I've been falling off the diet wagon more times than I'm totally comfortable with lately. I don't know if it is the underlying stress of trying to figure out Kid's schooling situation (although I think this is very likely) or what. But let's say a week that included eating an ENTIRE bucket of animal crackers followed up closely behind with a Cinnabon is not exactly representative of the kind of diet I'd like to be following.
One of the things that comes into play for me is just busy mom syndrome. I meet the kids' needs first...ALWAYS... and so sometimes that means I'm starving and I know I should make a sandwich but I grab a handful of animal crackers and then say "oh what the heck I'll just eat 3 servings of these and call it lunch". The thing is I do this ALL the time. ALL the time. I thoughtfully make balanced meals for the kids and then grab a coffee and some more empty ready-to-eat sweet carbs of one sort or another and think "I'll eat an apple later...".
So the time has come for me to start to take responsibility for the food I put in my mouth throughout the day. How am I going to do that? Well I think I'm going to have to extend my meal planning to include my lunch and snacks. I've had a couple of different ideas. I eat six times a day. Outside of breakfast and dinner (which are already planned) I eat four 200-300 calorie mini-meals. One idea included writing out several mini meals onto index cards and drawing one out for each meal. What I like about this idea is that there would a lot of choices and it takes into account that I might have different cravings for different meals. Don't want hummus & pretzels? How about apples & peanut butter? It would help me to come up with a healthy meal suggestion even when I'm feeling to busy and frazzled to think of one. The problem is it doesn't take into account what we have in the house on that particular day. I mean how many mini-meals can I have stocked up every week?
I think the reality is that I just don't want to meal plan all my meals. It seems daunting and tedious and a bit rigid. But the truth is I eat the same types of thing day in and day out... it is not like I'm eating at a buffet everyday. And there are days where I just eat what I see on the counter because that is what is easiest and not because what I really wanted for lunch was half a gnawed on banana and Kid's bread crusts. So I'm sucking it up. I really admire the way Eurydice eats... and guess what? She plans out her entire day so I am going to do it too. Of course there will be days when I really don't want a turkey sandwich or whatever I had picked out and that's life and that's fine. I think in the big picture this will help me make better choices more consistently. And yes I still plan to eat at least one dark chocolate caramel a day!
You can read my daily meal plan over on the sidebar. Want to know if I kept to it? Well maybe I'll let you know...
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
I've Got A Question...
Kids and money.... how do you handle it?
As I spend more time looking into finances I am very aware of how little I really know about the financial world. I do not want that to be the case for my girls. I know there are tons of books out there on the topic but I would like to know what you have done.
Do you give your kids allowances?
When did you start and how much do you give?
Is it chore related or purely for the sake of learning about money?
How have your kids responded to your method?
If you've got a good kids & money book recommendation lay it on me.
And if you don't have kids yet... what did your parents do for you? And did it actually help you to learn financial responsibility or not?
As I spend more time looking into finances I am very aware of how little I really know about the financial world. I do not want that to be the case for my girls. I know there are tons of books out there on the topic but I would like to know what you have done.
Do you give your kids allowances?
When did you start and how much do you give?
Is it chore related or purely for the sake of learning about money?
How have your kids responded to your method?
If you've got a good kids & money book recommendation lay it on me.
And if you don't have kids yet... what did your parents do for you? And did it actually help you to learn financial responsibility or not?
The Love Story: Chapter Two
So when we left off Mr F and I had just met in dog training class.
Mr F and I continued to take class together, but seeing as Mr F was not actually single, I didn't waste too much time or thought on him. I began dating someone else (or maybe two) and wasted a fair amount of time being faux pursued on Match.com. Now let me take this opportunity to say that in my experience (although it was awhile ago) the best thing to do when you are picking up the pieces of a failed relationship is to start internet dating. Things may have changed but during my free trial period I would come home to a good 40 or 60 emails and PLEASE nothing could make you feel more confident than knowing somebody somewhere would like to date you. And even though I didn't actually meet anyone I was talking to online it did give me the confidence to get back out there.
***Let me take this opportunity to say to Mr Paraplegic: "I totally understand why you felt you needed to pretend you weren't actually paralyzed by posting a photo from before your accident. I also can see why it is hard to tell someone you are interested in that you are paralyzed... but at some point it crosses a line and you crossed it." ***
Okay back to the love story...
