Who Needs an Easter Basket?

We had to do our Easter egg hunt indoors this year because it was raining pretty good. The kids didn't mind a bit, and Ryan decided to use his dump truck instead of his basket to put the eggs in. That's my boy!

By the way, this has to be the finest gift we ever gave this child. He got it on his first birthday, and he still plays with it almost daily three years later. The best part is we got it for free from a client at Ed's work who had filled it full of Christmas candy for the office staff!

Still Reviewing

During our second week, Ryan has continued to fly through his review. He is reading much more fluidly than he ever has, and it is neat to see him get so excited about his math worksheet. It's amazing how motivating a smiley face is to four-year-old!

This week also brought about our first complaint. "I don't like school," was the cry, but I think it had more to do with the fact that Daddy had a rare day off and was home with us than it did with actually disliking school.

I have been amazed at how well Ryan is doing at creative drawing! Two months ago, he wouldn't do anything but scribble, but now he loves to sit and draw cars, trucks, vans, semis, etc. He adds antennas and bumpers and roof rack cargo carriers, and they are really adorable pictures.

Giving

I established a new incentive/reward system in our home recently, and Ryan seems to be really motivated by it. The kids earn credits (poker chips) for doing their chores, having good attitudes, being kind, etc., and they can cash them in for computer time, staying up a little later, and other small treats or privileges. One of the things I allow them to "purchase" is a trip to the Dollar Tree to buy any one item they want. So when I went there to pick up some party plates and napkins this week, Ryan decided he wanted to "buy" this reward. He chose very carefully, and clever boy that he is, picked a package of five small cars instead of the package that only had one!

While we were there he said he wanted to get Abby a birthday present. I reminded him that it would cost him some of his poker chips, and he said, "That's okay. I want to get her something." I told him to pick out something that he thought she would really like, and he chose this hula hoop. Being unselfish and giving does not come easily to Ryan as it does to Abby, so my Mommy heart was so proud to see this spark of generosity!

First Time for Everything

This morning Ryan slept a little later than usual, and I was helping Abby get dressed in her room. I looked up and saw Ryan standing in the hall, and my first thought was, "Did we put him to bed in his clothes last night?" Then I realized he had got up and dressed himself! He has never dressed himself without being told before, so it kind of stunned me for a minute.

A few weeks ago I started implementing some new routines in our home because I knew we were going to begin homeschooling soon. One of those things was that both kids needed to be dressed, have their beds made and rooms clean before breakfast. Usually it's a joint effort with me helping them along and reminding, etc. But this morning Ryan stepped up to the plate and got dressed and made his bed without being asked. Way to go, Ryan! My little boy is growing up.

Box Crane

Ryan loves the PBS show George Shrinks, or should I say loved it. They took it off our local PBS station, so he can't watch it any more. But back in December there was an episode where George's mom used a large box and made a crane out of it. Ryan has been wanting me to build one ever since. Sigh. I am not good at that sort of thing, but he was really excited so I told him after we moved we'd use the moving boxes to make one for him.

I've been procrastinating for months, but Saturday I finally brought in the boxes and large tubes Daddy brought home from work and put together an odd-looking crane. I made an arm on each side so both he and Abby could play at the same time. Ryan was thrilled, and spent hours lifting cargo into the laundry baskets. Maybe this week we'll decorate it because it's pretty ugly, but at least I finally kept my promise to him.

Artwork

I had to up the contrast so this would show up.
It's not actually fluorescent.

Ryan does not really like to color or draw, and up until just a couple weeks ago, all he would do is scribble. But seemingly out of nowhere, he just started drawing real pictures. He drew the cutest picture at a restaurant yesterday, but I could kick myself because I walked off and left it. He wanted to draw some more today, and this is what he drew. Unfortunately, he doesn't press very hard with the crayon and it didn't show up very well.

Notice a theme here? He's really into vans and trailers right now.

Well, That Was Fun!

We finished our first "official" week of homeschooling. I must say that despite a few difficulties, it was so much fun! Ryan learned that he loves "doing school" and he has already memorized the Pledge of Allegiance, Abby is learning to sit still and do quiet activities of Mommy's choosing, and Mommy is gradually being conformed to the image of Christ while at the same time watching the joy of accomplishment on Ryan's face.


The hardest thing so far has been being disciplined enough to actually stop the household duties and just do school. I hope that as we settle into our new routine this will be a little easier. I thrive on routine, and, frankly, so do my kids. The second hardest thing was trying to keep Abigail occupied and somewhat quiet while I helped Ryan. I made a list of things that she can do at the table somewhat independently, and I gave her one to do each day. It's gone fairly well this week, but I can tell this is going to be an ongoing struggle until she is more able to entertain herself or she begins to do school with us.

I thought it would be best to start with some review of things he had already learned to make sure we were starting with a solid foundation. I'm so glad we did because it gave me a better picture of where he really is in his learning. I started by going back through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons again (I love this book!), and Ryan just flew right through 20 lessons the first day! He didn't want to stop, so we just kept on going. By the end of the week we had finished lesson 45, so I can tell this review was probably too easy for him. However, I'm pleased that I decided to do it because his confidence has really grown this week, and that has been lacking.


