We were only gone a day, yet we were so far from everyday life that it felt much longer. And so refreshing!

I told Curtis that one thing I like about being a large family is that we can stay in cool hotels like this one. We had a loft condo with a full kitchen. There was more than enough room for everyone, and it was very quiet. If there was anyone in a neighboring condo, we didn’t hear them. And there was woods all around, so we didn’t see anyone else, either.

With a water park, golfing, horseback riding, hayrides, even dog sleds, there is a lot at Double JJ to call us back there again.

And I am trying to hunt down their books for the year. Yes, I know I am behind. Yes, I know, I should get kicked out the homeschooling union for that.

Frankly, I’m overwhelmed. There are just too many choices!

I almost wish someone else would choose and buy all the books for me. But that would be school, so nevermind.

It’s already been established that I’m a bad shopper, but this is deeper than that. I read this article last year that summed it up very well. You should go follow the link, but I’ll try to paraphrase what he was getting at. Essentially the illusion of choice just serves to distract us from more important matters.

I totally get that as I work myself into a near panic about which edition of Shakespeare to get for Xay. After reading the basic synopses, it became clear that Shakespeare is going to be hard no matter what. So maybe I should just hope for uniform books, an inspired teacher, and maybe get a discount if I can. Instead I worry that maybe the just right edition will be all Xay needs to comprehend the Bard.

Yanni’s math teacher removed one major source of worry for me. She canceled her class. And I was worried that her choice of textbook was going to be a problem for Yanni. She just got used to Saxon Math last year, and was going to do University of Chicago math this year. Phew. We can go back to Saxon.

Should I be worrying that I’ve failed to find all the books for my two little girls that I plan to teach full-time? And what about their extra-curriculars? Should I sign them up for ballet, or gymnastics, or both? What about the GAMES group, or some other support group with our homeschool organization? Or should I try to build up my own support group instead?

I have so many spread sheets started to help me make these decisions and organize my life. I really don’t have time to write this post.

What do you do to help you make good decisions?

They met 4 years ago. All preschoolers at the time, each was more likely to hide behind Mommy than to cheerfully play together. We kept getting them together. They started getting used to each other. Then Rose and Laurel, twins, had their birthday party. It was August. At a new park. Everyone agreed to wear pretty dresses and explore the wooden play structure together.

Something clicked that day, and the girls have been friends ever since. Yesterday, Rose and Laurel threw their first slumber party. Imani and Joy went to spend the night. For the first time. Not just the first time at Rose and Laurel’s house, but the first time sleeping over at a friend’s house.

They were so excited. Each planned to sleep in their own separate sleeping bag, each doing their best to follow the jungle theme. Joy with the pink leopard print pajamas, Imani with a monkey design. Each had to have the same kind of stuffed monkey to sleep with.

When I dropped them off, all the girls were chasing the various kittens around the house. There are lots of pets at the twins’ house, besides one big brother, and Julie and Mark, the parents.

I got there at 10 the next day to pick the girls up. I didn’t want to make them odious in the face of their gracious hosts. The same little girls that had been running through the house chasing kittens the night before was now quietly coloring at the table. My girls acted as though they didn’t see me, or hear me trying to get them to go. I collected a handful of glitter in the name of goodie bags, located Joy’s toothbrush and hugged my friend goodbye.

“The ice is broken,” Julie announced as I drove away. Let the sleepovers begin!

Do you remember how exciting that was to hear on the Price is Right? Don’t you remember crossing your fingers, biting your nails until you heard Johnny the announcer shout, “A New Car!!!!”

Well, you should feel like you’re watching the Price is Right now, because that’s what we just got!

Now imagine it in jewel tone red, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Then I looked up the cast lists and found that Xay was cast as the bullfrog in Honk, and as a policeman in The Pirates of Penzance. Then I felt mighty fine.

And later, when Yanni looked up Honk on youtube, and found her character sporting a gold sequined prom gown and a crown, I knew that Yanni was perfectly cast.

Xay’s bullfrog may have a nice deep froggy solo, and he gets to be a policeman with his buddy Levi. This ought to be a fun year.

The little kids are more effective. We get flies in the house. Wasps in the house.

Despite the fact that spiders are busily weaving their webs by every door in the house. I swear, I no sooner pull down one web, than another is in its place. And do I see any flies in these webs? hmm? No, mostly moths and butterflies. And huge spiders. What?

Don’t get me wrong. I think the music from The Pirates of Penzance is very witty, well written, funny, and did I say well written? But after a weekend of preparation, followed by a full day of auditioning on Monday, I can’t get that little audition song out of my head.

‘…never was such opportunity to get married with impunity. . .’

And I’m constantly working out the musical problems. Is it a ‘b’ there or a ‘c’, and why? Would it sound better written this way, or is it better the way it is written? I do that with any piece of music that is bored into my skull.

‘. . .so we give up the felicity of unbounded domesticity. . .’

Add to that the fact that Xay can’t help but sing it from time to time, to make sure he still remembers it or something. And Yanni is the complete opposite. “Stop singing that song!!!! I heard enough of it on Monday!!!!”
‘. . . though a doctor of divinity is located in this vicinity.’

*ahem*

Ah, Monday. The day when Xay tried out for his first stage production. Yanni’s third audition. The way our homeschool performing arts puts on a production is very big-time. They take your picture, measure your height, and the fancy pre-printed nametags make you feel really special, or as special as one can feel in a cattle call. It is dizzying to keep up with all the girls that tried out.

The group of boys was much smaller. It will be interesting, having had one of each try out, to see how that worked out. But I can say that I am pleased to note that both of my children really put all they had into their auditions. They were embarrassingly (to themselves) dramatic, and they sing in tune on beat. Whether that’s enough to get a lead role remains to be seen, but they both made call backs, so I am happy about that.

Now if I could only forget that song. . .

Look what Joy and I found while watering the grass this morning. It wouldn’t move. It was all I could do to keep from screaming. I mean, it’s pretty and all, but. . . it’s a dead bug! Joy wouldn’t touch it either. Thank goodness we had a camera.

Meanwhile, I’ll try to gather my wits to talk about my big kids’ big auditions today. More on that later.