Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! We've had a wonderful season!  I have to say that the whole time, I kept thinking about the people in Newtown, CT.  It really put things in perspective.  On my ever-growing list of things to do, burying my child (sibling/friend/mom/sister) was NOT on my list.  How forever changed are the lives of those who survived.  The children, especially; their innocence shattered.  I just kept looking at all of my kids, my husband, my parents and thinking, 'This is so good. The only gift I need.'  Now, I'm looking forward to 2013. 

I do like to make resolutions.  Sometimes they don't stick, yes, but if you never set goals, there's nothing to reach for.  My resolution for 2013 will be to drink more water.  I don't drink enough water and I think it would be very good for me.  The big hurdle here is, I have tried before and failed.  What I do is carry water with me every where, but I'm not drinking it.  The same camelbak follows me around all day with the same water in it.  I have to actually drink it...it's not enough to carry it around with me.  Also, I've heard it's better to sip water continually all day than to down a glass 8 times a day.  Your body needs constant hydration and it can't absorb it that fast so better to sip.  Wish me luck.

I am SO enjoying being off everything for a week.  No school, no work, no dance.  It's wonderful.  Work and dance resume the 2nd of January.  Our school doesn't resume till the following Monday.  I love to use this break to revamp some things and begin again with a fresh look at this 2nd semester.  Ruth will be ready for 4th grade come the end of March so we will be wrapping things up and I'll need to start her in her new books in April.  She's probably ready now, but I have a hard time leaving books unfinished.  No rush. 

Jane is going to be starting a sewing class at a different co-op on Tuesdays.  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous.  I'm nervous about her liking it and about how that's going to affect our schedule.  Tuesday has been our one quiet day each week.  Still, this has been a year of trying new things and then we'll make adjustments for next year.  Jane has done some awesome reading over this Christmas break so maybe I need to rethink her reading assignments.  More on that later.

I gotta go; my 16 year old, Sam, wants me to give him a haircut (it's just a buzz).  I blog more when I'm back at work on the 2nd (then I can rest; hee hee).  Hope this Christmas Season is filled with quiet blessings that remind you that the best things in life are free and I hope that 2013 is a year of peace and good health. 

Updates

As I blogged about not so long ago, I gave Jane a reading assignment with incentives for finishing and consequences for not.  Well, she started off strong.  She read the first book called, 'Fever,' in about a week.  She was certain she was not going to like it, but about 2 chapters in, she couldn't put it down.  She wrote an awesome book report on it that I thoroughly enjoyed and proceeded to start the 2nd book.  She was supposed to read 3 books that I chose (all historical fiction) in 6 weeks with completed book reports. We are at the end of the six weeks and she still hasn't finished the 2nd book.  I don't think she's ever gotten past the 2nd chapter. 

So the consequence I told her about was no t.v.  How do I enforce that when I'm not there?  And for what time period?   My husband says it should last until she finishes the assignment.  Hmmm....that could work.  The bottom line though is she has to decide to do the work.  That's true of a child at school as well.  Few kids who are doing poorly in school are unintelligent.  Mostly, they just need to decide to do the work; to care.

In all fairness to her, I did pick Nutcracker time to decide what to do about her reading.  Her regular dance schedule is 6.5 hours of dance a week, but during nutcracker, she's up there about 12 hours a week.  Still, no excuses, right?  I mean, if she were at school, there would be consequences.  Maybe I should just give her a failing grade and move on?  But that's not why or how I want to homeschool.  So, I'm going to have to think about what to do.  I have spoken with Jane about this.  She suggested that she could do all her reading over the summer.  It's not a bad suggestion, I'll just have to think about whether that will work.

On the bright side, I am so excited to see how well she is doing in her co-op classes and in her Algebra.  She is a smart girl!  I confess, I, like every parent, worry about how my kid will do in highschool.  But even more so when it's the first time she's taken a class outside of home.  She's doing great and I think she also is relieved and pleased!

The one who is really going to benefit from my working 16 hours a week is Ruth.  She was born an independent spirit, but she is really doing well managing her school work in 3rd grade!  She had her first piano recital last Saturday and she did great.  I knew she wouldn't be too nervous; she's danced on stage twice now.  But she did her piece perfectly and her duet with the teacher perfectly.  She's something else!  I was so glad that two of her older brothers came (the other one is away at college). 

Well, our tree is up and decorated, the house decorations are up, most of my shopping is done and most of that, wrapped, and a few batches of cookies are made.  All I could think about as we decorated was how blessed I am to have my family with me.  With my son's friend gone, a woman from work dying suddenly, and the mall shooting this week, I am more aware that the real gift for me this year and every year is the family that surrounds me.  Even with all the issues that come with marriage and raising kids, at the end of the day, I have my husband and my five kids and my parents and my sisters with me....there's nothing else I want.