I Have So Many Things I Want to Blog, but...

... other things keep getting in the way this week.

Really, there have been no major catastrophes here and things are moving along as usual, but every time I keep thinking how much I want some time to blog, something else comes up and I don't get to it.

Something Else New

I like trying new things if I'm pretty sure they will be good things. This week I tried a Holy Yoga class and loved it.

Friendship Series, Part 1: Siblings

Okay, so we all need friends.  That's a given, right?  For me, friendships have been something of a challenge all of my life.  It's taken me a long time to really understand my need for friends, because I was someone who didn't believe I had a need in that area.  But recently I began reflecting on my history with friendships and watching our kids and their friends and I felt inspired to write about the concept of friendship as it relates to me and to our family.

In the usual advice from my sister, Jessica, I'm dividing this up into multiple posts so that I don't have just one giant-long one.  More digestible bits.  I hope that means it'll be more readable, too.

But First, Can I Show You a Trick, Mama?

Our kids have all kinds of ways of trying to manipulate and distract me from actually getting the teaching/school parts of the day.  Yesterday, though, O had the best attempt yet.

"It's time for your school, J and O!"

"Okay, Mama, but first, can I show you a trick?" O asked.

I said, "Is it a quick trick?"

Welcome, Chiropractic and Paleo Friends and Everyone

I mentioned in my last post that I had been asked to speak during one of my chiropractor's workshops.  That happened earlier this evening.  And other than him giving me only a minute to speak (and my taking about five anyway), I think it went alright.

In the end, after a prompting by the doctor for all of us to use our resources to increase health and wellness, I felt inspired to offer my blog as a resource and even left a stack of my new business cards with the receptionist.  Dr. B says he'll email out the blog address to everyone on his mailing list and recommend it as a potential resource.

Wow!  I was not expecting that at all.  That's really exciting.

So now, I feel it's important to make a post to welcome any newcomers to my blog that happened as a result of accepting the invitation to come speak.

Business Cards

I went ahead and made myself some Mama Flock business cards today.  Not that this is a business, per say, but what else do we call these little cards with contact information that we hand out to people?

Anyway, they are very simple.  But I like them.  Maybe I'll get brave enough to hand a couple out tomorrow night when I speak at my chiropractor's Paleo Workshop about my experiences so far with Paleo.  We'll see.

I'm nervous though.  I don't really love public speaking unless I have a script memorized.  But C is coming for moral support.  I also know that it was hearing the personal stories that actually hooked me into trying Paleo out.  So if I can encourage others, then I'm all for it.

P.S. My sister designed the look for this blog and the banner I'm using on my cards.  I think she is so creative and talented.  Thank you again, Jessica.  I still love it.

My Favorite Useful Apps (So Far)

So, you get two posts from me today because I'm feeling very blog-y, if that's a thing.  Anyway, since my other post was a little more word-y (okay, so now I'm just making up my own vocabulary), I thought I'd make a nice simple-ish list for you.

As I get to know my iPhone better each day, I've been downloading a lot of free apps just to test things out.  I do have some games on there, which I may tell you about in a separate post on another day.  (If you play any of the Zynga games on your own smartphone or tablet, I play almost all of those and my username is mamaflock.  Look me up and challenge me to a game!)  But this list is the top ten most useful apps I have downloaded (and used) so far.

Eyes on the Prize

I was talking to a friend in church today who is just beginning to think about homeschooling her preschool-aged daughter.  She was sharing some of her trepidation about teaching her to read.  I could totally relate!

I remember how terrified I was thinking that our kids would be illiterate with me in charge.  Looking back, I realize I was maybe being a little melodramatic.  After all, I don't want to raise illiterate children, so one way or another, our children would eventually learn to read.  I don't give up easily.

And four out of five have learned to read.  Our fifth is so close!  When he keeps his focus long enough, he can actually sound out (and recognize) small words individually.  By summer, he'll be reading Dr. Suess and other easy readers, no problem.  I'm certain of it.

Cool Free Wallpaper

Now that I have my smart phone, it likes having some smart wallpaper to back up the icons for the dozens of apps I've been trying out.  I have one app for scanning those little square bar codes that seem to be on everything now ("to find out more information, scan here with your phone").

Some Writing First

I was kind of sick over the weekend and still don't have my usual voice back (don't think the kids aren't celebrating my inability to yell for them up the stairs), so I did not get my entire lesson plan down on paper as I'd hoped.  While we made it through yesterday -- which I'll post about separately -- today has been more difficult.

My dear, sweet, loving husband could hear in my voice how frazzled I was this afternoon when he called to tell me he was on his way home, so he offered to take the kids out for the evening (dinner and a movie?) so I could finish up my lesson planning and just refocus a little.

You know it's been a great day when your husband says, "Hey, I'm on my way home ... how are things?" and my response is unintelligible because all the words are spoken through blubbering and tears.

Yes, it's been one of those days.

So anyway, I decided to use my "write down the lesson plan" time to blog first.  How wise am I?!  (Please hear my sarcasm in that question.)

But I think if I clear my head first, I'll better be able to do the job at hand in this nice quiet house.

Why?  Why was today so tough?  Are you ready for a long-ish story?  Here it goes (if not, you'll probably just want to skip this post)...

Various

I've had a lot of little things crossing my mind lately and I think to myself, "I should blog that," but then never get around to it since it's such a little thing.

So here is a various post with some of these latest musings...

Getting Back on Track

Like most years, surrounding the holiday season, our homeschool gets a little ... let's say, creative.  We begin each year with a plan and a pattern for each day, but by Thanksgiving, I start making things up as I go and depending on what each day holds as far as extracurricular stuff.  Let's face it, Christmastime lends itself to a lot of extracurricular activities.

I'm Back!

Okay, so now that my whirlwind travels and projects are completed, I thought I would update you on how things went and share a couple pictures.  Well, maybe more than a couple.

Early Flight

Tomorrow, my flight leaves at 7:00am.  We'll leave our house at least an hour-and-a-half before that.

That wouldn't seem so early if the overnighted package my aunt sent with photos for the project hadn't gotten delayed due to mechanical issues with the plane and now may not make it at all (but if it does, it's likely to be very late).  And if when I went to go ahead and print the other photos I have didn't cause Walgreen's website to breakdown.

Hand-Written Letters

Does anyone else miss the old days before there was email?

As I'm working on this photo project for my grandmother's memorial service, I found some letters she wrote me over the years that I'd put aside in my files.  She and I used to exchange letters regularly and usually she just wrote about her plans for the day, but sometimes, she'd share something of herself that was maybe more than she would have otherwise told me (if it hadn't been in writing).

When I was in high school, at one point, I had 50 pen pals all over the world.  That's the old fashioned postal mail kind.  I'm still in touch with one of my pen pals in Kentucky and we usually just exchange Christmas cards most years.  But I've watched her marry and struggle with infertility and see her son born and grow (he's the same age as our S) and so many more things through letters, no matter how infrequent.  We have still never met face to face.

Since Christmas Eve

Happy New Year's Eve (and by the time I'm done with this post, it'll be New Year's) ... I'm blogging my way into 2013!

So, several things have happened since you last heard from me...