I have a confession. Unless there is a special event, my date night activity of choice is going grocery shopping. People think who wants to go food shopping on a date? But I tell you we have the best time.
We wander through the isles together laughing and smiling. Bear tells jokes, makes fun of my inability to reach anything up high, and just get to be us. We talk about the crazy foods some people will eat, and occasionally try them. He pokes fun at me when I am staring right at what I have been looking for, and am ready to walk up and down the aisle AGAIN to look for it. We share tiny little meaningful touches and inside jokes.
When we first started dating grocery shopping was something we did out of necessity, but found it to be fun. Now? I look forward to the rare opportunity to do something so mundane as a couple and just enjoy all the little reasons we chose to be with each other.
Because really? Bear just cracks me up.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Balancing act
As far as transitions go, the transition for my kids to public school was not bad at all. Having now given them four months to adjust I decided to evaluate their academics on my scale after the winter break. Both are doing well according to the school's standards. It would seem however that I expect more. I know, big surprise.
So what to do. I don't want to pressure them into hating learning, but also see the need for them to be challenged. Balance is not my strong suite. In that interest I will start slow and reevaluate.
For both their first priority is homework. Thankfully the school does not seem to bury them in this.
They both also attend Hebrew school, which has little work there, and I am not entirely sure is teaching much except culture at this point. I am starting with Little Bear on this as a focus. The school uses the AlephChamp system. I KNOW we covered at least the first two if not four levels of this last year while homeschooling, so now I just need to review with him so he can test up. He is at white now. I think they are only doing basic letter exposure for Indy, which is something I need to confirm this weekend.
For Little Bear I also want to work on his typing skills. With little movement on his 504, I will put my attention toward things I can help him with. We are using Type to Learn 4 for this. In the interest of improving his writing which I am not just giving up on, I am going to reintroduce some copywork and journaling. I don't much care which he chooses to do at this point, but I need some practice to be done. I am also having him do Weekly Reader, and read books in general.
For Indy there will be a lot of practicing in general. She loves to skate by pretending things are too hard. Yeah that won't fly. We are practicing her handwriting (letters and numbers), counting (up, down, by 2s, 5s, 10s), calendar, and reading. For reading we have been using Bob Books and ClickN KIDS. And lots of me reading to her. And her brother reading to her, which really is just about the best thing ever.
So what to do. I don't want to pressure them into hating learning, but also see the need for them to be challenged. Balance is not my strong suite. In that interest I will start slow and reevaluate.
For both their first priority is homework. Thankfully the school does not seem to bury them in this.
They both also attend Hebrew school, which has little work there, and I am not entirely sure is teaching much except culture at this point. I am starting with Little Bear on this as a focus. The school uses the AlephChamp system. I KNOW we covered at least the first two if not four levels of this last year while homeschooling, so now I just need to review with him so he can test up. He is at white now. I think they are only doing basic letter exposure for Indy, which is something I need to confirm this weekend.
For Little Bear I also want to work on his typing skills. With little movement on his 504, I will put my attention toward things I can help him with. We are using Type to Learn 4 for this. In the interest of improving his writing which I am not just giving up on, I am going to reintroduce some copywork and journaling. I don't much care which he chooses to do at this point, but I need some practice to be done. I am also having him do Weekly Reader, and read books in general.
For Indy there will be a lot of practicing in general. She loves to skate by pretending things are too hard. Yeah that won't fly. We are practicing her handwriting (letters and numbers), counting (up, down, by 2s, 5s, 10s), calendar, and reading. For reading we have been using Bob Books and ClickN KIDS. And lots of me reading to her. And her brother reading to her, which really is just about the best thing ever.
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