Another Round of "Ask LWM3B"

It's been awhile since I've answered some of the reader emails. I guess if I don't ever answer them, people are going to stop asking. So here are some I found while cleaning out my inbox yesterday...

(1.) You travel a lot. Where ya' goin' all these places, girlfriend?

Well, I don't know if I travel extensively, but I do a bit of business here and there. I am a telecommuter. My office is in White Plains, NY (home of the March of Dimes' National Office). So, I head out there quarterly. I also do a few conferences with some of our amazing volunteers and some for speaking or learning opportunities. So when I'm off hopping tarmacs, it's usually all in my quest to support NICU families, either learning more about it or helping others learn more about it.

This year, though, I will also be traveling to BlogHer in San Fran and to my sister MOBS's wedding in Mexico. Are any of you heading to BlogHer???

(2.) Tell me how to make that grilled peanut butter thing, please?

Ohh... do try this. Really. It's so super easy. Make yourself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Now, just like a grilled cheese, generously butter the outside and grill on your stovetop. Be careful because PB tends to melt - you need just enough to give the bread a crunch! I eat it with a fork, because it's just too messy to pick up. It's dessert! Next time, I'll tackle the peanut butter and cereal combo.

(3.) How did you meet that Handy Man of yours? Do tell.

Oh my. I'll give the abbreviated version. I was teaching Italian at a big university near Handy Man's hometown. I was a young thing. For whatever reason, Handy Man decided he wanted to learn Italian with the plans of taking a trip over to Europe for their amazing food. (On a side note, only a man plans his vacations following his stomach!). So he went about finding a local tutor, and I was who he found. He was my student. And I almost didn't take him - all my other students were college-age preparing for exams or in my classes at the U. I couldn't figure out why "some old guy" wanted lessons. But serendipitously, I was so broke that I had to take any $$$ opportunity I could find. So, that's how it started. And he was a GREAT student. ;)

(4.) How long do you plan to homeschool?

For however long it continues to be successful. :)

(5.) Think you'll stay in that house forever?

Most days I'd like to. But if our state ever changed the homeschool laws, we'd pack up the boybarians in a nanosecond and head to Illinois or Texas - or wherever we could maintain our schooling status quo. If Handy Man decided to take his business elsewhere, we'd go. I am lucky enough to be able to do my jobs wherever the wind blows us. This house is special to us, but ultimately, it's just a house. Now, if Handy Man decided to build again in our local area, I'd kill him.

(6.) How did you get started with design. How can I get started?

I still wake up some days in complete disbelief that people ask me to design their blogs. Boy that was a crazy path. I guess it all boils down to: see a need, fill a need. (Name that movie!) There is a huge need to be filled. And moms especially seem to appreciate working with other mom-treprenuers. I absolutely love everything about it, but other than an affinity for design, I have no educational background in this field. My majors were in language (both pathology of and foreign) and it turns out that coding is really just another language. It was pretty easy to pick up.

So you think you want to learn? I first suggest in investing in a good graphic program: I use Adobe CS3, but even Photoshop Elements is a great starter program. You can find CS2 for pretty cheap now that the next thing is out, and CS2 can do nearly everything CS3 can do. Then... well... some people buy books. I don't own a single CSS or html book. Some people swear by it, but I really need something more hands on. So I started a test blog and just started playing with the code and watching what happened. If you think a book would help you - there are hundreds. But sometimes trial and error is simply the best teacher. I will be starting to post TIPS for Bloggers over at my other blog: Graphically Designing.

I was going to post the search options again - some of those are too too funny - but there have been some creepy ones lately. I need to follow those and change those posts. I'm getting some weirdo traffic. So those of you looking for anything above rated PG - you're barking up the wrong tree.

I Drink Lukewarm Coffee

Handy Man made me coffee this morning. I love when he does this - so thoughtful. And it dawned on me as I took my first sip of steaming hot coffee and the sweet, warm relief soothed my aching cough box err, throat... that I drink lukewarm coffee.

I don't particularly like lukewarm coffee.

And I became cognizant that this is a Stages of Life thing. The temperature of my coffee indicates the sheer number of times I am interrupted mid-cup. And while my boys are growing and reaching stages of independence and maturity I only dreamed about a year or two ago, they are still very much needy little boys.

