Learning By The Way

I am quite tired after spending the day out and about. First, we went to the last sign language class of the summer. The children have really enjoyed the class, and I hope we get a chance to use what we have learned.

Then we took of for more easterly parts of IL, to find the Woodford County 4-H fair. As always, I was completely disoriented by the traffic pattern in Washington Square, and confused by some incomplete Google map directions. After wasting some 3$ a gallon gas and more trips than I’d like around the blasted square, we did finally make it to the town where the fair was (Eureka, IL) Though glad and relieved, we did not run naked down the street rejoicing loudly in Greek as the notorious Archimedes did.

Instead, we looked at all the animals and exhibits and ate snow cones. Then we went back to look at the children’s favorite animals again. Aunt Raquel took the girls to see rabbits and sheep, and I took the boys to see the pigs. I’ll bet the girls were sorry they didn’t come with us though, when they heard our exciting story about how when we detoured through the poultry barn, two boys (not mine!) sat on a table which caused the support to collapse, sliding dozens of chicken to a precarious angle and actually flipping two the cages off, which allowed two roosters to make good their escape. They were chased and caught quickly, accompanied by the music of a horde of excitedly sqwaucking poultry.

On the way home, we stopped in Eureka, lured by a 50% off sign at a yarn store which is closing down. However, they are not open on Wednesdays. Hmmmm…don’t I need to come back to Eureka on Friday? Then we went to the Etcetera Thrift Store and made some amazing finds. I actually found a skein of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock 100% merino wool yarn for a 1$ (retail 22$) WOW! Also got a stack of bias tape and hem facing packages for 10 cents each, a stack of books and a game for the children.

A good day to rejoice in God’s providence!

This article, What Kind of Genius are You? was linked to on one of the homeschool elists I’m on. I found it an interesting read (though perhaps the title is misleading). I love a good statistical adventure story! It does lead one to contemplate the nature of genius and has implications for setting educational goals.

Some highlights of our learning moments of the last month:

We finished the Castle book! All the children made some wonderful drawings of their castle, countries, and flags. Moriah’s country location was grounded in solid fact- she chose an actual spot in the Atlantic Ocean for her island country. Toby’s castle drawing was a marvel of defensive engineering. Samuel’s country and castle were a complete flight of fancy, with numerous dungeons populated by fanciful monsters and ruled by rhinocermonkeys.

The children are participating in the Peoria Public Library reading program and summer worksheet program. The theme for the worksheet program is ‘the 60’s’. Elsie and Peter get the easier worksheets, and the older children have harder ones. Topics range from ‘Dr. Suess’ to ‘Presidents of the 1960’s’. Moriah, Elsie and Peter have completed the worksheet program and recieved their prize- a tie dyed kite. (Unfortunately we haven’t flown them yet, as I deemed Saturday way too hot to go to the park to try them out). They get prizes in the reading program every week, and have 3 more weeks to go.

The four reading children have all redeemed their Barnes and Noble reading sheets for a free book. Moriah finished both her sheets and got two free books- the others have almost finished filling out their 2nd sheet. Samuel was enthralled with his free book, Gregor the Overlander, by Suzanne Collins. He found the next two books in the series at the library and devoured these rather hefty volumes over the span of 3 days.

It’s time to order new Singapore Math workbooks! Moriah and Elsie are almost done with theirs, and the boys are not far behind.

Peter has started showing an interest in reading, so we have been doing some more phonics. He hasn’t had any “Aha!” moments yet, but he continues to be interested. He also enjoys completing his writing practice and math readiness worksheets while the older children are working on their workbooks.

I’ve chosen the next learning time read aloud book- The Mystery of the Periodic Table. This takes a historical look at the discovery of the elements. I’ll let you know how we like it!

I found this note in the dining room. Evidently all the kind and reasonable pleas regarding the dogs (sic) bed were ignored, and this scathing note was penned. I certainly hope it was successful. How could it not be, with such a helpful diagram included?

As we were planning out our trips near the beginning of the year, I had categorized June and July in my head as being ‘the quiet months’. Everyone would be home together for 2 solid months, and I was looking forward to having routine, and togetherness. But God had different plans. Once again, it is proved that crazy IS the normal in our family.

Of course, there is the exciting development that our friends are moving a block down the street from us! Of course, that does mean that we are now needing to sell the house that they have rented from us for the last few years. Hmmm… that’s quite a project. We have been unsuccessful at selling any of the houses in our growing collection in the past. Perhaps this time it will be different.

And my sister Raquel is now being courted by Jeremy, a happy event to be sure! This has however, been the indirect contributor of my retreating to my room for sobbing fits periodically. Hey, I have pregnancy hormones!

Of course it is hard to sort out the ACTUAL reason (if any) for the crying jags, but I would have to assume that a large part of the emotional upheaval is due to the decision to leave our church family of seven years to join with another area church. I have no intention of explaining this on my blog. Suffice it say that James and I are in complete agreement, and I have a wonderful peace about the decision. This does not however, mean that it is easy to leave dear friends and help the children as they transition from the only church they have ever known. We are very hopeful that we will be able to maintain friendships and continue fellowship with our brothers and sisters at Redeemer.

The baby continues to grow. I looked it up last night, and at 24 weeks he is supposed to be 12 inches long. I say ‘he’, but a large contingent of the family is convinced the baby is a girl. This is because my other two girls were breech. And I am about 95 percent sure that this baby is currently breech. Now, the books say that is doesn’t matter at this stage, and the baby will continue to turn freely until 31 weeks. But sweet Elsie settled comfortably into position this early. And I haven’t felt a lick of movement above my belly button for at least two days (though he does plenty of kicking straight down)! I have been mentally reviewing my vast arsenal of previously unsuccessful baby turning techniques. There is of course, the medical version. We tried this with Moriah. One doctor pushes on the lower abdomen while another doctor pushes on the upper abdomen in the opposite direction. I don’t intend on trying this one again. There is lying upside down on the tilted ironing board. Not as easy as I thought it would be, but I would try this again in a pinch. Ditto with the playing music and shining a light on the lower abdomen. (”Look, baby, a light…move toward the pretty light…”) Then there is the Webster chiropractic technique which I had done several times in the weeks before Elsie’s birth. I credit this for her turning nearly halfway around the night before I went into labor. She slipped back into breech position, of course. James is going to ask our chiropractor if he knows this technique, just in case. Those are all the ones I tried, but I really wanted to do the handstand in the swimming pool trick. I’ve heard good things about that one turning breech babies. Definitely at the top of my list, if little engine is still kicking down low in 7 weeks. Yep. And my midwife says she’s seen acupuncture turn breech babies…

See? Crazy IS normal around here.