About 6 weeks after we first met I noticed Mr F and his dog at the dog park. He was standing up on a hill letting his dog run on a long lead. He was wearing a GIGANTIC Red Sox jersey over some overalls (and yeah that is painful to write... and noteworthy only because these are some of the first things I eliminated from his daily wardrobe once we were married). I thought to myself... "hmm maybe he's an architect"... I don't really know why but that is what I thought and what I've always remembered about that day. Meanwhile I was chatting with the gay couple with the miniature schnauzer and a man whose wife was a cashmere buyer (they had a standard poodle) they were part of my dog park crew since Canine is a bit of an elitist.
At a certain point that evening Mr F came down the hill. The schnauzer had left and I was chatting about how the cashmere they use at Land's End is the same exact cashmere that TSE Cashmere uses (true my friends... it is 100% true, Land's End sells the highest quality cashmere... keep it in mind). Mr F joined us because he wanted to know if we had dog training that night or not. We started talking about what a complete freak our dog trainer was and how we both weren't even sure if we were going to finish the series of classes we had paid for. For some reason (and I'm assuming at this point he no longer thinks I'm a teenager... but I don't know that for sure) Mr F said he was debating moving in with his girlfriend.
It went like this:
Me "Well, how long have you guys been together?"
Mr F "four years"
Me "If you are still debating whether or not you want to live with someone after four years then it seems to me that you don't want to."
Hey are you at all surprised? I have always been a tell-it-like-it-is type of person.
To Be Continued...
Mr F and I continued to take class together, but seeing as Mr F was not actually single, I didn't waste too much time or thought on him. I began dating someone else (or maybe two) and wasted a fair amount of time being faux pursued on Match.com. Now let me take this opportunity to say that in my experience (although it was awhile ago) the best thing to do when you are picking up the pieces of a failed relationship is to start internet dating. Things may have changed but during my free trial period I would come home to a good 40 or 60 emails and PLEASE nothing could make you feel more confident than knowing somebody somewhere would like to date you. And even though I didn't actually meet anyone I was talking to online it did give me the confidence to get back out there.
***Let me take this opportunity to say to Mr Paraplegic: "I totally understand why you felt you needed to pretend you weren't actually paralyzed by posting a photo from before your accident. I also can see why it is hard to tell someone you are interested in that you are paralyzed... but at some point it crosses a line and you crossed it." ***
Okay back to the love story...
About 6 weeks after we first met I noticed Mr F and his dog at the dog park. He was standing up on a hill letting his dog run on a long lead. He was wearing a GIGANTIC Red Sox jersey over some overalls (and yeah that is painful to write... and noteworthy only because these are some of the first things I eliminated from his daily wardrobe once we were married). I thought to myself... "hmm maybe he's an architect"... I don't really know why but that is what I thought and what I've always remembered about that day. Meanwhile I was chatting with the gay couple with the miniature schnauzer and a man whose wife was a cashmere buyer (they had a standard poodle) they were part of my dog park crew since Canine is a bit of an elitist.
At a certain point that evening Mr F came down the hill. The schnauzer had left and I was chatting about how the cashmere they use at Land's End is the same exact cashmere that TSE Cashmere uses (true my friends... it is 100% true, Land's End sells the highest quality cashmere... keep it in mind). Mr F joined us because he wanted to know if we had dog training that night or not. We started talking about what a complete freak our dog trainer was and how we both weren't even sure if we were going to finish the series of classes we had paid for. For some reason (and I'm assuming at this point he no longer thinks I'm a teenager... but I don't know that for sure) Mr F said he was debating moving in with his girlfriend.
It went like this:
Me "Well, how long have you guys been together?"
Mr F "four years"
Me "If you are still debating whether or not you want to live with someone after four years then it seems to me that you don't want to."
Hey are you at all surprised? I have always been a tell-it-like-it-is type of person.
To Be Continued...
