A Week, Briefly (5/6/19)
There have been so many small-but-significant challenges this week that to describe them would become a long, whiny mess . . . and in spite of the breakdown I had on Thursday night (even though I was blinking back tears as hard and fast as I could and trying to get dinner on the table, my teens had great compassion on me and sent me to my room with a bowl of soup so I could regroup), I am truly trying to count our blessings and recognize the hand of God in our lives.
So I'm going to write the good things.
Except this one thing--Brother broke his pinky finger when he fell off his scooter.
But he's okay--the doc let us buddy-tape it when I told her how the last time he broke a bone, he messed with the splint. He's being faithful about wearing the buddy tape and leaving it alone to the best of his ability.
But, as promised, on to the good stuff.
Little Princess finished her math book!
She did 4th grade math twice, not because she's bad at math (quite the opposite), but because 4th grade math is so much about solidifying the times tables and long division that I wanted her to feel really comfortable with those skills. Math Lessons for a Living Education was a fun way to be introduced to those skills, but I didn't feel that curriculum gave enough practice to develop them solidly. Switching Little Princess over to Saxon 5/4, and allowing her time to practice, practice, practice has been a blessing.
She'll take a break from formal math for a while and pick up Saxon 6/5 when we start school again in August.
Sir Walter Scott took the kids on the warm afternoon this week for a t-ball coaching session. Hooray for Dad running PE!
He was simply trying to help them find joy in the game, so rules were relaxed, and much encouragement was given.
Afterward, they played at the park.
Nature Angel and Little Princess found out this week that their history/science co-op class is going to take a super-awesome field trip next spring. They are excited and saving money now to pay for the day.
Nature Angel was granted a one-week art camp scholarship by our local art institute for early June! She gets to take 2 different painting classes--one in the morning and one in the afternoon. She's both excited and terrified . . . and I have to admit to some significant nervousness on the part of this mom as I picture her navigating lunch hour with a passel of 12-14 year old kids.
It's going to be a big learning experience for her.
Pixie had senior portraits taken.
And she finished early morning seminary.
Her sisters have to keep going for two more weeks because they are not in the senior class, and Pixie will have to drive some of those days, so it's a little early to truly celebrate, but she took the final, and she's free to sleep while she waits for her sisters.
All three teens took their Language Arts final this week! Other than the fact that we need to finish Dracula for next Friday's book club, we are done with Symposium!!!!!
I guess it's getting to be time for me to count and award credits to my high schoolers.
And, truthfully, as we cleaned out binders, we cried. Super Star started it--talking about how this was our last Symposium with the three of them. We didn't get this same sense of finality with Rose Red because she just faded away from us gradually, but Pixie is giving us the full effect of having a young one grow up and be ready to leave.
It's happy . . . really . . . it is . . . but it makes us cry, too.
Belle reached the first unit review in Third Form Latin, and we could either have her keep studying Latin for 7 more weeks or call it good for this school year.
We're calling it good.
She'll take a summer break and resume her Latin studies at Unit 2 in August.
That nurse I love so much at the kids' psychiatrist's office got Ladybug's new prescription approved in under 24 hours, and Ladybug is halfway through her week of half doses of this med, and she'll move to a full dose after the week is fulfilled. I see an improvement in her ability to control herself already, so I'm cautiously hopeful.
Ladybug also got to meet her new play therapist who seems very kind and capable. (I'm skipping the awful fallout that happened for the next 24 hours.)
I took the kids to the park one hard afternoon after tons of rain in the morning.
It was good for me to sit quietly and for the kids to run off excess energy.
And our friends were in a play--a musical adaptation of Robin Hood. It was free and cute and all that a homeschool production of a play should be. :)
( I'm leaving out the bad stuff that happened when we got home.)
Nature Angel still has another week of language arts and history to finish, but I had my phone in my hands one afternoon as she finished a balloon model of the world. When she finished it, we popped the balloon and stretched it out flat to show how distorted flat maps are compared to globes.
