standing on my own two feet....

There is a verse in the bible, never mind, I will look it up..."For we dare not class ourselves our compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." (2 Corinth. 10 v. 12).

Oh it is so in me to constantly seeking approval. Social media and all the world's expert opinions just a click away, making it too easy to be second guessing everything I do. Even scrolling through Facebook in the morning can make me feel sadly lacking. I can't put brick on my mailbox post, in fact that wouldn't even make it to my to do list, even if there were a thousand things on it. I can't make Oreo cookie brownies covered in peanutbutter and fudge. Seriously? Eating Oreo cookies alone is deadly enough!

But comparing myself to my Facebook friends isn't as stupid as comparing myself to my Real Life friends. I have some extremely capable friends! They wouldn't let their dogs sleep on their couches, or probably let their kids have a random living room sleepover, you know, the kind where they drag everything they own from their room, to make it cozy! They PROMISE to clean it all up the next day, but when you gently remind them the next day, they assure you they aren't DONE with their sleepover yet. Then they decide to make a fort....

Anyway. I have a friend, and don't get me wrong, I love her! But she was planning what to do for dinner on Saturday...LAST SUNDAY. Six days in advance, because she had a busy week coming up. um, I didn't mention to her that...I didn't even know what I was having for dinner that very day.

I try. I really do. Once in a while I will make a loose meal plan, which I seem to abandon at a moment's notice, like if one of my older kids suggests a fun outing. Aw heck, I say, we can have today's meal tomorrow.

I try to keep the clean clothes off the couch, too. I hardly ever dump a hot load from the dryer there. It's usually one of the older kids who is in a hurry, and doesn't have the foggiest where to put the clean stuff.

Once in a while, I'll clean and organize a cupboard. I'll be so proud of it, I'll say to the kids, "Hey, did you see how clean the spice cupboard is?"

I like to see lots of results when I clean, like on those commercials where they swipe the sponge across the counter and leave a streak of cleanness several shades brighter.

This year I am homeschooling five of my kids. In my heart, I know it's the right thing to do. Most people, in my opinion, are like sheep. They don't question the establishment, they just do it because everyone else does it. They think life will just go on forever, never realizing how extremely priceless and precious all the moments that add up to ten or eleven years of childhood just fly by. Why should that be wasted sitting in class while perhaps The Kid Who Always Is Bad takes up ten minutes of the teacher's time, and ten minutes of my child's short life, making all the kids perhaps put their heads down on their desk, or sit quietly and miss some playtime because they are all so noisy? (Kids are noisy! Let them be noisy!) Anyway. Not that I let my kids be noisy all day either, I just think school sucks the very life out of their bones, then sends them home all hollow and weary, with homework!

Anyway. Just my take on things.

Charlotte Claire looks adorable today. I braided her hair yesterday, and today it's all crimpy and curly.

Camille is reading, "Purpleicious", and Char is playing with the kitten and the dogs. Duke gives a scary warning snarl to that kitten, that kitten who just innocently attacks Duke's tail and hops over and bats at Suri, standing on her little kitty hind legs, making her a hilarious little jouster. Suri just looks at me like, REALLY?

We need groceries. I know, what a good homeschooling mom, taking her kids to the store! Shouldn't they be sitting at the kitchen table with their books open? Well, yeah, probably. But I will talk to them the whole way there and the whole way back. My kids know about prices and sales and what's good for them. Ha, what a good justification for not doing much bookwork today:)

The older two are working hard on their school work though.

"I yam who I yam and that's all I yam.", as Popeye used to say.

I had a nice visit with Paul's mom last evening. She is like the Energizer Bunny. She's 85, and had on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, looks better than I ever will. She has all these cross stitch projects going, she doesn't sit still for a minute...I know where Paul gets it. Mr. Fidget. Anyway, she is lovely and we had a nice visit.

And the natives are getting restless....