Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Pulled in All Directions

It goes without saying that parenting pulls you in every direction, especially when you stay at home. It's amazing how difficult it can really be. I've been trying to get so much done and in the end, it seems like I get nothing done. How frustrating is that? I need to take care of so much practical stuff, and on top of that, make meals, homeschool, and oversee life's delicate balance. Did I mention that I wouldn't do it any other way?

Our good friends have been a bit disgruntled with their kids' school and I can totally relate. Their daughter is good friends with A&N and always asks them if they can homeschool, but I have to admit, it isn't for everyone, the grass is always greener. Having said that, it fits us fine, but it's taken literally years to find our groove, and the learning curve has been painful.

Speaking of homeschooling, I'm still struggling a bit with N, he just can't focus, but he's getting the concepts, he likes/gets the math and gets the reading, but is too antsy. It's cute, though frustrating at times. We don't want to force the issue, however, so we'll take it one step at a time. A has been going at a steady clip. I've found that the key has been not forcing the issue too much. Sure, they need a little nudging, and they need to know life isn't just about doing things they like and are fun, but by doing a bit each day, we do get days where she's inspired and goes off, and then there are the days where it's not as easy, but as long as we get a bit done, we're doing okay.

The wood pile is about 60% moved, but it's still calling me. I like the new position, it seems closer and will actually reduce the amount of work for me in the future. Plus, it's nice and tidy, good for an anal retentive as myself. Either way, I'm not complaining too much, though my job elicits a lot of sympathy.

Life has been good and steady, we're still grateful to GL for letting us use his car, it's been so helpful, I love that guy. I've been working a lot more at work, and finally our pcr is working out and hopefully we can get some results and move forward on our project. Need to get papers and grant funding to stay afloat.

I need to finish filling out the paperwork to get our septic system in order and I keep putting it off, though I don't know why. It's our loss, and I've got to finish it today. Also need to look into getting snow tires, I'm told Nokia is the way to go, and I've got to start asserting myself more in the freelance world. I've got to patch up my resume and keep writing for my bread and butter resume fillers, i.e., WB and PS. So much to do, so much research to do.

In the end, all I want to do is hang out with my family. We made brownies yesterday, personally I think it's a great recipe, and tried something new-egg noodle casserole. It came out pretty darn good, if you ask me, but you're not asking me. I've also discovered the secret to making bread easier-patience. By letting the bread rise a little longer, I can not only get more loaves out of one dough ball, but the bread comes out much better, less dense and more like good, killer chewy spongy bread, with big holes.

Now that it's cold, and it's getting cold, our lives have slowed down a bit. We just hang out and live our lives, and it's actually pretty nice. If I'm able to get a good two hour block in, I can get a lot done around the house while the kids play or learn. Gotta maintain social contacts, however, and that's when things get a little dicey, but it's doable.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.

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