Growing

Inspired: Inspired is the word that comes to mind when I think of this last week. We've had several homeschool group activities and I have thoroughly enjoyed visiting with all the moms, soaking up all their goodness and being inspired by them. I am so lucky to have found such a great group of women to rub shoulders with, bounce ideas off and learn from. I truly believe if we want to be great people we should hang around with those better than ourselves. I am so much more motivated and excited about homeschooling and happy I have the opportunity to do it. Sure, Jaxon's still giving me a run for my money and throwing some attitude but with consistency and much effort, I know he'll come around. He is such a sweet and smart boy, he is just testing the waters right now to see what he can get away with. I am also grateful for an older sister who has been through all of this before and helps me whenever I call. I don't know how she made it w/ out the huge support system I have!?!

Friends: Today was soccer day and again, the kids all had a blast. It really has been an answer to prayer. I was starting to feel like the boys needed to see the same kids more often in order to develop friendships, and this has really helped. We also attended a play date at Andee's house last week, the boys loved it SO much that Jaxon came straight home and wrote a huge blog post about it. They had a Nerf gun fight w/ tons of other homeschooled boys ages 3-17 or so. I wish you could have heard them on the way home!! I look forward to getting to know those ladies more as well. Andee lives on 3 1/2 acres, and it's all fenced in so it was perfect for that type of group. Sophia was being super shy and very scared I was going to leave her (I think she thought it was a daycare) but by the time we had to go, she too was having a blast.

Improvements: Jaxon was so pleased with himself today when he compared his copy work to some he had done earlier this year. His cursive has improved drastically! He told me last week he didn't think it had, but I knew better and he was so happy to see all that practice is paying off. Kade's reading is fabulous, he's over the 'hump' I guess you could say. He's known how to read for a long time but he's finally getting faster and can go for longer periods. We finished our read aloud Eight Cousins and started reading Little House in The Big Woods and though Jaxon has been hesitant all year with this series, he likes it already. What a great way for them to learn about pioneer life and how easy we have it!

Changes: I'm trying to create a better learning environmentand make an effort to provide them with fun learning tools, ideas and projects. They seem to be liking it. This week we've had very little t.v. (like 1/2 hour a day) and it's making life so much more enjoyable,I can't believe the difference it makes. Since the television's kind of the focal point of our main living space, it's been hard to keep it turned off. I'd LOVE to move it upstairs but w/ the surround sound being downstairs, I can't imagine that would fly with Kimball. That's OK, I will just have to be strict w/ the kids about keeping it off.

Projects: We have been studying Julius Caesar and Ancient Rome. The boys are all over it and last night when Kimball got home, he found some materials and began helping them make their Roman soldier shields. They drew up their designs and we will hopefully cut and paint them in the next day or so. It's so fun to see their eyes light up and the wheels in motion. It's awesome when kids learn because they want to and to find them still studying even during their 'free time', that's what homeschool is all about!