Parade

W marched in a local Memorial Day parade today! He was really excited to meet up with his new cub scout friends again. We met in front of the meeting hall at around noon and walked over to the parade area. The boys got lollipops, American flags, and lined up behind the older boy scouts with the big banner. I love parades. I was especially moved today watching all the veterans. They walked, they marched, they were in wheelchairs or on floats. The parade-goers all clapped and yelled out "Thank You" as they went by. They did this for the current military men and women, too. W's group walked with their heads high and showed their pride the whole quarter-mile down the avenue. One thing I notice about some of the towns in Queens is that they have a great sense of community and a real small-town feel to them. I love that. NY Senator Charles Schumer marched with us as well. He kept saying "Thanks for remembering!". That made me teary, too. I think US veterans should be put on a pedestal. To spend years of your life protecting and fighting for our country deserves so much respect and thanks. I'm grateful to all of them.

We bought a new computer today - I couldn't stand the HP we had. We bought a Dell and so far I'm loving it. I played around a lot today, getting the connections working, transferring files, and getting a feel for this Windows Vista. One thing I did was go over the kids' new schedules. They seem to have a lot on their plates. We'll be starting this week and will just have to tweak it as we go along. I know they're ambitious and determined, but we'll see how much actually gets checked off. I'll be posting about the academic stuff several times a week. It certainly makes it easy for me to write up the district paperwork that way. We'll be utilizing the libraries and bookstores a lot. The next book on J's list is Tom Sawyer. I'm pretty sure W will love that one, too.

In keeping with the kids' decision to have scheduled academics on weekday mornings, we sat together this week and pulled great stuff from a few different websites that focus mainly on Charlotte Mason. It's been working really well so far and they want to continue with the great readalouds, narrations, copywork, nature study, art, history timeline, dictation, and artist/composer studies. And they also want to keep doing their favorite workbooks, J's math program, science experiments, crafts, homeschool co-ops, field trips, and W's spelling tests (he loves those). I have also found some awesome booklists of classics I think they'll love. It's just so amazing to me how much fun they have with it all. J especially, can't get enough. She's like a sponge for learning new things. I'm so grateful that homeschooling brought that back to her.

Any schedule we make is really only guideline for us, and we don't always get everything done that's on our list. And that's totally okay. I love the days they spend being creative and engrossed in their own artwork or game they made up. It's fun and stress-free to follow their lead and see what the day holds. Even if we follwed the schedule to the letter, I don't think it would take more than 3 hours. The entire rest of the day is a free, unscheduled cornucopia of whatever they choose. Both kids got the painting bug again and are currently into acrylics on canvas and paper. Can life get any better?

Dance this week has been all about the recital coming up next month. J's in about 10 numbers (including her vocal solo) and they're still learning stuff like the finale and opening numbers. On Wednesday we went to a class at a nearby environmental center with the homeschool group. The topic for both groups was insects and there must have been about 40 kids total. I organized it and had 2 classes running at the same time - one for ages 6-9 (about 15 kids) and another for ages 10-13 (about 25 kids). It seemed everyone enjoyed it and even got to take home a butterfly larvae. We're putting ours in one of our old, small fishtanks where it'll hang from the top and hopefuly soon turn into a butterfly. Thursday was the circus class. They're still loving it and both want to continue with it next year. J is also begging for violin lessons, but she'll already have dance, circus, voice, and sewing (plus homeschool clubs, competitions and fundraisers for dance, and volunteering somewhere). Right now, the kids are at the comedy/improv workshop (next week is the last week, and it was free). It must be nice to have all this energy, lol.

W will be doing hip-hop dance, cub scouts, and football. Football starts next week and I think he's so ready for their "Peanut" league. This Sunday is a cub scout parade. Dance starts up again in September. Thankfully most of the kids' activities won't break the bank (yet). I'm all for letting them trying whatever piques their interest. I think it's great they have so much to choose from in this city.

W's first Cub Scout meeting was pretty cool. He liked it so we might do the last few activities for the season and then re-up in September. There were a lot of kids there who seem to be divided by age groups (or school grades). He was nervous not knowing anyone, but fit in the mix well and made a couple of friends already. They're having a year-end parade and party this coming Sunday and a weekend camping trip at the beginning of June. It looks fun and this group is really active, so we'll see how it goes.

