A Week, Briefly (8/13/18)
This week was better than last.
No pictures from this week to share.
But we do have a few accomplishments:
*We performed a musical number at church on Sunday. We've been rehearsing for about 8 weeks. I played the piano, and Sir Walter Scott and all of the kids but Rose Red sang. (Rose Red was invited often.) According to the kids, the compliments were profuse.
*Because we finished I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus (with a lovely descant performed by Super Star and Nature Angel), we found a new song to work on. Now we're learning all of the verses to All Things Bright and Beautiful during our Morning Meeting.
*Pixie got her student ID and parking permit; she's found the location of her classroom; and she attended a new student orientation at the community college she's attending as a dual-enrolled student this fall. (She's taking just one class.)
*I finished the round of well-child visits that felt pressing (Ladybug, Brother, Beowulf, and Lola). Now I just have to figure out how to get the children seen for their referrals to the developmental and behavioral clinics . . . with 6 month waiting lists.
*Ladybug had a good second session with MOCSA. That's it for individual therapy. We're on a waiting list for an 18-week group program for young children. We should be in by the first week of September.
*Sir Walter Scott's and my anniversary was lovely. Because the local schools started on Wednesday, church youth activities were cancelled on Tuesday night which left us free to escape for an overnight trip. We stayed in a lovely Airbnb suite less than 10 miles from home, but it was quiet and still and restful for us both. How grateful we are for responsible, capable teens to run the show at home.
*Sir Walter Scott and Pixie worked on a 20 minute long anniversary slide show--documenting our lives from our first meeting to our most recent family photo. They sorted through literally thousands of photos and so much music. The final result was stunning.
*Pixie and I got a lot of choreography done for our homeschool dance group--rehearsals start next week!
*I spent a lot of energy contributing to our homeschool co-op plans. I've committed to the program, but we have fewer and fewer moms volunteering to help out, and more and more professional teachers offering classes for profit, so the expense is over double what I planned. I'd back out if I could, and I've hinted to the committee that I'm panicking, but the kids are counting on it, and my withdrawal would leave 2 big holes in the program. It's a hard situation.
*We attended and helped with a delightful family gathering celebrating my mom's and dad's re-marriage (the ceremony was in May--the party was this week). We had a dinner, a talent show, and a dance. We did a lot of singing and dancing this week to prepare for the talent show. As part of the show, Super Star sang Can't Help Falling in Love, and it was so sweet. Our finale was having all of the cousins sing Families Can Be Together Forever.
*Belle weeded blackberries on the farm. Lola and Baymax came with me to pick her up at the end of her shift, and we had a lovely time watching the chickens, the goose, and the pigs.
*We attended our first . . . and last . . . Wild + Free activity. It was an enormous gathering of families who all set out to explore nature together. Aside from it being overwhelmingly too many people (well over 100 moms and kids), some of the kids were mean (reducing Nature Angel to tears), and I couldn't help shuddering at the amount of damage so many kids climbing, digging, hunting, sliding, picking, and exploring in the same place at the same time were causing to the ecosystem.
We did our best, but we left early, and I'd call the experience a total loss except that we learned that this is NOT the group for us. We are already quite good at getting out into nature; we are a large enough group on our own; we are careful to minimize our impact on the environment we're exploring; and we don't need to spend our time with mean kids.
(I'm staying on the group list though because they publish where they're going to be, and now I'll know for sure what trails and parks to avoid on certain weeks!)
*I've completed the first batch of cleaning and shifted the first batch of furniture for our 5-room shuffle about the house. Our children's needs being what they are, our current configuration isn't working, and I can't face starting school until the changes are made, and we have homes for supplies and kids and beds and all that is needed to function with relative health. Sir Walter Scott and I scoured IKEA for supplies required to make the next phase possible.
The kids are asking and asking and asking for school to start . . . so I'm off to work on shuffling rooms!
No pictures from this week to share.
But we do have a few accomplishments:
*We performed a musical number at church on Sunday. We've been rehearsing for about 8 weeks. I played the piano, and Sir Walter Scott and all of the kids but Rose Red sang. (Rose Red was invited often.) According to the kids, the compliments were profuse.
*Because we finished I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus (with a lovely descant performed by Super Star and Nature Angel), we found a new song to work on. Now we're learning all of the verses to All Things Bright and Beautiful during our Morning Meeting.
