Our biggest homeschool field trip yet

I say yet because I do aspire to be like EuroMom and take the kiddoes to Europe.  Of course, I don’t know if we’ll ever manage 5 weeks away but 3 would be nice.  Anyway, this trip was much less lofty in ambition — we went to Williamsburg and surrounds as well as other points of interest in Virginia and the D.C. area.  We took 2 weeks and should have taken just a tad more.

It was marvelous.

And I think the kids enjoyed it too.

So in the coming weeks, I hope to blog about our trip and adventures.  I even plan to post pictures.  For now, I thought I would give you a bit of advice about trip planning.  Many of my friends had made the same trip or parts of the same trip in the last year and had blogged about it. They were all homeschoolers and all had given me advice in the past about things — advice that had been fruitful.  So I studied their blogs diligently.  And read nothing else about where we were going.  Nothing like a travel guide where someone was actually paid to give hints and ideas.  That was maybe a bad idea.  Not that I didn’t have great advice from my friends but I’m juts saying — maybe I could have planned even better.  So that’s my hint.  Read travel guides.  I used to do that.  But I never thought of it this time.  It wasn’t until we were near the end of our trip and I saw a book in a museum bookstore that said “Visiting D.C. with Kids” that I thought “travel guides for trip planning.  Hmmm, now that’s a novel idea!”   Do you think I really listen to my friends?  I will say that I didn’t have one bit of bad advice from any of them.  I’m just saying that maybe I could have learned more.

The Pressure, the pressure

So people think that FM#3 is funnier more often than I post and they are probably right but it’s all a blur.  Last night he didn’t say anything funny but he did something funny.  Does that count?  I met my Beloved at work to take his car and one kid to Scouts while he took the other three back home and had dinner.  As soon as I got out of the car, FM#3 hopped into the driver’s seat and started “driving”.  He also locked the doors (as if we couldn’t get in).  He wouldn’t’ get out of the driver’s seat and I just imagined that he was arguing his case with his father.  Forget the fact that he can’t touch the pedals, he still thinks he’s good to go. Today, I had the car on and was getting something out of the back when he made his move again.  I told him in no uncertain terms to not go near the driver’s seat.  He backed off but we might need to have some driving lessons soon just to make sure he’s safe.

And just to be clear, I don’t think he’s as funny as he used to be.  He’s sweeter.  Yesterday, he told me how much he enjoyed holding my hand.  “I just love it” he said, grasping my hand as we walked down the sidewalk in front of the house to go to the car.  But I think I’m still not off the hook.  I think you’ll take sweet stories too!

A couple of funny comments

Since I’m getting complaints about no blog posts and since FM#3 has finally come through with a couple of funny things, I will bow to the pressure.

FM#3 is into all things invisible.  He has been playing with an invisible paper airplane which I encouraged wholeheartedly and he is always talking about the disappearing this and the disappearing that.  Last week, he was doing something he wasn’t supposed to do and I raised my eyebrows at him and he said “You can’t see me, I’m invisible.”  Oh, yeah?

Then later last week, we bought Prince Caspian on DVD and watched it.  I know, I know, probably not the best idea for a child who is dealing with nightmares but I bowed to pressure.  Before we popped it in, FM#2 was assigning all the roles of who was playing whom and told FM#3 he could be Aslan.  Now, FM#3 used to roar a lot, so he’s always been the perfect one for this role but as he watched the movie, he complained with his assignment — “He doesn’t have red hair.  I need to be someone with red hair.”  Gee, do you think all those strangers who come up to him and comment on his hair are influencing what he sees as significant about himself?

The librarians need to be familiar with their own material

We borrowed a DVD from the library and it was scratched so I ran it back by today and ran in to tell them.  I was going to leave all the kids in the car but FM#3 wanted to come in.  As I turned to leave after checking to see if some of my holds had come in, FM#3 asked “Is that George Washington – spymaster?  The librarian said “That’s a bust of PRESIDENT George Washington.”  FM#3 said, “No, he’s George Washington, SPYMASTER.”  The librarian looked at me like I was teaching my children the strangest things.  I explained to her that we were listening to an audio book on the spy rings that George Washington ran during the Revolutionary War.  George Washington, Spymaster.

