Peek at our Week

We had a remarkably low-key week.


Which was good because my leg has been giving me fits.  It’s probably this crazy weather.  I’ve been allowing myself a lot of “me” time for reading (A Breath of Snow and Ashes) and relaxing, so that I can re-build my reserves for coping with this stressful school season.  An ounce of prevention, right?

(Elaina can read to her sis now.  )

In truth, I am feeling a much greater peace about our up and coming school changes (for the boys).  It’s not without a bit of worry and fear, but overall there is a readiness there that wasn’t before.  We’ve told both of the boys now, and while neither one of them is eager to share how they feel about it, we keep bringing it up in gentle conversation to get them used to the idea.

 

(Olivia sporting two braids finally!  Interlocking cubes, Building Thinking Skills)

 

School is still rough.  We are struggling with a bit of spring/summer fever, coupled with some seriously poor time management issues that the boys are growing through.  If I thought for a minute that my kids would entertain themselves for a week without schoolwork to keep them busy, then I might entertain the idea of taking a week off.  But since we can’t even get through a Sunday afternoon with out a million “I’m board” ‘s and umpteen sibling squabbles, then I guess we will just keep plugging along.  For now anyway.



The kids each had performances at The Academy of Arts, so Saul and I took Olivia to watch.  As you can imagine, it was a large room full of homeschool families, most of them with lots of kids, and a large amount of those kids were babies.  Loud babies.

Now I’m not saying anything, because I’ve certainly been the mother trying to shush her young children.  But my youngest daughter was not so tolerant.  She stood up on her chair, placed her hands over her ears, and loudly whispered, “I TOLD you I don’t like babies!  See? They are so loud...” and other such inappropriate comments.  Which unfortunately made her father and I both laugh.

Yes.  Babies are loud.  So are you.  Now sit down and watch your brothers and sister.

 

(Elaina playing the xylophone, Nate’s monologue of Henry Hudson)

 

 

(Elaina’s weaving project, Isaac’s self portrait)

Spring is in the air, which means I now have four kids digging in the mud, on the prowl for worms and bugs.  Ewe.  Bugs and worms are so not my thing. 

Isaac’s Nile River project was growing along nicely this week.  He kept watering the plants and bringing it out to the sunshine each day, and by Sunday the plants were close to 5 inches tall.  Isaac was so proud and excited.  Until Duck found it, and proceeded to pull all the little sprouts out and chew them into teeny tiny pieces. 

I’m sure he thought we were growing it just for him.



Both of the girls were in the kitchen with me a bit this week.  Elaina is really very helpful.  I have to keep reminding Olivia to stop tasting everything when I turn my back on her though.

(Ginger Beef and Broccoli, Lasagna Soup)

 

I was not in the mood for much cooking this week, so we had quick and easy meals.  The brioche I made everyone else for Easter had me drooling for bread all week.  bah…gluten free stinks…


We are hanging out with my brother this weekend, who came down to try and coax his kitty out of the ceiling in our basement.  We’ll be watching Game of Thrones too since that came in from the library.


This next week will prove to be a busy one, with two different field trips (Ameritown and The Cliff Dwellings), and all the preparations for a certain almost 10 year olds Big Birthday Party.