Eva Guest Post: Homeschool Geometry

Hi, it's me, Eva. I am fo years old. I like pink. This is a picture of me doing algebra or geometry or something. I made a nine-ta-gon out of boxes I found in the pantry. You can do the same thing. Just find a pantry with boxes in it. Any old pantry will do. Then put the boxes so you make a nine-ta-gon. I don't know how many boxes that is, but it is a LOT. You can also make cool things out of toilet paper rolls, your brothers' Pokemon cards and your mom's maxi pads. Take the tape off those and you can stick them to the wall to make cool creations! Just becuase you are only fo doesn't mean you can't be learning all day long!

"Cleaning Is Not My Thing"

Callie says, "Cleaning is not my thing."

I just stared at her.

And I said something like, "Oh, well it is MY thing. I just LOVE it. I LOVE picking up messes I did not make. I LOVE washing clothes and dishes and vacuuming 10 times a day (hardly!) and ... and ... and ... it makes me happy and I love it and I wish I didn't ever feel compelled to do that pesky blog or write articles for money or homeschool or love on my husband because all I want to do is CLEAN all day long! I think when you guys grow up I will go work at The Maids."

I love my kids. They say the funniest crap!

Michael said his Catechesis teacher, Mrs. Hauesseur, said her son asks, "Why do we eat when we're just gonna get hungry again? Why do I have to make the bed when it's just gonna get messed up again?" I agree with the bed (and all cleaning in general), and not with the eating, kid.

Callie is cheering at an Upward Cheer game today and then is having her 7th birthday party! Then we have breeder friends coming over and Aron is making CARNITAS ... yum! Have a great weekend.

Marijuana post amendment-ish to come next week hopefully ...

Candy Does Make You Grow! + Eva's First Playdate

Eva: "Candy doesn't make me grow."

 I think her dad told her this.

But he is wrong.

Candy DOES make you grow. Sideways.

Yesterday Eva had her first playdate without me. I left her at my friend Andrea's house to play with HER daughter, also named Eva. We call them The Evas. We have another friend with an Eva, and it gets funny. So we took one of Andrea's kids home and Eva wanted to stay there.

A couple of hours later Andrea calls me and I hear Eva crying. She won't get in their van to come home to me. Does she think they are going to steal her and drive to California with her or something? So I threw everyone in the van and went over to get here, where I stayed and hung out for an hour and they kept on doing what they do best = playing. It was her first playdate without me! It felt strange at home without her.

Yesterday we also had Bible Study, a park date and Pokemon Club. Whew. Now I need a nap and I'm posting this at 8:30 a.m.

Catch you later!

Leaning Tower of Dishes

It doesn't take long in our house to accumulate a lot of dirty dishes. Lately we sometimes run the dishwasher twice a day! The oldest 3 kids are awesome and empty it for us for chore points (a quarter a point). I'm wondering if paper plates might be cheaper than paying them ... then we can just throw them in our compost heap! One day when we were behind (Aron was probably out of town), Michael made this amazing Leaning Tower of Dishes.

I'm Going to the SuperBowl (Party)!!!!

It is a brave person who invites our family of seven into their home. My own parents will barely even do it anymore!!!! We are loud, messy, crazy and frightening. I yell when I don't even realize I am yelling. I figure it out when I see people staring at me, then I sheepishly tell them I am sorry, and I will now use my INSIDE VOICE.
Anyway ...

We got invited to a SuperBowl Party at someone's house. This is not just ANYONE's house, this is the house of a new pal, who is the pal of my super-cool accountant neighbor chick. This new pal pretty much runs the school across the street from me. Okay, not REALLY. But you know the one: the one who coordinates all the volunteers, runs the parties and the carnival and God knows what else. The one with the husband and the two adorable kids and the job. That one who can do everything (kinda like accountant neighbor chick!)?! Oh, and they do it looking good, too. I can barely get out of my sweats and attempt to suck in my muffin top these days while they are at Boot Camp.

So I have to step it up here. I've already instructed the kids NOT to pick their noses in front of anyone and CERTAINLY don't wipe it anywhere but on a Kleenex. I'm giving my kids a bad wrap here ... they are mostly wonderful. Well, the oldest three. Eva and Sam are only 4 and 2 so they need a little nudge in learning the ways of high society (cover your mouth when you couch, don't take a bite of food then put it back on the tray, boogers go in tissues, that sort of thing).

Now, what to bring? I picked up a football-shaped tray of snack mix from Aldi. Hmmm. No, not good enough. Oh, I know! I'll make this:

If you want to be cool and copy me, here's the recipe. Even a kitchentard like me can do it! (by the way, my mom and I decided we can call things "tard" because her sister is mentally retarded. so our reasoning is her sister is MENTALLY retarded and can't help that and I am like CLEANING and KITCHEN retarded and can't help it. get it? oh, and other people are SOCIALLY retarded and can't help that so I'm trying to be more accepting as I hope they will be accepting of me.)