Taking Big Steps

Over the last week and a half we've taken some big exciting steps! 

 

First of all, Logan has crossed into 'reading is fun' versus 'reading is work'.  His speed has increased just enough that now he's constantly reading for fun!  It's so exciting.  Nothing appears different with him because his nose has always been stuck in a book, but no longer is he just analyzing the pictures.  Yeah!

 

Second, I've found a math curriculum!  My last grumble about that was the final push I needed to find it.  It's called Math on the Level.  It was developed by a homeschooler that was having the same frustration I was having.  Each book is organized by type of math rather than grade level, and it's created in a manner that the kids can go as fast or slow as they want/ need.  It's also very conducive to applying math to real life and making it fun!  I'm only a week into it, but I really think I'm going to like it.  It gives me the flexibility I like, but helps me track things so I'm not missing concepts.  It also gives me lots of ideas for how to teach/ apply each concept.  From the reviews I've read on it, it sounds like most people love this curriculum.  The only negative comments I've read were the exact same thing: it requires mom to teach each lesson.  So it's definitely not for someone who likes to sit their child down with a math book and leave them to independently learn it all.  For those who are hands on like me, though, it sounds like it's been very well received.  A lot of families have said they loved switching to it because their kids liked it a lot better too.  So here's crossing my fingers that I love using it! 

 

Third, and most exciting, is that Annie read FIVE early reader books today!  Logan and I were independently reading our scriptures (he has a goal to read the whole Book of Mormon by himself).  Much to my surprise, I looked over to see Annie with a pile of books on her lap.  She was sounding out all the words!  I didn't dare interrupt her, so I sat quietly after I was done until she was done.  Once she finished I asked her to show me all the books she'd read.  FIVE!  I couldn't believe it.  Up to this point, ALL of her reading has been with someone helping her; she hadn't read a single book entirely on her own.  I was incredibly impressed.  I've had no ambition to teach my four year old to read, but have been working with her entirely at her request.  Needless to say, this is very exciting for me.  

 

This picture wasn't today, but I thought it was fitting. 

America's King

We've been reading the Little House on the Prairie books lately.  In the seventh book, Little Town on the Prairie, I was impressed by a passage.  In this passage Laura describes the first Independence Day celebration held in De Smet which she attended with her sister and father.  After a reading of the Declaration of Independence, they sing 'My Country Tis of Thee', and she shares the following thoughts:

"The crowd was scattering away then, but Laura stood stock still.  Suddenly she had a completely new thought.  The Declaration and the song came together in her mind, and she thought: God is America's king. 

"She thought: Americans won't obey any king on earth.  Americans are free.  That means they have to obey their own consciences.  No king bosses Pa; he has to boss himself.  Why (she thought), when I am a little older, Pa and Ma will stop telling me what to do, and there isn't anyone else who has a right to give me orders.  I will have to make myself be good.

"Her whole mind seemed to be lighted up by that thought.  This is what it means to be free.  It means, you have to be good.  "Our father's God, author of liberty-" The laws of Nature and of Nature's God endow you with a right to life and liberty.  Then you have to keep the law of God, for God's law is the only thing that give you a right to be free."

I LOVE this.  To be free means being good and keeping the law of God, for otherwise we lose our freedoms.  Good choices liberate and bad choices bring bondage.  God is America's king!  May we strive to keep it that way.

An Episode in Motherhood

There is an unwritten rule for mothers that states: 'Thou shalt not make any phone calls.'  The consequences are immediate whenever a mother breaks this rule.  I was already having one of 'those days' that make mothers everywhere want to hide from their children with chocolate and earplugs.  On top of that I decided it was a good time to break the phone call rule.  Clearly I wasn't thinking.  The kids were pretty calm, and the real reason we were having one of 'those days' was because I've felt poorly since getting out of bed this morning.  Plus, the calls seemed rather important (you know, making sure things were lined up for the birth of another child...).  That was my justification. 

So the kids were calm and I dialed the hospital.  (Cue waiting music.)  The exact moment that someone answered, Alex started screaming in my face and the dog started barking.  Within seconds, Annie opened the door allowing the dog to run off outside and she proceeded across the carpet leaving dog poop footprints in her wake.  I'm sure the lady I was attempting to talk to was impressed with the chaos; I doubt she could even hear me.  That was phone call number one.

