Week 8 Summer Education

How did it become week 8 of summer education? I've gotten off schedule with the move and the 4th of July holiday. It was nice to do summer activities and lay off the stricter schedule. I did, however, continue with Gabriel's virtual school program with the exception of last week when we didn't have internet at our new home. It's Monday again. We have most of the 150 boxes unpacked and we are somewhat organized. I have to purchase more furniture in order to make it a more organized and liveable situation but things are in their general location. We have internet and that is valuable for the way I teach the kids new things. It's much easier to find something that interests them at a moment's notice when I am able to google it. What about the library, you might ask. I like taking the kids to the library but I've learned that it's best to take them when there is a program going on. If I take them at other times, they are WILD and run all over the library, causing an embarrassing situation for me. If there are other kids already at the library for an event, it's less noticeable. Gabriel has been interested in Presidents for a while. He wants to be President and tells us what he wants to accomplish as President. I looked for a poster so Gabriel could have a visual of the Presidents. I haven't been able to go to a teachers store yet but I haven't seen a poster at other stores either. I goggled "free printable President cards" this afternoon. I found this site: http://www.thehomeschoolzone.com/FREEFlashCards/Flashcards-Presidents/PresidentFlashcards.htm I printed all 44 President flash cards. Gabriel helped me laminate them and then we created 44 cards for him. He lined them up in order to make sure we had all of them, starting with #7, Andrew Jackson. His favorite number tends to coorespond with his age. It was neat to watch his curiousity and interest in the Presidents of the United States. Alex didn't want to be left out. I found some letter games I had made previously. He hasn't seen them in a while, possibly 6 months. The games were much easier for him today and it was incredible to watch the growth in him. Here are the links to the games he played: http://mrsbremersk.blogspot.com/2011/08/more-pinterest-inspired-creations.html I created the missing letter game on this site. http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/blog/2010/06/z-review-clothespin-match-up.html Alex worked on the clothes pin match up. Of course, the games were far too easy for him at this point but it was good review and I like the fine motor involved in the clothes pin games.

Crappy day

I'm very blessed. I am thankful that I have a wonderful husband, three children, and two dogs. We have a beautiful home and I have the ability to stay a home. We have two reliable cars. My kids have a room full of toys and closets over flowing with clothing Our pantry is full and there is even some extra money in our account.
Some days are awe inspiring. Those moments when a person needs to stop and fully enjoy every second. The birth of each of my children. Standing on the Great Wall of China and eating dinner in the Eiffel Tower. My wedding day was full of loved ones and sweet moments
Then there are those numbing, pain sheering days. The phone calls that a loved one has passed on from this life. The day I was told our newborn would be transported an hour and a half away. Each day I heard about an illness or disorder someone in my family would have to battle and learn to live with on a daily basis. Although I want to forget these difficult times, these days help me appreciate the mundane days that seem to blend into each other.
Despite being grateful for my life and knowing that things could be so much worse, some days are well, crappy. Yesterday was one of them. I really should have gone back to bed and skipped the entire day.
The day started with a glass shattering all over the kitchen tile floor. Our broom is at the other house so it was a challenge to clean up the many shards of glass. Throughout the day I found glass on the counter and in various parts of the kitchen.
I noticed the water pressure was lower than it had been since our move in the home on Friday. I checked all of the faucets and tightened them. Shortly after, the pressure returned to normal. I was quite proud of myself for fixing the problem. My proud moment evaporated when I read an email stating that the water pressure was due to a power outage and we have a boil water alert.
Swell.
I drove 40 minutes and took the kids to their old school to withdraw them. It took 45 minutes to complete the paperwork and the kids were WILD. They ran all over the great room and front office.
After the school adventure, we went to our old house to unlock the door for the cleaners. I loaded the van with our remaining items and headed to an eye appointment for Lane.
On the way to the appointment, I took the wrong exit and received a phone call that the home and carpet cleaners would not be able to complete the work. I usually do all of the cleaning myself but wanted to make this move easier on us by hiring help. So much for an easier move. (is there really such a thing??).
The boys yelled at each other while I meandered my way down busy I4. At one point Alex pulled Gabriel's hair and they both screamed at the same time. It was an eventful drive to the doctor's office.
I made it to the follow up appointment for Lane's eyes. The appointment time was 12:40. We were still sitting in the waiting room at 2:17 and the kids were WILD again. They were overly hungry and sick of waiting.
We finally met with the doctor and found out that despite the daily patching, Lane will need surgery. The surgery is an hour long and works 85% of the time. If we forego the surgery, she could have complete vision loss as well as an eye that is permanently outward. Three hours later, we were in our way home in pouring rain. I wanted to cry with the clouds but somehow held my tears in as I told Andrew about the results of the appointment.
I realized that the Harmony school was still open on our way home. I drug the kids in the school with the intention of registering the boys. The office staff originally told me that I only needed a lease or purchase agreement for the registration since we just moved in. When I arrived with the paperwork, she decided that I do need a second paper with our address on it. Somehow I have to get a utility bill with our current address on it. I don't want to waste time because I want Gabriel placed in the appropriate classroom immediately.
The day ended as it began, Alex dropped a jar of peanuts in the kitchen. Glass shattered everywhere. If it had been later than 5 pm, I would have hidden in my bedroom until Wednesday began.

