whew

Well, we paid our apt. deposit, 1 month rent and real estate fee today. We officially got the apt. that we were hoping to get. We have started packing yesterday, already done with 10 boxes and only did half of the living room... sometimes you don't realize how much stuff you have until it's time to pack it all up.

I figure we should be able to do at least 1 page of home schooling or so every day so we don't actually take a break. But as for all outings, they will have to wait until after we move and get settled in. I did take the kids to a Petco store field trip on Tuesday. We got a tour of the store and learned about all the animals and their habitats as well as how to take acre of them. My kids were very interested in the eel that chases it's own tail and takes a bite of it when he is too hungry, lol.

We learned that it is way too much work to keep a salt water fish tank, and will totally stick to our Beta fish :).
F had a good time talking with his friends A. and D. about Legos and Video games, boys. We made plans for all of them to get together after we are all moved in.

I will be neglecting this blog for a few weeks but will be so busy, this apt. is so much nicer and a little bigger and I get to buy a washing machine whoo hooo! Finally I get a nice big kitchen with lots of counter space and cabinets. No more mess... lots of closet space and shelving in F's new room. Now, I have been home schooling for over 3 years and have a pretty good idea of what to expect from my new neighbors.. and am not looking forward to the endless questions and quizzical looks once I tell them why my children are not in school at 11 am on a Tuesday. Some people get it and others don't and I hope that the ones that don't can keep it to themselves. :) Now to keep my dislike of the public school system to myself as one of the biggest reasons why we do what we do. I noticed it tends to make ppl. feel like our choice is saying something negative about their choice to send their kids to school. I hope that I can convey that what is right for us is not right for anyone else and I really don't care about what hey do as long as they leave me to do what I do in peace. I usually have a hard time keeping my disdain for the school system to myself after a few conversations about school and some of the issues their kids face. So I will try to smile and nod if faced with the questions and just say things like well it works for us, and it is legal and I do have to report to the board of ed. which seems to ease some ppl's minds.

I have to think of a good response as to why we home school, besides the fact that I refuse to send my kids to school, and they are mine to raise and keep and love for as long as I can in a loving home where they are free to learn what they want at their own pace. I know that for some ppl. the idea of be wanting to stay home with all3 of them and be responsible for their education is unthinkable. I just hope they will be like the ppl. on my current block, who ask periodically if I am still teaching them at home, and smile and nod when we walk past them.

Once in a while I get a hello, but for the most part they don't talk to us. You know what, I really like that :). I don't get involved in their business and they stay out of mine...