Checking In

I had a long post in the works this weekend - there were so many interesting things that happened in this very busy week, but I didn't have time to write about any particular one, so I had been trying to scan and summarize the entire week. The result, I must admit, was hopelessly boring, so abandoning that effort, I'll just say that we started school this week, and it was a success overall. I thought I might detail some of the things that contributed to that success, but I find I'm too tired now! The only thing I'll mention now is The Never-Bored Kid Book, which I ordered for Ryan last week, and since its arrival Monday, he's done one or two activities a day. It does seem to help fill some of his need for attention in the morning, and he loves being able to have his own "school." He was still challenging at times, of course, and Friday in particular was not a banner day, due in part to the rain that kept him inside. As he became more restless and demanding (and Drew climbed higher on the walls!), my nerves became more frazzled, and Aimee grew steadily less focused and cooperative. At one point I went into Aimee's room to have her start on the next subject, and she protested in exasperation, "How can I play when you keep interrupting me!?" It was all I could do to avoid launching the "If you were in school" lecture - probably the most annoying, not to mention pointless, speech a homeschooling mother could give her children. :-)
This morning Dave had to work, which was dissapointing (long hours mean a good paycheck, of course, but at a certain point we cross a line, after which that benefit is overshadowed by the pressing need to restore Mommy's sanity - we began to flirt with that line today!). But he was done by lunchtime, and then I went to the YMCA to sign up for a family membership. Dave had said he wanted to get into better shape, and I'm sure I could use some of that as well; they also have a stable out of which they give riding lessons, which are quite a bit cheaper for members. At any rate, this would ordinarily be the kind of thing we would discuss indefinitely before actually deciding to do it, but primarily because of the registration deadline for Aimee's riding lessons, we took the plunge today, and I'm excited about it.
Someone is awake, and I ought to be getting ready for church tomorrow, so off I go!