Forgot to mention...

Caleb now says "Zammo" for Samuel on command. Unfortunately, he still calls both of them "Cat-in," which is a little bothersome to Samuel. He'll get it, I know.

Getting in the groove

It's been a jam packed weeked and beginning of the week for us, as for many who are getting back into school rhythm.

I didn't really realize how much it was going to take to get 4 people ready, lunches packed, and out the door Monday morning! It's been a long time since I've had to do this. We got to the church at 8:30, found my room, took a quick picture (which I can't get to load on blogger), and started writing everything on the board we had to learn for the day. Before I knew it, it was time to be somewhere else. I have 9 children in my class and they all have unique personalities. Some have never been in a classroom setting, some did CC last year, some are fresh from school this spring. And then there's me. I'm so thankful there are moms in there with me to help hand things out, collect things, help hold what needs to be held. It makes it much easier.

As soon as we finished, down stairs we go to get the families reunited for lunch. Caleb got to go home for a nap and I got some time to chit chat with a few moms. The afternoon is fun for Catherine- music and photography, then art for an hour with a professional artist. Samuel has some heavy work with language, writing, grammer, and math for 2 hours, then an hour of art. I got to help in his afternoon class and in the art class. So many kids trying to figure out what this new stuff is all about. It doesn't start slowly, it's all out from the start! I'm having to learn this with him, which makes it interesting.

By the time 4 rolled around, we'd all had it and were thankful for a cereal dinner. Buddy got home later and I made him dinner, but it was just easy time for us.

Yesterday and today have gone pretty well. Samuel has much more work than Catherine, taking him a lot longer, but he's enjoying it. We're going until well after noon and he keeps a good attitude. Amazing. We're working on Catherine, but I'm sure she'll come around soon.

They had some fun under the trampoline, using my dry erase markers as some extra barrel on their pistols, while Caleb was armed with a light saber. The Lego picture is how Samuel occupied himself for many hours before school started. Great imagination. Picture taken by Samuel.

Field trip fun

Today we got to go on our field trip. It was a beautiful day which we all enjoyed. It was great to hear from Catherine's tutor that she talked a lot while they were doing their nature walk. You could see the friendships being formed already. Caleb even got to go with his teacher and gathered some treasures. He managed to sneak 2 sugar cookies during snack time! As you can see, he was in the thick of things and enjoying every minute. Samuel is obviously digging being with so many boys his age. They have code names in his class. He is Sargeant Samuel.

Here's a funny on me. I had 5 of my students there today and as we walked around a scum covered pond, I was reminded of Hank the Cow Dog. So I started telling them about it. Behind me was another mom who pointed out the wonders of some sand stone and that I should share that with the kids. Oops! I guess I need to raise my level of sharing with them!

We were all set for a play date this morning, got to the park, thought we could endure a few sprinkles. However, no phone call and no showing up, and no answer to my phone call. So after waiting 20 minutes we left. Thankfully, one of Samuel's friends wanted to play this am, but our previous arrangement didn't make it possible. After our waiting, I called and we got to go play/visit. It was a very nice time and I'm reminded of my need to just get away from my house, have some adult conversation and enjoy my friends! Thankfully, I'll get to be with adults, if not talking, during our Monday class time.
I was able to put 2 lasagna's in the freezer today. Catherine helped me make an assembly line to make our dinner tonight and 2 nights in the future. She really does enjoy helping me make thing, not so much clean up the mess after! That will come.
We also got our craft/extra school paper/play dough toys/ catch all cupboard sorted out. There are a bunch of things to take to the CC community to use and to share with my new HS'ing friend. Things, too to take to book benevolence. I believe this is the last "have to" organizational thing I need to do before school starts. I'm ready for a movie!

