{SQT} Conquering Long Division, Resurrecting The Bull Moose Party, and Costume Planning

It’s been a good week. Nothing too exciting to report, but I’m not complaining. October is usually insane, but right now, things feel less

and more

And I can live with that.

Recently, I attended a homeschool mom’s social for the first time in forever. Last year, the few socials that were held conflicted with scouting or other stuff, and I can’t remember if I went much the year prior. (Getting up at 5:30 a.m. to put a kid on the bus can kill your mom nightlife.) It was nice to get out and sit around a bonfire and chat. The weird thing is, I’m now the old experienced mom. When did that happen?? So many moms I started homeschooling with have either stopped homeschooling, moved away, graduated their last student, or they can’t come to socials thanks to BIG KID NEEDS (i.e. organized activities). Thankfully, I’m extroverted so I have no trouble just sitting and chatting with moms I’ve only met a few times and who are only a few years into their homeschooling journey. I remember those early years with lots of littles and it was just…..crazy. I’ll gladly commiserate, and share a drink with anyone in the thick of it. There’s things I miss about a house full of little kids but, it’s nice to be past that point.

Speaking of homeschooling, I taught Teddy long division over the last couple weeks and it went 100x easier than with any of his siblings. He just ‘got it’ and I made a point of letting the bigger kids know. Sure we’re reviewing and sometimes he forgets a step, but I give him one reminder and he jumps back into it. It’s amazing. I feel like if I can’t teach him anything else this year, it will still be a success.

We got our mail-in ballots this week. You know I don’t talk politics around here, but I wanted to throw out the idea of bringing back the Bull Moose party. Ideally, we could resurrect Teddy Roosevelt (does anyone know if his head is frozen somewhere?), but in a pinch I’d be happy to step in and be the new face of the Progressive Party. (Bull Moose was actually a nickname since the mascot was a moose.) My platform is that I will walk everywhere with a big stick and alternate between speaking softly and yelling “Bully!” when someone least expects it. I will also move the White House to the Dakota territories and instead of a presidential debate the other candidates and I will take turns wrestling a grizzly bear cub.

We attended a fundraising event for Shriner’s Hosptial at the Philadelphia Zoo on Saturday. Attendees were allowed to enter the zoo before it opened to the public, which was great- no crowds!- but it also meant we had to wake up early to arrive on time. The upside was most of the animals were waking up and getting fed as we walked around. The flamingos were especially feisty and we spent at least ten minutes watching them eat, groom, and bite each other. I somehow managed to take zero pictures of the action. But look- a rhino!

Did I mention it’s October? That means I’m making Halloween costumes…or at least I’m saving cardboard and planning costumes. Addie finally got her employee discount card so I’m excited to stock up on EVA foam for helmet making. I like foam for headgear because it’s lighter and lasts longer, but I still prefer cardboard for most other pieces. If you’re looking to stress yourself out this month by creating unusual video game characters, know that there’s lots of vendors on Etsy selling patterns for all those weird costume pieces your child needs in a couple weeks! You can get them as pdf downloads, so even if you put everything off until a few days prior, you can quickly find, purchase, print and assemble the item you need with only a few sleepless nights! Ask me how I know!

How was your week? Write it down then link it up below. Be sure to include a link back to this post so your readers can find the rest of the Quick Takes. I look forward to reading your posts!