I seem to have a flare for blogging about special events lately, which is cool, but I started this blog to chronicle the lives of the kids and there is much more to our existence than special events. So let me see if I can do some catch-up!
We had a fairly uneventful summer. It was SOOOO hot it made it almost impossible to do ANYTHING outside! I think we've maybe seen a 1/2-inch of rain in the last 3 months and temps have been over 95*F everyday! As you all know, Ian and I embarked on agriculture this summer when we planted two raised beds in the backyard. With the heat and lack of rain, it was really quite a pathetic undertaking! We planted tomatoes, bell peppers, a couple of squash and zucchini plants and Ian's little bean that he sprouted in science co-op last spring. The tomatoes took off, but all of our squash got killed by squash borers (I HATE borers!). The bell peppers didn't do much either and I ended up planting a jalapeno and a cantaloupe vine in place of the dead squash. Anyway, this summer has been filled with the trials and tribulations of trying to grow something in Texas heat. It has been wonderful though. Ian helped plant everything and he helps water and harvest. When we built the second bed, we planted more squash and a pumpkin vine. At this point, out of 9 squash plants only one is surviving and the pumpkin still seems to be hanging on. I planted the pumpkin so the kids could have their very own jack-o-lanterns to harvest at Halloween! Cross your fingers that it happens!
Fairly recently, I purchased a great book for Ian. It is a book on animals and it is very impressive, almost an encyclopedia of animals. He has spent the last month with his nose in that book learning all he can about critters. He is quite well-versed, just ask anyone that was going through the Cameron Park Zoo last week! The book was such a hit that I bought him the ocean book and the Earth book. He is eager to learn and I love feeding that in any way I can! We started back up to school after a fairly mellow summer. Normally I prefer to school all year, but I think we all just needed a break. So, I let him take the summer to read, explore outside when it wasn't scorching, help me raise a garden, watch nature shows and play! I think he had a fun summer. I just wish we could have spent more time outside. Oh well, that is what autumn is for in Central Texas!
I am in the process of immersing him back into schoolwork, slowly but surely. I didn't want to slam him right away, so we are reviewing his last few math chapters of book 2, getting a start on biology and chemistry and discussing the death of the dinosaurs, the Ice Age and the evolution of man so we can start Story of the World and ancient civilizations. With an introduction to history and culture, we will also be discussing civics (on a very elementary level of course). After all, what a great year to discuss elections and the election process! The first election I remember is the one where Jimmy Carter took office and that happened when I was 6 years old, the same age Ian is now. We have also started the Harry Potter series which he is VERY excited about. He knows if we can make it through this series, that I will start the J.R.R. Tolkien stuff with him! There is just so much fun and wonderful stuff for us to learn this year and I'm excited to be the one teaching him!
As for the Ainsley-Bainsley, she is just amazing. I find it odd to have full-blown conversations with a 2 y.o.! She knows what she wants, she is very opinionated and quite obstinate and I adore her for it! She is quite chatty with everyone she meets, and people can't resist her with those big, blue eyes and the batting eyelashes! I mean seriously, how could you resist such a cute little thing walking up to you with her arms up, big, doe-eyes and batting lashes, saying, "Please hold her!" She already has every man I know wrapped around her little pinky!
She has been a very busy girl this summer. We have been reading alot, some of her favorites at this time are McDuff (of course), Peter's Picture, Goodnight Moon, How Does a Dinosaur Say Goodnight (and others in this series) and of course her very favorite... Alice Nizzy Nazzy, the Witch of Santa Fe! If someone is willing to read to her, she is willing to listen! She is also quite the little singer, amusing everyone we know with her own special renditions of Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle, Blah Blah Blacksheep (yes... I meant "blah blah blacksheep", it's very cute!) and of course her ABC song. I am always amazed that she can remember the words to all of these songs, not to mention the fact that she knows most of her stories by heart as well. If I'm reading to her, I can stop anywhere in the text of just about any book and she will finish the sentence or the page. It is obvious she is a good listener, when she wants to be! She is also ALL about the coloring. She loves drawing pictures! Unfortunately, many of the pictures end up on the wall or the windowsill or floor or the couch or our books! If we could just get her to stay on paper or in a coloring book life would be great! She is so different from her brother in the aspect. Ian thought the crayon was a tool of Satan until he was 5! But she embraces the crayon and I proudly display her art on the fridge with her brother's! We have quite the bright and colorful fridge!
We thought she might be well on her way to potty training, but no luck. She tells me when she needs a new diaper, but if I even suggest that she use the potty, she screams and runs away. Therefore, I am assuming she's just not ready yet. Oh well. She has finally realized this summer that going to parks and zoos and stuff is fun! We have had a few adventures over the summer and she now realizes that if we're walking out the door, 75% of the time it's to do something fun. So the car is no longer evil and she is cooperative about leaving the house, which is making my life MUCH easier these days.
Everyday I look at these kids and it blows me away that they're mine! How did I ever get so lucky to have such gorgeous, smart, out-going children? They have definitely made my life a little adventure and I couldn't imagine having it any other way!
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