Halloween

Happy Halloween!  It's a wild day around Ingram School.  We started bright and early by going to Baba's to check mail and get papers and we had to be there by 8:00 to see the new Curious George Halloween special.  Finally, a show that didn't produce whining and crying at the end!!  It was super cute and totally worth it.  I miss Curious George.  I always thought those episodes were cute and we usually learned something.  The kids don't like the drama and today's movie was pretty dramatic, but after hiding behind the couch, Rachel really loved it.  Ruby and Ford loved it, too...they didn't have to hide their eyes as much!!
We came home and did some handwriting and read some Halloween stories and even worked together to bake Jack-O-Lantern cookies.  They had a lot of fun decorating them...candy eyes and all!  Ford started his numbers in his math book today and when he finishes those, he'll be ready to move on to the Kindergarten book and the world of lower case letters!!!  He is so excited!  I think Rachel is just as excited for him!!  We colored some Halloween pictures and Rachel and I worked to make a list of possible candy she might get trick or treating tonight (Ford and Ruby chimed in, too, with their favorites).  I wrote the list of candy and then she wrote it in her handwriting, too.  Tomorrow we'll check off all the things she got in her bucket.  I was going to try to make a chart, but I'm afraid we won't have much candy left...we'll see what happens tomorrow after Papa gets a chance with their buckets :)
This afternoon we have violin.  Rachel is going to wear her costume (she is a witch), but wait for makeup when we get back home).  Allen is lucky enough (or maybe I'm the lucky one!) to leave school a little early today and bring Ford and Ruby home to start getting ready in their costumes and make some food to take to a Halloween party tonight.  When Rachel and I get home, we'll do some quick makeup on everyone, then make our rounds to Ms. Lisa, Dr. Ed, G.G., Aunt B, etc and then head to the Shives.  We're going to load all 5 kids in the wagon and walk down to a Halloween party/dinner thing and then go trick or treating.  We'll see how long we make it!!  It's going to be a wild and crazy afternoon, but I think we'll have a good time.
I've been reading several blogs this afternoon while waiting for Ruby to go to sleep and I've got lots of ideas for the upcoming months as far as holiday planning and de-cluttering go (I know, I have the extreme opposite problem of a hoarder, but it is what it is).
Tomorrow we'll start talking about what we're thankful for and drawing turkeys.  I'm ready to start emphasizing with the kids, too, that we need to be grateful for all that we have and try to do nice things (and meaningful things) for those that don't have as much as we do.  Rachel is starting to learn more and more about that through Daisy Scouts but it can't hurt to talk about it with Ford and Ruby, too!
I'm also trying my best to get a little more exercise in my life (we'll call it P.E.) because I can see the light at the end of the tunnel when it's not okay to eat whatever I want just because I'm pregnant!!  I heard a lot of songs yesterday that I used to listen to while running and my feet were getting a little itchy to get back to the pavement!!
Here's to the end of October...I can't believe how fast the next two months are going to fly!!!

Friday thoughts

--I love cold weather, but boy, has it been cold!!
--Baxter is going to be here before you know it and it will be like he's always been a part of our family.  I clearly remember the feeling I got when each child was born of how weird it was to think of our family without them!
--Halloween is next week, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas...this time of year is so fun, but flies by! And did I mention that Baxter will be here at the end of all that (let's hope we make it that far!!)
--I'm ready to have my energy back and not have aches and pains and be hungry all the time. Hopefully we can get Baxter adjusted quickly so I can get into a better routine of school and planning.
--I love my kids so much, even on the days they drive me crazy!!

Yesterday was so much better, I couldn't even blog about it!

Not one second of TV yesterday made for a much better day (a little sleep helps, too!).   The kids had a great time at story time and we did some extra work because I had a big surprise for them today.  We got up and out of the house at 7:50 this morning!!  I took everyone with me for my 30 week appointment (technically I'm still 29 weeks, but Baxter is definitely measuring a 30!!).  They were really well behaved and Barbara even let them put in an order for the kind of stickers they'd like to have next time so the office girls could order them!  We left there around 9:30 and got in the car with a snack to go to the zoo!!!  It was super cold today but we had a blast looking at all of the animals Rachel's been studying.  It's cool that now she know lions live in Africa and lemurs live in Tropical Rain Forests in Africa and South America.  We ran and ran and learned lessons about avoiding school groups because they're wild and rarely use manners!  Rachel also wanted to know if we could have T-shirts made that say "Ingram School" for when we go on field trips (very observant, that girl!).  We had an eventful afternoon of taking everyone to violin practice...no one would stay with Ms. Lisa at GRACE girls because the girls were being loud and obnoxious.  Ms. Luci was a good sport and even though I didn't get to pay much attention at violin, we made it through!!   We swung by to see Papa real fast and then went to get Baba's mail.  I remembered on the way that we had free Kidz Meal coupons for Zaxby's (everyone should join their Kidz club, it rocks to get free meals for Halloween, Back to School, and their birthdays!!).  Dinner was easy!  Then we played and relaxed a little before having an early bedtime due to the exhaustion!!  It's 7:30 and I haven't heard a peep!  Maybe we should go to the zoo more often :)