J had her final competition of the season this weekend. She did her 3 solos and 1 group number on Saturday and 2 group numbers on Sunday. They didn't do all their groups, as this was an optional competition and there was a girl missing. Again she did so great and was happy to finish out the season on a really high note. There were about 15 studios there. Her scores were:

Jazz Solo: Extreme Gold, Special Award - "Fabulous Faces"
Musical Theater Solo (categorized as "Open" in other comps): Extreme Gold (2nd place overall out of a top 10 - our studio took the top 4 places)
Vocal Solo: Extreme Gold
Small Group, Jazz: Platinum (1st place overall - out of a top 10 - and highest scoring group number of the day, and the XCaliber Award $300, so each child gets $50)
Line, Tap: Platinum
Large Group, Jazz: Extreme Platinum and 1st Place overall

K was at her friend's house all day Saturday and joined us on Sunday morning to cheer J on at the competition's second day. After her 2 groups, I brought J back to the dance studio to have headshots taken. B took W and K to CCD where it was the last day of classes until September. They met us back at the studio at around 1 and we drove out to my sister's house for my nephew's First Communion party. It rained most of the day, but we all had a great time. We got home around 8pm and B and the kids transferred our goldfish and water frog into a larger tank. We had to take the bullfrog tadpole out the other day because he grew some front legs seemingly overnight and now he needs less water and a place to climb out on. The tadpole has been fascinating for the kids (and me). Every day it changes more. We can't wait to see how big of a frog it becomes. Pretty cool entertainment for less than 2 bucks, lol!

This week the kids have been busy at friend's houses, circus class, the playground, and running errands with me. J and her friend A are still running their juice stand - and still doing pretty well at it. W got a RipStik on Sunday from my mom. She bought it for him for Christmas, but we both thought it looked too big for him. A friend of his has one and W really liked it, so mom decided why not let him have it (she never did return it to the store, lol). So he's been practicing all week on it. J likes it a lot and picked it up quickly. It's kind of like an inline skateboard that can twist to propel you forward. It's weird, yet cool. It comes with a carrying case you sling over your back and W has been bringing it everywhere. He's also been helping me with the garden (he's a great weed-puller) and riding his bike.

Circus class is going very well. The kids are learning front and back handsprings, using the ring, the trapeze, the trampoline, and doing lots of tumbles and flips. It's a great workout and sometimes I just want to jump in there and do it too! There's still another month of classes.

W expressed interest in becoming a Cub Scout, so I called around and found a pack that meets on Fridays (when I'm off) and fit's in with our schedules. There's only 2 meetings left for the school year, but W was invited to join in now anyway. They have 4 Eagle Scouts this year. So if kids are sticking it out, it must be a good group. We'll see. It's after the acting class they have tomorrow, so I think we'll make it.

K's school year is winding down. Next week is "spirit week" and she's looking forward to it. Every day next week has some fun theme to it. On Memorial Day weekend she's going to a dance club for teens with all her friends and the school has some big trip planned for June. I'm just looking forward to her last day of the year.

J's last competition for the season is this weekend. Her solos are on Saturday afternoon with awards at 9pm and groups are on Sunday morning. She's doing all 3 of her solos (2 dance and 1 vocal). This one is close to home and she's so excited. Then the recital is June 8th and then the summer session starts. J is an assistant teacher to 5 y/os on Tuesdays. For the recital she will be in the pit in front of the stage directing the kids during their dance. The studio owner emailed me today saying things like: she did a terrific job, she was so impressed, she loved how the kids reacted to her, it made her smile, J is a teacher at heart, and she wanted to let us know it didn't go unnoticed. B and I both had tears in our eyes reading that. I had no idea J was doing all of that with the kids. I did notice how she was so mature and confident at the recital rehearsal last week and really knew what she was doing. I'm always proud of her no matter what, but it was extremely touching that she was recognized and appreciated for it. :)

Boy On a Bike

W is finally up and on a 2-wheeler like a pro. Last fall we knew he needed a new bike and let him practice on his sister's old one to get the hang of it. It was painfully small - and had a flat tire - but he rode it 50 feet. Then he fell over and decided he wasn't crazy about bike riding. We found a gorgeous bike for him on Craigslist for $40. It is big (more for like a 9-10 y/o) but I figured he'd do ok. But even with the seat down all the way, he still couldn't touch the ground with his feet, so we left the bike in the garage until the other day.

