I haven't posted much lately. A LOT has happened in life and I just haven't gotten around to it. Both Case and Amelia are now in school. Case has gotten two report cards and has done very well. We had adjustment issues initially, but we have gotten over those.The first 9 weeks his biology teacher wanted to move him to a different class because he had a 40 average. He brought that up to a C (78) by the time report cards rolled around and had a B the second nine weeks and currently has an A. She has now recommended him to be in honors Chemistry next year. He has A's in every other class right now too. He is doing Rifle Team with NJROTC and has found a new boy scout troop that we believe will be of much more benefit for him. He tried out for baseball but didn't make the team. I keep trying to encourage him to do swimming or golf or some other activity that he has demonstrated some talent in, but so far he has only wanted to try the standard sports. He is taking Guitar this semester and Brian thinks he is good at that. He seems to pick up things there very easily and always has me print out tabs for different popular songs and then goes and plays them.
Amelia returned to school after Christmas. She is going to Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School in Greenville. We are still going through the adjustment period with her. Right when we were about to embark on it seriously, Grannie-Nannie broke her hip and I went out to Mississippi to help. This put a snag in the works here, but we are going at it full force now and she is doing well and putting forth tremendous effort.She has done a research paper that her teacher seemed to like and is now finishing up a science experiment. She enlisted many people as subjects and we all had to chew LOTS and LOTS of gum. She received a progress report that has two A's and 2 C's on it. She is working on bringing those C's up and I am confident that she can do it. She has a good head on her shoulders and just needs to learn how to "do" school. It is so different from homeschooling and she has been homeschooled most all of her schooling years.
Ainslee is Ainslee. She is learning her letters and counting and doing well. The teens give her issues but she will get it. We are not pushing anything on her but letting her learn as she feels the need. We have built a birdhouse and put up a hammock and moved and organized her playroom, weeded the flower beds and planted flower planters for the front porch. We have measured an area to hang her zip-line. She is also responsible now for the feeding of the cats. We have played in the snow, read books, listened to music, painted, drawn, written "letters", made up stories, helped with lunch and dinner, helped Ya-Ya and Bubba when they were sick, and went to visit Grannie-Nannie when she was hurt in the hospital. We talked about Papaw when he got sick and what was going on. She remembers to brush her teeth and hair on her own and get dressed. She is also is taking the first pharmaceutical medicine she has ever taken in her life. And, for all those wondering, YES, I do count these things as "school". She learns a lot from these moments. It covers many of the points in the "scope and sequence" that is taught in kindergartens nationwide and referred to here. It is amazing how much we learn in just living life day to day.
As far as Brian and I go, I am working more and Brian is involved at home more. How good this is, I haven't decided yet. Things are tight, but I think this is actually going to be good for us. We can't eat out three times a week and spend on whatever comes our way. We have to stick to a budget and "practice being poor" as I like to joke with the kids. Stopping at the store for a drink isn't something we need to do when we are two minutes from home and can get something to drink there. I think this will be good for our health too - drinking more water, less soda and eating more home cooked meals instead of restaurant food, of which we truly have no idea what they put in there or the quality of what the get. We are evaluating what is important to spend money on and what isn't. Some things are not gotten so we can afford another thing or activity...At least this is my mindset...I feel like I am still trying to get some people on board.
