I did it. I registered the older two boys for public school last week.
No, we still haven't sold our house. No, we haven't moved. (yet.) We have a contract building a house in the new district so we can send the kids there before we physically move.
I'm nervous and relieved about it.
I ventured up into the attic last night, because half our stuff is packed away up there, to find their back packs.
You guys, it's a mess up there. There are empty boxes, full boxes, holiday decorations, extra "stuff" and just... it's a mess. It's not organized. It's not neatly stacked. It's FULL.
The house down here looks nice and neat all the time, but that attic is how our life really is right now. Chaos.
It's shoved where no one can see it, so as to make a prettier picture for the world.
I'm exhausted trying to sell this house. I'm so tired of being grumpy about the kids messing stuff up and so sick of losing my temper trying to get them to clean it up. I feel like the attic. Messy on the inside and in the dark corners. Chaotic. A disaster.
----
I started this journey two + years ago as a very reluctant homeschooler. I've been both pleasantly surprised at how much I've enjoyed it and horrified at how much I wanted to stop doing it. Sometimes both in the same day.
D & O are doing off to public school this year and they are excited. I am excited, nervous and all the feelings rolled up into one. C (1st grade) & Miss L will still be at home this year, so it will be nice to have a little more time with them.
I hope they like it. I hope *I* like it.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Monday, June 16, 2014
Vacation, VBS, colds/hot
Our vacation was amazing! I enjoyed 7 full days of not worrying about cleaning this house. (We had zero showings while we were gone, unfortunately.) That happiness lasted about 12 hours after we got home - right up until the point we had to go out again.
Oh well. On the upside, we also enjoyed 7 full days of the beach and pool! It was lovely. Not too hot, not *quite* as crowded as it might have been and the kids had so much fun. We rented a house with another family, and we cooked every meal at home except for when we swapped date nights and the morning we left, so we saved a lot of money that way. It's so nice to have someone to watch your kids too, so that you can have a date night! I had *2* dates that week, and that's more than I've had all year up to this point! We celebrated our 12 yr anniversary while we were there and also D's 34th birthday. All in all, a lovely week.
Once we got home, it was back to the grind. We had VBS this week and although having to get the kids and house show ready and be gone by 8:30 AM every day was challenging, it was WORTH IT. I was kid free every day from 9-12. Of course, I ran errands, took the dogs to the vet, finally got my hair cut, etc, etc. However, I also went to Target (TWICE!) by myself. I was able to meet a friend for coffee! I even read a book! During the day! And no one bothered me!
Several of us are down with a summer cold right now, including me, so this week will probably be mostly staying at home until everyone is feeling better. Also, summer temps are here to stay. It was already in the mid 70's when we woke up at 6AM. We'll probably break out the water slide again soon.
Some vacation pictures:
Oh well. On the upside, we also enjoyed 7 full days of the beach and pool! It was lovely. Not too hot, not *quite* as crowded as it might have been and the kids had so much fun. We rented a house with another family, and we cooked every meal at home except for when we swapped date nights and the morning we left, so we saved a lot of money that way. It's so nice to have someone to watch your kids too, so that you can have a date night! I had *2* dates that week, and that's more than I've had all year up to this point! We celebrated our 12 yr anniversary while we were there and also D's 34th birthday. All in all, a lovely week.
Once we got home, it was back to the grind. We had VBS this week and although having to get the kids and house show ready and be gone by 8:30 AM every day was challenging, it was WORTH IT. I was kid free every day from 9-12. Of course, I ran errands, took the dogs to the vet, finally got my hair cut, etc, etc. However, I also went to Target (TWICE!) by myself. I was able to meet a friend for coffee! I even read a book! During the day! And no one bothered me!
Several of us are down with a summer cold right now, including me, so this week will probably be mostly staying at home until everyone is feeling better. Also, summer temps are here to stay. It was already in the mid 70's when we woke up at 6AM. We'll probably break out the water slide again soon.