She found it fascinating and wanted to know more.  Then I told her it was from HER library.  She seemed a bit, umm, embarrassed.

And I realized that the 4 year old is picking up on more than I thought.

Pharaoh and Moses – live from the family room

The kids are watching the rest of The Ten Commandments.  FM#3, who hurt his knee (just a flesh wound, my dear) on the way in from the car when he ran to the door because he must be first to the house, is resting on the couch and holding court.  Apparently, he’s Pharaoh.  FM#2 is Moses.  Every few minutes, Moses is coming and saying “Let my people go!” and Pharaoh is saying, “No.”  For every no, there is a plague.  For the last no, Moses said, “Okay, that means flies.”  Pharaoh responded, “That won’t bug me” said in the smuggest of voices.

Some things just aren’t meant to be healthy

My mother suggested that I serve stuffing with dinner for the kids.  She thought they might like it.  She said Stove Top Stuffing was pretty good.  This is my mother who makes my all time favorite stuffing and even though she’s 87, us mean kids still make her make it everything Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Because well, we wouldn’t be actually celebrating those holidays if we didn’t have mom’s stuffing.  So I go to the store and peruse the shelves and think “whole wheat is better for us than that other stuff since this out of a box and not homemade.”  And all I can say is yuck, blech, never again.  And everybody agrees.

Except I have another box of it.  So maybe one more time.  It’s very sad.

Which just goes to show that he’s one big flirt

Last night we had our neighborhood supper club meeting and my mom came over to watch the kids while we went.  When I broke the news to them that we were leaving and that Granny was coming over, FM#3 was quite happy.  He said, “I’m so glad.  I like Granny.  I love Granny.  She’s my beautiful girl.”  I’m pretty sure that my 87 year old mom hasn’t been called a girl in a long, long time.

My kids are so strange

Tonight’s menu:  roasted chicken breast, roasted new potatoes with rosemary seasoning and broccoli.  My pickiest eater asked for yogurt and one of the above.  Guess which one.  Yep, the broccoli.  Okay, so is there any other kid in the world who passes over the chicken and the potatoes and goes for the broccoli.  Another child shouted with glee when I said we were having broccoli tonight.  It’s just downright bizarre.

Yes, I’m still alive

In my last post, I promised to blog more often and then went longer without blogging, so I thought I’d finally update.  We went on vacation at the beginning of September to Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown and the D.C. area.  We also visited Monticello and Montpelier.  I hope to upload pictures and do a travel diary soon but for now, you’ll just have to settle for some “heard around the house”.

From FM#3:

My Beloved to FM#3: I love you so much.

FM#3:  And me too, sweetheart.

Then he ran off to go play outside but had second thoughts and turned around.

FM#3:  What does sweetheart mean?

We explained it and he seemed satisfied and turned to go outside again.  As he ran out the door, we heard:  “I love you so much, sweetheart.” 

Then this morning, after thanking me for dressing him (his a very grateful child and it’s quite wonderful), he saw that I had covered the remains of his second helpings at breakfast.  “Thank you mommy.  You’re my best sweetheart.”  What’s not to love?

Yesterday was one of my BILs birthdays.  He also has a twin brother who is not married and who my mom always includes at any family occasion.  Sometimes he makes it, sometimes he doesn’t.  We haven’t seen him since last Thanksgiving and I was in the kitchen with him and mom last night when FM#2 came in, walked up to him and said “Hi, I’m sorry but I don’t believe I’ve introduced myself.  I’m FM#2 (and said his first and last name).”  He stuck out his hand and gave a firm handshake.  I wanted to say “and I just look like I’m 7 –  I’m actually 40.” 

