Electing Electives

The kids are moving along in their studies nicely. Grades are fine. Still, I feel a little pushed forward too quickly. At times, I would like to just pause for a while longer in certain areas that I feel the kids need more time to grasp, but I worry about getting too far behind on the classes as a result (the classes have completion deadlines). We have had to double up on Math on Mondays for both of the children so that they can complete it by the due date. As it is, we spend anywhere from 6 to 8 hours a day on schooling. We had try to rearrange so that the kids (and parents) had Thursdays and Fridays off from school and worked the weekend. Our motivation for that was due to our work schedules. We felt that it would take some of the pressure off at the end of the week and we would have more time on the weekend to dedicate to the studies. Turns out we really prefer to play on our weekends. So we are back on the Monday through Friday routine. I continue to encourage the children to do what they can on their own taking some of the load off of my daily activities. I think it's very important that they learn problem solving skills and are comfortable taking initiative. There is still a lot of progress to be made in this area, but we continue to move in the right direction.

It's October and time to sign up for elective classes if we so desire. While I'd like the kids to be involved in some of the classes and clubs offered, I think it would just be an overload on our schedule that could negativly backfire on their required classes and effect their grades. Maybe next year. In the meantime, I am planning to teach them some of the information I have on photography and photoshopping. They are both completely intrigued by it as well as both extremely artisticly talented children. The plan is to spend about an hour, more or less, on these subjects with each child, individually, on Saturdays and Sundays. Additionally, the hub has expressed an interest in photography and photoshopping as well, so that will probably be another hour, more or less, with him. My weekends are quickly being filled now and I would like to reserve time for my own photography passions.

With my very booked schedule and all the hustle and bustle here and there, one would think I should weigh much less than I do. What's up with that?!

To title or not to title! (Is that the question?)

I don't really need a title to every blog, do I? Well, regardless...

I love lists! So when I found this neat notecard generator by blyberg I had to try it out. Only thing is, my list is probably a lot longer than this paper, but I can whip out another and another if I need to.

October is elective month. We are still debating as to whether or not we will sign up for anything just yet. Alternatively, the kids are interested in the photography and photoshopping that I do and I would love to show them, but maybe on our own rather than through the school. We are all still working really hard to keep the pace.

Last Thursday our family took a field trip of sorts. We drove to Fort Benning, Georgia to attend my step-sons graduation from boot camp. It was a long and exhaustive trip, but fun nonetheless. Wish we had more time and money to play though. Needless to say, we're playing catch-up on our school work now.

I've posted just of few of the 800+ photos I took on my flickr.

I continue to work with the kids on their problem solving skills. I would like them to attempt to find their solutions on their own, and make the just-ask-mom option their last resort.