Another week flies by. I don't know how I lose time, but I'm getting very good at it. Just over two months 'til Christmas. Thought I'd try to throw you into panic mode (well, everyone except my sister Becky who usually has her shopping done by August -- no, I'm not positive that we're related)

Schooling Emily is going well. She's very happy. I can't wait to get the curriculum I ordered. Oak Meadow. Very artsy and earthy. I think it will serve Emily's mind well. Isaac likes to "do homework" along with us. And Audrey just wants to eat the paper.

Today was a preschool day for Isaac so I stranded myself & Audrey for three hours. Today was the first time that I haven't had a clue what to do with myself. I went to the pet store. Em & Isaac have been enjoying the cartoon Hamtaro, and we've got the hamster set up less the hamster, so Martin & I have been talking about getting one. Of course the mice & rats are in the same area. So I'm looking at the very cute, very fuzzy hamsters, remembering that they really don't want to be held and are nocturnal and honestly aren't that much fun -- but really cute. And I look at the rats, knowing my dear friend Alex and her boys had a couple and they were really social and smart and a lot of fun. But I can't get over the tail. My sister Melissa has a guinea pig and seems to enjoy it, but lets be honest, isn't that the same as a slow chihuahua?

One last thing. Why do Martin's new socks come in a ziplock bag but they can't package my tater tots in one?

The cute factor almost hurts, doesn't it? Audrey tagged along with Isaac's preschool to the pumpkin patch.

And another week passes without an entry. I still have Michele & Colleen beat. They haven't posted since September 18 and September 18, respectively. (Are you reading, ladies? It's a hint :)

Well, homeschooling is going very well. Emily is visibly happier and is actually learning something. Some days she concentrates better than others. Same goes for me though. P.E. has taken on a new purpose as Martin removed her training wheels on Wednesday. I haven't seen her ride as I was at yoga, but I guess she's very good with the exception of the take-off. I'm sure another couple of trips to the Rose Bowl parking lot will cure that. And another note as to the girl's happiness: she hasn't been biting her nails. You can see white nail on all ten fingers. Hasn't happened in three years. I'm thrilled.

Isaac is still digging hard on preschool. He'd love to go more often, but I can't make the haul to Burbank and stay there for three hours more than twice a week. It's the stay that's hardest on me. I can only hang out at the post office so long before security starts hassling me.

Michael & Martin got the computer functioning at a higher level last night. Not to say that it won't crash for no apparent reason at any given moment, but pages are loading faster and I'm reasonably sure that I'll be able to post this without incident.

Volleyball tomorrow. Maybe the Veggie Tales Movie. If the computer keeps working, I'll tell you all about it.

If I could just get a bit in before the computer crashes again, I'd be happy. . .

So very many things to tell you. Don't particularly know where to start. And I'm quite sure I won't get to everything that's been going on. But I'll hit a few points.

Isaac started preschool on Wednesday. It's the same co-op that Emily went to, so I'll be driving to Burbank twice a week to hang out in the SFV for three hours. Lucky Audrey will get to go too! He's digging on OCP (Our Children's Place) big time. Didn't blink when I left today. So very happy for him. Finally some boy playmates.

We trimmed some of Audrey's hair on Wednesday too. Not enough as it still hangs in her eyes. She started getting angry so we had to abort the mission. We'll finish someday. She is the third child, after all. It'll get done when it gets done.

Oh, yeah. And we're homeschooling Emily now. Yup. We became concerned after four weeks of school that Emily was still bringing home math homework that she could do when she was four. (I'm not exaggerating) So we put in a note to her teacher and she called us yesterday. Basically she said that although Emily would be tested for the gifted program soon, no one can be a part of it until the 3rd grade. And as for the lame math, well, we're going by California standards, and we can't really help your bright child, nor could we help your not so bright child. The curriculum is the curriculum. (I'm not angry with the teacher. She's a good woman, and I even found out she's from KANSAS! Her hands are tied by the big system that is Pasadena USD) So Martin and I hashed it over for a short while (we've been considering it for three years, so it's not really anything new) we're gonna give our kids an education -- not a babysitter.

Elsewhere. . .Martin's Dodge Truck commercial is on the air now. We saw it at the end of Monday Night Football and again last night on Scrubs. Hoping for much much more. It's a good looking spot.

Busy busy weekend ahead. Emily starts a volleyball program tomorrow. I'm not sure how much time that's gonna take up, but we're across town for practice at 10:30 am. Sunday we have a picnic with the preschool followed by our friend Tyler's birthday party. Yeah for tired kids!

I'll try to post this before the computer shuts down on me again.