...and justice for all.

We started a pretty formalized schedule at Smith Academy. The kids start the day off with a simple breakfast and at 9-ish AM with attendance. I love hearing them declare "PRESENT!" We then do a devotional time where we focus on a Bible story or biblical principle, then spin off that with a related art project. We then say The Pledge...

Check out these videos

We introduced the pledge on Monday and today is Friday. I think we have some whippa-snappas on our hands. After the pledge, we dive into writing drills using different techniques. Then the kids have computer time for 15- 30 minutes. We are aiming to be done by noon for lunch, a nap, then wake up to playing and doing their own thing which a lot of times is some sort of reiteration of the lessons of the day. We are so blessed to be able to homeschool.

We found this great phonics/reading program online.

He's a fish.

We took the plunge and put the kids in swim classes at our Fitness Club. Twice a week for 4 weeks. Quadson had had lessons when he was two. Both kids love water and bath time. We intentionally would pour water all over them in their heads and eyes at bath time, as they grew up, with the hope that they would be very comfortable with water.



Quadson's class has one other student in it. In this photo, the little girl is standing alone waiting her turn while Quadson gets one on one tutoring on the backstroke without that back float. This was the 4th class. At class #1, the little girl was on the ceiling screaming...totally petrified of the pool. The teacher, Miss Mandy is GOOD. Quadson, being pretty comfy in water, could frolic around just fine before these lessons, but after 3 classes, he now...


...SWIMS!!!! (3 videos below)





Considering I did not swim like this until I was almost 14, we are most proud of our son for swimming without floaties or even goggles, with eyes wide opened in the water. The drills Miss Mandy does of tapping him to make him turn on his back and float, are actually tactics that are preparing him to turn his head from side to side, breathing like an Olympic swimmer in a later class.

After his 30 minute class, Leslie, who is quite comfy in water as well, has her class with 4 other baby girls, this class a class with the parent involved. Miss Mandy has the class do all sort of drills involving kicking, blowing bubbles and the parent pulling the child along kicking and actually "dunking" under water as you go. Les does pretty well and mostly cries if the other girls who are pretty uncomfortable with water, cry, Here after those drills, Monique drags Les along the pool on a foam raft as Les relaxes after her workout.

My parents, who were going to miss their Friday with the kids the next day, due to the happy fact they were going on a cruise to celebrate their 40 years of marriage, came up to the fitness center with great-grandma Katherine in tow, to see their kids swim. We had tried our best to explain the aptitude level of Quadson's swimming, but they were absolutely blown away at how well he swam. They could not get over it. After the lessons, we retired to the outdoor pool area to bask in the sun and watch the kids frolic in the amazing outdoor water park area.

A typical scene after some time at Lifetime Fitness. As I was enjoying a smoothie in the cafe while watching a little CNN, I looked around and they were both off to the side in the living room area, totally knocked out. They were a true spectacle as fellow members walked by in laughter. Too cute. After they awoke, they went to the kid's play area and I got my workout on.