Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Our First Day of Homeschool...

February 4, 2013 began our first day of homeschooling with Gabriella (Kindergarten, age 6) and Amaris (turning 3 this month).


First thing I hope to change in our new day is the time the girls wake-up. Like clock work, the wake each morning at 5:50AM. I personally think that is a bit ridiculous. I hereby declare that Mama wants the NEW wake-up time to be 7:00AM.

Baba let them play together one last time, grabbed them cheese stix... and, I got to sleep until 7:00AM. Yeah!

The girls wanted a bath... not something we do in the morning, but, hey... it was our first day of school. So, they got a bath...

Once we were dressed, it was time for breakfast. I made them a "shake" out of un-sweetened coconut, coconut milk, almonds, strawberries, and 3 types of protein. It was yummy.

We were just about ready to start preschool, but I just had to pause for a moment... how am I going to get all the housework done each day? Would I have time to make my bed, empty garbages/recycle, wash dishes and clean the kitchen, run my 7 daily loads of laundry,  fold clothes, and iron them all? Surprisingly, I had completed everything (but the ironing) before noon... all the while, homeschooling.

We started school at 9AM with our Bible time and the story of Noah. The girls got our their Fisher Price Noah's Ark and we talked about the story, the people, the animals, the flood, and God's promise.

Next, I got out the workbooks for Gabriella. She LOVES workbooks! I think she ended up doing 2 pages of 7 different books. Because these books are beginner level, she got a lot of practice coloring. For those  parents of normally developing children, your child could have colored the pages in a minute or two... for Gabriella though, it took many, many minutes. Hopefully this will get quicker soon.

By 10AM, she LITERALLY had done more work than she had done since September 2012 in Kindergarten. No exaggeration. And, she was loving it. 

We took a break, had a snack and did some physical therapy activities. The girls loved that too. Is homeschooling REALLY this fun?

I gave the girls free choice time while I finished up some house chores and checked email and Facebook. :)

They had a scrumptious organic (and mostly raw) lunch. Quinoa with homemade cashew cream cheese and cucumbers, navy beans mixed with hothouse tomatoes and basil and pinenuts, brown rice and carrots, guacamole and hummus chips, a tangerine and apple slices.



At dinner, we had curry chicken with celery and onion over rice with a delicious green salad with slivered almonds, hemp hearts, tomatoes, flax seed and a homemade Asian dressing. The girls even got to cut up the organic cucumber with their kid-friendly knives.


The only thing I forgot to do was take pictures of our day today... so, I will do it tomorrow so you can get a glimpse into our first week of homeschooling.

Cinderella and the Super Bowl

Gabriella was scheduled to celebrate her birthday a week or so ago, but we postponed it so the dad's could talk while sitting and watching the Super Bowl as the girls chased each other with their Chinese baby dolls, wands, celebration blowers, and Fisher Price Disney Princesses.

Her brother Kai had a chance to join us after his weekend duties. 


The girls hadn't opened the toys yet, so a cell phone was their first toy of the night... 
everyone else was too busy watching the game to notice they might need a little re-direction. Sigh!


Gabriella has been waiting to open up her presents for her birthday. Today she will open Noah's Ark, a multi-pack of Disney Fisher Price Princesses, and mini pack of Cinderella and Prince Charming in their wedding outfit. Anna got her a mermaid for the bath, a necklace, bracelet, and ring set, and some fun hair pretties.
 







Munching on some gluten-free food and brownie bites. 


Snuggling with Anna's baba. 


Painting princess fingernails!


And, what this party is probably really about... football... and those watching. Must have been one of the dumb commercials this year. I only thought a couple of them were worth viewing...