School Days

With the cruise and cousin time over, it meant one thing - - back to school!  A break can be a blessing and a curse.  It's good to have the break but on the other hand, the kids (more specifically, Calleigh) get too comfortable with just "playing" all the time.  We have hit a few rough days over the last few weeks but I've tried to reel her in by changing things up a bit.  We've done school downstairs on the kitchen table and outside a couple of days rather than just staying upstairs in our school room.  That has helped a bit.  The biggest problem is the same as last year.  She's sick of doing math!  She was all excited this year to do her math on the computer and all has gone well until about a week ago when she announced that it took too much time to do it on the computer and that she would rather do it in the book or go back to the math she did last year (that was Math-You-See which we abruptly ended after a lot of crying and frustration).  Apparently the grass is always greener on the other side. I told her she had to finish this year with what she has and we will re-assess then for next year.  We shall see!

Here is a prime example of the many challenges I face.  Notice the title at the top. The "out" has been mysteriously scribbled out.

She does enjoy some parts of school but she often complains that she wants to be doing something more fun instead of school.  This is what she'll say:  "I will never be free. I have to do this school and then I have to go to high school and then college and then I'll have to get a job and then I'll get married and have a baby and then I'll have to pay for that kid to go to college so I'll have to work again.  I just won't ever be free." Oh the drama.  I patiently try to explain to her that she only has to do school for a couple of hours a day compared to other kids who are in school for like eight hours a day but the message doesn't seem to resonate most of the time.  I take solace in the fact that some very smart and successful people I know didn't like school either so all is not lost. Hopefully!

Aubree, on the other hand, is pretty much the exact opposite.  She very rarely complains about school.  She was doing Math-You-See this year and like Calleigh, she didn't finish the book but only because it was too easy so we skipped it.  A few weeks ago she started on the same Teaching Textbooks, Grade 3 (it starts at Grade 3) curriculum Calleigh is using.  It starts off very, very gently hence why I felt comfortable with her going right into 3rd.  So far so good.  We were doing Spelling-You-See for her too and it had her spelling words like "hat," "dog," etc which was too easy.  She has been wanting to use the same curriculum as Calleigh for Spelling (A Reason for Spelling) so I told her I would order it for 2nd grade and we would get started.  The book came a few days later (after her asking every day in between when it would be there) and we did the pretest and she easily got every word right.  Hmm.  Wasn't sure what to do then.  I ended up giving her the placement test for 3rd grade spelling (the same one Calleigh is doing) and she got 15 of 20 words correct which meant she should be doing third grade.  I think the big difference is that Aubree has been doing "Explode the Code" which is a spelling/phonics book that Calleigh never did.  At any rate, now she is doing third grade math, spelling, and then Bible, geography, and science.  I told her she is basically a third grader now.  I think Calleigh might have overheard me and made a face so I realized I need to tread lightly with this.

Third grade spelling placement test.  You may notice that she still writes some of her numbers backwards  

I don't write all this so I can brag about how smart Aubree is or whatever but just to use it as a testament to God giving me encouragement.  It would be pretty easy to get discouraged if I just had Calleigh - - questioning myself as to whether I'm doing a good job, am I not a good teacher, am I not doing this right?  But no matter what, I will not give up.  Not even a possibility but it does keep me going when I see that at least someone is getting something out of all this!

Studied "The Scream" for art so the kids decided to mimic it.  That is the art card attached to Aubree's head.

Home school is not all bookwork, of course!  We have also done some fun field trips the last few weeks.

Going to Chick-fil-A on a Thursday morning for Violet's birthday party counts as a field trip, right??

Some of the kids who are usually in school as this time were on spring break.  So a mid-week party worked out perfectly.

Notice the billboard.  Pretty cool!

Field trip to Better Times Farm in Winter Garden where the kids got to feed the horses carrots and apples.

This horse was named Khalie (or some weird variation but same pronunciation as "Calleigh") but was a male.  The lady giving us the tour said he was the best horse they had (as far as temperament) on the farm. 

Brady trying to five the donkey a carrot.  They weren't allowed to give the donkeys apples because apples make donkeys fat.  True story. 

Field trip to Winter Garden Pizza Company where we did a tour of the restaurant and the kids got to make their own pizzas.

We also had Easter thrown in there last week.  With it falling in March this year, that caused some scheduling problems as Ron and Elaine were up north celebrating granddaughter Zoe's birthday.  And thus, our annual tradition of brunch and an egg hunt at their house on Easter morning, came to an end.  The kids (and me!) were exceedingly disappointed but we understood it was for a good reason. It all probably worked out for the best anyway because they ended up having soccer on Easter morning.  We had missed the first week being on the cruise and then the next week was rained out. The girls felt bad that they would have to wait another week because of Easter but then I discovered they were having it despite the holiday. So there you go! All for the best.  I didn't feel too bad about missing the egg hunt at Ron and Elaine's though since we still had the big one at the Hilliard estate, the party put on by Jennifer and Heather.  It was beautifully done as usual.

