Post-Memorial Day

     I must say we in the Montgomery household had a pretty fun weekend.  It could have been much worse!  I was so excited to have my parents coming to visit, but Thursday (the day they were supposed to begin said Northward journey) my mother found out she has Shingles.  For those that don't know what that is (like me prior to Thurs) it stems from the Chicken Pox virus and once you've had that, Shingles can occur anytime in your life usually prompted by stress.  Apparently it's really nasty and worse than I remember Chicken Pox being.  Mom also has to take some nasty meds that make her feel bad and keep her from falling asleep.  Sounds like fun right!  Couple that with the fact that she and my dad couldn't come up to see us and she had a pretty sorry weekend.  Poor Mom!  On the bright side my Aunt Gale did get to come up and spend the weekend with us.  It's always nice to have family here and we had a lot of fun.  Jason and I got to go out on a date - we saw the Avengers and really enjoyed it.  I haven't seen the Captain America or Thor movies, but I do believe I'd like to see those now.  ;)
     An amusing tangent - we found out that my Aunt's cocker spaniel loves our guinea pig.  And not in an "I'd like to eat you" way.  He totally wanted to play with the guinea pig everytime we had him out of the cage!  He was also very concerned for Ozzie (the pig) when we were giving him a bath and clipping his toenails.  I think Gale just might have to get Nicholas (the dog) a playmate soon!
     I am both happy and pensive about some homeschool progress.  I turned in the official withdrawal form from Unit 4 schools on Thursday.  I was a bit nervous, I guess because that's the thing that made it real.  The girls have no spot at Bottenfield for next year.  But when I hesitated and the secretary asked me, "Are you sure you want to do this?" I handed it to her quick and skeedaddled out of there.  Yes!  We are finally sure we want to do this!  We have thought and prayed about it for over a year (longer for me) and we are sure this is what is best for our family.  Whew.
     I also found out serendipitously that a co-op in town has opening that would fit all 3 of my girls.  Thanks Jen!   So at first I was like, "Check that off the list!  Yay!"  Then I started looking at their schedule and curriculum and now I'm like, "Wow - I still have more decisions to make about this..."  One of the many reason we had on our "Why should we homeschool list"  was that we feel strange having to tell our girls "Now this is what they believe and they have reasons for that, but we believe  *fill in the blank* and here are our reasons, so don't say anything contrary if *whatever adult is in charge* says this."  So I was a little taken back when I say the 2nd lesson in for kindergarteners was about Noah and Dinosaurs.  I don't know what the curriculum actually says about this, so I could be totally fine with it.  I was just taken back to the day I was in the Bible book store in Orlando looking for a book for Celee and read a book about dinosaurs being what the Bible called dragons and the Parasaurolophus's crest allowed it to shoot fire from it's mouth.  (And yes I did have to look up that dinosaurs' name)  All this to say that the pensiveness is the result of once again being reminded that I'm weird.  My views on things don't fit in the purely academic realm b/c I believe my girls desperately need to be shown a Godly perspective of life.  But I don't fit exactly in the "religious" realm either b/c some of the things that are taken for granted that a bonified "Christian" would think, I don't.  These things are not things that the Bible says that I do not believe, rather these things are things that the Bible is specifically silent on but can be taken for granted as "what the Bible says," when it actually doesn't.  Enough ambiguity!  Let's just say that I am so very thankful for my small group where we have been discussing and studying things that we may think differently on, but we can agree that God is sovereign, He is just, and He gave us His Word to guide us. 
      Changing subjects - Yesterday we all went to Sholem for the first time this year.  They've got a new slide and the girls always find a friend or two to play with when we go so it's always fun.  They've also go a lazy river and a slide that dumps into it that Lyla would do all day if allowed.  While waited to procure tubes for the river, I was reminded how important it is to teach my girls good manners, and what to do when others do not have good manners.  There were 3 sets of adults with children in front of Jason and I waiting to get tubes as people exited the river.  Children kept coming up and just scooting to the front to grab the tubes before the people in line could get them.  This drives me nuts by the way!  I guess most people are hesistant to correct other people's kids (here at least)  because no one was saying anything about it.  But you could tell they were all very frustrated.  So I tapped two kids on the shoulder and told them they were going to have to get behind us because the lady and little girl beside us were here before them and were getting the next tube that came up.  Now, this first attempt of mine to correct this behavior was successful.  The 2 kids quickly complied and moved behind us.  The second attempt was a different story.  Two boys came up and got in front to grab tubes, I got there attention and told them they would have to wait their turn.  These two turned around and moved away from me, but still in front of everyone waiting for tubes.  I moved toward them and said it again with the same results.  I ask you, would you ever have soundly ignored an adult speaking to you when you were little?  Jason and I both think we never would have.  I would have been horrified if an adult other than my family had corrected me at that age.  Now I'm just amazed that other kids would do this.  I thought about his later and realized that now there is always the chance that an irate parent could fuss at me for correcting their child, even when their child was clearly doing something rude.  Thankfully no one fussed at me.  And I am all the more resolute that my kids know that behavior like that is rude!   So I guess Thank you rude boys at Sholem! for providing me a real-life situation to remind my girls of good manners, general thoughtfulness, and how to handle other people's not-so-nice reactions.
    

