7 Quick Takes Friday

1.

We were on vacation from homeschooling for the Easter Octave. While we didn't do anything grand, the grandparents visited for three days, which added fun and a change-of-routine.

Lunch with the grandparents

On Tuesday, we enjoyed a morning of play at Freedom Park and lunch at a restaurant.

2.

There was much bike riding to be had this week, not only because of the gorgeous weather (70 degrees) but because John (9) saved up his money and went in halvsies with his parents on a new-to-us bicycle to replace the one he had outgrown.

John's new 7-speed bike

3.

There was outdoor banter and play, such as a live theater performance on the front porch. We took numerous neighborhood walks this week, walking through curtains of dangling inch worms.

Front porch theater

4.

With live-in babysitters around, I got some errands done, such as buying the spring clothing for the two littlest boys. With my natal family's love of Nantucket vacations, I couldn't resist this crab outfit in (almost) Nantucket red.

Thomas, 8-1/2 months

5.

The children's sleep-and-wake cycles are totally off due to the still-recent time change and Easter break. It's driving this early bird nutso to have them stay awake so late, and I'm going to be paying for it over the next couple of weeks.

One night, Chris and I were chatting downstairs when we heard John's footsteps running down the stairs. I launched immediately into a frustrated rant about the children staying awake too late: it was 10:15 at night!!!

But then my 9-year-old walked in with "The Mad Scientists Club: Complete Collection" and informed me with a smile that he had finished the first of the four books in three days, all 179 pages of it.

Of course, he received a complete pardon and a congratulations from me, smiling ear to ear.

Chris noted that the children could do just about anything, such as, "Mom, I got a ticket for speeding as I was driving to the library," and, as long as it had to do with loving reading books, I would forgive it.

Shhhhhh. Don't tell our kids that their dad is probably right!

6.

Last night I set my alarm for midnight to wake me so that I could register our children for a local summer program for homeschoolers when the online registration link 'went live.' Apparently all the slots were filled by 1:00 a.m., which means I was not the only Crazy Mother who lost sleep over trying to get her kids into this program. We are all crazy mothers.

I am one crazy-tired crazy mother.

7.

And our Friday ended in an opportunity for me to exercise patience, long suffering, and equanimity: a test which I failed badly.

The baby had taken only two 30-minute naps all day because of CCE and of being woken by a certain big sister. The preschooler didn't nap at all . . . and behaved like it. I had lots of school planning to do and had to do it while supervising five fighting children . . . like always. My attempt at reading aloud edifying books to the children was thoroughly unenjoyable, with me reading the story at the top of my lungs to be heard over the din of children, and my giving out many consequences for their inability to sit quietly and listen. I just wish that were the exception, but it's pretty much the rule. Chris' car died and he had to call not one but two tow trucks, then leave by taxi cab to go rent a car at the airport. The baby wouldn't stop crying for an hour and a half: I think he has a cold and/or is cutting teeth. And while the baby wouldn't stop crying and the three-year-old needed to be tucked into bed but was instead running around like a hitting, shouting, throwing, name-calling maniac, I had to deal with the tow truck man (since Chris was at the airport).

Watching the tow truck man

I neither confirm nor deny that I really faltered in my ability to go on and may have sent a pathetic text to a girlfriend that read "Homeschooling is impossible. Children ruin everything," while I ate Easter candy.


For more 7 Quick Takes Friday, check out This Ain't the Lyceum.