First, let me start with a random happy from my week…
Weeds are my nemesis, and our front yard has been smack full of them. (That’s a Southern saying, y’all.) But I’ve had neither the time nor inclination to tackle them. So Ken made it into a game and he and the kids spent an evening this week weeding the yard. Made my heart sing, and the kids had a blast. 😉

And on with the more relevant portion of this post…

Preschool:

Jem enjoyed a teaching visit from firefighters and police at preschool. I was a little worried, because sometimes kids who have come from a history like theirs may associate police/firemen with scary situations — but Jem had a great time with it all, and is still talking about the police dog and the firetruck.

I knowingly allowed him to play in the mud in the back yard; I did that as a kid, but I am such a neat freak that it took all my willpower to hold myself back from going out there and telling him to stop. I’m slowly, slowly learning to be a boy mom.

I’m thisclose to deciding that I won’t enroll him in preschool next school year. It is a wonderful, Christian preschool and he loves it. But I could put that money towards other activities AND if I just work on our routines, having him here while the bigger kids do school will work just fine. Right now, though, it’s working well for us and I have no qualms whatsoever about his time there.

And then there’s kindergarten:

This week, Scout was intentionally poked in the face with a fork by another student at school; she is fine, but that’s scary. Another day this week, the bus came early in the afternoon and I wasn’t out there waiting in time so she had to ride back to school and I had to go pick her up at the school. Scout was fine about it all, regaling the bus driver with her plans to plant an apple so she will have an apple tree. (I, on the other hand, didn’t handle it so well: Mom fail.)

Clearly, I am NOT cut out to be a public school parent. {sigh}

To be fair, though, it is a nice school and every single staff member I’ve had contact with has been kind and helpful. It’s clear by walking through the school that we are in a good, well-funded school district. Even the classroom itself looks homey and welcoming. But a day that starts at 6:30AM (when I have to get her up) and goes non-stop til she gets off the bus at 2:30PM is just way too long for a 5-year-old. Then there is homework. Not a lot, but in my opinion, any amount of homework for a kid her age who already spent seven hours at school is overkill.

Meanwhile, back on the homefront:

Monday was the first day since we’ve had the kids that Kathryn finished ALL scheduled schoolwork for the day, including flute practice. It was a rather huge victory. We hope to keep the momentum going next week as well.

Another victory: the Stay-in-bed sticker charts.

Jem was doing better staying in bed but then Scout started having trouble! Enter the magical sticker chart. They earn a smiley face sticker after naps and in the morning whenever they stay in bed, and if they get all their stickers for the week, they earn a trip for ice cream on Fridays! This was our first week trying this and it worked well (ice cream outing planned this afternoon), so I will be keeping reward charts in mind for future challenges as well!

Kathryn has been working on a report for mitzvah class, on the book Surviving Hilter: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps. They are focusing this year on the Holocaust, which is good timing with the timing of our history studies this year.

And of course, she is about halfway through her latest stack of library books. I’m looking forward to reading a few of these myself, like this Scott O’Dell novel she’s currently immersed in.

Lindsey has been working as many hours as possible this week because she not only has her car payment to make, but also paying for her part of an upcoming mission trip to Peru. But I keep reminding her how close graduation is — as long as she keeps up with her schoolwork!

A weekend away:

Ken, understanding husband that he is, has given me the green light to run away for the weekend to a small, low-key blog retreat with a handful of bloggers in one of my networks. I’m telling you, that man of mine is a keeper. He knows that I am at the end of my proverbial rope, mostly because it’s slowly sinking in that my dad died, but I haven’t even had time to process it. This weekend, I’ll spend much of my free time alone, preferably outdoors, to just think.

Come on back Monday for a fun giveaway!

Linking up with these gals:
– Homeschool Mother’s Journal at iHomeschool Network
– Weekly Wrap-Up at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers
– No Fear Homeschool High School at The Daisy Head
– Collage Friday at Home Grown Learners

Jamie

Wife, mom, J-ma. Introvert who enjoys good books, sunshine, and authentic conversation. Often seen with a steaming mug of tea in hand – unless it’s lost yet again in the microwave. Read more »