Last Moving Thoughts

Sitting in the midst of the upcoming move in a few days and I am truly battling some negative thoughts that are overcoming me.  I am having mixed feelings about this move.  Maybe it is because it is a super big thing about to happen and that makes anyone feel uncertain right before it.  I am sure I'll feel better once I am in it and settled.  But, right now, I am a bit overwhelmed.   I am trying to focus on "God will not test you beyond your strength.  But also with that test, He will provide a way out so you may be able to bear it" passage-I did that from memory so it may not be perfectly on. 

Anyway, my kids are going a bit nuts b/c we are basically living as though we are camping...but... we are not.  So....lots of wide open space and lots of creative games of running around the house and kick ball, tag, soccer etc...  We are hitting a bit of a plateau as in...it is not as fun as it was a few days ago!!!

I am about to pack up the rest of my food.  Empty and clean out the refrigerator and freezer is on my list today.  So much for yummy and nutritious food intake around here :)  Oh well, that comes with moving I guess. 

Bathrooms are last b/c who wants to deep clean a bathroom only for it to be messed up a few hours later?   Surely not I!  So...that is the last thing on my list to do.

Hubby painted 3 rooms these last few days and I wonder why we waited?!?! They look awesome!  Now, my job is to make sure they are not scratched up or ruined or marked up with pens/crayons etc...

Thanks be to God for good neighbors.  Everyone should have at least ONE good neighbor to depend on, right!?!? We sure will miss ours.  They are a great Christian homeschooling family and I will truly miss my quick calls to see if they have an extra egg or tape or sugar or yeast or meat thermometer!!! :)  Generosity is their top gig and they outdid us by letting us borrow their camping chairs, some folding chairs, folding table and even some toys to keep them kidos a tad bit occupied.  I hope a new family that will take over this house will in turn bless them with such generosity.

My kids are all talking about what they will like the best and what they are looking forward to the most in our new house.  The consent is that the long driveway is, BY FAR, the top of the list.  They can't wait to get on their bikes and scooters and ride around freely.  They can't wait to run and play outside anywhere they desire.  The horse farm, which is our next door neighbors, is a big attraction too!  Their excitement helps give much excitement in me, which is a good combatter for those negative thoughts rolling around my head.

I will continue to blog and hopefully add pics to keep you updated! 

God bless your day,
Mary @ CHeerios

The Big Move Update

The big move.

Hopefully this is it and we can finally settle in what we hope to be our last home and put this moving every 2 year deal behind us. 

That means packing.  Lots of packing.


You see, in the last move, we had professional packers and movers use their expertise and I just sat and observed and loved every moment of it.  Not this time, though.  So, what am I thinking?  Seriously!  This packing is NOT just packing up boxes and putting them in a pile.  Noway.  It is MORE like "Do I need this?  Why?  or Why not?  Who should I give it to?  Goodwill?  A friend?"  It is more of a reorganization of my entire house contents. 

This new home (which looks similar to The Waltons house--do you remember them?  Yeah, showing my age...) which I love from the start is also a home that is particularly smaller in size than our previous 2 homes.  Mind you, that also includes 4 additional children so.....we are purging as well.  Getting rid of major items like dressers, desks, bunk beds that were about to break any day etc...
We made 3 runs to the dump with our van load of items.  I had to part with a very special piece of furniture that holds so many memories.  That was hard.  It was my grandmothers' little kitchen table and chairs.  It was not big and I thought we could find a place for it...but we couldn't.  It just does not fit inside our new home.  It has nowhere to go.  So, off it went.  Oh, and here is a plug for my grandmother, who is 99 years old!  She is still tickin' away and did not want to celebrate a birthday party since she celebrated her 90th...until she turns 100 years old.  As though, reaching 95 or 98 or 99 was not a reason to celebrate!  Oh, those older grandmothers have been through so much-they are so strong.  God bless her.

Anyway, back to packing.  It is basically ALL ME PACKING ALL BY MYSELF with lots of kidos helping to pack...if you get my drift...helping.  They are doing sort of okay...the older ones.  But the younger ones make my life a bit interesting in learning patience and do-overs. 
1 box packed....2 boxes unpacked....

Up till today, we were right on schedule with our school work, which is a pleasant surprise.  But not today, we will have to double up tomorrow's work to get it all done this week.

Without helpers around, I am resorting to alternative babysitters.  Leapfrog Leapster (hey!  at least its learning!) and little hand held Jumpstart video games (again, learning!) and then Pixtar too.   I hid these away  after finding them at the good ol' Thrift Store that I rave about!  I got them all for under $5 each.  Crazy good deals, huh!??!?!  Well, this momma has to pack.

My hubby, where is my hubby?  you ask?    He is around.  Yes, indeed.  The huge blessing is allowing him to work a few days from home.  It has actually worked out for us.  WE are shocked! But I guess he is just used to loudness on a daily basis so he can learned how to concentrate with it all.  The only tricky part is when he has a phone call to make.  I am a super mean Momma then!!! 

