What's new

Jonathan now has an article published in the Bunkroom, click here to read it. It is all about Florida. The last two weeks of our curriculum involved studying our state and writing a research report on it. We didn't get too far on the actual "research report" part, but they (we) learned a ton. Then time got away from us and pretty soon it was time for Theatre camp, kids' college, sports camp etc... My rationalization of it all is that it is really about what they learned as opposed to producing something to get "graded" on (which we don't do anyway). Jonathan's last day of kids' college is today already. He has loved it. Yesterday Meme was with me when I went to pick up Jonathan and the rest of the "kids' college gang" and she thought it was so cute how excited and talkative they all were when they got in the car. Jonathan's Harry Potter 1 class played quidditch yesterday, and he caught the golden snitch and won the game for his team (they didn't really fly...he knows he can't!) He was so proud!! He's really enjoyed his code breaking class also, and has come home with different codes for us to crack. In his other class, he's made his own website. He'll probably be blogging soon...and we'll call it "creative writing". I know he'll be using the computer to make up puzzles and codes (mostly about Harry Potter) for the rest of the summer (and beyond!). He is reading the book Eggs for the library summer book club.

Madi has most of her Dorothy lines memorized already. As usual, she is loving Theatre. She is reading for one of the local library's summer reading incentive programs. For every 20 minutes you read each week, you get a ticket put into a drawing to win a prize. She won a $5 bookstore gift card yesterday. As I watched her getting into the car this morning, I was once again marveling at how cute she is. I told her I wish I had her style (or any style really). She suggested I grow my hair long, I hate to tell her it would take a lot more then that to make me as cute as she is! Madi still hasn't sung Somewhere Over the Rainbow for us, but she is going to perform it at the Homeschool Exhibition this weekend.

Then there's Jake. He's having a tough behavior day. This morning after he'd already made a few bad choices, he and I were in my room and I was going over (rather loudly) how I really needed to trust him to make better choices. He was still very frustrated (and looking back I think he was hungry too), and raised his hand saying, "I'm going to hit you". Then just as quickly, he put his hand down and said "Oh if I hit you, then you won't trust me." Then he climbed on my lap, hugged me and said "Does this help?"...we're getting there. He is thrilled to be in the Wizard of Oz. He's watched the movie a few times this week already, and practices his song and dance constantly. Jake is also involved in the reading incentive program, and I have made a very good effort to read to him every night. He is into the Berenstain Bears right now. I'm trying to get some mileage out of that because he certainly can use some help (today especially) with Manners, Room cleaning, etc...