And boy oh boy (oh boy!)... the loving neediness of those amazing little boys sure does make every lukewarm sip worth it.

Weekly Silly Report

Trouble's preK stuff arrived in record time. I placed the order late on a Monday night (after hours) and it was on my doorstep on Thursday morning. I love speedy shipping. It makes me wonder why anyone bothers to go to brick'n'mortars anymore. ;)

We've been working on Same or Different, puzzles, fine motor things like stringing beads and Cheerios, following sequencing patterns, and memorizing preK songs and rhymes: Baa Baa Black Sheep, Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty, etc





I sooo tried to get a video to show his progress but he couldn't get over the sillies. He kept stopping mid-song to say things like "stinky socks!" or "underpants!" then break into hysterical laughter. He is such a performer. This is what he did when I asked him to show everyone what he can do... he mysteriously fell fast asleep...

The other boys are hanging at status quo. Long division is finally clicking and happily so - we've been doing problems on the dry erase board. We haven't transitioned to paper yet. Picasso is relectuantly moving through his school work, preferring to play at every moment. If I turn my eyes, he is instantly off track. I think we're ready for a break soon.

Now if only we could lose these barking coughs...

"A Person's a Person, No Matter How Small!"

Like so many families, our has been fighting germs. It's super boring to read a blog about germs though, so I'll just suffice to say I *heart* Mucinex and we are back to nebulizers every 4 hours for Trouble's wheezing and stridor, thanks to the flu.

We surfaced and joined the land of the living after 2 weeks of not doing anything. While we still have a few residual coughs, we have no fevers, no snotty grossness, and no more general blahness that the flu tends to gift to its victims. Today is St. Patrick's Day. We woke up to find that those silly Leprachauns had played some tricks on us. All our PB Loco was stacked in a ginormo stack in our kitchen, and the whole gallon of milk had turned GREEN!

Then, to prove that commercials marketed at children work, my kids begged me to go to IHOP for the Horton Hears a Who meal - consisting of a stack of "who-cakes" with rainbow chocolate chips, and neon pink and blue "berry" sauce, and green eggs and ham. I wanted Red Robin (Yummmmm!). I ended up with eggs and hash browns, so you can guess who won.

After, we snuck in an early matinee. I've never gone to a movie in the middle of the day on a weekday. I couldn't believe how many people were there! Do you all watch movies during the day? Absurd! Anyway, we saw... aw c'mon... you can guess...



I thought the art was brilliantly designed in a Suessical sort of way. How they managed to drag the book on for 90 minutes is beyond me, but it is Hollywood. There is a line in the movie which will steam some homeschoolers, but really... if you think about it (even homeschoolers) we all know someone like that. I hope most people don't really think of homeschoolers like that (so unflattering!) but like any sub-cult, we have our share of undesirables, too.

All in all, not something I'd ever buy on DVD, but a nice way to spend a St. Patrick's Day afternoon. The IHOP meal, by the way, gets an D- for all around yuckiness. I'd give it an F, except it comes with a lollipop that looks like Horton's clover and it was edible. The moral gets an A: A person's a person, no matter how small.

ps - I'm a moron. When I told Handy Man about the crowds today, he replied with, "Duh, Darcy. It's Spring Break." Ohhhhh yeah. ;)

"Boybarians" is not JUST a Moniker

I'm not sure why Handy Man wanted to photograph the boys while they were eating, but I saw this one and thought it captured their 3 little personalities so well.
Einstein sits, as the oldest boybarian, smiling obediently into the camera. On his plate sits only plain "chicken", cooked seperately from the other food (it's really pork, shhhh!). He takes a bite and drinks as quickly as he can. Such a picky eater.

Picasso, clueless that he's getting his picture taken, sits in the clothes he put on before bed so he'd be "ready in the morning." Not sure for what. He insists on wearing a polo shirt buttoned to the top. He's got Gap khakis on, too. He never looks at the camera. His "chicken" is really just a vehicle for all the BBQ sauce.

Trouble. Our little ham. In front of him is: a bowl of fruit loops from his afternoon snack, his second serving of rice, two different drinks, a cherry pie and a small pile of Legos. As soon as the camera comes out, he starts working for that Oscar. His tongue goes out, fingers go up, and out comes every goofy face the kid knows. He cracks himself up... see?


