Lots of stuff...

First of all... My goal for the new year was to make it a habit to keep the house tidy. I think I've succeeded! If I skip a day sweeping, the floor REALLY bugs me. We pick up stuff out of the floor daily and vacuum SOMEWHERE in the house daily. AND laundry is kept up with.... I might miss a day, but it's not so bad because I don't have 235 days worth waiting for me to do anyway! :)

Now, on that same note...

The scope and sequence for North Carolina first graders says that for history/social studies they are to be learning about family. Well, in our history we are learning about Pilgrims, Puritans, and the Revolutionary War. So, how in the world am I supposed to do that. OK... yes I'm slow ;) this is just now becoming obvious to me.

We ARE a family... they are learning about family because they are part of the family. They are with us 99% of the time. They are involved/see arguments and solutions (conflict resolution anyone?) they are involved in decisions to a certain degree. They get choices and see standards set and carried out. They know where we stand as a family and what our beliefs are and will defend them! They play together well, and I would say that they are close friends. We are working on loyalty right now as well as being kind to each other in the privacy of our home, but they are still young so that will come.

They know how a household works... They've watched me pay bills, and they've heard us talking about when we have money to go out to eat and when we don't because other things come first. They've already learned to a degree that credit cards are bad and that we are to be good stewards of our money. They are learning how to take care of our house... Jayden can do just about everything I can do just about as good as I can do it! She is slowly learning to cook. Grace and Julianna can do a great portion of all we do around the house, as their height and strength allow... although I don't trust them with knives and the stove yet... my problem, not theirs! And they've learned through seeing and helping how to care for a baby, although they don't know all the happenings while they are asleep.

So, though a schooled child will not learn these things so easily, it is just a part of life with a homeschooling (large) family. I'm not knocking parents who send their children to school! I'd be the same way! Doing chores and paying bills while they are away... not having nearly as much of a say in decisions because there wouldn't likely be as many decisions.... and they definitely wouldn't know the baby stuff :) and my mom was the same way, which is why I'm JUST NOW figuring out how to keep house and I've been married for almost 8 years.

And, now, last on the list....

We went to the museum Monday. We had a great time, and came home exhausted! Here are some pictures....