D, Bop 'n Bean

From the Mouth of Babes

2009-09-22T22:17:00.000-07:00

It is a good thing for our kids. Some days there is not much else to laugh at. Lately, Damon's teacher has been relaying cute things that he says in class. Today's was a gem. She whispered it all to me after class...

Damon says, "I am falling in love with Reese."
Mrs. F says, "Oh really?"
Then Damon looking at his friend asks, "You too?"

Oh, Damon!

Group Monday

2009-09-21T23:49:00.000-07:00

I can now truthfully say that I love Mondays... for school purposes only. Today is Julia's 4th birthday so the kids and I did the dutiful deed of trekking to Vons at 8am for a (store-bought) classroom treat to help make the day feel special. We left with stale chocolate chip cookies and juice boxes. I didn't really give her the chance to help choose it because our day need to get moving and knowing Julia, that decision could last until her 5th birthday. After dropping off happy Julia and screaming Brady, Damon and I joined our fellow south county SLOCA friends for a morning of group lessons. Still one of my best ideas yet!!

Our friends Noah and Kim hosted us today for some reading and science. We are reading The Story About Ping which is a cute story that takes place in China. The kids loved listening to Kim read and then migrated to the table for a lesson about buoyancy. Hypothesis, observations, testing, recording, it was a great lesson thanks to Tyler's mom, Kristi (great name, I know.) The kids watched and waited and ooooo'd and aaaahhh'd perfectly. A great morning of fellowship and learning. But what I learned about Kristi while I was there changed my outlook for the rest of the day.

As I was about to leave, we started discussing carpooling options to get all the kiddos to San Luis without all the moms driving. Driving brought up carseats and carseats brought up the horrific accident that Kristi was in just a year ago. I don't know her very well yet, but from the few conversations that we have had, I never would have guessed that she is SO blessed to be alive. While driving without their two kids, Kristi and her husband were hit head on by a drunk driver going 100 mph. They should not be alive. After a long six month recovery, they are both doing very well. But, the outcome could so easily have been different.

I drove away a little more cautious and a lot more aware of what was around me. Not so much the other cars and people, but my little kids, my husband, my friends, my mom on the phone, my whining dogs, Julia's birthday, Brady's painting of a "snake", the little things that were present in my life today that could so quickly disappear. I like to complain, especially in my ramblings right here, but when it comes down to my life and what and who the LORD has so abundantly surrounded me with, I am an extremely happy girl. I will be hugging my kids and my husband a little tighter this week!

Kim reads Ping to the group!

Couldn't resist this one of Noah snuggled into his mom.

Kristi explains the science experiment.

Watching...

Curious...

Waiting...

Fairly sure he knows what is going to happen...

A Whole New Outlook!

2009-09-18T22:50:00.000-07:00

First of all, I am sorry. I am sorry for all the complaining and pitiful comments about our homeschool venture. For as down as I was this entire week, I am back up on the enthusiasm bandwagon after today. Mrs. F shared an incredible website full of little, leveled readers and corresponding phonics lessons that just may have saved our entire year. As I mentioned before, I missed the point about creating my own reading program. I don't know who I expected to teach Damon how to read if not his mom, the one HOMEschooling him. So I am an idiot. Now that I established that, I can move forward taking advice from everyone else around me who clearly has a better vision than I do/did. I sorta get it now. Here is my new interpretation of how the system works...

Damon goes to school two days out of the week to socialize and get focused instruction in all subjects in a group setting. Mrs. F sends home a sampling of assignments so as to create continuity with class and home with the understanding that we have our own programs (reading, math, science) going on at home. This explains why during the first two weeks I felt like I had NOTHING to teach. I expected everything to come from school. Now I realize that if I use this reading program that Mrs. F shared with me... I have a course to follow and enough of a routine that Damon will begin to know what to expect out of our days at home together. I am in need of a math program that will meet Damon at his skill level while still keeping up with the math book that they are using in class. The concepts in the class math will be covered in class and he needs to be in the know, but he also needs a bit more of a challenge from the idiot mom who just now is starting to "get it."

How did I get to week three trying to be on top of everything and really not having a clue???? I'm not going to fool myself into thinking that now it is a piece of cake, but at least it's a tiny crumb.

My Moment...

2009-09-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

Campus day today. A campus day makes for a fairly relaxed morning. Brady is always able to stir the pot, but at least we do not have "things" that need to be accomplished. The plan was to have lunch with Damon's teacher and hangout sharing tips with the other moms. The plan was to gain some enthusiasm and some new ideas. The plan was to get to know some of the other moms and be able to co-op in some areas. The plan was NOT to cry in front of all of them as I told them about our week. The plan was NOT to watch Brady single-handedly dump out all of the classroom toys and manipulatives while I bare my soul. The plan was NOT to be such a scene!