     Well today I am both really tired and really excited.  The last "real" week of school brings a lot of things to a close, and this year that is bittersweet for us.  (I say "real" week because the kiddos of Unit 4 technically have their last day next Tuesday... for 1 hour and 20 minutes... after a 3 day weekend) Lots of milestones this week!  Our Girl Scout troop's last meeting of the year was yesterday followed by their Awards and Bridging Ceremony.  Gwyn bridged and is now officially a Junior Girl Scout.  Celee even got to participate in the ceremony.  She got to take the girls Brownie vests for them before they crossed the bridge b/c she's our troop's resident Brownie.  I was thinking yesterday about how some of those girls (including my own) have been in the troop now for 4 years.  When we started, they were so tiny!  Only 2 of them could read independently. One by one they got their straw slots (lost their front teeth for those who aren't familiar) They were so cute in their little blue Daisy aprons!    They are still cute, but not so little anymore.  Junior Girl Scouts is kind of the 1st step where they are more Girl Scouts than Brownies or Daisies.  I don't know if that makes sense, but Brownies (and definately Daisies) are the "little" girls and everyone above that are the "big" girls.  I can't believe my Gwyn is now one of the "big" girls.  And next year in our house we'll have a Junior, a Brownie, and a Daisy.  Crazy.

     Last night was also Lyla's culminating event at University Primary School. (everytime I put UPS on things people always ask what that is, I guess it would be weird to send my baby to Brown for preschool each day)  UPS gets a lot of perks being so integrated into the University of Illinois and one of those is that for the past 2 years their culminating event has also been part of an exhibit at the Krannert Museum of Art.  So Lyla's creations were hung in a real art museum!  This semester the project for the Pre-K was "Children."  Lyla's study group was "Family Spaces."  It was neat to see the kids really investigating what family spaces could be.  They took field trips to each other's homes, studied the spaces in stories and pictures from other countries and created "spaces" from a variety of materials.  As a final project (that's so weird to say considering this is pre-k!)  Lyla got to take pictures from her perspective of things around and outside our house to put in a portfolio of her family space.  I must say it's neat to see what is important to her in our home, and what things look like from about 3 feet up.  She had a blast last night.  I'm so glad we made it there for her to be a part of it!  (We were dashing there after cleaning up from the GS ceremony and we had no idea exactly where it was when we got in the car to go!  Thank heavens for smart phones!) 

