Thunder In the Winter

We have an old wives' tale around here about thunder in the winter. If during the winter months you have a thunderstorm, no matter how minor, within 10 days you will have snow. Well, this afternoon we had one heck of a thunderstorm. So, I figure that the intensity of the thunerstorm might be forcasting the strength of the snowstorm - I'll go ahead and start stocking up on the bread and milk. Seriously though, it might be an old wives' tale but at least 75% of the time we do have some type of wintry weather within a couple of weeks of a winter thunderstorm.

Today was an interesting day. I guess, in some ways I am starting to feel like we are getting this whole homeschooling life thing. I woke up late, around 8:30, from all the staying up too late I have been doing. EM, woke shortly after me. But, the other two slept until 9:30. Giving me some time to work on a little more of my work. For one reason or another it took us until 11:00 to start doing anything that coulc be considered 'school.' And then it was a math card game called "Dump" - similar to Go Fish, but using pairs that add to 10. After that we reviewed all of her sight words today by having MB jump from square to square on the rug as she got one correct. Out of 40 sight words there were only 5 she did not get within 10 sec.

After lunch, MB realized that our neighbor's granddaughter was out of school for the day and staying there. So, I let her go play. It allowed K and I to have some much needed one-on-one time. We pulled out the play-doh and made letters and snowmen. We counted to 10 in english and spanish (unfortunately that is about all the spanish I can muster).

I managed to jump on the computer for another hour or so, before I had to race around the house sweeping and cleaning the kitchen since MIL was coming to watch the girls for my appointment.

Around 5:30 we finally pulled out the books again. MB and I laid on the floor in the den and tackled Math (measurements) and reading comprehension. EM was having a very late nap - but for some reason this whole walking thing has screwed up her whole sleep cycle. K, not wanting to be left out came in and sat on the back of my legs while I was laying on the floor. She didn't bother us and I could just reach back and give her little tickles every now and again. As uncomfortable as that sounds, it really pricked an area of my heart that made me sigh. This is what homeschooling is about for us. The closeness, the doing what we need to do - when it bests fits in.

I have also come to a decision that I am not going to get stressed out about when MB finishes a workbook or curriculum. For example, someone was talking to me about how far behind they are in SOTW and how they may not even finish it before the end of the year. She asked how I was doing it. When I told her that we had just begun Chp 10 and we have spent up to 3 weeks on a certain topic she was stunned. But it doesn't matter to me when we finish SOTW I, we finish it when we finish then we start II. If it takes us until next Christmas, that is fine. It is not like Ancient History is really part of NC's curriculum for either K or 1st graders.

I am starting to become the same way with math and reading and science. Whether we finish sooner or later - it doesn't matter. It only matters that we do it in the way that works for all of us.

Coming back from the Christmas holiday (3 weeks) I am much more relaxed about the whole deal than before. I don't know what has changed my perception of the whole thing, but I am not so tied up in being an example or making MB and K be walking report cards of our homeschool. That just doesn't matter to me today. What mattered was the joy and happiness I saw reflected in their faces today and the joy and happiness I got from watching them and being silly with them.

By the way I have started using 1-2-3 Magic again. I used with MB a couple of years ago, but K was too young then. Since then I have been very sloppy with it, and although I can still use it to catch MB's attention, K just tends to ignore it. So, I told them that we were going to start it again. I have only had to count to three with MB once in the last three days and that was tonight when we first began trying to work on schoolwork, but she had promised me that we would do it this evening. She whined and whined and whined - had her 6 minute timeout and came out happier to sit down and complete her work. K is testing it, I can tell. But, she is picking it up quickly. The wonderful thing, for me, is that I do not become drawn in to the arguments and emotional response of the day-to-day challenging behaviors. That was/is a very hard thing for me.

Another busy day tomorrow.

Peace,

Amy