{un}civilized classmates

our furry students are becoming quite accomplished 
in middle-aged culture, 
the mysteries of converting a percentage to a fraction, 
new vocabulary words, like 'garish', 
listening to summaries of harry potter,
american girl mysteries, 
theater script...





and manners.

does your homeschool have a furry pet?
if not, this is the part where i try to talk you into it.
i would invite you not to look at the pets,
but at the kids.
happy, happy.

ummm... did it work?
*spoken with big, brown puppy eyes*

feb~week 8/366 {life-docs-homeschool}

this has been a teary week for mama.  tuesday morning brought some potential life-threatening news for a family member... and my heart is heavy.  

with health issues on the rise, it really motivates me to get back on track with my health.  i'd like to juice a bit each day.  have you seen this? fat sick and nearly dead.  it's on netflix, instant play right now.  it's eye opening.  the body is amazing... when treated properly.

the distance between us and the rest of the fam is sometimes challenging.  especially right now... while the girls are in the midst of competition, recitals, theater, etc.  accomplishing school-work, while holding down the home-front most days... i'm overwhelmed. 

sometimes, life is just plain hard, y'all.  searching for the blessings...  that's the key to survival, right?  

well, that and instagram pix. ;)



after a long day, we {yes, hubby was home. yay!} took the girls to kids eat free night at chili's.

there was a day of vet visits for two felines, constantly looking for an exit.  that moment came for beau when his temperature was taken for the first time.  then he hissed at a cat poster on the wall.  tough guy.

just as i do with my kids, i researched and finally diagnosed beau.  my search led me to... feline herpes.  i started treating him with an amino acid.  *ehem*  it's not what you think... it's more like allergy symptoms that can turn into a cold under stress, etc.  turns out, his symptoms were not just allergies all along.  it was confirmed by the vet.  but she still siphoned my bank account for his visit to agree with me.  overall, he's a happy, healthy rambunctious lil' boy!  yay for some good news.

unfortunately, because feline herpes is contagious among cats, bella came down with a bad congestion, possible pneumonia. i get to wrestle her to take an anti-biotic.  no bueno.  her vet bill was more than beau's.  the end.



homeschool fun.
gracie learning about fishy hermaphrodites. 
science. check.

nator, jazzy, and i waiting on gracie in dance lessons.
mom-taxi in full swing.  when i looked back to see what nator was doing - hanging upside down, she said, "what? a girl's gotta entertain herself."  *giggle*

my365 app. helps me organize my iphotos.



math and science.  we know how to party around here.

thanks to a sweet friend for letting me look at her sonlight curriculum in person, i think we are going to go this route next year.  great literature and organization?  actually, i'm kinda excited about it.  i could cry.  see?  teary.  now... which core do i pick??  decisions, decisions.



the pets are jazzed about it, too.  
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
actually... jazzy just wants beau's bed.
small dog trapped in big dog's body.

 
tarjet... the girls snatched their faves.  
gracie = cuties.
nator = dark chocolate.  
gracie also talked mom and dad into purchasing her bedding for her bedroom makeover.  she's had her eyes on this for months.  months, i tell you!  nator's will come soon.

so how are you?  what are your must-haves at tar-jet?  have you studied feline herpes and fishy hermaphrodites?  do you think better hanging upside-down?  do you like grapefruit?  have you tried sonlight curriculum?  don't you wish you had been educated with your dog at your side?  isn't beau the cutest sleeper?  ever?  good thing he's so cute. that is all. for now. ;)

jan {i}photo challenge: week 2/366

just finished watching the saints game.
i screamed... then nearly cried.
causing my cat {who was sleeping peacefully on my lap}
to fly off completely startled... 
and possibly scarred for life.

then i asked my husband why he's encouraged my interest in football.  it hurts when they lose.
he simply says... that's part of the game.
brutal.

okay...
now on to the photo challenge. 



8. your sky.  from my back yard.