We went out in the backyard to play some basketball and I suggested he try sitting on his bike to see if he's grown taller. His toes reached the ground! He wanted to practice back and forth in the backyard and after an initial push-off, he did it! He wanted to try it at the park around the corner (which has a much bigger paved area) so off we went. He put on his helmet, swung his leg over, I gave him a push and he rode all over the park, turning, slowing down, speeding back up, using the hand brakes, and being brave enough to ride one-handed. Stopping without toppling over took a couple more tries, but he got it. He lets the bike tip to the side and lands flat on one foot now without missing a beat.

He is shocked that he got the hang of it the first time (I am too, actually). He loves the wind in his face and darting in and out of the skateboarders. He's now asking to ride every day. I love that the perfect riding spot is right around the corner - safe, big, and open. Yay W!

The kids and I went to the zoo,... um, Queens Wildlife Center today. We planned on hitting the Hall of Science, but afer we watched to 137th schoolbus file into their parking lot, we rethought that idea. It was such a nice day out and walking around outside was definitely more doable. We go there every year or so, but the kids seemed so excited about it today as if the were seeing everything for the first time. W loved the hidden code information circles (where you put your red card over it to read the info). The animals were all out and walking around. I guess morning is probably the best time to go. They really liked the aviary, where the birds flew right next to you. We saw South American parakeets (beautiful green), egrets, a turkey vulture, porcupine, and lots of others.

At the pond we saw 2 of these:



And that was very timely since we're still reading Trumpet of the Swan. And lots of other animals:






We then headed over to the petting zoo (now called the Children's Farm). I guess they're trying to make these sound more animal friendly or something. After that the kids took a ride on the carousel. It's a great park. I want to take the kids back there with their bikes soon.

Ok, so as if the kids aren't busy enough, J reminded me on Friday morning about the free improvisation-comedy-drama workshop (for ages 10-14) that was at 4pm that day. Sheesh. I did forget, actually. But she and her friend (A) signed up for it and both were dying to go. I drove her over there, she got settled in, we met the worman running the class (a "real" actress, so they say), and went off with W to the run some errands. W and I returned after like 10 minutes and hung around the place when one of the workers there said that there's some more room in the class and W is welcome to join them. What? "Um, he's only 7". "Oh, that's fine". And off he went, happy to get to do this too.

Now I knew J wouldn't be too keen on her little brother being in there with her, but it worked out well. When they came out she said he was hamming it up a bit and told weird jokes. W said he loved the class and only told jokes because the instructor asked him to (which she did). After a few minutes the instructor found us upstairs to return W's jacket and I mentioned that W might be to young for this class and I'm not sure if it's a good fit for him. She said (almost whispering) that W was "really good at it" and "was truly the best boy in the class" and "so adorable". Ok, so maybe this might be his thing. He wants to do the entire 4 weeks - fine with me (and you can't beat free). J promised to be a little more tolerant next time, lol. The instructor also told me that we should look into the kids theater group she runs in Manhattan for J. That was a nice offer I thought.

Today the kids performed in their circus show! It was originally scheduled for April 25, but we were busy that weekend and they were nice enough to reschedule it for us. They did really great! They did a 15 minute routine during the big 2-hour show. The place was packed! I didn't think there'd be such a turnout. The 6 homeschooled acrobats had the audience cheering and clapping and on their feet. It was so friggin cool. A (very) famous tennis player was sitting near us in the audience. That was cool too. :)

In other news, I found a place near us that gives private hour-long voice lessons for a great price. J didn't really connect with the girl from last year so we've been on the lookout for something else. She'll be doing a new vocal solo for next year's competition season and wants to start lessons at least by August. I think we hit paydirt. I need Tuesday early afternoons and they have that timeslot available. I prefer around the same hourly rate I was paying last year and they charge less. J prefers someone youngish - their teacher is young (mid-30s). J needs someone who knows Broadway - their teacher specializes in Broadway. I need something close by - this place is 1.97 miles and 6 minutes away (according to mapquest). Is this meant to be? We shall see.

On Sunday the kids had their CCD class. They've missed 3 weeks in a row due to us being at the circus and 2 competitions. It seems to be ok though. K taught the 6th grade class for the day. I know it was a big job (there are some rowdy ones in there), but K handled them well. In the afternoon we all went to a big party for our (hs) friend's 2 daughters - one made her Confirmation and one made her First Holy Communion. It was a lot of fun, with a big sit-down Italian dinner, a DJ, dance floor, and tons of kids.

On Monday we all pitched in and cleaned up the house. Tuesday the kids did a lot of table work from their schedules and I did a couple of readalouds. J had dance at 4, where they're putting the final touches into some recital numbers. They're also tightening up their company routines for the upcoming competition.

On Wednesday we met up with the new homschool group for a book quilting discussion.. The kids are going to eventually make a big quilt and every square will be of the kids' own creation based on their favorite book. The big kids (10 of them ages 8-11) went into a separate room to work on their ideas. The little kids (9 of them ages 3-8) discussed their favorite books, read us some books, and enjoyed some play time. After that, some of us went to get pizza and then returned to the library for an awesome class on making Andean pan flutes. This was a free class given by the library and we were invited to join in. The instructor was an amazing flute player and has been giving these classes for over 20 years. He got down to the basics and showed the kids how to cut the reeds to size, what kind of musical scale is generally used in these flutes, and how to put it all together. He even played us a few tunes. Everyone got a hacksaw (!) and sawed away at the reeds. Then sanded it down flat and got it ready for stringing. It was really cool and the kids loved it!






J went over a friend's house after that class. K met up with friends after school and just hung out all day. She gets out early on Wednesdays and has a few hours to herself. The kids meet up at a nearby juice bar or snack place usually. Ah, to be a teen again.

Thursday was the circus class. They rehearsed their routine mostly for their show on Sunday. The adult group is a profesional bunch of acrobats who do weekend shows every spring. All the kids classes get to show themselves off during one of the professional shows. J and W's class has theirs in 2 days. B, K, and I are going and my mom is driving in to see it as well. It looks so cool. After that I'm going to meet up with my homeschool mom friends for a Mom's Night Out. I'm really looking forward to that!

When we left the circus class we headed over to a pretty little park for a May Day celebration. One of the moms (S) made a really awesome may pole and the kids were so excited to ribbon the pole down to the bottom. We all brought picnic stuff and had a great lunch on the grass. It was a gorgeous day. The boys went off to play baseball while the girls made flower wreaths for their hair. S brought a few bouquets to cut the flowers off of and showed the girls how to string them into a crown. I was impressed at how they came out. When it was may pole time, the girls (and a boy or 2) grabbed a ribbon and interweaved themselves around each other in a alternating circles to create a braid of ribbon down the pole. It wasn't perfect, but they certainly tried really hard and I know they had a blast. They were at it for a while, trying new dances and attracting a bit of an audience, lol.

All 3 kids have spend the last few days with friends somewhere. It must be the nice weather. K has been hanging out with school friends, going on sleepovers, and playing football in the street with a bunch of kids. I used to love doing that stuff. J has also been out every day at friends' houses and last night was invited to a 6th-8th grade dance at a nearby school. She had a lot of fun and was so cool about it. What I love about J is that there's never any pretension. Nothing is fake about her. What you see is what you get. She has so many really deep, long-term friendships and feels no need to try and impress anyone for approval (unlike what I see in most middle school cliques). 7 of her best friends were with her lastnight (3 boys, 4 girls - ages 10, 11, 11, 11, 12, 13, and 13), all of whom would do anything for her and vice versa. She has way too many activities and things to focus on to start thinking about boys "like that". I envy that kind of self image and confidence.

W's been at the playground every day, meeting new kids, riding his scooter, and playing basketball. He make friends very easily. Yesterday I watched as he ended up with 3 other boys for a basketball game. I see him get patted on the back and do that fist-bump-that-turns-into-a-cool-handshake thing with the new kids and wonder how he knows that. He could get a game of cops and robbers going in no time and spend hours there. He shares his things and knows how to not get taken advantage of. He's big for his age and doesn't get messed with - and he knows it. But he'll always make time to run over to me for a hug and kiss.

I love springtime.

Today was a wonderful day with the homeschool group for their first geography club! It was very well organized and such a pleasure to be a part of. When we got there tons of food from Spain was spread out on the table. There was gazpacho, flan, chorizo, paella, tapenade, bread, natilla, and leche frita. We brought churros - which are our favorite Spanish dessert. (Click on the picture of the churros for the recipe!). I decided I was actually going to cook (instead of buying something from the many many ethnic restaurants around here) and I was so excited to get the kids involved and everything. So I had everything ready - down to the pastry bags and fluted tip - and everything went wrong. The first bag exploded, I then used a heavier Ziploc baggie, but the fluted tip shot right out of it, then the dough was too thick, then dough was all over me and the kitchen, then I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown.

K had woken up by this point and just said, "Mom, let me do it". I handed her all the stuff and she was a true professional. She doubled up the pastry bags, snipped off a corner and the tip sat perfectly inside. She spread the tip open a little wider so the dough flew out easier. She got the oil to the perfect temperature and made beautiful ribbons of churro. After 2-3 minutes she tonged them out into a container while I was ready with the powdered sugar. She did the whole batch fairly quickly and I couldn't thank her enough. I resign myself to the fact that I am completely and unarguably culinarily challenged.

The kids presented their reports on a small stage and spoke into a microphone attached to a big amplifier. About 20 kids gave a report on different things about Spain. I was so impressed with many of the littler kids who were so comfortable in front of a crowd and with the shy kids who used every nerve in their body to accomplish a few minutes of public speaking. My kids happen to love being the center of attention and did really well.


When if was over, some of us walked around the block to a nice playground and just relaxed. J, W, and I stayed about an hour and then headed over to a large park by the dance studio for over 2 hours of professional photos being taken. All 3 company teams were there to have shots taken for the studio website and a recital montage on the big screen. The theme was "on tour" and all the kids had to wear rock-n-roll shirts, denim, skulls, roses, and other cool things. It was a gorgeous day and the kids went to so many different areas of the huge park for good pics. They looked like movie stars and many people asked us what was going on, lol. W hung out with some of the other dancer's brothers who were there and skateboarded, played with a puppy, ran around in the playground area, and really enjoyed the day as well.

J went to her friend's house after the photoshoot. K spent the day at a friend's house, too. W and I got home around 7 and we are all just relaxing now from a huge day.

J was at a friend's house the past 2 days creating and running a juice-and-cookies stand on the block. They did very well, I must say. Yesterday they made over $15 selling a well tested grapefruit-orange juice combination in small cups for $.50 each. They used the "free sample" ploy and got most of the tasters to come back for more. A few people put a dollar in the jar just because they were so cute, lol. Today they decided to reinvest some of the money they made back into their business. They made a big poster for their stand and bought more juice, a case of water, and cookies. The weather wasn't as great as yesterday, but they still made about $9. Not bad for a couple of little entrepeneurs.

Both kids wrote out their reports for an upcoming hs geography club event this week. I helped W with his. I have to say that not only has W's reading ability jumped ahead several more hurdles, but his handwriting is gorgeous! It came out to a page long and he's so ready to read it in front of the group. J wrote up a couple of pages already and will probably enhance her report with pictures like she always does.

B's and my 15th wedding anniversary was this weekend. We bought ourselves a new GPS to celebrate! J and W presented us each with cards and gifts (K slept over a friend's and wasn't there). They used some money from their Easter gift cards to spend on us - I got all choked up. J got me a beautiful magnet and B a picture frame. W got me a lip gloss and B a small address book. They did this all on their own and I am so incredibly proud of them.

Everyone's loving the readalouds. It's such a simple way to connect with the kids. They get so much out of it, too - and I don't just mean learning. I'm reading with J at nighttime and with both kids during the morning. We read The Velveteen Rabbit the other morning and the kids got so into that story, they couldn't stop talking about it for days. I'd never read it myself and I got emotional at the end when the fairy tells the rabbit to go run and play. We'll be reading all the classics we have at home first, before we head to the library or bookstore for more. Some of what we have are ones that were forced down J's throat in 2nd and 3rd grades, but she's all into reading them again to understand them this time. She picked Trumpet of the Swan, which is a great story. W likes it too. I just love the relaxed reading time with the kids.

The other day we met up with the homeschool group for a walking tour of a nearby neighborhood. Many of Queens' neighborhoods were so carefully thought out and put together. Due to the many people living here, the house/apartment setups needed to be practical and accomodating, yet they still included beautiful architecture and aesthetic design. Queens is part of NYC, but it's no Manhattan. It's almost suburban in many areas. There's a perfect amount of greenery and nature here for me. Nature, wildlife, picnics, gardens - plenty of that here. I couldn't imagine how mentally stable I'd be living in what's considered a rural area. I mean, I feel like I'm going to lose it after 2 days at my mom's in the suburbs. I love living in Queens and the walking tour made me appreciate it so much more. Today I'm going to open all the blinds and windows, read with the kids, tidy up, and play basketball with them in the backyard. :)

J's 2 dance solos were on Sunday morning. Early. J has never been a morning person and whenever competitions scheduled her before 11am I knew she'd be tired and not stretched enough. We had a great year of solos being held after 5pm, which J feels is her best time of day. So, with both her dance solos scheduled before 9:15am this time, I was concerned for her. We got her dressed at mom's, she threw her team gear on and we were out the door before 8am. We got a panicked phone call when we were 1/2-way there that the comp was running 1/2 hour early and J would be on in 8 numbers (about 20 minutes). Ugh, now not only was J going on at 8:30am instead, but we were really late.

We got there in time, ran to the dressing room, did a last minute costume pinning, makeup-touchup, and hairspray and her coach whisked her off to get backstage. I was a mental mess. I felt bad about being late and having to rush and I just hoped she was in a confident mood today. They called her on stage and she performed beautifully - but to me, it's always beautiful since I have no full understanding about technique or what the judges look for. The teachers, studio owner, and parents came up to me afterwards and said it was the best they've ever seen it. I couldn't even hear much of what was being said as we only had 3 minutes to get changed for J's next dance.

Awards were at 10:30 and the first thing they announce are the judges choice awards. These are for choreography, precision, showmanship, and fabulous feet. They called out J for the precision award! Precision (i.e. technique) has always been the one area she gets point off on.

Then....


for J's Jazz Solo Age 11, (there were 4 in her category)....


she got her adjudication award....


and...


she....


got...





!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Her first Platinum (highest award given) for a solo. What an amazing way to end the season! It was surreal to see and hear our studio screaming and cheering. I was in shock, B was all teary-eyed and J was beaming. She has reached a personal goal and I know it felt good. And out of all the junior solos in all categories, she placed 2nd - five-tenths of a point away from 1st place. She was up there on a cloud, it seemed.

Lotsa great stuff going on around here. We're in the middle of another competition. This one's in Long Island. It's one of the biggest and best there is - 26 different studios and 544 numbers. 4 of J's groups went today and they were unbelievable! The 3 highest awards to receive at this one are Gold, High Gold, and Platinum:

Small Group Lyrical Age 11 - Platinum Award, 1st Place in category, and 2nd place overall for small groups (all categories ages 9-12)

Small Group Jazz Age 11 - Platinum Award, 1st Place in category, and 3rd place overall for small groups (all categories, ages 9-12)

Small Group Tap Age 11 - High Gold

Large Group Jazz Age 12 (11 yr olds and 14 yr olds together) - Platinum Award, 1st place in category, 1st Place overall for Large Groups (all categories ages 9-12)

This is the best they've done all season and needless to say the whole studio is thrilled beyond belief. Tomorrow she'll do her 2 dance solos and whole company tap production number. I love the way this competition is set up. There's plenty of time between numbers to change, lots of downtime, and we're done early.

Circus class has been great the past few weeks and they're having a show in May. I'm excited about a new homeschool group - very close to home - that we've recently become a part of. We meet on Wednesdays and last week they held a wonderful knitting-felting class for us. The kids got to try out a spinning wheel, check out a bunch of different wools, learn how to knit and felt, and make yarn dolls. Next week we're touring one of the local neighborhoods. It's great to have a group of awesome homeschooling moms so nearby!

