Learning

Last night, you and I laid in your bed after I read to you. We talked about our weekend with Gra and Pepere... the zoo, the caves, the way you love to play with your playmobils with Gra. I was always amazed how she could play with you for hours and hours when she visits. I saw it as a way of her being able to get the most of you during the short times you have together. 

I've always wanted to play with you more. It's easy to include you in my world... playing board games or card games together, baking, weeding, taking walks, grocery shopping. It's never tough to watch a movie or read, snuggling together. I'm your main source of human attention, guidance, food, education, etc... we go everywhere and do almost everything together. You would think it would be more than enough, but I worry that I'll ever look back, when I don't have you here, and wish I had entered your world to play more often while I had the chance.   

Last night, we talked about experiences. I explained how we can look at our experiences at the end of each day and pray to find a learning in them. I explained that our difficult times are the easiest to grow from because the lessons always stand out. But it's the good days that we really have to dig deep from to become better. 

Today, I used the happy moments of gratitude I had in watching and listening to Gra play with you to remind me that it's important for me to play with you too. That's the reason we set the timer for the last 30 minutes before you went to bed last night, and we went upstairs and played in your toy room together. That's the reason we'll play in your world more today, and tomorrow, and the next years together. 

Sometimes I forget that everyday there is something special offered to enhance the joy in my life. All I have to do is ask God and receive His Gifts. I'm glad you remind me to do that. 

I love you baby boy. 
Mama

Summer School

Second grade is officially over. 

You are doing your first lesson of Rosetta Stone Spanish, Homeschool edition. 
You did do the first disk of this five disk set when you were about 5. I wanted you to get a little taste of it early, but it was a little much to do a whole year of at the time. 
This summer you will begin the lessons, and we will carry through into your third grade school year in the fall. It's a great program. I love the added audio disks for the car, and the printable workbook and additional worksheets. So fun! 

You are also going to be doing a "Sims Summer Challenge" I wrote for you. The Sims can teach you so much about money and time management, family and social dynamics, practicality, careers, and more. And it's the funnest game on the planet, in my opinion. You have been playing it for a couple years, so you are familiar enough with all the ins and outs of it. I think it will be so fun:

Sims Summer Challenges

1.   Create one or two adult Sims to live in a household.

A male and female Sim must be married to live in the same household.

2.   Find and purchase an affordable empty lot for their home.

3.   Budgeting for necessary appliances and furniture, build a small home. (You may add on to the size of the home and purchase belongings as the Sims earn money working.)

4.   Introduce your Sims to their new home.

Order them a pizza to celebrate.

Maintain their healthy status.

Keep the house clean.

5.   Find one or both Sims a job. (one Sim must have a job at all times. If you chose to keep a Sim at home, they are to be responsible for cleaning and maintaining the property.)

Maintain your Sims’ health and good job status each day for two weeks.

6.   Earn enough money to purchase additions and belonging for the home until it is to your satisfaction.

Maintain home and healthy status of Sims.

7.   Congratulations! You have earned the right to adopt a pet!

Maintain healthy status for your Sims and their new pet for two weeks.

Maintain good job status for any Sim with a job (remember, at least one Sim must keep a job at all times).

Maintain a clean and working home.

8.   Prepare your Sims’ home for a baby. Make any home remodeling, add-ons, changes, and purchases the Sims may need to house their growing child.

9.   If both of your Sims have jobs, chose one Sim to keep their job and one Sim to quit their job and stay home with the new baby. This Sim may return to work when the baby is old enough to attend school.

10. Adopt a baby!

Maintain everyone’s healthy status (including your pet) as best as you can while keeping the baby happy.

Maintain one Sim’s job status.

Maintain property.

We picked up so great books at Barnes for Math and learning cursive this summer, too. I think the fun stuff we have will keep you learning and sharp without making you feel like your doing "school" still.