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Last Week of Summer Break

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It wasn't the week I planned, but we're still going forward with school on Monday. Why? Because there isn't a better/easier/more calm time for school to start, so we might as well work our way into the routine. I trimmed 5 inches off Nature Angel's hair--this picture is before the trim. In the background, you can see the stack of homemade pretzels that Little Princess made for us all. I worked on choreography for American Rhythm for a lot of the day. This picture is one I took to show Baymax what I wanted the camera to look like when he filmed my feet so that I could see how the dance I was working on looked like. It was one of those weird cool days in August, and our kids spent the afternoon at the neighbors' house.  Gotta love Catholic and Mormon families hanging out together!   Apparently we had enough kids with just our two families for two actual teams for each of the various games they played. :) 3 hours of active play with friends made both mamas so happy! Th...
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Assessment 2024-25: Baymax

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 It's hard to believe my "babies" are 10.   When did 10 change from a big kid to a baby? This baby of mine, though, is no baby any more.  He's an opinionated, stubborn, bright, and capable boy who alternately makes us laugh with delight and scream with frustration. Math Baymax completed  Teaching Textbooks Math 5 .  He does not love math, and he's frequently angry at his lessons, but he masters the material. Morning Meeting Baymax was an active participant in all of our Morning Meetings.  He read, sang, answered questions, memorized scriptures, and contributed spiritual insights to our daily lessons.  He also challenged our music conducting activities to the max!  He hates leading music, and he barely cooperates under duress with following my instructions.   At this time, he has not actually learned any music conducting skills, but at least he's been exposed to them! What Baymax does do well is family and church history.  He is...
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Assessment 2024-25: Lola

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  Lola is a power unto herself! There's just something about this tiny girl (10 1/2 years old, 64 lbs, 4'3") that defies expression. But she expresses herself as she sees fit, when she sees fit. There was that day she couldn't find matching shoes, so she wore one snow boot and one sandal to dance practice. There's the fact that she wears pajama pants under her church dresses so that she's warmer at church and faster to get changed after church. There's the fact that she frequently runs around on hands and feet--so quickly that she's just a blur going past.   There's the fact that her favorite outfit is a silver sequined skirt and . . . whatever t-shirt is closest to hand, whether it be clean or not. She's her very own self. And I have to admit (when I'm not stumped for how to get her to cooperate) that I rather admire my youngest daughter. Math Lola finished Teaching Textbooks Math 3 for the second time this past school year.  Repeating it ...
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Assessment 2024-25: Beowulf

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 Beowulf was a 5th/6th grader this past year.  His meds are now balanced, but the year behind us was tough because they weren't balanced then.   He wasn't too much of a danger to himself or others, but he struggled with keeping his temper and managing big feelings in safe ways.  He left home several times (never for more than a few hours, but the wondering and looking took their toll on us), broke through the drywall of several rooms in the house, and resorted a great deal of the time to throwing things--rocks, bricks, tools, lawn chairs, tires, anything heavy enough to be satisfying to heft and throw--to relieve the emotions raging through him.  This affected his ability to complete school work, so while I am proud of the progress he made, it was limited by the instability of his brain chemicals. How grateful I am for a vigilant and compassionate psychiatrist who has helped our boy calm down and feel good in his skin!! It was a struggle for him to be a pha...
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Assessment 2024-25: Brother

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Brother had a great year.  With his med regimen working, he's free to be his best self, and he really is one of the best human beings on the planet! He's kind, generous, hard-working, and forgiving.   He loves learning.   Math He completed  Teaching Textbooks Math 7 and started Pre-Algebra .  He hates asking for help, and now that math is getting more abstract, he's frustrated pretty regularly, but he's learning to close the computer and take a break before coming back to try again.   I'm proud of him for using positive coping skills. That said, anything less than a perfect score leaves him unsettled, so we're still working on learning that a good job isn't always a perfect job. Morning Meeting Mister Man was an active participant in all of our Morning Meetings.  He read, sang, answered questions, learned to lead music in 3/4, 4/4, and 2/4 time, memorized scriptures, and contributed spiritual insights to our daily lessons. Brother is a singe...
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As August Begins . . .

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  . . . we are just enjoying the summer days. Nature Angel must have liked this pile of cut watermelon. We started Lad, A Dog as our final comfort re-read of the summer.  We only made it through 3 chapters this week because there's been too much going on in the evenings for the regular evening reading that I best love, but we're doing our best. We went swimming at my sister's house. And then we went swimming again with friends, but no one took any pictures that day. Some of the kids even went swimming a third time for their youth night activity, but Ladybug got to decorate cookies, and Little Princess went to CAP instead. Beowulf was delighted by a tiny egg laid by one of our chickens. I saw the shell--it really was a tiny egg! Lazy days . . . long legs! We went to the library. And Sugar Bear turned 5!!   But the kids played 13th birthday. 🤷 We had a drop in heat so that the days became sweet and lovely.  We couldn't help spending time outside. There was a lot...
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Assessment 2024-25: Mister Man

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  Mister Man is my long, gangly boy-man right now.  He reads and draws.  He loves to be "my favorite kid" when I call, "Who wants to be my favorite kid?" as I'm asking for a favor.   He's gentle and smart. Mister Man grew academically and socially this past school year. Math He completed Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra with a 96% average.  When he asked for help, it was specific, and he understood the answer with minimal coaching.  He's a good student. Morning Meeting Mister Man was an active participant in all of our Morning Meetings.  He read, sang, answered questions, learned to lead music in 3/4, 4/4, and 2/4 time, memorized scriptures, and contributed spiritual insights to our daily lessons. It looks to me like leading music might actually be one of his gifts.  He picks up on the nuances of conducting simply by watching, and sometimes he even instinctively gets movements right.  He is graceful, and as his voice deepens, he's develop...
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