Last school day before Thanksgiving

 Not much is new today. These are the good moments.

One grandson wrote his first Haiku today, with me helping to count syllables. His teacher has him write online using google slides. She told them Haiku is usually about nature, and gave them step by step instructions for finding a nature picture to use as the background picture for the poem they wrote. By the time he got done, it looked beautiful and professional.

He also finished the first rough draft of his opinion writing, and really wants me to come and watch him play that favorite Nintendo game so that I will be able to see for myself how great it is. Nintendo should hire him.

As it is the last school day before the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, there were a LOT of turkey songs, books, dances, and activities. My granddaughter drew a turkey and built a turkey trap. Because she is doing remote school, she has learned to take videos of herself showing and explaining her work. That turkey trap video seemed particularly detailed to me, as I listened from the next room. 

When we go outside during our lunch break, we often head over to a nearby parking lot where it is safe to roller blade and ride scooters in a large space that is smoother than the sidewalks. The first fifteen minutes are nearly always spent just moving as fast as possible. Their bodies seem to crave it. After that, they slow down, and try to figure out cooperative things to do, or they come talk to me. I spend my time walking briskly around the parking lot to get my own head cleared and ready for the afternoon.

The oldest is studying Kansas history right now, and was preparing for a test. To help with that, we went over some of the materials together. There are benefits to being older, and having learned some of the stories from more detailed sources. His teacher is working hard making presentations and trying to cover a LOT of history in a short time. I have the time to add some details. I'm not going to add them in here. It was good, though, after the initial resistance to studying history, to see him become more engaged.

I think all of us were a little bit ready for a break from school today, and were less able to handle frustration with ease. I know I had to take a few deep breaths a couple of times. I have to admit I've been thankful more than once for a different mindset about handling bigger emotions. Sometimes it is magical what a few seconds of silence and breathing in and out can do. Stopping to reset can seem like it will make everything take longer, but pushing through seems to be the thing that actually takes more time. This should not be read as a complaint about the children, but rather just reality. We are working hard. Sometimes we have to give ourselves a little space.

Chuck brought home some more of the meat from the place that processed our pork, and he offered to cook supper. We talked to our daughter while he cooked, and while we ate, and for a while after that.

Tomorrow will be cooking day, but to be shared separately instead of eaten together.