October!

Preschool was so fun today! When Meme got here we played play dough for a while and then we went for a leaf collecting walk. The three preschoolers had so much fun, as did I, snapping photos of them. We took a little jaunt around the neighbourhood, looking at the beautiful fall colours, saying hello to neighbours and racing.


















When we arrived back home the kids sorted through their leaves and arranged them on the wax paper squares I gave them. I ironed their arrangements and then we framed our creations. They were so proud and our artwork looks very festive hanging in the window. The big boys were very into this craft too, B actually put together his own leaf collage, R was supposed to be doing math corrections, so he couldn't take part. Daddy and I talked to them a bit about autumn and the changing seasons, we let them play a game about seasons on the computer, and then Daddy printed some cool fall colouring sheets for them. After colouring they had snack and played trains til Meme's Mom came and got her.
For my school age kids, it seems that we are falling into a rhythm for school. There are a lot of distractions in our house though, so one or the other of them is often finishing assignments after 3 o'clock. I would really like to have things done by 3 or even noon each day, that will take a lot of discipline on all our parts, and keeping the preschoolers busy and out of the boys hair. Daddy is home this week, so he was helping R with area calculations - he is such a good teacher, way better than me actually. I organize well, but he is definitely the teacher of the two of us, I sometimes wish he could teach them full-time, rather than the 4 or 5 days a year he is usually home. This year is better than most though, he has already been home a number of days.
We did the usual basics today: Math, journal, Handwriting, Geography/SS, French, we didn't get to grammar or our report writing course. I am hoping I can get the boys to do some science before bed, science works better when the babies are sleeping!
I was so disappointed last week when I realized that we were not actually finished our geography unit. We were only done the sheets I had already photocopied, :) not the whole course. Oops! Today's sheet was about Canadian rivers, had to pull out the atlas today-I love to look at maps, so I was excited. Right now I am trying to get them to finish their chores, it is often like pulling teeth, be dh and I are getting much at following through and giving clear, step by step instructions. I actually need to type them up and post them for the kids, and for dh too;)
Feeling optimistic for the year ahead, we are off to a good start. I am gonna order some books this week, our funding is available now! Love new books! I have tons to order for our Canadian history units.