Monday, Monday

While kids all over the city and possibly the state woke up bright and early, removing tags from their favorite new outfit recently purchased, slid their feet into new shoes, grabbed their lunchboxes carefully packed the night before and headed out to their first day of school...
my girls slept!
Yup..they slept right through the motions that everyone else around them were going through. They did wake up and go through their own motions of sorts...

"Oh Mom, do we really have to start this this early?"
"Jeez, don't we at least get some kind of break?"
"What? Two hours????? Why?"

It was our first day of homeschool too!!

Of course I gave them time in the morning to rest up or wake up and prepare for our lessons. I was up til 1:30 am the night/morning before trying to finish enough work to last them a few days. I was able to do it. Lena's work doesn't tire me or stress me out the way CC's does.

After much thought about what would be the best way to go about it this year, I decided to do our usual 4 hour school day but break it up in two parts with an hour break in between each one.

So,while Lena was doing one hour on the computer researching her Texas history, CC was at the table doing her Spelling and Math. Then when that hour was up, they switched around.
They did try to test me of course. Lena kept talking to CC and CC kept getting up to make coffee.... come on! It's only TWO HOURS!!! They took their break and then it was back to work. And they have enough to last them for sure through tomorrow and into Wednesday. By then I will be up and ready enough to make more.



Lately Charlie has been super aggressive to Luigi. Usually Luigi runs away from Charlie and tries to avoid him altogether. But Charlie just doesn't let it go! Just a few days ago Charlie took off after Luigi and Luigi ran behind the table towards the backdoor to try to get away and Charlie followed/chased him there. All I saw was Charlie scratching Luigi from under a chair, he was getting Luigi's chest and later we saw his ear too. And then I saw some of Charlie's fur flying. It was bad. Luigi's nose had scratches and his ear was bleeding. They were barking and hissing at each other. Poor Toby was so scared. He kept low to the ground and his little tail was bushy. After that it was like Charlie and Luigi were ok. They were even standing beside each other closer than I have EVER seen.

....But then today.....

I was in the garage with Papa Bear and Charlie and Toby. Luigi wanted to come in but I didn't think it was such a good idea to have them that close in such a small area.

Charlie started after Luigi.
Luigi ran.
I yelled at Charlie.
He stopped for a moment....and thought about it...he thought....and then....

He shot off after Luigi like something I've never seen!!

He was clawing Luigi on his stomach and legs... but this time Luigi fought back. He was barking...mean....
and he opened his mouth....and this is where my heart stopped.... all I could think was my baby is going to get torn to shreds in front of my eyes.... so Luigi opened his mouth and closed down on Charlie's shoulders and neck.

I FREAKED!!!!!

I got in the middle and pushed Luigi off of Charlie and Charlie, feeling the release went right after Luigi again.
CC grabbed Luigi's collar to put him outside and Emil grabbed Charlie by the back of his neck and took him to our room.

My leg was burning like fire. I was scratched in the middle of the fight.
I went to check on Charlie. He was fine. Lots of Luigi's slobber on his back, which I'm sure he hated. But he was fine. Luigi knew he was stronger and bigger than Charlie and he knew he could hurt him.

But he didn't. He just held him there til we could come diffuse the situation.

I love my Luigi...he is the sweetest, most gentle dog in the world. Any other dog would have let Charlie have it!

They are still being kept seperated. It's nuts having to do this... but as long as Charlie acts like this we have no choice!

This evening after I served our dinner I saw Lena playing on the computer looking so cute in the pig tails I put in her hair. I snapped this picture of her. She's making a funny face because she knew it was for my blog and she had to be as silly as possible. That's ok... I still love it!

My sweet little Lena kept telling me over and over that this is the best school ever and she loves her homeschool. And I'm so happy to be here with them. I just hope I can stay home with them for a while and not have to rush back to a full time job right away......

I am so tired. I feel completely exhausted. I didn't think staying home would be this tiring but it is! It is non-stop, someone ALWAYS needs something. But it's ok..I love doing it for them. I feel productive, like I am really contributing something to my family. I am being an integral part of my family and the progress of my family life. I do believe that the mother should be home with the children. Unfortunately, the past several years it wasn't an option for us. I am using every moment I am home to do something fun with the girls, teach them what I can.... I'm not wasting one moment because I don't know how soon it will be taken away and I'll have to go back to work and I don't want to look back and say "Man, I wish I would have done this differently...." I don't want to regret one thing or miss one opportunity to be with my girls... I am truly enjoying every moment, every busy moment with my family!