Here are 2 choice conversations I'd like to share with you this week.
Philip: Do these (referring to Cheerios) have cherries in it?
Me: No
Philip: But then, how come it has the word cherry in it? See? Cherry-Os?
I try to review CoOp science topics throughout the weeks in between CoOp sessions to help Mary try to remember what we learn since as I said, I am not awesome at doing science at home...
This week I was trying to review the methods of heat transfer which my co-teacher taught last week.
Mary was very happily prattling about the various seasons of the year and how in the spring it will be warmer and then in the summer it will be REALLY warm and she can go play in our "pool" (a tiny blowup tiger kiddie pool). At this point, compared to Mary's size, it's really more like a giant puddle... Anyhoo, I seized the opportunity to talk about radiation... I'm not sure she got the concept. You tell me.
Me: How does the sun heat up the water? What is that called?
Mary: TURKEY!
After profound answers like this, Matthew always likes to say, "We homeschool!"
In other homeschool news, Mary was doing some work this week in a supplemental science book I got her. This page was about magnets. We used the magnet on a toy train and tried different objects (like a plastic toy knife, pencil, popsicle stick, a metal ice-cream cone charm she got from either my sister or my mom) to see if it would attract to the magnet. I explained that magnet would attract metal objects, but not wood or plastic ones. I think it's possible the concept sunk in:
This week turned out a lot more crazy than it was supposed to, but that's OK. God has really been teaching me this past year (or two) about resigning myself to His Holy Will and learning to bear with things patiently (which I'm still in the beginning stages of learning to do). Monday, my parents came over because my mom was off of work for Martin Luther King day. We had a great time. We even did some informal "science" with Gung-Gung! Matthew's parents gave Mary this SnapCircuit Jr. set for Christmas. I think this is awesome. It's a little over their heads right now, but Mary is still definitely learning and the kids LOVE doing this with Gung-Gung and their Beepaw (when he was here shortly before Christmas), who are both electrical engineers. :)
We also did a little informal spelling practice on the ipad with Popo. LOL It's some sort of word game where you have to make words and use up certain red letter tiles. I forget what it was called...
Wednesday, we met some new friends! A family just moved into the area and Matthew met the father at Mass one day and they exchanged contact info so that us wives could meet up with our kids. LOL We had a great time talking. Those who know me well, know how excited I must have been to see certain books on their bookshelf- namely, Scupoli's "Spiritual Combat", "Introduction to the Devout Life" by St. Francis De Sales, "The Imitation of Mary" (which I have not read yet, but I have read the "Imitation of Christ"), Butler's "Lives of the Saints," and other great books. I walk into their house and with joy, see many beautiful images of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, and Our Blessed Mother as well as a nice framed picture of St. Josemaria Escriva and St. Thomas More (A Man for All Seasons is probably my favorite movie)! Anyway, I hope our families will be able to get together often and that we become good friends because I think we will have wonderful spiritually uplifting conversations together! We plan to meet up again next week at our house!
Thursday, was the crazy busyness I was referring to earlier in my post. As I said, Thomas has some minor health issues that keep us busy with multiple doctor appts. I don't want to go in to all the details, but poor little Thomas has developed a really bad yeast diaper rash. This was a big clue to me that Thomas is sick again. Thomas never gets diaper rashes and the only other time he had a diaper rash was a yeast diaper rash when he had the fungal urinary tract infection. So, Thursday was spent seeing a couple doctors, and getting an ultrasound, bloodwork, and urine culture done. I'm so thankful for my parents, especially my Dad, who is always willing to help watch Mary and Philip for me when I have to spend the day going to different doctors with Thomas. One of Thomas' specialists' office just called and changed/added some more medicine for Thomas. He is also back on the anti-fungal medication. If you could keep him in your prayers, we would greatly appreciate it. Please pray that he would get better and that we don't end up back in the hospital again.Thomas is such a good, happy baby boy despite all his discomfort.
His primary care doctor remarked how it seems like sick babies are always so happy and good-natured despite all their sufferings. He's not the only one that's noticed that. I have too. I know of another little baby boy who has undergone so much (a lot more than Thomas) who was always cooing and smiling every time I saw him. I find this to be a good reminder to bear all suffering patiently and joyfully thanking God for what I have and for the opportunity to unite my sorrows with those of Our Lord in His most sorrowful Passion. It is a good lesson for me to try to learn.
Today, we had Craft Club with some of the other homeschool families. I have to be honest. I hate doing crafts with our kids... it is like a penance for me. LOL I love the idea of doing crafts with them, I like doing crafts by myself (if the kids are doing something else and not getting in my way, lol), but I hate dealing with the stuff all over the house and the mess, therefore I hate crafts. Joining craft club forces me to do crafts with the kids at least once a month. Haha! Sadly, this is the first time we've actually made it to craft club due to Thomas' hospitalizations. It was actually my turn to plan the crafts this week. I did a Chinese New Year theme because Chinese New Year is next Friday. It was pretty crazy and chaotic as it turns out we were in the wrong area which did not lend itself well to kids staying focused. LOL The first craft was a lot harder for the kids than I thought it'd be. I thought would be easy for them because I saw this youtube video of this little girl making it. Now I wonder if that little Chinese girl was not really that young, because I forget how Chinese children are teeny compared to the average Caucasian child. LOL Well we managed to get through it anyway.
Here's what I planned. We're still working on some of these at home.
Chinese Lantern made from ang pow (red envelopes):
Chinese Fan. I brought horse stamps for the kids because it's the year of the horse. The kids that chose this craft seemed to really like this. Mary said she would make one later...
Chinese Dragon puppets. Mary's still working on hers... She loves making these. This is like her 3rd one...
Alright! I gotta get dinner all ready, so that's it for now!
No comments:
Post a Comment