Our decision to homeschool...

So back in December of 2013 we made the decision to pull Duncan, Maxwell and Laurel out of the Montessori charter school they were attending.  I really loved the school and their teachers and all of the friends we made there but I knew it was time to take the leap and start homeschooling the kids.  It is something we had talked about years earlier before the kids had started school.  I told myself when Laurel was to start Kindergarten I would do it.  That time came and went and I felt I just didn't have it in me.  I had 5 kids and I thought my patience was worn too thin. Then at the beginning of Decmeber, things just started adding up... 

It took a good 20 minutes to drive from our house to drop them off at school. That is 20 minutes there, 20 minutes back, 2 times a day.... that is a lot of driving time and a lot of gas and a ton of money spent on gas!  

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The mad crazy rush to get out the door in the morning was getting to me.  I turned into a complete crazy person trying to make sure everyone was on track to leave so they wouldn't be late. That's not how the kids should start their day!  

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Laurel didn't want to go anymore.  She would literally not let go of my hand when I walked her to the classroom.  And she LOVED her teachers.  They were Duncan and Maxwell's kinder teachers.  We had seen them almost every school day for the last three school years.  It broke my heart to pry her hand off of mine and force her to go into her classroom.

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Duncan wasn't enjoying class anymore.  We thought it was because all of his buddies moved up to fourth grade.  He was a third grader in a 1/2/3 class (the way most montessori schools are) and was bored.  He had a wonderful teacher, yet there were so many kids in the class that needed more specialized attention.  Erghe and I felt that he would be better off at home learning at his own pace and able to explore his own interests and not be on anyone else's schedule.  

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and so in about two weeks time we pulled them out of the school and made the leap into homeschooling.  I let Erghe take the reign and order all of the curriculum as I was overwhelmed just thinking about it.  Those first 5 months were something else.  I very much enjoyed not having to wake up early, pack three lunches and do that crazy dash out the door and make the commute.  It was wonderful having to not be on anyone else's schedule and knowing that my kids were where they wanted to be too.  

We have had our share of rough days - days when no one wanted to do school work, days when all they did were annoy and argue with each other, and days where nothing seemed to go right.  But the good days far outweigh the bad.  I love being my kids' teacher.  I love having the freedom to choose what they study.  I love the freedom they have at home - the freedom to explore, to play, to be kids!  

Over the past 9 months we have homeschooled I have changed curriculum, changed our daily routines, changed our homeschool room around and done a lot of adjustments to my expectations.  I love the flexibility we have and love that we can skip a school day if we need to.  I know I will continue to make changes and adjustments around here as needed and as we grow.  I don't ever doubt that our decision was the best one for our family.  I do have days though were I miss the social interaction I had when taking the kids to school.  I was very involved and helped out with school activities.  It was a major reason for waiting to take the leap for as long as I did.  How selfish of me.  But here we are Duncan is in 4th grade, Maxwell is in 3rd grade and Laurel is in 1st grade.  I love watching them learn new things.  It amazes me how different each one of their learning styles are.  I have had to take a step back on really look at what is best for them.  I want them to be life-long learners and enjoy these years at home being with me.  I hope that once they are older they can look back and appreciate their education and the time spent with their siblings.  

I look forward to posting more soon about our homeschool space, our curriculum and the kids daily work plans.         

Fast forward 4 years... September 2014

I forgot I had a blog until a homeschool friend asked if anyone in our group blogged.  So I did some searching and located my old blogger account.  Looks the same as I remember. Oh how heartwarming it was to go back and read the posts I had written years ago... back when I had just four littles!  So much has changed in the four years since my last post but still much remains the same.   

The Poston Family now...  

Duncan is 9, Maxwell is 7 and my little Laurel is now 6! 

Graham is 4 and Clark is 2.  They love each other so much!

Here is a snapshot of me and Erghe... 

and baby #6 is a boy due to arrive mid January...

