Tales From The Bonny Blue House

Let it snow....

From Snowstorm Dec 2009

Snow on the way

It's funny. We don't often get big snow storms here. Mostly we have freezing rain and the occasional couple of inches. Today we are going to get slammed with about a foot of snow. This does not bode well for the play. If the weather is that bad the performance will take place Sunday.

Meantime I am running out to stock up on more milk for hot cocoa and some last minute baking supplies. Seems like a good day to stay in and keep the oven busy.

Have a lovely warm day.

Homeschooling Today

Just to shake things up once a week or so I take the show on the road and we spend a few hours at our library. A friend of mine, who is one of the best mothers I know, watches the twins for a few hours twice a week in order that I might get some quite time with the other children, you know, and actually accomplish something. This was initially my husbands request. He thought that I would feel less overwhelmed if the twins (who bring their own brand of noisy craziness to our homeschool) could be gainfully occupied elsewhere once in a while giving me some space to quietly pursue drilling some knowledge into the older children. In a sweet and serene CM way of course. This has a lot to do with the sudden outbursts of grief I experience and a general feeling of, well I don't exactly know but feeling not myself. So at my husband's urging and with the cooperation of my dear friend (honestly - no one is better blessed in friendship than I am) the twins go to her house for a "playdate" and we have some peace here. I'm not sure I will take advantage of this for a long time but for right now it is helping.

On the second of those days we pack up some books and head to the library. This has been wonderful for my library fine dilemma of years past. Like the last twenty years past. A regular library day has eliminated my need to write checks to pay my fines. The library recently purchased a lot across the street and paved it for a parking lot, Dave is pretty sure we paid for it in fines. He's so funny.

So we do a little school, make friends with the librarians (useful people) and soak in the books. We take out science DVDs, we are big Bill Nye fans, and we explore all of the wonderful things the library has to offer. We borrow magazines, reference materials, and lots of fun living books for math and history. This all serves to fill out as many of our studies.

 

Pondering math.

 

Camera shy.

 

This did not end well.

Then we came home, the twins were delivered with many tales of their adventures. A cozy afternoon fire and some planning time for mama made for a peaceful afternoon.

For those who asked, our house lit up. Simple and pretty. It's very much my style.

Tomorrow begins our Christmas break so I have some happy campers here. Wait until they discover it begins with a dental appointment for a bunch of them. :(

Whirlwind

That was the kind of weekend we had, a whirlwind.  It's all good stuff but it does make for a tired Monday.  However I have no time to be tired since this week is going to be insanely busy. 

Saturday was of the "driving kids all over the place" kind of busy. In between I made pit stops at Michaels and Target. Target is, I am certain, the seventh circle of hell in December. This is not Target's fault. There were no less than twenty cashiers so in spite of the crowded conditions there were no lines. Also, my cashier was a very nice young lady with a pleasant smile who bagged and placed the bags in my cart for me. No - the hellishness was a product of the customers. They were an ugly bunch. I also was nearly killed in the parking lot twice. WHy do people lose their minds when Christmas shopping?

Nothing says "welcome newborn king" like mowing down middle-aged women in parking lots.

Sheesh.

In the late afternoon Dave and I and four other couples (our dearest friends) took a train to Manhattan where we attended the taping of Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion radio show. This is the Christmas show and he does it from Town Hall (not the actual town hall but a theater of the same name). The we went off to dinner at St. Andrew's Pub a place known for it's scotch list. Dinner was lovely and the Laphroaig divine.

Sunday was another "driving the children around" day but it ended with a lovely family meal (pork chops if you are that curious) and my reading Jotham's Journey to the children and Dave around the fire.

Sounds nice doesn't it? It was.

This week is going to be hairy.

Monday: Gingerbread house decorating party (I have to leave soon) and then flute lessons, big girls to Mass and then their granny is picking them up for a girls sleep-over and a day of Christmas shopping.

Tuesday: 6:30 am Mass for me, cookie making with little people, girls arrive home, dance class and play practice. Day ends at 9:30 pm.

Wednesday: I am really looking forward to a St. Nicholas party at a friend's home.

Thursday: Free day but play practice for the kids at night.

Friday: I am hosting a card making party for a few families. I supply basic materials to make Christmas cards, the children make the cards and then I will drop them at a local nursing home to distribute to the patients who don't receive and cards. A tray of cookies for the nurses will accompany the cards.

That seems less busy on paper than it seems in real life.

I hope to be posting more as our week progresses, pictures at the very least.  I hope you all have a blessed day.

Fall at the beach

Yesterday Chris and I took advantage of the still autumn day and ventured out to a local park. There is a nature trail that leads to the beach which gives a lovely view of the Fire Island Lighthouse.  Thomas took a lovely picture which you can see here.

Katie and I took a few photos as well.

 

Best friends.
 

Loves the beach. Even a weedy bay beach.

Already journaling.

Blogging mommy, never without a camera.

 

Digging in the sand.

Not too many drawings happened but everyone came home muddy and sandy which is a good indication of a successful outing.

