Swim Team 2010

Today was the first practice for the summer swim team. Go Riptides! Little Miss has her practice at the awful hour of 8am. Don't these people realize it is summer? Thank goodness the pool is only 2 blocks away. Mister B has practice at the slightly more reasonable hour of 9am.

Normally, they would be complaining that the water is too cold at that early hour. However, it has been beastly hot here and they were thankful to jump in and cool off.

They both enjoyed themselves and are looking forward to practice tomorrow. Monday-Friday, at 8am, yeah!

Public Service Announcement

I went out on the ice on Wednesday and entertained my children with my face plant and butt landing. My PSA is this: If you are over 40 and can not ice skate wear protective gear. I landed hard on my left hand and was unable to really use it for 2 days. You don't realize how much you use your non-dominant hand until you can't use it at all. I did not break anything but it was very painful. It still hurts but I have gotten some mobility back in my wrist and fingers. My ice skating venture was fun but I think I will put my Olympic dreams aside and hang up my skates.

On the upside, the kids have made great improvements. They no longer cling to the wall when they get onto the ice. I do think they will benefit from a few more lessons so I am going to look into that for them.

Swim team practice starts on Monday. I don't know how being up and out of the house by 7:55 is going to work out.

Lazy summer days

Yesterday our town pool opened. Day 1 of lazy summer days. We met up with our friends for the traditional 1st day get together. Packed a lunch and snacks and enjoyed the weather. In order for the 12 and under set to swim in the deep section of our man-made, sand bottom pool they have to pass the deep water test. Since they do not start giving the test until noon, we parents swam out there and enjoyed being alone in the deep end. It was a good day with good friends.

Today the kids have ice skating. I may even go back on the ice.

We received the test results to the PASS test they took earlier this month. With zero test prep they scored Average to High in the different categories. I was satisfied with the results. Considering that I am following my own curriculum and not what the schools are doing and that I did not prep them at all I felt the scores showed that homeschooling is working. They are learning and are capable of filling in a bunch of bubbles with a number 2 pencil. My spouse, on the other hand, had a different take. He felt the scores showed that they are performing as C level students. He feels they are exceptional (as do I) and that the test scores should be high on everything. How quickly he forgets that our oldest did not score high on everything when he was in 3rd grade and took the State test. We had a discussion on what the Standardized test scores mean. I had them take the test because I wanted to see what areas needed to be worked on next year (they both need some work in grammar/vocabulary). I was not aware they were taking the test to show that they are brilliant homeschoolers. I asked my husband if he would like me to teach the test next year so they get a better score. That went over like a lead balloon. I think the scores showed that homeschooling is working. What do you think?

School is out

Today was our official "Last Day of School" for the 2009/2010 year. We ended the year by attending a birthday party. We saw Toy Story 3 (which was awesome) and then went to the birthday boy's house for pizza and fun. The kids had a great day and we are ready for some summer fun.

Our town pool opens on the 21st and we will be meeting up with friends. The kids are all signed up for summer swim team and are looking forward to competing. They are not looking forward to practice which starts at 8am. Thankfully, the pool is only 2 blocks away. We are early birds in this house but there is a difference between being up early and being out of the house early.

We will be continuing with math over the summer. Mister B has 3 lessons left in his book and then he will take the final. Little Miss has about 10 lessons left in hers. I am hoping to get them finished by the end of the summer and start fresh with the next levels in September.

Ice Skating and Philosophy

Today the kids had their second ice skating lesson. They are improving and enjoying it immensely. After the lesson they got to go to the open skating session. My friend convinced me to rent skates and go on the ice with her. This was very entertaining for my children and my friend. I have not been on ice skates in 23 years and I was never at all good at ice skating. I was that kid with the death grip on the wall. This is why my children are taking lessons. Long story longer, my friend helped me and I actually managed to make it around the rink without falling on my behind. I even managed to get about a foot away from the wall. As I glided slowly around the rink my friend told me "Before you know it you will be bending your knees." "What?!", says I. "It is not enough that I am managing to glide you also want me to bend my knees!" Well, maybe next week.

After ice skating we headed off to Philosophy class. The kids are enjoying it. Mister B really loves discussing things such as "Why is there gravity? Why is there something instead of nothing? and more" He also loves the brain teasers that they start with. Little Miss was all about the brain teasers and meditation today.

Tomorrow-an exciting afternoon at the dentist is on the calendar.

Winding down

We are wrapping up our school year. Today was the last gym class for the year. They had a blast. Running, screaming, chasing, using the parachute. I told the kids we were going to continue doing math over the summer. Mister B has 3.5 lessons and Little Miss has 10 left. Just like her brother she hit the wall with double digit long division. So we took it very slow. However, that is one of the many joys of homeschooling-the flexibility to slow it down. Long story longer, they are not thrilled with doing math over the summer but they see the wisdom in finishing up this years texts and starting fresh in September with the next levels. Although, I am thinking a week of no school is in order.

This week there are a few more history lessons and grammar and that will be it for the year. Our town pool opens next Tuesday and we are all anxiously counting the days. We are all ready for the first day party we have with our friends.

Over the month of June they will continue with their ice skating lessons and philosophy class, plus Mister B will still have film making club. Lots of fun for everyone.

Double Digits!

My baby girl is officially 10. Double digits for my baby. I don't have a baby anymore. I have a pre-teen! *sniffle*
Here she is enjoying the traditional "It's your birthday and you get dessert for breakfast!" She chose ice cream in personal graham cracker crusts.

Here is the two of them getting ready to dig in.

Testing Update

This week the kids started taking their PASS tests. Monday they took the reading portion. They both felt pretty good about it.

Today Mister B did the math test and Little Miss completed about 1/2 of hers. She will finish her math test on Thursday and then the last portion is the language test which they will do on Friday. They were both a bit disconcerted by the amount of math on the test that they did not know. I told them ahead of time that there would be a fair amount on the math test that they probably would not know because we use a mastery program and the State uses a spiral program. I guess that little tidbit did not really register all that well based on their stress levels when they got to something they did not know.

I will be glad when this week is over and the tests mailed in to be graded. I am looking forward to finding out what areas I am weak in so that they can be addressed in the next school year.

Ice Skating

Today the kids had their first ice skating lesson. Sure, they have been able to hobble their way around the rink but I decided it was time to actually learn how. I don't know how so off to the professional. They both did really well. Today they learned how to fall and some basic gliding techniques. They will have 4 more classes. I am hopeful they will be able to skate without hovering by the wall when the session is over.

After ice skating we headed off to Philosophy class. The kids learned how to meditate for 2 minutes to focus their minds. They discussed what are thoughts-invented or discovered. Mister B believes thoughts are out there waiting to be discovered and that is why 2 people can have the same thought. He is in good company. Plato thought the same thing. Why is their gravity? How discussing ideas with others helps you form them and they started exploring what is truth. How do you know something is true? Mister B said by the facts. 2 + 2 = 4. I know this because if I have 2 chairs and add 2 more I have 4 chairs.

Now if only the weather would cool off a bit it would be a perfect day.

Testing

After a week-end of enjoying friends and remembering the soldiers who have fought and those who continue to fight to protect our freedoms that we enjoy so much it is back to work.

Today the kids are taking their placement tests for the PASS exam. This is a basic skills test that I will be administering so we can find out what areas we are strong in and which areas we will need to work on in the upcoming year. My first surprise on the placement test-Little Miss scored 100 correct on the math portion. I thought she would score 100 on language. Mister B is taking his placement test now. Perfectionist that he is I can see him struggling with the stress of getting them all correct even though I specifically told them this test is not measuring their IQ only what areas we will need to work on next year.