     So Lyla is about to graduate from Pre-K.  Celee is graduating from 2nd grade.  Gwyn is graduating from 3rd grade.  I know people don't usually think of the end of 2nd and 3rd grade as graduating, but it feels that way to me this year.  They won't be in public school next year.  They are graduating from Bottenfield.  Like I said, that is bittersweet for us.  One of the reasons we bought the house we did is because it is so close to Bottenfield!  We have had so many wonderful memories there.  Even though Lyla has never been an official student there, we've spent so much time there she feels like she is one.  She probably knows where more things are in that school than some of the students.  So it's a little weird to think that she won't be going there.   That and she will also miss out on the possibility of having one of the two teachers that I've had the pleasure of observing that I consider master teachers.  (one at UPS and one a kindergarten teacher at Bottenfield)  Thankfully I don't see us really getting away from Bottenfield, at least not socially.  Almost all of the girls in our troop are at Bottenfield, and a lot my girls' friends, so we anticipate seeing them regularly even if we aren't students there.
      The preparation continues for our homeschooling endeavor for next year.  I've repurposed the crib into a desk.  (that's actually so sweet to me b/c all three of my girls used that crib and now they can continue to use it).  I'm half-way finished turning some old closet doors into a room partition to separate the dining room from our home-school room.  I'm on the look-out for a table for that room as well.  And of course more importantly, I am continually searching through books and programs and resources for curriculum.  I am so thankful for the host of "expert" input I have access through in my friends, those who homeschool and those who are just awesome teachers and have great advice about different methods and products.  (I should say though that no teacher is "just" a teacher!)  I still haven't had the time (courage) to actually go fill out the withdrawal forms for the girls, but my plan is to do that Tuesday... if it doesn't get done this week.  ;)
     So we've got Bottenfield's field day tomorrow, Lyla's end of Preschool party at our house Friday and my parents are coming to stay with us for the weekend.  Busy times, but so fun!  I'm siked my parents are coming.  We all miss them and it's great when they get to come stay!  It's been really hard on us (me) the past 5 years without family anywhere nearby.  I think that's what may have fueled my desire to learn the dulcimer and listen to bluegrass music.  It makes me feel a little more like I'm in the South. (even though the entire time I lived there I did neither and the dulcimer is more an appalachian thing rather than a dirty-South Mississippi thing)  This will also be my first weekend since Nov. that I don't either have to work or do some other obligatory activity.  So I'm planning on chilling with my lovely husband, my girls, my parents, and our menagerie of animals this weekend.  Happy Memorial Day!

Pondering after the Camporee

We survived the Girl Scout 100 Year Camporee this weekend at Camp Kiwanis in Mahomet!  I must say the weather could not have been better.  The girls complained about it being hot on Saturday, but really it was nice.  We didn't freeze at night, and there was plenty of shade and breezes during the day. We had 12 girls and 4 adults go (Thank you thank you Rachel, Trish, and Jennie!)  I think I'm still processing the whole experience because I honestly can't say whether it was a trip worth it or not.  Of course yesterday I couldn't process anything because I spent most of the day in a sleep-deprived stupor.  The first night I did not sleep at all and both mornings girls started stirring at 4:30 (that's when birds wake up apparently) and were up by 5:30-6.   I do apologize to anyone I tried to speak to at church because I probably didn't make much sense.  Anyway, here are my observations post-trip:

1. Girls don't get outdoors enough.  They really do enjoy being in the woods. (even if those woods are never out of ear-shot of a major interstate)
2.  Silly songs are always a hit.  Pre-tween girls often try to act like they are all grown (which I think to them means they are teenagers) but sing a silly song and they turn back into the children that they are, which is nice.
3.  Tent camping is fun and nice, but a mattress in a cabin is much nicer, even if it is just laid on the floor and there's no air conditioning (I did say the weather was nice)

