Summer Reading

So here I sit, in the local library, during the summer reading program. This morning I am at the library in the community the girls reside. Later, we will also attend the one in my community library. I think the girls will enjoy it better but for now we will be doing two different reading programs. Kelley and her family live outside of their community and it really is between hers and mine. So there are a few changes that are taking place.

Kelley is going to be a leader for a new brownie troop that Grace will participate in. Long and dramatic story but it will be what is best for Grace overall. Her current troop is doing NOTHING on a routine basis and a hit and miss program is pretty useless. With that said, I will be a leader for the Daisy Troop that Faith will be in. I thought I had paid my dues in this organization but will once again begin a ten year commitment.  Let's pray I can stay alive that long! 

We are still not done with our house remodeling project. I sure wish I was married to a handyman sometimes. Yesterday we saw something on TV about polygamy. I told him I need a handy-husband as my second husband. One that once all the work was done I could loan out elsewhere.

We continue to teach through the summer but find it hard as Kelley has taken on care of two children for the summer. I feel as if I am mean when I exclude the other girls but I cannot effectively teach when the other children do not live their lives in the same manner as we do. Kelley has discovered that the average town person has an effect on her children.

OK so I am listening as I type to the library program. The theme is "Reading is Delicious" but they are talking about the flag. AND WOW>>>>>it is boring!!!!  Lets face it, these kids are 8-12 and have learned this. OH...I just heard Grace telling the speaker about the first flag and how it is different from today's flag.  The speaker ask a question that she does not intend to have them answer as she keeps on speaking and telling them the response. Grace keeps raising her hands to answer but she just keeps talking in a monotone voice.   OH OH OH    now we are going to watch a video rather than read a book about flags.

Gonna go now, I am getting headache.

Mixing Summer with School

I think I am doing a pretty good job at this. I am finding most class time is on the deck, under the huge shade trees, using my new patio table. We seem to have completely forgotten about the desire to have a recess time between major topics but move right through it all so that they are playing for a long period of time.

The obstacles are the two additional children Kelley is babysitting. They are a distraction. I know that many would say....they need to be able to work in distractions too.  But it is more than that. Grace seems to feel very inferior to her friend when it comes to her lessons. It really ticked me off when the friend said "duh that is 13."  I found myself telling her that not everyone is the same and some area Grace has to think on more to answer. I found it a bit revealing however when she wanted to do some of the same math problems but missed more than half of them.  Additionally, she had never been introduced to Roman Numerals yet.  Unfortunately, I could not point this out to Grace as it would not have been the right thing to do.

So we move along. All subjects most days. Our butterflies have emerged and we will release them tomorrow. I am still remodeling a lot and so all is out of structure but we are making it through anyway.

That will be all for now. Faith began a girl scout day camp today and I am exhausted.