Sunny Side Up

Our second week ended up being one day short because my best friend and her kids stayed with us Thursday to Friday.  We decided to give the kids Friday off to enjoy each other and so we could too!  Overall this week was much calmer and felt better than last week.  Kids are settling into the routine and so is Mom!

I'm very pleased with our chore routine.  We all do house chores for an hour in the morning before school and this really helps to keep the house somewhat in order.  By the end of the week the house is still in decent shape.

We did forego our writing curriculum (WWE) this past week.  The workbook came this week so we'll start that next week with Week 2 of Level 2  for both older kids.  Since they haven't had a  lot of experience with narration I figure even Jayden in 3rd grade could benefit from Level 2.  I'm looking forward to having it all planned out for me this week!

I instituted "10 minute break" cards for the older two kids.  The younger two are done within a couple hours so they don't really need them.  Jayden did much better this week knowing he had a chance to take a break or two.  He only used one a day.  Kylie didn't use any as she finishes her work faster.

Jayden started Latin this week.  Just got a couple days in so we're not very far, but he seems to be enjoying it.  We're doing it "together" so I think he likes that too.

On Tuesday, when I have Bible study in the morning I left independent work for the older two to do while Grandma is here to watch the kids.  The younger two just didn't have school that day.  It went really well.  I'm glad, as this is a change over last year when we just didn't do school on Bible study days.... the kids handled it really well and of course, Grandma is here to help when they have a question.

Our on-going issues with Rylan presented some challenges this week.   We have to wait until the end of Oct. to get in to have him begin to be assessed.  I'm hoping I can figure out what to do with him until then.  We had a couple rough days of school this week.  Once he gets off there's little I can do to get him back on track.  He especially didn't like math this week.  He understands it very well so I'm wondering if I just need to move him ahead a bit?  He detests doing things he "already knows" and he made several comments this week such as, "I already know...." when I would explain to him what to do.

History this week included studying about Socrates, Hippocrates and Ezra.  The kids' favorite part was probably learning that Socrates was sentenced to death by poison.  Most of their narrations had something to do with him drinking poison!  (Can you tell we have a household of BOYS????)  Kylie's narration talked about how he had a difficult wife!  :-)

Kylie chose all of her reading this week from our science theme of butterflies.  We have butterflies now in their crysalises.  I think one may have died... he doesn't seem completely wrapped and it's been a few days. Now to transfer them to the butterfly "house". 

Jayden is working through a Roman myths book.  It's really challenging reading for him so he's doing that with me.  On his own he also chose butterfly books this week.  His favorite tidbit was how poisonous caterpillars become "poisonous".  Gee.... do we have a theme this week?  :-)

Rylan had a tough week... he's doing well when he's in a good mood though!  Bryson learned to count to 100 by 10's.

Oh, and just for fun... the photo at the top of the page is how Rylan cracked his eggs one morning this week.  No joke... just happened this way!  :-)