Christmas in October?  Yup!  In this house, it is.  I am resorting to letting them watch Christmas classics, such as Rudolph etc....The classics from the 1950's of course. 

Well, that is the update.  The big move is over a week away and I am ready-mentally and emotionally but not physically ready!  Please pray that we can get this all done in a timely manner-thank you so much!

God bless you,
Mary @ Cheerios

Rocks and Minerals pics

This is a SUPER find at the thrift store for me, last year.  It is "More Fun with Nature" take along guide.  I got it for ONLY $1.40! yeah! 

But at Amazon.com---its only $12.37 and I find that an awesome price.  It is chock full of great info and my kids absolutely love it.  So, keep that in mind for Christmas gifts! :)  The other book, the first one, "Fun with Nature" is also a great one and I also find it at the thrift for the same low price of $1.40.  We have used them weekly and for all ages. 

Remember using egg cartons to hold your rocks when you were younger?  Yeah, me too.  So, I passed along the tradition.  Just imagine that we use 4 dozen eggs a week in our household and just imagine all them filled up with diff. rocks!  Yup, each kido I think has a few.  I guess one can never have too many rocks or too many egg cartons...

Rock Happy! :)

 

 

God bless your night,

Mary @CHeerios

 

Homeschooling thus far

So, this year I made a bit of a change by dedicating a whole day to doing electives.  These are, by far, more enjoyed by my kidos AND ME, than doing 'regular' schoolwork.  Since I have put them on the back burner the last few years, these just weren't getting enough attention.
Hey, a teacher has to enjoy herself teaching too!!!

So, I renamed Wednesdays as "Yahoo Wednesdays"--my children get a hoot out of it, thinking it is NOT REALLY SCHOOL.  HA!!! Love this learning style.  Just my speed.

So, we've been studying the earth and rocks/minerals for science so far and LOVING it.  We are truly learning it while we read about it by hands on learning.

So where else to learn about rocks but by scavenging the beach for them?

We went to to the beach last week (well, its really a lake but they call it a beach.)

Here are some pics.  They had a blast!  TOTAL BLAST!

Why oh why, did I not pack at least towels-of course my kids would not get THAT wet.  HA!!!

Today, we have been enjoying learning about the rocks even more by doing streak tests for them and finding out what minerals they have hidden.

As for the little boys that I dedicate on these Yahoo Wednesdays to teach more in depth...we are on the letter C of the alphabet.  That means baking COOKIES for the letter C today :)  Chocolate Chip Cookies, of course.

This pregnancy, I think I'll be gaining ALOT of poundage!!! yikes.

God bless,
Mary @ Cheerios

Hello fall!

I love the changing of seasons....esp. Fall.  Those chilly mornings turn beautifully warm and sunny.  Perfect for outdoors and breathing in all the fresh air possible.  that means for great sleeping, great eating and great exercise!

Here's a pic of my kids last week that loved the first cold morning of the season...seems we are doing this annually!  Becoming quite the tradition.

This also means I have to stock up on hot cocoa!  I have gotten some my kidos to like hot tea but most still request hot cocoa and since I have kept saying its not cold enough...well, now it is!!! :)  Better go out and buy some!

I just found this one from 2 yrs ago.... I know that I took one last year but can't find it!  I love how little my (gasp!) almost 4 yr old looks in this one!  So cute---as cute as my lil Lady looks in the one above!!! 

Kids are teasing, running around and going nuts while I'm on the computer (I know...surprise surprise! haaa)

God bless,
mary

Modesty spoken from a 7 year old

"Mom?  Next year, for my bathing suit, I want to have a swim dress.  Short sleeves and it goes down like this, all the way to right below my knees.  Ok?"

What could I say?  How could I deny this?  What a beautiful thing.

God bless your day!
C'mon cheer it with me:  TGIF!!! TGIF!!!! TGIF!!!!

God bless,
Mary@ Cheerios

Schooling w/out toddlers

Ok. 

My job is ridiculously tough.  People have always told me so.  "How do you do it, Mary???" they ask, and they demand me to have a superb answer for them as though I am some superwoman or something.  To which, mind you, I don't always have a convincing reason of how I do it.  Reason is b/c sometimes (ahem...most of the time) I do not have any clue on how I do it.

Yesterday, my hubby took my 2 'double trouble' kids (boys age 3 and 5) to the stores with him.  My baby was having her morning nap and so they were out for about an hour.  It was only an hour.  ONLY AN HOUR???? Are you kidding me?  Do you know how much I got done in an HOUR without toddlers around????  Maybe not so much items checked off assignment lists but there were non distracted children in my presence!!!  It was awesome!!! I was actually SCHOOLING THEM pretty well!!!

Now, today....my hubby took 3 of them to foodshopping and errands.  Again! 

I am liking this WAY TOO much!!! 

Now, I really do wonder HOW ON EARTH I can homeschool 4 kids come tomorrow with my toddlers back in my morning school teaching life?

I have no idea how I do it.

I have no idea how I do it.

Did I mention that I have no idea?

Yeah.  I guess I will find out once again, whether I like it or not.

God, help me.

God bless your day!!!
Mary @ Cheerios