Some vacation pictures:
 |
| Searching for shells was O's favorite. |
 |
| The world is my sand box... |
 |
| It rained several afternoons while we were there. It only really changed our plans once though, and it never lasted too long. |
 |
| These two love riding the waves! |
 |
| Shell Island |
 |
| C was worn out after boating all day. |
 |
| St. Andrew's State Park - my favorite of the places we went! |
Thursday, May 29, 2014
What's up
I am continuing to declutter, stage, and dang it... I miss my family pictures! I do not ever, ever, ever, want to move again and you know what? I haven't even started really packing yet. I just shoved a bunch of "extra" stuff in boxes and put it in the attic. I know someone will fall in love with our house, just like we did, when they see it but we have to get people in the door to even have a chance.
I can't WAIT to go on vacation, because that means a solid week of not having to clean my house. Oh, and the beach will be nice too.
In the meantime we decided to build a new house. We only get to move in if we sell this one though. That's not stressful at all...
----
In other news, we've done some fun stuff too. Miss L's preschool is over for the year and we're kind of off and on done with homeschooling. We have lots of camps and classes scheduled for June. We'll pick up school again in July when it's too hot to go outside.
We've had birthday celebrations, and a great Mother's Day as well.
We also went swimming...
Last but not least, I'm not sure if I mentioned that O and Miss L were in a play, The Velveteen Rabbit, at the beginning of May. Boy, what an experience (and commitment) that was!
6!
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Things that don't suck about 2014
Lest you think that I have nothing good to talk about, here are some things that don't suck about 2014:
* I just opened a fun size Starburst and it had two reds in it.
* I took away all the stress of birthdays (and a lot of the cost) by saying no to birthday parties this year. d & O both were allowed to invite one friend to do an activity of their choice and go to a meal.
d chose a friend and we went bowling and to Casa Blanca for lunch. O chose his friend and we all went to The Lego Movie and to Taco Bell (yes, really. I know!) for dinner. It was simple and best of all it was fun for the kids AND for me without the stress of a big party. Really, adding one more kid to my 4 didn't add much extra cost or hassle so this might be something we continue!
* Rugby is ooooooover.
* Generally, the weather has been spastic and crazy but I personally appreciate a cooler, longer, spring so I'm glad we haven't had a lot of really hot days yet.
* Spring is a beautiful time around here. SO many flowers, plants and just GREEN everything. We've already enjoyed flowering pears, peach, and apple trees. Our strawberries are blooming as well as the blueberries. My flowers are growing beautifully and the garden is sprouting. I'm going to try not to worry about the freeze we're supposed to get tonight.
* We're going over to a friend's house for Easter. When you can't have family on the holidays, it sure is nice to have friends.
*When we DO finally sell this house - and I certainly hope that day will come - there are so, so many options for a buyer right now. It will be nice to be on that side of things.
* My children have had some issues lately what with the broken arm and ear tube surgery, but those are minor and I always feel so blessed that they are generally healthy and happy children. (and of course, smart & cute. haha)
* I just opened a fun size Starburst and it had two reds in it.
* I took away all the stress of birthdays (and a lot of the cost) by saying no to birthday parties this year. d & O both were allowed to invite one friend to do an activity of their choice and go to a meal.
d chose a friend and we went bowling and to Casa Blanca for lunch. O chose his friend and we all went to The Lego Movie and to Taco Bell (yes, really. I know!) for dinner. It was simple and best of all it was fun for the kids AND for me without the stress of a big party. Really, adding one more kid to my 4 didn't add much extra cost or hassle so this might be something we continue!
* Rugby is ooooooover.
* Generally, the weather has been spastic and crazy but I personally appreciate a cooler, longer, spring so I'm glad we haven't had a lot of really hot days yet.
* Spring is a beautiful time around here. SO many flowers, plants and just GREEN everything. We've already enjoyed flowering pears, peach, and apple trees. Our strawberries are blooming as well as the blueberries. My flowers are growing beautifully and the garden is sprouting. I'm going to try not to worry about the freeze we're supposed to get tonight.
* We're going over to a friend's house for Easter. When you can't have family on the holidays, it sure is nice to have friends.
