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The New School Year Shine Has Officially Worn Off

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 We're doing well, but I'm already ready to dump school in favor of hiking or outings or projects. But October is always like that for me because the weather finally cools off enough to think again, and all I want to do is play. We're doing our work. And playing when we can. Sir Walter Scott took the kids to Wichita, Kansas for the temple open house happening there now. They said the temple is a teeny-tiny one.   So tiny that the waiting room (the one for kids/friend without recommends to wait for weddings) is across the parking lot in the distribution center! When asked, every one of my kids said their favorite part was being in the Celestial Room . I sent them off with lunch, snacks, and directions to a couple of really interesting parks in the area. They stopped at the big park by the river to have their lunch, play some baseball, and generally work out their kinks before heading home again.  It turns out there's a local wildlife zoo in this park, and they all cam...
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We Went to the Gym!

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 On Friday. :) It was the first and only day we could manage this week, but we did it. Lola, Baymax, and I swam; the other 4 kids followed all of the rules and made a wonderful impression on the gym staff as they used the workout equipment. They want to go back every day! I was a synchronized swimmer, lifeguard, swim instructor, and/or pool manager for many years of my youth.  It was the first time I have been in the water for myself in 26 years, and I felt 16 again! Or at least 16-ish. (Lola and Baymax passed the swim test to be able to swim under lifeguard supervision without direct parent supervision!) I'm old and tired and out of shape, so I swam slowly and felt the work in every part of me, but it was all so good. So. Good. We're going back tomorrow. 😄 We had our last two officially scheduled days with Little Mister. I feel simultaneously grieving and free. Free to work on projects that just aren't practical with a toddler around.   Grieving the sweetness of ba...
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We Joined a Gym!

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 The gym is small, but it has a pool. Kids under 13 aren't allowed to use the machines, but they can walk the track and swim with me. It's heavily discounted because it belongs to the local school district, and it's open to the public. Now we have something special to look forward to when it's too hot, too cold, too gross, or too boring. :) But nothing really beats a walk around the neighborhood. We walked twice this week. We started reading The Hobbit . Our Gilgamesh book is quite racy!  I've edited many scenes, and we've been able to have family conversations about what is "virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy" and why we try to avoid that which is not any of these things.   We've also talked about historical, cultural, and religious norms that are different from ours. The kids liked their research assignment this week--any person ever. Their reports ran the gamut from Shaq to Levi Straus to Taylor Swift and others. Little Princess ...
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I 💖 Great Books

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 We read Freak the Mighty .   I think it left its mark on all of our souls. And Ladybug had to choose a person for a biography assignment.  She couldn't find any of our Harriet Tubman biographies (?!!?), but she did find Ain't I a Woman by Sojourner Truth.   I think it's going to leave another mark on her soul. I know it did mine. And the kids' Wednesday research writings are getting better as they get better at finding good book sources. That is a Pokemon book Lola is reading. I had to redirect her back to her research topic. (But maybe I'll make Pokemon next week's assignment!) The library we visited this week had an outdoor patio open, and I took Little Mister outside for some play and then a nap while the big kids read and wrote.  (His mama just let us know that she's starting a new job as a home health nurse, and she'll only be working Saturdays when his daddy is home, so we only have two more weeks of including Little Mister in our homeschool da...
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A Little Bit More Almost in the Full Groove

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  I just want to squoosh and kiss and drown in this beautiful boy. I took Little Mister outside before it was unbearably hot. Lola and Baymax followed us. Sir Walter Scott took the kids to a Royals museum/display/interactive feature near his work. We hit another library branch on  Wednesday.  The kids got to choose their own subjects to write about.  We had Little Mister again that day, so my hands were busy keeping a toddler happy for 2 hours in a library! But I caught one picture at the end . . . he was "helping" Ladybug with her school bin!!  Ladybug's practical First Aid/CPR activity was practicing drag techniques. Baymax was her willing and heavy volunteer. (But he's still less than 100 lbs, so heavy is going to have new meaning for her as she develops her skills!) I think Sir Walter Scott took this picture on the way to the butcher to pick up our pig. Ladybug and I were at Worlds of Fun for her birthday celebration. Little Mister loves to help! (How gratef...
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