How I Survived SERE

If you do not know, SERE is a three week survival course for soldiers. Not all soldiers receive this training, but Chris has to have it. It's like some super secret training. The soldiers have to sign a contract stating they will not disclose details about their training. Not even to their wives.  Since I am not sure what it took for Chris to survive SERE, I will give you a detailed account of how the kids and I barely survived.  Because we all know I'm the weakest and the most dramatic.

The day Chris left set the tone for the three weeks that would follow. Kids were crabby. My house was a wreck. (My house is ALWAYS a wreck when Chris leaves. I don't understand why, but it is).  The children were less than stellar at church and the quick trip to the store. We were eating lunch before I dropped him off and Simon and Becket were screaming. Amelia and Owen were bickering. Blood pressures were rising. I turned to him and said "bugs and rattlesnakes sounds pretty good right now, huh?" He chuckled and said "yeah".  That first week really was challenging.  It took several days for us to find a groove.  The house was out of control! 

Our poor school room is still recovering.

Once I got this cleaned up we moved our school day to here.

This room felt worse when I took this picture.

I have NEVER claimed to be an organized person.  With every bone in my body, I wish I was.  I'm in awe of those with natural organizational skills.  The kids had soccer and dance to keep us busy.  It helped, though slowing down Friday, Saturday, and Sunday was nice too.  

The second week I ended up with a low grade fever.  ME!  I was completely thrown for a loop.  All I wanted to do was sleep.  Super Why on Netflix and snacks while I did my best keep my insides down.  Owen and Amelia did a great job helping me with the babes by fetching diapers and what not.  It was another reminder that I have some really great kids that I take for granted more often than I would ever want to admit.

Even though a sore throat and cough remained, things did turn around about halfway through.  We managed to do some school work.  The kids asked for and received a poetry tea party.  We pulled out our nature journals.  

A little bit of Morning Time.

Poetry Tea Party as promised.

Owen is reading without being told to do so.  First and only time so far, but worth documenting.

The week smoothed out, but you can see the chaos and Netflix were not completely eliminated, sadly. 

We finished out the three weeks by reading The Adventures of Reddy Fox by Thornton W. Burgess. We just finished it and started The Adventures of Chatterer The Red Squirrel.  I'm having a hard time gauging how my kids are handling chapter books as read alouds.  My kids ask for more chapters when I read.  I'm not sure if it is to delay bedtime or if they are really enjoying them, but they were thrilled to start the next book.  

The Friday before Chris returned the kids were drawing for two hours.  I was shocked!  They were working their fine motor skills so I called it school while I tried to catch up on house work.  They really impressed me with their work.  

On a whim I decided to take the kids grocery shopping.  I was going to wait until Chris was home so I could do it alone, but I must have felt ambitious.  It went really well! One lady stopped me to tell me how well behaved they were.  And they were well behaved.  The last 20 minutes Simon was getting bored so it started to get iffy.  He was calmed by giving him a pack of hot dog buns that he later used to beat his sister with.  She didn't seem to mind, it got us out of the store without a scene, and we were still able to eat the buns.  A win, I say!

Sunday we collected Chris.  He wasn't as famished as I had expected.  He had lost some weight, but not as bad as I had built up in my head.  Ya know sunken eyes and visible rib cage.  I told you I'm the dramatic one.  He was covered in chigger bite and was clearly sore.  Poor guy.  But he was in good spirits.  I think he was just glad to be home.

Now we are just waiting for the next phase of flight school.  It will be a new type of stress.  Lots of studying on his part.  The kids and I finding ways to give him space so he can get things done.  So prayers are always appreciated.   

Click for the pics!

Yes, I still need to change the pictures on the blog...maybe tomorrow. Procrastinator probs.

You may have seen my IG/FB post.  We started the 2015-2016 school year today.  We had been schooling lightly, but I made it official by taking first day of school pictures.  Yesterday, I realized that I had not used my fancy camera in a very long time. Poor Becket's (and Simon's to some degree) first year of life has been documented by the camera on my phone almost exclusively.  The woes of the third and fourth borns.

This ginger snap has it rough.

Last year I took pictures through the school year, when I remembered.  Most of them are dark, grainy camera phone pictures of my kids playing with a math manipulative or practicing their handwriting.  This year my goal is to take better pictures for our year book.  So, I got the camera out to see if I still knew how to work the auto setting.  Barely by the way.  In my humble opinion, I have some stellar looking kids!!!

This crew!

When did she grow up?

He just wanted to ride.

My wild man!

Copper Penny

Time, please stand still...sigh.

At about 8:00 am this morning we stepped outside and took those obligatory first day of school pictures.  

