hair help!

tI have a hair cut coming up on Saturday and I haven't had a hair cut since LAST MAY. Yikes. I need some help. Here's me a few years ago when I had my hair cut super short (for me)

My hair is very thick, coarse, and curly/wavy. Humidity is NOT my friend. I have a LOT of product in my hair up there ^

Here is my hair now, pretty quick out of the shower and totally unfixed:

Here it is pulled back & fixed:

At the least I need a few inches trimmed and my hair thinned. There's no way you can tell how very, very thick my hair is in these pictures so just trust me. I've never once sat down in a new stylist's chair without them expressing shock at how much hair I have.

So... would this cut (but with side swept bangs) look good on me? (It's OK to say no!)

Or this one:

Or, a little longer like #3

Not actually sure my hair will do this without some straightening...

Or, something else entirely! HELP!

Homeschooling Routine

I got this comment from Jen last week:
Would you write a blogpost on your routine with homeschooling and resources? I'm contemplating, but with only one child, I don't know how to handle the free time....I don't want her in front of the TV. She's just turned 3 and knows her ABCs, colors, can count to 20.

I think a lot of what you do in homeschooling can differ depending on your personality and your child's needs and personality. The possibilities are limitless! 
Yes, there will be free time. You could take field trips, explore art and music, let your child explore her own interests when she gets older (my oldest child could build elaborate LEGO creations all day), learn a second language, take classes outside the house, have play dates, cook, play outside, read, play board games, visit the zoo or museums or farms or any number of places, and yes, sometimes watch TV or play on the computer!  ANYTHING that you want to do could be a learning experience! The flexibility is my #1 favorite part of homeschooling.

My general, "best case scenario" schedule on a day when we don't have appointments, play dates, field trips or errands looks like this:
6-8 AM: breakfast, coffee, getting ready for the day, often a cartoon or video game is in here.
8-11AM: math and language arts (writing, spelling, reading, phonics/grammar)
There's often a snack in there somewhere around 9-ish.
Lunch and free time for a few hours. (The kids usually play LEGOs, do some arts and crafts or play various games.)
Around 1 or 2PM we do science and/or history and sometimes art or music, for about an hour or however long it takes.


Don't underestimate the importance of free play and time to use the imagination! I think kids are often not afforded those opportunities.

As for resources... there are so many! Find a good homeschooling group in your area. Check out websites and read, read, read! Go to home school conventions to look through different curriculum. Some of my favorites are listed below.
Resources:
The Well Trained Mind
Leaping from the box - TONS of great links!
Penelope Trunk - I don't agree with all her posts and views, and find her a bit radical at times, but she does give a different perspective on things that make me think.
Book Adventure
Lesson planning
On Socialization
Different methods/approaches

School Days

Our "formal living room" has been a play room since we moved into this house. Last year it became half play room and half school room. Yesterday I was cleaning and organizing it for our first day of school and realized how very little the kids play with any toys in there. They helped me go through everything, and there is now one lone shelf of toys, which is a huge difference from the entire room of toys it used to be! The toys they play with most are in their rooms already, but it's very weird to essentially have an office where a play room used to be. (OK, office/play room.)

Those shelves and baskets are all holding school books, puzzles, files, notebooks, etc. They all used to be covered in toys!

More books behind the door, art supplies and such in the door hanger and the one lone shelf of toys by the computer desk. (And a basket of L's tea party things under the table.)

I had to take pictures... the room will never look so nice again... because today was our first official day of school!

First day of Kindergarten, 1st and 3rd grade. Someone was VERY excited to be starting Kindergarten!

---
PS - We've been without a washer for a week now. Outfits are getting interesting around here...

Ups & Downs

The washing machine broke last Thursday, when I was on my 1st load of three. A family of 6 needs a washing machine! Six days now and it's not fixed... 
The part we ordered came yesterday and was already broken when we opened the box! Now we have to send it back and they won't pay for shipping. I fail to see how it's my fault, but shipping is $5 and the part is $55 so I feel stuck. I ordered a new part from a different company today, and hopefully it gets here SOON!
I've hand washed a few necessities and broke down and bought Miss L new underwear yesterday. Totally worth it.
--
D & I went on a date last night, thanks to VBS that runs for 2 hours in the evenings. We went to my favorite restaurant and I had my favorite dish (Chicken Panang). We even had time to go to the grocery store and get frozen yogurt! Plus, we had a coupon for dinner and VBS is free. Cheap date night!
 --
I got lost this morning on the way to a play date, which should no longer surprise me. Luckily, I have very recently joined the world of smartphones (I know, finally!) and could look up the directions (again) and find it!
 --
I happened to be lecturing the kids on not distracting me while driving (fighting, asking for help with things) and we came upon a wreck that was blocking our exit to home. We went on the next exit and there was yet another bad accident with a smashed up car. I think I scared them to death since we had been talking about not distracting me so I don't get into an accident and then BAM! Smashed car. (Not sure if this is an up or down.)
 --
D had to work all day Saturday, and the last week has been pretty much non-stop rain, but Sunday we escaped through the rain to Nashville and went to the zoo until it got too hot and then we went to the science museum. The kids had a blast and I enjoyed spending time together. (Am I crazy that I don't find most children's museums fun in the least? D always seems to have fun as much as the kids.)
 --
I'm still chugging along with trying to lose weight. It's slow going.
--
 The SPAM comments on this blog have gotten out of control. I'm getting more SPAM comments than real comments by far. This bites so I'm taking away the anonymous commenting option.
--
We're planning a trip to see my family and I'm glad to be seeing everyone again. I haven't seen any of my family since Christmas, and most of them since Thanksgiving. It's been a long time since they've come down. I'm glad to be seeing them soon though; I hate living so far away.