Respite

We've been having quite a string of amazing days. Such wonderful peace!

Somehow, someway, the twins have sent their negative behaviors off on vacation. It's very nice.

We're all enjoying the respite. I praise the Lord for the relaxed days. It gives us hope for their future.

We had thought that Missy might not maintain her angelic act past the Christmas program. She had had a melt down a few hours before the program. The anxiety of the anticipation was causing her a little stress and she ended up crying herself to sleep in the afternoon before the program. I figured out that she really thought I would pull her from the program if she blew it on behavior. I had no intention, but I can see how she came to that conclusion. BUT the point is, she's as happy as a lark still!! There are almost no controlling behaviors happening and no whining.

James, too, has been pleasant. Of course, it's fun to decorate Christmas trees and anticipate the secrets behind the closed doors. It's fun to have big sisters home on break - especially when they take extra time to go hiking and help make crafts and cookies. Brianna has gone out of her way to exercise them and challenge them. We figured out that someone taught James to play UNO and it didn't take much to teach Missy and  wow, she plays very well and sticks to the rules. James tries to get away with a wrong card every once in awhile even when he knows it isn't right. Missy plays to win, but she handles someone else finishing first pretty well.

James does have trouble with pouting over being asked to help with work. ANY kind of work. How many years does it take for boys to get over being so lazy???  All the girls in the house work hard. Even Missy.

I had one more meeting at the school this morning to go over some test results for both of the kids. That's it,  I think. Missy's set to start Jan. 3. She hasn't been told much. We value our peace. I know she will be excited when she understands what's happening.

I borrowed Reading Reflex from the library once again. This is the book that was a life saver in teaching Vanessa to read. I used it for Bri, too. And now I am getting ready to use the program with James and Missy for a few weeks. I want to be sure.  James reads well, but he is also quick to memorize words and I want to be sure he has a solid foundation in the CODE. I've been using a phonics based program with him, and it's good, but I don't want to get to third grade and find he's missed something that impedes his progress further. At the moment he's drawing out the solar system and labeling the planets.... "phonetically". Moon and sun look right... Jupiter and Mars are interesting and he asked me how to spell "Earth".

Vanessa was thrilled to learn she made an A- in chemistry! This was one hard class for her. She has had no exposure to chemistry before and the teacher was a tough one. She could not understand his lectures because he spoke too fast and so she had to study untiringly on her own to make it. Tomorrow the girls should find out their grades in everything else.