Ramblings

 Today Liam turned 11 months and I'm feeling a {{momentary}} surge of motivation to revive our dying blog. After all, blogging serves as a great family journal while also keeping family and friends updated on our growing boys.

First update?

Homeschooling. We're nearly a month into our academic year and LOVING it. Seriously, loving it. The perks far outnumber the occasional troubles and frustrations we encounter. Having spent every single day with my boys from birth until this point, I thought I knew them well. And I was right. I do know them well, better than anybody else, no doubt. However, I'm learning even MORE about them because our time together is distinctly different in an academic setting. In one short month I've learned their learning styles, academic strengths and weaknesses and their preferences of small things. For example, Paxton prefers glue sticks and he's perfectly content with drawing pictures with his pencil. Crew delights in sharpening his pencil and learns his letters best with Play-Doh. The one-on-one time provides ample opportunity to learn more about their beautiful souls, hear more of what they're thinking and appreciate their innocence. And, goodness, they're hilarious.

I'm privileged to watch their capability to learn and comprehend broaden. As mothers to young babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers, we only see sporadic glimpses that indicate our efforts are worthwhile. But this age, however, is full of exciting growth and development. The years spent laying a firm foundation can be seen and enjoyed daily. It is fabulously gratifying.

I also love that I'm learning WITH them. I've always been a history nerd and, much to my surprise, Paxton has taken keen interest to the subject as well. History has provided many bonding experiences, and that is worth every sacrifice. He's our little sponge, soaking up details and facts of information.

Our little Crew is a delight to teach. He stays on task and beams when he completes an assignment. He so badly wants to be like Pax, so we bought him a Pre-School Handwriting Without Tears book. He calls it his "big boy book" and takes his work very seriously, being extra careful to color in the lines. He joins in when we make history or science projects.

And then there's Liam. The destroyer. Each day there's only one guarantee: Liam will tear apart the entire Homeschool room. It's his special talent.

Watching BYU's first football game of the season!

 Pax started attending his charter school this week. He goes one day for Circle Time for one hour and another day for Discovery Time for two hours. Being the social creature he is, I wasn't surprised when he reported that he LOVED it. It will be a wonderful resource for our family.

The Co-Op is functioning, although not exactly how I envisioned. My mentor, Laura, suggested I wait until the boys were older to start a Co-Op, but being eager (and mostly excited) to begin our Homeschool journey, I disregarded her advice. And lets just say I should have listened. It's more work than it's worth at this young age. I'm trying to keep a positive attitude, but I've learned that as a homeschool mom, you have to evaluate and eliminate if necessary. My time is scarce and my plate is full, especially now that Paxton's charter school has begun and the boys have wresting practice Monday-Thursday. I have a lot to consider and figure out.

In other news, Daisy celebrated her birthday on September 5! 

 

 I joined my church choir. I am thrilled to be singing again. I've missed it! There's something special about signing with a group of talented vocalists to an audience who appreciates it. For 6 years I've been singing to babies, toddlers and squirmy boys; they haven't always welcomed my gift. {{Deep sigh}}

 

 Pax is incredibly dramatic about his 2 loose teeth. They have been loose for SO LONG that his permanent teeth are growing in BEHIND the loose teeth. I am on the verge of scheduling a dentist appointment to have them pulled because seriously, it's beyond ridiculous. But then I realize how absurd it is to spend money on something that equates, at least in my mind, to a right of passage for children. I mean, isn't loosing teeth an exciting thing for kids?!

 I'll add loosing teeth to the list of "Things I Didn't Foresee As Being An Issue But Are A HUGE Undertaking, Apparently ".

 

Lest you assume I have favorite children, please know that Pax has decided, as of Monday, that he doesn't like the Ninja Turtles "because Shredder says bad words like 'hate and stuff'." He's informed us that he's "a Star Wars guy", a complete surprise to us considering he hasn't seen Star Wars. To be fair, he hasn't seen any Ninja Turtle movie either, only some old cartoon episodes from the 90's.