This moment ...

11.17.2013

We are gearing up for our first holiday season in our new home. Jon and I have been taking a critical look at our "traditions" to make sure they are in line with our family values and the memories we want to create for the girls. We are loving the fall weather. We spend the warmer and sunnier days outside in the back yard, but I secretly (or not?) look forward to the cold, rainy days when we can hunker down and wait for Jon to get home and start a fire. I. Love. Fires.  And these girls ...

Eleanor

• Eleanor has an obsession with this set of Dick and Jane books my mom gave her. Mom had originally bought them for her sister, Theresa, so the books are special to me, too. (Theresa passed away in November 2008.)  Imagine a 5-year-old reading "Run, run, run, Jane. Run Dick. Oh. Oh. Oh." In a very loud, very monotone voice. It melts my heart.
• She recently memorized The Crocodile by Lewis Carrol for a presentation. She randomly (and excitedly) spouts off with "How doth the little crocodile ...", and I love it. I see more poetry in her future. 
• We check out from the library and buy drawing books because she LOVES them. She spends hours trying to recreate a panda bear drawn with circles or a monkey, but in classic Eleanor form, it frustrates her to tears some days. She wants to draw as well as her daddy draws, and just doesn't understand why she can't.
• Audio books! Who knew? We've been subbing audio books for TV some, and she really enjoys it.
• The Dollar Tree is her new favorite place to be.

Eve

• 4 TEETH! Finally.
• Prefers to go without clothes most days. I'm not sure what we will do about that when it gets really cold.
• LOVES to wear her sister's shoes ... on her hands.
• Strikes a pose! Eve will snap into downward facing dog and peak at you between her legs. She giggles if you flip upside down, too.
• Screams to take a shower. I've not had a solo shower in weeks unless it's at nap time.
• Still insists on having a filled water cup within an arms reach at all times. 

I am loving this season of motherhood!

Homeschool update

OH me, OH my! Have I found myself with a few minutes of free time when I'm not too tired to do more than stare at the TV? I think I have! I even have a cup of tea beside me for this post.

I've been meaning to catch up on the home schooling front with the intention of updating the blog monthly on this topic. We'll see how it goes.

We have more than a month of home schooling under our belts. We decided to join the Classical Conversation (CC) group in our area. It covers history, grammar, Latin, geography, science, fine arts, Bible memory work, and some math.  We use the Math-U-See Primer for main our 'rithmetic curriculum, and we're still using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (read Lessons, not Days, because I'm not that on top of it). I also supplement with BOB books, and I'm trying to incorporate some sight word work. Eleanor also takes piano lessons, and I consider that part of her musical education (for now).

Our home school days look something like this:

• Monday - We spend the morning at CC, read alouds in the afternoon, piano
• Tuesday - Review CC memory work, 1 math lesson, 1 reading lesson, handwriting practice, piano
• Wednesday - Review CC memory work, prep for CC presentation, reinforce Tuesday math, read aloud
• Thursday - Review CC memory work, practice presentation, 1 math lesson, 1 reading lesson, handwriting practice
• Friday - Friday FUN day. We try to wrap up anything we didn't get done during the week and we try to take some sort of field trip or do a family activity when Jon gets home. 
• Weekend - Piano and Presentation

Tuesday thru Thursday, if everything goes well, school takes us 2-3 hours. Right now we have another obligation that changes our school week quite a bit. In the next month, I'm hoping things will be more consistent.  If something doesn't get finished during the day, Jon or I will work with Eleanor after dinner. On more than one occasion, we've had to completely re-arrange the schedule when something comes up or babies decide to scream all day. It happens. We adjust.

How do I like it? I LOVE it. I feel like I'm doing a good job keeping her on task, and I feel like she's learning a lot. I'm blow away by CC and Eleanor's new-found knowledge. Admittedly, I'm not at a place where I can do a lot of cutsie/Pinteresty things with her, but she doesn't seem to mind. I did check out a slew of books about apples and Johnny Appleseed for September, and we visited an apple orchard with some friends. That's something!

For my Catholic friends reading, Happy Michaelmas (yesterday)! I hope you got in some 'angel'ic celebrations!

There is so much more I want to do with my smart girls, and there is really NEAT curriculum to peruse. Even if you don't home school, there are GREAT resources available to supplement with. Grandparents, if you're reading this, I have the Christmas lists all made out! Just ask :)

This Moment...

07.14.2013

We are waiting on the final details on closing for our new home. I have terrible sciatic nerve pain that is holding me up on everything from exercise to housework. I even tried acupuncture to get some relief (it was a great experience). I'm far behind on my current book To Say Nothing of the Dog. I'm IN LOVE with the tv show New Girl. Those last two are directly related. Work is pouring in, and I desperately need to go to the grocery store, but uuuuuuugh. The grocery store? 

We are enjoying summer for all that it's worth. Sunshine and swimming and coffee on the patio is what it's worth.

Eleanor...

• is buzzing with excitement about VBS this week.
• MUST be a part of every conversation.
• is becoming an accomplished eaves dropper. She astounds us when she repeats entire conversations.
• loves loves LOVES make believe and pretend, especially make believe fighting, and of course, the damsel in distress.
• wants an iPhone for her 6th birthday.

Eve...

• crawls and walks around supported by furniture or whatever she can find. She's even stood on her own for a few seconds before plopping down on her fluffy, diapered bum.
• loves to eat. And, don't you dare put something in your mouth around her without also having something tasty to share. Forget those baby rice puffs.
•  is happiest being carried around on someone's hip, but is also content to rummage through low-sitting boxes, bins, and tubs, or to stalk her big sister.
• is serious about what consumption, and is currently the most hydrated member of the household. 
• 6 days until she's 11-months-old, and still no teeth. I'm not complaining.
• Long naps? Elusive.
• has only been waking once at night. Let's keep it up, baby girl!

FIVE years old!

My sweet, precocious, energetic, imaginative eldest daughter turned FIVE on June 30. All of those moms and grandmas with older children aren't lying when they say time FLIES.

We've been anxiously and not-so-patiently awaiting the birthday for months (since July 1, 2012). The birthday girl celebrated the day of her birthday with birthday pancakes in the shapes of butterflies and flowers, a family dinner with cookie cake decorated with blue frosting (it was super ugly), and presents presents presents.

The day after we celebrated with friends and more family at Chuck E. Cheese. We are blessed to have a great group of friends who support our kids and celebrate with us. I think all the kids had a blast at ChuckEs.

A look at the interests of a five year old:

Favorite color: pink and purple and blue
Favorite animal: bunny
Favorite food: egg sandwich and bacon pizza
Best friend: Adelyn
Favorite book: This one was hard to pin down. She settled on The Gruffalo
Favorite activity: playing on the iPad and playing games
Favorite fruit: strawberries and grapes and oranges
Favorite movie: The new city of Atlantis and Hotel Transylvania
What do you want to be a grow up? A princess and live in a castle. Not a burned down castle.
What's your favorite thing to play outside: Do my new scooter
What's your favorite thing to sleep with: Grandma's bunny

Happy Birthday, baby girl!