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Cookie Monster
"Could you take these upstairs?" Mrs F asks Kid
"Sure" Kid dutifully replies
"And put them straight into the trash?" Mrs F continues
"Why?" Kid asks noticably intrigued by the suggestion
"Because if you don't I'm going to eat them all." Mrs F concludes
Dinner Is Served
I've posted this recipe before but it bears repeating. Tilapia is a slightly sweet firm white fish, it is very versatile and reasonably priced. This is an easy, fast, and surprisingly delicious (and extremely kid friendly) recipe. This can literally go from the fridge to the table in 15 minutes... seriously. With 2 minutes more prep you can turn out an extra batch for the freezer... it reheats beautifully.
Cornflake Crusted Tilapia
1 lb Tilapia filets (4-6)
2.5 c cornflakes, crunched up
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c flour
2T spice rub*
2T oil
preheat oven to 400 baking time 10 mins
Coat the bottom of a large rimmed baking sheet with the oil, spread to coat evenly and set aside. Line up three pie pans or shallow bowls or plates. Place the flour and spice rub in one and whisk together. Beat one egg in the 2nd pie pan. Pour the crunched up Cornflakes in the third (I just crunch them with my hands). Dip each filet, one at a time, in the flour turning to coat evenly, the egg mixture and then the cornflakes. Place them on the oiled baking sheet. Bake for 5 mins, turn over and finish baking for an additional 5 minutes.
each filet is 200 calories
*Spice Rub (adapted from Rachael Ray)
1 1/2 tablespoons (1 1/2 palmfuls) sweet paprika
1 1/2 tablespoons (1 1/2 palmfuls) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) dried oregano
1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons (1/2 palmful), coarse kosher salt
Mrs Furious Food TV... You can watch me make it!
Cornflake Crusted Tilapia1 lb Tilapia filets (4-6)
2.5 c cornflakes, crunched up
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c flour
2T spice rub*
2T oil
preheat oven to 400 baking time 10 mins
Coat the bottom of a large rimmed baking sheet with the oil, spread to coat evenly and set aside. Line up three pie pans or shallow bowls or plates. Place the flour and spice rub in one and whisk together. Beat one egg in the 2nd pie pan. Pour the crunched up Cornflakes in the third (I just crunch them with my hands). Dip each filet, one at a time, in the flour turning to coat evenly, the egg mixture and then the cornflakes. Place them on the oiled baking sheet. Bake for 5 mins, turn over and finish baking for an additional 5 minutes.
each filet is 200 calories
*Spice Rub (adapted from Rachael Ray)
1 1/2 tablespoons (1 1/2 palmfuls) sweet paprika
1 1/2 tablespoons (1 1/2 palmfuls) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) dried oregano
1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons (1/2 palmful), coarse kosher salt
Mrs Furious Food TV... You can watch me make it!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
This is ME in this suit 3 months ago. I thought I would look much heavier in today's pics. Outside of maybe a little extra tummy weight (you may notice the suit top doesn't exactly meet the bottom) I think I might actually be thinner. Rejoice! Maybe my weight increase is muscle after all. I cannot even tell you how happy I am that I will finally feel comfortable in my bathing suit this summer.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Debtors Anonymous
Whether good or bad, planned or unplanned, I can confidently say there are very few amongst us who do not have a relationship with debt. We've got it, our parents have it, and before you know our kids will too. Debt and discussions of debt are everywhere... on Oprah, and NPR, in the newspapers, and on the news. People are making good money and yet they just aren't making it. They are losing their homes at record rates. It's a scary world out there... financially speaking.
We've got our own debt story but ours is maybe a bit unusual, as it was completely preventable, had pride and wishful thinking not gotten in the way. Mr F has a good heart but poor time management and possibly even worse financial management skills. We learned this the hard way. Had there been an open dialogue about money in our relationship it would never have needed to get to the point it did. Three years later we are (outside of our mortgage) completely debt free. That's saying something.
While we aren't sinking in a pool of debt we aren't exactly saving any money either. In fact with the housing market the way it is here in Michigan what should have been our biggest asset has lost over $100,000 in value in the last few years. If the market doesn't change soon we may find ourselves owing more on our house than it is worth! And until we start spending less than we earn... or earning more than we spend... we can't ensure that we'll stay debt free for long.
I'm going to be spending the next few months trying to reorganize our spending and find ways to take more control over our finances. Like many of you I feel very overwhelmed and completely uninformed about money. I'm hoping to post weekly about our progress and what I've been learning along the way. Please feel free to share your debt story (post anonymously if you'd like) and tips... your triumphs and your short comings in the comments as we go along. You are surely not alone and we can all learn from one another's mistakes and successes.
