Homeschool Mother’s Journal- Week of 6/4/12

In my life this week…
…my mother was admitted to the hospital and it really shook me up. Her more than me, of course! Her husband suffered a seizure while they were at the hospital. They live in Northern California and I’m in Northeast Ohio. My mom is now on blood pressure medication and her husband is on anti-seizure medication. They are home now and doing better.
My garden was looking a little sickly this week. The leaves were burned on some plants {the zucchini especially}. Deer ate the leaves off of my three bean plants Fortunately, the each had two little leaves just opening and they are doing better now. The strawberries {which were promptly eaten by birds shortly after planting} now have blossoms again.
I put netting around the entire garden in hopes of keeping critters out. Dh also sprayed repellent around it.
In our homeschool this week…
…Fox still is working on Algebra. Both are working on Spanish. Lee started the Lightning Literature. That’s it.
Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
…Lee had babysitting on Wednesday night so I drove her to that and hung out at the library. I worked on school scheduling. Fox had Young Marines; his dad took him to that {in his Cobra!}. Thursday we went to Hobby Lobby. Friday we went to a metropark {South Euclid Reservation} and hung out on the trails for an hour or two. Then we went to the library and I got a bunch of local fliers for activities to do this summer. We are going to back to the park {maybe a different one this time, not sure} and the library to pick up our game boards for the summer reading program {that includes teens and adults!!}.
My favorite thing this week was…
…all the Cardinals I keep seeing. Rarely do I get a photo though.

What’s working/not working for us…
…all seems to be going just fine.
Things I’m working on…
…same ol’.
I’m reading…
…I stopped reading the other books and am just focusing on pre-reading for school. If I don’t stop reading the other books then I won’t get it done and I don’t want to be caught unprepared. Also, 3 of the 4 books that I was reading for the Around the World challenge had inappropriate portions and not worth my reading.
I’m cooking…
…tonight it was hamburgers and bratwurst, on the grill done by dh. Yesterday it was turkey breast that was marinated in honey mustard sauce. I don’t recall what else we made this week. I didn’t do all the cooking and tomorrow is Lee’s night. I did make some sugarless cookies. They were …interesting. Fox made chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips. Those were yummy!
I’m grateful for…
…my mommy. Even though she is so far away, I’ve very grateful that I have a good relationship with her and can call her for whatever. A good car and a wonderful husband that can work on it I just hit the 100,000 miles!
I’m praying for…
…my mom. My sisters, Melissa and Lynn. My niece, Nissha. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law, Becky and Hannah, for travels to come visit us from Oregon.
A photo collage to share…

Things I’ve planted.

I’m linking up (a wee bit late!) with the following:

   

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:

    

Homeschool Mother’s Journal- Week of 5/21/12

In my life this week…
… I’ve been trying to get some things done. I can’t honestly say that it’s turned out the way I planned but it’s alright. I read two more books, worked on the kids’ report cards {not that we have to have one} and got some of my goals marked off {that would pretty much be my ‘to do list’}.

Lee fainted while doing a training session on Monday. She is fine but it was a shock to everyone. One of the boys she might be babysitting occasionally, has life threatening food allergies and she needs to know how to administer an EpiPen if needed. I think/hope it was low blood sugar as well as standing while in an unfamiliar place that caused her to pass out and not “Vasovagal response” {phobia of needles}. She’s had shots before, seen many needles and never had such a reaction. Perhaps I just need to feed her more often

In our homeschool this week…
…I was going to say that we didn’t have any school but we did. Or rather they did. We are reviewing Homeschool Spanish Academy and Pearson Homeschool Algebra 1. Those were the only things though. I didn’t really have much to do with it. Kinda felt weird lol.

I do have to figure out the parent’s portion of Pearson and so I spent my time with that- that’s the extent of ‘homeschool’ for me this week.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…
…Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get through with the book you’re using for a subject. Or even an entire curriculum. If you finish, that is great; if not, either pick it up over the summer, add it in next year, or better yet, let it go. Someone {many ‘someone’s by now} had told me when I started that “they don’t finish the entire textbook in public school, so don’t sweat it.” Of course, I’d still suggest striving to finish it and not just being nonchalant, just because the schools don’t get it done. 

