Sunday, August 28, 2005
Out of the mouth of babes
We were walking from the car to the Children's museum in the Woodlands on Saturday. The Woodlands Town Center where the Children's Museum is located is across the street from the Cynthia Wood Mitchel Pavillion where there are major concerts held. There were stream of grungy looking teens wandering towards the Pavillion, police and officials everywhere, redirected traffic etc. At one point while we were walking the music started. It was loud and pounding, hard rock. It brought me back to my youth - times I was on my way to all day rock concerts like U2 and Simple minds. Then the vocalist started to scream his heart felt words and Lily said 'There is the sound of a monster'. How precious. She didn't hear music... out of the context of a concert, through innocent ears it really did sound like a monster roaring.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Back to school
We started back to school 2 weeks ago. Matthew started second grade. Last school year we did all work in the afternoons, this year we have some subjects in the morning with Lily. So far this has made our afternoon time a little more leisurely. This is taking some getting use to as I am use to working under pressure.
Matthew is doing all Veritas Press courses for 2nd grade, except in Spanish we use Power Glide, for Math we use Math U See and for Greek we use 'Hey Andrew, Teach me some Greek'. Besides these his subjects are literature, Bible, history, Latin, art, spelling, grammar and free reading. It sounds like a lot, but when you break it down and do a little each day it only takes about 3-4 hours a day. The rest of the time he plays with his sisters, we run errands, he reads, plays sword fights with his dad. He also does 2 classes of karate and one of gymnastics.
Lily has taken to school so well. She is doing Bible (I read and she colors), Math - learning to write her numbers, Art with Matthew and Phonics, Veritas Press Phonics Museum. She only does about an hour a day in all. Some days we do extra art and crafts and some days she sits in on Matthew's school. She thinks it is normal to do school with mommy and is so proud she is a big girl.
It is a little hard in the morning with Laura. She doesn't like to be left out of things, but she has a habit of drawing on the floor or table if she gets hold of a marker. She does not like to be told no, an issue that we are slowly working on. But she is a tough one. Her will is strong and she likes attention. I am trying to show her more attention than I have in the past. She loves to be read to . But she has some books she likes and others she will hit out of your hand if you try to read them. The other night she put her first 2 words together 'Mommy read'. How can I resist that? She has a bright mind, it just needs a little attention and guidance.
Matthew is doing all Veritas Press courses for 2nd grade, except in Spanish we use Power Glide, for Math we use Math U See and for Greek we use 'Hey Andrew, Teach me some Greek'. Besides these his subjects are literature, Bible, history, Latin, art, spelling, grammar and free reading. It sounds like a lot, but when you break it down and do a little each day it only takes about 3-4 hours a day. The rest of the time he plays with his sisters, we run errands, he reads, plays sword fights with his dad. He also does 2 classes of karate and one of gymnastics.
Lily has taken to school so well. She is doing Bible (I read and she colors), Math - learning to write her numbers, Art with Matthew and Phonics, Veritas Press Phonics Museum. She only does about an hour a day in all. Some days we do extra art and crafts and some days she sits in on Matthew's school. She thinks it is normal to do school with mommy and is so proud she is a big girl.
It is a little hard in the morning with Laura. She doesn't like to be left out of things, but she has a habit of drawing on the floor or table if she gets hold of a marker. She does not like to be told no, an issue that we are slowly working on. But she is a tough one. Her will is strong and she likes attention. I am trying to show her more attention than I have in the past. She loves to be read to . But she has some books she likes and others she will hit out of your hand if you try to read them. The other night she put her first 2 words together 'Mommy read'. How can I resist that? She has a bright mind, it just needs a little attention and guidance.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
We went to the art museum today with some friends. A docent took us to different paintings and read a related story to us. I love being close enough to access cool city activities. In this picture you can see my mum in the background with Laura who gave up on the stroller pretty quicky - she thinks she is 3 years old and wants to do what the big kids are doing!
Monday, June 06, 2005
Summer vacation
We finished the school work for first grade just in time for my mother and aunt to get here from Ireland. Last week we spent lots of time touring around doing vacation things: trips to antique shops, tea rooms, art galleries etc.
It would be all perfect if it wasn't so extremely hot. It reads a constant 99 degrees on my car temp gage.
