Afternoons

I love this guy.
This is how the two of us have been spending part of our afternoons.
Diagramming sentences.
Choosing adjectives and verbs.
Writing.
And enjoying our hot drinks together.
His choice:  hot tea.
Mine:  coffee.
I can't say that things are always as calm and smooth as they are in this picture but I can say that, usually, this is one of my favorite parts of the day.

In a Day

Every night when I lay my head on my pillow and pull up the covers, I think to myself how much I love that moment of each day.
Maybe a happy sigh.
Maybe a smile as I close my eyes.
Ahhh...my pillow.  Which means quiet.  Rest (maybe uninterrupted???)
Last night I got to thinking about what else I really enjoy in a day.
Here's a few:

The quiet, cool darkness of an early fall morning.  (yes- there's that word 'quiet' again)
That first cup of coffee.
A neatly made bed.
A clean floor.
Gentle rain against the windows.
My children laughing.  Not just laughing but belly laughing.
All of us settling down to read together.
A burning candle.
Open windows and blowing curtains.
Evenings with Brian on the couch with our ice cream.

What about you?

Tuesday

Our friend Geneva took this picture of Sam.

One thing I have realized about FB is that a post doesn't last there like it does on the blog.  And since this blog is pretty much our family scrapbook, there are things I need to put here, to remember.  So if you read this on FB, sorry.  It will probably happen again!

Last night at dinner:

Sam said to me, "Mom, guess how I knew how many pieces of chicken I have?"

"You counted them?"

"Nope.  I secretly knew it.  Because of the Force."

Jack and I looked at each other and had a good laugh.  I hadn't heard that one before!

This is also the same Sam who earlier in the day told me he wanted to be Darth Vader for Halloween.  Then he said in the next breath, "Or maybe Pooh Bear."

I love that in his mind, there's not that big a jump from DV to Pooh.  I, for one, will surely steer him in the Pooh direction.

Tuesday's baking project:  mini pumpkin whoopie pies.  Yum and yum again.  We made one batch then decided we needed to make another.  Find the recipe here.  Perfect for a pretty fall day.

Last thing:  a little piece from some of Jack's writing (IEW) that he did this morning.  I love this program and how it teaches the kids to take something kind of plain and transform it into something much more exciting to read.  We spent a lot of time last year frustrated with each other over writing.  I think this is going to help us both.  

In this assignment, they had to make a key word outline of the original paragraph, add strong verbs, adjectives, etc...then write a rough draft.  Here's one of his paragraphs (with some punctuation help from me and with his permission, of course!)

Goodman John Howland was bored from being below the deck.  So, he decided to go above.  Then quite unexpectedly the huge ship rolled and he was thrown overboard!  As he fell he managed to grab a rope dangling near him.  Every second his grip was being loosened by the powerful waves crashing against him.  There he was dangling and transfixed with fright.

Friday

My personal baker:  making pumpkin bread ALL by herself!

I am enjoying the slower pace of this rainy day.  Well, it was rainy.  The sun is trying to peek through now.  Jack is feeling a little under the weather so we're taking the afternoon off, which frees me to do other things.  It's funny how when I get time like that it takes about 10 seconds for my mind to fill with all the things I "should" do.  And I have done some of them but the list is soooo long!  So here I sit taking a little break.

We went to the library this morning for storytime.  Sam and Lucy had a great time.  I am convinced we have the best children's librarian ever.  She's great.  Kayla and Jack checked out books and read in those big comfy chairs while the little kids had some fun.

Now we've got the windows open, a candle burning, and Kayla's bread in the oven.  I'm thinking about spending a few minutes reading on All Creatures Great and Small.  Started it last night after a friend lent it to me.  So far, so good!

A Little Visit

"Well, Thursday is usually our day to visit the old people."
So said the couple we visited tonight who are in their 80s.
I love that..."the old people."
I am sure they are a great encouragement to those Thursday friends.  We sure enjoy them.
Tonight they had Ice Cream Sammies (ice cream sandwiches) in the freezer for when the kids come.  Our Sam got the first one because, of course, he's a "Sammy", too.  They also pulled out some matchbox cars for the kids to play with.
They've lived here maybe a year and always joke that they don't know anyone except Jack.  They think he's a friendly guy.  I agree.
When we left, the mister said, "I sure hope you read to your kids."
"Sure do!"
What a blessing these sweet people are to us.

What We're Reading

I found these books on a chair the other day.  Kayla's stash for the day.  We've been reading Ginger Pye together but sometimes she peeks ahead.   I don't remember reading any of Eleanor Estes's books when I was a kid but I really enjoy them now.
We're studying American history in CC this year.  The historical fiction available is great.  Such a good way to enrich their learning.  So, Kayla is reading Sarah Plain and Tall in addition to some of the "My America" books.  Jack is reading through Johnny Tremain and enjoying it.  It was a little after 8:00 when he came down this morning and I mentioned him being a sleepyhead.  He smiled and shook his head.  "Mom, I've been reading Johnny Tremain for the last hour."  Huh.  Little did I know.  But I'm so glad.
We're also reading Carry on Mr. Bowditch together in the mornings.  Even Sammy enjoys this one.  I think the sheer amount of reading the kids can do, either on their own or with me, is just about my favorite thing about homeschooling.  Not that kids in school can't read a lot, too, but the time I can give them for reading is priceless.
Sam's favorite right now is not historical but is a classic.  Make Way for Ducklings.  We've read that one a lot lately.
Love it.
p.s. I just finished Russian Winter.  My reading time has diminished considerably since we started school so it took me a long time to finish but...it's a good one.

Nice Ending

I have loved this cloudy, cool weather we've been having.
Perfect for the pumpkin bread we baked this afternoon.
And for the closet cleaning/clothes switching I did this morning. Although that was one job that drives me crazy.  I'm always glad to have it done but ugh, what a process.  (And I don't really think it's done yet...)
All of us took the day off from school.  Brian and Jack went back to the raptor observatory but it was cold and foggy there so they didn't see too much in the way of birds but caught glimpses of some other wildlife. Tonight the kids and I were playing Sorry when Jack looked out the backdoor and spotted an owl high up in a leafless tree behind our house.  We weren't sure it was an owl, being that it was dark but when it flew right over our heads, we were convinced.  It's wingspan was pretty wide and it just glided so effortlessly.  I almost ducked even though there was no need.  Sam and Jack tried their best "whoos" to get it to respond but I don't think the owl was fooled.
Pretty neat way to end the day.