Today we hit our 101st day in MFW 1st grade with Brian. I am thrilled we have gotten this far and know the last 80 days will go by quicker since his work load will shift from learning how to read to simply praciting reading.

We recently went to San Antonio and were able to enjoy some time at the Witte Museum, and then get in shopping trips to Costco, Lakeshore and the mall. The museum was a treat since they have a display right now about Egypt. Brian and the girls had a great time "building" a pyramid, looking at a real mummy under wraps and trying to put "pottery" pieces back together like an anthropologist. I was rewarded with Brian's enthusiam about history since we have studied so much about Egytian things in school.

I am working in getting the kids on a schedule for chores. Since I start working at the preschool in mid August I know I need to use this time to iron out the wrinkles in our home life. The house gets messed up so easily with their toys and imaginations both running wild, and it takes a lot of talking and helping on my part to get the simpliest of cleaning jobs done. I get too tired! So I realize that the next few weeks might be more intensive in helping and cheering on as we strive for consistency, but hopefully the reward is not having to tell them as often to pick up....I can dream, right?

In creating a curriculum for my preschool class (will be teaching 4's) I realize how relieved I am to be homeschooling. Talking with a Kindergarden teacher about the pressure upon kids to read at earlier and earlier ages and how research shows that can actually damage a child's eye if they are not ready for such strain, she gladly told me that did not matter, they had to learn to read before they left K. I am relieved that my kids and I can enjoy the learning process as we go and I don't have to force them to speed up, nor hold them back when they begin to excel. I hope to have the same approach with my students, though realize I am limited when I have 14 kids in my room.  

Paul and I recently reflected upon how fun it is to have both a son and daughters. Our girls are so much into Angelina Ballerina right now and anything ballet oriented! We laugh as they show off their poses with as much flourish as ignorance! And Brian will still spend hours building legos and drawing and constantly bounces around the house wishing he could swing like Spiderman or Karate kid like Robin or change animal shapes like Beast Boy. It is with great imagination that he can turn any situation into a superhero based experience (trying to fly through the air while putting dishes away in the kitchen). And the girls will play mommy to anyone and anything! Once again we are humbled that our kids came prewired with their own ideas,strengths and talents and we simply enjoy watching it all unfold and see where we are needed to help.