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Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Goodbye Van - 3/29/11

I feel like the day got rolling and took off like a flash but left my brain in the dust for awhile! It was a couple of hours later before I finally caught up! I was scrambling to get everyone fed, get activities out, get myself ready for the day, do the usual carb counting and bolusing for Jem's breakfast, and then on top of that I had to get the van cleaned out before the tow truck came - all before 9:00. Now if you know me, you know I should still be deep asleep at this time of morning! Still adjusting to my new schedule :) Anyway once I started doing the van clean-out, the kids started realizing that the van was really going bye-bye. Scout's OCD started kicking in BAD! She does not like getting rid of things. She gets attached to everything from furniture to candy wrappers. We got this van when she was a baby. She has made comment before about how she never wants to get rid of it. Knowing that it was getting towed away today just about broke her heart. She had to go in and be in the van for awhile and take pictures of it, and cry in it. :(  It was a hard morning for her. She mustered up a smile for this picture, but you can see her eyes are puffy from crying.




After that drama we went in to try to get some school done. While Jesse listened to her History lecture, Freddie and Flossie worked on matching color word and picture cards. Then Jem "read" them a couple of books. Again these were books he has memorized, so he is comfortable feeling like he can read them.



From there everyone moved on to some individual work. Freddie went on the computer and played Blues Clues Kindergarten. Jem worked on his spelling words and his reading book. He is using Learning Language Arts through Literature - The Blue Book this year. It is really working for him and he is slowly but surely learning to read! K worked with me on some parts for her Bears Lapbook. We did the 123 Count With Me cards, the Size Sequencing bears, and the Bear Anatomy minibook. Scout worked did her Caribbean geography online quizzes. When Flossie and Freddie got done they did some tracing at the light table. Then they traded places so that they each got to do the same work and have one on one time with me. Freddie got finished early so he wanted to practice some more with the Unifix cubes and pattern cards.








In what I thought was pretty brilliant timing, the tow truck man showed up right about when we were done!
Of course everyone had to stop and watch the excitement and wave goodbye to our beloved, wounded, dirty, and so I have been told, stinky, van.



THAT drama over, it was time for much needed lunch and naps! While they slept, Scout and I did spelling. We're using Phonetic Zoo spelling form Institute for Excellence in Writing. I love the program so far. We are only on Lesson 2, but so far so good. She seems to like it too. Jem worked on his math. He did another Evan-Moor math center and worked in his Singapore Math workbook. He is working in the 1A book this year, and it has been a good fit for him so far. Scout did some reading for History and both did their Calculadders.

Overall it feels like we are getting into a rhythm.  My sleep cycle hasn't adjusted yet, but our school days feel like they are normalizing. The key has been trying to be organized and stay one step ahead. That isn't always easy. My day goes no-stop from 7 to 7 and by then I am ready to veg out for awhile. Staying up late to do planning, printing, organizing has to happen sometimes, but that can get sketchy when you add in middle of the night blood sugar checks and a natural inclination to sleep late!  But, so far, it's working. I'm tired, but I'm doing ok, better than ok really. We're getting good school done, and that's a good thing!  :)

So while the weather is still nice we decided to walk down to the "grass park" at the end of the block for picnic and  storytime. We read Jamberry by Bruce Degen and Jesse Bear What Will you Wear? by Nancy White Carlstom  and Illustrated by Bruce Degen.



After that, the kids just had fun in the park, skateboarding down the hills, playing ball, and running around like nuts. My kids have grown up in this park. They have all learned to ride their bikes down these hills and have watched the seasons change here. The trees have grown so big. I'm thankful for this little private piece of nature.













But here's my favorite part of this afternoon:  I talked Jem through doing his first carb bolus all by himself. This is a BIG step. Someday he is going to have to manage is diabetes all on his own. Not anytime soon of course, but these baby steps are an important part of his independence. He was so excited and proud of himself.

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