About Ezra

At 26 months:

 

:: Is using two words together more often than not

 

:: Loves, loves, LOVES Brown Bear, Brown Bear.

 

:: Wishes to live outdoors as long as there are no bees.

 

:: Colors for ages each morning. Most often drawn: a pig and a duck.

 

:: Favorite saying: "Woodpecker- peck, peck, peck!"

 

:: I love how he dances while he waits for ANYTHING. Whether I'm pouring cereal or milk or hunting for his favorite book, he stands in one place dancing while he waits with a big grin on his face because he knows that Mama is doing something just for him.

 

:: If you ask for a kiss he always says, "gross!" then grabs your face and kisses you. Then he laughs like he just played the biggest trick on you!

 

:: Ezra is obsessed with utensils. He won't eat anything without a fork or spoon lately, even if it's something that is usually a finger food- he finds a way to get it on a fork. I've seen this child tenderly spear a cracker with a fork and then joyfully proclaim victory when it didn't break into a million pieces.

 

:: Ezra is the child that comes to sit on my lap several times through the day, often just for a minute or two. He shares so many smiles, so many kisses and loves to cuddle cheek to cheek for just a moment before it's time to play again.

 

They change and grow so quickly. Before I know it he'll be a teenager that rolls his eyes and says, "oh, Mom!" in that overdramatic voice. I'll take my kisses while they are eagerly given. :)

Daybook

Outside my window… The sun is shining and the leaves on just one of our trees are starting to change.

 

I am thinking… about Ender's birthday. We're having a little party for him on Saturday, but I still need to hunt down one last present! I know what I'd like to find for him, just having a hard time finding it. I'm finishing the border on his  requested quilt tonight or tomorrow hopefully, then my mom will take an evening to quilt it, then I just have the hand binding to finish by Saturday . . .

I am thankful for… the unexpected break in my day coming later. It's just a half hour cancellation, but sometimes a half hour is enough to recharge.

 

From the learning rooms… Ender told me a few days ago that it was boring with no work time during the day since we hadn't had work time in about a week at that point. I suppose that means we're doing something right. For this week we're getting back to some phonics and I printed 2 pages of grid art to see if he's able to do that this week- I think it may be something for next year, but we'll see what he thinks. I'm not quite recovered enough to get back to our letter of the week, but I think we need a few days to just get back into a routine that doesn't revolve around medication times. I have plans for color mixing too, but that kind of depends on how caught up I am on laundry and all that after spending a week holding sick boys.

 

Ezra is going to be busy with other color work- color box 2 and some free coloring pages. He's starting to name objects including the color- "red chair", etc. - and I think I owe it all to reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear at least 5 times a day in the past week.

 

From the kitchen… Can I just say I *love* that I can order library books online? I ordered 6 or 7 cookbooks last week when I finally realized we'd be hiding out at home for a few days to recover. Superman went to pick them up for me and so I've been looking through those for new-to-us recipes. We're going to try out homemade chicken nuggets later this week and I next weekend I'm going to make a few recipes designed to be made ahead and frozen for the nights that we're struggling with getting dinner on the table.

The best find out of that library stack? Nigella Express. The simple fact that she writes that she's not always in the mood to make dinner at the end of the day even though she's a professional chef??? I love that. Makes me feel 80 kajillion times better.

 

I am wearing… an ankle length red linen skirt I made over the summer and a long sleeve black  t-shirt. Leggings too, since I get cold even though it's 75 degrees outside.

 

I am creating… hats this week. I finished up the green mittens (pictures to come) and I'm on to red hats. I had intended the green to be for matching mittens and a hat for Ezra and the red to be a matching set for Ender, but when Ender saw Ezra's finished mittens he said he wanted to match Ezra. So we have 4 green mittens and soon we will have 2 red hats.

 

I am going… to spend a lot more time in meditation and prayer this week. My head is buzzing with everything that HAS to happen in the next few weeks. To make that happen I'm going to be up a little earlier in the mornings. Since the sickies hit us I've not been getting up as early (since Ezra has been sleeping later!) and I need to get back into the habit of getting up at 6. That probably means I should go to bed before 1 a.m.

 

I am reading… The Red Tent by Anita Diamant.

 

I am hoping… to finish Ender's birthday quilt in time!!!

 

I am hearing… K-Love. We've been listening to a lot of radio this week.

 

Around the house… the laundry is getting caught up and so is everything else. Slowly but surely! I'm back in the studio this week though, so it will be a little on the slower side.

 

One of my favorite things… the evening quiet time. The boys have been so tired when bed time comes around that they have gone to bed easily and quickly lately. It's been nice to just be in the quiet.

 

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . getting back into the swing of things, finishing Ender's quilt, trying to help Superman keep his head above water this week as he writes 3 papers for a total of 35 pages. Oh and takes 2 exams also.

 

Here is picture thought I am sharing… I know, I know- again with the "no picture" thing, but like I've said before- because of all the recent computer issues adding pictures involves shenanigans with the external hard drive that I'm still figuring out. If I were to share a picture today it would be of Ezra's colorful artwork on my living room wall. Thank goodness it's only crayon and I practically own stock in Magic Erasers.

A Quiet Moment

Sleeping boys= quiet house! Ezra is somewhat better. Thank goodness for antibiotics. The bacterial infection on his face is tremendously better, but he is still really gunky and coughing a ton. It is getting better every day, but it's still kind of gross.



So in my quiet time I updated my 2009 fiction list. You can tell it's been a "stay at home on the couch" kind of week for us since I finished up Farmer Boy, read all of Chains AND all of Little House on the Prairie in one short week!



It's so strange to read through the Laura Ingalls Wilder books again- particularly Farmer Boy. This reading is the first time I've read it since becoming the mother of boys (and first time in at least 10 years) and the emphasis on how happy Almanzo is to have all that time working with his father and the repeated lessons on the value of hard work and the money that comes from it found me nodding my head. My boys are happier the busier they are; they both like to have tasks to accomplish. They run to the kitchen if I ask them to cook with me and being Daddy's helper is a treasured role, even if it's for something as small as taking out the trash.



I remember being a bit astounded at the idea of having my young boys work alongside me during the day when I started to really consider it about a year ago.  All I could think about was the logistics of keeping them close as I cooked and cleaned - won't it take longer? Won't it be harder to have two boys under four trying to work with me?



The "longer" thing is totally true. It *does* take more time. But the "harder" part has been rarely true in my experience the last year. Busy-ness for them equals less fighting over trivial things, fewer toys dumped out for the sheer pleasure of dumping them out (and abandoning them 1.5 seconds later) and actually LESS frustration for me. On the days I've decided to have them play while I do a bit of work I'm constantly interrupted with the "he took that from me/he did something I don't like/I want what he has" complaints. When they are working along with me they have so much fun with the busy-ness that they are rarely in each other's ways.



Their work around the house:

:: Both boys are in love with the spray bottle. Give them a spray bottle of water and a big cloth and they'll wash as many windows as you let them.

:: Ender has a rather particular way that he likes to make his bed. Totally gets that from Superman!

:: Ender is responsible for two jobs- he sorts the silverware for me whenever I empty the dishwasher, and he hunts for stray shoes at the end of the day to put away in the hall closet.

:: Ezra "helps" with dishes frequently. I don't put my pots, pans or cookie sheets in the dishwasher and those make perfect dishes for him to wash- no glass!

:: Ender is ALWAYS willing to sweep the floors in the kitchen and entry. I think he would sweep all day if we had more wood floor to sweep! Ezra tries to sweep, but the broom is just unmanageable for him. I *really* need to get him a broom in his size.

:: Cooking is a big deal. I try to let them mix, stir, and pour as much as I'm able, but nothing on the stove. Ender may be careful enough at this point, but Ezra certainly isn't and he *really* wants to do everything that his brother does. If we could stay in the kitchen making things all day every day I think they would be perfectly content.



On a similar note, I've been hanging around this blog lately and plotting excellent boy adventures.

For the Next Few Days

I'll be . . .

 

:: Giving Ezra his medicine to help his face finally clear up from this infection.

 

:: Hoping Ezra starts to sleep at night again (so that I can too!)

 

:: Trying to catch up on all the housework that has gone neglected since Ezra has been so sick.

 

:: Putting away the 80 gazillion pounds of laundry that is already clean AND folded so that we don't have to keep fishing around for the clothes we need each day.

Daybook

 

Outside my window… Another beautiful morning! September is such a nice month here.

 

I am thinking… that it has been a long few days full of sick boys, sick daddy and now sick Mama. A small respite would be welcome. Ender is on day 6, Ezra on day 5, Daddy on day 4 and I'm on day 3. Ender is mostly better but still coughing, so at least someone is feeling decent around here!

 

I am thankful for… my dad and his kindness in offering his afternoon on Sunday so that I could sleep a bit after being up a few nights in a row.

 

From the learning rooms… Nothing is planned for a few days til we all get better. We're just reading a lot and wiping lots of noses.

 

From the kitchen… Would you laugh if I said I've made a lot of soup in the last few days? It's true. I made a giant pot of chicken soup on Friday that we've been eating off of for the last few days. No one is hungry for much else.

 

I am wearing… comfy pajama pants and a hoodie. So exciting, I know. But the name of the game the past few days has been comfort and if my version of this cold trends the way the boys have, today if not going to be a fun day for me.

 

I am creating…  mittens! Since we've all been laying around quite a bit I'm working on wool mittens for the boys in a green that Ender picked out. I finished one for Ezra on Saturday and most of the other one yesterday- I expect to finish tonight. Then on to Ender's mittens. I'm still searching for a nice toddler hat pattern for this year. :)

 

I am going… to stay home for awhile longer and keep our germs to ourselves.

 

I am reading… Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I bought this copy when I was nearing the end of my pregnancy with Ezra. I tried to get into it then and just couldn't for whatever reason. I tried twice more and couldn't get into it either of those times either. My sisters are begging me to read this book so I'm trying one last time.

 

I am hoping… to make friends with my sewing machine again sometime soon.

 

I am hearing… Laurie Berkner Band. The boys are happy to listen to her, and it's not too maddening for the adults either- WIN!

 

Around the house… There is no evidence of the progress I made last week. It's been an hour-to-hour kind of thing around here for the last 5 days so I've been all about the bare minimum- dishes and just enough laundry to keep us in clothes.

 

One of my favorite things… extra sleep. I hope to have it someday, much like time with my sewing machine.

 

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . Kleenex, soup, water . . . plus finishing passport applications, getting to work on Ender's Mama-made birthday gifts, and finishing the mittens I started Saturday.

 

Here is picture thought I am sharing… Sorry no picture today, since that would involve all kinds of shenanigans with the external hard drive. Maybe just a link? In my spare moments I've been cuddling up with this and this.

 

For more Daybook links, visit Peggy.

Seven Quick Takes

Go visit Jen for more quick takes.

 

~1~

It's been quite a week. I almost hate to write this, but potty training seems to be going alright. Now that  I jinxed myself I'm sure I'll be back next week to tell you about how hard it is!

 

~2~

Ender came down with what we thought was a little cold on Wednesday and woke up Thursday morning with full on sneezing, coughing, runny nose and headache fun. Poor guy. He doesn't handle being sick well- he doesn't really want to lay around even though he's tired and spends most of his time whimpering. So we've watched a lot of Backyardigans and Wallace & Grommit over the last few days and hung out on the couch.

 

~3~

Ezra woke up this morning with that same cold and I can't get him to sit for a moment. Is it possible for a cold to give you even MORE energy or is that just a special bonus for two-year-old boys?

 

~4~

Ezra sat for his two-year-old pictures earlier this week. I know it's September, but I was trying to wait for a day when he didn't have a bump or mark of some kind on his face and that day is apparently long off. So I finally did his pictures and he did a really great job following directions and smiling! I was so impressed with the photographer and how she adapted to Ezra as his patience waned.

 

~5~

Ender and Superman worked last weekend on telling time to the hour since Ender asks "what o'clock is it?" about 80 times a day. I think he's satisfied with that amount of knowledge for now, though I think skip counting is going to need to happen in his near future to prepare for the day when he asks more about the long hand of the clock.

 

~6~

Ezra is stringing more and more words together these days! Right now he's really into possessive's (Bubba's blanket, mama's shoes, etc.) and spends a lot of time naming objects and who they belong to. A few of those phrases have morphed together- he says "minkie" for his blankie now- a combiantion of "my" and "blankie".

My favorite thing that he says is "no blood, no bandaid." I crack up every time he says it because he says it so seriously every time! He pretends to have owies to try to get a bandaid - I'll always give out a kiss for an "owie" but providing 50 bandaids a day would mean having to get a second job just for bandaid buying!

 

~7~

Superman is sitting for his competency tests over the next few weeks in addition to his regular school and work schedule. These are tests in different areas he has to take to qualify for graduation in the spring so he's really nervous about them. I think he can't bring himself to believe that he's almost done and that's part of the pressure for him. I would appreciate prayers for him during this time, and I know Superman would appreciate them even more!

Love the Books

I picked up a pretty eclectic stack at the library this morning:

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

Rustic Fruit Desserts by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson

Simple Sewing for Baby by Lotta Jansdotter

Letters to a Diminished Church by Dorothy Sayers

One Second After by William R. Forstchen

 

I added Mistress of the Revolution (Catherine Delors) to my finished fiction list the other night and I'll be done with Farmer Boy in the next day or two.

 

I also have a good sized stack of cook books hanging out on my desk- Feeding the Whole Family, Simple Food for Busy Families, and an assortment of crockpot books. I'm determined to find a solution for our dinner time problem.

 

I have a small army of crafting books ordered to be ready to pick up on my next library run. I'm feeling the need for some inspiration. I'm ready to get back to the sewing machine and the knitting needles to make some things.  Inspiring suggestions are welcome. :)

Hypothetical

Yesterday may have been a mommy-ing low point.

 

Allow me to pitch a purely hypothetical situation that may or may not have taken place on a certain Monday.

 

Imagine, if you will, that a purely hypothetical mother one day decided that her two little boys would be okay to play together in a bedroom with toys while she put laundry away less than 5 feet from that bedroom door. And imagine that she looks in to see that they're playing nicely and she thinks it would be okay to do a quick clean up in the bathroom too (also within 5 feet of that door). She checks on them between each little task, and mentally pats herself on the back because these 2 hypothetical little boys are playing so very well AND she's getting some housework done.

 

Now imagine that not even 1 minute has passed after that self-congratulatory moment when the older one yells "Mama, there's poop EVERYWHERE!"

 

A *hypothetical* 2-year-old may have spent a sneaky two minutes pooping in his underwear and then taking said underwear off and spreading poop about the room. He may also have stepped in it and rubbed it all over his shirt.

 

Thank goodness for hypothetical carpet cleaners.

Daybook

 

Outside my window… It is sunny, but cool enough for open windows. Beautiful, beautiful morning. In fact we'll be heading outside in just a few minutes.

 

I am thinking… about how busy life is in these next few weeks and repeating over and over to myself that everything will work out. Superman is swamped with papers and midterm prep on top of his regular work schedule and is also studying for a test that he must pass to graduate. Ender will be four in just three short weeks. Ezra is potty training.

 

I am thankful for… my sister and her special spidey sense that her older sister just might need a cherry limeade.

 

From the learning rooms… This week we're having a circle time of sorts- Ender told me that because there are only three of us that really means it's triangle time since triangles have 3 sides . . . ahem. For our circle triangle time we're each choosing a song to sing, we read a picture book or two and talk about the weather a bit. From there we're doing a bit with new Montessori work and phonics. Both boys are spending a lot of time coloring lately, and Ender is making a lot of mail for grandparents and aunts and uncles.

 

From the kitchen… Not a lot! I'm collecting recipes so that I can make 3 or 4 things to freeze or make ahead on the weekend in peparation for the week. I'd appreciate any suggestions for meals that freeze well!

 

I am wearing… an ankle length red linen skirt that I made a few weeks ago, a black tank top and black sweater over top. 

 

I am creating…  activities for the next few weeks for the boys- a few morning trips to a local orchard, a trip to pick out pumpkins and gourds in October and lots of time outside while the weather is good.

 

I am going… nowhere. AGAIN. I'm still getting used to this schedule and I'm not willing to give up my quiet(ish) mornings at home quite yet. 

 

I am reading… Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder

 

I am hoping… to be able to drive a ways to see a good friend over the weekend. It has been too long.

 

I am hearing… Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Ezra *loves* this show and talks along with it the whole time. He's saying so many things now!

 

Around the house… So far no one has perished in the laundry mountain and I tamed most of it over the weekend. That was quite interesting. Over the summer I fell into the habit of doing laundry just twice a week on two of the days I had off, but now those two extra days off are gone and I really need to do a load each day to stay reasonably on top of things (particularly since I would prefer to do no house cleaning or laundry on Sundays).

 

One of my favorite things… extra sleep.  :)

 

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . I really want to find a few minutes to finish up a few crafty things that have been hanging around and will only take a bit to complete- washcloths need surging (I think I can finish all of them in 30 minutes if I just sit down and do them) and Superman's new pants need to be hemmed. Later in the week I'll be buying fabric for Ender's birthday gifts and getting started on those too!

 

Here is picture thought I am sharing… My almost-4-year-old at about 5 months old- I can't even believe it!

Good-bye to Summer

I overheard Ender telling Ezra: " . . . and soon the leaves will be changing and falling off and your job will be to collect all the leaves. They're REALLY fun!"

So I guess I'd better plan ahead for some leafing adventures since Ender is already longing for the days ahead.


I've spent the last few weeks in this weird fog of busy-ness. Mostly the good kind as we're getting into the new school year in the studio, but little things are creeping in on me. I mean, I spent the afternoon last Saturday pulling out the winter clothes we had to see what they need and it's just barely September! But the nights are already pretty cool and in just a few weeks it will be time to wear jeans and layers every day. How did that happen?


I haven't been able to cook much and I'm surprised at how much I miss it after a summer full of kitchen time. Three nights a week I cook only for myself which means I usually end up eating things like a bowl of cold cereal for dinner since I'm the only one eating at that hour. I'm definitely feeling the imbalance. I'm craving a lot of sugar again and the only thing keeping me from eating it is the fact that there is nothing like that in the house. I mean NOTHING. I'm purposely not buying it because I will devour a week's worth of treats in one sitting.


I truly didn't realize how much I'd miss the cooking on this new schedule. Suddenly I'm only making dinner 4 nights a week. I used to feel like meals were such an enormous chore, but now that I better know what I'm doing in the kitchen I don't really want to leave it. I'm still learning a ton, but this new found joy in cooking even simple things makes such a difference to me. I miss it.


Maybe it's just because I love to wear an apron.


I'm still trying to find a solution to the dinner situation on those 3 late nights. My Saturday afternoons may soon find itself filled with cooking to prep for the coming week. Or maybe I'll try to get some freezer things together . . . right now I'm pining for my kitchen and looking forward to this evening when I can get back in there.


Oh- and sewing? I can't even put into words how much I miss all the sewing time I had over the summer! I did sneak in some pajama pants for the boys the other night since they only take an hour from cut to finish but those hardly count. If I can get them to stand still long enough to model them I'll get some pictures to share.


And that extra time with the boys? Oh, I'm missing that too. They don't seem to be. They are staying with their grandmother in the afternoons and  on my three late nights either their grandfather or their daddy takes over right after dinner. This year there hasn't been  a single complaint about going to their grandparents in the afternoon. In fact, the boys are practically running out the door before their grandmother comes to pick them up.


Practically indescribable, that feeling. I'm happy they're excited to go; I'm sad that they don't seem to miss being home. I suppose everything is more exciting at Grandma's house though, and that's okay.

So That I Don't Lose This . . .

What is better for a boy than a list of great books written by another boy?

I think between my five brothers they would add the Narnia books to the list, as well as Brian Jacques' Redwall books. I'm pretty sure there was a 5 year period in there where there was ALWAYS a Redwall book in the hands of one brother or another!

I'm pretty sure Superman and I would add in Ender's Game for an older reader.

Any other good books to add to a boy's reading list?

Lacing Things

Ender has requested again to learn to sew, but admitted he didn't want to use a sharp needle, so we did the next closest thing. He's using yarn, a child's plastic needle and a smallish square of plastic canvas. He can easily see the holes, he can choose to self- correct if he'd like, and he's satisfied with his work.

 

And Ezra wants to get in on the sewing fun, so he's been lacing beads. He's still figuring it all out (I can't get over the serious look on his face! He looks like that half the day- the other half he's laughing wildly or terribly upset over something) but he sticks with it for awhile before deciding he's done.

 

Ezra's Favorite

Ezra's latest favorite?

 

This Melissa and Doug Block Puzzle that Ender received for his third birthday. Ezra will play with this puzzle for ages, sometimes stacking towers or making a "pum" (his word for home) and sometimes doing the puzzles as they were intended.

 

ETA: Yes, I know he's on top of the table while he's building. He's on top of tables, chairs, couches, etc. most of the time. If anyone invents a toddler anti-climbing device that actually works, let me know. Otherwise I'm choosing to believe that he's developing extraordinary balance.

In My Thoughts

A quilt.

Dessert.

A dress.

Prayer.

This color combo.

Seven Quick Takes

Check out Jen's place for more Quick Takes.

 

~1~

 

I don't know how, but I made it to Friday! Nothing has fallen apart, the house is still in some semblence of order, and best of all I'm all in one piece. It has definitely been a rough week and I'm still trying to figure out my new schedule as far as time management. Things that worked? Sticking with the menu plan, quick clean up at 11:30, and being ready to start circle time at 9 a.m. Things that did not? Trying to check my work email first thing in the morning, getting lunch together on the fly, and planning chores to be done after I'm done teaching at 7:30. I'm *really* not up to even putting away a load of laundry at that point. Chores have to be done before lunch or they won't be done at all.

 

~2~

 

Ender has been narrating spontaneous stories to me all week long. They all involve an animal of some kind that has no friends and goes out in search of a friend. An animal by the name of Ezra always comes along at some point, so Ezra gets quite a kick out of that. A lot of our recent conversations seem to revolve around friend-making lately and the kinds of things you have to do to make friends, so it's certainly on his mind!

 

~3~

 

I started The Other Queen by Phillipa Gregory the other day and put it down after 3 chapters. It was written in a very "here's the facts of the time period" kind of way instead of the fiction it's labeled as, so I put it away. I rarely give up on books, but this was so bad I just couldn't keep reading. On to Mistress of the Revolution, which has been much better so far.

 

~4~

 

 The highlight of the week came Wednesday night, when Superman came home from work. He came home just for a bit to get a shower and grab some dinner before running off to class, so he came down to the studio to ask me if dinner was ready. I'd been teaching for 4 hours at that point, so I rather politely reminded him that I was working and would continue to work for almost 4 more hours before ending my day. The look on his face was indescribable as he realized what he'd just asked me. The poor man has had an entire summer of dinner on the table at 5:30 each night but now that I'm back to working through the dinner hour 4 nights a week that's a thing of the past.

 

Seriously though- we have to figure out a better dinner plan. Maybe Sunday afternoons will become a cooking fest to prepare for the next week.

 

~5~

We had our first "big blood" accident with Ezra this week. To be honest it's the grace of God that has kept him in one piece this long. He's been scaling furniture for over a year now, so theoretically this accident shouldn't have been as bad as it was. He was sitting on one of his little chairs at his little table. When he stood up he somehow tipped the chair back and it took him with it. He fell against the edge of the other table and cut his head just behind his ear. It bled a lot for such a tiny cut and he wore his "bam-bay" (bandaid) proudly for the rest of the day.

 

~6~

 

Ender has decided that he really likes to listen to books on tape. He's been choosing at least one every time we go to the library. At our library they come bundled with the CD or cassettes together with the book and he *loves* that it dings at the end of every page.

 

~7~

 

In the studio we're having a monthly composer to learn about. This month we're learning about Beethoven. Part of the assignment is to watch a few videos of Beethoven's music and one is of the Berlin orchestra playing Beethoven's Fifth. Check out the video- my students have already commented on how serious the conductor is and his expressions throughout.

Late Summer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:: The quilt is from my mother. She made it for Ezra a few months before he was born as a tummy time blanket- lots of bright colors against the white and lots of fabrics to include things that go- cars, fire engines, tractors . . . it's like she had some special intuition that this child would always be on the go.

Dice Graph

I found this idea on My Montessori Journey and changed it just a bit to suit our purposes. In the original the die was a printed die with an Easter picture on each side. Ender has been really interested in rolling dice and counting the dots lately so we went with a regular die for this activity. I made up the graph ahead of time in a Word document.

 



 

Ender rolled the die, figured out how many dots there were and colored a block in that number's column. He was really excited to see which number would win!

 



 

Number 4 wins!!!

 

Daybook

 

Outside my window...  our neighbor is mowing and it smells like grass and impending rain. This is the first day in a long time that we haven't been outside much of the morning. Ender hasn't been feeling well since he woke up and now I'm not feeling that great either. I'm so glad we've been able to have the windows open for almost a week now!

 

I am thinking... about reading and writing with Ender. Actually, that's what I've been spending most of my weekend pondering. He has started to use some invented spelling instead of always asking me to spell words for him, so I think that's a giant step forward for him. I suppose I'm just having a tug of war with myself about how much or how little to do with him. I know the desire is coming from him, but I don't want to get too serious about it if he's not really up for it.

 

I am thankful for... my husband. I'm pretty sure I said that in the last daybook too, but after this past weekend I need to say it again.

 

From the learning rooms... we are taking it easy this week. This is my first week back to the full schedule in the studio which also means lots of time invested in updating the website, blogging there and doing fun things like inventory and rescheduling students who suddenly have permanent conflicts. So we're doing a bit of phonics each day, using the montessori shelves as desired, and still reading a lot of books.
 

From the kitchen... I have a TON of jalapenos from the garden, so I made a big batch of salsa to last this week and the rest are going to be chopped up and frozen for later use.
 

I am wearing... a black t-shirt and jeans. Socks too. 70 degrees is apparently too cold for me.

 

I am creating... student lesson plans for the studio. Sadly there isn't much time for crafting right now. Once I get back into things I'll start sewing on the nights that Superman is in class, but for now I'm just trying to keep up.

 

I am going... NOWHERE. We're spending our mornings at home (before I start teaching at 1) and purposely trying not to go out over the next two weeks unless we have to.


I am reading... Mistress of the Revolution by Catherine Delors and Strong-Willed Child or Dreamer? by Ron Braund


I am hoping... to find time to do *something* relaxing this week.



I am hearing... the boys listening to Jim Cosgrove while they play.


Around the house... I took care of a lot of massive organizing projects over the last 2 weeks while I wasn't working, so the house is actually in really good shape. I'm so glad I did that over the break because it really does make me feel a lot better, even with the temporary stress going on around here.


One of my favorite things... extra sleep. I went to bed last night as soon as Ender was done- so . . . 8:30? And Ezra didn't wake until 7:00 this morning, so I'm feeling *really* good this morning.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . Nothing too exciting- keeping the house picked up, reading with the boys, getting to know new students this week, and trying to find a bit of time somewhere to do a bit of writing or crafting. Surely I can find 15 minutes somewhere, right?



Here is picture thought I am sharing...



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