Common Core

The more I read about Common Core the more upset I get. I do live in a state where it is implemented. The kids used to bring home spelling words. It has been phased out. I make my children read at least 15 minutes a day but only the 1st grader is required to do so, at least that is how it is right now. The 1st grader also bring home math based on base ten. I have no issue with that right now. When it gets more complicated... I might have an issue. I will end up having to teach my children simple stacking because who is going to balance their check book using base ten? 

A lot of things about this upsets me. I am for having standards across the country. That isn't a bad idea. I just wonder why the U.N. is involved in American education. 

Right here it is:
http://www.esdtoolkit.org/esd_toolkit_v2.pdf
page ten last two paragraphs.


I have a big family. I have birthed five children. I have one step child. I have gone to college. Thank you for the stereo type. 

Now I am about to stereo type our government. I think most of the are idiots. They are either spoiled rich people or they were once normal people but on the way forgot what normal was. I see our country falling apart. It's sad but we are raising children who aren't going to be able to simple math without making a huge problem out of it. Children who do not know how to sign their own name in cursive. (How are they going to sign binding legal documents?)  Children who are going to be put on career paths in 6th grade. (I'd be a preacher right now people. Those of you who know me know that is not a bright idea. I'd never sleep for worrying about the people who were in my church.) 

There are just so many issues with CC. So many I can't cover them all. 

I know I could home school. But, I think the woman who do are amazing woman, I can't handle that right now. I am not organized enough. I soon may have to get organized though.  


I will get reading and researching and praying.

How do they do that?

 I just don't get it. There are a ton of big families out there that home school, blog, keep a cleaner house than mine, and cook from scratch.
 HOW DO THEY DO IT????

I personally have the hardest time sitting at a computer. As I type right now I have a bouncing 6 month old in my lap. Earlier I had two three years old pulling on me and a 22 month old wanting my attention. I just can't understand how they do it? How they write huge long blogs every few days. I can't barely get out a paragraph or two. If you are a mom of many and read this please enlighten me in comments!

Also how do they have the time to organize homeschooling? I barely can figure out what to teach my pre- schoolers each day and let me tell you; some days they are taught nothing. We do talk about things each day like colors and shapes. But arts and crafts just don't always happen. Example: AddieGrace just came up to me and said,"I like butterflies". So we had a conversation about butterflies. How do you plan that? How in the world do you teach kids of varying ages each day what they need to know without one dominating?

And I am now getting interrupted again with a care bear necklace.


And my blogs are random.  I am on one topic to the next because I get interrupted so much. If I re-read and re-typed everything I'd never blog. Which some of you are thinking, "Please stop the blogging!"
I know I know random at it's finest,




Back on topic here.  How are they cooking from scratch?
I tried to home make buttermilk biscuits last night. As is the usual husband was outside so I had all the younger kids (4 of them) with me. I had to break up fights, screaming matches, kids running off with stuff, etc...     Then I get the "I want to eat eat". My kids don't say it, they YELL it.  (Now they are fighting over a chair.) I can barely cook hot dogs (Brayden just climbed on me.)  Let alone anything that requires thought. I have cooked things and let ingredients out and we have had to suffer through the meal.



Cleaning. I swear I do it. I do it a lot during the day. So why does my house look like a tornado went through it?  I vacuum ALL THE TIME.  (Brayden is fake sneezing all over my keyboard and Anna is tugging at my shirt. Emma Kate is handing me a sock.)    I am constantly cleaning up spills, pee, food and whatever else these babies do during the day. My husbands gets home and wonders why I haven't done anything all day. Nice huh?


So please my fellow momma's tell me how you do it? (Now to get the baby that is tugging on me.)

The rough road ahead

I confess I am a slacker mom. It isn't for lack of trying but my three year old twins are still not potty trained. My first son was easy. No issues. No playing in the poop phase. The twins are a while different ball game. I feel like I have puppies in my house.AddieGrace just didn't care. I have tried bribery. Candy, make up (Yes I have a 33 year old diva trapped in a 3 yr olds body.), promising to do her room in princesses, getting her ears pierced.... Finally this past week it has partially clicked! 
Brayden on the other hand. Well he is Brayden. I can't count how many times I have cleaned up after he has played in his poop or peed everywhere. I have even made him clean up his own pee. Which I think back fired since the boy loves to clean.  I just go with the flow with him.

Now on to Emma Kate's paci. Hubby says it is time for it to go. I keep saying that is not a battle I am willing to get into right now.  She is after all only 22 months and very attached to her pap-pap.


We are also in the process of moving Emma Kate into the big girl room with AddieGrace and moving Brayden back into the room with Avery.  Last summer was a flop. Brayden and Avery would stay up and play. Brayden still woke up a ton at night. I am hoping that since he will be older this go round he might do better.   

Doing all this is going to take some work. Which is why I am so random and exhausted. I know they won't go to school without being potty trained and I know Emma Kate won't sport a pap-pap the rest of her life. I just feel pressured to get it all done. But, the kids will do it in their own time.  

End of an old year, Beginning of a new

As the old year closed I reflected upon all that went on:
New house
New baby

and all the little things that added up

Stress over finances
Family Discord


Then I asked myself, "What really changes when we begin a new year?"
I know that the date changes and people make a whole lot of resolutions that usually end within a month of two of making them but what really changes?

I concluded nothing.
We are still getting older, the children are still growing up, stress over finances will continue and there will always be family discord of some type.

But we can strive to make little changes in ourselves and outlooks. I know not everything is permanent and things can change in the blink of an eye.  Crap happens, good things happen.  We just have to make sure that good out weighs bad.