*When we DO finally sell this house - and I certainly hope that day will come - there are so, so many options for a buyer right now. It will be nice to be on that side of things.
* My children have had some issues lately what with the broken arm and ear tube surgery, but those are minor and I always feel so blessed that they are generally healthy and happy children. (and of course, smart & cute. haha)
Monday, April 14, 2014
What the what, 2014?
2014 just keeps throwing little things our way. It seems every way we turn there's a new little surprise - and almost no really good ones. Most of them are little things like opening a new (and last) gallon of milk and finding it's already bad, or finding an unopened gallon of water somehow started leaking while we were out. Said water left a huge puddle from one room the next, ruining a luckily-not-important piece of furniture and running out from under the fridge so we have a few minutes of panic trying to figure out what's wrong. Weird little things, and not a big deal really, but when your stress level is already up to your ears those little things feel like they could be the tipping point into a total break down. My emotions are always *right* at the surface because of some bigger issues and yet it's the little things that send me over the edge.
Somehow we've manged to make it through 9 years of parenthood with no broken bones, but C broke his elbow a little over a week ago. On a Friday evening, OF COURSE, so we now have an ER bill and an orthopedist bill. Unfortunately, it caused a fight with us because I wanted to take him to the ER then and D thought it was fine and wanted to wait but he was going to be gone the next day and I might have gotten a *little* mad about the thought of taking all 4 kids to the ER when we could just go NOW and also C was in a lot of pain and just, UGH.
Anyway, I won in one sense because we took him Friday and I was right in that it was broken but I also lost because, well, it's broken and that kind of sucks. But, it's not a really bad break and he gets the cast off in 3 (now 2) weeks.
Miss L had a minor surgery today, to remove one of her ear tubes which has been in for almost 3 years. Couldn't the darn thing have just fallen out like it was supposed to and saved us $1700? (and also the worry that comes with putting a child under for anything, no matter how minor?!) C also still has one, also for 3 years, so there will probably be another surgery in his future as well. At least we'll probably have met our deductible by then.
The day after C broke his arm, D was gone for rugby and we finally had another showing! Our second. Not our second of that day, week or even MONTH, but our second. Period. (since January)
I had just gotten finished mowing our gigantic yard with our little push mower (good exercise at least) and had half cleaned up the house, turned on the shower and noticed that there was a car sitting outside. I was thinking maybe I should wait a minute to jump in the shower when the phone rang. There was NO WAY I was going to turn down a showing, so I ran around like a crazy person and the kids - mercifully - quickly cleaned up the play room and their bedrooms. I had to go out looking like I had just mowed the grass for two hours, but at least they liked the house. Not enough to buy it, most likely, though. *sigh*
The house being on the market is really not going well. The house looks great, mostly always clean, beautiful flowers planted in the yard, grass under control, decluttered... but I can't enjoy it because I'm trying to keep it from being messed up just so no one can come and see it.
If we don't sell it this year I'm not sure how I can do this again. And yet, what option do I have? None, that's what.
On the very, very bright side, D is done with rugby for this season and hopefully forever and ever. He hurt his shoulder at that game I mentioned above and while I am most definitely NOT happy about that (nor his refusal to see a doctor) I am hoping that it might push him to finally hang it up. I want him to have a hobby, but does it have to be a hobby that takes him away from home 2 nights a week and Saturdays too? Between his hobby and the kids' stuff, guess who comes in last? You don't have to guess because if you're reading this you're probably a mom too and you KNOW who comes last. I feel guilty for even wanting him to quit, which is probably why he's kept playing this long.
In conclusion, sorry I rarely post anymore and that this is just basically a laundry list of complaints. Perhaps my next post will be a lot happier, but I'm not going to make any promises.
Somehow we've manged to make it through 9 years of parenthood with no broken bones, but C broke his elbow a little over a week ago. On a Friday evening, OF COURSE, so we now have an ER bill and an orthopedist bill. Unfortunately, it caused a fight with us because I wanted to take him to the ER then and D thought it was fine and wanted to wait but he was going to be gone the next day and I might have gotten a *little* mad about the thought of taking all 4 kids to the ER when we could just go NOW and also C was in a lot of pain and just, UGH.
