Schoolish Things

We're wrapping up our study of the Civil War for awhile. We began filling our Timeline Notebook with the important events and dates of the Civil War. Should be done with that tomorrow. I'll take the boys to visit the Fredericksburg Battlefield this week. Then we need to move on to a historical subject that is less depressing!

We have been preparing our back yard for summer. Dragged out the patio table and chairs, cleaned them up and have already had an evening meal there. Set up our badminton net. We've already spent the last couple weeks clearing out the fencerows and especially removing some nasty sticker bushes. Fertilized the grass, hung out a birdfeeder and filled the birdbath with fresh water. I also hung up the hummingbird feeder, but its a little early for that. I think the nectar has gone bad already and instead of birds, we have dead ants floating in the top!

~D~ has battled strep throat since Thursday. He was down and out for 4 days, finally returning a little bit to his old self yesteday. I was worried about him. We went to the doctor on the 2nd day because I figured he had strep and he was on antibiotics by that evening. I really thought the fever would break within 24 hours of being on medicine, but it didn't happen till Monday morning. Strep is terrible. And seeing my child so miserable and sick was awful. Hubby and I couldn't wait to see his bubbly personality come back. Praise God for good medicine, and for dear children.

~D~ finished his Leo the Lion drawing today. His turned out looking more realistic than mine! I am so impressed. The book, "Drawing With Children," has helped this non-drawing family do some pretty amazing art.

~N~ absolutely broke down yesterday when I asked him to do some cursive handwriting practice. He had an old handwriting book from the school he attended last year, so I thought it would be good for him to practice from it. He's a printer - he hates cursive with a passion. I insist that he hates it because he isn't comfortable with it, because he simply needs more practice with it. After a 15 minute showdown, I finally erupted into gales of laughter when he said this:

Much wailing, crying, pleading....
Then, with head down, he says in miserable, quiet voice
"My teacher said we could throw these books away last year....
but I FORGOT!!!!"

Oh, I laughed till I cried. When I started laughing, he started laughing, and we could hardly stop. Then he did the one page handwriting requirement that his mean old teacher gave him. And that was that.

Today, I told hime to do another page and he did so willingly, without a fuss. But also without the laughter of yesterday!!

Rejoicing,
Marla