Facing My Fears

One method of overcoming an intense phobia is to face your fear. As most of my friends know, I am deathly afraid of BATS, ever since our first "houseguest" back in 2001. That was the one hidden behind the television stand, where my cat Max was hovering just minutes before. The bat with the apparent scratches on its wing as if something (Max) had scratched it. And the realization that just moments earlier Max had scratched me (unintentionally, while we were playing). We called our vet and his reaction sent me into a tailspin of anxiety, the type of anxiety you get when you overreact to something you have literally no control over. DH had to drive the bat 30 miles away to get tested for rabies, and I had to wait 24 hours to find out the results. The phone call came around 9am the following morning....negative. It was one of those moments of relief that you never quite forget. The whole experience was enough to make me feel sick at the mere MENTION of the word "bat".

Well, much to my dismay we were visited by four more bats over the next two years, and each "houseguest" was increasingly more awful than the previous (minus any more rabies scares). We finally found the source, a tiny space above the air conditioner *just* big enough for a bat to squeeze it's way through. I should also mention that the air conditioner was in our bedroom window. Which was right next to our heads. Ugh.

Fast forward to 2008 and an extremely loud screech that woke me out of a deep sleep. I tried to ignore it, figuring it was a june bug or a figment of my imagination. That is, until I heard the sound in my room. I woke up DH and we sat listening, when all of a sudden SWOOSH!! By the light of the alarm clock, DH spotted the bat flying around right in front of our faces. I dashed out of the room and into B's room (he was standing in his doorway wondering what all the excitement was about) and left it up to DH to catch the sucker. He contained it, and set it free in the morning, but not before D could sneak a peek at it.

D came inside to tell me just "how cute" the bat was, "like a kitty-cat with sharp teeth". It wasn't enough to convince me that bats were cute, but something happened later that same day to help me realize I wasn't *quite* as freaked out anymore.

We were watching a video about wild, misunderstood creatures, and the bat was one of the highlighted features. They showed a few pictures, and the little brown bat just didn't look all that horrible, at least not as horrible as my memory had made it out to be. They explained that bats are actually quite clean, grooming themselves regularly with their sharp claws. Ok, I'm listening. Then they showed a baby bat nursing on its mother, with it's wide face and big pointy ears, and I found myself saying "Awwwww, how sweet!" With a little research and an open mind, I found myself coming around to a greater understanding and even an acceptance of these little upside down flying mammals. Just not in my house.

Weekly Report

Next week D will begin doing math lessons, as well as a few read alouds from the Ambleside Online curriculum (Year 0). I am hoping to slowly ease him into our new routine, which will officially begin next Friday with a "Back To School Brunch" and with lessons starting the following Monday. D loves routine and structure, and he may find it difficult adjusting to our new daily rhythm. I figure by stretching out the transition over a couple of weeks instead of all at once might just help him accept it more readily.

One of the things we'll be doing on a weekly basis is using Wednesday as our "fun day", with only math and language arts scheduled for lessons and an outing planned for the remainder of the afternoon. I am excited to visit the new Children's Museum of Dover which just opened last week. It was featured on NH Chronicle the other night and it looks fantastic. Lots of hands-on exhibits (including a dinosaur dig), lots of color, and a lot of activities for the kids to participate in. If they enjoy it, I am thinking of purchasing a family membership so we can go anytime we want and get our fill of it while they're still young.

The schoolroom still needs some work, but it's nearly finished. Yesterday we bought a black adjustable chair to go with our desk, so at least we have the basics covered. I'd really love for it to be DONE before we begin on August 11th just so that I don't have to think about it anymore and so that the room has a cohesive, inviting feel to it. I've got my work cut out for me this weekend!!

A Robotic Birthday

B turned THREE while we were on the Vineyard, and he is so proud of his self-proclaimed "Big Boy" status. The cake was actually more fun to make than I thought it would be, what with being in someone else's kitchen in a house full of people. I didn't let the need for perfection get in my way like I've tended to do in the past, and without that pressure hanging over my head I was able to actually enjoy the process. We had a small party after lunch with cake and presents, and then off to the beach to play in the waves.

Hubby also turned THREE (plus 8) this month. He has been lost in the birthday shuffle since B was born (the day before his bday)....but his father really knows how to celebrate. So this year Hubby got an enormous lobster feast, fine wine and some really nice gifts. The festivities took place after the kiddos were fast asleep, so we were able to enjoy some grown-up time together with our family and let DH have the spotlight for a few hours.

