October went by in an over-scheduled blur. In fact, it is now November, and I’m reflecting back on October, wondering where the time went.
Academically, we’re pretty much on the same path as usual. Flo does lots of independent reading, and we also read together a lot. Flo is one of those people that likes to have three or four books going at once, so she has books all over the place; in the car, in her backpack, next to her bed… Come to think of it, that sounds just like me! I have stacks of books everywhere and tend to read in spurts.
Joe had a dentist appointment this month to fill his little cavity that we’ve been taking good care of for the past two years, because every dentist appointment up until recently ended in a complete meltdown on his part. Thankfully, some maturity seems to have come to Joe as he rounds out his fifth year, and this appointment was remarkably quick and painless. They didn’t even have to numb him. They just got in there, quickly got out the “sugar monster” and were done. Yeah!
We continued with our Smithsburg Area Learning Time Co-op this month. It’s the first and third Fridays of the month, and though I’m always glad to be there once we get there, it’s so hard getting going with three kids, that I often question the benefits of the whole experience. Nonetheless, we try to contribute what we can, and Flo really loves the social aspect. Joe is pretty much only interested in sports and games, but is a lot easier to manage than he was even just last year. Now Zofia has stepped up to fill his shoes, and keeps me busy chasing her around and getting into stuff.
We had our second Creative Journaling Club meeting this month. It was all girls this time, which was fun. I spent a couple hours doing a journaling collage project with them, while listening in on their giggly conversations. I’m enjoying the group, and it’s inspiring me to dust off my journal as well!
On the 12th, we headed to Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, Maryland. We’ve gone to their annual open house fundraiser every year for a few years now, and since it was great weather, it seemed like a good way to spend the day. We walked around a bit, visiting with the pigs, sampled some free vegan food and drinks, and then decided to head down to DC, since we were so close. Flo and I did some walking, while Joe and Darren went down to the monuments for a bit. Then, we rendezvoused at the Georgetown Whole Foods for a snack before heading home. All in all, a nice day.
The next day, Flo’s friend, Kate, celebrated her 9th birthday at the Lions Park in Smithsburg, so we headed out for a few hours. The weather was nice and the kids all enjoyed themselves. I opted to leave Joe home that day, so I could relax a bit, because he always gets carried away with the older boys, and I have to spend most of my time telling him to stay out of the woods at this particular park. So, we had a little girl time out… fun!
That same week, our friends Jen, and her son, Conner, came back down from New Jersey, to stay a few days. While they were here, I hosted a Mom’s Night Out here, so Jen could visit with some of her old friends. It was a nice evening, but everyone was tired by 10pm or so, so it wasn’t a late night. I guess motherhood really takes a toll on your energy at times!
On the 23rd, Flo and Joe were invited to Jayme and Alicia’s birthday surprise party at Marty Snook Park. We were a little late to get in on the surprise part, but we made it and the kids all had a great time. Jayme and Alicia actually came over for the evening after the party to visit, after please from Flo and Joe to have their friends over. We made spaghetti, played outside and watch some Scooby.
The following day, Flo had another social outing when she went to her friend, Callie’s, house for the afternoon. They went to see the new “High School Musical 3” movie, so Flo was very excited about that.
We rounded out the month with Halloween festivities. On the 30th, our homeschooling group (PHLiC) had a Halloween party at the Williamsport library. It was a beautiful day out, too, so the kids got to run around outside, as well as, enjoy the festivities inside. Flo went as a medieval princess, and Joe as some sort of Star Wars character.
They continued their costumed fun the next evening for Trick-or-Treating. Jayme and Alicia came over, and we all made the rounds in our neighborhood for the second year in a row. Eric and Jessica visited with us for awhile after trick-or-treating, and the kids enjoyed watching some Halloween specials and checking out all their candy. So, it was a nice evening, and a good memory.
That pretty much wraps up October. As we head into the Fall, I’m still trying to find that balance in our schedule, so that we’re home enough to have time to relax and spend quality time together, but so that we have enough activities to keep the kids stimulated and offer social opportunities. I think this will forever be the challenge, but one must keep trying!