What We've Learned.

Last week we closed on six weeks of schooling at home. It has gone well. Better, in fact, that I expected. After all, there have been moments when I've thought,
 "Oh my goodness, I have a fearless toddler, a three year demanding of my constant affection, and I'm supposed to educate my kindergartener while managing the children, meals and home? And then, to top it all off, I'm pregnant, too? And Mallory, let's remember how you are when you're pregnant? Not really the big ball of motivation that you usually are. A big ball, maybe, but a rather haggard one."

Still, it somehow works. We're rather rigorous, too. Even so, we tend to wind things down after lunch time, the toddler's heavy diapers don't get neglected, and the preschooler even has a special time for stories. I don't know how it all works, but we've been given the grace to get by.

There is no point, however, in me trying to paint a picture without challenges, because we have challenges daily, almost hourly. I get frustrated, lack patience, and sometimes want an extra set of able hands and eyes to help our days run more smoothly. Sometimes I feel like if I don't get out right this minute I might scream. I love my life, I've been given great blessings, but I function a lot better telling myself that every mother of young ones is one glass tipped over shy of losing it.

Last week was a mix of challenges. Luke fell sick on Sunday. He was so sick, in fact, that he spent the entire day sleeping in our bed with a fever. While his fever broke that night, he was weak and slower functioning for the rest of the week. Everything I had set to accomplish for the week just was not happening. I tried to get him focused enough for one math or reading lesson, or even coloring a story from the Bible. But nothing worked, and for the better part of the week I was snippy and anxious, with my well-laid plans being a muddled mess of pen in my notebook.

Still, even if lessons for the last week were pushed back, I learned a valuable lesson: When it's not working, it's not working. Why fight and push to get something accomplished when the results come with tears or a bad attitude? How much more you can get accomplished when a kid is well-rested, hydrated, and feeling back to himself, so why fight getting one extra lesson done?

Isn't this a huge reason to homeschool? To accelerate when it's appropriate, and then to back off when needed? So, why am I pushing my son, who is in good academic shape anyway, to keep learning, when he really just needed a full week to veg on the couch? What's the point in crossing lesson 22 off my list, when I know in my heart that it was done half-heartily and not comprehended. Am I doing my kids any favors by rushing through something just to get it done? Even if they don't understand it because they've been sick?

Sure enough, this Monday came with great efficiency. After a week of recuperation and weekend full of play time, my kindergartner was up for the challenges I had in store. Expectations were met, we were done early, and I even checked off every last thing on our agenda. We're back in action, feeling good, and back on the right track.

Lesson learned.

The Task at Hand.

We are in full planning mode around here now. The special shoes my kids need are ordered for the Fall (Extra Wide...all three kids), and each day this week we are expecting deliveries for the different materials we need for this upcoming year.

We're homeschooling this year. Oh my. I've blogged a lot about this in the past, but this is the first year that it is absolutely real, the year we actually are keeping a child home and out of school. Despite homeschooling being a mainstream and super legit thing to do, writing it down in words seems like a heroic act, with some people feeling very bothered by the idea. With homeschooling's  proven track record, and our dedication to all of our children's education and formation, I'm not interested in debating our decisions, but I do like sharing what we're doing, and hearing what others are doing, too. We are following in the footsteps of many families, and some are just like us--starting their first year!!! :-) .

Here's what our Fall semester lineup looks like! And, thankfully, each of these programs has been tried and tested by at least one family close enough to me that I can bug them endlessly on the how the program works, and it's effectiveness.

Math: Rightstart B. We got through Rightstart A last year, and I was blown away at the way math was taught. Concepts are actually understood, not memorized.This program is daunting because it is different from the way math is taught in America (it is based on Japanese math, and uses an abacus, groupings of 10, etc.).

Science Nancy Larson Science 1. I am SO excited about this program. It is primary science, but not watered down and not so basic that the child doesn't learn anything. It's hands-on, uses a rich vocabulary, experiments, and observations. I am guessing this will be a favorite subject

Language Arts: Institute for Excellence in Writing. We wanted rigorous and coherent language arts program that left no gaps, and taught students to be excellent readers, comprehenders, and spellers. We are several lessons into this already, and I am impressed and hopeful that a great reader will emerge!

History/Social Studies/Relgion/Geography: Connecting with History. This program is the same for K-12, only the reading lists change each year. The concept is Classical in approach, with repeating time periods throughout a child's education. It is living-books based, and I am hopeful, even though the material is overwhelming for a first time mom!

Throw in some Seton handwriting and Maps workbook, a few sports, piano lessons, art projects planned in the content area (because what good is learning if you can't connect it to other learning?), and we have our Kindergarten year.