On the afternoon the dryer was broken, I was blessed with help from Nature Angel and Little Princess who organized the production of an at home adaptation of The Little Red Hen. I was gone for just over 2 hours, and they were all ready to show me their play when I got home. There are fewer pictures this week than last because the lazy characters lazed around in the same positions through most of the play. :)
Youth night was a tribute to the seniors leaving the program, so I got to go and give a small speech about what I've learned from Pixie. In brief, I shared that she has a gift for looking for the good even in the midst of a whole lot of bad. I try to emulate her.
Super Star had a job interview at Freddy's. She came home really happy because the manager seemed positive about hiring her.
She's still waiting for a call-back. We're being positive as we wait.
Look who's reading!
And Lola had a sudden cognitive leap as she realized that the sounds of letters make up words. She's begun trying to sound out words on hair care products, food labels, and signs on our walls. It's about time to start some real reading lessons!
It hit me like a brick on Wednesday that I'm teaching preschool for the last time.
(I don't know if I'm capable of taking this whole kid-growing-up thing!)
I think our last school day will be next Friday . . . but also not really. We're going to do school through the summer, but in a different way, and in a really relaxed fashion, and only if we don't have a summery outing that is better.
I just hope that summer shows up eventually--it was 40 degrees when we woke up this morning!!!!
So I'm going to write the good things.
Except this one thing--Brother broke his pinky finger when he fell off his scooter.
But he's okay--the doc let us buddy-tape it when I told her how the last time he broke a bone, he messed with the splint. He's being faithful about wearing the buddy tape and leaving it alone to the best of his ability.
But, as promised, on to the good stuff.
Little Princess finished her math book!
She did 4th grade math twice, not because she's bad at math (quite the opposite), but because 4th grade math is so much about solidifying the times tables and long division that I wanted her to feel really comfortable with those skills. Math Lessons for a Living Education was a fun way to be introduced to those skills, but I didn't feel that curriculum gave enough practice to develop them solidly. Switching Little Princess over to Saxon 5/4, and allowing her time to practice, practice, practice has been a blessing.
She'll take a break from formal math for a while and pick up Saxon 6/5 when we start school again in August.
Sir Walter Scott took the kids on the warm afternoon this week for a t-ball coaching session. Hooray for Dad running PE!
He was simply trying to help them find joy in the game, so rules were relaxed, and much encouragement was given.
Afterward, they played at the park.
Nature Angel and Little Princess found out this week that their history/science co-op class is going to take a super-awesome field trip next spring. They are excited and saving money now to pay for the day.
 |
| No real reason for this photo--I guess it's just proof of a nice evening outside . . . or that I liked Baymax's red socks. :) |
Nature Angel was granted a one-week art camp scholarship by our local art institute for early June! She gets to take 2 different painting classes--one in the morning and one in the afternoon. She's both excited and terrified . . . and I have to admit to some significant nervousness on the part of this mom as I picture her navigating lunch hour with a passel of 12-14 year old kids.
It's going to be a big learning experience for her.
Pixie had senior portraits taken.
And she finished early morning seminary.
Her sisters have to keep going for two more weeks because they are not in the senior class, and Pixie will have to drive some of those days, so it's a little early to truly celebrate, but she took the final, and she's free to sleep while she waits for her sisters.
All three teens took their Language Arts final this week! Other than the fact that we need to finish Dracula for next Friday's book club, we are done with Symposium!!!!!
I guess it's getting to be time for me to count and award credits to my high schoolers.
And, truthfully, as we cleaned out binders, we cried. Super Star started it--talking about how this was our last Symposium with the three of them. We didn't get this same sense of finality with Rose Red because she just faded away from us gradually, but Pixie is giving us the full effect of having a young one grow up and be ready to leave.
It's happy . . . really . . . it is . . . but it makes us cry, too.
Belle reached the first unit review in Third Form Latin, and we could either have her keep studying Latin for 7 more weeks or call it good for this school year.
We're calling it good.
She'll take a summer break and resume her Latin studies at Unit 2 in August.
