Hart's Happenings

Wordless Wednesday ~ Coloring

Progress!

I was never really that good at keeping the house clean and clutter-free, and in 2005 when I was pregnant with the twins, things went seriously downhill.  The house was not a priority when I was lying in bed during the pregnancy, or when I was taking care of infant twins and a two year old while trying to homeschool and help my husband find a job.  It was not a priority when I suddenly began to look for a job and had to write a resume and fill out applications (which is very time-consuming!).  It was not a priority last year when I was teaching every day, homeschooling, and navigating the college application process while having all the energy sucked out of me through pregnancy.

And perhaps this has contributed to the fact that I can no longer stand it.  I cannot take the mess anymore!  So this summer I began sorting through boxes of stuff and trying to get things clean.  Slowly the house is getting better, very slowly.  I guess I wouldn't call it a priority now, but at least it's on the radar!

So I wanted to share some success with you all.  When friends of ours moved two summers ago, they gave us a bookcase that they didn't want to take with them.  We accepted it because we can never have enough bookcases!  We put in along the wall by the front door. Here's what we have done with it:

Starting from the top on the left, there is a little bin labelled "Outside Stuff."  That contains sunscreen and the dog leash.  Next to that are my husband's hats so they are right there when he wants to wear them outside.  The big bin on top is labelled "Twins' Shoes and Socks."  That is where we keep their main shoes and spare pairs and clean socks go directly in that bin.  That way we are never searching for their shoes when we are trying to get out the door!

The two top shelves are all our family DVDs in alphabetical order (good practice for our dyslexic child!).  On the third shelf there is a basket that holds our rosaries for when we pray.  To the right of that are three books that used to be on top on a little bookshelf that is just to the right of where the picture ends.  Now nothing goes on top of that bookcase and that will help get rid of that hot zone.  The books are The Complete C.S. Lewis Signature Classics, The Catechism of the Catholic Church, and a little photo album that contains our holy cards.  (A holy card is a little laminated card that has a picture of a saint on one side and either a biography or a prayer on the other side.)

Underneath the shelves we put four hooks.  Currently they hold the boys' coats, with Ryan's and Brogan's on the same hook.  The far right hook is for the sleepers that Christopher and Alexander wear to bed.  We change them in the living room so it's more convenient to have them there than in their bedroom.  Eventually they will change in their room and Ryan and Brogan will have separate hooks for their coats.

On the bottom is a bin for hats.  Alexander especially likes to wear hats, and we always had hats floating around our house.  Now they have a place!  To the right of the bin of hats is the sling I use in the house (I have another that I keep in the car - gotta maintain my rep, right, Emily? ;-)

To the left of the bookcase is another bookcase that we just had to take out of the twins' room because they were pulling everything off it and trying to climb it.  I am now working on getting that organized.  I have done the top shelf so far - it holds our games.  The other shelves have old books (like my college textbooks), homeschooling stuff we are not currently using, and old videotapes that I need to sort through.  That's why it's not in the picture!

A Gratuitous Picture So I Can Save All My Words for NaNoWriMo But Still Blog

Feed the Spelling Teacher

My poor longsuffering children.  Their mommy/teacher often has a one track mind.  It can lend focus to our days,  but it can make their spelling lessons a bit unusual.

In yesterday's lesson, the words followed our list, but the sentences I made up as examples had a recurring theme.

Shouted: The frantic woman shouted, "Give me a brownie and no one gets hurt."

About: I am thinking about brownies.

Stout: If I eat too many brownies I may become stout.

Mood: Chocolate puts me in a wonderful mood.

Brood:  I may brood and pout if I don't get a brownie. 

Thinner: I would be thinner if I ate fewer brownies.

And so we continued through the list of words....  By the end they were laughing heartily at their silly mommy.  And naturally, I served up brownies to my students--and to me!

My Favorite Fall Memory

There are many things I don't like about where I live: the long hot summers, the many varieties of disgusting bugs, the many varieties of disgusting taxes, the lack of real Catholic churches, the insane auto insurance laws, and the lack of snow (actually the lack of a real winter at all).  But I do love the fall view from a certain road in town.  One day, the first year we lived here, my oldest son and I were driving on that road, and I sighed and said, "Oh, I just love that view! Look at the trees - they are so beautiful!"

My raptures ended when Robert replied, "Yeah, they look like Tuna Helper!"

"Tuna helper?!" I replied.

"The trees that are still green are the broccoli parts, the orange trees are the cheese sauce," and he went on explaining how the fall leaves resembled Tuna Helper.

I decided then that we were eating too much Tuna Helper!

Here's part of the view:

It doesn't really do it justice, and I am still not sure how it looks like Tuna Helper!  But I will continue to enjoy it until our politicians figure out some way to tax it.

Fun in the Leaves!

I have some blog posts floating around in my brain to write, so while you're waiting for them, enjoy some fall-themed pictures: my boys playing in the leaves during their sisters' ballet classes!

Voted, without bells and whistles this time!

After breakfast Ken and I loaded up the van and went to the polls!   I had flashbacks to last election year-- when one of my children placed her hand on a very low fire alarm and caused quite a commotion.

Fortunately this time was quiet.  We were in and out in twenty minutes.  The fire department wasn't even alerted to our presence.

Happy Birthday, Kaira!

My Kaira is nine years old!  Nine must be her "year of elegance" as she's been wanting things to be elegant lately. 

She chose her dress and even most of her poses for a little birthday photo shoot.  We had such a fabulous time!  She chose most her own poses--with a flair for the elegant, of course.

Her party may be even quieter than expected, and her birthday meal may be delayed as she (and Ken, and Keegan, and Keianna) have a bit of a stomach bug.  (Which is um... not elegant.)

Electronic Garage Sale -- of sorts

Scholarly Reflections

I love the smell of sharpened pencils. 

I love seeing Keianna curled up with an Easy Reader. 

I love cuddling with Keegan on the couch reviewing letter sounds. 

I love our little Chaos Factor (aka Kieran), who delightfully disrupts.

I love seeing my big girls engrossed in their studies.  

Ah, how I love my little PrairieFrogs!