It just occured to me that I don't have to wait for the mod to make a "chat" thread. (Sorry Christine, I guess I was being lazy!)
Anyway, I would like to know what's going on in your neck of the woods, where ever that is. Feel free to post and chat away...

I'll start.
Today was a bit crazy. I was up with the 3b last night, the 5g had leg cramps, the lightening woke up the 10g and the dog whined and yowled to keep me up the rest of the night. I think I finally went to sleep about 4am. Needless to say, breakfast was late and the girls didn't finish all their reading before Ballet practice.
I was waaaay to tired to read to them tonight so I begged off and went to bed to nurse the baby to sleep. Husband put everyone to bed, God bless him!

Oh, you poor thing! Hopefully everyone got some much-needed rest last night and things will be better for you today!

Yesterday was quite a day at our house! As you know, we are trying to sell our house. We had a showing Sunday afternoon and still have not gotten any feedback from that (and it's driving us nuts!) My son, 18, has been sick for a few weeks with a nasty cough. He finally agreed to go to the doctor so I took him yesterday. He has bronchitis, and possibly strep throat and/or mono. We'll know about that today, I hope. I was gone with him from 9:45-noon. The girls were home, supposed to be doing their school work, but the youngest (12 yrs) woke up with a headache and sore throat so she spent the day in bed. Anyway, I got home at noon, ate a quick lunch, took an even quicker shower, and left at 12:45 for my doctor appt. I saw the neurologist yesterday and, thankfully, got a good report! My husband was able to take off and go with me, which was really nice. We got home around 3:30 and stayed home the rest of the evening. He went to bed around 8:30 (he leaves for work before 5 AM) and I stayed up with the girls. Around 9 PM my youngest came to me and said she was "feeling creeped out" and didn't know why, so we snuggled on the couch for a while. Bedtime came and she couldn't get over the "creepies" so I let her stay on the couch (I moved to the easy chair), hoping she'd fall asleep. At 10:45 she was still awake, popping up every time I moved to be sure I was still there. By then I was exhausted, so I went to bed and I think she moved in with her sister so we could all get some rest. I got to sleep sometime after 11 PM and woke up around 6:30, so I got enough sleep and hopefully the girls did, too.

Today we're staying home, I hope, and catching up on all the laundry and school work that didn't get done yesterday. And I'm praying for good feedback from the realtor. We're hoping that "no news is good news" and that these people want to buy the house and are just thinking about an offer. As someone told me, it usually doesn't take very long to say no. But it could just be that their realtor is slow to respond, so all I can do for now is wait.

This could be a fun thread! I love hearing about what's going on in other people's lives. It makes me feel like mine isn't quite so crazy sometimes.

I remember the last time we sold a house... Keeping it clean was an exercise in futility. My hat's off to you!
I sure hope your oldest doesn't have mono. My 2yo had that last year and 'though he recovered quickly, that wasn't a pleasant experience for any of us. Whoever heard of a 2yo getting mono??
I understand the creepies too!!! There have been times when I'd get them and the only thing I could do was pray, tell the Lord I was scared, and read/sleep with my Bible and wait for the sun to come up. You did the right thing in comforting your daughter.

My oldest is learning that college professors aren't as leinent as mom when it comes to handing work in on time. He had a paper due today and thought he could just churn it out at the last minute last night...It's a wonderful topic but his paper isn't what he wanted and asked for more time. No dice.
He decided to write on his Great-grandparents, the JohnWayne, WWII hero and the "world's greatest granny" They both died two years ago and I miss them terribly. In his research for his paper he has learned some facinating things about them. I hope he decides to further his work on this paper even though he turned it in today.

Hi, Ladies I have found a lot of comfort in on line chatting My dh and I in our early 30's are really just discovering the world computers offer to us as new mac owners ( our first computer ownership march of 2005 ) Wow what a dif. it makes in our lives.

This past year I've done a lot of research on hs and birthing meeting a lot of neat and helpful people along the way.

We are eclectic in our hs plans but right now with new babe we are very much unschooling iykwim.

Our days are pretty crazy and I NEED to hear often that everything is actually pretty normal and we'll all live through this stage in our family.

Q of 8, We are quiverful minded but admittedly scared to death of what that entails calling out for strength for each new day.

We haven't many friends ~ just making some right now and are estranged from our families for legitimate / biblical reasons. So raising our family has been very challenging to us.

I'm doing the flylady thing and am a SHE but getting a better handle on it all each year of ups and downs.