I will do my best to keep the blog up to date with the latest Poston stories, scribbles and snapshots as there is never a dull moment around here.  I will also add photos and stories of things that have happened during my 4 year absence from this little blog of mine...

My Lovely World.  

In 36 days...

My oldest will officially be a kindergartner. Today he learned to tie his shoes and my eyes watered.

I am so excited for him. Making new friends, learning new things and beginning his journey in elementary school. He is a sweet, considerate, well mannered little man (although his brother would beg to differ) and I am oh so proud of him!

Ode to Graham and an update on the other Poston kiddos...

My littlest man is almost 3 months old. I'll rewind back to April 7, 2010 and fill you in on his arrival. I awoke at 1:30 a.m. with massive heartburn. Took some tums and decided to do some housework... mainly folding laundry. Contractions started around 3:30 and were INTENSE! By 5:30 it was time to get the kids up and into the car to go to grandma G's. We got to the hospital about 6:30 and I was 7 cm dilated... He arrived at 9:02 a.m. au natural. I can easily say, this labor was the least painful (how lucky am I?).


Duncan, Maxwell and Laurel simply adore Graham... which I am sure by his 2nd birthday will change. But for now, life at our house is mixed with attitude, laughter, dirt, tons of clothes and an infinite amount of love. Duncan turned five in April and has since started Judo... what a character!


Maxwell is quite the kid... very animated and loves to be the center of attention.


Having two older brothers, Laurel is one tough cookie and a girly girl at heart...


I had a yard sale this past weekend and during my cleanup, I found a baby praying mantis... Erghe just loves them and took this awesome close up!


So life with 4 kids age 5 and under is very interesting to say the least. As they each grow, their personalities shine through - I am so intrigued by them. I am so blessed to have these wonderful little human beings in my life. We are all looking forward to our first summer here in our new home - we have already broken in the sprinklers and seen way too many pincher bugs for my liking. Now that baby G is getting a little older, I hope to be able to post more often all of the funny, crazy, weird, and memorable stories of my life to share.

Read this and I love it!

Sometimes I wonder where the day goes... I sure know my husband wonders too. When there are dirty dishes in the sink, crumbs on the ground surrounding the dining table, dirty socks in the hallway.... it is easy to get caught up in the daily to-do list of household chores and be baffled at how much didn't get done... I found this on some random blog today and had to post it to remind me that it is OK (and wonderful) to have these days...

WHAT DID I DO TODAY?

Today I left some dishes dirty,
The bed got made around 3:30.
The diapers soaked a little longer,
The odor grew a little stronger.
The crumbs I spilled the day before
Are staring at me from the floor.
The fingerprints there on the wall
Will likely be there still next fall.
The dirty streaks on those window panes
Will still be there next time it rains.


Shame on you, you sit and say,
Just what did you do today?


I held a baby till she slept,
I held a toddler while he wept.
I played a game of hide and seek,
I squeezed a toy so it would squeak.
I pulled a wagon, sang a song,
Taught a child right from wrong.
What did I do this whole day through?
Not much that shows, I guess that's true.


Unless you think that what I've done,
Might be important to someone
With deep blue eyes and soft brown hair,
If that is true...I've done my share.

Getting ready for Graham

So today I officially have 4 weeks left until my due date. This pregnancy has flown by to say the least. I am so excited to meet this little man and to complete our family. I have enjoyed all of my pregnancies very much and am sad that this will be my last, but happy to know that I will have 4 wonderful children and a great husband to make a lifetime of memories with.

Duncan, Maxwell and Laurel are so ready to meet their little brother too. Every morning when Duncan wakes up he says good morning to me and kisses my tummy to say hello to his brother. He constantly tells me that he can't wait to meet him and that he is excited he will arrive around his own birthday. He also says that baby Graham is going to be just like him... that would be great because Duncan is an awesome son! Anytime Laurel sees a baby she just goes nuts! I am a tad concerned that she will be a little too lovey-dovey with Graham... but I am sure after a week or so she will get over it and go back to beating up on her older brothers. Maxwell adores babies too and I know he will be a great big brother to Graham and be a huge help to me when I ask for a favor when I am in need.

