way--it worked! It was heavenly. This does involve going out of the way (we take the Holland Tunnel to Manhattan, over the Manhattan Bridge into Brooklyn, then have to drive clear across Brooklyn to Canarsie. The horribly jammed way is much more direct, through Staten Island and over the Verrazano Bridge to the Belt Parkway, a few blocks to Mom and Dad. Susan and Sean live minutes from the Manhattan Bridge, so it makes much more sense for them.) But as I told Matt, I'd prefer driving 20 miles out of the way if we can keep away from traffic jams. (Mom and Dad took the Staten Island way, sat in 45 minutes of traffic, and we still beat them by 15 minutes going the longer way!)
Anyway, this long story is leading somewhere! Emma was the only child to sleep on the way home. (I know, great, huh?) She'd been asleep for around an hour and a half, and given the long day, I didn't think anything of it. I carried her in, and did get into bed with her to snuggle when she woke up. She appeared asleep a few moments later, so I got up and headed into the bathroom. I was startled when she came in.
"I'm ready for breakfast!" she announced sleepily.
"Uh--sweetie, it's the middle of the night," I said, amazed. "Time to sleep."
"No, Mama, I don't think so," she said firmly. "I'm not going to bed!" She plunked down on the bathroom rug, ready for battle.
I won't bore you with all the details, but I went back to bed with her twice, then gave up and left her sitting on the floor. Rachel put her to sleep twice, but she just would wake up when no one was there with her. Finally, at midnight when I was ready to sleep, I simply got into bed with her, and that was it. Guess she just needed someone with her, because she didn't move for the rest of the night.
For the first time EVER, we took a route back to Mom and Dad's house in Brooklyn that allowed us to avoid all traffic. This is a major miracle, for those of you not familiar with holiday traffic patterns in the NY metro area. Susan and Sean have been saying for years that they never hit any traffic on the way back to Brooklyn, and we finally decided to go their way--it worked! It was heavenly. This does involve going out of the way (we take the Holland Tunnel to Manhattan, over the Manhattan Bridge into Brooklyn, then have to drive clear across Brooklyn to Canarsie. The horribly jammed way is much more direct, through Staten Island and over the Verrazano Bridge to the Belt Parkway, a few blocks to Mom and Dad. Susan and Sean live minutes from the Manhattan Bridge, so it makes much more sense for them.) But as I told Matt, I'd prefer driving 20 miles out of the way if we can keep away from traffic jams. (Mom and Dad took the Staten Island way, sat in 45 minutes of traffic, and we still beat them by 15 minutes going the longer way!)
Anyway, this long story is leading somewhere! Emma was the only child to sleep on the way home. (I know, great, huh?) She'd been asleep for around an hour and a half, and given the long day, I didn't think anything of it. I carried her in, and did get into bed with her to snuggle when she woke up. She appeared asleep a few moments later, so I got up and headed into the bathroom. I was startled when she came in.
"I'm ready for breakfast!" she announced sleepily.
"Uh--sweetie, it's the middle of the night," I said, amazed. "Time to sleep."
"No, Mama, I don't think so," she said firmly. "I'm not going to bed!" She plunked down on the bathroom rug, ready for battle.
I won't bore you with all the details, but I went back to bed with her twice, then gave up and left her sitting on the floor. Rachel put her to sleep twice, but she just would wake up when no one was there with her. Finally, at midnight when I was ready to sleep, I simply got into bed with her, and that was it. Guess she just needed someone with her, because she didn't move for the rest of the night.
Daily Quote
The middle of the road is where the white line is - and that's the worst place to drive.
--Robert Frost
--Robert Frost
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Ben Learns Something New
Today Ben tied his shoes all by himself! He has been trying to do it for a few months, but because he rarely wears shoes that tie (mostly he wears sneaker with Velcro--today it was raining so he wore his work boots). He was so proud and happy, especially when he managed to tie the other one. To be honest, I was really happy when he tied the other one; I wondered if he could replicate it!
I told him I was proud of him and would post it to the blog. I was surprised when he asked me several hours later, "So, did you post it on the blog yet?"
So, I am.
--Jen
I told him I was proud of him and would post it to the blog. I was surprised when he asked me several hours later, "So, did you post it on the blog yet?"
So, I am.
--Jen
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