On homeschool sabbaticals, being home, and keeping busy

When I asked my husband 4 years ago if I could quit my job and stay home to homeschool our kids, he basically said, "Sure, do what you want."  I thought he would respond in a similar manner when I asked him recently if I could take a homeschool sabbatical next year and send the kids to school.  I have several reasons I'm wanting to do this, but mainly it has to do with my little ones.  When my big kids were little we went to the park and worked puzzles and went to the library and read books.  Now that I'm homeschooling the big kids, my little kids have to entertain themselves a lot, and get shushed all day, and don't have nearly as many books read to them (seeing as how I read to the big kids an hour and a half each day!).  Calvin is developmentally delayed and I wanted more time to spend with him.  I'm painfully aware that these are probably my last children and I want to savor their little years.  Anyway, my husband did not respond the way I thought he would.  He asked if I was going back to work full-time.  I was really surprised by that since we have a 3 and 1 year old.  We had a big fight, which we never do, and I wrote him a lengthy email on my value as a mother in addition to the homeschooling bit.  You know, paying bills, grocery shopping, and all that other glamorous stuff.

The Littles- Lucie 3 and Calvin 1

So this week I'm home alone with my three youngest children, ages 5, 3, and 1.  My parents have taken my big kids skiing and my husband is gone all week, too.  We've been to the doctor's office and had two run-ins with the police (Prince Charming dialed 911 and hung-up while I was napping with the sick kids and the next day a neighbor called them to report my parents' garage door had been up for two days!)  Yes, we've taken walks and read books, which has been fun.  The house is immaculate (I now have proof that it's the big kids who trash the place, not the little ones who usually end up getting blamed for it.)  I've also cleaned out my closet, all my bathroom drawers, the kitchen drawers, and now on day three I think I'm ready to go back to work.  Just kidding.  Sort of.  In fact, I now remember that I went back to school/work when my two oldest were 3 and 1.  Hmmm.   Funny how I'd managed to forget that little bit of information.

Maybe my husband knows me better than I thought.  Maybe he wasn't saying I'm lazy, but that I'm just the opposite.  Maybe he knew that I'd go stir crazy without more to keep me occupied at home.  We have some decisions to make for next year.  It's looking like we may send our two oldest to a local private school and homeschool our soon-to-be 1st and 4th graders.  While I do have the itch to go back to school again, that will probably pass.  And I definitely don't want to go back to work full-time, yet.  I've been there and done that and know the stress.  So for now the sabbatical's off and homeschooling is on.  What do you do when you get the itch for a change?