"There is more to life than increasing its speed."
Gandhi

Today was one of those days that everyone needs...a day just to relax and get caught up with things around the home. 

"A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety."
Aesop

Because the girls are starting Auditory Integrative Therapy tomorrow for ten consecutive days, I gave them a break from homeschooling to simply relax and enjoy being.  What did that look like?  Here are some highlights from today:

- Watch Snow White.  Olivia has been looking forward to watching Snow White now for a few days.  Up until yesterday, the VCR no longer worked.  Now with a new one, we were able to watch it together.  Olivia has the Snow White costume, slippers, and clearly sees a resemblance between herself and Snow White (the dark bobbed hair, I think, in particular). 

This version of Snow White had a little introduction by Walt Disney's nephew who gave information about this film that was made in 1937.  I pointed out that Nana was born in 1930, so she was 7 years old when Snow White came out.  Papa was born in 1932, so he was 5...the same age as Sophia. 

The girls enjoyed the film, but were scared with the forest scenes and the wicked Queen.

- Watch Sesame Street.  I've been watching Sesame Street with the girls recently, and have enjoyed participating in the show.  It can be interactive, and the girls continue to find that it is more fun to answer the characters' questions, and copy what is being said than sit passively and simply watch the show.  I'm happy that they have active imaginations.  Sesame Street's website has a lot of resources for parents and children.  Lots of activities and information that can be used for homeschooling.

- Played ball, used the hula hoop, practiced jumping using the ballet bar, tumbling, and putting on dance/gymnastics shows. 

- Using the spinning board.  I am amazed at how many times the girls go over to the spinnning board and spin on it by themselves, with one another, and/or ask me to spin them.  This is to help their Sensory Integration Dysfunction, and is clearly becoming another excellent "self-management" tool.

- Read lots of books.  Favorites today were Fairy  Boat (Tracy Kane), Pooh Visits the Doctor, Grandmother Winter, Bob the Builder, and Baa-Choo. 

- Stapled curricula printed out for a portion of the year.  Had found some excellent lessons about science and pre-reading, and printed out weekly plans.  Sophia helped me staple and organize the weekly plans. 

- Cleaned and organized the girls' rooms.  Am slowly getting more of the home organized.  Everything in the large closet in Sophia's room "has a home," all the clothes are hung, toys put together and organized, and clothes washed.  Such a relief...especially going into a rather intense two-week therapy schedule.

- Dishes done.  Two loads of dishes washed and put away.  Sinks are all clean.  Anothe relief.

- General housekeeping.  Laundry is finally on its last load.  This was a multi-day project.  Having a small-capacity, stackable unit is not smart with two children and two people having allergies in the home.  May have to invest in a large capacity stackable unit to reduce energy expenses, water used, and time. 

Meal making for today and getting ready for the week....really need a couple days to do a once-a-month cooking and baking. 

  "Tension is who you think you should be.
Relaxation is who you are."

Chinese Proverb