Sunday, January 13, 2008

Sailboat Covered


We have really been enjoying heat, lights and water this last week, since the power came on last Sunday, one week ago. In this past week there has been so much to do. In one of the storm pictures you could see a blue tarp whipping around in the gusts, no longer protecting the sailboat underneath. We cleaned the water out of the sailboat, and it now has a new improved covering - two cargo nets covering a tarp, and lots of rope. It will be a chore untying the thing come summer, but the wind shouldn't do it for us first, without taking the whole boat and trailer with it.

We have done a full week of homeschool, now since the end of Christmas vacation. It was really hard for the kids to get back onto the routine, but by the end of the week, it was feeling really good. Forest has made a big leap of confidence in his reading skills. He's eight now, and I am starting to think that eight is an important age for boys who aren't quick to learn reading. Because reading seems to be less of a struggle, other subjects seem to be coming along better too. Emily Rose has been telling me that math is boring and getting too hard, but then she told me this week that it was actually getting interesting too. I'd love to figure out how to really like the learning love fire under her. She is capable of so much, but can wallow herself down in disagreeable thoughts so quickly, so she looses her will to even try. She is making progress though. She still loves reading, vocabulary, and geography best of all her subjects.

I am hoping that this week I can get all those Christmas decorations back into their boxes for another year. I hope I'm not the last one to do this.

2 bouquets of wildflowers (Comment here):

VJ said...

It takes Tony so long to do math. My suggested schedule says an hour for the math, but I give him 90 minutes. Many times even that is not enough.

There are parts of math he likes; problems like x+7=10+5. He loves to solve those. He's pretty good with story problems as well. But straight addition w/ carrying and subtraction w/ borrowing he doesn't have the patience for. He does better with multiplication. Division, however, I don't think he's missed one yet.

I can't get him out of a book; and in fact I had to put clips on his book to help him keep track of time. When he reaches the clip he has to stop and move on to something else. The same thing with history.

Becky K. said...

Homeschooling definitely has its joys and struggles. We have three. Our middle one would just quit school if we would let him...but, alas we won't. The other two are at different levels of enthusiasm. The oldest has learning challenges but has amintained a very good attitude over the last couple of years...our youngest loves everything but math...sigh...just like her Mamma!
Check out Homeschooling at Hospitality Lane, if you have a chance. It would be lovely to have a visit from you.
Your wildflower pictures are great!
Becky K.