Tuesdays With Mooch & Fuss: Big Update

Warning: This is gonna be one of those loaded with photos and information kinda blog posts. Ya’ll know how I get in the fall/winter.

Fuss got one of her natal teeth pulled last week (she was born with two teeth), and she did well! We totally forgot to do the tooth fairy two nights in a row, though. Shame on us. Mooch and I tricked her the following morning. I called her into my room, and Mooch snuck the dollar under her pillow. Then I asked her, “Did you check and see if the tooth fairy came?” She was ecstatic — mostly about the money — not the fairy.

Anyway, I pulled her out of the half time (9am-12pm) pre-k program she was in for these two weeks before I leave. I wanted to spend quality time, and really homeschool her before I leave next week. She’ll go full time while Hannibal is at work, and that’s very new for her. We’re having a lot of fun. Here are a couple of pics, but there are loads more at my other blog: Homeschooling Fuss.

I’m redoing my transportation unit with her (from a year ago). She was very excited to see the new activities on the shelves, and she did six activities in a row during work time yesterday. That is unlike her. She normally makes it through about three. I videotaped circle time, so she can watch it while I’m gone, because we aren’t allowed to Skype on the ship. It sucks up too much bandwidth and the ship may sink or get lost or something.

MOOCH

Mooch had a slumber party with her sisters from her rights of passage group. They had a lot of fun, because this is the first time they’ve all been together this year. I had planned for things to happen organically, but Mooch, unbeknownst to me, drafted up a schedule. Here is a copy of it:

The girls were hell bent on sticking to it, too. They built a fort, played with American Girl Dolls, and executed the whole plan. Apparently, there were some lewd conversations and other interesting things that happened after lights out, but I can neither confirm nor deny these reports. Here they are playing with their dolls:

This is a pic of the girls’ beds before the sleepover:

Here they are building their fort:

We finished assembling and pre-decorating our travel journals. I also finished and printed (Yay! My ink came!) both the guide for us to take and the one I’m leaving with Hannibal. Here are pics of those:

Lastly, I made Kwanzaa decorations to take with us on the ship, so Mooch can feel like she’s doing something. Here are those:

Tuesdays With Mooch & Fuss: Old Costumes

Here are some pics of the girls Halloween costumes over the years. We’re in heavy prep mode around here, and there isn’t much time for blogging. I have a parade at one girl’s school Wednesday morning, and then I have to schlep to the other’s by 1:30pm. Things will be interesting, but they will definitely be fun.

Our costume method has always been they pick what they want to be, and then I design it.

Tuesdays With Mooch & Fuss: Weddings, Birthdays, and Laundry

I’ve been promising to capture a picture of Fuss doing her laundry without being asked. Yesterday I was cooking my birthday feast, and she came dragging her hamper in. Since I was preparing a new dish, I had my camera near by, so I snapped a couple of photos without distracting her. She’s been so amazing and helpful these last few weeks. She and the other flower girl, Kaia, did a fantastic job in the wedding this weekend. For more on homeschooling Fuss, please visit, Teaching Fuss.

Mooch shot a few pick up shots and recorded some voiceover for Candyland, which should be out in December. She wasn’t in the wedding, but I included a picture of what she wore. I wasn’t able to walk down the aisle with a giant Canon camera, so you’ll have to wait on the professional pictures for shots at the actual venue. This one is in my living room.

Mooch has been working on the science behind building at school. She and a partner are designing a castle from the future, and I can’t wait to see it. They’re also preparing for a 1920′s performance, where she’ll get to perform “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” She met with a coach last night for her November 11th celebrity gala, where she’ll perform a scene from Macbeth with Keith David.

It was also my birthday on Monday, October 15th, so you’ll see a couple of pictures from our tiny family celebration.

Tuesdays With Mooch & Fuss: When Life Gives You Lemons, Turn it Into Good Behavior

Toddlers are so easily influenced. Sometimes that works in a parent’s favor, and sometimes it’s ends up like a scene from Nightmare on Elm Street. This past week, Fuss skipped her normal 9-12 preschool, and stayed home with me. My parenting-style and home instruction was able to completely transform her behavior in just three days. I’m sure, however, that this week, she’ll bring home some funky behaviors, and I’ll need to detox her, again.

It’s comforting to know that nothing is set in stone yet, though. Kids sort of have a built in mistake-proof programming for the first five years, so that parents can learn as they go without causing too much damage (outside of abuse and neglect, of course). Despite attempts to the contrary, there really is no one-size-fits-all parenting manual. Each parent must learn their kid. Sometimes it can feel like I’m raising a member of Al-Quaeda, but once I adjust my own behavior and remember to tune in, Fuss is one of the most helpful, curious, and respectful kids I’ve ever met. She’s super sweet. The ebb and flow of good behavior, based on balancing external influences and a mix of parenting styles within the house, keeps us all on our toes. For more on homeschooling Fuss, visit: Teaching Fuss.

Mooch is down to two extra-curricular activities per week now as she saves money for our trip in December. She does Shakespeare on Mondays and Vocal Training with my brother on Thursdays. She’ll resume ballet in January. I didn’t think she would miss it, but she’s been twirling in the living room for the past two weeks. I think going three times per week was really increasing her passion for it, because she’s never really been a fan. She likes African and Hip-Hop and Tap — you know, the loud dance styles, but she hasn’t done any of those in the last two and a half years!

This past weekend, she did a lemonade fundraiser, and she made $141 in three hours. Her profit was $129, but it’ll be more next time, because we found someone who wants to donate the lemons, and we won’t have to make a new sign, buy containers, or cups next time (we have leftovers). We’ll probably sell outside of Faithful Central two Sundays from now. She’s fundraising for her trip to Central and South America this December.  If you missed the lemonade stand, but would like to donate a few bucks, here is her GoFundMe page.  Here are some pictures from the experience.

Tuesdays With Mooch & Fuss: Back in the Swing of Things

Homeschool resumed yesterday for Fuss! To recap, she now goes to a morning program from 9am until noon. She comes home and we do story time plus nap, and then we go pick up her sister. When we get home, she does calendar time/circle time, and then we do activities/mat time.

This week our overarching theme is the human body. I made a sensory tub (inspired by this one at Counting Coconuts), and she chose to lace bead yesterday. This is a new activity on the shelves, so she had to learn how to get the lace through the beads. After about four beads she was on a roll. I learned that she is tenacious. She also did the hundred board, and then it was time for dinner.

To follow our homeschooling journey, visit Teaching Fuss.

Mooch received wonderful news yesterday. She’ll be performing alongside Keith David in a Shakespearean scene this November. Mooch also resumes acting classes in a couple of weeks, and she’s due for new headshots. She is preparing for a MacBeth performance this December in her Shakespeare class, which began yesterday.

The new school year is going well for Mooch. She has a great group of kids in her class as well as two wonderful teachers. We receive the curriculum roadmap this Thursday, but I’m already loving the science, math, and identity work she has brought home. Good stuff.

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