JustJessie

What dat spells?

Grayson's reading skills have really taken off lately, probably encouraged by the competitiveness a classroom can bring.  At home he was the number one reader, so why try to get better?  At school he's good, but there are a couple who are better.  For my perfectionist son, that just won't do.  It is so much nicer to read with him now.  It used to be like pulling teeth to get him to sound out a word, and now he does it everywhere we go.  Anytime we are in the car, he is in the backseat reading words from signs or billboards.  He even read me Hop on Pop the other day.

With all the attention Grayson gets for reading, Grant is determined that he can do it too.  He always picks up a book when Grayson finishes and mimics what he can remember from it.  My favorite thing though, is when he comes to me with a book and asks "What dat spells?"  always followed by, "Oh! Okay.  Now, what dat names?"  He'll keep it up as long as I will continue to play along. 

By the way, the new banner is compliments of Megan at Fleeting Moments, because she loves me! 

Plan B

This month marks the end of our homeschool endeavors at the Keith house.  As much as I wanted it to work out for us, it just hasn't.  Without going into detail, I'll just say Grayson needs socialization with kids his age. 

At the beginning of the school year, we tried to enroll Grayson in a private, half-day kindergarten, but they were full.  I decided a couple of weeks before Christmas to call them and see if they had had anyone withdraw.  Well, they had three spaces open, so we got him in!  Tuition is going to put a little squeeze on our fincances, but it is so worth it to me!  I took him to meet his new teacher, and she was great.  The kids were out on the playground when we went, so she invited Grayson to play while we chatted.  He was immediately encircled by five boys who were all asking him to play.  We were both on cloud nine when we left that place. 

While I and especially Grant will miss Grayson in the mornings, I think this will be a positive experience for our family.  Grant will be afforded some of the one-on-one attention he has missed by being the second child.  I will get some "me" time during his morning nap that will allow me to achieve some of my goals.  Grayson's life will be enriched by new friends and learning experiences.  His class has a field trip and a party every month, which Grant and I can take part in.

He starts this Monday, two days before his sixth birthday.  I'm sure he'll be thrilled, and I'll be a proud, teary mess.  Just as it should be.

   

Uncle Penpal

This is a copy of the letter Grayson wrote to his Uncle who moved to Florida recently.  Uncle was thrilled one day when  Grayson called him to talk, just because he missed him, and he asked Grayson if he'd be his penpal.  I'm sure Uncle Penpal knew how happy this would make Grayson.  What he didn't know was how much easier he was making things for me.  You see, getting Grayson to sit down and practice handwriting is absolute torture for everyone involved.  It usually includes much huffing, whining, squirming, and occasionally the threat of bodily harm (just kidding... sort of).

The Monday after the circus, he couldn't wait to write this letter.  We have an art book that had step-by-step instructions for the tiger, which happened to be his favorite animal at the circus.  He hunkered down over his letter, and only let me help him to spell "circus" and "you".    It was a very proud moment as his mom and his teacher, to sit and read his finished letter.  Sure, it's spelled very phonetically correct, and there are long vowel marks over the e's.  It looks perfect to me!

Homeschool addition

For those who don't know, we have had sort of an addition to our homeschool family.  For zoning reasons, my neice was made to leave her school, and was going to have to go to the scariest school in town, where she didn't know a single soul, and there are fights every. single. day.  (Remember that movie Lean On Me?)

So, long story short, the family pulled together to keep that from happening.  I volunteered to homeschool her (sort of.  The deal was that she had to get an online curriculum & I would make sure she did it & understood it) and my parents funded the curriculum & other expenses, and her mom did all the research into curriculum and homeschool covering.  We were kinda worried about the addition and how we would all deal with it.  I'm here to tell you, it's amazing how God has worked it all out.  Grayson is usually so resistant to change, Grant is terribly shy when he takes a notion, and Kayla is very easily bored and distracted.  We've only been at it for a week, but I'm here to tell you it has gone off without a hitch!

Grant is in LOVE with Kayla, Grayson has been doing extra well at school to impress her, and Kayla's question from her first day says it all, "Do y'all have this much fun everyday?"  I am so thankful for the opportunity to have my neice in my life in such a big way, and I think she'll benefit from it as well.  And Grayson and Grant?  I think they'll be okay.  That is, if they can handle the pure torture of having someone to play in the sandbox with them and host teaparties for them.