Monday, August 25, 2008

Free Piano

Well, it has been a pretty busy week. We got a free piano!, so I'm going to be able to teach them piano. Mike had his week off, and wanted to do vacation type stuff.... We went to Tinkertown (an amusement park for young kids) and had a hoot. It was also Family Fun Day at "Peak of the Market" so we did that as well. There was a petting zoo at it, and pony rides. It was also to help Child Find - and they had free child id'ing so we did that. The next day our piano arrived - we had to re-arrange the living room for that. We also did the zoo again.

Next week, school officially starts around here, and I am going to start using the schedule I worked out. Delta has asked a couple of times about Kindergarten.... and I don't know how to answer him. I'd already talked to him about him staying home - and he had wanted to - but now he is saying he wants to go to Kindergarten. The homeschooling group around here is having a "not-back-to-school picnic", so I hope that helps a bit.

I'm going to have to be a little hard on Mike I think - for this to work, I need to get the kids in a routine, and Mike doesn't really like routines. When he is off, the kids end up staying up later and later as we go our and drive around, etc. Even if Delta was going to regular school I'd have to nip that in the bud - but it'll be harder with the flexibility homeschooling allows to say, no, they need to be in bed.....

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Otter!

Had a good day - Delta got his Otter level in swimming. (yeay!) In the afternoon, we went to the Forest again, and collected a few flowers and some more leaves. The kids really enjoyed watching the grasshoppers as well.

Not much else I guess....

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Raining at the Zoo!

Yesterday we had a great time....

The family (ie, Mike, the kids, and I) went to the zoo. Well, after we had been there a while, it started to rain lightly. We continued on a little bit, but then in started to rain a bit harder. So we worked our way (under trees) back to a shelter. It was kind of funny, because across from where we were sitting under a shelter, all the kangeroos in their fenced area where standing under a similar shelter.

So, we kept asking our kids to go out and see if it was still raining (it obviously was) - and basically encouraged Delta and Echo to go play in the rain for a bit. They loved it. So that was great, but then it was getting a bit colder and raining harder. I would have had us walk back to the car, except that poor Foxtrot would have gotten soaked too, even under a blanket. Mike took off the kids shirts, and dried them off with the 2 blankets I keep beside Foxtrot's head (I have a third that goes on her...). and fashioned the little blankets into a wrap-shirt type thing, so that made them warmer. (Mike had a plan before sending them out in the rain.) So we sit longer, and the rain is starting to slow down a bit.... when along comes a zoo person driving the covered tour trolley thingie. She asks if we want a ride to the gate (that is what they are doing) - so we get on. Rain still got on us some, but not TOO bad. It was cool, because she was driving around looking for more people, so we got to see a fair bit off the zoo at quick speed - all for free! Back at the gate, Mike takes the kids into the bathroom and puts the blow drier on them for a moment or two - then he goes and gets the van. We keep spare clothes in the car, so we had them change, and it was all good. (mind you, I was cold for a while, but oh well.)

The kids thought it was great! It is still raining this morning, and Delta wants to go play in the rain again!

I know it is kind of funny, but I kind of have a list of things I would like them to get to do this summer (it is in my head) - and playing outside in the rain is on my list

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Simon Says

Today was swim lessons - I was kind of mad because they swapped teachers today from yesterday because one was sick.... and so this teacher let him have a life belt. (He is the smallest one in the class so they don't realize he is close to passing it....) - so it was pretty much a wasted class as all he needs to do is pass the unassisted floats when tested. The deck supervisor did get him out of it with about 5 minutes left.... and I think she watched him float again - but he didn't hold it good like he did yesterday. sigh.

In the afternoon we went to the park. We fed the ducks and watched them for a while, and then went for a bit of a walk. Just off the paved path near the duck pond, there was a small wooded area - and the brave mom that I am, I let them play in it (there were little pathways) as long as they stayed together, and checked on me occasionally and come when called. They did great, and had a fantastic time. I was pretty darned nervous.

