Family update

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Family update

Well, life never is dull around here. We have really slowed down in the last two years, but life still goes on.

(this is of Olivia on "Ancient China Day" a special day at school where they celebrate some of the things they have learned in History class) 

Phoebe is taking piano again after a semester off. She has such a knack for it and it is calming for her. I hope she will continue to enjoy it. 6th grade is the last year in elementary at our school and so we are experiencing a bunch of lasts for our firstborn. I am doing suprisingly well. I think maybe becasuse I still have three more to go. But, last valentine's day party, last curriculum days...... I hope there will continue to be parent chaperoned field trips and other events. Of course there is always the friends coming over and such. She is currently reading the Fablehaven series and loving it. Book four and ready for book 5 which comes out end of March!!!!
(these are of our last time at Jubilee in Frisco)

Olivia is enjoying friends and History and Science. She just did her Science Share Day project. She did Elephant Toothpaste. That was fun. You can google that to see what it is and try it out in your kitchen sink. Steve Spangler Science   and Cool Science.
She had fun and it seemed like all the kids really got into their projects and had fun and learned new things. She is also playing the upright bass and really is liking that. She is pretty good at it too.

(boys reading at home, they LOVE books. )

Kedus and Nate are still enjoying preschool out and home school preschool on our off days. Kedus is exited to go to big school with Phoebe and Olivia next year. He is really ready with counting to 100 and knowing all his Kindergarten phonograms (different than phonics) see Spalding. He even knows his phone number. All that with only speaking/understanding English for just over a year. I think he could memorize anything. Maybe I should start the times tables now !! Just kidding!  Kids are amazing. Nate is counting to 20 and knows most of his Kindergarten phonograms too.  He will home school Kindergarten next year in order to prep for Kinder the following year. Our grade cut off is June 1. So, at our school the older the better and I would tend to go with that persuasion anywhere. No need to hurry a child emotionally or educationally. School is challenging enough as it is without not really being ready for it. Not to mention how it seems better to keep the boys separated anyway. Nate is "ready" for Kinder according to check lists and could get in, but why? So, home he stays with Mama. :) I know we will be glad for it on many accounts.
I look back on what we did together for "school" the first year they were home. I can not believe the amazing progress they have made. Amazing.

The boys said the funniest thing the other day.
Mommy there is a new boy at school in the Three class.
Oh that is nice.
His name is Little.
Oh, are you sure about that?
Yes, Raquel said "He is little".
Mommy snickers and says Oh, I see. Maybe he is a small boy.
Yes he is short. His name is Little.
I asked the teacher about this. He is the 2 year old boy of the sub. He is small, he has a real name, which is not little. :) We had a good laugh. They both agreed to his name being Little, that was soooooo funny.
Funny things kids say: new year's revolution (no it was not the boys).

American consumerism is innate in the human spirit. My boys, coming from having nothing to America the land of plenty. Ok, our home is not the hot bed of consumerism. We are a very thrifty bunch and money does not grown on trees around here.  But, coming from Ethiopia that is not saying much. We are comfortable for sure. So..... the boys have this running dialog with me and eachother about when they grow up. After figuring out that you don't marry a mom, you marry a wife and your mom stays your mom...... then they tell me all the things they will buy. Things we do not have and most likely will never have. 4 or 5 cars and large trucks, snowmobiles, ski-doos, four wheelers, horses, barnyards full of animals, etc.... And they think they will drive a dumptruck for their job. Hmmmm. Well, that's nice while you are 4 or 5. When you are 34 or 45 that is an entirely different matter.
We pulled up next to one of those really tiny Toyota trucks the other day at the grocery store. We got out and the boys were staring in shock at the little thing. They said in all seriousness,
That is a really small truck Mommy.
Yes, it is. That is the size of truck boys can drive when they learn how to drive.
The crushed and melted look they gave me was so devastated it was hilarious. They were incredulous at the thought that they would have to drive something like that.
When we came out there was an Avalanche driving in the parking lot. The perked right up and said this:
Mommy! That is a BIG truck.
They were all pumped up and excited to see that.
Mommy, can we drive that?
No.
Oh, why not?
At this point I try to give a preschool version of insurance and safety. I tell them that teen age boys are not safe drivers and they can't drive anything cool until they proove they are responsible adults and buy it themselves.
That sad look again.
Then...... when I am big I will be safe and drive a BIG truck!
Ok.

Oh, might I add a funny from homeschool.............. We are working on the boys knowing their full names and birthdates. Since this is relativly new information for them we start where others start at birth. We start at 3 and 4. So.... Kedus has got his name down and birthdate (mostly) and Nate is still working on his. Because we call him Nate and not Nateneal (pronunciation of this is loosely: Not-i-ni all), he is a bit confused. I like keeping his name as it was, but have wrestled with whether or not we should have changed it all together. But, we didn't and for great reasons. But, now he is like, "Huh, what's my name? I thought I was Nate!"Anyway, he can say it as he likes when he is old enough to actually choose. It is all good with us. But for now we are trying to teach him what his name is.......... the other night we were "showing off" our school stuff for Daddy. They did great. But, when we came to "what is your whole name?" Nate promptly said "Tigist". Then slid off my lap in embarrassed silence (beet red) and then laughter. Kedus rolled in laughter, so hard he actually turned red and was gasping for breath. It was so funny, Keds kept saying, "Tigist, like our little friend at Sele Enat!!! That little girl! " Mom and Dad got quite a kick out of that. Then he said his name correctly. Honestly, he was so embarrassed I think it was not meant to be funny. I totally love the name Tigist.

On other topics we have enjoyed two ski weekends and have fun each time. Of course this last time was cold and snowy and Olivia hurt her knee and she and I came down early, but it was fun. And, of course it is fun to spend time together. My mom is a gem and babysits the boys so I can go too. The love their Gram and Grampa. (Grampa skis, and Gram may again after knee surgery).

Happy week to you all.