Why the 4th of July is my Favorite Holiday

Let the 4th of July planning begin!!!  I went to Joann Fabrics yesterday and bought a boat load of fabric to sew the boys and I 4th outfits, I have been checking websites for list of 4th events, figuring out parade & fireworks schedules, planning out the yummy dessert I am going to bake and thinking of how we can decorate the pontoon boat for the lake parade... yes, the 4th of July is my FAVORITE holiday of the year!!!!

Pequot Lakes Parade (2011)

You may be wondering why in the world is the 4th my favorite holiday... I mean isn't everyone's favorite holiday celebrating Jesus' birthday?  While I do love many other holidays and enjoy Christmas time, nothing compares to the 4th of July!

Pequot Lakes Parade (2011)

Here are my reasons:

- I don't have to buy presents for anyone

- It's warm out

- I can be SUPER patriotic

- Parades with candy... need I say more? ;-)

- Hanging out on the boat

- I do not need to bounce from house to house

- I do not need to prepare a bunch a dishes to share

- Everyone is happy

- Everyone is drunk

- Watching fireworks around the lake while sitting on the dock

- NO STRESS
- I don't have to fit church into our schedule

- The kids running around with sparklers
- It hasn't been commercialized
- It's the United States of America's holiday

Watching fireworks 

Dessert!!

The main reason I love the 4th of July is because it is a day celebrating our country and freedom- it is a day to relax and enjoy my family.  Every other holiday is revolved around preparing/buying this and that, being stressed out, running to house to house, making sure everyone else is happy.  4th of July is a holiday that everyone can enjoy :-)

Have a Happy 4th of July and God Bless!!!

5 Things I Would Pay Someone to Clean....

I am struggling... struggling to keep up with the house cleaning.  When I was just a SAHM, I had all day to schedule out my cleaning chores.  Now that I have added "Teacher" to my responsibilities, school and activities have trumped cleaning the house.  Poor house... I mean it doesn't look horrible (some may think it looks great), but so many things have been sitting untouched... uncleaned. I feel like I am drowning everyday in chores that have not been completed, I always feel behind.

I was thinking to myself (okay I was dreaming) if I could pay someone to come here and help me, what are the chores that I hate the most that I would want them to do... so, here it is:

1. Clean all the showers/bathtubs

Uggg... I hate cleaning the bathtubs and showers!!  I always feel like I am going to faint from all the horrible fumes in the cleaners and my back hurts so bad from bending over scrubbing.

2. Folding Laundry and Putting it Away

BORING!!!  It is boring and takes forever... my husband will even tell you, I will put off folding two baskets of clean laundry until I absolutely have to!!

3. Vacuuming Stairs

There are too many of them and it seems like right after I vacuum them they get dirty right away!

4. Unloading the Dishwasher

Seriously, who likes that job???  All the SAHM's out there know we go through A LOT of dishes during the day.  While working families may run the dishwasher once or twice a week, we run it once or twice a DAY!  Another completely boring job...

5. Washing Windows

Because it is not just the inside that needs to be washed, but also the outside!  I always start off liking this task, but by the time I hit that 10th window, I want to break it!!

If you could have a cleaning service come to your house, what would YOU want them to clean??

The Sleeping Family!!

Over the past couple weeks, I have snapped a few pictures of the kiddos sleeping!!  I may have done it because, A. They never sleep, B. When they do fall asleep, it is in the cutest positions/places and C. because they are growing up so quick and I want to capture everything (I will touch more on that in tomorrow's post).

As you can see, Sky Crazy McMullen made it into the pictures!!!  The boys LOVE our Weimaraner so much (as CRAZY as he is) and usually end up sleeping with him at night :-)

Our Daily Homeschool Schedule

After reading many other homeschool mom's blogs and seeing their daily school schedule, I thought I would do the same!  It is so much fun to see what other families do and I feel that we can learn from each other :-)

Here is our schedule from Monday of this week.  We use Sonlight's Kindergarten Multi-Subject for curriculum... we LOVE using it!