On a positive note, I was able to talk with Damon's teacher for about 30 minutes all by myself. She was very good at painting a picture of how precious our kids are and how little they are for such a short amount of time. I came away from the meeting today with another dose of amazement. Mrs. F and the community at SLOCA are very much out-of-the-box thinkers, I am hoping to catch-up soon.

Then we ran home, rested for a very short time, and sent Damon off to soccer. Meanwhile, Brady and Julia fell apart and I was left to figure out dinner and survival for the next couple hours. As my sister-in-law so perfectly puts it, it was at that point that I had "my moment!" It was then that my next door neighbor called (are you still listening?) to offer us dinner! My moment of the day was the instant I was offered dinner for the entire family out-of-the-blue. AWESOME!

It was the kind of day that I can look back on and thank the LORD for very specific ways that he encouraged me today. It is time to stop the complaining and keep my eyes on Him.

Home Day + Brady= Tears on Brooke's shoulder

2009-09-16T21:44:00.000-07:00

Yep, it is official, I have no life when Brady is around. Today we started Damon's new math book, AND we dumped over the colored pencils seven time. Today we read a little reader sent home by Damon's teacher, AND we slammed every door and every drawer in the entire house. Today I attempted to empty the dishwasher by myself, AND a rock was thrown in the garage. Today I made BLT sandwiches for dinner, AND was screamed at, "YUCKY!" Today I turned on a Baby Einstein movie to try to teach Damon, AND through tears I was told that it was, "TOO SCARY!"

Are you kidding me??

I am having one of those nights where you sit down and try to figure out what is working in your life and what is not. Homeschooling with Brady around... NOT working. Driving myself crazy trying to figure out how to make everything run smoothly around my house... working perfectly. I have high hopes for lunch with Damon's teacher and the moms from his class that takes place tomorrow. I will pray that having Brady with me during that 40 minutes will not be destructive to the classroom or those around us. My goal for the meeting is to come away with a nugget of inspiration that can carry us through next week. If that is accomplished, the second thing I will try to walk away with is a early reading program that is working for someone else. If I am going to meet Damon where he is, I need to have lots and lots of books at his level... huh? The real work is starting to set in. OMG!

We Love Campus Days

2009-09-15T23:59:00.000-07:00

Another day on campus. Another day that Damon walks out of his classroom a little taller, a little wiser, and a little more convinced that he would like to be there every day. Mrs. F. is wonderful. As I sit here in the last minutes before midnight (I have to hurry and post before this date stamp puts me through to the 16th) I am struggling with figuring out what is not working at home. I think I have decided it is the leveling of the curriculum that I am trying to "make" Damon work on. He thinks the activities that we do are WAY too easy, therefore he doesn't want to do them. He thinks they are pointless and my guess is he might be a little offended.

I have decided to step things up. Stay tuned.

Day ?: Family Trees- Group style

2009-09-14T21:14:00.000-07:00

A very fabulous homeschool day. Dropped two kids at preschool and invited two Kindergartners over for lessons. The beautiful part about adding kids to the homeschool day is that everything you ask them to do seems like a playdate. I began with a very few simple ideas of activities that Damon and I would be doing together on our lonely Monday morning. But then it hit me when he said those dreaded words that I knew might come, but I prayed wouldn't come in the second week of school... "Mom, why can't I go to a different school?" OH MAN! That is when I decided to give him what he was really asking for... interaction with his friends. We invited two classmates and their moms over to join in our lessons for the day. Enter a whole new perspective!!

Damon woke up excited to have Noah and Reese come "do school" with him. I woke up relieved to have Ilsa and Kim come "do school" with me. They not only showed up smiling and determined to make the group environment work, but they brought food, crafts and great ideas to share. Love them! The enthusiasm of other moms that are passionate about what they are doing for their kids is very inspiring. Two hours flew by. We read, we played phonics games and we created the most adorable Family Trees. Group homeschool might very well save us from the gumshoe homeschool blues. Again, thanks Kim and Noah, Ilsa and Reese!!

Kim and Noah building their family tree.

Damon writing the names of all his family members.

Lefty Reese writing on her "leaves" for her tree.

The finished Humphrey Family Tree.

