Trouble with a Capital "T"

Leif, Leif, Leif . . .

Let's just say that last week was exhausting! It seems that God really does make the bad ones cute because as you proved this week, your off-the-charts cuteness is matched only to your off-the-charts love for all things mischievous. Don't believe me? Well, I've got proof, and lots of it . . .

So, I went back to bathing you in the sink. I thought this would be an ideal set up because you have been trying to climb out of your baby tub and the sink is deeper. For some reason, I thought this would make it harder for you to stand up, and like so many other times in my life, I was wrong.

Not only were you able to stand up, but you were also able to throw plastic cups from the counter onto your poor, unsuspecting Scouty . . . I kid you not!

Just look at this face! I should have known you were on the brink of stirring up some shenanigans.

 At least when you are in the sink you are at somewhat confined (even though at times it is like wrestling a greased piglet). Now that you are mobile, and moving much faster I must add, there is no end to the trouble you can stir up. You continue to throw the books off the bookshelves and to play in the dog's dish, but new to this week was climbing into the dishwasher . . . I kid you not! and pulling out the dishes, clean or dirty. 

And getting into the clean laundry, which wasn't so clean after you scrubbed our fur-covered floor with it.

I blame the black diaper . . .

Then to top it all off, you have started to bite your siblings! Nooooooooooooo! Please don't be a biter, baby. Please. Avery was, and your mama found that very stressful. Thankfully, though, in spite of the little hell-raiser that was spawned this week, you are so incredibly scrumptious that I often forget all about your mischievous antics during moments like this:

When you fell asleep on my lap at Grammie's

When we shared a peach for supper on the soccer field:

And when you tasted one of the plums from our very own plum tree for the first time. I should also mention that this is the first time since we moved into our house six years ago that this tree has produced fruit. I figure it was just for you!

So, I think it is safe to say I plan on keeping ya . . . for now . . . tee hee!

For My Boys

Today was really hard. Leif was sick all weekend, which meant I had the pleasure of tending to a clingy, whiny baby who was only able to sleep for half hour stretches before he would wake up screaming. I love my boy, but man, it was rough! Luckily, he woke up this morning without a fever, but for some reason, and perhaps it was simply due to the fact that he was so excited to be feeling better, he refused to nap. Every time I would put him down to sleep, he would wake up fifteen minutes later. Then, because he is no longer content to just sit or be held, he was on the move and his mama needed to keep an eye on him:

Look at me, mom! I'm walking around the furniture!

Look at me, mom! I'm playing in the dog's dish!

Look at me, mom! I'm playing in the cornstarch that I just dumped out all over the floor!

Look at me, mom! I'm pooping on the floor!

Look at me, mom! I'm eating pieces of peaches that I threw on the floor last night!

Look at me, mom! I'm eating your pink stick-it notes!

He was just oozing with mischievousness today!

I think you get the picture. Needless to say, I was done. Oh, and to top it all off, our basement bathroom backed up. Yep, that was my day in a nutshell. Fun!

But, it was also tough because two weeks ago, Derrick and I decided that this fall we will be sending our bigger boys back to school, and today was the day I posted all of our homeschool curriculum up for sale. Don't get me wrong, I know with all my heart that this is the right decision for everyone, but seeing our beloved books, the ones we have pored over together, being sold made it very real to me. Our homeschooling days are over. But, like I said I know this is the best decision. Avery has been missing his friends, and he is keen to learn languages, so he is going to start the half year french program and eventually go onto french immersion (hello! Wasn't this the very program I removed Elliot from school to avoid? Yep. And all I can say is they are different kids with different needs and different strengths) Elliot, who always intended to go back for high school, wanted to ease back into public school amongst friends and in a smaller school community. And my other boy, the one who demands constant supervision to ensure not only his own safety but Scout's as well, is no longer homeschooling friendly. I know many amazing moms out there who have homeschooled and are currently homeschooling with infants and my hat goes off to each and every one of them. They have my deepest respect, and I really hoped I could be like them, but I'm not. We all need to know our limitations and homeschooling the boys with Leif was definitely pushing my limits. And so, this fall, I will be sending my boys back on the big, yellow bus. I am sure there will be a tear shed, but I also think there will be some singing and dancing going on as well:

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Let's be honest; I will be dancing all week long! Seriously, though, I have loved teaching my boys for the past three years. We had a lot of laughs, we made some wonderful friends, we learned a ton, and we created a lot of memories, but I am ready to close the book on this chapter of our relationship. I am eager to see how they do in school and see what directions they take. I know they are both ready! But, I guess the real question is . . . is MCS ready?! . . . tee hee!

Yep, it was a rough one here at Shenanigans Inc., but it doesn't change the fact that I love what I do and I love the boys I do it for.

awwwwww . . . I've got some pretty handsome boys.

Oh, and don't fret, Baby Girl is staying home again next year, so I won't be completely bored. 

