Friday, April 27, 2012

Critical Thinking Boy Style

So Dad's Bud is reading aloud his Critical Thinking Riddles.

A powerful gun on,
The deck of a ship;
And I'm much too large,
To wear on you hip.
What am I? ......................................................

To which THE MAN responds, "RPG!"
My eyeballs popped out of my head.
Read that riddle again.
I have RPG running through my head and Fun Girl quickly starts describing a large black "gun" that "kabooms" while her hands are exploding out. 
I give in and say, "Cannon"
Dad's Bud then responds with, "That's old stuff.  We don't use things like that anymore."
Fine, write RPG down.
Dad's Bud ever so smart asks, "Do you even know what an RPG is mom?"
Sigh
"A big gun that you can't wear on your hip."
Dad's Bud, "A rocket launcher, something that destroys stuff."
Sigh.
I go back to what I was doing.
Dad's Bud, "Fine I will write cannon down."

Who knew the conversations I would have when home schooling.
Glad to know Cannons are old school and don't exist anymore.  What is really weirding me out is it was my sweet, loveable 6 year old who quickly responded with "RPG" in the beginning. 

Just in case you would like to check out where we find our critical thinking exercises.
This is the book we are working through right now.
 


This is post contains affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure here.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Exceptional........ and so much more............

We are spending a significant amount of evening time at the Y these days. 
I am not getting any workouts completed.  I often spend the time getting caught up on computer work, emails, or reading.  That is if my presence is not needed for supervising and spotting my children. 
Only one night is there swim lessons, the one time the children are being actively supervised and kept safe by a trained individual. .
And I really should walk during that time....but the last few weeks, I have secured that time to get some time pressing projects done, so bed time would not be delayed.

The other nights my presence is required.  The Man likes to rock wall climb.  Since he is the youngest and not "of age,"  I have to sit down by the wall while he climbs.  So I curl up, do a puzzle, read, shout some encouragement, watch and cheer.  I might even zone out a bit during this time.  I might even come back down to earth to listen to the chatter or excited youngsters who have climbed the next hardest or hardest section!

Tonight, I met Mr. Ben.  He was excited and impressed. 

He introduced himself and asked me if I had some time.  Yep, we'll be here for another 45 minutes. 
He was thrilled.  I am looking at him thinking, "OOooookAY?? What's up?" (Meanwhile, I am pulling The Man off the wall cause I am too distracted to spot him.  And I have been asked by one of the belayers to spot him.)

He explains, my 3 kiddos (The Man, Princess and Hockey Player) (by the way, Dad's Bud is at Cub Scouts) are EXCEPTIONAL climbers. 
(DUH!! They climb everything, appliances, walls, doorframes, trees, rock walls, boulders, buildings, the gym wall at church)

He tells me again, "They are exceptional climbers."  (Again, telling me this as I pull The Man off the wall yet again!)

Oh boy, I am in for it now. 

"They naturally know how to climb." (Pulling The Man off the wall again ~ Really, he naturally knows how to climb and can't help himself!)

Yep, I know that.  The Man fell 8 feet last year and broke an arm.  The Man was climbing the front of my refrigerator when he was 2.  If I can't find my children when I look out the door, I look in the trees.  I have had to ask them (threaten them) to not climb my door frames or walls unless they were willing to clean them. 

Mr. Ben, "Can I work with them? Teach them some things?"
He teaches classes and he could give them drills and instructions and things to work on.  They can learn in 30 minutes in what he usually teaches over a course of 4 weeks. 

OOooooKAaaay.
I am thinking, great what are they going to climb at home now?  AND GREAT! I don't have to pay for classes!

Then it comes.  Footwear.  If they have the right kind of footwear they would do AMAZING things when they climbed.  Oh boy.  Here it comes, they are listening.  Their eyes are sparkling.  Their ears are perked and they are listening and hanging onto every word Mr. Ben has to say!

And I listen to.  I ask questions. 

And now, I am researching climbing shoes.  Would you know, I can find very little down to earth suggestions and options and ideas from experienced moms in this area! ! ? ? ! !  
Frustrating. 
I have looked at the climbing shoes!  ! YowZer!!!  They want as much for a pair of STRICTLY Climbing ONLY shoes as I pay for a pay of my athletic/tennis shoes!!! 