My DH will be let go from a Con Agra Foods factory at the first of the year~ it is closing 350 people will loose their jobs and this will be a big transition for all of us. We are excited about what the Lord will provide for him/ us.

I have a question about sitting kids in your home while HS. This is not something I wholeheartedly would want to do as we are pretty separate in our views even with other christians anyway we don't do most holidays and are transitioning over to more of the Hebrew holidays only. We are tv less but do watch dvds on the computer when it seems right like I've watched more movies since having baby to nurse than I've watched in years. Sometimes it's the only way to get everyone to stay in the same room so I can know they are safe etc etc sure you've btdt.

So if it comes to a big money crunch when dh is looking for a job I might have to sit other kids.

What kind of implications do you think I might deal with in such a situation? Have you known anyone that has succeeded at such a feat?

Thanks for you input in advance. Jacinda

I remember 30....
I love Macs!! My macbook is in the shop right now. The last update just fried it and Apple is having to replace hardward, software, even the case.... It's the third time I've had to send it in since Husband bought it for mother's day. I wonder if the state lemon laws could apply...
I babysat for a 2month old four years ago. It was no big deal since I have older children to help. What made it hard was mold was discovered in our home and we had to move into a hotel until repairs could be made. I continued babysitting and during this time, I discovered I was pregnant again! Talk about a "character building" episode in my life!!!

quote:

Originally posted by cindahomaker:
What kind of implications do you think I might deal with in such a situation? Have you known anyone that has succeeded at such a feat?

Thanks for you input in advance. Jacinda

Work out in advance your rates and will you accept sick children. What will you do if you or your children are sick? Can the child accompany your family on outings? Vacations?

I babysat for a childhood friend who is now a teacher. It was like babysitting my nephew. No problem. I actually felt guilty for taking money because he was/is such a joy. "Baby Luke" would sit in the highchair while we worked on books, he learned to crawl and later walk at my house. Having his mom over for lunch nursing sessions was a joy.
Oh, baby needs me. I'll write more later.

So far, today's homeschool has consisted of a half-paniced call to the eye doc when 18s woke up this morning and couldn't see! 12d in tears because she's having trouble with long division, 14s taking a science test over material he read 2wks ago and forgot to mention he's ready for a test AND 6m son having a colonic explosion all over the carpet....

I'll think we'll stop for lunch...

Hi Jacinda,
How many kids do you have? If they can help with the kids you babysit, it could be fun!

Quiver - what's the deal with your 18s not being able to see? (Hope the 6m son's tummy is better!)
Chris

18s eyes are okay but that situtation sure did get my attention! He's been complaining of headaches and a bit harder to see lately and I've been waiting on money to take him to doc. This morning, he couldn't make out the clock on his bedside table.
Turns out he has "accommodative spasmodic disorder" which is a fancy term for a Charley Horse in his pupil. In other words, his eyes are tired. The doc. says he sees this alot in College freshman. He dialated son's eyes in order to "rest" them and sent us home. He told son to stay off the computer for today.
Son still has excellent vision and doesn't need glasses but boy this episode sure made me nervous and I spent some quality prayer time in the shower this morning!

We have 5 children one being in heaven and four we care for everyday;
Luke 6 Tim 5 Michalina 2 Sophia 2 months.
We live in NW Ohio in our home
we bought just a year ago in a small town
this is our first official year of hs.

My 6yo can be pretty responsible BUT I have been seeing a lot of resistance from him since he turned 6. He talked so much about not wanting to get older I think this is his way to try to fight becoming an older boy. Tim my 5 yo. is the reason for most disharmony in our home please don't think me harsh. He has lots of good traits very self motivated where Luke looks to me so much for "what to be doing" but Tim's strong personality means *conflict* when I want to lead him into activities he wants to do his own thing IKNWIM

Lina is just turning two on Nov 8 and Sophia is a little premie 8 pounds and 22 in at 2 1/2 months old! She has NEEDED me all the time. Nursing often / wanting physical contact even more than my other babies.

So I have all littles now. And I am overwhelmed as it is BUT I have been taking my 2yo Lina to the neighbors a couple x's a wk. for 2 hours at a time so she can play with other little girls that are sat there paying 2.00 an hour ( more than reasonable) and it has been very good for her. So I do wonder if having a few small kids sat here would be as beneficial and of course *I* would be the one making a little money.

I'm working hard at organizing and decluttering my place anyway and about the time my dh would loose his job I'd have the boys on a regular hs routine so it may be a good time to do some sitting.

