Jul. 1, 2006 - Time for a New Year!
Well, it's almost time for the new school year to begin. Our school district is on a year round schedule, so we like to place our "official" start date of the new school year to coincide with the public schools. We actually homeschool year round anyway, but we have to have some place to cut it off.
It's been a long and busy day. I've been trying to catch up on some much needed housework after being sick for the past several weeks. Ryan has been sick with some stomach virus which has kept the whole family pretty close to home this past week. Everyone is getting tired of being cooped up and they're all starting to act cranky and whiney.... not a good scenario! 
And tomorrow I need to figure out how to keep them "sane" in church. Eeeeeks!
I'm going to spend the rest of the evening putting some finishing touches on our school schedule for the coming year and figuring out what to do with the younger ones. Nicholas is still so immature in some ways, he's just not ready to participate at the same level as the girls. I'll have to find something that will keep his little fingers occupied. He has a tendancy to want to mess with the other kids and their things. His way of getting attention from them.
Sometimes I feel sorry for Nicholas. He's not officially my middle child, but it seems like he is. Sarah is 3 months older than Nicholas and Allena is 1 month younger, and of course Ryan and Jacob are (almost 9!!!) and 5 years. Anyway, Sarah turned 4 last month and thinks she's all grown up. Her and Allena are VERY close and are always playing Barbie and tea party, coloring, cutting, pasting papers together and other pretty tame stuff. Nicholas wants to be in on the action with the big boys... Light Sabres, Darda cars, swimming, running, wrestling basketball and other physical, testosterone kinds of things.
The big boys don't always want to include Nicholas because he has a tendancy to cause problems and they think he's too young to play with them all the time. The girls are way too tame for his liking, but he does find it fun to get them riled up. He seems to wander around getting into trouble trying to occupy himself. I'm working on some of his behavioral issues, but it's a struggle!. Anyone have any suggestions? He'll be 4 in August.
I've got to pack an activity bag for church and start pulling out books. Time for a "special moment" and a quiet cup of coffee. My favorite time of the evening.