These kids have growing feet. 

So I have been on Ebay.  It is not much better there! ! ! 

Where are all the children that climb!  Where are their mothers and shoes and advice????

For the first time ever, Princess is interested.  She heard there was a climbing team.  Her eyes got all sparkly, her head whipped so fast around, I thought it was spinning on an axis.  She is excited.  She is all interested, like crocheting and knitting interested.  I watched her work with Mr. Ben and saw her body splayed out across the rock wall.  Legs stretched as far apart across the side of the wall, fingers poked into little holes and she suspended in the air there, clinging to this rock.  Satisfaction, confidence and delight written over her contenance.  Strength!

A little while later, I hear Hockey Player ask if she wants to practice with him what they have learned.  Off they go.  The Man not far behind.  He doesn't see it as practice.  It is just play.  He climbs and climbs. NO fear, no second thoughts, he just goes. 

I am thinking....shoes.
Praying, please no injuries, no broken bones, no falls. 
Pleading Lord, please limit their interest to the indoors.  Please shield this Momma from thrill seeking outdoor rock climbers.  Please no ERs.

Oh NO!  We have a trip planned to Colorado Springs.  We are going to the Garden of the Gods.  Visions from my youth of climbers on the rocks in the Garden of the Gods flash through my mind.  Help me, my trip is going to involve tethering children to the ground. 

Deep breath, exhale, another deep breath, exhale. 

Wait and Pray. 

Borrow the Y shoes for now. 

Exceptional....

For my children are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Knitted together by the Creator, by the One who has a Plan and Purpose for each of them.  Each one is unique and different and set apart from the others.  All from the same parents.  All from the same Creator and yet so vastly and uniquely different.  Exceptional not only in the eyes of those who love them, but Exceptional in the eyes of the One who Created them for His Plan and His Purpose. 
Lord give me wisdom, strength and ENERGY as I parent them for you.  Reveal to them this Plan and Purpose You have created them for.  Help me to stay out of the way, to support You Lord in Your Plans and Purposes for each of them and to enjoy each day as they discover who You have created them to be. 
Continue to bless me with a sense of humor and the ability to laugh.
Amen.

YMCA ~ Young Mighty Children Actitivites

Fun Girl has started swim team!  She is loving it. 
I am so happy for her.  And it is such good exercise for her. 
After a bad experience about 4 years ago, she wanted nothing to do with swim team. 
This year, she changed her mind. 
Her siblings are loving it.  Now that hockey is over, we were spending our evenings at home.  Now we are spending our evenings at the Y.  At least 3 nights a week. 
This translates into Rock Wall Climbing, Foos ball, Pool, Swimming, Ping Pong and Video games.  Sometimes, they head out to the playground.  One night a week, Dad's Bud and The Man are in swim lessons.
The only problem with all this physical exercise is they still don't get tired and they are eating more!!

So on these nights.... I look for a head that looks like this.....
Then I look for faces with smiles like these....

Then I look for faces or bodies in positions like these............
either way up high in the sky!  !

or way down low, looking up and anticipating the next climb..

Sunday, April 22, 2012

The difference between REAL Women and Teens

Hmph,  Fun Girl laughed at me tonight.
She came home from Servant Team.  A small group, Bible study, planning group for her youth group and she laughed at me. 
Hmmmph.  Have to think about whether she should be allowed to go back. 
All of her siblings were super sweet when they came in the room.  Lots of hugs and I love yous. 
My oldest, she laughed at me. 
Why?  you ask..
Cause I was crying.  Tears rolling down my cheeks, crying.  Curled up on the couch under a blanket, hushing everyone crying.
Hallmark movie was on....
Even Hubby was sweet and gave me a hug and kiss and was quiet.

I informed Fun Girl.... "REAL WOMEN cry at Hallmark commercials AND movies."
(Obviously, Fun Girl is not a REAL WOMAN yet,  she is just a TEEN!)
I have been needing a good cry. 
With the week coming up, I sure hope there will be another good Hallmark movie to watch.
 Such good stress relievers.