Yup, so today we officially started our schooling year. Having completed the last 21 years of homeschooling we have had many first days. This one, was quite memorable. We survived and I’m just really glad about that. For you who think moms of many have it all together because they have both big families and home school too, yeah, well, that is totally a joke, trust me! We are real people, with real crazy days, and always more craziness because of the sheer numbers!! 
I am normally up very early. This morning I overslept I hate that!!! I was kicking myself. Ugh.
Then Mr. Elijah wasn’t in a cheery mood. He just had that look, ya’ know the look?? Then I put he and Elizabeth into the shower and he got some Irish Spring soap bar in his eye. He was screamin’ like there was no tomorrow. After getting them both out of the shower I started dressing them.
Hmmm, what is that smell? I came running (literally) to the kitchen and found smoke billowing from the oatmeal pan. I guess I had somehow left the oatmeal cooking on HIGH (yeah, I know, what was I thinkin’? Obviously I wasn’t. I swear I can’t remember leaving it on high, but who knows.)
And no, it wasn’t steam…..true smoke. Graham was sitting at the counter starting to work on his school. “Graham!! Did you not smell the smoke?” “Ummm, I can’t smell anything with these allergies.” Well before long the room would have been filled with smoke…..nice touch…..scratch that pan of oatmeal – the bottom of the pan was completely crispy and black (a pleasant shade of black, almost umber, but none-the-less not too tasty.) I got a new pan out and put oatmeal on again.
Before long Elijah and Elizabeth started clawing, kicking and fighting each other, so both went back to their cribs where they screamed for awhile.
Daddy had been gone since the wee hours and stopped back home to pray with us as we embarked on yet another year. He gave them all a sweet little speech about mom being the boss during school hours. =) We had our traditional donuts and coffee that kicks off the first day of this 22nd year……and during it I started to cry thinking about Jubilee – she should be at our table this year….we’ve been trying to bring her home for just about 18 months now!!
I started handing out books and before long we settled in to our schoolwork. Elijah and Elizabeth had stickers they were doing, but they got bored and got down and were riding the trike. Back and forth behind us as we worked. That little red trike, compliments of my sweet friend Kim, squeaks like crazy. But really, it’s a blessing because it’s kind of an extra little alarm system with the little guys. Hear squeaking? All is well. Squeaking stops. Uh-oh.
All of a sudden I realized I had not heard squeaking in a bit. I got up to look and Elijah had parked the trike and was literally chugging a 2 liter of Pepsi. I didn’t grab my camera quick enough, but here’s a shot of what it looked like. As I got closer I found that he had put some crayons in the Pepsi before partaking. Would that be considered a mixed drink? Ya’ know, a little Pepsi and crayons? Maybe called a Waxed Pepsi or something like that?
I took the Pepsi away and he gave me that look like, “Wow, I am soooo busted, but that was soooo stinkin’ delicious while it lasted.”
We settled back into our schooling……
The babies decided to play under the table. Whew! Safe and sound and right where I know where they are. Then I thought, “Wait, what are they playing with?” I looked underneath the table and Elizabeth had a bottle of glasses cleaner open and she had the inside tip dripping with cleaner, placing in Elijah’s mouth saying, “Open up!” Argghh…
It was also Isaiah’s first day of Kindegarten. It was so fun to see him so excited. He was doing adding in his head today (before school started). He was asking Daddy what two different numbers were when added together. Daddy was then asking him. Then Isaiah said, “How much is….(and said 3 numbers)?” Before Daddy could even answer Isaiah had shouted the answer. Dw and I looked at each other shocked. We just might have a Math whiz here.
To all my fellow home schooling bloggy friends – blessings to you as you begin yet another year……kick back, have yourself a little Waxed Pepsi tonight and pray for me, huh?
That sounds like a wonderful first day! I would like a waxed pepsi too if you don't mind. You think Elijah could make me one. (: Your little ones are too cute!
Oh, I love it! Sounds like my house, but we only have 3 here so far. But trust me, my boys each count as a couple of kids! Blessings to you on your 22nd year. I will pray for you, and please pray for me if you think about it, starting year 6. 🙂 And we will be bringing home a nearly two year old into the mix next month… 🙂 More schooltime fun and adventure is bound to be in our future!
