First Day of School 2013-2014 School Year

 Today was our first day of school!  I thought it would never happen but it did!  In honor of the start of the school year we went hunting for rocks.  To make into pets.

 The Great Pet Rock Hunt of 2013 makes sense if you realize that we are starting our year by studying rocks.  What greater way to increase interest in rocks than to make one your pet?  Granted, no child was ever uninterested in rocks.  I get that.

 I turned the camera toward Oskar and hoped for the best.  He's six months old now.  Time has flown by!

 She was irritated that I took pics of Oskar and demanded the camera be turned back towards her.  She's  two like that.

 Looking way too grown up.  She found four pet rocks and one fish.  The fish is currently in a container on our counter.  What do you do with a tiny little river fish???

 Decorating the pets.

 Eli's pet rocks.

 Cowen's pet rocks.  The biggest one is named "Mister."  Sweet.

 Here's the wolf.  I forget his name.  I was so impressed at Cowen's creativity in creating this thing--figuring out how to have a nose stick out and everything.  Awesome.

 Racoon rock.

 Cowen holding up one of Emeline's rocks.  LOVE the hair.

 Another of Emeline's pets.

Rudolf the Rock.  Nice.

These past few weeks have been pretty busy.  I've tried to reorganize my house and give things away and throw things out.  I bought a new bookshelf (it's orange!!!) from IKEA and that was supposed to fix my bedroom disaster, but it hasn't.  I cry every time I go in my room.  My kitchen makes me feel the same way but I can't avoid going into it.  I've spent hours trying to redo visiting teaching and it still isn't done.  I taught a lesson in Relief Society on member missionary work.  I wanted to do the cheerleader rah, rah, rah thing but couldn't manage it.  I'm all out of rah.

One fun thing lately is that I went out on the town with three close girlfriends and stayed up till 2:00 am (ouch) talking about a diversity of subjects.  At one point we were laughing our heads over a joke made about grammar.  They are my kind of women.  Many interesting questions were asked, few answers were to be had, chocolate was eaten.  I felt refreshed.

And then I went in my bedroom.  Sigh.

I hate organizing things.  Kami tried to give me a pep talk and Timothy told me that he could see clear improvements but I hate finding a spot for everything.

Today's homeschool went better than expected probably because we didn't do anything but devotional and science.  The trip to the river was entirely spur-of-the-moment.  I figured we'd make pet rocks out of the many rocks stashed around my house (kids do this) but then decided I'd rather go out and have a more memorable first day.  It was so fun.

Along with the first day of school it was the first day of the new chore system where each child is assigned his/her chores for the entire year.  Today I worked on training Miriam and Emeline.  Neither wanted to be trained, "I already know how to vacuum!"  "I already know how to clean a bathroom!"  However, overall it went great.  The house was tidied in the am and the pm and the kids were pretty willing because it was all new and my kids are great.

I'm trying to journal a little here because I haven't written much lately.  I uploaded my pic tonight and there were over 300.  I hyperventilated.  I'm a little behind in chronicling our goings-ons.

And now I'm rambling.  Good night.