Monday: Remember how busy my week was last week. Well, sometimes God has a way of slowing you down when you don’t seem to be doing it yourself. All of our weekend plans fell through because the stomach bug ran through our house. Thankfully, it wasn’t a horrible one, but it was enough to keep us at home. Which, honestly, was nice.
Dad declared Monday a holiday from school (something mom would NEVER do!) so we all just lounged around. I even found my sewing room! I worked through several unfinished projects there: adding elastic to a crib sheet, repairing a skirt for Lia, redoing the elastic in a free-to-me diaper, and the ultimate find of the day:
This little number was cut out a year ago for the 4th of July to match the girls’ outfits. The odd thing is I cut it out in an 18 month size! Micah was only 6 months at the time! Once I sewed it up, it fit perfectly! I figured I was just going to have to chalk it up for a loss!
Tuesday: My turn to recover from the sickness. Why does it take mom longer to bounce back than it does the kiddos? Thankfully, Ty was home while I was sick and today was just spent relaxing. I also attended the Sonlight Live Webinar
to celebrate 20 years of Sonlight. It was something else with over 1000 people vying for prizes and clamoring to hear speakers!
After the webinar was over, I did some Sonlight with my kiddos! lol Still reading in Across Five Aprils. It’s proven to be a difficult read for our family. Hoping to be finished with it and on to Caddie Woodlawn by next week!
Tuesday night was spent in my new outdoor swing next to a lovely campfire built by my son and husband at the begging of my 4 year old. 🙂
Wednesday: Got up rather early due to a major backache; subsequently, I ended up dozing off and on during the morning hours. I’d wake up, do a few things, herd a few children, and collapse back on the couch again. Finally, by 11:30, I felt more myself.
We ate a quick lunch and crammed a ton of Sonlight in for the afternoon. It felt soooo good to finally finish Across Five Aprils! On to Sarah, Plain & Tall and Caddie Woodlawn! (In case you are curious, we are doing Sonlight Core 3+4. this year, hoping to finish up by September and move to Core 5.…I am really excited to move into Core 5!)
Thursday: Seems to be backaches that get me out of bed these days. Nothing like pregnancy to make you long for sleeping on your stomach or back!
I did a few pages of Rod & Staff preschool book A with my 4 year old after his chores were complete, then moved to Phonics Museum with my Kindergartner. So far, she’s learned the letter sounds for A, M, and B. It’s so fun to see the lights come on in her little head! So far, the price tag for Phonics Museum has been worth it. I think both of us needed the structure it provides. Because Phonics Museum has a built-in handwriting course, I’m not using A Reason for Handwriting with her as I usually do. Wish I had known this before I ordered her new book. Guess I’ll have to chalk it up as a loss.
I’ve recently begun having coffee with my 9 year old daughter in the mornings. There is a distinct difference in her attitude when we get to have this time together. I decided to start doing this for several reasons, but a major contributor was this quote from Michael Pearl’s article The Best Medicine:
When you become a source of pleasure to a child and they feel that they are your source of pleasure as well, they become dependent upon that relationship for their continued pleasure. They don’t want to do anything to break fellowship with you.
I noticed quite some time ago that Megan does best with people she perceives to genuinely be interested in her and her thoughts. It isn’t selfishness she is exhibiting, but rather self-consciousness. If she knows those around her like her for who she is, she is the most loving, servant-minded little girl that ever there was. I knew I needed to make a better effort to bring her into fellowship with me, so that she would think twice about throwing fits over school work and balking at chores for fear she might be met with my disapproval.
I did get some attitude from my 12 year old son over doing school today…might need to have some coffee with him too. (Too bad he hates coffee!) He is quite the self-corrector; however, and came to me later to apologize for his behavior. Hoping to get some time alone with him today as well.
I did 3 English lessons with my 9 year old today as well. She had been missing them due to Mommy not being fully recovered. We do English almost entirely orally with her. Sometimes it is me who works through problems with her, sometimes Daddy. Math and English frustrate her terribly and because of her particular needs, we’ve chosen to make it as painless as possible. The Assignment Binders have done wonders for her so far, but still English plagues her. It ‘s not that she has trouble learning the assignments, but she is easily overwhelmed and frustrated by little mistakes. God gave her to me to learn patience I am convinced.
Friday & Saturday: I’ll be at a homeschool convention working some and enjoying the sessions as well. It will be the first time in several years Ty has not been at my side during a homeschool convention, and frankly, I am sad about that. He’ll be out being a mountain man, and since I am much too pregnant and warm-blooded to be a mountain woman, I guess I will just have to be content as a homeschool mom. 😉
Hope all of you have a lovely weekend!
To read other homeschooling Weekly Wrap Ups, visit Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers!
Sue Mitchell says
Amy – Ooooo, what a good idea to have coffee in the morning with your kids! I love that! Thanks for the reminder and encouragement to spend GOOD quality time with your kids, investing in their hearts! I so appreciate your words of encouragement! Hope you are feeling all the way better soon!
