here they are.....

A picture of the boys at the Acupuncture Open House. They had Martial Arts demo, art display, tribal instruments from different countries, food, needles, message, and more.

Ki got Ear Points and a massage. I just got a massage.

The boys sent me their intended class plans for school. for a few months. We'll try it till our winter break and see if adjustments need to be made. Unless of course it REALLY doesn't work and we need to adjust sooner. I am hoping they will self adjust. Ki is usually good at self-adjusting.

Connor's List:

3600 seconds of math statistics and probability a day
- www.khanacedemy.com
- TopShelf Statitstics (Book *click here to see)

- Possibly, Standard Deviants supplement and brushing up on Alg if needed

read "Lord of the Rings" before next year

1 chapter of science a week (*until finished with the Chemistry Course, but I think it takes 2 weeks to do a good job on a chapter. I'll let him try 1 a week and see how long it takes to change his mind.)

learn Japanese for 2700 seconds a day - with Gavin. (program TBA)

Computer Illustration class at Allan Hancock College 8 hours a week(inc lab)

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GAVIN'S LIST:

2 chapters 3rd edition calculus and analytical...geometry (Brian's College Book)
*Supplemented with the following if needed:
-google
-khan
-dad
-Standard Deviants, other online or library sources as/if needed

30 minutes Japanese a day
-unless it has chapters on the program.
-May use flash cards and google

*We have not chosen our program yet. and I will suggest 45 minutes, but 30 may work. He'll be working with Connor.

Drawing livestream it from about 6 to 10+ pm Tuesday Wednesday and maybe Friday
(*he needs to show me he can have his morning work done by 9Am without reminders and with getting up on his own before I will permit computer drawing until 10PM)

Read one book of "LOTR" by end of Sept

Computer illustration at AHC

(he will be finishing up Chemistry, too)

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KI'S List of "EVIL SCHOOL"- as he put it

-math 1 Khan video and 30 min of work a day *(I will ask him to follow a course, in order)

-read 3 pages a day in LOTR

-get to 3 pull up in a row (*he also makes sure he rides his bike a few times a week)

-register for acting class at Pismo- * not sure what the dates/times will be for that.

-you were going to give me science. *He will be doing Apologia General Science CD-Rom. I will have him look up extra experiments (that are more fun that theirs- which are boring) and videos.

*And I have him cook a couple meals a week as part of his school- since he wants to be a chef. but he usually asks to, so it's not really like making him.

College Classes start on Aug 23 (for G&C). I suggested C watch some Pre-Cal vids on Khan before he starts in his book (Sept 6)

Ki likes to ease into school, so I will leave that up to him. I will tell him he needs ti figure out what he needs to do to ease into school, becuase we will be starting 'full day' on Sept 6. he is good at making his own plans for stuff like that.

Collecting Evidence for the Upcoming Class

Almost all of the Evidence Bags have been opened. Their seals have been broken. There is no going back now. A couple bags are not opened yet. Gavin didn't get to be a part of the seal-breaking last night, so I saved a couple bags for him and the Exacto Blade, for after his art class. Now I have some brown-paper Evidence Bags for our Forensic Science class! I should have bought red evidence tape to reclose them.

See the little container? It has synthetic blood. It will give a positive reaction with the Luminol Test! The little packets on the lower part of the picture or sample Luminol Tablets for training. Connor was excited and says we should dip our fingers in the synthetic blood and leave finger prints around the house them search for them with the Luminol.

My Acupunturist said he'll work on a scenario for our Forensic Class! I was telling him about my dentist and the saved teeth for our class. He thought that sounded like a great class to do with the boys and said he'll think of what he can contribute, maybe a scenario (since as an acupuncturist he doesn't have 'samples' or 'x-rays')

I Love J-Term!

Elephants & Earplugs

The boys were running though the house this morning. Well, one of them, I think it was Ki. He sounded like an elephant.

I'm wearing my musical earplugs to drown out the sound of...everything. Earbuds & Youtube. It's a Billy Bragg kinda Morning.

So, I've had this stinking migraine for 2 weeks. I'm tired of lying in the dark wishing to bang my head against the wall to relieve the pain and pressure. It does wax and wane with intensity. And I am very grateful that, unlike Ohio where these were year long, they are only during the short rainy season out here on the Central Coast. Though I think that having them less make me more prone to complain about them, because I get used to the 9 months of just a couple headaches a months, so the few months of almost-daily migraines seems more frustrating.

I think I'll call the acupuncture dude and see if they can get me in Monday or Tuesday. That would be nice. Dr. Kandel will follow up the acupuncture with some wonderful acupressure.

I missed church las week due to the intensity of the migraine. Most migraines I just go to church and put up with them. I'm like a functioning Alcoholic.. but I'm a Functioning Migraine-Sufferer. It comes from all the long years and of having to do what needs to be done despite the chronic head pain.