That nurse I love so much at the kids' psychiatrist's office got Ladybug's new prescription approved in under 24 hours, and Ladybug is halfway through her week of half doses of this med, and she'll move to a full dose after the week is fulfilled. I see an improvement in her ability to control herself already, so I'm cautiously hopeful.
Ladybug also got to meet her new play therapist who seems very kind and capable. (I'm skipping the awful fallout that happened for the next 24 hours.)
I took the kids to the park one hard afternoon after tons of rain in the morning.
It was good for me to sit quietly and for the kids to run off excess energy.
And our friends were in a play--a musical adaptation of Robin Hood. It was free and cute and all that a homeschool production of a play should be. :)
( I'm leaving out the bad stuff that happened when we got home.)
Nature Angel still has another week of language arts and history to finish, but I had my phone in my hands one afternoon as she finished a balloon model of the world. When she finished it, we popped the balloon and stretched it out flat to show how distorted flat maps are compared to globes.
On the afternoon the dryer was broken, I was blessed with help from Nature Angel and Little Princess who organized the production of an at home adaptation of The Little Red Hen. I was gone for just over 2 hours, and they were all ready to show me their play when I got home. There are fewer pictures this week than last because the lazy characters lazed around in the same positions through most of the play. :)
 |
| Nobody wanted to help the Little Country Girl (Red Hen) do any work, so she did it all herself. |
 |
| But everyone was ready to eat the delicious cake she made. However, she taught them a lesson in the consequences of laziness and the rewards of hard work. |
 |
| And soon the household was running like a well-oiled machine with hard workers everywhere! Everyone worked, and everyone enjoyed the treats! |
Super Star had a job interview at Freddy's. She came home really happy because the manager seemed positive about hiring her.
She's still waiting for a call-back. We're being positive as we wait.
Look who's reading!
And Lola had a sudden cognitive leap as she realized that the sounds of letters make up words. She's begun trying to sound out words on hair care products, food labels, and signs on our walls. It's about time to start some real reading lessons!
It hit me like a brick on Wednesday that I'm teaching preschool for the last time.
(I don't know if I'm capable of taking this whole kid-growing-up thing!)
I think our last school day will be next Friday . . . but also not really. We're going to do school through the summer, but in a different way, and in a really relaxed fashion, and only if we don't have a summery outing that is better.
I just hope that summer shows up eventually--it was 40 degrees when we woke up this morning!!!!
Sometimes it is nice to focus on the positive, isn't it, but so hard sometimes to do?!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the kids growing up struggles. Knowing we have a 'last baby' who keeps getting older makes for some big feelings for me sometimes.
It is always exciting to wrap up for the year . . . even if you are going to keep doing some subjects. I had grand plans to be wrapping up in a few weeks but we hit our state required 180 days and I just fizzled out a bit. We are still finishing up a few books but it feels good to be more relaxed. We also do a few lessons daily in the summer except when we have something more fun to do!
ReplyDeleteYes, the positives help us get through the hard times. I am glad you are able to see them. I miss the preschool years so much sometimes. My baby is going on 16 next fall. That is such a shock to me.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Dawn
Wow, the senior pics are so fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI love those senior pics, especially the pink dress and brown shoes. I dressed like that in high school lol. We also had a fracture in our house this week- my daughter had a grand mal seizure and it was so bad that it caused her to crack her shoulder. There is no cast for that, just a sling, which she hates and keeps taking off. They found no reason for the seizure. I’m a wreck not knowing what caused it.
ReplyDeleteThe senior pics are beautiful! It is so hard when they grow up. Yes it is what they are supposed to do. I have this mixture of proud feelings over the people they are growing up into and so missing the little ones they used to be. My baby is 8. No more preschool or kindergarten or first grade. Having Liam and another grandbaby coming helps fill in those feelings of missing babies but it sure doesn't slow down the growth of the children! I hope your weather is dry and sunshiny like ours this week and the children get lots of playtime and fresh air!
ReplyDelete