Friday, February 19, 2010

Weekly Wrap-Up ~ And There was Sun!

From the Heart

We had a really nice week that ended with a sunny day in the high 40s. Yippie!!! I am coming to terms with Goldilocks being on a major anti-psychotic to stabilize her mood. It is helping her so much that I just need to stop worrying about the possible long-term side effects. For now, she is like a new child who I have never known before. She is easy going, calmer, asking for help, checking out directions when she doesn't understand something and friendly to all family members. She has needed only a few corrections this entire week and only had one 5 minute period of real yucky behavior. She has dealt with the death of her hermit crab, as well as the death of our beloved elderly next-door neighbor, with very appropriate emotions. I am just shocked and delighted to see such "normal" emotions and behaviors in my little girl. She is even learning with more ease. This medicine is such a blessing.

On the Homefront

The house is crying out for a "Spring Cleaning". I hope to work that into the schedule soon. It is not falling apart, but there seems to be projects and papers stacking up around the edges. Hopefully, we will get some warmer days so I can get the kids outside some and the house aired out a bit. I am feeling the need for a good de-cluttering as well.

In the Schoolroom

We had a wonderful week with schooling. Everyone was eager and willing! I love it when that happens. It was very smooth sailing right up until halfway through lessons today. The kids are still enjoying the solar system and made a mural this week.


The kids are also doing great with retaining what they are learning about the Middle Ages. I found Tom Sawyer and Goldilocks building an entire medieval town during free play. I love when their learning rolls into their play.


We only have 8 more official weeks of school to go for this year! I will be spending the weekend reviewing where we are and what is most important to finish up before our month or so break. We have fallen behind in history, but I thought we would when I saw how much there was to cover this year. I would rather go with the flow of the kids and let them really get it and be behind than to rush the learning process. It is all good.

In the Way of Parenting

Our younger dd has an inherited cowlick. The poor child has it in the same place as her paternal grandmother and then she inherited my thin hair to boot! I have tried to train the cowlick out with little success. So I am putting more effort into doing both girls' hair into pony tails, braids and twists each morning. This allows more quality time with them and hides dd's cowlick. I am a bit challenged in this department but found a great website here.

These are supposed to look like hearts on top of her head. They looked cute but I couldn't get a good picture.


Two braids meeting in the back with a fancy bow.

As a Wife

Dh and I are doing a good job of making it into our bedroom by 9:30. We are enjoying the Olympics which only the TV antenna in our bedroom picks up. The other TV doesn't get reception of the Olympics. This has meant our oldest coming and going during the "exciting" parts (snow boarding and ski jumping). I think my dh will be happy when the Olympics are over so our room is our own again. 

Family Time

We continue to like games at night. Charades is back by popular demand. Today, the kids, Grandma and I decided to enjoy the sunshine and go to the arboretum. We took a nice long nature walk.


We also visited the new exhibit, The Story of Poop! It was a little boy's dream come true! I know more about poop than was ever necessary to know, but it was very interesting. I am not sure which the kids liked better -- the scale that told them how long it would take an elephant to poop them out according to their weight or the dung beetle game where you try to roll the dung faster than your partner. Timothy thought it was all a bit too gross for him. LOL!!


Blessings, Dawn








6 comments:

  1. Sounds like you've had a full and fun week!! Good idea about heading to the bedroom at a certain time. We have a tv in our room as its the only place in the house to have a second tv, that may be a good idea for us. I just need to get Tylar to sleep and that may work for us. We've been staying up way to late watching the Olympics. They are so much fun though! Have a wonderful day!

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  2. Oh, the joys of scatology! My boys have a book called, "Who pooped in the park?" from yellowstone. They love it!


    Glad you got some sunshine. We got some too and just soaked it up!


    The solar system mural looks awesome....great job!


    Glad to hear Goldilocks is doing so well with the meds. It is hard to know sometimes what is best, but it sounds like she is doing incredibly well and the pros outweigh the cons.


    I have cowlicks as do two of my boys. They are beastly! You are doing great with the girls' hair.


    Hope y'all get more sun today!

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  3. I understand the concern about the medication but the results do sound tremendous!

    Blessings,

    Laurie

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  4. How wonderful for you and your dd to have a soloution at least for now.

    I just love your school! Hands on and so much fun.

    I have a child with colics also ( two of them, one on each side) Its in the genes! I like your hairstyles. Very cute. Miss the days when the gals would allow me to spend hours washing, combing and fixing their hair. Its a special time.

    I love the way you describe the clutter gathering around the edges! That is just what it does!

    Have a wonderful week.

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  5. Glad to hear you are having such good results with your dd.

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  6. You are such a fun mom! I love reading about the things you do with your family!


    Blessings

    Leslie

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