Headed to Harmony

I thought I would feel worse about moving than I do tonight. I'm not excited like I've been for prior moves. I think the amount of work that needs to be accomplished is shielding me from feeling much more than anxiety. I hate seeing all of our belongings on one truck. It's a very uncomfortable sight for me
Lane jumps up and down whenever I pack a box. She is honestly excited
about the move. We had to explain to Alex why we are moving because he wasn't handling it well. Once he knew what was going on, he told Andrew, " well, then we need to move for Gabriel." Gabriel, however, has not been happy at all. He has been complaining and can't let go of the fact that we are leaving the townhouse
Today Gabriel cried and told me that this is the perfect house. As much as I want to tell him that we moving for him and hopefully a better school system for him, it doesn't seem appropriate. I just don't know if I should tell him
We have had boxes stacked in the living room for a couple weeks and the kids rooms have been empty just as long. It's funny how exciting it is to sit on the coolers. I am adding the photo please note that Alex was a statue in the photo.
They also played with things they haven't touched in months. Lane pulled out all of her dress up stuff along with her creativity. The kids also played with the wooden train track. I was shocked. We will have more space in our new house so it's possible we will be able to set our more fun toys for them.
8 hours and we will have the moving truck. Whew - I can not believe it

Countdown to moving day

It's the Sunday prior to our Friday move. We have been busy getting utilities switched, packing, sorting, donating, etc. It is exhausting. Thankfully we moving 40 minutes away rather than 26 hours away like last year.
I will need to find a new physician, get acclimated to our new neighborhood, figure out where to shop for groceries but those things can wait. However, registering the boys in their new school needs to be accomplished as soon ad possible. I want the new principal to have time to be prepared for us. There is so much more to consider with a special needs child than a typical student. I am hopeful that our change in schools will be a good one for the boys.
Even if I have half the anxiety I has this past year, I will consider it a successful change. Any time the school number appeared on my phone, I would dread answering it. Did Alex hit another teacher? Would I be told that Alex would be suspended, or worse, that we were going to be sued? Did the school staff lose Gabriel again? Would Gabriel have another potty accident because his teacher insisted that he wear a belt? Would another staff member give me parenting advice; explaining that spanking is legal in Florida?
When I went to the school to get the boys, I never knew what would happen. Gabriel was supposed to be escorted to the gate. No one followed through and I would wait while all of the other parents would leave with their children. I wasn't allowed to cross into the school grounds. A couple times, Gabriel's teacher would literally stomp down the sidewalk toward me with Gabriel in tow, clearly exasperated by his behavior.
These few examples are why I am hopeful a different school will work with us to give the boys a free and appropriate education. It's a big question mark but we will know soon enough
Along with planning, organizing, and packing comes a lot of cleaning. We have a large back deck at our townhouse. We included the children in our efforts to clean the deck. They had a lot of fun with the water and soap. It was fun to watch their enthusiasm and we were grateful for their help.