9. daily routine.  most days usually begin and end with kitty cuddles.  the best.  next to tea parties and 11 yo learning to cook dinner.
10. childhood.  myself-hubs-and our oldest as littles.
11. where you sleep.
12. close-up.  took the christmas trees down this week.
13. in your bag. our end of the year coupon from vitamin shoppe. woo-to-the-hoo!



14. something you're reading.   fortune cookies. "a passionate new romance will appear in your life when you least expect it."  received this the day hubs left for nyc. talk about timing. ha!  american girl books.  and information about shelter animals.  we made a donation of goodies to one of our local no-kill-rescue shelters.    

i know.  you expected something much deeper than that. right?

15. oh wait... there's no 15.  i just wanted to say that hubs is home.  but you probably already knew that.  new york was going to be extra chilly this weekend.  he's home just in time.

16.  and last but not least... hubs brought home souvenirs.  hubs even remembered the kitty i wanted.  only it's stuffed.  so i'm preeeeeetty sure it's for the girls.  *sigh*  

i recently tweeted... "After surfing adorable animals in need of a home & the emergency amber alert just called, you can find me in a box of Kleenex."

you'll be happy to know that the child was found alive. thank heaven for happy endings!


now about the kitty... ;)

{cat} fever

so i may have re-pinned this picture on pinterest.

it may have accompanied a confession.

i officially want another cat.  i know.  kinda makes you drop your jaw a bit.  well, kind of.  when it dawned on me, i may have dropped my own jaw, anyway. 

not to replace our beloved bella.  no, we have grown quite accustomed to her.

we quickly realized we could look past her flaws.  you know... the biting.  once we thought we were going to have to move and give her up.  

amazing how quickly you come to appreciate what's right in front of you... when you are threatened to lose it.

well, that... and she's learned there are consequences to biting.  and we've learned her triggers.

basically, petting her anywhere below the neck.  or constantly moving your arm as you are typing, while she's trying to nap in your lap.  

tail-flicking is the first sign of annoyance.  then the ears stretch back.  then she may or may not give an internal growl.  many times, before that point, she gets evicted from the lap.

we noticed early on that she has wobbly eyes, too.  but i've since learned that it could be a trait of the siamese.  of which she is a mix. it doesn't seem to bother her.

oh. dear. lord.   at this very moment, jasmine just made all of my nose hair curl.  oxygen mask, please?  what did we feed her for dinner again?  her big, brown puppy eyes better be extra cute tomorrow.

where was i?

oh, yes.  the truth is... friends of mine are having babies.  or doing other things in which i don't want to participate.  don't get me wrong.  another lil' person would be wonderful.  but mama doesn't function well on sleep deprivation.  i remember those nights.  and i'm getting older.  and hubby travels a lot now.  that means less time to help mama.  just sayin'.

i grew up with dogs and cats.  they feel like second nature to me.  birds and fish even seem a bit exotic.  our last fish lasted a week and a half.  and hamsters?  a little too rodent-like.  sorry, gracie... mama just can't go there.  not to mention, we have a cat in the house.

oh. heavens!! might be blacking out soon.  using my shirt to filter the air.  tempted not to feed this dog tomorrow.   she snores right through it.  thanks, jazzy.

ummmm... yes, the cat. 

to me, there are few things better than the cuddles of a lap cat.

i'm glad our girls are experiencing this.  the warmth.  the purrrrr.  nator especially loves it while she's reading or crocheting.  she's a sweet, old soul.

the problem is... there is only one cat and three of us gals.  we find ourselves competing for bella's affection, especially when hubs is out of town.  the person with the softest blanket usually wins.

i may have mistakenly voiced my desires out loud and the girls may have jumped on that bandwagon with me.  both feet.  gracie wants another dog, too...  but we wouldn't be able to afford the out-of-town pet sitter fees.  we'd have to donate a child.  and that's not happening.  i worked too hard not to hear them called me blessed one day. ;)

cats probably have house parties while we're away.  i'm convinced that's why the house is still a mess upon our return.

