week #11 wrap-up

It was a REALLY busy week! Yet, keeping my eye focused on our supportive rhythms, we didn't fall into the chaos or dysregulation of week #9, but instead continued the smooth groove we established in week #10. Our fall semester is winding down, only one more week to go (although we'll take next week "off" to prepare for, and celebrate, Thanksgiving, and will wrap up with one more week the last week of November).

It was the last week for our Monday homeschooling classes in Chorus and Soccer, complete with a Choral Performance and soccer awards. J took a museum class on Harry Houdini and magic. I had a phone consultation/support session with the director of Enki Education to discuss where we're headed for our upcoming Winter Semester (I will probably blog about that conversation in the coming week). We attended an open gym session with other homeschoolers (there's a photo down below of this). I had my yearly physical (and other than being a little heftier than I should be, am in pretty reasonable health, which is always nice to hear). Our Friday Excursion took us to the ever-wonderful Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory. J tested for and earned his first instructor-awarded belt in Tae Kwon Do. And I attended a soap-making class and made my first-ever batch of REAL soap!

Here is a picture that J drew about our Curriculum Story this week. This week I modified a story based on the Native American spirit quest, written by Leigh Casler, entitled "The Boy Who Dreamed of an Acorn". (The picture book version of this story, illustrated by Shonto Begay, can be found here.) J depicts the beginning of the story, where 3 boys go on a spirit quest, and one dreams of a bear, one dreams of an eagle, and one dreams of an acorn. The general gist is that each dream brings it's own power to teach and guide each child. The kids loved the story almost as much as I do. When I modify a story to better suit my kids' needs, I add a repeating verse if one is not already included in the story, and make sure the story flows in a predictable pattern. In this case, I also gave the boys Native American names (they were not named, only referred to as the boy who dreamed of the bear, etc) so that my kids could relate better to their characters. (In case anyone is interested, I used the names Running Water, Bright Star, and Little Wind.)

Here's a photo of my kids during the Open Gym time I mentioned above. One of the other homeschooling moms in our local group arranged for us to use this church gym a couple afternoons a month throughout the winter. Only a few families came this first time, but I'm sure attendance will be picking up once the news gets around about what a great time we had! Nice clean gym, lots of balls and jump ropes, a basketball court, a stage area with tables for crafts or games, and kiddie-sized versions of air hockey, Foosball, and pool, as well as a bookshelf full of books, and a dollhouse with rather extensive accessories.

(To the left, a depiction of the water cycle, built out of pattern blocks by J. Entirely his own idea and pattern, we've got the rain falling on a tree, where it will be absorbed by the roots -- the white things below the ground -- and then the sun will evaporate the water and it will all start over again. Thanks, Professor J!)

For Family Story Time this week, we read The Acorn and the Oak Tree, by Lori C. Froeb, illustrated by Chi Chung; Nuts to You!, by Lois Ehlert; and The Deer in the Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, illustrated by Renee Graef. We also watched the pilot movie for Little House on the Prairie, which J quite enjoyed (the content was a little too mature for Zoo Boy), and he joyfully connected the characters in the movie with the My First Little House Books we've been reading throughout the year. Special Story Time on Friday evening in front of the fire was much anticipated all week by the boys. This week I read them an Enki Nature Story entitled Night Magic.