It's Friday!!

I"m so glad it's Friday. I've been exhausted all week - maybe I'll get to sleep in tomorrow...hmmm. We had our usual Thursday activities yesterday. C and R are so sweet in their gymnastics class together. Because R's class was so small they let C join it so I only have to go to the gym twice a week instead of three times now. However, the class is still geared for 4-5 year olds so C can't do everything, but he's so happy being in there with R. When he needs help on something he actually calls for R instead of the teacher. R comes right over and helps him with his sommersault or cartwheel, etc. R has had a wonderful example of a big brother and you add that to his caring heart and he just shines when he is the sole big brother around.

T had his piano lesson before lunch. His teacher says he is doing a wonderful job. He has a good ear for the notes (certainly doesn't get that from me). I'm amazed at what he has already learned. He's playing with both hands and can now play chords as well. At this rate he'll pass up my six years of piano lessons within the first 4 months of his lessons. He still baulks at practicing although this past week was better. I've learned to relax a bit with it and let him just play around on the keyboard instead of making him do his official practice every time so he's enjoying it more.

Today our homeschool co-op met. It's a great group with some wonderful families involved. The kids are well behaved, polite and caring and the moms always pack healthy lunches so the boys aren't envying a slew(sp?) of cookies, juice boxes and fruit roll-ups set before them. The hardest thing for the boys is the fact that we don't really know anyone involved in the group so we have to make the effort to get to know them. They've never been in a group where they didn't have a good friend along with them so it's a good growing experience for them (us). R is really struggling with his classes this year and this one has been the hardest for him. I think it's just tough growing up. He wants to be "big" and do things on his own but at times he's not sure of it and wants to revert back to being "little." He'll make it though. They got to make paper mache mummies in their art history class. In the science class we are studying astronomy (I assist in teaching this class). We did several different experiments to study the sun today, including burning leaves with a magnifying glass which is always a big hit. Then we ate lunch outside on this beautiful day before the handwork class started. The older kids get to learn to embroider if they are interested in it. You wouldn't believe how excited T was to start this. They announced outside that it was time for this class to start and he made the comment, "All right!! I've been waiting all day for this." He was so cute in the class. He was the youngest and the only boy sitting around the tables with the girls getting ready to learn how to sew. When I went to pick him up he was the last one there still sewing away and very excited to be able to bring his project home with him. He's hoping to have it done by Thanksgiving because that is the theme of it (pumpkins, leaves and a turkey in the middle). I'm so thankful he's our creative little art guy.

We came home from the co-op with big plans of cleaning and catching up on school but those plans didn't make it any farther than a fleeting thought through my head. We all hit the couches with books (except T had his embroidery). I read my magazine while R read to C (always a sweet sight) and T sewed. That lasted a good 45 minutes before it was time to get moving again.

We surprised the boys after dinner with a marshmellow fight (something C is always asking for ever since we first did it). I also needed more than just dirt as an incentive to get the floors mopped and stickiness will always do it for me. It was great fun and according to the boys, they won.

Tomorrow morning we have our next to last soccer practice/game. This season has been so great and we are all excited for it to start again in the spring, unlike the previous seasons when we couldn't wait for it to finally be over. We started the Family Soccer Organization with four other families this fall. We meet only on Sat morning and everyone plays together. We practice for an hour and then scrimmage for 30 minutes (kids vs parents). It's been such a blessing to be out of the rat race of an organized soccer league and the kids are loving it. Everyone from age 3 to 40 plays (although, the moms get an occasional time out to do some swing pushing with the younger ones and just to visit on the sidelines). R got in the car after the first day and said, "I can't believe I won my first soccer game!" It's been a great time as a family and a time to hang out with some of our closest friends here.

Maybe after soccer I can talk A into working in the yard with me for a few hours to clean it up before all the rain hits this winter. In TX we worked so hard in our yard trying to get things to grow. Here, we work just as hard but we are constantly pulling things out trying to get rid of the growth. We still haven't got used to how fast everything grows and just takes over if it's not tended to here.