This Week at Our House # 31

1. Whoa, I can't believe it is August already!!! John got his first paycheck and so all that worry about being able to pay bills in August went away. John has made fun of me for being too scheduled at times when no one was making me do anything. But I have to say that when John schedules himself he is even more rigid with his time and making sure things he wants gets done. Right now he is certain to get work done and over with for the first 8 hours of the day and then to spend the next hour and a half exercising. After that he sits down and writes his blog. Then he directs family devotional and teaches the kids the gospel and then he usually likes a snack and a movie or game with the older kids.
2. I spent the week being a teacher. I think our first week of the 2016/2017 school year went quite well. The kids settled into their schedules and work without any problems. I spent a little more money getting Arwen some preschool workbooks so she does not feel left out and because she is interested in learning. I went to Chapel Hill to check out the nearest birthing clinic in the state. I am planning on doing that for the prenatal care and delivery of the baby at this point. The main worry is that it is a 2 hour drive. A few of the draws there are the birthing tub, the freedom to birth in an upright position, the ability to leave 6 hours after the baby is born, and no worries about being forced to get a one day old baby the hepatitis b shot. 
3. Ruth babysat all week. She is watching a 6 and 8 year girl about 7 hours a day. She will work until they start school on the 17th. Ruth went up to Chapel Hill with me for the birth clinic tour. She got to watch her first birthing video, but she hung in there just fine. She then got to get some of her favorite restaurant food, and drove us home in the dark. She's apparently a better driver in the dark. Ruth will do a bit more driving this week and then try to go for her license test. Hopefully she will pass. She is a good driver, but it is tough to learn on a 15-passenger van.
4. Kate did fine with her school schedule. She was sick on Tuesday and Wednesday but still managed to do most of her school work. Kate also attended the Temple on Saturday with the youth in our ward. 
5. Johnny did very well with his school schedule. He is becoming a very good piano player. He could barely play one or two easy classical songs last January and now he can play several classical songs and several hymns and primary songs. He has even learned some of the hymns that I have felt like are too hard for me, like If You Could Hie to Kolob. Johnny also went on the youth temple trip.
6. Adam is now a 6th grader. That is hard to fathom. He will be 12 in November too. He did well with his school schedule and never complained about any of the work he had to do. He is also learning the piano and is doing quite well. He likes it a lot, so I never have to tell him to practice. His favorite part of school this week was making ninja balls from instructions on a youtube video.
7. Rachel is in the 5th grade. Her favorite part of the day is singing and even wants to practice on the weekends. She did a great job with her reading and writing. Her math is coming along well too. I think she will be about the same level Ruth, Kate, and Adam were at the same age.
8. Anya is in 3rd grade and working on level in about everything. She is probably a little ahead in math. When Anya was not doing her school work, she was building with legos.
9. Joseph is in 2nd grade, but he is doing everything the same as Anya, so basically he is in 3rd grade. This first semester they are mostly working with me at the table and that is helping Joseph to focus and stay on task.
10. Joshua is in kindergarten. I have imagined him in the cute little Legacy Prep school uniforms and that makes me a little sad about moving. But even then, I am sure homeschool is the right fit for Joshua. He still has a hard time behaving in primary, so I doubt school would go well for him. As it is, he is good at home. He likes his lessons and doing his workbook pages and he does not give me any trouble except in the mornings when he knows he has to get started. Once he gets going, he is fine, but I am not sure how that would turn out in a school setting.
11. Arwen does school right alongside Josh. She wants to be a part of things and often says she is a big kid. I give Josh and Arwen Friday off, though because they are little and by then, they just want to play.
12. Suzy missed hanging out with me as I was busy giving lessons all day. She is learning to come to the table with the school kids to hang out and draw.

This Week's Pictures

Adam's Ninja Balls. The kids loved them and played with them all day Friday.

Suzy got into my lollipop stash

The kids have been reading my blog and looking at all of the pictures.

Ruth still worries that she is fat

She asked me if she could have cheese. She meant she wanted her picture taken. I think this is a pretty good cheese face.