Homeschool Journal - 9/28

In my life this week....

We brought in the autumn season!  I love decorating for fall in my home almost as much as Christmas!  This year, my sweet little girls helped me...and actually HELPED!  :)  Miss E (9) has quite the creative knack - a little more daring than I am but still very creative. I would still like to decorate the front porch, but I think that will wait until next week.  

In our homeschool this week...

We have seen great progress in everyone's reading!   With the long summer break, it seems to take a while to get the brain flowing smoothly again. :)  I think things finally began to click again this week!  I have also been encouraged that even though the newness of school is wearing off, and we have just completed  week 5, the kiddos are still enjoying school and are keeping cheerful attitudes (for the most part) as they work!

My favorite thing this week was...

Miss E's English assignment was to choose one of the two poems on her English page to copy in her best handwriting.  She was not too thrilled about the prospect of copying a fairly long poem.  I then remembered how she is thoroughly enjoying our reading of Anne of Green Gables.  I suggested to her that she go to her room and read the two poems with all the expression and drama that Anne would have.  She smiled and said, "I can do that, Mom.  I bet I can do ever better than Anne!"  The entire time I was teaching Mr. A phonics, we could hear the very dramatic readings.  Miss E came out of her room smiling and ready to copy one of the poems, and she even chose the longer one because she "liked the way it sounded!"

What's working/not working for us...

We have begun struggling with getting all of our work done before noon.  I usually finish all but one subject.  I am going to try to switch a couple of things around in our schedule because I do not like being rushed, but I also do not like skipping our quiet hour to do school.  I am hoping these changes will help out.

I'm grateful for...

My kiddos. I love looking for the good in them and finding so many, many things.  It seems like during the routines and schedules, I tend to correct and hand out consequences much of the time.  That's OK.  It comes with the mom territory, but it is a wonderful thing to change the perspective and realize how very blessed I am with the gifts God has given me.  I'm thankful for Miss E who loves to help and is always thinking of things she can do for others.  I'm thankful for Mr. A who is a diligent worker and loves to be treated like a man.  I'm thankful for Mr. G who has such a sweet heart and a tremendous desire to do right but tends to get in the most trouble!  He crawled into my lap this afternoon and told me in a most sad voice, "Mom, I'm just going to make you a letter for your birthday and a letter for Christmas and a letter for Easter because I don't have any money to buy you a present."  Doesn't that make your heart melt? :)  I'd take a letter from that little boy over any present in the world!  I'm thankful for Miss M who is always full of smiles and giggles and a little mischief.  She is testing the waters of independence at the cost of my sanity right now, but that big smile and hug are pretty irresistible.   I'm also thankful for the newbie.  He is such a good little baby - always smiling and making sweet baby noises.  He is beginning to develop a shrill squeal that none of us care too much for, but other than, he's "pretty perfect."

That has been our week - or some of it at least!  We are off to a birthday party for the evening!  Looking forward to spending some time with family!  Hope you have a wonderful weekend!