*****************************************

now... for the cuteness meter and your giggling pleasure, i give you another opinion the pioneer woman. 

read his little muffuletta, ethereal, kitty love, playful, sleepyhead, the difference between cats and bassets, and why i love my cat.

the pioneer woman rids the stereotype of 'crazy cat lady', yes?  you can't get much cooler than the pioneer woman...  also known as ree.  who is married to marlboro man.  which i'm sure also has a name... 

bottom line.  ree pretty much makes everything look good.  aaaaand, her lovely bloggy gave me the confidence i needed to move forward with teaching textbooks.

yeah, she homeschools, too.

*****************************************

anyway, i've convinced myself that hub's next souvenir to me the girls and i should be a cat. maybe a kitten this time? i'll rescue one.  it's a win-win.  i already have a name picked.  going a bit too far, huh?

if hubs reeeeally doesn't like this idea, i can always blame the pioneer woman.  right? ;)

curiosity... got her in {trouble}

Gracie anticipated the jump before it happened, and was quick to sweep her off of our freshly primed dresser.  Can you see the swoop marks?  I envisioned primer getting all over Gracie's favorite 'Justice' clothes.  So, I grappled her away from Gracie... and ran 3 steps into the bathroom.

I am going to bed with primer on my arms and hands.

Between the sound of running water, and me applying it to her declawed paws, she cried out similar to a 2 year old having a temper tantrum.  She handles bathes better than this and wanted nothing to do with it. 

Her cries nearly sound like a small child.  It's made my heart skip a beat a time or two before, thinking it was one of the girls.

Everyone gathered for the show in my small bathroom.  Including Jasmine.

Between the girls' loud laughter, an excited Jasmine, the overcrowding, and Bella's pleas to stop the torture... I saw a Bella bite in my near future.  I did what any loving mother would do... and loudly proclaimed that everyone was banished from the bathroom.  Immediately!

I didn't have much luck.  Primer dries quickly.  She, too, will be going to bed with evidence on her paws.

I give her a little face-time on the ol' blog, and this is how I'm treated?

She won't look me in the eye.

After she gave herself a quick bath, due to the water I put all over her paws, she watched me finish the primer on the dresser.  Then followed me downstairs, after tucking in the girls.

I think she's trying to get back into good graces with Mama.  A few catnaps on my lap, and we'll call it even. 

That's what I love about a cat, you know.  The cuddles.

They're especially welcome when hubs is out of town for the week.  *sigh*

Cuddles, blogging, and dark chocolate {with raw almonds}. 

It's how I roll.

the post in which i get all opinionated

Typically, I'm more of a 'go-with-the-flow' kinda gal.  Really.  I don't have strong opinions on many issues.  Unless I do.  Follow? ;)

Things like... What's your favorite flower?  {I like them all.  Even pretty weeds.  My girls make some of the best mommy-bouquets ever.}  Favorite restaurant?  {Same problem.  I can pick something anywhere we go.  I think.  I haven't tried them all.}  Favorite song?  {Same.}  Favorite color? {How can anyone pick just one?}  Noticing a pattern?

But those are superficial issues.

I can't bring myself to watch the news because it makes my blood pressure go up... or too terrified to leave the house.  So, instead, I read my news via iPhone apps.  Different, yes?

{denial much?}

And as you may have guessed... I get the sudden urge to 'hunker down' my girls, secure them in bubble wrap, and plug their ears from any evil lurking out there.  But, unfortunately, that's not an option in our house.  Have you seen the mom-taxi vlogs??

So, instead, I form opinions.

A few articles that caught my attention today {yes, there were more}:

*  Homeschooling.  Yay! for attention being brought to the forefront that many are choosing this journey of education.  Boo! for the fact that 'socializing' has to be brought into the article.  Can't we just. get. past. the myth that homeschoolers are anti-social recluses??  And what excuse would they use for some of America's non-homeschooled children?  Ouch.  Moving on.

*  An Austin, TX man was charged with bringing a 14 year old girl, and her older sister, to the Superbowl for prostitution.  I simply can.not. wrap my brain around this.   At. all.