Used Homeschool Curriculum Sale

Shenanigans Inc. is excited to announce their first used homeschool curriculum sale. Woohoo! Check out the list of books and supplies I have for sale, and email me at krista_skov@hotmail.com  to tell me what you want. I will email you back to confirm your order. Then meet me at the Quispamsis Superstore on Saturday, Aug. 16 from 10 - 11 am to pick up your goodies. Easy Cheesy! If you are one of my Charlotte County homeschool friends, I will arrange to meet you at Anita or Kelly's house once I have set up a time to visit. Happy Shopping!

Saxon Math

• K-3 Manipulative Kit - $30 Sold
• Textbooks and teacher manuals - $40 each - K, 2 (sold), 3, 5/4, 6/5, 7/6 (sold)

Cuisneairre Rods + manual - $5 sold

French

Nallenart

• L'Art de Dire - $25 (all the flashcards are laminated and coloured)
• L'Art de Lire 1 - $20
• L'Art de Lire 2 - $20 (two lessons are done in pencil BUT all the flashcards are laminated and coloured)

Science

Science Word Search Books (only ever photocopied) - 3 for $5 sold

Apologia 

• Exploring Creation with General Science (MP3, CD Rom, textbook) - $50 sold

Real Science 4 Kids (the following all come with the textbook, the lab book, and the teacher manual) **pre-level 1 is good for the K-4 range, level 1 works well for 4-7

• Biology pre-level 1 - $25
• Biology level 1 - $25 sold
• Chemistry pre-level 1 - $25
• Chemistry level 1 - $25 sold
• Physics pre-level 1 - $20 (a couple labs are marked on)\
• Physics level 1 - $20 (a couple labs are marked on) sold
• Astronomy level 1 - $25 sold

Real Science 4 Kids Physics level 1 textbook - $10

Basher Science

• Rocks and Minerals - $5
• Physics - $5

History

Laminated History Timeline - $2 sold

Ancient Egyptians and Neighbours - $10 sold

Ancient Civilizations Game - $2 sold

Usborne Encyclopedia of World History - $10 sold

Canada: My Country - $10

Ancient Rome Study - $10 sold

Courage & Conquest - $10 sold

Ancient China - 12 week unit study *awesome! - $10 sold

Story of the Word & Activity Book - $25 sold

5 Dover Colouring Books to accompany Story of the World - $10 (only one page coloured)

Language Arts

Lucy Calkins - Writing Workshop Guide and Launching the Writer's Workshop - $25

Favourite Poems - $10

Learning Language Through Literature

• The Red Book (teacher's manual + readers) - $20
• The Grey Book (teacher's manual, workbook - only first four lessons done, and 4 novels) - $30

Write Away - Writing Guide for Young Writers - $5 sold

19 Beginning Readers - $5 sold

 Spelling Power - age 8 to adult - $5 sold

Easy Grammar 5&6 - workbook and teacher's manual - $10 sold

Rodd and Staff

• grade 3 Beginning Wisely - teacher's manual and textbook - $15
• grade 6 Progressing with Courage - teacher's manual and textbook - $15

English for the Thoughtful Child - $10

Draw.Write.Now - $5

Progeny Press Novel Studies

• Minstrel in the Tower + Novel - $15
• Sword in the Tree + Novel - $15
• Mr. Popper's Penguins - $10\
• Indian in the Cupboard - $10
• The Sign of the Beaver - $10

Miscellaneous

What Your First Grader Needs to Know by ED Hirsch - $10

Top 100 Picks for Homeschool Curriculum - $10

Feed My Sheep Art Curriculum - I have 2, the first 65 lessons are completed but there are 260 lessons - $5 sold

Complete Canadian Grade 4 Curriculum workbook -some lessons done - $5

Kids' Study Bible - $5

Grade 7 Test Prep - $5

Now that my bookshelf is empty, it is time for me to make my wishlist. Thanks, everyone!

Leif's Life (According to my IPhone)

I admit that I post a lot of pictures of Leif on Facebook and Instagram, but they are just a smackeral of all the photos I take of him during the week. I can't help myself; this kid is adorable! And he LOVES to have his picture taken. So, according to my Iphone, this is what Leif's life looked like this week:

• Monkey costumes on a hot, humid morning . . . sorry, baby, I couldn't resist.

• Swimming with cousin Ava . . . let's talk about this Elmo hat . . . I love it!

• Sometimes you just need to be caged.

• It's really hard to get any errands done when this little face is staring back at you . . . baby, you are made for baseball hats!

 

• Some weeks it feels like we live in the van.

• Another playdate with cousin Ava.

• Your current favourite toy is a water table that our friends, Blee, Jack and Heather, gave to you. Thanks guys!

• Lots of late night soccer games. I always feel bad picking you up out of your car seat when you are fast asleep.

• Too many late nights on the soccer field. This morning you woke up, crawled over to my legs and fell back to sleep. I didn't mind at all . . .

• A little afternoon snooze, curled up beside mom, while we listened to the rain beat outside our bedroom window.

• Ugh! Did I mention you are crawling now?

• Today you insisted on going out (in the rain) to play with your water table . . . again. Since I am still pretty smitten with you, I granted you your request.

And I am so grateful that I did. I can't wait to see what next week brings us, Leif!

Happy weekend, everyone!