HI

I thought I'd just do a quick update post.  We're doing well.  We have about 5 weeks and 2 days left of our curriculum.  We're starting to do a more "classical" approach to education as well and that involves reading the children classic literature.  I've ordered a classic christian book and we'll do that when it gets here, but for now we're reading together the first 4 books in the Chronicles of Narnia collection.  Prince Caspian is number 4 and that's the new movie coming out next month, so we made a deal to read all 4 before we could see the movie.  We're halfway through number 1 already and we just started Monday.  The kids are actually really interested in being read to this way.  I am surprised.  Well anyway, I could do a whole lengthy post about what I learned about classical education, but I won't now, maybe another time.  Let me just say that it's incredible to learn about the "agenda" of public schools in comparison to the education of great minds such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Mother Theresa, Gandhi, Isaac Newton and Joan of Arc to name a few.  It's very interesting.

But anyway, today Noah has a doctors appointment and we both have eye appointments.  So in between those times, we're going to do "vanschooling",  I love doing things differently and since we have about 2 1/2 hours in between the two scheduled times, I thought we could pull off at a park in Mason and do school in the van.  If it were nicer out, we might do it outside, but I think it's supposed to rain by the afternoon.  

Ok, my next big dilemma concerns a mom of a kid on Noah's baseball team.  Last year, there was a kid that Noah knew from school (they were not in the same class or anything, he just knew who he was), well they were on the same team and his Mom talked to me a lot through the games and she invited us to her house.  So we went and let me just say that within the first minute, I couldn't wait to get out of there.  Sonya knows this story.  She has two sons, one Noah's age and one a little younger than Abby.  Her younger son suffers from asthma, pretty badly apparently.  She has told me before that she wasn't sure what caused her son to have such bad ashtma.  Well as soon as we arrived, she wanted to make lunch, so we all went into the house and she immediately lights up a cigarette in front of my kids and her kids.  Hello Lady!!  That's why your kid has such bad asthma.  I immediately made my kids go outside and play, and made them stay out there the rest of the time we were there.  The smoking wasn't my only problem with her, but it was my biggest.  She also had a teenage nephew staying with her for the summer and the whole time our 4 kids were outside playing in the inflatable pool thingy, he just sat there staring at them.  So that really creeped me out.  So if anyone knows me, they know I hate confrontation.  So I tried desperately to avoid starting something there.  I figured if I just kept the kids away from her today, we won't have to deal with it anymore  because we won't come back.  Maybe I should've said something for her kids sake, but I've learned from personal experience that commenting on ones addictive behavior, usually doesn't come with good consequences.  So anyway, the season was about over at that point and she didn't invite us again or anything, so I thought whew, I made it through that one!!  Well last night, Steve took Noah to practice (they just started practicing again) and Noah walks in and says Mommy, Hunter's Mom said HI!  Oh no!!  He's on our team again.  We have like 20 games and probably 10 practices that I have to deal with her again.  What am I going to do???????  She told my husband that she left her phone out in the rain and she lost my number.  I thought I had just gotten off easy, but no, she just lost my number!  So last night, Steve and I were joking about the things I could do or say to her, so she wouldn't invite us to do anything!!  I said maybe I have an infectious disease, maybe homeschooling keeps us sooo busy, even in the summer!!  Maybe I could just pretend to be on my cell phone the whole time and couldn't talk to her!!  Of course I'll never do any of those things, but what should I do when she inevitably walks up and invites us to do something.  I really need to get a backbone here and just tell what I think, but I'd really rather not!!!!  Anyway, so other than the usual cluttered house, changing homeschool, giant pile of laundry and unmade dinner, I have this to worry about!!  And I am dreading it!!