Schwark Academy Blog

I was so excited to start homeschooling Aiden. I spent a lot of time researching curriculum and reading books about home education. I picked my curriculum, spent a boat load of money and set off very enthused.

Before we even began I tried to hype it up for Aiden. "Aren't you excited to start school with mommy?" "Only a couple of more days until your books arrive and we can start school." "Wont it be fun learning something new everyday?" Most of my statements were met with " I DON'T LIKE SCHOOL". I found this odd considering he didn't even know what school was.

Once we set forth, I found the curriculum to be boring, for me, and for him. And it seemed every other day was more about a power struggle than learning anything. I would say "this is purple", he would say "IT IS NOT PURPLE". And back and forth until I came to realize I was arguing with a three year old. "Why would mommy lie to you about what is PURPLE!!"

So, we have ditched the formal curriculum and I am scouring the internet for free resources from much more creative people than myself and we are attempting to do something fun and educational a couple times a week.

I am also trying to focus on just letting him do more for himself. Making food, getting dressed, making beds, etc..

In an attempt to document our projects, so I can remember them for Nolen and Schwark baby #3, just in case I dare to teach them anything I have set up a new blog: The Schwark Academy

If you are interested in what we do for "school" stop by and take a look.

I Cant Breathe

Literally. As the baby gets bigger it takes up more space inside my body, space where lungs usually go. It is probably about 25% physical 75 % mental, as I suspect most of my hangups are. But it really feels like I cant breathe.

And other things start making me feel claustrophobic. Like sitting back in my recliner, or laying down at the doctors office, anything that allows my tiny baby and fat belly to slide up ever so slightly towards my chest cavity.

Weird things have been making me feel claustrophobic lately too, like my rings. It isn't that they are too tight, opposite in fact, all the fat from different parts of my body seems to get sucked into my stomach and butt while I am pregnant, so my fingers are actually slimmer right now. But my rings, my necklace, they draw attention to my lack of oxygen for some irrational reason. Clothes make me feel like I cant breathe either.

Don't worry I will only take off my jewelry.

Now Completely Founded Fear

I was totally freaked out about visiting our zoo after the tiger and orangutan escape at other zoo's last year. It doesn't take much to set my mind to worry. I have what I would consider mostly irrational fears and therefore I ignore them and leave the house anyway.

When visiting our local zoo it has mostly been the "native" animals, ie. squirrels and crows that scare me the most. I have even been physically threatened and harassed by the them. During one visit a bold and probably rabies ridden squirrel came at me so persistently that I had to surrender part of my Starbucks donut just to distract him long enough so I could run in the other direction with my helpless babies. During the same unfortunate visit I exited the Willawong station to find a crow perched on my stroller rummaging through my belongings. When he spotted me coming to claim my items he took off with the rest of my Starbucks treat in claw.

But just last week on the news my irrational fears were substantiated. A monkey escaped its exhibit and the zoo had to be evacuated.

See I knew I wasn't completely crazy. By the way, we will still renew our zoo membership and brave the wilds.

The Best Day EVER

Lately Aiden has been adding "EVER" to the end of most of his sentences. So they go something like this:

"Can I have .... because it is my favorite EVER"
"I dont want to go to sleep EVER"
"I dont want to stop eating cake EVER"

So according to Aiden, and I must say it was a pretty fantastic day myself, today was the best day EVER.

We went to the zoo with a bunch of good friends. 9 kids, and 4 adults. The adults went along for the promise of the cupcakes afterward.

The zoo was great. Lots of fresh air, room to run, snacks, BLUE SKY and SUN!!

Then we went to the Trophy Cupcakes for a special treat (the day might have been the best EVER for me to except even with a GPS telling me where to go, I got slightly lost and we ended up walking more than I would have liked).

Then all sugared up we headed home and Aiden and his friend Trey played outside in the sandbox long enough for Aiden to get sand everywhere, even in his underwear.

So all day with friends, gourmet cupcakes, and SUN...it was the best day EVER.

I Climb, Therefore, I Am

This is Nolen's life mantra currently. He climbs everything. If he cant climb something he goes to find something smaller that he can push over and use as a step. And he is fast. And he has no fear. And is terribly uncoordinated. Thus there are many falls. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, he preserves and rarely gives up unless completely removed from the room. My poor heart gets startled several times aday when I turn around and find him perched atop somthing.

I, yes I made a cake

I try really quite hard to be a good house wife. To me this means baking and cooking, to be more precise, good baking and cooking. Believe me I can burn things like nobodies business, and I often have the smoke alarms going. I usually find a recipe, give my best, and come out very disappointed, go to the store and buy what I wanted made. So sad.

But this is a happy story! I made a cake....from scratch....and it worked! I liked it and more importantly two picky little kids liked it too! It is so great that it is all natural ingredients, no hydrogenated high fructose stuff. It didnt have a ton of sugar either.

So here it is thanks to this fabulous lady at www.se7en.org.za

CAKE RECIPE

I didn't take any pictures of mine, because to be honest I wanted to eat it so badly I could barely wait for it to cool. I just cut pieces out hastily and poured frosting on individually. You can look at her pictures they are very cute and maybe next time I wont be in such a pregnancy induced sugar craving that I can take a moment and make mine look cute too.

by the way the picture is of a Martha Stewart ricekrispiecookie cake....I think that sounds supberb too!

A Small Dancing Aiden

I just found this video of Aiden when he was somewhere between 15-18 months old. I once again think it is priceless, but of course I am a little biased.

Nolen Uses a Cup

So, this is very exciting for me, because it means he is on his way to one more thing that makes him independent. It maybe incredibly boring to you, but I still think he is cute to look at.