Blessings to you and your sweet children as you begin your school year! Have fun……and don't drink anything offered to you by E or E!!
Love you guys!
Hilarious!!!! Oh yeah, so this is only a few years into our gig…comparatively anyway. Our oldest is only 9. So yeah, we started a couple of weeks ago, but not looking so good this week so far- we had 2 really sick ones today, and a few on the border line. So no school right now. Yep, I know when the loud noises stop from our youngest- I need to stop to check on them too!!!! Hey, we have a K, 2-1st graders, 2nd grade, & 4th. yeah!!! Love hearing about fellow homeschoolers though makes me feel more at ease 🙂
Thanks for that laugh as I get ready to end this day. I thought my house was crazy. I love to hear stories like this, I will think back on it when my kids are turning the house upside down and wonder if your going through the same. If it gets to crazy write that note and we'll spend a day looking for apples.
Hey, that sounds familiar! Could describe a homeschooling day at my house. Thanks for reminding me that I'm not alone:)
Tara
oh what a riot! Made me miss my homeschooling days! We are praying for you family and for sweet Jubilee to come home soon!
Blessings!
Sara
ha ha, so, let me break this down.. . you had chaos. messes and mixed drinks for your first day of school?? lol oh and a couple of kds in tot jail for a bit. lol That is quite the way to start the day my sister. lol Cheers! I think I'll have MY pepsi plain– no crayons please.
There's never a dull moment homeschooling with little ones in the house. They're sure to keep you on your toes. Hmmm waxed Pepsi….I think I'll pass. Praying the rest of year year is uneventful and productive. Yippee for your kindergartener. Way to go Isaiah!!!! Praying for mountains to move for sweet Jubilee.
Hee Hee..I know you wouldn't trade a second of the chaos. Blessings for your new school year.
I understand you plight. It seems as though some days run smooth, everyone gets it, no one is impatient and all is right with the world. Then there are days I think I am crazy. I could be at home by myself while everyone is off to school. Never, though would I trade the fun we have for peace and quiet.
amy in GA
Girl!
What can I say but Wow?
To God be the glory!
Waiting for news of His mountain moving on Jubilee's behalf!
I'll be praying here in southern Michigan! We start school next Monday … our 20th year. :o) I'm down to just an 8th & 9th grader. :o/
Theresa
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kidzanddogs/
awww, good luck (not that i believe in luck) homeschooling.
i received a little package in the mail today and i read the note on the back of the box to my niece and basically bawled all over the place.
what an honor to partake in your family tradition, which will now be our family tradition. i'm putting my burnt birthday candle in there as i explain this concept to the hubster tomorrow.
thanks for a good cry and for a forever connection to your family. blessings to all of you as you embark on a new school year!!
press on!
Awe I loved reading this. I always love the first day of homeschooling. We've had days like yours too, only often they weren't the first day of homeschooling. I'll be praying for your school year. Thanks for your sweet words and prayers today dear friend…
hehe…you had an eventful day! Ours was pretty tame, but I'm sure we'll have a few of the eventful ones sometime this year. It was our first official day, as well. Happy homeschooling!
Blessings,
Sarah
You got my prayers! 21 years!!! We are on #3 with 2 students and one toddler….that would be gravy for you!
Praise God for your honest sharing. I'll be praying and trusting God for another great year of home schooling for your family.
As a home school mom of five, I laughed SOOO hard at this and am SOOOO glad these days happen to others as well (is that bad? lol). I needed this laugh tonight and can't get the pictures out of my head…lol…thank you for the pure laughter. Praying for Jubilee to come home every time I pray for ours to.
Thank you for that! Made my day of homeschooling look pretty stinkin' good!!! I am amazed that you were able to get any school done! Is this what I have to look forward to soon? I can't wait!!!! Praying you have a calmer day tomorrow and that you hear great news of Jubilee really soon.
Cheremi
Okay–I'm dying laughing. Welcome to it, huh???? Sounds just like my crazy house–on most days 🙂
Whether you think you deserve it or not, I still admire you! I only homeschool one of my boys and only part time in the mornings, so I cannot imagine doing it with several kids and two wild ones on the loose :-)))
Much love, Barb
Good luck! Have a fun year schooling! They all look so cute and excited to be in class!
