Sunday Afternoon Brain Dump

The blog is so full, lately, with Homeschool Bennies (which only go through this month, btw) and vacation posts, that I have all kinds of thoughts swirling around that don't deserve a post of their own.  Or if they do, I don't have time.  So here's a little peak into the chaos of my brain...

1.  Things were completely crazy around here the day or two before the trip.  We were trying to get our schoolwork done.  The van was at the mechanic.  Again.  Because when he put new front brakes on, a new sound popped up.  Besides the whole Our-Van-Speaks-Whale thing (you'd have to have seen Finding Nemo to get that.)  You know how when the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years and their sandals didn't wear out?  Yes, I am praying that for our van.  Also, my camera - the day before we left - was in the shop having the sensor professionally cleaned, because I really didn't want every picture to look like it was beginning to snow.  We farmed out the fish, and briefed the neighbors on bunny care, and subbed out the lawn-mowing and weeding we do for our other neighbor.  Then there was the (un)exciting hunt for timers to put on the lights, arranging for the mail to be held, the garbage to be put out, the house-sitters, the laundry, the packing...  If I didn't already need a vacation, I did by the time we left!

2.  In the midst of the craziness, a moment of humor.  On a grammar assignment which asked him to diagram some sentences (which he knows I don't require him to do), Tate left me this:

I don't think I want to

I don't think I will.

If you think I want to

Your smarts must be nil.

Well, thank you.  Thank you very much for that.

3.  The boys are very enthusiastic about CAP, and their uniforms must be just right.  Which means ironing.  Which means they are learning to iron.  But they're kind of afraid they'll damage their uniforms, and try to persuade me to do it for them.  And they want me to iron their HATS.  Are you joking?  You want your hat ironed, iron it yourself.

4.  As I look out my window, there are currently seven boys on the trampoline.   I'm pretty sure they're exceeding the weight limit, but since they're not jumping I'm not going to say a word.  In fact, they're playing a board game.  We have a great neighborhood for friends :D

5.  This week in homeschool, Gunnar explained to me how the moon and sun work together or against each other to produce spring and neap tides, using our solar system model (he pulled off Pluto to represent the moon).  He also informed me that the bioluminescence, produced by marine animals that live in "the midnight zone", is a cold (chemical) light, rather than warm light.  He went on to remind me that the complexity of symbiotic life confirms creation rather than evolution (because we all know that dead things don't evolve). 

When I asked him, Gunnar, how do you know all this?  Did I tell you all that? 

He rolled his eyes and said, Mom, I read books.  Apparently.

Later that day he laid his head on the table and cried and told me it was too hard to write four facts about the ocean in his science notebook.  With no sense of irony at all.

6.  Deer season opened yesterday and Grandpa Grasshopper took Tate out hunting.  He came home empty handed, but not too discouraged.  There are a few weeks left :D 

7.  It's so good to be back at church, after missing several weeks due to vacation.  I love riding home and hearing the boys tell about what they learned in Sunday School.  I forget what Wyatt said, but he had a good report.  Tate talked about the martyrs of the early church up to the time of Constantine and the effect on the church of Constantine's protection (pros and cons).  Gunnar's class read Matthew 18 and talked about Jesus' comments about being humble and being like children.  And Mom, not to be proud, but I answered a question right!  The way we should be like children is this:  Children know they can't do everything on their own, so they ask their parents for help.  Love it.

8.  We LOVED the trip, but we still find ourselves sighing,  It's so good to be home!

9.  I have a confession:  I took over 2000 pics and I'm having trouble choosing just 10-20 to post for each day.  Hope you're not getting tired of that...

10.  We had to stop at the grocery store today and I told myself to Stick To The List and not splurge but somehow I walked out with a pumpkin pie.  It seemed necessary.  Father, forgive me, for I have sinned.  And it is delicious.