Alive and Learnin'

So, judging by my sitemeter, it seems people are actually checking in to this sorry, neglected little learning blog. Well, we are still here and still learning. The silence here perhaps reflects just how busy learning we have been. Well, maybe. Anyway, the Autumn started out a bit slow it seemed to me. Though the children were eager to resume their academic studies, we just didn't find our groove. And then, Little Queen and I went out of town for a few days which really threw everything off. Now we are back. And we are grooving.

Rosebud is absolutely loving her work right now. She asks me first thing each morning (sometimes when I am still in bed) if she may please go do some handwriting and math. Pretty please. Umm...sure. And then she does more later when we've all joined up for some concentrated work. On Saturday morning, on Sunday morning, on Columbus Day morning, Rosebud could be found pouring over another page of her Getty-Dubay Italics handwriting book or polishing off another lesson in her beloved Math-U-See Primer. With just a bit of encouragement, she is sounding off a new set of words or another tiny tale from our well worn copy of the Little Angel Reader. She treasures her daily Bible story whether it is read to her by myself, an older sibling, or even on occassion, The Prof. Kindergarten is a simple delight for this simply delightful little girl

Sunshine embraces the growing challenges of her second grade work. She also began work in the Getty-Dubay series this year and enjoys the words and sentences and the stylized writing. Math is not a love, but comes quite naturally even as she starts in on the Beta book. Beta throws subtraction and graphs into the mix. History is interesting and First Holy Communion preparation an absolute favorite activity. In addition to memorizing the Baltimore Catechism, she is preparing an album. Moreover, she is joining her brother in studying the Mass which so far includes learning about the vesting of the priest (an small but elaborate ceremony in and of itself), liturgical colors and memorizing Psalm 42 (as numbered in the Douy-Rheims) found at the opening of the (traditional Latin) Mass.

Firstborn just completed a 6-week long online writing class given by Jean Hall via Bravewriter. What a great education for both of us. We look forward to more writing and more classes in the future. Math continues to be the unfavored subject, though with careful attention to detail, it comes easily enough this boy's mind. He is working through Epsilon (from our dear Math-U-See) , doing battle, it seems, with the addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of fractions. Fractions are presented in all of their fanciful and frightful forms here: from improper (oh my!) to mixed and everything in between. Our discovery of the past has finally brought us to US history. Coronado, Pizzaro, de Soto, St. Brendan, Columbus, Sts. Martin de Porres, Rose of Lima, and Juan Diego are the names whirling around in our minds, past our eyes and under our pencils these days. Thrilling tales of adventure, savagery and holiness, to be sure.

The two elders are both studying Latin; Rosebud in the old friend, Prima Latina and Firstborn leading the way through Latin for Children. Geography studies through the literary prowess of Holling C. Holling (what was his mother thinking? Holling?!) have captured my children's attention. And we are even trying our hands at a bit of letterboxing! (More to come on that venture soon)

The out and abouts include art class, ballet and...and, well, Firstborn really wanted to give fencing a try this year but it just didn't seem to fall into place. Maybe next year.

I am just relieved that we have finally found a rhythm, a constant to cling to as the weekends and evenings fill up in the flow leading to holidays.