Anyway, I won in one sense because we took him Friday and I was right in that it was broken but I also lost because, well, it's broken and that kind of sucks. But, it's not a really bad break and he gets the cast off in 3 (now 2) weeks.
Miss L had a minor surgery today, to remove one of her ear tubes which has been in for almost 3 years. Couldn't the darn thing have just fallen out like it was supposed to and saved us $1700? (and also the worry that comes with putting a child under for anything, no matter how minor?!) C also still has one, also for 3 years, so there will probably be another surgery in his future as well. At least we'll probably have met our deductible by then.
The day after C broke his arm, D was gone for rugby and we finally had another showing! Our second. Not our second of that day, week or even MONTH, but our second. Period. (since January)
I had just gotten finished mowing our gigantic yard with our little push mower (good exercise at least) and had half cleaned up the house, turned on the shower and noticed that there was a car sitting outside. I was thinking maybe I should wait a minute to jump in the shower when the phone rang. There was NO WAY I was going to turn down a showing, so I ran around like a crazy person and the kids - mercifully - quickly cleaned up the play room and their bedrooms. I had to go out looking like I had just mowed the grass for two hours, but at least they liked the house. Not enough to buy it, most likely, though. *sigh*
The house being on the market is really not going well. The house looks great, mostly always clean, beautiful flowers planted in the yard, grass under control, decluttered... but I can't enjoy it because I'm trying to keep it from being messed up just so no one can come and see it.
If we don't sell it this year I'm not sure how I can do this again. And yet, what option do I have? None, that's what.
On the very, very bright side, D is done with rugby for this season and hopefully forever and ever. He hurt his shoulder at that game I mentioned above and while I am most definitely NOT happy about that (nor his refusal to see a doctor) I am hoping that it might push him to finally hang it up. I want him to have a hobby, but does it have to be a hobby that takes him away from home 2 nights a week and Saturdays too? Between his hobby and the kids' stuff, guess who comes in last? You don't have to guess because if you're reading this you're probably a mom too and you KNOW who comes last. I feel guilty for even wanting him to quit, which is probably why he's kept playing this long.
In conclusion, sorry I rarely post anymore and that this is just basically a laundry list of complaints. Perhaps my next post will be a lot happier, but I'm not going to make any promises.
O.Z.
Friday, March 28, 2014
I just noticed that I forgot to write a birthday letter to my first born, who turned NINE almost 2 weeks ago. I think I was in such a funk that it just slipped my mind. We aren't doing parties this year because I just can't handle it with the house situation. We had a lovely birthday weekend though. He wanted to go bowling and out to lunch, and that's what we did. So, anyway, this guy is nine now:
He's smart, he's funny, he's stubborn and a perfectionist. He is like a mini version of his father, but he has a soft heart like me. I'll never forgot the awe I had of him when he was a baby. It was such an experience to see this little person, to know we had made him and that he was part of us and look! He can do things and has traits from us and ... well, we were typical first time parents with stars in our eyes. We've changed, but oh what a wonderful experience that was. Nine years flew by in the blink of an eye.
He's smart, he's funny, he's stubborn and a perfectionist. He is like a mini version of his father, but he has a soft heart like me. I'll never forgot the awe I had of him when he was a baby. It was such an experience to see this little person, to know we had made him and that he was part of us and look! He can do things and has traits from us and ... well, we were typical first time parents with stars in our eyes. We've changed, but oh what a wonderful experience that was. Nine years flew by in the blink of an eye.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
No Happy For You
Remember how I posted about being happier than this time last year in my New Year's post? Apparently, the universe heard this and decided it would not do.
It's ridiculous how fast I can go from perfectly happy to perfectly miserable. A bunch of different things (unsuccessful/stressful house selling, major medical issues in the family, a big fight and unresolved conflict, to name a few) combined to make me feel like saying I was happier was now a big fat lie.
