A Fly On My Homeschool Wall

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas!   Ours was a week of ups and downs, but really there were more ups than downs.   We had zero formal school.   We read.   Here's the stack of Christmas picture books we read this month:   Not all of them are Christmas books, i.e., The Thank You Book , but they were all books that felt like a good idea this season.   The Jan Brett books were odd--they won't make it back on our list for next year, but The Story of Holly & Ivy and Dasher are treasures.  Silent Night, Holy Night made everyone cry.   We also finished reading Pippi Longstocking , we read an odd little book called The True Gift of Christmas by Patricia MacLachlan, and we're renewing our efforts to read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry .    We got all the way to the Christmas story chapters in The Jesus Storybook Bible, and we'll finish reading the New Testament chapters of this favorite, favorite book of ours in the coming weeks. ...

The week started fairly normally, but then Sir Walter Scott's father died, and everything became extraordinary.   Sunday We had a simple Sabbath with video church meetings, quiet indoor play, and a bit of time playing up on the field.  Oh! And gingerbread houses (graham cracker houses). It's not all fun and games.  The look on Ladybug's face in the background shows just how frustrating this activity can be when your house won't stand up! But the rewards of problem solving are great! That evening we got word that Grampa wasn't likely to see the end of the week, and we made hurried plans to get out to say goodbye.   Monday We decided that the only formal school we would do would be while Mr. S-- was over.  The rest of the day was devoted to playing, packing, and planning. Shortly after midnight Sir Walter Scott got the call that his dad had passed into eternity.   Just prior to this, Pixie's world had been rocked, and after her finals were done, she ran away ...

  It has been an extreme week around here.   Life has been either extremely joyful or extremely challenging. For example, tonight my crew are playing with the wooden trains.  Mister Man is reading a new library book, and older kids are doing their own thing, but 5 of the 6 young ones are playing with complete cooperation and solid problem-solving skills. It has been an extremely joyful hour. On the other hand, Pixie is not doing well; quarantine, covid, a broken foot, and the impending end of the semester have conspired to crush her into a serious depression.  We pick her up in a week, and I've got an appointment scheduled with the doctor for the first day we're home.  In the mean time, I'm checking in with her several times a day, and I've been encouraging friends to check on her as well. But I'm worried. Reading the scriptures with Baymax--extreme joy!   Then Ladybug is just collapsing under the holiday season.  Wretched old behaviors are back. ...