Fall Reading

It seems as if I have more time to read in the summer than in any other season, but I'm going to try to challenge that and see if it's true. Here's my plan: get off Facebook.
That should do it.

This is what my docket is like for the fall. I'm giving myself until Christmas to finish them. That way, if I run across something else that I want to add, then I can do it all.

Because, you know, doing it all is what I'm all about. *



*(note sarcasm)

First Day Cool / Not Cool

Cool: The Backpack fairy struck again last night and even though everyone knows it's me they like to play along.
Not Cool: S woke up with a pretty painful stiff neck. So, I had to make a decision to school or not to school today. Nothing like a potential health crisis on the first day.

Cool: S is tickled with his little drawer of activities-that-distract-the-toddler.
Not Cool: He did everything in the drawer so I hope it doesn't get real old real quick.

Cool: Mom says, "Let's get started." Kids simply say, "OK."
Not Cool: Kids were probably so amicable because one of them was not feeling 100% healthy.

Cool: We went to the park with a dozen other families to make Solar Ovens out of pizza boxes.
Not Cool: We had to leave before the sun baked our cookies because J is feeling bad again.

Cool: Everyone is content, school is done, the house is quiet and I'm rocking my to-do list.
Not Cool: There's nothin' not cool about that.

The Night Before 6th + 2nd Grade

• Set up the station box with the assignments for the unit.
  
• Forgo the incentive program this year. We ditched it early on last year.
  
• Stuff backpacks with some new clothes, books and colored pencils (the backpack fairy comes to our house tonight).
• Hang the bulletin board up.
  
• Fill a drawer with "school" things for our little guy to do.
  
• Make a to-do list and plan meals for next week.
  
• Figure out where to go for dinner for our "first day of school celebration outing."
• Register the younger boys for a swim class.
• Fold the laundry.
  
• Read the end of a book I was supposed to have finished a week ago.
• Cover today's birthday cake and clean up the wrapping paper (S is 3 today!)
  
• Pray. Again, on my knees.

God, I am thankful for this gift of teaching and the freedom to exercise it for the best interest of my sons. Where there is confusion, clarify. Where there is emptiness, fill. Where there is knowledge, humble. Where there is openness, teach. This year is yours. Keep reminding me of that. Amen

The Last Day of Two

When B was turning 3 I began mourn the end of 2. He was so fun and I hoped that I would still like him even when he was 3. Of course I ended up loving 3 too, but at the time I didn't know it would be so cool.

The same is true for S. Two is my favorite age (it ties with 6 months). He's just bursting with new vocabulary ("Holy Moley" is pretty recent). He can tell us what hurts. He can give his brothers a real workout. He can get a popsicle out of the freezer by himself... o.k. that's one that we're not super fond of. But still. He's learning at light speed. I love it.

So today is his last day of two. I took photos of things that we did today. I hugged him a little more and listened a little more closely. I wiped his nose -- because he's a little sick -- and asked him questions just to see what he'd say. I love two. I will miss two. This is my last two.

Happy Birthday, little man. You have rounded out our family well.