Typical

Partly due to an ice storm that plundered the entire east coast last night and to some degree my selfish need to drink hot coffee, blog and be inside my warm home, the kids and I have learned some interesting things these last two days. Yesterday we learned that our Little Boy could write his name and today when asked to write letters again, he threw an eraser at my head and laughed fanatically because I AM NOT THE BOSS OF HIM. Fine, I say, wash your own batman underwear from now on. See if I care you adorable thing.

Today started like any typical day as I as dragged myself across the dining room floor, collecting stray legos and string cheese in my hair as I strained to find the coffee maker with my one opened eye. I mentally noted that I should find time to blog about how much of a morning person I’m NOT, but by the time I find time to write I’m usually cheerfully caffeinated and both eyes have come into focus, so I forget about my morning fog. But today felt like an all-day morning except I couldn’t continue drinking coffee lest I wanted to be up all night watching Adult Swim on Cartoon Network – which would’ve been all right except I’ve found I’m much nicer when I sleep.

So other than handing my big kids their structured math lessons, I didn’t have the energy or desire to put together paper lessons. (Despite knowing he’ll be home soon, having my husband gone on business creates a silent, invisible void that can be louder and clearer than anything.) Here’s where the internet becomes my best homeschooling friend. Actually the internet has become my best ever friend, long before the words home and schooling ever came together inside my mouth. Not only did we have excellent spelling lessons, but we were able to learn everything there is to know about leeches and their medicinal purposes and blood worms, their four black teeth and how similarly their bite feels like a bee sting. A most excellent person allowed themselves get bitten on camera for our viewing pleasure. I’m fairly certain there isn’t anything cooler in a tween’s world than biting worms. (Well, we all know that sword fighting the cracken with Jack Sparrow while drinking a case of Mountain Dew would be much cooler but I don’t like to think about that.)

And now, now that my all-morning day is coming to a close and children are starting to get hungry, I have struck gold with Netflix’s on-demand television watching experience. One swift search for rad 80’s cartoons and I’ve scored myself an hour of quiet, glassy-eyed children. If you aren’t lucky enough to remember Astroboy, then you’re probably from Easton. Enjoy.