The White House

The White House

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Did Someone Hit the Fast Forward Button?

Sunday already?  Time flies...

Friday morning the snow was still coming down.  I measured the new snow on the van and we got around two inches. There were all kinds of road advisories and accidents.  Elijah's bus was 20 minutes late, but Emily's was on time.

 I am losing hope about a May 1st start-up for the greenhouse.  I sure wish it would have been finished last Fall.  Seems like we do everything the hard way.
 Made my rounds through all the bedrooms and started some laundry.  Emily had a fly in her window.  Even he had enough sense to come in out of the snow.
 Won't it be nice when Nick has a view of green grass and flowers?
 I need to learn how to take cuttings from the Impatiens, but the idea of whacking away at them makes me sad.  I'm sure I'll mess it all up.

By 9:30 AM the snow stopped, the skies cleared, the sun came out and everything was drip, drip, drip.  Like I need anymore ice around my house.  It is already like walking through a land mine to get upstairs.  If I survive this Spring without falling I will be grateful.
 At 10:30 AM Lucas and I took Olivia to school.  It is still very much winter on Cripple Creek Road.


My poor old van could use a new windshield, but that's probably not going to happen any time soon.
After a full-day of animal/gardening/house chores, Lucas and I picked Elijah up from school and gave him a ride to meet friends.  Then we were back at Emily and Olivia's school to catch part of the teacher talent show.  That is Emily's teacher in the middle in purple down on her knees.
 These ladies were singing "I Love Rock 'n Roll" by Joan Jett.  The "lead singer" was Nicholas' Kindergarten teacher 13 years ago.  She also taught Elijah Kindergarten and First Grade.  Somewhere in the crowd were my little girls (the bleachers were full behind the students on the floor).
 The next stop was to pick-up Olivia's new glasses.  This is when we got to the office and we were all still happy.  When we walked out one and a half hours later we weren't as happy so no photo of the new glasses.
 Grandma had contacted me Thursday night asking to have the kids over because she missed them all.  They went to her house a little after five and didn't come home until I picked them up Saturday night. Wow!!  With all five kids engaged that left Mr. White and myself all alone.  Another Wow!  Being the wonderful loving romantic man he is, it didn't matter that he'd worked 12 hours.  He still drove me out to Two Rivers Lodge (39 miles from our house) for all-you-can-eat Snow Crab.  I should have taken more photos of our dining experience as the Lodge is classic rustic Alaska, but my conversation was far to engaging to think about photos.  We were completely alone for much of our dinner and it was the most relaxed I've been in a long time.
I  tried taking photos on the drive home, but that road is up-down and rough.


 You have double-wides in your neighborhood?  Here they have triple-wides! Things that make you go hmmm.
 Did I mention we had a load of dirt in the back of the truck the entire drive?  Saturday I was up early since I didn't have the little ones.  I have a lot of gardening to do and actually put in about 8 hours in the plant room yesterday.  I don't feel like I got anywhere so I  am either slow or have too much for one person (I'll try to get photos of that later today). Anyhow, I shovelled out 1/3 of the truck while Nick and The Krohe shovelled out the other 2/3 for me. Now I need some perlite and moss to mix with it.  It could use compost as well, but that is still frozen solid.  I'll just have to make do because the couple bags my hubby picked up for me were $16 a piece and I won't be buying more of them!  This whole truckload was $40.

 And that brings us to Sunday.  Started off doing some cleaning...you know, 'cause this is exactly where I would put my work gloves when I was done with them *Nick*...under the kitchen table.  Gives you some idea of what I'm up against with the other six occupants of this house. I've given up on having a tidy home and settle for livable! 
So much to do today.  Elijah, who is not always completely forth-coming on what he has to do, is reading "To Kill A Mockingbird" for class.  It is completely over his reading level...I assure you he did not understand what they meant when they said "The Haverfords had dispatched Maycomb's leading blacksmith in a misunderstanding arising from the alleged wrongful detention of a mare, were imprudent enough to do it in the presence of three witnesses.....".  There are multiple phrases in that sentence he would not understand (due to his low reading level) so it gives you some idea of what I work with each day.  All his text books are too difficult as well so I have to read and explain them all to him. It's okay though...he is who he is.  Shoot, I know some adults who wouldn't be able to read this book and explain it to him either. And what about those kids whose parents aren't willing to sacrifice "their" time to do this?  I feel bad for them...in fact, I have helped some of the kids' friends with things like this because they didn't have anyone else.  Elijah gets most of my hours of each evening, but I'll do whatever is necessary to help him.  Anyhow, I got that he had to read, but not the part about writing chapter reviews.  Today, I'll be reading 168 pages and helping him write 12 chapter reviews.  Nice. Funny thing is I've already read this book with Nick and Cody three years ago so as I read each sentence I remember it, but do not remember it without reading again. I also will be helping Emily with the poster for her book report that is due tomorrow.  And make more note cards for Elijah's science test. And make Nick note cards for his Economy final. And the plants...and animals (having a "boyfriend" over to breed Roxie as she is not cooperating at his house)....and the Little Ones need lovin' on.  Oh, my poor husband.  How much time will there be left for him on his only day off after I take care of the needs of the kids and animals?  Probably not much.

2 comments:

Janie said...

At least you had one romantic night out with your husband. That's got to be a rarity to have all the kids gone for a night!

Kim@Snug Harbor said...

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/

My daughter swore by this in high school. HUGE help as well as being a giant time saver - especially helpful for slower readers. Check it out.

Glad you got a much needed night out!