D is making good on his New Year's Resolution to spend more time on himself, but that leaves even less time for me to do the same. Lately, I've been feeling like I'm sinking. I vacillate between feeling that everything is hopeless and telling myself to stop being such a big baby; I have a pretty great life. Whether I have a great life or not, I'm struggling.
Sometimes I feel like I'm living two different lives at the same time. On the outside life goes on as normal, and I go out and do fun things with the kids and live life and things are fine - but on the inside I'm easily annoyed and hurty and over analyze every little thing and cry when I'm in bed at night because well... everything.
I've been refraining from posting here because I've been in that hopeless state where nothing matters and no one cares anyway and EVERYTHING IS TERRIBLE. But, I know that's a lie and I'm trying very hard to be positive and hope the happy comes back.
For Lent, I'm writing down 3 things every day that I'm grateful for. Some days it's just that I had time to watch a movie after the kids went to bed, but there is always something to be grateful for.
Yesterday, this movie made my list because it made my morning brighter.
It's ridiculous how fast I can go from perfectly happy to perfectly miserable. A bunch of different things (unsuccessful/stressful house selling, major medical issues in the family, a big fight and unresolved conflict, to name a few) combined to make me feel like saying I was happier was now a big fat lie.
D is making good on his New Year's Resolution to spend more time on himself, but that leaves even less time for me to do the same. Lately, I've been feeling like I'm sinking. I vacillate between feeling that everything is hopeless and telling myself to stop being such a big baby; I have a pretty great life. Whether I have a great life or not, I'm struggling.
Sometimes I feel like I'm living two different lives at the same time. On the outside life goes on as normal, and I go out and do fun things with the kids and live life and things are fine - but on the inside I'm easily annoyed and hurty and over analyze every little thing and cry when I'm in bed at night because well... everything.
I've been refraining from posting here because I've been in that hopeless state where nothing matters and no one cares anyway and EVERYTHING IS TERRIBLE. But, I know that's a lie and I'm trying very hard to be positive and hope the happy comes back.
For Lent, I'm writing down 3 things every day that I'm grateful for. Some days it's just that I had time to watch a movie after the kids went to bed, but there is always something to be grateful for.
Yesterday, this movie made my list because it made my morning brighter.
Monday, February 03, 2014
Selling, Dreaming, Eating
I'm feeling more and more like homeschooling is not working out for me right now. I think we're in a major slump. Especially with my oldest child, who has always been willing to work. He is giving me a hard time and his example is setting the stage for the younger kids as well. Unschooling would be easier for me in some ways, but fundamentally I just can't embrace it. It must be the teacher in me.
---
We're probably not going to be taking any vacations this year because we're saving our pennies for a down payment and other moving expenses but that doesn't stop me from dreaming. I'm dying to go to the beach again! I never feel happier than when my toes are in the sand.
I want to go on a trip with my extended family that we have missed for various reasons every year. We want to take the kids to Disney again in the fall, but it may be another year for that as well. I'd love to take another girls' trip too. There's nothing like some solid girl time to recharge!
Mostly, I want to take my husband and go on a trip - just the two of us - somewhere. Anywhere. We need a chance to breath and be just a couple again for a few days.
A girl can dream.
---
It's GS cookie time again and why oh why do I always buy those darn Samoas? They are far too delicious to be resisted!
I'm not a huge cookie person and while my family loves almost all the different GS cookies, I only have eyes for the Samoas. Yum.
Tuesday, January 07, 2014
I should have calculated the cost of private school before we had 4 kids.
Right now we're homeschooling, but on our long drive to and from Texas we were talking about the future. D has never really wanted the kids to be homeschooled all the way through high school, and I'm not sure if I want to nor do I have all the confidence in the world about my ability to teach things such as physics. I barely passed college algebra. I know that a lot of classes in high school are self taught or in a co-op setting, and I'm sure we could do it if that's what we chose. However, D is pretty set on the kids going back into a traditional school setting around middle school age.
However, the schools we're zoned for are not great. That's the reason we started homeschooling to begin with. We looked up private school and we'd be talking about $7-9k (for all 4 together) a year for elementary/middle school and $7k a year/child for high school. That doesn't sound so bad to me until I add up all the years we'd have to pay and come up with a number that is truly staggering. We really want the kids to go to college and I'd rather be able to help pay for that than spend ALL our money on primary education.