We've got our own debt story but ours is maybe a bit unusual, as it was completely preventable, had pride and wishful thinking not gotten in the way. Mr F has a good heart but poor time management and possibly even worse financial management skills. We learned this the hard way. Had there been an open dialogue about money in our relationship it would never have needed to get to the point it did. Three years later we are (outside of our mortgage) completely debt free. That's saying something.
While we aren't sinking in a pool of debt we aren't exactly saving any money either. In fact with the housing market the way it is here in Michigan what should have been our biggest asset has lost over $100,000 in value in the last few years. If the market doesn't change soon we may find ourselves owing more on our house than it is worth! And until we start spending less than we earn... or earning more than we spend... we can't ensure that we'll stay debt free for long.
I'm going to be spending the next few months trying to reorganize our spending and find ways to take more control over our finances. Like many of you I feel very overwhelmed and completely uninformed about money. I'm hoping to post weekly about our progress and what I've been learning along the way. Please feel free to share your debt story (post anonymously if you'd like) and tips... your triumphs and your short comings in the comments as we go along. You are surely not alone and we can all learn from one another's mistakes and successes.
Sorry Guys...
But apparently the time change is like crack cocaine for babies!
I'll post as soon as I can.
I'll post as soon as I can.
Monday, March 10, 2008
This Week The Plan
Last week I actually did a really good job of staying on top of my schedule. Not scheduling workout days did remove some pressure and I ended up getting 4 really good workouts in so I feel good about that. In fact still looking for ways to really amp up my output I actually did running intervals and ran for a 1/3rd of the time (which is pretty good for a non-runner I'm thinking). I am really sore in my ankles today though!?! On reader recommendation I'll be using my new Mom Plan-It™ for my weekly meal plan and shopping lists... stay tuned next week for a review of that one. And for all of you who are bored to death with my typical meal plan, fear not, Spring is coming and my menu will start to change (plus I've finally emptied the freezer).
Okay onto this week...
Menu:
Monday - Spaghetti & Meatballs w/ steamed broccoli & carrots
Tuesday - Cornflake Crusted Tilapia w/ asparagus
Wednesday - Kid & Mr F date night
Thursday - Brown Sugar & Ginger Salmon w/ Asian veggie stir fry & spring rolls
Friday - take out
Saturday - Sauteed Chicken Breasts w/ Cesar Salad & Homemade Bread
Sunday - Meatball Soup
Diet & Exercise:
I'm just going to keep on keepin' on. I'm going to continue food journaling and calorie counting over at my food diary site. I'm going to get in as many workouts as I can. I actually really enjoyed doing the running intervals and as long as I don't start to feel it in my knees I'm going to keep it up... it was a fun change of pace.
Chores & Errands
Monday - Laundry, pay bills (play date)
Tuesday - call school district ed specialist, grocery shop (preschool)
Wednesday - vacuum, fold laundry (preschool)
Thursday - WRITE THANK YOU NOTES (preschool)
Friday - wash floors (dance)
Saturday - homeschool curriculum fair (swimming)
Sunday - clean out cubby o'shame... for real this time, laundry
Okay onto this week...
Menu:
Monday - Spaghetti & Meatballs w/ steamed broccoli & carrots
Tuesday - Cornflake Crusted Tilapia w/ asparagus
Wednesday - Kid & Mr F date night
Thursday - Brown Sugar & Ginger Salmon w/ Asian veggie stir fry & spring rolls
Friday - take out
Saturday - Sauteed Chicken Breasts w/ Cesar Salad & Homemade Bread
Sunday - Meatball Soup
Diet & Exercise:
I'm just going to keep on keepin' on. I'm going to continue food journaling and calorie counting over at my food diary site. I'm going to get in as many workouts as I can. I actually really enjoyed doing the running intervals and as long as I don't start to feel it in my knees I'm going to keep it up... it was a fun change of pace.
