Beep... Beep... Beep.

That's the sound of me backing up a little bit in our math work. Time to review some concepts and get strong before we move to the next level. I've discovered that the children could use some review in long division, multidigit multiplication, word problems and tally graphs. I think every now and then, it's useful to throw a review sheet at the children and see how they do. It helps me to know where their areas of strength and weakness may be on work we covered recently.

We have an anniversary coming up! We will have been homeschooling two years as of November 18. I bought little bottles of bubbly cider and we will make a cake! Elf wants *extra homeschool* to celebrate; can he have (shaking) mooorrre worrrk pleeease? Well, maybe if you're really good, kid.

Elf just learned to do long division. You see, it LOOKS hard, but it really isn't if you line your numbers up correctly. We need our math so that we can work at the Keebler factory properly, doubling and dividing recipes and all. I can't believe that still really works on Elf. I'd tell him about how all elves are naturally good at (fill in difficult subject), and he usually works very hard on it because if all elves can do it, and he's an elf, that must mean HE can do it! He has not yet asked me to back up my assertions with any data, which is just as well. I am sorely tempted to make a pretend blog about elves for that inevitable day. Once when Elf was sleeping, I put cookies in his hands and woke him up. He was so happy that he brought those cookies home from the factory for breakfast!! Oh, I'm mean, but I have so much fun being that way. The kid is going to be nine next year, so I'm enjoying these moments while I can. Note to self: make sure the cookies are KEEBLER brand, not Nabisco, next time. The joke doesn't work with Nabisco cookies as well once he gets into the light.

Emperor has been enjoying the McGuffey reader I bought at the Jesse James farm. He likes the pictures and wants to be first to read the story lessons. I think his favourite so far is a poem about a little white kitten that goes out and gets dirty playing where it shouldn't. Emperor's nickname during homeschool is the "Peanut Gallery." He will know all the answers instinctively. Even some longer division answers, he doesn't need paper to do. It's very annoying. Sometimes, though, in his haste he will multiply when division is called for, etc. So I'll ask Elf if he's going to listen to the "Peanut Gallery" or come up with his own answer. Usually, the Peanut Gallery is correct, though. I don't know how you can jump, twist your body around and generally not even be looking in the right direction and still get the answers right. Love him, though. Emperor has asked for only a half day on the homeschool anniversary. :]