Day 8: Pizza Day

2009-09-10T20:49:00.000-07:00

Uh-oh. Today was far too smooth for me. Damon not only was at school for most of the day, but he had "school lunch" and I had ZERO prep work this morning to get him ready for school. Oh yeah, and Daddy took him while I sat in my jammies and drank my Sticky Toffee Pudding Tea (thanks Stacy!!) When I did slowly get ready for the day, I signed Brady up for preschool. HE STARTS TOMORROW!!! As I started kicking kiddos out of the house, I appreciated for a brief instant that I like some alone time. But wait, there was still one more in the car, Julia. Sweet, not-to-be-forgotten Julia who wished she could play at Brady's school too. I have a lot of kids.

Picture this... I will drop off Julia at 9am, then Brady immediately after (9:02am) and then I will drive away for three whole hours with one child. I will have quiet, non-chaotic, homeschool time with one child. This is happening in 12 hours and my heart is racing with excitement. One child. The struggle will be to not be selfish and rush around doing errands, but to sit and relish in the concentrated time with ONE CHILD! Whoa...

Day 7: Boiling and Freezing

2009-09-09T23:45:00.000-07:00

We have switched from Apple Pies to the country of Russia with the book Another Celebrated Dancing Bear. My guess is that he only 70% liked the book the first time through. He will hear it several more times this week, so hopefully the love will grow. Russia and bears, not really the stuff five-year-old fantasies are made of. Roll playing excited water molecules may have been the highlight of our day.

We performed two experiments today. First, we boiled water and talked about molecules bouncing around and jumping out of the pot as steam. I found myself forcing Damon's hand into the water (before it was unbearable, of course) for a concrete example of how water heats up. Then we made star-shaped popsicles and checked them every few hours as the molecules "fell asleep" and turned frozen. I sorta skipped the connection back to the book and left the moment in the science realm. So simple, but Damon loved it!

Sadly, I had to cancel our subscription to a wonderful online math game. We took advantage of a free two week trial and LOVED it. Dreambox.com. The program increases in difficulty as the kids complete games and concepts. I received email updates about the progress and amount of time he was spending playing the games. So why cancel??? It costs almost the amount of a month's tuition for school. Too much money!! Thankfully, our school math program is kicking in this week. I am hoping it will provide a map for me to create a math program here at home.

Here are the kids enjoying our science experiment for dessert after our taco dinner.

Notice the spotted baby in the green shirt??

Another good day.

Day 6:"B" Week with a Sicky

2009-09-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

I am grateful to have such an easy going Kindergartner. Damon is a champ. He watches his friends go to school, he asks when it is his turn and he doesn't complain. He nicely sits down and writes letters when told, plays math games, dictates stories, and sits with me and reads. He rarely mentions that it is time to stop or that he would like to be doing something else. Mind you, he LOVES his friends and it will definitely benefit our entire "school" process if I make every effort to plan playdates as much as possible. Damon thrives on friendships. He treasures his really close friends, but he treats new friends just the same and enjoys them whole-heartedly. He is a very good friend.

I am struggling (still) with what our day should fully consist of. By this I mean, how do I know when we have studied enough and covered enough material. I stick with the teacher's suggestions, but I still have the nagging little voice telling me that he is not getting all that he deserves. I wonder if that ever goes away, or maybe I'm not doing all I possibly can. It is a horrid realization to think you are not doing enough to educate your own child. I need to figure this out before I go insane worrying about it.

Add to the education of one child, a bizarre illness of another child and it makes for a fairly unproductive, homebound holiday weekend. Brady broke out in hives/welts four days ago. "Broke out" doesn't come close to describing what his little (ok, not so little) body has looked like for the last few days. Trip to urgent care... check! Trip to the doctor... check! Lots of medicine... check! I included some pictures for some Brady sympathy. Poor him.

His tummy was clear by the time this picture was taken, but his entire body looked like this left leg just several hours earlier.

K

Day 5: Nature Walk

2009-09-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

Our school day consisted mostly of a nature walk and a birthday party. The nature walk was an assignment, but the birthday party- not so much. We collected some leaves on our walk and will write in our journal sometime this weekend. The beauty of homeschooling is that the assignments can be completed on my schedule... Friday was a light day for completing anything. Up late sewing last night and up early with a hard-working husband makes for one worn-out mommy.

Good news: Brady can start preschool next week! Two out of our three home days will be sans-little kids. I am smiling.

Day 4: I got a job!

2009-09-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

Just in case homeschooling wasn't enough, today I got a job. It is a small job, but work nonetheless. I am now a sewer (that is a SO-er, not the place where all the unmentionables float around) for The Pleated Poppy. I am hoping to spend 5-10 hours a week, maybe more helping out a VERY creative friend. Tonight I spent my evening stamping and stitching and cutting about 150 green leaves. It's something I can do at home that fits into my own schedule and gives us a little extra each month. Not a bad deal!

