HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

2010_4_26

I oft wonder if I can write something VERY interesting here to get the attention of readers- to lure them in with my awesome writing style and topic. Today’s Post is on Discipline & Kids, Homeschool, eating, and my garden. Some places show the first few sentences of a blog link, so you have to be pretty witty to attract new readers..LOL. Or not. I’m more interest in the ‘social experiment aspect’ of ‘utilizing the teaser paragraph’ than actually getting new readers.

After a not-so-good night of sleep, I made myself a protein shake with fruit. These seem to help with my headaches, energy-level, and dizzy spells. Then I made waffles for the boys, w/ turkey bacon. G&C played chess & checkers while I was making breakfast. I read “You Decide- the amendments” to them while they ate. Then I went over their work for today, both school and housework.

Due to the fact that I have a lot of school planning to do this week, the boys will have a lot of Independent School this week.

Today, they are Reading Story of the World together.

G&C have their SAT questions of the Day. I told them to do 3 (so they’ll do the weekend ones plus today’s), ALEKS math- master 2 topics, read the book of Judges chapter 1- then I’ll have them write up all the attacks and what wounds were inflicted throughout the chapter and draw a picture. Swords & dismemberment- all good things in the eyes of a boy.

Although the boys weren’t as far along as I had hoped when I got back from my outing, they had been working fairly steadily it seemed. I am happy with progress at their own personal rates.

Gavin lost ‘free-time computer’ today because he forgot to do his morning work, which is just take a shower and out away clean dishes-( of which there were only about 7 of on the counter). He does, however, have the chance to earn some computer time tonight (The boys like to play multiplayer computer games with their dad before bed) by doing an extra great job of getting his work done and not needing reminders, prompts, etc and having a good attitude. If I were to just take all computer away with no chance of anything, he’d ne grumpy, moody, pouty, lazy, etc- not getting anything done. But if I offer a chance to earn back something, and then he actually does try and is in a good mood. There is hope; there is something for him to look forward to. This morning he just forgot’ his intent was not to ‘be bad, disobey willingly’, so I am fine with offering opportunities to earn back lost privileges. If he was intentionally disobedient, it’d probably be a different story. I think there is a difference worth noting in ‘Childhood forgetfulness’ and “willful disobedience” and I think that treating the first as if it is the 2^nd only frustrates and provokes our kids, which the Bible actually says not to do- provoke our children. I see a lot of parents today punish childhood immaturity (like forgetfulness and lack of attention) instead of disciplining (which means to guide back to the right path basically- not PUNISH) and this results in elevated temper tantrums and willful disobedience. OK- enough of my SoapBox Preaching…..

My Upside Down Hanging tomato plant keeps falling. The twine isn’t string enough. I’ll have Brian fix it for me. (he did)

Something is eating my potato plants. My ‘regular in the ground’ tomatoes are getting flowers. Sugar Snap Peas are looking happy and a few carrots are almost ready to be eaten. Some of m squash have sprouted in the back and I have transplanted the Strawberry-Invading Squash Plant”. I look forward to feeding Gavin a lot of food from the garden this summer. My grocery bill was over $200 last time I went. Maybe not buying veggies for a few months will help- a teeny bit. Those Bell Pepper plants need to start growing!!

We had a surprise Birthday Party for Brian. His Bday was last month, but he was out of town. I h as migraine and meds problems for a few weeks, but am better now, so we planned a Bday Party- we decided Sunday Night and Connor wasn’t in the room, because he was surprised when I came home with wrapping presents and gifts for them to wrap. Sunday I noticed Brian had the wrong Bday listed on facebook and it was saying his Bday was Apr 26. So I thought it’d be a good day to do his Make-Up Party. Being last minute, I bought premade brownie bites from the local store’s bakery, I bought all the gifts (a bunch of fun things –like a key chain clippie size Nerf Gun –which about took out Ki’s eye - some on clearance at target- like mesh desk/drawer organizers and the wrapping papers. They boys wrapped everything individually and we put them ALL in a BIG Gift bag. We wanted to roast a turkey, but the local store didn’t have whole turkey. I bought those precooked turkey breast pieces and heated them. Not bad. We had rolls, corn on the cob, green beans, and a HUGE bowl of mashed potatoes. We played a couple games of Pass The Pigs.