JULY is Already Upon Us

In our household, the month of July is comparable to the month of December in both festivity and overwhelming craziness. December brings D's birthday and all the endless Christmas preparations and celebrations. July brings a trail of birthday celebrations to plan for (B's, DH's, my mom/dad/brother's), DH's annual family reunion for the 4th of July weekend, and our yearly trip down to Martha's Vineyard with my FIL. Not to mention trying to cram every possible moment outdoors while the weather is nice. But this year is different. This summer brings the added challenge of preparing for our homeschool year, which is scheduled to begin early August. At times I feel as prepared as I'll ever be, while on days like today I feel like I'm in over my head. I still have to:

* Organize, decorate and clean the living room, which we'll be using as our "schoolroom".
* Put together a handful of "activity bags" and finish making file folder games/ felt board pieces which will mainly be used for B's preschooling and to keep him busy while I'm working with D.
* Put the finishing toches on my Teacher's Notebook in order to have it workable and functioning in time for school. I'm ALMOST there :)
* Place my final order from Rainbow Resources and shop the back-to-school bargains when they start to stock up on supplies.
* Work on my menu plans to try to figure out a way to reduce our astronomical weekly grocery bill.
* Wrap B's gifts, figure out what type of cake to make him for his "robot" birthday party, make lists of what to bring to MV, call friends to see if they'll come over while we're gone to feed our cats.
*Get off the computer and stop making lists when I could be downstairs accomplishing something!!

I have to remind myself that this is *only* Kindergarten and that everything that is really important has already been planned and is set to go. The rest is just finding the time to create all the supplemental activities I have in mind, decorate my bulletin board and walls with all the fun educational stuff I've collected over the months, and to relax so I can enjoy the summer while it's here.

Mr. Moose and Mother Goose (Part 2)

Here are the photos from our weekend. I saved the photo of the moose with inverted colors because it was just too dark on the original to see. This was when the moose came onto our path and was looking our direction, deciding which one of us looked the tastiest. The next one is one of the waterfalls at Diana's Baths. The dad's and the 'big kids' climbed the rocks to the top area and were thrilled to find even more water to swim in. The rest are from Storyland. B in the pumpkin, me and my boysies on the swan boats, and Hubby and D on the roller coaster (that's them in the last car coming around the bend).

Mr. Moose and Mother Goose

We don't get away much, especially as a family. Last weekend we spent three days up north with another family that we don't get too see often enough. Four adults and four children in a chalet-type condo right next door to Storyland. I spent the week prior to our getaway wondering how it would go.... what food should we bring for D? Were there any safe restaurants nearby? Did Storyland have any food he could safely eat? How would B do sleeping in a 'big boy bed' in the same room as his brother? Would any of us get any sleep?

Not only did we survive, but it couldn't have gone more smoothly under the circumstances (food allergies, kids getting along, B transitioning to a bed, D's behavior issues). An added bonus was sharing a condo with our friends, allowing us to hang out together after the kiddos went to bed.

The boys got a weekend jammed-pack full of activity, with new sights to see and new adventures to be had. We hiked a path near Echo Lake that led us to the rocky, beautiful waterfalls of Diana's Baths. No sooner had we started up the trail when--literally FEET away--we spotted as moose. We felt safe observing this quietly majestic creature because he was on the other side of a small creek. For the first few minutes. Then he decided he wanted to get a closer look at us and crossed the creek onto our path. Moose are typically gentle by nature but will charge if threatened, and there we stood, all eight of us, stumbling over each other as we backed up ever so quietly (which,if you know my boys, is fairly inconceivable) onto a nearby footbridge. We found our way safely to the waterfalls and spent the afternoon enjoying the icy-cold water.

The highlight of our weekend was our day at Storyland. The kids were just the right age to enjoy the attractions, with the little ones loving the storybook character area and the bigger ones riding every ride in the park. To "close the chapter" (so-to-speak) on our weekend getaway, we ate breakfast at Glen Junction, a fantastically kid-oriented restaurant with a toy-filled waiting room and an electric train chugging along the walls. It was the perfect warm-up to our visit to Hartmann's Model Train Museum, which included a ride on their miniature train. It was a great time, especially getting to witness the excitement and laughter of my boys as they shared this time together.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

To everyone we know who responds when a child calls out "Dad", have a happy Father's Day this weekend. Enjoy the family you helped create. Know that you are loved and appreciated in ways you may not even realize. And to the "Daddy" of my boys, a special thank you for all that you do to love, support, help out with, and take care of your family. Because of you, our house is Home.