Goal Check

Last year I set up 10 goals for myself to accomplish and secretly told myself that if I did even half of them it would be a good year. Here's the end-of-year check-up:

1. Plant a garden this year and hopefully end up with edible produce. We tried strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, spinach and loose leaf lettuce. We ended up doing pretty well, but I battled a few squirrels over those tomatoes. I'm already looking up ways to keep them away from the tomatoes next year. The peppers did really great, and I have a few bags in my freezer full of sliced jalapenos. This spring I think we will only plant 1 of each kind of pepper so we won't be over run, and I think I will better know how to care for the tomatoes this year.

2. Eat at-home prepared meals only for a week. Thanks to a tightening of the belt this fall we've done this quite frequently in the last few months. My goal in this was to get used to being in the kitchen every single day again, and thinking of our meals differently. My views on food and meals have changed so much this year.



3. Read 20 fiction books this year. Because of my mad dash in October and November I think I'm going to end up with 31 for my final total! Superman argues that the Laura Ingalls Wilder books shouldn't count since they are so short, but at least nine of the books on there were over 500 pages, so I think it balances out. Next year I'd like to keep better track of my non-fiction reads as well.



4. Start Bible memory with Ender and build it into a habit. We started out well, and we're ending well, but the middle months left a lot to be desired. That is my fault, not his, but we're making this into a family event for next year and I think that will be the key to consistency for me.



5. Keep my nightstand area completely clear for 30 days except for vitamins, Bible and 1 current book. This hasn’t happened yet. This may never happen in my lifetime. But it's important to Superman, so I keep trying. Maybe next year.



6. Keep/Toss/Donate 15 items each day for 30 days. I finished this in January/February. It felt so good to get some of those little things out of the house and it didn't take long to do each day. I may need to keep this one for next year as well.



7. Move systematically through the house to declutter and re-organize. I did well, but it's been a few months since I completed this and already I need to go through again. The boys have outgrown toys and clothes, we have acquired some things without making the room for them . . .



8. Drink water. Make juice an occasional thing and soda a rare thing. I did well with this a lot of the time, but awful at certain points too. It is better though, and I'm trying to hold onto this habit.

9. Move to using as many fresh ingredients as possible in our cooking. I am so happy with our diet changes this year. We aren't allowing much junk food in the house because Superman and I can't resist the temptation if it's here. So we're making healthy snacks plenty available so there is no late night "oh-no-what-did-I-just-eat?!?" moments of panic.

10. Re-evaluate my goals every 3 months. I didn't check in on this at all this fall, but we seem to have made it okay. I'm working on my goals for 2010 and praying for guidance in this coming year.

Last 2009 Daybook

 

Outside my window… PILES of snow. You may have heard about a little blizzard we were hit with on Christmas Eve. And then it just keeps snowing. We don't get this kind of snow very often around here, especially not in December. It usually hits in late January or early February, and rarely more than an inch at a time. Usually it's a dusting that melts by the end of the day. When Ender woke up Christmas morning he asked if it was real snow outside. He sort of remembered seeing snow last year, but he wasn't really sure.

I am thinking… about money. Is that okay? We were hit with two big things last week- Superman was in a minor car accident on the 23rd in his work truck (the one we own) and we have to replace one of his lights and the front bumper. Insurance covers most of it, but we still have the unexpected expense of the deductable. Then, on the 24th Superman's  company announced significant changes on Christmas Eve that will cut Superman's paycheck significantly. We are praying (and submitting lots of resumes) for a new job.

I am thankful for…  our beautiful Christmas. Snow on the ground, Ender discovering that Santa had eaten the cookies he'd left, that the stockings were filled, and best of all there was a bike next to the tree with HIS name on it . . . (All Ezra cared about were the donuts for breakfast!)

Always Learning…  I'm feeling really good about Kindergarten stuff now and have a good idea of where we'll be going for the rest of this year with Ender. I promise to share more details later.

From the kitchen…  Sugar cookies with Nana on Christmas Eve, mulled cider and lots of hot chocolate (don't forget the marshmallows!

I am wearing…  A long jean skirt, knee high Christmas socks, a long sleeve tshirt and a hoodie. I am soooo not a winter person!

 

I am creating…  a very cool sweater in a very bright blue. Still. But I am on the last few rows- one more movie night with Superman should do it.

I am going… to find a tux for Ender today! My sister got engaged on December 19th and they are getting married January 2, and Ender will be their ring bearer. We just have to find him a tux and he'll be ready. He's already done this for . . .  well, four of my siblings, so he's a pro.

 

I am reading… Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey and Homeschooling: A Family's Journey.

I am hoping… to finish cleaning out all the closets before the end of the week. They are all disasters! We tackled Ender's yesterday, and I'm planning to work through Ezra's today. They are growing too fast, and I never seem to keep up with packing up their outgrown clothes and toys. 

 

In my prayers . . . My sister-in-law Abby who announced at the family Christmas that she and my brother are expecting their first child. She has been very ill so far, and if she doesn't stop losing weight soon she may be facing hospitalization for a bit to get the hyperemesis under control.

Also, my sister that is getting married on Saturday- she and her fiance are also expecting a baby in early February. They have so many changes happening within just a few weeks time. It is a lot to have going on all at once.

I am hearing… Steven Curtis Chapman's new album Beauty Will Rise. I still pray for their family and this album is a beautiful tribute to their young daughter.

