...  we are in the last few stretches of homeschool for grade1.   A year of discovery...   Am I planning to continue?  Yes.   But next year I will have a grade 2 and a junior kindergarden.  mmmm!   I wonder how it will be.  But I don't want to worry about it.   Not now... as I am finishing this first year of homeschooling.   It was nice to have Alexandre at home.   He was and still is a big help with Jasmine, Jérémy and Dominic.    He learned to read, to add and substract, to be patient when I was busy with the other ones, to install software with his dad, to install doorknobs with his grand-papa... the list goes on and on.   Lately, he always asks me if he can go downstairs to help grand-papa and mon oncle Jean-Marie (my husband's uncle).   You see we are finishing the basement as I write this...   The walls are up, the sound proof is installed, electricity is done, plumbing is done...   So Alexandre was able to see the progress of the basement a little bit more than if he would have been in school.   One day, he went down to help finishing the electricity.   Don't worry he was not touching the cables but he helped and learned how to do it.  Thanks to grand-papa.   Now, he is asking me if he can help to paint.   Mmmmm!    I think we might be away when we arrive to this step.  

A few weeks ago, we finished Math U See Alpha.  We also completed numerous workbook in French as well as the reading program.   He likes to read thank goodness.   That was something I really enjoyed doing when I was young.   We got a bunch of Geronimo Stilton that we will give him slowly...  Got a few interesting ones for the summer...   I want him to be able to read in both official languages - French and English.   The Geronimos are in English but I do have books in French.  So I am bringing a bunch on travel.

General Mills is giving away some free books when you buy some specific cereals.   We got a bunch of Cheerios and got 5 codes.   I ordered 4 in English and 1 in French.   Got three so far... waiting for the other 2.   I ordered a Nancy Drew, a Hardy Boys, Frindle, Spiderwick Chronicles volume 1 and a book about learning your alphabet with Barbie (for Jasmine). 

Oh Toy testing season is starting.   I went to pick up my first test - Teach my Toddler  - Looks interesting.   I sat down with Jérémy and Dominic today to do the colors...  Tried to do the forms as well but honestly the attention span wasn't there anymore.    I am doing both languages...   or only French.   The whole thing is in English.   However, I would like that for the alphabet they would use the animals that you can say in both languages.  

This past week-end we went to the homeschool convention while my in-laws were babysitting for us.   We had a great time and I was able to get a few things on my list to buy...

Homeschooling in French I need to buy the other things in a French bookstore in the city but the Math program, Math U See, was available at the conference.   So I got the Beta for Alexandre and the Primer student book for Dominic.   Dominic keeps asking to have his Math U See so I got the primer book now and we shall see if he will be doing it slowly and surely.   

I went to a workshop given by a mom doing homeschool since 20 years or so... She had interesting tips and tricks for homeschooling for multiples children.   At one point she said that younger siblings have an advantage on older ones since they see and hear about what the older one is studying and when you get to teach the same thing it can come easily for them since they went through it already (indirectly).   I thought it was interesting.   I love to see Dominic being excited about doing Math U See as well.   

Another thing that I bought was the Mystery of History which I am planinng to do slowly with both kids.   Alexandre can't wait to start this...   I got the book and the CD so that I can reprint the tests and quizzes without having to do photocopies.   So nice...   

There was a few more things on my list but the prices at the conference was more than what I would paid at Indigo online store.   So I will go through the online store to get them.  

I also want to get the timeline figures from Homeschool in the woods...   If my friend Heidi can't find them at her homeschool convention then I will order them and get them delivered to her....   After all, I will see her in June!   I'm TOTALLY excited about this...   as I just made the reservation at the camping site where we will be staying!!!

Seems to me time is flying by so fast...  Not too long ago we were in 2007 - and now BAM it's 2008...

I am wondering how to organized myselft with homeschooling and Jasmine still...  Today I had to work on translation for a client and dear husband supervised the kids and homeschooling.   Not much done today but hey... at least we did a bit!  

Can anyone give me advice on how to juggle a baby, a toddler (2), a big boy (almost 4) and a grade 1 student (6 1/2) all at the same time???

Homeschooling is better this week.   Got a lot done last week.   Alexandre is better than me at typing...   Should I start doing Typing Tutor as well???   Mmmm!  Something to consider!

Jérémy's croup turned into bronchitis.  The poor little one had some rough nights...  Now he is on medication and he has a pump to help him breath.   Need to keep track of this.    So I made little sqares on the calendar to make sure I am not missing a treatment.   When done I checked the sqare off.   Medication is 3 times a day - pump twice a day.   OUF!

Last swimming course was last night.   I was disappointed because my kids didn't pass...  But with the problems we had with Dominic I shouldn't be surprised.   Alexandre however missed only a few things...  Bummer.   So we need to practice his crawl and his back swimming.  Then he will pass.   But it was his first time with swimmer 2 which is harder than what he used to do.  Besides he was the youngest one in the class from what I could see.

So we still have gymnastics for a few weeks...   Now I need to decide what we will do for January.  Husband thinks we should postpone until Spring but I would really like for them to do something in the phys ed department.   So I need to see my options...   But deep down it might not be wise with the c-section planned for Dec 19th.

Today I will homeschool again and do some referee work if needed between my young ones... Oh the joy of staying at home with your kids...

You might be wondering why I am not updating my blog often anymore...   The reason is simple: I am out of time... When I have a minute to myself, I take a nap (which is well deserved by the way!). 

