What a time we are having today!   I've had to revise the schedule again.  Its time to start listening to what we need and want around here as a family and homeschooling family instead of what other people want us to run our lives like.  sigh... always hard to draw that line in the sand for me!

Anyway, today, I'm redoing the schedule and so far, we are following along pretty well.  I'll have to maybe keep a journal of what works best and how much more or less time is needed for something to take place.  Already, snack time could be only 15 minutes but I have it at 30 because of the way I did the schedule.  Later I will narrow things down somewhat.

IT is sunny today and that means my kids might get outside later.  Well... JOsh is already out there gardening and mowing the lawn.  We've had so much rain this summer its making the grass really green but also grow real fast too!

The house was tidied up pretty much on time this morning and it still looks good.  One unusual thing was the new printer I had to install this morning.  I needed to use it!  We did it though and I think I am really going to like it.

The kids' school is divided into wierd chunks of time.  Sometimes they are longer than other times and sometimes someone is in the tub while the rest are doing school, but that's the only way we can accommodate all of them having daily baths.  Now... to schedule MY bath lol.   hmmmmm should it be TWO hours.... THREE?  Maybe 10??  depends on the day I guess!

uggh just got bit by one of Manitoba's provincial birds.... THE MOSQUITO!

One thing I've been doing the past week since all these issues developed regarding my son's being gone so much and seeing his tiredness increase while his productivity decreased, feeling the loss of control over our lives and schooling, the stress when the phone rings or someone knocks at the door because of this issue, has made me search out what I want from life as a woman, wife, mother, homeschooler etc.  I'm so tired of people walking all over me and my goals for our children.

The youth retreat we were just at was a tremendous one and it helped so much.  We've relaxed some of our "petty rules" that were in place because mainly we didn't  KNOW we were allowed to "have fun" or "be mischievious" and we've also told our daughter that she may now join the ranks of those who date.  We think 17 is acceptable in our lifestyle for this and since camp comes before three of our children's 17th's birthday, those three will be allowed to date as of that camp.  Fair enough I think.  Our rules are simple too.  We want to know where they are, who they are with, how they plan on getting there and back, that they keep their cell phone with them and on, that they call us if anything changes and ask our advice first and that if there's any curfew issues.... they be discussed before they go out or else we get a phone call immediately once they realize they will be late.  That's all.  I'm not an ogre lol.

Well time to eat.  Michael was to make lunch and threw a fit about doing it.  He hates egg salad and that was lunch.  After several times of being talked to, he changed his attitude and is FINALLY doing as he was told.