Is is Monday - kroger day. But today Matthew didn't want to come to Kroger. He wanted to stay at home with his dad who was working. Matthew wanted work to do also so I set him up with some math, reading and handwriting. He did all the work I left him plus cut out shapes from paper, making another series of cards for me and his dad and then worked on his movie script!
Matthew is writing a script for a mini movie that we are going to shoot tonight - it is based on a minor Star Wars character (played by matthew) who is going to fight an evil monster (played by Mark)! Well so much for having a break from homeschooling! It seems once you train your child to think that reading, writing and creating are normal - it doesn't occur to them not to do those things, even on a summer vacation!
It would be all perfect if it wasn't so extremely hot. It reads a constant 99 degrees on my car temp gage.
Is is Monday - kroger day. But today Matthew didn't want to come to Kroger. He wanted to stay at home with his dad who was working. Matthew wanted work to do also so I set him up with some math, reading and handwriting. He did all the work I left him plus cut out shapes from paper, making another series of cards for me and his dad and then worked on his movie script!
Matthew is writing a script for a mini movie that we are going to shoot tonight - it is based on a minor Star Wars character (played by matthew) who is going to fight an evil monster (played by Mark)! Well so much for having a break from homeschooling! It seems once you train your child to think that reading, writing and creating are normal - it doesn't occur to them not to do those things, even on a summer vacation!
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Star Wars Episode III
When Episode I came out we lined up on opening night for a midnight show. That was before kids. This time we had to wait to go until we could have Sabrina come out to watch the kids.
Even though it was 2nd night the audience still erupted into applause when the yellow outlined words ‘Star Wars’ appeared on the screen. The music, the screen credits rolling off into the galaxy all take you back to a familiar place long, long ago.
So much was done well in this movie.
The forming of Darth Vader was almost Shakespearean. The Chancellor/Emperors dark whispering to Anakin was like Iago to Othello. It was thoroughly convincing.
Many of the beloved details were there – the huge flying space ships, the way the scenes change with the soft wiping of the screen, the funny named characters, the music, the theatrical acting, the double rolled side hair buns on the women, the sensing of the Force.
The details that tied Episode II to Episode IV were all in all satisfying.
There were a few thinks that bothered of course – In Episode III Chewbacca is a general helping Yoda – so why is that never mentioned in later movies? When does Darth Vader learn that he is a parent so that he can reveal himself to Luke? Why do C3PO and R2D2 never mention that they were once great in later movies.
All that aside this is a great series of movies.
Even though it was 2nd night the audience still erupted into applause when the yellow outlined words ‘Star Wars’ appeared on the screen. The music, the screen credits rolling off into the galaxy all take you back to a familiar place long, long ago.
So much was done well in this movie.
The forming of Darth Vader was almost Shakespearean. The Chancellor/Emperors dark whispering to Anakin was like Iago to Othello. It was thoroughly convincing.
Many of the beloved details were there – the huge flying space ships, the way the scenes change with the soft wiping of the screen, the funny named characters, the music, the theatrical acting, the double rolled side hair buns on the women, the sensing of the Force.
The details that tied Episode II to Episode IV were all in all satisfying.
There were a few thinks that bothered of course – In Episode III Chewbacca is a general helping Yoda – so why is that never mentioned in later movies? When does Darth Vader learn that he is a parent so that he can reveal himself to Luke? Why do C3PO and R2D2 never mention that they were once great in later movies.
All that aside this is a great series of movies.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Developing minds
I love the mind that homeschooling is developing in my kids. Today after we did some morning crafty activities the kids had the idea to do an art exhibition.
We gathered up the huge pile of paper arts that Matthew and Lily have done this year and made some snacks. There was just too much work to hang up so we the exhibition morphed into an art show. Lily, Laura and I sat in the living room and Matthew paraded the art work one by one in to show us. He described the work, who had done it, where it was done and out of which book!
This can only be good for my little developing minds.
Tomorrow we are having a show of our canvas art. That includes my art! Should be fun.
We gathered up the huge pile of paper arts that Matthew and Lily have done this year and made some snacks. There was just too much work to hang up so we the exhibition morphed into an art show. Lily, Laura and I sat in the living room and Matthew paraded the art work one by one in to show us. He described the work, who had done it, where it was done and out of which book!
This can only be good for my little developing minds.
