little updates

We've been having amazing weather. It's been in the 90's for the last 5 days. I'm loving it. So are the kids.  The school year has been wonderful, but the girls are getting anxious for summer break.

I'm so thankful that they've transitioned well to public school. I appreciate the time and love that their teachers have invested in each of them. It's been exciting to see them make new friends and take ownership of their work. It's not a perfect system, and we're smack dab in the middle of all of the end-of-year standardized tests (of which I'm not a fan), but even with the small little variances in educational theology, I know I made the right decision to send them. The thought of homeschooling 3 different grade levels and learning styles, entertaining a busy 3 year old boy, AND trying to run this house... it just gives me a major wave of anxiety. I admire those who can do it with such grace.

 

This week I started working on the pool. It's always a gross task to get it cleaned up, but I'll be floating on that water (now blue) by the weekend. Can't wait.

I also planted my outdoor pots yesterday. It's quite a task to pick out plants that grow in full sun (so hot on my patio), and that bloom all summer long, with matching colors and varying heights... it was an all-day process. I can't remember what I've done in the previous years, but some this year I picked: black and blue salvia, sweet potato vine, dahlias, blue lobelia, osteospermum, and cuphea llavea. I'm happy with how they turned out.

My little veggie plants are coming along slowly in the greenhouse. I'm hoping that they'll be ready to tuck into their outside beds in another 3 weeks.  

I've been enjoying the early mornings. I actually took on a little part-time baking gig at my favorite coffee shop. Two days a week my alarm goes off at 2:30am! Baking is not for the faint of heart!  It's a nice quiet time doing something I love. I usually finish up around 6:30am- just in time for some exercise.  

I'm still training for the Chelanman triathlon in July (I'm going to need every one of the next 70ish days to be ready). Here's what my workout schedule has been looking like. 

Mon: Run 3.5 miles

Tues: Bike 10miles/run 2miles

Wed: Swim 45 min/yoga

Thurs: Run 3.5 miles

Fri: Swim 45 mins

Sat: Bike 10miles/run 2 miles

Sun: free choice

I ran a little 5k last weekend and I'm not speedy, but I can feel myself getting stronger. I love wearing a number. And I love running to this song. It's my new favorite.

 
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We celebrated Ian's 3rd birthday last weekend. I'm so glad we decided to wait until he was better. He just loved all of the attention. I made him a train cake because he is obsessed. It turned out a little ghetto, but homemade cakes usually do. That's the cool thing about them I guess. He was easy to please. 

We have activities going every night; swim team, music lessons, volleyball, etc. I'm also teaching my childbirth classes one night a week. That craziness, combined with the warmer weather, has kept our dinners light and fast.  It can be a challenge to fill up these athletic little bellies on the run! Yogurt parfaits and egg sandwiches are some of my go-to quickies. 

So we seem to be settling into a nice little early summer rhythm here. I hope it's warming up where you are! Thanks for checking in... I"m going out for some more sun!

sending them off

Sending them off


(awake, happy, fed, teeth brushed, hair combed, beds made, lunches packed, homework finished, ON TIME and headed out the door this morning)

I haven't spoken much about my decision to send the kids to public school. It has taken me some time to sort through it all in my mind. Last year was difficult. I made it through just barely. When I stop and think about all the things that I was trying to do- and do well- it makes a lot of sense why I nearly had a nervous break down (I'm not kidding).  Just being a mom to 4 kids is a full time job in itself. Add to that teaching 3 different grades, managing a very busy toddler, keeping up with the housework, teaching childbirth classes, attending births... I'm having anxiety just thinking about all of it. Simply put: I was spread too thin. 


Now that the kids are back at school I'm adjusting to my new role. I'm finding that I love having the time to just focus on nurturing them. It's so great to be able to sit with them and ask, "How was your day today? What have you been thinking about lately? Tell me about the book you are reading? What was the funniest thing that happened to you this week? What do you think I would like about your new friends? How are you feeling about your progress in math?"


I'm rediscovering my role as their mom. I've missed it because I was too busy being their teacher.


There are a lot of people who are able to successfully homeschool with families that are much larger than mine. I am in awe of what they are able to do- amazing. I still totally believe in the paradigm of educating kids at home. I just think I had to get to this place where I was honest enough to say... I can't do it. I need some order. I need some quiet. I need some time with my son who's toddlerhood feels fleeting. I need to be able to workout 5+ times/wk. I need all of those things. Carl was patient with me while I took the summer to uncover this stuff. I'm thankful that he's been supportive and encouraged me not to look at it as some kind of failure on my part.


The kids are adjusting well. We are blessed with wonderful teachers this year! And even though our mornings can be a little crazy *sigh* I know I made the right decision. I have peace.


 

confession

I feel like I've been keeping a secret. A fairly big one. And strangely, I'm not feeling very guilty about it. The truth is that I'm not having very much fun homeschooling right now. I really expected to bounce back from The February Slump...but I just haven't. I'm putting on a cheerful face and we are getting stuff done, but it definitely isn't my favorite part of life right now. It probably sounds horrible, but I'm losing interest. I think I've found myself in a selfish little spot and I'm getting sort of comfy here. Homeschooling requires that I give so much of my time away. Frankly I'd just rather be doing other things with it. I'm not sure where all this will lead. Maybe I'll feel better after a nice long summer break...but maybe not? Either way, days like today are getting me through...


We took a little field trip to the dam.


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We went down below, but we didn't see any salmon. (Not that we were patient enough to wait more than about 2 minutes.)


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Ian LOVES all the machines.


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That's the fish bypass. The baby salmon get dumped into the river there. Looks like a pretty fun water slide to me!


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We've been here lots of times so we gave ourselves the self-guided tour.


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And then we headed out to picnic.


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Park blankets are the best. For kissing...


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and resting.


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Happy Friday Friends...there's no school for a couple of days :)