We had our practice run of school today and actually did more than I planned to do. Surprise, surprise, the kids really enjoyed it. They learned a bunch of new information and were quite pleased to share it with their daddy tonight when he got home from work. We'll have a play date tomorrow and the library to stock up on some books, then another "practice" Thursday. Our field trip was rained out today, which is why we got to have school this morning. It's rescheduled for Friday.
I've picked our scripture for the year- the fruit of the spirit. Each week we'll be learning scriptures that represent a specific fruit. I'm convinced after one day with the Classical curriculum that my kids are far more capable than I have given them credit for or required of them. No more! We'll be learning chunks of verses and using them as our handwriting practice.

I need some input of Caleb. A few days ago, he climbed out of his crib. Thankfully, their room is a bit tight and the recliner is right by his crib, so he must have gotten onto that. Tonight, we hear this panicked cry only to find him with his arm stuck in the rails. Easy for Buddy to get him out of it, but a bit much for him to do in his panic. He's not even 2 yet. Do I switch him to a toddler bed? I hate to think of the struggles of keeping him in his bed when he can just climb in and out like he does on Hannah's. Help!

To the person who gave me the multiplication game idea, thank you very much. It looks like something he'd really like.

Well, 2 batches of scones, 2 of blueberry muffins, 1 of bisquits, a few cups of rice, and a big pot of soup done. However, after all that, I'm in no mood to cook dinner. Out comes that fabulous pizza I was saving for another day. Oh well, at least I put more in the freezer than I took out.

Getting ready

We don't officially start school until the 24th, but I've planned some "practice" days for us next Thursday and Friday. I told Samuel it's to help me out so I can see what it'll look like when I'm tutoring.
So, in an effort to help myself not be so overwhelmed, I've started baking ahead. I have 3 mini loaves of banana bread, a batch of biscuits, blueberry muffins are in right now, and FINALLY I've made a loaf of bread that didn't flatten out too much and tasted great! So, I'll make a few loaves this weekend and throw those in the freezer, too. Last time it was Customer Appreciation Day at Papa John's, I ordered an extra pizza and froze that, too. I plan to get the crock pot out and make up some soups and anything else I can to get this year off to a better start. Out Mondays are going to be a bit intense. 8:30-4pm will be school. 6-7 is ballet, 7 is Caleb's bed time and 7-8 is cub scouts. I'll have to be on top of things on Sunday night or we'll be in trouble! We'll have ballet on Thursday, too, one night of football practice, and a game on Saturday.
That being said, I need to get back to the kitchen!

this and that

The promised Blue Bird picture. She has some blue feathers in her bun, which flopped around while she did her little dance.

I wish I had great, exciting news to share, but I don't. I do know that some meeting is supposed to happen today.

We had a full weekend with the ballet and meeting with our homeschool community. I've been working on getting myself ready with tutoring materials. Today, we sorted through shoes to see what fits, I went through last school year's "treasures" and tucked quite a few in places which will never be discovered! Got our big catch all closet thinned out, too.

We don't have a nice stereo, just little cd players and the dvd player. I need all the counterspace I have and prefer to keep it as uncluttered as possible with things since (most often,) there is a pile or 2 of papers that just creap up on me! What I really wanted was an undermount stereo so we could listen to things while we worked- our memory work, classical music, Bible teachings, and just music while I'm working in that area. We had a credit card we'd paid off that had some points on it- just a few less than an undermount stereo. A few months ago, we switched back to using this card for business expenses and ta-da! we now have enough points for the stereo! I ordered it last week and today it arrived. I got out the drill, used the template for the holes, and hand screwed 4" screws through the cabinet and into the stereo (the drill was too big to use inside the shelves.) Great sense of accomplishment as I listen to beautiful music, but my hands say I should have let Buddy do it! Very thankful for that blessing.

Tomorrow we're headed to watch Open Season for $1 each. Book benevolence Saturday, possible homeschool co-op get together Friday. Monday, meet to put together homeschool folders for the older kids, next Tuesday a scavenger hunt to meet the students and them find out who their tutor is. We need to take some time as a family to go away before school starts on the 24th, so we'll see where we can squeeze that in.

What I'm really hopeful for is a play date for both older ones at the same time, which will include Caleb's nap time, so I can have undisturbed time for me to escape into a book or clean/organize as it strikes me! We shall see...

