Back to Dress Shirts and Slacks

After some time adjusting to our new home and a quick trip back to the States for my brothers wedding, it is time to get back to reality - of sorts.  We are finally getting into somewhat of a schedule.  I don't really like to call it that as we are always flexible and changing things up a bit - but maybe more of our weekly habits better fits.  Michael is up early now during the week and heads to the hospital (in dress shirts and slacks) to prepare for the day (attending rounds, going to clinic and learning as much as he possibly can).  I try to rise early to complete some school work (that began a month ago for me) - I am a little overwhelmed this semester and find I have to double up some weeks so I can take weekends to explore and spend time with the family.  Global Health is a very time intensive class with big projects and a lot of research (although I am learning so so much - which in turn is helping us decide where we may want to end up down the road), my Emergency Planning is more of the same with extra assignments this semester - I think I am really ready to be done with this degree program.  The boys are settling in to their schoolwork well as we figure out what works and what does not.  We are enjoying having the Montessori math manipulatives to make it a little less boring and adds another perspective to learning these skills.

Montessori Stamp Game - although some say good to use up to grade 3 I find it great for getting back into the groove of math (for all grades) and learning not to be overwhelmed by math problems that have 4 digits - great for adding, subtracting, multiplication and division.

We use many free print out projects from Montessori websites including this Compass Rose project and as you can see we do most of our work on the floor - similar to Montessori classrooms

a geography project we worked on this week - geography and learning about the whole world around us is an important part of the Montessori approach

the latest project I started (I have several unfinished but needed to change it up a bit) - a lap blanket in some chunky wool that has colors that reminds me of stormy seas - perfect for cozy evenings on the couch here in England on the seafront

we also made it to Chichester with our friend Alexi to explore an open air museum of an old village, a great outing that we all enjoyed (a post on that later) and a tuesday and sunday full of rugby.  The boys are figuring out the game bit by bit, are adding new bruises and are having fun with the rough and tumble of being boys.  A full week of fun and work indeed - Cheers