Sunday, April 27, 2008

Those moments that fill a mom's heart

Yesterday was a pretty long day. Daisy had entomology contest for 4-H and we weren't really sure what to expect. So while she didn't do awful (I am pretty sure I would have done worse) she . . . didn't score very well. 15 out of 30, which I suppose sounds pretty bad but the highest score on her team was 21 and the other kid on her team scored a 19.


Anyway, that was a disappointing result. They did let me look over the test to see how it was formatted, so we will be better prepared for next year. It is just so much to learn, 16 orders and 59 individual insects plus the general info such as what the different types of metamorphosis and its stages are.



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Junior spent the night with his grandparents because that would have been an early morning plus a long, boring morning. They took him to walmart to pick out some of his 5th birthday presents, he wanted Matchbox cars. He picked out a motorcycle and a car, they tried to get him to pick out 1 more but he said "no, this is enough."


Oh, wow!


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Then last night , I saw Daisy reading a storybook to Junior. The amazing thing is, she is a struggling reader. My guess is she is probably 2 grades behind where she should be.

Not that long ago I told her I would spank her if she said she couldn't read again. (she is one of those kids that rarely gets in trouble, and usually a frown will bring her in line. My fear was in saying she couldn't read, she would never be able to read because she didn't have confidence in herself.)

Anway, she told Junior she would read him a story (without any prompting from her parents), so they crawled into her bed, and she read to him (sounding alot of it out, but still).

It was past their bedtime and we had church the next morning, but I didn't say a word. I just felt blessed.

Anyone else have a story?


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edited to add:


Almost immediately after I posted this, I went to Taschek Tales and read her post about one of those mommy moments. She categorized it as in her "Blessing Box."


Wow, I love that.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Charlotte Mason Tea -- Bravo to homeschooling

Wow, the CM tea was great. Both of mine had learned their poems and did pretty well, although Junior mumbled.


One of the girls, (I guess she is 14) had written two poems that she read. When I say written, I don't mean something like "roses are red, / violets are blue. / I hate this, / and you do too." I mean a poem like you would expect to read published.

In one of the poems, 2 words caught my ear, "azure" and "lapis." I wonder how many college kids know what those words mean. Yet a young homeschool girl knows what they are, and can use them correctly. It was one of those small things that made me glad I homeschool.

Juniors Team won a game

Juniors team finally won a game. They actually played like they had a clue what was going on and the other team . . . well it was pretty sad. I did feel bad for the other team because they couldn't have won a game at all.


In t-ball, there is a limit of 7 runs per team per inning (to give the poorer team a chance). We ended up playing 3 innings (it was 8 to 21) Somehow, Junior was always on base when it was time to go back to the box. However he wanted to run the bases, so he did. The first time his coach tried calling him in, realized what he was doing and just laughed. Second time, the opposing coach was telling him that he was going the wrong way. The last time, no-one tried to stop him. The look on his face when he crossed the plate was priceless. I really wish I had had my camera.


Funny thing was, he had no idea that they had won. On the way to the car I asked how he enjoyed winning a game. He stopped and said "we won? I thought the other team won!" So once he found out they had won, we had to call family and let them know.


Tomorrow is another game. I'm hoping for a winning streak.

Juniors Team won a game

Juniors team finally won a game. They actually played like they had a clue what was going on and the other team . . . well it was pretty sad. I did feel bad for the other team because they couldn't have won a game at all.


In t-ball, there is a limit of 7 runs per team per inning (to give the poorer team a chance). We ended up playing 3 innings (it was 8 to 21) Somehow, Junior was always on base when it was time to go back to the box. However he wanted to run the bases, so he did. The first time his coach tried calling him in, realized what he was doing and just laughed. Second time, the opposing coach was telling him that he was going the wrong way. The last time, no-one tried to stop him. The look on his face when he crossed the plate was priceless. I really wish I had had my camera.