Owen is really beginning to emerge as a reader.  My goal for him is to really make the most of this time.  He is recognizing that he can read, and he is pointing out words and phonographs everywhere we go.  I am going to try and maximize this time.  He's moving to the next level in math, which is long overdue.  Handwriting needs improvement.  Strengthening his muscles is what he needs.  He fatigues quickly.

Amelia is being gently introduced to reading and writing.  She's really strong at listening to stories and narrating back what she has heard.  Phonics and sight words are going to need gentle, consistent repetition.  Once it clicks I think she will take off.  We are going to continue with math as is.  It seems to be working so no need to change it.

 My goal for Simon is to read to him often, give him opportunities to use his fine motor skills, but mostly let him PLAY!

Becket....I expect calculus. Do all the derivatives!!! :)

So the first day went really well.  I'm really excited about the possibilities this year.  Watching these kids grow up and learn is really an honor.  I'm not entirely sure how we got here.  Becoming a homeschooling family of six.  I never would have thought homeschooling would be our path.  But it is, and it's a joy.

Owen relating his earthly father to his heavenly Father. Swoon!

School Bells

Hey, hey, hey!!!

I hope to find you guys all happy and well!  Things here haven't been too bad.  Mostly homeschooling prep.  My brain hurts.  Chris and I created a vision a couple of weeks ago.  We wrote down what type of adult is standing in front of us as that child is about to leave our home. I'm really happy with the final list.

Chris has some training where he won't be able to call for 3 weeks.  It is happening sooner than we thought.  So I revamped our homeschool schedule, and we are starting a week earlier.  We are lightly schooling right now.  Pushing 2015-2016 up a week should not be too bad.  I just have a few things to nail down before Monday.

Making a saint choir between lessons.

We are adding to what we were doing last year.  We never started Classically Catholic Memory last year.  There was some resistance on the kids' part, and I had a hard time getting into a groove.  Last night Chris and I introduced the first week of memory work and the kids did AWESOME!  I can't believe I heard Owen reciting his Latin while we were in Target this evening!  And that wasn't even his favorite subject.  The boy really loves the science and geography!  Amelia loves the poetry.  Their brains are like little sponges that can absorb so much information.  So cool.  Anyway, my plan is to introduce new memory work every other week on Sunday nights as a family.  I started CCM a week early so Chris will be here and to give us some time getting use to having memory work on our homeschooling plate.

Tea Party

 In an attempt to be "fun", I have also made an activity loop.  We will have an activity once or twice a week.  The loop is just a rotation of the activities.  We have nature study, poetry tea party, show and tell (kids' request), and a cooking lesson.  Now that I am typing this post, I might add trip to the library to make sure we are going a little more often than we are now.

I am well aware that this post is a little all over the place, so if you made it this far...you're awesome. Anyway, school will be broken into blocks: Math block, Language Arts, Circle Time, Read Aloud, and Activity. Circle time will cover memory work and religion.  The other blocks are pretty self explanatory.

Reading aloud

We have an emerging reader.  It's so awesome to watch him develop this new skill.  When I would think about the pros and cons of homeschooling, watching them day in and day out as were learning was on my pro list.  Never did I imagine it being as awesome as it actually is.  It's so different, then when he would learn new things at preschool and hearing about it later.

The two younger ones are making things tough, but nothing we can't work around. Simon wants to be apart of the action.  And when he is not apart of it in the way he thinks he should be, he becomes very distracting and sometimes destructive.  Becket seems to be always be destructive.  Lots of winning happening in the under 3 crowd.

Ok, time for bed.  Peace, interwebs!

Answer Me This #2

I forgot how much I enjoy documenting our little family here, but I am feel like have nothing to write about right now.  So I'm joining Kendra at Catholic All Year in her Answer Me This link up.  What I love about this is that it is totally prompted and nothing I would write about. The sad part is there is only one more before she has her baby!  So here we go!

1. What's currently on your to do list?

Oh man...housework.  Always housework.  The house and I are always at war and the house usually wins.  Our home has not been in complete disarray lately, but it's never quite as tidy as I would like it to be.

Saint dolls.  I love being apart of these swaps.  I like the sense of community even though they are complete strangers.  Taking a small break, but I have to get back at it. Last night I was at the ER with Simon (he hurt his arm no fracture, but he's limiting its use) and that cut into my painting time.

Our Lady of the Rosary

Click here if you want to join the Facebook Swap group.

