First Day

    I was going to start last Thursday, back with the chore time, no computer for Mom until after school, doing the hard studies while K naps, switching the boys off in Mom time and independent time…but then we looked at the calender and remembered Labor Day.  Why start only to have a 3 day weekend…then everyone got sick.
    So, I sorted closets and drove excess clothes over to the Salvation Army.  Its sort of like the procrastination I used to do before diving into a paper or formal lab write up in college.  Something needs to make cleaning appealing besides imminent visitors!
    So, today, with mostly functioning throats, we did school.  I routed B out of Bed at 7:30, inflicted oatmeal, and launched him on his chores by 8:15.  The chores are a list of hygene and household stuff so long it takes him 45 min to finish, and if it weren’t for a list hanging near his bunk bed and in the bathroom, neither of us would remember them. 
    Once K was in her crib not complaining too much about morning nap, and M had brushed his teeth, I started reviewing vowels with him.   We have a covered container with a layer of salt in it that he can write in.  I meant to play a game with some dice and the Cuisenart rods, but  as he built pictures with them he remarked, "Oh, the ones that are the same color are as long as each other."  If he’s only just learned that, he needs more free play!  So it was time to switch to B, while M played.
    Today’s project was to start up his Spell to Write and Read notebook.  We numbered the last 31 pages of his bound notebook, folded them into thirds or halves as instructed in the manual, realized we’d goofed, printed numbers onto cardstock, punched them out and glued them over the first set of numbers to cover, an re-folded everything.  Then we added tabs for the reference pages that we are likely to need on a daily basis.  The folds are so he can make neat columns when he adds example words into his collection pages as we work through the W.I.S.E. spelling guide.  These follow the steps projects make both B and me nervous!  We did just fine recovering though, yeah us!
    At 10:30 I made a pot of popcorn, then set B his afternoon independent study instructions: read through the introductions to his new Key to Math books, practice occarina and flute, review his memory verses.  We’ll add more work as we add in topics.
    At 11:15, I heard M’s hollers of frustration at being sent outside to get exercise before Daddy came home for lunch.  B was probably frustrated too, but he wasn’t making noise.  I had told them that since they couldn’t think of a game, they should try the feathered hackysack game I’d bought them in Guangzhou.  So I took K outside in her stroller to watch us and I played along.  M laughted at how badly I played, but kept trying until he got a few kicks in himself.  He’d been trying to serve by letting go the shuttle cock and kicking at the same moment.  B kept trying to use his Karate moves, and sending the shuttle cock straight to the ground whenever he did connect to it with his foot.
    As we played, I recounted watching a fat Chinese grandfather playing this game in a park on Shamian Island, using his paunch to deflect the shuttlecock.  This seemed to make the boys play better for some reason. 
    Once they were launched on playing, I had time to come inside and get lunch together.
    After lunch, M, K and I took our naps, even though the interesting gas main work continued down the street with noisy equipment.  B listened to the Prince Caspian movie music while he worked.  When I got up at 2:30, K wanted to play on the rug, I looked though cookbooks for some menu ideas, and B finished up his work.  M was excited to watch his hour of TV with his brother, and by the time they were done with that, it was time for supper.
    After supper, DH watched the kids while I got groceries. 
    The newest innovation to our daily pattern is dinner dishes.  I don’t wash them!  B washes them while I read to him from Sherlock Holmes.  Great trade, no?  It wasn’t my idea, I read it in one of Jim Trelease’s books about books.  DH has been doing M’s bedtime reading, and the boys join up for Bible reading and prayer after that.  We juggle K’s bedtime in between.  She has been cheerful to lie down if I sing to her and give her some thing to hold after her nursing.  Reading a little some thing from a board book is a wrestling match at this stage, she wants to chew on it, but I’m persevering.
    M and B were reading in bed, but I just called lights out.  DH and I get to visit now!