Yesterday we took a trip to the airport. This is the one I don’t like so much, the one where we say goodbye for 31 days.
The Monday he leaves is always so full of emotion for all of us. Needless to say, the Tuesday after that farewell can be… rocky. Even though we were late to everything all day long, we did indeed make it to our homeschool community day and piano practice. With a baby. Without my husband.
VICTORIOUS!!!
[Yes, I count this as a victory.]
I know there are others that do this sort of thing all the time (and are even punctual, too). If you are one of those moms, you amaze me. When my spirits are low due to Gary’s absence, I pray for you. I think of military wives and single moms and widows and a hundred other scenarios… and I am just thankful that this is only for 31 days – and that I have a husband who is so engaged with us when he is home.
At the time of this writing, we have 30 more days to go. Is it any coincidence that the 30 Days of Kindness Challenge popped up in my inbox this morning? I’m looking forward to participating in at least “just one tiny thing of it.” I think I can find some labels and some beans and a couple of jars, maybe. Care to join us?
Our week in review
This week we started piecing together a long-anticipated Lego Room makeover.
This has been such an exciting event for us that, upon its completion, we will… just have to write a separate post.
This week I ended up having a fleeting moment of creativity. We were making pumpkin spice cookies (not from scratch, of course), and we decided to carve “1620” into them to create “Plymouth Rock” cookies. In reality, only one or two were even legible. Four of them looked like scribbles. The other two dozen did not have 1620 carved into them at all. (I mentioned it was a fleeting moment, right?)
The boys enjoyed reading lots of books this week. For Pilgrim-and-Mayflower related reading, The Thanksgiving Story, Squanto: Friend of the Pilgrims, Thanksgiving on Thursday, and N.C. Wyeth’s Pilgrims complemented each other nicely as different perspectives about the same historical event(s). I personally enjoyed N.C. Wyeth’s Pilgrims, since it not only contains great historical information, but it is also illustrated with paintings by Andrew Wyeth’s father (an artist we will be studying in the spring).
If I had to rank these books, I would say that The Scrambled States of America is the boys’ absolute favorite. (Of course it is. It ranks fairly high on the silliness factor!) They’ve read this book and Scrambled States of America Talent Show many, many times over the past couple of years. (The two older boys enjoy the Scrambled States Card Game, too.)
Let me just take a moment here to emphasize that not all of my children are drawing the United States free-hand. It’s just our sixth grader. Although this is where he is with free-hand drawing the USA right now:
Our 3rd grader and kindergartner are simply tracing the states on a laminated map. Tracing the United States map is where Stephen started three years ago. It’s okay to just trace maps if your child(ren) are not ready for this.
NOTE: While I’m on this subject of simply doing things, our kindergartner’s work is usually completed within about 30 minutes total. That’s math, reading instruction, writing, and memory work. Without the older two, I wouldn’t have much of a blog.
Although I recommend downloading the Classic Elementary Life Science Student and Teacher texts for Chapter 25 for a better explanation, here’s what’s happening in the above photos in a nutshell: Line up two rulers and fasten together with a brad in one of the end holes. Tie a paperclip (unfolded to make a hook) onto a 2-foot ribbon. Make an L shape with the two rulers and hook the paperclip on the outermost hole of the horizontal ruler. Thread the other end of the 2-foot ribbon through the top hole of the vertical ruler. Slowly pull the ribbon 2 inches and measure the distance it goes up. Hook the paperclip hook onto the middle hole, lift and measure, and then repeat again for the hole closest to the brad. (Clear as mud? Mr. Q explains it better!)
Finally, for Latin, David is using the simplest of memory work tools: flashcards. He enjoys playing games with them as we described in our John 1 Latin Flashcards & Games post.
et cetera
So… Stephen and Gary walk into the kitchen. Stephen asks, “Daddy, did you look at the same chicken on the Cornflakes box when you were a kid?” Gary responds, “Yes, I did.” Stephen asks, “Was it in black and white?”
I’m glad this joke was directed at Gary instead of me. It seems like Stephen’s always coming up with little quips like this now. Ahh… approaching the teen years now, are we?
The boys had a Community Kidz Choir Performance at a benefit event this week.
Do you notice the child pointing in the wrong direction? Yes, that would be David.
This week’s freebie discovery
One hundred legal websites to download free books – everything from poetry & plays to classic literature & textbooks!
A trip down memory lane
This week, I uncovered some history treasures for this week from three years ago, such as Stephen’s key word outline (written in my handwriting due to that pencil-holding aversion he was experiencing in 3rd grade) for a presentation on Jamestown way back when.
I also found a game we had played called Sail on the Mayflower, as well as the Pilgrim puppets David had played with as a kindergartner. The boys enjoyed playing with these once again. {I can’t believe I even kept this stuff, but it made me smile oh-so-big to find it – and then to see them playing with it again!}
But… best of all, I found the book Stephen wrote after reading The Courage of Sarah Noble. Here’s just a glimpse of my delightful trip down memory lane:
And suddenly, I can hardly breathe realizing that Stephen has grown up so much in three short years. WHEW! Please excuse me for a second while I get a grip…
Okay, I’m breathing again, but I’m afraid it’s time for some shut-eye now. Here’s hoping your homeschool daze are also full of wonder and joy, regardless of the circumstances you’re facing!