Planning next year's school year.  Oh my goodness!!!  I was going to formally start on the 10th but I may push it back a week.  I am really trying to do it right. Pam at Everyday Snapshots has a Plan Your Year Kit.  It is a digital download with an ebook and companion worksheets.  She has made the very daunting task of planning a school year and broke it down into 10 steps that can be molded to fit any family.  I'm only on step 3 or 4 and I want to do it right.  Pushing back our start date might be worth it. 

Updating "the look" of this blog.  We have an extra family member...and he's nearly 10 months old. So over due, a bit?

And I joined a book club so I have some reading to do by tomorrow night.  I was able to get some of that done while I was at the ER.  Silver-lining?

2.  Better type of superhero: magic/radioactive powers?  Or trauma/gadget/hard work?

I don't know if I am the right person to answer this question.  I enjoy superheroes, but I am not strongly committed to any certain one.  Batman is probably my favorite because I am most familiar with that storyline.  Iron Man would probably be next because Tony Stark makes me laugh.  So, I guess that would put may answer as trauma/gadget/hard work.  

3.  Finding out the baby is a boy or a girl before birth: Good idea? Bad idea?

Four pregnancies are in the books and we have found out with each one what we were having.  Each time we are pregnant I'm unsure if we should find out that time but ultimately we find out.  If we are blessed with anymore I'm not sure what we will choose to do.  

I love the idea of not finding out.  The surprise would be lots of fun.  Hearing other women's testimonies about their husbands cheering the babies sex is really really appealing, and I think I would really enjoy it.  

What I love about finding out is calling the baby he or she.  Eventually we settle on a name so we begin to use it. For me there is no need "to plan".  It's a baby.  We have a car seat and some sleepers.  The ONLY thing is I like shopping for the coming home outfit.  Knowing the gender does help narrow down that process.  

4.  Have you appeared on a stadium jumbotron? 

I have not, but Owen did at a Greensboro Grasshoppers game in 2011.

5.  Are you more book smart or street smart?

Can I say neither?  I don't know.  Maybe street smart?  I'm not well read.  And I'm probably not the best student.  I enjoy intellectual conversation, but usually feel like I don't have much to contribute.  I really enjoy reading blogs because they often feel like a conversation rather than dry text.  I "wing" most things and rely on my intuition more often than I probably should. BUT, I am really out of touch with most of pop culture.  I'm not really sure where I fit in other than the walls of my own home.

6.  Have you had that baby yet?

Nope.  Doesn't really apply.  My baby is approaching his first birthday so baby fever is beginning to stir more than usual, but that's pretty normal.  

Make sure you head over to Catholic All Year see read more Answer Me This.

So It's been a while, eh?

You guys!!!! I'm sorry for all the neglect. I'm not going to bother with a recap of the last seven months.  Mostly because if you're reading this, you're friends with me on Facebook and or Instagram, so you've seen the highlights....Well, I'll try not to bother you with stuff you probably already know.

A year ago today I wrote this...I kept calling the Divine Mercy the Sacred Heart of Jesus. My bad.  I have gotten it together since. But yeah, it has been one year since Chris was selected for flight school! We have been so blessed.  The years are passing much more quickly... Hashtag: gettin' old.

2015 has been a wonderful, wonderful year.  My only complaint is having to leave my friends in New York, and knowing any friends I might make here at Alabama will be left in two years.  The crappy part of being military.  Thank goodness for social media!!!

We are loving Alabama.  Not loving the heat (I knew I wouldn't), but I'm not completely miserable either.  The only think that I loath here are the gnats.  They suck. And they literally have tried to infiltrate Becket via his eye balls and ear canals.

We are finishing up our first year of homeschooling.  With the adding Becket, Simon becoming a strong-willed two year old, the move, my personality type, and life, I have determined that year round school will probably be the best fit for my family.  I still feel like I'm floundering, but I'm excited about it.  There is a co-op about 30 minutes from me.  The classes are full, but we have been invited to participate on the enrichment weeks.  I'm pretty stoked about that!

Last night I signed Amelia up for dance.  She will be taking two classes this year ballet/tap and acrobatics.  The kids will be in soccer, too.  Our schedules have been really empty for a while.  A couple of years ago when we had speech, OT, dance, soccer, and both kids in five day a week preschool...Oh, and I was pregnant with OB appointments...that was a crazy time.  So, I'm a little anxious, but mostly excited about adding some activities to our schedule.

Owen has been a great big brother.  He does a great job entertaining the little ones.  I think he is so good at it because he really enjoys playing them.  Owen is craving to be given extra responsibilities.  He has been begging for a fish.  Chris and I are going to make him earn it.  He will have to work to save up for the fish and all the supplies that may be needed for its survival.  I am very hesitant about crossing over to a pet owner.  I know, I know.  It's just a little beta fish...get a grip Nicole....