He cracks me up, too. 'Cept when he does this:

Trouble's PreK Learning Tools

Blogger's photo uploader crashed over the weekend, so I've not been able to get this post up. I've been hesitating to blog too much, but I know there are other parents out there that struggle with what to do and how to teach their children who don't follow a normal learning curve.

Over and over medical professionals tell me what a miracle it is that Trouble walks, talks, and breathes. Recently, Trouble was examined by an older doctor - someone who has been in this business a long, long time. He told me, "When I read his medical records, saw this boy's history... well, this is not the boy I expected to see. He is a medical miracle."

And while it takes my breath away each and every day the boy who he is, I am still the one (along with the loving support of Handy Man) who has to help guide and teach him to become the man he is meant to be.

This task feels gargantuan.

I have been pouring myself into forgetting everything I once knew about early education, and trying to relearn from the perspective of a special little boy who needs *more*. Most kids pick up things like letters, numbers, and skills necessary for life from everyday life. This boy has proven over and over that he is not just any little boy. ;)

I have researched Montessori, independent learning centers, tactile learning, and incorporating advice from his occupational therapist. This is what we've come up with so far:

Abadaba Alphabet, book and CD

School Zone, Same or Different?

Kumon's First Book of Tracing

Kumon's Amazing Amazes

Kumon My 1st Cutting Book

Textured Tactile Letters and Numbers


Touch Boards

Zip Snap Button Buckle Lace Tie Manipulatives

Jumbo 15" letters for decorating

Handwriting Without Tears PreK and K materials





Lauri foam lacing, puzzle, tactile Primer Pack and Math Discovery Kit


My Little ABC Coloring Book

Bead and Rod Sequencing, Pattern Kit

Shape Sorting Clock

Window Clings to practice letters

Glue dots - fine motor

ETC Get Ready for the Code

ETC Get Set for the Code

ETC Go For the Code

Besides the regular preK skills, we will be focusing on life skills: dressing independently, brushing his teeth (without the tears), bring able to think through the steps of getting ready to leave the house, getting ready for bed, etc.

I will be adding Montessori resources, and hopefully incorporate the life skills from June Oberlander's Slow and Steady, Get me Ready.

It's a big task, it'll be a big year, but I think both he and I are ready.

Please Update Your Bookmarks!

... and update your clocks!


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Thank you all!

Playing with Picasso

Picasso has been blessed with such beautiful eyes. And those eyelashes? TDF!

Weekly Monthly Some Sort of Report

Has anyone else besides me completely lost track? Since we school mostly year-round, I have no idea what week we're on or when the last time I reported anything was. But this one is for Ms. Candy, our supervising teacher, who requested an update to what's going on here at Mill Creek Academy. It's a report of some sort! ;)

Einstein:
Einstein finished Ralph S. Mouse and is reading Mouse and the Motorcycle. Yep, we know it's out of order, but that's the order he started, so be it. He is also reading the first in the Hardy Boys series: The Tower Treasure. He is liking the mystery and the fact this series was read by his father, grandfathers and great-grandfathers since it was published in 1927. He also read an adapted version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. He loved the idea of a creepy "headless horseman". Such a boybarian!

He finished Explode the Code 5 and started book 4. Out of order seems to be the theme around here. It was advised on WTM boards to do the books out of order. Like much advice from that board, I wish I wouldn't have listened. My other boys will be doing the books in the order they were intended. It serves the child better to do 4 before 5. Einstein - my poor, poor guinea pig and my constant reminder to stop taking unsolicited advice. ;)

After taking the month of February "off" of math because of the wall we hit in long division, and the resulting effect on his self esteem, we are back to math. I wish I would have paced him even more in those early books when he was flying through the material. Now he is only 7 and struggling with long division. We are reviewing our factors, filling in the 12x12 times table grid LOTS for practice, and reviewing simple division (which he calls "easy division" because it's "multiplication backwards"). We also invested in the full version of Timez Attack, which is both less scary and more fun than the free trial version. They consider this a huge treat to have computer time that is fun and doesn't feel like school.