Funny thing was, he had no idea that they had won. On the way to the car I asked how he enjoyed winning a game. He stopped and said "we won? I thought the other team won!" So once he found out they had won, we had to call family and let them know.


Tomorrow is another game. I'm hoping for a winning streak.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Life is so fragile

Some days children can drive you crazy with the arguing, whining, yelling. Some days you just want to pack them off to bed early.


Other times you hear things that just make you want to hold them close, despite the arguing, whining and yelling.


Yesterday, I found out that a friend of mine's infant daughter was going to have to have heart surgery today. Apparently, A has a large hole in her heart that is causeing the oxegynated blood to mix with the unoxegynated blood. So now that she is 6 months old, she had heart surgery this morning.


Another friend is pregnant and her son (in the womb) has a very severe heart defect. I don't remember all the details but immediately after birth they will do heart surgery on him. His heart is backwards, he has veins (or arteries) going to the incorrect side. He has to be big enough for the surgery. She didn't mention specific numbers but there is a strong chance that she won't be bringing home a newborn.


With all this, I am reminded how grateful I should be that my children are healthy. Even the bickering doesn't seem like a big deal.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Ball Games again

Well we had another three games on saturday. We were at the ball feilds from 8:30 until 4:30. I have a theory about the coaches for t-ball/soft ball. There are those who played ball when they were young and were extremely competitive, and those who are coaching because their kids are playing and they want to volunteer.


Junior's game was pretty bad. The kids still don't have much of a clue, not even the coach's kid, who is on the pitchers mound. The thing is, the kids are upset enough, they don't need the coaches screaming at them that they run "like a bunch of girls." What exactly is that going to do? I also seem to be one of the few that it bothers. Several of the other parents laughed when he appologized to the girl on our team for putting it that way.


Seriously most of them are 5 years old, there are only 2 six-year-olds on the team. At this age, they need to be learning the basics, and practicing. Sports should be something that builds their self esteem. Junior feels like a failure at ball, he thought he lost the game, the score was 24-5, and the most he could have changed the spread was by 4 points. As an athletically challanged person I don't expect my kid to be the next Babe Ruth or anything; I want him to learn to play and to have fun. I am beginning to think that its not gonna happen this year.


Daisy's games were pretty bad too. I am not sure what got into them Saturday but they were not playing their "A" game, or "B" game, maybe "H" game. Daisy's 12 o' clock game, they lost to the Longhorns; the Longhorns had lost their 9:oo game, 17 to 1. The 3 o' clock game started really well and then completly stalled out until the last inning and we still lost 18 to 7. However there was no screaming and yelling from the coaches, even though the girls knew how to play better than that.


I realize it could be personallity, but sheesh they are just kids!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

I love 4-H ! ! !

Growing up, I don't know why I didn't do 4-H, if it was offered in my area. I guess because of the idea that it was for country people.


With Daisy, we tried Girl Scouts, and in our area, it just wasn't a good experience.


Then we tried 4-H. Oh, Wow! 4-H just has so much to offer! There is a wide variety of projects, and most of them are not limited to "country stuff" like cows and goats.

Our 4-H club is made up of homeschoolers, which is great. It helps the kids be more connected with their homeschooling peers. Daisy is involved in Food and Nutrition, Entomology, and some with wildlife. Both kids have gotten enthusiastic about the bug collecting/ nature walk for entomology. To be honest, I didn't realize that entomology could be this interesting. We have gotten to see tiny little insects that we collected in our yard under a microscope.

Food and Nutrition was a lot of fun too. Daisy made a bread and won first prize in our county and was able to go on to district. She didn't win at district, but we learned alot. Junior has been planning what he wants to make for Food competition next year, and I think he is leaning toward a bread, because that is what big sis did. Wildlife was interesting, we just didn't do a whole lot with it because this was our first year in 4-H and we were a bit overwhelmed.


I am looking forward to next year and what we will participate in.


