How is it?

That I could love a little person so much, yet want to rip my hair out when teaching her to read? Today was just another one of my "not so finest moments". It started with history and talking about how many years there were in a century. This was the main concept I really wanted them to pick up. 100 years.
So, of course, we get to the end and I say" OK, guys, how many years are in a century?" Caleb bangs his head, and Bekah gives me her normal "I don't know" answer. Caleb finally says, "one?" Then Bekah chimes in with "three, no 83." This was the beginning of my day with my little sweeties.
So, later, moving on to reading with Bekah, which I have learned, is best early on in the day: let her read to me first, and then do 100 easy lessons. This is how she likes it...so...we were reviewing "a" words today so we could move to the "e" book. Now, granted, this is a five year old who has been reading words for quite sometime, but only consistently for 3 weeks. And so, she did real well in the beginning, sounding out the ones she hadn't memorized, and I gave her the "great job, Bekah" But it went downhill. I am still trying to figure her out, when is too much, when to go on... but she does this "thing" where she sounds out the word gggaaasss and then looks at the ceiling and says "glass, gat, gan.." and whatever else starts with "g"
And, I lost my cool. Really lost it. What is wrong with me that I can praise this child one minute and then want to rip my hair out the next....by the way it happened with pan, right after man...So ,I blew it..again.
I can't believe how forgiving our children can be, because at bed tonight she gave me the best hug and told me how much she loved me. And she pointed to her wall with all her "words" hanging on it and said, "Mom, we need to add pan and gas."
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Aug. 23, 2007 - I am never proud....
Posted by jenmcintyre
of my lack of patience. Emily asked me a couple of days ago how I could fuss at Noah one second and then calmly talk to her the next second. Literally.
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Aug. 23, 2007 - I struggle with this too
Posted by QueenoftheHill
And so often, fail. I must be the most impatient person in the world. I heard it said once that frustration was thwarted self-will. What is it my self wants so desperately that it is willing to yell and be disparaging to get it?? Totally off the subject, but why not teach them the concept of a century with 100 beads, buttons, or pennies? Seems like kids need to SEE things to get concepts. (And what kid doesn't love playing with money??) You can line them up in rows of 10 for decades, and so on, so forth. Hope that helps!Edited by QueenoftheHill on Aug. 23, 2007 at 8:22 PM
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Aug. 23, 2007 - Okay, this is why...
Posted by LaDonna C.
I have put off starting school for as long as possible this year! Clatyon WAS doing so good, then no regular reading for close to a month, then I get out a SIMPLE book and he can't even read the word "is?" I could feel my temperature rising and just put the book down and walked away!!! So, you are not alone, Sista!
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Aug. 24, 2007 - Just a thought ... or two ...
Posted by arajbrown
+maybe, just maybe, when anyone starts banging their head ... it might be a sign to back up and try a different approach (like the Queen's idea ... Cheerios works well, beans ...whatever ... try to avoid M & M's, the disappear ... and doughnuts, while soothing, are hard to manage);) +possibly there is something about the temperature outside that should lead us to not attempt any interaction with husbands or children if we have to step foot into oven we call 'outdoors' !!
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Aug. 26, 2007 - if it is any consolation
Posted by onfire
my boys dug out all of their old journals today and, upon reading them, said to me ... (each one came to me seperately but saying exactly the same thing) ... "wow, I have over 45 entries that pretty much say how mean I thought you were and how badly you treated me." I chose to simply smile and run my fingers through their hair. why? because they are probably just as right as they are wrong. and because I am just as normal as you ...
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Sep. 9, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by SchoolinRhome
Hi! I recently posted on patience, too. I think MOST of us homeschooling moms often have this problem. (We just don't get the breaks that we need sometimes- just to keep our inner sanity!). I think only other homeschooling moms truly understand (besides the Lord!) It is quite a challenge to deal with everything that comes flying at you at once and do it all "just right". I feel I am failing miserably at this right now as I am juggling 5 little blessings -homeschooling. The Lord is showing me lessons all along the way though and hopefully this school year my good will far outweigh my bad. Keep Keeping on!

My life in pictures...

I have been real lazy last week, thinking of blogs, but never getting around to typing them. So, here is my last week in pictures....
Elisa's first day of preschool....this is her official photo pose...
Elisa has waited for this day, after watching Caleb and Bekah go to preschool. She was so excited, and said "Mom, can you leave now?"
This is the table Bekah sat at last year...I can't believe Elisa is already here...Bekah told her she would miss her.
Another pose for the camera!
After asking me for over a year, Caleb started piano lessons...

