Happy Spring

Happy Spring!!

On the advice of my conscience, I have decided to get back to the blogging. At least a bit. Hopefully I can stick with it...I'm also trying to better my typing skills...so that means blogging without looking at the keyboard....much.

So we're off and running with a new approach to homeschooling. The driving force and re-motivation are a result of a few of Brian's suggestions. As well, I am trying to make Kori feel more a part of the family. Because her emotions are driving a wedge between us and her. Please say a prayer. Really. I don't think I"ll make it through puberty if her dramatics now are any indication of things to come. And, just for Rai, we're going to make him into a better reader. 'Cause he wants to read like Kori. Apparently noone has told him yet that he's reading wonderfully; with comprehension and fluency and inflection. At least, noone who actually matters has told him yet. I am supposed to, apparenlty, wave my magic wand and make this reading mastery just happen...because he certainly wants no part of any kind of "reading practice". I have discovered that if I put mapping work in his schoolwork binder, he sometimes needs to do his schoolwork at 6:15 am...on a Saturday. And, funny enough, he reads those pages well enough to complete the exercises. I told him that my strategy of benign neglect would pay off....he just doesn't see it yet.

So, onward and upward toward summer. Hockey is done. The award banquet was this evening. Special entertainment was provided by Brockville's finest young alternative rockers "Days Ransom"
(http://www.myspace.com/daysransom). Punchy alternative, for those that are interested...Loud, for those that are not.

Kori is gearing up for another summer at camp. Ok, it's just a week...but still. Camp Woolsey. ( http://dragon.sleepdeprived.ca/woolsey/index.htm) She had such a good time there last summer. And it seems they have their act together. I tried seeing about perhaps sending her to our Guiding Area Camp in Picton, however, our Area is disorganized and unreliable. So, she's off to the Ottawa Area camp.

So that's where we are. Kids are working on math, lit, history, geography; we started music lessons!; and some other stuff that I should probably classify somewhere but don't. Brownies and Beavers are still going strong. Kori did a session of private swimming lessons and excelled . As part of their literature studies (doesn't that sound impressive?!) they are both taking part in a literature program run through the Public Library. The kids read a selection of Canadian books from the last year or so and at the end of the session vote for their favorites. Votes are counted nationally and the winning selections are awarded the Blue Spruce, Silver Birtch line of awards. Kori and Raiden are enjoying the book selections so far. They are not enjoying the synopsis I am making them do after they finish a book. But hey, I compromised and they recite, I write.

I SO have to go and kidnap my husband...maybe we'll get around to trying to make vodka daquaris...

Cheers