They changed things up this year and had the shin dig on the front lawn under a tent.  They even had a little jazz band playing.  It was SO nice.  Some said it felt like Downton Abbey but that comparison is lost on me.

The sweets table.  ALL made by Jennifer.  That lady is a machine. 

The boys inspecting the eggs that are waiting to be hidden.

Brady playing "croquet" with his two lady friends, Violet and Mollie. 

Calleigh and Aubree are "little girl" crazy between Winslow on the cruise, London (pictured here) and Pamela below.   

"We want a little sister!"

The hunt is on.

HUGE territory to cover!

Not the best family photo ever.

Since the relatives left, we've been in a little bind with Colby.  Apparently Calleigh or Papa or both, read him a Bernstein Bears book with the title "Who's afraid of the Dark?" or something to that affect...unbeknownst to me.  Later, when I put him to bed, he cried and said he was scarred.  I had Brady come sleep on the floor next to his crib and that solved the problem but it then started a rotation of each sibling taking a turn sleeping in his room every night.  It actually works out really well for me because I don't hear from him at all!  Often he would wake up around 7:00 am and I'd go up and get him out of his crib and lie on the floor with him for another hour or so.  Not any more!  I figured that this was a sign that we could combine the boys into one room now.  But...that also means that Calleigh would be taking Colby's room which creates a lot of work for us with getting all new furniture, moving stuff around and all that and are we ready to undertake that all?  We shall see.

Aubree taking her shift.

Another thing that has been happening is that Calleigh's bouts of vomiting have been getting more frequent.  Whereas it was happening about every six to eight weeks, the last two months, it's been like four weeks, than two, and most recently, six days.  I had self diagnosed her with cyclical vomiting syndrome but it's clear to me that she needs to see a doctor now so she's scheduled for Wednesday morning.  I'm sure what is about to follow is a bunch of blood work which I know won't be fun.

I'm going to just put up the rest of the past few weeks in pictures...

Since the kids are continuing with their ice skating lessons we got them ice skates since it's cheaper than continuing with the rentals.

Brady was so excited about his that he put them on as soon as he woke up the next morning, even before he ate breakfast.

Just fooling around and putting Colby in their American Girl doll glasses.

Working on the "Kitchen" honor for Adventurers.  Brady went into a panic when he saw they were making salad.  He was so worried he would have to eat it but I told him I would do it.

No problems for Colby though!!

Aubree and I went to a Gaither Vocal Band concert at the Bob Carr on Saturday, March 19.  It was SO fantastic.  I loved every minute of it!

With Adam Crabb one of the singers.

On Sunday, March 20, I took a "Corey" day while Duncan took the kids to various places.  Here, at Bass Pro.

Later, to the pool.  Still a bit chilly though.

Our friend Eric Badillo was in town and came over for a visit with his fiancee, Tina, whom we got to meet for the first time. We were very impressed.  Of course, I already felt she was a kindred spirit when I saw that it was a short engagement and her mom was doing most of the preparations because the wedding is in a different city from where Tina lives.

Out yard sale-ing a few weeks ago and noticed this guy had a Boston shirt and Red Sox hat.  He was from New Hampshire and when I said I was from NE, he ran and got this can of Moxie for me.  It is a soda from NE and his aunt brings him cases of it down every time she comes.  This was from his last case so I felt very honored.  I hadn't had Moxie in over 20 years when an ex-boyfriend brought it instead of water on a hiking trip.  What's crazier?  That I was hiking or that he didn't bring water??  

Last Sabbath we took a late afternoon trip up to Mt. Dora so I could visit my friend Karri (the one whose daughter died in a car crash).  The kids and Duncan stayed at a playground while I went to visit.

We brought a picnic supper that we had to eat VERY fast because there was thunder and lightening happening all around us and we weren't quite sure if it was good to be under a metal roof.

As I mentioned before, soccer has resumed.  It's a different field that is closer to us and with better shade.

Aubree's group.  Although Calleigh's group is bigger, Aubree's seems to be smaller so Calleigh got to play in Aubree's game so she was quite thrilled.

Thankfully there is still a playground for the boys.

Just eating a snack, watching the game.

Brady is already sick of emptying the silverware so he thought he'd teach Colby.

Some mornings school gets put on hold for a bit when the kids are all playing so nicely with the Legos.

Putting on a show for Grandma and Grandpa. Apparently Colby was supposed to be the lead singer.

Grandma and Grandpa brought some new hats and balls with them from their trip up north.

Yard sale-ing on Friday and the kids hit the "best yard sale ever."  They got these Build-A-Bear's for $2 each and a whole giant box of Build-A-Bear accessories (clothes, shoes, props, etc) for $10.  As we were leaving, the lady says "Would they like to take another bear each for free?"  She was so nice.  The kids were in heaven.  We got it all for $18 and I'm sure she must have spent at least $400.

Have a great week.