Caleb memorized his first song while we were there...

As I am getting ready for church on Sunday, Caleb comes up to me and tells me how cool this spider is, that it fell off a chair and "shot out his web to catch himself on the chair" He shows me this while I am "doing my hair" and I had to grab a camera....
This is my precious niece, Maggie, who is the youngest of 5, and the only girl. I have her to thank for saving my sister's and my friendship. Oh, and I just love her so much!!
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Aug. 22, 2007 - Re: the spider Caleb's holding on his hand
Posted by QueenoftheHill
You may have run to get your camera, but I would have had to run get a shoe! I can't stand insects in the house! Eek. (And my children know this and milk it for all the entertainment they can get out of it.) Elisa is so beautiful. One day, you must invite me out to sushi and tell me what wonders Maggie has worked. :)

Travis...

So as to not steal Smallworlds Monday memory theme, I title this Travis. But it is a memory I had on a Monday...yesterday.
My nephew, Travis, graduated from high school last May. He is the first grandchild to do so. Travis is my brother in law's son from his first marriage, but is so very much "ours." I first met him my Senior year of high school while working at Eckerd pharmacy. My brother in law, Jeff, was my boss. He and my sister had just starte dating, and the fact he had a son didn't sit well with my parents. I will never forget the day I met this little curly, blond hair little boy. He didn't want anything to do with me and was really shy. But I remember him running around the corner and seeing him for the first time. What a cutie.
It took awhile for him to be "accepted" by my parents, he called them Rodi and Nick for a long time. That is a long saga in itself, but, long story short, none of us would know what we would do without Travis. He has grown up to be such a great young man. He harasses the fire out of me and mom, and makes us laugh. He is an amazing big brother to four younger siblings, one being 2 months old. And, he leaves for college on Friday.
Last night we had a dinner for him, and said our good byes and best wishes for him at college. I did well to keep my tears at bay, but saying good bye was hard. Brunch on Sundays at mom's is going to be a lot quiter without him. It's hard to believe that I have watched this "kid" grow up already over the last 16 years. And, really, it freaks me out that it isn't that long that we have our kids at home...so I am thankful that's where mine are....

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Aug. 22, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by LaDonna C.
What a sweet post about Travis...I am feeling those first "pangs" of boys growing up and moving off. It has hit me hard that I only have Justin for this year and next, and then he's off to other adventures!! :( I'm so glad that I have them here at home with me for their school day!!!

Another Bekah-ism...

I think right now Bekah is the one with the best "isms" in the house, so I have to share one I just learned about. First off, I have to say that the word stupid is off limits in our house. I am sure I have heard it once or twice, but, really the kids don't use it. Caleb, however did learn "raving idiot " from his cousin which thrilled me, but , that is for another time.
Last night at our mom's night out, Amy commented to me about Bekah saying she would be the lone survivor in the family if we lived in Iraq. And then she goes on to tell me a story I hadn't yet heard.
Last March after having a nervous breakdown bad day, Amy offered to keep my kids for me. She took them to Chick-fil-a, brought them back to her house, and I had all morning to myself. She was driving them back to meet me at a gas station since she lives in Egypt pretty far away, when Bekah asks her "Ms. Amy, where are my new Chick-fil-a toys?" Amy said, "I left them at home." Bekah's response, "Well that was stupid!"

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Aug. 18, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by SmallWorld
Ha! Hilarious!! But at least it was Amy!
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Sep. 7, 2007 - stupid
Posted by bern
We're not allowed to say that word either in our house. Although I find it funny how they pick up other not so nice words from their DVD's and such. The other day my three yr old Grady got mad at his brother for taking one of his toys that he had momentarily turned his back to. And in a split second he says" Give that back to me you scumbag!" I asked him where he learned that. And he says " from Under the Hedge".

Hooked...

