School is rolling along, although there are changes that I'll probably make for Fall, if not sooner. He loves history & science. Storyman is still working through My Father's World Exploring Countries & Cultures. It's been interesting but I haven't the time to do library runs, so I'll just purchase a reader or two from the book lists if I feel it's worth it. Noeo science may continue, but he'll go to higher level. Math U See will stay, which I now supplement with ACE's PACE booklets; he's doing those for English now as well (I liked Shurley English but found it too repetitive), along with supplemental cursive handwriting. A writing program will be added; he has a real interest (& skill, I believe), there, so he'll probably be welcoming of that in particular.

Butterfly is continuing her K work. Her interest in reading has picked up. We had a bookstore trip recently so I picked her up some more beginning readers. I'm still very pleased with Phonics Pathways, although she needs more supplemental reading to really "bring home" the lessons & put them into practice, so that's increasing lately. She continues to enjoy math, & I've been very happy with our Modern Curriculum Press workbook. I might go back to adding in Math U See again, although I have Saxon for first grade so that's a possibility as well. Handwriting Without Tears was wonderful for her. I was going to move on to another program but the lines are much smaller & I think that would be frustrating, so I may just get her the next level of HWT. All About Spelling has been excellent, so that will continue.

I'm making decisions on her first grade program at the moment. She's a bit tougher than Storyman to settle on something as she's more of a "wiggle worm" & has trouble focusing for too long. It has to be engaging enough to keep her interest, challenging enough to be learning but not boring. Some of the more ideal programs for her are not in keeping with what's best for the whole, so some compromising needs to be done. Everyone has lots of different needs to be met in our household.

I've got lots of "plan making" going on, & I hope to work on that a bit more tomorrow, along with some reading for a program for Little Guy. It also looks like we may have a new RDI consultant, so I have to get us started on their OS & get our "e-training" going. Even though we've done 6 months I don't believe we learned enough, clearly enough, so I hope this training will get us going better this time. The consultant I've found seems to have good experience with the older severe children like our Big Guy, & I'm hoping that will help us with implementing appropriate activities with him.

I'm not much of a mother's day person anyway; it's a "Hallmark kinda day". I really don't understand what about it requires a "special day". There are lots of personal reasons I don't get into these kinds of days. It's not like even all of my kiddos can say "Happy Mother's Day", or "I love you", or even "Mommy" ... 

Everyday being a mom is a gift, a blessing that I'm thankful for; I don't need any special honor for that. If anything I need to take tomorrow & ponder just how special, precious, & incredibly important this gift of motherhood is, & how much work I need to do to become better for them.

Life on the spectrum continues ...