This is so refreshing! Thank you for sharing- we have had a mix of wonderful and not so wonderful times today. Started out with a tantrum/melt down from "S" and then I spilled my latte on all our new school books- ugh. ( while Anna was gluing everything to the table) The day ended with our neighbor calling the city on us because our landscaping isn't finished and we have three dogs- which is allowed in our city??? Go figure?? ( I think she is mad because the girls no longer play)
We need to get together over a cup of coffee! Where should we meet?
Bless you! You are awesome!
I have visited a couple times and wanted to respond but have been called away by children- I wanted to analyze your dream!!
That's awesome Linn! You are an inspiration with your vigilance in homeschooling! LOVE the waxed Pepsi; had a great laugh over that one! Gotta love those toddlers. Blessings to you guys as you embark on year #22. Wow!
Irish Spring in the eyes (that's what we use too) and Waxed Pepsi… sounds like a great day to me! Heheh..
Praying for you, my friend.
Btw, that's why I teach fifth grade. Most of them can tie their own shoes, and know a good joke when they hear one!
LOL what blessings those little ones are.. I love reading what they have come up with in a day.. waxed pepsi.. hehe Enjoy!
Oh my! "Cheers" to you my homeschooling friend, a Waxed Pepsi toast! Praying that tomorrow is slightly less eventful . . . at least less of the sort of "events" you had today.
From one Pepsi drinker to another, "You have great taste Elijah, even if you do drink it waxed!"
Praying for your Jubilee girl. May she be at your table soon!
Love from Texas . . . where I'm sitting here staring at my sweeeet new Memorial Box, just in from Durango! Yippee Jesus!!
Love and THANKS!
Tina
Linny,
Thanks for sharing. It is nice to see that you don't have it together all of the time! Makes me feel better! Hee, hee!
Hugs,
Janet, Kevin, Ted, Philip, and waiting for Eli
Well, I'm officially relieved to know that there is even more craziness going on at your house than mine!
Even in those moments that I think it can't get any worse…I'm so thankful that I GET to have my kids home with me and pour into them biblical TRUTH.
It's priceless, isn't it?!!
Gee…I wonder what today will bring!
This is my first year of homeschooling. I'm only schooling 2, I can't imagine any more than that at a time! If your homeschool day is a normal one, then I must be doing something right because it sounds a lot like mine!
I love waking up to your blog each morning. Always entertaining, sometimes the kleenix comes out and always good reminders.
Thank you for sharing your life with all of us!
Melodie Monberg
http://www.themonbergs.com
OH, thank you, Linny. What a blessing this post is!
We started our homeschooling year two weeks ago (DW insists the high schoolers go to "real" school, so we follow their schedule). I only have one toddler (right now) and I do have new kindergartner. What mom can't relate to that"uh oh-it's too quiet" sound? And crayons are always involved in at least one episode of "trouble" each day!
Thanks for making me laugh, istead of cringe. The messes and noises seem like setbacks when you are in the middle of them…but painted through another mom's eyes, we can see the blessings and thank God for His wisdom (she says, as the toddler dumps cheerios in her lap).
God bless your day,
Mary Beth
Love it, love it!!! I love to see
another homeschooling, mom of many,
living my life!!! Today was to be our first day, but since adding 2
new little ones over the summer, and my oldest is gone today, I think tomorrow will be the first official day, although we will do a few fun things today.
I'm praying for you Linny!!!!!
And can you send some prayers my way too!!! Love ya, Donita
I.Don't.Know.How.You.Do.It!? Wowzers! You are my hero!!!!!
Thank you for sharing…you gave me a great gift of laughter…I hope everything goes better today!
We started our first day on Monday and my 13 year old was flipping me attitude off and on all day…finally, he said, Buuuttt Moooommmmm….real whiny and all… and I said, Excuse me, did you just call me Butt Mom??? He didn't laugh, but I could tell we had turned a corner…must have been the Lord prompting me…he was good as gold the rest of the day….
I LOVED the Waxed Pepsi, and I am SURE I have had something simliar to it before…perhaps waxed diet coke….