OK, I love musicals...even when most of those who are watching are teens...We just finished the much anticipated ( at least in this house, well, minus Mike) High School Musical 2....It took a bit to get in to, but we had fun watching together and will soon be out getting the soundtrack to drive Mike a little more nuts around here!! And, of course, trying to learn a few new dance moves...
By the way I over heard Bekah the other day tell Caleb, "Troy Bolton is my boyfriend." What have I done?
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Aug. 18, 2007 - My new avatar...
Posted by fyftn
Guess it's for you and Bekah. my 5 year old going on 16.
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Sep. 9, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by SchoolinRhome
My girls (and yes, I'll admit it.....and I ) liked High School Musical a lot! They have really gotten "into" musicals lately (and even just got into a homeschooling drama touring team.) This happened after I heard my daughter tell her sister (while lying in bed before falling asleep) "It would be my dream to be in a musical." This is the night after we watched HSM but thankfully the Lord gave her this dream to try out! Anyway...We too loved it and I am glad I can enjoy this with my older girls. We have the movie (#1) and the music CDS. It even got us into Karaoke. I was really happily surprised that the movie had such good modesty with the way they dressed (esp. being a teen movie, setting: a summer vacation-poolside.)

Too bad...

Today I was reading from You Can Change the World for history. It was talking about Iraq. At the end it said "Two out of every three children in Iraq believe they will not grow up to become adults." So I am trying to explain this to them, saying, "there are three children in this house, so that means, if we lived in Iraq, two of you may believe that." Bekah says, "well I know I'd be the one to grow up to be an adult..."
Too bad for you, Caleb and Elisa....
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Aug. 17, 2007 - Go Bekah!!!
Posted by Blogless Leigh
She really struggles with confidence huh? LOL!! ~Leigh

First day back...

After weeks of "Monday I am going to start school," the kids and I began our third year of homeschooling today. It is Caleb's 2nd grade year and Bekah's kindergarten year. Elisa just likes to hang out and do her work books. I wasn't sure what to expect with two officially at home, and I still don't, but Bekah I do believe is going to give me a run for my money!
Where Caleb loves to listen to the books (we do Sonlight), Bekah couldn't wait until I was done with history and asked for her Math book. This bothered Caleb because for the last two years we have done history, then science. He doesn't enjoy the workbooks as much, though he does love math. We had a pretty good day, when Bekah wasn't arguing with me about how "I didn't have to write this much in preschool."
Caleb has always been an eager learner. He picked up on reading very easily, read his math workbooks within a few weeks in K, and was really an independent little guy. I do remember having a moment with him, though when we were learning the continents. He kept calling Europe, Africa, or vice versa, and when I was about to scream, "No, it's...." a mosquito landed on his forehead and I smacked him in the head to kill it. (you don't have to tell me what a good mom I am.) After I "lovingly" tell him I was just trying to keep him from a bite, I had this moment of glee that I tried to literally smack this lesson into his head. I'm sure he has known them since.
The difference between these two is amazing. Just the personality difference, coupled with the fact she is a sweet, yet emotional little girl, may just do me in. But, hey we are only at the beginning, and as I tucked her in on Sunday night, I was so thankful that I wasn't sending her away for 7 hours the next day. I just hope I can get her figured out before there are too many "mosquitoes" on her head.
And so, with that, here are a few of our fun moments....

We found K'nex at a garage sale this weekend and Mr. creativity made a ferris wheel today...

A joyful moment of Bekah working on her "All about Me" book....
And Elisa loves tracing her letters and "doing school" with us...
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Aug. 8, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by SmallWorld
Don't they all look like SUCH angel! And, I hate to tell you this, but I had a quick glimpse of Bekah as a teenager in the pic....and you are gonna have to WATCH OUT! She is headed toward being a smashing beauty.
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Aug. 8, 2007 - I shudder whenever I think of it!
Posted by QueenoftheHill
I'm really enjoying not feeling guilty about NOT doing anything. (Okay, I do feel guilty about not keeping my Team X commitment -- at least most of the time.) I need to pack a lot of fun stuff into the next 2 weeks so Day #1 isn't so painful.
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Aug. 9, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by jenmcintyre
Just looking at your last two posts makes me think your kids have grown so much.
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Aug. 10, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by fyftn
Look at how peaceful and studious the children are. Glad to see they are so willing to learn. =)

Our VBS...

I have been a bit lazy with downloading pictures, but I wanted to post some of my favorite VBS pictures. So, a few weeks late, here are some of my favorite.....
Mike asked for a picture of me in my pigtails...it had been a few years since I wore those...

Elisa's class got to ride the horse every night and then rope a cow...it was one of her favorite parts...
I had the privilege of leading worship every night, something I love doing. One lady told me the girls had to join me on stage for the last night because they were so cute knowing all the dances...so here we are....

Even though some us us (Smallworld) don't enjoy VBS as much as others....we had a great week.
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Aug. 6, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by SmallWorld
You guys are SO cute!! Don't mind me; I'm just a curmudgeon some years!!