Ahhhh, finally Autumn

It's back on the wagon in homeschooling land next week. I've got new motivation. We went to the library and I got a book on activities surrounding the medieval theme. It all looks like tons of fun. Finally I'm feeling like I can get the kids' attention for school. Up until yesterday really they just wanted to be outside so I'd send them out with colored pencils and a sketch book and call it school. It was actually nice, but it's time for some real business now. What I need to find is an assessment test online to test grade/ability level. It's mostly Winnie I'm curious about. She continues to astound me in her reading abilities and I am afraid she is not being challenged. She chose books at the library that were much harder than I would have chosen for her, and she blew through them. I don't want to force her to go beyond her comfort zone and thus start to hate reading, but I don't think she knows what is beyond that easy reader section. I'll introduce it and see what happens. As for studying the medieval period, I'm doing that solely for the ability to say "HUZZAH" around the house with an excuse. Such an expressive word, HUZZAH. Say it with me, you'll smile. Like, HUZZAH, only 12 more loads of laundry. See, that actually doesn't seem so bad with an exclamation of joy attached. How about HUZZAH, I just got puked on. What fun!

Finn's ear infection was apparently a 3-hour thing. After the hour in the emergency room, and counting the 2 hours pre-ER, he hasn't complained of a single ache, or asked for medicine. I haven't so much as heard a peep from him. When asked he says his ear doesn't hurt even a tiny bit. Weird. I was hunkering down for at least 24 hours of ear drops and crying but it was all for naught (Huzzah! Another medieval saying!). I guess my initiation into the ear infection realm was mild. Huzzah to that!

Granny turns 101 years old on Saturday. There's a big party at the church. Normally I'm excited about such things, being the social butterfly I am, but this year I'm ho-hum. I think perhaps this is due to the fact that our weekends have been full of all sorts of chaos for several weeks now and I'm ready for a lazy weekend at home. Maybe lazy is the wrong word. Leisurely is better. I'd like my tub to be in working order (almost there, maybe 2 hours of work). I'd like to use the toilet in there instead of the one in the basement (an hour of work). I'd like to wash my hands at my new sink (no clue what that entails time wise). I want to paint. I want to work on smoothing drywall. I DON'T want to have to dig up party clothing suitable for cooler weather for all of the kids. I don't want to have to deal with bathing them all, including myself, in a make-shift shower in the cold basement. I don't want to have to go and smile and agree with everyone about how wonderful my kids are. They are, I get it. That sounds odd, but it's the whole conversation at these things and I grow weary of it (HUZZAH!). Mostly I hate the total lack of any sort of a plan this year. You see, nobody expected Granny to make it yet another year, so nobody planned. 2 weeks ago they figured there was a good chance she'd still be around for her birthday and started to plan. Except that really all they did was order a cake and book the church basement. Is it going to be pot-luck like last year? Nobody knows. What time are the festivities? Nobody knows for sure. Should we eat first? You get the picture. I absolutely DESPISE the complete lack of any sort of plan. I don't need a rigid "we cut the cake at precisely 3:07 pm" kind of plan. But I do need a more specific plan along the lines of "party is from 3-7 and bring a dish". I should be used to this now, but I'm not.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dear husband. He's sick as a freaking dog, has a performance review at work today, all I got him was the book he wanted from the library (which he is THRILLED about, lol, really, he's so excited). I wish I could take him out. Speaking of, my IL's called and asked for dh's ss# the other day. And our address. I have a sneaky suspicion of what this was for since they won't tell me. If I'm right I will let you know in a few days. I bet I'm right. If I am, we'll be addressing Neall differently from now on ;).

I think this is quite enough rambling for today. HUZZAH, she's finished writing!