Who's in charge here anyway?

So, it's been TWO weeks! I have been so busy the last two weeks I haven't had time to write my blog. Hopefully I will be able to remember everything that we did. We started our second week of school and it was like pushing a log truck uphill in a snowstorm. Oh, and the log truck was full! A little lumberjack humor here! It was only rough because we changed our schedule and, while everyone was onboard and excited, it was a rather big undertaking. I also added new chores and attempted to change up our order a little to accomodate the different paces the children move. Beatrice has an off switch that is hit everytime she has a chore to do, while Maddie practically runs through all hers!! I know you're probably thinking age, but really they are given age-appropriate chores. The one rule I live by in chore land is this: I will not pick up after someone. I will help them but I will not pick up after them. Some of the children have this idea that they can hold out longer than I can! Hmmmmm.... That is not happening. I actually had a hilarious power struggle occur the Thursday before last. I remember because some of my friends were over knitting and crocheting. Kristine was not doing what she was supposed to so I called her in to the living room. I asked her who was in charge, and quick as a flash, she said, "Beatrice." I said, "WHO is in charge in our home?" Kristine: "Beatrice." I had to turn my head away to keep from having her see me crack up. Of course, my friends were not so kind. They burst out laughing at her! Needless to say last week, she knew who was in charge.

Here is the children's attempt (with my help) to trick one of my "unsuspecting" friends. Being the good sport she was, she pointed out that you could see the cellophane!! Joke averted!! But at least my friend was spared any harm! 

Beaker had a long day and this is her sleeping during Wonder Pets, her very favorite show. I kind of like it myself. It's cute and we really love Ming Ming! Kristine even says, "Dis is sewious!!" 

This must have been our first Frenzy Friday. YES! We have begun our Friday Frenzy again!! Only today was just art class and basketball practice. Beaker has her dinner packed in her bag. This past Friday we signed up for co-op and had art and basketball practice. This coming Friday we start co-op. So we will be at Co-op from 9:15-12:30, then eat lunch, head to band for Maddie, drop little kids off at art, then head back to get Maddie from band and bring her to art. After art, we will then head to basketball practice. Since we homeschool, we have to make our own fun and it's a lot of fun, that's for sure. It's very tiring and the little kids are wiped out by the time the big kids start art class. They sort of perk up at basketball because they can run around in the church's activity center where the big kids practice. And it gives Lindsay a chance to practice her big kid skills by playing with the little kids. 

Here is Robert getting ready to play his game. He and Maddie are learning a lot. Maddie is not too fond of basketball, which I sort of expected. She is not really athletic. She is trying so hard to be a tomboy but she is not a tomboy at all. She has heard my mom talk about my childhood as a died in the wool, scare your pants off tomboy. So, I guess she really wants to be like me. While I am flattered, it lends itself to lots of humorous situations because she "says" her favorite color is blue but she is always drawn to pink!! 

Don't worry, no tragedy here. We are playing Ghost in the Graveyard. Yep. Beatrice is lying still. I took this picture so you can see that she actually CAN lie still for a while!

Here is Maddie at our teen day at church. The girls are learning how to sketch. Let me say right here that I do not like sketching. I am saying it because, if you know me, it means I have to sit still and concentrate and take something seriously for more than 5 seconds. Something I am very bad at. Maddie's teacher was rather disappointed that I wouldn't even try, so I gave it a try. 

Here is a bowl of fruit I sketched. I did like sketching because I figured out that if I drew for about 5 seconds, I could talk for 20 minutes and this pattern kept my interest. There is a banana sticking out of the top but you can't really see it.

Here is Maddie's bowl of fruit!! She did terrific! She enjoys anything artistic. She was excited about learning how to sketch.

This is how our children load the dishwasher! And guess what? It all gets clean!! I don't see the dishwasher much but happened to be passing by on this particular day.

Maddie's play-doh coaster. She was very disappointed when I told her play-doh wasn't really a great clay to use for a coaster. I guess we could have modge podged it.

Here is Beaker on her bike! She loves her bike. 

After art and before basketball we sometimes go to our favorite graocery store. We get a free cookie and walk around for a little bit. And Kristine loves it because she gets to push her own little shopping cart. My heels, on the other hand, don't!

Here is everyone at basketball practice last night. 

I didn't post any photos of projects I am working on because I haven't had time to! I just finished a bunchy of vinyl letters for our youth director. I am working on fabric fortune cookies. We're going to put Bible verses in them. Photos later. I am also working on a quilt for a soon to be new baby at our church. It's going to be a girl so I picked out lots of pink. Her nursery theme is pink zebra! So I found some pink zebra fabric to go in it. Photo later. OH and more banners!! Photos of them later, too!

So as I look back on most of January, it has been a great start to a new year. We are really enjoying our new schedule and I am hoping we can hold out until we finish. We are going to hit Day 100 by the end of the month so I am trying to decide if I can get my game on and we can have a big celebration. 100 is such a big number that I am going to have to find 100s of cheap 100 things! I am hoping we finish school by the end of April, beginning of May. This will give us time to take field trips while the public schools are still in and we won't have to worry about crowds. I have crowdophobia. Mr. Handsome has had a hectic two weeks as well. He has been given a big project to work on and it is wearing him out. I love him so much and thank the Lord for him. He works so hard and God has really blessed him at his job. 

Have a great week!