I see the Sun!!!

What a wonderful sight after four days and three inches of rain. Fifty degrees feels really cold after almost a week of 80. We've had to run the pump in the crawl space twice and DH spent his day off yesterday digging a new drainage line down the side yard. Of course he was able to turn it into an educational experience with measuring and adding for Mary & Katie.

With DH being home for almost a week, he and I were able to have some "Where are we going in our homeschool?" type discussions. Which is always good. We were also able to have some discussions with Mary, trying to pump up her lagging motivation. In the end, with input from Mary we have created a new schedule to try out. And, the daily whiteboard lists are back.

The new schedule goes something like this:

8-9 time with Robbie & Emily
9 Katie wakes up, has breakfast
9:30 Mary wakes up, breakfast
9:30 -10 school with Emily
10-11:30 school with Katie, Mary plays with Robbie & Emily
11:30-1:00 break/lunch time/housework
1-3:30 Robbie nap time
1-2 Quiet time
2-3 Project time/Mary begins school work
3-5 Free Play
5-6 Mary school work/fix dinner/Quiet play & clean up for Katie, Emily & Robbie
6:30-7:30 Dinner/family time
7:30-8:30 Mary School with dad/Katie quiet activity/Emily & Robbie bath and bedtime
9 Emily to bed
9-10 reading/quiet activity with Mary & Katie
10 Katie bedtime
10-10:30 Mary independent reading/drawing activity
10:30 Mary bedtime

Hopefully, this will help tackle a couple of problems we have been confronting. First Robbie will be entertained and kept out of trouble, instead of trying to be right in the middle and very disruptive. Secondly, each of the girls gets their very own one-on-one time with me. No more competing for attention. Third, Mary is such a night owl, I swear her mind doesn't wake up before noon, no matter what time she wakes up. Her focus & retention after 5pm is amazing. Before noon it seems like she cannot even figure out how to add numbers.

Mary is actually looking forward to helping teach Emily. She will gladly sit down and help Emily with how to write letters and numbers, and read to the little ones. DH will also be more involved in helping Mary with whatever her current troublespot is for the week, and will review with Katie each evening. I don't mind that the 'school' day will seem to last for 12 hours, there is a huge break in the middle of the day for running errands, relaxing or just catching up. Right when my energy levels are waning and I need some brain rest anyway.

Today is DH's last day off from work. Mary went ahead and did today's work, in addition to yesterday's last night so she could spend most of the day with him. Tonight we will just have to review her spelling words and she will read. This afternoon DH took them to the museum for an outing while I got to stay home with Robbie and veg while he napped. I could become very spoiled.

Even with the rain, it still seems like it was a very productive weekend for us.

Peace,

Amy