Another thing going on around here is that the kids firmly decided that they want more Charlotte Mason in their lives. They've always loved the CM method and now want it to be continuous and more scheduled. I have no problem with what ever they want. As a matter of fact, I even began reading more about CM so I understand it more and not just dabble in the various activities it suggests. In speaking to a couple of other hs moms last week I got interested about "classic literature" and how it was a big part of their hs days. I know how J is a very reluctant reader and I casually asked her what her favorite books of all time were. She thought for a minute and fondly remembered The Wizard of Oz, the Little House books, and Trumpet of the Swan. It really shocked me that those are all considered classic, living books that are so a part of CM. I asked her if she'd like more readalouds and independent reading of books like those and she said she'd like to try it. She asked what other kinds of books fit into that category and I mentioned Swiss Family Robinson, Tom Sawyer, and Little Women. I said that a great story stands the test of time and you'll know one by how many movies were made of it, lol. When she asked what Tom Sawyer was about, I gave her a brief synopsis and she was actually begging me to buy it so she could find out what happens at the end.

I'm still reading as much as I can about the Charlotte Mason method. I remembered lots of it since it was what we started with when J first came out of school 3 years ago. But then we had a strict and boring schedule that she hated after a few months. Now that I understand it better now (and understand J better now) I think I know how we can implement much of the method in a way both kids will love. Well, I am certainly going to try, anyway. I already pulled out every classic, living book we have in the house and we're bringing back the bedtime readaloud. Swiss Family Robinson is the first one she picked and we read a bunch of pages last night. And she LOVES it! Omg. If I knew that these kinds of books would trigger her long-lost love of reading I would have done this so long ago. It makes so much sense.

So readalouds will be more incorporated into our weeks, as will silent reading, copywork, dictation, nature walks (with sketching, and using a field guide, magnifying glass, and microscope), picture study, composer study, a wall timeline, a book of centuries, learning handicrafts, and lots of outdoor play. All of these are the basis of CM and what J enjoys and has asked for after perusing a CM website. W is just excited to have any kind of plan and will go along with whatever we do, lol. They will also continue to do their favorite math and language arts stuff, too, and of course lots of trips. J seems to feel she needs to accomplish at least a few things each day - or week, and having an academic daily (or weekly) blueprint is what keeps her happy. I'm happy she knows what she likes and how she comes to me asking for different things.

It may not stay this way long, but if CM is what she likes now, then I have no problem helping her create a workable schedule, taking them places they're interested in, providing the resources for them they need, and knowing when to back off and let them own it. There's nothing better than seeing your kids excited about their lives and their learning. I love homeschooling.

Just got back from a long competition weekend. J's day was Saturday - we got to the venue around 9am and left there around 11pm. It was a very very long day, but her numbers were spaced out pretty well and there were some good periods of downtime for eating, hanging out, and relaxing. W had friends there to play with and since the weather was nice, he had lots of outside time to Heely and throw a ball around. By the time we got back to the hotel, we were all totally wiped out. We left after breakfast on Sunday morning and did some more relaxing when we got home. None of us wanted to move, we were just so tired. But we still had a great time, lol. The top scores were silver, gold, and platinum and except for a few numbers, everyone in J's studio came away with a silver award. This was probably the toughest judging I'd ever seen. Now we have one more schduled competition this coming weekend and then we're doing an optional in Queens in May.

K stayed with MIL this weekend and slept over a friend's house Saturday night. MIL really enjoyed her company for the weekend and took her out to eat on Friday night. My sister took her out Saturday afternoon for a few hours to get Indian food and walk around the shops over in the next town. It was so nice that they got to spend time together. K loves going to the competitions, but I can see how it can get real boring for her when it's all day long like this one was. Next weekend the venue is in Long Island right near my mom's house, so we'll all stay there instead of a hotel. It's great because my whole family can come see J dance.

This morning W sat on the couch reading a Captain Underpants book and J did several pages in a Spanish workbook. We played a few games of Set, J cleaned out a caboodle-type box to maybe use for her dance accessories, and W is trying to dissect a plastic dinosaur head while making, playing back, and warping a bunch of his own voice recordings. I love watching where the day takes them.