Alexandre is doing well with school... MathUSee completed with other math books, French in books and Rosetta Stone, Typing Tutor, even English.   He takes the time to read more and more even at church during worship and the words being on the screen.   I'm proud of him.   I'm proud of myself... even though there was some days where I was REALLY discouraged.   Last week was hard.  Trying to motivate him while he wasn't feeling too good.   Fortunately, I had some good friends who encouraged me.  

Gymnastics was good last week.  Both of the boys loved them.   It is kind of tricky to keep Jérémy busy for more than one hour but it is feasable... Swimming is almost done... two more lessons to go.   Both Dominic is Jérémy are doing good lately.   Prayers are powerful let me tell you!   Whatever was the problem before seemed to be gone.   Go figure...

I am preparing slowly but surely for the arrival of child #4.   I removed all the games that were in Jérémy's wardrobe (only the puzzles left now!) and even think of potty training him...   At least he is used to sit on the potty or the big toilet even though it is quite rare that he does his pee there.  I want to be done my Christmas shopping before the end of November as I won't have the energy or motivation to do it after that...  If only we could find a good desk for Jérémy's room so that I can put back the one in the baby's room so I can organize the baby clothes.

Alexandre is also doing chores more and more...  This morning, he even took care of the breakfast of his brothers while I was dealing with something else with my husband.   Impressive! 

This week is take it slow week...  Alexandre has croup somehow but he still can go to gymnastics today.  He is really excited about it.

So we are taking it slow.  Yesterday he was not feeling too good so we did only a lesson of Math U See Alpha.   We filled the humidifier for the night and today he is doing better.  Still coughing though but better than yesterday.  So we did some more maths today but this time in his Reader Rabbit book and we revised shapes but 2D and 3D ones.  

This afternoon is gymnastics so Jérémy is having his nap this morning.   I woke them up at 630am this morning, we had breakfast then off to the chiro and Wal-Mart to complete our boxes for Operation Christmas Child.   Life lesson this week is about blessings the poor.   We are making 6 boxes this year as we will be 6 in the family by the time Christmas arrives.   Yep!   It looks like my c-section will be before Christmas so baby will be with us at home on Christmas day.   I should have a confirmation on the date next week when I see my ob (which by the way has the same first name and last name as my husband... no kidding!).  

Right now, Alexandre and Dominic are doing puzzles and playing with a game that has shapes to fill in some pictures.   As I said, we are taking it slow since Alexandre is not feeling top shape...   When he speaks it is as though he will loose his voice.

So this is the week so far.   Amazingly, I am not stressed about the fact that we are not advancing as fast as I would have liked.   After all there is other more important in life...

... We already have swimming on Thursday nights.   Now we will have gymnastics on Wednesday afternoons.

Just learned about it two days ago...  It started early October so we missed three lessons but we got a prorated price because of this.   It is organized through the homeschool association in my area.   Somehow, I didn't get the e-mail back in September to announce this.  Got it on Tuesday night.   I was very disappointed so I contacted them.

Good news is that there is still some places.  So I can register both Alexandre and Dominic.  Oh fun!   I wish I had this kind of activity when I was younger.   Since it is not the regular classes but recreational, we don't have to buy a uniform and there won't be badges and no report cards.  But they will be with otehr kids and socialize as well as having fun doing exercises...  

So starting next Wednesday we are having a new schedule!!!

This week is a slow week in homeschool...    First we had a trip to visit my mom on Monday.  It has been ages since we went down.   It took some convincing to be able to go down but I think we had a good time.

Yesterday, husband and I had a meeting during the morning so my mother-in-law came over to look after the kids.   Alexandre had the duty to do some Rosetta Stone and some Typing Tutor which he did.   They also went for a walk and got some Timbits thanks to grand-ma...

Today is homeschooling...  We did some French reading and I am pleased to say that Alexandre is doing well in this area.  We also did some Maths.    And they did some K*Nex construction after lunch.  Right now, Alexandre is helping Dominic with the computer...   Dominic loves to play with it too!

Tomorrow, we will do homeschool again but then on Friday we will do what we can because we have an appointment for Dominic with an eye specialist.   The poor kid has a lazy eye which goes inward.   So we will know what we need to do to correct this on Friday.   Will he have glasses or a patch???  

Right now I am letting the bread machine preparing the dough for pizza...  Pizza!  Homemade....   Mmmm!  Delicious!

It is going well... I must say that I am impressed.   Yes there is some days where the younger ones are a bit a pain in the butt and there is some days where I don't feel like it but I can see the benefits of homeschooling...

• Alexandre do not have to be rushed out of the house in the morning to catch his bus at 7:35am.
• No lunch to do in the morning....
• I can sleep a bit more in the morning...
• Alexandre is not chewing his nails and skin around the nails.  He is more calm.
• No bad influences, or bad TV shows or any other things I didn't like from last year.
• Having fun with my boys
• Being flexible in our time... if we want to go out we can.

And so much more...

Now I have to think about incorporating sciences, field trips, arts, and introducing piano somehow...

Swimming is going well...   Math U See primer book is almost done.   He just completed the first book of Je lis... J'écris... which is a reading program in French I bought.  

So I am satisfied.   Not worried anymore.   Not stressed about it anymore.   At peace with my decision more and more every day.

Like today, I need to pack for camping and we will go to the trailer for the week-end.    We might even leave in the afternoon - talk about freedom!

Ever thought that you have not accomplished all you wanted to do?   This is what I feel right now...

Even though we did devotion, a whole lesson in French reading, writing, Maths and a cooking lesson with the Pumpkin Chip Muffins... mmmm! good!

Still I feel as though we should have done more than that... 

Alexandre was very helpful at one point since I had something to deal with and he took care of his little brothers by playing with them.

So I guess it wasn't that bad after all....   Just need to work on my expectations!