The Wilson Fam: School Work and Swing Set

Yesterday we started our new routines and curriculum that we got. So far everyone seems to be enjoying it. I like it cause its a lot of reading and not a whole bunch on busy work that Ashlyn hates. The method of the curriculum is nice, it follows Ruth Beetchick (sp?) methods which i seem to like, and it talks a lot about not forcing them if there not ready or intersted but working with them. For example one of Ashlyn's read alouds is the Beginners bible and she can read most of the words but some are hard, so they suggest that the parent reads the ones that are above the child's level and the child reads the ones they are comfortable with. Unfortunately my first response at times is to push her too hard and try to force and it really backfires. As I read there suggestions I totally see that doing it gently and at her pace has always been my goal I just havent known how to go about it. So I am getting lots of great ideas and we are enjoying it so far on day two. I've got some stuff for Devin to do and I am greatfull that he seems to also be enjoying it. Lots of glue and cutting, the cutting was frustrating him so we put that aside, he worked on the letter B today. We tore up some blue paper and put out some beans and he glued them to the letter B. When Ashlyn saw him gluing beans she said that looks funner than this math I am doing. I told her she was welcome to make a picture when she was finished, we both forgot so not bean art work for her yet, but maybe later. Devin also did a sheet with a boat and letters Bb, he was really having fun with it he drew a dolphin jumping out of the water and going back in the water and then it died cause it got stuck on the beach (we learned out whales getting beached a couple weeks ago) then he got a different color marker (he was using lots ob blue) and drew poop cause all the animals in the water were pooping. Ashlyn thought this was quite gross and I thought it was funny cause it amazes me how his little brain works. So here are the pictures.

Ashlyn drew this very vibrant rainbow yesterday, she really loves rainbows and is wanting to get the colors just the way they appear in the sky when there is a real rainbow. I have no idea what the order is but this is her perception of how it goes.

This is a picture she started working on first thing this morning for Devin (totally her own idea) at the top it says I love you devin. sniffle sniffle she does love him (I wonder some times)

Devin and playdough. He loves smashing his action figures into the playdough. Amazing how different boy brains and girl brains work.

Ashlyn pretending, still her most favorite game.

At last we finally have a swing set. I've been wanting one for about 2 years. We had an old one from a neighbor at our house in Hubert, NC. But when we moved to Richlands, NC it didn't come with us and since Antonio was on deployment it didn't work out to get one and by the time he got back it was time to move. Since we decided to stay at this house we decided to take the plunge and get one. The directions were something to be desired and some of the whole were not drilled very well in the slide, but other than that it was too horrible. Now when it says it takes 3- hours to put together don't believe them unless you are either a master carpenter or a professional swing builder. I took us a couple days. But we are now reaping the benefits of our labor and sunburn(me cause I didn't put sunscreen on myself after getting everyone else). The kids are loving it, and me too. In the morning they go out for about an hour while I read through our schedule for the day and make phone calls. So far it is working well.