Crew

The new school year is in full swing.  It's been a rough transition back into the world of structured work and long daily schedules.  We are all suffering through it (some better than others). 

 

Mr. B is still homeschooled but does attend two classes a day at the local middle school, so he has to be up extra early to attend those morning classes.  The rest of the day is for he and I to work on curriculum at home.  He's participating in some cool classes this year: social skills (every kid glued to his/her cell phone should take this class to learn how to communicate in person using actual verbal skills and eye contact), musical theater (through our homeschool group - he's liking it so far, though it's a 2.5 hour class.... a bit long for him), and for P.E. he has joined a local crew team. 

 

For weeks I had to really talk up crew because Mr. B did not want to do it, but as a loving, devoted parent I made him do it anyway.  After dropping him off for his first class I worried the entire time and prayed that he would like it.  Thankfully he is such a fun kid, open to new adventures, that when I picked him up at the end of class he exclaimed, "That was awesome!  We got to take one of boats out and row it." and now he is hooked.  I am so glad.

 

Here he is on the training boat coming in after a beautiful evening on the water.

Beeb and I were waiting around for him last week and she spent the entire time talking my ear off.  She is definitely my daughter in that regard.  I just used the wait to snap some photos of her.

 

New School Year

Summer flew by, I think nearly literally because I blinked and it was over.

 

It's September once again and my munchkins continue to keep aging and growing, and progressing to yet a higher grade.  Can't say I like it too much.

Mr. B is still officially "homeschooled" but is taking a class at the local middle school each day.  Do you remember that first day when your oldest child started kindergarten and some of us even cried a bit?  It's even weirder when that child starts middle school.  I must admit that I cried again after dropping him off at school.  He is one of the bravest kids I know.

  Mr. B is really liking it so far (it's only day 2, no real work yet) and was eager to complete his first assignment as soon as he got home today.  He and I also set up his desk workspace today.  Last school year we mostly worked at our kitchen table, but I am tired of having stacks of his curriculum around the kitchen, so this year he is sharing my office space.  He's pretty excited since I let him have the phone on his desk instead of mine.

 

Beeb was quite reluctant to the idea of being a 5th grader.  Last year there were some 5th grade bullies that made her life uncomfortable.  She ended the year thinking all 5th graders were required to be mean, which she didn't want any part of.  She also had a pretty unfriendly 4th grade teacher so she was equally worried that she'd have another grumpy teacher this year.  When the class lists were posted we didn't know what to expect because her 5th grade teacher is new to our school.  However, after meeting her new teacher at the ice cream social, and now having spent two days with her I am delighted to report that her new teacher is super friendly and Beeb is very happy.