Juggling: Socially Risky Behavior

 Slowly, but surely, I am getting back into the swing of things.  Each day has its schedule, although 'normal' cannot be used to describe my school week.  Or life in general.  What is normal?  There always seems to be a last second change.  A new event needing to be scheduled, things needing to be pushed around to make everything work.  But flexibility is one of the perks of being homeschooled.  And blogging is finally inching its way to the top of the priorities list. :)

Afternoons have, until just recently, consisted of walks to the park with Mom and the two little ones.  While Bear arranges his stick garden or guides Mom into his imaginary house (through the back door, because the front is locked, obviously), I spend our last warm outings differently.  Laying on my back in the grass, watching the blue sky, feeling the light breeze brush my face, ignoring the tingling feeling on my ankle telling me that some curious insect or another is striking out over the unknown and watching trees shed golden leaves.  If not for the leaves, I could have sworn that it was still late August. 

Summer has gone and fall has officially set in.  And I can't say that I am sad to see it go.  I have enjoyed the bright, sunny, warm days, yes, but there is something about fall that I have missed.  The bursts of color, brisk winds, and those cloudy days where the best thing to do is throw on sweats and a jacket, make some hot cocoa and sit back for an afternoon of online classes.

Bingo, Latin style.
(With edible, sugary, delicious playing pieces. Best kind of bingo if you ask me.)

I am enjoying school quite a bit this year.  The stress of the first year of highschool is gone and I have been able to relax after getting used to new online class times and homework due-dates.  And so, on top of online classes four afternoons of the week, and babysitting three mornings a week, there are those super important extra-curricular activities such as football games, helping out with Awana, afternoons spent bowling, and Venture Crew events to fit in as well. 

While I do not claim to have the art of juggling events mastered, I haven't dropped a ball (completely, anyways, there have been near misses) yet.  Hopefully I won't ever.  But that is highly unlikely.

~RM



Time for a Recap

I find that when you get behind in something it is very, very (how much can I stress very?) hard to catch back up.  I apologize for not posting in so long.  And now I am going to use that age-old excuse: "everything has just been so busy."

To recap what has happened during my span of writer's block:
I will probably wear this out quickly but, I love the weather here!!  I have missed the season change and the fall colors and (can you believe it?) the cold.  On Thanksgiving day it snowed!!  That was very exciting to say the least. 
Thanksgiving was filled with food, family, and fellowship which makes a grand combination.  There was way too much food for us to eat and I have a feeling that my aunt, uncle, and cousin will be set for meals for another month.
The Lopez clan has finally settled into some kind of a schedule here in Mimi's home.  Each morning starts with Bible reading and then to the Y for some exercise.  After that it's school time.  Christmas carols fill the house as each student takes their turn at the piano while their classmates work on math, reading, omnibus or french. 
Christmas time is in the air!  The house is decorated, though I must say, it most definitely did not decorate itself.  Stockings hang above the fireplace and each day Bear remembers to tell me which one is his and which one is Cristabel's.  Holiday ads fill our commercial breaks and Christmas music blasts through the cars speakers as we fly down the highway.  It's Christmas in Kansas City!  It is very good to be in my hometown.

~RM

September Spotlight

September .... if you look it up in the dictionary it's definition is: 'full to overflowing'.  Just kidding.  This month Mimi visited.  Everyone went to the dentist, even Bear, that didn't go well ...  Our family hosted small group, which, despite it's name, is not in any way small. I think the grand total present was 39 people.  Things got kinda wacky at work for my dad.  We received our orders (read about that here).  Acceptable winter-in-Missouri clothes have been packed and unpacked multiple times once I realized that I still wanted to wear those jeans that I packed at the very bottom.  Passport pictures were taken (tooken? tooked? taked?).  Isaac and my dad rode one-hundred miles in the Century Ride.  Our small group celebrated a full year of being the Leeward small group.  Riley went to the vet. 
All that and normal life had to continue (normal? what's normal?).  I have read the Pilgrims Progress, the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, the Autobiography of Charles G. Finny, the Pit and the Pendulum, and I am currently reading Of Plymouth Plantation for school.  Algebra 2 is driving me to the utter brink of mental stability.  I'm serious.  Waking up in the middle of the night shouting,  "No! X equals 27, not 13.9827!  You forgot the negative sign!"  Such outbursts do not reflect well on my sanity...  I have learned how to say,  "Qui vous aimez mieux? Lait ou de jus d'orange?" Translation:  "Which do you like better? Milk or orange-juice?"  I feel accomplished.  In science I have learned about Kingdoms Protista, Monera and Fungi (which I like to pronounce fun-jai).  So, life is continuing and getting more exciting as the days pass.  This Friday my parents will be celebrating their seventeenth anniversary.  Next Friday we are hosting the biggest slumber party EVER (in the Lopez household anyway) as my brother, sister and I celebrate our birthdays with friends.  My parents' reasoning behind this insanity is they think it will be best to get it over with all at once.  They have no idea what they're in for ...  So!  That is what the month of September looks like for right now!  I have to go finish some high-order determinants in math ... Pray for me.
~RM