Happy 4th! I've been having a week of really bad allergies and it's no fun. I've been tired and struggling to find energy after 4pm. It's been rough. I have been attempting to rest this week and not agonize myself with guilt over everything that isn't getting done. Usually I try to ignore my chronic illness, or whatever it is I have, but it has been unavoidable lately. Though my blood sugar has been okay...ish. My highest this week was 156 but last week my highest was around the 170s. But my brain fog and fatigue have been debilitating. My heart has been acting up at that always scares me. It's not fun to have your heart jumping around and frightening you out of your wits with irregular beats while you are trying to parent.
Yesterday we went to Nature Group, our co-op, at Old City Cemetery. It was as beautiful as could be! I have not been here in years and years and my two youngest children have never been (maybe Becky did as a baby?) but Reuben remembered. We met up with two other lovely ladies and had a great nature walk. We found a butterfly bush with beautiful purple flowers and also played under a magnolia tree. You might think it's weird to meet in a Cemetery but it's not quite a cemetery--though there are graves--it's more like a museum.
There were even goats to feed! When we were feeding said goats, one of them was greedy and grabbed the plastic bag and gulped it down, pellets and all. He just nipped it right through the fence! We went back and told the lady in the gift shop in case it was an issue...I think it's fine though. The kids thought it was hilarious. When we ran out of the pellets everyone started feeding the goats grass.
I don't know why but everyone seems to have woken up in a bad mood today. It's only 9am and I've had to break up ever so many fights between the children and soothe many a tear. My husband also seems grumpy, and with my allergies I'm struggling too. Husband needs a break but all three of our children keep intentionally and unintentionally pushing his buttons. I finally had him sit down with his coffee while Becky did her morning chore and things seem to be calming down.
It's really hard to have three lovely kids who need you all at the same time, while simultaneously you yourself need a break. Parenting keeps me on my toes. I need a vacation. I love my kids and would do anything for them, I really would, but I also need 15 minutes to myself sometimes! Everyone needs breaks, but scheduling them and breathing through the interruptions...thats where the real trial is!
Anyway, I cut my hair myself last week. I really like it. It was getting abominably long and giving me headaches especially when I try to exercise or swim. It isn't as short as it looks in this picture, I layered it (or tried) and it's longer in the back. I need to go in and clean up the ends, but right now I'm just enjoying lighter hair and less weight on my neck.
My mom also was able to visit last week and that was lovely.
Oh! And I ordered most of Reuben's year 5 books for Ambleside. I'm so excited I even got Becky's year 2 books out and put them all on a shelf so I can stare at them. I can't wait to read Robin Hood, The Little Duke, Understood Betsy...there are so many good books in year 2. The only one I really don't want to read is Burgess Animal Book. Maybe I'll find a substitution for that. Well, dreamy homeschool plans are floating through my head and I'm picturing cozy mornings reading to the kids with tea and scones. They are less excited but I am in the air castle construction phrase of homeschool planning. I need to make a list of school supplies we need... I thought there wasn't much but actually we do need things like pencils and modeling clay and white paper to draw on. And each kid needs a new math book and Esther should have a homeschool box for moments when I really need to concentrate. I'm hopeful this year will be better than last year...having a toddler in your homeschool is kinda crazy. It gets better when they can be brought into the fold in some manner with crayons or a busy book, but that doesn't really happen until around 3.
I also finished my rainbow sweater! I have some ends to weave end and then I will block it and post pictures. I'm so excited to wear it this fall. I've already started on another crochet sweater that I also hope to finish before fall, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Here is to a day of vacation, relaxing, and grocery shopping. Happy Forth of July!
