Seven Quick Takes (Vol. 1)

I'm not going to commit to doing this on Fridays, or even weekly - I'm just going to write about 7 things that come to mind as I have time and post when it's full. "Big News" will still get a separate post.

ONE: My reading of Witness to Hope has come to an abrupt halt as I have finally had to return it to the library. This is a book, to quote Sir Francis Bacon, that it is one of the "...few to be chewed and digested: that is, ...to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention." I read the first four chapters and Chapter 10. This is a book that will be on my shelf someday, dog-eared and underlined. Now is not the time for it, though.

TWO: During a recent thunderstorm:
Catherine: If you get hit by lightning, will you die?
Dad: Yes, most people who get hit by lightning die.
(mom interjects to diffuse the conversation before it ends in tears): but sometimes things like getting hit by lightning or getting bit by a spider gives you superpowers, but that doesn't happen very often. I don't know any superheroes.
Dad: I'm a superhero.
Catherine: No, you're not.
Dad: Anthony thinks I'm a superhero.
Catherine: I think you're just an old man.

THREE: I read these quotes on a homeschooling forum and wanted to share them with all mothers who are teaching their very young children at home every day:

"All who undertake to teach must be endowed with deep love, the greatest of patience, and, most of all, profound humility. They must perform their work with earnest zeal. Then, through their humble prayers, the Lord will find them worthy to become fellow workers with him in the cause of truth. He will console them in the fulfillment of this most noble duty, and finally, will enrich them with the gift of heaven." - St. Joseph Calasanz

"A roof to keep out the rain. Four walls to keep out the wind. Floors to keep out the cold. Yes, but home is more than that. It is the laugh of a baby, the song of a mother, the strength of a father. Warmth of loving hearts, light from happy eyes, kindness, loyalty, comradeship. Home is first school...for the young ones where they learn what is right, what is good, and what is kind. Where they go for comfort when they are hurt or sick. Where joy is shared and sorrow eased. Where fathers and mothers are respected and loved. Where children are wanted. Where the simplest food is good enough for kings because it is earned. Where money is not so important as loving-kindness. Where even the teakettle sings from happiness. That is home." - Ernestine Schumann-Heink

FOUR: Some friends of ours are building a house nearby and Adam went to help them other evening. Anthony joined their boys imitating their fathers: smoothing out the concrete. These boys may not be in pre-school, but there is some real learning going on, here.

They have a blog that we can use to follow their progress as we read: What's it like to be a...HOME BUILDER by Kira Daniel and hopefully we'll have a few more opportunitites to get some 'field trips' in.

FIVE: I know that homeschooling is right for us this year, but it is not easy. With fondness I look at my friends "first day of school" posts and read about how much their children love their new school, new teacher and new friends. By comparison, our first day of school was...not something to blog about. The grass is always greener...but there are a lot I don't miss about school. It was was not perfect and there were a lot of things that made that green grass taste bitter to me.

I love that homeschooling frees me to make what I feel are the the best choices for my young kids' growth and development as individuals, whether it is what they eat, hear, read, or watch, and to be able to celebrate the year, seasons, and feasts as a family.

SIX: We use disposable diapers overnight and this morning Stephen decided to swing his around by one of the tabs on the way from the bedroom to the bathroom trashcan. It busted open and I had quite a mess to clean up. School started a little late.

SEVEN: Anthony is really enjoying the book, Johnny Appleseed, a tall tale retold and illustrated by Steven Kellog. He's been walking around singing, "John the apple seed". I was excited to find a smiliar book, Pecos Bill, a tall tale retold and illustrated by Steven Kellogg at the Friends of the Library bookstore. I searched the shelves and actually found 15 new books (3/$1 = $5). Most were "educational" in nature, such as Fossils Tell of Long Ago by Aliki. A few were little treasures to me:

A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry
Little Bear's Friend, but Else Holmelund Minarik
Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
a library bound copy of Ten Apples Up On Top by Theo LeSieg aka Dr. Seuss, whose sometimes altered his name, Theodore Geisel.
and a hardback copy of The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde H. Swift

Finally, incorporating this addition from The Simple Woman's Daybook:
Here Is A Picture Thought I'm Sharing:
The boys are working on the alphabet. Anthony arranged these in order from 52 randomly shuffled alphabet cards and only needed a little bit of help.