Dr. Phillips Splash Pad

Just twenty minutes from our home is a place called Dr. Phillips Splash Pad. I've been avoiding it. It costs $1/person and I didn't want to get everyone ready, drive 20 minutes, pay $4 and watch a complete meltdown from someone. I actually dreaded taking the kids which isn't my usual attitude for new adventures. I've heard great things about the splash pad and decided to check it out. Alex insisted on wearing rain boots in case it rained.
It is well worth the $4! I'm glad I packed snacks because there isn't a place to buy anything. In reality, this is a great thing. I don't have to fight with the kids about what we buy or eat. The attendant would only take ones and wouldn't break a $20 bill so that is something else to keep in mind. The $4 is well worth it. The kids lasted two hours! They were exhausted the rest of the day. Another suggestion is to take buckets. It helps with imaginative play and other kids bring them so it helps eliminate arguments. I wish I hadn't waited over a year to take the kids. If you're in the area, check it out. It is a fun outing.

Medication schedule

When I picked up Alex's prescription I realized we haven't gotten medication for the kids since we move here. Waiting extra time for insurance information to be entered seemed well worth knowing we haven't needed prescription medication for the kids in over a year.
They've been ill. In fact Gabriel had a chest X-ray this past winter but they had viruses and an antibiotic wouldn't help that problem.
A long time ago I saw a great idea. Mark the bottle with days and times a child needs to take medication. Then I will know if he's had all of his medicine. Genius!
When I got home I wrote the days on the bottle, gave Alex a dose of medicine and marked off our first day. I can barely remember my own medicine; I don't want to forget an important dose for my child.
Try this - it might help you too!

Waxy Wednesday

Gabriel got angry with Alexander and bit his head. Yes, his head. Gabriel had a biting problem when he was younger. When I learned that biting is very satifying for sensory seeking children, it all made sense. We were able to transfer his biting problem to gum or a vibrating toy elephant last year. This year, the school wouldn't use his elephant and now the biting is back. Swell. At least the bite isn't visible and only removes hair. A large chunk of hair was removed from Alex's head and got worse. It didn't seem quite right to me. The hair didn't grow back and it was about the size of three quarters. However, Alex has my thick straight hair and you can't see the bald patch very well. I called for an appointment and took him in to the doctor. The kids insisted on getting measured and the nurse was kind enough to do so. Gabriel is 50 in, Alex is 46 in, and Lane is barely 37 in. He was diagnosed with a fungal infection. That sounds so weird and gross to me. He will take medication for 4-8 weeks. I asked the doctor to check Alex's ears because he is loud and doesn't always hear me correctly. I don't know if it's a behavior issue, inattentiveness, or a hearing problem. The doctor found a huge piece of wax in his ear. I actually saw it there too but he wouldn't allow me to get it out. The doctor attempted to get it out but Alex wouldn't stay still for that little procedure. Instead, the nurse had to wash the wax out. He thought the ear wash was hilarious and couldn't stop laughing. What a goofball. He also earned a one way ticket to the ENT next week. I guess we'll find out if he is hearing or not. It will be good to get all of this done before school starts so there aren't any questions about these simple things that can be checked now.

