Our Substitute Mr. Nini

Yesterday Nini was the substitute since I had another blood pressure recheck. The girls were so excited to have him in the schoolroom and had lots of fun doing different things, as well as their regular work. They can't wait to have him back.

This is one of Connie and Belle's favorite Math games-
Multiplication Races. All the cards are spread out on the floor and they have to race to find the correct equation that matches the called out answer. They get pretty competitive with it (I wonder where they get that from?)

We had a nice week and got everything on my list accomplished, but there are still some extras that we don't seem to get to each week. We have added some brief Spanish work and a new unit study on WWII. Unfortunately, the first book we chose to base our study on, Number the Stars, makes me cry each time we read it and we're only on Chapter 2. And as soon as I start tearing up, the girls start crying, too. We're a mess. Hopefully in a few weeks, after the baby arrives, the pregnancy hormones will let us get through the chapters with a little more ease, or else we're going to have to switch to another topic altogether.

Monday Morning with Lucy Clare

Lucy Clare and I had another quiet Monday morning doing school one-on-one, which was really nice since it was such a busy and fun weekend and all the girls seem to be having trouble bouncing back on this rainy day. I'm glad Connie and Belle have baby-sitting today since maybe that will "re-boot" their attitudes for school this afternoon.

We have a busy week planned and some new things to add our schedule. Only 4 more weeks until the baby arrives and I have a lot I still want to get accomplished before then. We're starting a new unit study this week based on the book Number the Stars and finishing up Mars in science, all starting new units in Math and tackling New York and North Carolina as our new states.

Lucy Clare had some computer time and contributed to the blog in her own words again. (The translation is below it.)

Monday in Lucy Clare's words.
today me and momy did scool to geder.i did gramer today.i did not do jrnoos.molly hade scool.connie and belle wet to baby siting.avy monday they babysiting.i love to doow scool.i binto the pisbool ofic-my room.i had a math tast. i oly mist 1.

Today me and Mommy did school together. I did grammar today. I did not do journals. Molly had school. Connie and Belle went to baby-sitting. Every Monday they baby-sit. I love to do school. I've been to the Principal's office-my room. I had a math test. I only missed one.

I particularly like the joke about the Principal's office, even though I don't actually know what she meant by it. She's such a nut.

End of the Week Recap

Obviously I need to get much better about posting in a timely matter, but since we still seem to be "tweaking" our schedule each day, we're continually looking for that magic routine that I'm beginning to think just doesn't exist.

We finished the first 10 states this week and I was excited since I had prepared my first test on them to give today. I was anxious to see what the girls had retained and how they did with study skills, etc. Unfortunately, due to poor planning, or simple naivete, things went horribly awry, both for the girls and for me. The very word "test" seems to send them into a frantic, hysterical mode that I can't control and they basically got themselves so worked up, nothing was actually accomplished even though we've been talking about these states for weeks now and they've clearly learned them. I'm going to be better prepared for the next test on states 11-20 and change some of the testing methods, or at the very least be better prepared for the drama and hysterics.

On the other hand, Connie had a unit test in math today, Lucy Clare had a spelling test, and Connie and Belle had grammar tests earlier in the week that were taken with flying colors, and thankfully, with no frenzied turmoil.

Kevin helped out in the classroom one day a couple of weeks ago. The girls love it when he comes down and since I had a doctor appointment and some shopping to do, he did the entire day. They did some fun Rosh Hashanah lessons as well as their regular work.



Playing with clay to avoid the nasty storms that came through a couple of weeks ago. Kevin was out of town so we hung out in the basement where the thunder was much more muted.


Lucy Clare asked us to take off her training wheels this week and even though we were a little apprehensive since she's so timid with new things, and we pictured this being a momentary whim that would scare her away from bike riding for the foreseeable future, Kevin was gung-ho to give it a try. She amazed us with her excitement and picked it up super easily (much faster than her 2 older sisters had, which we enjoyed teasing them about.) Connie was a huge help as always, and her patience with her was adorable. I love Lucy Clare's face in the 2nd picture. She's so proud of herself and excited about the whole process. Luckily, we've had great weather this week and the girls have played outside tons so she's gotten lots of practice.

Our art project this week has been card making (and what a coincidence that it comes just when I need baby thank you cards!) The girls have learned to stamp, emboss, paint with watercolor pencils, and use scrap paper in different shapes and colors as backgrounds. They've enjoyed putting all the steps together and are thrilled that their creations will be used and shared. I like watching the efficiency of my little assembly line and wonder why it took me so long to come up with this idea. Not to mention how to come up with further projects that will be as helpful.