We also reviewed some basic math by practicing addition up to 12 with 0 and 1 addend. He likes the flashcards, but he really enjoys the little worksheets I print out for him from a free customizable program I found online. Lastly, we worked on writing numbers and letters, not Ryan's favorite thing to do at all. Still, I saw improvement in just this first week.


One of the best things that I saw this week was that Ryan sat down with his reading book and was teaching Abby. I was a little surprised Abigail participated, but she was repeating the sounds he told her to. It was precious. Also, instead of taking his usual Hot Wheel or small toy when we go on a car trip, Ryan chose to take his reading book yesterday! It thrills me to see him so charged up about learning. Only the Lord knows how next week (or next year) will go, but I am very pleased with our first week.

I Had a Mother Who Read To Me

I love reading to my children, but the last several months I've taken it up a notch or two. In addition to reading dozens of picture books per week, I read a devotion during breakfast and a couple of chapters from our latest chapter book of choice. Then during lunch we read several more chapters from our chapter book. Both kids have really enjoyed this, Ryan especially. His vocabulary has been growing too, and it's so neat to hear him using some rather large words. He was talking to himself while we were waiting for the streetcar last month, and he said, "She doesn't know her competition!" Everyone waiting, including me (oops) starting laughing, and it hurt Ryan's feelings. I tried to tell him we weren't laughing at him and that it just surprised us to hear him say that word, but he didn't seem to buy it.

I highly recommend the book The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. It was very useful in inspiring me to read even more to my kids. Along those lines, I ran across a poem that I want to share.


The Reading Mother

I had a mother who read to me
Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea,
Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth,
"Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath.

I had a Mother who read me lays
Of ancient and gallant and golden days;
Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe,
Which every boy has a right to know.

I had a Mother who read me tales
Of Gelert the hound of the hills of Wales,
True to his trust till his tragic death,
Faithfulness blent with his final breath.

I had a Mother who read me the things
That wholesome life to the boy heart brings —
Stories that stir with an upward touch,
Oh, that each mother of boys were such!

You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be —
I had a Mother who read to me.

- Strickland Gillilan

Teaching Abby to Read

I took the plunge and began homeschooling Ryan this week. I'm only doing about an hour a day, but Ryan is really excited. We started by reviewing his phonics reading book from last year, and he was so excited he zipped through the first 20 lessons on the first day! His excitement has bubbled over onto Abby. I "caught" him teaching her to read with his reading book. It was precious to watch!

Taking a Deep Breath

This is the moment that I've been preparing for and anticipating for years. I have looked to this day with trepidation and excitement, and now it is here. We are beginning to homeschool this month. Of course, I've really been homeschooling for years, but now I feel like it's "official" and that I need to be more structured. My son learned to read almost a year ago, and he's been learning math facts and some geography too. However, our learning has been pretty hit and miss, and I feel the need to have more structure, or at least routine. We will only do "official" school for about 30 minutes to an hour per day, but my goal is to do it every day, not just when it works out.

But it is April, and you don't begin school in April, you say? Well, I guess I want to get some routine and structure going before our first full school year begins this fall. It's a little like practicing. I think my son is ready, and I am too. So here goes...

Rainy Day Project

It has rained for the last five months with only a day or two break here and there, and I've almost run out of ideas for indoor projects and things to do with the kids to keep them from bouncing off the walls. I got this idea from OMSI, so I asked Daddy to bring home some computer packing foam for us to play with. He has an almost endless supply of this stuff, so he was happy to oblige. The kids pounded golf tees into the foam and built different things. It kept Ryan occupied for several hours, and he learned a little bit about construction, like how to toenail two pieces together. I regret that I neglected to take a picture of our finished project. It was several stories high, and quite architecturally appealing, if I do say so myself!

Tip: If you decide to try this, DON'T use the regular styrofoam, use the plastic-type foam. It's nice and clean and doesn't fall into millions of little static-charged bits. Ask me how I learned this tip!

Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden

Ryan and Ribsy

Ryan, Ramona, and Abigail

The kids and I go to the library regularly, and they love to have me read books to them. Last year I started reading aloud chapter books to them, and they really like it. Among others, we have read Charlotte's Web, The Boxcar Children, and most recently, Ramona the Pest. My fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Zody, read to us every day, and one of my favorite books that she read was Ramona. The author is from Portland, and the Ramona books take place in and around the area. Ryan particularly likes the series, so when I found out there is a Beverly Cleary Scuplture Garden in a park in Portland, I decided to take the kids to see it.

Ryan liked seeing a life-size (maybe a little big) statue of Ramona, and he really liked Ribsy, the friend's dog. We only have two books left to read in the series, but it's been a fun walk down memory lane for me and hopefully a fun journey for the kids. He also thoroughly enjoyed the see-saw (much to my surprise) and tire swing. He even felt brave enough to swing on his bottom instead of on his belly like he usually does.

What Daddy's Been Up To

While we were busy playing downtown and having a fun time, Daddy was working hard trying to get the new location up and running. After a short visit to Saturday Market on Saturday (when else?), we were able to take a quick peek at what Daddy had been up to. This tangle of cables is just overwhelming to me! Who enjoys sorting that out? I guess Daddy does. We got a quick tour of the new space and his new servers and their racks, and after that we had to go and let him get back to work.

Sad Baby

Last summer when we took Ryan to OMSI for the first time, we went into this exhibit that shows the stages of life from conception to about the eighth month of pregnancy. The sign says that all the babies died by accident or natural causes, and while it's a fascinating display, it makes me sad each time we see it. Every time Ryan sees this one baby (preserved by some plasticine method), he always says, "Why is the baby sad?" It chokes me up every time, and I thought I'd snap a picture to post on his blog.

I counted. There are 44 lost lives in this exhibit, each one probably mourned and missed.

More OMSI Fun

Daddy's boss got him a hotel this weekend so he could get some sleep during the company's move. He also said that we could come and stay too, so the kids and I packed our bags and spent Thursday through Monday downtown Portland. We had a great time!

Our first activity was to go to OMSI on Friday. We usually only go for a couple of hours, but we spent most of the day there this time. Ryan loved one of their new additions, this semi-truck to load cargo into with the crane. We did the usual sandbox and waterworks, but we also went to see Dolphins at the OMNIMAX theater. Abby fell asleep about halfway through, but Ryan stayed awake for all but about the last ten minutes. I was surprised by how much he enjoyed the movie. It's not something he usually likes, but he was fully engaged in it the whole time he was awake.

Driving the Bus

One of Ryan's chores is to sweep under the table after breakfast and lunch. I have him pull out all the chairs so he can do a good job (at least good for a four year old). I went in to make my bed while he was doing this Wednesday, and when I came back into the kitchen he had lined up all the chairs in a row and he informed me it was his bus. So I cut up some paper into strips for tickets and gave them a Tupperware lid for a steering wheel, and they had a grand time playing bus for about an hour! I love it when THEY come up with neat activities that keep them busy, don't make a mess (well, the tickets did kind of end up everywhere), and cost nothing!

Oh, and he did a lovely job sweeping the floor too!

The Lord Provides

I am so excited! I got the final missing item needed to begin our homeschooling. I have done research for years now on curricula and homeschooling methods, and about nine months ago I found the curriculum that we are going to use. I used to feel stressed and terrified at the prospect of educating our children, but now I have a plan and a curriculum that I believe will work well for our family (Lord willing). More importantly, I have peace about homeschooling now.

Last year we purchased the printer we needed for printing out the books, and I also purchased some preliminary items and things I thought would be useful for teaching. We hadn't yet purchased the curriculum, and though it is relatively inexpensive at $195, we just kept coming up short for the purchase. Today as I was browsing through a used book store's pathetic homeschool section, I saw an item that piqued my curiosity. As I began reaching for it, instantly I knew what it was and my heart started beating faster. Sure enough it was the entire set of discs for our chosen curriculum, The Robinson Curriculum! Best of all was the price, a mere $15! I said a silent Thank You to the Lord, and promptly went and paid for it. I do have to buy the upgrade disc at a cost of $20, but it is still an enormous savings. Our God is so faithful to provide!

Eating Snow

Ryan remembers our "big" snowstorm of two years ago, and every year he thinks we're going to get that much snow again. Unfortunately, we rarely get more than a dusting. We woke up this morning to just such a dusting, and it got all of us excited. We hopped in the van and tried to find someplace where they got more snow than we did, but we didn't really have much luck. While we were driving though, it started coming down pretty thick, so I pulled the van over at Trojan Park and let the kids get out and play. They were freezing but had a blast. Ryan kept trying to catch a flake on his tongue and wanted Abby to try too. I don't think either one of them succeeded. As we got back in the van to go home, we talked about how great God is and how wonderful it is that He created snow!

Dinner and a Hockey Game

Daddy had a vendor dinner on Saturday and afterward got to go to a Portland Winterhawks game. The sales rep was bringing his wife and two kids, so Ed asked if he could bring his too, and the rep said yes. So we all had a free dinner and a hockey game. We each also got a free hockey puck, and Daddy won the doorprize and got a Winterhawks jersey too (actually, I won it but I wasn't in the meeting at the time). Ryan was grumpy for some reason, but he did end up having a good time. The free cookies helped a bit!

Nonna's Birthday

Nonna's birthday was last month, so last Sunday we went to visit her. We went out to lunch and then to a nearby park. The kids loved the covered bridge, and they ran back and forth and back and forth over the wooden bridge.

Daddy and Ryan walked in the rain along a short trail, but since it was raining, we had to leave, much to Ryan's dismay. After the park we went to Dairy Queen for some dessert. That's always a hit with the kids, and the adults enjoyed it too!