Chores & Errands
Monday - Laundry, pay bills (play date)
Tuesday - call school district ed specialist, grocery shop (preschool)
Wednesday - vacuum, fold laundry (preschool)
Thursday - WRITE THANK YOU NOTES (preschool)
Friday - wash floors (dance)
Saturday - homeschool curriculum fair (swimming)
Sunday - clean out cubby o'shame... for real this time, laundry
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Are You Kidding Me?
House?!?! I got freaking House?!
Okay maybe I shouldn't have said my ideal man was "grizzled and experienced". Taking that out I've now got...
What the hell? Is it because I said I needed my TV man to "fight for me"?! (don't ask)
Thanks to Mommy Time for the Sunday diversion.
Okay maybe I shouldn't have said my ideal man was "grizzled and experienced". Taking that out I've now got...
What the hell? Is it because I said I needed my TV man to "fight for me"?! (don't ask)
Thanks to Mommy Time for the Sunday diversion.
At The Tone The Time Will Be...
That's right, folks, this morning at 2 AM the time officially changed to 3 AM (for most of us). Change your clocks accordingly.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Life Changing
Yep I think this thing is that good... and that important.If something happened RIGHT NOW to you or your spouse, something unexpected, something potentially life altering would you be prepared? And I don't mean emotionally... I mean literally... would you know what you needed to know to take over the running of your house? To make the medical decisions that they would want you to make? Could you take over the finances? Do you know where all the "important" papers are or even which ones are "important"? Do you even know what kind of life insurance policy your spouse has? Do you? Because I have to admit that I don't.
If you lost your wallet how easy would it be for you to get all your cards cancelled? What about that Ann Taylor's charge card you haven't used in 3 years?
If you had to evacuate your house RIGHT NOW (and sure that seems preposterous... but it happens people) what would you take with you and could you get at it all? Do you know where you would go? Do your kids know? I'm not even trying to be dramatic people I'm being completely serious. These are the things that we all put off and then one day something happens and you find yourself in a whole heap of trouble.
For Christmas my best friend gave us Life.doc a binder that comes with all the things you need to get EVERYTHING organized into one easy-to-use and completely portable system. The binder is filled with pocketed dividers for 8 sections. The sections come with pre-printed forms that you can actually fill out on your computer (CD-ROM included) and print out or fill in by hand.
The sections are:
Emergency Plan (meet up locations, contact names, whose got the keys, etc.)
Family Basics (phone #s, DOB, work & school names & #s, etc.)
In Sickness & In Health (primary doctors, specialists, blood type, organ donor, allergies, medications, etc.)
Insurance (health, liability, disability, pet, mortgage, etc.)
Dollars & Sense (banks, CPA, financial advisor, loans, investment accounts, credit cards, safety deposit box, mortgage, pension, etc.)
Legal Ease (lawyers, locations of: car title, house title, wills, birth certificates, custody agreement, divorce settlement, etc
Caregiver Information (childcare information including emergency authorization forms, elder care, house sitting, etc.)
Home Sweet Home (electrician, alarm company, dog walker, etc)
I cannot stress enough how thorough these pre-printed forms are. There is a spot for ALL your vital information. From where you want to meet up in an emergency to the name of your electrician. There is even a spot for you to sketch out the location of your water main! Even if you are organized and think you could find all this stuff... could someone else? I mean really think about it... you aren't just doing this for yourself you are doing this to ease the burden on someone else. This is exactly the kind of thing we are all putting off until it would be really useful... you know until you have kids, or a *real* house, or *real* money. The thing is... this is all about being ready for what you have RIGHT NOW. Guess what? You can get another one in 5 years if you need to rewrite it. And you know who needs this just as much as you do? Your parents! Do you know where all their stuff is should you need to access it? Yeah. Me either.
I also wanted to add a little note to make it clear that although these forms call for pretty much every piece of information you have... the forms are written in such a way as to make the process as stress-free as possible. They ask you a question and you fill in the blank. Period.
Oh and you can get it at Target! (and The Container Store and at the link above)
Hold Tight
I'm working on a product review for THIS. I think this is something that everyone should have and something you definitely want your parents to have! You can check it out while you wait at the link above. Even if you think you are organized and have everything together I seriously doubt you have it this together. I want to give you a really thorough review because I know you can't get a good feel for what this is or what is really included from the website. The best thing about this (not just the price) is how portable it is. Do any of you already have this?
