Homeschool Mother’s Journal–Week of 5/28/12

In my life this week…
… I finished reading Moonblood. I put that here because it was what I did for a couple of days. I did the bare minimum otherwise lol. Still have to write my review. It’ll be tough, I think.

I went grocery shopping yesterday and saved a ton of money {hmmm, how much would it be literally if I saved a ‘ton’?} by going to two stores instead of one. Unfortunately, that means we don’t save as much on fuel for the month. It all balances out in the end, I guess. Next I want to get coupons if possible to save a bit more. Will see.

We saw a Pileated woodpecker and a Northern Flicker this week. We still get all excited when we see new things.

In our homeschool this week…
… Kids had their second session with Homeschool Spanish Academy. That’ll be a review I post on or around July 2nd. Fox is also working with Algebra 1 through Pearson. That review will be up around June 18th.

Started re-reading for another review item: Hewitt Homeschool, Lightning Literature. Fortunately the review for it is due mid July. I’m still trying to plan it all out.

I received two books for next year (Lee, Yr9, AO) and am waiting for two more. More reading.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
… Monday, Memorial Day, we went to Maple Heights, OH, for a parade. Fox was in the parade. Tuesday, I met with some moms again for the Mom’s Night Out in Willoughby, OH. Met another homeschooling mom. Was a nice time again. Will do it again next this month! Lee had her first official babysitting night on Wednesday and I think it went well. She will do that again on the 6th. Fox had Young Marines and will again on Wednesday. Tomorrow, the 2nd (Saturday), we are supposed to drive to Perry, OH, to see a traveling homeschool band.

Today we went to a local nursery/garden center and bought some plants for the garden. We got broccoli, bell pepper, bean (bush), lettuce, strawberry, carrot, and tomato plants and a packet of beet seeds.

We also stopped at the library along the way. I didn’t realize we’d done so much! We usually don’t.

My favorite thing this week was…
… Meeting another homeschooling mom, getting a message from Jeanine on my blog, and saving what I consider BIG with shopping.

What’s working/not working for us…
… um, I’m not sure if it is me or the program but I’m having a difficult time trying to figure out the ‘behind-the-scenes’ with Pearson. Fox is struggling also with the format. I’m not sure if this is a ‘not working’ thing or just a challenge that I’m being stubborn about accepting *wink*.

Questions/thoughts I have…
… Remember the baking soda/vinegar wash/rinse I was talking about last week? Well my thoughts: Nope. I tried it for four days, I think, when I first posted my question. I then forgot that I had not made enough for the week and had to wash with shampoo for two days. Not giving up, I made some more for the rest of the week.

Perhaps I did it wrong but my hair just never got past the feeling like it needed to be washed. It was wonderfully soft but horribly oily feeling. It shined and strangely didn’t look as dirty as it felt. I will stick with my cheap shampoo for now I suppose. I’ll still look into it more though.

Things I’m working on…
… school schedules. Cleaning house. Meeting goals.

I’m reading…
… Passages by Brian Hardin {review item}, As One Devil to Another by Richard Platt {won in a giveaway}, The Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson {just barely started}, and these four that follow are books I’m reading for an Around the World challenge on Goodreads: Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin, Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick, The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht, and City of Tranquil Light by Bo Caldwell {none have even been read past the first few pages}. I’m still trying to read The Fort by Bernard Cornwell but just don’t know if I can do it. I’m almost to the halfway point, though.

I’m cooking…
… Pizza tonight! Not sure the rest of the week. I do have a ‘menu’ though, so there is a plan. The past week, being the end of the month, was more of scrape together than cook something. We did have a cold pasta salad with cut up chicken last night {thanks to Lee} and turkey breast sandwiches the night before.

I’m grateful for…
…the breeze, librivox.org, sleep-in days, ATCs, sisters, rain, technology, printer, Pileated woodpecker, paintings, documentaries, heated blankets, ice tea.

I’m praying for…
… my direction, my heart; my husband, my children; Christy and Michelle; my sisters and their families.

A photo collage {thanks to pickmonkey.com!! and Julieanne at Joy in Our Journey for the heads up} to share…
…these were all taken with my phone camera and I think they turned out alright.

1) We Remember; 2) ‘boardwalk’ in Eleanor B. Garfield Park, Mentor, OH; 3) Cuyahoga Valley Young Marines {Fox is on the close end, in the 3rd row}; 4) beautiful flowers at EBG, Mentor, OH; 5) iced coffee; 6) Cuyahoga Valley Young Marines; 7) sun through the trees, boardwalk in EBG Park, Mentor, OH

At some point this post will be linked up with the following: