As of yesterday noon, both boys are enrolled, registered, paperwork-all-done for starting school in two weeks (Son1: 3rd grade. Son2: afternoon preK). I've started a mental to-do list for school stuff, such as checking their clothes and see what if anything we need to get. I realized that, for me, this is the beginning of the end of summer. The time when I start to look and plan for what's about to happen, and let go a bit of what is ending. Last week was still full summer; this week I'm antsy to find out which teachers my boys will have, and who their classmates will be.
Many friends are really looking forward to school starting. I know my kids are looking forward to it. I have mixed emotions, because I would love to homeschool them. I feel as though we've just gotten de-schooled (decompressed) at this point in the summer, and right about now would be a great time to add Prima Latina and some Singapore Math, to ease us into homeschool.
Instead, I've pulled out the Cuisenaire rods, the 1-digit addition/subtraction with C. rods book for Son2, and the multiplication/division with C. rods book for Son1. We keep reading along happily in The Story of the World Vol. 1: Ancient times. The kids and I continue enjoying plenty of play time and reading time. Summer is almost gone, but not quite. School is starting, but not yet.
Limbo, yet in motion. En route.
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Sunday, August 08, 2004
Sleepover hangover, or somethin'
There was a sleepover. It involved four boys age 8 1/2 or so. It involved 3-5 hours of sleep for said boys. It was two nights ago. It was at someone else's house. Our entire family is just now recovered!
How is it that a fun Friday evening cookout with three families, in which two families leave their boys for the night and return the next noontime to pick them up, somehow sucks all of the energy out of the weekend? Not in a bad way, but it's completely amazing.
Son1 had his first sleepover, spent the evening 'til late playing in their pool, went to bed after playing a 'civilization'-like computer game and a midnight Yu-Gi-Oh tournament (he reported). That night Son2 went to bed immediately upon arriving home -- about an hour late -- and dear husband and I both stayed up wayyyy too late.Son1 slept poorly 'cause he was cold -- so it goes -- and played in the pool again after breakfast. We picked him up just before noon.
Half an hour after we got home, he dragged himself off to bed. I sung him to sleep as always (sung prayers from church), and he slept for two hours. During which time dear husband laid down for a nap. Son1 got up and dear husband continued sleeping. Son1 read, watched TV, drank a bunch of water, and went back to bed a couple of hours later, then both sleeping guys got up for dinner -- ?!? Son1 and Son2 went to bed agreeably at their regular times, and I went to bed not too late; no idea what dear husband did. Son1 is still tired today, but seems to be somewhat caught up on his sleep and eating and drinking of water.
So Saturday was really odd for us, with half the household in bed at any one point in the day (or so it seemed). Son1 had a wonderful time with three of his best pals from school, and yet appreciated being back in his family routine. I'm not sure what I think of all of this!
How is it that a fun Friday evening cookout with three families, in which two families leave their boys for the night and return the next noontime to pick them up, somehow sucks all of the energy out of the weekend? Not in a bad way, but it's completely amazing.
Son1 had his first sleepover, spent the evening 'til late playing in their pool, went to bed after playing a 'civilization'-like computer game and a midnight Yu-Gi-Oh tournament (he reported). That night Son2 went to bed immediately upon arriving home -- about an hour late -- and dear husband and I both stayed up wayyyy too late.Son1 slept poorly 'cause he was cold -- so it goes -- and played in the pool again after breakfast. We picked him up just before noon.
Half an hour after we got home, he dragged himself off to bed. I sung him to sleep as always (sung prayers from church), and he slept for two hours. During which time dear husband laid down for a nap. Son1 got up and dear husband continued sleeping. Son1 read, watched TV, drank a bunch of water, and went back to bed a couple of hours later, then both sleeping guys got up for dinner -- ?!? Son1 and Son2 went to bed agreeably at their regular times, and I went to bed not too late; no idea what dear husband did. Son1 is still tired today, but seems to be somewhat caught up on his sleep and eating and drinking of water.
So Saturday was really odd for us, with half the household in bed at any one point in the day (or so it seemed). Son1 had a wonderful time with three of his best pals from school, and yet appreciated being back in his family routine. I'm not sure what I think of all of this!
Book stack reshuffled
I returned Hillary Clinton's Living History, unfinished. Amazing how oddly freeing that is. Better to return it when the interest wanes, and know it's available to check out another time to finish, if I get interested again.
The books in the sidebar, well, I'm in a bit of a lull right now re. longer books. Most of them are being IGNORED for the moment, in favor of:
Homeschooling, the Middle Years: Your complete guide to successfully homeschooling the 8- to 12-year-old child, by Shari Henry. Finished this today. I love reading interesting tidbits about other people.
How to Talk to Your Child About Sex: It's best to start early, but it's never too late, by the Eyres. Read the under-10 parts today, skimmed the rest, and it's ready to return. It's pretty good.
Next I'm going to read the next several books in Son1's "The Young Underground" series (kids' adventures in WW2 and post-WW2 Denmark). Pure fun, and that's what I want right now. Maybe I'll peek at Son1's The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A treasury of myths, legends, and fascinating facts, by David Colbert. He gobbled it up.
I reserve the right to dump all books in the library's return bin when I lose interest, no matter how long I waited for my request to be filled. Freedom!
The books in the sidebar, well, I'm in a bit of a lull right now re. longer books. Most of them are being IGNORED for the moment, in favor of:
Homeschooling, the Middle Years: Your complete guide to successfully homeschooling the 8- to 12-year-old child, by Shari Henry. Finished this today. I love reading interesting tidbits about other people.
How to Talk to Your Child About Sex: It's best to start early, but it's never too late, by the Eyres. Read the under-10 parts today, skimmed the rest, and it's ready to return. It's pretty good.
Next I'm going to read the next several books in Son1's "The Young Underground" series (kids' adventures in WW2 and post-WW2 Denmark). Pure fun, and that's what I want right now. Maybe I'll peek at Son1's The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A treasury of myths, legends, and fascinating facts, by David Colbert. He gobbled it up.
I reserve the right to dump all books in the library's return bin when I lose interest, no matter how long I waited for my request to be filled. Freedom!
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Peace is under the bed?
When we moved into this house last year, I tried really hard not to stow things in the closets and other storage places unless they really belonged there. Unfortunately, I gave in and stashed a bunch of stuff in the under-stairs closet. In a search for something tonight, I pulled out everything that didn't belong there. Now it's lined up along the entryway walls, and I don't want to get comfortable with that (been there done that shudder), so I have about 48 to 72 hours in which to sort and toss.
All this to say, I looked in that under-stairs closet later and it was a pleasure to see... (a) what belonged there, and (b) open floor space. It reminded me that earlier today I'd peeked under our bed, and realized there were — only — two underbed storage boxes, and lots of bare carpet. It was great. And quite unfamiliar to me — she who has no empty corners or tables. Sigh. I am thankful that I'm much improved at this; mostly I do toss and streamline rather than shuffle stuff around the house. Yet, it's a huge effort to tackle the old stuff.
Stuff, stuff, stuff. Arrgh. George Carlin says when it's yours, it's stuff. When it's someone else's, it's (er, animal droppings). Yeppers. Gotta let go of the stuff.
I read some books on Feng Shui when we were househunting. One of the few things I used (imperfectly) was the advice to keep the area under your bed completely clear. It really is a wonderful feeling to see open space under my bed (and in a closet) (and in our living areas) (and in the playroom) (and...!). It feels like a big "Ahhhhhhh!" As though my psyche is relaxing. Peace?
Next thought: Use this, and get rid of more stuff. The idea of decluttering right into streamlining was already rattling around. Now my goal is to simplify the corners and tables and closets, to edit this place into a peace-filled house and life. I think I might be onto something here. I'll start with that old under-closet stuff.
All this to say, I looked in that under-stairs closet later and it was a pleasure to see... (a) what belonged there, and (b) open floor space. It reminded me that earlier today I'd peeked under our bed, and realized there were — only — two underbed storage boxes, and lots of bare carpet. It was great. And quite unfamiliar to me — she who has no empty corners or tables. Sigh. I am thankful that I'm much improved at this; mostly I do toss and streamline rather than shuffle stuff around the house. Yet, it's a huge effort to tackle the old stuff.
Stuff, stuff, stuff. Arrgh. George Carlin says when it's yours, it's stuff. When it's someone else's, it's (er, animal droppings). Yeppers. Gotta let go of the stuff.
I read some books on Feng Shui when we were househunting. One of the few things I used (imperfectly) was the advice to keep the area under your bed completely clear. It really is a wonderful feeling to see open space under my bed (and in a closet) (and in our living areas) (and in the playroom) (and...!). It feels like a big "Ahhhhhhh!" As though my psyche is relaxing. Peace?
Next thought: Use this, and get rid of more stuff. The idea of decluttering right into streamlining was already rattling around. Now my goal is to simplify the corners and tables and closets, to edit this place into a peace-filled house and life. I think I might be onto something here. I'll start with that old under-closet stuff.
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Needlework night
My husband dropped me off at the weekly needlework night that I haven't been to in weeks, and took the boys to the mall. How strangely wonderful it was! I made progress on my project, a lovely little colonial-esque row of petite samplers. All the while, I enjoyed the company of about 15 women with our needlework. Much counted cross-stitch around the room. Plenty of intricate work and charming simple stuff, silks, perle cottons, cotton floss, fine scissors and handmade scissor fobs, and life stories and challenges were represented in that room tonight. Lots of laughter wove it all together.
Ahhhhhhhh. The sound of me relaxing a bit.
Ahhhhhhhh. The sound of me relaxing a bit.
Book Stack Changes
Another library trip, though the haul is minor for me. I borrowed a book on making baskets (a quick read; I'll drop it off tomorrow) and the long-requested pioneer cookbook for kids, Skillet Bread, Sourdough, and Vinegar Pie: Cooking in pioneer days. I requested it when I was reading lots of Oklahoma and pioneer history during my Colonial House period.
Tomorrow Hillary Clinton's Living History will be overdue, so I need to concentrate on finishing that! It's been interesting to read her take. I'm on the list at the library for requesting Bill's My Life when it becomes available. I may have to return George and Laura before I can tackle it, at this rate.
Son1 now has The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A treasury of myths, legends, and fascinating facts (he'd already started reading this before we left the library -- it looks great!), Vote! by Eileen Christelow; The Adventures of Wishbone: The mutt in the iron muzzle; and a kids' biography of Grover Cleveland, whom Son1 had noticed was president twice, thanks to the presidents cards from Grandpa-who-works-at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum.
The best part of the whole trip is the ancient-world stuff. Two short videos from Schlessinger's video series "Ancient Civilizations for Children" Ancient Aegean (Minoans and Mycenaeans) and Ancient Greece. Lonnnng ago we enjoyed those on ancient Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, and ancient China.
More good ancient-world stuff came home with us. The Children's Atlas of Civilizations for the maps of ancient civs, How Children Lived, a DK book, for leaving around on tables to entice the boybarians, and D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths for Son1 to browse.
Why the ancients? We've reached the midway point of The Story of the World, Vol. 1: Ancient times, and are entering the world of ancient Greece. We read about the Olympics yesterday, and the rise of Persia. Next, as Son1 puts it, "the Greeks go to war!"
Tomorrow Hillary Clinton's Living History will be overdue, so I need to concentrate on finishing that! It's been interesting to read her take. I'm on the list at the library for requesting Bill's My Life when it becomes available. I may have to return George and Laura before I can tackle it, at this rate.
Son1 now has The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A treasury of myths, legends, and fascinating facts (he'd already started reading this before we left the library -- it looks great!), Vote! by Eileen Christelow; The Adventures of Wishbone: The mutt in the iron muzzle; and a kids' biography of Grover Cleveland, whom Son1 had noticed was president twice, thanks to the presidents cards from Grandpa-who-works-at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum.
The best part of the whole trip is the ancient-world stuff. Two short videos from Schlessinger's video series "Ancient Civilizations for Children" Ancient Aegean (Minoans and Mycenaeans) and Ancient Greece. Lonnnng ago we enjoyed those on ancient Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, and ancient China.
More good ancient-world stuff came home with us. The Children's Atlas of Civilizations for the maps of ancient civs, How Children Lived, a DK book, for leaving around on tables to entice the boybarians, and D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths for Son1 to browse.
Why the ancients? We've reached the midway point of The Story of the World, Vol. 1: Ancient times, and are entering the world of ancient Greece. We read about the Olympics yesterday, and the rise of Persia. Next, as Son1 puts it, "the Greeks go to war!"
Monday, August 02, 2004
The view from our doorstep of our river birches, newly pruned. I LOVE their peeling bark! It was midday when I took these photos; they cast nice shade, and you can see beyond them even though they offer a bit of screening. 
Up close, from the sidewalk. Now you can really see the peeling bark! Looks great in winter, too.
The view from inside our house.
Up close, from the sidewalk. Now you can really see the peeling bark! Looks great in winter, too.
The view from inside our house.
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