Long time gone….

It seems like yesterday I was sitting down drinking my coffee and this idea came to me…it seems like yesterday I decided to create a BLOG…but I have been gone a long time. LIFE happened and it happened in a sorrow filled way that just continued into a roller coaster of never ending ‘no time to my self, sadness and NO TIME’. One of my last post was in August, near the end, and the come September my sweet granddaddy fell ill, we were evacuated from our beloved farm due to the Hurricane that barreled down upon us. He never fully recovered from the evac and the weakness just continued to grow. Come October he had been hospitalized two times with no hope of ever being the same semi independent man, and we began to prepare our hearts to say goodbye. Mid November he drew his last breath and bid this world farewell….our hearts shattered into a million pieces, however we knew he was free from the pain that riddled his body and heart. Life turned into a roller coaster of emotion, crazy busyness to keep our minds off of it, and a huge life move. My husband and I decided that it was in everyone best interest leave the city house we loved and move out the the now half vacant farm to join my parents and help pick up the slack. This long and arduous journey has finally come to an end as we finished our 6 month move the end of May. We still have a long way to go, but my heart is over the moon excited to be on my beloved farm full time.

Ireland’s health has been another issue on our roller coaster of stress and unending worry. The poor thing continues to go up and down and every time we think we have found the right mixture of meds to help alleviate her pain and discomfort, it stops working and we are back to square one. Oh wait….let me back track there for a moment….I don’t believe I ever mentioned what she has. For the people that read this and know me, you most likely know then. She has a chronic gastrointestinal disorder that prevents her body from absorbing certain enzymes and over absorbing others, and her intentions do not contract like a normal persons so her food sits and sours in her body. She also has severe anxiety issues and her brain lacks the ability to produce enough chemicals for her to sleep which causes her body to stress and causes her stomach cramp and not empty even more so. She lives with day to day pain, cramps, strict diet issues and never being able to live up being a kid with a happy carefree existence. each week is different for us…some weeks we have very little pain and so much joy, but more than most we have cranky and painful mornings with not wanting to take her dozen pills, upsets from not being able to run and play for hours on end because her body lacks the proper nutrients to give her all the energy she needs, mix in multiple nauseous episodes through out the day and then end our night with clammy body and vomiting because the food has finally sat too long in her body. We have tried a million different things, been in a out of the hospital with her and have had multiple test run, with no helpful resolve. One day I hope that this sweet soul will get the treatment that will put this pain and agony to rest….She has been having constant flare ups the past 3 months and has missed so many things….birthday parties, VBS, field trips with our school group, etc. One of the best things we could have ever done was to make the decision to home school, and we still love this journey we are on.

Now that life has slowed down just a bit I am hopefully going to be able to get back into the swing of things. We are in full planning mode over here for this new school year and for more renovations of the farm, as well as more animals to add! We already have our bunnies ready to breed, getting ducks and more chicken in a month and then our sweet goats. Look for our newest adventures soon to come! I promise I wont be gone to long!

Eclipse Anyone?

Oh goodness!! Im so very excited to do school this week! I mean I get excited for every teaching week, but this week is SPECIAL! Its Pre-Eclipse week! I made sure to clear the science schedule for this week so we can fill it with fun lessons and crafts to reflect the eclipse!! This is such an amazing event to partake in and I want to imerse Ireland in it fully! Being in the part of GA we are, we will get 92% totality and this is just EEK!! There are SEVERAL locations around the low country selling proper glasses, doing ‘parties/events’ & hosting FUN! But to prep for it I have some awesome links for yall to teach about and craft about the Eclipse Fun!

http://booksandgiggles.com/2017/06/solar-eclipse-craft-for-kids.html/

http://enjoy-teaching.com/solar-eclipse-resources-kids-teachers.html

http://homeschool-101.com/eclipse

https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/downloadables

http://oureverydaychaos.com/solar-eclipse/

http://www.aplushomeschool.com/2013/11/free-solar-eclipse-math-lesson-mini-unit.html?m=1

And as always PLEASE practice saftey! Follow this link for saftey concerns!

http://www.shareitscience.com/2017/05/the-great-american-solar-eclipse-safe-viewing-education-resources.html?m=1

 

 

 

 

Am I Alone?

