Things can only get better...

We've had a rough start getting back in the groove of school. We have been faithful to get our work done an we are still having to review in Math...which I guess is normal for the first couple of weeks. We are working very hard to remember Math rules and "quick math" facts. Abby is a smart girl so I know that it will all come together. I have been pretty frustrated with myself lately. I feel like I am still learning how to communicate with my child. I am constantly "hitting a wall" because I am not explaining rules and ideas as clearly as I could....and just to be honest, I feel like my tone makes her feel "stupid". I do not want to sound that way, or communicate that. I have been trying to verbalize to her that I am frustrated with myself for getting frustrated with her. She takes after me so much. She handles language based subjects fantastic...but start using numbers and she is ready to shut down. This morning, around 9, we were both at the table crying...because we were frustrated with each other. We talked and then I pulled her over close to me...we prayed together and then I went and made us a cup of coffee. We finished the day successfully...all the work done- and we're o.k.!

Ellie has been doing great. She ask me everyday, "Mommy, will you teach me to read today?" She doesn't understand that that is what I am doing in her Phonics Lessons. I thought that I would share what I do with Ellie on a typical day (for the last 2 weeks) Around noon, shortly after lunch, I have finished working with Abby, so she reads, plays on the laptop, or colors....and I work with Ellie by herself. We are using The Phonics Museum from Veritas Press and it is great. It is super user friendly and it goes step by step. The cool thing about about this is that it is "set" in an Art Museum. So as the kids look at different pieces of Classic Art they learn the sound that the phoneme makes. For example: For the Letter A they are shown a painting called Apple Harvest. (A-A-Apple,M-M-Mummy) There is an audio CD that we sing with everyday and they color a picture of every master piece that they study. It is a K-1st grade curriculum. So, we work on our Phonics, do what ever letter mazes (tracing letters), writing, coloring, etc.- all that we are instructed to do. We usually spend about 40 minutes on this. Then we work on writing numbers, counting to 50, and we do about 2 worksheets out of a K math book. Today we read, "Oh Say, Can You Say" & "The Cat in the Hat". It took maybe an hour & a half. She played the rest of the day.
All in all, everything is as expected! Lucy Grace is still going to preschool everyday, which she LOVES...and Zoe will start Mother's Day Out tomorrow. I am a little nervous about leaving her...but the church is just down the street.
We went to the Planetarium on Friday, and we will be going to a Greek Festival in a couple of weeks. The thing that I am most excited about is that I got tickets for me, Abby, Ellie & my mom to go see The Dallas Black Dance Company perform: Dance Africa. A company from Uganda will be there along with drummers and 2 local companies. I think that A & E will love it! I really want them to be exposed to more this year. The Planetarium, The Greek Festival, Dance Africa...
oh, and....
BOO! at the Zoo....The Dallas Zoo...that's just a freebie!!