Monday we went to the World Aquarium in Dallas which was, for me, a big disappointment. It was overpriced for what they had to offer and it wasn't well equipped to handle more than 50 people at a time. It was far too crowded with walkways too narrow and birds kept out of view in cages behind foliage. There were many tamarins but few monkeys and I thought very few fish.
I haven't been to many great aquariums in the US but the ones I have been to surpassed this one in quality, information, comfort, and price. Albuquerque, Omaha, and Los Angeles stand out in my mind as enjoyable aquariums.
I don't think the kids really got anything educational out of the experience, unfortunately.
Tuesday and Wednesday they did school just fine with all of the regular requirements and Thursday they got hit with sickness. My baby was the first to get sick on Wednesday and by Thursday it was crazy with all four sick. I wanted to read to the kids at least and I did have #1 do some school anyway, but most of the time everyone was sleeping.
We got more school books today so we'll start Saxon 2 and some other books on Monday.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
It's really late but it's Friday (well, now Saturday) and I just noticed I never posted the update of Week 1 last week.
We just finished Week 2 of school and things are going well. We've had some organizing to do and we're still struggling with doing things right at the time we're supposed to be doing them and not letting things drag into the afternoon.
Last week on our very first great day back at school my 3rd got injured in gymnastics and was laid out for the night and next day. It was super scared and very stressed because of all of the insurance cards I had, his had strangely and mysteriously gone missing! I was freaking out even though there really wasn't a reason to be. It was a very stressful night for me after a busy day of school and my husband was on call. I was very emotional and my brother, two brother in laws and my sister came over and helped care for me and my little hurt boy. He was better the next afternoon and this last monday he went right back to gymnastics without any problems.
I am so impressed with my kids. I just love them so much and I want them to have happy well adjusted lives. I have been very driven with their education and expect a whole lot from them. They like to learn most of the time and find the information interesting. #1 loves our new work of looking up words in the dictionary and talking about meanings. She loves to guess and she is also excelling in her reading and comprehension.
WE are also taking more time to have friends over which has been good for the kids and me. I need to be more relaxed and giving in this area. ONe of the blessings I've had lately is my friendship with a lady whose two girls play at our house sometimes. WE don't talk a whole lot but I am so pleased to know her and love her girls.
And #2 is rolling right along with reading. She has been so much easier to teach reading than my first but I forget that I started #1 with reading when she was 3 1/2. #2 seems to have a love for books but #1 is was more in love. She is reading American Girl series now and loving them. I am so pleased she loves good books.
I am so lucky to homeschool my kids and thankful for the freedoms to do so. I can tell this is the greatest blessing for our family. At church when I commented to a gal I know that I haven't potty trained #3 yet because #1 is so hyper (what I was really saying is that she is draining and making an excuse I shouldn't have about the whole potty training thing) and this person said something about her possibly not getting enough stimulation and when she insinuated that maybe she should be in public school and "have you tried it?" I was really kind of ticked off. I don't know why I was other than that I have pride about the homeschooling thing and I wanted to just tell her flat out that I prayed and know it's the right thing and results tell me I'm right. I wish I could really explain how special home schooling is to me. It's our WORLD. IT's OUR LIFE! IT's our IDENTITY! It's our FAMILY! And someone else asked me this week about when I stop being teacher and turn on the mom role and I had to admit to myself that I see myself as mainly their TEACHER and that is what being a mom means to me. IF I weren't their teacher, I wouldn't be their mom.
We just finished Week 2 of school and things are going well. We've had some organizing to do and we're still struggling with doing things right at the time we're supposed to be doing them and not letting things drag into the afternoon.
Last week on our very first great day back at school my 3rd got injured in gymnastics and was laid out for the night and next day. It was super scared and very stressed because of all of the insurance cards I had, his had strangely and mysteriously gone missing! I was freaking out even though there really wasn't a reason to be. It was a very stressful night for me after a busy day of school and my husband was on call. I was very emotional and my brother, two brother in laws and my sister came over and helped care for me and my little hurt boy. He was better the next afternoon and this last monday he went right back to gymnastics without any problems.
I am so impressed with my kids. I just love them so much and I want them to have happy well adjusted lives. I have been very driven with their education and expect a whole lot from them. They like to learn most of the time and find the information interesting. #1 loves our new work of looking up words in the dictionary and talking about meanings. She loves to guess and she is also excelling in her reading and comprehension.
WE are also taking more time to have friends over which has been good for the kids and me. I need to be more relaxed and giving in this area. ONe of the blessings I've had lately is my friendship with a lady whose two girls play at our house sometimes. WE don't talk a whole lot but I am so pleased to know her and love her girls.
And #2 is rolling right along with reading. She has been so much easier to teach reading than my first but I forget that I started #1 with reading when she was 3 1/2. #2 seems to have a love for books but #1 is was more in love. She is reading American Girl series now and loving them. I am so pleased she loves good books.
I am so lucky to homeschool my kids and thankful for the freedoms to do so. I can tell this is the greatest blessing for our family. At church when I commented to a gal I know that I haven't potty trained #3 yet because #1 is so hyper (what I was really saying is that she is draining and making an excuse I shouldn't have about the whole potty training thing) and this person said something about her possibly not getting enough stimulation and when she insinuated that maybe she should be in public school and "have you tried it?" I was really kind of ticked off. I don't know why I was other than that I have pride about the homeschooling thing and I wanted to just tell her flat out that I prayed and know it's the right thing and results tell me I'm right. I wish I could really explain how special home schooling is to me. It's our WORLD. IT's OUR LIFE! IT's our IDENTITY! It's our FAMILY! And someone else asked me this week about when I stop being teacher and turn on the mom role and I had to admit to myself that I see myself as mainly their TEACHER and that is what being a mom means to me. IF I weren't their teacher, I wouldn't be their mom.
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