Damon was in class today. He loved it, though the only detail I got to hear was that Mrs. F gave out M&Ms for hard workers. Just one more indicator that he is gonna like her as his teacher more than me...hhmmmpf.

Day 3: Write a Book

2009-09-02T21:42:00.000-07:00

After dropping Julia at preschool, sweating at aerobics, checking messages and changing clothes, it was time to get down to "schooling." The strange thing is, I didn't really know what the meant or how to "do" it. So we jumped in with the letter "a" on the white board. Lots of perfect "Aa"s and lots of not so perfect "Aa"s. We were doing fine until Brady realized that we were not playing with him and decided that it was time to DEMAND attention. Suddenly there were crayons flying, pretzels flying, stuffed animals flying, and then he eyed my cell phone. Damon was on his own and the "Aa"s only lasted several minutes without mom's encouragement.

Time for an independent online math game. "School" would have to wait until Brady's naptime. Did I really think I would be able to swing it any other way??

Naptime was very successful, though Julia whined and whined about all the coconuts in her sandwich that I sent to school. The what??? Still haven't figured it out, but I will save it like all uneaten food and offer it to Brady at another meal. Poor third child.

As for Damon, the rest of his school day was a complete success. We read our book, he wrote a book and then he was able to illustrate part of his book with Daddy before dinner. I LOVE the idea that Daddy has a part in our day. The system may be difficult to adjust to, but I already see amazing benefits to our hybrid homeschool program. Our day ended with a trip to the beach to collect seawater for our salt/evaporating science experiment. Whew! Time to sleep.

Damon's version of Apple Pie

Daddy's help saved the day on the leopard page!

Day 2: First day on campus

2009-09-01T21:22:00.000-07:00

Today was a campus day. That means that school was to be had...well... at school. Late, of course, I dropped the little kids at a dear friend's house and sped away toward that big first day of Kindergarten. Damon was quiet and I wondered what his brain was conjuring up about "SCHOOL." Was he nervous? Was he a little self-conscious? Was he ready? Would he know anyone? Would his teacher be nice? Would he find the bathroom? Would he get hungry? Did he like his outfit? oh wait that was my brain. Finally he spoke, "Mommy, do you think that heaven is like when you are in the shower and the water is just perfect and you don't want to get out? Do you think we can have our eyes open?"

Uuuuuuhh......

Damon's little five-year-old brain was contemplating far more important things than nerves. With a new awareness of his mental state, I slowed the car and settled in for a relaxing drive to town. We didn't need to be there early, we had more important things to discuss.

Brooke met us in the parking lot and we started the day. We found a buddy, met the teacher, inspected the playground, said the pledge and said goodbye... for the first hour. Alternating between meetings and hangouts with Damon, we made our way (together) through the first day. Damon was happy, Mrs. F was happy (and wonderful), all the parents seemed happy and I was tired. The mass quantity of head power that I have expended on the start of school has left very little leftover.

By the time we hit the park at 4pm, I had tears welling up. Then SHE showed up. Do you have one of those friends in your life that you rarely see on-purpose, but ALWAYS run into around town? A person that dives straight in without commenting on the weather and gets to the core of your heart instantly? I needed Joy today, and there she was walking through the park at the strangest of hours with time to chat. She refueled me for another "home" day tomorrow. She reminded me why we made this decision and admitted that is was a rough start for their family too. I can't do this alone. I put too much pressure on myself. My schedule has become anything but a schedule, and I don't even have time to call my sister. But with the amazing families that have committed to taking advantage of this opportunity, I will get a good night's sleep and go at it again tomorrow.

I pray the day never comes when Damon is embarrassed by the first day pictures.

Watching and wondering whether or not to join the kids on the playground.

Already making buddies.

We are so lucky to have Mrs. Franzmann as our teacher and only 12 kids in the class.

Walking out of class. First day was a success!!

2009-08-31T23:03:00.001-07:00

We have decided to homeschool part-time. The ironic part is the fact that we made the decision months ago. I have done my best (really) to gather as much info as possible, talk to as many experienced families as possible and price the curriculum several ways to save as money pennies as possible. I visited the school campus many times to become as familiar with the environment and the inner workings as I could. I printed out the grid of assignments for the week and read it over as instructed. I told everyone (including Damon) about school starting on Tuesday. Tuesday we go to school. Tuesday you will meet your teacher. Tuesday is your day. Tuesday...