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Week 14

Seashore life/underwater life/coral reefs/sharks
Valentine’s Day/Pirates
Letter C

Monday:

Pledge of Allegiance & Calendar

Storytime, If You Were a Penguin

Language Arts
- Copy-work 1/Exercise 1
- Browse the C Pages in Dictionary
- Make C Letter Sheet
- Alphabet Flash Cards
- Read Mac’s Map (#5)

Science
- Read, Under the Sea
- Children’s encyclopedia (p. 78-79)
- Activity Sheet (#1-3)

Math
- Teach Inches
- Teach numbers between 40’s
- Review place value
- Review ordinal numbers
- Count to 70
- Lesson 50 worksheet

- History/Geography
Pirate Lapbook

Rebuttal- I AM Smart Enough to Homeschool

I had someone (Anonymous) leave a comment on my post, I AM Smart Enough to Homeschool.  As I sat here writing a response, I thought it would be informative for others to read the dialog.

Here is what Anonymous wrote:


AnonymousFeb 10, 2012 06:11 AM
"When people tell me that I am NOT going to be able to teach my kids 6th-12th grade, that offends me... they are saying in a polite way that they do not think I am smart enough to teach grades that I have ALREADY successfully passed."

Well, one concern you should have is if your children end up developing a passion for something you do NOT have expertise in. While your education might be adequate until around middle school for most subjects, what if they want to learn something you can't offer them but the public school can? I was homeschooled from 5th - 9th grade, but after I went into high school there's no way my parents could keep up with the math. For example, my dad was the only one that took calculus and that was like 15 years prior so he was super rusty. Also, what if one of your children develop an interest in programming software? The high schools in my area have these courses available to the students now, but I highly doubt you have the expertise to teach that from your college degree. It's something you'd have to learn on your own. Saying that you can handle up through high school graduation is highly presumptuous. Not only that, but you're essentially limiting your children's choices. I'd highly encourage you to do what my parents did and if they develop an interest in something you don't feel comfortable teaching, then have them attend public school part time for those particular courses. Please keep this in mind when your children get around middle/high school. Good luck!

My response:

Anonymous- (why are the critical ones always "anonymous"??)

First, thank you for stopping by my blog, reading and leaving a comment!  I love to hear different opinions on my posts... but of course I will have to counter your comment!!

Second, thank you for reconfirming what I and other homeschooling families have to hear and deal with all the time... words/judgements like yours is the reason why I wrote this post in the first place.

"While your education might be adequate until around middle school for most subjects"-  My education "might" be "adequate" until around middle school... sorry while I take a moment to stop laughing!!!  Let me correct you, my education IS more than adequate to take my kids all the way through high school, not just elementary and most subjects in middle school!

"What if they want to learn something you can't offer them but the public school can?"  Good question... there are plenty of opportunities (probably more than public schools even offer) within the community, private tutors, homeschool classes and college courses.  I am homeschooling my kids because I can give them the attention and quality of education they deserve... you don't think we would do everything in our power to go out of our way to provide the opportunity to fulfill their desires??  My son wanted to learn how to rock climb, we enrolled him in a rock climbing class... if he wanted to climb Mt. Everest when he was in high school, we would do what we had to do to make his dream come true.

"What if one of your children develop an interest in programming software? The high schools in my area have these courses available to the students now, but I highly doubt you have the expertise to teach that from your college degree."  How do you know my husband or I do not have a background in programming software?  Just saying... you are making assumptions about our education/background... but like I said before, we would make it happen...if my kids had an interest in programming software, we would find a way for them to learn everything the ever wanted to know on the subject.

"Saying that you can handle up through high school graduation is highly presumptuous. Not only that, but you're essentially limiting your children's choices. I'd highly encourage you to do what my parents did and if they develop an interest in something you don't feel comfortable teaching, then have them attend public school part time for those particular courses."  The definition of Presumptuous- Failing to observe the limits of what is permitted or appropriate.  Wow... this is awesome!!  I am so happy that everyone who was shocked to hear that I have deal with rude people's comments all the time can see for themselves the ignorance I have to listen to!!

It sounds like your (anonymous) parents made the decision that THEY felt was best for you and their family by sending you to a public school for high school... I think that is wonderful!!  As parents, we have to do what we think is in our children best interest and my husband and I have made the decision that homeschooling is the BEST option for our kids.  Our children will NEVER step foot in a public school again, if for some reason they have to go to school outside of the home it will be a private school.