*Pixie got her student ID and parking permit; she's found the location of her classroom; and she attended a new student orientation at the community college she's attending as a dual-enrolled student this fall. (She's taking just one class.)
*I finished the round of well-child visits that felt pressing (Ladybug, Brother, Beowulf, and Lola). Now I just have to figure out how to get the children seen for their referrals to the developmental and behavioral clinics . . . with 6 month waiting lists.
*Ladybug had a good second session with MOCSA. That's it for individual therapy. We're on a waiting list for an 18-week group program for young children. We should be in by the first week of September.
*Sir Walter Scott's and my anniversary was lovely. Because the local schools started on Wednesday, church youth activities were cancelled on Tuesday night which left us free to escape for an overnight trip. We stayed in a lovely Airbnb suite less than 10 miles from home, but it was quiet and still and restful for us both. How grateful we are for responsible, capable teens to run the show at home.
 |
| That's our engagement photo from 20 years ago. |
*Sir Walter Scott and Pixie worked on a 20 minute long anniversary slide show--documenting our lives from our first meeting to our most recent family photo. They sorted through literally thousands of photos and so much music. The final result was stunning.
*Pixie and I got a lot of choreography done for our homeschool dance group--rehearsals start next week!
*I spent a lot of energy contributing to our homeschool co-op plans. I've committed to the program, but we have fewer and fewer moms volunteering to help out, and more and more professional teachers offering classes for profit, so the expense is over double what I planned. I'd back out if I could, and I've hinted to the committee that I'm panicking, but the kids are counting on it, and my withdrawal would leave 2 big holes in the program. It's a hard situation.
*We attended and helped with a delightful family gathering celebrating my mom's and dad's re-marriage (the ceremony was in May--the party was this week). We had a dinner, a talent show, and a dance. We did a lot of singing and dancing this week to prepare for the talent show. As part of the show, Super Star sang Can't Help Falling in Love, and it was so sweet. Our finale was having all of the cousins sing Families Can Be Together Forever.
*Belle weeded blackberries on the farm. Lola and Baymax came with me to pick her up at the end of her shift, and we had a lovely time watching the chickens, the goose, and the pigs.
*We attended our first . . . and last . . . Wild + Free activity. It was an enormous gathering of families who all set out to explore nature together. Aside from it being overwhelmingly too many people (well over 100 moms and kids), some of the kids were mean (reducing Nature Angel to tears), and I couldn't help shuddering at the amount of damage so many kids climbing, digging, hunting, sliding, picking, and exploring in the same place at the same time were causing to the ecosystem.
We did our best, but we left early, and I'd call the experience a total loss except that we learned that this is NOT the group for us. We are already quite good at getting out into nature; we are a large enough group on our own; we are careful to minimize our impact on the environment we're exploring; and we don't need to spend our time with mean kids.
(I'm staying on the group list though because they publish where they're going to be, and now I'll know for sure what trails and parks to avoid on certain weeks!)
*I've completed the first batch of cleaning and shifted the first batch of furniture for our 5-room shuffle about the house. Our children's needs being what they are, our current configuration isn't working, and I can't face starting school until the changes are made, and we have homes for supplies and kids and beds and all that is needed to function with relative health. Sir Walter Scott and I scoured IKEA for supplies required to make the next phase possible.
The kids are asking and asking and asking for school to start . . . so I'm off to work on shuffling rooms!
Hooray for a better week!
ReplyDeleteBoo for 6 month wait lists. Here's a tip - call every few days asking about cancellations or openings. If you can be flexible and doggedly persistent you may get kids in sooner.
Happy anniversary trip, so nice.
That Wild + Free activity sounds like my worst nightmare. Too many kids everywhere, so overwhelming and not a way to enjoy nature. Sorry there were mean kids, that stinks.
Yes, having the house functioning better helped me so much with getting the school year off the ground. I hope your shuffle helps. The wild + Free activity sound awful! I hate it that you had to deal with mean kids. Blessings to you.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Dawn
Congratulations on 20 years!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had a nice anniversary! So nice you could get away! Wild and Free sounds like a complete nightmare!
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Anniversary. Get aways are so nice! It's a shame the Wild & Free was such a disaster. You're smart to stay on the list though! We prefer smaller groups or just ourselves, too.
ReplyDelete