I encourage any of you, if you are looking for something to add to your curriculum, look into 4-H. Beyond the educational benefits, 4-H encourages leadership skills (even in the younger ones) and community service. Not to mention, there are scholarship opportunities. Not that I am worried right now about scholarships but if I wait till Daisy is older, it will be more difficult to get scholarships.


Anyway, 4-H is a great opportunity that I encourage everyone to look into.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Today's t-ball game

We lost.


Junior got stung by a bee. His comment was "I knew I shouldn't have picked up that bee."


Duh!!!!!


Apparently he saw a bee near where he was standing and he stepped on it, and then picked it up. The coach thought he just had a splinter and pulled it out. Junior got to sit the rest of the game out.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

chatter

We had our first ball games today. Daisy was supposed to play yesterday but it got rained out and then today's games had to be transfered to the feilds of a neighboring school system because the girls fields were too muddy. Having watched their team practice at the girls field 2 days after rain, I can tell you that the girls would be sinking in the mud and so would the balls. It almost makes me want to pull out a feminist soapbox. Especially since I pay just as much school tax as everyone else here does and the ONLY thing my daughter has used at the local school is the ball field, which is not well maintained.


Anyway, enough of that. Junior's t-ball game was . . . disappointing. I know that they are young, and several of them haven't played before but I don't think the coaches have taught them how to play. Very, very rarely would any of them throw the ball, the coaches drilled so much on the running. Several times a kid playing first base would run all the way over to third instead of throwing it. The other team was really good. When one of ours would just barely tip the ball off the tee, 3 kids from the opposing team would run up to get it. On the other hand, our team would wait until a ball rolled into their glove. If the ball went past, they would run after it but not run up to it. It was hard explaining why they lost to Junior. He was just so puzzled. Not that my kid is a great player, or even a good player. He can hit the ball really well when he is focused. He can catch when he is paying attention. He just doesn't usually.


Daisy had 2 games. The first game, they were pretty well stomped. But at least they got on the board and considering the team they were playing against, that was a pretty big deal. The second game they were losing and then they managed to come back. The final score was 14 to 15 with Daisy's team winning. This was the first game they won and the girls were so excited.


I do hate the "chatter" that goes on during these games. I just don't think there is any need for the taunting. If a team is good, they don't need it. I think I am in the minority though.


So much unsportsmanlike behavior is acceptable. Coaches will scout the teams and then call the parents before tryouts and tell the parents not to come to the draft tryouts. Then the coaches that play fair are left wondering if Alice is any good and so the coach that wants her is able to get her. In the 7 & 8 girls tryouts 1/2 of the 7 year olds weren't there and 2/3 of the 8 year olds weren't.


Honestly I just want my kids to have fun and learn how to play. Getting stomped because opposing coaches are more concerned with winning is not fun.


I need to find some pro games on TV so my kids can watch them. I am learning more than I ever new before. I still don't want to play though.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Poetry Month

As you may or may not know, April is National Poetry month in the U.S. and Canada. Even though I love poetry, I do find we are not as consistant as we should be in studying it.


Jimmie has some wonderful ideas at One Child Policy Homeschool on how to bring poetry into your homeschool. She also gives some of the benefits to poetry. One she didn't mention is that parts of the Bible are poetry. If you don't "get" poetry then the book of Psalms is pretty much closed as well as the other bits of poetry through out the Bible.


Another great resource is poets.org they have a FAQ full of ideas for poetry including 30 ways to celebrate, Lesson Plans and a tip sheet.


I would also say, have your kids write poetry. Even before they can write they can dictate a poem. In my opinion, writing poetry gives a better appreciation when listening to poetry; the same could be said of music, art and that sort of thing.


This month, my local Charlotte Mason support group is doing a Poetry Tea for the kids. For the poetry tea, the kids each pick a poem and then get to recite it in front of the group. Its a great confidence builder because all the kids are supportive of each other.


