Maybe the planets are aligned just right. Or, the gods could be smiling on me. Whatever it is - I like it. If this keeps up, I think that I might just be able to deal with K's sudden dip into obstinancy (her 1/2 birthday is next month, so that is what I keep telling myself).

Yesterday morning I had to take a shower. I had stayed up way too late Monday night watching Anna and the King and had to do research on the Anna in the story after it was over - so no shower for me. The girls were warmly snuggled down in the family room & junior was sleeping and I took the opportunity for a quick 5, 10, 15 minute shower.

As I was stepping out MB poked her head into the bathroom to ask if we could go ahead and do her HOP work for the day. After I picked myself up off the floor, I got dressed checked on everyone else and then MB and I snuggled in my bed and did 3 lessons. We only stopped because the other two started coming in and wondering when I might actually feed them.

After breakfast MB came to me again, this time holding her daily list, and asked if it was time for her writing. I got her squared away on the computer and then went to work with the other two. A little later she came into the family room looking sad and asked if I could help her - that her spelling didn't look right. I had told her that for creative writing exercises I did not worry about spelling, but she wanted my help - she wasn't getting frustrated and giving up. So I helped her clean it up then went through the steps of saving, printing and attaching to an email as she wanted to send it to her Mamaw.

I wish I could have just kept going this morning, but we needed to actually dress everybody and get to Choir.

Home again at 2:00 and after a quick, late lunch MB sat down with her math book and quickly worked through the lesson of the day. And then asked if I could go ahead and do the History reading. I was so giddy by this time I really thought I was on Candid Camera.

We finished the work and I sent her out to play. Only for her to come home an hour earlier than normal so that she could help me make dinner. We got the spaghetti sauce simmering and she wanted to bake a cake while the sauce was cooking. And, she did do the cake, by herself. The only thing I had to do was turn on the mixer. Since we were using a silicon form I had not used in awhile we needed to keep checking the cooking time. Apparently EM did not think it was cooking fast enough, so the last time the timer went off MB ran in to check it and started screaming my name as she had been enveloped in a cloud of smoke. EM had cranked the oven to 500*. Ahhhhh - burnt cake anyone.

Honestly, I really expected a meltdown from MB at this point. She just doesn't generally take it all that well when something she has worked so hard on is ruined by someone else. But, she said she understood and she knew we couldn't make another one until Thursday with our schedule.

After dinner I decided MB needed a reward and took her out with me to run errands. She had been wanting to go by the library for a few days, ever since I had told her there was a book that could tell her the answers to all those questions that I don't know like, "What's the record for eating chicken nuggets?" So we tried to find a copy of the Guiness Book of World Records - no dice for the big one, but the juvenile section had a number of the smaller topical ones in so we checked out a few.

I was also able to grab some Fairy Tale books for our new literature unit. I finally decided on Fairy Tales, and have a fun companion of fractured fairy tale plays for us to do along with it.

We did the errand running and came home about bedtime. She asked for Bruce Colville's A Midsummer Nights Dream since we were reading about Greece earlier. It has been at least nine months since we had read this story, but proceeded to give me an extremely detailed summary of the entire story before I even opened the book.

This morning I am still waiting for MB & K to wake up. I have to go to an appointment this morning and a friend of mine is coming over with her kids and they are going to do 'school' together. MB actually has a 'math test' in her workbook to complete - it is just review of review of work she did in last year's book - so I am not expecting any problems there.

We also have K's Piano, Science Club and MB's soccer practice all this afternoon. So, I believe it will be a rather abbreviated day.

Peace,

Amy

Chinese New Year - at our house

I know Chinese New Year was yesterday, but that is what we spent today on. It was a fun day. MB first had to go to her Spanish Class, so I tried to spend the time working with K on her reading - but she had a non-cooperative day thing going. I just let it be for the day. After spanish class we came home to fix lunch and read 3 "chinese" stories: Tikki Tikki Tembo, The Story of Ping, and The Five Chinese Brothers. And, we also spent some time talking about the history/legend of the Chinese New Year. We had a lot of fun finding our chinese 'animal' with MB's placemat that she had gotten on a recent trip to a chinese restaurant.

After that we made Chinese Lanterns to hang in our family room.

Then we made Chinese Moon Cookies to go with our dinner.




For dinner tonight we had chicken fried rice with spicy beef & broccoli stir fry.

Not much of anything else was done. But we had alot of fun with the day. MB was totally into the day, although K was not so much. She just wanted to spend the day playing, actually jumping on the sofa cushions they keep taking off the sofa.

If you notice in the pictures MB's hair is down. She had me take the braids out last night. It took us three hours and this is what she looked like before she went to bed. She did give me permission to post this picture.


Does she remind anyone else of an '80s female pop singer?

Peace,

Amy

Saturday Picture Post

Here are some recent pictures that I have just managed to download.



Here's junior showing off his new trick of rolling about 3/4 of the way over. He loves to 'talk' to his lion.



Another picture of my big boy. He is over 12 lbs now!! And, is in the middle of a growth spurt. He is bound & determined to get into those 3-6 month clothing.




Speaking of growth spurts, these two seem to do nothing but grow up. MB has grown nearly 2 inches since early Nov, when we last measured them against the door frame. And, K is over 2 inches in growth during the same time. It better warm up soon or they really will be wearing "high-tider" pants.



I can't leave my little imp out. Not the best picture of her. But, when the girls see the pictures they will want to know where the picture of Em is.





And here is my bag that I am working on. For this first bag I am using up some leftover yarn from different projects, so it will be 'unusual' when finished.

And a big shout out to my dh, whom I just found out has been reading my blog at work - and sharing with his co-workers. The funny thing is that his particular office area is maybe 15 people and found out that the guy just down from him also hs his kids. See - not that unusual.

Peace,
Amy

Thursday was a much better day for us. Or at least me - the girls missed their sugar HI they had all day Wednesday. I almost blew it by forgetting the time for MB's piano lesson. Thankfully I happened to actually look at our calendar 10 minutes before class time. So, after getting everybody into the car with shoes in hand so they could put them on during the ride - we made it only 5 minutes late. Which is horrible for my child who does. not. like to make an entrance.

But, other than that we were able to stay home for the day. We needed (I) a slow warm up to the day. So, the morning we were pretty lazy. MB and I made pumpkin-spice muffins and I did a little financial figuring before just hanging out with some books. Which is probably why I totally spaced on piano.

Schoolwise we are staying on track and making some strides. Hooked on Phonics has actually been really good, especially for MB. My idea of having MB & K do it together has fallen out because MB wants to do 2-3 lessons a day, and she can do that many because right now it is all review for her. K is limited to about 10 minutes and we can spend two days on each lesson. K doesn't want to move as fast as MB and that is fine too. Generally after K's lesson she asks to play Starfall for a little bit - so she actually gets double phonics work.

I made some changes in our writing program. MB was fighting me so much in doing her writing exercises - not cursive practice - but writing stories & sentences. The problem she told me is that she doesn't like her handwriting because it is too messy. Where she gets that I don't know. I keep telling her how good it is and show her work from last year to show how much she has improved.

On Monday I told her that she could do her exercise on the computer. She had to spend twenty minutes playing with all the different type of fonts. But, after that, proceeded to do her lesson without problem. Yesterday she wrote a letter to her Granddaddy to thank him for the trip on the computer. I think we will keep going with it.

My main school issue right now is finding our next bit of literature to read. So far she doesn't like any of the ones I have suggested or started. That is our hole right now. I could force her to listen to something but, don't want to turn her off permanently, especially since I think that she will enjoy them later.

Other things going on, I have began my grocery bag. I only picked up the crochet hook this weekend for the first time. I practiced a few days and then decided to just jump into the project. It is going together really well. I am so excited about how nice it is looking so far. I will try to post some pictures later.

I've heard back from a organization I sent a bid/proposal for a project to. They want me to look over some details and take a transcription test (I'm a little worried as I havn't done transcription in 5 years). It would be a long-term project, but not too many hours per week. It would really fit into my life better than anything else right now. The money would be great in helping us get out of debt that much faster and begin our addition or house hunt that much faster.

Today is some errand running, a little school and some needed down time.

Peace,

Amy

Valentine's Day

Let's see - how did I spend day of 'love'

- Driving across the county to the big hospital to have junior's development checked. He is fine, just a follow-up from his birth issues. Unfortunately it wasn't an appointment I would have scheduled - the hospital upon check out did, for first thing in the morning. Which meant I had to drive through rush hour traffic, in the rain, to get there and have them tell me they were already 1 1/2 hours behind schedule (at 9am).
- rushed back home to pick up Em who was with her g'mom and then go pick up the big girls who were at a V-party.
- Stopped by McDs for lunch, yuck, because we only had 10 minutes to make it to K's piano
- Came home and had 1 1/2 hours before soccer - managed to finish work from yesterday. Why it did not get done yesterday, I don't remember.
- Went to MB's soccer practice, chased Em around the very dangerous, yet interesting (to a 2 yr old) indoor soccer facility.
- Came home, changed a nasty 2 yr old diaper. Put said 2 yr old in bath.
- Cooked Mac 'n' Cheese for Valentine Dinner
- Girls are now eating dinner and watching Cinderella III, again
- I'll see DH about 11pm tonight, if I make it that long

Poor junior spent just about the entire day in his car seat unless I was feeding him. I am glad our Wednesday is finally over.

Peace,

Amy

MB has returned back to us. Well, I think she has.




The child I got back has grown up alot in 10 days. The self-confidence she has gained from the trip is wonderful and well worth it. I think I may send her on a cruise every year for this much change in a short period.

The hair-thing is temporary, I am sure. She says it hurts to sleep on, but she wants to show all her friends before she takes them out. Her features look really nice with the hair pulled away from her face. If I can just get her to let me fix her hair more often. I was told that this active child sat for more than 1 hour to let them fix it.

She remembered to buy gifts for everyone and was excited to give them out when she came home on Saturday. We have just been enjoying the family thing this weekend. Nights in front of a fire, cuddles and reading books. Last night we had a movie night to watch Cinderella III that my mother gave them for Valentine's Day.

I did manage to finally finish my shawl. I did not complete it before MB came home, but finished it that night while MB and I visited and she told me about the trip.


Now, I am trying to teach myself how to crochet. I want to be able to make grocery bags like this. The free pattern can be found at the Lily site.


I am at that stage where I am trying to figure out why people say crocheting is easier than knitting. Way too many things to have to try to hold on to and my fingers don't quite want to work right. It is good for me to let MB see me struggling with learning something new. She can see that things don't always come easily, but when you don't give up things do become easier.

We are trying to get back into the school groove again, and my break is over. I just wanted to share that my family is again back under one roof.

Peace,

Amy

My quiet week is coming to the end. At some point today MB will set foot back onto US soil, and Saturday morning she will be back in the house. And for good & bad MB being gone for a period of time does change the mood in the house. Apparently, MB is our energy bank upon whom we all draw our daily energy levels (she has enough to spare). Without her we have tended to be very slow and lazy in our days. There isn't a sense of urgency to anything we do, and well sitting around and cuddling, me knitting and them playing with little people seems to be just fine. And, also, K still likes an hour or two of quiet time in the afternoon without MB around to energize her. And, who knew that K, who generally stays up until 10pm, will actually pass out before 9pm if she is just left alone.

But, I do miss someone to talk to during the day. K & EM don't feel the need to talk very much unless they need something. And, while Jr will talk as long as someone is looking at him - I don't really understand infant coos all that well (just that he is happy & comfortable)- and I am a little self-concious of the running commentary I keep up with him.

Without MB here I don't feel complete, my schedule is off, my routine is out of whack. I've enjoyed the quiet, but don't feel as needed by all the rest of my children put together as I do in one day for just MB. That may not be a good thing. But there it is.

I miss the routine of homeschooling that we had developed recently. K's routine is so short and simple - read a little bit, play some games that incorporate math - and then let her go and be free in her learning. It is good and age appropriate, and I wish I had done more of it with MB at that age, but doesn't feed my homeschool control issues like MBs larger range of studies. And, I am not looking forward to next week and getting back into routine, yet again, this year.

On DH's job front it looks like we will not be going anywhere. With the time to think about relocating for work since they have brought it up to him, he has come to decide that he wants to stay here - surprise, surprise. He passed on Illinois & Indiana already (but with the recent cold weather snap - I'm glad). His bosses like him here and his family is all here. So, here we stay.

I can't believe that it has been a year since we put the house on the market and almost moved. It seems so much farther away in history than that. We are still happy with where we are. I am still leaning towards one more bedroom, with some type of small addition. We are trying to make things simplier in our lives and have achieved a bit better lifestyle. Our debt load, while not tremendous, has been a stumbling block - and that is our goal this year. Paying on debt each month is actually causing more debt - basically a bad case of living above our means leftover from when both of us worked. So, we are baby stepping through The Total Money Makeover.

I am glad we put the house on the market for the experience and the awareness we got. And, I am glad we didn't move. I can put my dream of having a mini-homestead back on the list. Because, if we just work towards it we could eventually end up there.

I have also, along the way, re-discovered my love for cooking. Cooking things out of boxes, what I did a lot of when I worked and for the past few years - just totally sucks away the joy of cooking. It just becomes another chore. But, for some reason baking bread, babysitting a stew pot and creating menus so that we actually use leftovers is not a chore. So, we are eating less expensively, food that is better for us, and it brings a great deal of creative joy to me. What could be better.

So this post has gone from MB will be home in a couple of days to ramblings about the past year for us. I cannot stay on topic.

I am going off to think about some type of special welcome home activity for us to do for MB - any ideas.

Peace,

Amy

It is so strange around my house. We've reached that magical point where MB is no longer on a short little trip to visit grandparents, but that she has gone further and is away longer than ever before. It is also the first time, on a trip away, that she or we just can't pick up the phone and check in. How is she doing? Is she having fun? What has been her favorite thing so far? Or, even better, she hasn't climbed up the railing and fallen overboard into the sea?

K asks us daily "how many more sleeps until MB comes home?" Em last night was calling for MB as we put her to bed. We are just so used to being together, it is unusual for anybody to be gone for very many days.

I am getting lazy with MB gone. Not in the 'laying around eating bon-bons' kind of way (but wouldn't that be nice for a change). But, K & Em are so happy playing together or by themselves, that I can sit off to the side and read a book or knit for longer periods of time. And, if they are so happy & cooperating why interrupt with any sort of 'organized' activity. My mom had me check out some books from the library for her that her library doesn't have. So, I am trying to read those before I give them to her when she comes back this weekend. My shawl is actually about 3/4 of the way done - and I could actually have it done by the end of the week.

Some of our activities have been canceled this week - so it is a good week to just hang out. Take a February 'blahs' vacation. I feel so guilty - but it does feel really good to not be 'on' every minute of the day.

Peace,

Amy

MB left on Wednesday for the coast to avoid this

Not quite as impressive as a couple of weeks ago. But, instead of waking up to it - we actually got to watch it snow this time - which is picturesque. K & Em are not all that impressed with snow, so they were only out for 15 minutes or so before they want to come inside and have hot chocolate. I tried having a fire and spent about 80% of my day from 9am until 3pm trying to keep the darn thing burning. For some reason it just didn't want to burn. Thankfully, we don't have to depend on my firekeeping skills for survival - thank you PSNC.

About this time, MB should be at my father's house packing up his suburban for the drive to Florida. She is so excited about the trip. They actually leave on the cruise tomorrow morning out of central Florida. They are going to visit the Turks and Caicos Islands and then stop in the Bahamas. Some day I might actually get to visit some of the places my own daughter has gone.

Since MB is gone DH and I have actually been able to have the 'school' discussion that has been on the back burner when MB is around. We already know how she feels about it - but the adults needed to have the discussion without input.

I was pleasantly surprised by the discussion. I *know* that DH wants MB to go to school next year, but in the discussion I actually was able to get a better feeling about the whole thing. First of all he doesn't want her to go to school because he is unhappy with how things are going here. In fact he is very, very happy - which is great since he originally was hesitant, but willing to give it a try. No, he thinks MB should be given the chance to try school - since she is so adament about wanting to go. But, should we have any problems or MB want to come home after the first semester - then we will bring her home. He does want me to go ahead and have the WJIII test administered this Spring. We would not actually have to do this since we have a year from her 7th birthday - but he wants to have some idea where she is before she goes to school. I think he thinks that the school will actually work with her ability levels in certain areas - he has such an optimism about public schools.

Although I would prefer to not even get caught up in the whole school system, I am very happy that this isn't the end and if we are unhappy MB will come home. And, the kicker, I asked if he wanted K to be registered for school also since she will be in Kindergarten this coming year. He doesn't want K to go to school this year. He wants me to be able to take some more time to work with her, and K has no interest in going to public school. So, we will still be a homeschooling family.

I guess the thing that makes me the happiest about this is that DH was so hesitant about trying homeschooling and he faced a lot of grief from his family, but he has converted to the idea and philosophy of homeschooling. Even though he wants MB to try ps, and I understand his wanting her to try it sooner rather then later, he believes that homeschooling works and I truly think he expects us to be homeschooling for a long time.

Peace,

Amy

Short Week

We seem to be having a lot of 'short' weeks around here right now. After this trip, though, we will buckle down until Easter when we take a short vacation for what I hope to be some outdoor learning.

MB leaves either Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning - depending on whether we have weather move in. By weather, I refer to that wintery stuff that we southerners do not know how to drive in. Therefore, my mother will not be on the road if there is a 30% chance of it.

Speaking of MB's trip, my dad called me this weekend to ask me what educational benefits I was expecting or thought MB would be experiencing on the trip. I had not really planned anything beyond - take pictures and we will write up an experience journal afterwards - because then I will find out what she actually took from the trip. You know this is 'life' education. Anyway, they were searching for ideas because my step-neice has to have a lesson plan and educational benefit document given to the school before she can be excused from school. Thankfully, the administrator of MB's school (me) rearranged the vacation schedule.

Practical learning experiences could include:
~ cruise ships - those are a world/country all their own
~ government workings - customs
~ various tourist cultures
~ geography

This is my dad and stepmother, the kids are going to be enjoying shopping the straw markets and swimming.

Basically, I have a three day week. I am going to take a vacation along with MB the week she is gone. Do some early spring cleaning, finish prepping the garden for the spring crops and just in general enjoy my down time.

I also have to 'register' MB for publik skool. I don't want to - but I agreed to at least register her this year. Then I have to spend the next few months coming up with my arguments for DH of why ps basically sucks. Sorry, I just know that as hard as I find hs right now, ps will be five times worse. Bus stop at 7:00am, or drive to school at 8:00 (in both cases I have to have all the little ones up too), expected parental volunter times - 10 hrs monthly (sans other children), PTA fundraisers, homework, all extracurricular activities after school, more $ for clothes, socialization the ps way (*shiver*) and the bane of my existence, testing.

Sorry, for all the ramblings I cannot wake up this morning and get my brain clicking on all cylinders.

Have a good one,

Peace,
Amy

Glimpsing the future

At this time homeschooling is so very intensive. Two children whom have very little to no independent reading skills and a toddler who is into everything, not to mention the baby who has suddenly 'woken' up and is no longer content to sit still for very long (even in the sling). Not to say it isn't one of the most joyful experiences I have had. But, I am exhausted at the end of the day.

Reading is the big kicker - they cannot work independently until the reading skills are there. I can give MB math and have a little time to work with K, and I can give K a coloring/cutting activity and work with MB. But, for the science and history activities that require reading I am right there. Reading the chapters, reading the questions and writing the answers. The spread between what MB 'gets' and her reading is just such a huge gulf. It is what makes finding little chapter books for her to practice reading with difficult.

Yesterday, we had one of the successes. Moments that I can see that it will get easier. We are reading a chapter in one of the science topic books and then answering a few questions that I had made up. When she couldn't recall the answer to one I tried to prod her memory with "it was the last sentence I read." Low and behold she didn't just respond with 'tell me', but instead took the book and flipped to the last page I read and sounded out the sentence to herself & got the answer. We high-fived and hugged. And she felt so very good about herself - she read to find the answer to something.

She so often is low because of her reading and I feel like I have failed with her reading. It is so great for her to take some success, no matter how minor. I could glimpse down the road a time when MB can have assigned work that she doesn't need me to sit right there and read to her. That she can eventually go off and do her assignment and bring it back to me.

Speaking of successes; K has given me every indication that she is ready to read - NOW! Daily we are on the computer playing with activities on Starfall. She loves to read Dr. Seuss with me so that she can fill in the sentences. Everytime I turn around she is writing little notes for me or copying words she sees on pieces of paper.

So, I have two very different children when it comes to reading. I made the decision and bought the 'store' version of Hooked on Phonics. We are working through it together, as a group activity. MB needs more reinforcement of basic skills, that for whatever reason she did not grasp in 100 Easy Lessons and K wants to be able to read right off. So, with the accompanying CD, they are enjoying doing the lessons together. I've told MB that she does need the review, but she is also helping K learn.

I kind of like being able to teach one lesson to two children. We have been having alot of fun with that this year.

Peace,

Amy

I took a little blog break with our mini-school break. It was a nice, relaxing weekend. We enjoyed the kids that were home and MB enjoyed her skiing trip with my SIL.

I expected so much more resistence to school today, and was happy to find that everybody was geared up and ready to go. I purposely made the lesson plan a little lite today, but we got so much more accomplished.

MB pulled out her snap circuits and had a good time. We did an impromptu lesson on the difference in conductivity of fresh water vs. salt water.

And, after reading A North American Rain Forest Scrapbook by Virginia Wright-Frierson, we have decided that the next time we visit my sister on the west coast we have to go up to the Olympic Peninsula. If you have a chance to read books by this author, do it. Her illustrations of nature are beautiful.

K, since getting a boo-boo the other day, has been enthralled by how the circulatory system works & why. So, we spent some time going through books we have on the human body. MB surprised me by stating that even though she 'lost alot of blood' when she scrapped her hand the other day, it is all back because of her bone marrow. I did not even know she new how the body regenerated blood. I was impressed.

The day wasn't totally about science, either. MB and K pulled out some "How to Draw..." books that were mine when I was a kid, and spent nearly an hour working on cartoon characters & faces. I was impressed since we have spent no time on drawing skills. They won't when any prizes, but with DH & I as their parents they do start out with a disadvantage.

We did math and reading and writing lessons too. And, managed to find some time to bake brownies before going out to science club & soccer practice.

Here is a fun game to play in the car: pick a Classic Disney CD (those color ones - blue, purple, red, etc.) play it in the car and try to guess which movie which song is from - it is fun. I can't decide whether it is good or bad that my children can recognize so many of the songs from so many different Disney movies. We had alot of fun with that one driving today.

That is a quick recap of the day - we have about a week before MB leaves for her week-long cruise. So, going to be busy trying to get everything in.

Peace,

Amy

Late Morning Check in

Well we have put on the outdoor clothes and removed the outdoor clothing about three times this morning. The snow, that was so pretty early this morning has begun its melt. It is being 'helped' along by the freezing rain that is now coming down - a little extra ice layer to the snow.


My girls - who this week I have been pulling out of bed between 8 & 8:30, were up bright-eyed & bushy-tailed at 7:00. They were outside by 7:30. We have had cups of hot chocolate, bowls of oatmeal and I built a fire in the fireplace (only our second this year).

MB was allowed to go down the street to play with friends until noon. Snow is such a rare occurrence and I knew that this wasn't even going to last the day. By noon I figure she will be cold and tired and ready to do her schoolwork - Yeah, we'll see.

K & MB are so happily playing with the Blokus game. pretty colors, different shapes - it is kind of neat to see what they make.

Since we only get snow once or twice a year and it is generally gone by the next day, I always feel that these days are treats. And, since I can stay home it doesn't upset my day at all.

Peace,

Amy

A little preview of our day

Guess what we will be doing today....

Peace,

Amy

Standing Guard

Its nice to have babysitters

Peace,

Amy

Today was one of those days when the term homeschooling just does not adequately describe what we do. Today, the home aspect was missing. And, well the planned paper lessons did not get done.

