For everything there is a season...

Thank you to my beautiful friend, Jody, for keeping me grounded today. It just amazes me how only a brief conversation with a true friend can change your perspective. In a short amount of time, I have come to know this friend so well, that she says exactly what I need to hear. God blesses those of us who are so transitory with others who share our "plight". I thank God for bringing her friendship to me. Today was a real whopper of a day, at least it started out as such. We didn't get through one lesson until lunch, actually, I'm not sure if we ever finished it. Sometimes you just have to MOVE ON! After lunch things got better. I instituted a new event into our school, MUFFIN TIN MONDAY. It is an idea I had read on another homeschooling mom's blog. Basically the gist is that you put little food items in a muffin tin for the lunch meal. What's the big deal? You're probably asking yourself. Well, I guess it is the inventiveness of it all. How creative can I get? Today, not very. I had some ham slices (and, yes, Noah ate the ham - mission accomplished), nuts, craisens, crispy Chinese noodles, and some chocolate chips (and a yogurt for Noah). Some moms have themes and really get into it. I just like the idea that if you serve food to them in something unconventional you might actually get them to eat something out of their "safety zone". Aiden so wanted a muffin tin like the other kids, but he had to settle with a small bowl. There was no way I was letting him at a whole tin of anything. It would have been dog food for sure. Speaking of Aiden...he's added another component to his Marco Polo game. Before he would just say, "Mamaaa" and I would answer him, "Aidennn", and that would continue over and over and over and over until he got tired of it. Well, now it seems that "Wowahhhhh" has been added to the mix. And, it isn't just in a normal voice, it is about 3x the normal volume. Sometimes he even puts his hands on his cheeks (think cupping your hands around your mouth to make your voice project) sometimes and yells even louder. It is hilarious and adorable all at the same time. I just love that boy. He brings me so much joy. As do the other two...

Noah's love of reading has taken off. He has been devouring the series called The Spiderwick Chronicles. Tonight he read book 5 in less than an hour. I'm not sure exactly what the reading level is as it just says 7+. It is so amazing to see his abilities and his love of reading grow. I'd like to think that Chris and I nurtured that in him. I just hope we have with the other two.

Caitlyn did so well with school today. We've been working on her following directions instead of just doing whatever work she WANTS to do. Normally she colors everything pink (her favorite color). Today she actually colored an apple red, then commented, "I'm coloring the apple red, except for the leaf, they are green." I was overjoyed and a little saddened all at the same time. How I'd love to go back to the days where everything seems rosy pink! But today I just counted it as a success. We have been rowing (Before Five in a Row) Jessie Bear, What will you wear? and she's loving it. Aiden and Noah even sat with us while we read it and they had a good time as well.

Well, I better get to bed. I'm trying to turn over a new leaf as far as going to bed early. It seems, though, God set my internal clock a little differently. My most productive hours: 10:00am - 2:00pm and 4:00pm - midnight. Maybe God just knows I need a nap!