I sit here typing at the computer wearing sunglasses. But I have had enough. gonna close my eyes and listen to music then go to church so I can ask for prayer after the service. I hate feeling this needy and dependent and useless.

Looking Ahead, but not very far.

Sometimes, Looking Ahead starts with a little Looking Behind. Like remembering when the kids where younger and I had more to do to herd them daily, but a lot less to do on my calendar. More to Juggle IN THE HOME, but a lot LESS to juggle outside of the home. Neither way i s better or worse. Life is just a series of trade-offs and changes.

Gavin is registered at a student at the local Community College. He's in 11th grade. Here (and many other place) upper High School kids can take college courses that count at college credits (so the are a few steps ahead of the game when they graduate high school) and that count as High School credits. And it's usually tuition free. (but other fees apply, of course. Like books and art supplies)

This new endeavor will have us booked every Monday and Wednesday morning. No more deciding to skip off to the beach on a Monday Morning or fit his dentist appointments in on a Wednesday morning.

Connor and Ki will be taking Wednesday Afternoon Theater Classes. So no afternoon beach trips on Wednesdays.

This concept of having to fit our lives around school is something we are not used to doing. We have done it for a short time a couple times, but it's always a huge hassle. But, then, so are lots of things in life. That's just how it goes.

Gavin is taking an Art Class at Allan Hancock College. I figured it'd be good to start off with something easy; esp since he'll miss the first day of class because he'll be out of state. Though he is a registered student, he has not enrolled in this art class. "College Now" class enrollment starts Aug 9th. This is the day before he leaves on his trip. Nothing like cutting it down to the last minute. I thrive on procrastination. That feeling of having "NO MORE time left, so gotta do it NOW!"

I really should start thinking about their other learning adventures; math, science. history, grammar.... But it's not down to the final hour yet, so I have plenty of time until that Window Of Motivation.

***** Subject Change *****

I have had 4 acupuncture appointments. 2 worked GREAT, one NOT at ALL, and this last one has not had migraines afterwards, but I'm headachey. But then again, I don't think I'm getting enough protein and my water and glucose intake or not optimal.

But I'm also learning some acupressure that I can use with Ki, too.

***** Subject Change *****

Here i a fun little game that has you building a cell and fighting of viruses and looks like maybe splicing DNA in the future- all why teaching what the different parts of the cell do and how.

CELLCRAFT (click to play)

***** Subject Change *****

I knit a couple Coffee Cup Sleeves. I wanted to learn to use DPNs. Double Pointed Needles.. I found that it is easier to use 5 than 4.

***** Subject Change *****

The summer is a time of less structure. Less structure is a time of more Sensory Meltdowns. Ki's meltdowns and outbursts have been getting more frequent and more..intense.

When I plan the upcoming 'more structured than not-schooling', I'll be adding some occupational Therapy for Ki (his brothers will join in).

This will include, but it not limited to, Obstacle Courses, Brain Gym, joint Compression. Yoga, and maybe some massage.

How does your engine run?

Ki's engine is running very slowly. It is looking like a bad Sensory Processing/Dyspraxia Day. I hate these 'limp noodle days', or 'watery jello'. That's how Ki acts, moves, thinks, process on these days. When Ki was in Occupational Therapy his O.T. went over a little tool to help us know how he was doing and what to do. It was "How is your Engine Running". His Engine either runs slowly (like he's in a fog, moves slowly,low muscle tone, can't think, focusing makes him sleepy, etc) or his engines run QUICKLY- when he is hyper, Impulsive, still can't focus- but because his brain is hopping from 1 thing to the next to the next, not because just 1 thing makes him sleepy.

Then she went through a few different exercises to try and see which ones made his engine speed up and which helped a too fast engine to slow down.

When Ki's engine is running slowly (which is the usual path he goes on bad SPD Days (SID-Sensory Integration Disorder. my definition of SPD- Sensory Processing & Dyspraxia), sleeping only makes it worse..BUT Sleeping seems like the easiest best answer to a 'tired, slow, sleepy brained' kid.

I asked him what he was having for protein with his breakfast. He repeats over and over:

"Methane. Methane-methane-methane"

AAARRRGGG!!!!!

without protein added to his diet there is no way we will get past this very slow running engine day.

I am glad I have some errands too run and maybe I'll just go knit at Cafe Noir.

Ki is 13, coming up on 14. He knows what he needs to do to make his engine speed up so he can get things done. He is too old for me to be making him do it. He can choose to do what he needs to do so he can get his work done today or he can choose to have a miserable day where nothing gets accomplished, which leads to him not liking what his tomorrow will bring.

Maybe Ki needs acupuncture, too