Git Some Learnin'

They say to surround your child with books. I'm not sure this is what they meant.


*Note the book is upside down. I obviously should have used some Little Einstein flash cards or something! My child rearing practices are sooooo retro, lol!

Out of the Closet

OK, not that closet, not that there's anything wrong with that. (If you didn't watch Seinfeld ignore that.) The cheap closet. Hi, I'm Lisa, and I'm cheap. I don't want a 12 step program though. I like being, er, thrifty. I did my kids' winter shopping this weekend. They didn't need too much, I had requests for sweatshirts and 7yo dd needed pants. My first stops were some garage sales, I found 3 pair of LL Bean cords for dd and a pair of jeans for 11yo ds (whom I have commanded to stop growing, already.) I then hit Goodwill and Salvation Army. I found a Nike sweatshirt and t-shirt for ds and two Purdue sweatshirts for dd (gray with hood as requested). I also got two Aeropostale shirts for dd. I love the hunt. The search. The careful tracking of a specific want. It's a sickness, lol, but at least no animals are harmed in my hunt.
Some people who know me think I'm a granola, prarie, wholesome mom. I use cloth diapers, I bake my own bread, I only use the dryer if people named Noah begin building arks, I can and freeze food for pity's sake. Now the secret is out. I'm not concerned with my family's health or the well being of the environment (well, it's not my sole concern), the truth is I'm just cheap. Phew, confession is good for the soul.

Summer's Over

I took down the pool. That was about as much fun as it sounds like. I hated to take it down but the leaves are starting to turn and the beans and corn are browning up. The temperatures are still in the mid 80's during the day but cool nights had brought down the water temperature considerably. At least I haven't had to face how short their long pants probably are.
The little two did have fun in the half dumped pool. I turned my back to hang up some clothes and when I turned around, this is what I found.

Even though set up and take down are sort of a pain, the amount of fun they got out of the pool was amazing. They probably swam every day that it was possible. It is also much easier to keep track of them all than at the "real" pool.

This week is shaping up much like last so I won't bore you with that. I'm taking Bonnie's advice and practicing saying no, no, no. I've noticed since I quit work though, that people assume I have tons of time. Uh, no.... see there I said it.

Back in the Saddle Again

Or maybe back on the treadmill. This week has been hectic, and all the stuff hasn't started yet. We've had 2 cross country meets (and one tomorrow), a Cub Scout meeting, a Boy Scout meeting, Kid's Klub at chuch, a dental appointment, student council meeting and Campus Life. That doesn't count pre-school, grocery shopping and the other detritus of life. Sigh... I am trying not to get too busy. I said no to football, church committees, skating party, and dance for 7yo. There are times I think we should move to the wilds of Idaho or something and never go anywhere. Not very practical. Ah well, only 158 days of school left!

No Interchangable Parts

So yesterday at church, someone made the comment concerning my 4yo. "Well sending him off to pre-school must be the same old-same old. That many kids must be like running a factory." HUH!!! Have they not met my children? Six more different personalities could not exist! Do people really believe that after two or three children personalities repeat like curly hair or brown eyes? I don't think this comment was meant in a malicious way but geesh!
For the record-
E--a classic overachiever, she could manage this household more efficiently than I
S--imaginative, sweet, sensitive and funny
C--analytical, mathmatical and honest
L--strong willed and focused
F--sweet, cuddly and BUSY
A--cute, sure of herself and constantly figuring things out

What Ranks as Best

In my attempt to turn my savages into caring, compassionate human beings we were discussing the hurricane and relief last night. I had included the kids in our sending more to the Salvation Army and in making health kits for UMCOR. I asked them what things of theirs they might want to send with a local group who is actually, physically going south. C stated that the most important thing would be to have a game boy. Not gamecube he explained, because power would be a problem. If there was a flood or fire, he'd save his game boy....uh what about his cat, his siblings, his mother???? Nope, gameboy, the rest of us could fend for ourselves. So much for compassion and caring, LOL.

First Day of Preschool

F started preschool yesterday.

He didn't like school at all last year but seemed happier about it this year. He has been bored with the other kids in school. When Mel falls asleep in the afternoon he wanders around like a lost soul. He will be attending in the afternoon so maybe I'll have a couple hours a couple times a week to get stuff done. Or maybe I'll piddle the time away with a book or the 'puter.

I wasn't around the puter much last week because of 1) a really rotten cold 2) I've been putting up the garden produce everyone has given me. I'm not sure it's a cost savings really, and I sure know it's not a time savings. Yesterday I managed to drop a sack of flour into the huge pot of boiling tomatoes I was turning into spaghetti sauce so a load of laundry, a mopping, a wall cleaning and burned arms and legs later I had spaghetti sauce. Thank the Lord I don't have to depend on my efforts to feed us, we'd all starve. The sauce turned out pretty good though. Nice and thick too, LOL!

What to Say

Number 1--I'm heartbroken for the people all over the Gulf. If I could go get those babies and bring them home I would.
Number2-- I'm furious with the idiots mixed in with all the poor victims. Why would you shoot at people trying to help
you???
Number 3--The state government reacted abysmally and what is with the feds? If the state ain't cuttin' it, take over NOW, not
after things go completely from sugar to sh*t.
Number 4--Is anybody else really irked by the news coverage? There almost seems a glee, oh goody a disaster, nothing like
a disaster to boost ratings!

I'll stop now. If you haven't given check out the links below. Nag, nag, nudge, nudge.