BUSY! BUSY!

We started school on Tuesday this week and got in four good days of studying. The first two days were really fun and enjoyable, the next two were the opposite of fun and enjoyable. I will be spending much time in prayer this year for the attitudes of my "precious" children. I truly believe that the farther we get in the school year that the better they will buckle down and concentrate. Right now, I have a lot of comments like, "It's too hard!" "I don't remember how!" "You're mean!" I am also requiring them to earn their video game time on the weekends by doing their best in school and in their cross-country training. We will see how that progresses as they find out that I really mean business.

We are repeating what we did last year of NO electronics until after 3:00 p.m. and they slipped right back into that routine and are finding new ways to entertain themselves once school is done for the day. They really complained about the video game on the weekend rule at first, but now are not even complaining about it. I have realized that kids are very adaptable to rules and they need to see just how serious you are about the rules they are to follow.

This year in school we are doing "character training." By this I mean a concentrated effort to every day have a discussion about manners and other attitudes that build good, strong, Godly characters. One book I am reading with Alec is Boyhood and Beyond by Bob Schultz. We have thoroughly enjoyed reading it together so far and are looking forward to finishing it and reading the next book by the same author, Created for Work. For Kirsten, we are reading Beautiful Girlhood, by Karen Andreola and we are enjoying that one also. I have a few more books for each of them directed at their appropriate age and gender that I hope to read with them next. Last year, we all just endured school and I got to "check" off each day as if I really accomplished something, but in reality, all we did was check off some "busy work." I hope to this year, in addition to our studies, to really focus on the really meaningful things in life -- becoming Godly men and women, helping others with a joyful spirit, and living life in such a way that will bring honor and glory to the holy name of our loving Father. We are also reading (all of us together) Everyday Graces, by Karen Santorum. This is a book that I have been wanting for several years but was waiting until it went down in price. This year, I decided that it was not going down ever and just to buy it anyway. We are really enjoying it also. She takes excerpts from classical literature, poetry, and other stories and adds a life lesson to the end of each one. The kids are learning a lot from this book and we are looking forward to many good lessons from it.

With my work schedule, two days per week, cross-country practice, two days per week, and life and exercising, for me, my life is VERY full. We spend much time away from the house and try our best to get our schooling done in a timely manner. I hope that both Kirsten and Alec will start to show good discipline in their schooling and their running and that we will just enjoy each other and enjoy life.