Playground, Organic Farm, Chickens and Homeschool log...

Things are really coming together for GM. Im still struggling with his ability to maintain his behavior when we are in a group, but I am seeing great strides in other areas. This is a big year for him. He will be nine and is starting to show maturity in a lot of areas, including his interest in doing more things with Dad. They have always been the best of buddies, but when it came down to things, he came to me, he was still really young and I was the focus. Now I am seeing him out working with his Dad, and willing to stick through things and finish them. He helped my husband and I with the playground all day Saturday. Reading the instructions and pulling the appropriate nuts and bolts that we needed. He was using the power tools and the hand tools. He loved it, and the best part was that he was in a terrific mood. It was really feeding him and making him feel really good.

The other part of the back yard will be for a garden. We have a small greenhouse to start our seedlings in, and he (GM) has created a list of veggies and herbs that he wants to try to grow. It is great to see him so interested in it. He will even get to participate in an organic farming class that our local CSA is putting together for homeschooled children. It will be fantastic for him to get to see the farming on that scale. He loves Tuesday's when we go to pick up our veggies from the farm, and is already looking forward to taking the class through the summer and early harvest season. To top it all off, we are getting chickens next month. All the kids are looking forward to it, but it will really be great for GM. Im just excited for the fresh eggs. GD chose some Dominiques, and GM chose some Araucana/Americanas. I think we will get a heritage breed as well for the laying reliability. Its all coming together. This is so exciting to be living this life and being able to help support the kind of childhood we want to provide. They will probably grow up and think their parents were nuts, but Im happy to be doing what I envisioned before I had kids. That makes me feel really good.

On another note, today we had our science club meeting and the kids got to hold some
really nice snakes. Of course they loved it, but the highlight of the day was when after the meeting we went for a hike in the 10 acres of bosque we just adopted with our Roots & Shoots group. I was downright thrilled to see a large porcupine sitting in one of the cottonwood trees. He was so cool, and cute. I could have just laid down under the tree and watched him all afternoon. He was moving around a tiny bit, a little sloth-like. Just awesome! It made my day. His spiney things (that is a technical term) were glowing in the sunlight, like a halo. He just made me so darn happy, I was worse than the kids. 34 years and I have never seen a wild porcupine sitting in a tree!!!!

On to our lessons. Last Wednesday we read Genevieve of Paris, Im glad I chose that story and GM really enjoyed it. It was great to see how interested he was in it. GD sort of daydreamed through it, but was interested enough to hang out with us. We baked a cake and took it to share at Great-Grandma's house. The family was supportive and told the boys how good it was. They made a chocolate oreo bundt cake. We dont keep sweets in the house, so it was great to get to bake it and take it over there to share. They are big dessert people, so it gets eaten!!! I decided to focus on one main subject per week, I know we are supposed to do this all along, but we are finally getting it into our rhythm. We were alternating days, but weeks does seem a lot better. GM is half way through his first chapter book. He chose it on his own and has been peacefully working his way through a chapter a day. He just goes and gets it and reads it. Those who know him will be as impressed by it as I am. Im so happy that he has found his confidence with reading again. Lets hope he can keep it.

On another note (last one I promise) my house is a mess again!! That is what happens when we spend the day working outside. Im gonna get back on it though. Tomorrow we have science at the science museum and then I am going to try to get the house picked up. Here's hoping I can get it done, life is a lot easier when its all picked up.