Summer Days

SO the backyard is almost where I want it to be...swings are up (except for the two -for visitors- wah- baby swings that are laying on the ground), grass is mowed, wicker swing is up and properly cushioned (with my Grandmother's quilt! I need to get a cheap/not heirloom one replacement). All that is left is to get the fenced in garden properly weeded and sorted out, the playhouse painted and the two other wicker pieces for the lower deck.

I'm feeling very spoiled and privileged lately. We have come to a place where, as long as it's within some reason, we can buy what we'd like for our house or ourselves. I mean, not necessarily the fancy schmancy sports car and not a pony for the girls, but you know what I mean (I don't want a pony for the girls BTW, although I wouldn't hate this for tooling around town). "Let's go pick up that swing" is not something we would have said even a couple of years ago, it would have required long thinking and ultimately the choice would have to be made for that or, say, food. I so appreciate Brent's hard work at his 'regular' job and all the extra job and bartering that he does to help create this life.

Beautiful summer day today. I'm struggling with the desire to continue our (very relaxed) schooling or just forgo it altogether until September. It stresses me (a little) to have Bev phone and talk about "One more thing and we're done the math curriculum for the year", when I know math for me this year has consisted of doing (some of) the state Math guide, (some) workbook pages, and (some) games. Did you catch the subtle similarity? SOME...it really was hit or miss this year with so much. Daughter #1 would come up with some wonderful way of showing me she was learning(I know, I try to prevent it, but it keeps happening anyway) and I would happily file that away as PROOF and conveniently not get around to doing the actual work.

The biggest irony, considering how 'holistic' I make my own classroom in my (minimal) part time position, is that my PROOF is often in workbook form, which I never do in my class. I used to think, in my lofty philosophical way, that workbooks were unlike 'real' life and the children in my class would learn by doing. Now I'm homeschooling and we're surrounded by 'real' life and I drag out a workbook page to get daughter #1 to show me she is learning! Mind you, I have also discovered that she can do a workbook page in five minutes, doing one in a classroom takes sixty minutes and constant "What do I do know?" from the three students who are capable of working alone.

Time to get oldest daughter up from her nap- yes, five years old and still napping! I love it!