Morning went as usual; I wrote about it in my other post today.
11 am
- Went outside. The weather is a lot warmer and the snow is mostly melted on the southern exposure. The 4 younger boys ranged around our 2 acres enjoying the greenery (idea: focus on different sections at different times as the spring comes; keep a family nature journal with observations. Aidan always wants to go to “the pinecone place” but there are some other nice places in our neighborhood too, and now that they are both more mobile we could do a bit of investigating).
noon
- UPS came with the X Box that Kevin ordered. For research of course! : ). He is a game programmer so there is more than rationalization here. A lot of his products are ending up being ported to X Box…. Marble Blast is one example and Minigolf Mania will probably be next. Kevin set the teen boys to work to assemble the thing.
1 pm
- Everyone still around the X Box.
- I collect books for Sean (preparing for the rest of the year)
- Paddy is bored. Asks me to read and we read Greedy Man in the Moon and Mind Munchers (it is a puzzle book and too old for him but he likes the scenarios and makes up his own games for them)
- The XB is working and I lose Paddy!
- Clare is sewing
2 pm
- I work on Sean’s Year 8.
- Paddy sits on my lap wanting to play online soccer.
- Aidan, Kevin and Sean go out to play catch with the football.
- Then Kevin takes Kieron and Sean on a walk to the post office.
- Brendan is working on the XB.\
- Clare is still sewing.
3 pm
- I went outside with Aidan.
- He stacked 3 sled loads of logs!
- Then he helped me shovel ice off the driveway.
- Kevin and the boys returned
- I came in and had a very late lunch. I made a protein drink for Brendan and we talked a bit about his blogging (private — he uses the blog as a place to store the things he writes about football and his fictional world)Paddy got 15 minutes playing on the computer.
- Then Clare watched Yankee Doodle Dandy in my room while she finished sewing the dress.
4 pm
- I said the Angelus and tried to say the Divine Mercy Chaplet but halfway through I fell asleep.
- Paddy and Aidan wanted me to read to them.
- I read Nutcracker twice (Golden Book edition) and Pokemon about three times.
- Paddy seemed to be quite charmed by Nutcracker so I’m thinking he might be interested in some genuine fairy tales — so far we’ve gotten to folk tales.
- Clare showed off her finished skirt, which is really nice.
5 pm
- I started dinner (lasagna from the freezer, courtesy of Costco)
- I did some more book collecting for Year 8.
- Clare went outside for a walk then came in and called a friend to talk to.
- Boys are still exploring X Box.
- Kieron did not do math today! I talked to him yesterday about taking ownership, that it is his job to see that it’s done. He may end up having to do his lesson on a weekend. The other habit we’ve talked about is leaving his things lying around. I think the older kids think I am too easy on him compared to how I was with them which is probably true.
Clare’s reading recently:
She keeps her own log so these are just samples:
- Everlasting Man by Chesterton
- David Copperfield
- Great Expectations
- some other Dickens books.
- THe Lamb’s Supper
- She’s working slowly through the Iliad.