- END

Love You Forever- By Robert Munsch

For my first Mother's Day, my husband gave me the book, Love You Forever.  He wrote a sweet little note on the front inside cover.  I remember the book from when I was little and thought the gift was wonderful and truly came from the heart.

When Landon turned two, I pulled out the book one night before bed and read it to him... it was an instant hit!  "Again, again, Mommy!!"  I read it again... but as I read it a second time, I started to think about the message.  By the end of the book I was full tears!!

It is such an emotional story for any mother... the reality of raising a child from infancy to adulthood.  Going through the good times and the bad.  Even when you are stressed out, tired, overwhelmed and even frustrated with your child; at the end of the day, you still love them.  All you want to do is hold them, rock them and tell them how much you are going to love them for the rest of your life.

I actually use this book as a reminder on how quick life goes by and that I need to be mom TODAY.  I want my kids to know how much I love them know matter how many "not so good decisions" they have made and will make ;-) 

This is still the number one book in our house!  Every time we get done reading it, Landon tells me how someday he is going to rock and take care of me when I get old... TEARS!!!  Bravo to the author :-)

I AM Smart Enough to Homeschool

One thing that I have learned in my short time homeschooling, is that everyone has an opinion about it.  I wouldn't say that people have been intentionally rude, but they just do not understand what homeschooling is all about and how amazing it is!!  We have been made to believe by society and the government that public school is the best option, only option and that the system works... hmmm, well it should work... but it doesn't.

But let's save that conversation for another post... I want to focus on the opinions made by others that as parents, we are NOT "smart" enough or "qualified" enough to teach our children at home.  I have been grilled time and time again on what kind of curriculum I use, how do I teach without training, how long do I plan on homeschooling, how are my kids socializing during the day, don't I need/want a break from my kids... but is killer is, "Well, eventually you are going to have to send them to school, you won't be able to teach them middle school and high school."

Um, excuse me??

When people tell me that I am NOT going to be able to teach my kids 6th-12th grade, that offends me... they are saying in a polite way that they do not think I am smart enough to teach grades that I have ALREADY successfully passed.  Furthermore, I have a Bachelors Degree in Political Science and English... people don't think that a parent who has four years of higher education would have enough "smarts" to teach their own child at home?

It is so sad because many parents choose not to homeschool based on the fact that they are worried they are not smart enough... I have one message for them, YOU ARE!!  If you have the motivation to see and help your child be the best they can be, you are the most qualified person that there is!!  Just remember, no one cares about your child and their education more than you do... the government and  school system has failed our country, our communities and our children.  It is our rights as parents to guide and teach them, no matter if we have a teaching degree or not!

To be honest, I am so excited to teach my boys secondary education!!  I feel the subject matter and curriculum will be a wonderful challenge for them and I am not worried one bit that I won't be able to teach them successfully all the way through 12th grade.

‎"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any." ~ Alice Walker

Easy Egg Bake (Healthy)!!

I made a quick little video of me making my family's favorite egg bake recipe!!!

I would love to hear how you make yours!! :-)

Having Boys has Made Me Stronger

Before I had any children, I considered myself pretty girly.  I did play sports while growing up, but I always loved doing my hair, makeup and wearing girly clothes.  I love all things pink, purple, frilly, fancy, shiny, sparkly and gaudy.  Everyone told me that I would make a great "girl mom" someday... they were right, I would!!  I always dreamed of buying dolls, Barbie dolls, dresses, braiding hair and buying cute dresses and outfits for a little girl.... the one that I was going to have someday ;-)

Growing up, our house was female dominant.  I had one sister, my Mom and Dad.  Everything that we did was girly.  Our house was in order and it was quiet.  There was no wrestling, horseplay or jumping off of furniture.  I played with dolls, played school, read books and hung out with my neighbor girl friends... I did not have much to do with boys, nor did I care.

Me at Age 2 :-)

Fast forward 20 years....

