Homeschooling Rocks!

We are into our second year homeschooling (not counting S's 1st grade year), and it is going great! We had some things to iron out from last year, and I think we found the answers to some of the problems.

The number one thing I have learned is that I MUST sit beside the kids during school time. It is essential for seeing what they are doing, making sure they understand each new assignment, checking and grading their work promptly and, most of all, keeping them motivated. One of the two is very self-motivated most of the time. The other is NOT usually, however this year has shown some marked improvement on the attitude. PRAISE THE LORD! It is very hard to teach someone who doesn't want to learn. :)

A. is 3 now, and she is much more interested in school. It has been hard to focus on the older two with her frequent requests for attention. The baby is now over a year old, too, and he is also much more active and demanding of time. All in all, however, things are going well, and I am very, very thankful.

There is so much to do as a stay-at-home mother and homeschool family of four. I have always loved large families, and I have always felt the desire to have six children to love and rear in the admonition of God. If circumstances were better, I would wholeheartedly welcome as many as God would send. And yet I wonder how in the world a woman can handle all the responsibilities and the multiple demands for her attention. And I'm reminded that it can be done, but only by asking for patience from the One who has interminable patience for His children. And I'm humbled.

Memories of Cute Sayings from A.

Something I want to remember happened not long ago. :) A. is almost 3, and she says all those funny things that kids of that age say. :)

She was very fussy one day, and the kids and I were talking in code about her needing a nap. Sean asked if I wanted him to put her in her "B-E-D". She was wailing and crying and said, "NO! I don't want B-D-D". :) It was just soooo funny that she knew exactly what we were talking about, in spite of our "clever code words". ha ha

A. has resisted the whole potty training thing since C. was born. Beforehand, she was really getting interested in the concept of going in the potty. After, she suddenly had a fondness for her diapers - the characters, especially. I even started buying generic diapers, hoping she wouldn't care for them as much and might want to move up into "big girl panties". Well, it hasn't worked so far. However, I bought her some Pull-Ups (with Disney Princesses on them), and she has been very excited about that. I took her potty a few times to warm her up to the idea of potty training. Well, one day, I felt the effects of my increased water intake and rushed towards the bathroom.... A. rushed into the bathroom right in front of me. I said I had to go potty, and she said, "I want to watch you. I want to watch you go poop!" It totally surprised me and was just so cute and hilarious at the same time! (Just for the record, I did NOT have to go #2!)

Another cute story happened in December, while N.'s parents were visiting us from OR. We ate out at Famous Dave's restaurant. There was an older man sitting alone, talking with the waitress. He seemed rather lonely, and as we got up to leave, he spoke to my girls. To A. he said, "What's your name, Honey?" A. smiled shyly and without even the slightest hesitation said, "Princess." Where that came from, I have no idea! We all laughed, and A. became a little embarassed, but I just said she IS our princess. Since then, she finally started saying her name again! About a year ago, she could say it fairly well, but then she just stopped cold. If you asked her her name, she would say, "Me". I don't know why she quit saying it nor why she has started again, but she says it perfectly now. :)

Babies Feeding Babies

You can't get much cuter than this! :) I was preparing to feed the baby his cereal, and A insisted she wanted to feed the baby. So, reluctantly as you can imagine, I allowed her to give him a spoonful. I thought she would tired, but not A! She fed him the entire bowl of cereal! And you know, she did a great job! I kept thinking "Babies feeding babies" while watching her do it. Other than the excess food on C's bib, there wasn't even a mess to clean up! :) Since A was sitting on my lap, I had S grab the camera to take this picture and a video clip. :)

I am so thankful that all my kids are good with babies! They are wonderful helpers for me!

This was taken one day last month when there was a tornado warning in our area. I told the kids to stay in the hallway, and they came up with all sorts of ways to make it comfier there (they thought there would be a LONG wait).

S and L were holding C while I hastened to fill water jugs in case of a power outage (So prepared, aren't we?). Well, they laid him down on the blankets and pillows, and he fell right to sleep. Isn't this precious???

On Feb. 8th, we celebrated N's birthday. We got a Dairy Queen ice cream cake (we both really love those!) and spent a quiet evening at home. Those are my favorite times.

Frustration

That is the only word that can be used to describe my state of mind today! Ugh. Homeschooling (did I mention that I homeschool two of my children?) is exhausting work, and it's especially frustrating when one of those two children avoids doing the work he (or she) knows is supposed to be done. *sigh*

I cannot believe that 2008 is practically over! Whoa! It makes me dizzy to see the time flashing past! There is much to get ready in the coming weeks. We will be having special company at Christmas time. And though I love them, and it isn't that I don't LIKE having company - I feel VERY inadequate in the hostess role! So, I'm a bundle of nerves. And somehow I can't seem to keep a clean house. I was watching video of back when S. was first born (my first child)... my house looked so nice and neat all the time.... then when L. came along.... there were a few more things left out... by the time A. came along, there was chaos in the background of all video clips, and it has not improved with C. being added to the family! Oh my! I would LOVE to have a nice, neat home... I just seem powerless to attain it! I'd like to know how parents teach their kids to pick up after themselves?.... 'cause I sure must have missed that lesson in Parenting 101!

Back to work!

We are Six Busy Bees

Welcome to my little blog of the world! :) I find myself writing these incredibly long, horribly over-detailed e-mails or text messages (you know you have a problem when the computer starts screaming at you that it can only hold 3000 characters, and you've only started the preface of what you wanted to say!). :) So, I told myself, it's time to whip out the 21st century's form of a journal, which I used to LOVE to write in back in what teenagers today seem to think were the dark ages (the 90s). So, here I am. If you care to follow along with my dribble, you are more than welcome. :) If not, I'm sure you'll find another blog to interest you, and I will still have the joy of spewing my words onto my overtaxed computer screen. :)

Okay, so a little about us - the six busy bees - and why I chose that particular name for my blog. :) My husband's grandmother has this amazing array of custom stationary, stickers and rubber stamps all with adorable bees. She signs her letters "from the Bzzzz", because, like us, her last name starts with a "B". Punny, you say? :) Well, I think it is charming, and I would like to carry on the tradition as well as carry on her memory for our extended generations. :) SO, there ya go. :)

We are a family of six now! It is hard to imagine. It seems just yesterday that my darling husband (N.) and I met... let alone got married... and where did all these kids come from??? ;) We have 4 wonderful kids - my 10-year old son (S.), 6-year old daughter (L.), 2-year old daughter (A.) and 3-month old baby boy (C.) So, I will identify each of my darlings in this blog with these initials to protect our identities and the innocent. :) You can't be too careful in this day and age.

Au Revoir!