Sunday hopes

My back is alot better---2 tylenols and 2 motrins does the trick, so I am happy to be mobile again. Daddy has a kidney stone and he is now the one who can't do much physical with the children, we all are on pins and needles thinking about him in so much pain, and hoping for him to pass it quickly.

I got three new homeschooling books from a lady on my local list--
Primary language lessons by Emma Serl
The Story of the World volume 3 by Susan Wise Bauer
and
A Literary Education by Catherine Levison

These are books I have wanted for a long time and was vey pleased to have the opportunity to buy them so cheaply from a fellow homeschooling mother.

We also bought 3 huge Complete Curriculum books from Barnes and Noble this weekend. We got Pre-K, 1st grade and 4th grade. They have over 700 pages each book. The subjects covered are Reading, Math, Spelling, Language Arts, Writing and Test Prep.

To round this out, we will be adding Literature, French, Music, Art/handiwork, History, Geography and physical education.

I own a homeschooling program called FiveInARow, and one called BeforeFiveInARow. I really never used them but think I want to start to. I really want Casey to be happy and productive and I think he might really enjoy the BeforeFiveInARow program. You read the same book for five days, and do little activities and answer thought provoking questions about things that are in the book.

Steve and I have come to recognize the very real need for me (and him) to have our days be wound up at 530 pm, not 830. It is too much, too long, too difficult to chitter and chatter and tussle and struggle from 6am straight until 830pm, with no vehicle, cold icy weather, poor health.....so we have devised several changes of plans for how we run our family.

If I can have the kids fed supper by 530pm, (instead of starting to mosey through the cupboards at 630 or 7) then the evening will have officially begun.

The evening choices will be different combinations of Swimming, walking, errand running (me by myself) or watching movies. We want to get way more into movies, like we used to be when Greta and Mickey were small. It was such a nice way to unwind, watching Fantasia, Melody Time, Aristocats, under a quilt with popcorn....and that was before netflix, when we would have to drive out in the cold and pay 4 bucks....now it is even simpler and much cheaper to get into some really cool stuff as a family, with a theme of Days End apparant by the low lighting and gentle (Im hoping!) camraderie of the cozy family.

I ordered a well-fitting bathing suit online which has arrived, and so we will begin Monday Wednesday Friday swimming at the local high school pool. I will take one or two kids with me each night and Steve will stay home with whoever doesnt come.

Today is laundry catch up and curriculum planning, and for Greta and Mickey, the watching of the second Harry Potter movie. Greta has read the entire first book and most of the second one, and her and our friend Amanda are avid fans now together---I must catch up!

Casey will be helping me in the other rooms with housework, while Daddy rests and drinks water. Charlie is toddling about and as long as he doesnt stop and stare at the screen, he is kind of free to roam today.

Looking forward to starting our new school books tomorrow morning.