Today was our first full day of school. The girls did great. All of them. The baby played happily nearby. The 4 yr old entertained herself by sticking Wikistix all over the bottom of the school table creating an elaborate playground for her Littlest Petshop Pets. Hailey and Reese enjoyed their lessons and had great attitudes. Hailey even played with and read to Penny while I worked with Reese. And most miraculously of all, we stayed on schedule to the minute. I have no idea how that happened and I fully realize that it may not happen again for quite some time!
After lunch all of the good behavior, positive attitudes, and sibling comraderie was sucked out of this place like the last bit of Dr. Pepper in a styrofoam cup. Fighting, whining, complaining, arguing with Mom, COMPLAINING, and MORE WHINING is what our afternoon looked like. It was truly a "Help me, Tom Cruise!" few hours. When Jason called and informed that he was running about 15 minutes late I could have sobbed. Not even an episode of Veggie Tales would calm the crew. And I couldn't throw them out in the yard b/c of the wasp nest near their playscape that I discovered the other day. It's no small victory that I did not yell at anyone or go hide in my closet.
So...hopefully tomorrow will be better. Right now, Jason (MY HERO), is upstairs patiently putting them to bed. I have no idea if they were better behaved for him or not because I have tuned out as best as I am able to. If anyone were to ask me a question right now my answer would be "Huuuuuuuhhhh?" accompanied by a slack jaw.
I hear Jason making his escape so I'm going to crawl over to the couch and try to be some kind of a half decent wife to him since the majority of the afternoon and evening were a bust on the motherhood front.
30 August, 2010
26 August, 2010
Back to School
Summer break is just about over with. This week the girls and I had half days of school where we mostly worked with our new curricula. Hailey has a new spelling program (which she loves!). Both girls are having their first official math lessons and drawing lessons (also huge hits). So far...so good :)
I need to get down on my knees and thank God that Reese remembers nearly all of what she learned in her phonics lessons from last year--I did not have her read to me very many times over the summer. Hailey probably helped her more with her reading than I did. Often I would be downstairs after the girls had gone to bed and hear Reese reading to Hailey and Hailey lovingly encouraging/correcting her. This was nothing short of amazing coming from two girls who spend a good portion of their days irritating each other. Moments like that warm a mom's heart.
On Monday we will incorporate our Tapestry of Grace lessons and our science lessons into our day. It is going to be a full load and we will be busier than ever. Hailey will being doing gymnastics once a week and Reese and Paige will have soccer practices and games and then they will have AWANA (except for Penny of course). I'm sweating it a little--all of this running around we will have to be doing. I am no stranger to slammed packed busy days--I have four small children at home, afterall! But I don't like to spend my life rushing around. If I am super busy and running from one thing to the next then I tend to not be as patient, consistent, and availabe. My mothering suffers. We'll see how this semester goes though. "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me..." :)
Regarding summer: too short, too quick!! Can't say it was the best summer we've ever had either. Our sweet old dog, Summer, finally had to be put down. It was definitely her time, which did make it easier, but I miss her more as time goes by. She will always have a special place in my heart--my first big dog and my best dog ever. Probably kind of weird/morbid to have taken this picture but this is the Garrett ladies biding our sweet old girl goodbye.
This summer also had its fair share of family drama. The long and the short of it is that my beloved younger sister and her husband were busted for growing pot in their home. They are facing some very serious charges and I hope and pray that the judge is merciful and recognizes that rehab and probation are what these people need. I'm not going soft--I know they broke the law and they need to face the consequences, etc. These are two very hurting and damaged individuals and I'm not sure prison would do much besides harden them and damage them more.
That's our update. We are looking forward to a blessed fourth year of homeschooling. It blows my mind that I have a third grander and a first grader(and next year Paige joins us a kindergartener!!!) !!
I need to get down on my knees and thank God that Reese remembers nearly all of what she learned in her phonics lessons from last year--I did not have her read to me very many times over the summer. Hailey probably helped her more with her reading than I did. Often I would be downstairs after the girls had gone to bed and hear Reese reading to Hailey and Hailey lovingly encouraging/correcting her. This was nothing short of amazing coming from two girls who spend a good portion of their days irritating each other. Moments like that warm a mom's heart.
On Monday we will incorporate our Tapestry of Grace lessons and our science lessons into our day. It is going to be a full load and we will be busier than ever. Hailey will being doing gymnastics once a week and Reese and Paige will have soccer practices and games and then they will have AWANA (except for Penny of course). I'm sweating it a little--all of this running around we will have to be doing. I am no stranger to slammed packed busy days--I have four small children at home, afterall! But I don't like to spend my life rushing around. If I am super busy and running from one thing to the next then I tend to not be as patient, consistent, and availabe. My mothering suffers. We'll see how this semester goes though. "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me..." :)
Regarding summer: too short, too quick!! Can't say it was the best summer we've ever had either. Our sweet old dog, Summer, finally had to be put down. It was definitely her time, which did make it easier, but I miss her more as time goes by. She will always have a special place in my heart--my first big dog and my best dog ever. Probably kind of weird/morbid to have taken this picture but this is the Garrett ladies biding our sweet old girl goodbye.
This summer also had its fair share of family drama. The long and the short of it is that my beloved younger sister and her husband were busted for growing pot in their home. They are facing some very serious charges and I hope and pray that the judge is merciful and recognizes that rehab and probation are what these people need. I'm not going soft--I know they broke the law and they need to face the consequences, etc. These are two very hurting and damaged individuals and I'm not sure prison would do much besides harden them and damage them more.
That's our update. We are looking forward to a blessed fourth year of homeschooling. It blows my mind that I have a third grander and a first grader(and next year Paige joins us a kindergartener!!!) !!
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