I think it is easiest for me just to tell you what it is like...
Okay I'll be back with the written version.
Sorry today has been particularly crazy, Kid had a b'day party, Blogger has been difficult. I'm trying....
I think it is easiest for me just to tell you what it is like...
Okay I'll be back with the written version.
Sorry today has been particularly crazy, Kid had a b'day party, Blogger has been difficult. I'm trying....
Friday, March 7, 2008
The Love Story: Chapter One
It is rather ironic that I am sitting down to pen the Mr & Mrs F love story only moments after laying into Mr F for attempting to curl Kid's hair while I was busy trying to have some "alone time". There is no point really getting into why the curlers are so horrible or why Mr F thought he, of all people, was going to be able to use them (these things are still being disputed) but I will give you this little ditty uttered by moi (and of course no offense is meant by this to anyone but Mr F):
"If I wanted a [mentally challenged person] to do my daughter's hair I would have called down to the halfway house."
So how did a love like this take hold you wonder. Well wonder no more...
Mr F and I met in the summer of '99. We both were living in Park Slope, Brooklyn and had new dogs... that had issues. I was 23, just out of grad school, working in a mental health clinic in Manhattan, and had a Bichon puppy who had a tendency to rip up money (well any paper really... but the money was most problematic). Mr F was 31 and running his own graphic design company. He had rescued a dog that was... well... needy and aggressive. So that fateful summer we both started dog training classes. Mr F was too cool to wear the required fanny pack for dog treats and filled his cargo shorts with them. He was there to train his dog. Although my puppy's issues were annoying I was taking the class for the very same reason any single-ish 23 year old woman would be taking the class... to troll for single men. Mr F thought I was 17 and training the family dog and didn't really think twice about me (I don't think). It probably didn't help that I was going through a phase when I thought wearing cute pjs was perfectly acceptable after work summer attire. Being the chatty Kathy that I can sometimes be I quickly discovered that Mr F had a girlfriend and that was that.
To Be Continued...
"If I wanted a [mentally challenged person] to do my daughter's hair I would have called down to the halfway house."
So how did a love like this take hold you wonder. Well wonder no more...
Mr F and I met in the summer of '99. We both were living in Park Slope, Brooklyn and had new dogs... that had issues. I was 23, just out of grad school, working in a mental health clinic in Manhattan, and had a Bichon puppy who had a tendency to rip up money (well any paper really... but the money was most problematic). Mr F was 31 and running his own graphic design company. He had rescued a dog that was... well... needy and aggressive. So that fateful summer we both started dog training classes. Mr F was too cool to wear the required fanny pack for dog treats and filled his cargo shorts with them. He was there to train his dog. Although my puppy's issues were annoying I was taking the class for the very same reason any single-ish 23 year old woman would be taking the class... to troll for single men. Mr F thought I was 17 and training the family dog and didn't really think twice about me (I don't think). It probably didn't help that I was going through a phase when I thought wearing cute pjs was perfectly acceptable after work summer attire. Being the chatty Kathy that I can sometimes be I quickly discovered that Mr F had a girlfriend and that was that.
To Be Continued...
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Calling All Homeschoolers
Some of you may know that I am thinking (quite seriously) about homeschooling Kid this next year. Kid is epileptic and will reach two years seizure free (hopefully) this fall, at which point she will start weaning off her seizure medication. The weaning process, and the following six months, is when she will be most likely to suffer a recurrence as her brain will be more vulnerable during this transition period. Our school system does not have full time nurses in the schools and since Kid's seizures are life threatening I am most likely going to decide to keep her home next year. This means that I will be homeschooling her.
Kid would be entering Kindergarten this fall as a "red shirted" student already... so even though I believe Kindergarten should be much less regimented and more nurturing and playful experience than it has become.. I'm also nervous about having her keep up with the school system's program. Mostly because we have learned that she is a very self conscious student who is easily discouraged when she is behind the other students (hence the initial decision to hold her back). She has a late birthday and we had to choose for her to either be the youngest or the oldest and after watching her blossom as the oldest in preschool this year we knew holding her back was the right decision. But now I feel even more pressure. Because if she does end up attending our local school for first grade I don't want her to be both the oldest and also the least prepared.
