A Fly On My Homeschool Wall

 What a social week! And we don't handle social weeks very well . . . at least my special 4 don't. We performed in 2 shows this week because the weather cooperated, and because we were finally done with the stomach bug that took us down last week. At this show, we were able to perform in full costumes to a small audience.  It was a new senior center for us, and we were uncertain about what to expect.  After the show, the director approached our director and told her, "There's a lady here who never speaks.  While she watched your show, I saw her mouthing the words of the songs the whole time.  I've never seen anything reach her that way.  Please come back." This show was at an old familiar location, and we did a black-and-white show because in the past there wasn't a dressing room available.  Well, this year there was a new director who gave us the hugest dressing room we've ever used!  I hope we'll do full costumes in the future! These are such cut

  Photo credit: Nature Angel Proof that spring is really here!  We've had a number of false starts, and, according to our planting zone, we are subject to freezes until April 15, but I think we've turned the corner! Spring notwithstanding, we spent a lot of time indoors dealing with vomit. Lots and lots and lots of vomit. Every kid 18-and-under at my house (that's 9) got sick with a stomach bug.  In addition, several of our babies got sick, too. And we had extra babies on more days than usual because Little Mister Frog and Nugget's house had a terrible kitchen fire that rendered the entire house uninhabitable.  They came to spend time with us so that Mom could deal with insurance and finding a new place to live and buying new beds and things like that. Between extra babies and a stomach bug, it wasn't a very academic week in our homeschool. But Lola did finish this book! Between ADHD and a broken arm, it has taken Lola over a year to finish part 1 of her grade 1 mat

 Our new toddler friend started spending his days at our house this week, and it took about 5 minutes for him to feel like he'd been part of the family forever.   I've decided to call him The Duke here on the blog.   Don't know why . . . it just feels right. He's 20 months old, articulate, sweet, and delightful.  He arrives at 5:30 am M-Th, and gets to spend Fridays with his mom who is expecting a baby girl this summer.  (I might have already recorded that--we're so excited to meet and love on this baby girl!) Lola's early rising  (poor sleeping) habits are now a blessing as she gets up to play with The Duke while the other kids are sleeping, and that gives me a chance to do my usual scripture study and fold some laundry each morning.  He gets so excited when Lola emerges from her room! His mama and daddy are young, young parents, and they are Such. Good. Parents.  I am impressed with their intuitive loving and teaching skills.   I was holding Sugar Bear at brea

 It was a challenging week. Little Princess was sick with a cold all week long . . . as was I.  Nature Angel had symptoms for a few days, but she was better able to fight it off.  The younger kids each had stuffy/runny noses for a day or so, but they ran around and played with energy that belied any sense of feeling ill. Little Princess didn't feel well enough to go to youth activities at church, but the other girls did, and they got to play glow-in-the-dark volleyball! After much internal debate about whether to prepare the kids in advance or keep it a secret, I told the younger kids about Sir Walter Scott's and my weekend date coming soon.  The older kids offered several months ago to take over for a full weekend, and we accepted!  We will be staying at a little Airbnb house just minutes from our own home so that we can come home immediately in case of emergency.  I chose to tell them because they were already overhearing conversations with the older kids, and I didn't wa