The email that I sent out last night (Sunday) at midnight:

Alright, Super Awesome SLOCA Support Moms!!!

I feel like a complete idiot. Already behind and we haven't even started yet. I got the grid. I read the grid. I was excited about the grid. Then I got in bed tonight. It suddenly hit me that school doesn't really start on Tuesday, it starts tomorrow! WHAT? I know that I should be more on top of things because this really wasn't a last minute decision or anything, but I did my selfish thing and already planned out my day tomorrow. School wasn't part of it. Am I planning to make an apple pie?? Nope! In fact... I ran out of flour today and can't even fake the measuring part. I think I am going to be sick. Mostly because I have tried to stay on top of things in order to not feel this way and yet, I managed to end up starting this incredibly important week without even owning the right book. How? DON'T ASK!

I guess tomorrow will include a trip to the school book store which is a huge bummer during the Track A first day of school chaos. What was I thinking? I guess I sort of expected the little SLOCA fairy to drop the books off (for free!) at my house in time to teach them. hmmmm, wrong again Kristi!

I promise to get my act together and not be "One of those moms," but man-o-man, I missed the boat this week!!!

Thanks for listening...

Kristi

_________________________________________

Enter Monday morning...

Take Julia to first day of preschool and hit the road for all the errands that will make a day of homeschooling possible, though I really don't even know what a day of homeschooling should look like. Stopped at AAA office for a world map. Stopped at campus to buy this week's reading book, but the store was closed. Pays to know the Nice Office Ladies who happen to have a secret stash of Kindergarten lit books. A run through Marshall's for a backpack and a cart full of groceries for the week. Praise God Brooke had a furlough day today and jumped in to be Super-Dad during my panic attack. Next I threw two kids in their beds for naps and jumped into How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World with world map at hand. Not a bad lesson if I do say so myself, but should I be worried if my five-year-old wants to take a submarine from France to Sri Lanka and then to England and then to "Jamima" (that island in the caribbean.) Submarines would be the best way he tells me.

Next came the apple pie making. Fun! Yum! Then dreaded handwriting. I think I have found a source of frustration already on day one. He finished the "a" page, but it wasn't enjoyable and it cost me several bribes... I mean... stickers. All in all, we go through the day smiling and feeling full from a yummy pie. Am I gonna be able to keep up?

The Making of a Christmas Picture

2007-12-05T21:40:00.001-08:00

Here is a picture of the key players that were involved in the picture taking experience. Thanks to Nana and Papa for all their enthusiastic energy that pulled out so many great smiles.

First, there was Damon who was a little silly.

Then came Julia who is always silly.

Then came Brady who is learning what is means to be silly.

Then all at once we started firing off pictures hoping just once for a quick snapshot that everyone would look at the camera with their eyes open. Smiles would be a bonus! Look up Julia...

Over here Brady...

PERFECT!

Preschool Field Trip

2007-12-04T20:31:00.001-08:00

Damon very much enjoyed his very first school field trip to the Christmas Tree Farm, though I think his favorite part was the bus ride, "With NO seat belts!" Here is Damon ON the bus...

Here is Damon getting OFF the bus! Am I really THAT kind of mom that needs to document every step he takes?

The tractor ride was a huge hit until the tractor stalled and needed to be pushed by parents until backup arrived.

Damon smiled the entire trip out to the trees.

Even Julia was able to join in the fun with our friends Natasha, McKenna and Zechariah.

In fact, thanks to McKenna, Julia was convinced she was a part of the preschool class. Thanks for all the fun McKenna!

Damon and his buddy Samuel were very good listeners and inseparable.

The two boys stayed as close as possible to each other, and had a blast together.

Gotta love the love shared between three-year olds.

Decorating the House

2007-12-04T14:20:00.001-08:00

Damon and Julia could not wait to put the first ornament on the tree. They discussed the perfect placement.

After Daddy jumped in, the decorating sped up considerably. Unfortunately after sacrificing Mom's patience and several fragile ornaments, the well-spaced decorations on the tree all ended up on the top 3 feet away from 2 year old curiosity.

Damon and Julia explained the true meaning of Christmas to Brady.

First Try at Blogging

2007-12-04T13:47:00.000-08:00

This is my attempt at keeping up with all those organized moms that love their kiddos enough to share all their fun pictures with family and friends.

We had a mock tree cutting experience at the tree farm. We carried the saw, Damon sawed a stump, we played hide and seek in the trees and then we picked a tree from the stacks of precut noble firs.

It was a good day.