The planning is nearly complete, we're almost ready to start. It feels a little rigorous, especially for a six year old, but maybe I'll be wrong, or maybe we'll adjust. Just starting out, I like the idea of being a bit accelerated, which will give us more wiggle room if we want to dive more deeply into an interesting subject, need a break, or focus more deeply on celebrating the liturgical seasons.

How is everyone else's planning going? Homeschooling curriculum all set? School schools getting broken in at home? It's a lot to plan for regardless of if your child is going away for school, or being taught at home.

Here we go, here we go, here we go!!!!

Gifts and Talents.

I've joked to friends how in our little neighborhood that we've hit the "neighbor jackpot," but really, it's not a joke. To all of my friends (myself included) who have had less than ideal neighborhoods which involve dangerous children, calls to the police, sketchy renters, and up-all-night antics, we definitely realize the importance of a harmonious neighborhood.

Shortly after we moved into our new house in January, we received homemade bread and baked good from several of our neighbors.Now, when we walk down the road, we are always met with friendly smiles and greetings from neighbors driving by. Feeling safe, with delightful children nearby as playmates, we are incredibly blessed.

One set of neighbors hasn't stopped the hospitality. Hot-Crossed Buns during Lent was met with St. Patrick's Day Shamrock cookies a few weeks later. No sooner had we finished those when Easter cookies came, then Spring cupcakes, cupcakes to celebrate the Feast of St. Mathias, and on, and on, and on! I don't think we've had more than two weeks go by since we've moved where we haven't been gifted something by our generous neighbors!

This is a small sampling of the type of baked goods we've received from our perpetual gifters. If you look closely, they are butterfly cupcakes, with a black head, green body, and pretzel wings. Impressive!

 Last week, the lovely couple brought over one Monarch caterpillar, and one cocooned Monarch.  The caterpillar, after only a day was found in a cocoon at the top of our jar before I had a chance to catch a photograph, but still, it is amazing for both the boys and me to witness.

This one is almost ready to emerge from the cocoon! 

This guy was a black and orange caterpillar when we got him. It only took a day for him to attach himself to the lid of this jar. 

Each time we've received one of these gifts, it has been a learning experience for our whole family. Included with our baked goods are often scripture verses relevant to the Feast we're celebrating, and in the case of the butterflies, we're learning just by witnessing a metamorphosis.

For me, with so much to do and keep up with, it's difficult for me to think of a stage in life where I can take so much time to bring others around me joy. It's a good lesson, and one that I hope sticks with our family and children, to use our gifts and talents to bless those around us, whether or talent be cupcakes or caterpillars.

Lenten Reading.

As a part of quieting the soul, here is a bit of what I've been reading this Lent. This year, since we've been so busy since the Fall, I haven't made the time for reading inspirational, spiritual, or theological writing. In fact, we've been so busy that I've hardly read anything! This is most unfortunate. I may be a busy mother, but keeping my mind sharp and my heart focused cannot be pushed to the wayside. Lent is a happy necessity for this mother.

My Cup of Tea: Musings of a Catholic Mom, by Danielle Bean. This is old hat among Catholic mothers. I've been told to read this book since I was a new mother of one. It is simple, anecdotal, and sweetly encouraging. Every once in a while it's good to have some solidarity in the mothering department. Danielle Bean is good at that. I like knowing after love, the rest is really just details. 

How Do You Tuck in a Superhero? by Rachel Balducci. Again, more encouragement, this time from a mother of FIVE boys! Balducci's blog is on my sidebar. I like reading about boys and all that lies ahead. 

A Love that Multiples, by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. I love the Duggars, I won't lie. In this book, they really open up about being parents. I especially love a chapter that Michelle writes to mothers. In it she writes things like "I don't yell," and "I speak calmly and gently," and "I expect very little from young children, so we applaud their small accomplishments." I took a lot in this book to heart. As someone who tries hard everyday to be better mother than I was the day before, I felt challenged, but uplifted, after reading this book.

Nothing in this list is "heavy." After a big move and more projects on the horizon, not to mention three busy boys (two still in diapers, one learning to walk), I need all the mommy-encouragement I can get! I will save Augustine and Therese for the Fall. They will be waiting for me after all the sandcastles have been built and the bicycles tucked away. 

Brains.

I laugh sometimes at how different my boys are from me. If I had to put myself into a category, I would definitely be the "creative" type. I have instant access to my creative side, and writing stories, poems, songs, music, etc., has always been second nature. As my oldest boy is growing up, I am finding that his brain works in ways that are a mystery to me.

Yesterday was Luke's first piano lesson. We decided to put our young five year old in piano at this particular time to see if it would push his budding brain to think in ways that he's not accustomed.