Today is my brother’s birthday and there is no celebration.  He’s worn out from radiation and chemotherapy.  He goes back on the 14th to get another MRI of his brain.  Pray there are no tumors but from what I hear of his diagnosis and the very aggressive cancer he has, they expect to see something.

Overheard around the house

I already wrote this post once and then it went zowey.  I can’t believe WordPress did that to me.  It couldn’t have been operator error.  Oh no, never that.   So anyway, I wrote it before I forgot all the cute sayings and now, I fear I may have forgotten most of them.  But maybe they’ll come back to me as I write.
Probably not because I wrote it all down last week before we went to a homeschool conference.  And even though it’s been less than a week, it seems like decades ago.  The conference was wonderful and let me tell you, if you ever have an opportunity to hear Jeff Myers speak, grab it.  The conference was also exhausting as it was about 45 minutes away and there were speakers every evening, too.  Friday night was Jim Weiss of Greathall Productions who we just love.  Now, having met him in person, I want every CD he has produced.  On a side note, I have 3 of the 4 volumes of Susan Wise Bauer’s *Story of the World* on CD, none of them the ones done by Jim Weiss.    Now, I want his but I will resist the urge and save my money.  But I want them.  I’ve wanted them since I heard he was doing them.  These are the things I dream of having if we ever become rich.  Some want fancy European vacations.  Those would be boring.  Europe, yes.  Fancy, no.  You don’t get to meet everyday people which are the blessing of every country.  But if we are every rich — me? I want more homeschool materials.

The conference was also exhausting because the International Olympic Committee had the audacity to schedule the Summer Olympics to overlap the conference.  We are, of course, compelled to turn on the television every night to see what events are on tonight and then sit and watch them when we should be getting ourselves into bed.  I am utterly and completely exhausted.  I also know I will not go to bed early tonight either.  How much longer are these Games?  I don’t know if I’ll survive if they go on for much longer.

Okay, now to the meat of the blog entry.  They are all from FM#3.  Apparently, 4 is a good age for cute quotes.

My Beloved:  “FM#3, who made you so smart?”

FM#3:  “God.  And God made me funny, too.”

FM#3, upon spotting a dish he didn’t recognize at dinner:  “Do I like this?”

Me:  “Yes, it’s quite yummy.”  Okay, so I lie to my kids.  It was yummy but do you really say to a finicky eater “you’ve never had this before”?  I mean, if you want them to actually eat it.  One could be honest but then why fix dinner?  Because if it’s not one of say, 3 dishes, a finicky eater is not partaking of it.

FM#3, cautiously taking a bite and then chewing more enthusiastically and swallowing.  “It’s fabulous.”

Can anyone tell me where a 4 year old learns the word “fabulous”?  It did warm this mother’s heart, however.

FM#3:  “My brain is getting bigger, bigger and soon I’ll be a genius.”

Okay, so does anyone know where a 4 year old learns the word “genius”?

FM#3:  “Mom, I’m super hungry and super firsty (thirsty), so can you can get me some super food?”

And said moments before the first time I tried to post these from FM#3:  “My dream has exploded.”

This last one really has me puzzled and I welcome any insight you might have.  And just to cut some ideas off at the pass, he’s been up for a while and he wasn’t awakened by any loud noises.

Told about later and not said at our house but when visiting Memof6 and her brood:

FM#3, being held by SoccerLowen (daughter of Memof6), and being kept safe from a dog who could potentially lick him:  “You are the sweetest girl in the whole world.”

I told you he was a flirt.

I’ll try to post again before another 6 weeks are up.

And keep from making TeacherPerson think that perhaps I’ve died.  She’s been wondering what I’ve been up to and the sad thing is that I really can’t remember.  We did take a short vacation but I think she’s been to camp and back 2 times since the last time I’ve blogged.  I have been doing school and planning but I certainly haven’t been busy enough to justify my quietness.  Maybe the kids just haven’t been that funny.  That’s it.  I’ll blame it on them.