Wait, haven't I said that before? Trying for more organized, trying to get a handle on time management, etc.? Yes, yes. I've said it before; many times. Always a work in progress...
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I'm switching back to the Homeschool Mother's Journal "format" {which really doesn't even have a format now} for my weekly wrap-up because it is so organized {when/why did I leave it?}. The need for things to have a place, even here on the blog, is heavy on my mind lately. And so, here's the weekly wrap-up for us: Week 31 {don't bother looking for weeks 20+ as tags; I totally forgot what "week" it was for quite a while} of the 2013/2014 school year.
In my life this week…
...I started the Blogging through the Alphabet. Life-changing, I know. Okay, not really but last time I only got three submissions out of 26. I have drafted eight posts already this time. Perhaps that is life-changing {wink}
I also made a loaf of gluten-free, yeast-free bread on Monday. I didn't care if it was yeast-free but that's what the recipe was. In the greenhouse I planted some more things in pots. The composter is doing well; doesn't stink a bit and it is getting dark like real compost. It still has some to go {quite a bit actually- hubby jokes and says in a few years we may be able to get a wee bit of something to actually use for gardening!} but I'm so excited to see its progress. I've not taken photos lately. Perhaps sometime this week I will get to that.
Finally got around to taking photos on Thursday...but not of the compost lol. Some things had to be replanted because it got cold and snowed right after some sprouts had come up. They froze. Here's the post of when we first started the seeds.I also made a loaf of gluten-free, yeast-free bread on Monday. I didn't care if it was yeast-free but that's what the recipe was. In the greenhouse I planted some more things in pots. The composter is doing well; doesn't stink a bit and it is getting dark like real compost. It still has some to go {quite a bit actually- hubby jokes and says in a few years we may be able to get a wee bit of something to actually use for gardening!} but I'm so excited to see its progress. I've not taken photos lately. Perhaps sometime this week I will get to that.
In our homeschool this week…
...my Lee got a job {she started Monday} so things were somewhat shook up here for school. Not just for her. We had to do Round Table earlier some days to be able to include her and not have her too pressed for time.
On Tuesday I let the kids have some, uh, self-directed time. The weather made it so Lee didn't need to work. They were allowed to do things that they wanted to as long as they fell in the category of school subjects. Fox decided to work on a physics experiment we got {Physics Quest Kit, Spectra 6}. Lee is working with sculpey clay* making mosaic tiles. That's for art and entrepreneurship. {wink} This was after we had Round Table {which included verses, German phrases, hymns, ASL vocabulary, James 1:26, 27 word study, and a density 'experiment'}, art with Fox, and Lee worked on the Weekly Barden; all before lunch!
I'm getting the Term 3 exams started this week for the last week of May. Officially the last day of school for the 2013/2014 year is May 30. And because it is so close to the end of the year we are doing what we call "Elimination". For this, they figure what books they have less to go and put more focus on those to finish them. Of course, other subjects are not neglected but more effort is put towards those that can be finished sooner. When they are finished, the "elimination" continues on other areas.
Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…
...Found this Career Exploration freebie from 7 Sisters Homeschool
...for the 'home' bit- http://www.pinterest.com/angie76/cleaning-schedules/ for help with keeping a clean home {struggling here}
...for mom- More Than Words: Using words to dig deeper into The Word. {free word study; subscribe to email updates and get it free}
...for the 'home' bit- http://www.pinterest.com/angie76/cleaning-schedules/ for help with keeping a clean home {struggling here}
...for mom- More Than Words: Using words to dig deeper into The Word. {free word study; subscribe to email updates and get it free}
Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
...umm, just the usual, I think. Grocery shopping on Thursday, library at some points in between, Lee to work when she gets to, Fox to Young Marines on Wednesday {edited: it was cancelled}, and church on Wednesday {edited: we didn't get home in time} and Sunday. Yeah, I think that is about it.
The kids did ride their bikes to the library on Tuesday in the early evening after it dried up and got warmer.
The kids did ride their bikes to the library on Tuesday in the early evening after it dried up and got warmer.
A favorite thing this week was…
...my loaf of bread turned out good! It was yummy and texture was good. I don't think my kids particularly liked it but they aren't really fans of anything but homemade white bread lol.
I made the loaf twice. You can read about it in the newest entry on the post Gluten Free Adventures.
I made the loaf twice. You can read about it in the newest entry on the post Gluten Free Adventures.
Things I’m working on…
...making a blog plan/schedule again. It feels silly to keep repeating things that I'm working on and just never really get accomplished. Speaking of blog, did I mention that I'm now a contributor to The Homeschool Post? I'm excited and nervous.
"We" are working on getting our Etsy shop up. We still need some inventory so it will be sometime in May before it actually opens. I'm not linking it yet because it's not ready. That is why Lee has been working on the mosaic tiles. I am trying to get better at using polymer clay. I really would like to make miniature dolls.
Also I'm working on getting the house in shape. Before internet I used to have a clean house...I mean it is decent now but there's much room for improvement. At one point my mother in law had given me a binder with many reproducibles for keeping organized. I only have a few left and it makes me sad that the ones I really liked I no longer have. I don't even recall who originally designed and sold them.
Also I'm working on getting the house in shape. Before internet I used to have a clean house...I mean it is decent now but there's much room for improvement. At one point my mother in law had given me a binder with many reproducibles for keeping organized. I only have a few left and it makes me sad that the ones I really liked I no longer have. I don't even recall who originally designed and sold them.
What's cooking…
...Gluten-free, Yeast-free Oat Bread {if you head that way, I subbed 1/4 cup sweet rice flour & 1/4 cup cornstarch for the 1/2 cup tapioca starch, used 1 TBS honey and used 6 egg whites instead of 3 whole eggs; oh yes, and somehow I didn't add in the correct amount of oat flour.}
I’ve been reading…
...One Realm Beyond by Donita K. Paul - 1984 by George Orwell - Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler - The Elizabeth Goudge Reader compiled by Rose ? {can't recall her last name} - ...do the kids' school books count?
Around the web: Words to Cut from Your Writing which I found at Chareen's blog. Beautiful poem by Wordsworth posted by Katie
Things to be grateful for…
...birds - sunshine - wonderful family - God's grace - blessed assurance - {coffee ...seems so insignificant after all those others -smile- and now I want some!}
Praying for…
...many unspoken...cleansing, constantly...confidence...ambition, motivation ...peace...for those affected by flooding and tornadoes... redirection/adjustments for hubby's work...
Some thoughts…
...that just keep cropping up again: do I really want to be a "teacher"? Is there another field that I would prefer when my kiddos are out of the house? I am not going to change direction now that I've started my Master's program but sometimes when I cannot keep focused with my kids, who are with me, right in my face and cannot be ignored {not well anyway lol}, how am I going to do with a classroom full of other people's kids? And I will admit that I'm quite nervous about curriculum in public schools. If I could open a private school, hire teachers that I know would teach for the love of the children and the sake of learning, and go off of a non-public school curriculum I might feel a little more at ease. I just don't know what will be in place when the time comes for me to find a teaching job. Just some thoughts.
A photo, link, or quote to share…
...
Link:
Quote:
Against the just th' Almighty's arrows fly.
For he delights the innocents to try,
To show their constant and their God like mind,
Not by afflictions broken, but refined.
~Sir R. Blackmore
(quoted by Matthew Henry,
"Commentary to the Book of Job,"
chapter IX, verse 23)
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