43 Things

I'm a little jazzed up today. Lots of coffee to combat the fatigue involved in staying up late to WATCH THE YANKEES WIN THE SERIES!!!!

I'm sorry, was I shouting?

It was an exciting game, a great culmination to an exciting series. However, I'm tired.

Today's post will be a little different. In honor of a day that may or may not be a little bit special I thought I would reveal 43 things about me you may not be aware of. The number 43 may or may not be significant. (Hint: it has nothing to do with the Yankees).

1.       I was born in Brooklyn.

2.       I was raised in Nassau County.

3.       I attended a public school through 8^th grade.

4.       I attended an all girls Catholic private school for high school.

5.       I learned all my best swear words in that high school.

6.       I attended St. John’s University.

7.       I was a business major until I discovered that I would have to take four calculus classes.

8.       That day I changed to an English Lit major.

9.       My father thought I was nuts.

10.   I have a double minor in Economics and Finance, mostly to appease my father.

11.   I never took any of those calculus classes.

12.   I worked for a dentist for a year after graduating because the stock market had crashed and I couldn’t get a job.

13.   I took a job as a secretary in a big name investment bank rather than an associate position in a small one to get a foot in the door.

14.   It was a good choice.

15.   I earned more money as a secretary than all of my friends in other “better” jobs.

16.   I couldn’t type to save my life.

17.   I was promoted pretty quickly which was gratifying.

18.   I traveled a lot which was fun.

19.   I had a secretary, she could type.

20.   My firm was paying for graduate school.

21.   I hated graduate school.

22.   I started to hate traveling when I met my husband.

23.   When again, faced with calculus,I quit school.

24.   I took a knitting class at the New School.

25.   My father is still annoyed about it.

26.   I can still knit and I  have still not taken calculus.

27.   Lack of calculus has not affected my success in life at all.

28.   Don’t tell my kids.

29.   I have always written stories.

30.   That I am a non-fiction writer surprises me.

31.   I married the love of my life at age 26.

32.   It was the best decision I ever made.

33.   When we were first married we lived in a great apartment on the beach.

34.   I wanted to live in NYC but he loves the beach so I conceded.

35.   I want to retire to Manhattan.

36.   I love Maine.

37.   My house is decorated in reds, browns, taupe and black.

38.   My house is also decorated in toys and dirty socks.

39.   I have a cleaning lady come once a week and I feel very guilty about it.

40.   I love to cook.

41.   I love to clean, hence the guilt in number 39.

42.   I want to own a mini-cooper someday.

43.   I think being a wife and mom rocks.

In progress...

Some Globe Theatre dioramas

And some happy religion coloring.

Morning Basket Questions

Lots of people have emailed me, and a few commented, on my Morning Basket post last week. Thanks for all of the kindness and warmth!   Especially since I was basically copying a lovely idea orginated by uber-homeschool mom Jen. As an aside I strongly recommend waiting until the kids are in bed pouring a nice cup of tea or a glass of wine and spending an hour or so going through Jen's blog. It's full of lovely ideas.

If you are an Angels, Mets or Red Sox fan, you'll have some time tonight. (hee hee hee)

Sorry. Had to do it.

Anyway. The questions. Lots of people wanted to know how long all of this takes. It really depends but generally it takes between a half hour and forty-five minutes. Which isn't very long. I try to begin at 8:30 but since Brendan is not a sleeper we sometimes start at 9:00. No big deal.

How did I decide what to include in the morning basket?  Well, much of it was inspired by Jen but I also thought that for the basket idea to work for me it would have to include those things that I wanted to get to in my school plans but never seemed to have time for. The workbox system has helped tremendously with that but I always have some little enrichment type things I like to include.  I took the nature suggestions of Jen's by subscribing to Nature Friend Magazine which turned out to be every bit as valuable as she said. The kids love the articles and the photography has inspired some nice drawing.

Katie's rendering of a bird.

I rounded out everyone's religion studies with the catechism (always a good beginning to the day) and the Acts of the Apostles and then I just picked things that are seasonal or tangenital to what we are doing. Does that make sense?

Do you do it every morning?

Ah, no. As a matter of fact I haven't done it at all this week since I have a horrible cold and I actually lost my voice over the weekend and I am still raspy and hard to understand. My voice is grating on my nerves so it must be driving the kids crazy. On the upside they had a quiet weekend :).

Another thing worth mentioning is that the basket pretty much lives on my long dining room table so morning basket can be a lunch or dinner basket if that works better on some days. It's important not to get caught up so much in what I do or in what Jen or anyone else does but make things work for your family and do the things they enjoy. My basket might bore your children to tears so explore your children's interest. Or bookmark this post and categorize it "next year" and don't put pressure on yourself.

Have a blessed evening.

Temper, temper

"I mad at you" says Sean crossing his arms firmly across his chest. I had just informed him that there would be no TV. 

"I going to bed", he informs me and he turns on his heel and walks himself down the hall to his room.

Believe it or not I was able to fight the urge to screech, "No, no don't go and lie down and give me five minutes peace, please!!"  I don't know how I found the strength. ;)

Multi-tasking