My life is the exact OPPOSITE of what I grew up with and what I thought it would be.  It is loud, boys are jumping off the walls (literally), the living room is a constant war zone with bullets flying at my head, video games have taken over the TVs and LOTS and LOTS of wrestling!!!!!  I have become a.... BOY MOM!!!

I truly feel that having boys have been blessing for me.  I have become a better, stronger person by having boys.  They have made me tougher.  I now know how to load over 7 different kinds of Nerf guns, I shop regularly at GameStop, the noise... can't even hear it anymore, I can break up a wrestling match faster than you can say "booger on the wall"and I have stepped on more plastic army men than I can count!!

Having boys is the best thing in the world.... they are so funny, free spirited and don't take anything too personally.  They could be fighting one minute and hugging the next.  

I believe that God gives you only what you need and can handle... and he knew what I needed :-)

Overview of Homeschool Week 11

I felt like we finally had a nice solid week of school!!  After a month of holidays and moving, we had just been doing the main subject, nothing extra.

Here are some of the things we did this week:

Since we are doing a month study on Living Things, I decided to get a Triops Kit.  Here Landon is setting up the tank... he filled it with sand, water and then dumped the triop eggs in.

It will take 3-5 days for them to hatch... I will update next week!!

This week in science, we talked about Mammals and Birds.  The boys painted bird houses!!

Also this week in Science, we talked about air resistance and we did a fun experiment to show how it works!

Our lapbook this week was Crawdad Creek.  I chose it because it is based in Ohio and also talked about the different species that exist around the creek. 

Front of Lapbook

Inside- We did half the week talking about the different animals in the book and the other half on the State of Ohio.

Here is Landon reading #2 of his Fun Tales... with the Sonlight curriculum, he gets a new book every week that he needs to learn to read.

Using Eggies for the First Time! (Review)

Brady, the boys and I LOVE hard boiled eggs... but to be honest, it is a pain in the booty to cook them!  When I first saw the commercial for Eggies, I was super excited to try them.  If it actually works, I may just be able to enjoy eating hard boil eggs more often.

My parents got my Eggies for Christmas (yes, I asked for them lol) and today I decided to try them out and see if they work or not.  I read a TON of bad reviews on them, but I still wanted to try it myself.  I find most people are pretty clueless when it comes to following directions, so I don't take most reviews too seriously ;-)

Eggies containers cleaned and ready to go

Unscrew containers and spray the inside with cooking oil 

Once containers are all put back together, take the top off and fill with egg.  I used three containers with regular eggs and three with just egg whites.

Get a large saucepan at a boil

Place all Eggies in boiling water, remove from heat and cover for 25-30 minutes

After 25 minutes, they look done!!

Since I wanted to eat them for dinner, I placed them in a bowl full of cold water and ice to speed up the cooling process

They only fill the bottom portion of the container, but that is not an issue since I am eating it ;-)

All done!!  They popped out pretty easy, I just had to squeeze the container on all four sides and tap!

I was actually really impressed on how the Eggies worked and came out!!  It was much more successful than many reviews had stated... glad I tried them anyway ;-)  They tasted great too!!  One thing I would do different next time is, fill with one large egg and add egg whites to the top... maybe it will give it an actual egg look.

Changes, Changes, Changes!!

It has been a couple months since my last post.  With homeschooling, the holidays and our move to Columbus, OH,  I have been a little busy ;-) lol

We have now been in Columbus going on three weeks.  So far, the adjustment has been great!  I really like Columbus and we have been keeping very busy.  I think homeschooling has helped the boys with the transition!

I have found a homeschool co-op that I think would be a great fit for us and we are currently on their waiting list to become members.  One of the group admins invited us to their Valentine's Day party in a couple weeks, so we are very excited to meet some new people!  Also, Landon is apart of the HomeSchool Gym once a week.  It is taught by a gym teacher and Landon can't wait to go every week!!  He has met a lot of kids through that!!

At Gym Class

We also love our new house and the neighborhood!!  There are many kids in the neighborhood and a bunch of Kindergartners!!!  There is a K right next door (a girl) and I think Landon will be having his first crush soon ;-) lol

Our new house!!  I will post pics of inside once we get stuff up on the walls :-)

My goal is to start posting on a regular basis so I can document our new adventures in a new state!!