Fall Semester

This semester started out great but is ending in a fizzle (at least for me!)  I found out I was pregnant over Labor Day weekend...just a month after we had started school.  I should be feeling pretty good by now, but I'm not...and it's making it really hard to keep up with my little brood!

Mommy reading time has slowed down a bit.  We just finished our fourth book of the semester...it took longer than normal because I keep falling asleep during quiet reading time and often by the time I was awake enough to read...it was time for the boys to get up and too chaotic for me to read to the girls!

I was hoping to do more "extra" activities with my kids this year...but that hasn't happened as I wanted.  Although, as I think about it we have done several extracurricular activities.

*We go to gymnastics once a week.  Kessiah, Jenessa, Sienna and Logan are all in classes at the same time
*We have gone to the library for story time once a week.  Kessiah and Jenessa usually play on the computers or read while I take the 3 little ones to story/craft time.
*Kessiah, Jenessa and Sienna are all involved in 4-H.  Kessiah does cavy and sewing.  Jenessa and Sienna do Clover Kids.  Jenessa has also been attending Kessiah's cavy club meetings.
*Jenessa, Sienna and Logan all played soccer this fall.
*Kessiah has continued to take piano lessons (although our teacher is moving at the end of this month, so I need to find a new one!)
*Kessiah goes to activity days (church group) twice a month

Kessiah:  She started out the semester with a bit of a lazy attitude, not wanting to accomplish her assignments each day.  We had a little talk after a couple of weeks and she has done really well since then.  She is my early riser...usually up around 6:30...she gets started on her work and gets her stuff done early. 

Jenessa:  This girl is NOT a morning person.  She is lucky to get started on school by 10:00...and it's driving me crazy!  I'm constantly torn between letting her get started at her time or pushing her to get moving!  Because I'm too tired to push to much right now....she generally goes on her time...which means she often doesn't finish until around 4:00. 

Sienna:  I feel like she has suffered the most because of this pregnancy!  We did preschool really good the first month and then I got sick and have been really inconsistent!  Jenessa, however, has decided that she is going to be a teacher when she grows up and has taken it upon herself to do preschool with Sienna and Logan 2 days a week....that has been a great help!

Logan:  He pretty much follows Sienna around all morning and takes a good nap in the afternoon.  He has managed to learn a lot even though he has had almost no "formal training"

Mason:  He wanders around during the morning and takes a good nap in the afternoon.  He continues to have a physical therapist come once a week.

Mom:  I have pretty much gone into survivial mode...so if I get the following things done, it is a successful day (unfortunately, there are very few "successful" days!)
1.  Kessiah and Jenessa get their school work done
2.  I get the kids to any activities I deem important enough to put on the calendar
3.  The kids eat something for dinner besides cold cereal or making themselves a hot pocket
4.  The dishwasher gets started at night
5.  The laundry gets started at night