Hmmm...let's see, what to post about today? It was a very full day, to be sure. But when it is that full, I get sleepy faster and my brain won't function when I finally get a chance to sit down.  So let's do this in the format of random thoughts. It might all come back to me....
~It looks like December outside, a beautiful, misty snow has been gently falling all evening. MomsClub planned an outdoor hike at Nose Hill park for tomorrow morning, but I have a feeling that most will opt to stay indoors. I don't mind getting my kids out in the fresh air, even in snow. But poor James has developed a nasty cough; he was stuffy and feverish all day yesterday and today. I don't think it would bode well for him to get too much 'fresh air' at this point. If he's not decidedly better when he wakes up, afternoon preschool will be out as well. Poor James!
~Due to my house rearranging and the late arrival of curriculum, we had our first full day of Sonlight school today. I have been doing school since Labor Day, except for the last couple weeks of craziness. But today was the first 'on-track' day with curriculum. I know some homeschoolers who do their own thing and are fine with their own guidelines. That's fine for them. But I myself need a curriculum to keep me focused and straight. I need to be able to rely on it to feel secure that my children will make it through without gaps in their education unwittingly left by their mother who was feather-brainedly trying to "wing it". I am educated and bright enough to teach my kids, but I am admittedly feather-brained and occasionally disorganized....well, no, I hate to say actually disorganized: I have the ability to be quite organized. I guess I'm more random & whimsical in my approach. So I personally NEED a curriculum to keep me flying straight and a homeschool facilitator to keep me accountable. Like today, it didn't bother me at all to spend all morning doing craft projects with all the kids and then start 'actual' school around 2:00 and not finish till 6:00. I didn't plan to do it that way. That's just what came into my head to do; it seemed like a good idea. And we had a lot of fun! Everybody got attention, everybody had something to do. I think over the next week we will of course get a feel for what kind of loose schedule we will keep around here. Kids do need some sort of general routine. But I don't think I can be a tight schedule kind of person. We need a loose schedule, that let's us generally do things in the same order every day, but not always be done by the exact same time. Boy, when I'm tired I ramble. Sorry!
~Jane has a love affair with the toilet. That's all I can say. Bathroom locks, here we come!
~Gracie LOVES to color. Mommy is happy to finally find something to keep her happy for more than five minutes.
~Gabe and I are very excited about the new books we get to read in school this year. Gabe's reading has improved tremendously-yay! finally! He said, "You mean I don't read like a robot anymore?" and was thrilled when I said an exuberant "No, you don't!" :D
~We spent a nice evening with Grandpa B. tonight, his final visit before heading to Prince Edward Island for good. Too bad Grandma B. couldn't come with him, but she is enjoying a nice rest there on the Island waiting for him. 
~Richard just went to bed, and I'm going to follow. We have to see which girl was booted off Over the Rainbow tonight, to relinquish her dreams of becoming the next Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz theatre musical. Great show!