Parent Proof: Check

Last weekend, Todd took Josiah out to ask him what his interests were.  He likes art, but does not want to take art lessons.  He wants to do gymnastics like Caroline.  And he wants to play the trumpet.  If he can't do trumpet, he wants to do French Horn, and if he can't do that he wants to play the violin.  That is my spring break goal to get the violin in working order.  I've spoken with a few music people about the trumpet and they've all told me that he's too young, his mouth and lungs need to be bigger and stronger.  If we can start on violin for a few years then he can at least learn how to read music so it'd give him a start.

This weekend Todd took Caroline to gymnastics (and then out to eat).  He said that she was up on the balance beam and they wanted the girls to walk backwards with their arms over their heads.  Caroline did well with that, but she would not do the second part - put her arms down on the beam and lift one leg in the air.  She's enjoying it.  After gymnastics they went to get tacos at a new restaurant.  Actually Caroline got a quesadilla and fries.  Quite the basket-o-carbs.  Todd got a few tacos.

We had our Parent Proofs this week.  I made the mistake of proofing Henry on Monday.  It dawned on me a few subjects into the proof that we should have had a day of review first and proofed him on Tuesday.  Since we had the field trip at the end of last week, it had been 5 days since we had reviewed at home.  He had been singing the history songs throughout the weekend, so I just assumed he was ready.  I knew he knew everything, but a day of review would have helped.  He made nervous mistakes, which he self-corrected, but it made him get upset and then he'd start to fall apart.  If we stopped the proof, we'd have to do the whole thing from start to finish the next day, so we plowed through.  He totally did fine and really I only marked one error because he confused two cities in geography (something he's never missed - geography is one of his best subjects).  I was surprised by his nervousness, though.  I'm hoping he keeps his nerves in check for the Tutor Proof.  We'll review ahead of time!  :)

Josiah passed his first Parent Proof.  He made one error in math, which we already knew he would make because he didn't know his "cubes."  It was amazing.  We reviewed all his trouble areas before we started and we noticed that all of his number errors involved the number 5.  He'd say 1868 instead of 1858; 1419 instead of 1519; 62 instead of 52.  So I told him to just keep the number 5 in mind for his trouble spots, and he totally got them all.  It was crazy.  He was ecstatic.  He passed it on Wednesday and we've been reviewing each day since as the Tutor Proof is next Wednesday.  All of the history sentences that he would get small errors on, he has completely memorized.  It's been an amazing experience to see him get it all, to not get frustrated, to not complain about review (most of the time), he's stepped up and worked for it.  He also really wants the Memory Master t-shirt.  He's been wearing Henry's two shirts (from last year) all week.  In the picture he's holding up his Timeline proof sheet.  Check marks for all 24 weeks.

Caroline does not do the proofs yet, but she has been doing a good job learning her CC material.  Just today she was trying to learn the President's song.  She got up to Taylor, who is #12, so she's getting there.  She did have her very first math test this week.  She aced it.  Smarty.

Caroline started 1st Grade Math and Henry finished 2nd Grade Math.  He had his final cumulative test to complete the book this week.  He handed it in, but I was busy working with Josiah, so I just took it without saying anything.  I knew he was mad when he handed it in because he didn't remember how to do a section.  It was the sort of thing that I really couldn't help him on without telling him the answer.  So he was mad.  After I corrected it, I asked him if he had checked it over before turning it in.  He said no.  I know.  He made a few silly errors and he didn't even answer one multiplication problem.  Simple stuff he would have found if he had checked it over.  Plus the section he couldn't remember.  It's one thing not to know how to do something, but it's another thing to miss it because you're mad and don't want to check your work!  Argh.  In good news, Henry has stopped biting and picking at his nails.  I never imagined the day would come so soon.  The reason he stopped biting and picking at them, however, is because he picked up a new habit.  Cracking his knuckles.  That may not sound like a big deal, but he is literally pushing on his hands/knuckles nearly constantly.  Not only that, but he cracks his toe knuckles.  Regularly.  It is so gross.  The worst part is that he likes to come into bed with us many mornings, so the first sound I hear in the morning is the sound of knuckles cracking.  Henry, if I have to hear your knuckles cracking one more time I'm going to go crazy!  As he informed me, "I have to have a habit."  Yeah, buddy, let's make it a good one.  But I am happy to see his fingernails looking so good again.

Tonight we did a little April Fool's Day prep.  The best part is that the kids have no idea that tomorrow is April Fool's Day.  Todd bought Oreos today and let the kids have some after dinner tonight.  It ensured they knew they were a safe and delicious food to eat.  Tonight, he opened up three cookies and filled the inside with anchovy paste and put them back together again.  That'll be dessert after dinner.  Just like tonight. We Saran wrapped their bedroom doors.  Caroline wakes up sleepily enough that she should walk right into it.  Josiah will most likely hit the one on the boys' door.  We also got them a bag of donuts as a special treat for tomorrow morning.  We told them that since it is such a big week, they'd start it off with a special treat.  They're really looking forward to them.  Unfortunately, we're going to fill it up with confectioner sugared broccoli.  I also have some fake bugs and snakes that might get put in interesting places as the day goes on.  We get too much joy out of this day.

A few other pictures of the week.  Caroline had a stripe day.

Another day the kids used their free time to create incredibly tall Dixie cup pyramids.

We also picked up our Fun Run packets and the boys had to keep tradition and jump over all the big balls outside the hospital.


This coming week is the big Tutor Proof.  I'm confident in their abilities, but still nervous for them!  It'll be Wednesday morning.  That afternoon will hopefully be filled with exhausted elation and ideally a nap.