Summer's Passing

Isn't it crazy how there can be beautiful flowers and right in the center, there's a sad one? Kind of like life, huh?  This picture reminds me that even in a happy crowd, there can be a sad soul.  I hope I'm aware enough to see past myself.

Just a random pic of Sophia.  Is it just me or can she make those model like expressionless faces with penetrating eyes???

We are LOVING having a pool again! :) 

I can't believe that summer is half past!!!  School starts again on August 19th!  That may seem early for a traditional California school year, but where we live, the kids get an entire week off in October for a fall break.  I'm sure we'll find something fun to do during that week off when the crowds are light!  They'll need the break.  

I appreciate that the schools are Blue Ribbon out here, but that means the work is more challenging and time consuming.  The last school the kids were in was SO MUCH easier.  Zack will do fine and did last year too, but he does put in more time on homework just because of the quantity.  Sophia is working hard this summer so we'll see how she does in 1st grade!

The summer has been full of fun but also pretty structured which is just how I like it.  I think kids feel more secure when they know what to expect.  These two are much happier with a set but flexible schedule.  Zack has learned to write in cursive which has also helped him to become an even better reader.  He likes to draw and somehow, learning cursive must go along those lines because he has loved learning.  He has also mastered counting money and is working through a 3rd grade reading comprehension book.  What he loves most though is his word search book.  It takes him about 30 minutes to do each word search, but he actually enjoys it.

Sophia is still working on her 108 sight words and has mastered about 25 of them.  She is also working on writing her numbers in sequence 1-50.  Her small motor skills have improved so much.  Her words and letters are no longer shaky.  She can also read just about any one syllable word.  We're working through "The Summer Bridge Book" for K-1.  We shall see how much progress we make by 8/19.

I'm still job hunting and hope to find something by the time the kids start school.  The job market in California is pretty dead though!  Other than that, I'm enjoying life - cooking, cleaning, field trips, and all of the good stuff that comes along with being a mom.