MORNINGS (6 YRS OLD)

Mama has to admit that mornings are better now that S has become addicted to "Humphrey." Whenever she wakes up in the morning (especially early in the morning), mama lets her listen her her audio books, and she loves listening to the Humphrey series. So much so that mama has to make her turn it off to get ready for the day. On the other hand, S does not go in and wake mama up anymore to keep her company.

Now, mama is going to try to get her to do her 20 minutes of reading first... Let's see how well this plan goes...

ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY (6 YRS OLD)

Mama got the audio book, "World According to Humphrey," several weeks ago and now S is hooked onto Humphrey! She talks, listens or read Humphrey in almost all her spare time. Mama and S have listened to the Humphrey series, book 1 -3 and presently listening to book 4. What has been the best thing about listening to the Humphrey series that it has inspired her to read the Humphrey series. It's beyond the easy chapter books and the simpler chapter books, like Magic Puppie or Magic Tree House series. There's lots of words and lots of words in font size 12 and no pictures. But, S will sit there non-stop reading and giggling at different parts in the book.

Wow! S is becoming a reader! Mama knows because on Monday, after running lot of errands, S came into the house and asked to rest so she could read her book.

SOFTBALL (6 YRS)

S started fall softball with the Oak Hill youth associations. Her Shetland team is called the "Ladybugs." So far, it's been a bumpy start, with ups and downs. The up part is that daddy is taking time to help out the team. He's active in helping the softball coach. S likes softball practices. She proudly points out how much running she does and how fast her heart is pounding. She likes hitting the ball too.

The downs are that S and daddy combo isn't going as smoothly as imagined. Mama was imagining daddy and S out in the yard - throwing and catching the ball and having a great time. The reality is that daddy spends alot of time saying "eyes on the ball." And, S spends alot of time flinching away from the ball, scared to get hit.

Despite all this, both S and daddy are having a good time. Both seem to have agreed to give this fall season a try.

P.S. S's first softball game was today. She didn't field any balls but she did make a hit and ran the bases. Yeah!

VOCABULARY (6 YRS OLD)

S is trying out new vocabulary words. On Wednesday, she said, "I'm just furious." Mama asked, "What are you furious about?" S didn't reply. Mama asked again. Then, mama asked, "Do you know what the word furious means?" S replies with, "no."

The next day S says, "I'm jealous" and continues with asking mama to iron her melty beads. Mama responds intelligently with, "huh?" and then asked (since she wasn't sure what S said), "What are you jealous about?" S repeated, "I'm jealous." Mama cuts to the point and asks, "Do you know what jealous means?" S says, "no." Well, according to mama, "it's a feeling you have when you want something someone else has." S responds with, "Well, I meant the melty beads are jealous." Mama thought to try to explain it another way. "Do you remember how you feel when Talia plays with someone else, other than you? That's jealousy."

On the other hand, playing in the Texas heat today, S drank several glasses of water. Later, her stomach hurt her and she said, "I think I over-hydrated myself." Mama asks if S knew what over-hydrated was. S responded with, "Yes, it means I drank too much water."

END OF SUMMER (6 YRS OLD)

Summer vacation has ended. Despite trying to cut back on activities this summer, mama thought it was full of activities. June was full of swim team and girl scout camp. July was full of trips -- Great Wolf Lodge and Florida, not to mention Bowie's cheer camp. August was full of family fun and a visit to cousin Matthew, Lillian and Timothy in Houston. Home schooling suffered with all the activities -- some of it due to S's reluctance to do her math and the other was due to a full plate.

Mama knew it was time for school to start again when S started to complain about going to the grocery store with her. S starts AHB again tomorrow. She will be in the beta class.

AUDIO BOOKS (6 yrs old)

Mama listens to audio books doing work around the house and riding in the car. She started to introduce audio books to S this summer, starting with book with CDs from the library. The first (long) audio book that she really loved was -- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. That's when mama knew S was hooked. Since then she listened to the A-Z mysteries, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, and the Humphrey the Hamster series. She also listen to many short books/stories, downloaded from the Austin library.

HIVES!

FLORIDA (6 yrs old)

Daddy, mama and S did their longest road trip -- starting in Austin and going to West Palm Beach with three stops: Houston, New Orleans and Destin.

Spent the next four days on the beach.