So this is where I am at:
Kid loves school. She likes going to school and loves the strong relationships she has with her teachers. She tends to be shy and has a harder time engaging kids (although she is well liked). She is definitely not outgoing by any means. I worry about socializing her and getting her involved in something that allows for the kids to have kid directed activities (not just dance & swimming, etc). I'm really worried about taking a step backward in her social development. I also don't want to only have her socializing with girls!
Kid can be a homebody who prefers to sit in a chair reading all day. That could be a positive and I do think she will be easy to homeschool because of that. But my point is that she is a pretty independent thinker/doer, I guess I'd say she's introverted. She has always been a reader (as in looks at books) and will spend several hours a day quietly "reading" to herself. Kid does not like to be tested. She does not preform well under pressure. She won't practice things. She will do things (like write, draw, count, etc) when she is confident that she can and will proudly show you her work. She will not even try if she isn't sure she'll be right.
In some ways I think she will be better served not having to follow the State's curriculum. She is a very interesting young kid with a strong imagination and a passion for in depth learning. Kid will sit and be read to for 5 straight hours actively listening and absorbing every minute fact. She can't read and isn't a strong writer BUT she knows all about Greek Mythology, Laura Ingalls entire life, Pompei, natural disasters... and I mean ALL about that stuff.
If I thought we'd homeschool indefinitely I wouldn't worry too much about meeting or exceeding the State's curriculum... but if she is going back then I need to.
There is so much information out there. Right off the bat I am drawn to the Charlotte Mason Approach and it seems like a good fit for her. But I'd appreciate any suggestions.
Most importantly... how do you not want to kill your spouse when you are doing everything you were doing and now you are teaching full time to boot?!?
How did you adjust to the first year?
How intimidating is it to inform the authorities of your plans?
How did you/do you deal with having children of varying ages in the house (obviously Baby will not be homeschooling and I don't want to take away from what I would have been doing with her!)?
Oh and Kid loves science experiments... any good recommendations for that?
Kid would be entering Kindergarten this fall as a "red shirted" student already... so even though I believe Kindergarten should be much less regimented and more nurturing and playful experience than it has become.. I'm also nervous about having her keep up with the school system's program. Mostly because we have learned that she is a very self conscious student who is easily discouraged when she is behind the other students (hence the initial decision to hold her back). She has a late birthday and we had to choose for her to either be the youngest or the oldest and after watching her blossom as the oldest in preschool this year we knew holding her back was the right decision. But now I feel even more pressure. Because if she does end up attending our local school for first grade I don't want her to be both the oldest and also the least prepared.
So this is where I am at:
Kid loves school. She likes going to school and loves the strong relationships she has with her teachers. She tends to be shy and has a harder time engaging kids (although she is well liked). She is definitely not outgoing by any means. I worry about socializing her and getting her involved in something that allows for the kids to have kid directed activities (not just dance & swimming, etc). I'm really worried about taking a step backward in her social development. I also don't want to only have her socializing with girls!
Kid can be a homebody who prefers to sit in a chair reading all day. That could be a positive and I do think she will be easy to homeschool because of that. But my point is that she is a pretty independent thinker/doer, I guess I'd say she's introverted. She has always been a reader (as in looks at books) and will spend several hours a day quietly "reading" to herself. Kid does not like to be tested. She does not preform well under pressure. She won't practice things. She will do things (like write, draw, count, etc) when she is confident that she can and will proudly show you her work. She will not even try if she isn't sure she'll be right.
In some ways I think she will be better served not having to follow the State's curriculum. She is a very interesting young kid with a strong imagination and a passion for in depth learning. Kid will sit and be read to for 5 straight hours actively listening and absorbing every minute fact. She can't read and isn't a strong writer BUT she knows all about Greek Mythology, Laura Ingalls entire life, Pompei, natural disasters... and I mean ALL about that stuff.
If I thought we'd homeschool indefinitely I wouldn't worry too much about meeting or exceeding the State's curriculum... but if she is going back then I need to.
There is so much information out there. Right off the bat I am drawn to the Charlotte Mason Approach and it seems like a good fit for her. But I'd appreciate any suggestions.
Most importantly... how do you not want to kill your spouse when you are doing everything you were doing and now you are teaching full time to boot?!?
How did you adjust to the first year?
