EXPLORE [16 pts]

To celebrate the beautiful weather we have been having, I decided to take the kids out for a romp in the woods this morning. Within a five minute walk we were in this beautiful gem tucked among the housing divisions.

Liam was our trail leader.

Smile!

Crossing over the stream.

Mushrooms!

 

We came back delighted and exhausted. It's wonderful to explore!

BECALMED [15 pts]

Here I am trying to find my Zen after an absolutely exasperating morning.

It started out innocuously enough: husband off to work early, kids eating breakfast and me getting ready for our first "official" day of homeschool this year. Dare I say I had high hopes? Two cherubic children smiling back at me, obediently memorizing math facts and discussing classical literature? All my ambitions were on the table for our first day.

The first fifteen minutes were actually inspirational. There they were, neatly printing out the inspiring message of the day, eagerly participating in thought-provoking discussion (really!) and looking up words in the dictionary.

Alas, if only school days were only fifteen minutes long. Shortly thereafter, all the sugar Hannah ingested yesterday manifested itself as a full-on meltdown, Liam fled the scene, and I sat there wondering if anyone will learn anything more than self-preservation this year.

Well I learned (again) to never let Hannah eat candy, keep things simple, and to never, ever take both of my children grocery shopping again. 

But back to our inspirational message.

You were born with potential.

You were born with goodness and trust.

You were born with ideals and dreams.

You were born with greatness.

You were born with wings.

You are not meant for crawling, so don't.

You have wings.

Learn to use them and fly.

-Rumi

So things have actually settled down. Hannah is patiently stitching the first patch of her quilt, Liam is experimenting with motion and velocity, and the cat is sleeping next to me.

I think I am becalmed at last. Time for a round of Scrabble!