Michealmas and the daily grind

We have been so busy these last two weeks! Last week we started our first week of a four week block on Introduction of letters. Fiona's handwriting has improved by leaps and bounds, she plays with the stories I've presented the last couple of weeks and she has mellowed a little in her attitude towards starting. Both Fiona and Anya have a hard time after the weekend to get back into the swing of things, but we have muddled through and come out fine at the end of the week. Even David has commented on how much Fiona's temper has improved over last year. It was common last year after school for Fiona to have tantrums nearing bedtime and to completely lose it by about 8PM. Now, there is a bit of flourish when daddy gets home, but nothing so extreme as the screaming and yelling of old!

Michealmas today and with much of the activities we've done leading up to today has been eye-opening! The stories I have told for both the main lesson and for fall and the story of St. George and the dragon, Archangel Michael and the kite have really been working in Fiona's soul. She has pondered what it means to be really useful, thought about how being brave and doing things that we haven't done before mean we grow ,sometimes grow up. She is seeing things in the world around her differently and in a very profound way that isn't easy to express with words.

Anya these last couple of weeks has been quite a handful. She really needs my attention and has a hard time lately playing for more than 10 minutes at a time without me. I know this is just a stage, since I have been really aware of keeping one day a week very kindergarten-like for Anya and focusing our day around her needs. In addition, she is included in almost all Fiona's studies, crayons in drawing, painting right along with Fiona, but she is just into everything and having a hard time with being told 'no' when she asks for say gum at 8 in the morning. This too shall pass I'm sure.

Our handwork lessons are coming along. Fiona has learned the basics of spinning with a spindle and is almost finished knitting a gnome. She is also making a quilted pillowcase for her friend Chloe who is turning 7 next week, so very busy with all of this. We will also be going on a feildtrip tomorrow to the Greenfield Village Fall Harvest days, I'm very excited about this!

Her recorder lessons are going, but barely. She really can't stand all the clapping and playing the recorder without sitting. The rhythm of music is really challenging for her.

Anyway, that's a bit of an update for now, more later!