A Little Down Time

I haven't been writing very much lately, and I don't like that.  Life has been happening rather quickly these days and that doesn't leave me with a lot of down time.  I'm going to try to make at least two posts per week because I don't want to forget these days, crazy as they are.  

Presently, the house is quiet except for the  dishwasher and the ramblings of Drs. Stevens and O'Malley as background noise.  The soon-to-be one year old is napping and the Hubs just left with both boys for piano lessons and football practice.  Usually on Mondays we make a family outing of it...we hit Shaun's piano lesson, have a quick dinner, and then visit the library before Jordan has football practice.  I've been a little sick with a summer cold so I decided to stay home.  There are so many things I should be doing.  Like cleaning, folding up the mountain of clean laundry that has taken over the laundry room, or going over the boys lesson plans for the rest of the week.  Instead I'm on the couch, blogging, and watching reruns of Grey's Anatomy.  I love it when I have a little down time!

School:  We started school a few weeks ago.  We're on Day 16 of our school year and it's going really well.  I feel like we're accomplishing so much.  Shaun has studied Carl Sandburg, Robert Frost, and we started reading The Jungle Book last week.  I'm surprised at how much I like it.  Shaun likes it too, he just won't admit it.  Ha!  His math is coming along as well.  Yay for Khan Academy! Spanish is something new Shaun is studying this year and I'm proud of how well he's catching on.  He's come so far since we began this homeschooling journey 4 years ago.  Back then he couldn't focus long enough to finish an assignment and now he pretty much can do everything on his own.  

Jordan is in second grade now.  His reading skills have exploded.  A few years ago, when he was in kindergarten I worried if he would ever learn to read.  A very wise woman told me to "let it rest" for awhile, and against my better judgement, I did.  That was the best thing I could have done for him.  He pretty much taught himself to read last year, in his own time.  When he was ready.  I should've known he wouldn't be rushed!  He's studied the poetry of De La Mare, Rosetti, and Mother Goose so far this year and we've been reading lots and lots of books.  It seems that he and his brother are opposites in that Math is really easy for Jordan.  But then, he struggles with spelling and grammar, which Shaun has always rocked out with.

Extras:  Shaun is still working hard at piano.  He gets better and better every week and has such a good ear.  He can play by ear, which makes him not want to practice.  I can relate because I was the same way when I took piano! Solution Choir started up again yesterday and then tomorrow is his first rehearsal with the North Georgia Children's Chorus.  We're really excited about this!  He's also helping out with Jordan's football team and he'll play basketball this winter and of course baseball in the spring.  

Jordan's playing football.  Honestly, I'm surprised that he's stuck with it.  It's intense!  But he loves it.  And he's good at it.  I'm so glad he found something to do because I worry that he gets lost in the shuffle sometimes.  Typical middle child issues.  I was not thrilled at all when we signed him up.  I hate football.  Or at least I thought I did until the first game on Saturday.  When I heard the words "tackle by Jordan Smith, number 1" over the loudspeaker I kind of turned into a crazy football mom.  He's also singing with Generation Praise again.  

Co-op starts up again in a few weeks and I'm glad we started our school year when we did.  It's always good to find our "groove" before our commitments begin.  

And me.  I'm just trying to keep up with everybody else!