Ahhh 1 entire HOUR alone a week…well an hour that Im not snoring in my sleep anyway! As a HS mom/parent do you struggle with getting ‘you time’? Gosh I know I sure do!

Don’t get me wrong, I love this life and this path…but come on yall…it is a rough life…you run and run and do things for everyone all day long and you forget that YOU need things too!

Once a week Ireland has a specialist apt and I get to sit in the cozy waiting room with 80’s music playing softly, my feet proped up, and absolute NOTHINGNESS…awww the sweet and small joys right! Guess what, I get lonley 😂 I absolutly loath being alone, and I wonder why my child is like a leech to me 😏. I make sure to bring lots of school books to lesson plan, or a good juicey mama book, or I text and get online to play catch up without feeling guilty!

Do you struggle with this too? I think as HS mama’s we really need to make it a priority to get ‘Us’ time…just an hour or so a week to do ABSOLUTELY nothing if thats what we choose…or to take an u intereupted drive with our fav music turned up, or have a lunch date where you can have a legitmate adult conversation! We need to pour as much love and dedication into ourselves as we do our children and familes! So mama’s…go do you, just you and it’s ok to feel lonley, & to feel guilty, BUT  enjoy your own company!

Coffee Anyone?

Do you have a set ‘wake up & go’ time in your Homeschool household? I tell ya what, we tried it for months and months! It didn’t matter that sweet thing had to do it when she was in Public School, but she fought and was downright HORRID if I got her up before 9:30! Most of it isn’t her fault, bless her..she suffers from quite a few health issues and one happens to mess with her sleep 😑😕….BUT anyway…I always get the ‘pleasure’ of waking my happy butt up before her and getting things in the house going. And I enjoy a cup of coffee in solitude…quite sweet nothingness, then I go to wake the monster! I have to kiss her cheecks, ticckle her belly & promise her coffee..ok bribe her with coffee 😂, I tell ya this child was born with coffee in her blood and she needs it just as much as mama! So our lovley morning routine is…tickles to wake, & coffee with breakfast…sometimes we enjoy that with grandaddy and chat about whats planned for the day, or if its beautiful and cool out like yeaterday we sit on the vast front porch and enjoy nature! This helps her wake up, shake off the sleepy and get into gear! And I adore these few moments where she isnt being sassy, grumpy or pouty!

Now Im not going to sit here and tell you that our whole day has a ‘schedule’, matter of fact aside from the ‘ do two subjects, have a break, do two subjects have lunch, do two subjects ed class’ we don’t have a set schedule/routine. Thats the beauty and freedom of homeschooling! Yes we have structure and what not, but at 6 years old their minds can’t process a task such as strict set schedules very well…it gets mundane and boring to them, & one important part of homeschooling is being fun, engaging and open! So set a ‘soft’ schedule/routin and choose something you always do to help get your days started but don’t stress over timed schedules…after all its not the military!

No Truer Words..

Are you awake?

Do you ever find yourself laying awake at all hours of the night….well more like morning? You know you have a million and one things to accomplish tomorrow, your eyes hurt, you heading is racing and you are slap worn out!! BUT you aren’t sleeping are you? Do you ever feel alone in this crossroads you face almost every night/morning? Heck I know I lay there sometimes cursing myself, telling myself how silly I am for wasting all those precious hours of SLEEP, & I know I MUST be the only stupid silly mom out there doing it!

The reality is, more than I know lay awake doing the same exact thing…do you like to scan through the latest internet gossip? Or maybe cram in some much needed reading of that every so tear jerky book…ya know more than the mere 5 mins the kids let you have! Or is it just the simple fact that for once during that day everything has come to a stand still EXCEPT your mind! Yep, me to! I can’t seem to shut it off, until its like 3am and I NEED to be awake with coffee in my soul by 8!!! My poor mind just can’t shut off anymore and it is leaving me run down and muffed 😑…yup I said muffed!

