...with a husband and 5 sons, I am truly outnumbered....stories and thoughts on life from a mom in a houseful of little men!

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Homeschooling Families--Any Advice For Me?


Help! I had this little area set up in a corner of our living room for the past year. It worked really well to have a spot for Bobcat to work while I managed the 2 little ones, worked in the kitchen, etc. However, I have reached maximum as far as room for books and things. My bookshelf is overflowing and the hall closet is to over-brimming. We recently bought Eaglet a "big boy" bed and put it up in Bobcat's room. It's going well with having them share a room. So, we now have a bedroom freed-up downstairs. My inclination is to make it into a home-base for homeschooling. There is a closet (which I intend to have my husband install more shelving into, to house science kits, word games, etc.) and a floor-to-ceiling, built-in bookshelf, which I intend to use for reference books and books/curriculums that we use on a daily-basis. My question for any of you is, do you have any suggestions as far as how to set up the room? What kind of furniture? Ideas for the walls? Should I use the pictured child's desk or go for a table set-up. How to arrange them? I also need a spot for Eaglet, who will be beginning pre-school, and an area for Spunky Cub to go wild in. I would like a place to sit down and work on lesson plans, have "school supplies" handy, etc. And, I should mention, that it is not my intention to sit down in this room all day, every day and "do school". Yes, we'll work down there at times, but I'm sure we'll, just as often, take reading onto the couch, or math up to the kitchen table. And, of course, those fun science experiments will be done in the kitchen. I truly would appreciate anyone's advice, and/or sharing of how your rooms look like and are set up. Pictures are good! I challenge you to post 'em! Thanks a million!

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

It's Tough to be One??!

Rough life, isn't it? Spunky enjoyed his afternoon, kicked back with a popsicle.

Monday, June 26, 2006

Running Right Along...

My 2nd 5k of the summer, Race for Technology...and we were off! This race, www.mta-telco.com/community/summer.html, was to benefit the borough libraries
and was a balmy 42 degrees at the start. I am pleased to note that my time was 29:30! Again, not very impressive, but considering I shaved 3 1/2 minutes off from the Curtis Menard, I am happy. I have come to the conclusion that I love Palmer races. Palmer is the community where historically, the midwesterners transplanted with government funding to begin farming in Alaska www.palmerchamber.org/. Hence, it is farmland--FLAT farmland. Very good encouragement for someone like me who is newly into the local running scene. My other encouragement, as always, were my sweet husband/"coach" and little gaggle of boys whom greeted me enthusiastically at race-end. "Mommy! I've been missing you so much!" squealed Eaglet, as he ran excitedly into my arms at the finish. "Did I take that long?" I thought to myself as I scooped my little sweetie up and was smothered with love and kisses. Bliss.

Monday, June 19, 2006

Back in my shoes again! Becoming a "running family"...


The weekend before last I ran the Curtis Menard 5k www.menardrun.com. Though my time was not too impressive (32:58) it wasn't too bad considering I had not been training (!) Anyway, it felt great to stretch these old legs and get back into the running community. I am inspired to actually get on a regular "training schedule." The prospect of being in good physical condition after 6 years of being pregnant or nursing a baby is enticing. My "coach" husband, started me on a regimen this past week. I am planning to run MTA's Race for Technology this upcoming Saturday. With flat terrain in Palmer, it shouldn't be difficult to improve my time. Anyway, as you notice, the boys are also wearing racing bibs! They each participated in the children's fun run--one lap around the indoor turf. Each received a participation medal...and were thrilled to "run a race like Daddy." Speaking of which, was this past weekend! We are so proud of him--he finished his first marathon www.mayorsmarathon.com and did so in 4 hours, 13 minutes. He reached his 2 goals, which he stated, were: #1: to finish. #2: to not die. Haha! See his running blog; it really is a good story: www.runalaska.blogspot.com

Friday, June 02, 2006

I Still Remember My Roots...Helllloooo Wisconsin!

I couldn't resist a couple shots of our little Badgers fan. All 3 of the boys wore this little outfit as babies, and all 3 were extremely "snuggleble" in it. What is cuter than a pint-size little boy body in "big boy" basketball attire?And just WHERE did he get all those little curls?!? I'm not sure, but I know one thing--they will not be cut anytime soon. Spunky has such a masculine little face that he can get away with it anyway!