How intimidating is it to inform the authorities of your plans?
How did you/do you deal with having children of varying ages in the house (obviously Baby will not be homeschooling and I don't want to take away from what I would have been doing with her!)?
Oh and Kid loves science experiments... any good recommendations for that?
Eight is Enough
Okie Dokie Haley tagged me for this movie meme. I believe the original version required 15 quotes... um... not happening... so I'm following Haley's lead and I'll give you 8.
If you are the first to identify the quote you will get the great glory and honor you deserve bestowed upon you right here in the original post (can't beat that). Guess away in the comments. No cheating please!
#1 "Someday you'll find a man, a good man, and you'll love him, and marry him, and live and die for him. And I'll be hanged if I stand by and watch. " (Little Women, Andrea)
#2"The game starts now. You have to score one thousand points. If you do that, you take home a tank with a big gun. Each day we will announce the scores from that loudspeaker. The one who has the fewest points will have to wear a sign that says "Jackass" on his back. There are three ways to lose points. One, turning into a big crybaby. Two, telling us you want to see your mommy. Three, saying you're hungry and want something to eat. " (Life is Beautiful, Rosalie)
#3"I had two heart attacks, an abortion, did crack... while I was pregnant. Other than that, I'm fine." (this quote is translated)
"She amuses herself with silly questions about the world below, such as "How many people are having an orgasm right now?" " (this quote also is translated) (Amélie, Haley)
#4"Because they look like that hadn't been given anything in a long time."
"Think you can make anymore damn noise, what that damn car of yours?" (The War, Eileen)
#5 "I think if people see this footage, they'll say Oh, my God, that's horrible. And then they'll go on eating their dinners." (Hotel Rwanda, Feener)
#6"Don't take away my Telemundo! " (Fun with Dick and Jane, Jasmine)
#7"I don't need to speak to him. He's driving an Edsel, for Christ's sake." (Mermaids, Anon)
#8"At my signal, unleash hell. " (Gladiator, John Howard)
If you are the first to identify the quote you will get the great glory and honor you deserve bestowed upon you right here in the original post (can't beat that). Guess away in the comments. No cheating please!
#1
#2
#3
"She amuses herself with silly questions about the world below, such as "How many people are having an orgasm right now?" " (this quote also is translated)
#4
"Think you can make anymore damn noise, what that damn car of yours?"
#5
#6
#7
#8
Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon
"What are you doing?!" Mrs F says a little agitated as Kid slowly descends the stairs a good five minutes after I told her to put her boots and coat on.
"How do you know I'm not growing?" Kid calmly responds.
What the hell? What does that mean?
I had no idea what she was talking about
and then
my eyes
drifted
down
to the bulges
coming from
the top of her dress...
Oh... growing... I get it. I did a surprisingly good job of not completely falling apart in hyseterics.
The Falsies:
I must say that when these pottery sponges fell out of her dress I was more than a little impressed. They are perfect fake boobs and I can appreciate the quick thinking involved to discern that at such a young age!
"How do you know I'm not growing?" Kid calmly responds.
What the hell? What does that mean?
I had no idea what she was talking about
and then
my eyes
drifted
down
to the bulges
coming from
the top of her dress...
Oh... growing... I get it. I did a surprisingly good job of not completely falling apart in hyseterics.The Falsies:
I must say that when these pottery sponges fell out of her dress I was more than a little impressed. They are perfect fake boobs and I can appreciate the quick thinking involved to discern that at such a young age!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Cheep Cheep
You know what they say about lemons and lemonade...
Well here we are stuck inside (and since today should have been a shopping day keep in mind that means I'm out of my essential treats!) while Baby naps away upstairs. But fear not... due to my excellent hoarding skills I happen to have a box full of simple unfinished wooden odds and ends I purchased... oh... a good thirteen years ago.
Sixty minutes of quality time later and I present you with the first Easter decorations of the season:
Well here we are stuck inside (and since today should have been a shopping day keep in mind that means I'm out of my essential treats!) while Baby naps away upstairs. But fear not... due to my excellent hoarding skills I happen to have a box full of simple unfinished wooden odds and ends I purchased... oh... a good thirteen years ago.
Sixty minutes of quality time later and I present you with the first Easter decorations of the season:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
