Getting Back To Routine

Looks like things are getting back to routine now. I think (hope) we are past the below freezing temperatures and our school routine is returning. I have never written about the weather more, than I have the last couple weeks. Everything feels like a fresh start, especially with today's warmer weather, it's 29 degrees. It's the beginning of the second semester, so for Jordan that means a new schedule. Basketball is over (with the exception of one snow day makeup game) which will free up 3 nights a week.

We made a "human snowflake".
Our friends at Homeschool Camper
did this a couple weeks ago.

We are relishing in the "warm" temps, Jordan and I started up our one-on-one walks after school again today. During basketball season this time spent together was replaced with practices and games. I feel like we lose some of our connection during basketball, I love having this time to just to talk with him. This is a small window of time that he doesn't have to share mom with his brothers. Mostly we talk about his day and what's going on with him. During our walks I get to hear his views on different subjects and we discuss things that are happening in the news. I cherish this time with just Jordan, as he often feels his thoughts aren't heard when his brothers are around. I get to focus on Jordan and what's important to him, without interruptions. Our walks aren't serious mother/son talks, although sometimes that happens. We walk, talk, joke, and try edging each other off the sidewalk. It's just an hour a day that I'm more friend than Mom. Usually on our walks I learn things about Jordan I don't think he would have shared with me otherwise.


We "cheated" and looked up his new schedule on the school site last night. His team sports has been replaced with gym/health and he has a couple different teacher this time. He had a teacher last semester he really got along with, until he allowed the others kids to taint his views on the teacher. This time around he has that teacher for two classes. Personally I'm glad, I think the teacher is a fair teacher. He worked with Jordan when his grades started slipping and was good about keeping me informed when Jordan was slacking off. Jordan and I talked (during our walk) about making his own judgment of the teacher regardless of how the other kids feel. I had expressed my feeling toward the Common Core Curriculum with this teacher and he agreed that Jordan could do his lessons the way we have been doing them as long as he could explain how he came upon his answers and he would not lose points for it. It's my hope that Jordan will focus on the class and not his buddies thoughts of the teacher. I know, easier said than done for a teenager, when you're buddies opinions mean a lot to you.

Having a more freed up schedule without basketball, we have returned to our supplement math and reading after school. We had tried to keep it in place the last couple months, but with everyone's busy schedules it became too stressful for all of us and we felt very rushed. The younger boys scouting events are slowing down a bit too as we approach their "bridging over". The amount of activities to be completed has shorten drastically. We all welcomed the return of our online lessons and one-on-one work time with mom.

With so much time recently spent away from school (and maybe partly the beginning of a new semester) the younger boys are very excited to be back in school and have been working diligently to keep their assignment and grades up.



While excited to be back in school, they couldn't wait to get released today. I promised them some outside time. We had a small detour before they headed out into the snow, they didn't mind much. Both of their glasses came in today. Once home they couldn't get their snow clothes on fast enough. We're pushing dinner back a bit so they can stay out until it gets dark. We have not been outside to just play in almost 3 weeks. They really needed this time to run and play (and burn off some energy). Looks like we might get to head back outside again tomorrow too. With cabin fever almost creeping into our house, I'm very grateful for this outside time.