Though I consider myself a morning person, I don’t “spring forward” easily.  Sunday morning came early, and I fantasized taking the head off of one of the kids in our Sunday School class.   I was perhaps even more tired than he was, and when he voiced his displeasure about having to sit through another science experiment (we’ve been using science with them to teach Biblical principles–the sign on my forehead screams Homeschooler!), I told him that he wasn’t doing me any favors by staying, and he could leave at any time.   Thankfully, I caught myself just short of saying what was really on my mind, and he stayed and actually joined in the class discussion.   I went to bed late Sunday night/early Monday morning, and then on Monday night I woke up at 4 a.m., went back to bed at 5:45 a.m., and then up at 7:30 a.m.  Last night was my first night to sleep with no specific agenda on today.   Too bad the roofers working on my neighbor’s house had different ideas.   BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM.   And good morning to you, too, I thought as I drug myself down to the kitchen.   Amazingly enough, I’ve not burned any breakfasts; yesterday we feasted on cornmeal pancakes (a family favorite), this morning was eggs, smoked turkey, and biscuits. In the words of cook and TV personality Rachel Ray, YUMMMMMOOO!

For the last week I’ve had enough on my plate until I’ve not done much with the munchkin pictured above, our youngest one.  Sleep deprivation hasn’t helped.   I’ve awarded myself the trophy of “World’s Worst Mom” as she’s roamed about the house during the day trying to keep herself entertained.   After watching her favorite shows in the morning, she actually shows up at the table to complete her work, reading to herself, writing a note, or coloring.   Bless her heart, she actually wants to have school, but Mommy has been a day late and a dollar short everyday.   All those articles I’ve read about quality time and nurturing the willingness to learn kept pounding in my head and kicking me in the behind, even though I know that she is learning from her own play.   So, this morning after she sat down to mail her friend a letter about her trip to Big Bend this past December (“Mom, how do you spell roadrunner?  Deer?  Wild Pig?”), we actually sat down to formally “have school.”   Then I felt bad, at least temporarily, that she has improved her phonics awareness to learn what were the tougher letters for her—g, r, and f—only to forget what sound i makes.   All in all, we had a great day, and I need to stay mindful of her progress—she could actually write the words that she was asking me how to spell!  How cool is that!

One of the many challenges I face with the Charlotte Mason approach is getting outdoors.   The youngest loves to get outside, and we had planned a walk today—the perfect early spring day. Then I realized in watching all of them at the table that all three kids have some combination of a recent coughing, sniffling bug that is traveling around with all this changing weather.   As much as the youngest loves the outdoors, the older two hate it.   I should clarify: they love a vacation that involves getting in touch with nature, but the backyard is, literally, for the birds.   I wonder if CM has any wisdom for the high maintenance nature lover?

The pictures above and below are from a recent trip to a local butterfly museum.   In keeping with our CM challenge, being in an enclosed space with hundreds, if not thousands, of butterflies was a bit too up close and personal for them, but between muffled shrieks, they took these shots for me.    I have been flirting with the idea of starting a separate nature blog, and my husband plans to buy me a camera as a birthday present.   I know the “Create New Blog” button probably shows up on all of our Main log-in pages, but I somehow felt a nudge when I first noticed it.  I don’t need another thing to do, but I am becoming more and more fascinated with God’s beauty, and I can’t scrapbook quickly enough to capture everything with pictures and words.   It would be a sporadic series of entries, more for my own benefit than anyone else’s.  Perhaps the kids will jump in and embrace the beauty of everyday nature more, but if not, the new blog will be my own marvel at God’s creation.   I think I’ll start with something like this: