Days Like This

It is because of days like today that I enjoy homeschooling, not because we got up and everything went perfectly. Believe me, it didn't. It never does. I enjoyed today because I sat with Matthew and finished a puzzle, while the others did their work; Andrew finished reading a book to me that he enjoyed and said, "We stopped yesterday when it was just getting good!"; and Margo will end this day having completed a nice amount of work herself and can be proud of what she has accomplished.

But, that is not what I enjoyed most about this day. Today, we went to the park and had a good time. Margo packed a nice lunch for us. We all loaded the bikes in the back of the truck, grabbed some balls, and headed out. It was a beautiful day to be outside for a little while. A change of scenery can do wonders! The kids raced around the park, going back on occasion to help Matthew, while I looked at a book. We stopped to eat. Then, we all shot some hoops before coming back home to hit the afternoon list of "to dos."

I was told there would be days like this. And I am thankful. I will press on.

My Homeschoolin' Hubby

You know you're a homeschoolin' family when . . . you interrupt your husband at work to ask where he keeps the hacksaw. He, without any hesitation, answers the question and then, without skipping a beat, changes the subject to discuss our afternoon plans for a sick child. Never a question as to why I might need that saw!

So curiosity won't kill the cat, I needed the saw to cut the tops of off small plastic water bottles for my Botany class. We were making root viewing containers, otherwise known as planting seeds in clear plastic bottles so we could observe the roots. I planned to cut the bottles off with scissors until my plans did not work! The mouthpieces of those water bottles are surprisingly strong! Thus, the need for the hacksaw. I used it to get me started and safely finished the job with scissors.

Proof: Plants Do Live Here.

Believe it. I had something to do with growing this cucumber plant--from a seed, no less! It is no secret that I do not have a green thumb. It seems to be quite the opposite. As a retirement gift, I gave my dad a Bonsai. He nurtured and cared for that plant for more than a year. Then, I came to visit and checked on the plant while there; it died within the week. After my grandfather's funeral, when some of the flowers were being given out, it was politely suggested I not take any of the nice ones. Admittedly, even the artificial plants around here don't always look their best.










For these reasons, I was a little nervous about teaching Botany, but, a little excited too. Maybe I would learn something?! I don't know if my thumb is any greener yet, but I am enjoying the class (I might even like it more than the kids--often the case in our homeschool!). This lightbox is one of our projects and where the cucumber plants were grown. We tried several other things too: parsley, mint, oregano, and cilantro. You could barely see the mint poking through the dirt, while the others seemed to grow well. However, we should have moved the plants to bigger pots so they would continue to grow. We did not, and now they are dead. So goes the life of a plant in our house. But hey, we are making progress. Plants do live here--just not indefinitely.

First Day of School

We survived the first day of school. There was some whining, crying, outbursts, and anxiety. However, I finally pulled myself together and got over it.

Seriously . . . the first day of a new school year is behind us now. A new routine has begun (one that does not necessarily include blogging first thing in the morning!). It is not perfect, but we are forging ahead. The kids actually did fairly well yesterday, all things considered. It isn't easy making changes. But, change we must.

Sally Clarkson

I am going to add a new section to this site, mainly for my own benefit. I visit a few blogs regularly and receive great encouragement from them. I do this in addition to checking on my friends, of course! Sally Clarkson is a seasoned, Christian, homeschool mom. (She has a great ministry: http://www.wholeheart.org/) And I like so much of what she writes. Check out this on Fussing, or this on Too Many Choices-Replaced by Love.

(I figured out how to link! Can you tell? Whatch out!!)

Gotta Go Back . . . Whoa, Whoa

. . . back to schoooool. (You sing it Michelle Pfiefer and Grease 2 gang!)

We are back from vacation, back from blogger hiatus, and working our way back into our school routine. I will write all about our summer doings, as I have already downloaded the 600 pictures from my camera, but another time. Today, we went to get new tennis shoes for the start of school. Matthew didn't really own a pair before today, but has been wearing his big brother's hand-me-down-Keds, that don't really count as "real" tennis shoes. So, he was most excited.

We spent the better part of the afternoon, about an hour and a half, inside a little, teeny, tiny store trying on and searching for shoes--not to mention, making our presence there very well known. First, we had to get everyone's feet measured while I took notes. (I only log in my brain what needs to stay there for more than 6 months.) The store clerk looked thrilled to be helping us out. Then, the real fun began.

Picking out shoes is not really a problem. Selecting shoes that will go everywhere, with everything, for the right price, and fit, without any help from those actually wearing the shoes is the problem. I know better than to really expect help in a store, but come on!!!