~Sue (fiveboys)
Rachel says
Great week in review.
OK—I knew you were on that webinar!!! I saw raisingarrows as one of the participants and I almost posted on the chat asking if it was you. FWIW– I was raesbigfam.
That chat was crazy, wasn’t it?
Rachel
.-= Rachel´s last blog ..to my daughter =-.
Amy says
I kept looking for people I knew, but 1000 people is a lot to sift through! And yes, it was insane! lol
Jennifer says
I’m so glad you’re better and things are going better with your dd. Coffee in the morning is an ingenius idea!
Mama Mirage says
I kind of envy you having a 9 year old daughter to fellowship with! What a beautiful thing for both of you! 🙂 My 3 year old and I do chores together while her younger brother is napping and then we sit down after we are done and have lemonade or hot chocolate together. There isn’t much in the lines of mature conversation but it sure makes her feel proud to have helped out and be spending time with Mama. I hope to continue doing something like this with her because she has a personality much like me… and your daughter it sounds like. She needs this and I don’t want to get busy or distracted and forget to set aside some time to connect with her as she grows up. I think this sort of thing would be even more pleasant and valuable in the teen years. There’s just so much going on inside a girl when she hits puberty up through her early 20’s and *I* want to be the outlet for her to work through those feelings instead of some other teenage girl. KWIM? I know I know, some of the moms of teens are laughing at me. 😉 I’m idalistic to a fault and I don’t want to stop because it’s gotten me through some tough times in my life far better off than I would have been as a realist! Lol! So any more experienced moms out there shaking your head at me, SHH!! Don’t burst my bubble! 😉
.-= Mama Mirage´s last blog ..~Laundry~ My Laundry Schedule =-.
Amy says
I am thinking along the same lines as you…open the lines of communication now and they will stay open.
I also remember a time when I envied moms who had daughters old enough to fellowship with. In fact, I can remember envying families who sat around the dinner table and had meaningful conversation because all I had was littles who really didn’t engage in much of anything meaningful.
Things have changed in the past year or so. It is wonderful! Just another season that you will be in before you know it!
Kate says
My 2-year-old has been rather needy lately. I’ve tried to include her more, ask her to sit with me, etc. The other week I got the brilliant idea that she and I should go shopping, just the two of us. The whole time we were gone: “Brother? Brother go? BROTHER?” ha. She desperately wanted him to come, too, and didn’t enjoy her time alone!
But for her, really, she needs to be included in activities, to be helping. She wants to help me with EVERYTHING — putting on my shoes, going to the bathroom, in addition to the usual stuff like cooking and laundry and etc. EVERYTHING. That’s where her passion lies, to be working beside me. I hope she feels that way in about 5 years…lol.
.-= Kate´s last blog ..Creating a Meal Plan: Seasonal Meals =-.
Amy says
You keep it up and keep encouraging her and it WILL be her passion!
Kat says
Amy,
I can’t believe just how much you do in one week. WOW you are a super mom!
Love and Hugs ~ Kat
.-= Kat´s last blog ..The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World =-.
Amy says
LOL–this was a SLOW week!
Amy says
Thanks for stopping by my blog last week as a part of Mingle Monday AND adding my blog post to Homeschool Mothers. I’m honored!
I LOVE your blog. I know I’ve visited before – we share the grief journey in the loss of a child…
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Mingle Monday =-.
Amy says
Amy,
It was an excellent article that I was so glad to be able to share with others! Thank you and blessings to you!
amber says
Coffee with your daughter sounds like a great idea. I’m sure she loves the “grown up time” she gets to spend with mom. Hope your family enjoys reading Caddie Woodlawn. That was one of my favorites when I was younger. Perhaps I need to re-read it.
.-= amber´s last blog ..Daybook =-.
Lili says
Just wanted to thank you for your bolg…..it has been such a great help to this newbie:-)
I thank God for the Godly women in my life, even the ones on the Internet;-).
May God continue to bless you.
Amy says
You are so welcome! 🙂
Melinda says
Glad you’re feeling better. It does seem like the kiddos get better faster than mom, doesn’t iit?
Jen Ownby says
That is such a great idea of having coffee with you daughter! Im so going to use that idea. I have an 11 yr old daughter and she is awesome, she always asks to have coffee but I was worried about giving it to her. why I dont know. But she would just flip if I said ” come join me for some coffee”. Thank you so much fpr posting that. My 9 yr old son would love to join to :0
Amy says
The way I figure, coffee has to be better than soda! Go for it! 🙂
Jamie says
Adorable little outfit you made there! Love what you are doing with your daughter, too. I’m constantly trying to figure out how to have my children’s hearts, particularly a challenge right now with my 15 year old. Love the quote you shared about this as well. 🙂
.-= Jamie´s last blog ..Adoption Stories: Who Wants to Share? =-.