Oh, and before we did that, we had another violin practice. I'm trying to get them in every day. I've been thinking that the whole thing just hasn't been quite what I'd expected - definately a bit different from when my sister took Suzuki 43 years ago! Mainly, I figure it should have been more fun, and moved faster. I'm wondering if we have the best instructor match for Delta. Anyway today I approached the practice by getting out both our violins, and suggesting playing Simon Says. Delta wasn't going to, but I said, well I need to practice, and got ready to start, and Delta grabbed his violin and did a bow. So we did a little simon says, and then he decided he was the teacher and played a pattern, then said "your turn". We did that for quite a while - and the main thing is that he was enjoying it. His technique wasn't great - but hey, he was playing and right now I think that was more important. Then later I was telling Mike about the practice, and Delta went and got his violin and played a bit for him. So I started showing him how to play a bit of Twinkle - and he was really thrilled.

I was figuring all along, well he is pretty much in the same level as the rest of his group class........ but I'm thinking now - most of his group class had the same individual teacher as Delta - and the OTHER group class was further ahead most of the way..... the reasoning given for that was that the other group class was mostly older, but now I'm wondering if the individual instructor is just a little to strict on technique so that the kids are held back from playing as she gets them doing everything just right. I don't want the love of the violin taken away from Delta, which was happening. Big problem - his teacher is now the director of the program, so I don't even know how to talk to someone about if another teacher would be better....

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Campfire

Still going great

 

we went out the other night to a provincial park, and we had a campfire etc.  We stayed and looked at the stars, and located a planet too

Monday, August 4, 2008

Tentative schedule

Today went pretty good.  I have figured out a tentative schedule for the fall for how each day will go, and gave it a try today.  Although I had pretty short lesson periods scheduled, I will have to make them shorter I'm sure.

 

We started reading the Book of Mormon - we aren't doing the Book of Mormon Stories, we are reading straight from it.  However, I'm using suggested selections that are kind of the stories in the Book of Mormon.  Delta seemed interested, and listened well.  Echo wandered around.  I'd like her to sit an listen too, but will have to work on that I guess.   We also did the Scripture mastery practice too.

 

We did violin practice - Delta didn't really want to, but I went to some very basic stuff. 

 

Then I read them a fun book, one of there regular ones while I fed Foxtrot.  On one story I had Delta read a page, and I read the next, etc.

 

We did their sentences.   I also did some work with Delta on his handwriting.  I'm using a new program for that.  I don't know, he had done fairly well when I had him tracing, it is a lot harder to actually write without tracing.   I'm wondering if maybe I should alternate learning how to properly write a letter with tracing stuff that is interesting to write....  will have to think on it a bit.

 

In the afternoon, I took them, as well as Bravo and Zulu to the zoo.  Boy, Bravo sure does the zoo at a different speed then our family does!

 

This evening,  had introduced them to the piano method book that I'm using to teach them the organ.  (we don't have a piano...)  I'd use an organ method book - but I can't find any for kids - in fact I can't find any other than what I have already.   The one I have for piano is GREAT.   There are even some videos online to help the teachers some (which is great as I hardly know what I'm doing) - and it is designed for the young beginner.  It has cool songs, and teaches stuff slowly while still learning a lot.   I think I'll be able to do it for a number of levels.   Im not sure I'm good enough to play the teacher parts on all the duets - and darned if I can figure out how to fit 2 people on the bench....

 

I didn't do the handicraft item as I didn't have much in mind, and I didn't read the Beatrix Potter story I was going to because Delta wanted to listen to all the piano songs on the CD.   I won't be able to get everything done on the schedule every day right now because of swim lessons in the middle of the day, and Foxtrot still takes out a lot of time in the day.   But hopefully I'll be able to tweak things.   It is kind of hard now because I need to do everything with them.

 

My schedule has 2 different days, and I'll alternate between them.


Sunday, August 3, 2008

Raining

Well, yesterday was a rainy day - so we didn't go again.   Bravo called an invited the kids to visit and play with Zulu - so I took the day and rearranged their room.  Hopefully it will be easier for them to clean it.

Friday, August 1, 2008

The Forest

So today I took them to babysitting at the Y - and then we went for a walk in the forest. I've nver been in there before, it is really nice! We kept to a paved trail because I had the stroller, but it was a good 1.5km. I put bug spray on us (except the baby) - but it wasn't necessary, as there were no mosquitos. (which is funny because the trail we were on is named mosquito in the Cree language....) There were a lot of dragon flies there though - I think the city has put them there. So they eat mosquitos.

The kids really enjoyed it, and want to go tomorrow. I think we will - I might pack a picnic lunch, bring water, and maybe my nature notebook to draw in - and a book to collect a few leaves and flowers in.....