4.  Consideration for other people has to be taught young and constantly.  So many little things we do affect other people and consideration of that is really a mentality, not a series of unrelated behaviors that can be corrected on a weekend.
5.  Do we (girls) really have to be scared of all bugs?  The ones that can bite, I get, but ALL of them?!
6.  Knot tying is really cool!  We learned 5 knots this weekend and I must say I will be excited when I have the occassion to use one.  Although by then I may have forgotten them, but I do have a resident Eagle Scout to help out in just such situations.
7.  I love to see a girl try something new and find out they are good at it!  Some girls get so little honest praise for things that they do well at, whether they haven't had opportunities to find things they enjoy and are good at or no one is there to praise them for it.  I love the look on their faces when someone else notices a skill, talent, or trait in them that is praiseworthy!
8.  I need God to constantly fill me with grace and wisdom to deal with behavior in other people's children that can be extremely frustrating.  I can not do this on my own, because my ugly self comes out U-G-L-Y!  Especially when sleep-deprived. 
9.  Sewing is a skill everyone should have at least rudimentary knowledge about, boys and girls.  Being able to thread a needle and sew a button back on or sew up a hole really does come in useful.  I'm thankful that they girls got to sew this weekend, take home something they sewed, and have a very useful skill for the future.  Some girls who had never sewn really surprised me with how well they sewed.  Of course I should say thank you Mr.Thomas, the art teacher at Bottenfield for having everyone in 2nd grade embroider their names on sack cloth.  That intro. sure did help!
10.  Girl Scouts really is a neat organization.  It's really cool to see girls getting exposed to so many experiences and opportunities they probably wouldn't have outside of Girl Scouts.  The combination of history, tradition, and sisterhood really makes Girl Scouts stand out among other groups for girls to me.  It's neat to know that girls from all over (this weekend was just our service area) can get together and have common experiences, like already knowing the same songs, games, or ceremonies, is so special.  It really helps give the girls a sense of belonging and commoradory that I think it missing for a lot of them outside of Girl Scouts. 

So in retrospect, I guess it was worth it.  Yes I spent much of Saturday extremely frustrated, but I saw a lot of good things too.  And I realized some planning necessities for future troop camp outs. (For girls that have never camped with us before, parents will have to accompany)  I have to remember that what you have not been taught, you can not be expected to know.  I can only try my best to teach, model, and show compassion.  I was not my best at that this weekend, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me next time.  :)

So let's start this thing!

 I've had several people ask me if I blog and so finally I thought maybe it would be a cathartic way to let people who are dear to me (and people who possibly are just mildly interested) know what's going on in the Montgomery household.  I envision that this will be where I'll prattle on about whatever happens to be on my mind - like our decision to homeschool our 3 girls next year (spoiler!), what I learn about chickens and goats, what Scripture is pressing on me at the time, what repurposing project Pinterest has spawned in my house, or generally whatever is on my mind, probably with tangents. 
     For today, I'm getting used to being at work at 5am.  I actually woke up pretty OK 10 min. before the alarm went off this morning.  It is nice to be done and ready to face the day (which usually is code for kids, mine and otherwise - I somehow almost always have extras around) by 9am.  I so love that my espouso is able and willing to get the girls up, dressed and ready for school by himself.  He's a keeper! 
On a side note - I looked up "espouso" to make sure I was spelling it right, and the spanish dictionary only had "esposo" but I distinctly remember the "u" in my feeble attempts to learn Spanish in Guatemala.  Is this a regional difference?  I do remember some of the Guatemalan Spanish words being different than the Mexican Spanish we were taught in school.  Ex. The color orange as anaranjado vs. naranja.
The decision to homeschool has been a long-coming one.  It's been a thought in the back of my mind since before Gwyn started preschool, but this past year it became something we both starting thinking and praying about.  Nothing dramatic happened to forment this.  I actually really like the school my girls go to.  The teachers and staff there are top-notch!  However, I think God has been teaching me a lot about my role in my girls' lives and preparing me to make some radical changes in response to my role as a steward of them.  God has also been softening Jason's heart toward it as well to the point that we decided just because something was good enough for us as kids didn't mean it is what is best or good enough for our girls in this season of our lives.  I've been blessed with a passion to teach, the opportunity to stay home with my girls, and the willingness to take some risks in the name of pursuing something higher than the mediocre.  So we're stepping off into a new season of homeschooling.  I know that this won't be easy, and I know there are going to be days with me (and the girls) wanting to pull hair out.  Mine or theirs.  But I thought the other day - that's what it was like to teach in a traditional classroom too.  It definately wasn't easy.  There were definately bad days, but there were good days too.  And I had classes of kids who were in different grades, with different learning styles, personalities, and needs.  I had to plan out my curriculum then as now.  What's different now is that they are mine.  There are 3 of them.  And I hope we can step out of some boxes and pursue some interests and rediscover our love of learning and hone our inquiry skills.  And, my hope is for Jason and I to raise our children while they still are "ours."  Our time of primary influence is so fleeting, and I hope to use it well.