I have to tell a few stories about Caleb. "Dop" is one of his frequent words. As we were playing our instruments together, he kept saying that to us. As he was eating breakfast yesterday, he put his hand on his chest and said, "Oh my goodness" just as playing as can be. Everything is "um" and "OH!" Lots of fun. Having little success on the potty. Yesterday he took care of both duties in the a.m., then 2 accidents before 10 a.m. Today, nothing on the potty and 2 accidents. Maybe I should wait, but it sure would be nice to have all the stinkies in the potty instead of in his pants!

Sleeping Beauty's blue bird is sleeping

Tonight was the performance. No cameras allowed, no parents in the "black box." So no sweet blue bird pics yet. It was very sweet and Catherine had a blast. Samuel enjoyed it with LOTS of questions about what was going on. No, they've never seen the movie. His comment was that if it was a boy that got pricked, he'd just be snoring. As soon as we picked Catherine up, she told her daddy she wanted to do another ballet. Auditions for the Nutcracker are next month. We shall see...

How could you resist these eyes?

I'm not sure how long Dolly's been waiting, but she sure has caught my eye on more than one occassion. Honestly, while we've waited, I've been tempted to start the process with her. She happens to be in the country right next to Hannah's.
A few Sundays ago, our Pastor read from Isaiah 58. One of the verses says the fast God has chosen "is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house..." I'm pretty sure Dolly qualifies.
One of the things that stops so many people from adopting is the cost. You may not be ready to adopt or feel you are called to at all. However, you can help someone else give this special girl love and care to help her grow to her full potential. I'm so plesed that since I started to write this post a few weeks ago her grant fund has gone from $55 to $595!
Here's her information.

Dolly Girl, Born September 11, 2007

Beautiful, doe-eyed Dolly! Dolly was born with Spina Bifida. She was operated on without complications. Her Spina Bifida is not severe. She has some movement in her legs. Otherwise from birth she is a healthy child. Present condition: At almost two years, she is developing very well. She smiles, plays, reacts normally. She takes milk and puree food. She attends the orthopedic clinic for regular assessment. She wears orthopedic braces forher legs, but the doctor hopes she will not always need them. Orphan care in this country is VERY good. These children are well loved and well cared for and fed. You can see it in their faces. And this country has recently offered to drastically reduce it's initial country fees for these children! Full medical info and social history available prior to commitment! Contact Waiting Child for more information I have $595 in my grant fund towards the cost of my adoption!
You can donate tax deductably by going to this link and specifying funds go to Dolly.

We're still here. Just not much to post. It was a football weekend for the boys. Lots of playing catch in their spare time, while watching "Facing the Giants" and "Giants Among Men." It's pretty obvious they will be eating up flag football when it starts!
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We've bee reading together over the summer and have enjoyed a few books you might like to read with your kids. Cabin at Trouble Creek, Abraham's Battle, Weaver's Daughter, and just now reading If You Please, President Lincoln. They are historical fiction set in the 1800's. Very interesting to see life from different angles. They have both enjoyed the stories, as have I and Buddy when he gets a chance to listen.
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Tomorrow we head for OKC to get fingerprints updated. They expire on the 8th, so rather than let them expire and start the I-800 process (lots more money and time), we can make the 2 hour each way trip to get it done now. Fortunately, we have until December for our homestudy. It's all so amazing how the time has flown by!
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Tonight and the next 2 nights I get to be tied to my computer while I "attend" a webinar to help with my tutoring this year. It's very informative and I'm sure it'll be a great thing to fall back on when I actually start tutoring. However, it's from 5-7:30! Couldn't have asked for a more challenging time. Thankfully, the kids were content to eat what I'd thrown together ahead of time and watch videos!
Great news is that I won't have to tutor either S or C and they can just be them. My other curriculm for math and language should be arriving the week and I can be set with that. Part of me wants to just get started and part knows the kids need time to be kids. Patience, as in other areas of my life, is key.