Week 5 summer education

We are almost to the halfway point of summer break. In some ways the last month had gone fast. I can hardly remember dragging the boys to school in the morning. Yet some days are challenging and seem to drag on far longer than 24 hours.
Gabriel started the week like a two year old. Curious about things that aren't his like my mascara which ended up in his hair, making it an interesting morning. Some days autism is very annoying.
Eventually I got everyone settled in the playroom for some learning time. Gabriel worked on the alphabet puzzle with Lane. This was a neat moment because Gabriel doesn't care for puzzles and he doesn't always take time to show his younger siblings things that he knows how to do.
I found cookie sheet activities for the kids. Lane matched upper case letters with magnets while the boys created words. I like this activity a lot. It is far more interesting for them to play with magnets than sit and write. I didn't have to motivate them to work at all. The link to the cookie cutter sheet activities is here: http://blog.maketaketeach.com/?p=508

Watermelon!

We hosted a watermelon playdate this last Friday. I had it at a local park but we onlyl lasted for an hour because it was so darn HOT and humid. Watermelon was a perfect theme because it reminds me of summer whenever I see it
The park has a younger and older kids section and Gabriel is not okay with playing in the side for younger children. Since he is the oldest by several years, I have to take my kids to the other side of the park first to make the playdate successful for me.
We ate watermelon and a friend brought adorable cupcakes that looked like watermelon. We also made an easy watermelon craft that consisted of painting a paper plate and gluing on a paper green rind. The different ways the three children create their craft even though it's the same idea and materials always interests me. They definitely add their personal touch.

Passport to Imagination: USA

Michaels is having Passport to Imagination this summer. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, Michaels offers a free craft based on a country they have chosen. Most of the crafts are based around an animal. I like going to these crafts. They are FREE. I don't come up with an idea. I don't buy the necessary items. I don't set it up. I don't clean it up. It gets us out of the house for some creative fun. Did I mention it's free?!
I don't understand why more people don't take advantage of these activities. We went with a friend to Michaels today. Appropriately for the Fourth, we "traveled" to the USA.
The kids made American flags with foam, pipe cleaners, and glitter. And lots of glue. This is why I like theses events - I don't care how much glue they use for a successful art craft when we are there. Gabriel only wanted red pipe cleaners while Alex patterned his red and white pipe cleaners. All three turned out really cute
We didn't stay for the animal door hanger because we arrived to early. The kids couldn't stay any longer due to possible meltdowns.

Red step stool

I love color especially in my home. It makes me happy to be surrounded by different colors rather than plain white. Gabriel's obsession with red has become apparent in our home so it's a good thing I don't mind bright colors in our home. When I bought this red step stool for their bathroom, I knew I wanted to do something fun with it. Something a little more personal and cute.
Yesterday I painted their feet yellow and added them to the step stool. I was a little concerned that their feet would be too big but they still fit. I'm happy with the way this turned out.

GAK

I found a recipe for GAK or as I realized, flubber. It only takes three ingredients to make it so I thought it was worth the little experiment. A neighbor who is going into 4th grade came over to play with the kids so we made enough for four kids. All four kids thought it was really neat so we made it twice today! '

I tweaked the recipe a little bit and it worked out well for us. The kids poured 8 ounces of glue into a bowl with 8 ounces of water.

The kids mixed and mixed the glue and water. They kept asking what we were making because it was just a bowl of watery glue!

We added borax by the teaspoon, with half a cup of warm water, and continued to stir as it solidified. I continued to add the borax as we stired the mixture. As more GAK formed, I pulled it out of the watery goo and gave it to the kids. They played with it for the majority of the afternoon.

Tempera paint can be added for color. Gabriel took markers and colored his GAK. It was actually a neat way to add color and looked tie dyed.

Good Night Moon

Good Night Moon hasn't been in our rotation of books for a long time. I guess the boys outgrew it and picked other books. When Gabriel asked for Good Night Moon tonight, Andrew was more than happy to read it to them.
All three of the kids curled up on the couch with Daddy to listen to this classic twice. I savor these sweet parenting moments.
Good night moon, good night room. Pick it up for your children if you haven't in a while