Mine are the Biggest!

The past two days have seen such balmy weather, that plans for lessons have morphed a bit into a whole lot of outside time. Yesterday morning, I found myself out on the trampoline with Puck, who wanted company. I promised him a little bouncing time.

We had enjoyed circle time together for once; with no one but Puck and I really joining in on the verses or songs, but they were all present and paying attention. Aragorn and Lily set to work on their math and French grammar lessons, and it was just the two little boys and I. After reading for awhile, something more physical was back on the agenda for all of us. 

So we bounced; we jostled around Arthur who was in a bad mood and reluctant to join us. I tossed him on and told him to enjoy the ride. After that; nothing. I lay back and stared up at the blue sky through the tree branches. The oaks in the back yard have not begun their color change, but the air smelled of autumn and the sun was so warm. I felt the extremely unfamiliar need to go nowhere and do nothing except what I was doing right at that moment.

I've heard the theory; sit still and they will come. They did, one by one, Lily first.

She soon joined us for "genie bounces" and proffered a challenge to see who could do the most without touching or pausing for more than one bounce in between. Hard! Arthur was in a better mood, Lily left, Aragorn jumped up. The stinker was certain that his feet were bigger than mine now. We tried to compare, but things being rather bouncy, and our socks being so different, it was hard to tell for sure. We switched right socks and compared again; he won. 

We took silly pictures and stayed outside forever. (and I promise that I will not compare and contrast this to what I overheard in the school office yesterday while dropping off Alienor. "Hey, this says we're eating lunch outside!" "Who decided that?, why?" "No kidding! I guess it's because it's so nice out." "How are we going to eat in the spot they have designated when it's where they play kick-ball?"  Because, of course, it's not the same thing to throw together a picnic and head to the park with five children as it is to organize an entire school eating out of doors. It wouldn't be fair.)

Featured Child?

When I hit the "publish" button a little while ago, I began to wonder whether or not I had indeed "featured" my other children more often, as I'd thought, than Arthur, as mentioned in the post below. In the past year, only pictures spoke of any one child in particular. There must be something else making me think this way. Perhaps it is the middle child syndrome. We have, technically, three middle children. However, the first middle child, Aragorn, is also the first boy, so he has his very own genre and specialness. 

The "middlest of the middle children" as my second princess likes to call herself, is well aware of her position and keeps us on our toes with her reminders and vivacious nature. We don't often forget that Alienor is around. She is either being helpful beyond her years, or...presenting us with new challenges to stretch our parental resources.

Thus, Arthur, the youngest of the middle children, is really the one being quiet on the sidelines most often. Unless he is slugging someone with a boffer, (a safer alternative to conventional weapons.) For awhile, it looked like he would forever be the baby of the family, but then came Puck, the "real" baby. Arthur's status as benjamin seemed well-established and he loved it.  He protested, but not very persistently, the arrival of his little brother, rather like Lily with Aragorn. I always felt that they both gave in a little easily to losing mama's exclusiveness. Aragorn had 3 1/2 years before Alienor came along and Alienor never gave up.

In any case, each child is a different and special person in their own way. That's what makes raising them and homeschooling such an interesting endeavor. Having the liberty and challenge of adapting lessons and opportunities to their individual skills and learning styles keeps me alert and enthralled in my daily tasks. Do I have all of the answers every day? Must I answer that? But each day is a new chance; for me and for my wonderfully diverse family. May your life remain ever fascinating and may you remain ever fascinated with life.

Arthur Skating Dude

Arthur and Tuxy

Tuppence a Cup...

Arthur

Arthur is not a child who is often featured in this blog. I love him dearly, sweet little boy. He is an old soul: quiet and battle-crazed in turn. He is what one would imagine a stoic Native American warrior to be; capable of remaining quiet and silent until action is required. His sense of humor belies his French and Irish heritage. His jokes are surprising for the sense of humor and cleverness of them. He is kind and thoughtful, offering the second half of his candy bar, the last chip in the bag, helping when no one else offers.

We are working on first grade in the Waldorf way this year. He is bright and eager for his lessons.

Shakespeare

How to best convey one's love for something, anything, but especially, this season, with my oldest two students/children; Shakespeare? It has been a long love affair, dating from a speech contest where I saw an extract from Othello, and spent the ride home reading Shakespeare to myself, half-silently, half-whispered. The words were begging to come off the page and into the air, with a will of their own.

Great Expectations

are not always As You Like It, sometimes they are more akin to A Comedy of Errors. When it comes to computers, I often feel like I am falling through a rabbit hole and I need a little Persuasion to get back on track. Today's experience was no exception. I began the day with a new intention; 30 days of keeping one daily habit, mine was to work on my book for 1 hour a day. It will feel like Paradise Found to finally finish a book.

Only, my google-doc-thingy, once opened, would not allow me to edit my book.

From "Was Marx Right?"; or One Reason I Homeschool

I was sent this article today: (my comments are in rainbow shades, Haque's original text in black). This is not political, this is a reflection on the fall-out of the economic crisis and a look toward the future, thus to our children. I live in America because I believe in the empowering of the individual that our country offers through freedom of choice. I know capitalism is the way to go, but there may be room for an improved vision of things.

Was Marx Right? - Umair Haque - Harvard Business Review

Having spent the past week thinking about ways other countries have found to reform life for the middle classes after reading; "Were you Born on the Wrong Continent?" by Tom Geoghegan, I found the following extracts right on:

Alienation. As workers were divorced from the output of their labor, Marx claimed, their sense of self-determination dwindled, alienating them from a sense of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment.

Puppy Love?

Why does my head completely disregard the age of my body? I found myself, bag in hand, heading out to jump the chain link fence to surreptitiously enter the neighbor's back yard. How did I get to the point I found myself in, of hoping against hope that this particular neighbor liked to sleep in on a Labor Day morning as, nose to the ground, I crept around the lawn clad in nothing but a pair of short pyjama bottoms, a hoodie and tennies with no socks? (have I mentioned how much I hate the feeling of sneakers with no socks? the reason, I am sure, I was not cool in high school.)

Our Fluid World

I don't like change...and yet I thrive on it. I am a typical human being. There have been monumental changes in our house, and yet they are not that great in the scheme of things...one child is in school and I have reduced my work schedule, but that is enough to completely turn my world upside down. In school? How did that happen? Abandon my fantastic job, why?

Very Patriotic

Citizenship

It is 1am, I should not be doing anything but getting myself to bed. I had to drop a quick note to let friends and family know that my husband became an American citizen today.

The ceremony was not what I was expecting, but then again, who knew what to expect from something you'd never experienced? The three speakers were welcoming, especially the federal judge who urged the new citizens to remember where they come from, to teach their children their native language and to be themselves, thus adding to the rich diversity of our culture here. (How perfect is it for children to hear, from the presiding judge, that their "other" language is important and that they need to practice it each day?) This can and will be repeated in our house.

It is not an easy decision to decide to begin the procedure that leads to citizenship. It's a different sort of commitment than buying a house with the intention to live there for many years, or choosing  an educational approach for your children, both big decisions as well. You are accepting a new culture and choosing to make it your own, after many years in that country. Still, I was not expecting the warmth and the emotion that was present in the room and remained with us all throughout the evening. Congratulations, mon cheri!

Front and Center; our new American