*  If you missed the first performance of our national anthem {as I did},  sung by Christina Aguilera at the Superbowl, you will get another chance.  She'll be singing it again for the Brooklyn Cyclones.  A minor league baseball team.  Just a little fyi.  This is important news, you know.  Who's ready for baseball?? :)

*  Canadian dog sled slaughter.  This should be illegal.  There is an investigation... but, oh my furry-friend-heart.  To think that the inhumane actions of someone on the Mush for PRIDE {Providing Responsible Information on Dogs} board had anything to do with this inhumane act is deplorable.  *sigh*  He is {now} no longer on the board.  But still.

*  War widows forced to marry to collect full insurance benefits??  Crazy!!!!!

*  What do you think of atheists forming a club at school?   My take?  There have been a number of 'religious' clubs at schools over the years and, frankly, I'd rather the government only exercise censorship if it were indeed harming someone.  The more control we give the government, the less say we will have regarding our own beliefs.
This is why I don't advocate tax help where homeschool is concerned.  I'd like to keep all of my homeschool freedoms.  Thank you.

*  Glee.  No link needed here.  Seems everyone knows or has at least heard of the Glee-craziness.  If you watched the Superbowl, you were bombarded with many advertisements.  I admit it... I've caved and watched a few episodes.  In my opinion, the moral bar on this show is subzero.  The music is great.  I'll give you that.  But the storyline??  *wrapping my girls in bubble wrap*

Don't even get me started on some of the recent photo shoots some of the Glee cast has had.  Have we forgotten they're representing high-school-aged girls on their show?!  The word 'inappropriate' comes to mind.  Oi.

Bella has opinions, too.  She thinks Jasmine has had far too much camera time.

She hopes you enjoyed her photo-shoot.  If not, she has been known to bite.  But she's getting better about that.

I'm off to avoid any other news stories today.  Unless it's about snow. Of which we've had none.

Wow.  Did you make it to the end of this one??

Hello?

Work {Real Life}

I don't suppose these pictures would ever come close to winning a photography contest.  That's not what I was going for here.  I'm just showing life.  It's work, ya'll.

 

Our egg and pancake aftermath this morning.  I didn't think you'd want to view the inside of my sink.  You're welcome.

  

Mail.  It's like laundry... never ending.

  

Speaking of laundry.  This is one pile.

  

Getting ready to move.  Cleaning out closets.

  

Organizing memories and photos.

  

Trying to find a loving home for our beloved Bella.  :(

 

Staying on top of my girls to pick up after themselves.

Staying on top of schoolwork.

And now I must get back to work...
I need to create a birthday party out of all these goodie bags!

But first, I must tackle the messes and tasks from the pix above
{plus some}.
Except for the closets.
I may be stuffing more in those till we officially move. ;)

It's a lazy-rainy day,
but I'm determined to create some fun in the midst of all those tempting chores!

You can view other {work} photos @
 i should be folding laundry

At least someone likes my cooking

Proof that food is a great distraction... for anyone.

Oh... and don't worry.

They really do like each other.

Tastes like Chicken

You see the purple spot in the pet's water bowl? Well, that's a little game our Bella has been playing with me for some time now. She finds a Polly Pocket dress, paper, straw, you name it... and puts it in the water bowl. She will sometimes fish it out herself... evidenced by the huge amount of water surrounding the bowl. If not, well...

Mama: "Oh, I guess Mommy gets to do some dirty work this morning."

A-Nator: "Mommy, you always get all the dirty work."

Hmmmm... just as long as we're clear on that.

Mama: “What do you want for breakfast?”

A-Nator: (looks at the cat) “Too bad we can’t eat Bella for breakfast.”

Mama: “Ewe.”

A-Nator: “What? If we take off her fur and cook her?”

Mama: “Bleh!”

A-Nator: “What? Why did you say ‘Bleh’? If she tastes like chicken, it wouldn’t be bad.”