So yes... we are all anxious to meet baby #4 to say the least. I have been busy nesting and getting the last of the "must haves" for when he arrives. All of the kids have co-slept in our bed so we don't have to worry about getting his room ready, as I am sure he will be in our room for at least a year... heck, we still have Laurel in our bed most nights... even the boys manage to sneak in at some point during the night. I am a little concerned of how all of us will fit in a queen sized bed though. Some nights I find myself going into Laurel's room and getting into her bed just to get a bit more space to sleep. Seriously though, I am sure Erghe will help out and do some shuffling of the kids back into their rooms and we won't have to worry much about the space issue... it might just take a few weeks for it to stick.

This past Sunday my friends threw me a little party for the baby. Holly and Summer were awesome planners and hosts and gave me a wonderful non-traditional shower. We played a really fun dice game called LRC, had some finger foods (thank you all for bringing the delicious dishes to share) and just had a nice relaxing afternoon with some of my favorite people...

Tomorrow I have a prenatal appointment and the doctor is going to get personal and do an exam. WOW... it is crunch time! These last weeks are going to zoom by so I need to make sure that I take a step back and enjoy the kids and my husbands company as much as possible... I have no idea what it will be like to go from 3 to 4 kids. I hope my hormones don't get too crazy these last few weeks before and the few months after he arrives.

Oh my... time to go pack my hospital bag. I hope that this labor and delivery are as easy as the last two. Geez, I just hope I make it to the hospital in time. I can't wait to hold you in my arms Graham!

I Love You G-ma!

My G-ma finally entered into rest yesterday, January 25, 2010. She gave a tough fight and amazed us all with her strength. It won't be the same without her around.

Oh so crafty

I am feeling oh-so-crafty these days (Thanks to Ohdeedo and the fabulous craft bloggers out there for their inspiration) and have a project to-do list a mile long in my head. I thought I better write some ideas down before my mommy brain kicks in and I can't remember them:


For Laurel's Room:
~ Finish Embroidery Hoop Wall
~ Make "LAUREL" with Scrapbook Paper
~ Bunting Banner
~ Repaint Fabulous Chairs... Thrift Store Find !!!
~ Repaint Dresser


For Play Room:
~ Re-upholster Bench
~ Sew Throw Pillows

General Crafts:
~ Make a Grocery Bag Holder
~ Finish Laurel's First Year Scrapbook
~ Update Family Scrapbook
~ Get Baby Graham's Handmade Announcements Figured Out

OK so the list isn't a mile long, but in my head it seemed that way. I have two craft sessions this weekend so I am hoping to get some of these items checked off.

why i love being a mom

duncan got in trouble last night for not listening to his dad. he was sent to his room and of course he protested. i told him calmly to go wait for me in his room and he listened and marched up the stairs. when i made it to his room we sat down on his brothers bed. he looked at me with his teary eyes and i just melted. i knew what i needed to do... teach him. i talked to him about why he was sent to his room... for making a bad choice of not listening to daddy. and then reminded him of the consequence for that bad choice. i told him that he is still so young and has a lot to learn and that he learns from his mistakes. i went on to tell him that mommy and daddy sometimes make bad choices and that we are sorry for them and learn from our mistakes as well. i could tell that he was taking it all in. i finaly told him that his consequence for not listening was to spend 5 mintues of alone time to think about what his bad choice was and why he was having some alone time. It is moments like these, when i teach the kids and see them learning about life that make me so proud to be a mom. i know there is no better rewarding job in the world. i have a tough rough ahead of me with 4 kids, but i wouldn't change it for the world...i was meant to be a mom! this is the life that i am building, the memories we make together will pull us through the bad times. how lucky i am.

Total Randoms...