Quiver, it is as you show in your remarks like having another family member! And that is what kinda scares me because of discipline issues and just trying to set boundaries that the parents would understand like not feeling uncomfortable with our differences ~ we don't do Halloween or the traditional, American Christmas, or Easter either. Maybe I'm making too big of a deal about some of these things as Maybe parents would appreciate the things we do do that are really positive like reg time at the local park within walking distance and a great yard of our own that we enjoy nature and gardening in ~ have yet to afford a play gym of our own. Obviously craft and educational times lots of story times and constructive toys. Not all sitters offer that many just sit the kids in front of the tv, I also am a whole foods cook and we have healthy snacks available always!

So all that to say with prayer and good communication I should be able to get some nice families interested.

I guess I should be just as choosey for a good *match* as a parent seeking a good sitter would I would after all be opening up *my* home to them.


Thanks for your input and I'll update you as we make decisions.

Yes, Quiver how is your sons eyesight????

My 14s got saved this evening!! Yee-haw
What a fabulous ending to a day that started out so scarey!!!!!!!! That devil must have known son was under conviction.... Praise God for His blessings!!!!!

18's eyes are still slow to focus. We'll be watching to see if he needs to go back for another evaluation. Thanks for asking.

Today has been "a day". Not a bad day really, but I wouldn't call it a good day, either. Thursdays are always hectic, and today has been even more than usual. We left here at 8:30 to drop two of my girls off at co-op, then I took the youngest to buy some shoes. I never knew buying tennis shoes could be such a hard job!! Finally, at the third store, she found some she liked and that came in her size. Probably 3/4 of the shoes in that store were on sale, but of course hers were not. We left there and finally got to do our grocery shopping (at 10:30, we're usually there by 9:00) and the total bill was about $40 more than I expected. Ouch!! We got home, put the groceries away, moved the laundry along, had lunch, and now I have 30 minutes before we have to leave again. We have classes this afternoon for sign language and art, then will leave from there to go straight to dance class. We won't get back home until 6:30 this evening. It's 1:30 now and I'm already exhausted! So I spent 1-1/2 hrs buying shoes that were NOT on sale, spent too much on groceries, and now have too little time to rest before we have to be on the road again. I guess the positive side to all of this is that I should sleep very well tonight!!

We've had a great week overall.


We've been real busy trying to enjoy some outdoor stuff before the weather gets too chilly.

Do any of you enjoy gardening?

I try to buy plants on clearance at the end of the season The mums I bought last year for
.50 ea. grew 3-4 x's as big. Had fun with the kids cutting them and taking to neighbors. A
good way to go into the cool season and still feel a bit connected with neighbors. I usually
get into hibernation mode by January. And by March I'm planning all the things I want to
do outside when the weather breaks!

This year of course my grand plans didn't come to pass but some of the smaller projects
got done.Last year I transplanted most of the bushes(20) from around the foundation of
the house to the perimeter of the property. There are 3 more that I'd like to move but I'm
not sure we'll get to it this year.

I wanted to plant apple trees but haven't had time yet. <I was gonna plant over Sophia's
placenta but still haven't gotten the b/c situation worked out.

Been getting as much exercise as possible before cold weather hits. This just takes so much time and the inside of the house is falling apart!

Lina is in the messy stage of potty training and this has caused a lot of extra work I sure will be glad when she decides to go in the potty!

Last night was terrible Timmy got cotton balls and was throwing them all over and picking the up and doing it again but of course when he was tired of the game he left them lay. He also decided to squirt out a sink full of Dad's shaving cream and take scissors to some carrots on my beige carpet Oh we can't forget opening a container that held small beads and getting them everywhere.

You may be asking where was *I* when all this happened. And the answer would be cleaning up the initial messes or nursing the crying baby. Or doing the dishes/ laundry. Or crying and consoling myself.

Nighttime devotions NEVER even got started.

I always have the best of intentions to garden but I never seem to get around to it. I did have a wonderful herb garden in place of a flower bed but I let it go last year after my third miscarriage and then pregnancy. Now that the baby is 6months old, I'm ready to garden again.... When will my desire synce up with God's timing???

Jacinda, the "cotton ball incident" sounds like Timmy head a great time...Just remember my most used verse at the moment...Gal. 6:9 "And let us not grow weary in well doing for in due season we will reap if we don't lose heart." I think that's two different versions morphed into one there...

For my family, it's easier to do devotions/Bible study during breakfast. I've tried at bedtime but wasn't very consistant.