How TV ruins our day

We had a super awesome morning filled with discussions of rain forests, monkeys in South America, reviewing ways to add up to 9, practicing upper case letters, reading the Three Billy Goats Gruff, counting circles, using stickers, and more.  This was all done before 8:45!  We needed to go by my Mom's house to check on things and get the papers, so I told the kids if we could finish our school work without whining, complaining, or rushing, we could go in and watch a show and have a snack.  I've never seen kids go for 90 minutes like that without one.single.complaint before!  When we got to Mom's, I settled everyone in front of the TV, divided up the rest of the Goldfish, and they enjoyed an episode of Peg + Cat (a super cute new math show on PBS).  While they watched and ate, I went through the papers, emptied the dishwasher, etc.  I was almost done when the show ended and try, of course, wanted to watch one more show.  I figured it couldn't hurt since the next show was Dinosaur Train and I did want to sit down for a little while.   After that, though, it was, "Can't we watch one more?" and "I want more to eat." and lots of whining.  I said, "No!" to both and loaded up the car.  It was like the whine switch had been turned on and the rest of the morning was Complain City.  We finally started our all-time favorite game of Puzzle Obstacle Course (run two laps, stop and do a puzzle, run two more, stop and do a puzzle, until the puzzles have all been done).  Everyone kind of turned things around and then I made the huge mistake of getting out some more challenging puzzles.  For Ruby, that meant trying the 24 piece Thomas puzzles that Ford has been doing since he was two. Ford started crying like a baby because I let her do those puzzles.  It was the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen!  I tried explaining to him that I had a more challenging (100 piece) puzzle for him but he coukdn't get past the fact that Ruby was doing HIS puzzles.  Once she was done and let him have them, he was better, but he still wouldn't try the harder puzzle which s crazy because he s awesome at puzzles!  After lunch we played some more, then read stories and settled for rest time.  Everyone needed a break, but I desperately needed a shower!!  The safest way for me to take a shower when I'm the only adult here is to lock the door and let the kids watch a show.  We had already met our limit of TV time, but Ruby was asleep, so I thought Rachel and Ford could handle 20 more minutes of a Busytown Mystery so that I could not feel so grungy.  It all went well until I came out and realized Rachel had been chewing on her fingers the whole time...which drives me crazy.  I told her if she did it again she had to leave while Ford finished the show.  Of course, she did it again, so she left and Ford finished the show while I finished getting dressed.  Then he wanted to look up how much a Thomas Train cost so while we did that Ruby woke up and came in my room.  When I turned off the iPad she screamed like someone had pushed her down a flight of steps.  She couldn't believe that I wouldn't let her watch a show or play a game (she had no idea that the other two had watched a show).  It was only after I got Rachel and Ford a snack that she finally calmed down enough to tell me that she would eat a little snack.  I needed some fresh air after that!  We went for a walk and stopped at Vanessa's to swing for a little while, then Rachel got mopey because people weren't paying "her way" and Ruby got mad because Ford decided he didn't want to play with girls.  It was just too much!!  We walked up the hill (with Vanessa and the boys) and played in our back yard for a little while.  Then it was time to fix dinner and see Allen for 30 minutes before he had to leave again.  Rachel drove me crazy by eating with her fingers instead of her fork but I finally got her to use the fork.  I thought everybody might calm down if I let them play in the bath tub instead of just taking quick showers and that finally seemed to do the trick.  We took our time bathing, washing hair, brushing teen, drying hair, etc. and still had time to sit at the table all together and color.  It was a relaxing evening at the end of a chaotic day.  I know my patience level is at an all-time low right now and I don't have the energy to do all they want to do right now, but I'm still blaming it all on the TV!!!  (which I guess really means I blame myself since I let them watch it, but don't tell...)

Lots of work

Rachel and I accomplished a LOT of work today!  We started South America and she pointed out to me that the Equator runs through it (so proud!).  She read a Bob book to me and made sure I saw that it was for First Graders!  We made a KWL chart about rain forests and looked at a rain forest book together.  She wrote and illustrated a story all by herself about three tree frogs who are playing ball outside and have to come in when a storm comes.  She did a math review and made me a little nervous that we're going too quickly through addition.  Some days she remembers the facts and some days she looks at me like she's never seen math before!!  We read "The Bremen Town Musicians"...another crazy Grimm Brothers story.  Ford and Ruby were able to answer all of my questions...Rachel was exhausted by this point!!  All of us made Jack-O-Lanterns out of craft bags and hung them up like stockings over the fireplace.  Ford finished his capital letters today and was so proud of himself!  Ruby emptied out the puzzle basket and was able to put all the puzzles back together.  We played outside for awhile after np time and the ate dinner.  Rachel and I went to Daisy Scouts and then to bed.  It's been a busy day but it feels good to get so much done and have fun doing it!!