I so love the cold winter days... especially the days that begin with fog. Something about the mist in the air makes me feel alive! After a morning of errands, the kids and I spent a good two hours after lunch hanging outside and playing at the school behind us. Just riding their bikes and taking their jeep out for a spin and I took some pictures of them having fun, being kids.

We have been in our new house for a little over a month and a half. It is awesome! I love that everything is so spread out. More to clean, yes, but so worth it to be in our own place. Duncan and Maxwell are still adjusting to the huge space. Still don't want to be left alone for too long by themselves. Laurel is doing fantastic in her bed at night... a few occasional spills off the bed, but she loves having her own space too. The office/stringing/craft room needs some work. Erghe and I have so much stuff that shelves are desperately needed. He is in the market for a saw of some sort so that he can build a workbench, so that he can build us shelves, so that we can put stuff away properly... but man, those tools are pricey! Our list of home improvement projects is very long, but in time we will get them checked off.

Oh I am super excited... last night I braved my sewing machine and hemmed a pair of Erghe's pants. Although it wasn't the prettiest of hems, I did it! Maybe now I can start some of the many sewing projects I want to do. Practice, practice, practice.

Recently we have been doing some research on schools for Duncan to attend when he starts Kindergarten next fall. OMG! I cannot believe he will be turning 5 in just three short months! Ok... so we had high hopes of me homeschooling the kids. I so wish I could be that mom... but I have to be realistic... I just don't think I have the patience to do it. There will be a new baby here soon and Laurel will be two and Maxwell is in that 3 year old mindset of whining and not listening to anyone and add on all the housework that needs to be done daily... yep... no homeschooling for me at this point in motherhood. So anyways, we have this great school behind us which is so convenient to have him go to. Yet, something just doesn't sit right with me sending him there. I really would like to get Duncan into the CA Montessori Project. Erghe looked into it too and he was very impressed and likes the academic program. The downside is that the closest campus is a 20 minute drive.... We will take a tour of a few of the campuses and get a first hand look at the school. If all goes well we will send in a few applications and hope that Duncan's name gets selected from the one of the lotteries in April 2010.

WOW... I am super excited to have Duncan start school next fall. He will be able to meet new kids and make some friends his own age. Hopefully I can befriend some moms too! So much to look forward to in 2010!

A bad day...

the good that comes out of the bad stuff... hoping that more journaling will help me stay sane.

yesterday, i had a meltdown. i am sure my pregnancy hormones are mostly to blame along with the fact i was living on only 2 hours of sleep. it was so bad that i asked erghe to leave work early so that i could vent to him. it started when i couldn't fit a bookshelf into my car that i so wanted from someone off craigslist. i paid the lady and tried for 20 minutes to get it into my car. then i tried to call a few friends to help me and they didn't answer their phones... so i had to go back up to the ladies house and tell her i had to give it back. from there i spiraled... i started sobbing, thinking about how much time i wasted driving to get the bookshelf, how i could have been at home taking advantage of the kids sleeping, thinking about how i have drifted from my friendships and how much i desperately want to have a close friend to share my motherhood woes with, thinking about how i shouldn't be feeling sorry for myself.... i was feeling really pathetic, crying over such nonsense. but i couldn't stop. i cried the whole way to pick up erghe from work. thank goodness for him. he talked some sense into me and i ended up feeling not so pathetic.

oh yeah, the 2 hours sleep thing... monday night i was in the hospital visiting my grandma who had a cardiac arrest and was hanging on by a thread. whew... she knows how to stir us up. we thought we were going to loose her that night, the doctors had nothing good to say. she is a fighter... on a ventilator and heavily sedated, her vital signs improved so much! later today they are going to remove the breathing tube. the numbers aren't good, and she has a big fight ahead of her, but we are hopeful that she can pull through this.

things on the home front are going good... i am looking forward to having our first christmas in our new home. it is so nice to be able to have space to be alone, for the kids to play, for us to have dinner together as a family and the list could go on forever. there is a lot of things to be done to the house, in time we will get them done. i am so grateful for erghe's mom who through all of the bad times has stuck with us and gave us such a wonderful gift and made it possible for us to get this house! she has such a big heart.

whew... i feel better. yesterday is behind me and i am ready for now! kids playing, better hop to getting some gifts done...

free time... oh my!

