Random thoughts

I really have no big events to talk about today, so I'll just give an update on a few things.

Jimmy is doing well with his new "school" which is K-12 or Idaho Virtual Academy. Basically it's still homeschooling, but the curriculum for the day is loaded onto his online account, we print his worksheets, and he uses the books they sent him to complete his work. I like not having to stress about, "What am I going to teach today?" I have seen him improve in a lot of things, and in others he still struggles, like Math. He'll probably move from fifth to fourth grade math soon. He does get to go to a lot of social outings, like a P.E. class every other week and ice cream socials each month. His "teacher" or educational consultant with IDVA said that by the year 2020 50% of students will be educated over the internet. This type of academy is on the leading edge of an educational movement and it has grown by 30% over the last year.

Sammy is at Taylor's Crossing again, and he thrives there. I am a volunteer for his class and I go once a month to help them do Stations on Mondays. He learns so much there, and learns at a fast pace. My only complaint is they don't teach history or art. :( He likes to have more social interaction so the school is good for him, even though I dislike driving him to the bus stop and picking him up again each day. It's also good that Sam and Jim don't compete as much because they are not doing school in the same room each day anymore. Sammy is also having fun in scouts and they will have a bike rodeo later this week.

Abby is starting Kindergarten with "true" homeschool (no online stuff, just what Mom teaches her). She reads pretty good and has most of her phonics down. She can read, "The old man had a coat. The old goat was cold. The fan ran in the sand," etc. She is a great absorber of information. She is also learning about counting and we did a unit on butterflies and insects this month.

Augie is taking some speech therapy and is working on speaking more clearly. He is showing just how smart he is by now being able to express what he is thinking. He is a typical two year old with his tantrums, etc. but he's getting a lot more fun, too. He loves to play with Abby and ride his big wheel. Abby and Augie are ALWAYS hungry and raid the snack cupboard at least four times a day! It would help if they ate their dinner. ;)

As for James and I, we're doing good. I've been reading a lot lately. Some of my recent books:

• Austenland (loved it! What a great romance and fun for the Jane Austen fan)
• The Book Thief (read with a box of tissues nearby--Germany, holocaust, etc. Very well written!)
• Eragon and Eldest (not so well written but interesting... very long!)
• Journey of the Heart (modern boy goes back to Martin handcart company and crosses the plains... not prize-winning literature, and needed a better proofreader, but interesting story for the LDS market.)
• All-Star Superman (yes, it's a graphic novel, but that counts as reading, too! great take off of the classic Superman story. My husband is so good to supply me with interesting reading from his shop.)
• The Princess and the Hound (great twist on the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, by a charming writer, Mette Ivie Harrison. I visited her web site and she has great writing tips and I am inspired to write my own novel.)
• I also read the Twilight series, all 4 books this summer, and enjoyed them. Twilight's my favorite. I thought Breaking Dawn was predictable and had a lame ending. But I know most fans will disagree! I am excited to see the movie this December.

Now I'm on to a book Mom sent me called Gilead. If anyone has some recommended reads, send them along. I think I'll read Pride and Prejudice again, first time since 12th grade. I don't even own it, I'm ashamed to admit, so I'll have to go buy me a copy.