The end of North America

It's Friday, AKA pizza night, so we're having Mexican pizza.

Rachel and I looked at picture books of Canada and Mexico today.  She was bored.

We read "The Wolf and the Seven Kids" today.  Ford doesn't understand why all of these fairy tales have wolves that eat people or animals and then get cut open in the end.  Frankly, I don't get it either!!  Those Grimm brothers had wild imaginations!!  I'm also not sure how I feel about the celebration at the end that the wolf is dead.  I'm sure long ago parents were in an uproar over the violence in fairy tales!!

Ford has been sad lately that Allen has to go to work.  He wanted to move his bed back to his old room with Baxter's crib and make a boys' room.  He also thinks Allen will be sleeping in there with them.  I think he's got big plans for late night boys' nights!!

Ruby got a new tutu and fairy wings today from my friend's mother.  As if wearing just the leotard weren't enough!!  Always fun to take Ruby and her outfits out in public :)

Good books

We had a pretty regular morning today.  In addition to our normal work routine, Rachel, Ruby and I read about the Statue of Liberty since that is the landmark we're supposed to associate with Nirth America.  Rachel and I decided it would be fun to go see it in person some day!  Ford has been asking to go to our favorite little library out in the country, so when we finished our work, we headed out there.  He went straight to "the big Thomas book" while Ruby looked through some Dora books.  I love how this library is laid out and I was quickly able to find books about South America and rain forests for next week as well as some more age-appropriate books on Canada and Mexico for this week. It is well worth the 15 minute (or 4 Taylor Swift songs) drive to get such great books!!  Our library in town will never be this organized, not because the librarians don't care, but because people don't put things back or take care of books like they should.  I am always so impressed with the quality of books out in the country, not only in subject matter but how well they are taken care of!!
This afternoon we have violin and maybe a little time at GRACE Girls to make soap.  It's been a pretty good rainy day :)

Apples Galore

What's more American than apple pie or Johnny Appleseed?  Today we ate apples for a snack and got the seeds out after reading two stories about good old Johnny Appleseed.  We'll do our best to plant these seeds and see if anything happens.  I have to say, Ol' Johnny must have had more patience than I do because I think it takes a LONG time for apple trees to grow!!  We stopped by the store after story time today and picked up some Apple Cider to go with our lunch.  Rachel and I had homemade applesauce with our lunch, but Ruby and Ford wanted pineapple instead (at least it has the word apple in it!).  Hopefully, that will take care of our apple fix!  I'd love to have apple pie, too, but we're going to a dinner at church tonight where there will be lots of cakes and desserts, so we'll try that for another day maybe?
Rachel's assignment during story time was to find a book on the Statue of Liberty and to see if she could find the Mexcian and Canadian flags.  With the help of Mr. Jason, she managed to do all of those things.  Basically, she handed him her list and he found it all, but we're getting there!
Everyone did their math and writing and Rachel read another Bob book and practiced a few new sight words.  Ruby had an activity book that was full of dot to dots and mazes and stickers.  She didn't exactly follow any of the directions, but she had a great time pretending to be a big kid who could do all of those things.  Have I mentioned that she is no longer wearing a Pull-Up at night?  Allen and I are taking her to the bathroom a few times during the night, but since we're up anyway, this is way better than buying Pull-Ups or diapers!!  She really wants to be a Big Girl when Baxter gets here!!
I think this afternoon we'll get the arts and crafts bin out and just see what we can create.  Ruby and I talked about making an apple mosaic, but we may just be coloring with markers again...

An Apple a Day

I am going to try to get back on the blogging track this week because I do feel like it helps keep me accountable for school work.  I don't have any administrators popping in to observe or checking lesson plans, so this blog is my record.  It might be easiest just to make a list to kind of catch up on what we've been doing and where we're headed.  I might be repeating myself from earlier posts, but it's been so long, we all need a refresher course!

Rachel is:
Studying the seven continents...we've done Asia and Africa.  This week is North America.  She has breezed through almost all of her addition facts...this week is the 9 family and there are a few extras for the final lesson before we start subtraction!  She is reading the Bob Books Sight Words collection and spelling everything ridiculously well.  She loves trying to spell words and gets them right most of the time (definitely an innate ability!).  We are doing a different story every day from the list in the Core Knowledge series. Some of them link to the continent we're learning about and some don't.  We're keeping a chart of the titles, authors, illustrators, setting, characters, problems, and solutions.  We're kind of in a lull this week for Science but we are talking a little about apples since it's fall and we'll learn about Johnny Appleseed since he's North American.
Rachel has been doing extremely well with violin and loves her Daisy Scout troop.  She's headed for a new song in violin that is NOT another version of Twinkle!!!  She's learning about being fair and honest at Daisies.  Basically, the girl is busy!!