Tomorrow we are having a show of our canvas art. That includes my art! Should be fun.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Summer plans
Since getting my digital camera I have been lazy about writing. Mark really wants me to get back to writing as the original point of the blog was for us to record our life.
We have been working towards the end of school. My mother is coming to visit with my aunt May 28 and we are taking June and July off. So we wanted to get as much finished as possible before then.
Matthew is done with phonics museum and geography. He is on track to complete Math, Bible and literature by next week. That leaves grammar trailing. He will still have about 7-8 chapters left to do when school starts up. Spanish, Greek and art are all on their own paths with no real correspondence to a school year.
The plan is that in June we entertain the relatives (we have a big plan) and I go to California for an art course. In July we will do lots of arts and crafts and the fun activities from the book ‘Slow & Stead Get Me Ready’. Then in August we will do grammar, review all the 1st grade spelling tests in phonics museum, do a handwriting course and a ‘learn to type in a week’ program we purchased a while back and to do more arts and crafts.
Then in September Matthew will start 2nd grade for all subjects (bar a few grammar lessons from 1st grade he will have left to complete).
I am still debating what to do with Lily in the Fall. In the summer she will do all our arts and crafts and possibly complete her preschool book. I am in no hurry with her. She learns in a different way to Matthew.
We have been working towards the end of school. My mother is coming to visit with my aunt May 28 and we are taking June and July off. So we wanted to get as much finished as possible before then.
Matthew is done with phonics museum and geography. He is on track to complete Math, Bible and literature by next week. That leaves grammar trailing. He will still have about 7-8 chapters left to do when school starts up. Spanish, Greek and art are all on their own paths with no real correspondence to a school year.
The plan is that in June we entertain the relatives (we have a big plan) and I go to California for an art course. In July we will do lots of arts and crafts and the fun activities from the book ‘Slow & Stead Get Me Ready’. Then in August we will do grammar, review all the 1st grade spelling tests in phonics museum, do a handwriting course and a ‘learn to type in a week’ program we purchased a while back and to do more arts and crafts.
Then in September Matthew will start 2nd grade for all subjects (bar a few grammar lessons from 1st grade he will have left to complete).
I am still debating what to do with Lily in the Fall. In the summer she will do all our arts and crafts and possibly complete her preschool book. I am in no hurry with her. She learns in a different way to Matthew.
Monday, May 16, 2005
Time in the City
Our trip to Houston was (to use Mark’s wording) OUTSTANDING. We packed into a short time many of the things we as a couple love to do.
We ate awesome food (I totally understand why Houston is one of America’s fattest cities), stayed at the beautiful Four Seasons Hotel – we had a pool side room, we saw great theatre – Alley’s Steel Magnolias, we visited the Contemporary Art museum & Houston Craft Museum, went to the Opera – Falstaff – very funny and entertaining, spent hours at a coffee shop we use to frequent when we lived in Montrose and did I say we ate great food?
I love the city. I am glad I know Houston so well. It is a great place. The vibe is so positive and non-judgmental. I am so happy to have lived there for 9 years. I am also so happy to live in the ‘country’ now but close enough to go in wherever I want. The perfect balance.
After our time in the city we were ready to see the kids. Matthew had made a series of cards for us and the sign in the photo below. They were all glad to see us, but had fun with a relay of wonderful church folks taking care of them.
It is nice to get away, to be somewhere completely different so we can enjoy coming home.
We ate awesome food (I totally understand why Houston is one of America’s fattest cities), stayed at the beautiful Four Seasons Hotel – we had a pool side room, we saw great theatre – Alley’s Steel Magnolias, we visited the Contemporary Art museum & Houston Craft Museum, went to the Opera – Falstaff – very funny and entertaining, spent hours at a coffee shop we use to frequent when we lived in Montrose and did I say we ate great food?
I love the city. I am glad I know Houston so well. It is a great place. The vibe is so positive and non-judgmental. I am so happy to have lived there for 9 years. I am also so happy to live in the ‘country’ now but close enough to go in wherever I want. The perfect balance.
After our time in the city we were ready to see the kids. Matthew had made a series of cards for us and the sign in the photo below. They were all glad to see us, but had fun with a relay of wonderful church folks taking care of them.
It is nice to get away, to be somewhere completely different so we can enjoy coming home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)