22 December, 2010

Christmas, New Years, Math, Moving...........

4 days til Christmas.........Christmas will be low key this year for the Weavers. Building a gingerbread house, giving homemade bread to the neighbors, singing carols at an old peoples home, sipping hot chocolate while listening to the Christmas story and stuffing ourselves at Christmas lunch.........that will pretty much make up our special weekend. I went to Walmart today (aka "junkmart") and couldn't help but pity the people frantically doing last minute shopping. What was i doing there? Last minute shopping of course. Thankfully it wasn't really for gifts, although i did pick up a few small things for the children's Christmas plates. (family tradition from Marlin's family, Christmas morning each child gets a plate with candy, an orange, some nuts and i'm adding a pair of winter gloves.....)

I'm actually more excited for New Years this year than Christmas. We have some friends coming Friday night and Saturday and i can't wait. Ice skating, (for the kids and men), latte's, fellowship.......I'm so excited I'm itchy. Come to think of it, Marlin's itchy too and he says it's that new soap i got, not so much the excitement. If it's too cheap it's probably soap that's, well, CHEAP.

So there's our life at the moment. And being the kind mother that i am, my children are continuing with school, even on Christmas week. We are in the swing of things and i'm afraid to stop for fear the swinging will go away. I am very happy how Eric's math is going. I put him back into CLE math, at a level quite a bit lower than he was, simply to bring the enjoyment back into it and to build back his confidence. We are doing up to 3 lessons a day,(much of it is review) but he's doing phenomenal, and no longer gets a snoot when i say time for math. I was simply pushing him too hard, something my first evaluator had warned me about with Eric. So after Eric and i talked about it, we have agreed to call him in fourth instead of fifth grade. I had started him and Emily in first grade together but he really struggled when kids would give him a hard time about being in a lower grade than his peers. (soapbox here....one reason why I'm NOT a big fan of the way the government has the grade system in place, but it's the way it is, so i guess we deal with it) I had allowed him, after talking to two different evaluators, to say he was in the same grade as other boys his age, and he was doing some of that grade level work, but i never had a good feeling about it. It meant i was constantly pushing him through, without taking the time to really make sure he was getting it, simply so he could keep up with his "level." So mama laid down her pride, and i told Eric that we'll take another look at it at the end of the year. IF he can easily pass the 5th grade state testing, we may allow him to jump a grade, but that's a big IF. Meanwhile, i feel a big load lifted off my shoulders, knowing that i can actually relax and enjoy teaching him without worrying that he's falling behind. I'm still figuring this whole homeschooling thing out, as you can tell.

My parents are now officially moved and we're all loving it. Dad and mom just love their new little cozy home, and we love having a big cozy home. Mom has done well with the adjustment, and seems to understand. She still spends quite a few days during the week here, and I've been once again convinced that i will never regret living here and helping to take care of her. Between my father, my sister and myself, there are enough people to give each other a break, so we can help her better. She loves coming over here to the children and yet, she also likes knowing she can go home to a quiet house. Speaking of a quiet house, my hooligans are all in bed, including the biggest one, ;) except for me and my daughter who is engrossed in yet another book. So good-night and God bless.

9 comments:

  1. Heya!

    Just your peeps over here in Port Royal....itching away for the New Year! Bring it on!!! :)

    Just 10 mores sleeps!

    Love ya,
    Billie XO

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  2. I like the 'plates' idea.....I'm almost not organized enough to do the gift thing we've accustomed ours to (don't put enough thought into it throughout the yr.) That brings me too close for comfort w/ that frantic 11th hr. buying 'things' frenzy some yrs.
    Darla, I think you've made a good move w/ Eric's math....so not worth the grief when it's just too advanced...amen on the pointless grading system ..(@ least for HS)
    As for your 'walk' w/ mom....I've no experience at all! Even living on the same farm takes grace, lots of charity & grace!
    Did you just call Marlin a hooligan??! LOL Merry Christmas to you & yours!~Aunt Pauline

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  3. Lol, yes Pauline, i did call Marlin a hooligan. The best kind there is...;)

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  4. you all are gonna have so much fun i am almost jealous:) Love you ladies to much!

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  5. Nine more sleeps.....

    ~Billie XO

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  6. Darla! Lovely talking to you today! The gears in my mind are turning, thinking about good books. (Remind me next time we talk since, more likely than not, I'll forget about typing the list up!) I like the idea of your Christmas plates - we do a small stocking for each child stuffed with treats (gum, jam - Abbi likes orange marmalade?!?! Ick! - a car, animal crackers). Then a new book and a toy. May I stress A toy. Oh! And we made MY first gingerbread building ever - but it was a stable not a house. I still have to post some pictures.

    Well, the potatoes are almost done so I'd better be off!
    Love, Licia

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  7. Come on! You love me and my mess! ;)

    Oh...FYI...almost 8 more sleeps......

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