Good luck on the potty training. Yesterday, Joshua, my 3yo was running around with obviously wet pants. I said
"Joshie, did you have an accident?"
He ran over to me, grabbed my ears and said,
"Mommy, Ow-Fwed is a Wobot!!!!!!!!"
(translation: Alfred is a Robot!)
He just watched Veggie Tales

We now have Lina to the sitters for two hours and have the following to do

scrub four areas of yucky and one of carrot stains. I'll do the stairs and and kitchen floor too.
And the flowers water and vase picked up that Lina spilled on the way out of the house.
But first all toys and stuff are needing to picked up.And sweeping done.
Another few loads of laundry and dishes.
After Sophia's nurse of course
TTYL hopefully a happier mommy

Jacinda,
Your story about Timmy reminded me of my son when he was little. The first image I have is when he was about 18 mos. old (and an only child at this point). I walked into the kitchen to find him having the time of his life, but there was cooking oil and oatmeal spilled all over my kitchen floor, all over him, all over everything! He thought it was wonderful! We lived in a small townhouse so he couldn't have been out of my sight for more than 5 minutes, but he made the most of his time!

The other image was a year or two later. We had moved to our first house, which was multi-level. I think I had another baby by this time. I came downstairs to find styrofoam packing peanuts strewn from one end of the house to the other, down the stairs, all across the floor on the lower level. And there was my son, looking so proud of himself, standing right in the middle of it. Apparently he found a box full of "peanuts" that someone had mailed something to us in. He thought it would be fun to stand at the top of the stairs and pour the whole box full down the stairs, and I guess he liked it so well he did it again (because the mess went from the top level, to the main level, to the lower level). I never imagined that ONE box of packing peanuts could make such a huge mess! Or that ONE little boy could get into so much mischief in such a short time. I think he spent his first 6 years of life teaching me just how fast a little boy can be when he's on a mission!

Enjoy him now! Before you know it, Timmy will be 18 years old and making plans to move out on his own (and you miss the little boy messes!)

Hi Lori Yes we have had "FUN" with styrofoam packing too and real peanut butter and boxes of tissues and many bottles of powder and beads and jewelry and bubble bath and dish soap and flour and raisins and nuts and all sorts of items around the house let's not for get markers and pens and play dough and milk and eggs and bread and butter the cotton balls and shaving cream and carrots and little beads were just the most recent!

I've been realizing I've been having the mentality that each person in this family can only make a "reasonable " amount of mess because I am feeling like all I do is clean up after everyone else. Two in diapers doesn't help so I've put a lot of pressure on the older boys to be grown out of messes!

Today my dh took the boys to a large informal meeting for the plant closing and I'm the one who encouraged him to because I found a church an hour and a half away I would like to explore attending. It would be a huge commitment to travel that far with the kids ( how ever often we could manage) but I'm so needing some fellowship ! Any way the kids didn't contain their fidgets very well my dh came back upset even saying that us hs has it's merits but the boys are not use to being expected to be quiet and contain them selves enough and that is making them a bit " backwards" I was disappointed it turned out badly. Last night both boys took of more than once on us in a big Wal mart usually it's only Timmy who can be counted on to do so.

We just feel we can't keep up with our kids and it's disappointing. I never wanted to be a big family with chaos but the kind that has them all like ducks in a row!

I take most things too seriously but especially when I'm feeling overwhelmed or frustrated.

Yes timmy and the others are very creative and I'm glad they can have fun while they are young.

jacinda,
Some things to remember:

*Your's is a young family with little children; don't expect them to have the self-control of teenagers or young adults. (lol, like teenagers HAVE more self-control...)

*You have four children of PRE SCHOOL age and under...

*Boys are fidgit-y!!!

*you are only 2 months post-partium. Your body is still in "recovery" mode. Your hormones will be in a state of flux for at least 6 months; cut yourself some slack!

*This is a season in your life when you shouldn't expect the house to be clean at all times, your church attendance will "suffer," you may not even get your teeth brushed until evening...

Our God is a big God and HE knows our situtation and more importantly, He knows our hearts. Is God telling you to keep the house spotless or cuddle the baby and make her feel safe and secure? Is HE wanting your 6yo reading Magna Carta by January, or learning to listen to Mommy read the Creation account of Genesis?

The messes? We've all been there. Just keep on keeping on Jacinda. This is a season and this will pass. Remember Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
note that the verse says "old" the training part is now.
You're doing a great job, Jacinda. Your care and compassion shine through in your posts. Just don't be so very hard on yourself...

I'll try to flesh this out more later. I'm not able to attend church today due to babies and toddlers needing me.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: quiverofeight,