So, that leaves us with moving. (Not far. Probably only 10-15 minutes away from where we are now. Amazing the difference 15 minutes can make.)
When we built this house 6 years ago, we planned to never move again and yet here we are. Faced with the thought of keeping this house clean with all the kids home - all day - and showings and financing and looking, looking, looking, and packing and and UGH. Nevertheless, it looks like sometime in the next year or two we'll be thinking seriously about moving. I love this house. It has a giant yard, almost nonexistent neighbors, a huge kitchen and all our memories and work from the last 6 years. It's going to be difficult to find a house that measures up.
However, the schools we're zoned for are not great. That's the reason we started homeschooling to begin with. We looked up private school and we'd be talking about $7-9k (for all 4 together) a year for elementary/middle school and $7k a year/child for high school. That doesn't sound so bad to me until I add up all the years we'd have to pay and come up with a number that is truly staggering. We really want the kids to go to college and I'd rather be able to help pay for that than spend ALL our money on primary education.
So, that leaves us with moving. (Not far. Probably only 10-15 minutes away from where we are now. Amazing the difference 15 minutes can make.)
When we built this house 6 years ago, we planned to never move again and yet here we are. Faced with the thought of keeping this house clean with all the kids home - all day - and showings and financing and looking, looking, looking, and packing and and UGH. Nevertheless, it looks like sometime in the next year or two we'll be thinking seriously about moving. I love this house. It has a giant yard, almost nonexistent neighbors, a huge kitchen and all our memories and work from the last 6 years. It's going to be difficult to find a house that measures up.
Monday, January 06, 2014
Happier, Fatter, Same & resolutions
Every year around the new year, there are posts about if you're happier/sadder, fatter/thinner, and richer/poorer than last year.
I'd have to say I'm definitely happier. My marriage is in a good place, my anxiety/depression is under control at the moment, and I'm just happy. Not a bad place to be.
One thing I'm not too happy about is that I'm fatter than at the start of last year. Or, at least it feels like it. The scale shows *almost* the same number, but I had lost some at some point during the year. Don't worry, I found it again. (Can you guess my New Year's resolution?)
I don't think I'm richer or poorer. Technically, D gets a raise every year and our savings grows but we manage to spend all the rest so I don't FEEL richer. I'll just say the same.
Resolutions:
1 - We're saving for a house now and our current mortgage payment went up an annoying amount so we're going to spend as little money as possible and save, save, save.
2 - While our savings grows, I'm going to shrink. My goal is to lose 40 pounds this year, and keep it off. I got the fitbit zip for Christmas and it's pretty cool and already helping me be more active.
3 - D & I both agreed to spend more time taking care of ourselves, including going to the Y to work out more. This is especially big for me because I'm with the kids 24/7/365 and it's easy to sink down to the bottom of the to-do list.
I'd have to say I'm definitely happier. My marriage is in a good place, my anxiety/depression is under control at the moment, and I'm just happy. Not a bad place to be.
One thing I'm not too happy about is that I'm fatter than at the start of last year. Or, at least it feels like it. The scale shows *almost* the same number, but I had lost some at some point during the year. Don't worry, I found it again. (Can you guess my New Year's resolution?)
I don't think I'm richer or poorer. Technically, D gets a raise every year and our savings grows but we manage to spend all the rest so I don't FEEL richer. I'll just say the same.
Resolutions:
1 - We're saving for a house now and our current mortgage payment went up an annoying amount so we're going to spend as little money as possible and save, save, save.
2 - While our savings grows, I'm going to shrink. My goal is to lose 40 pounds this year, and keep it off. I got the fitbit zip for Christmas and it's pretty cool and already helping me be more active.
3 - D & I both agreed to spend more time taking care of ourselves, including going to the Y to work out more. This is especially big for me because I'm with the kids 24/7/365 and it's easy to sink down to the bottom of the to-do list.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