All of the kids are asleep and Erghe is playing tennis. Deciding between doing the dishes, picking up the the hundreds of toys thrown about, catching up on sleep or dedicating time to type up a long overdue post for my my blog was tough. The blog won this time.

Where to start... oh yes, our lovely little lady Laurel turned one in May. Whew - she is so much fun! She wakes up every morning with a huge smile on her face and wants to give everyone kisses. "Duncan" is her latest word... although "Duh" is all that comes out of her mouth.

Maxwell decided that today was the day that he wanted to start potty training. Only one little accident... way to go Max! This boy is so darn cute and can be so sweet... but boy... is he a two year old. My mom tells me it is paypack for the way I treated her when I was a little girl... whew.. so sorry mom!

Duncan is great at recalling things from months and months back... he even remembers what gifts he got from his third birthday (his bling ring from holly is one he loves to talk about). Today he was telling me about a birthday party he went to last October and how someone took his helmet and wore it and chased him around with a sword... crazy stuff this kid comes up with. These stories never fail to put a smile on my face.

Erghe is playing a lot of tennis and stringing a lot of tennis raquets. I wish I were able to watch him play more. Taking the kids to see him on Saturdays is nice and all... but I can't get any watching in and so I never know what the score is. But even if I just catch a glimpse of him smashing the ball... I am in love all over again.

And as for me, I am enjoying being a wife and mom. Wish there were more time in the day... there is always some project on my to-do list or some chores that don't get finished. At the end of the day, those tasks aren't important... it is the love and joys we share that keeps me going. (on that note... I did take 10 mintues - or more - in between writing to clean up the kitchen a little.... I HATE waking up to a dirty kitchen)

29 isn't so bad when you have AWESOME friends!

What great friends I have! Holly called me on Saturday morning and told me to drop off the boys with her and Summer so that I could get away and get some time to myself for my birthday. How awesome are they? So I took full advantage and went shopping! Got some new shoes, a storage thingy for my scrapbook paper and then Kim took me out to lunch!

I should mention that Erghe made me a yummy breakfast – that guy can make some mean scrambled eggs with cheese! Thanks, babe.

Oh my - I am so blessed to have met some wonderful gals these last couple of years (and of course to have the friends in my life that I have known for over 15 years now - wow I sound OLD!). I am very much looking forward to growing into little old ladies together and sharing stories along the way.

Where did November go?

Geez, November flew right by me

Maxwell turned two on November 12th and I spent a lot of time planning his hoedown. The internet is a wonderful thing … I was searching for ideas for the party and came across this really cool site for party themes BIRTHDAY PARTY IDEAS. After spending way too much time on the site, I got some cool ideas on favors and decorations. I made stick horses for all of the kids out of paper bags and yarn. My friend Summer found some awesome cowboy hats at the Dollar Tree and with the help of Holly, my mom and sister, we added some color to them and gave them to the kids as well. I made each kid a WANTED poster with their picture on it. They turned out really cute! After all the hard work and crafting, the party turned out great and the kids had a fun time!

I love the fall!

I am so glad that my favorite season is here!!! It is beautiful outside - the trees, the pretty fallen leaves and the fresh crisp air. Here is what we have been doing in the past few weeks...

We visited the pumpkin patch . . .

The kids got dressed up for trick-or-treating

Who knew...

Each day I am faced with choices to make. Some aren't difficult to decide - like what to make for dinner or choosing which park I should take the kids to play at. There are some choices I make that are entertaining and make me giggle - when I try explaining to my two year old son that he can't have candy for breakfast. Yet there are some choices I have to make which are much more important - that can shape how my children learn and can influence them and who they grow up to be.