We as moms and wives revolve our day to day lives around our children and families and just go and go! We use every ounce of day light, and every sec the clock can spare to get ‘everything’ finished! Do you know what that is doing to us? THIS! We need to make a promise to ourselves…we need to make ‘Slow down and unwind time’ towards the end of the day…those dishes will still be there in the morning, and that load of laundry will eventually get folded or worn from the pile on the couch. We need to stop focausing on the ‘rat race’ of the day and give US the same effort and care we give to everyone else! So pick up your book, take that hot bubble bath, or sip that glass of wine…just not at 3am 😂. Let’s love US like we love THEM! I know, I know…Im going! My eyes are begging to be shut now!

This Is Us…

This is us…a simple family of 3….the not so typical American family….oh because we don’t have 2.5 kids…thats the going number it seems! No we are perfectly content being in the one and done club! It makes travel, school, LIFE easier 😂. Don’t get me wrong my poor ovaries see new babies and they jump up and down and BEG for a new baby atleast once a month but its juat not in our plan to have another…& thats ok! In society today families of all sizes get critized! ‘Oh wow, 7 kids…are they all yours…if so do they all have the same dad?’ Or ‘Wow just 1? But she is so beautiful & I know lonley! She needs a sibling! Stop putting it off, you arent getting any younger Kate!’….its amazing how everyone else feels they know the perfect # YOU are supposed to have 😂, psh get on with ya bad self!

Ok so back to Us… My wonderful, goofey, nerd of a husband is a College English & Film Professor of 18 years, & a beach loving city boy from Long Island Ny. He loves hiking and being on the water, just as much as a great Sci-Fi film, & is a trivia and pun fanatic!  Me, well Im a sophiscated country princess that loves helping on my family farm,  I have to sew just as much as I breath (Its my passion & job 😂), I own an online children clothing boutique, & Ireland and I care for my ailing grandaddy. I love any and everything from the 80’s and I adore reading. And then there is Ireland, the firey blue eyed, blond haired Irish Princess that makes our world go round! She loves anything outside and on the farm, & the water! Give her a pool, beach, river or mud puddle and she is your bestie! She is a wild spirit with love in her heart for everyone, & she has no fear! She is the perfect mix of a Tom boy and a Diva! She makes us scream, cry, smile and laugh…& sometimes all at once 😂. She is a VERY strong willed individual and very outspoken but such a kind soul, & wise above her years! Am I biased? Ok maybe, but seriously! She would rather read a book or write then play with toys, & go outside or voulenteer out in the public with the eldery than watch TV. We do this thing called life with some of the best family and support system we could ever ask for! My mom and dad, best friend of 10 years and the most amazing in-laws a girl could ask for!

We NEVER dreamt that we would be a Homeschooling family…after Sandy Hook happened in 2012 Ireland was just 2 years old and I never wanted her to attend public school for those many irrational fears! BUT as she bloosemed we saw that she was a social butterfly and thrived with others, so we placed her in my hometown elementary and it was a great fit…for a while. Then her health started to decline and she bounced back and forth out of dr’s, hospitals, school and home. Our poor little girl was diganosed with a chromic gastrointestinal disorder that left her bloated, in pain, constipated and all in all miserable most of her days. Fast forward to 1st grade and after fighting countless committies in the school due to her missing days, we realized that the PS system only cared about #’s and not our child. She had AMAZING teachers but lack luster administration, & her mentality and personality were suffering! So we made the leap…it was stressful and hectic at first, but then I met some amazing HS familes and learned that you have to let it out, take it one step and a time and not stress so dang much! Did we ever see ourselves like this? No…Do I miss my Mommy freedom? Sure I do..BUT Inwouldnt change this experience for the world! So join us on this journy, laugh with us, cry with us and learn with us!