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

I Can't Believe I'm Considering Going To A Garage Sale

So, I'm thinking of going to a garage sale. Or 2. And then I got excited and wrote down about 9 that I could go to. I'll let you know how it goes. Everything says "Saturday, 8am" and that's pretty early...for a Saturday. Ok, for going out any day...but still. We'll see if the neighbours stupid Fr*#$&^ beagle is barking agian at 5am as has been it's habit this week...yes, all week. It was getting pretty old by today and I was contemplating a nicely worded letter to the property managers, and THEN...get this --> I calm down - somewhat - about the pre-dawn canine serenade only to have the neighbours pack up and go out...leaving the dog at home. Of course, the thing begins to bark and howl and yip and whine until they came home 62 minutes later. AT WHICH TIME they exit their vehicle and immediatly undermine my b!tchy neigbour letter writing tendencies by indulging my children with fresh donuts!! What the heck is up with that?! Nice neighbours my a$$....oh and please, cute, polite, nice neighbour children, please, please watch for our poor little kitty cat as it has run away...and now the two dogs we own have nothing to chase up and down the hallway and bark at until all hours and they are miserable and lonely.

Wow, was that a tangent or what?! If the dumb dog wakes me up, I might as well drive by a garage sale or two. If I sleep in, well, that's good too.

In other news, Rai has begun hockey and after a small misunderstanding (regarding the other players using Raiden as a "statue to crash into by purpose!!") was cleared up, he had a pretty ok time and is looking forward to his next ice time. He's pretty stoked...and is fairly, um, strutting in all his gear. Pictures next week...please stay tuned.

So, highlights of the week....began to organize Homeschooler's Rec Swim Time, Dad's Birthday dinner, Brad pulled some lady out of the river, we did our reading all week, the optometrist popped out his plastic eye to show Raiden and Kori did not vomit (yes, really), Spring Clean of the kitchen in anticipation of my mother in law's visit in early November, Family Date Night in Kingston (Bri earned almost a basketful of Brownie points with that one!), kids are asking to begin school-book-work, new EQ expansion out, and I did not nap all week even after being up at 5am 5 days in a row. Oh, and I didn't yell too much. At this rate, next week will be superb!!

Another Weekend Come And Gone...

Well, so it begins....Week #1 done and gone...We've stuck to our reading - well, except with one little blip...seems two small heathens were particularly irritated one day, so much so that their poor, frustrated mother lost it and sent them to bed early. Early bedtime + dirty children = showers in the morning...and that means we missed some reading time. The upside is that I caught Rai reading Archie comics a couple of times, so I didn't feel so bad about missing our read aloud.

Generally, I was able to stick to a schedule. Kori was fine the first day, mildly irrated the second and downright awful the third. Back to midly irritated on Friday....and we'll see how she is on Monday. If the weekend turns out to throw her off too much, we'll have to add them to the schedule too. The things you do for your kids...

In other news, Rai got his hockey schedule! Auntie Janie has redeemed herself by finding a practice jersey for him in Kingston (No, I'm NOT driving to Kingston for a $16 practice jersey...it would cost me that much in GAS MONEY!). He's very excited. Rai is also registered for Beavers...Big Thanks to Greg "Ringtail" Cowan for personally calling me, from the registration table and inviting me to come and fill out the form...with seconds to spare. I think we ousted some poor boy to the waiting list and pissed off a few parents...but hey, Rai's back in Beavers! Again...the things you do for your kids...

Elizabeth "Brown Owl" Jadoo called this week as well. Brownies will start up soon...need to register this week. And as soon as they can track down the proper lady to find out, they think they may need me to be "Badge Owl" this year. Now tell me...there's Brown Owl, Hootie Owl, Tawney Owl...and BADGE Owl??! That'll teach me to be so proactive with Kori when working on her Brownie Badges, now, won't it?!

In all this planning - and it being so important to me for working a weekly schedule - you would think that I would think to ask exactly which Monday and Tuesday all these lovely things are going to be starting. Sometimes it is glaringly obvious why Brian shakes his head at me.

So, off we go into the fresh new week....I have to see if I can dredge up some change to pay allowance out tonight...or Raiden won't let tomorrow come...he's been shopping around and I think I see a new video game on the horizon...

Our First Day Of 'Not Going Back To School'

Well. How relaxed am I today? I suppose this is the beginning of our third official year of home schooling. Today, I am very comfortable and relaxed and confident about my kids, our family and our continued HSing. It's really nice. I do not miss the feeling of "what about math?" and "they'll never make friends!!"

This year, we will ease into a routine that everyone can work with. Oficially, our reading has begun. Today, we read from a novel, a book of fables and from the translated tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. I think I would have had an easier time with the French, as the old English was a little tough for the kids. We had to stop every few paragraphs and re-translate, but hey, they were interested...

Part of the routine includes getting ready for the day and taking care of things (responsibility, accountability, yadda-yadda-yadda) and helping out. It's just a given, as far as I'm concerned - family life, right? We had to run errands (post office, photo shop, library) and - will wonders never cease - the kids were well behaved. After all the running around, we stopped at Hardy Park for an hour. Large muscle activity, dontcha know...recess, gym, break for mom, call it what you want. It was a great day to be outside.

As September moves on, our schedule of activities will fill up (Brownies, Beavers, Hockey, skating). We will pick a regular Library Day and finilize details around the Field Trip CLub. Once our activities are firmed up, we will add in official school-y type things. Workbooks, math, printing, writing, etc. I'm looking forward to Fridays (I think Fridays...) of Science Experiments and Swimming. Might have to add that in right away...or soon...the pool doesn't open until the 12th.

Today is wrapping up nicely...we weren't home 10 minutes and the neighbourhood kids rang the doorbell asking if Kori and Rai could come out and play. How cool is that??...despite mine and Brian's introverted tendencies, the kids are 'making friends'. It's kind of an ecclectic group...2 teenage girls, 2 11 year old boys, Kori, Rai and a 5 year old girl...but hey...they're all playing together, making allowances for the littler ones, listening to each other and getting along.

So not a bad start, all in all...plan in place and no major stumbling blocks. I'll let you know how it all pans out...

OK, Now I'm Frustrated

What the heck is up with the 'Back' button?!? I type and type and type....and somehow, in the midst of adding links and fixing spelling I lost the entire night's work!! ARRGH! Drive me crazy! Nearly as frustrating as Rai trying to learn to play Golf on the Playstation...So, no, you cannot read about our weekend.