This is our second year to participate, last year Daisy didn't want to do it but I made her memorize a poem. I knew that when she got there and saw all the other kids reciting, she would want to do it too. She was convinced there was no way she would want to recite but on the way to the tea she was thinking maybe reciting would be ok. After she did it, she was so proud of herself!


Both kids are going to recite this year, and the nice thing is that their Daddy will be able to go to this. I found their poems in the poetry book we are reading Poems Every Child Should Know by Mary Burt. Because of its age, there is no longer a copywrite on it and so it can also be found at Project Gutenburg and Internet Archive . One of our favorite modern children's poets is Jack Prelutsky.


For the poetry tea, Daisy and Junior are going to recite this together:


Love Between Brothers and Sisters


Whatever brawls disturb the street,

There should be peace at home;

Where sisters dwell and brothers meet,

Quarrels should never come.



Birds in their little nests agree;

And 'tis a shameful sight,

When children of one family

Fall out and chide and fight.

----Isaac Watts.


I bet you can't guess who picked that one out. Is it subtle enough? I may make them recite it every time they bicker LOL


Junior may not do one on his own, I haven't really talked to him about it. He still doesn't talk very clearly, but OTOH it's more of a confidence builder.


Daisy has two poems she likes equally as well, so she is planning on learning both and then deciding. She might recite both.



Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Twinkle, twinkle, little star!

How I wonder what you are,

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.



When the glorious sun is set,

When the grass with dew is wet,

Then you show your little light,

Twinkle, twinkle all the night.



In the dark-blue sky you keep,

And often through my curtains peep,

For you never shut your eye,

Till the sun is in the sky.



As your bright and tiny spark

Guides the traveller in the dark,

Though I know not what you are,

Twinkle, twinkle, little star!





The Nightingale and the Glow-worm.


A nightingale, that all day long

Had cheered the village with his song,

Nor yet at eve his note suspended,

Nor yet when eventide was ended,

Began to feel, as well he might,

The keen demands of appetite;

When, looking eagerly around,

He spied far off, upon the ground,

A something shining in the dark,

And knew the glow-worm by his spark;

So, stooping down from hawthorn top,

He thought to put him in his crop.

The worm, aware of his intent,

Harangued him thus, right eloquent:

"Did you admire my lamp," quoth he,

"As much as I your minstrelsy,

You would abhor to do me wrong,

As much as I to spoil your song;

For 'twas the self-same power divine,

Taught you to sing and me to shine;

That you with music, I with light,

Might beautify and cheer the night."

The songster heard his short oration,

And warbling out his approbation,

Released him, as my story tells,

And found a supper somewhere else.


-----William Cowper.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Errand day and homeschooling

Ok, I feel awful. We did no schooling today. It was one of those long days full of errands.


First we dropped Junior at Mother's Day Out, the Daisy had piano lessons. After piano we went to the teacher supply store in town to see if they had insect pins, for pinning an insect collection. They didn't but they did have this cool thing to look through so you could see how it would be to see with an insect eye.


I called over at the college town nearby and one store said they had them. They didn't, it was the wrong kind of pins. Since we were there, we tried every college bookstore and none had them, although one did have a great book on Rembrant clearanced.


So then we drove back to town, went by the forestry department and talked to the guy doing our 4-H. We found out what the caterpillars we have been collecting are, more about the mole cricket,saw some cool looking Harlequin bugs, and some other cool info. He mentioned that he had done a insect collection in college and that is what lit the spark that told him what to do for his career.


We picked up Junior and then came home. The kids caught more insects (the freezer is full of them), until it was time for Daisy's softball practice.


Hmmm, I guess on thinking about it, we did science, geography, art, and physical education. Not as bad as I thought. We did alot more than I realized.


And Daisy practiced her poem for our local groups Charlotte Mason Poetry Tea.


More about that later.


Oh, and the insect pins will have to be ordered online, Grrrrrrrr