I am really enjoying your blog…especially the memorial box posts…I am wrapping my mind around how we can incorporate that into our family…I totally agree that we need to document the faithfullness of the Lord in our lives….remember lest you forget….
C~
This is my first year homeschooling. I have a 2 yr old who has managed to put "art" all over the house while I have not had my eye on him. But thats ok I am LOVING homeschooling. You are always a blessing! Thanks !!
Melissa
Wow! What a first day! I hope it was like a dress rehearsal for a play…if the dress rehearsal is filled with oops than the play is terrific! May your year be a blessed one!
Our first day we woke up to a police phone call telling us to stay inside because an armed and dangerous man was outside! He was chased into our neighborhood and found in the yard of a neighbor's house! Praise God that he was found and the Lord protects!
Would love a waxed Pepsi!
Serving the King
Tricia
You crack me up! Glad to know that my life isn't the only crazy one!
You crack me up! Glad to know that my life isn't the only crazy one!
Ummm … is it September already? Are we supposed to have started school by now?
Well … I ordered my books last night. Does that count?
Having walked through a Crisis for the past 3 months … I'm a little behind this fall.
But … this is our 19th year of homeschooling. I should be able to get things figured out.
mama of 13
We start this coming Monday, and to be honest, I'm pretty nervous that it will be much the same as your day with our DD. The boys will be busy with their work(hopefully) but she is just a little pistol! She DOES NOT like it when her brothers aren't paying attention to her. This year should be interesting now that we no longer have morning naps. I'll pray for you if you'll pray for me, hee hee!
Honestly that sounds great! Easy for me to say!
No, I know it is a joy and honor!
God bless you on this mission! Inspirational, to say the least!
Jen
Thank you for sharing…today was my 2nd day and although I only have 1 "official" student and 3 littles and a baby sitting charge, I felt a bit of stress creeping in ALREADY!! This was so helpful to me to see that, hey, we all have those days and no, everybody else's homeschool isn't perfect all the time!
THANKS!
Amy
Linny, I am a public school teacher and have always dreamed of being able to homeschool my 2 children. This year, my son is in my 4th grade class! It is so wonderful! I feel as if this is as close as I'll ever get to homeschooling, and I am relishing every moment!!! What a blessing indeed!!! Have a wonderful school year!
~Karen
Everytime I listen to our Mwangaza CD, I think of you when the choir sings this song.
Days of Elijah (year of Jubliee)
These are the days of Elijah
Declaring the word of the Lord
And these are the days of Your servant Moses
Righteousness being restored
And though these are days of great trials
Of famine and darkness and sword
Still, we are the voice in the desert crying
"Prepare ye the way of the Lord"
Behold He comes riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call
Lift your voice, it's the year of jubilee
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes
These are the days of Ezekiel
The dry bones becoming as flesh
And these are the days of Your servant David
Rebuilding a temple of praise
These are the days of the harvest
The fields are as white in Your world
And we are the labourers in Your vineyard
Declaring the word of the Lord
Behold He comes riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call
Lift your voice, it's the year of jubilee
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes
There's no God like Jehovah
There's no God like Jehovah
Yep, I get the squeaky trike. S's is a very LOUD H*me Depot ride-on deal that I pulled from the attic. I keep meaning to do a post about how little sisters of two big brothers get things like hand-me-down H*me Depot ride-on toys and Sp*derman floaties, but I haven't done it yet!
Thanks for the dose of reality, but I thought your homeschool day was so productive every day and quiet and … who am I kidding? I know what ours looks like with just 3 and I have just one little one getting into trouble, I mean learning. :)))
As for Jubilee, yeah I keep thinking someone is missing here too. BTW, we are officially going to be DTC TOMORROW. Then the real wait begins. :)))
Praying for Josh,
Leslie
I am now catching up!! Oh, Linny, I love the craziness that big families bring. My hats off to you. How I wish God would give me the discipline to homeschool my babies.
Love you,
O.
I love this post after I read it I thought if Linny can do this then so can I. This is my first year home schooling and I know chaos is bound to happen but when chaos comes I will sit and dring some waxed Pepsi and count my blessings!
Hugs,
Robin