Picasso
He has been reading various books to Trouble. I can't think of all of them, but titles include: Runaway Bunny, Goodnight Moon, Are You My Mother?, and Cat in the Hat, among others. He read the Mickey Mouse version of Prince and the Pauper. Twaddle, perhaps, but independant so it counts for me. He is also reading and rereading the Star Wars readers, memorizing all the characters. He also has a Star Wars sticker book that he's been reading to Trouble, helping him learn all the names of character, planets and ships. Not exactly school-ish, but since he's still a young reader, any reading is beneficial.

He also is quite taken with Timez Attack as a fun supplement to Singapore 1b. He did 20 multiplication problems in about 4-5 minutes, proving he is ready to play Timez Attack and earning the full-fledged version. He can skip count all but 6,7,8 and 12 right now. We're drilling the others solidly before going on to those. He can also fill in a 12x12 multiplication grid.

He continues to work daily in Exlode the Code 1.5. It's all review for him, so I'm not sure he's really learning too much, but he is gaining spelling confidence and cementing those phonics rules. Can't complain there.

Both:
History is going swimmingly. We seem to love tangents. We started knights and castles and there is just way too much fun stuff out there. We played with the DK sticker book, we've read about Castles and Catherdrals from Macauley's books, among others. We are reading Mary Pope Osborne's Research Guide for Knights and Castles. I was hoping we'd be ready for Robin Hood, Prince and the Pauper or King Arthur at this point, but we're too enthralled with The Magician's Nephew just now. We read this versionof St. George and the Dragon, which has amazing illustrations!

Like previously stated, we are reading aloud The Magician's Nephew, which the older boys seem to like a lot. Picasso keeps waiting for Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy to appear in the story. Hopefully, the exciting story will keep him from being too disappointed. Einstein is old enough to grasp that Digory is Professor Kirke as a little boy, and "that's why he believed Lucy!". I love those moments where a connection is forged. It's so fun to get to be part of that as a teaching mom!

I am currently organizing all of Trouble's upcoming preK materials and plans. This is brand spankin' new territory for me. Everything I've known about teaching preschoolers has been abandoned and I'm learning all over again. He will be taking a very tacile, exploratory, sensory-rich, life-skills based, Montessori approach with advice from occupational therapy. Stay tuned for the plans!

Braving the Interstates in Iowa

About 3 hours into our normally only 2.5 hour drive, moving at about 15 mph on a major interstate, we had one of those scary driving moments. The roads were terrible; a layer of mushy, sloppy snow covered ice and frozen sleet. The semi ahead of us was spinning and no longer able to make it up the hill. That's when it started sliding back down toward our van.

Handy Man put our achy, old minivan into first and willed the van to move out of the way. The tires spun, the engine revved and the semi was sliding backward down the right lane of the interstate toward us. The left lane was moving, and Handy Man tried to get the van to catch a patch of snow and pull out of the way. We sat for what felt like an eternity in slow-motion spinning our tires uselessly on a patch of ice.

Just when I thought we'd be pushed back down the interstate by a 10-ton truck, the tires (recently replaced - thank you, Handy Man!) caught the snow and we pulled out of the way as the semi slid to where we were just moments before. I could tell Handy Man was near panic; it's one thing to have a semi heading right toward you, but when it's heading right for your entire precious cargo, 3 of which are young boys, it's an almost unbearable amount of pressure. He stayed remarkably calm, considering the potential danger we were in.

It's amazing what northern drivers put themselves through each year. I have had more than enough of this weather. If it wasn't absolutely necessary to travel in the snow I would avoid it entirely. Thursday night however, was tricky. The weather wasn't nearly as dangerous near us, and we had to get Trouble to appointments on Friday at a Children's Hospital 150 miles from home.

I'm happy to report that we made it safely. It took us 4 hours to drive the last 120 miles of the trip. The boys were disappointed that the Ronald McDonald House was full and unable to accommodate us. We were able to stay at a hotel near the hospital that had a 100-foot waterslide. It was so much fun after a long day of grueling appointments to spend the next morning playing in the pool and sliding down the waterslide.

As for the appointments themselves, like any time one needs to spend an entire day at a children's hospital, it's never what a parent wants a child to endure. Trouble was a trooper for 8 solid hours of evaluations. It's more than any 4-year old should have to tolerate. He was so well-behaved and tolerant. Handy Man and I were so proud of him.