 

Around the house… I'm letting Christmas linger a bit- but the tree will have to come down sometime.

 

One of my favorite things… Ender whispering to me last night before I left his room, "I love you all the way to the moon . . . and back."

 A few plans for the rest of the week … Wedding stuff for my sister, a little "winter cleaning", trying to stay warm, hosting a New Year's Eve party. Oh, and the wedding on Saturday!

Ezra

In the last few weeks . . .

:: Said his first real sentence. "Where are you going, Daddy?" he asked when he saw that Superman was putting his shoes on to take the garbage out.

:: When Ender's fish died Ezra patted his brother's back and said, "s'okay Ender" and gave him a hug.

:: His new favorite word is "WHAT?!?!?" said in a very high pitched and incredulous tone. He says it every time someone says something silly.

:: This is the first year he has remembered a bit about Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph. We've been reading one or two books each day and talking about Jesus' birth every day. He's been holding his baby as baby Jesus for about 2 weeks now and talks about Him constantly. Combine this with his love of opposites and you have an interesting morning:

Me: Ezra, what do you want to wear today?

Ezra: Baby Jesus (laughs)

Me: The green shirt or the blue shirt?

Ezra: Green baby Jesus. (hysterical laughter)

Me: What do you want for breakfast?

Ezra: Baby Jesus.

UM . . . . .

 

I told a friend about this and she laughed and said, "You do realize that he's telling you that the answer is ALWAYS Jesus, right?"

:: Ezra, your compassion and sincere love for your brother is such a joy to see. I love that you always ask for a snack for your brother when you are getting one for yourself. You look around for Ender whenever you're trying to decide what to play. You literally cheer when you hear Ender's door open in the morning because you are SO excited to see him each day. I am so happy that you two are so closely knit and watch over each other so carefully, cheering each other on and hugging each other so much more often than you argue. A dear brother is such a precious gift.

Last Night

 

10:00 p.m. Superman and I started talking about his coursework for next semester, getting books, schedules and other brain-bending matters. We both finally get to sleep around 12:30.

 

1:00 a.m. Ender needs help using the bathroom, and I get him back to bed afterwards.

 

1:20 a.m. Ezra is coughing a ton for some reason. I go check on him and get him a drink.

 

1:25 a.m. Ender comes in crying that he wants to sleep in our bed. He climbs in and falls asleep almost immediately. Superman carries him back to bed.

 

1:40 a.m. Ezra wakes up crying. He finally falls back asleep after lots of singing and cuddling. It's now 2 a.m.

 

2:40 a.m. Ender is back. At least he's on Daddy's side of the bed.

 

3:00 a.m. Ezra starts coughing and crying again. I despise coughs that show up in the middle of the night. How he went from zero symptoms at his 8 p.m. bedtime to a gross nose and ugly cough in less than 8 hours is beyond me. He's not able to stay propped up very well in his bed to breathe easier, so he comes in with us so I can help him sleep sitting up. After I get Ezra settled in I take a sleeping Ender back to his bed.

 

3:45 a.m. Ezra is kicking and tossing and turning. I try to settle him back, but he's too restless. Back to his bed he goes, so that we have a chance for some sleep.

 

4:30 a.m. Guess who's back? Ender!

 

4:50 a.m. And another little boy cries again because of this cough, so he joins us.

 

5:45 a.m. Superman's alarm goes off. Both boys are sleeping so soundly that neither wake. Superman takes them both back to their beds and leaves for work. I usually get up when he leaves at 6:15, but for *some* reason I'm worn out. I change my alarm to 7 a.m.

 

6:45 a.m. Ezra cheerfully calls "Mama!" from his room as if he got 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep. And wouldn't you know he has only the tiniest sniffle this morning?

 

I'm on my third cup of coffee. How about you?

** A note to say that this is really atypical. We're not usually up 50 gazillion times at night, but last night was so special it deserves it's own post. **

Kindergarten

Have I ever told you that I'm a giant geek that researches everything to death? Just thought it was fair to warn you before jumping into this post.

I mentioned before that we spent a lot of time on our trip talking about what we want Kindergarten to look like for Ender next year and about our individual expectations for homeschooling in general.  We've had the general conversation many times before, but this time it felt more refined for some reason.

We spent more time talking over the weekend, and in between discussions I've been reading a ton, so thought I'd share a giant info-dump on the things I've found in my kindergarten search.

 

Scope and Sequences:

For these I was looking for a wide spectrum of Kindergarten objectives. I was curious to see what was average and to see where Ender fits- or if he fit at all.

K12

Hollywood Schoolhouse

Worldbook

I also have reference to my Montessori albums and the book What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know.

 

General Resources:

1. This giant list that includes a TON of links for every subject.

2. Kelly's Kindergarten for ideas.

3. Mini Office to help Ender write independently (scroll to Jan. 2005)

4. BrainPOP Jr.

5. homeschoolingadventures.com

6. Serendipity

7. The Brain Food List from HolyExperience.

 

Science:

I know science isn't a huge deal in Kindergarten, but when you have a science loving boy, it is. The scary thing about this for me is that science is my weak area. In my searching I've come across some great lists:

1. MacBeth's Opinion

2. Good Science Books

3. Fun Schooling's Science List

 

Math:

1. Math Journals

2. More Math Journals (scroll down to April-July 2006) 

3. Math is Fun

4. Mathwire.com

Feel free to add links in comments. Any links to K-3 materials works here.