For example, yesterday the baby was crying in the crib. Luke heard him, checked on him, and went to tell me."Mom," he said, "Michael is crying. His face is pressed against the parallel lines in the crib."

Yup. The parallel lines. Luke is just...just...literal. He colors, puts together jigsaw puzzles, and builds with blocks and legos. And.that.is.it. For all the storybooks he's been read, for all the free time to play, he has little to no imagination. For him, all he knows how to "play" is building and solving.

What?????

So, to spark a little right-brained action, I thought piano would be the perfect challenge. I should have expected it out of him, but he seemed most impressed, looking at the keyboard more thoroughly, at the patterns the keys made on keyboard. Three black, two black, white, etc. And to think I thought piano would work the OTHER side of his brain, here my kid is looking for patterns. I should have known.

This is all confusing and new to me. My mind doesn't work this way, and I definitely get frustrated at times with the lack of "play" that my oldest should be able to do. But, we're trying, and maybe this will be a step in the right direction. Get it? Right Brain?

What type of learners do you have in your home?

Things I Love: Organizational Tools

I want to share an organizational tool that I've implemented in the past few months that has helped our household out tremendously. Not being able to find what I needed out of a traditional daily planner, I sought out to create my own. With weekly calendar fill pages, loose-leafed paper, sheet covers and colored tabs, I've been able to use a durable, and functional planner. 

 My planner functions include: to do lists, grocery lists, long and short term goals, a collection of funny things the children have said that I need to write down somewhere before I forget, books I want to buy, things for the house I want to buy, meal planning, and on and on and on.

 I have tabs in here for different topics, i.e Household, Read-Alouds. If I'm looking through Pottery Barn Kids and see a great idea I'd like to implement for less money, I can tear it out, put it in a plastic sleeve, and keep it safely in my folder until the day comes for a project. If I'm reading a blog and someone is using books I'd like to check out for myself, I have a tab for that, too! I have multiple online tutorials for sewing, knitting, and preserving food that I've printed out and keep in my notebook for reference.

When it comes to picking out books at the library, while it may seem to be taking things a step too far, I find that have a rough "plan" for each week saves a lot of time. Sometimes the topics are narrow, such as Apples and Komodo Dragons, and other weeks they might be broad, like the seasons or farms. Having a topic to hone in on gives a little direction whilst surrounded by shelves of books. Book planning, and book requesting through the library is now a near-perfected system with my notebook. With weekly topics selected until Christmas, the boys and I are looking forward to learning more about Stealth Bombers and Tamarins, just to name a couple. 

Sometimes life when the kids are little can seem so chaotic. Having a simple but maintainable system for organizing can help keep the peace (at least in my head ;-)  ). 

Is This Thing On? (A Fictitious Epidemic??)

This video is 11 minutes long, but I really encourage anyone with children to watch it and think about the points being made. It is about the education system's model, and our rapidly changing world. As the mother of three sons, two of whom are extremely busy/fidgety, the education conversation and how to teach bright children without killing their inquisitiveness is something of a passion of mine, as well as many others.

I have so, so much I want to say about this topic, but I might save it for a different post.

Please, I'd love to know your thoughts on these ideas.

Outings.

Of all the years to move to the greatest state in the union (Minnesota), this year would NOT be the one. In addition to Dayton planning to tax the wazoo out of everyone (highest taxes in America, people), our precious summer months are being rained out. We had rain everyday last week, and we're gearing up for another week full of rain. It's actually cold today!

If we can conquer -20 below, we can certainly cope with a bit of rain. So, our outings have consisted of a lot of trips to the post office and library.

I love the library. Seriously, love it. Going to the library for me almost carries the excitement of buying a new pair of shoes, except without the guilt. What? I can get anything I want? And it's free? And there's no limit to how much I can bring home with the exception that I need to be able to physically remove it from the premises? Wow.

Our local library in the Great White North isn't what I'd dub "child friendly." The children's section is right next to the entrance doors, and a great divide of computers separates the children's books from all other materials. That means that I am left to caravan the kids with a list of call numbers in hand whenever there's a book I'm after. We always manage to get "shushed" by the information desk while my kids try their hardest to whisper (kids trying to whisper always sounds louder than their actual speaking voice, don't you think?). Yes, we must be quiet at the library, I remind my kiddos. After all, we wouldn't want to disturb the 90% of patrons who are actually truants using the library solely for Facebook 

On we trek through the board books, easy readers, DVD's, fiction, non-fiction and magazines until each of us has a backpack full of books. Add a Britax Chaperone carrying a hefty boychild to the mix (goodness, those things are heavy!), and we're quite the sight. We lug our bags onto the counter, hand over our "ticket" and then we're off, each of us tilting slightly to the side over the weight of our books.

When we get home it's like Christmas morning! Something for everyone...