Amelia...I don't really have a favorite age, but four-year-olds are funny.  They just say whatever comes into their head without filter.  And for Amelia...it is non stop chatter.  She is rarely not talking.  In my moments of stress or I'm try to think through something it can be challenging, but otherwise she keeps me giggling with her imagination and curiosity about the world around her.

Simon, I'm sure, is a "spirited child".  I have to give him some credit that the tantrums are not quite like they were several months ago, but they're there.  His imaginative play usually involves him being a growling dinosaur or monster destroying the world around him (his siblings' lego towers).  He is still quite stubborn, but we have been able to talk him through it from time to time.  He is only two, so it's not a perfect process, and it will likely never be.  He is so affectionate and demanding hugs daily.

Becket is a big, big boy.  He's sharing shorts with Simon.  At nine months he weight 26 pound 10 oz. Only about 5 pounds less than Simon.  He is crawling and pulling himself up.  I think he will be cruising soon. Sleeping through the night isn't happening quite yet, but he goes back down to sleep easily most of the time...so we're managing.  We are stopped almost everywhere we go so strangers can swoon over his red hair and chunky cheeks.  He is pretty cute :)

I guess that is about it for now.  Oh, and I'm well aware that the "look" need to be upgraded, desperately...One day. Maybe.  Some pictures, as always!

2015, and GO

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Epiphany!  Oh, and if you had a birthday in 2014 Happy Birthday, too! I'm approaching nearly two months since my last post.  Geez, has it really been that long?  Have you missed me?  The over-sharer in me wants to cry, there has been so much I have wanted to post.  Mostly, I have wanted to share musings of these little humans that have infiltrated our home :), but haven't managed to log on to write the post.

Our trip to North Carolina was wonderful.  It flew by, though.  When we were home this summer it didn't seem to fly by as quickly even though we were home for the same amount of time.  Crazy.  Becket is still an awesome baby and I thank God everyday.

Cousins

We were blessed with a wonderful Christmas.  My kids really seemed to enjoy themselves.  It was so great to watch what excited them this year.  I shouldn't have been surprised that they were excited about it being Jesus' birthday since my kids LOVE birthdays.  But they were.  Santa is a really easy sell, but they were so excited to sing Happy Birthday before we began opening their gifts.  I can't wait to see how our traditions evolve in years to come. We got a nasty stomach thing that floated through the house over the holidays.  According to my Timehop app this seems to be a reoccuring thing.  This is one tradition that can end this year!

Christmas! Now that's what's up!

The new year!!!!  We had a great time with friends ringing in the new year. 2014, overall, was such a great year for us.  I don't know if I have ever looked back on a year and thought "Dang, what an awesome year!"  I try not to dwell on the bad or any suffering that Chris or I may have to endure, because it's part of life.  But for a while it felt like we got our head out of water just to be dunked back down again.  2014 had it's own set of struggles, but I wasn't ready for it to be over like I had years prior.

My main squeeze!

Sass!

2015 is going to be awesome.  Lots of changes.  The biggest change is The Land will be moving south.  This will be our first PCS since Chris joined the Army six years ago.  I am nervous and excited at the same time.  I'm comfortable here.  And I'm terrible with goodbyes.  Thank God for social media!  Though I'm an extrovert, I have a lot of anxiety meeting people and making new friends.  Here's a little secret about how crazy I am.  After a social event like a cook out, parish picnic,...heck a family reunion, I could work myself up to the point I can't sleep that evening.  I worry about how I was perceived, if I showed too much crazy at one time, or if I unintentionally hurt someones feelings. Wasted energy spent at least 90% of the time.  See, crazy.

Cray!

Last year I chose a word for the year.  For the first time choosing a word of the year I think I did a pretty good job coming back to it throughout 2014.  I haven't been smack over the head with word for 2015 yet.  I'm hope it comes to me soon.

This year I used this saint generator to give each person in the family a saint for the year.  I will create a post soon about these saints soon. I can't commit to a pinky swear or anything that the post will actually get written, because my last post was almost two months ago...but I will try not to leave you hangin'.  I'm sure the suspense is killing you all ;) Seriously, I'm excited about who we were given.  You should should do the same thing.

So, I found out today that I won a give away that my friend, Ashley, was hosting at her blog, Between the Linens.  I'm stoked because yours truly never wins.  But I did this time, yo.  I wish I would have thought to write this post a few days ago so you could have had a chance.  But I'm absent minded, and the dots did not connect this time.  And for that I'm sorry.  But you should go check out her blog.  She's like a bajillon times smarter than me with lots of information to share.  Seriously, check it!

I will try not to be gone quite so long next time.  Peace, interwebz