As soon as Matthew had shoes on his feet, he began to run the isle to show us how fast they were. That was only cute for the first couple of minutes. Andrew went to the one little toy they had in the store, where the other eight kids in the store were jockeying for position. And Margo decided to be sweet and help the family we went to the store with by playing with their little girl, who is Matthew's age. (I guess my pitted-out shirt, curled-up hair, and frazzled-looking face wasn't the smoke signal Margo was looking for.) At one point, a grandmother there started laughing at us. I told her it was only funny when it was not your kids!!

Whew! New sneaks for everyone! At the end of the whole thing, you just start grabbing shoes and saying, "They'll fit soon enough! Get 'em. Let's go!" I think everyone wore their shoes out the door. Matthew came home and took a nap in his. He put them on for bedtime, but got back up out of bed because they were getting tangled in his blankets. When left with the choice of blankets or shoes . . . he choose the blankets, but it was a hard choice. I could tell.

Whoa, whoa . . . I gotta go . . . back to school.

End of the Year, Two: Expo Night

Margo made it across the mat without a hitch, while doing a fabulous backward roll, then back across with a beautiful cartwheel, just as planned.




Andrew came through on his much anticipated solo recorder performance. Andrew was given a solo because his Mom unknowingly put him in the exact same class as last semester—same teacher, same songs, same performance. His teacher was nice enough to provide a little challenge for him by writing an intro to each of their group songs.



Andrew could not quit smiling!

End of the Year, One

This is the end-of-the-year class recitation and presentation day from our Thursday group of co-op classes. Margo was a part of a Science class studying Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day (see mural picture), a wonderful Art class, and my class of games making math more fun. All of this while Andrew and Matthew held down the fort with the younger kids during the last hour of classes.

(I only messed up once during our class presentation by playing the background music that included words instead of the instrumental version! Oops.)

Signed In and Lots to Say

Because the perfectionist in me would not allow me to post out of chronological order, I have not been officially "signed in" for a couple of weeks (It ain't easy being me sometimes!). I have, however, continued to script posts in my head as we experienced the events of the last few weeks: a couple of beautiful photo shoots with a talented neighbor, Easter, a trip to the emergency room with Andrew for stitches, a stroll through the Arboretum, a tornado in town, an "Excellent" art show for Margo, and much more. Often I want to record details of the small things that happen around here too, like when Matthew and I washed the dishes together, or when Margo and I walked to the store, and how I smiled the other day while I followed a small string tied carefully around a table leg in the playroom, up and over the a door knob to its' end, where I found one of Andrew's army men steadily hanging from the string--resting from an adventurous climb with Andrew, no doubt. There are many things I would also like to ponder here and think through as well (Didn't SNL already do that: Deep Thoughts . . .?),but, not now--there is basic updating to do!! (Note: 1 of 6 new posts)

Excellent Artwork

And so that was the night before our art competition. Margo entered some artwork in a regional art competition through one of our co-op groups and this day was the day of the exhibit and awards ceremony for the show. We were to leave early that morning for about an hour drive, go to the exhibit and assembly, grab lunch and then go to our classes in the afternoon. A full day! A full day that started with no shower, no hairdryer, no electricity. Oh well, the show must go on, right?! This day was not about me anyway (not many of them are—ha!).

We didn’t really know what to expect that morning, and I did not want to make a big deal about the competition itself. Let’s just enjoy the process and learn from it, right? I was a little surprised then by my own disappointment for Margo as we approached her artwork and saw a white ribbon hanging on it. In case you don’t remember, the ribbons are as follows: blue is Excellent, red is Good, and white for Thanks for Entering (not really, but I don't know exactly and that is what it felt like anyway.). I really do love art and the very attempt to create it. As any good mom would at that moment, I began talking about how great it was to participate and what we could learn from the other pieces, blah, blah, blah. But, Margo’s art teacher started to look at the judges comments and markings on their papers. She said the two things didn’t match and thought it should be a red ribbon. She left to verify the markings in the school computer.

She came back with a BLUE ribbon!! I thought I might cry when I saw the look on Margo’s face. She blushed three shades of red and smiled so big I am sure it hurt. Apparently, the judges did not add up the numbers correctly on their sheet and put the wrong ribbon on the artwork. Thank you Mrs. Meredith for noticing!!!! I was so proud of her—not just because she got a blue ribbon that day, but because she was composed when she did not, satisfied when it might be red and then soared when it was blue!


Great work Margo!