Older Kindergarten Week #2 Monday

The week has started off well. We are celebrating the Autumnal Equinox, so we are reading the Enki story The Buried Treasure. I chose it because it is still a Folk Talk and we haven't started Fairy Tales yet and the story shows the whole process of farming (tilling, planting, tending, harvesting) and ends with a harvest festival! We are also reading Duchess Autumn, the Enki nature tale for the equinox. The circle is still focusing on squirrels because I am trying to keep the oldest at least a little involved and he loves squirrels.

For the preschooler, I am reading the book The Wild Child, The Big Red Barn, and Autumn. He can sit in for Brother's reading too if he wants.

For our project we cooked granola and harvest soup. I dropped the cleaning; it was essentially taking all day. I either need to lower my standard or do more of it on a daily basis!

Today was Brother's second swimming lesson. He did not get in the water again, but at least he sat on the side of the pool with his feet in the water for the whole lesson. It doesn't sound like he is planning on getting into the water any time soon. He thinks it is over his head, although I know for sure it is not. The water level is only 3 feet, and he is taller than that. We have 3 weeks off for pool maintenance. I told him that I thought he would probably grow during that time, so hopefully if I talk about him growing, and I measure his height a few days before swim class maybe he'll try to get in. I'll pull my husband on board. I think it will be more powerful coming from him.

Tomorrow is the Luminata, a local equinox celebration. People meet at Greenlake Park at 7pm for singing and merrymaking. After dark we walk part way around the lake with our lanterns. We started our lanterns on Friday and will finish them up tomorrow just in time to take to the festival. This is our third year, and I really love it. I'll bring pictures!

Older Kindergarten Week #1

Well, this is the first full week of homeschooling for us with our full weekly rhythm. The last couple weeks were catch as catch can to slowly get us up and running.

Circle:

20 minute walk then, Opening verse, Green Orchard, Kooka burra (in the apple tree), Trees in the wind, Mouse Fingerplay, closing verse.

This is the same circle I used last week with great success. Today I tried to embellish with transitions regarding squirrels and lost Brother. He did watch from the chair though, instead of causing problems. That is a huge improvement from last year! I'll try again tomorrow. Maybe I'll change the Kooka burra into a squirrel and add a squirrel poem.

Story:

I read "The Runaway Bunny" to baby and brother, leaving a farm and woodland scene out for Baby to play with while I read Brother's story. Unfortunately, Brother wanted to stay and play too. He did come while I read "Fill Up The House", which is another Dumbling folk tale from my Enki Folk and Fairy Tales book. Brother did stay and listen, but as soon as I was done reading, he was up and in playing with the toys.

For handwork, Brother continued sewing his tooth fairy pillow. He hates to sew, so we are working on a little bit at a time. I have to set the sewing goal for him as he resists. I am hoping that he will eventually start to love it.

This quarter's enrichment is swimming lessons. There were so many kids in the pool and the water was up to his neck. It was very overwhelming for him and he ended up crying for me to get him out and saying "Cancel it! Cancel it!" So, I pulled him out and he came and sat by me until the last 5 minutes. At that point he was able to sit by the side of the pool with his feet dangling into the water. I figure that since he was so upset, the fact that he was eventually willing to put his feet in and sit there was fabulous. I am hoping that by the end of the quarter he will at least be comfortable enough to get back in the pool. We shall see!

Monday is cleaning and baking day. I didn't get all of the cleaning done, nor the baking. I'll finish cleaning tonight and make granola. Hopefully on Wednesday we can bake muffins. Today we also had a piano delivered! Yeah!