I am inspired by…
…Ann Voskamp, yet again. I downloaded and printed the little 7 gifts booklet for myself and my kids. I have only filled in one day with all 7 gifts but I am thinking more of what I have to be thankful for.

I’m going to print one off each week for us.

 

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
…this past week we went to Mentor twice {the training session for Lee}. 

I’ve gone to the store- a lot. Each time I got as much as my funds would allow, thinking I wouldn’t be able to go back. God provides, though, and we’ve not gone without {don’t listen if my kids say “There’s nothing to eat!”}- I’ve been able to go to the store a few times more than I originally planned

Tonight {Friday, 25th} there is a “Homebuilders” class at my church that I’m planning on going to. Would like my dh to go with me…Will see.

My favorite thing this week was…
… tape! Seriously! I have a 3-ring binder that I’ve had for many years. It’s a not-too-pretty-green Avery Dennison, nothing fancy, binder {it does say ‘durable’}. It’s also falling apart. I’ve used it throughout my college career {12 years, I’d say that’s a career}, for numerous things not related to schooling at all, and now for homeschooling. It is feeling it’s age.

I originally tried to doctor it up with clear Scotch packing tape. It doesn’t stick well to the textured cover. So I figured duct tape, that’ll fix it! Dh is the man with everything that I ever need; screwdrivers, wrenches, sockets, hammers, nails, tape, batteries- all in assorted sizes and types. But alas, this time he had no special tape. He’s so awesome {that is really my favorite thing} though, he went and bought some special ‘strapping’ tape just for my little project. I think it has fiberglass embedded in it.

My binder still isn’t pretty but I’m confident I’ll get quite a few more years out of it  

Questions/thoughts I have…
…Does washing your hair with baking soda and {after rinsing it out with water} using vinegar as a rinse really work? Well, I’m going to find out! I stopped wearing makeup a few months ago and haven’t ‘washed’ my face in almost as long. My skin is softer than I can recall it being in a long time.

The first time I ‘washed’ with baking soda {mixed in water} and then used a vinegar/water rinse, my hair felt like I’d used some nifty conditioner in it. No tangles when I went to brush it. I always have a knot at the back of my head after towel drying my hair. Not this time. I’ve washed/rinsed with this combo four days now and my hair is no different than usual. Well, it’s actually a bit shinier.

I’ll keep it up at least a week longer to see what results I get. It does seem to need to be ‘washed’ –definitely –everyday using this method.

I’m reading…
…Just got: Moonblood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl; Finished: A Hero for WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi {I wrote a ‘review’ at The Book Guardians}and Disciplines of a Godly Young Man by Kent and Cary Hughes {wrote a review}. Still reading: The Fort {it’s a bit difficult for me to keep the characters separated- who's the British, who’s the Rebels}. Ack! And just remembered I’m 35% done with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn {just remembering to read is the problem- I’ve started listening to it instead}.

*book covers are affiliate linked with amazon.com

I’m cooking…
…well, you’ll probably think I never cook because again I will say that I’m not doing much this week –or next, if I’m lucky *wink*. I did make quiche on Wednesday night. The rest of the week it’s been hubby cooking on the grill. I love when we do it that way- he does almost all the work

I’m grateful for…
… funny children…kindness of others…a garden…ice water…cats…coffee…screens in windows…classical music…libraries…forever stamps…fog…rice…TOS Homeschool Crew…digital cameras…my hubby…shipping tape…bbq grills…lamb’s ear

I’m praying for…
…my mother, my cousin, my children, friends Christy, Briana, Michelle, Rodna. Many other things.

A photo collage to share…

1) red onions for quiche; 2) strong winds; 3) avocado pit; 4) Fox’s “Just for Fun” ATC; 5) Kawaii enjoying the outside

I’m {planning on} linking this up with the following hops. Come on over and have a visit