Today

Today was the first day of Rosh Chodesh Iyar.  I usually give the kids some little treat in honor of the occasion or we try to make some extra special meal or do a project. The schedule is generally lighter on Rosh Chodesh for us.  So today, I was hoping to either make some homemade journals with them or do some vegetable fabric dying.  In the end I couldn't get the supplies I needed in the stores because everyone seemed to be out of the things that I needed.  So, instead, I thought I'd drop by the bookstore and pick up a set of encyclopedias I had my eye on for a while and saved some money for.  But in the end the encyclopedia turned out to be more expensive than I thought it was but they had another book sale.  So the encyclopedia will have to wait but I got some other books .  The almost nine year old is a voracious reader and he was long overdue for some new reading material.  So being that I couldn't buy what I came for, I had some extra money and the kids were asking for a Lego type set for a while so I bought one large one and some dolls for the girls.  I don't mind buying educational, openended and versatile toys now and then. So we didn't get to the projects I planned but the kids spent a lot of time building with the brick set.  I told them we'd make some pizza for Rosh Chodesh and they LOVE to bake and cook.  So we did that and threw in a chocolate chip cake into the bargain while we were baking anyway.  This part of today worked out well, thank G-d.  I aslo made a fruit salad for snack, which was much appreciated by the crew on a very hot day (we are having a heat wave.)Otherwise... The boys were reluctant to their regular scheduled lessons but in the end it got done and reasonably well.  Read some to the little ones.  Counted on the new abacus with the five year old.  Thought about lots of educational stuff and all the things I'd like to post but don't get to because someone always seems to be up or needing something.  Had some really irritable moments.  Tried to deal with various behavioral issues.  Watched my kids watch the neighbourhood children collecting firewood for the Lag B'Omer bonfires.  Noted the flags that are waving all around the neighbourhood in preparation for the Israel Independence day.  Had my usual conniptions about the general state of hypocrisy, lack of intellectual honesty, poor analytical skills and absence of standards in our age of journalism driven by pure political or other agendas. Tried to straighten up, feed everyone, get everyone off to bed while still holding on to some semblance of sanity.  Found some interesting links that I should post some time in the next decade.  Learned some useful things from other homeschooling family blogs.  Took stock of things that did go well today.  Brooded over the things that didn't.  Did some tentative planning for tomorrow. It's been a full day and I pray to have many more where I have the energy and wisdom and patience to make them full in a positive and transformative sense.  Chodesh Tov, a good and meaningful and healing moth to all!  A friend told me some time back that Iyar is an acronym for Ani Hashem Rofecha- I am G-d Your Healer!  I could certainly use some healing in many areas of my life and so does the world!  Have a good one!