Kindergarten for Smoochie

With September fast approaching we are getting more and more ready for school, but not exactly the way we had planned.  

J will be starting preschool at the same Montessori school V attended. In fact right now we anticipate her being in the same classroom that V was in, with one of the same teachers.  Hopefully this means a tear free beginning, and an easy transition.  J was very excited for the open house days and while I am not sure if she completely understands V won't be there, other friends will quickly distract her.

The surprise for the coming year is V. I've decided to homeschool her for Kindergarten, and if we get along fairly well to continue homeschooling her for the foreseeable future.  Surprising, right? Around Christmas last year I was looking for a book list, a couple actually. I wanted a list for me to use at the library, but I also wanted one for the girls of those great kids books one really shouldn't miss.  As I wandered the interwebs I found AmblesideOnline. It is a booklist from K - 12 that I fell in love with.  The books on there that I was familiar with were all favorites, which means the ones I wasn't familiar with would probably be pretty great.  It broke things out by year so I could read to her without overwhelming her. And I pretty much fell in love with everything I read.  At first I just planned to use these books as bedtime and family reading stories.  But the more I learned the more I felt that this was something I really needed to fully embrace.  So here we are becoming a homeschool family. 

V. seems to be excited about the idea of spending more one on one time with Mom, but whether she really understands she wont be going to a classroom full of friends remains to be seen.  She is such easy disposition when it comes to sitting down and doing lesson that it really makes the idea of it less overwhelming for me.

Will we love it? I don't know.  What I am certain of is if I didn't give it a try I would forever be looking back and wondering. So here we go.

If you are curious about what exactly we are doing check out the AmblesideOnline website.  We have already finished the Year 0 books.  Year 1 is intended for 6 year olds, so we are doing a modified year 0.5 that is discussed in the forums.  We will officially start Year 1 next year between January and April depending on how things are going.  Meantime there will be lots of nature study, handicrafts, poetry and RightStart math lessons. Year 1 free reads, spanish, piano lessons and art projects.  

If your have questions or concerns about how we plan to make this work - or things that I may be overlooking - let's chat!

If you love bookstores as much as I do and want some titles to look out for here are a the ones for Year 1 that we haven't been able to find a hard copy of locally.   However, they are all either available at our local library or through the public domain to read on the ipad.

• Benjamin Franklin     Ingri D'Aulaire  
• Buffalo Bill      Ingri D'Aulaire
• A Child's Book of Poems     Gyo Fujikawa
• King of the Golden River     John Ruskin

They say every kid is different

Veda finds an acorn hat.

Me: Did you find a treasure?

Veda: YES! (Proceeds to save cap to show Daddy, finds a box to keep it in, collects more caps to compare them.  Starts to collect acorns to find ones that will fit with the caps.)



Jovi finds an acorn hat.

Me: Did you find a treasure?

Jovi looks at me like I'm crazy takes the acorn hat from the sidewalk and throws it in the bushes. 

Parachute Fun

Well, it has been an active fun filled day - and it's only just begun!!  We woke up to a snow covered world this morning.  It made for a nice break from the grey that Iowa winters usually entail.

This mornings big activity was going to the library for Parachute Play.  It's a popular program, and requires registration which is a bummer. We missed out on it previously because it fills up very quickly.  It is once a month, so I'll be registering again for April really soon.

There were some other programs for kids going on at the same time as this one because when we got to the parking lot there were school buses, and general mayhem.  I ended up parking by VF's school and we walked through the skywalk to reach the library.  I'm sure we were quite the sight to drivers below. I had JA in the Moby wrap, a backpack diaper bag, and carrying VF for part of the walk it was quite a workout. I was glad that I left 20 minutes early though because we made it just in time!

VF saw the parachute through the window and was so excited I had to drag her away from it to go in the door around the corner.  Silly kid.  As soon as we hit the room she was peeling off the coat and shoes and racing out to run with friends.  Now I remember playing with a parachute a couple times at school when I was a kid, and can I don't remember it being as much of an arm workout!  Why don't gyms have a parachute workout class?

Veda ran and sang and had a really great time.  After class the instructor blew some bubbles, which of course was a hit.  I haven't let VF blow any indoors, and she hasn't wanted to go outside to do it.   So it was a well timed side activity for her.  Afterward I saw there was a concert for kids in the auditorium that was just about to start.  So we popped in for some impromptu music fun.  It was a very talented and patient quartet.  They have to be when a train goes by and half the audience runs for the windows!

Both girls loved the show. We were due for a potty break so off to the bathroom to change a diaper, assist VF and generally juggle everyone and everything.  I know this isn't what you come here to read about but just know - the bathroom struggle when outnumbered is real.  Poor Jo was laying on coats so I could wash my hands!  Next we went down to the kids library so VF could play while JA ate.  I would have gone straight to the car - but JA was a bit upset at being overdue.  So after playing with trains and eating it was a quick scurry through the sky walk and back to the car.  The downside of parking in front of the school is that we needed to move the car before pick-up.  I can't say that no one was upset about a vacant car in the pick-up line; but I can say that no one was inconvenienced.  We were on our way as the first child exited the building.

That's my morning.  I'm exhausted, but grateful that both girls are down for a nap. Now if only it lasts a bit longer I'll get some sleep too!

The Big Bad Wolf

So while VF was sick she spent a fair amount of time watching cartoons.  Since Netflix has some Silly Symphonies on it right now, I took advantage and showed her some of the old ones from my childhood.  She saw the three little pigs, in three different short shows.  Of course the big bad wolf made a big impression.  During the first show while the wolf blowed down the stick house and the piggies ran she cried out "That wolf wants to eat those piggies!" "He's hungry." And when practical pig held the door to the brick house open she said "Over here, come in my house and be safe!"  So she was definitely getting the idea of the plot.

As with most things it then became a game.  Daddy or myself would play the wolf, and she would be the princess piggy running away to her room. While we blowed the door down she would hide. Well last night Daddy was the wolf, and she was hiding in her room.  JA was up on VF's bed just playing with her feet and socks.  The wolf came in and looked around, not finding VF though he went over to the bed and started to eat JA.  VF didn't waste any time, she leaped from her hiding spot crying out, "No not my Jovi! Not my baby sister!" She put her hands up by her face turning into a lion. "ROAR!" And that lion chased the wolf right out of there.

It's a pretty good time.  Meanwhile, VF isn't just pretending the princess part.  Aunt Alicia sent up a Sleeping Beauty dress for her, and she has worn it every day since.  Thanks Auntie. 

Finally, regarding her being ill, she has an ear infection. She is on antibiotics.  Of course it is between us having health insurances due to S switching jobs, and policies not being allowed to start mid month.  We ended up ahead though, because health insurance is $926 a month. And the Dr. visit, and medicine without insurance was only $100.  This whole health insurance thing is quite the racket, and it's pretty ridiculously priced.  Next year we will give Obamacare a try and see how it is priced for us.

My lovey girl

J was lying on the floor under her new toy crying.  She'd had enough of it I guess.  I was wrapped up and couldn't get to her that minute.  VF went over to her got down next to her and says "Don't cry.  I'm here.  Mommy's here.  Fletcher here.  Jovi here.  It all ok.  Let me help you play!"  Does it get any sweeter?