First of all - an hour-and-a-half. That is how early I had to start rounding up kids & belongings, asking, urging, begging and crying for children to please go put clothes on. Just to get out the door and to our wildlife class. We got there, with actual time to spare - because, well I am just paranoid that way - if I am not there early I am probably having a panic attack over it.

These classes thrill the girls. They are wonderful and such a blessing for those of us with younger children. Since they are done by the State Wildlife agency the classes are generally open to the public and they still have those classes. But, because of the overwhelming response by the local homeschoolers they have set aside classes just for homeschoolers. Today there were 25 children between 3 & 7 - plus a few toddlers just for good measure. K and MB each had their own seperate classes - but covered the same thing. MB & K kept talking over each other to tell me what they had done and to compare their classes. I love listening to them talk like that and share things (something I missed having a sister so much older than I).

Today is was about What Animals Do During the Winter. They read a picture book, do some type of experiment and a craft. I believe from what I can understand they tried out the insulating qualities of diffferent substances by putting their hands into ice water and they made pine cone bird feeders (my girls have had a lot of practice with these) Nearly two hours of professionally guided (read: I don't have to do anything but show up) learning. And all for FREE.

MB's constant amazement over the fact that there are actually other people out there that homeschool just floors me. "What you mean all those kids are homeschooled too?" Honestly, I don't keep her locked up in some dungeon.

Straight from there we headed over to the Choir class. We have a new teacher this semester. I think the switch is going to be really good. Both MB & K were happy after their classes. This time MB has received a folder with the actual songs she has to practice and learn. Tonight she and her daddy went over the sheet music and talked about all the different symbols and music notes. MB told me, very seriously, "I have to practice this every day." We will see how long it goes before I have to remind, remind, remind.

Em & Jr held up pretty well throughout it all. I am so glad that jr loves his sling - pop him in there and he is just so happy. He did stay awake for most of the morning and ended up crashing most of the afternoon - but he was so happy all day. Smiling and cooing at all the people we have not seen since before Christmas. Em was a normal two-year-old, yet she managed to not get too cranky until right before we headed home. Of course she fell asleep in the car (10 minutes) and then did not want to take a nap once we were home. She had an early bedtime tonight.

My plan was to do our lessons when we got home - but I was exhausted. The girls were a little 'overstimulated' by actually being around a bunch of other children for 4 hours straight. We needed downtime before we had meltdowns. I am getting much better about spotting those. We had a couple hours before my friend was dropping off her kids for the evening so she could go to work. So - we chilled. The girls got to pick a movie and I made them milkshakes - and I curled up with a knitting book.

Our evening, even with two extra children went well. And, I am glad the girls got their downtime before the friends showed up.

So, tonight instead of putting together another lesson plan for tomorrow I am crossing out today's date and putting tomorrow's and we are all good. Then I am heading for bed.

Peace,

Amy

And off go...

I really tried to stay on task today. But, really, with January weather in the mid-70's how possible is that. We read Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats by Jim Arnosky during lunch.

Which led to us talking about our backyard as an animal habitat, which led to MB wanting to reload the bird feeders - right then. Of course she also needed to scrub out the bird bath and put clean water in it. Then when she collected pine cones and wanted peanut butter - how could I say no.

The birds will be happy during the upcoming cold snap.

We did manage to get back on task, then off task, then back on task. But, isn't that kind of what is fun about homeschooling. The things children will come up with on their own.

And, junior has developed his own way of getting comfortable.

He scoots himself right down to the bottom of his bouncy seat so that his legs can hang over the edge. Don't dare try to actually use the straps to hold him in. Those white spit rags are left over from an exciting game of peek-a-boo played with K shortly before he fell asleep.

We got everything done, feed the birds, wrestled the willies out - another good day.

Peace,

Amy

An hour

I have an hour until I have to pick up MB from her Spanish Class - what can I do with the time. K is firmly entranced with her Word Factory Leapster Game, EM is outside digging in the mud and Junior has passed out in his car seat after being fed. Since getting on the computer is something I can only seem to do when everyone else is occupied - I am here.

I was worried that Friday, getting out of our routine would be problematic. It wasn't. The girls had a good day and got to spend sometime with their grandparents. I got to do the grocery shopping by myself. We had some issues this morning over getting back to lessons - but not related to Friday. MB knows that her friends are off from school today and wants to know why she isn't. Generally, I would probably let her have the day off. But, she is going skiing for two days next week and then on the cruise with my dad the first week of Feb. We have already rearranged my planned spring break - so we have to do some work today.

Hopefully when she gets home from Spanish she will be in a better frame of mind. I did not load her up with stuff to do - so if she will just sit and not waste time fussing she will have plenty of the afternoon for play.

Each week we seem to have more and more to do outside the house. And, of course last week I added a couple more things to start, probably in Feb. I think we have a good cross-section of outside activities to compliment our homeschooling. This Spring we have: Spanish Class (Weekly MB), Science Club (weekly MB & K), Choir (Weekly MB & K), Wildlife Classes (Monthly MB & K), Soccer (Weekly MB), and Piano Group Lessons (Weekly MB & K - although two seperate classes). I am thinking that I need to get us a big soft-bag cooler to keep in the car as we are going to be spending quite a bit of time in it. And, as my mom pointed out, it is just going to keep increasing as the girls get older and the younger two become more involved in activities. Already K is asking to do soccer too - but I think that it is just because MB does soccer. K hates to play soccer when we play in the yard. But, she loves to play baseball with her daddy. So, I need to find the t-ball league, she will enjoy that much more.

I got my books from the library for our Ecology/Environment unit. I am excited to start that. We are going to study biographies for the first time with this unit and I am hoping to increase MB's writing practice. I am still looking for some fun movies and chapter books to add to the unit. I've thought about Hoot, but I need to read it first. MB is fairly mature in her understanding and comprehension - but it is a middle grades book.

I have thoughts of possibly doing some sort of environmental class/club with our hs group, as I have to do two things each year for membership. Spring would be the best time to do something like that so we can be outside - but I don't know how I could make it work. Of course I have also been thinking about doing some "community' activities since those are part of the Grade 2 course of study. I have way too many ideas and just not any 'idea' of how to actually make them happen.

Have a good day

Peace,

Amy

Floam

Another good school day - I am flabbergasted. Did she take my threat over the Christmas holidays seriously?? It is becoming routine - well it should after three years.

This morning we started with science. While we wait on our books at the library, I am letting her choose what she wants to do each day for science - as long as it is part of the Earth Science materials I have gathered. Today she wanted to watch the National Geo dvd Forces of Nature. She has been dying to use the dvd player my dad got her for Christmas - so I sent her to the office to watch the movie so I could do some things with K & Em. But, 10 minutes later she came in and wanted me to watch the movie with her because "it is soo cool." So, we all got to watch the video and find the places in the atlas.

After the video I told them that today was finally the day I felt like making floam. Really, something I have to build myself up to doing - do you know what a pain those little microbeads are to clean up? The one caveat was that all the schoolwork had to be finished and we had to be able to do it while Em & Jr slept.

Wasn't as messy as I thought it was going to be and the kids had alot of fun making it. Science & Art!!! The price was right up my alley too: .50c bottle of all-purpose white glue, borax (already had in the laundry room), water, food coloring and I did a bead-extraction on an old pillow that was sitting in the garage waiting to be dumped. We have plenty of supplies to do this several times over. Now I wait to see what they decide to "floam" in the house - I have already had to discourage them from making junior some hair.

Speaking of junior, anyone want to see a new picture of my big boy. You don't, just close your eyes and scroll on past.

Sorry about the 'red eyes' my camera sucks. I have the anti-red-eye flash, yet my kids still look demonic in every picture.

Junior has gone through a huge growth spurt over the past month and is now in 3 month clothing. He is totally a people-baby. He wants to be held and talked to, he talks back with all sorts of very funny facial expressions. He loves to be on the playmat and have his sisters play with him - and they are really good with him. I knew MB & K would be fine, but Em I was a little worried about - they are doing so well.

Tomorrow we will leave routine behind for a day, keep your fingers crossed. My in-laws want to see the kids and I need to go grocery shopping - first trip to the store this month (I am trying to be good).

Peace,

Amy

Cool Website of the Day

MB was doing her science work on the computer today - browsing through wetland links from her Earth E-book by DK. She came across this video from Idaho Public TV. After she finished watching it I did some looking at the website and they have various science videos - done for elementary-age kids dating back to 1999 available. They are around 20 minutes. The site is Dialogue 4 Kids.

The video on wetlands had to professional ecologists who answered questions from kids across Idaho and various photos. Some of the info was focused on Idaho, but alot of it was general information.

Best part - free, free, free

Peace,
Amy

New Day

Okay, yesterday was yesterday and today is today. I don't know where we got off track. Maybe it was Em suddenly deciding that yesterday was going to be the day to potty train and that just threw us all off the loop. Of course it could be that both MB and I had just run out of steam and we just couldn't do it anymore yesterday. Whatever the reason, it is a new day this morning and I am going to try to get back on track.

Lots to do today and we have soccer practice at the new, and not improved time of 4:30. This means that not only can dh not help me out by going with MB, we also have to cut out of the science club meeting early. But, at least it is only through February. I am going to try a new recipe in the crockpot tonight, so we will see how that goes. It has finally gotten cold, for at least one day. So it will be a good day for a heavy stew.

Hope everyone has a great new day

Peace,
Amy

The Spirit

Okay, I need to give an update after last Friday mornings grumblings. I went to the appointment and she was, really a great social worker. I totally expected, in some ways a push to testing for ADD/ADHD or at the very least questioning of homeschooling. But, I was suprised in all that. After giving the SW a quick breakdown of MB's personality & the things that were worrying me, she asked if I had ever read Raising Your Spirited Child. Which I had, back when MB was about three. I had used the suggestions in it, for awhile, but I admit I had gotten lazy and distracted and had not kept up with it as MB matured and her traits had changed.

She did not think that it was ADHD, because even though MB acts like she isn't paying attention, she still absorbs and later will spit back everything verbatim. The fact is, MB is a born multi-tasker. She does do better with several things going on at once. And, she thinks that it is great that I do homeschool her, because I am probably better able to adjust to her needs.

So, it was a good visit. And I came home and pulled back out my copy of the book. It psyched me back up. It reminded me of things I need to do better - look at the positive side of her traits, not how they bug me; wait five seconds & think before I automatically say no; give her the time & opportunity to be with other people or make sure I spend time (not schoolwork) doing things with her; explain to her when & why I need my timeout and some many other things.

Okay, so someone with my introversion this is really difficult and oh, so very draining. I have been exhausted every night this weekend. But, it has really been worth it. We can generally have one good day, but linking them up so that we are actually on our fourth day - Wow! And school today, lovely.

Now that K can play some games I have also recruited her to play games with MB to give me a break once in awhile. It was great watching them play Candyland this weekend - and not having to play it myself. I think those two are getting along better too. And, today, I caught K trying to egg MB into doing something to her, and then she tried to tattle -- hmm little did she know that I was watching from the hallway at the time. So, I am trying to nip that little trick right now. I also told MB how proud I was that she managed to ignore K and not take the bait.

MB also got another little boost this weekend. She scored her first indoor soccer goal of the year. And, I actually got to watch her play on Saturday. The other parents, talk about hearing the right thing at the right time, kept going on about her energy, persistence and total lack of fear. Again, the good side of traits that can frustrate me. It was almost 8:30 pm when we finally got home and I let her call her grandparents and tell them. She was so pleased with herself.

I was dreading today, just a little, since we were going to mix schoolwork into our 'new' relationship. But it went really well. MB started a new co-op class this morning - Hands on Spanish, so she got to get her people fix early today and I got to run errands. When we got home she gave me very little trouble getting down to business. She is finally enjoying and wanting me to do the lunchtime reading. The daily lesson plan checkoff list has been wonderful since I started using it in December.

MB was full of energy today and I had to keep reminding her to stay on task - but we had no meltdowns. She did all of her math by herself and not once did I hear about how 'unfair' her life is. A big check mark for today!!

So, if this keeps on working we will go with it. The SW did give some numbers if we eventually thought we wanted some outside help. But, for right now I am going to keep trying this.

Peace,

Amy

Day 3

Thursday did end up better, a little more cohesive and go with the flow. But it did not start out that way. The entire morning was spent in a fight over Math. The conversations we had were so crazy, I just don't get it. The math was too hard (it is the beginning of the G2 workbook and is entirely review) - what you can't count the number of pencils in the set? You can't write the number that comes before and after? (these were the thoughts that went through my head when she made these statements) Then she told me that she didn't know what before and after meant. I know that she was entirely trying to push my buttons so I just left her alone to do the work.

I spend way too much time arguing with her over these things. And she just wants to argue so she can procrastinate doing the work. Well, I have other children that need me too and want to do things. So, I told her to get it done and went to sit with K and Em. We got EM set up with her 'Magic' markers & paper (color wonder art set she got from Santa) K and I sat and read "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" by Dr. Seuss as we are working on her rhyming words. I like that I can sit in the Family Room with those two doing things and keep an eye on MB at the table.

I guess, MB figured that I wasn't going to argue anymore, because she finished her math about the time K and I were finishing her worksheet on same & different objects. It was close to lunch time so we all took a break and chilled out while I fixed lunch.

Once Em went down for her nap, we got back to business and MB was ready to go. K chose to play with the magnetix and I read the next chapter in "Around the World in 80 Days" while MB practiced her cursive letters. Then we pulled out the poem that MB is to memorize from FLL. I had typed it on the computer the night before - large letters and leaving white space for her to illustrate it. She was really into that. We read through it twice and then she illustrated - showing the full lifecycle of a butterfly. Once we were done we went through it again and this time she performed an impromptu dance to go along with the poem. By the time we had read through 5 or 6 times she was able to recite about 50% of it from memory.

I fixed my lunch and she read aloud to me from her reading book while I ate. By this point I was drained and Jr needed his lunch. We were finished with MB's assigned work for the day and a friend who was tracked out of school had called to see if MB could come over for the afternoon. K wanted to watch the 'Baby Art' DVD, which she has really been enjoying since our Art Museum visit last month. I got a chance to veg with a couple of knitting books I had picked up on my last library visit.

Today will be a shorter day as it is Friday and I have an appointment this afternoon. We have math, reading and science. We need to be done by lunch time because a hs friend is coming over with her children to watch the whole group while I go to an appointment at the kid's pediatricians office.

It, I hope will be an interesting and enlightening appointment. Our county mental health group has taken on a project to be more reachable and to better serve the children & adolescents in the area. On of those ways is by providing free services from the pediatricians offices so we don't have to go downtown. This isn't a therapy or drug type thing, although they do help with those services. It is really working with the parents to provide suggestions and recommendations (could be parenting/discipline strategies, classes or even recommendations for further testing). I am going in for MB. I feel like I am at the end of my rope with her.

During our holiday this path month I seriously considered going to down and enrolling her in school for the rest of the year. For totally selfish reasons - the house is so much calmer when she isn't here. And, I totally hate that I feel like that. I have started giving her melatonin some nights just so that she will sleep - otherwise she is still up at 1:00 am. I am really at a loss - we have done diet changes and behavior ladders and allowances. They all seem to work for a short time while they are new - then bam back to the attitude and temper tantrums. Now, she is constantly putting herself down; i'm stupid and no one loves me.

So, I am going in to talk to this person. See what she has to say. This month I am also taking MB in to have her eyes checked. She is far sighted, but not so much that it causes any problems on the basic eye exam. Unfortunately serious astigmatisms run in my family - and I just wonder if eye strain isn't causing some reading issues. Anyway, it is worth a check.

Anyway, something has to be done. I can't send her back to school in the shape she is in right now - I feel like in some regards we have gone backwards over the last 18 months.

Peace,

Amy

Day 2

Well, the first day back to lessons is always better than the second day for us. And, why should it be any different this time?

Yesterday (Tuesday) I made it a light day. We played a few games in the morning and then went out to meet someone that I was passing some of junior's premie clothes on to. Since we were nearby, I gave the girls (and myself) a treat and we had lunch and some play time at 'Chicky-lay'. When we got home MB got down to business and finished her math (some fun review pages out of an enrichment workbook) and did her reading. That was pretty much our first day back.

Today my plan was to add in two more of her subjects - but still nothing new. The day started off well enough. MB got up this morning and made spice muffins for us all. The only help she needed was for me to run the mixer. But, when it was time for school - she fell apart.

It is so frustrating because I just don't understand, still what sets her off. I have tried so many approaches my head even spins. Again, it was the fact that K & EM did not have to sit and do schoolwork just like her. Yet, even when I actually try to make that happen she falls apart because I am spending more time with them than her. Or, their work is 'more fun' than hers. Some days I wonder why I ever bother. Yeah, it was one of those days.

So, after I gave myself a few minutes, so I wouldn't hit the ceiling, we sat down to talk. Basically, the same talk we have had before. And she was so focused on other things I honestly do not know how much of it she absorbed this time. But, she did settle down and do her work for the rest of the day.

She did the first lesson in her new math book, practiced the cursive letters we had finished up with last month before the break, We read another chapter in Around the world in 80 Days (yes, we are still working on that), she did her reading & reading comprehension work. And I called it a day with her.

Once she was finished I could sit down and play some memory & dice games with K & Em. K is just growing and intellectually growing by leaps and bounds recently.It is great fun to watch & be a part of. Em talking and vocabulary has just shot forward in the last few weeks. The best part is how much fun those two have playing together now. I know that this may only last for the next year - and then K will want to be off doing 'big' girl things and leaving Em behind (much like MB has done with K over the past couple years) so I am trying to enjoy it for all that it is worth.

I better go and get things ready for tomorrow am. Day 3!!!!

Peace,

Amy

New Year = New Books

In our little self-created world, it is the beginning of our new school year. MB, on paper, begins 2nd grade and K enters kindergarten. MB's new math book awaits fresh & clean, her grammar studies will be a new lesson. But, she doesn' get a new teacher or a new desk. Our Earth Science study continues as we spend this semester studying ecology and our affect on the environment around us.

Today we really will not start off to difficult. Our whole week will be the transition period after having nearly a month off. They have gotten way to used to unlimited computer time, game playing and movies. Reincorporating structure into the day with out revolt is what I am aiming for.

I wasn't planning on school today, thinking DH had today off also. But, found out on Sunday that he did have to work. The neighborhood kids are back in school. Out of self-defense I think it will be better if we do start some things today. I'm ready, I'm excited. I needed the time off around the holidays - But now I am ready to tackle a new year.

Peace,

Amy

13 Hours

That is how much sleep I logged last night - continuously. I was so tired I felt ill all day yesterday. So when DH got home I explained it to him, fed the children and went to lay down for 'a little while.' The next thing I knew it was 3am, so I figured I would close my eyes again and then it was after 8am. Aaah I felt so much better today.

So, I got a head start on some of my New Years resolutions. I started organizing all the free clothes we have received this month for my girls. We know a lot of people who give us their hand-me-down girl clothes and we got bags and boxes all month. They range in sizes from 4 to 10, and cover all seasons. I had to sort them, and box them. Then, hit the boxes in storage in the garage. When I was done I moved the boxes out to the storage shed. That made the garage look so much better, I figured I needed to keep going.

I listed a few items, including a sofa and chair on freecycle - and they were out of the garage by the afternoon. I sorted my books - seriously cut my accumulation of fun paperbacks. Now I have boxes to take to the used book store - I figure I can use whatever credit I get to buy books for the girls' schooling.

Things boxed up and moved out really made the garage look great. So then the house looked, um, horrible. I did the big thing this afternoon - took down the old computer and put my new one up in its permanent home. Everything that I can is moved over. I can't find my Quicken software - so I guess I will be buying that shortly. But otherwise I am thrilled with how easy it was to transfer what needed to be transferred.

I am taking a break before I try to tackle the toy haul, again. I feel like it is a lost cause. I have gotten rid of old stuff, broken stuff and yet there is still no room. I even have a few gifts still in the boxes that I don't feel the girls are overly thrilled with - so they will probably go back to the store for credit for something else.

The christmas tree still needs to come down - maybe tomorrow DH will tackle it for me. I really would like the house to look as good as it did last year when it was on the market. It may be a lost cause, but I can at least try. At the very least I want everything to have a home by the 3rd when schooling resumes again.

I hope everyone has a good New Year.

Peace,

Amy

And a Merry Christmas to all

Although, a little belatedly.

We did the whole, big family (my family) thing here at our house and are still trying to dig out from under it. But K, in all her wisdom, summed it up the best: "This is the best Christmas ever." Yeah - it was pretty good. The kids did not even notice that earlier in the year I had sent out requests to family members to please limit their purchases as we were trying to declutter. Well, the girls still scored big - they didn't get as much, but working with the family, they got what they wanted which was the most important thing.

I had heard people say how much their child's reading took off once they started playing a gameboy, or such (mainly because it interest them). And, it is true for MB. She got one and is really doing exceptional reading all the clues and information for the game. Hopefully in a week we start school again I'll see it translate into her schoolwork. She also got a Snap Electronics Kit which she has already spent hours doing the provided projects, and then tweaking them.

K, got her wish. Her birthday wish, which she didn't tell me about until a week after her birthday. A Dora Castle! and, thanks to family, many packages of the extra people and furniture. The thing is huge and she is loving it. Actually, all the girls are. But, K is so into imaginative play and loves Dora.

Poor EM, so overwhelmed with everything. Her birthday was less than a week before Christmas, so many things, so little time. She gave up halfway through Christmas morning and we had to wait until afternoon for her to finish. But, she is just loving all the new things in the house - hers and her sisters'.

DH and I did not exchange gifts this year. It was a choice we made as the things that we really want/need are large items that we can't afford to get in on fell swoop. So we decided to save our money to get them down the road. Plus, we were able to devote Christmas morning to just the children.

We did end up with a new computer, even though it wasn't supposed to happen that way. I told my mom about all the problems our 8-yr-old computer had been giving us, and how I expected that it was going to go to the great Computer Beyond sometime in the next year - hopefully not taking all my photos with it. So, she and my father each gave us a check to go towards a new computer. The plan was that their present would pay for 60-75% of a new one and we would get on when we added to it later in the year. But, Christmas night I was online surfing and found Christmas Day shopping deals so we ended up with a computer system - paid in full present.

DH picked it up yesterday and last night I started setting it up and transferring important files over. I was thrilled with how easy it flowed, even moving my existing email inbox items and internet favorite sites. I still have a few things to set up and transfer, then we will take down this old desktop and let a friend help us clean it off. We are going to find an inexpensive LCD monitor to replace the mid-90's CRT monitor and then give it to the girls for their school work. As long as they don't try to run too many programs at the same time they should be okay. The new computer is MINE! MINE! MINE! Okay, I may let DH use it occassionally, but I even named it "Moms Computer"

Today, the fun and games continue. MB's birthday party is today - we are going bowling! Then over to the inlaws for dinner and more Christmas. After today though, I will be relaxing. DH has another 4day weekend coming up and we plan on just being with the kids and not doing a lot.

I better get some children moivated.

Peace,

Amy

Lets spread a little Christmas Cheer

The week before Christmas and the whole house is in a rush.
Finishing this project and that.
Errands to run.
Geez Soccer is still on.
Doctors appointments and children going out of town
A birthday or two - boy what a week.
And what could surprise me
And send me off my rocker
But one crazy lady and her insane tirades

People - they really do disappoint me sometimes. But more than that, shock me with the insanity that can flow from their mouths, or in this case fingers via email. If this week wasn't already crazy enough, I have had to put up with threats and harrassment by another hs momma. It really makes me want to bar my door shut and tell these children all these horrible stories about what can happen to them if they go out in public and try to be nice to someone who obviously has problems.

There is this one mother in our group who has issues. I don't know exactly what they are, but about three times a year she just goes off her rocker and tears into someone. The chosen this time: Yours truly and Mary.

She sent me an email Monday evening to let me know that Mary has been hurting her son (2 yrs older and twice her weight) during the play time after choir - apparently for the last three months. But she hasn't wanted to tell me then, because I have "so much going on". The words she used were violent and unprovoked. Of course, I went into the oh my gosh mode and tried to remember if I had seen any of this behavior. Except for the two times DH took her to Choir after junior was born, the girls are not out of my sight except during actual class time. I even called my really good friend who is also the nominal leader of the group to double check. My friend had never seen this either. We determined that the woman must have been talking about this game that the kids try to take over each others hideouts. (a game we keep trying to discourage - and will not be played again).

So I sent her a reply thanking her for bringing it to my attention and that Mary must have inadvertently hurt him during the game. We were sorry for that, but I really wish that she had brought it to my attention when it happened so that I could have used it as a teachable moment for Mary. That from now on please let me know as soon as she sees any rough behavior and I will take care of it.

The next email digressed into a badly misspelled tirade about Mary and how I don't know how to parent, and that she has given her son full permission to use any and all force against my daughter and she doesn't care if Mary gets hurt or not. I guess it was at this point that I realized that she was in full insanity mode. Then she sends an email to my friend to complain and that since I din't see fit to control my daughter that they are going to have to drop out - and they just loooove Choir. (She has sent my friend several emails this fall telling her that they will have to drop Choir if different things are not changed). My friend tries to calm her and reiterates what I told her.

So the emails keep coming and coming. Threatening and Harrassing. I speak to other mothers in the group, just to get a double check. I don't believe that Mary is an angel, but she is not into unprovoked violence and hurting people willfully. But, I just wanted to see if I missed something. Even without mentioning this mothers name, everyone knew who it was. This is a yearly thing apparently. Whichever girl her son most likes to play with becomes the target.

So last night I finally respond to yet another of her emails, my second response. Restating the first email and informing her that the discussion was over. The reply: further threats, including calling the police on me because I have a dangerous, mentally unstable child and am doing nothing for her - and she knows this because she has a child psychology degree.

So, my week has been interesting. My faith in the inherent sanity of people has diminished a little more. How much for bars on the doors? - that should make a nice homeschool statement.

Peace,

Amy

Happy Birthday Em

Our other december birthday is today. Em is two, although she believes wholeheartedly that she should be three. We have already been in for her well-child check, and everything is great. While we were gone MB and K decorate her birthday cake - a cute brown & orange teddy bear cake

I think they did a wonderful job. The oranges icing and spinkles are left over from the Halloween cake we never made. At least it isn't a 'christmas' theme, my mom's particular pet peeve about her birthday being in December - everything is given a Christmas theme. So, our December Birthdays we make sure are birthdays and not Christmas.

So, my baby girl is two now. I really can't believe it has been two years, but I have been kind of busy. I started this blog right after she was born. Wow.

Here is her picture birthday post:







Peace,

Amy

Seven Years, Seven Pictures

Can we say Hectic?

Oh my goodness, where have the days gone? Time has hit a superfast speed and all I am trying to do is keep up. I realized the other day that I have yet to order my neice's bday & christmas presents and as of this morning I still have not had a chance. Of course, I am here and not shopping the internet right now. Geez.

We have been busy with the good, the bad and the mundane. It has been okay. Apparently my children have come down with Christmas fever and have entered into a somewhat whiney and fairly annoying phase - but I am holding with the thought that it will pass. It will pass after all the birthdays, and holiday parties and Christmas has come and gone. Sometime, I am sure we will settle back in - only to face another upheavel to our lives.

I laugh to myself as I write this. Yesterday I had two moms, each with one kid, in a space of 30 minutes, respond when they found out that I had four young children. "Oh my goodness. How do you do it?" I think I may have gotten this when I had three and they knew I homeschooled. But, for some reason this struck me yesterday. I think I gave both of them a somewhat blank stare for 20-30 secs before responding. Why? Because I kept wondering how they expected me not to do it. I get up in the morning and just do what needs to be done that day - the same way they probably do. Honestly, I don't put much weight into getting too much of a to-do list done each day, because I am sure something more important will come up with the list that will supersede the list. If I actually stop to think about how I am doing - measuring it up against some arbitray list, then I am sure I will feel like a failure. Because I am not going to match up to a list I or someone else creates for me. But, at the end of the day, when we as a family are sitting around the table saying grace over a meal that my children helped me prepare - I don't feel like a failure. No matter what I have or have not done that day - my children have received love, guidence, correction. I have said I love you to everyone in the house at least twice. That is what I think about as I put out the many burning fires during the day. I love them all and that is what matters.

Talk about having a lesson about not laying to much expectation (either good or bad) into the future., and only focusing on the NOW in life. I'm there, I'm good.

Just to give a quick update on our lives. MB's 7th birthday is today - I'll probably post later on just that. But, this weekend we went out for a mom & daughter day. It was nice and something I will probably try to make into a tradition as each of the girls get older. MB got a new set of clothes - that she could pick out, with my approval. She also had her ears pierced - the 'big' gift for this year. She was a trooper - she wanted to stop after the first one, but we did convince her that she really needed to get both done. By the time we left the mall, she has so thrilled about it. She is constantly asking me if she can go clean her ears with the solution they gave her.

Tonight, instead of a birthday dinner, she and K will be singing in the homeschool choir performance. It should be interesting. The choir director was let go at the end of November for various things, so we mom's have been getting the children up to speed for the performance. In January we do have a new director coming on - so hopefully it will get better. The kids are really looking forward to it. I got to watch a little bit of their practice yesterday and I will say the kids are enjoying it and it should be fun. I just hope that no one comes expecting any 'polish' because they are not there.

Yesterday I received my issue of Time and the cover article was "How to Build a Student For the 21st Century." ( it isn't a free article, although you can watch an ad and then read the article - so next time you go to your doctor pick it up). The words Build and Student just caught my eye and I had to read. The article wasn't as bad as I was expecting. In fact it made a few points that I have believed for awhile about the downfall of education. But, the entire premise of the article is about how to educate a student to work in the future. It is not an article about how to educate a child to, I don't know, be educated for that sake alone.

And that point is made early on: "This week the conversation will burst onto the front page, when the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce, a high-powered, bipartisan assembly of Education Secretaries and business, government and other education leaders releases a blueprint for rethinking American education from pre-K to 12 and beyond to better prepare students to thrive in the global economy. " Isn't that just scary?

But there are points that are made that I do agree with - mainly because it is hopefully the education I will give my children. Maybe I should be on this board - haha.

Points such as:

~ Knowing more about the world
~ Thinking outside the box - and across disciplines
~ Learn how to find and process all the information and learn how to determine what is true or not, and then what to do with it
~ Development of people skills (because apparently kids are graduating from school without knowing basic deportment skills and how to work in a team environment) I could say something here, but most of my readers know what I could be thinking about this one. If you don't I will give a one word hint - socialization.

Of course if government education begins to resemble the model given in the article, there is one thing I can probably be assured of - there will be a generation of children coming who will be unable to play the classic Trivial Pursuit game.

In the end, though, it really comes down to who do we want determining what is an education for our children?

Have a great Wednesday.

Peace.

Amy

Friday Follies

To celebrate the end of our year I figured we would take the day off. I needed a day to play catch up around the house, sort bills, blah, blah, blah. I did sort of have an activity planned - but they shot it down. So, we went with free time. And here I was not wearing my black & white striped outfit to ref in.

While I fed Junior this morning, EM got into the bathroom (who forgot to close the door this time?) and dumped the entire bottle of childrens shampoo all over the floor. My first inkling of trouble - the super-sweet smell coming down the hall.



K, spent the entire day in her own little world. Which, involved, apparently, a lot of running and jumping, swinging around with arms outspread. Of course this can be very, very fun. But, when others are around it isn't exactly safe. I believe that all of us got smacked at some point today. K, herself managed to run into some walls and furniture and doors, etc. The quote from her after EM being the bullseye for the fourth time, "Mommy, why are you so mad at me?"

And, what is it with the tattling?? I know a bad mommy award will be coming my way. But, by mid-afternoon I finally had to tell them that if nothing was broken and there was no blood - I did not want them to come screaming to me.

I did. kind of, sorta think about posting a Surrogate Parent Wanted ad. Please take a couple of my children for about 4 years.

MB, did enjoy her day off. She watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkeban. She sat in the chair with the remote and kept rewinding it back to where Hermoine smacks Draco. Power to the woman, or some sort of thing. Once she was done with her movie she disappeared to her room to play with her barbies. She did not come out until she was ready to go out and play. I'm just amazed at what a different girl she has become this fall. It is like I suddenly have a totally different child. No real complaints about it - I am enjoying the girl she is becoming.


(see the green scarf - I did that!)
I think I might like 7. Anything has to be better than the 2-4 ages (I will say that this is the age I have always had the most difficulty with - it isn't the child, its the age) of which I have 2.


And Junior, well we spent a lot of time together today. He has just started cooing and being very interested in studying me. Today I got my very first smile!!! So, we had as much cuddle time as we could.

At the end of the day we were all happy to see daddy come home. I did manage to throw together a chicken pie (a traditional meal of his family) which he said was very good!! It is always a little stressful trying to live up to his memories of certain foods. We lit our first fire and the girls totally enjoyed it. DH even had them roasting marshmallows. Once the girls were in bed we just spent some time decompressing from our week. Since I have finished the scarves, I am back to working on my shawl. I might have it done by next winter.

Off to sleep while I can.

Peace,

Amy

End of The Year and other ramblings

So here we sit at the end of another school year, year 2 or 3 homeschooling. I can't really say that I have gotten anymore comfortable with it yet. This fall the realization has come to me that the struggles we have in homeschooling all come back to me. Unfortunately, MB being the oldest, has gotten the full force of my pushing. I guess I felt like I had something to prove to others in my life when it came to educating MB. That I had to do it faster or something.

I came to homeschooling because I didn't want the love of learning that young kids have being 'killed' by the public education model. I wanted to be able to give them a lot of hands-on experience, be able to move through standards at the speed they needed (i assumed faster), and a chance to build the creative side of themselves. I wanted to give them the education I wanted. And there lies the rub. It wasn't MB's education.

I jumped right into it trying to force material on that I would have found fascinating, but really didn't hit the spot for MB. When she did get interested in something I dumped material on her that was really over her head. But I thought if she would only get interested in something then suddenly all these skills would come together - and boom - she would be doing the work I thought she should be doing. Surprise, Surprise that isn't working.

What is interesting I let my younger two cruise on through. I don't feel the need to push them, and let them guide me with what they need. If K wants to spend the morning writing the same three letters over and over - I let her. If she is totally involved in creating one of her picture stories, I don't interrupt and try to teach her how to tell time. I know that they will learn how to tell time - when their time is right. But, for some reason, I felt like I had to keep pushing MB.

What I have accomplished with MB is to do what I didn't want the school system to do - she has started to shut down when it comes to exploring the world around her. School is torture - accomplished only under threat of the removal of social or sports time. She doesn't have confidence in her abilities.

So, in light of this personal awareness, I am re-thinking and re-working so that we can start off the New Year in January a better way. I pulled up the NC Course of Study for 2nd grade and looked through that. There is also LearnNC, a really awesome website that has all sorts of lesson plans by grade level or subject. Alot of them are links to outside websites like National Geo, that we can use in the 'small' classroom setting. Since they are 'graded' I am hoping that it will help me to stay focused on not trying to stretch her too far out of her comfort zone. Some topics I think we will cover are: Community (what makes up a community - we will use our Simm City Software an have her build her own city); Relationship between people and environment (Ecology); Basic Economics - Goods and Services, especially how they relate to our local community. I also plan for some Geography/Cultural studies.

Looking back over this past year we have been successful. I don't see that we have failed, I just think that I could manage the approach a little bit better. MB took her end-of-grade test in the Grade 1 Math today and scored a 91%. She can and does use measurement, time and money in her daily life. Her reading level has advanced to a late 1st grade level, and she is more and more taking books back to bed with her. She loves to cook and is very involved in helping with meal planning and making meals. Some nights cooking the entire meal with only oversight from DH or I (us providing the cutting and hot work). She of course has absorbed a lot of nature science and will spit it back out. Her handwriting is no worse than any other child in the naeighborhood, and she has asked to be taught cursive writing, which we have started and she is enjoying. Her handwriting is already getting better.

This year my focus is on getting MBs confidence back up, and really letting her tell me what she needs. I have found a few 'fun' outside classes for both her & K this semester. We will continue in Choir, a spanish class taught by a native speaker at her home, and monthly nature science classes. She also has her weekly science club meeting. There are a few other things I have some interest in, but we will have to see how the money falls out.

I have other things that I would probably write about, but it is hard typing with one hand and trying to keep the older ones on task for cleaning up their daily mess.

Peace,

Amy

Our Day

I always love when people share snapshots of their days by hour - so I am going to give it a try today.

5:50 am

'Junior' wakes up hungry for his breakfast. Normally he settles back own for another couple of hours, but seems ready for a little conversation this morning. Finally I get him back out around 7. I decide to catch a little morning news before the masses wake up - of course I promptly fall asleep. It happens everytime I am still for longer than 10 minutes. (I almost fell asleep in church yesterday during prayers)

8:00 am

The first of the girls, EM is heard from. She always gets up at 8:00 on the dot. Just in time to watch Little Einsteins. K appears about 10 minutes later. I fix them some breakfast and let them catch their morning shows while I do some computer time - answering emails, printing off MBs list for the day, etc. I get the laundry going for the day and dress.

8:45 am

Time to feed junior again. I read some more of the Happy Feet book to K and EM while I am doing that.

9:15 am

I have given up on waiting for MB to make her appearence. I go in to wake her up (10 minute process). While she eats breakfast we read Chapter 12 in Around the World in 80 Days.

10:00 am

MB chooses to listen to her math facts 'rock' CD while I work with K on writing some letters. Junior is napping and EM is in her room playing with her Little People.

10:45 am

We take a little break from school, while I feed and cuddle with junior some more. MB is looking through her cookbook and we discuss what recipes we can make that day. I talk her into making dinner Tuesday night, and we settle on making cookie bars, which are decorated with colored sugar.

11:15 am

EM and K are playing with their train set. MB settles down to get her reading comprehension done for the day. I cook lunch and pull out the ingredients for the cookies. MB pulls out an enrichment workbook and does a couple of activities while we wait for lunch to finish cooking.

12:00 pm

We have our lunch and put EM down for her nap. I switch out the laundry and throw another load in. After I clean the kitchen from lunch, we prepare for cookie making. I check email again.

1:00 pm

Cookie time.While K takes her turn with the Little People, MB and I work together on the recipe. She reads, with help, the directions. She does a wonderful job figuring out how to add quarter cups to make whole cups and so on. She designs the image on the cookie and makes the colored sugar. Using the colored sugar she makes a picture on the big cookie. Her design is a flower - it doesn't turn out that way, but we will get to that later.

1:45 pm

While the cookie is baking, MB does her math workbook. I knit some more on MBs scarf.

2:15 pm

Cookie is done. The picture comes out looking like Mt. Vesuvius (according to MB). It still tastes the same according to K. EM is awake from her nap so we all have a snack. K works on her Jumpstart computer program. MB works on her cursive writing using a white board to practice going 'up the mountain' and 'down the mountain' to make her 'i' and 't'. Junior is ready to eat again, so while I feed him MB grudgingly does her read aloud with me.


2:45 pm

The girls get occupied playing some board games together. Yeah! I spend some time with junior who is in need of a little attention. After 3:00 they are able to turn on the video games and move on to playing a litte pole position, well loved by all three. I do a little more laundry switch-a-roo.

3:30 pm

Junior settles back down for another nap. MB leaves for some 'social' playtime with the neighborhood kids. EM & K decide to watch Cars for the upteenth time. And I get some quiet computer time before I need to go finish some chores.

That about wraps up our day. It was a good, normal Monday for us. The rest of the week seems to get more chaotic as we are out and about more and don't have so mauch time to dilly-dally with the lessons.

We are about to get more chaotic after the New Year, as we are adding in some more outside classes, but I will get into our Winter/Spring Semester in a later post. I have been working at tweaking and figuring out what we will cover.

So, how was your Monday?

Peace,

Amy