Ford is:
Zooming through his handwriting book which has basically been a review of all the capital letters.  I think he'll be ready to move on to lower case letters after Christmas but he's in no rush.  He is doing a much better job with his counting in math. It's taken awhile for him to slow down and count each item instead of just putting his fingers on things and calling out numbers.  I think we'll be gearing up for some more serious math soon.  He has a little workbook that he loves to do activities in, too, like cutting, matching, mazes, color by number, etc.  Let's face it, though, the boy would play trains all day by himself if I let him!!
He finished up soccer last week and was so excited to get a medal!!  We also got his team picture back...it's a group of cute looking kids with their coach and then there's Ford making the craziest face. Hysterical!!  He is starting to talk about learning an instrument next Fall, either ukulele or violin, but he really wants to take art classes in the spring!

Ruby is:
Out of control.  Seriously.  We are deep in that transition between the terrible twos and the "oh, yeah, did I mention three is worse?" era.  There are days where she is so sweet and works hard at whatever she is doing and then there are those other days.  I don't even need to elaborate!!  She finally talks to Mr. Drew, the new librarian. For weeks she covered her eyes at story time so he woudn't look at her but now she's back to normal story time Ruby.  She loves to hear stories, she loves to color with markers, she loves to paste paper to paper, she LOVES stickers and puzzles.  She also loves necklaces, bracelets, headbands, leotards, tutus, fancy dresses, high heels, makeup, etc etc.  She can already tell you all about Asia and Africa so when she gets to Kindergarten, we'll move on to other things!  She always wants to be a part of Science and Social Studies and whatever stories Rachel is reading.  (Ford plays trains most of that time, but still soaks in a lot of the information!)
She says she wants to take ballet next year or maybe horseback riding or maybe art or maybe guitar...she will definitely be well rounded!!!

Baxter is:
Growing fast!  I am 28 weeks along and he's doing great.  I'm really hoping we make it to 40 weeks but he will be a big baby!!!  He moves a lot after I eat and at night but sleeps a lot too.  I know he's running out of room because my lungs have run out of room, too!!

We went to Dr. Ed's office today and everyone got the flu mist. Rachel and Ford did great.  Ruby screamed bloody murder because they made her lay down.  Then she woukdn't take stickers from the sweet nurse but screamed in the car because I only got her one sticker!!!  It never ends!!!

I think that's our school world in a nutshell.  I'll try to be more specific more often, especially since it's going to get crazy again here soon!!

Trying to find normal

Our world has been out of sorts lately, to say the least.  It's been almost two weeks since my father died and we just haven't quite gotten fully back on track.  I feel like I'm living in a fog similar to the fog that comes when a new baby arrives.  You just kind of get up and keep moving because really, what choice do you have?  The difference here is that instead of a baby, we have grief and instead of diapers and feedings, we have lots of questions.  Allen and I have really tried to keep things as normal as possible for the kids but it's not always easy.  School has definitely not been what I hoped but we haven't completely lost focus.  Rachel started learning about the seven continents focusing on Asia this week.  We read a book about wind today and made a weather vane for the yard.  We haven't worked together on spelling hardly at all, but the other night when I left her room, she said, "Mama!  G-o-o-d n-i-g-h-t.". I was so proud of her for learning to spell that on her own!!  Ford has drastically improved at soccer.  He's finally taking the initiative to go up to the kid with the ball and kick it away before he/she can score.  I think we have a defender on our hands.  He has been the one with the most questions lately and wants to know all about why your body gets sick and where our bones go.  He told us out of the blue today that when he dies he wants to be beside Rachel's box because she's his best friend...pretty sweet in a creepy kind of way!  Ruby has become even more of an extremist than I ever thought possible.  She has hit a stage of not liking anything from the clothes we pick out to the food we serve for any meal.  I just keep trying to move on and let her throw a fit and then watch her go back to sweet when she gets over it.  She is really into coloring and pasting these days, so I'm trying to sit down with her more to do that.  Not quite ready to let her do the cutting yet!
     Our day is all about keeping things balanced and helping everyone get what they need.  We're also at the point of the year where time seems to speed up, so it feels even harder to catch up some days.  We've got Halloween costumes ready (thank goodness!) and then we'll have to figure out what our plan is for Thanksgiving.  Then we'll start that game of will the baby come before or after Christmas?!?!  My hope is we'll make it to January before we meet Baxter, but we've got to be ready for him just in case!  It's a wild ride around here and I know for the next year I'm going to be doing just as much hanging on as I will be driving!!