Our summer

My to-do list seems to be multiplying but the hours seem fewer. There are so many things I need to do that the things I want to do (like blog) fall by the wayside day after day. But having a record of these precious days is priceless so I'm giving up a little sleep--plus it will give me a great excuse to have a Dr. Pepper tomorrow. :)

I see that my last blog was June 29. Wow. Where to start? We had a great summer despite being housebound for a good portion of it due to ridiculous heat. It was over 100 for most of the summer and I lose my will to leave the house around 95. We enjoyed a couple of trips to Mom and Dad's--including one around the 4th of July. Unfortunately we missed out on fireworks because it rained our entire visit, but we made the best of it. J got a water table for his birthday so the kids have been getting a lot of use out of that when the sun starts to set (and it goes down 1 degree or so).

Hubby got a stress fracture in his foot so I started walking the dogs in the evening. Despite the heat it turned out to be a wonderful break from the kids. I didn't realize how much I needed a little peace, quiet, and change of scenery. I plan to continue sharing that responsibility with him until the weather dips below 45 or so (when I again lose my will to leave the house).

Bug is blowing my mind daily. Her elaborate, imaginative stories, her amazing vocabulary, the way she is piecing more and more things together. I forget that she's only 4 and sometimes expect too much of her. We started a kindergarten curriculum this past Monday. A few days in I backed off handwriting for now because that was souring her overall impression of school, and she is now completely exuberant about everything we're doing. She's way ahead of the curriculum in math so I'll probably need a first grade program soon. We're working on sight words, sounding out words, and introductory phonics. I love, love, LOVE that the Bible is part of our daily "work" and it's the basis for our art, music, and most of our history at this point. She is also crazy about science.

Every Saturday morning you can find our family at the library returning 23 books, 3 CDs, and 4 videos and leaving with the same. Hubby keeps the kids busy while I find a good mix of fun and educational books. He partners with Bug to find bedtime CDs and videos. Magic School Bus videos are Bug's favorite but we also watch ~20 minute Schlessinger series videos on weather, agriculture, insects, etc. They are a great asset in accomplishing our home education goal of cultivating a love of learning within her. Bug is also learning how to work the learning games on the library's computers.

Our co-op starts a week from Thursday. I'm excited--and nervous--but mostly excited. Bug is taking Art, Music, and Science classes. I am teaching a 1st/2nd grade Around the World geography class and a Middle/High School personal finance class. Being the most social one in the family I'm optimistic that J will enjoy the opportunity to hang with other toddlers once he gets used to a new place and new grown ups. He still cries every Saturday when I drop him off at the church nursery but this past week, for the first time, he wasn't on the buggy when I came to get him. Admittedly that may have been because there were only a couple of kids in his class so he probably got held the whole time, but still I'm calling it progress.

J is cutting molars so we're both back to sleeping like we did when he was a newborn. The kids have been well all summer but he started showing signs of a cold today so I'm expecting an even rougher night. Hopefully we'll all be well (and sleeping all night) in time for co-op.

J LOVES being outside. He makes a break for it every time the front or back door is opened. He screams with excitement whenever Hubby comes home. They have definitely bonded. One of my greatest joys is catching Bug and J playing and giggling together. Unlike his very cautious and adrenaline-averse sister, J has no fear. He is a climber, he is virtually unfazed by falls, he loves being thrown around, hung upside down, surprised/scared, pretty much anything that stimulates adrenaline. He and I are going to have a great time on rides and roller coasters while Hubby and Bug wait and hold our stuff. :)

I'd better wrap this up or even a Dr. Pepper won't be enough to get me through tomorrow. I'm going to get a little sleep before J's Motrin wears off. More later. Hopefully before another 2 months go by.