Monday, July 27, 2009

Lazy, Reflecting and Looking Forward

So begins the first week after camp. It was a brutal week last week for a number of reasons, and I've found that this weekend, when I finally had some time to get things done, I just wanted to lie around the house all day like the lazy slob that I am. Life sure is simpler when you give into your base instincts, which I did.

What made the week hard was that it was a full day of being away from the house, which made it difficult to finish, and for that matter, even begin things that needed to get done. I wanted to cut the grass (our lawnmower is having issues-like me), finish cutting the wood to tap out my chainsaw, paint the back of the house (in my defense, it's half done), and begin a whole slew of hardcore DYI projects. I also wanted to practice my karate (failed!), start exercising more frequently (failed!), and spend more quality time with the kids rather than simply being a support crew (moving forward).

On this subject, it dawned on me that I'd like to sit and do more with the kids. I've found my wife is much better and spending quiet quality time with them, doing crafts or projects, while I tend to more physical activities with them like biking, sports, working in the yard. While this gives them some balance, I'd like to do more cerebral things, but that's up to me, right? You want to know the beautiful irony in all this? The one time we do sit quietly and share our thoughts is when we do homeschool lessons. How crazy is that? I was thinking reading a story or playing musical instruments with them, or even teaching them karate. We'll see.

On the subject of homeschooling... ugh, don't get me started. I need to get that curriculum in. I've also found a friend who is certified to evaluate kids and we're going to give it a try. The whole portfolio thing, besides being a mountain of a task, seems to fall short.

Okay, so I didn't get a lot done last week, but I did manage to send out some queries regarding our trip, and got some nibbles. Not bad for a two-bit wannabe. I have other queries I'd like to send, but am prepared for the big fat rejection letter. It's worth a try, and every little bit counts.

This week we will try to return to our regular routines, which will only be disrupted in a few weeks when we go away, but such is life. It'll be nice seeing GT&K again, and we'll get back to riding and tennis. Did I mention that we've become tennis mongers? The kids are really trying hard, and you begin to realize that it's not easy hitting a ball over the net, especially when it's coming at you quickly. My thinking is practice, practice, practice, at least when we get the chance. The fact that it's fun helps.

I'll try to get the curriculum done, which I think is imperative before we go away, and try putting together our information to be ready for our big evaluation. Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Daniel Deak Bardos for the pic.

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