After chasing down the dog, calming Alex, and cleaning up the dog poop, I hadn't learned my lesson.  I made phone call number two, this time to the insurance agency.  The next thing I knew, all three kids came in.  Five out of six shoes on their feet were smeared with dog poop, and of course it was all over the carpet again!  I really had to wonder if they were stepping in it on purpose!

After cleaning the carpet and shoes again, I made phone call number three to the doctor's office.  I knew something was bound to happen (like Alex peeing his pants), but threw caution to the wind.  Sure enough, Alex came up the stairs letting me know he'd had an accident (we're potty training this week).  I'd even predicted that one! 

Now that my phone calls are finished, nothing else is bound to happen.  (Right?)  Maybe now I can hide in my closet with some chocolate.  Even better, maybe I can take a nap.   

I hope you've enjoyed this 'episode in motherhood' and if you're a mother related whole-heartedly.  Have a nice day!  :)

Adjusting Our Schedule

Since our trip, I've been MUCH more motivated at home.  That has definitely included school time.  I've made a couple of minor adjustments to our daily schedule owing to this, and I'm really liking it!  I still spend the first half hour of our morning for my personal study, but then I've starting inviting the kids onto my bed for a family devotional before I get dressed.  We've always had a family devotional before bed time, and started school with a song and prayer, so this was a slight adjustment/ addition.  HOWEVER, it has added an increased element of peace to our days.  So now while we have our usual snuggle time, we also read from the scriptures, pray, learn the Articles of Faith, and sing.  I borrowed this idea (meaning doing it on my bed) from a friend.  (Thanks Shiloah!  Even though you had no idea I borrowed this...)  I'm finding that this time is much more meaningful than our other devotional times.  It helps me to do it in my room because then I haven't had the chance to become distracted or focused on everything else I need/ want to do that day.  The moment I leave my room is the moment my mind starts working on the day.  :)

 

Another minor adjustment we've made is to intentionally have math time every day.  I know that sounds strange, especially because most homeschoolers would naturally have math time every day, but it wasn't something I was feeling a need for yet.  It was interesting how it came about.  I was feeling like it was finally time to do it, but hadn't said anything to the kids about it.  Then Logan came to me and suggested it!  I'm still undecided about math curriculum because everything I've looked at hasn't fit our needs.  Right now I have a big problem spending money on a book that mostly covers the basic functions because I can easily teach those to my kids without spending a dime; I'm not going to neglect that part because it's what stands out in my mind as 'math'.  It's the 'other' stuff in those books that I want as a reminder of what to cover (i.e. telling time, measuring, geometry, etc.).  So the problem is that I'd only be buying a book for the 15% or 20% that covers the 'other' stuff at this point.  I'm sure I'll figure it out...

 

Anyway, the last adjustment we've made to our schedule is our family work time.  We still do a little bit before starting school in the morning as needed, but I've moved the other normal work time back a couple of hours.  We were doing between quiet time (AKA my sanity break) and dinner.  Now we're doing it right before quiet time.  As soon as school is finished, the kids straighten the whole house, I make sure the kitchen is totally clean, and I do any other little chores on my personal list.  This is helping with my motivation to put away laundry too.  :)  The kids are responding well to this, and are working harder than ever.  They've cut their chore time in half actually.  They've also been a lot more conscientious about cleaning up after themselves during the rest of the afternoon/ evening since we made this switch.  I'm liking it.  I haven't felt this on top of the housework in ages.  Perhaps it's the calm before the storm; I'm sure things will feel crazy for a while when the baby is born.  I think I'll just enjoy it while it lasts.  :)    

 

This picture is indirectly related to our family work and not at all related to the rest of this post.  Preparing meals is solely my responsibility (for now), but Logan has expressed a strong desire to help me with that ever since we found out I was pregnant. I guess he recognizes that is my least favorite chore and saw that it would be helpful.   I haven't often let him make us lunch because he makes such a mess it tends to be MORE work for me, but he really is sweet to want to do it and he feels so good when he's relieved me of that responsibility.

Microscope

For Christmas, Jim's family gave us a really cool gift, but we kept it in its package until we were home.  The kids were really excited when I brought it out one day soon after we were home.

It came with a few prepared slides, so they spent a couple of hours just looking at those.  It also has everything we need to make our own slides; they are begging me to do that with them.

Logan is especially interested in science, so I'm sure this will be a valuable tool.

Something Right

This is how well school is going:

A week ago on Saturday Annie came to me upset.

Annie, "Mom, Dad and I was having a fight because I thought we were going to have school today."

Me, "Do you want to have school today?"

Annie with a whimper, "Yeah."