Being a mother has changed my perspective on life. Never before have I thought so much about morals and kindness. My oldest son, Duncan, amazes me every day with his manners and how caring he is with his baby sister and others around him. His innocence makes me melt. I need to take a moment and look at things through his eyes. What does he see? More often than not, it isn't pretty. It is the little things he picks up on - whether or not mommy said please. Why did mom raise her voice at brother? Why are mommy and daddy arguing?

I started listening to Dr. Laura years ago, before I had my kids. This is when I truly gave thought to how I wanted to raise my future children. Her radio program has been a great resource for me as a mother and wife. She is a great advocate for doing what is right, not doing what is easiest and makes people feel better. Telling moms that their kids should be the number one priority, not some job or some guy she is dating. I feel very blessed to be albe to listen to her when I have the free time (which with three kids aged 3, 2 and 5 months, is a rare commodity).

With all the attention on the elections coming up and the decisions that have to be made about what to vote yes on and which candidate to vote into office - I decided to check out her blog - http://www.drlaurablog.com/ and see what her perspective was on certain moral issues.

I went to her blog tonight and read her first two pages worth of entries. So much valuable information and insight. I might not agree with her on every issue but reading what she has to say makes me more aware of the importance of being an active role my children's life and in society. It seems today that more and more people have little or no morals and are making poor choices and children are being put in harms way. It makes me worry about my children and the negative influence that is all around them. A look at the bigger picture in life puts things into perspective for me... I will continue to teach my children morals, kindness and give them my love and encourage them to laugh and be happy. They are percious and grow up so fast.

Being a mom is the hardest yet most rewarding job ever!

Clothes, Clothes EVERYWHERE!

I LOVE being a mom and a wife - I wouldn't change that for the world. There is one thing that comes along with being a mom of three little ones and a wife of a husband who plays tennis and has VERY sweaty feet that has taken over my life!!!

LAUNDRY.
It has consumed my home. Everywhere I look I see clothes...

clothes in the hallway...
clothes in the baby's crib...
clothes on the changing table...
clothes on my bed...
clothes on the floor beside my bed...
clothes on the dresser...
clothes, clothes EVERYWHERE!


I know it doesn't help living in a two bedroom apartment with three kids. I can never seem to get caught up on the laundry. Someone always needs fed, changed, played with or read to - so the laundry waits. I am not complaining, because I wouldn't trade being a mom or wife for ANYTHING. The way I see it - as long as we have a few clean pairs of underwear and have food to eat and we are happy - having a house full of clothes that need to be put away isn't that big of a deal. Well, unless we have company on their way over :)

An afternoon at the American River

On Sunday afternoon we took the kids to the river for some family time. The boys really had a great afternoon. They played in the mud, threw handfuls of sand into the river and ran along the beach.

Laurel and I enjoyed watching Duncan and Maxwell explore. Erghe had fun up until he threw a handful of sand into the river and off flew his wedding ring into the water! Oops!

It was a gorgeous afternoon and we had a fabulous time!

How we became "The Postons"

Erghe and I met when we were both attending Rio Linda High School. We dated for a month at the end of my senior year in 1997. After our short lived romance, we went our separate ways and did our own things. Five years later, I was living in Midtown and received a phone call from Erghe out of the blue. We got to chatting and decided to meet for lunch downtown, near his work. I was so giddy when I finally got to see him after all those years of wondering what he was up to. Well, we hit it off and began dating. Things moved very fast and we moved in together within the first few months of our relationship. After 2 1/2 years of dating, we got married on December 11, 2004.

We welcomed our first child, Duncan, into the world on April 2, 2005. Maxwell was born nineteen months later on November 12, 2006. A year an a half later, on May 22, 2008, Laurel made her debut. I feel so blessed to be a mother and wife. I am looking forward to making a lifetime of memories with my family :)

Duncan - 3 yrs old

Maxwell - almost 2 yrs old

Laurel - 3 months old